I Believe in the Sacrifice of Jesus

Introduction

Tonight we are exploring the event of the crucifixion. What happened, what does it mean?

We know the facts of the event… Jesus was beaten, mocked, humiliated, crucified, and died.

But why do we remember that most horrific event?

Why is the cross the central event of the Christian faith?

The answer is that [Big Idea:] Through his death, Jesus put sin to death.

But more than just saying this happened we have to ask how? What did Jesus accomplish or do with sin when he died?

Key Question: How did Jesus put sin to death?

C.S. Lewis in his preface to The Great Divorce put it this way:

“Evil can be undone, but it cannot ‘develop’ into good. Time does not heal it. The spell must be unwound, bit by bit, ‘with backward mutters of dissevering power’—or else not.”

Jesus, through the “dissevering power” of the cross undid the evil you and I have done.

The Apostles’ Creed reflects this by saying:

“I believe in Jesus Christ… who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead.”

We want to embrace and reflect on this reality tonight through three movements exploring how Jesus put sin to death.

Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate (Jn:1-5)

How does Jesus’ suffering put to death to sin?

First it starts by his suffering.

Whenever you look at the results of sin in this world you see suffering.

“Sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created, rebelling against him by living without reference to him, not being or doing what he requires in his law—resulting in our death and the disintegration of all creation.” [New City Catechism]

So when we reject and ignore God and disobey his Law things break.

Suffering occurs.

But where there is no sin, then there should be no suffering.

That is to say, Jesus the holy and innocent one, the sinless one, should have been the only one who never endured suffering of any kind.

The prophet Isaiah said of him

Isaiah 53:9 (ESV)

9 he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

And yet… sin yields suffering, it’s been our experience.

So Jesus became the lightening-rod for suffering.

The fury and the power of Sin and it’s ramifications of death, despair, and the destruction of all things was fully pointed at the Holy One, Jesus Christ.

When the Apostle’s Creed tells us that “Jesus suffered” it also points out the name of the person who brought about that suffering; Pontius Pilate.

Pilate was a Roman aristocrat appointed by Emperor Tiberius to be the prefect of Judea.

He was the embodiment of the authority, power, and justice of Rome in the region of Judea.

Authority, power, and justice are not bad things.

In fact, they are very good things that are attributes of God.

He is supreme in his authority, ultimate in his power, and righteous in his justice.

But sin distorts, perverts, and disintegrates everything that is good.

So Pilate was the representation and embodiment of the distortion and perversion of the good that he should have given.

Where Jesus should have experienced the right exercise of authority over his life, instead he suffered and experienced authority that was both abdicated in not protecting Jesus and abusive in permitting heinous acts of cruelty to fall on him.

When Jesus should have had the power of the state protect and serve him from evil men, instead he experienced power turned against him in beatings, mockery, slander, and hostile violence against him.

When Jesus should have received justice against the false testimonies and lies spoke about him, he underwent great injustice as he was proclaimed “not guilty,” yet beaten, and ultimately executed as a capital offender and terrorist against justice.

The authority, power, and justice which Pilate had to command the law, protect the innocent, and uphold what is right was marred by the power of Sin and was distorted in such a way to bring ultimate suffering down upon Jesus.

And yet, in order to put sin to death, Jesus endured the curse and ramifications of sin by suffering for us.

He suffered at the hands of the one who should have served, protected, and upheld him.

He suffered for you and for me to put sin to death.

Let’s listen to the Word of God:

[Scripture reading - John 19:1-5]

Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried (Jn 19:16-22, 28-30, 38-42)

Jesus not only suffered under Pontius Pilate to put sin to death, but, as the Creed confesses “he was crucified, died, and was buried” in order to defeat sin.

How did he defeat sin in death?

Scripture says that the “sting of death is sin.” 1 Corinthians 15:56

And therein lies a clue for us about how Jesus—through his death—defeated sin.

The narrative of Jesus’ execution is almost too sparse when it comes to visual imagery about the death of Jesus.

John, simply declares the location of his crucifixion and the fact that it happened:

John 19:17–18 ESV

17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.

Ben Myers wrote about crucifixion:

The Apostles’ Creed: A Guide to the Ancient Catechism “Was Crucified”

In the Roman Empire, crucifixion wasn’t only about death. It was about public disgrace. The problem with getting yourself crucified wasn’t just that it would kill you but that it would humiliate you at the same time. Modern readers of the New Testament might assume that the worst thing about crucifixion was the physical suffering. But in a culture of honor and shame, the pain of the soul—humiliation—can be even worse than the pain of the body.

Jesus endured and took the public humiliation and defeat of sin through suffering on the cross.

He was positioned between two others, seditious thieves, the Gospel accounts tell us.

