Experiencing the Cross

Intro:
We see the cross, as common, and we take it for granted. But if we understood, what it realy meant
for us, we will not see the cross the same again. Let me take you back, to where it started.
Why does Jesus has to go thourgh the cross?
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Col 2:14 - 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood
opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
1. Jesus in Gethsemane.
It started in Gethsemane, This was the time Jesus was in anguish. He knew what He is going to face.
He said, if possible he will not go through it, but not His will But God’s will to be done.

Matt 26 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it
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is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
He decided to agree with the Father, that this is the only way to save mankind. He knew how horrific
its gonna be. He knew that at that moment, Judas, a close friend of His, is betraying him. He was in
such emotional pain and anguish, that his capillaries broke, and His sweat was with blood.
2. Peter denial and taken to council and pilate.
Then He was taken to the council. Peter his loving disciple,denied him 3 times.

Matt 26 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against
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Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false
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witnesses came forward.

Finally two came forward and declared, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple
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of God and rebuild it in three days.' "

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Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this
testimony that these men are bringing against you?" But Jesus remained silent.
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The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are
the Christ,[e] the Son of God."

"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the
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Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need
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any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?"
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"He is worthy of death," they answered.

 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said,
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"Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?"

Matt 27

When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate
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asked him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?" But Jesus made no
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reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.
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At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had
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gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or
Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over
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to him.

While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have
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anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream
because of him."

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have
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Jesus executed.

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"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor.
"Barabbas," they answered.

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"What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked.
They all answered, "Crucify him!"

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"Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he
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took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood,"
he said. "It is your responsibility!"

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All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"

Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be
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crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole
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company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then
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twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand
and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on
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him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked
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him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify
him.

They tried to find out testimonies against him, but they cannot find any, he is without sin. And yet the
people shouted that He still deserves to die.
Even pilate, he interrogated him, he didn’t say a word. Pilate saw that he was innocent, and yet the
people shouted “crucify him”, release barrabas. Who is a rebel and a murderer.
That is the symbol of the great exchange. He doesn’t have sin, and barrabas is the sinner.but Jesus
was crucified instead of Him. This is the same for us, Jesus suffered, in exchange for us. In exchange
for our freedom.
3. Jesus was whipped.
He was beaten severely by Lead –tipped whip 39 times (40-1)
Each whip is for our sin, each lash is for our rebellion, each whip is for our healing.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought
us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
--- describe the whip – cat of 9 tails. It is composed of metal bones and chips. Each whip causes 9 wound.
Doctors studied that each wound would require 21 stitches each. Ganun kalalim ang sugat na nako-cause
nung Roman whip na yun. So, 39 lashes x 9 wounds = _____ wounds x 21 stitches = ______ stitches. If a
body would need that much stiches, you can imagine how wounded Jesus’ body is.
--- pause for awhile to show portion from the Passion when Jesus was whipped. (c/o Hawe or Mars)

4. Crown of thorns
- Jesus was mocked, “pinagkaisahan sya”, they gave him a scarlet robe, and placed a crown of thorns
in His head. the head is the bloodiest part of our body.
- he was struck by sticks, and they spit on him. When somebody spit on you “wala kang kwenta”. Mas
masakit yun kaysa sa physical na sakit.
--- mention that the head is the bloodiest part of our body because the capillaries are so sensitive.
--- pause for awhile to show the portion in the Passion when the crown of thorns pierced through His
head.

5. He was nailed to the cross.

2 Big nails. Left and right hands. And 1 nail to the feet. – this is so agonizing and painful that even
breathing gives so much pain, for he needs to presson his heels.
They put the charge against him “This is Jesus, king of the jews”.
People are mocking Him, “bakit di mo sagipin ang sarili mo”
1Peter 2:24 He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for
what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
--- the nail on the wrist hit the media nerve causing a clawing of the hands because of extreme pain
 Nail on the wrist – hits the biggest nerve (media nerve) to cause so much pain without
causing death; causes electricity; causes clawing of the hand because of the extreme pain
 While hanging on the cross – couldn’t breathe because the diaphragm is flat; can inhale
but cannot exhale; in order to exhale, He had to put His weight on His feet, and experience
extreme pain

--- pause for awhile and show portion of the Passion when Jesus was nailed on the cross.
--- He hanged there for 6 hours!

