NEAR TO THE CROSS, FAR FROM THE BLOOD

TEXT: JOHN 19:23-24

On Good Friday, 2000years ago at the cross where they crucified our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, there were all manner of people. They were so near the cross, but far from the saving blood of our Lord. Today I want us to focus on the four soldiers whose names we are not given. These four soldiers gambled for Jesus clothes. One of the mysteries of the crucifixion is that there were so many who were there who did not recognize who Jesus Christ is. The Sanhedrim recognized Him as dangerous, but not as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Pilate recognized Him as guiltless, but not as the Holy one of Israel. The crowd recognized Him as the son of Mary, but not as the son of God. Of all the people, the soldiers did not recognize that Jesus Christ was different from all the other criminals they had crucified.

• Jesus did not curse, threaten or even resist.
• He went as a lamb to the slaughter
• No one about to be crucified does so without a fight
• Even a cow, a sheep, a goat about to be slaughtered puts a fight for life!
• So one who is being tormented or tortured shows love for his tormenters
• But Jesus did, He did not complain, curse or beg for mercy
• Why is it that these four men could not see who Jesus really was?
• Let us learn three reasons why they were so near to cross, but far from the saving blood of the lamb of God:-

I.  THEY WERE DISTRACTED BY DUTY

• It was their duty to crucify criminals
• It was not their duty and responsibility to judge if the man was innocent or guilty
• It was not their place to get to know the condemned
• Their job was to execute them and they did so without mercy or compassion
• The death of the cross was supposed to be painful and as slow as possible
• These men had been trained to accomplish this
• You see, these men were professionals.
• They had a job to perform and they did it and did it very well.
• A professional is a person engaged in a specified activity as one’s main paid occupation rather than as an amateur.
• A professional is a qualified person in a specific profession.
• We have professional teachers, engineers, doctors, business, musicians, journalist, politicians, preachers, thieves, soldiers etc.
• Professionals are responsible for a lot of problems in any country.
• For example, in Kenya, professionals are responsible for corruption. Corruption in Kenya is professional corruption.
• Your profession can distrust you from the saving blood of Jesus Christ.
• Professional pastors, bishops and preachers can be so near to the cross, but very far from the saving blood of Jesus Christ.
• The late Dr. Billy Graham out of his survey of pastors globally, stated that of all professional pastors and preachers only 5% of them are born again!!
• They are so familiar with the cross of Jesus Christ.
• They we so concerned with the mass, the worship service, the baptism but they miss the saving blood of the lamb. What a tragedy!
• In some Christian denominations there is no known saved preacher, pastor or bishop
• How many people sit in our churches that are as close as these people were to the cross, but are distracted by duty.
• Satan can trap us, too busy doing good things, instead of caring for our own souls by missing the saving blood of Jesus Christ.
• The soldiers were distracted by duty, to see the fountain of blood which cleanses from sin.

II.  THEY WERE DESTRUCTED BY DESIRES

• Another reason that the soldiers did not get under the blood was that they were distracted by their desires.
• They each one of them wanted Jesus garments.
• The garments that Christ wore was clean enough, despite the stains of blood.
• There is nothing wrong with desiring something so long as what you desire is not sinful.
• The problem is we want something so much that we become distracted from our spiritual needs.
• We spent so much time trying to get things that, we miss to see the saving blood of Jesus Christ
• We live in a culture that bases success on how much money we have, how big the house, how luxurious the car, how beautiful we are.
• Sir Elvis was asked to return to his Christian heritage, Elvis said he would return as soon as he made one more million. He died before he ever got that opportunity
• In Luke 12:15-21, Jesus Christ gave the parable of the Rich fool.
• The crops had been excellent and profitable, he decided not to think of his soul or the needs of others.
• He said I will tear down my old barns and build bigger barns.
• He was making plans for retirement, but God required of him, that night, his soul
• God called him a fool. If your main thoughts are centered on living to this world and its goods, God thinks you are a fool.

III.  THEY WERE DISTRACTED BY DECEPTION.

• Finally these four soldiers were distracted by deception.
• They had the false, Roman gods, they had their own rituals, their own sacrifices and their own temples.
• They were not kingdom seekers, they were settled in their ways.
• Many people are just settled in their own ways they don’t care about God and the savior.
• You see they had many messiahs in those days.
• When one sees so many counterfeits, they can no longer recognize what is genuine.
• That time there was false Judaism, it was so prominent.
• There was a constant fight between the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
• There was a lot of legalism, love and mercy were missing in their religion.
• The soldiers felt the hatred of the Jewish people.
• There was nothing to show them that Jesus Christ was the way, the truth and the life.
• Today Christians are fighting over doctrines, standards and many petty issues.
• Satan, the “Father of lies” is deceptive.
• Every false religion, every false prophet and preacher is sent from Satan.
• Satan is the “author of confusion”.
• Today most people are so confused, they don’t know what to believe.
• They may go from church to church, from religion to religion looking for truth.
• But like Pilate, they don’t know what truth looks like.
• God will never let the soul of man to be satisfied by that which is false.
• The deception in the world destructs so many people.

CONCLUSION

• Some of us hearing this message are near to the cross.
• The Next Step though is to be under the blood of the Lamb of God.
• All you have to do is to call on the Name of Jesus Christ, confess your sins to Him and you are saved forever.
• On this Good Friday, give your life to Him, He is your savior, don’t be distracted by Duty, Desires or by Deception.
• Seek the Lord when He may be found, call Him when He is Near. Amen.