Crimson Cross and Crucified Christ

Let me ask you, friend. Have you ever had a day where it seemed as if all hell was against you? Where you felt like every evil entity out of the smoking pit was enlisted to come against you? That you were rendered helpless by that relentless onslaught of the devil. I had a day like that when my wife tragically died.

It was Satan's day, and he mocked me and came against me. The only thing that got me through was my faith in Christ, my Savior. I'm gonna be your escort today, friend, as we visit a place called Calvary.

To an event that took place over 2,000 years ago. Where all hell was coming against a man, the Son of Man. I want you to come along and be part of this vivid scene at a place called Calvary.

And I want you to see, very clearly, this place called Calvary. Everyone is welcome on this journey today, friends, for there is no sinner this side of hell. Too bad to join us as we come to Calvary's hill.

To behold a crucified Christ on a crimson cross. I will set the scene before you with the Word of God taken from Luke's Gospel. And as I read it to you, friend, I want you to feel the breeze in your hair.

And I want you to hear the murmur of the assembled crowd on that day. And I want you to pay attention and listen for the sound of a pounding hammers. Come along with me now, friends, but I will issue a warning.

The scene is disturbing and not for the faint of heart. There is a hill. There is the crowd.

And there stands a humiliated man with his hands bound and his robe stripped off to reveal a body lacerated by the scourge. His open flesh had wounds which are whelping. And his head is weighed down by a crown of thorns.

This prisoner is surrounded by Roman soldiers as they push him and laugh at him. And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him and the male factors, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Look, friends, as they take him and fasten him to that ignoble tree, they get out the long nails and the heavy hammer and begin their cruel work.

And every demon of hell laughs at what is transpiring there while they nailed the Son of God to that tree. But unbeknownst to them, unbeknownst to that wicked host, that tree of Calvary was the scene of God's justice because God is a God who must punish sin. And every stroke of the hammer was an explanation point that God must punish sin.

God must punish sin. God must punish sin. While the crowd watches in horror, the religious rulers deride in him saying, he saved others.

Let him save himself if he'd be Christ, the chosen of God. And the Roman soldiers mocked him. One of the thieves near him rails on him.

It's a culmination of the worst of mankind, joining with the most wicked of the kingdom of darkness. Kill the one who only came to do good. He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind.

He made the lame to leap. But now all hell has come against him. His only friends have deserted him.

He hangs there in humiliation. He is a public scandal. For there is a scandal to the cross that only criminals were executed there.

He is numbered among the transgressors. As he writhes and wiggles in excruciating pain on that instrument of execution, the longer he hung there, the bloodier that cross became until it was crimson red. And every time a drop of his blood ran down that cross and fell to the earth, it cried out, Father, forgive them.

Father, forgive them. Father, forgive them. Calvary is the scene of God's mercy to man in forgiveness of sin.

Calvary stands as the blood-stained scene for forgiveness of sin because of the blood-stained sin in substitute in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, a crimson cross and a crucified Christ. There he hangs between heaven and earth and all who come to him and believe on him. He will no wise cast out.

One of the thieves said unto him, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. He shed his blood for forgiveness of sins and died so we can live.

Look at him, friend. Look at him as he hangs there as a sacrifice for sin. Listen to his call from that crimson cross.

Hear him. Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth. For I am God and there is none else.

Oh dear sinner friend, admit your guilt to sin that you are a sinner in need of a savior from sin. His atoning blood is sufficient to wash away the foulest sin. Come to him and cast your burden down for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.

Come to that crucified Christ on that crimson cross and earnestly seek him there as you throw down your weapons of rebellion and surrender to the Christ of Calvary. Come to him friend as a empty-handed beggar would come to a king seeking mercy. Come friend and look upon him for he is worthy.

Worthy is the lamb that is slain for the sins of the world. He will give you peace and eternal life that no devil in hell can ever snatch away. Look and live.