Palm Springs Drive Church of Christ

Series: N/A

Service: Lord’s Supper Service

Type: Lord's Supper Talk

Speaker: Brian Messerli

Series: N/A

Service: Wednesday Night

Type: Invitation

Speaker: Jason Bray

Series: The Christian Family

Service: Wed Bible Study

Type: Bible Class

Speaker: Herb Hinely

Series: Moving From Fear to Faith

Service: Praise and Preaching Service

Type: Sermon

Speaker: Brian Messerli

Series: The Christian Family

Service: Adult Class

Type: Bible Class

Speaker: Dwayne Gandy

Series: N/A

Service: Lord’s Supper Service

Type: Lord's Supper Talk

Speaker: Dwayne Gandy

The Emotional Walk to Calvary

If you want to take your mind back to Jesus, Luke chapter 23 is a fitting place to begin. Few things in life are more painful than the feeling of being alone. From the very beginning, God acknowledged that truth. After creating man, He said, “It is not good that man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18).

Jesus understood that reality deeply. Throughout His ministry, He emphasized the importance of companionship and presence. Yet, He also knew what it was like to walk alone.

Alone, Yet Not Alone

Jesus told His disciples, “He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:29). Later, on the night of His betrayal, He warned them, “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me” (John 16:32).

Still, Mark records one of the saddest sentences in Scripture: “Then they all forsook Him and fled” (Mark 14:50).

Jesus knew what it was like to be abandoned by those closest to Him. And yet, even knowing the Father was with Him, He still felt the very human weight of isolation. He knew what it meant to walk a path without someone beside Him.

Because of that, Jesus made promises to His disciples. In John 14, He assured them He would not leave them as orphans, but would send the Holy Spirit to dwell with them forever (John 14:16–18). After His resurrection, as He commissioned them to take the gospel into all the world, He ended with this promise: “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Jesus knew how much it mattered to never be alone.

A Terrible Choice

Two weeks earlier in the story, the crowd had been faced with a choice. Pilate placed two men before them. One was Jesus Barabbas, a man associated with violence and rebellion. The other was Jesus who is called the Christ.

Pilate likely expected the crowd to choose the innocent man and release Him. Instead, they chose the one who might deliver them physically and rejected the One who would deliver them spiritually. It is a choice humanity still faces. Do we want physical deliverance, or spiritual salvation?

When Pilate realized what they had chosen, he was left with a problem. He had released the guilty and was now holding the innocent. What should be done with Jesus?

All four Gospel accounts record the same haunting moment in slightly different words. Pilate handed Jesus over to the soldiers.

Matthew records, “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium” (Matthew 27:27). Mark writes, “Then the soldiers led Him away” (Mark 15:16). John says, “So he delivered Him to them to be crucified” (John 19:16).

Jesus was given over to Roman soldiers.

In the Hands of the Soldiers

That was not good news. Roman soldiers were not gentle men concerned with comfort or compassion. They were experts in humiliation and control. Their task was to crush rebellion before it ever began, and the best way to do that was to make a public spectacle of those accused.

They stripped Jesus of His clothes and draped Him in a purple robe. They twisted a crown of thorns and pressed it onto His head. They mocked Him, bowed before Him, and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Him. They struck Him. They took a reed and beat Him on the head, driving the thorns deeper into His scalp.

This was calculated. It was psychological torture. They wanted everyone to see that this man was nothing.

When they were finished mocking Him, they removed the robe and began leading Him to the place of execution.

The Walk Begins

The distance was not great. Roughly half a mile. But a short walk can feel endless when every step leads closer to death.

Jesus knew exactly where He was going. He was being taken to a place called Golgotha, “the Place of the Skull.” This was where people were crucified. There were no surprises ahead. He knew the outcome.

Luke records what happened next:

“Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus” (Luke 23:26).

John tells us that Jesus initially bore His own cross (John 19:17). Putting the accounts together, it appears Jesus began the journey carrying it Himself, but somewhere along the way collapsed beneath its weight. After the beatings, the blood loss, the exhaustion, He could go no further.

That is when they seized Simon of Cyrene.

Simon had not come to mock Jesus. He was simply passing by, coming into the city. Yet in that moment, his life changed forever.

Mark tells us Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21). That detail suggests these names were known to early Christians. In Romans 16:13, Paul greets Rufus and his mother, who had been a mother to him as well. That single moment on the road to Calvary altered the course of an entire family.

Surrounded by the Crowd

Luke tells us more about the scene:

“And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him” (Luke 23:27).

Jesus was not truly alone in the sense of isolation. He was surrounded by people. But many of them hated Him.

