WHAT DO WE SEE AT CALVARY? (3)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   The hill called Calvary had been around a long time before Jesus was crucified on it.  It had long been the place of execution.

 

B.   One man, however, made Calvary famous.

1.    It is still seen as a place of execution.

2.    But, it is much more than that now.

3.    If individuals were asked:  “What is Calvary?”  Most would respond:  “It is the place where Jesus was crucified.” 

a.    They would be correct (Luke 23:33).

 

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

 

b.    Jesus made Calvary a household name known by most.

 

C.   When we go to Calvary, and we can go there by the eye of faith, we can see many things.  We have looked at six contrasts in two previous lessons.

1.    Injustice and justice

2.    The children of Abraham and the Son of God

3.    Hate and love

4.    Man and the Son of man

5.    Man’s rebellion and the Son of man’s submission

6.    Sin and sacrifice

 

D.   Let’s continue our study entitled:  “What Do We See at Calvary?”

 

I.             JOY AND SORROW

 

A.   In our previous studies, we have put the negative term first.  Here, we put the positive term, joy, first.

1.    The reason is because the joy seen at Calvary was the joy of Jesus’ adversaries.

2.    Jesus had been a thorn in the side of the Jewish leaders for a long time.

a.    His claims angered them.

b.    His teachings confounded them.

c.    His miracles stumped them.

d.    His popularity troubled them.

3.    Four different verses in the gospel records tell that the Jews sought to kill Jesus (Matt. 27:4; Luke 22:2; John 5:18; 7:1).

 

And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

 

4.    When these evil men finally accomplished their dastardly plans, they rejoiced that the deceiver and the troubler had been dealt a death blow (See John 16:20)

 

Verily, verily I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

 

a.    Jesus had told them in the previous verse that in a little while they would no longer see Him.  Here, He was speaking of His death.

b.    In John 16:20, He tells of the world’s reaction to this death.  “…but the world shall rejoice.”

 

B.   However, the cross of Calvary also manifested deep sorrow on the part of the disciples of the Lord.

1.    The daughters of Jerusalem wept (Luke 23:28).

2.    It is not said, but Mary stood at the foot of the cross in tears as Jesus’ mother.

3.    In John 16:20, Jesus told His disciples:  “Verily, verily I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament…”

a.    Their friend died.

b.    Their teacher died.

c.    Their Lord died.

d.    Their Hope died.

4.    When the night fell upon Israel and the Sabbath Day made its entrance, the followers of Jesus went to their homes in tears knowing that the body of Jesus had been placed into the tomb of Joseph.

 

II.           DEATH AND LIFE

 

A.   Death is certainly seen on Calvary.

1.    The physical death of Jesus

a.    Luke 23:46

 

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:  and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

 

b.    John 19:33

 

But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs.

 

c.    Mark 15:44-45

 

And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead:  and calling unto him, the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.  And when he knew of it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

 

2.    Spiritual death was also manifested. 

a.    These Jews were dead in their trespasses and sins (See Eph. 2:1).

b.    This is interesting because they were children of God. 

c.    Their sins caused them to be lost (Rom. 3:9, 23).  If they were not lost, they did not need to be saved by Jesus Christ.

d.    They stood in need of the salvation that is only found in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

 

B.   There was also life manifested there that day. 

1.    By means of His death, Jesus gave life.

a.    John 1:4

 

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

 

b.    John 11:25

 

I am the resurrection and the life…

 

c.    John 14:6

 

Jesus saith unto hm, I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

2.    The spiritual life received because Jesus willingly gave His life for us will ultimately result in eternal life (Rom. 6:23).

 

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

III.         THE FOOLISHNESS OF MAN AND THE WISDOM OF GOD

 

A.   The foolishness of man was at its height on Calvary.

1.    Their foolishness is seen in the things they rejected.

a.    The Jews rejected the Scriptures.  Foolishness.

b.    The Jews rejected the voice of God.  Foolishness.

c.    The Jews rejected the character of the Christ.  Foolishness.

d.    The Jews rejected the miracles of Jesus.  Foolishness.

2.    Their foolishness is seen in the sins they were willing to commit in order to do away with one man.

3.    Their foolishness is seen in their fighting against God and against His Anointed (See Ps. 2:1-3).

 

B.   On the other hand, the wisdom of God is seen at Calvary (1 Cor. 1:23-24).

 

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

 

1.    The price for sins was paid.

2.    God’s love for man was manifested.

3.    Man could be saved from his sins instead of having to be punished for them.

4.    Satan was utterly defeated.

5.    Romans 3:26 reveals that by Jesus’ death, God could be both “just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

 

IV.         THE END OF THE OLD AND THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW

 

A.   The cross of Calvary did away with the Old Covenant (Col. 2:14).

 

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.

 

1.    “The handwriting of ordinances” is the Law of Moses.

a.    Some do not believe that this refers to the Ten Commandments.

b.    The thing that was written by the hand of God was the Ten Words on the tablets of stone.

c.    These two tablets represented the entirety of the Law.

2.    Paul notes two difficulties with the law.

a.    It was against us.  When the law was violated, it stood as a testimony against the law-breaker.

b.    It was contrary to us.  It was contrary to man because there was no forgiveness found in the law (Heb. 10:3-4).

3.    Paul tells us what happened to the Law.

a.    It was blotted out.

b.    It was taken out of the way.

c.    It was nailed to the cross.  The purpose of nailing something to a cross is to cause it to die.

 

B.   When the Old Law was done away, a new covenant was ratified by the blood of Christ (Matt. 26:28).

 

For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

 

1.    The same time the Law was taken out of the way is the time when the New Covenant became operative.

2.    Hebrews 8:6

 

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   There is so much for man to see at Calvary.

 

B.   What God wants all to see for certain is love, deity’s love for man.

1.    Love spared man.

2.    Love gave Jesus.

 

C.   God wants His love to cultivate love in man’s heart for God (1 John 4:19).

 

We love him, because he first loved us.

 

1.    This love is emotional in nature.

2.    This love is expressed in words.

3.    But, this love is also manifested in man’s obedience to God’s commandments (1 John 5:3).

 

For this is the love God, that we keep his commandments:  and his commandments are not grievous.