John 19:17-37

MAP

Q: Why risk everything for a man who died on a cross?

A: The cross is the climax of everything

SW: Come out of the darkness and follow him

PREAMBLE

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Intro self

INTRODUCTION (Relevance Persuasion | Resonate)

On Palm Sunday, the topic for consideration is the Cross.

From a symbol that we see perched high above the church buildings to a fashion accessories, necklaces or earrrings.

(A) Growing up. You may have had a cross keychain like I did. With the symbols “WWJD”. Actually quite cool.

Probably the most recognised symbol worldwide

Yet what it means to each individual will vastly differ.

(A) Let me tell you about someone I met while welcoming people to church

His name was Steven. Early 20s. Scruffy hair. Didn’t speak much english.

Figured out how to communicate via google translate.

Found out: Steve was Iranian.

A couple of years ago. Heard about a man who died on a cross through a friend. Eventually decided to trust him.

What happened next: unimaginable persecution from employer. family. friends. left him only one choice.

Savings. Packed clothes. Walked across the boarder to turkey.

Managed to catch a flight from turkey to London.

London. All alone. Waiting for Assylumn.

Makes you wonder: Why would risk everything for a man who died on a cross?

Why would you risk job security, family, friends, entire life for a man who died on a cross?

The Cross was certainly a symbol of risk for christians in the 1st century

All who followed the christ would have experienced significant cost

Societal standing. Job security. Religious establishment. Family and friends.

The cross was a symbol of foolishness, derision and scorn.

(L) But even though the cross is largely santised and accepted today.

It is still costly for all who revere it today.

Some like Steven. Outright physical cost.

Some like many of us.

Grace Church is made up of inidividuals who pour their lives out in service of the man who died on the cross.

Many of you: give time. money. effort to follow him.

Many of you: make decisions to honor the man who died on the cross.

Many of you: experience relational strife, personal battles with sin to honor the man who died on the cross.

So why should we, do we do it? Why should we risk our lives to follow a man who died on the cross 2000 years ago?

Pause to consider the statistics. It is bewildering.

Approximately 150k people die globally each day. That’s 55M every year. 110B for the last 2000 years.

Of the 110B people, why risk everything for the one person who died?

The one who died on a cross.

The most brutal technique of Roman execution.

Two Rusty nails driven into your palms

Third nail to pin your feet to the wood.

A slow painful torturous death. A grusome death.

So what is it about this man who died a gruesome death and so many of us are willing to risk everything for?

CONTEXT (Orientate | Situate)

(A) To understand, we need to return to the moment where he died.

Midday. Medditerian heat. Sun beating down.

Jerusalem is in uproar. Crowds have been crying out for blood. “Crucify him!” they cry. “Crucify him!” Death is in the air.

And then it happens. The man is nailed to the cross. and hoisted up into the air.

(L) and at that point. John our author gives us two perspectives on this man

The first: Roman soldier who helped to hoist the cross into the air.

It’s him who won the bet as the lots were cast.

It’s him who obtain the tunic of this crucified man. Brought it home. stashed it in the bottom drawer as a keepsake.

To him: He saw a man who died on the cross.

He saw just another man. Another criminal. Another statistic to add to the 110B.

(L) But there was another man at the foot of the cross.

John the author of this gospel. A disciple of Jesus. Spent 3 years with him. Ate, drank, hung out, learned from.

Now standing at foot of the cross. Looking up.

Saw this man heaved heavily and slowly suffocated to death

Heard this man say the words “IT IS FINISHED”

Saw this man breathe his last.

To him: He saw this man who died on the cross.

Who he saw was not just another man.

He saw something so mind-bogglingly glorious.

Something worth risking everything for.

So what did he see?

He saw that the cross was the great climax. The climax of everything.

(L) Three points. our first is this: The cross is the climax of his Kingship

ARGUMENT (Texture | Unity | Coherence | Development)

THE CROSS IS THE CLIMAX OF HIS KINGSHIP (19:17-30)

His kingship is clearly a debated issue at the cross.

