Three Crosses on a Skull-Shaped Hill
J.Gerald Harris
Luke 23:33, 39-43
When it was time for Jesus to be crucified they took Him just outside the city of Jerusalem to a place called Golgotha. Golgotha is a bleak, barren, skull-shaped hill. Look with me toward Golgotha this morning. Upon this hill of execution we see three crosses and three men. One of those men died in sin; one of those men died to sin; and one of those men died for sin.
As we look at these crosses we might well observe that one is a cross of defiance, one is a cross of decision, and one is a cross of deity. Let's look at these three crosses and these three men.
I. THE CROSS OF DEFIANCE
In verse 39 of our text the Bible says, ''And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.'' We notice first of all in this verse that this malefactor expresses a seditious spirit.
The word ''malefactor'' actually comes from two Greek words which can be translated ''those who perform the works of evil'' or ''evil-doers.'' The word ''malefactor'' in its strictest sense is not to be used to describe thieves and robbers, but rebels and those who have a defiant spirit. This malefactor was no doubt a man who had taken up arms on a principle of resistance to Roman oppression, especially to the payment of tribute money.
Strictly speaking he had rebelled against the Roman government, but generally speaking he probably just had a defiant nature. He possessed a rebel spirit. So his cross this morning shall come to be known to us as ''the cross of defiance.''
There is much defiance and much rebellion in our world today. I remember seeing a cartoon sometime ago in which two rather disheveled looking characters were carrying on a conversation. In the first picture one of the men said, ''I'm going to pick up my unemployment check and then I'm going to go by the university and see what is holding up my check from my federal education grant.''
In th ...
J.Gerald Harris
Luke 23:33, 39-43
When it was time for Jesus to be crucified they took Him just outside the city of Jerusalem to a place called Golgotha. Golgotha is a bleak, barren, skull-shaped hill. Look with me toward Golgotha this morning. Upon this hill of execution we see three crosses and three men. One of those men died in sin; one of those men died to sin; and one of those men died for sin.
As we look at these crosses we might well observe that one is a cross of defiance, one is a cross of decision, and one is a cross of deity. Let's look at these three crosses and these three men.
I. THE CROSS OF DEFIANCE
In verse 39 of our text the Bible says, ''And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.'' We notice first of all in this verse that this malefactor expresses a seditious spirit.
The word ''malefactor'' actually comes from two Greek words which can be translated ''those who perform the works of evil'' or ''evil-doers.'' The word ''malefactor'' in its strictest sense is not to be used to describe thieves and robbers, but rebels and those who have a defiant spirit. This malefactor was no doubt a man who had taken up arms on a principle of resistance to Roman oppression, especially to the payment of tribute money.
Strictly speaking he had rebelled against the Roman government, but generally speaking he probably just had a defiant nature. He possessed a rebel spirit. So his cross this morning shall come to be known to us as ''the cross of defiance.''
There is much defiance and much rebellion in our world today. I remember seeing a cartoon sometime ago in which two rather disheveled looking characters were carrying on a conversation. In the first picture one of the men said, ''I'm going to pick up my unemployment check and then I'm going to go by the university and see what is holding up my check from my federal education grant.''
In th ...
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