JESUS: THE SUFFERING SAVIOR JESUS: THE SACRIFICE FOR THOSE WHO NEED REDEMPTION

JESUS: THE SUFFERING SAVIOR

JESUS: THE SACRIFICE FOR THOSE WHO NEED REDEMPTION

ETS: THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS SATISFIED GOD’S RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENT FOR THE SINS OF MAN, AND IT FULFILLED PROPHECIES RELATED TO THE MESSIAH.

ESS: THE ACCOUNT OF THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS NOT ONLY REMINDS US THAT GOD’S REQUIREMENT FOR REDEMPTION WAS SATISFIED, IT ALSO GIVES US CONFIDENCE BECAUSE IT FULFILLED PROPHECIES RELATED TO THE MESSIAH.

OSS: TO CONVINCE NON-BELIEVERS THAT THE DEATH OF CHRIST ATONED FOR THE SINS OF ALL MANKIND, AND TO STRENGTHEN BELIEVERS BECAUSE OF FULFILLED PROPHECIES.

PQ: HAVE YOU RECEIVED GOD’S GIFT OF SALVATION, MADE AVAILABLE BY THE SACRIFICIAL DEATH OF CHRIST? IF SO, ARE YOU LIVING IN CONFIDENT FAITH?

UW: FULFILL

INTRODUCTION:

FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, I HAVE BEEN PREACHING THROUGH MAJOR EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF JESUS AS RECORDED IN JOHN’S GOSPEL…

WE WILL FINISH THIS SERIES ON EASTER SUNDAY, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE RESURRECTION ACCOUNT…

BUT THIS MORNING, I WANT TO USE OUR TIME TOGETHER TO LOOK AT THE ACCOUNT OF THE CRUCIFIXION…

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS HARDLY UNDERSTANDABLE WITHOUT THE DEATH OF JESUS, AND VICE-VERSA, SO IF YOU HAVE YOUR COPY OF GOD’S WORD, PLEASE OPEN TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, CHAPTER 19, AND I WANT US TO READ VERSES 1 THROUGH 16 TO GET STARTED…

STAND – READ – PRAY

THERE ARE MANY DIRECTIONS WE COULD GO WITH THIS ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF JESUS…

WE COULD TALK ABOUT THE BRUTALITY OF HIS DEATH, HIS FINAL STATEMENTS FROM THE CROSS, ONLY FOUR OF WHICH ARE RECORDED BY JOHN…

WE COULD TALK ABOUT THE ACTIONS OF THE ROMAN SOLDIERS AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THOSE ACTIONS…

WE COULD EVEN LOOK AT THIS ACCOUNT FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THOSE WHO WITNESSED HIS CRUCIFIXION AND THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN HIS BURIAL…

BUT WHAT I WANT US TO DO THIS MORNING IS LOOK AT THIS ACCOUNT AND BE REMINDED THE DEATH OF CHRIST SATISFIED GOD’S REQUIREMENT TO PAY FOR THE SINS OF ALL MANKIND

AND THAT THE FULFILLED PROPHECIES IN THIS PASSAGE GIVE US CONFIDENCE TO PUT OUR FAITH IN HIM, AND TO CONTINUE TO TRUST AND SERVE HIM.

SO LET ME POINT OUT A FEW TRUTHS IN THIS PASSAGE…

1. THE GUILTLESS WAS PUNISHED FOR THE GUILTY.

a. SEVERELY BEATEN.

i. DO NOT BE MISLED BY JOHN’S LESS THAN GORY ACCOUNT OF THE SCOURGING OF JESUS.

ii. – THEN PILATE TOOK JESUS AND FLOGGED HIM.

iii. – THEN HE RELEASED FOR THEM BARABBAS, AND HAVING SCOURGED JESUS, DELIVERED HIM TO BE CRUCIFIED.

1. FOOTNOTE – SCOURGING – A ROMAN JUDICIAL PENALTY, CONSISTING OF A SEVERE BEATING WITH A MULTI-LASHED WHIP CONTAINING IMBEDDED PIECES OF BONE AND METAL.

b. FALSELY ACCUSED.

i. HE WAS ACCUSED OF MAKING HIMSELF THE SON OF GOD…

1. THE CHARGE AGAINST JESUS WAS BLASPHEMY…

2. AND THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT JESUS CLAIMED TO BE THE SON OF GOD…

3. THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT JESUS CLAIMED TO BE ONE WITH THE FATHER…

4. BUT HIS CLAIMS WERE NOT BLASPHEMOUS, BECAUSE THEY WERE TRUE…

5. AND IF YOU REALLY THINK OF THE DEFINITION OF BLASPHEMY, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE JEWISH AUTHORITIES WERE LESS CONCERNED WITH JUSTICE AND MORE CONCERNED WITH CONVINCING PILATE TO CARRY OUT SOMETHING THEY KNEW WAS WRONG…

ii. NOT ONLY WAS HE SEVERELY BEATEN, NOT ONLY WAS HE FALSELY ACCUSED…

c. HE WAS ALSO DECLARED NOT GUILTY.

