The Passion (3 things)

• 1^st – The road to Calvary… vs. 17
  • 1^st – Jesus carried the cross – and was taken to a place called ‘The Skull’…
    • The cross was a 50kg beam of wood – laid on the lacerated back of Jesus…
    • Tired – suffering from blood loss – Jesus stumbled under the load…
    • Simon of Cyrene – was compelled to carry it for Jesus – Mark 15:21…
    • 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
  • 2^nd – There were many women who followed Jesus – weeping and crying – Luke 23:27-31
    • Jesus told them not to cry for Him – but to cry for themselves and their children…
    • 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’…
    • The people had rejected Jesus as their savior – so all that was left was judgment!
    • 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…”
  • 3^rd – Jesus was taken to Golgotha (Latin – Calvary)…
    • 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…
    • Jesus left the temple – the presence of God – and went outside so He could bring us back…
    • Hebrews 13:12-13 – “Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates in order to make his people holy by shedding his own blood…”
    • 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…
• 2^nd – The Crucifixion… vs. 18-27
  • 1^st – Jesus was crucified between two criminals – Isaiah 53:9… vs. 18
    • The one mocked Jesus – ‘If you are the Christ – save Yourself and us.’ – Luke 12:39
      • 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…
      • Jesus gave up everything – condemned to death for us – paying our penalty…
      • He suffered unimaginably – so that we might experience the Joy of heaven…
      • But it is our choice – do we believe – so we can go to Paradise!
  • 2^nd – The accusation: King of the Jews… vs. 19-22
    • The charge was placed over Jesus head – ‘Jesus Nazareth the King of the Jews’
    • It was placed in 3 languages – Latin (INRI) / Greek / Hebrew (YHVH)
    • The Jewish priests objected – they wanted Pilate to change the accusation…
    • They wanted the sign to say – ‘Jesus SAID He was the King of the Jews’…
    • The reason for the objection – the acronym in Hebrew was God’s name – Yahweh!
    • But Pilate said – ‘What I have written is written.’
  • 3^rd – They Crucified Christ… vs. 23
    • Crucifixion is arguable the most painful form of death ever invented…
      • Invented by the Persians around 300 B.C. – it was ‘perfected’ by Romans…
      • Jesus was placed on His back – nailed between the bones of forearm – 7-9” spike…
      • 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
  • 4^th – The soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothes… vs. 23-24
    • The four soldiers crucifying Jesus divided up His clothes…
      • Jesus’ shirt / pants / shoes / and belt – each of them took one piece…
      • But Jesus also had a robe – woven together without any seams…
      • They did not want to rip it – so they decided to gamble for it…
    • It fulfilled the prophecy of Psalms 22:18 – ‘For my clothing they cast lots…’
      • A lot of people like to gamble – we tend to think we can beat the odds…
      • We do not just like to gamble with our money – we gamble with our eternity…
      • Living for the pleasures of this world – thinking there is still time to ‘get right’ with God
      • It is not worth the risk – do not play around with your salvation – choose Jesus today!
  • 5^th – While suffering on the cross – Jesus was ridiculed by all – Luke 23:35-37
    • 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 – we had no hope!
        
    • 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
  • 6^th – As Jesus was dying He said – ‘Father – forgive them’ – Luke 23:34
    • 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!
  • 7^th – Jesus mother was standing near the cross… vs. 25-27
    • Jesus knew how hard it was for Mary to see her ‘son’ suffer and die…
      • John – the disciples Jesus loved – was the only disciple who came to the crucifixion…
      • Jesus looked at Mary – ‘Woman behold your son’…
      • He looked at John and said ‘Son behold your mother’…
      • From that moment on John took Mary into his home and took care of her! 
    • Jesus dealt with everyone else first – and Himself last!
      • Too often in life we put ourselves first – then others – and perhaps last – God…
      • Then we wonder why life is difficult – and why we are unfulfilled…
      • God calls us to put Him first – Matthew 6:33 / Then others – Matthew 12:31
      • And us – we are to be last – then we find joy and purpose in life!
    • In hard times – we have the tendency to focus on ourselves…
      • We want others to have pity on us – take care of us – look at our needs…
      • If I am always focused on the bad things – I am always going to miss the good…
      • It is when we focus on the Lord – that we no longer see the bad…
      • True joy comes when we get our eyes off yourself – and minister to the Lord/others!
      • III John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

• 3^rd – The death of Jesus… vs. 28-30
  • 1^st – From 12pm-3pm – darkness (of night) covered the whole Earth – Luke 23:44
    • 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…
      
  • 2^nd – The Veil of the Temple was torn in two – Luke 23:45
    • 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
  • 3^rd – Jesus knowing that all things were accomplished… vs. 30
• Jesus said – ‘I thirst’ – His thirst was a result of His physical condition…
  • They gave Him a sponge filled with sour wine – and put it to His mouth…
  • Jesus’ scourging/crucifixion put Him in shock from massive loss of blood…
  • His heart would race to pump blood that was not there…
  • His kidneys would shut down to preserve body fluids…
  • Experience extreme thirst as the body desired to replenish lost fluids…
  • Rapid heartbeat causes fluid to gather in sack around the heart…
  • The eventual effect was heart failure – Jesus died of a broken heart…
• Jesus said – ‘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 overcome…
  • Jesus paid a debt He did not owe – cause we owed a debt that we couldn’t pay
  • I Peter 1:18-19 – “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you… the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.  He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”
  • Every year from June – August things get tight – there is not much money…
  • People end up with a lot of debt ‘utang’ – often more than they can repay…
  • When you have ‘utang’ you are embarrassed to even walk around the market…
  • Afraid you might run into someone you owe money to – with no way to repay…
  • We owed God a HUGE debt of sin – ‘utang’ and we had no way to pay it back…
  • And every time we sinned – we added to that debt – only making things worse!
  • All we could do was try to avoid God – dreading the day we would have to pay it back…
  • But Jesus took care of our debt – He paid the price for us – IT IS FINISHED…
  • So now we can walk boldly into the presence of God and not be ashamed!
• 4^th – 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…