Utah's Hope

“Do you have any crosses without the little man on it?” That’s a real question a woman once asked in a jewelry store. And it says more about how we’ve sanitized the cross today than we’d like to admit.

In this message, Pastor Greg Laurie walks us through the darkest hour in human history—and the love that held Jesus there.

Notes:

Luke 23

 
The cross was not a fashion statement.
It was the most scandalous, horrifying symbol imaginable.
 
Next to Christ’s arrival in Bethlehem, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are the most important events in human history.
 
At the cross, God and man were reconciled.
 
God's righteous demands were satisfied.
 
It's not an accident that when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He pointed us straight back to the cross, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”
 
Read 1 Corinthians 15:14–17
 
But here's the good news: Jesus did die, and He did rise again.
And because of that, we know there really is life beyond the grave.
 
That's what sets our faith apart from every other religion.
 
The cross was not an accident, but a plan. God’s plan.
Acts 2:23
 
The cross wasn't a detour from Jesus’ mission.
It was the mission.
 
Before there was a Bethlehem, there was a Calvary.
 
Before there was a crown of thorns, a decision was made.
 
Romans 5:8 (KJV)
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
 
John 10:18 (NIV)
“No one takes My life from me, but I lay it down of My own accord”
 
Christ’s road to the cross ran through a series of illegal and rigged hearings.
 
Read Luke 23:26, 32–33
 
Simon from Cyrene was forced to carry the cross of Jesus.
 
A garrison was 600 elite Roman legionnaires.
 
Matthew 26:53 (NIV)
“Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”
 
Jesus had access to more than 70,000 angels.
 
God placed Simon there to have the greatest privilege: to ease the pain of Jesus momentarily as he carried His cross.
 
This brush with Jesus changed Simon forever.
 
Read Luke 23:33–43
 
The Romans did not invent crucifixion, but they took it to another level.
 
Rome perfected it into a science of suffering.
 
It was a punishment designed to produce the slowest possible death with the greatest possible pain.
 
Crucifixion was death by suffocation.
 
A crucified person might survive for hours, sometimes days.
 
Your arms tire, and your chest can no longer expand to breathe.
Therefore, you must push up against the nail in your feet to pull in another breath.
 
 THE SEVEN STATEMENTS FROM THE CROSS:
1. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
2. “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). 
3. “Woman, behold your son! Son, behold your mother” (John 19:26).
4. “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).
5. “I thirst” (John 19:28).
6. “It is finished” (John 19:30).
7. “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit” (Luke 23:46).
 
Matthew 5:44 (NKJV)
“Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you.”
 
Our sins put Jesus on the cross.
 
Acts 2:36 (NKJV)
“God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
 
 
That first prayer from the cross, “Father, forgive them,” was ultimately answered.
Thousands of those very people were cut to the heart, turned, and believed.
 
No one is beyond the reach of prayer.
 
The two criminals couldn't have escaped their crosses.
Jesus could have escaped His with a single word to Heaven.
 
No one is beyond the reach of God, not even a hardened criminal.
 
Believing in Jesus can happen in a flash.
 
Read Luke 23:40–42
 

Topics:
No Fear, Self-Righteousness, Losing Stuff, Anxiety, Work/Identity, The Kingdom of God, Being a Hero, God Is With Us, Scapegoats, Disruptions, Fantasy Football

BONUS CONTENT: Patience and Paywalls 

Quotes:

"Fear helps nothing."

"When work is your identity, if you're successful, it goes to your head. If you're a failure, it goes to your heart."

"If you're not somebody who's typically considered a hero… just by serving people, you're doing it."

"Sometimes disruptions can wake us up."

"We don't want to be this way. Instead of finding scapegoats, we're supposed to be a blessing to the world."


For this episode of the Oddcast Rewind, we grabbed a handful of classic moments from the archives. Hopefully they brought you a few laughs and a little encouragement.

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In the most recent episode of The Greg Laurie Show, Pastor Greg Laurie is joined by an influential voice in the world of culture, media, and faith—Jeremy Boreing. 

Jeremy was the CEO and co-founder of The Daily Wire alongside Ben Shapiro. 

Together, he and Pastor Greg touch on today’s hot cultural moments and how important it is for Christians to get involved in them. Pastor Greg calls this one of his most interesting interviews. Listen to the full episode now: FULL EPISODE.

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Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years.

Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.

