Playing Games At The Foot of The Cross

If you have your Bibles, I want to turn to Luke chapter 23, Luke chapter 23, and while you

Luke 23 · chapter mention Luke 23 · chapter mention

! are turning there, I want to acknowledge that Chase Williams is here this morning and just

! completed basic training in the Marines at Parris Island, heads to Camp Lejeune in about

a week.

Chase, God bless you.

Let's give him a hand.

Thank you for your service, my friend.

The most important events in human history.

I was curious as to what people said about that, so I found some lists this week, went

to the authorities.

The Neolithic Revolution was number one.

You don't even know what that is, do you?

It's when we became civilized.

Some of you are still coming, but it's when we became civilized.

Number two was writing.

Number three was the Roman Empire.

Then there was the printing press.

Then there was the age of exploration.

And then the Industrial Revolution.

And then the World Wars.

And then the Internet.

And I don't believe any of them are the most important events in human history.

Because none of them changed eternity.

I mean, they're big.

They're right up there with sliced bread and homemade churned ice cream.

And I don't know why they didn't make the list.

But I found on one list that Jesus was listed number 16.

Behind Buddha and behind Confucius.

Or confusion, depending on how you pronounce it.

I believe the greatest event in human history and in all of eternity

is the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Followed by the birth of Christ.

And some of you may say, well, that's more important

because if that hadn't happened, the second hadn't happened.

Okay, you got a right to be wrong.

But either way, the crucifixion of Christ

is the greatest event in human history.

And people were playing games

at the foot of the cross.

Luke chapter 23.

Luke 23 · chapter mention

Beginning in verse 26 to set the setting.

And as they led Christ away,

they seized one Simon of Cyrene

who was coming in from the country

and laid on him the cross

to carry it behind Jesus.

And they followed him

a great multitude of the people

and of women

who were mourning and lamenting for him.

Two others who were criminals

were led away to be put to death with him.

In verse 32.

And when they came to the place

that is called the skull,

there they crucified him.

And the criminals,

one on his right

and one on his left.

And Jesus said,

Father, forgive them

for they know not what they do.

And they cast lots

to divide his garments.

And the people stood by

watching.

But the rulers scoffed at him

saying,

He saved others,

let him save himself.

If he is Christ of God,

his chosen one.

The soldiers also mocked him,

coming up and offering him sour wine

and saying,

If you are the king of the Jews,

save yourself.

There was an inscription over him,

This is the king of the Jews.

One of the criminals who were hanged

railed at him saying,

Are you not the Christ?

Save yourself

and us.

How in the world

did they not get it?

How could they be standing

at the base of Mount Calvary

watching the Savior die

and not get it?

It's hard to understand.

Or is it?

Because actually,

there's often a wasted opportunity

when it comes to the cross of Christ.

Some just stand there.

But verse 35 tells us

that there's some

were just standing there watching.

They were just taking it in.

calmly,

probably dazedly,

standing there

with little to no response.

It does not mean

they were against him.

It does not mean

that they were for him.

They were just bystanders.

Observing,

pondering,

trying to figure it out.

What scares me is

some still do that today.

There's no ill intent.

There's just no response.

There's not much of anything.

Just standing there.

Above his head

hung a sign

that said he was

the king of the Jews.

It was written in Aramaic,

Latin,

and Greek.

Aramaic was the language

of the Jews.

Latin was the language

of the law.

Greek

was for the educated.

And the rest of the folks,

if they could read.

Remember,

Christ was crucified

in a very public place.

place.

A major thoroughfare

outside the city.

Scottish minister

George MacLeod

years ago

said we ought to

keep that in mind

when he said this.

I simply argue

that the cross

be raised again

at the center

of the marketplace

as well as

on the steeple

of the church.

I am recovering

the claim

that Christ

was not crucified

in a cathedral

between two candles

but on a cross

between two thieves

on a town

garbage heap

at a crossroads

of politics

so cosmopolitan

that they had

to write his title

in Hebrew

and in Latin

and in Greek

and at that kind

of place

where cynics

talk smut

and thieves

curse

and soldiers

gamble

because that's

where he died

and that's

what he died

about

and that is

where Christ

own ought to be

and that is

where church

people ought

to be about.

End of quote.

In other words

he died

where he did

for the people

that were standing

around and gawking

at him.

He died

for them.

He died

for people

who are slow

to respond.

He died

for people

who are resistant

to respond.

He died

for people

that just

stand by

and gawk.

He died

for me.

He died

for you.

Let's not

just stand

and watch.

