COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH
SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 15 JUNE 2025 - MR JASON CRUISE
MATTHEW 27 VERSES 1 AND 2, 15 TO 26, LUKE 23 VERSES 26 TO 33
Someone once said "The ultimate goal of the gospel preacher should always be to get to Calvary so that people can realise they are born in their sin and the only way to be saved is through the one on the centre cross, Jesus."
The exact location of Calvary is actually unknown. If you were to make a trip to Israel and Jerusalem you would be taken to a area known as Gordon's Calvary. A man called General Charles Gordon in 1883 found this place outside the city walls and declared it to be the location where Christ was crucified. Many have made their way to that location and have been moved to tears as they think of what took place 2000 years ago. How our Lord Jesus Christ who was absolutely sinless, pure and perfect laid down his life for us. Many come to that place and stand unmoved. I want us to come back in our minds to that place, back 2000 years as we make our way through the city streets, out through the Sheep Gate to the place called Calvary.
Calvary was a place of suffering - Matthew 27 verse 22. Pontius Pilate asked "what shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" It was a personal question - he asked "what shall I do". It was not "what would you do?" Tonight that is a question personal to you. You must answer the question whether you will accept Christ or reject him. Will you leave the gospel meeting still a Christ rejector? In verse 22 we read "They all say unto him, Let him be crucified." John 18 verse 40 "Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber." There was not one to stand and plead the case of the Saviour. To speak out for the sinless Lamb of God. None whom the Lord had helped or healed stood for him. As Jesus stands before this Roman governor Pontius Pilate not one could stand for him. "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" (Hebrews 7 verse 26) The one who stood before Pilate walked this earth absolutely perfect and blameless before his God. He knew no sin, he did no sin, in him was no sin found yet the Roman governor condemns him to crucifixion on the cross of Calvary. The Lord had already suffered much agony. He was under pressure and stress. Yet in the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed "not my will but thine be done." Judas betrayed Christ for a paltry 30 pieces of silver. What do you desire tonight more than salvation? Would you secure your eternal destination for 30 pieces of silver? There is one in a lost eternity who did that. John 18 verse 3 "And Judas also which betrayed him, knew the place for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with the disciples." Judas came with a band of men and officers to Gethsemane. They had torches and lanterns to apprehend the Son of God. Christ was deserted by his followers and friends. He was brought before the Sanhedrin, then to Pilate, back to Herod and then back to Pilate again. He had 6 trials in all. He faced this man and was perfect in every way. He had never done one vile thing or thought one wrong thought. Pilate has him condemned to the cross. Picture him flogged with multiple strands of leather embedded with metal and bone. That dug into his flesh. "The plowers plowed upon my back; they made their furrows long" (Psalm 129 verse 3). Then they stripped him and put on a scarlet robe. They spat upon his face and placed a crown of thorns on his head. They pulled the hairs off his face and led him out to Calvary. Crucifixion was first invented by the Assyrians, then used by the Persians before the Romans adopted it and perfected it as a means of accusation. It was a slow and cruel death. No-one knew what the Lord passed through on that dark night. We can only begin to grasp the pain and torture Christ endured. They took Christ out to Calvary and laid him down on the cross before hammering in nails to his hands and feet. Calvary - the place of suffering.