From the first perspective, his kingship is the centre of a political drama

(A) Pilate, the roman governor. Writes an inscription and places it above this man.

it reads “Jesus of Nazareth, The KING of the Jews.”

(L) why does he do it? Does he really believe that this man who is dying a roman death is really King?

Certainly not.

More likely he does it to provoke the Pharisees. The religious leaders who plotted to kill Jesus.

(L) And his provocation is effective.

“Do not write “The king of the Jews” says the chief priest. “Instead write: “This man said, I AM King of the Jews”

You see? From the first perspective, his kingship is the centre of a political drama.

Not one actually thinks this man hung on the cross is a really a king.

Not the chief priest. Not Pilate.

(L) Especially the roman solider who won the cast.

John 19:23–24 (ESV) — 23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.”

(L) From this perspective, the cross is a political drama or an opportunity to bring home a keepsake.

But John the author inserts a comment to helps us to understand what is really going on.

This is the second perspective: What is really happening is that the cross is the climax of his Kingship.

Look at v24. This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things,

In our responsive reading we read words from Ps 22.

Ps 22, Psalm by King David. Prophesying about a future King. One who will be persecuted but eventually vindicated.

Psalm 22:16–18 (ESV) — 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— 17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

(A) The prophecy and fulfilment fit like a glove.

For the roman solider, winning the cast, taking the tunic home to keep in his bottom drawer is an opportunistic keepsake.

For John, this is the future King the Psalm was speaking about.

(L) And this king. Is not just any king. but the king of the whole world.

The Psalm goes on to say:

Psalm 22:27–28 (ESV) — 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

This is not only the King of the Jews as the inscription writes.

This is the king of all the world.

All the ends of the earth shall worship Him

All the families of the nations shall worship him

He rules over the nations.

^First perspective: political drama. But John wants us to see that this is not an execution but a coronation

A coronation not with a crown of gold, but a crown of thorns.

A coronation not with a throne of gold, but a wooden cross and nails.

The coronation ceremony to crown him as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Every human leader, Donald, Xi, Valdimer and Kier will bow.

The climax of his kingship.

John says: Do you see what is happening as this man dies on the cross?

On the surface: Just another man. Just one of the 110B.

John wants us to pause. Take another look. But this time he overlays Psalm 22 to help us see what is going on.

This is the King is his resplendent glory. the climax of his rule.

(V) If we see what John sees. It begins to make sense.

It begins to make sense why one might risk everything for this man.

If everyone in the Iranian government will bow, the Ayatola himself will bend the knee. Steven can take the risk.

The cross is the climax of his kingship.

(L) But this kingship is not only one of power but also that of love.

This, I think, explains the curious bit where he has a conversation with his mother and the beloved disciple.

“Woman, Behold your son!” to her.

“Behold, your mother!” to him.

Some suggest that this shows that he cares for this mother even while he is suffering. That is probably true.

But more than that, it gives us a picture of what is happening at the foot of the cross.

A new family is created at the foot of the cross.

Blood relatives are no longer the defining feature of a family member.

Followers are born again into a new family under this king.

Picture of power - as the king of the world.

Picture of lower - as the king of a new family.

His kingship, power and love juxtaposed with each other.

(L) but how does one move from bowing down in fear to becoming part of his family?

(L) But how does one move from bowing down in fear to becoming one of people?

2. THE CROSS IS THE CLIMAX OF HIS RESCUE

From one perspective: This death was a gruesome death

If you were the soldier standing there, what details might you record of his death?

Blood flowing down from skull. palms. irregular breathing.

Excruciating pain. Horrific death.

But from second perspective, John’s perspective: He records oddly specific details of his death.

John 19:31–35 (ESV) — 31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. (EXPLAIN WHY BROKEN) 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.

Of all the details he could have include, Two details are of interest to John.

His legs were not broken

His side was pierced and blood and water came out.

(L) Why?

To an extent, John wants us to know that he really died.

When blood and water comes out it confirms the death of the individual.

He really did die. Roman soldiers were experts at execution.

He did not faint or pass out momentarily. He really did die.