The multitude that followed Him would later mock Him at the cross. It is difficult to imagine the cruelty of that walk. Jeering. Shouting. Spitting. Perhaps throwing dirt or stones. Roman crucifixions were public events, designed to terrify the population into submission.

Luke also notes that two criminals were led along with Him to be put to death (Luke 23:32). Jesus was literally numbered with the transgressors, just as Isaiah had foretold (Isaiah 53:12).

Walking that road alongside condemned criminals, surrounded by hostility, Jesus took each step toward His death.

The Women Who Wept

Amid the crowd were women who mourned for Him. Their tears were genuine. And yet, even in this moment of overwhelming suffering, Jesus turned His attention outward.

“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children” (Luke 23:28).

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew of the destruction that would fall upon Jerusalem in AD 70. He quoted prophetic language of judgment, warning of days so terrible that people would cry out for the mountains to fall on them (Luke 23:29–31).

Even while walking toward His own execution, Jesus showed compassion. He could step outside His own agony to care about the suffering others would soon face.

Leaving the City

Perhaps the most emotionally significant moment of the walk came when Jesus passed through the gate and left the city.

Just days earlier, He had entered Jerusalem through another gate to shouts of praise. “Hosanna!” the crowds had cried. They laid palm branches and garments in His path (Luke 19:35–38).

Now, He was leaving the city. Leaving Jerusalem. Leaving the city God had chosen. Leaving the place where the temple stood. Leaving the symbol of God’s dwelling among His people.

The writer of Hebrews later explains the meaning of this moment:

“For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate” (Hebrews 13:11–12).

Leviticus had established that sin offerings were taken outside the camp (Leviticus 16:27). To be cast outside was to be rejected.

Jesus knew what this meant. He knew He had to die outside the city, outside the camp, separated, so that we could be brought in.

Perhaps it was here, just beyond the gate, that He collapsed beneath the weight of the cross.

Why He Walked Alone

Hebrews urges us, “Let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (Hebrews 13:13). Why? “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come” (Hebrews 13:14).

Jesus walked that lonely road so we could enter the city of God. He was rejected so we could be accepted. He was cast out so we could be brought near.

As we remember Him at the Lord’s table, let us picture that walk. Step by step. Through the crowd. Beneath the cross. Through the gate. Away from the city.

He did all of this so that one day, we would never have to walk alone.

Series: N/A

Service: Wednesday Night

Type: Invitation

Speaker: Aaron McKibben

Series: N/A

Service: Praise and Preaching Service

Type: Sermon

Speaker: Dwayne Gandy

Based on a sermon reflecting on God’s perfect vision, honest self‑examination, and spiritual growth as we look back and look forward.

As we begin, it is fitting to start with praise. Praise God for always seeing everything perfectly. God’s vision is never clouded, never distorted, and never influenced by hidden motives. He sees our hearts, our actions, and our intentions exactly as they are. And praise God for His patience with us, because we do not see perfectly.

This lesson grows out of reflection. It comes at a time of year when many people look backward at the year that has passed and forward to the year ahead. It is a season filled with goal setting, resolutions, and plans for improvement. Those conversations are valuable and necessary. Yet this lesson approaches the moment from a slightly different angle. Before we set goals, we must make sure we are seeing clearly. Before we plan, we must ask whose perspective we are using.

The central question is simple but challenging. Are we seeing ourselves, our past, our future, and the people around us through God’s lens, or through our own?

Over recent weeks, we have talked about perspective by using the image of lenses. We have looked through the lens of God’s sovereignty, recognizing that God reigns. We have looked through the lens of identity, remembering that we are His children. We have looked through the lens of eternity, understanding that what lies ahead is far greater than what is behind us.

We have also talked about gratitude and how Christians view life differently because of hope. Even death is seen through a different lens when someone dies in the Lord. Perspective shapes everything. What we see depends on how we are looking.

In this lesson, the focus narrows to God’s lens. How does God see us? How does He want us to see ourselves? And how does He want us to see others?

This message is not preached from a distance. It is rooted in personal reflection. It comes from recognizing areas of growth, areas of struggle, and areas where improvement is needed. In that sense, it is as much a conversation with oneself as it is an exhortation to others.

A Necessary Question: Before changing our habits, we must ask whether our vision matches God’s.

The foundation of this lesson comes from Psalm 139. David’s words remind us that God’s knowledge of us is complete.

David begins by acknowledging that God has searched him and known him. God knows when he sits down and when he rises up. God understands his thoughts from afar. God is acquainted with all his ways. There is not a word on David’s tongue that God does not already know.

This language is intentional. God does not perform a surface inspection of our lives. He does not offer a casual glance or a courtesy evaluation. God searches. He examines. He knows.

A Sobering Truth: God does not merely observe our actions. He knows the thoughts and intentions behind them.

