I Love You
Notes
Transcript
Ideas:
Ideas:
Hallel Psalm from Palm Sunday…Jesus referenced it, and the Pharisees and Jews would have been reminded each day of the celebration of Passover.
Tie Psalms and prophecies together relating to the time God gave His Son to the world.
Introduction:
We’ve been looking at times God got man’s attention—times when God said, “Hey, yoo-hoo!” Turn to John 3.
We gather tonight to remember the afternoon Jesus died. It was the Jewish Passover, when they celebrate the death angel passing over the houses of those who had the blood of the lamb on their doorposts.
We see Jesus...
Soon after Jesus died,
In John 19:38-40, we meet two men, Joseph or Arimathaea and Nicodemus, attending to the crucified, lifeless body of Jesus. One by one, they removed the blood-stained nails, and the body of Christ came free from the tree. Then, perhaps, Nicodemus took a glance at the title Pilate wrote and placed on the cross for all to see and read. “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” That inscription was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin—all of the major languages of the world at that time.
Nicodemus drew back the curtain of his memory to the day early in Jesus’ ministry.
Read text: John 3:16
Nicodemus. Why did he even care for this Jewish man named Jesus? In a word, Love.
Proposition: Respond to the wondrous love of Jesus.
Proposition: Respond to the wondrous love of Jesus.
The dismay at God’s love.
Nicodemus is a “ruler” of the Jews = part of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin were of the Pharisee sect who studied and followed the Law of Moses intently. Much of the Old Testament was committed to memory, so they might keep every jot and tittle.
Nicodemus was curious about Who Jesus is, so he came to visit Jesus. As a part of the highest leadership of the Pharisees, he came carefully at night. Nicodemus did not want to be caught talking with Jesus.
John 3:1-8 tells part of their conversation.
Out-of-the-box, Jesus tells Nicodemus that to see God’s kingdom, he must be “born again.”
Nicodemus was puzzled. Jesus’ request was impossible. “Be born again?”—re-enter the womb? The sarcasm is not easy to hide!
Of course, Jesus was illustrating the impossibility of human effort to save us from sin. And soon, Jesus would show how God came to save us because our efforts are fall short.
Nicodemus was not alone. The message of God’s salvation by faith seemed foreign and odd.
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
The preaching of Christ and His cross is hated and abhorred by the world. I will for a moment speak of those who like the Jews see Jesus as a stumblingblock and who like the Gentiles believe it as foolish.
Christ and His cross are a stumblingblock to some.
The Jews of Jesus’ day fell into a couple of camps that are like the religionists of our own time.
There were those who had a love for superficial religion. As long as it does not speak to or change the heart of man, it is ok to them.
You can see this one doing the duties of religion. In Jesus’ day, this Jew was seen tithing and fasting twice a week. Pieces of Scripture hung between their eyes. His clothes separated him, so he would never be confused with a Gentile. He felt as if his heritage was holy enough.
Yet, he turned on his heels at the noise of Jesus. The One from Nazareth--”Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”
Some of you have a religion which you love. You desire it never to change—the place, the songs—what they do at your worship place is what should be done everywhere.
If asked about your hope to go to Heaven, you would say it is because you’re a Baptist, Catholic, or any such name.
Like Jesus was telling Nicodemus, Jesus is a stumblingblock to religionists. Jesus was telling us like Nicodemus that all the times we go to church, pray, and do spiritual things pass for nothing to God.
If you hear what you must do to be saved, you are all ears. You love religion, like you love a man for his clothes.
To hear that salvation is found by faith in Christ’s finished work, you say the preacher is crazy.
There were also those who had a love forms and ceremonies—they are Orthodox in their observances. This person loves to learn all he can about religion, but it is all in his head and never reaches his heart!
His heart is untouched by God’s grace, and it festers with the stench of covetousness, pride, and worldliness.
He likes sound doctrine, but he has no sound in himself. He has much to say, but there is no substance in Him.
To show him what he is and what God wants him to be by grace is refused.
Many are trapped by the trappings of religion!
Does your religion give you confidence to stare death in the eyes and say, “I know my Redeemer lives!”? Can you bless God in the middle of your storms?
Christ and His cross are foolish to most. There are others who are entirely different than Nicodemus, but they are a part of the world God loves. These, described as Greeks, think the story of Jesus is foolish.
He has an aversion to religion and its displays, but he likes smart sayings and to know the newest and latest.
This one is found everywhere and has a little grip on everything to be known.
He may even listen when you speak of him about religion, but when you speak of Christ’s salvation, he turns away.
He likes learning, except of truly spiritual things. He loves life, except what God approves of. He likes what man makes, but not what God makes. (Spurgeon, “Christ Crucified).
It seems that these love no religion or every religion. To suggest that Jesus is the only way to know God, they refuse Him and call it bigotry.
Wise men, full of the world’s wisdom, your thoughts may work on this earth, but it will not prevail in the floods of life rise over your head.
