(Part II) In part 2 of this section leading to the crucifixion of Jesus, we are given the details concerning the arrogant rejection of Christ by the government officials, Pilate and Herod. While both seem a bit confused over the matter at hand, neither of them is willing to look carefully at the situation and operate with wisdom or integrity. Honing in especially on verses 8-12 of Luke 23, Pastor Daniel puts emphasis on the point that, “Mockery blinds us to our need to repent and worship Christ as we exalt ourselves and demean others.” But how is it that we arrive at that point of truly falling into such a category? He outlines a three step progression toward this sad state for an individual. 1) It begins with arrogant expectations. 2) One becomes jaded when expectations are not met. 3) One becomes a mocker.

Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff

We wouldn’t normally think that someone walking to his death would show a great desire to have others at the forefront of his mind, but Jesus never exactly conformed to what we would call “normal.” As Christ proceeded to Calvary, the women He addressed were lovingly told that they needed a new perspective. They had to understand that their weeping should to be reserved for something else. There are two specific things that Pastor Daniel encourages us to consider as we think about the cross in light of this text. “First, it is easy to misunderstand the message of the cross.” Many have great misconceptions about why the event even took place at all. “Second, the cross is where God punished our sins and reconciled us to Himself.” Both the daughters of Jerusalem and each of us today must begin to grasp the weight of this event in history and personally respond to it in an appropriate manner.

Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff

In the history of the world, there are two key times when the very fabric of creation has been shaken because of the life choices of one man. Adam’s sin brought a groaning to the world that has been felt by every human since, and Jesus dealing with the sin of mankind on the cross brought about a period of physical darkness and spiritual light as the temple’s curtain was torn and people’s hearts were overwhelmed. Jesus had done what He had been sent to do, and the world would never be the same. Pastor Daniel speaks to the amazing work of Christ in this passage though communicating the central idea, “Believers cannot look at the cross (atonement) without 1) knowing they are loved and 2) being changed as a result of that knowledge.”

Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff

Having observed the Sabbath, the women who loved Jesus were eager to express that love through caring for His body. But they found that their eagerness was outmatched by that of their Lord; arriving at the tomb “at early dawn” was simply too late. Having received instructions from the shining messengers who announced to them Christ’s resurrection, their eagerness to tend to the dead was now replaced by urgency to tell the story of life! While the apostles would come along gradually in their acceptance of this, the fullness of the gospel message they would soon give everything to proclaim was being revealed. As we observe how the earliest followers of Jesus processed all that was happening with the empty tomb, Pastor Daniel brings the situation to our day and challenges us to “Believe the testimony of God concerning the resurrection of His Son and live it out.”

Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff