Luke 23:26-56

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Crucifixion and Burial of Christ

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. The salvation of the thief on the cross is very instructive.

  2. The events surrounding the crucifixion are very instructive.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Don’t lose sight of the resurrection because of the site of the resurrection.

QUESTIONS

  1. Who was conscripted to carry the crossbeam for the Lord’s cross?

  2. Why did the Lord tell the women in the crowd not to weep for Him, but for themselves and their children?

  3. “Golgotha” and “Calvary” are two words Christians like to use, but what do they mean?

  4. What was the symbolism in the sky becoming dark for three hours during our Lord’s crucifixion?

  5. How did the Roman soldiers react to these supernatural events surrounding the crucifixion?

ANSWERS

  1. A Jewish man named Simon, from Cyrene in North Africa, who was in Jerusalem for the Passover

  2. He was referring to the coming Roman conquest of Jerusalem in 70 AD, when many of the Jews would be slaughtered.

  3. They both mean “skull.” Golgotha is Aramaic and Calvary is Latin. The place of crucifixion was called the place of the skull, either because it was shaped like a skull or because it was a place of execution.

  4. This was not a natural eclipse, but supernatural darkness. It was a sign from God to the nation of Israel who had rejected her Messiah. They had rejected the Light of the World. Now they would be judged with national blindness, which continues to this day. 2 Corinthians 3 indicates that this blindness will not be taken away until Israel turns to the Lord.

  5. They all testified not only to the innocence of Jesus but to His being God.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Discuss the valuable insights into salvation that we can draw from the salvation of the thief on the cross. Remember, he did no good works. He was not baptized. There was no time between his death and his being with the Lord in heaven. His body went into the grave, but his soul and spirit went to heaven to be consciously with the Lord and await the resurrection of his body.

  2. Discuss the miraculous tearing of the veil of the Temple in two from top to bottom. The way into God’s presence was now open and available for all who would come by faith, because Jesus had died for the sins of the world (see Hebrews 10:19-22). Discuss what it would have been like to be a Temple priest at that time. Imagine being the priest assigned the job of sewing the veil back up again!

CHALLENGE

  1. If you go to the Holy Land today you will be shown two different proposed locations for the resurrection of Christ. We don’t know for sure which is the true site. But the good news is both tombs are empty! The Lord is risen!

KEY VERSES

  • “And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.” Luke 23:33

  • Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’” Luke 23:42-43

  • “So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, ‘Certainly this was a righteous Man!’” Luke 23:47

Luke, Talks, New TestamentDeb HarmsLuke 23:26-56