He Bore the Cross and Went Forth

Text: John 19:17

Occasion: Resurrection Sunday

I. Introduction: Building the Journey to the Cross

Speaking Notes:

Good morning, family.

This morning, as we stand on Resurrection Sunday, I praise God that He sent His Son—Jesus—to live, to die, and to rise again.

Let’s not forget who we're talking about here

The Lord of lords. The King of kings.

The Almighty, All-powerful, All-holy, All-knowing God of all creation—heaven and earth.

The One who commanded the seas to be still—and they obeyed.

The One who walked in the fire with the faithful.

The Great I Am, the Lily in the Valley, the Fourth Man in the Furnace.

The majestic, mind-blowing, undeniable God-Man—died so that we might have peace.

And this morning, we remember:

The gospel is not seasonal.

It’s not just for Easter—it’s for every day.

Because the tomb is still empty every day.

As we open the Word, we must understand—this is the focal point of the entire Bible.

From the very beginning, God has been pointing to this moment.

In Genesis 3, when Adam fell and sin entered the world, God declared a promise:

That One would come to crush the head of the serpent.

That was not a side note—it was the plan.

Every covenant, every prophecy, every shadow in the Old Testament pointed here—to the cross.

So when we read John 19:17, we’re not reading just another verse—we’re reading the hinge of redemptive history.

This is where heaven’s plan meets earth’s pain. Where holiness confronts sin. Where love goes to war for the lost.

II. Recap of the Journey to the Cross

Week 1 – The King We Expected vs. The King We Needed

Jesus entered Jerusalem, and the crowd shouted “Hosanna!”

But they didn’t want a Savior—they wanted a political fixer.

Their religion blinded them to relationship.

We asked: “Is the Jesus in your heart the same as the Jesus in the Bible?” “Is He enough if all He offers you is a cross before a crown?”

Week 2 – The Outsiders Who Saw Him

The Greeks came seeking Jesus—not the Jews.

The outsiders had hungry hearts; the insiders had hardened ones.

We asked: “Who are we missing with the gospel because they don’t fit our narrative?”

Week 3 – Dying to Bloom

Jesus taught that unless a grain of wheat dies, it remains alone.

But when it dies, it produces much fruit.

True life is found through dying to self.

“What’s keeping us from dying to ourselves and finding true life in Christ?”

III. Today – The Cross and the Christ (John 19:17)

Let’s open our Bibles to John 19:17:

“And He, bearing His cross, went forth…”

This verse isn’t just the next part of the story—this is the center of the story.

IV. Sermon Body: Expositional Points

1. He Went Out – The Willing Son

Text: John 19:17a

Jesus wasn’t dragged—He went willingly.

John 10:18 – "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord."

From Bethlehem to Calvary, Jesus walked willingly into suffering.

Application:

The story of Jonah illustrates a struggle with obedience. Initially, Jonah fled from God's command to preach to Nineveh. However, after his time in the belly of the fish, he realized the importance of obedience. His eventual preaching led to an entire city repenting. This story prompts us to ask ourselves: How often do we resist God’s calling and what might we miss if we do?

2. Bearing His Own Cross – The Weight of Substitution

Text: John 19:17b

Jesus carried more than wood—He carried sin.

Isaiah 53:4-6 – “He has borne our griefs…”

2 Corinthians 5:21 – “He became sin who knew no sin…”

Theological Note:

Jesus became what we are so we could become what He is—righteous.

3. To the Place of a Skull – The Destination of Wrath

Text: John 19:17c

Golgotha wasn’t random—it was where wrath and mercy met.

Genesis 3:15 – The seed crushing the serpent’s head is being fulfilled.

As Jesus climbed to Golgotha, He was embarking on a journey that Adam himself could not complete. This hill, known as the Place of a Skull, stood as a stark reminder of our failures and the weight of sin. Despite Adam’s inability to resist temptation, Jesus faced the wrath of the world. In this moment, where mercy and judgment collided, He fulfilled Genesis 3:15 by crushing the serpent's head, revealing that even our deepest failures can lead to redemption through Him.

4. What John Doesn’t Say – The Garden Before the Cross

Textual Context: Matthew 26:39

Before He went out, He wrestled with the Father’s will.

“If it be Your will, let this cup pass…”

And still, He walked toward wrath.

Key Line:

“In Gethsemane, Jesus looked into the cup—and still walked to the cross.”

5. If He Bore His Cross – We Must Bear Ours

Text: Luke 9:23

Jesus invites us to follow—not just in life, but in death to self.

He didn’t promise comfort—He promised a cross.

Application:

What’s stopping you from carrying your cross?

If Jesus ran toward suffering out of love, why do we run from obedience?

V. Gospel Invitation & Encouragement

To the Unbeliever:

Don’t just admire the cross—run to it.

Repent. Believe. Be saved.

To the Believer:

Don’t just remember the cross—carry it.

Die to self. Live for Christ. Worship daily.

Closing Scripture:

John 19:17 – “And He, bearing His cross, went forth…”

Final Charge:

The cross wasn’t a detour—it was the destination.

Let it move you. Let it break you. Let it transform you.

Worship the One who bore it—for you.