Crucified, Died and Buried

Introduction

Around Easter, we call the Friday before resurrection Sunday “Good Friday.”

But why do we call the day that Jesus died a “good day?”

We do this because the death of Christ accomplishes the mission that God sent him to complete.

Without the death of Christ, we would still be dead in our sins, under God’s wrath, and without hope.

Key Point: The crucifixion and death of Jesus demonstrates God’s love for us and accomplishes everything necessary for our salvation.

The Cross of Christ is. . .

1. A Demonstration of God’s Love.

(Hand Motions: Heart)

Romans 5:6–8 ESV

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The word “shows” or “demonstrates” means “to provide evidence for something”

The evidence for God’s love for us is Jesus’s atoning death for our sins.

“God does not love us because Christ died for us, Christ died for us because God loves us.” -John Stott

1 John 4:10 ESV

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

John defines love by God giving his Son as a propitiation for our sins.

Song-The Love of God is Greater Far. . .

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchmant made;

Were every stalk on earth a pen,

And Every person a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,

Would drain the ocean dry,

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

If you ever doubt God love for you. . . look to the cross.

2. A Scandalous Message.

(Hand Motions: covering your eyes)

What is the most embarrassing or shameful thing that has ever happened to you?

In the Roman Empire, crucifixion did not just symbolize death but it symbolized shame.

This is why the cross was a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.

The crucified person was stripped naked and was nailed to the tree.

The person went through immense physical pain but in that culture of honor and shame, the pain of the soul one faced from the shame experienced could be worse than physical suffering.

Jesus cried out when he was on the cross being shamed by God and humanity.

Psalm 22:1 ESV

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

Psalm 22:6–7 ESV

6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

“To be crucified was to be cast out of the human community, rejected by God and the world. It was literally a fate worse than death.” -Ben Myers

At the moment Jesus took our sin on the cross, he was too sinful to be recieved by a holy God and he was too holy to be recieved by sinful man. So he hung there being rejected by God and humanity, completely alone.

Jesus descended into the lowest realm of humiliation.

Philippians 2:7–8 ESV

7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

He became a slave and then he died a slave’s death.

Though he held the highest honor, he embraced the lowest disgrace.

The world was saved through Jesus’s shame. . . this is the scandalous message of the cross.

Before Christ’s death on the cross and his message of becoming a servant to become great, humility and service was not seen as a virtue.

For the Romans, the most shameful thing a person could do would be to humble oneself and serve someone else.

“The Message of the cross has inverted the ancient values of honor and shame.” -Ben Myers

We miss the scandal of the cross because we have become so accustomed to seeing humility and service as a virtue.

But Jesus calls us to this same path to become slaves for him. Humbling ourselves and serving others is where true honor is found. The world may be ashamed of us but Jesus never will.

3. Our Propitiation.

(Hand Motion: Thumbs up)

Romans 3:24–25 ESV

24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Jesus quenched God’s punishment for sin against us by blotting it out of his sight.

Jesus was our mercy seat.

Walk through slide.

4. Our Redemption.

(Hand Motion: handing in a card or money)

Redemption means to be rescued through paying a ransom.

Example of redeeming a gift card.

Jesus’s blood was the ransom price that was paid to buy us from slavery to sin. . . back to God.

Ephesians 1:7.

5. Our Reconciliation.

(Hand Motion: giving someone a hug or handshake)

To be reconciled means to exchange hostility for a friendly relationship.

We were once God’s enemies, but through the death of Christ, we have become God’s friends. . . and even further, God’s sons and daughters.

We now have peace with God.

Romans 5:9–11 ESV

9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Being reconciled with God allows us also to be reconciled with one another (Eph. 2:11-16).

6. Our Victory.

Hand motion: #1

Christ’s death was the death of sin.

1 Corinthians 15:56–57 ESV

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ’s death renders sin powerless.

Romans 6:6–11 ESV

6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Christ’s death disarms Satan and all other heavenly powers and authorities.

Colossians 2:13–15 ESV

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Don’t miss Romans 6:11. . . if we have been baptized into Christ’s death through repentance and faith, then sin has no power over us. . . we have the ability to walk in holiness and use our bodies for God’s glory.

Jesus’s Death

Jesus’s death allows him to identify with humanity in full.

he shares in our poverty and we share in his riches (2 Cor. 8:9).

He becomes our curse so we can receive his blessing (Gal. 3:6-14).

He becomes our sin so we can become his righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21).

“He did not reject human nature or exalt himself above it. . . Becoming an infant among infants, he sanctified infants; becoming a child among children, he sanctified those having this age. . . ; becoming a young adult among young adults, he was an example for young adults and sanctified them to the Lord. . . Lastly, he came even to death so that he might be “the Firstborn from the dead,” himself “holding primacy in all things” (Col. 1:18), the Author of life, prior to all and going before all.” -Irenaeus (AD 130-202)

“The Son of God heals our nature by joining it to himself. Human nature is changed by this union. Mortality joins hands with immortality. The grave becomes the beginning of life.” -Ben Myers

Because God in Christ has shared our human condition in every way, there is nothing that can alienate ourselves from God.

Because Jesus tasted death for us, not even death itself can separate us from Christ (Romans 8:38-39).

Response

Three Responses to the cross of Christ. . .

Trust in Him.

Acts 3:19–20 (ESV)

19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Rest in Him.

John 19:30 ESV

30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Galatians 2:21 ESV

21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Walk in Him.

Colossians 2:6–7 ESV

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Walk in his victory by having victory over your sin.

Fight for it. . . it is a daily battle. . . but know that you already have the victory in Jesus because of his death that has rendered sin powerless.