6. Jesus’s death
Matt 27:45
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From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46About the ninth hour
Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,[a] lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?"

- At this time, even the Father refused to help him. The angels in heaven was probably
confused. But Jesus held on, he knows, kung bakit at para kanino.
Isaiah 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him
stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

- Jesus held unto the cross, because of His love for you and me.

The prophecy actually gives us the picture of how Jesus suffered on the cross.
Isaiah 52-53 – the prophet Isaiah’s description of Jesus’ suffering

Isaiah 52:14 As peoples were surprised at Him, and His face was not beautiful, so as to be
desired: His face was so changed by disease as to be unlike that of a man,
and His form was no longer that of the sons of men.

Marami ang nagitla, nang Siya ay Makita; Dahil sa pagkabugbog sa kanya’y

halos di makilala kung Siya’y tao…

---- He was disfigured beyond compare, walang maihalintulad sa sobrang pagkawasak ng

hitsura nya. WASAK!!! Wala nang hint kung ano ang dating hitsura Nya.

He was disfigured and was left unrecognizable

Isa 53:2 … There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to
attract us to Him.
Kalooban ni Yahweh na ang Kanyang lingcod ay matulad sa isang halamang
natanim sa tuyong lupa. Walang katangian o kagandahang makatawag-
pansin, wala Siyang taglay na pang-akit para lapitan Siya.
Isaiah 53:3-5 (NRSV)
He was despised and rejected by others;
A man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
 And as one from whom others hide their faces
He was despised, and we held Him of no account.
Surely He has borne our infirmities
And carried our diseases;
Yet we accounted Him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon Him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by His bruises we are healed.

* Jesus chose the cross, it was not imposed upon Him, Jesus did it with joy.
---- Surely, it was painful, but He was determined to face it
---- He voluntarily gave His life for us
---- He laid down His life for us…

John 15:13 Greater love has NO MAN than this, for a man to lay down his life for his friends

MINISTRY TIME:
a. VIDEO “WE ARE THE REASON
b. Experiencing the Cross – ask the people to stand & spread their arms, put one foot over the
other, close eyes and ust listen to the song (the video We are the Reason will be played again,
hindi kelangan tapusin ito ulit)
--- Let them experience being there at the cross. Let the depth of the revelation fall on them.
--- When you sense enough brokenness, DO ALTAR CALL! “Rev 3:20 & Rom 10:9-10”. The cross
is the place where Jesus gave His life for us. It is also the place where we can give our loves to
Him. If you want to give your life to Jesus right now, I will ask you to kneel down where you are,
make that place your altar before God, with your life as your offering to Him.
--- Tell them to talk to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. BE VERY SENSITIVE!!!! RELEASE A LOT OF
WORD FROM THE LORD. EX: “God is not condemning you right now, He loves you and He is
forgiving you.” “God misses you so much, He accepts you right now.” “God knows all your pain,
and He wants to heal you right now.”
--- Give them enough time to be with God.
--- Then, signal the nails to the guides. Guides should be able to put the nail on every person’s
hand.
--- You can talk a little when the nails are given, “LET THOSE NAILS REMIND US HOW MUCH GOD
LOVES US”….
--- When you know that they have encountered the Lord, you can pray for them that they will
continue to receive the revelation of God’s love even when they go to bed that night.

c. Instructions on SILENT NIGHT – The purpose is to reflect on the love of God. Those na uuwi,
wag muna mag-TV or mag kung anu-ano, go to your room, spend time in prayer and reading the
Bible, do your profile. 11PM, sleep na dapat lahat.

d. Give Profiles

e. Announce check-in time in the morning as 7:45AM. Everybody should be on time.

DISMISS! HOME SWEET HOME!!!