John 19:18-42 Jesus’ death. What happens in Jesus’ death? (It is finished).

John 19:28-42 Jesus’ death. What happens in Jesus’ death? (It is finished).

After questioning Jesus and trying to get him released, flogging him, Pilate gives Jesus over to be crucified,

Jesus carries his cross, to Golgotha, and is crucified between two other people.  John dose not give many gruesome details. But for the early audience they would know what crucifixion was. 

Pilate in spite or in getting his way writes a sign with the accusation and put it on Jesus’ cross, in Aramaic, Latin and Greek, for all to read. Jesus of “Nazareth, King of the Jews”.  For all to read as they passed by. The chief priests were mad and wanted Pilate to correct the sign, but Pilate did not do that. (I think that is funny). What is the problem with the accusation? – That is not the reason the Jews wanted Jesus killed as we read last time it was because Jesus clamed to be the son of God.(Jesus never said he was the king of the Jews, never called him self the son of man, not messiah. Made up charges).

The soldiers – got to keep what the crucified people had, so the soldiers 4 solders divided what Jesus had, and the cast lots for his tunic, - and for filled the Old testament scriptures as they did it. Psalm 22:

The people near the cross, was Jesus’ mother Mary and her sister, Mary married with Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. The bellowed disciple is also nearby, - Jesus provides for his mother someone to take care of her, - Jesus tells his mother that she has a new son. That would take care of her. And the disciple did that from then on. Wonderful, even in his physical death Jesus provides for his mother. (he would provide for all who will believe in him in his death and resurrection). 

Jesus knowing that all was now finished – then Jesus said to fulfill the Scripture, I thirst, psalm 69:21.  Jesus knows in his life when it is not his time and when it is his time and when all is fulfilled. Jesus knows, his life and death is no surprise to him. He had lived the life God and he had planed and now it was time to die. Before that they gave Jesus some sour wine, - after that Jesus said the words “It is finished!” – bowed his head and gave up his spirt.

I will come back to why Jesus died and what does it mean that it is finished?

Before that we will se what happened after Jesus is death. In 31 The Jews asked if they could break the legs of the crucified people – because they wanted them to die faster so they could take them down before the Sabbath, (- the people taking them down would become unclean).

The soldiers broke the legs of the other 2 but Jesus was death, so they did not break his bones as it was prophesied, Psalm 34:20- instead one soldier pierced Jesus side wit a spar, and blood and water came out. (as Zariaha wrote in 12:10)

John is there to see it and he is giving true testimony about what happened. Why? Because this it what happed and he wants people to know, that Jesus really lived and died, - and that might people  believe – (in a death man – no, John is not done with the telling his story about Jesus, in the risen Lord, Messiah God, that Gave his life for all who would believe in him).

But what about the body of Jesus? Joseph of Arimathea, - a disciple of Jesus in secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate for Jesus body – and he was granted to take it.  Nicodemus – we meet in chapter 3, where Jesus was teaching him, he needed to be born again, and in 7 where Nicodemus speaks up against condemning Jesus without a hearing, came with mixture of myrrh and aloes, - 2,4 kg – they bond the body in linen cloth and spices and custom was. And they laid him in a new tomb, a garden near where he was crucified. They honored Jesus in his death. 

As I would say in a Good Friday massage, this does not seem to be good news, that the one the disciples and others had put their faith and trust in is now death, their hopes are shredded. Did they waste their time and money traveling around with Jesus? It looks like evil have won, the light of the world extinguished, the prince of the world ruling and reigning, Jesus enemies made him silent in his death, stopped him from teaching.

But that was a mistake, in Jesus’ death, Jesus did what he said he would. Lay down his life for the sheep, proving he is the true good Shepard of Gods people. Unlike the false and evil Shepard’s that was about them self and their gain, unwilling to serve the people.  

Jesus knowing that all was finished, what did that mean? Well, it means that Jesus had done all that God had asked him to do in his life, all was done, (Teaching healing, meeting with people showing what the restored life looks like) a perfect life lived for the glory of God and his praise, by the Holy Spirt. A perfect life all, where all that God said and asked Jesus to do he did. It was finished. And something new was about to happen – because what happened in Jesus’ death?

It looked like evil won, but it was the defeat of evil, - taking away every possibility of accusations from the enemy, about guilt, shame, and removing the wrath of God against us and our sin.

As we saw in the story as Barabbas is set free, and as the shape goat – Jesus becomes the substitute for the guilty, a substitute that dies in place of the guilty. What the whole system of sacrifice was pointing to, as the author of Hebrews writes: For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 10:4 – it was a yearly reminder for the people to trust in God’s provision. Jesus was God’s plan, God in Jesus paying the price for our sin, as we saw in John 3 How God loved the world and send his son, that people could have everlasting life in him and not perish.

Jesus is the willing offering that can take away our sin, the substitute that pays for our sin, the only one that could pay for our sin and rebellion against God, with a perfect life, and obedience to the cross, Jesus saw the cross was going to be his glory and was going to bring joy - providing salvation and new life for all who would come to him.

 Jesus makes us free and clean in his death, and from his life we can be perfect and Holy because Jesus gives us his righteousness. Takes out sin, gives us his clothes to wear – his perfect life, that Gods sees that when looking on us, made holy by Jesus,

Cleaned – washed clean

Justified – made right in Gods eyes.

Righteous – Holy in Jesus works.

Jesus also brings us atonement from God,                       

Jesus the true Passover lamb, - that removed death form the people.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Co 5:21.

John 1:29 – John the Baptist statement was coming true. – behold the lamb of God; who takes away the sins of the world. 

What are we to do? It is to late. It is done… Jesus Christ did it is finished, - we are asked to believe it. And live it out.