The Skull (Luke 23:26-43, Jeff Kliewer)

The Missionaries, the Alca Indians, and Jim Elliot’s Cost of Discipleship

It's a story of five missionaries and their wives going to the Alca Indians of Ecuador to preach the gospel to a tribe. The Alca Indians that had never heard before and this was a violent people group.

They were known for spearing one another and spearing any opposition. Death for them was commonplace. Killing was commonplace. At the end of the movie one of the most interesting scenes takes place where they actually show a Converted Alca Indian who's now a Christian.

Alca meant savage it was a pejorative term that was used by other Indian tribes of this particular tribe. But now he's been converted to Christianity and he flies from Ecuador with one of the missionaries I think it's the son of Nate Saint and arrives in America.

And they have actual video footage of him encountering things for the first time and his reactions to those things. He goes into a grocery store and he is overwhelmed to see that there are shelves stocked full of food and He sees that you can take whatever you want and put it in your cart and then you go to the front and all you have to do is give them just a little card and Guess what?

They even give that back to you and You can take whatever you want and if you don't feel like getting out of your car that day you there's little windows that you can drive up to and They'll just hand you food right into the window of your car.

And all you have to do again is give them a little card. They'll take that for a second, but they'll give that back to you anyway and take whatever food you want. That was his perception of America. It's interesting because he comes from a very different culture, but see we're born in this culture and Our expectations are shaped by our experiences which are not normal for the history of the world for the history of Christianity.

Those five missionaries who went to Ecuador Laid down their lives for the gospel when you hear the names Jim Elliot Nate Saint Pete Fleming Ed McCulley Roger you Darian. Do you think of people that lost?

Something. Do you think They missed out on the American dream. They left it all behind and they missed what they could have had. See Jim Elliot Summarizes something before he went to the mission field.

Write this down. It's one of the greatest quotes of all time. Before Jim Elliot went to the mission field he knew What cross he was likely to bear? Because you don't go to the Alka Indians with the expectation That it will be safe.

He wrote this in his journal commenting on Luke 16. Jim Elliot says he is no fool Who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose? Say that again. He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

Calvary, Golgotha, and the Cross Before the Crown

The title of my message today is the skull. Pleasant, huh. And the story of missionaries going to the field and Being martyred we talked about the Fox. Fox's Book of Martyrs in the worship time today.

The story of martyrdom is not pleasant. The word the skull comes from Our language, but if you were to look back in the Hebrew the name of the mountain that hill just outside of the city Of Jerusalem on which Jesus died was called, you know Golgotha.

In the Hebrew the Greek sounds more like cranium and The Latin is where we get the term Calvary. So we talk about Calvary that hill outside of Jerusalem and we sing songs about Calvary Calvary. But Calvary means the skull.

It is a place of appointed Suffering it's a place where Jesus goes to die on a cross. It's a place of suffering but in the end a place that results in eternal reward. Charles Spurgeon wrote there are no crown wearers in heaven who were not crossbearers on earth.

The cross comes before the crown if it were not for the cross of Christ. We are all lost and dead in our sins. But Jesus went to the cross and now he's crowned in glory seated at the right hand of the Father.

Philippians 2 Lays that out beautifully. Is it also true for us? Yes, it is. There is coming a day when God will separate the world. Sheep on one side and goats on the other. Some on his right some on his left humanity divided until that day.

When we will be given crowns and we'll take those crowns and throw those crowns back at his feet until that day. It's cross. Before crown, but I fear that in this country. Because we've been so sheltered so protected so provided for a land of abundance and prosperity that we can become lackadaisical and.

The danger of the blessings that we have is that we fail to take up our cross. The book of Luke up until this point has been leading up and to this day. Luke 23 Verses 26 and following is the end of the travel narrative.

Way back in Luke 9 53. It says that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem and so that travel narrative for that portion of Luke is about the journey of Jesus from that region of Galilee down to Jerusalem for the purpose of Suffering and dying on the cross this portion of scripture that we have today is the very end of the journey.

