The Value Of The Cross

 

Luke 23:13-23

13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.

16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”

18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

19 And He said to them, “What things?”

So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,

20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.

21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.

23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.

24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”

27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.

29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.

30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

 

There was an iron cross, stolen from a cemetery by common bandits for the purposes of selling the iron by weight for a fee.  The value of the metal was only $50-100.

Embarrassed, cops said the 15-foot iron cross was worth $15,000 due to the amount of work that had gone into its intricate decorations – it would have sold well on the Christian Black Market!

Ignorant of the true value of artwork, common criminals with little wisdom miss out on the biggest payoff in their criminal career.  Unable to conduct business legally, they miss out on the chance to make the biggest payoff of their busy, sneaky, greedy lives.

Jesus is the Light of Life – and His Light is the Life of men.

• But people thought He came to condemn them.
• People thought He was going to disturb their comfortable slavery situation.
• People thought Jesus came to steal the joy from life
  • So they killed Him as a pest.
  • They wrote Him off as useless.
  • They considered Jesus irrelevant to their busy lives.
  • He was inconvenient – they would prefer a murderer back on the streets.

Do you see a wild bunch of wicked people – or do you see yourself in this crowd?

• How many of us have preferred darkness to the Light of Jesus?
• How many of us like to hide with our sins rather than expose and abandon them?
• How many of us have asked how Jesus could make our life more fun and happy?
• How many of us have wondered how much money we would have if we were Christians?
• How many of us have cast off the call of Jesus because He had nothing to offer us?
• How many of us have considered Jesus to be a killjoy, an inconvenience and a pest?

Thank God!

We put Jesus to death with our sins, but He is a God of second chances!

 

You see God’s a god of mercy;
And God’s a god of love.
Right now, He’s gonna lend a helping hand from up above!

Praise the Lord!
He’s the God of second chances!
You’ll be floored how His love your life enhances!
You can be restored from your darkest circumstances!
Our God is a God of second chances!

Ain’t it good to know a God who gives a second chance.
When death and destruction is your true inheritance!
So, if you say you’re sorry for all the stuff you do
We know that He’ll be ready with a second chance for you!

Praise the Lord!
He’s the God of second chances!
You’ll be floored how His love your life enhances!
You can be restored from your darkest circumstances!
Our God is a God of second chances!

 

• Jesus has arisen to give us a second chance to receive Him!
• Peter was approached and given three chances to confess Christ (for three denials).
• The eleven scattered disciples were shown forgiveness and compassion.
• His resurrection proved that His promises were more than just empty words!
• Jesus has arisen from the dead, and it is not His will for us to be happy for Him to have survived the disaster of the crucifixion.  Jesus is not a weak puppy that we can rejoice over who has survived a terrible accident!  Jesus wants us to be happy for ourselves in that we now have the chance to choose salvation and life in the power of Jesus Christ!
• Yes, Jesus is back in your face demanding a decision – where are you going to live?
• Your cave is quite comfortable, dark and full of private, personal things.

 

Do you see the light?