04/20/25- Harrisonburg campus: Encounter The Cross Part 4 – Pastor Kevin Griffin

ENCOUNTER THE CROSS

JULY 15^TH 2005-RUTH/I  HOSPITAL WT NJ

SHE WAS IN LABOR- SHED BEEN ON BED REST FOR 2 MONTHS- THIS WAS EARLIER THAN EXPECTED-

ANXIOUS- WORSHIP MUSIC PLAYING

RUTHS DR CAME LOOKS GOOD-I HAVE A FAVOR- YOU MIND IF TEAM OF DRS COME (10-12) WHITE COATS

LABOR UNDERWAY-JASMINE ELIZABETH GRIFFIN BORN

LIFE FROM LIFE AND DR’S WEPT

THIS WEEK END OUR SERIES WITH DEATH TO LIFE

WEEK 1: THE SHADOW THE CROSS CASTS

WEEK 2: THE FORGIVENESS THE CROSS OFFERS

A REBEL

WEEK 3: THE ROAD TO THE CROSS

TODAY: THE POWER OF THE CROSS

IMAGES/LOGOS THAT HAVE STOOD OVER TIME

 STARBUCKS

• Designer Terry Heckler, who created the original logo, was drawn to the siren’s association with the sea and the captivating nature of coffee.

FEDEX LOGO

• COMPANY STARTED IN 1971 (WILD HOW/WHY)
• 1973 FIRST LOGO
• Fred Smith picked the word “Federal” in the name is to bag the Federal Reserve Bank as a customer.
• 1994 GOT A REFRESH BY LINDON LEADER
• WANTED TO REMOVE THE DEAD SPACE- POINT PEOPLE TO THEIR PURPOSEFUL MEANING

  AMAZON 

• THE NEW MOST FAMOUS
• DESIGNED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE 1995
• MAJOR DESIGN SEEN HERE 2000
• JUST UPDATED IN 2024 COLOR CHANGE
• DELIVERS A SMILE- WHEN THEY ARRIVE
• AND THE ARCH IS FROM A TO Z- EVERYTHING

CHRIST THE REDEEMER– LATE 1800’S

• WHAT ABOUT THIS SYMBOL
• WHERE HAVE YOU SEEN IT?
• IS THERE SOMETHING SUBLIMINAL IN IT?
• DOES CARRY A POTENT MESSAGE? 2300 FEET

TODAY- THE POWER OF THE CROSS

• What did Easter mean to you growing up? What are your memories of it?

EASTER BASKETS- HUNTS- DRESSING UP

SUNRISE SERVICE- COLD- FOOD WAS GREAT

   FIRST TIME IT HIT ME-

CALVARY COVERS IT ALL

MY PAST WITH ITS SIN AND STAIN

MY GUILT AND DESPAIR

JESUS TOOK ON HIM THERE

AND CALVARY COVERS IT ALL

HOW BLESSED THE THOUGHT

THAT MY SOUL BY HIM BOUGHT

SHALL BE HIS IN THE GLORY ON HIGH

WHERE WITH GLADNESS AND SONG

ILL BE ONE OF THE THRONG

AND CALVARY COVERS IT ALL

   THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST 2004-QUIET

LUKE 23

   ⁴⁴ It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, ⁴⁵ for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.   

OUTSIDE HOLY OF HOLIES

• 60 FEET TALL
• 30 FEET WIDE
• 4 INCHES THICK

 SCRIPTURE LUKE 23:46

  ⁴⁶ Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.  ⁴⁷ The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

LUKE 23:48

   ⁴⁸ When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.

• WHEN THE ARMY OFFICER SAW WHAT HAPPENED, HE PRAISED GOD AND SAID- CERTAINLY THIS MAN WAS INNOCENT. GW
•  ⁵⁴ When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Sonof God!” ESV
• ROMAN CENTURION- 1 OF HIGHEST RANKING
• HE’S BEEN TRAINED TO DO THIS JOB
• LED NOT JUST SEEN MANY CRUCIFIXIONS
• COMPLETELY UNAFFECTED BY THIS
• STANDS IN FACT IN OPPOSITION OF JESUS

This Roman centurion has the distinction of having the first words recorded in Scripture following Christ’s death. Immediately after Christ breathed His last, “he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’”

ROMES MOST IMPRESSIVE OFFICER- THE CENTURION

•  THE POWER OF THE CROSS IS THIS:
• A CENTURION CONFESSES JESUS AND BELIEVES

1. A REBEL
2. ROMAN CENTURION

__________________________________________________________

DO YOU BELIEVE? WHY OR WHY NOT?