There was

enough

of that

on the day

that he died.

There was

another response

too.

Still is.

Some try

to get

what they

can get.

When my

grandmother

was too

aged

to live

by herself

she moved

in with my

mom and dad

and sometime

after that

her house

on the

Brandon

Mill

Village

was sold.

and before

it was

we as a

family

went there

to visit

the museum

of my

childhood.

The

treasured

place

where I

got to

spend the

night

with my

grandmother.

The porch

with the

wrought

iron

chairs

and that

couch

swing

felt like

home.

It wasn't

that they

were comfortable

they were

just at

grandma's.

I

rolled

a

mini

matchbox

car

across

that

porch

with a

whole

universe

of a

made up

grown up

world

of a

kid's

imagination.

When you

walked in

that front

door you

walked

into the

living room

with the

oil heater

right in

the middle

of the

room.

I can

still smell

it on

cold days.

The

bedroom off

to the

right

is where

I saw

my beloved

grandpa for

the last

time alive

and later

that night

he died

in that

bed.

My

grandma's

room

with the

two twin

beds

is in

the next

room

and between

those two

beds where

when I was

spending the

night as

a child

her

mutt

mean

dog

laid.

A

staunch

defender

of my

grandma.

I was

afraid to

move.

The dog

made me

hope that

my bladder

held out

all night

for the

risk of

my life.

And then

there was

that kitchen.

That kitchen

where years

before my

grandfather had

fried egg

sandwiches

frying in the

morning before

he went to

the Anderson

Jockey Lot

to sell

tools.

and that

kitchen table

where my

grandmother

drank her

coffee out

of a

saucer,

read her

Bible,

ate her

toast and

cut her

government

cheese.

And then

there was

the enclosed

back porch

where grandma's

washer and

dryer was,

her mason jars

and canned

things and a

cabinet.

That cabinet

held a handful

of outdoor

toys that

stayed at

grandma's.

And I

loved that

five foot

by 15 inch

cabinet.

It was cheap,

nothing fancy,

but it was

special.

It was my

spot.

My mother

had us meet

her there on

that day to

see what we

wanted to keep

and my wants

were simple.

I claimed

the cabinet.

It sits in

our kitchen

today.

As Jesus

hung on the

cross,

there were

people putting

in dibs on

his clothing.

However,

it was not

because they

were sentimental.

It was a

fringe benefit

for the

soldiers to

claim the

clothing that

had been

stripped from

the dying.

And they

divided up

his clothing.

That would

have been

his tunic,

his robe,

his sandals,

the fourth

item would

either be

his cap

or turban

or possibly

even his

undergarments.

They did

not seek

these things

because he

was their

savior,

nor because

he was the

king of the

Jews as the

placard said.

They claimed

him because

it was standard

practice.

They gambled

to see who

would get

the tunic

because John

19 tells us

that it was

a rare

seamless

tunic that

was valuable.

Not special

to them,

but it was

worth money.

They were

just trying

to get what

they could

get.

That's not

the first

time people

were trying

to get what

they could

get from

Jesus.

When 5,000

men and

their families

were fed,

they tried

to follow

Jesus to

the next

meal.

Jesus told

the disciples

to get out

of there as

he escaped

to his own

solitude.

There's an

account in

scripture where

Jesus healed

ten leper

men and

only one of

them came

back to him

to give him

thanks.

It's easy

for us to

ask God for

what we want,

but do we

bother to

come back

and thank

him?

At least

with words.

But even

more than

that with

our lives.

About that

account,

Jesus asked

in Luke

17, 17,

where are

the other

nine?

Why didn't

they come

back?

He gave

his life

for us

knowing

that all

about the

kind of

sinners that

we are.

And yet

he also

still cares

about the

little things

that stress

us out.

Recently on

the night

before Abby

was to drive

home and

return to

work,

she lost

her one

key fob

to her car

the night

that she was

going to leave

the next

morning.

No idea

where it

was.

We lit

a lamp

scripturally,

swept the

house and

searched

diligently.

And I

prayed.

And after

looking in

the same

place three

times,

all four

of us

that were

looking,

we found

it 17

miles away

at my

mom and

dad's

house at

an odd

and hidden

place there

where she

had to plug

up her

phone,

which was

dying.

And we

rejoiced

when we

found it,

that Abby

could go back

home after

being with

us for a

week.

Yes,

Jesus cares

enough about

us, I

believe this

folks, to

help us find

a fob when

we lose it.

He cares

enough to

forgive those

that whipped

him.