Worldly philosophy leads to endless questions and little help, but the arm of God is ready to help you!
You may call the cross and the Gospel foolish—that is your choice and your right, but one day you will see there are others who found the cross to be the substance of their lives. They got over the stumblingblock. They found real wisdom!
Nicodemus wrestled in his day, and masses wrestle with the truth today.
Transition: The foolish wisdom of the world and its approach to seek God has only led people away from God. Mankind needed a display to shake the moorings of the mind from idolatry and effort to grab hold of the only life preserver that will get you to Heaven—and it came from the God of Heaven.
2. The display of God’s love.
Jesus wanted Nicodemus to understand and used Bible illustrations Nicodemus knew to help him know how to know God.
John 3:9-16
Jesus told Nicodemus of the story we examined a few weeks ago about the serpents who had painful, fiery bites, and to survive the bites, the people were instructed to look at a brass serpent Moses put put up on a pole in the middle of the camp.
John 3:14 says that as Moses lifted up the serpent, Jesus would be lifted up. And this was not just any event, it was a visible “yoo-hoo” moment where God said, “I love you.”
At that, Nicodemus’ mind clicked back to the scene that just finished at Calvary.
The pieces were falling into place. His heart raced. How could man’s sin be erased?
Nicodemus was a Jewish leader, a part of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish court, so he was intimately familiar with the events of the fateful day.
Nicodemus had just seen Jesus die on the cross, and one by one, the Scriptures unfolded prophecies relating to Messiah’s sacrifice.
First, it was Passover. the Hallel songs were sung. Time and again, the Messianic words rang their prophetic messages.
The whole city was reminded of the prior Sunday when everyone cried out as in Psalm 118, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
As Jesus was dying, so too were the sacrificial lambs for Jerusalem’s holy day to follow.
The minds of the Jews reflected on God’s promises.
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Fulfilled by
Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
Jesus’ betrayal at the hand of the Sanhedrin and Pharisees...
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, Which did eat of my bread, Hath lifted up his heel against me.
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.
The price of the betrayal...
And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
While Nicodemus were preparing for Passover, Jesus was being prepared as the sacrificial Lamb...
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth.
Nicodemus saw Jesus mocked and later that He was scourged...
I gave my back to the smiters, And my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
King David and Isaiah hundreds of years earlier foretold of Jesus’ body being mutilated at the crucifixion:
As many were astonied at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, And his form more than the sons of men:
I may tell all my bones: They look and stare upon me.
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
Nicodemus saw the false accusers at the mock trial.
False witnesses did rise up; They laid to my charge things that I knew not.
And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,
Nicodemus saw Jesus stand silently before His accusers.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth.
Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
Nicodemus knew of Isaiah’s foretelling of Messiah’s sacrifice for sin...
Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; For he shall bear their iniquities.
Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Nearly 1,000 years before Jesus died on the cross, long before Roman crucifixion was used, King David wrote...
For dogs have compassed me: The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet.
The words of those reproaching Christ on the cross were prophesied...
He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: Let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
The words of Jesus on the cross seemed to leap off the pages of Nicodemus’ Psalm scroll...
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
The Hebrew for “hath done this” is literally, “For it is finished” (John 19:30).
Into thine hand I commit my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
Jesus yielded His spirit in John 19:30.
Jesus’ being the Passover Lamb could have no blemish or broken bone...
John 19:32-33, 36
As the lambs last baaa’s were falling silent, Jesus said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”
Nicodemus saw the Passover Lamb of God die on the cross and saw the picture. “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
There, “Broken and bleeding, for sinners’ pleading; blind and unheeding, dying for me.”
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Jesus died for the whole world…because God loved the world then and now.
In Jesus’ death then, He provided salvation for the beginning of time through the ending of time.
At one point, Nicodemus was a secret follower of Jesus.
(He would never accept Jesus’ “Friend Invitation” on Facebook.)
But this was all too real. Jesus was the True Messiah Who came to die for his sins…and yours.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus died to take your hell. Now that’s a lot of love.
No wonder Nicodemus showed up after Jesus’ death to prepare His body for burial.
By the way, I think Nicodemus knew what was going to happen three days later.
Nonetheless, what do you think of God’s love?
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Ideas:
We love Him because he first loved us.
display…Psalms (2, 118), Passover—sanhedrin
1. Love’s New Birth
Jesus explained the new birth.
2. Love’s Invitation
v. 17
Tie together prophecies, Psalms, and Jesus’ statements on the cross.
Make it personal. Jesus died at that time for all time. Jesus died for you. Jesus loves you.
Mix the senses: see, sound (gasping), smell (stench), taste (the cup of Christ), touch (gentle touch, nails, thorns, blood)
Mix the spiritual: Satan was all too happy to push God out of the scene of his earthly kingdom. Demons flew upon Jesus!
Read: Spurgeon
The nightmare of such a day ended as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea begged the body of Christ, took it down from the cross, prepared it for burial, and placed it in a tomb.