Dear Ones,
If you've been around Havasu Christian Church for any length of time, you've undoubtedly heard me say that "if I say something wrong, I want to hear about it!" It happened this week. In my Sermon Sunday, I said that the High Priest and company risked being "defiled and unable to eat the Passover" by going into Pilate's palace. I was wrong. Here's the verse I forgot to look at. John 18:28 (NASB95) Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. Thank you to the Thursday Ladies' Bible Study for catching this!
OOPS! John
Havasu Christian Church
March 22, 2026
Faces at the foot of the Cross.
The Crowd
INTRO: Today we look at the Crowd who are at the foot of the Cross. I’m sure there were many reasons for people to be there.
But some had much more malicious intent. They are there to see their plans bear fruit.
Others are there because they truly care about Jesus and are there because the love Him.
Today, we’ll be looking at some of these people and see what they were doing.
Matthew 27:38–44 At that time two robbers *were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.
39 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads
40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying,
42 “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
43 “HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
44 The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.
Mark 15:27–32 They *crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left.
28 [And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”]
29 Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”
31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself.
32 “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.
- Many people at the foot of the Cross were apathetic.
- The Soldiers are there because it’s their job.
- Just another day on the job in service to Rome.
- We look at these men and think “Wow! This must have caused them all kinds of internal trauma… Taking 3 men to be crucified… NAILING them to their crosses… and now standing guard while their lives slowly ebb away….
- These are hard men of a hard time.
- They probably love their families and friends, but they don’t have any love to spare for YOU!
- Maybe at some point in their lives they felt bad about what they were doing, but in all likelihood, that time was in the distant past!
- They most likely join in the mocking for two reasons.
- They have nothing better to do.
- Besides, they don’t care much for ANY of these “troublesome Jews” who think their God is so much better than anyone else’s god.
- “Chosen people?” REALLY???
- There are those who just got “caught in traffic.”
- Simon of Cyrene comes to mind.
- A man just “coming in from the fields.”
- People like this probably just want to leave and go on about their business.
You are on the interstate, and traffic comes to a crawl. It stops, it goes a little ways, and it stops again. You creep along for ¾ of a mile only to see a car with a flat tire on the side of the road. All the “Lookie-loos” have slowed down to see what’s going on.
- There are also people there who have much worse intent.
- There are those who just came for the show.
- There are people in the world who are just plain ghouls.
- They have come to see someone suffer.
- They were just as excited to see the two men on either side of Jesus suffer as they were Him!
- Some of those at the cross, hated Jesus.
- The Chief Priests and the Scribes
Matthew 26:57–68 Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
58 But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome.
59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.
60 They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward,
61 and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’ ”
62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?”
63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
64 Jesus *said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.”
65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy;
66 what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”
67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him,
68 and said, “Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?”
- These evil men want to see the fruit of their labor!
- They want to see Jesus, Who they have not only condemned, but have gone to great trouble to get rid of, killed!
- Their “trial” was a farce.
- The conclusion was decided before they ever took Jesus into custody.
Matthew 26:3–4 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.
- They are even willing to go into the palace of a Gentile, Pilate, to accuse Jesus!
Luke 23:1-5 Then the whole body of them got up and brought Him before Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.” So Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “It is as you say.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” But they kept on insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee even as far as this place.”
- They are “wagging their heads.”
From: bibleref.com In this case, to "wag the head" seems to indicate a rude gesture, or a sneering movement of the face. That came along with insults, teasing, and other abuse. Their comments in the following verses show disgust at another supposed Messiah who was not even powerful enough to avoid getting killed, let alone leading the nation in overthrowing Rome.
- They absolutely knew what they were doing was wrong, but they continued anyway.
Matthew 27:3–8 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!”
5 And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.”
7 And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers.
8 For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
- Some who were there loved Him!
- There are the women who are literally at the foot of the cross.
- There are 3 Mary’s.
John 19:25 Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
- Jesus’ mother
- Mary the wife of Clopas
- Mary Magdalene
- The Apostle John is also there.
John 19:26–27 When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.
- Others were there who cared, but they weren’t willing to stand up when it counted.
- Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.
John 19:38–42 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body.
39 Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight.
40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
42 Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
- This is a case of “too little, too late!”
- These men COULD have stood up and been counted for Jesus.
- Joseph of Arimathea apparently had a lot to lose.
- He was afraid to follow Jesus publically.
- He didn’t want to oppose the leaders.
- Nicodemus particularly, was a “ruler of the Jews” could have spoken up.
- We see no record of him doing any such thing!
- Apparently, their shame drives them to do something, after the fact.
- Joseph asks Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body and bury it.
- Nicodemus brings the supplies necessary to quickly bury Jesus.
- They take Jesus’ body down from the cross and they bury His body in Joseph’s freshly dug tomb.
- They do a lot, but it’s to late to make a difference in the outcome!
Conclusion: What can we learn from these people today?
- Everyone who comes to know anything about Jesus has a decision to make.
- They can be apathetic.
- “I just don’t care.” “I’m just going to live my life whatever way seems best to me!”
- That IS their choice! But it’s a foolish one.
- Jesus either IS who He says He is, or He is not!
- He is a liar!
- He is a man with HUGE delusions about Himself.
- Or, He is Lord of the universe!
- To choose apathy over knowledge is foolish!
- Some People choose to hate Jesus!
- They wind up hating Christianity and everything it stands for.
- They may be former believers who are Mad at God! “Things didn’t work out like I thought they should!” “Someone who claims to follow Jesus hurt me in some way!”
- They may claim to not believe there even is a God!
- When people choose to hate Jesus, they tend to hate the people who follow Him as well!
- Finally, there are those who love Jesus!
- There are those who are with Jesus, even at “the foot of the cross.”
- They are ready and willing to follow Him, no matter where, no matter the outcome!
- History is full of these folks.
- Martyrs
- Missionaries
- People who serve Jesus, the best they are able, wherever they are planted!
- This is who we want to be.
- But we don’t always start out that way.
- The other 10 apostles… they are nowhere to be found!
- Yet, there is hope!
- The Apostles got right again, and they changed their world!
- Joseph and Nicodemus:
- They chickened out when it counted! But they stepped up!
- There are almost certainly times in our lives when we were afraid to make public our Christianity!
- No matter which group we find ourselves in, NOW is the time to serve our Lord!
