So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” 23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. 28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.  John 19:16-30

1. The Cross of Christ is necessary to display God’s love: Exodus 34:1-7, Heb. 9:22, John 1:29, Heb. 9:26-28, Col. 1:21-22; 2:13-14

2. The Cross of Christ is the display of God’s love

a. The willingness of the Father to give His Son: Isaiah 53:10, Genesis 3:14-15

b. The willingness of the Son to be given: Heb. 10:5-7, Ps. 40:6-8, John 10:15-18

c. The willingness of the Spirit to reveal both: John 16:13-14

TODAY

3. The Cross of Christ enables us to experience God’s love: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

a. Experience of being controlled by Christ’s love: 2 Cor. 5:14a; 19a; 21, Romans 5:1-5, Rev. 2:2-4, Jer. 32:38-41

b. Experience of living Christ centered: 2 Cor. 5:15, Matthew 16:24

c. Experience of participation in Christ’s mission: 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, 1 John 3:18, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4