Calvary was a place of substitution. Matthew 27 verse 26 "Then released he Barabbas unto them, and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified." Jesus took the place of Barabbas, a murderer. As Barabbas was being held that morning he was anticipating going to Calvary when he hears the footfall of Roman soldier making his way to his cell. He hears the key turning in the lock and the soldier says to him "you are free to go". I am sure Barabbas said "but how? I am condemned to the death of the cross." The word came back "no, there is one who is going to take your place." Who would take the place of the one condemned? Jesus of Nazareth took your place. Christ not only took the place of Barabbas but he took my place and your place at Calvary. Christ took my place and your place at Calvary. Calvary was the place of substitution. Maybe you are shouting back "I hope you are not implying I am as bad as Barabbas or Judas or those who cried out for Jesus to be crucified." Maybe you are not as bad as them but on the authority of God's word you are a sinner. Romans 3 verse 23. 8 billion people in the world tonight are all born in sin. There is only one who had no sin of his own and he died on the centre cross of Calvary. Romans 5 verse 19 "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Through Adam's fall in the Garden, one willful act in eating the forbidden fruit sin entered into the world and it came down through the generations. We are all born with that sin problem. We are all affected by sin. We are all born with sinful nature. Calvary was the place of substitution. He took your sin and mine, past, present and future. 1 Peter 2 verse 24 "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed." It does not say he was made to be a sinner but he was made sin for you and I on the centre cross of Calvary. He was there for you and I. 1 Peter 3 verse 18 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." What are you relying upon tonight to gain access to God's heaven? We all have this sin problem and no-one can enter into God's heaven. Are you relying on your own charitable works - they are all futile. The only way to enter heaven is trusting in Christ. Putting your faith in the Saviour. Rembrant in the early 1600's painted a picture titled "the raising of the cross". As he painted he painted himself into the picture. Although he was not there he acknowledged Christ was on the cross in his place. He was there to pay the price for his sins. Have you ever come and put your trust in the one who died at Calvary?
Calvary was a place of sacrifice. In Old Testament times the people woul dhave brought their sacrifices to the brazen altar each and every day. Sacrifices would be offered on the altar. Sacrifices for their sin.
On Jewish altars slain
Could given the guilty conscience peace
Or wash away its stain
But Christ, the heavenly Lamb
Takes all our sins away
Could we write this poem about you? You have put the world's pleasures before the Lord. You have room for pleasure, room for business but no place for Christ the crucified. Where are you heading in eternity? You can come in repentance and faith and put your trust in Christ. Then you will be bound for heaven and home. What a demonstration of love was shown to men and women on that middle cross. When Christ laid down his life so that people could have eternal life. John 3 verse 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." That is not talking about mountains, rivers and lakes. That is talking about you and I. What a demonstration of love. His love is immeasurable. So vast. You can know your sins forgiven because of Calvary. If you would only come and put your trust in him. Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Are you relying on your own good works to get you to heaven? Salvation is by grace alone through grace alone by the person of Christ alone. Calvary was the place of sacrifice. Where blood was shed. Leviticus 17 verse 11 "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." In order for forgiveness to be available, to be offered to you and I there had to be blood shed. it was shed by the Lord Jesus. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. What are you trusting in for eternity? Maybe you are saying "I will not get saved tonight, I will wait until another night." Do you not know that we could be out into eternity before this night is out? If you are in your sin it is an awful situation to be in. You could be gone into God's eternity, unprepared, unrepentant, unforgiven, on the broad road with no way back.
Calvary is the place of salvation. If you are ever going to be in God's heaven you will have to come the way of the cross. You cannot get into heaven in your sinful condition. There is only one who paid the price of sin and that was the Lord. Are you on the broad road tonight? Revelation 21 verse 27 "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." Sin is serious tonight. You can be forgiven if only you will come in repentance. You will know your name is recorded in the Lamb's book of life. Pilate had to decide. What are you going to do with Jesus which is called the Christ? There is a decision to be made. The world or Christ? Heaven or hell? Reject or accept God's offer of mercy? You have a soul that will continue to exist in heaven or hell. Which will it be? God loves you. He sent his son to Calvary to be your substitute, to offer himself as your sacrifice. To offer salvation for you and for me. You can leave tonight knowing that all is well for eternity. There is one who is able to save. But he is also able to keep you for eternity. Jesus says to you "come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Not might be. Not a possibility but a sure and certain promise. You can know that assurance of sins forgiven. Maybe you are shouting back "you don't know the awful things I have done" and that may be true. But I do know the Lord says "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." May the Lord help you to come and put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus.
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