Physically getting to that destination. It's the Via Dolorosa the way of suffering. Where Jesus actually carries the cross? Through that path from Jerusalem to Calvary the final destination. But there's more to it than just the physical journey that I hope that we don't miss.

The book of Luke has been drawing us along with the teaching that culminates at this point as well and That teaching which is all throughout the book of Luke is about the cost of discipleship. It's about taking up your cross before getting the crown.

There is a cost to following Jesus. Consider some of the things that we learned. Leading up into this point chapter 5 verse 11 when disciples are first called we're told they left everything and followed Jesus.

Later on in that chapter Jesus sees Levi sitting at the tax collectors booth and he calls him to follow and once again, we're told and he leaves everything to follow Christ. Chapter 6 verses 22 and 23.

Blessed are you when people hate you? And when they exclude you chapter 9 verse 23 to 27 if anyone would come after me let him deny himself and Take up his cross and follow me. Chapter 9 verse 57 to 62.

Someone says to Jesus. I will follow you. I Want to be your disciple. I want to follow you, but Jesus doesn't just say great. Everything's gonna be great. We'll be in heaven together deals done. He does embrace him and welcome him.

But what does he say? He actually lays down a cost of suffering a cross before a crown because he says foxes have holes and birds have nests. But the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head and then someone else calls out.

I'll follow you. And Jesus tells him come after me. Follow me he says. But someone else objects. I'll come follow you. But wait first. I have to go bury my father. And what does Jesus say? Let the dead bury their dead, but you come follow me.

Leave everything. Come follow me. Chapter 10 verse 3. I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. I think this is why prosperity preachers don't do expository teaching and expository teachers don't do prosperity theology.

Because there's just too much in the scripture About being hated. Jesus says in 1249 to 53. I came to cast fire on the earth and Even families will be divided. Fathers against sons sons against fathers.

Three and a family divided against two and two against three. He comes to cast fire on the earth. Chapter 14 26 to 27. If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and His own family he goes on to say he has no part in me.

He cannot be my disciple unless he renounces everything he has. He cannot be my disciple. Do you follow what the teaching is up until this point? There is a cost to discipleship. The call to follow Jesus ends in paradise it ends with him in eternal glory, but there is this interim time period.

Where we carry a cross. Chapter 16 26 to 33. Bear his own cross. Renounce all that he has. You see Jesus loves us enough To set our expectations, right? He even said how long he would be gone. He says a king goes off to a distant country a long way off chapter 19 verse 12.

And then we'll return. So that we would understand that when he goes to receive his kingdom. It will be a while before he comes back. Same thing in chapter 20 verse 9. He sets our expectations. He says what's gonna happen in Jerusalem.

He says what not one stone will be left upon another. Prophesying the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Chapter 21 in verse 12. What should we expect in these times? They will lay your their hands on you and that's not speaking of praying over someone.

No, they will lay their hands on you in persecution. They will persecute you and deliver you up even unto death. And so we come to chapter 23. Verse 26 and following and it's at the end of this string of teaching about discipleship.

Genuine discipleship is not all sunshine and roses and it's not prosperity. It's to take up your cross and follow Christ but in the end we wind up in paradise. Well, we'll learn about Simon of Cyrene some weeping women and a believing criminal.

These all I believe are in heaven because of what happens in the story. We're about to read the crucifixion of Jesus. He sets our expectations. For what comes after the place of the skull? We are to carry our crosses before a mocking world and.

Then like the two criminals one will be crucified on his right the other on his left. God will divide humanity in the same way some to his right some to his left. Matthew 25 talks about that division.

Revelation 20 11 to 15 a final separating of mankind. But this year is the Via Dolorosa. You guys remember that old song by Sandy Patty? Down the Via Dolorosa. I remember that playing in my house growing up.

