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Over these past two months, reading from Luke Chapters 22,23, we have moved slowly through, from that Passover meal in the Upper Room in Jerusalem through the Garden of Gethsemane and the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Saviour and Lord. Consider some of the people in these verses.

Firstly, Pilate. Pilate wanted to do the right things, but he didn't. It is so strange. Why? He knew what he ought to do but couldn't bring himself to do it. He had power. Politically he was the most powerful man on the scene. In one sense he had the power of life and death. He could not plead that he was only acting upon orders.

His wife had a dream and we read of this in Matthew 27. She warns him against doing this, and yet his name went into the Creed - "suffered under Pontius Pilate".

He washes his hands of this matter. O, it is not that easy dear Pilate. We cannot wash our hands of some deeds and decisions. We need the blood of Jesus Christ to wash away sin.

In verse 25 of Matthew 27, look at what the people say, and for 2,000 years they have suffered as a result of what they so rashly said. We must be careful as to what we say, and write. One day I will be answerable for every word I preach teach and write. Jesus teaches us that, and such teaching should make us careful and cautious.

Then there is Herod. He liked entertainment and sensations and miracles, but he did not want to believe. If we are taken up with novelty and the things of the world, we will not hear from Jesus.

Jesus never comes with novelty. He never comes with just something new, entertaining, exciting, to amaze us, or to attract or magnetise us, so that we will keep coming to Him, and so that we will remain one of His disciples. What lessons!

There is Simon of Cyrene, that dark skinned man from Tripoli. He was interested in Jesus, and became very involved.

Then there were these women who were weeping and wailing. We looked at these words of Jesus where he was saying that if this is happening to me, what will happen at the end of history.

There is Joseph of Arimathea. In John 19 at verse 38 he is described as a secret believer, who was filled with fear. He comes out almost too late, when Jesus is no longer around physically.

Sometime, I'll come out for Jesus. I'll be a secret disciple just now, but one day I'll let the world know. No it has to be now. O, how he took the body, and cared for it, doing what he could, and laying the body in a tomb which had been prepared for himself. Nicodemus, who had had that night conversation with Jesus was there to help.

Joseph loaned it to Jesus for three days. Did he believe that Jesus would rise from the dead?

The cross does not appeal to the intellect, or to oratory, or to education, or man's wisdom.

Yet, it is the cross of Jesus Christ which makes the Church of Jesus Christ unique.

Jesus was punished that we might be forgiven and wounded that we might be healed.

Jesus endured our poverty that we might share his wealth. Jesus was rejected that we might be accepted. Jesus was forsaken that we might be received.

Take time to read and study the significance of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Our New Testament Professor at Edinburgh University used to say to us before we went out on our summer preaching assignments – “Never preach without preaching the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Remember, that there will always be people there who need to know that they are forgiven and who need to know where they can find hope and courage and light.”

"Word from Scotland" from Sandy Shaw

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