Works (Vol 4) - Newton - XXI - Sermon XXII (Messiah derided upon the cross)

Required reading
The Works (Vol 4) of John Newton (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Sermon XXI (Messiah derided upon the cross).

My summary
This week Newton preaches on 'All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.' (Psa 22:7-8)

Firstly Newton teaches us that the persons who scorned and derided the Messiah were various and of different characters.  They included:
(i) the chief priest, elders, and rulers of the people;
(ii) the populace;
(iii) the Roman soldiers;
(iv) one of the malefactors.

Secondly Newton points out that they showed their scorn in the most pointed and cruel manner.

Thirdly we see that the bulk of the people bore their part in this tragedy through precipitation and ignorance.  They reproached the Messiah's:
(i) great design for which he came into the world;
(ii) trust and confidence in God.

What grabbed me
I appreciated Newton's point about one of the thieves on the cross: 'Yea, such is the hardness of the human heart, that one of the malefactors, who was crucified by his side, unaffected with his own guilt, and insensible of the just judgment of God, and of the account he was soon to render at his awful tribunal, seemed to seek some relief, in the midst of his agonies, by joining with the priests and people in railing on the innocent Jesus, who was suffering before his eyes. Thus he was the object of universal derision. They who were at the greatest distance in character and sentiment, who differed from, despised, and hated each other, on other accounts, united, as one man, in expressing every possible mark of hatred and scorn against him who had done nothing amiss.'

Oh, the hardness of the human heart indeed!

Rather than being concerned for his own sin, he was happy to curse the sinless one.

Next week's reading
Read Sermon XXII (Messiah unpitied and without comforter).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.