Scott LaPierre (https://www.scottlapierre.org/) is a pastor, author, and Christian speaker on marriage. This podcast includes his conference messages, guest preaching, and expository sermons at Woodland Christian Church. Each of Scott’s messages is the result of hours of studying the Bible. Scott and his wife, Katie, grew up together in northern California, and God has blessed them with nine children. View all of Pastor Scott’s books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Scott-LaPierre/e/B01JT920EQ. Receive a FREE copy of Scott’s book, “Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages.” For Scott LaPierre’s conference and speaking information, including testimonies, and endorsements, please visit: https://www.scottlapierre.org/christian-speaker/. Feel free to contact Scott at: https://www.scottlapierre.org/contact/.
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Paradise in the New Testament: Heaven, Hades, and the Thief on the Cross
Monday, February 23, 2026 • Duration 30:41
“Paradise” is one of those Bible words that feels instantly comforting—until you slow down and ask, What exactly does it mean? Paradise in the New Testament appears only three times, and when you line those passages up, they raise a question many believers have wondered about: Where was Jesus between His death and resurrection?
Table of contentsWhere “paradise” appears in the New TestamentParadise in 2 Corinthians 12:3 and the three heavens Paul describesParadise in Revelation 2:7 and the tree of lifeParadise in Luke 23:43 and the thief on the crossWhy this gets complicatedSheol and HadesTwo possibilities for Luke 23:43Possibility 1: Paradise refers to heaven (Jesus went spiritually, later bodily)Possibility 2: Paradise refers to the place of comfort within HadesBelievers were removed from Hades at Jesus’ ascensionWhen unbelievers leave HadesClosing encouragement
Where “paradise” appears in the New Testament
The word paradise occurs only three times in the New Testament:
Luke 23:43 “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
2 Corinthians 12:3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows
Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
If those were the only details we had, we might assume “paradise” always means “heaven.” In fact, that’s exactly what the first two passages strongly suggest.
Paradise in 2 Corinthians 12:3 and the three heavens Paul describes
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul describes a man (very likely speaking of himself) who was “caught up to the third heaven,” and then immediately says he was “caught up into paradise,” connecting the third heaven and paradise. In Scripture, “heaven” can be described in different ways:
The first heaven: the atmosphere/sky (where clouds and rain are)
The second heaven: outer space (sun, moon, stars)
The third heaven: the place where God dwells
So in 2 Corinthians 12, paradise is presented as up, above—where God dwells.
Paradise in Revelation 2:7 and the tree of life
The second occurrence is in Revelation 2:7, where Jesus promises the overcomer will eat from “the tree of life…in the paradise of God.” That matters because Revelation later places the tree of life in the eternal state—the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 22:1–2). So again, paradise is tied to God’s presence and eternal life.
Paradise in Luke 23:43 and the thief on the cross
The third occurrence is Luke 23:43 when Jesus addresses the repentant criminal. Based on 2 Corinthians and Revelation, it sounds like Jesus is saying, “Today you’ll be with Me in heaven.” But Jesus did not ascend to heaven until His ascension.
Why this gets complicated
After the resurrection, Mary Magdalene recognizes Jesus and reaches toward Him. Jesus says:
John 20:17 — “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father…”
In other words, after rising from the dead, Jesus could still say, “I have not yet ascended.” So how do we reconcile that with “today you will be with Me in paradise”?
Another important statement from Jesus:
Matthew 12:40 — “So will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Jesus was in Hades, not heaven, between His death and resurrection.
Sheol and Hades
A crucial foundation is understanding the biblical terms:
Sheol is the Hebrew term.
Hades is the Greek term.
In this discussion, they refer to the same reality (the realm of the dead).
Scripture depicts both righteous and unrighteous going to Sheol/Hades, because it is described as a temporary abode of the dead rather than the final destination of eternal reward or punishment
Two possibilities for Luke 23:43
There are two main interpretive options for what Jesus meant...
Possibility 1: Paradise refers to heaven (Jesus went spiritually, later bodily)
In this view, “paradise” in Luke 23:43 still means heaven (consistent with 2 Corinthians and Revelation). Jesus’ body would remain in the tomb, but His spirit would go to the Father. A verse supporting this view:
Luke 23:46 — “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”
Under this interpretation, Luke 23:43, 2 Corinthians 12, and Revelation 2 all use “paradise” in the same way.
Possibility 2: Paradise refers to the place of comfort within Hades
Hades included two compartments in the New Testament era—one of comfort (associated with Abraham’s bosom) and one of torment—and the place of comfort could be called “paradise.” The weakness is that this makes “paradise” mean something different in Luke than in 2 Corinthians and Revelation
Believers were removed from Hades at Jesus’ ascension
What changed after Jesus’ work was completed:
Ephesians 4:8 — “When He ascended on high He led a host of captives…”
When Jesus ascended, He brought with Him those who had been “captive” in the place of comfort—unable to enter heaven before Christ’s atoning work was finished. Ephesians 4:9 says He also “descended into the lower regions, the earth,” understood here as a descent into Hades.
Old Testament believers could not be in heaven prior to Christ:
Hebrews 10:4 — animal sacrifices could not take away sin
Matthew 27:51 — the veil tearing pictured access opened through Christ
In short, before Christ, there was separation; in the New Covenant, there is reconciliation.
When unbelievers leave Hades
Hades is temporary. Revelation 20 describes the Great White Throne judgment where death and Hades give up the dead, and the final judgment follows. This matters because it reminds us that questions like “Where is paradise?” aren’t just theological puzzles. They are meant to press us toward the most important question: Am I reconciled to God through Jesus Christ?
Closing encouragement
“Paradise” is not ultimately about winning an argument over terms. It is about God keeping His promises: Christ truly saves, death truly will be defeated, and eternal life with God is real.
If you belong to Christ, your hope isn’t wishful thinking—it’s anchored in a risen Savior, and it ends where Revelation places the tree of life: in the paradise of God.
The Two Thieves on the Cross: Two Responses, One Savior
Monday, February 16, 2026 • Duration 44:09
The account of the two thieves on the cross is one of the clearest pictures in Scripture of how identical circumstances can produce opposite responses to Jesus. Side-by-side, they saw the same Savior, heard the same words, endured the same suffering, and faced the same urgency—yet one hardened his heart while the other repented and believed. Their final moments preach a timeless message: what ultimately separates people is not their situation, but their response to Christ.
https://youtu.be/6MqIINxLMqA
Table of contentsLesson 1: Jesus’ parables teach that identical circumstances can produce opposite responsesThe parable of the two buildersThe parable of the sowerThe parable of the two sonsThe parable of the ten virginsThe parable of the talents (and minas)The wedding feast, the two debtors, and moreLesson 2: The two criminals are a living illustration of Jesus’ parablesLesson 3: Each person is responsible for their response to ChristHe believes in life after deathHe believes Jesus has a kingdom beyond deathHe believes salvation is mercy, not meritHe believes Jesus will receive himJesus’ response: assurance, immediacy, and fellowshipCertaintyImmediacyPersonal fellowshipThe gospel in living colorThe “deathbed conversion” question—and Matthew 20Lesson 4: God’s grace to others can expose envy in our heartsDon’t presume on tomorrowConclusion
Lesson 1: Jesus’ parables teach that identical circumstances can produce opposite responses
Jesus regularly taught in a way that removes that excuse. He often described people who shared identical circumstances—and yet experienced opposite outcomes. Once you notice this pattern, you start seeing it everywhere in Jesus’ teaching.
The parable of the two builders
Both men heard the same teaching:
“Everyone who hears these words of mine…” (Matthew 7:24)
“Everyone who hears these words of mine…” (Matthew 7:26)
Both men built a house. Both faced the same storm:
“The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house…” (Matthew 7:25)
“The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house…” (Matthew 7:27)
Same teaching. Same project. Same storm. Completely different results.
The parable of the sower
There is one Sower. The seed is good. The seed is distributed broadly. Same Sower. Same seed. Same method. Yet radically different responses.
The parable of the two sons
Same father. Same command:
“Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” (Matthew 21:28)
Completely different responses.
The parable of the ten virgins
Same wedding. Same role. Same expectation: wait for the bridegroom. But two very different endings.
The parable of the talents (and minas)
Same master. Same stewardship principle. Same assignment: be faithful with what you’ve been entrusted. But again: different responses—and different outcomes.
The wedding feast, the two debtors, and more
Same King. Same invitation. Same mercy. Same opportunity. Yet not everyone responds the same. And if we’ll allow Jesus’ parables to do their work, they press us toward a sobering conclusion: the decisive issue is not the sameness of circumstances, but the posture of the heart.
That prepares us for what happens at the cross.
Lesson 2: The two criminals are a living illustration of Jesus’ parables
In recent sermons, we’ve been noticing living illustrations in Scripture:
Barabbas as a living illustration of substitutionary atonement (Jesus takes the punishment another deserved).