Like a lamb came the Messiah Christ the King. He's going down this way of suffering. Let's read it. Luke 23 26 and following and as they led him away. They seized one Simon of Cyrene who was coming in from the country and laid on him the cross to carry it behind Jesus and There followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.

But turning to them Jesus said daughters of Jerusalem do not weep for me but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold the days are coming when they will say blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.

Then they will begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us. For if they do these things when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry? Encouraging stuff, huh? That's upbeat 32 and following two others who were criminals were led away to be put to death with him.

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 and Jesus said father forgive them for they know not what they do and they cast lots To divide his garments and the people stood by watching.

But the ruler scoffed at him saying he saved others. Let him save himself if he is the Christ of God his chosen one. The soldiers also mocked him coming up and offering him sour wine and saying if you are the king of the Jews save yourself.

There was also an inscription over him. This is the king of the Jews. One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him saying are you not the Christ save yourself and us. 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 and he said Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom and He said to him truly I say to you today.

You will be with me in paradise so Revelation, I'm sorry. Luke 23 26. They lead him away down the Via Dolorosa. The first thing we see is that he's been beaten so badly imagine mocked with the crown of thorns.

Receiving that the lashes on his back with the cat of nine tails having lost so much blood. Presented before the people and they shout crucify now. He's taking the cross and this 30 or 40 pound beam is too much for him.

It's crushing him. He's falling down on the road through Jerusalem. Crowds are beginning to gather. It's now the break of day and people are looking on and he crumbles and the women cry and there's a tap on the shoulder of One of the men standing by his name is Simon of Cyrene.

Now the tap of the spear Was a Roman custom. Where a Roman soldier was allowed to tap Someone on the shoulder and force them compel them to carry their equipment or to do some some work for them for up to a mile.

So this was a common custom you recall Jesus saying if someone Forces you or compels you to go with them one mile go with them, too. Well, this was a common thing everybody would understand when that cold blade of steel taps you on the shoulder or that spear and The soldier beckons you to come you have to come to not do so is to rebel against Caesar and you would lose your head.

You're forced to come and imagine Simon now, who is this man? He's from Cyrene. That's modern-day, Libya Northern Africa. He's come on a long journey. What is he doing there? Well, he's probably there for the festival for for the whole Passover festival and He probably can't get housing there during the night.

So he goes out to the country. Sleeps and comes in early in the morning for the festival where this day it says in 26 they seized one Simon of Cyrene who is coming in from the country Simon of Cyrene.

Couldn't you just say they see someone. Couldn't you just say they grab somebody tap of the spear carry this cross for Jesus. No, they name him Simon of Cyrene and Matthew and Mark will do the same. They'll share his name.

Now John will not share his name, but John is writing in the 90s under the persecution of Domitian where Christians identified. Would be a reason to fear. Perhaps it would expose Simon of Cyrene. What am I saying?

I believe that the name Simon of Cyrene is given here because this man goes on to be a believer in. I think it's almost an airtight case. Turn with me real quick to Mark chapter 15 verse 21 in Mark's account it says.

They compelled a passerby. Mark 15 21 they compelled a passerby Simon of Cyrene who was coming in from the country the father of Alexander and Rufus. Why so much detail. Well recognize when Matthew Mark Luke are writing they are writing to the Christian Church.

There's a community of believers that would be known. There's a reason to comment on who Simon is and who the children are. These are known believers in the Christian community. You have Rufus probably appearing in in Romans 16.

We can't know for sure if that's the same Rufus. But Simon of Cyrene the father of Alexander and Rufus and Simon's wife. We learned was like a mother to Paul from other scriptures. So then the noting of his name in Luke 23 verse 26 Simon of Cyrene is the picture of a believer.

He might not have known much yet at this point in the story. But notice what we learned before in the book of Luke Take up your cross and follow me in 26 it says he was to carry this cross behind Jesus.

