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The Passion
In the Lambs book of life – Revelation 21:27 – they will get to go to heaven!
1st – The road to Calvary… (5 points) vs. 26-31
1s – We all know the story of the crucifixion – but few truly understand the suffering…
There are no words to express – no description that could give justice…
To the anguish Jesus bore – as He took on Himself the sin of all mankind…
2nd – Pilate took Jesus and had Him scourged – Matthew 27:26…
39 lashes from a 2’ leather whip – imbedded with metal/bone/glass…
It would tear the back open – ripping flesh and muscle – exposing to the bone…
Many prisoners would not survive the scrounging to be crucified – trauma / blood loss
3rd – After the scourging – Jesus was then taken to the Praetorium – Mark 15:16…
They placed a crown of thorns on His head – 1’ razor sharp desert thorns…
They struck (Imperfect) Him on the head with a read – driving in the thorns…
Then bowed and mocked Him saying – ‘Hail the King of the Jews’
4th – When they had finished their cruel torment – they led Him to be crucified… vs. 26
A 30-50kg cross beam of wood would have been laid on his lacerated back…
Tired – dehydrated – suffering from blood loss – Jesus could not bear the load…
Simon of Cyrene – was compelled to carry it for Jesus…
Tradition tell us there are 14 ‘stations’ from Jesus’ condemnation – to His death
Half of the ‘stations of the cross’ are tradition – only 7 of the 14 occur in the Bible
5th – There were many women who followed Jesus – weeping and crying… vs. 27-31
Jesus told them not to cry for Him – but to cry for themselves and their children…
Cause the time was coming when it will be said – better for those who had no kids…
They will say to the mountains ‘Fall on us’ – to the hills ‘Hide us’ – hide from what…
The people had rejected Jesus as their savior – and therefore rejected their salvation…
Revelation 6:16 – “To the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne…”
There are only two kinds of people when it comes to God…
Sinner who have received the free gift of salvation in Jesus – sinner who have not…
For those who reject Jesus – all that waits them is certain and terrifying judgment…
Hebrews 10:31 – “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God…”
2nd – The Crucifixion… (6 points) vs. 32-43
1st – Jesus was taken to a place called Golgotha (Latin – Calvary)… vs. 32
A hill on the north side of Jerusalem – outside the city – next to the main highway…
A public place to execute criminals – displayed for all the people to see…
A picture – sin causes separation from God – Jesus bore all the sin of all men…
So Jesus was taken away from the Temple – away from the presence of God…
Hebrews 13:12-13 – “Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates in order to make his people holy by shedding his own blood…”
When we have unrepentant sin in our heart we are far from God – outside the city…
So Jesus suffered and died in our place – He went outside the ‘city’ to get us back…
To restore our relationship to God – to bring us back to presence of the Lord…
2nd – They Crucified Christ… vs. 33
Crucifixion is arguable the most painful form of death ever invented…
Invented by the Persians around 300 B.C. – ‘perfected’ by Romans
Jesus placed on His back – nailed between the bones of forearm – 7-9” spike
Securely attaching the Him to the cross – no broken bones – Psalm 22:17
Jesus’ knees were bent to 45° angle – the feet then nailed to the cross – 9” spike
Placed upright – Jesus was unable to bear His own weight…
His shoulders would go out of socket – followed by elbows – then wrist…
The end result is that His arms would have stretched 6-9 inches…
Over time – tired – oxygen starved – it would be harder and harder to breath…
Death comes from slow asphyxiation – and/or rupture of the heart
3rd – As Jesus was dying – ‘Father – forgive them’… vs. 34
To the very end – Jesus was not bitter with those who were killing Him…
He understood they were lost in sin – and did not know any better…
So He forgave them – the very ones who drove the nails in His hands…
Romans 5:8 – “God demonstrates His love… while we were sinners, He died for us.”
The example of Jesus Love – is how He commands us to love others…
John 15:12 – “This is My commandment, you love one another as I have loved you.”
Our response should be the same as Jesus – love – even loving those who hate us…
The reason – they are blinded by sin – they do not know what they are doing…
By loving those who mistreat us – we help open their eyes to see Jesus!
4th – While suffering on the cross – Jesus was ridiculed by all… vs. 35-37
The people mocked as they passed by – ‘He saved others, let Him save Himself…’
Soldier mocked – offered Him wine – ‘If you are the King of the Jews – save Yourself’
Ironically if He had saved Himself – Jesus could not have saved others!
Jesus did not stay on the cross – suffer an unimaginable death – cause He had to…
He chose to stay on that cross – because without the cross – there is no life!
We may think we look pretty righteous – but to God our goodness is filthy rags!
We are REALLY bad people – we are all – every one of us – TOTAL sinners…
And the penalty for being a sinner – is eternal death – hell – Romans 6:23
Yet God loved us so much that He gave His life for us – John 3:16
Jesus paid the price for our sin – He took our penalty for us – He took our cross!