Simon of Cyrene is a living illustration of cross-bearing discipleship (he literally picks up the cross and follows).
Now we come to another living illustration—one of the clearest in all the Gospels. The two criminals crucified next to Jesus face nearly identical circumstances, yet they respond in opposite ways.
Here’s how similar their situations are:
Same guilt and sentence: both are criminals being executed by Rome—publicly shamed and justly condemned.
Same suffering and helplessness: neither can come down, fix their life, or perform works to “make up for it.”
Same proximity to Jesus: both are close enough to see Him, hear Him, and observe His restraint and mercy.
Same evidence: they watch the same mocking crowd, the same religious scorn, the same soldiers, the same injustice.
Same limited time: there is no future. No long discipleship process. Eternity is immediate.
Same social pressure: the whole atmosphere pushes them toward scoffing and unbelief.
Same claims about Christ: they hear “He is the Christ,” and they see the inscription, “King of the Jews.”
Same setting. Same opportunity. Same Savior. But two radically different responses.
Lesson 3: Each person is responsible for their response to Christ
Luke records the first man’s response:
“One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’” (Luke 23:39)
His response is hardened unbelief:
He blends in with the mockers.
He shows no fear of God.
He makes no confession of sin.
He wants to use Jesus for relief from consequences—not rescue from sin.
Then Luke shows us the other criminal:
“But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’” (Luke 23:40–41)
In that statement, the second criminal does multiple commendable things:
He rebukes blasphemy because he is offended for Christ.
He demonstrates the fear of God.
He confesses guilt and acknowledges deserved judgment.
He proclaims Jesus’ innocence—even while everyone else is mocking Him.
And then we arrive at one of the simplest—and most effective—prayers in the Bible:
“And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” (Luke 23:42)
So much is packed into this one sentence.
He believes in life after death
That might sound obvious to modern ears, but it wasn’t universal in Jesus’ day. The Sadducees—prominent religious leaders—denied the resurrection.
He believes Jesus has a kingdom beyond death
He says, “Your kingdom.” At the moment when Jesus appears weakest—bleeding, mocked, dying—this man believes Christ will reign.
He believes salvation is mercy, not merit
He doesn’t bargain. He doesn’t promise to “try harder.” He doesn’t talk about making up for his sins. He simply casts himself on Jesus.
He believes Jesus will receive him
He asks because he believes Jesus is gracious.
One man suffers and uses it as an excuse to curse Christ.
The other man suffers and allows it to produce repentance and faith.
Same cross-shaped suffering. Different heart posture. And the two criminals become representative of every person who has ever lived: we will respond to Jesus with hardened unbelief—or repentant faith.
Jesus’ response: assurance, immediacy, and fellowship
Now look at how Jesus answers him:
“And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:43)
Several details matter.
Certainty
Jesus begins with emphasis:
“Truly, I say to you…”
This is Jesus underlining: This is sure.
Immediacy
“Today…”
No delay. No purgatory. No working off sin.
Personal fellowship
“You will be with me…”
This is what makes heaven heaven: being with Jesus.
Philippians 1:23 — “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”
John 14:3 — “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
Revelation 21:3 — “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
The gospel in living color
This is Romans 10:13 made visible:
Romans 10:13 — “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
The thief called. He was saved.
And Jesus’ promise harmonizes perfectly with His other words:
John 6:37 — “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”
He came to Christ. Christ did not cast him out.
The “deathbed conversion” question—and Matthew 20
When I became a Christian, I was raised in a works-based religion, and I had a nagging question: “What about people who live wickedly and then believe right before they die? Do they get to go to heaven like everyone else?” That question is common—especially among critics of Christianity. And the thief on the cross is the clearest biblical example: saved at the end of life, with no time left to prove anything, fix anything, or repay anything.
Interestingly, Jesus also tells a parable that addresses our instinctive complaint about “fairness”: the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16).
Some labor all day. Others work one hour. Yet the master pays them the same. The early workers complain—not because they were cheated, but because the master was generous. Jesus’ point is not that rewards are identical (Scripture teaches differing rewards), but that salvation is entirely grace—unearned favor.
That parable exposes what can be hiding in our hearts:
Lesson 4: God’s grace to others can expose envy in our hearts
The vineyard workers weren’t angry about what they received. They received exactly what they agreed to receive. They were angry about what someone else received.
In other words, grace offended their pride. As one commentary notes, Jesus describes this as an “evil eye”—a jealous, envious spirit that resents goodness shown to others. It’s the same issue in the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son:
“But he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat,
“Save Yourself”: Jesus Mocked on the Cross, the Two Thieves, and the Kindness That Leads to Repentance (Luke 23:35–41)
Monday, February 9, 2026 • Duration 55:26
When we think of the crucifixion, we usually picture the physical suffering—nails, blood, scourging, and agony. But the Gospels repeatedly draw our attention to something else, too: the cruelty of words. Jesus didn’t only endure pain in His body; He endured humiliation, rejection, and hatred poured out through mockery.
Even the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” collapses under the weight of Scripture. The Bible says words can cut like blades and burn like fire:
Proverbs 12:18 says, “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts…”
Psalm 57:4 describes enemies whose “tongues [are] sharp swords.”
Psalm 64:3 says they “aim bitter words like arrows.”
James 3:5–6 warns that the tongue can be like a fire that sets an entire forest ablaze.
That’s why the insults hurled at Christ on the cross matter so much. They reveal what people wanted from Jesus—and what Jesus refused to do in order to save us.
https://youtu.be/IMc48egK2pk
Table of contentsJesus Mocked: “Save Yourself”Lesson One: Jesus Didn’t Save Himself So He Could Save UsLesson Two: Jesus Is God’s King, Not Man’sTwo Criminals, Two ResponsesLesson Three: Saving Faith Shows ItselfDid both thieves mock Jesus—or did one believe?Lesson Four: God’s Kindness Leads Us to RepentanceWhy God’s Kindness Produces RepentanceConclusion: Don’t Only Focus on Your Sin—Focus on Christ
Jesus Mocked: “Save Yourself”
Luke records a chilling scene: people watching, leaders scoffing, soldiers ridiculing, and one criminal joining the chorus.
In verse 35, the rulers said, “He saved others; let him save himself.”
In verse 37, the soldiers said, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
And in verse 39, one of the criminals even said: “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
The rulers said, “He saved others,” which is an unintended admission: they could not deny His miracles—healings, deliverance, even raising the dead. So they twisted the truth into a challenge: “If He has saving power, let Him use it on Himself.”
The soldiers added their own mockery, offering sour wine not as mercy but as humiliation—dangling relief in front of a suffering Man they despised.
And beneath all of it is a familiar temptation Jesus faced repeatedly: “Prove Yourself.”
Matthew 12:38 — “Some of the scribes and Pharisees” (“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”)
Matthew 16:1 — “The Pharisees and Sadducees” (asked Him “to show them a sign from heaven.”)
John 2:18 — “The Jews” (after the temple cleansing: “What sign do you show us…?”)
John 6:30 — The crowd (after the feeding of the 5,000: “What sign do you do, that we may see and believe you?”)
From the wilderness to His public ministry to the cross, the demand remained: “Show us. Prove it. Save Yourself.”
Lesson One: Jesus Didn’t Save Himself So He Could Save Us
Here is the heart of the passage: Jesus refused to save Himself because He came to save sinners.
If Christ had stepped down from the cross, our debt would remain unpaid. On that cross, He was bearing wrath, accomplishing redemption, fulfilling prophecy, and completing the sacrifice. His staying was not weakness—it was obedience and love.
Jesus could have ended it instantly. He could have silenced every mouth. But He stayed:
to obey the Father
to save those the Father had given Him
And even the mockery itself fulfilled Scripture:
In Isaiah 53:3–6 God says about His Son that He would be “despised and rejected.”
In Psalm 22:7–8 Jesus says through David, “All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads… ‘He trusts in the LORD; let Him deliver him.’”
They mocked Him because they didn’t believe He was the Messiah—yet their very mockery unwittingly testified that He is.
Lesson Two: Jesus Is God’s King, Not Man’s
Luke includes another irony:
Luke 23:38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
In Roman crucifixion, the inscription announced the “crime” and warned the crowd: This is what happens when you defy Rome. It was meant to shame the victim and intimidate observers.
But over Jesus, the sign that was meant as ridicule proclaimed the truth: “This is the King of the Jews.”
Watch the flow:
Leaders: “Save Yourself.”
Soldiers: “If You are the King… save Yourself.”
Then God’s providential declaration above His head: This is the King.
All along, people staged a wicked parody of royalty—robe, crown, scepter, mock homage—yet none of it changed reality. The cross, in one sense, became His throne, because the King was accomplishing His victory through suffering.
Two Criminals, Two Responses
Luke shows two men suffering the same sentence, seeing the same Jesus, responding in opposite ways.
Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
The first criminal wanted relief, not mercy: “Save yourself and us.” No confession. No fear of God. No concern for righteousness—just an urgent demand for comfort.
