It’s Just Jesus

Greeting

Good evening Lighthouse. We are so grateful that you have made it a priority to be here on this Good Friday, as we remember the death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Before we take communion together I want to turn your attention to the reading of God’s word, and this thought that I have for today.

John 19:16–19 (NIV)

Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews.

John 19:25 (NIV)

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

It’s Just Jesus

Introduction

I want you to imagine for a second that man has been falsely accused of committing a crime.

He’s been brought before a judge who has examined him and cannot find any evidence for convicting this man with any crimes.

But as is the process, he then turns this man over to a jury of his peers. To the surprise of the judge the jury has found him guilty.

The judge is speechless. He argues with the jury, but to no avail. He has no other option but to punish this man, even if it feels unjust.

As this man is about to endure the punishment for this false crime, his supporters are gathered. There are women, and there men. These are those who have been with this man and sat under his teachings. Surely, all of those who loved him and cared for him would be present in his final hours.

But that’s not the case…

There’s people missing that should be there.

These are people that love him.

These are people who grew up with him.

These are people that NEEDED TO BE THERE…

And yet, they’re not there.

Why is that? And, perhaps more importantly, who are they?

Transition

Tonight, as we fix our attention on the cross of Jesus, I want you to critically examine the text with me. Especially the second verse that I read.

John 19:25 NIV

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

The writer is careful to tell us both who is there, and who is not there.

And here is the question my mind is screaming, Where are Jesus’ siblings?

The Family

For those of you who didn’t know, Jesus had half brothers and sisters. We say that they are half because Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. There is this moment real early in the ministry of Jesus that when he was home and when he began to teach and preach the Kingdom of God, the city was not having it.

They began to ask, “Who does this guy think he is?” Here are there words, recorded in Mark’s gospel.

Mark 6:3 (NIV)

Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

To this city, Jesus wasn’t anyone special. He was Mary’s son. He’s just a carpenter.

[Transition]

BIG EMPHASIS: And, it’s one thing for the city to doubt you. But, it’s another thing to also be doubted by your family.

[Pause]

You see, in John’s gospel he makes it a point to tell us that Jesus dealt with unbelief from within his own family.

John 7:5 (NIV)

For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

Here in the text, Jesus was already starting to perform miracles and teach about the Kingdom of God. His disciples were beginning to believe that Jesus was anointed. He was like a prophet. He was doing things that no one else had done before he came. They’re starting to believe that Jesus is SOMEONE.

So they told Jesus we need to get you out. We need to get you exposed. More people need to see you!

We need to get you trending right now Jesus.

You need to go viral.

And part of the reason they said that, was because Jesus’ own brothers were skeptical of him.

Yea, that’s great that Jesus is doing some cool things, but he’s just a man.

It’s just Jesus.

He’s not anyone special…

Familiarity Breeds Contempt

Have you ever heard the saying, “Familiarity Breeds Contempt”?

It is this idea that close association with someone leads to a loss of respect for them.

John 7:5 shows us that Jesus’ own brothers did not believe in him, and throughout the ministry of Jesus that doesn’t seem to change anything. Right up until the very end, when Jesus is brought before Pilate and he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, they aren’t around.

I don’t know if your family has ever had legal trouble or if you’ve had a relative that was having to go to court or face some time in jail. But if you have ever been there, you know that you’ll do anything in your power to come to the aid of your loved one.

Listen, your family member can be wrong, but out of your love for that person, you want to still help in any way that you can.

This is why I can’t help but wonder, when John writes that Mary was near the cross, but ask myself, where are his brothers? Where are his sisters?

And while I can’t give you a reason as to why they weren’t there, I can only imagine some of the reasons that they did not show up…

Self Preservation - If a person is claiming to be a King, then once the King is killed the next of kin becomes the King. Perhaps they weren’t around because they didn’t want to end up like Jesus.

Unbelief - Jesus said some crazy things in his lifetime. He once said that unless you drink his blood and eat his flesh you have no part in him. Perhaps they just flat out thought that big brother was out of his mind.

Religious Objection - If I give them the benefit of the doubt, they might have been like the Pharisees, waiting for the Messiah to come. And there’s no way our big brother is the Messiah. He’s a carpenters son! He isn’t a military man, and he has to capacity to lead our nation.

Whatever the reason they carried with them, here is what I know - Jesus’ death on the cross was still for them.

Jesus didn’t just die for the ones who believed in him, but he also died for the ones that didn’t.

Unlike us in our fallen humanity, Jesus wasn’t picking favorites or playing to one side of the aisle.

No, Jesus, the lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world was on a mission to save every person regardless of their color, regardless of their upbringing, regardless of their gender, regardless of their social status, or any other thing that we let divide us. He went to the cross for everyone, so that anyone calling on the name of the Lord could be saved!

Jesus Appears to James

Now, we’re going to jump ahead to Jesus’ resurrection for a moment, because I need for you to see how their absence at the cross did not disqualify God’s purpose for their life.

Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians that after Jesus’ resurrection he made it a point to show himself to one brother in particular, and his name is James.

1 Corinthians 15:7 (NIV)

Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,

If you are wondering why Paul was so careful to include this note, it is because of who James would become:

James would not only become a follower of Jesus, but James would be numbered among the Apostles. In Galatians, Paul calls James an Apostle.

James would work closely in Jerusalem preaching the gospel of Jesus, and when the first leader of the church, Peter, would leave Jerusalem to advance the gospel throughout the world, it was James who would become the leader of the church in Jerusalem.

It was James who would lead the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 and would lay down the framework or the rules for a Gentile Christian. This was a big uproar in the early church, and it was James’ judgment that put the issue to rest and gave direction for the church.

Finally, there is a book in our Bibles that was James’ letter to the early church. James wrote a letter that would be included in the cannon of scripture.

The fact that James wasn’t at the cross in no way changed Jesus’ love towards him.

James wasn’t with Jesus at the cross, but Jesus was with James in his doubt.

James wasn’t with Jesus at the cross, but Jesus was with James in his fear.

This lets me know that regardless of the condition that I am in, Jesus is willing to show up in my life and show me his love, and show me his grace, and show me his mercy.

I might have messed up, but Jesus still loves me! Jesus still saved me. Jesus still thinks that I am worth it.

Conclusion

When Jesus laid down his life on the cross, the scriptures record that in that moment, the veil in the temple that separated the mercy seat of God from humanity was torn from the top to the bottom. It was a moment that demonstrated that there is no barrier between you and Him.

Let me say that a different way…

The only barriers to Jesus are the ones you create.

He died to remove anything that would separate you from a loving relationship with Him.

Maybe, like James, you’ve done things that make you feel like Jesus won’t come close to you. Let me tell you that nothing can separate you from the love of God. Nothing.

And in the same way that Jesus came back for James, He is here right now, and He is coming back for some of you today.

You walked in with an addiction, but Jesus is back for you.

You walked in and you are harming yourself, but Jesus is back for you.

You walked in and you’re living in sin, but Jesus is back for you.

You walked in and you feel like you let God down… but Jesus is back for you.

Call followed by Communion

Now before we take communion I believe there might be some people here tonight that have not surrendered their life to Jesus, and right now I’d like to give you that chance. What a beautiful day to surrender your life to him. Or there might be someone here who has walked away from a life of following Jesus, and you’re ready to come back home today. I want to pray for you too.

Right now we are going to pray for a New Start, and a Fresh Start.

If that’s you would you hold up your hand right now and then I will lead you in prayer.

Communion

Now let’s take communion together:

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body , which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”