Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Art is a powerful medium for communicating feelings and evoking emotions.

Throughout history, church art has been used to depict the crucifixion, often times with the purpose of drawing out emotions and leaving a powerful mental image to go with the powerful words of Scripture

For example, in Rembrandt’s painting, Raising of the Cross, the artist portrays himself as responsible for crucifying Jesus.

Rembrandt does this by adding himself to the painting…possibly twice.

Looking at a painting like this, we should be reminded that our faces could go into the painting as well, because we too are sinners and ultimately responsible for Jesus death.

Luke does something similar with his portrayal of the death of Christ.

He encourages us to enter into the story and experience humanity’s darkest day.

In doing this he has some timeless truths he wants us to know about Jesus.

Body: Luke 23:44-56

Verses 44-45: Two miraculous results of the crucifixion.

Darkness...

The tearing of the curtain...

Verse 46: Jesus final breath

Righteous Suffer Psalm: Psalm 31

It is important to note that Jesus remains in control.

Verse 47: Jesus Innocence

One of the unifying concepts throughout chapter 23 of Luke’s Gospel is that Jesus was innocent:

Pilate knows it

Herod knows it

In the passage before this, even one of the criminals knows it:

And now a harden Roman soldier even recognizes this fact.

Understand, Roman soldiers didn’t live in a time of a politically correct and socially sensitive military like we do today.

They were hardened men who specialized in two things: following orders and killing their enemies.

So, coming to the recognition that he had just been part of killing an innocent man is a big deal to say the least.

But, it doesn’t end there:

Verse 48: The crowds realize Jesus innocence

This doesn’t mean that they were converted…though, some of these may have been converted with Peter’s sermon in Act 2.

Why does Jesus innocence matter?

Paul and Peter explain it much better than I could:

Jesus was the sinless sacrifice for sinners.

Verse 49: The devoted few watch

Likely the women and John…but, since it says “all his acquaintances” it could be suggesting that the disciples all saw from a distance, they just weren’t together.

Verses 50-53: Joseph honors Jesus body

We know nothing else about Joseph than what is here...

By the way, Joseph is a strong witness to the location of the tomb…I’ll talk more about this next week when I talk about the evidences of the Resurrection.

Verses 54-56: The women prepare for the Sabbath

They knew where the tomb was…they planned on finishing the job after the Sabbath (showing they didn’t understand that He would rise from the dead).

Timeless Truths

Jesus innocence is beyond dispute.

By the end of chapter 23, only one group believes that Jesus is guilt: the religious leaders (and, frankly, they weren’t even all in agreement).

Luke wants his readers (which includes us) to realize that Jesus is the sinless sacrifice for sinners.

What does that mean for us?

Either Jesus has paid your sin debt, or you will pay your sin debt yourself.

If you are planning on paying for it yourself, then you can reject Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

But, the Bible makes it very clear that we cannot possibly pay our own sin debt.

A crude illustration:

$5000 of credit card debt, 18.9% interest rate.

$600 per month = 42 months (3 1/2 years)

$400 per month = 63 months (5 1/4 years)

$200 per month = 137 months (11 1/2 years)

$100 per month = 30 years!

Here’s the challenge, a lot of people have a lot more credit card debt than $5000!

For many, they will never be able to pay it off.

Which is 100% true of our sin debt.

We can’t possibly pay it off ourselves.

It’s like the national debt, which currently stands at $30 trillion dollars (that’s $91,266 for every single citizen!)

That’s our sin debt.

Christians understand something important: we can never pay our sin debt, but Jesus did it on the cross.

What do I have to do to receive this debt forgiveness?

Jesus sacrifice is beyond compare.

Luke goes to great length to show us that Jesus death was not common place or normal.

The miraculous darkness;

The tearing of the curtain;

The changing of so many people’s hearts;

What does that mean for us?

We must live like the Gospel of Jesus Christ is beyond compare.

Too many professed Christians today approach the message of Jesus as simply news instead of being the Good News…in fact the greatest news ever!

Here’s the thing about the Gospel: the Gospel is the message of the church.

It not only tells us what Jesus did to save us, but when we truly receive the Gospel then it becomes the driving force of everything else in our lives.

It teaches me how to love God daily, love others correctly, and how to honor God with my life.

Nothing else in life has such power.

The Gospel is beyond compare!

Jesus death is beyond denial.

Again, Luke does away with any foolish notions that Jesus didn’t actually die (the swoon theory).

A centurion oversees His death;

The crowds can attest to His death;

A “good and righteous” member of the Sanhedrin buried Jesus in his own tomb;

The women saw where the body was placed.

What does that matter for us?

We have a message to share to share with others.

Today, for many the major hindrance to belief in Christ Jesus is because it’s not “scientific.”

We have a society that worships at the altar of supposed scientific proof.

But, if the last few years has taught us nothing else it’s that the “science” isn’t always based on the scientific method, it’s prone to manipulation, and the supposed “authorities” are not above lying to people to push a narrative.

So, without really meaning to, many of those “authorities” have actually helped the Gospel message more than they realize.

What do you mean?

See, “the science” is a call to blind faith.

How so?

Take viruses.

How many people who have an opinion about viruses today have actually ever read a medical journal about virology?

Ever been in a real virology lab?

Ever actually studied virus mutations?

Very few.

So, we are asked to believe the experts.

That’s blind faith that the experts aren’t lying to us.

Here’s my point: the Bible isn’t actually a call to blind faith as many say.

God has given us ample evidence throughout His Word.

And, here’s the great part, you don’t have to take my word for it.

Read it yourself.

Pray about it.