The One Jesus Didn’t Save

Introduction:

[Read]

As we read this morning; we stand at the foot of the cross, where the greatest sacrifice in history took place. Jesus, the Son of God, was led to Calvary, bearing the wight of our sin. He carried the cross—our cross. Still Christ was resolute, choosing to fully experience the agony of the cross for the sake of your salvation.

This road was one of suffering, shame, and still ultimate victory. As we reflect on these final moments before Christ’s crucifixion, we must ask ourselves: What does it truly mean to take up our cross and follow Him? Jesus’ journey to Calvary was not just a moment in history; family it is a call to every believer to die to self and live for God.

This morning as we prepare our hearts to worship both in song and study let us behold the weight of the cross, the suffering of our Savior, and the love which held Him there—It wasn’t the nails, or the will of men, but the divine purpose of God to redeem us from sin and death.

Pray with me:

vv. 21–23) Jesus led to Calvary:

[21] Jesus was led away for crucifixion, He was—like every victim of crucifixion—forced to carry the beam of wood He would hang upon.

The eight of the entire cross was around 300 pounds. Typically, the victim carried only the crossbar, which weighed anywhere from 75 to 125 pounds. When the victim carried the crossbar, he was usually stripped naked and his hands were often tied to the wood.

The upright beams were often permanently fixed in a visible place outside the city walls, next to a major road. Many times, before this day Jesus probably passed by the very beam He would hang upon.

It was the custom of the Romans to make the condemned criminal bear the cross, but in this case, Jesus was simply too weak to carry it. They preferred to keep the victim alive until they were crucified, because a public crucifixion was good at quelling the thought of rebellion. When Jesus fell under the weight, no Roman would help Him carry it. The centurion had the right to compel a local Jew to help carry it, but such an outrage might lead to uproar or riot, after all, Jesus was now a blasphemer and an insurrectionist.

The best solution was to make a stranger carry the cross, so they found a foreigner passing by or watching to help Him, Simon from Cyrene in North Africa.

Simon probably visited Jerusalem as a Passover pilgrim from his native land (some 800 miles away, on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea). He knew little if anything of Jesus of Jesus and if I had a guess he had no desire to be associated with this Man who was condemned to die as a criminal.

Yet the Romans were the law and Simon didn’t have a choice in the matter—they compelled him to bear His cross. We are often blessed by the things we are compelled to do. Simon didn’t want to carry this cross and probably resented it when asked. Nevertheless, it probably because one of the most significant and memorable moments in his life.

“Father of Rufus:” Apparently Rufus was known to the early church and was a Christian himself. If this Rufus is the same one mentioned in Romans 16:13

Romans 16:13 NKJV

13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

We can surmise Simon came to know what it really meant to take up one’s cross and follow Jesus. Perhaps his sons became leaders among the early Christians or watched horrified as their father carried this cross.

“His name was Simon: and where was that other Simon? What a silent, but strong rebuke this would be to him. Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonas, where wast thou? Another Simon has taken thy place. Sometimes the Lord’s servants are backward where they are expected to be forward, and he finds other servitors for the time. If this has ever happened to us it ought gently to rebuke us as long as we live. Brothers and sisters, keep your places, and let not another Simon occupy your room.”–Spurgeon.

The application should be clear:

The person who takes up the cross and dies to self is a true follower of Christ.

Luke 9:23 NKJV

23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Family this is our portion in life, to die to self and live unto God. His will be done, not ours.

[22] A few verses early (v.20) says they led Him out to crucify Him. By verse 22 the situation changed: they brought Him to the place Golgotha. Jesus could walk when He left His trials before Pilate, but before He reached Golgotha He could hardly walk—they had to bring Him.

This makes senses, all of what Jesus has been through the last couple days, having been recently scourged too. (cf. Mark 1:32: “brought” to Jesus).

They brought Jesus to the place Golgotha: There was a specific place right outside the city walls of Jerusalem where people were crucified—and where Jesus died for our sins, where our salvation was accomplished. It was the Place of the Skull; it was the place where criminals were crucified…killed.

