When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
In 1707 Isaac Watts sat down and wrote these words:
When I survey the wondrous cross, On which the Prince of glory died, My riches gain I count but loss, And pour contempt an all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ my God; All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.
Gal 6:14 “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world”
These words are worthy of study and meditation.
These words are worthy of our time and we can find no greater theme.
Luke 23:32-56 “And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors…
Luke 23:32-56 …one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people…
Luke 23:32-56 …stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him…
Luke 23:32-56 …coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. 38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew…
Luke 23:32-56 …THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying…
Luke 23:32-56 …Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto…
Luke 23:32-56 …Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixth…
Luke 23:32-56 …hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice…
Luke 23:32-56 …he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a…
Luke 23:32-56 …righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the…
Luke 23:32-56 …women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same…
Luke 23:32-56 …had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the…
Luke 23:32-56 …body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the…
Luke 23:32-56 …sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and…
Luke 23:32-56 …ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment”
Gen 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”
He won by losing and conquered by surrendering.
When we survey the wondrous cross, what do we see?
First, We see the savior on the cross. (SACRIFICE)
Mark 15:24-37 “And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. And the superscription…
Mark 15:24-37 …of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was…
Mark 15:24-37 …fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and…
Mark 15:24-37 …buildest it in three days, Save thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he…
Mark 15:24-37 …cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. And when the sixth hour was…
Mark 15:24-37 …come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted…
Mark 15:24-37 …My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and…
Mark 15:24-37 …put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost”
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Second, We see the Father above the cross (LOVE)
Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
The cross both condemned sin and forgave it.
The cross manifested God’s hatred for sin and approved His love for sinners.
1 Tim 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
2 Thes 1:7-9 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that…
2 Thes 1:7-9 …know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Matt 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Third, We see criminals beside the cross. (SIN)
On one side there was the cross of rebellion
Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
“railed” = Greek Lexicon 987 blasphemeo {blas- fay-meh'-o} - blaspheme, speak evil of, to speak reproachfully, revile
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
This man died in his sins.
On the other side there was the cross of repentance
Luke 23:40-45 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our…
Luke 23:40-45 …deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee…
Luke 23:40-45 …To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and…
Luke 23:40-45 …the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
Humble submission, how beautiful, how wonderful!
He died to sin.
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Fourth, We see the devil behind the cross. (HATRED)
It was not weakness but strength that put Jesus Christ on the cross.
Fifth, We see the soldiers beneath the cross. (INDIFFERENCE)
Matt 27:27-37 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers…
Matt 27:27-37 …And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and…
Matt 27:27-37 …a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit…
Matt 27:27-37 …upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him…
Matt 27:27-37 …and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon…
Matt 27:27-37 …by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of…
Matt 27:27-37 …a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified…
Matt 27:27-37 …him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments…
Matt 27:27-37 …among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation…
Matt 27:27-37 …written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS
Sixth, We find women near the cross. (DEDICATION)
STEADFAST
ASSISTED IN PREPARING THE BODY FOR BURIAL
FIRST AT THE EMPTY TOMB ON SUNDAY MORNING
IT’S THE DEDICATION OF GODLY WOMAN THAT MAKES MOST CHURCHES STRONG.
Seventh, We find the disciples away from the cross. (DISAPPOINTMENT)
They had forsaken their Master.
Mark 14:50 And they all forsook him, and fled.
They disserted their King.
John 6:67-69 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the…
John 6:67-69 …words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Eight, We find revilers around the cross. (IGNORANCE)
They poked fun at the savior of the world.
Matt 27:39-44 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three…
Matt 27:39-44 …days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him…
Matt 27:39-44 …with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from…
Matt 27:39-44 …the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God…
Matt 27:39-44 …The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
Acts 20:26-27 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Nine, We look toward the cross. (DECISION)
Rom 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt…
Rom 10:9-10 …be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 6:17-18 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was…
Rom 6:17-18 …delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Hear Believe Repent Confess Baptized SALVATION CROSS