Do you see that in the text? Jesus is walking in front and they're following behind him. Physically now like an illustration for us reading this book is Simon the disciple learning to carry a cross. Suffering under the weight of that getting bloody getting messy.

Going down the way of suffering right behind his Savior. It's a picture for us. Verse 27 there followed him notice again this following language. You want to follow Jesus you want to be my disciple. You have to take up your cross to follow.

There followed him a great multitude of the people of women and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them Jesus said daughters of Jerusalem Do not weep for me but weep for yourselves and for your children.

For behold the days are coming when they will say blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never Nursed then they will begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us.

For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? Here in their presence is Messiah Christ the King and he's being treated like this. What will happen when he goes back to his father?

You'd expect Jesus to be a little bit more upbeat here, but he's not. He loves them enough to set their expectations, right. What expectations do you have for this life? What expectations do you have for being a disciple of Jesus Christ before the crown?

Do you expect to have to carry the cross of persecution? To be rejected by men. Do you expect to suffer? Do you expect disease can strike us? Do you expect? The cross. Feel that we as a people in America are very prone to falling asleep.

So blessed that sometimes we let our guard down. There was a husband and a wife who were captured by the Taliban and This week the Taliban let them go. But while they were in captivity They had three children.

While in captivity, I'm not sure that was the wisest thing to do. Because while in captivity and Under the control of the Taliban, they can't protect their children, but it worked out in God's sovereignty in his plan.

Notice what Jesus says in verse 30. They will begin to say to the mountains fallen us to the hills cover us. Verse 29. The days are coming when they will say blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.

He's preparing them for persecution, I think he's looking forward to 70 AD. When the Romans will come and lay siege to the city and hundreds of thousands of people will die and 100 ,000 plus will be led into captivity a Time of great suffering.

He's preparing them for this. Paul in 1st Corinthians 7 Says that there it was preferable for those who were engaged to be married to not get married. But if you turn you can look at it later in 1st Corinthians 7 26 He says it's because of the present distress.

Something was happening at the time that Paul wrote Corinthians in the 40s. There was such a strong persecution of Christians that Paul says on account of this Present distress it's better if you not marry.

Jesus is preparing the early disciples for intense persecution. Particularly the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. He loves us enough to set our expectations, right. And that applies to us as well. Our expectation is that we should be rejected by the world the more openly we proclaim.

The more boldly we go and do the works that God has called us to do. The more the world will hate us and reject us and persecute us. That's to be expected. That's the expectation that he sets verse 32 and following now.

We have two others enter the scene. Criminals and you say to yourself. Well, I I'm not a criminal. I've never stolen or stolen an automobile or You know murdered somebody or a robber like these guys but listen these criminals in the story.

Represent us as well. We're the rebels against the rule of God the King Jesus. We're the ones who assert our own willfulness and do what we want. The criminals are us. They're led away to be put to death with him.

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 and Jesus said father forgive them. For they know not what they do.

The Greek at that point in verse 34 is a continual speaking. He's saying this over and over again with each pound of the nail with each thrust as he's lifted up father. Forgive them for they know not what they do.

This is the picture of intercession of a king. Being crucified who is also a priest. Praying for those who treat him that way. Praying for us the criminals. Father forgive them. And as his blood flows.

From that crown of thorns from his hands from his feet that blood intercedes before the father. Satisfying the wrath of God. Turning away his wrath as Jesus intercedes like a priest. Father forgive them for they know not what they do.

This is good news. The place of the skull is a place of suffering for Jesus. But eternal reward for us. It's here that he's bearing our sin. Prophecies are being fulfilled. Notice he's crucified with criminals.

With the wicked read Isaiah 53. Led like a lamb to the slaughter. He's crucified with the rich and with the wicked in his death. Killed with criminals treated as an ordinary criminal. Isaiah 53. Psalm 22.

