1. Today we are going to look at one of the most important events in the history of mankind, i.e., the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The cross of Christ should not only be understood from the historical point of view, but also from the doctrinal point of view. The substitutionary death of Christ is undoubtedly the most important doctrine in the Bible.
2. One preacher put it this way: What happened that day is important; but even more important is that we understand why it happened. There are millions of people who understand what happened that day in Jerusalem, but unfortunately many of them do not have the slightest idea why it happened.
3. For example: I was listening to a friend preach over the radio, and he mentioned a survey where many people consider the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus more important than the death of Christ.
4. Some of the people that were questioned considered the invention of the X-ray machine and the invention of the airplane more important than the death of Christ. Apparently, some of these people understand what happened on the cross, but they are confused as to why it happened.
5. This time of year many people are thinking about the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. I would like for us to think about it today so I am going to preach on the path to the cross.

I. THE PATH TO THE CROSS WAS A PATH OF REJECTION.

1. If we are to properly understand the death of Christ, let us remember that the path to the cross was a path of rejection (John 19:14, 15).
2. Seven hundred years before the cross, Isaiah the prophet said: "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not" (Isa. 53:3).
3. The path way to the cross was a path of rejection. In John 19:15, the people cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him." Unsaved friend, you may not articulate those terrible words with your tongue, but if you reject Jesus Christ, those words are in your heart! They cried out: "Crucify Him" (19:15). The path to the cross was a path of rejection.
4. Years ago during the Vietnam War, I heard about a young American soldier that lost both his legs in a mine explosion. His face and most of his body was horribly disfigured. He was not a Christian and neither were his parents. He was worried about how they would react when they heard the news so he wrote them a letter and asked them if he could bring home a "buddy" that had his legs blown off by a mine. His parents wrote back that, no, they would be uncomfortable with having someone in the house like that. The soldier felt hurt and rejected and he committed suicide. Oh, if only someone could have told him about the Lord Jesus, and how He knew what it was like to be rejected.
5. Even before He was born, our Lord was rejected. There was no room in the inn for His parents, so He was born in a lowly manger. Then as an adult, when He started His public ministry, His own brothers did not believe in Him.
6. "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3).

II. THE PATH TO THE CROSS WAS A PATH OF SUBMISSION.

1. Also, the path to the cross was a path of submission to the will of God (cf. Matt. 26:38, 39). We read in John 19:16, "Then delivered he Him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led Him away."
2. Wicked men "led Him away," but the Bible says our Lord did not resist (cf. Isa. 53:7; I Peter 2:21-24).
3. Hebrews 12:2 says, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." This was the path of submission to the will of God.

III. THE PATH TO THE CROSS WAS A PATH OF HARD LABOR.

1. It was also a path of hard labor (John 19:17). It was customary for a criminal to carry his cross from the judgment hall to the place of execution. Our Lord began the mile-long walk "bearing His cross" (John 19:17). We read in the other Gospels that he was relieved by one Simon of Cyrene, who was passing by (cf. Matt. 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26).
2. Why the Romans compelled Simon we are not told. Perhaps our Lord was so weak after His scourging that He had a difficult time walking. Maybe they were getting impatient with His faltering steps. The Bible does not say. But we know that the path to the cross was a path of labor.

IV. THE PATH TO THE CROSS WAS A PATH OF SUFFERING.

1. The path to the cross was also a path of suffering (John 19:18). Crucifixion was a cruel way to die. Nobody knows who started this horrible form of execution -- some say the Persians, some say the Phoenicians, but we know that the Romans popularized it. Psalm 22:16 is a remarkable prophecy; David wrote, "They have pierced my hands and my feet" years before anyone had ever heard of crucifixion.
2. Nearly 500 years before the cross, Zechariah the prophet wrote: "And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced" (Zech. 12:10; cf. John 19:36, 37).
3. The path to the cross was a path of intense suffering and agony -- the scourging, the crown of thorns, the buffeting by wicked men, the huge nails driven through our Lord’s hands and feet.
4. When we consider our Lord’s sufferings, how can we complain about uncomfortable chairs in church, or parking far from church, or inadequate air conditioning, etc.??

V. THE PATH TO THE CROSS WAS A PATH OF SHAME.

1. The Bible says our Lord "endured the cross, despising the shame." The path to the cross was a path of shame. The wicked Roman soldiers mocked our Lord and spit on Him. They that passed by the cross railed on Him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, Save thyself, and come down from the cross" (Mark 15:29, 30).
2. "Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save" (Mark 15:31).
3. The path way to the cross was a path of shame. Our Lord was mocked; and He was reviled (cf. I Peter 2:22-24).
4. Our Lord was crucified between two thieves (John 19:18). This only added to the shame -- the sinless Son of God was hung on a cruel cross between two common criminals! Think about that!
5. And this too was a fulfillment of prophecy. Isaiah 53:12 says, "He was numbered with the transgressors."

CONCLUSION:

1. It was a path of rejection and humiliation, and a path of suffering and shame but thank God there was an end to this path. Jesus said: "It is finished" (John 19:30).
       Lifted up was He to die,
       "It is finished," was His cry;
       Now in Heaven exalted high;
       Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
2. I was looking through the Encyclopedia Britannica. In my edition, there are 16 big pages under the title "Jesus Christ." It discusses the political conditions and the religious conditions of His day, His birth, and His ministry. It has many interesting facts (as well as many errors).
3. But it only has a few sentences about the death of Christ. And it states that the substitutionary death of Christ is only a "theory."
4. But according to the Bible, it is not a "theory," but a fact (cf. Isaiah 53:4-6). And the only way to be saved is to understand these facts, and believe these facts, and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from your sins.