As we sit together, God already knows our hearts. He knows what we think, what we feel, what we fear, and what we hide. He even knows the sins we will commit in the future before we are aware of them ourselves.

That level of knowledge can be frightening if we misunderstand God’s character. If imperfect people had that kind of insight into us, it would be terrifying. But God’s perfect knowledge is always paired with His perfect love.

Scripture repeatedly reinforces this truth. Hebrews chapter 4 reminds us that the Word of God is living and powerful, piercing to the division of soul and spirit. It discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Nothing is hidden from God’s sight. All things are naked and open before Him.

One day, every person will give an account to God. Yet the gospel offers hope. We do not have to give an account for sins that have been forgiven. That is why Jesus came. His blood covers what God already knows.

A Comforting Promise: Forgiveness means we do not have to answer for what Christ has already carried.

This truth appears early in Scripture. In Genesis chapter 4, God spoke to Cain before Cain acted on his anger. God knew his heart. Later, when Cain murdered his brother, he attempted to hide the sin. God made it clear that nothing was hidden.

Jesus demonstrated this same divine knowledge during His ministry. He knew the heart of the woman at the well. He knew the thoughts of those who silently questioned His authority. He never guessed. He never assumed. He knew.

David understood God’s perfect vision because he learned it through painful experience. He tried to hide sin from God, and it nearly destroyed him. His adultery, his deception, and his attempt at cover‑up brought unbearable internal anguish.

When David finally confessed, the burden lifted. Honesty restored the relationship that pretending could not protect. That experience shaped David’s understanding of God.

Later, when David sinned again by numbering the people, he responded differently. He confessed quickly. He no longer believed that hiding was possible or helpful.

David wanted his son Solomon to learn this lesson without the same pain. In First Chronicles 28, David reminded Solomon that the Lord searches all hearts and understands every intention. God knows why we do what we do.

A Father’s Warning: God does not only see what we do. He sees why we do it.

Knowing that God sees everything would be unbearable without knowing that God loves completely. David understood both.

Psalm 139 does not only describe God’s knowledge. It celebrates God’s care. God formed David in the womb. God placed His hand upon him. God’s thoughts toward him were good.

God knew David would sin, yet He created him and called him anyway. God loved David even while David was hiding. God sent Nathan not to destroy David, but to restore him.

God’s heart toward us has not changed. He wants peace, hope, and reconciliation. He disciplines not to harm, but to heal.

A Crucial Balance: God’s perfect vision is never separated from His perfect love.

If God already knows our hearts, then prayer must become a place of honesty rather than performance. This lesson invites us to change how we pray.

Instead of hiding what we feel, we are encouraged to tell God what He already knows. Honesty opens the door for healing.

There are moments when worship feels like an obligation rather than a joy. God knows that. There are seasons when motivation fades. God knows that too.

A prayer might sound like this: “God, I do not want to be here today. I want to want to worship. Show me what is blocking my heart. Reawaken what has grown cold.”

A Bold Prayer: Honesty with God is the beginning of transformation.

This principle applies across life. God knows how we work when no one is watching. He knows what we consume online. He knows what shapes our thinking.

He knows when influences are warping our perspective, whether through destructive media, harmful comparisons, or voices that cultivate resentment rather than healing.

God knows our relationships, our unresolved conflicts, and our unspoken bitterness. He knows our financial habits and our motivations. He knows whether our goals are driven by pride or stewardship.

God even knows the dreams we are afraid to voice. The unfinished degree. The career change. The desire for healing in a broken relationship.

An Invitation: Bring the hidden places of your life into the light of God’s grace.

Looking back at the year behind us and forward to the year ahead should always involve God. Goals made without God’s perspective often fail, even when they are carefully planned.

Self‑evaluation with God’s help is one of the most valuable skills we can develop and pass on to others. Seeing ourselves clearly allows us to grow without being blindsided by correction later.

God does not withhold blessing because He is distant. He withholds blessing when we refuse honesty. When we come into the light, He meets us there.

Living Open Before God

David teaches us that living open before God leads to freedom. Hiding produces anxiety. Honesty produces healing.

God already sees us perfectly. The invitation is to agree with Him, to trust His heart, and to walk forward with clarity.

A Lasting Truth: When we see ourselves through God’s lens, we find grace, growth, and peace.

As we move forward, the challenge is simple. Be honest with God. Let Him shape how you see your past, your future, and yourself. And trust that the God who sees everything also loves completely.

Series: N/A

Service: Sun Bible Study

Type: Bible Class

Speaker: Dwayne Gandy

Series: N/A

Service: Lord’s Supper Service

Type: Sermon

Speaker: Rory Salimbene