The second criminal is different. He rebukes the first, fears God, admits guilt, and defends Christ’s innocence. And that leads us to a crucial clarification many people miss when they talk about the thief on the cross.
Lesson Three: Saving Faith Shows Itself
Yes, we are saved by grace through faith apart from works:
Ephesians 2:8–9 By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness.
Romans 3:28 we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
But the faith that saves is never alone. Scripture also teaches:
James 2:17 Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead…26 faith apart from works is dead.
So while the thief had no opportunity for baptism, restitution, church membership, or long-term discipleship, there is still real evidence of repentance and faith:
He rebuked the other thief instead of joining the mockery.
He feared God (“Do you not fear God…?”).
He confessed sin without excuses.
He acknowledged judgment as deserved (“due reward”).
He defended Christ’s innocence when nearly everyone else reviled Him.
His hands were nailed, but something deeper happened first: his pride was crucified.
Did both thieves mock Jesus—or did one believe?
Matthew and Mark say the thieves reviled Jesus:
Matthew 27:44 The robbers who were crucified with [Jesus]also reviled him in the same way.
Mark 15:31 The chief priests with the scribes mocked [Jesus]…32 “Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.
Luke says one thief rebuked the other and defended Jesus.
The answer is simple: both mocked Jesus at first, and then one repented. The Gospels aren’t contradicting each other; they’re showing the change that happened on the cross.
Lesson Four: God’s Kindness Leads Us to Repentance
So what changed the thief?
Not miracles. Not signs from heaven. Not a spectacle of power. Luke records one early word from Jesus that the criminals would have heard:
Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
While others mocked, tested, and dared Him to “prove Himself,” Jesus prayed for His enemies: “Father, forgive them.”
That contrast—hatred answered with mercy—broke a hard heart.
And Scripture tells us exactly how this works:
Romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Why God’s Kindness Produces Repentance
God’s kindness gives sinners hope that repentance won’t be met with rejection—but with mercy.
The prodigal son is a perfect picture of this: the son remembers his father’s goodness and that kindness gives him the courage to go home and confess.
Luke 15:17 “When he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
It also explains why many people remain trapped in fear: they believe their past is too filthy, their sins too many, their record too shameful. What do they need to see? Not first their sin—but God’s kindness in Christ.
God’s kindness does not excuse sin; it invites confession. It doesn’t minimize guilt; it creates hope for forgiveness.
Conclusion: Don’t Only Focus on Your Sin—Focus on Christ
On the cross, the thief didn’t get a miracle. He didn’t receive a sign. He heard something better: a Savior praying mercy over enemies.
So if you ever doubt God’s willingness to forgive you, don’t only stare at your failures—look at Christ and remember His heart.
Fear God. Stop making excuses. Confess your sin. Look to Jesus for mercy—because the same kindness that saved the thief is the kindness that can save anyone.
Jesus’ Compassion on the Way to the Cross: “Father, Forgive Them” (Luke 23:27–34)
Monday, February 2, 2026 • Duration 49:50
Jesus’ compassion is never more stunning than when He is suffering. In Luke 23:27–34, on the way to the cross, Jesus speaks words we could never manufacture in our flesh: “Father, forgive them.” While the crowd mocked, while soldiers carried out their cruelty, while His strength was failing, our Savior’s heart was still turned outward—toward sinners. This passage shows us not only what Jesus endured, but what He desired: mercy for the very people who were putting Him to death.
https://youtu.be/eTfFgscNmNY
Table of contentsSuffering and self-focusLesson one: Even at the end of Jesus’ life, He remained compassionateLesson two: Suffering can reverse blessingsReversal #1: “Blessed are the barren…”Reversal #2: “Fall on us… cover us…”The proverb: Green wood and dry woodLesson three: Isaiah 53:12 fulfilled in Jesus’ crucifixionPart one: Jesus poured out His life for usPart two: Jesus was numbered with transgressorsPart three: Jesus interceded for transgressorsPart four: Jesus was our High Priest and sacrificeLesson four: Ignorance minimizes accountabilityWe are not ignorant, so we are accountable
Suffering and self-focus
I think suffering and concern for others are often inversely related:
The less we suffer, the less we focus on ourselves, and the more we can focus on others.
The more we suffer, the more we focus on ourselves, and the less we can focus on others.
When pain is intense enough, it’s hard to speak graciously, hard to think straight, and hard to care about anyone else. We understand that. And because we understand it, we often make allowances for people who are suffering.
That is what makes Jesus’ journey to the cross so surprising. If anyone ever had the “right” to be focused on Himself, it was Jesus. He had been falsely accused, beaten, and scourged. He was so exhausted and near death that the Romans compelled Simon of Cyrene to carry His cross. Yet even at the end of His life, Jesus was still concerned about others.
Lesson one: Even at the end of Jesus’ life, He remained compassionate
Luke writes:
Luke 23:27 — A great multitude followed Him, including women mourning and lamenting.
We don’t have to pin down exactly who these women were—faithful followers, outraged observers, or emotionally overwhelmed witnesses—because Luke emphasizes something more important: what Jesus said to them.
Luke 23:28 — “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”
The verse begins with a contrast (“but”). Jesus does not respond the way we would expect. We would expect Him to affirm their grief—after all, His suffering is undeserved. Instead, He redirects their weeping from Himself to the suffering that would come upon them and their children.
Even in His lowest moment, Jesus is not self-absorbed. He is still compassionate.
And Jesus' compassion includes a warning: He is referring to the coming destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70—something He had already foretold earlier in Luke:
Luke 19:41–44 — Jesus weeps over Jerusalem and foretells its destruction.
Luke 21:20–24 — Jesus describes the siege of Jerusalem that the people will experience and how terrible it will be for them.
Lesson two: Suffering can reverse blessings
Jesus describes a time of such horrific judgment that people will speak in shocking reversals.
Reversal #1: “Blessed are the barren…”
Luke 23:29 — “Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!”
That sounds almost unthinkable—because Scripture consistently presents children as blessings (Psalm 127:3–5, Exodus 23:26, Deuteronomy 7:14). And barrenness is often portrayed as grievous—sometimes even as judgment (Genesis 20:18, Hosea 9:14). So why would Jesus describe barrenness as “blessed”?
Because intense suffering can invert what is normally good. In the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, pregnancy and parenthood would mean added vulnerability: more mouths to feed, more fear, more suffering to endure, more heartbreak to witness.
Paul expressed a similar idea about marriage: marriage is a gift, but in extreme distress it can add weight to an already crushing situation:
1 Corinthians 7:26 I think that in view of the present distress (referring to the persecution the Corinthians were experiencing) it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
Reversal #2: “Fall on us… cover us…”
Luke 23:30 — People will say to the mountains, “Fall on us,” and to the hills, “Cover us.”
This language appears as a repeated pattern in Scripture—judgment so terrifying that death feels like an escape (Hosea 10:8, Revelation 6:16). When judgment is severe enough, people don’t ask for comfort—they ask for concealment. They don’t ask for relief—they beg to be crushed. That is the horror Jesus is warning about.
The proverb: Green wood and dry wood
Luke 23:31 — “For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
Green wood doesn’t burn easily. Dry wood burns easily.
Green wood points to Jesus: innocent, undeserving of judgment.
Dry wood points to sinners: guilty, deserving of judgment.
It is as though Jesus says, “If Rome will do this to Me—the innocent One—what will they do to those who reject their Messiah?” And there’s a sobering layer to the image: Jerusalem and the temple were, quite literally, burned.
Lesson three: Isaiah 53:12 fulfilled in Jesus’ crucifixion
Luke 23:32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
Luke’s language emphasizes that these men are criminals, and Jesus is placed right in the middle of them. In doing so, Luke is showing us the unfolding of Isaiah 53:12.
Part one: Jesus poured out His life for us
Isaiah 53:12 says He “poured out His soul to death.”
That phrasing evokes the imagery of a drink offering—poured out completely. Jesus did not give part of Himself. He gave Himself entirely.
This language also echoes Jesus’ words about His blood in Matthew 26:28: "this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
Part two: Jesus was numbered with transgressors
Isaiah 53:12 says He was “numbered with the transgressors.”
The leaders wanted Jesus treated like the worst of the worst. In doing so, they fulfilled prophecy written centuries earlier.
Jesus was not crucified because He was guilty. He was crucified as if He were guilty—for those who actually are.
2 Corinthians 5:21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us.
Part three: Jesus interceded for transgressors
Luke 23:34 — Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
While soldiers gamble for His clothes—fulfilling Psalm 22:18—Jesus prays.
And these are His first words from the cross. We might expect, “Judge them,” or “Destroy them,” or “Prove Me innocent.” Instead: “Father, forgive them.”
Jesus is doing two things at once:
He is practicing what He taught in Luke 6:27–28
He is fulfilling what Isaiah foretold in Isaiah 53:12
This is a window into Jesus’ disposition. Forgiveness is difficult for us; it does not come naturally. But Jesus’ posture is merciful. He does not delight in condemnation—He delights in saving.
