John 12:27-36 A death that produces life A celebration at Easter

After the great crowds almost worshipped Him

After the Gentile ‘God-fearers’ sought Him out.

Jesus comes to that hour – the time for Him to die is upon Him.

(ESV) John 12 27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.

32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. …

35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

Jesus faces death – but it is a death that will lead to life

I. A death that produces life - A cross kind of death

(ESV) John 12 27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. … 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

A. A cross death was a horrible death

(ESV) Philippians 2 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

1. A Roman invention to make death as agonizing and tortuous as possible

Nailed to a cross – hands/wrists / feet nailed to a platform or to the sides of the cross ------ unable to breathe except by pushing and pulling oneself up by those parts anguishing by the nails – lingering often days until the body is unable to endure any longer – suffocating and unable to breathe -----

So horrible was the death that no Roman citizen could be condemned to a cross death.

The ridicule and physical beatings

(ESV) Luke 22 63 Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him.

Scourge – whip with metal or bone – intended to rip flesh – often causing death

(ESV) Mark 15 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Humiliation and pain

((ESV) Matthew 27 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

(ESV) Luke 23 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

B. The cross was a despised death * *

1. A death despised by all

(ESV) 1 Corinthians 1 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, …

Full of shame

(ESV) Hebrews 12 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, …

2. A symbol of total rejection

ESV) Isaiah 53 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.

C. The cross was a cursed death

(ESV) Galatians 3 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—

1. It was our pain He took

(ESV) Isaiah 53 8 … he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?

D. Songs

1. Wonderful Cross

II. A death that produces life – A substitute kind of death

(ESV) John 12 27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” … 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

The cross kind of death was horrible. But that is not all. In fact many have been crucified. Many know of the pain of a cross. But this cross was different. Not only were the physical and emotional horrors there --- but something much more.

Something more horrible.

On this cross God would become sin

On this cross Jesus would take on the punishment for sin of the whole world.

The Father would crush the Son with His wrath for sin. The just penalty for sin would be exacted on the innocent.

A. Jesus took on our sin *

(ESV) 2 Corinthians 5 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.

(ESV) Romans 8 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

1. In the garden the agony intensifies as He faces the moment He would die for sin

(ESV) Mark 14 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

(ESV) Luke 22 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

2. Jesus forsaken by the Father because of the sin

(ESV) Matthew 27 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

B. Jesus took on our suffering * *

(ESV) Isaiah 53 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

(ESV) Isaiah 53 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 … the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

(ESV) 1 Peter 2 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

1. Took our place

2. Human suffering

C. Jesus took on our eternal punishment *

1. While we were still sinners unable to do anything on our own

(ESV) Romans 5 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. … 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

2. He took on the wrath of the Father for sin

(ESV) Isaiah 53 10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, ... 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; … 12 … he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

D. Songs

1. In Christ Alone or How deep the Father’s love for us

III. A death that produces life – A life-giving type of death

A. Not the end but new hope *

(ESV) 1 Peter 1 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

(ESV) Matthew 28 1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, …

B. Made His children *

(ESV) John 12 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. … 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” …

(ESV) John 1 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

1. By believing

2. Become His child

C. Given power to live

(ESV) Ephesians 1 17 (praying) … the Father of glory, … 18 … that you may know … 19 … what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

(ESV) Philippians 3 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

D. Song - Invitation

Amazing Grace