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Neurosurgeon Dr. Lee Warren, shares insights about the powerful connection between neuroscience and the Christian faith. He explains how our thoughts can physically reshape our brains. By intentionally choosing what we think about—especially gratitude, truth, and hope—we can form new neural pathways that influence our emotions, behaviors, and even future generations. Drawing from personal tragedy, including the loss of his son, Dr. Warren shares how people can better heal from trauma, anxiety, and destructive patterns. The conversation highlights practical ways believers can renew their minds, strengthen relationships, and raise resilient children by aligning their thinking with God’s design for human flourishing.
The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery
Don't Walk This Road Alone – Speak With a Counselor
Share Your Story With Jim Daly
Overcoming Negative Thoughts

Learn three things that highly influence what you hear when God speaks.

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Money touches our fears, our desires, our relationships, and our sense of security. That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 6:21: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” He knew something we often miss--money issues are heart issues. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West explores how our financial lives reveal what’s happening inside us—and how God invites us into freedom and trust. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith & Finance Live —where biblical wisdom meets today’s finances, weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.

To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.

To learn more about Rob West, click here.

To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Topics: 

Hansen 2042, Loneliness, Cheeseballs, Shock Jock


BONUS CONTENT: Dallas Williard Quote, The Don't Die Guy - NYT Interview

Quotes:

"You'll never act contrary to what you believe."

"The left brain is dominating our culture."

"He's trying to be a blessing to people but he doesn't know how."
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Holy Ghost Mama Pre-Order!

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Money has a way of reaching places in our lives that few other things do. It touches our fears, desires, relationships, priorities, and sense of security.

That may be why Jesus spoke so often about money and possessions. In Matthew 6:21, He says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Jesus understood something we often miss: money issues are often heart issues. Our financial choices can reveal what we trust, what we desire, and ultimately what we treasure.

Years ago, Ron Blue once shared a story from his time in Kenya that profoundly shaped the way I think about stewardship.

Ron was sitting on a hillside with a local pastor, looking out over the village where the man lived. Ron asked him what he thought was a practical question: “What’s the greatest barrier to the spread of the gospel here?”

Ron expected to hear about a lack of money, transportation, or other resources.

The pastor didn’t hesitate. “Materialism.”

Ron was stunned. Surely materialism was primarily a Western problem. But the pastor explained that if a man has a mud hut, he wants a stone hut. If he has a thatched roof, he wants a metal one. If he has one cow, he wants two.

That conversation helped Ron recognize an important truth: Materialism isn’t ultimately about how much you have. It’s about what your heart longs for.

If materialism can thrive in a mud hut as easily as in an American suburb, then possessions aren’t the root problem. The heart is.

Money simply has a remarkable ability to expose what is already there.

Money itself is neither moral nor immoral. It is a tool. But because it touches nearly every area of life, the way we handle it can reveal what is happening inside us.

Overspending may reveal a desire for identity, comfort, or approval. Clinging tightly to savings may reveal where we seek ultimate security. Debt can sometimes expose impatience or a desire to live beyond what God has currently provided. Resistance to generosity may reveal a fear that there will not be enough.

In each case, the dollars are secondary. The heart is primary.

The good news is that God cares deeply about our hearts, and He invites us into something better: freedom from fear, comparison, striving, and the belief that everything depends on us.

Over the years, a few biblical truths have become foundational to the way I think about money and stewardship.

Biblical stewardship begins with ownership.

Everything we possess ultimately belongs to God. Our money, possessions, abilities, opportunities, and even the power to produce wealth are gifts entrusted to us for a season.

Recognizing God's ownership changes the question from, “What do I want to do with my money?” to, “God, what would You have me do with what belongs to You?”

When we understand ourselves as stewards rather than owners, we can begin to hold money with greater gratitude, humility, and freedom.

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6 that our heavenly Father feeds the birds and clothes the lilies—and that His children are worth far more.

That doesn’t mean Christians will never face financial difficulty or uncertainty. It does mean our ultimate confidence is not found in a paycheck, investment account, or emergency fund.

Wise planning matters. Saving matters. Working diligently matters. But none of those things were designed to carry the weight of our ultimate security.

God is our provider. 

As that truth moves from something we know intellectually to something we believe deeply, fear begins to loosen its grip.

Money is useful, but it makes a terrible master.

It was never meant to provide our identity, significance, or ultimate security. Instead, money can bec

Grades. Sports. Friends. Faith. Future. It’s ridiculously easy to turn your teenager’s life into your personal report card. Melissa Kruger, author of Parenting with Hope, gets honest about Christian parenting of teens when, perhaps despite the evidence, you want desperately to get it right. What if our good intentions are quietly piling pressure on our kids? And how do we stay close when their choices—and their future—aren’t ours to control?

Show Notes and Resources

• Learn more about Melissa Kruger on her website.

• Get Melissa's book, Parenting with Hope, and her other book on our shop.
• Read and watch Josh McDowell speak about "rules without relationships".
• Find more resources on parenting teens.

• Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at CSBible.com.
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