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

VERY FEW BELIEVED INITIALLY- AND MANY RAN

SIGHTINGS OF JESUS AFTER THIS-POST RESURRECTION

1. MARY MAGDALENE (JOHN 20)

2. WOMEN COMING FROM TOMB (MATTEW 28)

3. PETER (LUKE 24)

4. ROAD TO EMMAUS- 2 PEOPLE (JOHN 20)

5. DISCIPLES MINUS THOMAS (JOHN 20)

6. DISCIPLES WEEK LATER W/THOMAS (JOHN 20)

7. SEA OF TIBERIAS SEVEN DISCIPLES (JOHN 21)

8. ELEVEN ON A MOUNTAIN GALILEE (MATT 28)

9. GALILEE MORE THAN 500 (I CORINTHIANS 5)

RINALDO

• CHRISTIANO RINALDO- ARGUABLY MOST FAMOUS
• SOCCER PLAYER- KNOWN WORLD WIDE
• I SAW HIM AT JMU GAME
• I SAW HIM ATLANTIC UNION BANK ARENA
• YEAH WELL I SAW HIM- HAD ON DUKES HATE

 SANDRA BULLOCK

• MOST FAMOUS PERSON FROM VIRGINIA SANDRA B
• SAW HER AT COSTCO- AISLE 4- FREE SAMPLE
• IF MULTIPLE PEOPLE STARTED TELLING ME-
• YEAH KEVIN WE SAW HER- YOU HEARD RIGHT?

• WHAT IF I HAD PUT UP PICTURES OF SUPERMAN

AVENGERS? WEREWOLF? LOCHNESS MONSTER

HERCULES?  MANY BELIEVE IN THOSE

BELIEVE

• DO YOU BELIEVE? WHY?
• HOW MANY OTHERS BELIEVE?

 JOHN 20:3-5

   3. “SO PETER AND THE OTHER DISCIPLE STARTED FOR THE TOMB. BOTH WERE RUNNING, BUT THE OTHER DISCIPLE OUTRAN PETER AND REACHED THE TOMB FIRST. HE BENT OVER AND LOOKED IN AT THE STRIPS OF LINEN LYING THERE BUT DID NOT GO IN.

JOHN 20: 6-7

   6. THEN SIMON PETER CAME ALONG BEHIND HIM AND WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE TOMB. HE SAW THE STRIPS OF LINEN LYING THERE, AS WELL AS THE CLOTH THAT HAD BEEN WRAPPED AROUND JESUS’ HEAD. THE CLOTH WAS STILL LYING IN ITS PLACE, SEPARATE FROM THE LINEN.

 JOHN 20:8

   8. FINALLY THE OTHER DISCIPLE, WHO HAD REACHED THE TOMB FIRST, ALSO WENT INSIDE.

                      HE SAW AND BELIEVED

• HOW ABOUT US? DO YOU BELIEVE?
• DEATH TO LIFE- JOHN SAW NOTHING
• JOHN BELIEVED

 JOHN 20:25

  25. “SO THE OTHER DISCIPLES TOLD HIM, “WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD!” BUT HE SAID TO THEM, “UNLESS I SEE THE NAIL MARKS IN HIS HANDS AND PUT MY FINGER WHERE THE NAILS WERE, AND PUT MY HAND INTO HIS SIDE, I WILL NOT BELIEVE.

JOHN 20:26

  26. A WEEK LATER HIS DISCIPLES WERE IN THE HOUSE AGAIN, AND THOMAS WAS WITH THEM. THOUGH THE DOORS WERE LOCKED, JESUS CAME AND STOOD AMONG THEM AND SAID, “PEACE BE WITH YOU!”

SLIDE 21: SCRIPTURE JOHN 20:27-28

  27. THEN HE SAID TO THOMAS, “PUT YOUR FINGER HERE; SEE MY HANDS. REACH OUT YOUR HAND AND PUT IT IN MY SIDE. STOP DOUBTING AND BELIEVE.” THOMAS SAID TO HIM, “MY LORD AND MY GOD”

JOHN 20:29

  29. THEN JESUS TOLD HIM, “BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEEN ME, YOU HAVE BELIEVED; BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.”

100 TIMES JOHN USES THIS WORD IN HIS BOOK

• SYMBOL OR TORTURE AND DEATH
• CRUELTY AND PUNISHMENT- BRINGS LIFE
• BRINGS HEALING- BRINGS HOPE
• WAS ANOTHER MAN WHO ENOUNTERED THE CROSS
• HIS NAME WAS FRANK
• 911- HOPRRIFIC TRAGEDY- BRUTALITY-TERRORISM
• THE POWER OF THE CROSS

VIDEO 911

• OUR FAITH WAS CRUSHED
• FRANK FOUIND HOPE
• A REBEL
• ROMAN CENTURION
• REGULAR GUY

 2.5 BILLION

CHRIST SO MANY PEOPLE

BELIEVE

   THERE ARE MUTLIPLE PEOPLE SAVED AT THE CROSS

   1 CUSSED HIM OUT AND NEVER RELENTED/REPENTED

1 CUSSED HIM OUT- JESUS SPEAKS- AND HE SPEAKS TO JESUS INSTEAD OF YELLING INSULTS AT HIM

• MANY RUN AWAY. MANY MOCK AND YELL

MANY WATCH IN JUBILATION MANY WATCH IN HORROR

ONE MAN MAYBE THE MOST UNLIKELY OF ALL PEOPLE THERE- STANDS IN OPPOSITION TO JESUS

HAD NO DOUBT SEEN THIS AND LED THIS MANY MANY TIMES- ITS PART OF WHY HES HERE- LEAD THIS

It costs God nothing, so far as we know, to create nice things: but to convert rebellious wills-  IT cost Him crucifixion.”
C. S. Lewis