The Murder of Jesus of Nazareth

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The death of Jesus demonstrates the wickedness of men on earth and the power of God to save.

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The central figure in Christianity is the Cross. We celebrate a murder.
The Christian message is that Men need salvation! Men need saving. This is an insulting claim to the modern mind.
We consider ourselves not in need of anything, or if we need something it’s definitely not something that drastic. Give us social help, better society uplifting. But the Christian message stands in opposition to this and says what men need is a change at their core. You and I stand in need. There is no soundness in them:
Isaiah 1:6 ESV
6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.
So how do we answer our objectors that men aren’t that bad. What do we have to say you this morning that vainly believes yourself okay???
May I present exibit A! The Cross! This is where we see the evil in men at it’s height. There has never been a more unjust action ever perpetrated. The one innocent and righteous person who ever walked this earth is wickedly and intentionally put to death.

The Perpetrators of the Cross

Wicked Men with Wicked Aims

Pilate
On the Surface
He was a people pleaser.
He as the governor of the entire province, he was the one guy who had the power of life and death over all the people in the land. and he asks, “what will you have me do with him?”
Mark 15:15 ESV
15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Being a people pleaser crucified the Son of God.
He was morally indifferent.
He was un-phased at killing an innocent man. He is more concerned with keeping the peace in his province than doing right. He is only concerned with doing right so far as it promotes himself and his interests. The only way to get a fair trial with Pilate is to make it in his best interest.
He’s indifferent with Jesus, he won’t take responsibility for his actions. He prefers Jesus, finds no fault with him, but he won’t risk the peace of his kingdom for him.
In Reality
This was the Son of God. The very creator of the universe. Pilate’s sin is against his maker. He prefers to please the crowd that to please the one true God. He is indifferent as it comes to the one area that matters, the one true God. Be indifferent about you sports team, or about what you eat for breakfast, rather be indifferent about anything but don’t be indifferent about GOD! What a FOOL! WHAT A WICKED, POMPOUS, UNRIGHTEOUS, APETHETIC FOOL!
Some Today are Pilate’s in their Own RIght
Apethetic about Jesus, and care very little for him.
Spend more energy seeking to please fellow men than God.
The Crowd in General
Fickle in Their Commitment to Jesus
They are the ones calling for the death of Jesus. FICKLE
Mark 15:13–14 ESV
13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.”
Mark 15:14 ESV
14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.”
Mark 15:11–14 ESV
11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.”
Mark 15:
These were likely the same people praising him in his arrival
These were likely the same people praising him in his arrival
Mark 11:9–10 ESV
9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
Mark 11:9
They are now calling for the murder of an innocent man., and asking for the release of a murderer. These are wicked, fickle people. They are at the heights of praise one minute, and at the lowest of the low, dogs, and murderers the next.
Together Unprofitable
If we men can just get together and agree then we can have progress, peace. What the world needs is unity and then we can have progress. Better laws and structures will make the world better.
The example of this crowd demonstrates its not so., together uprofitable.
The example of our culture demonstrates it too.
Psalm 22:16 ESV
16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—
In Reality
This was a murder against God’s Son the only righteous one. They were fickle and swaying when it comes to their creator. Be fickle about anything, but don’t be fickle about Him.
The Soldiers
Make a masquerade of praise.
Read vs. 16-20
These men took pleasure in evil, and not only did they kill men, they made sport of it. They ridiculed and humiliated their victims. They took pleasure in the death of men. They feigned worship of Jesus made a mockery of Him.
Psalm 22:16–18 ESV
16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— 17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
Psalm 22:
Greedy to make a profit
Showed more concern over his clothes than of Him!
In Reality
They mocked the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! They ridiculed with zeal the very God who made them. They spit upon the thrice Holy God at whom every knee will bow and every tongue will confess.
Many Do the Same Today
The Growing Hostility towards Christians
The Murder of Christians across the world
The Center for the Study of Global Christianity, an academic research center that monitors worldwide demographic trends in Christianity, estimates that between the years 2005 and 2015, 900,000 Christians were martyred — an average of 90,000 Christians each year GOOGLE
The Thieves
The guilty, murdering thieves are railing on the innocent one. Even in death men are committing atrocities.
Religious Leaders
Full of religious pride. The very men you would expect to teach the way to love God and honor him, and the leaders in the greatest crime ever. They professed to love God in one breath, and then kill him with the next. Why? Because their religion became a source of pride.
Their religion was about them.
Mark 15:10 ESV
10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.
Your religion can’t save you. Your system of works can’t save you, in the end you’ll end up murdering the Son of God. Whenever Jesus gets in the way of your system, down with Jesus!
Even today men are using religion to boost themselves up, and they are crucifying Jesus afresh and putting him to a open shame!

Your Culpability

When you do the very things they do, you show yourself of the same character.
Your sins placed him on the cross
2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Mark 10:45 ESV
45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Evil engulfed Jesus on the cross,

God was the Perpetrator

The darkest day of history, God was present, active, and purposing
Acts 2:22–24 ESV
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
Acts 4:27–28 ESV
27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
This shows God is present in darkness even when we can’t see him.

The Person on the Cross

His Crime

“The King of the Jews” vs. 2
Blasphemy wouldn’t have any swap with Pilate
So they couched it in terms Pilate would get.
Exposing sin was the real crime
John 15:22 ESV
22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

No Mere Man

His Punishment

Humiliation vs. 20 Around 600 soldiers
Torture (Flagelium) vs 15
The NIV Application Commentary: Mark The Scourging and Mockery of Jesus

Prisoners to be flogged were bound to a pillar or post and given strokes with a flagellum. This lash was different from the simple whip. It consisted of leather thongs plaited with pieces of bone, lead, or bronze. It was fittingly called a scorpion. There were no prescribed number of lashes, and sometimes the scourging itself was fatal. The balls (sometimes having hooks) would cause deep contusions as the flesh was literally ripped into bloody ribbons. Significant blood loss could also occur, critically weakening the victim. It was so horrible that Suetonius claimed even the cruel emperor Domitian was appalled by it.

Death By Crucifixion (a slow death)
Asphyxiation- deprived of oxygen
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Medical Hypotheses

hypovolemic shock, heart failure, and dehydration

Psalm 22:14–15 ESV
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
Abandonement
Psalm 53:3 ESV
3 They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Isaiah 53:3 ESV
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

His Character

Humble/meek
Unfaltering faith in God
Obedient till death
Steadfast in commitment to save his people
In those few hours hang all the hope for mankind. Your eternal future rested in whether he could endure, and endure he did. What a Man! The God-Man Christ Jesus.

The Purpose of the Cross

Teaches us about God

His hatred for Sin (Hides his face) vs. 33
Darkness over the Earth
He is mighty to Save (Weakness made strong)
He is overwhelmingly love
1 John 4:9 ESV
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
John 3:16 ESV
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Reconciles us to God (Veil Torn) vs. 38

This happened as he cried “It is finished”
This signifies the way to God is now open.
The Temple Worship System Signifies God is not reconciled.
Hebrews 10:12–14 ESV
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Isaiah 53:11 ESV
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Men are won to Faith in Christ (Centurion) vs. 39

Even the most hardened sinners when they see the cross, are convinced.
Look at the Cross, meditate on it, gaze upon him and then go away unchanged if you can!
Isaiah 53:11 ESV
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
We Glory in the Cross
Gal
Galatians 6:14 ESV
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
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