His Pain - Your Purpose

Mark 15:1-15

The 4 Gospels

Matthew 27:This chapter narrates the events leading up to the crucifixion, including Jesus' trial before Pilate, the betrayal by Judas, and the crowd's demand for Jesus' crucifixion. It also describes the crucifixion itself, the darkness that fell upon the land, and Jesus' death. 

Mark 15:Similar to Matthew, Mark recounts Jesus' condemnation, the crucifixion, and his death. Mark also highlights the inscription on the cross: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews". 

Luke 23:Luke's account includes the dialogue between Jesus and the criminal on the cross, and Jesus' prayer for forgiveness for his executioners. 

John 19:John's Gospel emphasizes the fulfillment of prophecy in Jesus' death, including the division of his garments and the spear thrust into his side

Even when it seemed like Jesus was losing, He was in control. God was always in control. The people that were ridiculing Jesus thought they were winning. But they were all part of God’s perfect plan.

Today is a day to reflect and celebrate what Jesus did for us by sacrificing His life. We spend time praising Him for rising from the dead. We praise Him for victory. We praise Him for conquering death and the grave. For His ultimate victory over the devil. For fulfilling all the prophecies told concern the people’s redemption to God since the sin committed in the Garden of Eden.

Let’s take a step back at look at what He had to endure in order for the purpose to be fulfilled.

The Process

Crucifixion was reserved for the worst criminals. It was painful, humiliating, and inhumane. Why would God allow His son to go through a process such as this? Nothing glamorous about it.

Remember that this was an innocent man being put to death in the most barbaric way possible because of who He was.

Job was a blameless man that God gave the devil permission to attack and cause him to lose everything because of who he was. God knew he would not curse him but would bless His name inspite of? Can God say the same about you? When trials and tribulations come because of who you are. Because of your purpose.

They called Jesus a criminal said that He was wicked and deserving of death.

This process was not just Jesus being nailed to the cross. For a long time when I was growing up that was the focus of what we were taught . But before the promise could be fulfilled, before the mission was complete, before victory came, there was a process. We like to avoid the process.

Through the pain, through the process there is Purpose.

Beating

He was beaten within an inch of His life with a nine-tailed whip that had metal tips on the end of every strap. They strapped Him to a block while soldiers beat the shard tips of the whip into His back, buttocks, and legs. The metal tips would tear into His flesh and then rip both His skin and muscles away as the soldiers pulled the whip back - just to thrash it into His skin again.

The initial beating alone was enough to cause hypovolemic shock. This occurs when there is a loss of approximately 20% or more of the body’s blood supply. This causes nausea, dizziness, profuse sweating, confusion, and loss of consciousness.

Jesus allowed them to continue. From His Pain to your Purpose.

Crown of Thorns

Then a crown of thorns was forced onto His head causing huge lacerations. The blood from these wounds lowing into His eyes causing burning and making it difficult to see. The soldiers covered Him with a purple robe and mocked Him by saying: "Hail, the King of the Jews!" They hit Jesus on the head with a reed, spit on Him and continued to humiliate Him beyond belief.

Jesus still said nothing.

But with us the least offense, or being cutoff in traffic, or someone lies on us we have to address it. We have to make our point, we have to be heard. How dare they think they got one up on me. Jesus was sure in who He was and what His purpose was that He was called to fulfill.

Carrying the Cross

Jesus was forced to carry a wooden beam to the place of His crucifixion. This beam would have been extremely heavy and after the beating Jesus would have been immensely weak. He was so weak that He needed assistance carrying it. The beam was made of wood and not sanded. So it this was really rough and jagged and very splintered. Imagine Jesus carrying the this ragged plank and it moving up and down His back, shoving huge splinters into His open flesh.

Imagine Jesus hanging from the cross and trying to shift his weight to relieve pressure.

As He would shift His weight from His feet to His arms then back to His feet, His back would rub against the splintered wood, causing a constant stabbing into the open wounds. Some of the wooden shreds remained lodged in the muscles.

His Pain for Your Purpose

Nailed to the Cross

The vertical beam that would hold the horizontal beam was already standing in the ground. Jesus was nailed to the horizontal beam while it was still flat on the ground.

Jesus was nailed to the cross through His wrists. The palm of His hands would not have been strong enough to hold his weight.

The nails were driven into Jesus’ wrists and pierced the main nerve running through the arm. When Jesus would push up to breathe, His wrists rotated against the nail, which would irritate the nerves and cause intense pain in His arms. Excruciating pain that had to be endured every time Jesus pulled up to breathe.