And there is something deeply convicting here: Jesus is interceding in real time—while the sin is happening.
Part four: Jesus was our High Priest and sacrifice
Priests did two primary things:
They interceded for sinners.
They offered sacrifices for sinners.
On the cross, Jesus does both—simultaneously. He is the High Priest making intercession while also being the sacrifice poured out.
Two verses shine even brighter in the light of Luke 23:
Romans 5:8 While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus was literally dying for sinners sinning against Him. It’s like another living illustration for us.
Hebrews 7:25 He always lives to make intercession for His people
Jesus lives to intercede, but on the cross, He was interceding while dying.
Lesson four: Ignorance minimizes accountability
Jesus says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
This does not mean the people involved were automatically forgiven of every sin they ever committed. Forgiveness for all sins is received through repentance and faith. But Scripture does emphasize that their ignorance minimized their accountability for this particular act.
1 Corinthians 2:8 If they had understood, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Peter says something striking to the Jews in Jerusalem:
Acts 3:17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
Paul also describes his former persecution of Christ as something he did ignorantly in unbelief:
1 Timothy 1:13 Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
Ignorance does not make sin “good,” but it can lessen culpability.
We are not ignorant, so we are accountable
They were ignorant.
They did not grasp that Jesus was the Son of God.
They heard Him speak without recognizing they were hearing God’s words.
They watched Him die without understanding for whom He was dying.
But we are not ignorant.
We have the Scriptures.
We have the testimony of the resurrection.
We have centuries of the gospel proclaimed.
We know the identity of the One who hung on that cross.
So the question is not, “Did we know?”
The question is: What will we do with what we know?
Jesus remained compassionate while suffering. He interceded while being sinned against. He prayed,
Simon of Cyrene: What It Means to Carry the Cross and Follow Jesus (Luke 23:26)
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 • Duration 54:31
When most people think about the crucifixion, they think about Jesus carrying His cross to Calvary. But in Luke 23:26, another man steps into the story—Simon of Cyrene. He didn’t volunteer. He wasn’t looking for attention. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time… or more accurately, the right place at the right time under God’s perfect providence.
Simon was forced to carry the cross behind Jesus, and in doing so he became a powerful picture of discipleship. Jesus had already told His followers, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Simon didn’t just hear those words—he lived them. His moment of suffering, inconvenience, and humiliation teaches us what it really means to follow Christ when obedience is costly.
In this message, we’ll look at why Simon was chosen, what his cross-bearing reveals about Jesus, and how this brief encounter challenges every believer to embrace the path of self-denial, surrender, and faithful discipleship.
https://youtu.be/u1sd0r_TnF0
Table of contentsWhy Following Jesus Is DifferentJesus’ Call: Deny Yourself and Carry the CrossLesson 1: We Choose to Follow ChristLesson 2: Christ Also Chooses UsSimon of Cyrene Carries the Cross Behind JesusWe Don’t Always Choose the Cross We CarryLesson 2: How We Carry Our Cross MattersFive Ways People Carry the Cross Well (or Poorly)1) Submission vs. Resistance2) Faith vs. Unbelief3) Humility vs. Pride4) Drawing Near vs. Pulling Away5) Obedience vs. ExcusesLesson 3: Carrying the Cross Is a PrivilegeConclusion: Look to Jesus
Why Following Jesus Is Different
Most people want the blessings of Christianity:
Forgiveness of sins
Eternal life
Heaven
Glorified bodies
But when people learn that following Christ also involves self-denial and suffering, many decide they don’t want the cost. They want the crown—without the cross. And that’s why Jesus repeatedly gave strong, sobering words about discipleship.
Jesus’ Call: Deny Yourself and Carry the Cross
Jesus didn’t hide what it meant to follow Him:
Luke 9:23 — “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Luke 14:27 — “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
When crowds followed Him, Jesus didn’t try to entertain them. He challenged them—because He wanted true disciples, not casual spectators.
Lesson 1: We Choose to Follow Christ
In one sense, discipleship is a choice. Jesus says, “If anyone would come after Me…” That means we must respond.
Following Christ means this:
There is a cross for Jesus
And there is a cross for every disciple
If He suffered, we must be willing to suffer too
A student is not above his teacher
Jesus doesn’t promise comfort. He promises Himself—and He calls us to follow Him wherever that leads.
Lesson 2: Christ Also Chooses Us
Here’s what’s fascinating: while we must choose to follow Christ, Scripture also shows that Christ chooses His disciples.
Think about the Twelve. They didn’t wake up one day and decide to become Jesus’ disciples. Jesus came to them.
Matthew 4:19 — Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, “Follow Me.”
Matthew 9:9 — Jesus said to Matthew, “Follow Me.”
John 1:43 — Jesus found Philip and said, “Follow Me.”
Luke 6:12–13 — Jesus prayed all night and then chose the twelve.
John 15:16 — “You did not choose Me, but I chose you…”
So do we choose to follow Jesus, or does Jesus choose us?
Yes.
God is sovereign, and we are responsible. We willingly follow Christ, yet we do so only because He first chose and called us.
Simon of Cyrene Carries the Cross Behind Jesus
Now we come to Simon. Luke 23:26 says:
“As they led Him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene… and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.”
Simon didn’t volunteer. He didn’t step forward to make a bold statement. He wasn’t trying to be heroic. He was seized. He was forced. He was drafted into a burden he never expected. Mark’s Gospel adds more detail:
Simon was a “passerby”
He was “coming in from the country”
He was the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21)
Simon woke up expecting an ordinary day—but God had written him into the most extraordinary moment in human history. And that’s often how cross-bearing works.
We Don’t Always Choose the Cross We Carry
Simon pictures something important: discipleship often includes crosses we didn’t ask for. Many people think following Jesus means choosing a difficult life on purpose—like signing up for something painful. But often, discipleship looks like this:
A burden is laid on your shoulders
A trial shows up without warning
You didn’t choose it
But now you must carry it faithfully
In other words, carrying the cross usually isn’t about choosing your suffering—it’s about accepting what God assigns and honoring Christ in it.
Lesson 2: How We Carry Our Cross Matters
Luke 23:26 says Simon carried the cross behind Jesus. That matters. Because the real question is not only what we carry, but how we carry it.
Everyone suffers in this world—believers and unbelievers. Burdens don’t automatically produce spiritual growth. Some people are made better by suffering. Others are made bitter.
So how do we carry our cross in a way that honors Christ?
Five Ways People Carry the Cross Well (or Poorly)
Two people can carry the same burden very differently. The cross reveals what’s happening in the heart. Here are five contrasts that show the difference between carrying the cross well and carrying it poorly:
1) Submission vs. Resistance
“Lord, I don’t understand this, but I trust You,” instead of, “God, I’m not putting up with this.”
2) Faith vs. Unbelief
“This wasn’t my plan, but it’s Your plan for me,” instead of, “God has lost control.”
3) Humility vs. Pride
“Lord, I need Your help,” instead of, “I can handle this on my own.”
4) Drawing Near vs. Pulling Away
Continuing to pray, worship, and stay in the Word, instead of withdrawing and growing cold toward God.
5) Obedience vs. Excuses
Remaining faithful in hardship, instead of saying, “Because life is hard, I’m allowed to sin.”
Carrying the cross well doesn’t mean the burden feels light. It means we carry it with Christ, not away from Him.
Lesson 3: Carrying the Cross Is a Privilege
Simon didn’t want to do this—but it became the greatest privilege of his life. He served Christ in the final moments before the crucifixion. And Scripture teaches something that challenges us: suffering for Christ is an honor.
Here are a few verses that make that unmistakably clear:
Philippians 1:29 — “It has been granted to you… not only to believe in Him but also suffer for His sake.”
Philippians 3:10 — Paul longed to share Christ’s sufferings.
1 Peter 4:13 — “Rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings.”
2 Timothy 2:3 — “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:17 — We are heirs with Christ “provided we suffer with Him.”
Suffering isn’t enjoyable—but it can be meaningful. Because when we suffer for Christ, we are walking the road our Savior walked. Acts 5 shows this clearly. After the apostles were beaten and warned not to preach, Scripture says:
They left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” (Acts 5:41)
Not rejoicing in pain—but rejoicing in the privilege of belonging to Jesus.
Conclusion: Look to Jesus
No matter what cross we carry, it will never compare to the cross Christ carried for us. Our burdens may be heavy—but His was crushing. He suffered as the sinless Son of God, carrying the weight of our guilt and shame so we could be forgiven and declared righteous.
That’s why Scripture tells us where to fix our eyes:
Hebrews 12:2–3 — “Looking to Jesus… who for the joy set before Him endured the cross… Consider Him… so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”
So:
When your cross feels too heavy, look to Jesus
When it feels unfair, consider Him
When you’re tempted to quit, fix your eyes on the Savior
And because Christ carried His cross for us, we can carry ours behind Him—not with grumbling, but with faith. One day soon, the cross-bearing will end… and we will see the One who carried the cross in our place—face to face.
