Text: Luke 23:33
Intro: This old world is filled with many places. Some are places of great beauty and happiness while others are places of ugliness and shame. If all the places of the world were lumped together, they could never compare to the Place spoken of in these verses. This is the Place where the Plan of the ages was consummated. This is the Place where we received the plan and the promise of eternal salvation. This is the Place where the greatest battle of all time was fought and won. THIS IS THE PLACE, WHEN DURING CREATION, THE EYE OF GOD MUST HAVE DIMMED WITH TEARS AS HE CONTEMPLATED THE PRICE THAT WOULD BE PAID HERE.  This is the most remarkable place ever encountered
by mortal man
I. IT WAS A PLACE OF PROPHECY Matt. 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they
cast lots.
    A. The Prophets Predicted It.  Isa. 53 3-5  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. Surely he hath borne our
        griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for
        our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we
        are healed.
    B. Psa. 22:13-15.  They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. They opened their mouths
        wide as if they would devour me, as a lion does when he voraciously devours his prey. I am poured out like water, and
        all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a
        potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
        1. All his strength was gone, the effect of all those outward persecutions and trials.
    C. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.  I
        may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
        1. Men who resemble harsh, snarling, fierce, ferocious dogs surrounded Him.
        2. They surrounded our Redeemer in the garden of Gethsemane when they arrested Him and bound Him;
        3. They surrounded Him at His trial before the Sanhedrin and before Pilate; and they surrounded Him as He hung on
            the cross.
    B. The Levitical Sacrificial system – All pointed to this Place!
    C. Jesus Himself Preached It – Matt. 20:18-19
    D.  God Planned It – Rev. 13:8 This was determined before there was a sinner to save!
II. IT WAS A PLACE OF PAIN
    A. It was a gruesome, bloody affair! Isa. 52:14 his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the
        sons of men:
        1. His appearance was defaced, or disfigured more than that of any man.
    B. Jesus died an extremely horrible death because He loved you and me!  Luke 23:35-37
        1. The rulers and the people ridiculed Him, “He saved others; let Him save Himself, if  He be Christ, the chosen of
            God.” v.35
        2. The soldiers mocked Him saying, “if thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.”
    C. The Pain Of His Separation – Matt. 27:46 –  About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying My God, My
        God, why hast thou forsaken me
        1.  This was His greatest agony.
        2. In that moment, Jesus was literally experiencing the horror of the Second Death.
        3. This will be the greatest agony of Hell!  II Thess. 1:8-9. When Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, “In flaming
            fire taking vengeance on them that 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;
        4. The Rich Man – Luke 16:26.
    D. The very reason Jesus went to Calvary is because we are sinners, Rom. 3:23.
    E. As lost sinners, we are doomed to Hell, Rom. 6:23.
    F. But Jesus, in His great love went to the cross and bore our sins. 1 Pet. 2:24, Who his own self  bare our sins in his own
        body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
    G. All because He loves sinners, Rom. 5:8!  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
        Christ died for us.
    H. It was our sins that caused this awful event to take place. He suffered it all just so we might be saved!
III. IT WAS A PLACE OF PAYMENT
    A. Our Debt Was Settled – John 19:30
        1. Forever finished, nothing can be added to it, it is complete in and of itself! Eph. 2:8-9
        2. Every person outside Jesus is walking, right now, under the wrath of God.  John 3:36.  He that believeth on the Son
            hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but   the wrath of God abideth on him.
        3.  Through the death of Christ on the cross, we have been saved from wrath – Rom. 5:9!
IV. IT WAS A PLACE OF POWER (Luke 23:39-43)
    A. Cleansing Power – The Thief on the cross – did nothing but believe, and yet Jesus forever cleansed him!
        1. His Blood cleanses from all sin. Rev. 1:5; Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
            1 John 1:7
    B. His cleansing Blood changes the believer – 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Cor. 6:9-11)
        1. You will never be the same after you come to Jesus! He will change you.
        2. Paul – Rom. 7:14-25 – The old nature is still active, but a new set of desires is in place.
        3. The Blood has never, and will never, lose it’s power to save the sinner and make him fit for Heaven!
V. IT WAS A PLACE OF PROMISE
    A. Calvary held far more than the promise of salvation from sin.
        1. Jesus Promised A Resurrection.  John 11:25-26  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that
            believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
            Believest thou this?
        2. He delivered one too! – Matt. 28:1-6! A Dead Savoir was no good to anyone!
        3. If the grave could keep Jesus, then it could keep us all! But, praise the Lord, it had to give Him up!  Aint no grave
            gonna hold me down
    B. Jesus Promised A Return – John 14:1-3.
        1. This is still our hope today! 1 Thes. 4:16-17
Conclusion: Have you ever, through faith, been to the Place? Have you ever seen yourself a sinner and realized that Jesus Christ truly died for you sins?
    A. He will save you, but He says you must come to Him – Rev. 22:17. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let
        him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.