With His wrists nailed into the horizontal beam, the beam was lifted and then hammered into the vertical beam. When this happened, Jesus’ feet still were not nailed into the vertical beam.

At this point, Jesus’ shoulders would have dislocated because He had no leverage to push His body up. The weight of His hanging body, once it was raised, would have pulled His shoulders out of socket. The result of this was that His arms would extend at least 6 inches beyond their normal span of reach.

With His shoulders dislocated, His body hung in a slumped position, which forced His chest cavity to protrude. An extended chest cavity allowed Jesus to inhale, but exhaling was nearly impossible. The inability to exhale caused an increase in carbon dioxide throughout the body. Essentially there is not enough oxygen getting through the body so He hyperventilating.

When Jesus hung on the cross, His knees were bent at a 45-degree angle which meant that He had to sustain the weight of His body with the thigh muscles. It is painful to bend the knees and support one’s weight with the thighs.

These things did not happen in sequence - with one occurring and the then the next - which would have given Jesus time to prepare. Every single bodily response to crucifixion happened at the same time. The combined effect of all of these things happening to the body at once is beyond comprehension.

His Pain for Your Purpose

Pierced His sides and broke His Legs

They pierced His sides to make sure he was dead. There was a flow of blood and water. The blood symbolizes redemption, for sins, while the water symbolizes life and the Holy Spirit. To further ensure Jesus could not escape after all that they put him through they broke His legs.

Jesus suffered this immense torture for us. He took our place. He bore our sins.

Why would He go through this for us?

The cross is the symbol of the severity of our sins. Let me remind you that we have all sinned and fallen short. When we see what Jesus went through, we have to realize that this is what WE deserved. Sin is serious to God. Our sins separate us from Him. But...

God’s love has no bounds and it led Him to the cross, to show us the immeasurable lengths He would go to so that we could be saved. His love for us is so great that He suffered and died for us.

7 last sayings

In the midst of Jesus dying He was still concerned for others. He was still fulfilling His purpose in the midst of His persucution.

Jesus says:

Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. He is asking for forgiveness for those that persecute Him.

Today you will be with me in Paradise. He is offering salvation to a thief that is being crucified next to him.

Woman behold your son! Behold, your mother? Jesus entrusts his mother to John to look after and so that Mary can look out for John during this difficult time.

My God, my God why have you forsaken me? Jesus is feeling abandoned and sorrowful.

I thirst. Jesus was physically thirsty. The response was a sponge drenched in vinegar and squeezed in His mouth. Jesus was Spiritually thirsting for the salvation of all people.

It is finished. His pain His suffering had fulfilled the promise. The work of redemption has been completed.

Father into your hands I commend my spirit. Jesus surrenders. He gives up His life in complete trust and obedience.

Those struggles that we are dealing with that are not of God He will not take it. You have to surrender it to Him. Your deliverance your victory is in your surrender. You have to be obedient. If Jesus had to be obedient we are not exempt. In order for you to see the fulfillment of your purpose you have to surrender in complete trust and obedience.

He Got Up

We know that on the third day He rose. He is not dead. He is alive. Because He is Risen we have purpose. Because He rose we have victory. We are more than conquerors. Because He lives we have a reason to praise Him. Because He lives we have access to deliverance and healing. God can do anything but fail. His pain was so that we can have purpose. Without His sacrifice we would not be here. God knew we would need a saviour and He created one for us so that we would not die in sin. But you have to accept Him. You need to rededicate your life. Recommit to Him. Be 10 toes down with Jesus. That is the only way you win. He’s the answer to your problems. He’s your healer, mind, body, and soul.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures

Matthew 28:18-20

King James Version Chapter 28

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Your Purpose

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 KJV 1900

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Purpose - is the reason something was created or why it exists.

Reflect God’s image - His character and purpose

Have a relationship with Him

Take care of His creation

Glorify God

Live in a way that reflects His character and purpose

our words

attitudes

actions

Praising and Worshipping

Your purpose is to trust and obey God. He has ordered your steps. He will direct your path.

You ask the question - What is my purpose? It is to acknowledge the Lord in all your ways and He will direct your path. Proverbs 3:6 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added. Matthew 6:33 What is all? All is all. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Psalm 37:23 If you do these things your purpose is clear. Jesus suffered, died, and rose with victory so that your purpose would be fulfilled in Earth as it is in Heaven. It’s fulfilled in Heaven first. So if it’s fulfilled in Heaven which you clearly have no control over why are you trying to control what happens here on Earth? Surrender and be obedient

Jeremiah 29:11–13 KJV 1900

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.