Look at verse 34 as he says father forgive them they know not what they do. And they cast lots to divide his garments as Jesus is hanging on that cross. Soldiers at the foot of the cross are casting lots.

They're rolling the dice who gets to take home his outer coat. This is a fulfillment of Psalm 22. Prophecies being fulfilled. Jesus calling out forgive them verse 35. And the people stood by watching but the rulers scoffed at him.

Saying he saved others let him save himself if he is the Christ of God his chosen one again. Psalm 22 the mockery of The crowd that surrounds him. He's encircled by these wild men Who were like boars?

Mocking him the soldiers also mocked him coming up and offering him sour wine prophecy fulfilled and saying if you are the king of the Jews save yourself and There was an inscription over him. This is the king of the Jews some are mocking and One of the criminals here joins in saying Are you not the Christ save yourself and us?

Verse 39. I was watching CNN yesterday. And I just flipped through and I listened for just a moment to Nancy Pelosi. And that was all I could take but it just so happened that the moment that she was speaking she waded into theological waters.

She was talking about God at the moment. So I wrote down what she said. She said there's a spark of divinity in every person. So whether you disagree or not with someone you believe in their goodness.

My question is do you believe her or do you believe this book? Because the man hanging to the side of Jesus cursing him even in his death and the soldiers mocking him are not Good. The human condition is not good.

We are sinners to the core wicked. Unrighteous rebels dead in our trespasses and sins. This criminal is hanging railing at him railing. Are you not the Christ save yourself and us? Soldiers mocking. This is the human condition.

This is the starting point the Bible presents. Sorry, Nancy, but I Don't believe in the goodness of man. I Don't believe it at all. This book teaches otherwise. But notice the grace of God for sinners and criminals like us.

We would be right there our voices right there to this day. Cursing him and laughing at him as the world mocks Christians day in and day out. Have you noticed we'd be right there with them. Except for this grace, but the other rebuked him.

Something stirred in this criminal's heart. He'd lived a life of crime like his friend. Saying do you not fear God? Since you are under the same sentence of condemnation. Now, he's turning on the other criminal and Pointing him to the Christ.

We indeed suffer justly we're receiving the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong. And he said Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. Guys hear this gospel truth. And he said to him truly I say to you today You will be with me in paradise.

No works to show for it by faith alone He comes. Here's a criminal who has a life of crime to show for his years on earth and on that death bed of a cross. Suspended there He begins to call out on Christ and the good news of the gospel is that Jesus welcomes him into paradise.

Guys we do suffer in this life. But we are those who believe in Christ and by believing we're justified and those whom he justifies He also glorifies and we also will be with him in eternal paradise an eternal reward.

So you read the book of Martyrs. Fox's book of Martyrs you read about Jim Elliot and the suffering of Christians who would lay down their lives for this gospel and Recognize this. Jesus suffered for our justification.

But we are called to suffer For the advancement of his gospel. We live in a time a window of life. Where we live for him and welcome suffering for his namesake because it was appointed to us to believe in him.

We were separated out to him sanctified unto him from before the foundation of the world. We were sanctified unto him set apart. To serve him, but not only was it appointed to us to believe upon him, but also to suffer for him.

Philippians 1 29. This is what we take from the skull. It was an appointed place of suffering, but not an eternal place of suffering. He suffers once and for all he finishes the work of our redemption and now we live Behind him following him taking up a cross for a time an appointed time of suffering this life.

Which ends an eternal reward? And what is that reward? Isaiah 53 ends in in verse 12 talking about the reward. It says that he divides his reward with the strong. He divides the spoils with the strong.

There's coming a day. When we breathe that last breath. We go stand before him. There is an eternal reward for the things suffered here. For those who endure a crown of righteousness laid up. What will we do with our crown?

We'll throw him at his feet. We'll enjoy him forever. But the sufferings of this life are not worth comparing to the eternal glory that will be ours in Christ Jesus. These afflictions that we're going through and all of us are going through them.

