Steps To the Cross (2)

Text: John 19:13-30

John 19:13–30 KJV 1900

13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. 16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. 17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. 19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. 21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. 22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. 23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. 25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. 28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Title: Jesus Is Our Savior

Introduction:

Jesus Christ is the central figure of the world's history. The world cannot forget Him while remembering history, for history is His story. To leave Him out would be like astronomy without stars, or like botany with the flowers forgotten. Horace Bushnell said, "It would be easier to untwist all the beams of light in the sky and to separate and erase one of the primary colors, than to get the character of Jesus out of the world."

Since its inception, the history of the race has been a history of preparation for His coming. The Old Testament foretells His coming through type, symbol, and direct prophecy. The history of His people, Israel, is a story of expectation, yearning, and preparation.

The tact of Jesus Christ is firmly embedded in human history and written upon the open page of Scripture, but it is also experientially embodied in the lives of millions of believers and interwoven in the fabric of all civilization worthy of the name.

1 Corinthians 11:24–25

24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

Note—It always humbles me that Jesus said, “Remember me.”

This week we should remember what Jesus did for us…

His final evening before His suffering began in the upper room with eating of the Passover supper. Jesus let Judas leave to do his evil deed of leading soldiers to the garden. Jesus and His disciples leave the upper room and go to Gethsemane.

Slide—Garden of Gethsemane

Jesus, after agonizing for three hours, is now ready, and Judas shows up with soldiers to arrest the Lord. Taken to Caiaphas’ house and falsely accused, beaten, and condemned by the Sanhedrin council (across the Kidron Valley). During this time, Peter denies Christ.

Slide—House of Caiaphas

From there to Pilate around 6:00 A.M. First time, Pilate discovered Jesus was from Galilee. Then He was sent to Herod, the Governor of Galilee. Then Back to Pilate, who could find no fault in Him. Pilate suggests releasing Him according to the custom on the Passover Feast. They release Barabbas instead.

Note—Pilate, perhaps hoping the people would have their thirst for blood quenched, had Jesus scourged (John 19:1-3

John 19:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. 2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

This included stripping him naked and tying His hands above Him to a beam so His feet barely touched the ground. Then they took a cat of nine tails and whipped Him multiple times until His body was torn, bleeding, and bruised. (Jewish law: less than 40. The Romans had no limit.)

I. Remember His Immense Sorrow

Slide—Roman flagrum

The soldiers then placed the robe on Him, sat Him down, and mocked Jesus. Plaiting a crown of thorns upon His head razor-sharp thorns.

Slide—Crown of Thorns

Note—This morning, we come to the climax of redemptive history—the focal point of God’s plan of salvation…

The Rejection of the Saviour (vs. 13-18)

The Scoffing of the Jews (vs. 13-15)

Note—The Jewish leaders hated being under Roman rule! But they were willing to sell out and show loyalty to Caesar to try to get rid of Jesus.

John 1:10-11

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Isaiah 53:3-4

3 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.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Note—The leaders did not believe Jesus’ claims to be God Himself. Even today, we see those who deny the truth about Jesus.

Illustrations—From Our Culture…

Philippians 2:9-10

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

The Scoffing

The Suffering Jesus (vs. 16-18)

On Route to the Cross (vs. 16)

Note—This beam could be around 80 pounds, which Jesus now had to carry on His scourged back.

Matthew 27:31-32

31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

Upon the Cross – vs. 17

Slide—Golgotha

This is the Hebrew name for Calvary, the place of Jesus’ crucifixion. In Hebrew, it means “the skull”.

Note—What is crucifixion?

Mark 15:15-20

15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.

17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,

18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.

20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

Note—Crucifixion was made as brutal as possible.

They drive a heavy iron nail through the wrist and into the wood beam of the cross.

A nail is driven through the arch of each foot.

As Jesus pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment of his arms nailed away from each other, He places his full weight on the nail through his feet. Again, there is the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of the feet.