Crowds vs. Disciples: What It Really Means to Take Up Your Cross (Luke 9:23; 14:27; 23:26–27)
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 • Duration 49:01
Crowds vs disciples is one of the most important contrasts in the Gospels. Jesus drew people everywhere He went, and you can hardly read a chapter without seeing a “great crowd” or a “multitude” gathering around Him. Crowds look impressive. They can feel like spiritual momentum. But Scripture repeatedly shows something sobering: people can be close to Jesus physically while remaining far from Him spiritually.
That’s why this sermon begins with two questions we need to keep in front of us:
What’s the difference between being part of the crowd and being a disciple?
What’s the difference between being near Jesus and belonging to Jesus?
Jesus didn’t leave these questions up to our imagination. He defined discipleship clearly—and His definition is simple, shocking, and demanding.
https://youtu.be/8Fc3Byw3WbA
Table of contentsCrowds Are Common, Disciples Are RareJesus’ Shocking Definition of DiscipleshipWhy Jesus Thinned the CrowdsWhat the Cross Meant Then and What It Means NowCrucifixion Was About SubmissionScripture Gives Living Illustrations of God’s CommandsSimon of Cyrene: A Living Illustration of DiscipleshipDiscipleship Is Not a Spectator SportFinal Call: From the Crowd to Following Christ
Crowds Are Common, Disciples Are Rare
The Gospels contain a constant stream of crowds. That should not surprise us: Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, taught with authority, confronted hypocrisy, and displayed power no one had ever seen. Wherever He went, people came.
But the sobering reality is that crowds are not the same as disciples.
Crowds can be curious without being committed. Crowds can be moved without being transformed. Crowds can be excited about what Jesus gives while resisting what Jesus demands. Crowds can be near Jesus and yet remain unchanged by Jesus.
So the question in the Gospels is not whether Jesus can attract crowds—He can, and He did. The question is whether anyone in those crowds will become His disciple.
Jesus’ Shocking Definition of Discipleship
Jesus defined discipleship in a way that immediately separates spectators from followers.
In Luke 9:23 Jesus said:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
He spoke those words to His disciples so they would understand what it meant to truly follow Him. And the disciples’ own story proves how serious this is. Judas betrayed Jesus, and the other disciples abandoned Him in His darkest hour. Only John stayed near the cross. But after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit empowered them to do what they could not do in their own strength: follow Christ faithfully, even when it cost them.
Discipleship is not merely believing facts about Jesus. It is following Jesus as Lord.
Why Jesus Thinned the Crowds
Luke 14:25 begins like this:
“Now great crowds accompanied him…”
If Jesus could miraculously feed massive crowds (and He did), then “great crowds” likely means thousands. Imagine what many popular religious leaders would do at that moment:
“This is amazing—look how many people are following me.”
“I need to keep them happy so they don’t leave.”
“What can I say that will encourage them to stay?”
But Jesus often did the opposite. When the crowds grew, He would say something that forced a decision.
Think about John 6. After Jesus fed the 5,000, the crowd swelled. People wanted more miracles and more food. Jesus confronted them with the truth they did not want, and many left.
And in Luke 14, Jesus does it again. He says:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children… yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
Jesus wasn’t trying to build a fanbase. He was calling disciples.
What the Cross Meant Then and What It Means Now
Here is one of the biggest dangers for modern Christians: we are so familiar with the cross that we can miss how shocking Jesus’ words would have sounded.
Today, crosses are often symbols of beauty, love, and comfort:
crosses in churches
crosses on jewelry
crosses in logos and décor
crosses hanging from rearview mirrors
But in Jesus’ day, the cross was not inspirational—it was horrifying. It was a brutal instrument of suffering, shame, and public humiliation. It was Rome’s terror weapon. People did not decorate their homes with cross imagery any more than we would decorate our homes with an electric chair, a noose, or a guillotine.
So when Jesus said, “Take up your cross,” He was not speaking in sentimental terms. He was describing a path of suffering, self-denial, and surrender.
Crucifixion Was About Submission
Rome could have executed people in many ways more quickly. They chose crucifixion for at least two reasons:
the suffering it inflicted
the submission it displayed
And that second reason matters for understanding Jesus’ words.
Rome didn’t just crucify people; they paraded them. They made the condemned carry the cross through public streets with crowds lining the way. It was Rome’s message: “This person is under our authority.”
Jesus uses that same imagery to teach discipleship. To take up your cross is to say, in effect, “I am no longer my own. I am under the authority of Christ. I submit to Him.”
That’s why Luke 14:27 is such a premier discipleship verse:
“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
Scripture Gives Living Illustrations of God’s Commands
God doesn’t only give commands; He often gives narratives that show what obedience looks like.
“Flee sexual immorality” is illustrated by Joseph fleeing Potiphar’s wife.
“Rebuke and forgive” is illustrated by Joseph forgiving his brothers.
“Repay no one evil for evil” is illustrated by David refusing to kill Saul.
“Do not fear—trust God” is illustrated by David's confrontation with Goliath.
“Give generously and sacrificially” is illustrated by the widow of Zarephath providing for Elijah.
“Do all things without grumbling” is illustrated negatively by Israel’s complaining in the wilderness.
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled” is illustrated by Adonijah exalting himself and being brought low.
These narratives are not random history. They are God’s living pictures of obedience and disobedience.
And with that in mind, we should not be surprised to find that Jesus’ discipleship command—“take up your cross and follow Me”—also has a living illustration.
Simon of Cyrene: A Living Illustration of Discipleship
Luke 23:26 says:
“And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene… and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.”
There is so much packed into that verse.
First, Jesus is being “led away”—the language of execution. He is being treated like a criminal headed to His death. He isn’t simply “going” somewhere; He is being marched to His sentence.
Second, those condemned to crucifixion often carried the crossbeam rather than the entire cross. Either way, it was heavy. And Jesus had been beaten and scourged. He was weak, exhausted, and physically unable to carry it any farther.
That’s where Simon comes in. Simon was from Cyrene (in modern-day Libya) and likely came to Jerusalem for Passover. One moment, he is simply arriving; the next moment, the soldiers seize him, lay the cross on him, and force him to walk behind Jesus.
And it is hard to miss the picture: on the road to Calvary, Jesus gives a living illustration of what He has been teaching all along—someone carrying a cross and following behind Him.
Discipleship Is Not a Spectator Sport
Immediately after Simon is introduced, Luke says:
“And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.”
The scene is crowded. Public. Emotional. Loud. People are watching, reacting, grieving, following in the sense of walking behind the procession.
But only one man is singled out as actually bearing the cross.
That contrast is the point: crowds can watch Jesus and feel something about Jesus while remaining unchanged by Jesus. Discipleship is not standing on the sidelines. It’s not blending into the crowd. It’s not only being near Jesus, hearing about Him, or having strong opinions about Him.
Disciples take up the cross and follow.
And this is not only a “then” problem. It can happen in the church today. You can attend, nod along, recognize the hymns, know the language, and still remain a spectator. Discipleship shows itself in obedience—often costly obedience.
To be clear, we are not saved by works. We do not earn our standing with God through service. But we also cannot redefine discipleship into something Jesus did not teach. If Jesus says His disciples take up the cross, then a life consistently lived on the sidelines should concern us.
If you claim to be Jesus’ disciple but you cannot remember the last time you did anything for Jesus—anything that cost you time, comfort, money, or convenience—then you should soberly evaluate your spiritual condition. Not because serving saves, but because saved people bear fruit.
Final Call: From the Crowd to Following Christ
Crowds are common in the Gospels, but disciples are not. Jesus is never short on interest or popularity. What He seeks is not spectatorship, but discipleship.
Luke 23:26 is piercing because it places a great multitude on one side and one man carrying a cross on the other. And it forces the question:
Are you in the crowd, or are you following Christ?
Are you near Jesus, or do you belong to Him?
This is not a call to earn salvation. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. But the grace that saves does not leave us unchanged.
And if you feel the weight of Jesus’ call and think,
The Wrong Shepherd: Choosing Barabbas Over Jesus (Zechariah 11 & Luke 23)
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 • Duration 50:27
Have you ever wished you could rewind the final hours of Jesus’ life and watch them unfold from a different angle—almost like “behind-the-scenes” before the Gospels record it? Choosing Barabbas over Jesus is one of the most shocking moments in Scripture, and because we’ve heard it so many times, it can start to feel familiar.
Most of us know the storyline. Judas betrays Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The money ends up connected to a potter. Pilate tries to release Jesus. And the crowd stuns everyone by demanding Barabbas instead.
But what if God had already given His people a prophetic preview of those very moments—not merely with a few scattered predictions, but through a living drama acted out in history?
That’s what we find in Zechariah 11. Zechariah doesn’t only speak prophecy—he performs it. He steps into one role, then shifts and plays another. And in doing so, he portrays two shepherds: a true shepherd who is rejected, and a foolish shepherd who is embraced.
