Sermons

S.R. 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Introduction

1. There is nothing more basic than “Jesus Christ crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

Outline

1. Following Jesus Toward the Cross
   1. Year of Obscurity (John 1-3)
   2. Year of Popularity (John 4-6)
   3. Year of Opposition (John 7-19; cf. 11:48-53)
   4. It was impossible to kill God (1 Corinthians 1:20-23; John 10:17-18)
2. Following Jesus at the Cross
   1. Crucifixion was a form of execution first used by King Darius in 519 B.C.
   2. Roman perspective on the crucifixion.
      1. Cicero called it “the most painful, and the most abhorrent of all executions”.
      2. A Jurist, Julius Paulus, listed Crucifixion as the worst of all Capital punishments.
   3. Would we follow Jesus to His cross? Mark 15:1-24
3. A King on a Cross?
   1. Foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:20-23) Hard sell to a Greek audience.
   2. Stumbling block. Perhaps an even harder sell to a Jewish audience (Galatians 3:13)
   3. Rejected by religious leaders – they want Him dead
   4. Give us a reason
   5. Jesus self – incriminates: (Mark 14:61)
   6. Mark 15:1-5 We know from the other gospel accounts that Pilate does not want to execute Jesus, he is looking for a way out of this. Even His wife told him, “don't have anything to do with this just man.”
4. The Pain of the Cross was before the Cross.
   1. Garden was the culmination of His purpose.
      1. In his last week Jesus cries out to the Father. (John 12:27-28)
      2. It was there that he beat down every self-centered temptation in order to do the will of the Father.
      3. It was not about Him, it was about what we needed.
      4. He would do the Father’s will regardless of what it cost him personally.
   2. Jesus well knew what it meant to be crucified – Sepphoris.
5. “They Crucified Him.” (Mark 15:25)
   1. The Romans understood the deterrent nature of crucifixion.
      1. They may have not invented crucifixion but they perfected it.
   2. So for 6 hours Jesus pulled with his wrists and pushed up with his feet, dragging his raw back, raking across the beam.
6. Cross Before Crown
   1. While on the cross we’re told that he made several statements, all of which were very short.
      1. “Father, forgive them.” “Mother, behold your son.” Always thinking about others.
      2. The seventh statement Luke 23:46 Father into your hands I commit my spirit.
      3. No One took the savior's life. He gave it.
   2. Crucifixion was forced on thousands of men in history.
      1. But it was only chosen by this One Servant.
      2. Slaves were crucified because of their rebellion.
      3. Jesus was crucified because of our rebellion.
      4. There was nothing spiritual, or artistic about it.
         1. C.S. Lewis said “ the crucifixion did not become common in art until all who had seen a real one died.”
   3. Shame Turned to Glory (Philippians 2:8)
7. Conclusion:
   1. So what will you do with Jesus?
      1. Pilate asked the question and so must we.
      2. C.S. Lewis: If Jesus was not God, he was not a great moral teacher. You must make your choice. Either this man is and was the Son of God or a madman or something worse. “But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
      3. Mark 15:39 Roman soldier, “Truly this was the son of God.”
   2. Will we follow Jesus to our cross? (Galatians 2:20; 3:26-27)