The Crowd of Sympathy: were sobbing, and saying, Why? Why? Are they killing Jesus? What did He do to them? Who has He hurt, and not helped? What wrong has He done? This is always the way it is with the sympathetic crowd. But that is all that they did. They didn’t try to defend Him. They didn’t cry to Pilate to release Him and not Barabbas. They just stood there and cried! This crowd is also in the world today. They stand by and watch as God’s servants work in the harvest of souls. hey sometimes cry and say how terrible things are, and that they are all in favor of the Word of God, but they rarely lift a finger to help, they just stand by and cry! They never come to Worship services, memorial services, Bible studies, or Prayer meetings, But, Oh, They are sympathetic though! Next let us look at the second crowd that was at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ that day.
The Crowd of opposition: or the opponents of Jesus and His ministry, this is the crowd who shouted to Pilate; Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him! We hate Him, Kill Him, kill Him! This crowd wanted Jesus to die. He was a threat to them. His teachings were directly opposed to their life style. He was a threat to expose their crooked ways, and they hated him. Hated Him so much that they rejoiced in watching the Son of Man die in agony and pain! This crowd is also in the world today. This is the crowd that wants to burn all the Bibles, close the door to every true Church in the neighborhood. They want to keep the Gospel from the radio airwaves, and off of TV stations. They hate Christianity and its teachings so much they want to remove it from the face of the earth. There is one thing about this crowd though. At lest you know where they stand. There is no mistaking of what they want and who they are.
The Crowd Of lack of concern: is the worst of the three crowds. Lack of concern means, total unconcern or that they just don’t care. No matter what is going on, they don’t care in the least bit. Their motto is, "What ever!" This crowd was there just to see what was happening. They didn’t care either way as to who was dying. They just came along for the ride, and to see someone else die. They didn’t care who was dying, or how many were dying, they just wanted to watch! This crowd is also in the world today too. They drive by Gods house of Worship, and never bat an eye in its direction. If they do look this way it is to say, "that is nice" but they never come to services, never read the Bible, never study God’s Word. They are totally unconcerned. They just don’t care! The crowd of Sympathy, the crowd of opposition, and the crowd of lack of concern are the three crowds that are always present, and you can see these crowds at the foot of the cross that day. As Jesus hung on that old rugged cross, these crowds were all there watching. Are you in one of these three crowds today?
Not only three crowds, but there was three crosses on the hill. Jesus was not crucified alone! He was in the middle of two thieves. Godless sinners, on both sides of him, each of those three crosses that day had a name;
The Cross Of Rejection
I think that this cross was on the left side of Jesus cross. This cross held the thief that cried to Jesus, "If thou be the Son of God? Get yourself down and get us down also." He didn’t really believe that Jesus was the Messiah. His words of rejection were, "If thou be?" Showing his doubt in the one being crucified next to him there are multitudes of those living today who belong with this thief.
They would rather reject Christ, rather than to accept Him and have everlasting life. This was the cross of rejection.
The Cross Of Reception
Was the thief who said to Jesus; "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." This is the cross which held the one to whom Jesus replied,"Today,
thou, shalt be with me in paradise." Many today, Praise God! belong to this cross of reception. If more people would get totally right before God today, there would be many more labors in the harvest. "The harvest is plenteous, but the labors are few; Jesus said, ’Therefore pray that the Lord of the harvest would send forth labors into his harvest."
The Crowd of opposition: or the opponents of Jesus and His ministry, this is the crowd who shouted to Pilate; Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Crucify Him! We hate Him, Kill Him, kill Him! This crowd wanted Jesus to die. He was a threat to them. His teachings were directly opposed to their life style. He was a threat to expose their crooked ways, and they hated him. Hated Him so much that they rejoiced in watching the Son of Man die in agony and pain! This crowd is also in the world today. This is the crowd that wants to burn all the Bibles, close the door to every true Church in the neighborhood. They want to keep the Gospel from the radio airwaves, and off of TV stations. They hate Christianity and its teachings so much they want to remove it from the face of the earth. There is one thing about this crowd though. At lest you know where they stand. There is no mistaking of what they want and who they are.
The Crowd Of lack of concern: is the worst of the three crowds. Lack of concern means, total unconcern or that they just don’t care. No matter what is going on, they don’t care in the least bit. Their motto is, "What ever!" This crowd was there just to see what was happening. They didn’t care either way as to who was dying. They just came along for the ride, and to see someone else die. They didn’t care who was dying, or how many were dying, they just wanted to watch! This crowd is also in the world today too. They drive by Gods house of Worship, and never bat an eye in its direction. If they do look this way it is to say, "that is nice" but they never come to services, never read the Bible, never study God’s Word. They are totally unconcerned. They just don’t care! The crowd of Sympathy, the crowd of opposition, and the crowd of lack of concern are the three crowds that are always present, and you can see these crowds at the foot of the cross that day. As Jesus hung on that old rugged cross, these crowds were all there watching. Are you in one of these three crowds today?
Not only three crowds, but there was three crosses on the hill. Jesus was not crucified alone! He was in the middle of two thieves. Godless sinners, on both sides of him, each of those three crosses that day had a name;
The Cross Of Rejection
I think that this cross was on the left side of Jesus cross. This cross held the thief that cried to Jesus, "If thou be the Son of God? Get yourself down and get us down also." He didn’t really believe that Jesus was the Messiah. His words of rejection were, "If thou be?" Showing his doubt in the one being crucified next to him there are multitudes of those living today who belong with this thief.
They would rather reject Christ, rather than to accept Him and have everlasting life. This was the cross of rejection.
The Cross Of Reception
Was the thief who said to Jesus; "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." This is the cross which held the one to whom Jesus replied,"Today,
thou, shalt be with me in paradise." Many today, Praise God! belong to this cross of reception. If more people would get totally right before God today, there would be many more labors in the harvest. "The harvest is plenteous, but the labors are few; Jesus said, ’Therefore pray that the Lord of the harvest would send forth labors into his harvest."
The Cross Of Love
Romans 5:8, says, "But God gave his love to you while you were yet a sinner, Christ died for you." It was not the nails that held his hands to the cross, It was love! Love kept Him on that altar of wood that day. His love is so great that no amount of suffering could have stopped Him for taking your place in being punished for your sins. He became sin for you, on the hill called Calvary!
Jesus took your whipping for you too! He took your place on that cross, and you were the one who should have paid the ultimate price for your sins, but Jesus Christ stood in your place. He who knew no sin, became sin for you.
Romans 5:8, says, "But God gave his love to you while you were yet a sinner, Christ died for you." It was not the nails that held his hands to the cross, It was love! Love kept Him on that altar of wood that day. His love is so great that no amount of suffering could have stopped Him for taking your place in being punished for your sins. He became sin for you, on the hill called Calvary!
Jesus took your whipping for you too! He took your place on that cross, and you were the one who should have paid the ultimate price for your sins, but Jesus Christ stood in your place. He who knew no sin, became sin for you.
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