But more than that, John wants us to know that something climatic is happening here

john 19:36–37 (ESV) — 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

His death is the climax of a great rescue that first took place in the OT

The exodus story. Israel is slavery. Oppressed by the Egyptians.

9 great plagues on Egypt and the 10th, the worst of all.

The Angel of the LORD passes through Egypt to strike down all the firstborn of Egypt.

But for Israel, an unblemished lamb, with no broken bones, killed. Blood painted on the door to take the place of an Israelite first born.

Rather than pass through, the LORD will pass over when he sees the blood.

The Lamb as a substitute. The passover Lamb.

And many of you would be familiar that these threads are connected through the Hebrew Scriptures.

God himself will provide the lamb.

Instead of an animal, Isa 53, God’s suffering servant, sent by God, will be like a passover lamb.

This time not to save his people from Egypt

But to save his people from sin!

And as he begin his ministry, walking by the Jordan. John the baptist called out

“Behold! The LAMB OF GOD who takes away the sin of the world!”

And where does this all land?

As he died on the cross. John says in v36

John 19:36 (ESV) — 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”

Do you see what is happening?

On the surface, another man dead, another gruesome death.

But if you look again, this is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Every sin you committed on him was laid

Every hurtful action, hurtful word, harmful thought.

“He was pierced for our transgressions”

“He was crushed for our iniquities”

“Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace”

Asked: Why would you risk everything for a man who died on a cross?

Because the cross is the CLIMAX of his RESCUE.

Cup of wrath taken away

Sin atoned for.

Forgiveness offered.

Past. Present. Future. All sin on him was laid.

Righteousness freely declared.

A righteous verict on the final day. Peace with God.

And so it makes sense, to risk everything because of what is on offer.

If we are honest with who we truly are. sinners in need of grace.

Forgiveness is so very precious. We have everything to gain.

The CROSS IS THE CLIMAX OF HIS RESCUE

(pause)

(L) We have one final point. Not really a new point but a summary of what we have seen so far.

Q: The reason why we can risk everything for a man who dies on the cross, is because this cross is the climax of EVERYTHING.

3. THE CROSS IS THE CLIMAX OF EVERYTHING

Notice the three final words by him in v30 he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

It is Done. It is completed. It is finished.

This is the completion, the climax of scripture

four times - John writes “to fulfil scripture”

More than another passage in the gospel.

John wants us to see that all the OT prophesies land on the CROSS

The climax of scripture

It is also the climax of John’s gospel

All the threads that begun in John, land here.

The king of Israel.

The Son of Man lifted up,

The new temple.

The hour of his glorification

The good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep

REINFORCEMENT (Amp | Hearts Burning | STAR)

(A) This moment is like magnifying glass moment.

As Jesus says his finals words “IT IS FINISHED”

All of history, past, present and future is focussed here

The crowning of the universal King.

The great work of salvation.

Every hope, every longing of the human heart is met here.

At the cross.

v35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe.

The question

isn’t - why would you risk everything for Jesus who died on the cross?

rather - why wouldn’t you risk everything for Jesus who died on the cross.

THE CROSS IS THE CLIMAX OF EVERYTHING

(Long pause) count.. 1… 2… 3… 4… 5...

LAND (Worldview | Us)

Perhaps in the past, you used to carry a Cross-shaped keychain with the letters WWJD but today the cross holds little significance to you.

God is encouraging you today to take another look.

To reconsider, to pause and reflect.

There are only two perspectives on the cross

The first: just another man who died. Just another digit in the 110B.

The second: The place where

where forgiveness is found.

where reconcilation with God is obtained.

where you can be born again into a new family.

Will you have another look?

For many of us who already do much in the service of Jesus

I’m keenly aware that for many of you; following Jesus is costly.

For most of us Londeners who are time poor, it costly to serve him by giving up your time in his service

For some of us, it is costly relationally to follow him.

For others, it is costly at work to follow him.

Encouragement today is that it is worth it

It is worth risking all for Jesus.

It is worth taking even bigger risks for him.

Because the cross is

the climax of his kingship

the climax of his rescue

the climax of everything.

“It is finished.”