He cares

enough to

forgive those

that hung

him on the

cross.

he cares

enough to

forgive those

that gambled

for his

clothes.

He still

cares enough

for those

that claim

to love

him, but

vaguely show

it with

their lives.

Because people

are still

trying to get

what they can

get.

They're still

playing games

at the foot

of the

cross.

And there's

a third

kind of

person.

Some

mock the

hope in

Christ.

Luke records

that besides

the people

just standing

there, there

were three

different kinds

of people

that were

mocking.

there were

the rulers

which speaks

of the

Sanhedrin,

a group

of 70

religious

ruling

leaders

that most

of which

never liked

Jesus.

They were

threatened

by Jesus.

Jesus was

not afraid

of them.

You were

supposed to

be afraid

of them.

He wasn't

afraid of

them.

He was

not afraid

to confront

them.

He was

not afraid

to call

them hypocrites.

And he

called it

as he

was.

In Matthew

23 he

calls them

whitewashed

tombs.

You look

good on

the outside

but on

the inside

it's dead

man's bones.

There's no

spiritual life

there at

all.

He said

you're like

a cup

that's clean

on the

outside

but yet

inside

is still

nastiness.

He spoke

of their

dead

bones

as being

their

hypocrisy.

He spoke

of the

nasty

cup

as being

one full

of greed

being one

full of

indulgence.

When you

call the

real shots

on people

they sometimes

dislike you

and on the

cross

they mocked

him.

They mocked

how he

saved

others.

Thank God

that he did

bring salvation

but they

desperately

needed salvation

and was so

in love

with the

law

and their

own

performance

that they

thought they

were enough.

They're not

the only ones

though.

Soldiers

mocked him

as well.

They felt

like they

had the

might and

authority

was too

much for

him.

He couldn't

do anything

about it.

They relished

in the misery

and they

scoffed at

his salvation.

Even a

criminal that

was hanging

beside him

ridiculed

him.

Little did

both those

groups know

or that

man know

that their

reaction was

a fulfillment

of prophecy.

Psalm 22

Psalms 22:6–8

verse 6

through 8

says this

but I am

a worm

and not a

man scorned

by mankind

and despised

by the people.

All who

seek me

mock me.

They make

mouths at

me.

They wag

their heads

he trusts

in the

Lord.

Let him

deliver

him.

Let him

rescue

him for

he delights

in him.

I hope

you pick

up on

the irony

of the

scoffing

because the

only way

that Jesus

could save

us

was by

refusing to

save

himself.

He

was easily

able to

deliver

himself

but his

mission was

to provide

the opportunity

for deliverance

and that

would have

not come

if he

had been

delivered.

He died

on Mount

Calvary for

me and

for you

and for

those onlookers

and for

those lost

religious folks

and for

those hardened

ruthless

soldiers and

for those

guilty criminals

on each side

of him

and for

you

and for

me

and for

all those

people that

he puts

in our

path.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 5:15

5 verse

15 says

he died

for all

that those

who live

might no

longer live

for themselves

but for

him who

for their

sake died

and was

raised.

He was

busy dying

while they

were busy

playing,

gulking,

gambling,

and the

only reason

he hung

there was

to meet

them where

they are

and to

make them

to be

what he

would have

them to

be.

What an

opportunity.

A friend

of a friend

shared with

me an

experience

that he

had that I

can well

relate to

because my

family loves

Disney.

I've been

there,

I've done

it,

spent too

much money

at it

but they

love it.

They love

it.

I've told

them what's

wrong with

the Disney

Corporation.

They don't

care.

They love

it.

My girls

have been

several times

and one of

the grandest

experiences

that a little

girl can have

is to eat

in the top

of Cinderella's

castle.

While

Cinderella and

some other

princesses walk

around and greet

you.

It is an

amazing experience

for most little

girls.

There's always

some brat in the

corner trying to

ruin it for

everybody but

for most folks

it is

just the best.

best $60

eggs and

bacon I've

ever eaten.

Cinderella and

those princesses

come in and

they gravitate to

her like moths

on a flame.

It's amazing to

see.

But one

friend of a

friend had an

even more

memorable experience

there.

Cinderella made

her entrance and

the children rushed

to be near her.

He said if it

had been a boat

we would have

tipped over.

It was amazing.

Cinderella.

The pristine

princess.

Perfectly

typecast.

A gorgeous

young girl with

every hair in

place and

flawless skin

and a

beaming smile.

She stood

waist deep in

a garden of

kids and

wanted to

touch and

be touched.

