A CROSS OF CONDEMNATION,

A CROSS OF CONDEMNATION, CONVICTION AND COMPASSION

By Rev. Harold Mauldin

Luke: 23: 39-43 And one of the malefactors, which were hanged railed on him saying, "If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us." But the other answering rebuked him saying, "Dost not thou fear God. Seeing thou art in the same condemnation? and we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amiss." and he said unto Jesus, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." and Jesus said unto Him, "Verily I say unto thee, today thou shalt be with me in paradise."

Three crosses. Three men. Two thieves and one innocent. Three men condemned to die. Two men are guilty of all charges. One man was totally innocent. Two thieves condemned by their actions. They deserved to be punished, but the Bible says, cursed is every man that hangs on a tree. Three crosses, three men. A cross of condemnation, conviction and compassion.

Condemnation: To strongly disapprove. Denounce or find guilty. Unfit for use. Judge

Conviction: To find or prove something guilty. A strong opinion or belief

Compassion: Actively sympathetic concern for the suffering of another, Mercy.

After the end of the trial of Jesus, the soldiers took him and stripped him of his clothes placing a scarlet robe upon him. They placed a crown of thorns upon his head and a reed in his right hand as they bowed and mocked him saying, "Hail, King of the Jews." The soldiers then spit upon him and hit him with the reed. Next, they ripped the robe off of his beaten body and placed his own clothes on him and led him away to be crucified. On the way to the cross, the soldiers compelled Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross of Jesus. The Man of Compassion needed someone to carry his cross. Jesus then turned to the women there and told them to weep for themselves. Even at the point of exhaustion Jesus had compassion on those who needed Him.

Once at Golgotha, Jesus was offered wine mixed with gall in order to deaden the pain of the cross. Jesus refused the drink and therefore suffered the entire pain of the cross. The soldiers then cast lots for the garment of Jesus as they stood there watching the pain caused by the crucifiction. The inscription above the head of Jesus read, "King of the Jews." People passed by and shook their heads in disgust saying thigs like, "He saved others. Let Him save Himself." and, "He trusted God and said He was the Son of God. Let God deliver Him."

Three crosses, three men. The conversion between the thieves and Jesus is only recorded in Luke's gospel. One thief wanted to be rescued from the cross. In the midst of his pain and suffering he tempts Jesus saying, "If thou be the Christ, save Thyself and us." the other thief seeing that he is guilty says, "Do you not fear God? We are paying for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong." The thief then said something to Jesus that's powerful. He simply turns to Jesus and says, Remember me. Jesus said, "Today you will be with me in Paradise."

Jesus was crucified at 9 AM. He stayed alive on the cross until 3PM Jesus had been up all night attending his own trial He had been spit on and beaten within an inch of His life. He was so beaten that one writer said that his facial features were disfigured. What a shame. A sinless man dying for the sins of all man even those who reject him. Three crosses, three men. Two guilty, one innocent. A cross of condemnation, conviction, and compassion.

Isaiah 53
* Who hath believed our report
* To whom is the arm of the lord revealed
* He shall grow up as a tender plant a root out of dry ground
* No form or comeliness and no beauty to desire
* He is despised and rejected of men
* A man of sorrows, acquainted with griefs
* We esteemed him not
* He carried our pain and sorrows
* He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities
* The chastisement of our peace was upon him
* With his stripes we are healed
* He was oppressed and afflicted
* He was taken to judgment and killed
* He overcame death and did no sin
* Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him
His soul....An offering for sin
His seed....Prolong His day
He shall have pleasure in His hand
* His soul shall travail causing many to be justified
* He intercedes through a cross of compassion

We are all guilty of sin. We are all punished to death. But the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness. We all have a cross to bear. Jesus told the rich man to take up his cross and follow him.

Crosses are never easy to carry. They don't seem to fit very well. They weigh too much and keep you from doing other things. It is a sacrifice to take up your cross. Most people in the world will leave the cross behind. That's the world's way of thinking. What does Jesus say?

Matthew 16: 24-26
If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Deny your flesh
Take up your cross
Follow Jesus
Lose this life to gain eternal life
How much profit would you have if you gained the whole world and lose your soul?
How much would you give in exchange for your soul?

Matthew 18: 23-35
1) A man owed a king an awesome amount of money
2) The man begged mercy from the king and the king forgave the entire debt.
3) That man went into the street and found a man that owed him a very small amount
4) He would not forgive the man but made him serve in prison
5) The king got word and tormented the man he had just forgiven because the man did not forgive another
6) We better forgive our brother who asks us or we are guilty ourselves.
Compassion is found in the cross we bear

John 8: 5-11
The woman was guilty. She was condemned. She was convicted. But Jesus had neither one in his theological belt that day. All he brought was compassion. Neither do I condemn you. Go take up your cross.

Simon was compelled to take up the cross of Jesus. He came from a far away place. He had no plans to take up the cross. The cross was heavy. It was bloody. It was unclean and Simon thought it was not his. Jesus bore the cross for us all. The cross of compassion is the theme of all Christians.

When the good Samaritan saw the man beaten and left for dead in Luke 10, He had compassion on him. The priest walked on one side of him and a Levi walked on the other side. Both men knew las, but had no compassion. The Samaritan had compassion on him, bound up his wounds pouring in oil and wine and put him on his own best and took care of him. He also paid all his debts. We are people that should be consumed with compassion. Jesus came to bind up the broken hearted... We are the biggest hypocrites in the world if we don't forgive our brother and have compassion on people. Who among us today can say we have never sinned? A cross of compassion....carry it with care!