In other words, Zechariah gives us the meaning beneath the event—while Luke shows us the event itself. Together, they expose the tragedy of choosing the wrong shepherd… and they also magnify the grace of the gospel.
https://youtu.be/jv38x2g2lOU
Table of contentsKey ScripturesZechariah 11 and the True Shepherd RejectedThirty pieces of silver: what God’s people thought their Shepherd was worthThrown into the temple: blood money returnedThe potter and the field: where rejected vessels end upJudas and the field: a horrifying picture of judgmentAn encouraging truth: the Potter remakes broken vesselsThe staff is broken: rejection brings judgmentThe foolish shepherd: the one the people wantLuke 23: Choosing the wrong shepherd in real timeBarabbas: the kind of man you don’t set freeThe shocking cry: “Release to us Barabbas!”The hypocrisy: accuse Jesus of rebellion, then choose a rebel“We have no king but Caesar”Why crucifixion?The gospel in one scene: we are BarabbasA warning: don’t enjoy the benefits while rejecting the SaviorWhat will you do with Jesus?Application questions (personal or group use)
Key Scriptures
Zechariah 11:12–17
Matthew 27:3–10
Acts 1:18–19
Luke 23:18–25
Jeremiah 18:1–6
Romans 9:20–21
Deuteronomy 21:23
Galatians 3:13
Zechariah 11 and the True Shepherd Rejected
Zechariah 11 is startling because it reads like a summary of the final hours of Jesus’ life—centuries before they occurred.
Thirty pieces of silver: what God’s people thought their Shepherd was worth
In the acted drama, Zechariah plays the part of the shepherd and asks for wages, because shepherds deserve to be paid:
Zechariah records, “Give me my wages… So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.”
That amount matters. Exodus tells us that thirty pieces of silver were the price paid for a slave killed by an ox—hardly a “generous” amount. In the drama, the payment is not a reward; it’s an insult. It’s the people’s way of saying, “This is what you’re worth to us.”
And that is exactly what Judas’ betrayal price communicates: not only treachery, but contempt.
Thrown into the temple: blood money returned
Zechariah continues with another detail that feels almost too precise:
The Lord tells Zechariah to throw the money into “the house of the LORD.”
That is exactly what Judas later does. Overwhelmed with guilt, he returns the silver and throws it into the temple before going away and taking his own life.
God is showing us that the betrayal was wicked—but it was not random. Even the “where” of the silver ends up under the sovereignty of God.
The potter and the field: where rejected vessels end up
Zechariah adds, “Throw it to the potter.”
In Jesus’ day, Judas never met a potter. But the chief priests—refusing to put “blood money” into the treasury—use it to buy a potter’s field, turning it into a burial place.
A potter’s field was associated with what was rejected—broken clay, discarded vessels, things that didn’t turn out as intended. The irony is staggering: the price paid for rejecting the Shepherd buys the very place where the rejected are collected.
Judas and the field: a horrifying picture of judgment
The New Testament describes Judas’ death in graphic terms: after hanging himself, he falls, and his body bursts open.
It’s a dreadful image—yet it fits the theme of rejection and ruin. Judas is like a vessel marred beyond repair, thrown into the field of broken things.
But that darkness sets the stage for something unexpectedly hopeful.
An encouraging truth: the Potter remakes broken vessels
Jeremiah 18 gives us a beautiful picture: God is the Potter, and we are the clay. When a vessel is marred, the potter doesn’t have to discard the clay—he can remake it.
Paul carries that truth forward when he says the Potter has authority to shape vessels for honorable purposes.
This is why the potter’s field detail is so striking: in a sense, Jesus purchases the place where broken, rejected vessels lie. And that’s what He does with sinners like us.
Christ redeems broken people—but He does not leave them broken. When we are humble, repentant, and pliable in His hands, He reforms us into vessels of honor for His glory.
The staff is broken: rejection brings judgment
Zechariah then breaks his shepherd's staff—an acted sign that judgment will come because the Shepherd has been rejected.
When a people refuse the true Shepherd, they do not drift into neutrality. They drift into ruin.
And then Zechariah shifts roles.
The foolish shepherd: the one the people want
The Lord tells Zechariah to take the tools of a “foolish shepherd.”
In Scripture, “foolish” is not mainly unintelligent—it’s morally corrupt. This shepherd is the kind of leader people choose when they reject God’s Shepherd.
And that brings us to Luke, where the crowd stands in front of Pilate and makes one of the most tragic choices in history.
Luke 23: Choosing the wrong shepherd in real time
By the time we reach Luke 23:18–25, Jesus has been dragged through trials and accusations. Pilate can see the religious leaders’ motives and tell that Jesus is innocent.
But Pilate is also boxed in. The crowd is swelling. Pressure is rising. And then he reaches for what seems like an escape hatch: a customary prisoner release.
So Pilate offers a choice.
Not just any choice—he offers the crowd a contrast.
Barabbas: the kind of man you don’t set free
Barabbas was not a petty criminal. The Gospels describe him as tied to insurrection, violence, and murder—an influential rebel. He is exactly the kind of man people are relieved to know is behind bars.
Pilate’s logic seems simple: “Surely they won’t pick him.”
But he misjudges their hatred.
The shocking cry: “Release to us Barabbas!”
Luke tells us “they all cried out together” for Barabbas.
This isn’t merely irrational—it’s spiritual. When hearts harden against Christ, they will embrace almost anyone else.
And it gets worse.
The hypocrisy: accuse Jesus of rebellion, then choose a rebel
The leaders accuse Jesus of stirring up the people and challenging Rome.
But Barabbas actually did those things.
They condemn Jesus with accusations they ignore in the man they demand.
Hatred makes people inconsistent, and sin makes people hypocritical.
“We have no king but Caesar”
John’s Gospel adds another chilling line: the chief priests say, “We have no king but Caesar.”
The tragedy isn’t only that they reject Jesus—it’s what they choose instead.
They would rather submit to a pagan ruler than bow to their true King.
Why crucifixion?
The crowd’s repeated demand is crucifixion—an execution the Jews regarded as shameful and cursed. Deuteronomy says the one who hangs on a tree is under God’s curse.
And yet, in God’s mysterious goodness, that is exactly what Jesus came to do: to bear the curse His people deserved.
Galatians says Christ “became a curse for us” to redeem us.
The crowd intended crucifixion as ultimate rejection. God intended the cross as the ultimate act of redemption.
The gospel in one scene: we are Barabbas
Here is one of the most piercing applications of this passage:
Put yourself in Barabbas’ place.
Imagine the guards opening the cell. Imagine the chains coming off. Imagine hearing, “You’re going free.”
Why?
Because Jesus of Nazareth will die in your place.
Barabbas didn’t earn his release. He didn’t bargain for it. He didn’t deserve it. He contributed nothing.
He walked free because another man took his spot.
That is the gospel in living color.
We often say, “Jesus died in my place,” and that is true eternally and spiritually. But with Barabbas, God gives us a rare, literal picture of substitution:
The guilty is released.
The innocent is condemned.
The rebel goes free.
The righteous is delivered over.
And that’s us.
We are the guilty ones. We are the rebels. We are the ones who deserve judgment.
Yet Christ is willing to take our place.
A warning: don’t enjoy the benefits while rejecting the Savior
There is a sobering detail: Scripture never tells us Barabbas repented.
He may have received deliverance from Rome, but still missed deliverance from sin.
And that warns us: it is possible to like the idea of Jesus “dying for me,” and yet remain unchanged—unrepentant, unconverted, unwilling to bow to His lordship.
Pilate tried to wash his hands as if neutrality were an option. But no one escapes the question.
What will you do with Jesus?
What will you do with Jesus?
Barabbas is a mirror held up to every heart.
We cannot save ourselves any more than a prisoner can earn his own pardon. Dead men do not raise themselves. Slaves do not free themselves. Sinners do not cleanse themselves.
But here is the good news:
Just as willingly as Jesus took Barabbas’ place,
Jesus the Passover Lamb: Examined and Declared Innocent
Monday, December 29, 2025 • Duration 46:35
Jesus the Passover Lamb stands at the center of Holy Week. Imagine Jerusalem 2,000 years ago during Passover—the city packed with pilgrims, families rehearsing the Exodus story, and lambs being selected and examined for sacrifice. Into that deliverance-soaked week, Jesus arrives, and everything the first Passover foreshadowed begins to find its fulfillment in Him. And then—into that Passover-soaked city—Jesus arrives.