Calvary is latin for skull, Golgotha is the Hebrew word.

There is some controversy about the exact historical location of Golgotha. We know it was outside the city walls and it was associated with a place of the skull. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built upon the place believed to be Calvary in the fourth century, but some researchers favor the site known as Gordon’s Calvary, which sits atop a hill which looks remarkably like a skull. and is near ancient garden tombs. Most scholars consider the Church of the Holy Sepulcher as more accurate, but many people say Gordon’s Calvary feels more like the real spot.

Some think it was called Golgotha because it was littered with the skulls of men previously executed. Some think it was called Golgotha because it was on a hill which looked like a skull, with the shadows of a skull’s face in the hillside. Some think it was called Golgotha because the hill was barren, smooth and round like the top of a skull.

Gordon’s Tomb

The Holy Sepulcher

[My opinion]

Here upon Golgotha, He was to die to deliver all men, who would believe and confess Him as Lord, from the bondage of sin and death.

Hebrews 2:14–15 NKJV

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

[23] Here we see Jesus refuse drugs—resolved to taste death at its bitterest. The drink was strong and intoxicating, deadening the senses to some degree. It was given to crucifixion victims as a narcotic to somewhat ease the pain.

Jesus was to die for man. God’s will was not to be done in a drunken stupor, in a drugged, insensitive, and unthoughtful state. He was to taste death for man, being fully conscious of doing God’s will, being as mentally alert as possible.

According to an old tradition, respected women of Jerusalem provided this narcotic drink to those condemned to die in order to decrease their sensitivity to the excruciating pain…This humane practice was begun in response to the biblical injunction of Proverbs 31:6–7:

Proverbs 31:6–7 NKJV

6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart. 7 Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.

“was it out of any love to suffering that he thus refused the wine-cup? Ah, no; Christ had no love of suffering. He had a love of souls, but like us he turned away from suffering, he never loved it…why, then, did he suffer? For two reasons: because this suffering to the utmost was necessary to the completion of the atonement, which saves to the utmost; and because this suffering to the utmost was necessary to perfect his character as ‘a merciful High Priest’ who has to compassionate souls that have done to the utmost of miseries themselves; that he might know how to succor them that are tempted.”—Spurgeon

Application:

1 Peter 1:13–16 NKJV

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

vv. 24–26) The crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth:

[24] The dividing of Jesus’ garments was in fulfillment of the prophecy in Ps 22:18

Psalm 22:18 NKJV

18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.

“men were ordinarily crucified naked (Artemidorus II. 61). Jewish sensitivities, however, dictated that men ought not to be publicly executed completely naked, and men condemned to stoning were permitted a loin-cloth (M. Sanhedrin VI. 3). Whether the Romans were considerate of Jewish feelings in this matter is unknown.”–Lane

For those living during this time, crucifixion didn’t need to be explained. However for us, it will help us appreciate what Jesus did if we try and grasp what it meant to be crucified.

Romans didn’t invent crucifixion, they perfected it as a form of torture and capital punishment. Crucifixion was designed to produce a slow death with maximum pain and suffering.

The victim’s back was torn open through scourging, then the clotting blood was ripped open again when the clothes were removed from the victim. They would then be thrown to the ground to fix their hands to the crossbeam, causing the wounds to open again and be contaminated with dirt. Finally, as they were handing on the cross each breath was painful, wounds on the back scraped against the rough wood of the upright beam.

The nails which were driven through the wrists would usually severe the large median nerve going to the hand. This produced excruciating bolts of fiery pain in both arms, and caused a claw like grip in the victim’s hands.

As was mentioned earlier but breathing was painful. The weight of the body pulling down on the arms and shoulders made it feel like you could breathe in but not out. The lack of oxygen led to muscle cramps, which made it even more difficult to breathe. To get a good breath, one had to push against the feet and flex the elbows, pulling from the shoulders. Putting the weight of the body on the on nail-pierced feet produced searing pain, and flexing the elbows twisted the hands hanging on the nails. Lifting the body for a breath also remember scraped the open wounds on the back against the rough wooden posts. Each effort to get a proper breath was agonizing, exhausting, and led to a quicker death.