Air can be drawn into the lungs but cannot be exhaled. The victim fights to raise himself to get even one short breath.

Note—The standard method of ending a crucifixion is breaking the legs' bones.

I. Remember His Immense Sorrow

II. Remembering His Sonship

Rejection of the Savior

The Revelation of His Nature (vs. 19-27)

Note—While He was being crucified, there was something different about Jesus…as the centurion at the crucifixion watched Him, by the end he had to say, “Truly this man also was the Son of God.” (Mark 15:39)

By an Unlikely Source (Pilate) (vs. 19-22)

Note—The customary sign (King of the Jews)

Note—Pilate could not find anything wrong with Jesus, so he had to write something else on the sign.

The Character of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ, in His character, has received the approval and commendation of God, men, angels and demons. His character reinforces His beliefs. His life is all a life should be when judged by the highest standard. "Though something of Christ's character unfolded a in one age sating nother, of tete, pity itself cannot The holiness of Jesus Christ:

1. The meaning of Christ's holiness:

a. It means that He was free from all defilement: "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin" (1 John 3:5

1 John 3:5 KJV 1900

5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

— cf. Lev. 11:43-45; Deut. 23:14; 2 Cor.

5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; 9:14 ASV; 1 Peter 1:19

1 Peter 1:19 KJV 1900

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

In the Old Testament, Jehovah God is called the Holy One. He is called the Holy One of Israel about thirty times in Isaiah. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is called the Holy One; therefore, the holiness of Christ means the same as the holiness of God, and negatively, it means separation from all defilement or freedom from all sin.

b. It means that He was absolutely and immaculately pure:

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:3). Jesus Christ took His standard of holiness, not from the law or the customs of men, but from God. The Bible multiplies expressions and figures to adequately conceive Christ’s absolute holiness or moral purity. His life was one with His teaching.

There is nothing in nature with which to compare it except light.

"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no

Note—The sign that Pilate placed over Jesus, which said, “JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS” was written in three languages—Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, (vs. 19-20).

A. By an Unlikely Source

By Prophetic Scriptures (vs. 23-24)

Note—Describing the Crucifixion

Note—Psalm 22 describes the crucifixion over 900 years before Calvary…among the other descriptions of Christ’s suffering…

Psalm 22:14-18

14 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.

15 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.

16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

A. By an Unlikely Source

B. By Prophetic Scriptures

By An Act of Love (vs. 25-27)

Note—Jesus, as the first child of Mary, would have had this responsibility, as it seems that His earthly father Joseph was dead already.

Note—Jesus is displaying His infinite love in caring for others while undergoing the most painful death Himself

I. Remember His Immense Sorrow

II. Remember Sonship

III. Remember His Eternal Salvation

The Redemption Of His Sacrifice (vs. 28-30)

The Completed Suffering (vs. 28-29)

Note—According to the Scripture (vs. 28)

Note —“accomplished”—teleo—to finish, to complete, to bring to an end

Note—The land had been dark for the past three hours as the sun was covered. During this time, Jesus bore the weight of God’s holy wrath against sin and was separated from His own Father.

Matthew 27:45-46

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

2 Corinthians 5:21

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Note – Jesus now asks for a drink, but the soldiers gave Him vinegar. Even this had been prophesied in God’s Word.

A. The Completed Suffering

The Completed Provision (vs. 30)

Note—“It is finished”—Greek word “Tetelestai”—means paid in full. The word is in perfect tense, meaning this payment act occurred once and has continuing results.

Salvation Through His Blood

John 1:29

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

1 Peter 1:18-19

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Salvation Through His Death

Quote – “The atonement is a propitiation whereby God, through the death of Jesus, makes an unholy man holy.”—Oswald Chambers

Romans 5:8-9

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Conclusion:

A Rejected Savior

A Revealed Savior

A Redeeming Savior