To understand Luke’s account of Jesus standing before Pilate, we have to begin where the Bible begins: Jesus the Passover Lamb. Once we see Him that way, everything else becomes clearer and heavier with meaning.
https://youtu.be/vdg-G3GEejo
Table of contentsJesus Is the True and Greater Passover LambExodus 12 Preaches Christ Before Luke Ever DoesThe Lamb Had to Be Without BlemishNisan 10–14 Prefigures Holy WeekThe Blood Had to Be Applied PersonallyThe Lamb Was ConsumedPassover Was Deliverance—and Communion Is Our MemorialThe Passover Lamb’s Examination Prefigures Christ’s ExaminationThe Examination Intensifies in Luke 20Pilate Unknowingly Inspected the Lamb and Declared Him Innocent“I Will Therefore Punish and Release Him”: The Gospel in One Unjust SentenceConclusion: Are You Under the Blood?
Jesus Is the True and Greater Passover Lamb
When John the Baptist first identified Jesus publicly, he didn’t begin with titles like “King of Kings” or “Son of God.” He began with the sacrifice:
John 1:29 — “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
1 Corinthians 5:7 — “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”
Revelation 5:6, 8, 12–13 — In the throne room of heaven, Jesus is repeatedly called the Lamb, and worship rises to Him because He was slain.
Every Passover lamb that was ever sacrificed—millions across the centuries—was a shadow and type pointing forward to Christ.
Exodus 12 Preaches Christ Before Luke Ever Does
Before we return to Luke, Exodus 12 gives us the categories that make Holy Week and the cross come alive.
The Lamb Had to Be Without Blemish
Exodus 12:5 — “Your lamb shall be without blemish…”
God required a spotless sacrifice. And although this reminds us God deserves our best, it more importantly reveals what God was willing to do for us: He gave His best—His Firstborn Son.
Nisan 10–14 Prefigures Holy Week
Exodus 12:3 — The lamb is selected on the 10th day.
Exodus 12:6 — The lamb is killed on the 14th day.
Those five days (Nisan 10–14) correspond to the final week of Jesus’ earthly life:
Nisan 10 foreshadows Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (the Triumphal Entry).
Nisan 14 foreshadows the crucifixion.
Just as the lamb lived with the family, Jesus lived in Jerusalem during those final days—present, seen, and examined.
The Blood Had to Be Applied Personally
Exodus 12:7 — Blood placed on the doorposts and lintel.
It wasn’t enough for a lamb to die somewhere in Egypt. The lamb's blood had to be applied to that house. In the same way, it isn’t enough to know Jesus died on a cross. His blood must be personally applied through repentance and faith.
The Lamb Was Consumed
Exodus 12:8 — They ate the lamb.
John 6:53 — Jesus speaks of eating His flesh and drinking His blood (receiving Him by faith).
Passover Was Deliverance—and Communion Is Our Memorial
Passover remembered deliverance from Egypt. God repeatedly told Israel not to forget that redemption.
Exodus 12:14 — “This day shall be for you a memorial day…”
1 Corinthians 11:23–25 — Communion is the memorial of our greater deliverance in Christ.
The Passover Lamb’s Examination Prefigures Christ’s Examination
Here’s a sobering thought: if you were a Hebrew in Egypt and the only thing keeping the Destroyer out of your home was the blood of a spotless lamb, how carefully would you examine that lamb?
You would scrutinize it relentlessly.
And that is exactly what happened to Jesus after He entered Jerusalem. He was examined by the chief priests, scribes, elders, Pharisees, Sadducees—and then by Roman authorities.
The Examination Intensifies in Luke 20
Luke 20:1–2 — “By what authority do you do these things?”
Luke 20:21–22 — “Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”
Luke 20:33 — A trap question about the resurrection.
They tried again and again—and failed. Eventually, the leaders stopped trying to trap Him and moved to arrest and kill Him. The questions turned into trials—more intense examinations.
Pilate Unknowingly Inspected the Lamb and Declared Him Innocent
Luke brings us to the climactic public inspection:
Luke 23:13 — Pilate gathers the chief priests, rulers, and the people—this is public, formal, judicial.
Luke 23:14 — “After examining him… I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges…”
Luke 23:15 — “Neither did Herod… Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him.”
In other words: the Lamb is inspected, and even hostile authorities can’t find a blemish.
And that’s part of what makes their testimony so powerful. If Jesus’ disciples testified to His innocence, skeptics would dismiss it as bias. But Pilate and Herod are not sympathetic witnesses. They have no love for Jesus, no devotion to Him, and every motive to end this problem quickly.
Yet after examination, they still cannot condemn Him.
That’s why Peter later writes:
1 Peter 1:18–19 — We were ransomed “with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
“I Will Therefore Punish and Release Him”: The Gospel in One Unjust Sentence
Here is one of the most troubling lines in the account:
Luke 23:16 — “I will therefore punish and release him.”
It makes no sense if justice matters. If Jesus is innocent, He should not be punished at all.
But that unjust sentence accidentally acts out the heart of redemption:
The innocent is treated as guilty.
The righteous suffers for the unrighteous.
The spotless One is punished so the guilty can go free.
1 Peter 3:18 — “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous…”
That is substitutionary atonement: God’s wrath fell on Christ so it would not fall on us.
And if you’re thinking, “Where is the guilty one who goes free?” Luke answers immediately:
Luke 23:18 — “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas…”
Before Jesus ever reached the cross, He was already stepping into the role of Substitute.
Conclusion: Are You Under the Blood?
Let me end with a sobering reality.
Pilate affirmed Jesus’ innocence, yet Pilate was still lost. He is like someone in Egypt who agreed judgment was coming, agreed the lamb was spotless, but never applied the blood to the doorposts.
Pilate is a picture of many people today. They respect Jesus. They admire His character. They feel sympathy for His suffering. They might even say, “What happened to Jesus was wrong.” But none of that saves.
It is possible to:
acknowledge Jesus’ innocence,
affirm His righteousness,
feel sorrow for His suffering,
and still reject Him as Savior and King.
Salvation does not come from recognizing that the Lamb is innocent. Salvation comes from being under the Lamb’s blood—through repentance and faith.
So the question that matters is not, “Do you respect Jesus?”It’s not, “Do you agree He was innocent?”It’s not, “Do you feel bad about what happened to Him?”
It’s this:
Are you under the blood?
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
The Humility of Christ: Jesus Didn’t Look Like a King (Philippians 2:3-7)
Monday, December 22, 2025 • Duration 22:27
The Humility of Christ is one of the most profound and misunderstood truths in all of Scripture. Few illustrations help us grasp it better than the contrast we see in Undercover Boss—a television show where a CEO disguises himself, puts on the clothes of an ordinary worker, and enters the world of his employees unnoticed. He changes his appearance, puts on the clothes of a worker, and enters their world unnoticed. The people around him don’t realize that the one serving them—cleaning floors or stocking shelves—is actually the person with all the authority.
What makes the show compelling is the contrast. The boss hasn’t lost his power or position—he has simply laid aside the visible symbols of it for a time so he can identify with his employees and understand their lives.
Your mind might already be going to the Incarnation, but as helpful as this illustration is, it barely scratches the surface of what Scripture describes. No CEO stops being rich or powerful when he goes undercover. But when Jesus Christ came into the world, the eternal Son of God did something infinitely greater. The One worshiped by angels was born as a baby, laid in a manger, and raised in obscurity.
That is what we celebrate at Christmas—not merely a birth, but the humility of Christ. Jesus did not cling to the visible display of His glory. He willingly laid it aside to live among us and serve us.
Before we can appreciate Christ’s humility, we need to understand what humility actually is, because it is one of the most misunderstood virtues in the Christian life.
https://youtu.be/mjYWTBON2xQ
Table of contentsLesson One: Humility Isn’t Thinking Less of Ourselves—It’s Thinking of Ourselves LessLesson Two: Everything About Jesus’ Birth Revealed His HumilityLesson Three: Jesus Remained King Even When His Glory Was Laid AsideLesson Four: The King Who Humbled Himself Is Worthy of Our Worship
Lesson One: Humility Isn’t Thinking Less of Ourselves—It’s Thinking of Ourselves Less
Many people assume humility means thinking poorly of yourself—viewing yourself as insignificant or worthless. But that isn’t humility, because even self-loathing is still self-focused. The person who constantly thinks about how bad they are is still thinking about themselves.
True humility is better described as self-forgetfulness. Instead of thinking less of ourselves, it is thinking of ourselves less—and thinking of others more. Scripture defines humility this way.
It’s helpful to associate chapters of the Bible with themes:
1 Corinthians 13 is the love chapter
Isaiah 53 is the chapter on substitutionary atonement
Romans 4 is the chapter on justification by faith
Philippians 2 is the humility chapter
Paul writes:
Philippians 2:3 — “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
Humility is defined both negatively and positively:
Negatively: stop acting from selfish ambition and conceit.
Positively: intentionally elevate others in your thinking and priorities.
Paul reinforces this in the next verse:
Philippians 2:4 — “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Immediately after defining humility, Paul gives us the perfect example:
Philippians 2:5 — “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.”
If humility is thinking of ourselves less and others more, no one has ever embodied it more perfectly than Jesus Christ.
