KJV Sermon Outlines

The Architect of the Cross

Text: Isaiah 53

Introduction: Today is Palm Sunday. The day Jesus entered into the city of Jerusalem in Victory!
It was Sunday - the first day of the week.

BUT by the end of that week the acclamation would turn to accusation ... arrest, trial and crucifixion. His followers fled; the Prophet Zechariah had foretold, "I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered".

They’d seen Him work miracles - they’d heard Him teach with authority - they were drawn to Him - and so, no doubt, as they celebrated His coming into Jerusalem they were quite sure that He was the awaited Messiah, and that He was coming to the capital now to lead a revolution to overthrow the Roman oppressors.

But what happened? Instead of rallying support for a revolution, instead of challenging the Romans, Jesus went straight to the Temple and challenged the Jewish leaders. NOT a good political move - NOT a good start to the revolution. The multitude was still with Him at this stage, but He clearly wasn’t doing what was expected of the Messiah.

Jesus then went outside Jerusalem to Bethany where He stayed while He taught on the Mount of Olives. He returned on Thursday to eat the Last Supper with His disciples. But all week the Jewish leaders had been scheming and lobbying the city against Him. In the middle of the night He was arrested by the mob in the Garden of Gethsemane, dragged before Annas the High Priest, then before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. All this examining and cross-examining took place through the early hours of the morning (Jesus hadn’t slept for at least 24 hours). Then, when they felt it was a reasonable enough hour of the morning, Jesus was brought to Pontius Pilate (the Roman Governor) for his rubber stamp approval on what the Jewish leaders had determined should happen. The accusations they made before Pilate were that Jesus was plotting against Rome - treason punishable by death. Pilate was reluctant - He said: "I find no fault in this man". But finally he relented to appease the locals, and crucifixion was ordered. By late afternoon Jesus was dead.

I. WHO was responsible for Jesus dying on the Cross?

The Romans? Pontius Pilate? The Jewish mob? Herod? Judas Iscariot? Was it Satan himself?

Perhaps you say it was US!? All of sinful mankind - for if it weren’t for our sin He would not have needed to die. That’s right.

TRULY, there were many hands that had a part in holding the hammer which pounded the nails in Jesus’ hands.

But what I’m asking this Good Friday morning is: Who was ULTIMATELY responsible for Jesus going to the Cross? Whose idea was it? Who was the ‘ARCHITECT’ of the Cross?

TEXT: 2 Corinthians 5:19.

“GOD was, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself . . .”

Who was in charge of the proceedings on that little hill called Calvary? GOD HIMSELF. It was His idea.

Look with me at these amazing facts that the Word of God declares.

1. GOD SENT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD. John 3:16
2. GOD PREPARED HIS SON FOR THE MISSION.
3. GOD DREW HIS SON TO THE CROSS.
4. GOD PLACED HIS SON ON THE ALTAR. Isaiah 53:10

And then the Father took all of the sin of the whole world; all the guilt and vile sin accrued in all of man’s rotten history AND HE LAID IT SQUARELY ON THE SHOULDERS OF JESUS. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

II. WHY DID GOD DO ALL OF THIS? WHY DID JESUS GIVE HIMSELF?

For LOVE. “God so loved the world . . .”

III. WHAT SHOULD OUR RESPONSE BE?

This morning, the Cross makes a two-fold call:

a) TO THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER REPENTED AND PUT THEIR TRUST IN CHRIST TO BE THEIR SAVIOUR.

- You MUST come to the Cross.

- If you do NOT receive Christ as Saviour, then you must stand before God alone. The price Jesus paid does not count for you. The penalty still has to be paid, and you must pay it. HELL

b) TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED CHRIST.

We are called to live constantly beneath the shadow of the Cross, and never forget that we are not our own - WE ARE BOUGHT WITH AN INCREDIBLE PRICE.

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