“Not uncommonly, insects would light upon or burrow into the open wounds or the eyes, ears, and nose of the dying and helpless victim, and birds of prey would tear at these sites. Moreover, it was customary to leave the corpse on the cross to be devoured by predatory animals.”–Edwards

Death from crucifixion came in few different ways:

Acute shock from blood loss.

Suffocating from being too exhausted to breathe.

Dehydration.

Heart attack, caused by stress.

Heart rupture from congestive heart failure.

If the victim didn’t die quickly enough, their legs were broken, and he was soon unable to breathe.

How bad was crucifixion? We get our English word excruciating from the Roman word “out of the cross.”

Family take a moment to consider how heinous your sin must be in the sight of God, when it requires such a sacrifice.

[25]Jesus was crucified at 9am (the third hour), and darkness swept the land from 12 noon until 3pm (the sixth to the ninth hour).

Let this bake your noodle…Man demonstrates the height of depravity by rejecting and putting God’s Son to death. God demonstrated the height of love by not sparing His Son, but by allowing Him to die for man’s sins.

Romans 5:8 NKJV

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

[26] THE KING OF THE JEWS: this wording was designed to convey a subtle insult to the Jewish pretensions and to mock all of their attempts to throw off the shackles of Roman rule.

“It may be that the message of this sign first aroused the hopes of the repentant thief. He may have reasoned: ‘If His name is Jesus, then He is a Savior. If He is from Nazareth, then He would identify with rejected people. If He has a kingdom, then perhaps there is room for me!”–Wiersbe

vv. 27–32) Jesus mocked on the cross:

Jesus was mocked by those crucified with Him, yet one of them came to a saving faith in Jesus (Luke 23:39–43.

Jesus didn’t only endure mocking and humiliation at the hands of the pagan Roman soldiers, but also the religious leaders.

A.T. Robertson says mocking describes, “Acting like silly children who love to mock one another.” It was bad enough the Son of God came to earth and man murdered Him in the most horrific way possible. These sinful men enjoyed it.

[32] Family it is precisely because He would not come down from the cross we believe in Him. Jesus did something greater than come down from the cross…He rose from the dead. Yet they didn’t believe then either. But many of the priests did eventually believe:

Acts 6:7 NKJV

7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

What blows my mind is the mockers understand of the facts, which they could not deny. Everywhere, in Jerusalem, in all the towns and villages throughout the countryside, were those whom He saved.

vv. 33–37) The final words of Jesus on the cross:

[33] “There was darkness over the whole land:”

This darkness demonstrated the agony of creation itself in the Creator’s suffering.

Early church fathers quote the writing of Phlegon (a Roman historian) in which he makes mention of an extraordinary solar eclipse as well as mentioning an earthquake about the time of the crucifixion.

“In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad, there was an extraordinary eclipse of the sun: at the sixth hour, the day turned into dark night, so that the starts in heaven were seen; and there was an earthquake.”–Phlegon

This is especially remarkable because during a full moon—which passover was always held at—a natural eclipse of the sun is impossible. Meaning, this was an extraordinary miracle in the heavens,

[34] By quoting Psalm 22, Jesus declared He fulfilled the Psalm of David, in both agony and victory.

This is my personal belief. Is this isn’t a cry of separation or of being forsaken.

The song: How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

How deep the Father’s love for us,

How vast beyond all measure,

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss—

The Father turns His face away,

As wounds which mar the Chosen One

Bring many sons to glory.

If we truly believe in a unity amongst the Godhead in all of His Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Can there really be a separation, a break between God?

The common explanation:

Jesus becoming our sin while on the cross

2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

God cannot look upon sin—hence the idea of turning His face and separating Himself from His Son:

Habakkuk 1:13 NKJV

13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he?

This is a rather emotional and powerful interpretation of the text. One I believe is incorrect and misguided; because it is inconsistent with the whole of Scripture.