i. TWICE IN THIS PASSAGE, FIRST IN VERSE 4, THEN AGAIN IN VERSE 6, PILATE STATES THAT HE FINDS NO GUILT IN HIM…

d. YET STILL, HE WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH.

e. AND THE GUILTLESS WAS PUNISHED FOR THE GUILTY…

2. THE SCRIPTURES WERE FULFILLED.

a. (ESV) – 24 SO THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER, “LET US NOT TEAR IT, BUT CAST LOTS FOR IT TO SEE WHOSE IT SHALL BE.” 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…

Psalm 22:18 ESV

they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

Psalm 22:18 ESV

they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

(ESV) -  they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

b. (ESV) – 28 AFTER THIS, JESUS, KNOWING THAT ALL WAS NOW FINISHED, SAID (TO FULFILL THE SCRIPTURE), “I THIRST.”

b. (ESV) – 28 AFTER THIS, JESUS, KNOWING THAT ALL WAS NOW FINISHED, SAID (TO FULFILL THE SCRIPTURE), “I THIRST.”

15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

 (ESV) - my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

c. (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.”

MUNBERS 9:12 (ESV) - They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it.

 (ESV) - “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

d. WHY ARE THESE FULFILLMENT'S IMPORTANT?

e. BECAUSE THEY GIVE US CONFIDENCE THAT JESUS TRULY IS WHO HE CLAIMED TO BE...

F. AND IF HE IS WHO CLAIMED TO BE, WE CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT HIS SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS WILL DO WHAT IT CLAIMS TO DO...

G. IT WILL PROVIDE SALVATION FOR THOSE WHO TRUST HIM...

SO, WE SEE THAT THE GUILTLESS (THAT’S JESUS) WAS PUNISHED FOR THE GUILTY (THAT’S US).

AND WE SEE THAT WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HIM BECAUSE OF FULFILLED PROPHECY...

BUT HERE’S WHAT REALLY EXCITES ME ABOUT THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS...

3. HE WAS JUST GETTING STARTED...

a. – WHEN JESUS HAD RECEIVED THE SOUR WINE, HE SAID, “IT IS FINISHED,” AND HE BOWED HIS HEAD AND GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT.

b. HERE’S WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE DEATH OF JESUS.

i. SACRIFICE IS ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF LOVE.

ii. LOVE IS COSTLY.

1. MOST OF US ARE NO STRANGER TO SACRIFICE…

a. BECAUSE WE LOVE THE PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES, WE ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR THEM…

b. I THINK ABOUT THE MOTHER WHO SITS UP ALL NIGHT WITH A SICK CHILD…

c. OR THE FATHER WHO WORKS TWO JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET…

d. I THINK ABOUT THE MISSIONARY WHO TRAVELS ACROSS THE STREET OR ACROSS THE WORLD TO SHARE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST WITH PEOPLE NEED REDEMPTION…

e. ALL THESE ARE SACRFICIAL ACTS BORNE OUT OF LOVE…

2. AND THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS IS THE SAME…

3. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS BOWED HIS…AND GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT…

a. HE SACRIFICED HIS LIFE…BECAUSE OF THE GREAT LOVE HE HAD FOR YOU…AND FOR ME…

b. JESUS UNDERSTOOD THAT LOVE IS COSTLY…

c. BUT HE WILLINGLY GAVE UP HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT

iii. HIS SACRIFICE WOULD GIVE US A WAY TO BE SET FREE FROM THE JUST PENALTY OF SIN.

1. THERE WAS ONLY ONE WAY THIS COULD GO DOWN…

a. JESUS HAD TO DIE…

b. NO OTHER METHOD WOULD SATISFY GOD…

c. IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE ACCESS TO ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN, ONLY A PERFECT SACRIFICE WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE…

d. SO JESUS WILLINGLY WENT TO THE CROSS AND HUNG THERE ON OUR BEHALF…

2. AND HE BOWED HIS HEAD…AND GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT…

iv. AND THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS SEEMED LIKE THE END, BUT IT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING…

1. HERE’S ONE THING I’M SURE OF…

a. NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE…NO MATTER WHAT YOU’VE DONE…NO MATTER HOW BAD YOU THINK THINGS ARE…

b. THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST IS SUFFICIENT…

c. IT’S SUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME YOUR BROKEN PERSONALITY…

d. IT’S SUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME THE SINS YOU HAVE COMMITTED…

e. IT’S SUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME YOUR SITUATION…

2. BUT IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE A TRUTH IN YOUR LIFE…

a. YOU MUST SURRENDER YOUR SELF, YOUR SIN, AND YOUR SITUATION TO JESUS CHRIST…

CONCLUSION:

GERALD L. BORCHERT – THE CHURCH OFTEN IS OBSESSED WITH JESUS’ DEATH AND BLOOD, YET JOHN, LIKE PAUL, WANTS CHRISTIANS TO SEE BEYOND THE DEATH TO THE RESURRECTION AND LIFE.

NEXT WEEK, WE WILL COMPLETE THIS SERIES ON THE LIFE OF JESUS AS WE LOOK BEYOND HIS DEATH TO HIS RESURRECTION AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TRUSTED CHRIST…

BUT TODAY,