The Providence of Jesus

Introduction

Tonight we continue our series From the Cross, through the Tomb, as we look at a few things.

The first message was titled “The Perseverance of Jesus”

Jesus Persevered in the Garden

Through the Unanswered Prayer He Prayed to His Father

Through the Unwilling Apostles who slept instead of Prayed

Jesus Persevered

Jesus Persevered Through the Gnashing

Through the Accusations, Rejection & Abuse of Others

Jesus Persevered

Jesus Persevered Unto Golgotha

Though the Way was Hard & the Cross Heavy

Jesus Persevered

Secondly, we looked (briefly) at “The Purpose of Jesus” by breaking down what Jesus said in Luk. 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Our Position (lost)

His Passion (to seek)

His Power (to save)

Aren’t you glad He did seek? Aren’t you glad He could save?

This morning we looked at one of His sayings upon the Cross in “The Prayer of Jesus”

The Cruelty He Endured

From the Scoffers, the Climbers, the Heartless & the Onlookers

The Compassion He Displayed

The Meaning & Method of Grace

The Cause for Which He Prayed

They Lacked Understanding & that He Loved Them

The Culmination of that Prayer

It made a difference - in a thief, a solider, you & I

Tonight we’re going to look at a total of three of the things that Jesus said while on the cross, broken down into two categories.

The first of which is found in Joh. 19:25-27; The providence of Jesus

I. The Providence of Jesus

Joh. 19:25-27

The Role of Mary

In society today, thanks to the Catholic church, Mary’s role in history & Spiritually have been perverted - much to the shame of Mary.

The Catholic church teaches many false doctrines concerning Mary. Of which are the following:

She is sinless

“By the grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long.” CCC (The Catechism of the Catholic Church)

She is a perpetual virgin

Of course refuted by Scripture: Mat. 1:25 “And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” Mat. 12:46 “While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.”

She is mediator

The thought process is thus: We have an advocate with the Father in Jesus, right? He is our mediator with the Father. Well, Mary being His mother serves as a mediator between man and Jesus.

This is hogwash of course:

Rom. 8:34 “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Heb. 7:24-26 “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;”

1Tim. 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

The truth is that Mary was not supernatural, nor is she to be held in higher esteem than other servant of the LORD.

God in His infinite wisdom knew how the Catholic church would bring dishonor and false doctrine concerning her, so He preempted it through Scripture.

We see in Scripture how some began to take an elevated view of Mary - and how Jesus responded (Read Mar. 12:46-60)

When you couple this passage and what Mary did we will understand the true, Biblical role of Mary. Mary was simply a willing vessel used by God to bring Jesus to others - which is what we all should be!

We see the role of Mary. Secondly, we see the Responsibility of Jesus

The Responsibility of Jesus

All of this being said, Jesus given His unique physical relation unto Mary had a responsibility to her.

It’s never said, but apparent that Joseph is dead. Jesus is the firstborn which customarily it was His duty to care for His mother. Jesus was not going to be around to do that, therefore He made provision for her.

This is one more example of Christ doing what He’s commanded us to do. Jesus is not one who instructs one thing, but does another.

Ex. 20:12 “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

Jesus wouldn’t be able to receive the blessing attached to this commandment, but honored the commandment just the same, because it was the right thing to do.

Church, we serve a God who Provides. We serve a God who is responsible. He WILL do what He says! He WILL honor His Word!

We see the Responsibility of Jesus

The Readiness of John

Jesus has for 30+ years fulfilled His responsibility to be family, His Father and others, and now it’s time He’s leaving this world.

And because of that, someone else must step up & take the reigns so that the work continues.

Thank God for Johns! John willingly - not begrudgingly - took the work that was left unto him!

(Application) The reason our country is in the shape it’s in today is not because:

Of ‘the original sin of slavery’, or that every white person is inherently racist by nature.

We’re not accepting of Sodomites

Because the police are evil

Because America is sexist

Because of inequality

America is in the shape it’s in today because Godly men of old who stood up boldly against sin have finished their course & went by the way of the grave, and FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF GOD!

Paul is gone. Peter is gone. Spurgeon is gone. Whitfield, Lattimer & Ridley are gone. As these die off, who is taking up the mantle?

The good news is that Jesus promised to provide the power to continue, if we are like John & willing: Mat. 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

We see the Providence of Jesus. Next we’ll look at the Pain of Jesus

II. The Pain of Jesus

Mat. 27:45-46

His Physical Pain (v28)

This is the pain that most people associate with the passion of Jesus. The physical pain.

What Jesus experienced was torturous.

Sleep deprivation

Numerous beatings

Beard plucked

The crown of thorns platted upon His head

The scourging

The Bible gives us no detail, but traditionally, the scourging took place using a cat-o-nine tails - a leather whip with multiple braids dangling from it, and in it would be sharp pieces of glass & bone

The walk up Mt. Calvary in His depleted state

Spikes driven into His hands and through His feet

His full body weight upon the wounds for 6 hours

Suffocation & Exhaustion

One of the most amazing passage of Scripture is Psa. 22. Here is a portion:

Psa. 22:12-19 “Many bulls have compassed me: Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, As a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; And thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: They look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, And cast lots upon my vesture. But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.”

In those two words ‘I thirst’ it sums up the physical torments that Jesus endured. But even more important than that is His Spiritual Pain.

His Spiritual Pain (Mat. 27:45-46)

In this quote, we see many things:

The desperation of Jesus

The loneliness of Jesus

The heartache of Jesus

Why did He say this?

Two reasons:

First Jesus was quoting & fulfilling Scripture: Psa. 22:1 “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”

Jesus was calling back to this psalm for multiple reasons. Among which would be for those familiar with Scripture would see hear His Declaration & recall the words of that psalm, it is further evidence that Jesus was who He said He was - the Son of God.

Secondly, Sin causes separation from God. And Jesus - bearing our sins - experienced separation from the Father for the first time in eternity.

Isa. 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

2Cor. 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Going back to that Psa. 22, I want to point out a few things:

v1-3

v1-2 - The Cry & Lack of answer

v3 - The Reason

v6-8 - Direct prophesy to Jesus’ situation on the Cross

v11 - A desperate plea that went unanswered

v12-18 (we read)

v19-21 - Another plea unanswered

v22 - A Resignation to Praise and Magnify God (Regardless)

v23-29 - Praise of God and calls to praise Him

v30-31 - A future seed spoken of that will declare His Works & Righteousness

Conclusion