We're all carrying a cross as we follow Christ and the closer we follow Christ like those five men in Ecuador. The more we suffer not the less. Opposite of prosperity theology man you lay down your life and you go preach the gospel in India in Saudi Arabia.

You you expect suffering will come with that. Not more money not more riches. But you go and you follow Christ and we suffer for a time and the light and momentary afflictions pass away. But paradise lasts forever.

The Believing Criminal, Intercession, and Paradise

So in closing listen, the ground is level at the foot of the cross. Any of us can come he freely offers come come he'll forgive our sins not even if we're criminals. Even if we're criminals, he'll forgive our sin.

But in following him there is a cross to bear. There is a cost of discipleship. Set your expectations, right? If you expect life to always be easy and go for you and Work out all the time. In a way that feels good.

Your expectation is wrong. Don't only expect suffering. But rejoicing it. I think when I look out at this country, I mean I just Was picking up my kids from school the other day. It's a Christian school and I Saw this gym that's a field house with an indoor soccer field and basketball courts and in these buildings and all of these children sitting together and learning and I I thought.

This is the aberration. This is not the normal course of Christianity we who are born in a country like this and the things that we have. The blessings I thank God for them, but this is not normal. This is not 2 ,000 years of church history.

This is not even normal for the year 2017 worldwide you confess the name of Christ you might lose your life in one-fifth of this world. In the Muslim countries and other parts as well. We are so blessed.

Don't let it lull us into a sleep. Don't be lackadaisical in your Christian life. Remember what our brothers around the world are going through. Remember their suffering be willing to take up your cross to follow.

What does that mean for us? I mean for me it means stop watching basketball and write study more. Go evangelize. Doesn't mean that your co-workers who might not like it if you share the gospel you need to bear that cross.

Tell them about Jesus even if they'll ridicule you take up your cross. Follow Christ do it with rejoicing gladly. For the joy set before him endured the cross scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the Father.

There's a joy set before us so we can endure these sufferings with joy. Live like a sojourner here. We're just passing through this is a short time that thief on the cross had to bear a cross on his back physically but only for a number of hours and Then he was in paradise.

Simon he had that task to do but don't you know that Simon of Cyrene. That man from Africa that God chose to be the one that to bear the cross of Jesus. Don't you know he treasured that moment of his life as the greatest moment of his life.

He physically carried the cross of Jesus and When you look back on your life, it won't be the easiest days that you treasure the most. It will be the sacrifices you made. The crosses that you bore for the sake of the kingdom Michael.

Come on up cross before crown. Do not shrink back. Let's pray. Father we are thankful for every blessing we have in this country. We are thankful Lord. We recognize that it's not normal. We've been exceedingly blessed protected provided for.

Help us Lord not to be lackadaisical. Help us God to take up a cross and follow you. Thank you Jesus. That you went to the skull Golgotha Calvary that place of suffering. To intercede there for us the church.

Crying father forgive them. They know not what they do and speaking a better word than the blood of Abel which cried out for justice speaking mercy over us the blood of Jesus interceding. Thank you Jesus for carrying the cross.

Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross. To give us forgiveness of sin and eternal life and Lord, we know that's where we're going. We know paradise is at the end of the road. Until that day Lord, I pray that we will take up our cross to follow you Not only believing in you but also suffering for you willing to endure Even making sacrifices Of our time of our money of Everything that we have in our leaving everything behind to follow you.

We take up our cross this morning again Lord to follow you Jesus. You are worth it. You are worth every sacrifice we could ever make. You are that treasure in these jars of clay the all-surpassing power comes from you not from us.

You're of infinite worth. And so Jesus I say again. I lay down my life for you Lord. You died for me. I give back take and do with me what you want Lord. Use me Lord. I am yours. I pray that for my brothers and sisters in this room that they would lay down their lives willing to suffer For the sake of the kingdom In Jesus name Amen.