His reputation was questioned and mocked as the chief priests tried to steal the one bit of honor that Pilate bestowed upon him, ascribing him the title “King of the Jews”

His dignity was stolen as his garments were taken and gambled over by the soldiers overseeing his execution.

His life was snuffed out through the exhausting means of torture by crucifixion where he was suspended above the ground to die by asphyxiation and cardiac arrest that was intended to last days.

Sin’s full sting came down to bear on Jesus Christ as he was crucified.

And so with a last word, “It is finished” he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

He died.

There was no doubt of the fact of his death. No one survived crucifixion.

The soldiers at the scene made sure the job was finished by thrusting a spear through his side, puncturing the heart and issuing forth a fountain of blood and water from his side.

And as the final act of the scene, confirming the totality of his suffering, he was buried.

His lifeless body taken away, bound in linen and quickly prepared for burial and placed in a tomb to lay permanently. (Jn 19:38-42)

Sin’s sting - it’s disruptive, conquering, canceling power brought it’s full weight of pain and agony down on Jesus Christ.

But that’s exactly where Jesus defeated sin and plucked out the stinger bringing death.

Jesus came for us - that’s the good news of the cross!

Jesus was referred to as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

He came as a substitute and sacrifice on our behalf.

Because of our sin we deserve all of the suffering, humiliation, degradation, agony and death he was given.

Because of our cosmic treason we deserve nothing but eternal death and punishment.

But Scripture says,

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 3:18 ESV

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

In the night before his crucifixion as he shared that last Passover meal with his disciples he pointed to the bread and cup as symbols of his own body and life and said this is ‘FOR YOU’

Jesus put sin to death by his death, so that those who believe and trust in him, even though they may die - the ultimate sting of death is never felt.

This is what Jesus has done for us.

Let’s hear the Scripture again:

[Scripture reading - John 19:16-42]

Jesus descended to the dead (Col 2:14-15)

We’re asking the question, how did Jesus’ death put sin to death?

Through his death he answered the problem of suffering that sin brings, he canceled the sting of sin, and finally tonight we want to reflect on the shame of sin.

Sin carries a great shame with it - when we see who God is, and the havoc or sin wreaks we feel the shame of our rejection of God.

Yet Jesus answered that shame that sin brings by triumphing over sin through is death.

The Apostles’ Creed declares “Jesus Christ… suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.”

Then the next line: “he descended to the dead.”

This statement reflects on the fact that Jesus joined the world of the dead.

The Scriptures say that he “descended into the lower parts of the earth” - Eph 4:9

He “went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison” - 1 Peter 3:19

The day is coming when every knee should bow in heaven, and on earth, and “under the earth” - Phil 2:10

Jesus himself even proclaimed John 5:25

John 5:25 ESV

25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

Sin brings shame, and shame carries that silencing power of being dead.

When we are sinned against we often desire that the person who sinned against us would be treated as if they were dead - that is, silenced.

But Jesus in dying in our place speaks a louder word. He cancels the silencing shame that Satan brings against us.

He “descended to the dead” in order to proclaim his victory and demonstrate his triumph over the silencing, shaming power of sin.

Paul put it this way in Colossians 2:14-15

Jesus… [canceled] the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

His death is the means by which captives are delivered, sinners are rescued, forgiveness is poured out, the debt of our sin is canceled.

Satan himself is disarmed, shamed, and defeated!

If you are in Christ you will never need fear that the shame of your sin will be held over you by the Father.

Because Christ died and descended to the dead ,God will not look with disgust on his children but has canceled all the power of sin.

This is a note of victory for us!

The cross of Christ makes no sense apart from the resurrection of Jesus, which we celebrate on Sunday.

But we should not neglect looking forward - the Christian always looks forward from the cross to Jesus’ victory and triumph, because that is where our victory is found.

Big Idea: Through his death, Jesus put sin to death.

We can rejoice and proclaim:

New Testament IVb: John 11–21 The Tide from His Pierced Side

At the Lamb’s high feast we sing

Praise to our victorious King,

Who has washed us in the tide

Flowing from his pierced side.

Praise we him whose love divine

Gives the guests his blood for wine,

Gives his body for the feast,

Love the victim, love the priest.

Where the Paschal blood is poured,

Death’s dark angel sheathes his sword;

Israel’s hosts triumphant go

Through the wave that drowns the foe.

Christ, the Lamb whose blood was shed,

Paschal victim, Paschal bread;

With sincerity and love

Eat we manna from above.

Mighty victim from the sky,

Powers of hell beneath you lie;

Death is conquered in the fight;

You have brought us life and light.

Alleluia!

EASTER HYMN, AT THE LAMB’S HIGH FEAST 1–5.

Amen!