Because without His sacrifice – we would have no hope of salvation/heaven
5th – The accusation: King of the Jews… vs. 38
The charge was placed over Jesus head – ‘This is the King of the Jews’
It was placed in 3 languages – Latin (INRI) / Greek / Hebrew (YHVH)
The Jewish priests objected – John 19:21 – Pilate said, ‘What I have written is written.’
The reason for the objection – the acronym in Hebrew was God’s name – Yahweh!
6th – Jesus was crucified between two criminals – Isaiah 53:9… vs. 39-43
The one mocked Jesus – ‘If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’
The other rebuked him – ‘Do you not fear God’ – we are getting what we deserve…
He recognized Jesus had done nothing wrong – ‘Remember me in Your Kingdom’…
Jesus turned to him and said ‘Today you will be with me in paradise!’
We are those thieves – we are deserve because of our sin – death and hell…
Like those thieves – we have a choice – what do we do with Jesus…
He gave up everything – condemned to death for us – paying our penalty…
He suffered unimaginably – so that we might experience the Joy of heaven…
Do we believe – do we receive – Jesus’ gift of forgiveness
3rd – The death of Jesus… (6 things) vs. 44-49
1st – From 12pm-3pm – darkness (of night) covered the whole Earth… vs. 44
There has been much speculation on what caused the darkness – heavy clouds/eclipse
But it was not clouds or an eclipse of the sun – it was the death of light of the world…
John 8:12 – “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world.’”
In the darkest hour in history – the Light of the World was extinguished…
Ironically, it was darkest – just before God gave us all the light of salvation
Times are often the most difficult in life – just before God does the most amazing work
I fear too often we give up – wear out – just before God does something incredible!
It is good to remember – it is always the darkest – just before the dawn…
2nd – The Veil of the Temple was torn in two… vs. 45
Temple was divided into 4 parts – Outer Court/Inner Court/Holiest/Holiest of All
The Veil was no small piece of cloth – 60’ x 30’ x 4” – weighed an incredible 4 tons!
God (top to bottom) – not man – tore open the veil that separated man from God!
No longer is the way closed – it was opened up through the Cross – Hebrews 4:16
The Holiest of all – is now our family room – where we can boldly enter…
Coming to our Father for mercy and Grace whenever we need it!
Not long after – the Jewish leaders sewed the veil back up…
God had opened up the way – men wanted to close it again…
They would rather have religion – than a true relationship with God!
Men love religion because it puts salvation in their hands – not God’s…
But Religion cannot get you into heaven – on the contrary – it keep you from God…
It is like putting the Veil that Jesus tore down – back up again
3rd – Jesus knowing that all things were accomplished said – John 19:30
‘It is finished!’ – Tetelestai – Perfect/Passive/Indicative!
Jesus had not come to heal / make men rich / or tell us how to have better lives…
Jesus came to die – He came because we all destined for hell – because of our sin…
Through the cross His work was done – sin was defeated – death had been overcome…
The great mysteries of the ages – God gave us Jesus’ righteousness!
II Corinthians 5:21 – “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
If we took a test in school – got an (F) – but the best student in the class – got an (A)
That student came to us and offered to change grades – take our (F) – give us an (A)
We failed the test of life – we got an (F) – Jesus got it all right – He got an (A)
He took our sin (F) and gave us His righteousness (A)
Now when God looks down on us – He does not see our sinful mistakes/flaws…
He instead sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as perfect/flawless…
4th – Father into Your hands I commit my Spirit… vs. 46
Jesus bowed His head – and sent away His spirit – Matthew 27:50
Romans and Jews did not kill Jesus – He gave up His life – He willingly laid it down…
John 10:18 – “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”
And He had the power to take it back – and 3 days later He would…
5th – Truly this was the Son of God… vs. 47
A centurion who stood at the foot of the cross – said truly this was the ‘a Son of a God’…
The centurion was moved by seeing Jesus on the cross…
But he did not necessarily believe that Jesus was God – died for his sins…
We see Jesus on the cross – but do we believe…
Do we believe in Jesus’ ‘finished’ work – do we receive His (A) for our (F)…
Do we now have complete access to the Holiest of All – our ‘family room’…
So we have the hope that we will one day life forever with Jesus…
Or are we moved my the message of the cross – but still do not believe…
Are we still caught up in religion – the list of things we must do to be righteous…
Do we still have that Veil up in our heart – keeping us from seeing God!
6th – Following from afar -many of the women who had followed Jesus… vs. 48-49
Mary the mother of Jesus (was there to see her son die – John 19:25)
Mary Magdalene (Jesus case 7 demons out of her – Luke 8:2)
Mary the mother of James and Jose (perhaps the sister of Mary – John 19:25)
Salome – mother of James & John (Sons of Thunder – Mark 15:40)
The Apostle John was also there – John 19:26
Those who stand with Jesus – like those listed here – will find their names written…
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