"THEY WATCHED HIM THERE"

MATTHEW 27:3

A. IMPORTANT BACKGROUND TO OUR TEXT
  1. The place of the scene -- Calvary or skull: Luke 23:33 - "a bare skull"
  2. The scene: The crucifixion of our Lord. That scene will be immortalized for what it stands for.
B. "THEY WATCHED HIM THERE"
  1. "They":
    1. The chief priests, the perpetrators of the crime of the ages - Matt. 27:20-25; Luke 23:23
    2. A large number of spectators who had tried "crucify him" - Luke 23:4, 5, 35
    3. The Roman soldiers and their officers, who had their sport with the "king of the Jews" - Matt. 27:27; Luke 23:36
    4. Some of our Lord's close friends were there too -
      1. Chief among them was his sorrowing mother - John 19:25-28
      2. Some of the disciples, notable was John the Beloved - John 19:25-27
  2. "They watched Him there": They were interested in His behavior on the shameful cross.
    1. Would He break down and plead for mercy from the tormentors?
    2. Would He call for vengeance against His enemies?
    3. Would His attitude remain the same as they had seen it when He healed the sick and comforted the sorrowing?
  3. What they could have seen:
    1. That Christ was not a criminal, but actually the Son of God - Matt. 27:54
    2. He manifested God's love under the severest test - Luke 23:34, 45, 46
    3. They could have seen the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world - John 1:29
  4. What they said about Him is most enlightening:
    1. "He saved others" -
      1. What a testimony to the mission of the Son of God, at a time when Satan exhausted his fury to discredit and destroy Him!
      2. That was an admission, on their part, that they were crucifying the Saviour and not a criminal.
    2. "Let him save himself" -
      1. He could have done so had He not, voluntarily, suffered and died for my sins.
      2. He could have asked His Father and He would have given an order to the angels to deliver the Son of God out of the hands of His enemies.
    3. "He trusted in God" -
      1. What an inadvertent acknowledgement of the fidelity of the Son of God!
      2. This was one time the enemies of Christ spoke the truth!
    4. "Let Him deliver him now" -
      1. Ah! Here is reason for pause by all who watch our suffering Saviour on the shameful cross!
      2. Why did the Father fail to intervene for His Son?
      3. Had He done so, then you and I would be lost forever - Rom. 8:31-33
C. WATCHING OUR LORD ON THE CROSS
  1. Only there can we see the terribleness of sin:
    1. When Martin Luther, so we are told, wanted to overcome certain sins in his life, he spent time near a crucifix in prayer and meditation.
    2. Only in the shadow of the cross of Christ will we learn to see sin in its sinfulness.
    3. Only in the light of the cross of Christ will we see hope for our sinful soul.
  2. It is there where the morning star can be seen in all its heavenly glory:
    1. That is where one of the thieves saw the star of his hope - Luke 23:36-44
    2. All who truly desire salvation will find it there - Gal. 3:13; Isa. 53:1-12
    3. The story of the cross of Christ will be the subject of learning throughout all the ages to come. Is that what you see as you study the mystery of the cross?


Design © John Bryant 2011