However on

the other side

of the room

was a little

seven or

eight year old

boy.

His age was

not easy to

determine because

his body was

disfigured.

He was

dwarfed in

size.

His face

was disfigured.

His countenance

was shy.

He stood

across the

room

watching

quietly

and

wistfully

holding the

hand of his

older brother.

You know

that he wanted

to be there

with the other

children.

But even

just telling

you can

you can

sense his

feeling of an

outcast.

That fear

of rejection

once again.

you can feel

the fear.

Fear of being

taunted

again.

Fear of being

mocked one

more time.

Wouldn't it be

nice if Cinderella

made her way

over there?

If you've been

to Disney

you know she

did.

that's

exactly what

she did.

She

noticed the

little boy.

She

immediately

began to

walk in

his

direction.

Gracefully

politely

but yet

firmly

she inched

her way

through the

crowd of

children until

she finally

broke free.

She walked

quickly across

the room and

when she got

there she

knelt down

to eye

level with

this stunned

little boy

and she

placed a

kiss on

his cheek.

She met

him in

the state

that he

was in

right where

he was

and that's

the relevance

of the

story.

Rather

than a

princess of

Disney

today we're

considering the

prince of

peace.

rather than

a boy

and a

castle

we look

at a

thief on

the cross.

However in

both stories

mercy was

given.

Love was

shared and

a loving one

gave a gesture

that's better

than words.

Jesus meets

us where we

are.

But he does

more than

Cinderella can.

Cinderella just

gave a kiss and

when she

left she

took her

beauty with

her.

The boy was

briefly delighted

but in reality

he was unchanged.

But Christ

meets us

where we are.

He meets us

in the state

that we're in.

He makes us

what he would

have for us

to be.

Christ gave

us his

beauty and

took on our

sinful

deformity.

Isaiah

Isaiah 55 · chapter mention

chapter 55

53 verse

4 and 5

puts it this

way.

Surely he

was born,

surely he has

borne our

griefs and

carried our

sorrows.

Yet we

esteemed him

stricken,

smitten by

God and

afflicted.

But he was

pierced for

our transgressions.

He was crushed

for our

iniquities.

Upon him

was the

chastisement

that brought

us peace

and with

his wounds

we are

healed.

Christ

changes

everything.

So let's

quit just

standing there.

Come across

the room as

you are and

come to

Jesus.

Let's quit

playing games

at the foot

of the cross.

Let's quit

making a

mockery of

what Christ

has done

for us

and instead

as he gave

his life

for us

may we

give our

lives to

him.

May we

entrust

him

with all

that we

are

and simply

accept the

greatest offer

that we

have ever

or will

ever

receive.

Hope

in the

Lord Jesus.

God

with every

head bowed

and every

eye closed

this morning

I want

to ask

you

do you

know the

Lord?

Have you

ever

surrendered

your life

to follow

the Lord

Jesus Christ?

Have you

ever admitted

the sin

that is in

your life

separates you

from him

and that

you need

his

cleansing?

You need

him to

change you

and empower

you?

You need

to surrender

your ways

to his

ways?

If that's

never happened

to you I

encourage you

today to come

down this aisle

when we stand

to sing.

I'd love to

share with you

what it means

to give your

heart and life

to the Lord

Jesus.

Jesus.

Maybe you're

here today

and you have

done that

but you've

never

acknowledged

that publicly.

Jesus by

his commission

and by his

example shows

us that the

acknowledgement of

that publicly

is through

baptism.

If you've

never been

baptized as a

believer it's

coming up in

just a few

weeks.

Let's get

together and

let's talk

about it.

Maybe you're

here this

morning and

God's leading

you to Pickens

First Baptist

Church.

You've

worshipped with

us.

You felt the

spirit of God

leading you to

be here.

You feel led

to come.

I'd love to

guide you in

that process.

Or maybe

you're here and

you're gawking

or gambling

or just

gabbing

and it's time

to change

and you know

that.

and I am

so thankful

that the

same Christ

that came

to where

we are

comes to

where we

are today.

Meets us

where we

are.

Get it

right with

the Lord.

You can do

that where

you'll stand.

You can do

that at this

altar.

You can do

it with a

pastor praying

for you.

I don't know

what God's

told you to

do.

I just

tell you

you need to

be obedient to

follow his

lead.

Trust him.

You can

trust him.

Heavenly

Father,

work and move

in our midst

right now,

I pray.

Help us to

simply be

obedient to

follow your

will and your

way in our

life.

In Jesus'

precious name,

Amen.