Lesson Two: Everything About Jesus’ Birth Revealed His Humility
When we think of Christ’s humility, our minds often go to the cross—and rightly so. Paul writes:
Philippians 2:8 — “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
But Paul begins earlier—with the Incarnation.
Philippians 2:6 — “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.”
Jesus did not begin to exist at Bethlehem. He existed eternally with the Father:
John 1:1 — “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
The word form (Greek morphē) refers to essence, not appearance. Jesus possessed the very nature of God. He never surrendered His deity. Instead, He did not cling to the privileges of His divine position.
The humility of Christ is seen not only in that He became man, but how He became man.
He was born into poverty (Luke 2:24; Leviticus 12:8).
He was born in obscurity—in Bethlehem, laid in a manger.
His birth was announced to shepherds, not royalty.
His mother endured public shame and lifelong accusations of illegitimacy (John 8:41).
He was raised in Nazareth, a town so insignificant people said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46).
Paul summarizes it this way:
Philippians 2:7 — “He emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
The phrase “emptied himself” comes from a single Greek word—kenoō—from which we get the term kenosis. Jesus emptied Himself:
Of visible heavenly glory (John 17:5)
Of unrestricted omniscience (Luke 2:52; Luke 8:45; Matthew 8:10)
Of eternal riches (2 Corinthians 8:9)
Of honor and praise (Psalm 22:6; Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11)
Yet He never stopped being God.
Lesson Three: Jesus Remained King Even When His Glory Was Laid Aside
To understand this, Scripture gives us a powerful Old Testament picture.
When David brought the ark into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6), he removed his royal robes and wore a linen ephod—the garment of a priest. He laid aside visible symbols of kingship without surrendering authority.
Was David still king? Absolutely.
In that moment, David foreshadowed Christ:
A king who veiled glory without losing authority
A ruler who identified with his people
A priest who offered sacrifice
David’s humility offended Michal because he didn’t look like a king. Christ’s humility offended the world for the same reason:
Isaiah 53:2–3 — “He had no form or majesty that we should look at him… He was despised and rejected by men.”
Lesson Four: The King Who Humbled Himself Is Worthy of Our Worship
Jesus didn’t arrive looking like a king—and He didn’t leave the world looking like one either.
Matthew 27:28–31 — He was given a robe to mock Him, a crown to hurt Him, a scepter to beat Him, and a cross for a throne.
Yet He never stopped being King.
The sign above His head declared the truth: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”
The King of kings came in a manger and left on a cross. He lived a perfect life, died as our substitute, and rose again so sinners like us could be forgiven and reconciled to God.
The baby who didn’t look like a king is the only King who can save.
When Herod Met Jesus: Curiosity Without Commitment (Luke 23:6–12)
Monday, December 15, 2025 • Duration
I can’t remember exactly when it was—probably in my late teens or early college years—that I watched The Last Temptation of Christ by Martin Scorsese. I don’t recall a single scene from it, which tells you how little lasting value it had. The movie opens with a disclaimer: “This film is not based on the Gospels, but upon a fictional exploration of the eternal spiritual conflict.” In other words, it is openly blasphemous. When Herod met Jesus, he displayed the same kind of shallow fascination—interest without repentance, curiosity without commitment.
I mention this because it illustrates something that has been happening for 2,000 years: people are fascinated with Jesus.
• Martin Scorsese made the movie because he was fascinated with Jesus• The novel it’s based on—even more fictional—was written by Nikos Kazantzakis, who was fascinated with Jesus• The film succeeded at the box office because the public is fascinated with Jesus
But this fascination is superficial. These individuals have one thing in common: they want Jesus only for curiosity, amusement, or entertainment—not to bow before Him as Lord. If they did, they wouldn’t create or consume something that blasphemes Him. This shallow fascination is nothing new.
Table of contentsThe Biblical Context of Luke 23:6–12Herod’s Long-Standing Curiosity About JesusLesson One: Curiosity Is Not CommitmentLesson Two: The Silence of Christ Is JudgmentMockery, Contempt, and Tragic IronyLesson Three: Our Expectations Shape Our ExperienceLesson Four: Jesus Is Missed by Those Looking for the Wrong ThingsConclusion: What Will We Do With Jesus?
Watch or listen to the full sermon below.
https://youtu.be/Gg9b016x9J8
The Biblical Context of Luke 23:6–12
As we work through Luke’s Gospel verse by verse, we encounter another example of fascination without faith: Herod Antipas.
Herod had:• Heard the reports about Jesus• Seen how people flocked to Him• Known that the name “Jesus of Nazareth” stirred excitement, interest, and even fear
Luke tells us that Herod had wanted to see Jesus for a long time—but not to repent, believe, or obey. He wanted to see a miracle and be entertained.
Before Jesus’s crucifixion, He endured six trials—three Jewish and three Roman. After being examined by Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin, Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate. Although Pilate repeatedly declared Jesus innocent (Luke 23:4, 14–15, 22), he lacked the courage to release Him. Looking for a way out, Pilate discovered Jesus was from Galilee and sent Him to Herod Antipas, who had jurisdiction there and happened to be in Jerusalem for Passover.
Herod’s Long-Standing Curiosity About Jesus
This wasn’t a sudden interest. Luke 9:9 tells us:
“John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see Him.
That statement occurred two to three years earlier. Herod had been waiting a long time for this moment.
When Jesus finally stood before him, Luke writes:
“When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see Him… and he was hoping to see some sign done by Him” (Luke 23:8).
Herod was exceedingly glad—but for the wrong reason. He wanted a miracle on demand.
Lesson One: Curiosity Is Not Commitment
Herod represents those who seek entertainment rather than encounter Jesus. He wasn’t spiritually hungry; he wanted a spectacle. He treated Jesus like a court jester rather than the Judge of all the earth—like a street magician rather than the King of kings. Herod didn’t want:• Salvation• Conviction• Repentance• Submission• Worship
This passage teaches an essential truth:
Curiosity about Jesus is not the same as commitment to Jesus.
There are people like Herod in every generation:• They enjoy church but avoid repentance• They admire Jesus’ teachings but resist His lordship• They appreciate Christian culture but reject Christian obedience
This is especially evident in ultra-charismatic movements where the hunger is not for Scripture, but for the next miracle, prophecy, or emotional high. It’s just another way of wanting a Jesus who performs.
Lesson Two: The Silence of Christ Is Judgment
Luke 23:9 says:
“He questioned Him at some length, but He made no answer.”
Jesus spoke to Pilate.Jesus spoke to the Sanhedrin.Jesus spoke to sinners and seekers.
But before Herod, He was silent. This silence wasn’t weakness—it was judgment. Herod had rejected John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. Having rejected the messenger, he now faced the Messiah—and Christ refused to play along.
When people repeatedly ignore God’s voice:• Consciences become numb• Scripture loses its force• Hearts grow calloused
If God’s Word convicts you, respond. His voice is mercy. His silence is judgment.
Mockery, Contempt, and Tragic Irony
Luke 23:11 records Herod’s response:
“Herod with his soldiers treated Him with contempt and mocked Him. Then, arraying Him in splendid clothing, he sent Him back to Pilate.”
Their mockery fulfilled prophecy (Psalm 22:7). Their ridicule ironically proclaimed Christ’s kingship.
Just as Caiaphas unknowingly summarized the gospel (John 11:50) and Pilate unknowingly announced Christ’s reign (John 19:19), Herod clothed Jesus in royal robes to mock Him—yet declared the truth: Jesus is King.
Herod didn’t condemn Jesus, but he didn’t release Him either. He dismissed Him. Indifference is another form of rejection.
Lesson Three: Our Expectations Shape Our Experience
Herod’s excitement vanished when Jesus refused to perform.
People who come to Christ wanting:• Entertainment instead of salvation• A performer instead of a Lord• Blessings without repentance
Often, they grow bored, skeptical, disillusioned, or drift away.
What gets you in the door is what keeps you in the door.
If people come for entertainment, the church must keep entertaining them. But if they come hungry for God’s Word, they remain because they are being fed.
Lesson Four: Jesus Is Missed by Those Looking for the Wrong Things
Luke 23:12 records something chilling:
“Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day.”
The rejection of Christ united former enemies.
John 1:10–11 explains it perfectly:
“He was in the world… yet the world did not know Him.”
Herod stood face-to-face with Jesus and missed Him completely. Like commuters rushing past Joshua Bell playing a $3.5 million Stradivarius, Herod failed to recognize greatness—not because it wasn’t there, but because he wasn’t listening.
Conclusion: What Will We Do With Jesus?
Herod’s shallow curiosity cost him eternal life. He was physically close to Jesus but spiritually blind.
He warns us:• Don’t seek Jesus for entertainment• Don’t approach Him only for curiosity• Don’t look for experiences without obedience
Jesus is not a spectacle to observe—He is a King to obey.
One day:• Herod will bow before Christ• Pilate will stand before Christ• Christ will judge the religious leaders
And so will we. The question is not whether we are curious about Jesus, but whether we have surrendered to Him.
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