Habakkuk “to behold” should be understood as for what it is first and foremost, poetry and parallelism. It is parallel with “tolerate.” Meaning God isn’t going to tolerate evil.

God is omniscient and omnipresent, meaning He know about sin, and He is present when it’s committed. He doesn’t not wink at sin or turn a blind eye to it. He sees it, and, as Habakkuk rightly asserts, He cannot see it favorably.

So what is going on here?

Have you ever been in a conversation and someone mentions the first line of a song, and suddenly, without warning, your mind starts singing the tune?

“Woah, we are half way there?”

livin’ on a prayer–Bon Jovi

“The snow glows white on the mountain tonight not a footprint to be seen.”

Let it Go–Frozen

A similar thing is happening here too. You see, the Jews are called by some, the People of the Book, because they spent so much of their time reading, studying, meditating on and memorizing the Scriptures. From a young age, Jewish boys were taught different methods for memorizing large portions of Scripture too.

And even with His final dying breath, Jesus was reaching out to the people, attempting to convince them He was who He said He was, the Messiah, the Savior.

As previously mentioned Jesus’ statement is the first line of one of the Psalms. The Jews who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus would have recognized He was quoting the beginning of Psalm 22.

Let’s look though some of the Psalm, and see the striking similarities to the scene laid out before us:

Psalm 22:1 NKJV

1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?

Psalm 22:7–8 NKJV

7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

Matthew 27:39–43 NKJV

39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

Psalm 22:14 NKJV

14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me.

Psalm 22:15 NKJV

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.

Psalm 22:16–18 NKJV

16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. 18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.

Matthew 27:35 NKJV

35 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”

Psalm 22:31 NKJV

31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.

The last line here is close to Jesus’ final words, “It is finished.”

Jesus being God’s own Son—holy, undefiled, obedient—God wouldn’t stop loving Him, and wouldn’t turn His face way:

Psalm 22:22–24 NKJV

22 I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard.

But Jesus did suffer. He took the full wrath of God upon Himself.

Isaiah 53:4–5 NKJV

4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Galatians 3:13 NKJV

13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

[35]Sour wine wasn’t the same as the drugged wine from verse 23. This type of wine is mentioned in the OT as a refreshing drink (Num 6:3; Ruth 2:14). And in Greek/Roman literature as well it is a common drink appreciated by laborers and soldiers as it relieved thirst more effectively than water and was inexpensive.

[37] Jesus cried with a loud voice and breathed His last…”It is finished!” The Greek word is tetelestia which means, “Paid in full.”

What an epic battle cry which shook the foundations of the earth, and is the ultimate fulfillment of Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 NKJV

15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

Our Savior’s death on the cross was and is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love towards you. It is the power of God unto salvation, through it seems foolish to those who reject it. At the cross, Jesus wiped out your record of sin and rebellion against God, nailing it to the cross.

This is what Jesus accomplished for you… Why are you living for yourself? Why are you kicking against the goads? Why squander the gift God has given you, eternal salvation?

GET RIGHT WITH JESUS!

After all the one person Jesus decided not to save was Himself. So that He could save you!

vv. 38–41) The visible, immediate results of Jesus’ death:

[38] The tearing of the temple veil is so important, it signified now man had free access to the throne of grace by the cross and no one should ever think again God dwells in temples made with hands.

The wall of separation which plagued man since Genesis 3 has been removed, the veil was torn from top to bottom too. God tore it from heaven instead of man tearing it from earth.

[39] This centurion saw Jesus for who He was and is a picture of all who come to Jesus. It is through this cross, you and I are able to see Jesus for who He is—the Son of God.

John 12:32 NKJV

32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”

This man saw many people crucified before, yet there was something so remarkable about Jesus he said something he could not say about anyone else.

[40–41] Here Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome and many other women were proof Jesus lived and served well. Note the women were at the cross despite the danger. They stood off some distance away, but they were there nonetheless. They still loved and cared, no matter what. They symbolized Christ’s life was not in vain.

Mark 8:35 NKJV

35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Benediction:

Jude 24–25 NKJV

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.