Christ
Crucified
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
An'-nas, Caiaphas and the other chief priest finally
got what they wanted. Pilate had done all he could to keep from
crucifying this holy man, but in the end to keep the peace he gave
in. Things were going just God had planned them, Christ Jesus was
going to the cross for the sins of man – past, present, and future.
John used remarkable restraint in giving us his account of Christ Jesus’ Crucifixion. His language is lean. The facts are simply stated without embellishment. Unlike the other Gospels , John focused on the accompanying information. His “Passion” account is vested in his eyewitness understanding that the one who hung on the cross is the Messiah of Israel, the Prophet of God predicted in the Old Testament.
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others-one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write `The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."
22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."
23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24 "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it."
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said,
"They divided my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing."
So this is what the soldiers did.
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
1.
One Cross (vs. 17)
14"As
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son
of Man be lifted up;” John
3:14.
Christ
Jesus, “bearing
His cross, went out,”
Remember this
is the initiative of the Lamb of God, not man; as He moves out to
offer Himself as the sacrifice for the sins of the world.
This
is why He came, it hearkens back to Genesis 3:15 - And I will
put enmity
Between
you and the woman,
And
between your seed and her seed;
He shall
bruise you on the head,
And
you shall bruise him on the heel."
According to Jewish tradition dating from the second century or earlier, Passover lambs would be hung up on iron hooks and dressed out. Our Passover lamb was hung on a cross not an iron hook. In doing so He took all your sin upon Himself. Why? because He loves you. Why not let Him come into your life this morning?
2.
Two Thieves (vs. 18-22)
Placing
Christ Jesus between two thieves was probably a move by the Romans
intended to disgrace Christ Jesus. But
remember God is in control of all things even Christ Jesus'
crucifixion. What
the Romans meant for bad, God used as an answer to prophecy.
And
He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of
many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah
53:12. Every criminal was identified by a placard over his head on the cross listing the crimes for which he was being executed. How ironic or was it, that the Pilate, a pagan; should proclaim the kingship of Christ Jesus to the many Jews who passed. Pilate wanting to get back at the religious leaders placed a placard over Christ Jesus' head pronouncing Him king in the three major languages of that day. Little did he know how right he was. Christ Jesus is the King of the Jews: they will have no other Messiah forever. What Pilate had written he refused to change in spite of the protests of the chief priests. So Pilate had had the last word. Or did he?
29The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29. Christ Jesus who was before the foundations of the world were laid will always have the last word. Why not as the one who is both King and Lamb to be your Lord and Saviour? Why not ask Christ Jesus into your life today?
3. Four Roman Solders
(vs. 23-24)
It
was the custom that the soldiers involved in a crucifixion would
get the garments of the one put to death John
is very specific in pointing out that each soldier involved got
one of Christ Jesus’ four garments and that lots were then cast
for His seamless tunic. Even in this gambling, Scripture is fulfilled. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, Isaiah 53:12. One commentator notes that the early Christians were quick to point out that there was rich symbolism in John’s statement, “Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.” This seemed to mean that “Jesus’ death will not destroy the unity of the people whom He has gathered together.”
The verse John quotes in verse 24 is found in Psalms 22:14-18;
14
I am poured out like water,
And
all my bones are out of joint;
My
heart is like wax;
It
is melted within me.
15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And
my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
And
You lay me in the dust of death.
16
For dogs have surrounded me;
A
band of evildoers has encompassed me;
They
pierced my hands and my feet.
17
I can count all my bones.
They
look, they stare at me;
18
They divide my garments among them,
And
for my clothing they cast lots.
David
wrote those word hundreds of years before the crucifixion of
Christ Jesus. Just as He is the answer to prophecy, Christ Jesus
is the answer to your sin sickness. And all you have to do is
ask, why ask this morning?
4. Four Believing Women
(vs. 25-27)
Just
as there were four unbelieving soldiers at the cross, so there were
four believing women standing by with fear and sorrow.
The
mother of Jesus, whose name is never mentioned in this Gospel;
His mother’s sister, who was undoubtedly Salome (sal-o'-may),
the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Mary the wife of Clopas
(klo-pas') and Mary Magdala.
These
friends did not leave in Christ Jesus’ hour of desolation. I
imagine that strength and comfort were shared with Christ Jesus
in this act of faithful companionship. But
I also have to wonder if Mary, Christ Jesus' mother remembered
another prophecy concerning her son. Then
Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This
child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in
Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the
thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce
your own soul too" Luke
2:34-35.
Jesus
now reached out in His hour of death and cared for His mother as
she cared for Him in His boyhood years. How
tenderly we see Christ Jesus in His last remaining minutes carry
out the duties of an elder son in providing care for His mother.
When Christ Jesus called her “woman”
He is not using
a cold, formal word, but a warm term of respect. It
is to John, the disciple whom He loved, and his mother’s
nephew, that He gives the responsibility for her care. Christ
Jesus made sure that His mother was taken care of physically. In
His death and resurrection He has made sure you are taken care of
spiritually. Because of this you can be assured a new life found
in Him. But you must ask, why not do so this morning?
5.
Zero Things Left To Do (vs. 28-30)
Here
is the heart of the Gospel. Christ Jesus has completed all the work
His Father has given Him. He has left nothing undone. Every
detail of His ministry has been the fulfillment of Scripture,
even His cry of thirst. Both the work and the word
came from His Father. Christ
Jesus while being very God is very man made of flesh. And in
this hour of need, He voices the physical thirst of every man
who had suffered on a cross. The
soldiers show some spark of kindness by sharing some of their
sour wine with Him. In this cry of weakness, as the psalmist had prophesied, Christ Jesus has come to the lowest point of His descent—but also to the moment of His being glorified.
In
both of the psalms which speak specifically of the anguish of
Christ Jesus’ thirst;
15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And
my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
And
You lay me in the dust of death. Psalms
22:15
There is also joyful praise for the Lord has triumphed;
All
the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD,
And
all the families of the nations will worship before You.
For
the kingdom is the LORD'S
And
He rules over the nations. Psalms 22:27-28
John spoke of a Hyssop branch, once more we are reminded of the blood
of the lamb.
"You shall
take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the
blood
which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in
the
basin
to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go
outside the
door of his house until morning” Ex 12:22
Christ Jesus is the Lamb of God whose blood was shed and the one door by which we must enter. The Jewish Passover is fulfilled in the sacrifice of the true Paschal Lamb.
Conclusion:
Christ Jesus’ last
word, “It is
finished!” is a
cry of victory, not of defeat. He is really in charge! He has always
been in charge. He willingly accepted death because it was the
completion of God’s plan.
The
work of the Incarnate Word has been accomplished. This was the moment
of His glory, not His enemies’. All that was left was His
resurrection and that would occur three days later. The verbs are
active, “bowing
His head, He gave up His spirit” (v.
30). Christ Jesus give up His spirit for those at the foot of the
Cross and for you? Will you let Him finish His saving work in you
now?
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