All right, well as we turn to God's Word, we're picking up where we left off in John's Gospel.
If you have your Bible with you, you can turn there.
If the screen stops working, the Bibles are in the seats in front of you.
We have been having a little bit of technical difficulties this morning.
Hopefully it all goes smoothly.
So we're in John chapter 19.
And last Sunday we observed Jesus' trial before Pilate, the Roman governor.
We saw how the chief priests sought to have Jesus executed by crucifixion.
We watched as Pilate wrestled with this, finding Jesus to be not guilty, not deserving of that verdict.
And we watched the religious leaders of the Jews stir up the people so much that they demanded Jesus' execution.
And finally we saw how Pilate gave in.
We continue now with the story as witnessed and recorded by John the Apostle in John chapter 19 verse 16.
Finally, Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.
Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
There they crucified him.
And with him, two others, one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
So the Roman soldiers marched Jesus out of the city.
And Jesus is made to carry the wooden cross on which he will be crucified.
We notice here that John doesn't linger too much over this like the other three gospel writers do.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us other details.
John says Jesus carried his cross.
Some of those gospels tell us that he was only able to make it as far as the city gate.
And at that point there was a man named Simon from Cyrene who was just on his way into the city.
And the soldiers took that man named Simon and forced him to carry Jesus' cross for him.
We assume because he was too weak, unable to carry it himself.
Likely because the flogging he received was so severe.
And there's interactions that Jesus had with some of the people as he was proceeding out of the city that Luke tells us about.
Jesus speaks to them and tells them in Luke's gospel,
Don't cry for me.
Cry for yourselves.
Weep for yourselves and for your children.
And basically tells them that judgment is coming because of the wickedness of the people.
Verse 18.
There they crucified him and with him two others.
One on each side and Jesus in the middle.
Similar to the other gospel writers, John doesn't go into detail about how they crucified Jesus.
But simply tells us that they did.
They nailed him alive to a wooden cross and hung him up to die.
John takes notice that there were at least two others that were crucified at the same time as Jesus.
One on each side.
And again, John doesn't linger here.
He doesn't tell us about the brief exchanges between Jesus and the men on the cross like we hear about in Luke.
So what does John linger over here?
John makes a point of drawing our attention to the sign that was posted above Jesus' head on the cross.
Verse 19.
Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross.
It read,
Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.
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.
The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate.
Do not write the king of the Jews.
But that this man claimed to be the king of the Jews.
Pilate answered, what I have written, I have written.
It may seem strange to us that John would spend so much time on this.
But John wants us to notice it.
He wants us to read what was written on the sign above his head.
Jesus of Nazareth.
The king of the Jews.
Matthew tells us that this was the charge that was written against Jesus.
This brings into view the purpose of crucifixion.
It was a form of public execution done to criminals.
And it was the custom to write the name of the person
and what they were guilty of on a sign above their heads.
It was intended to get the attention of people passing by.
This is what will be done to people who do such things.
Usually people guilty of murder or other heinous crimes.
This is why the sign was written in three languages.
They wanted everybody to know that if you defy Roman law,
if you commit a capital offense, this will be your fate.
And John tells us that many of the Jews read this sign.
Here lies the irony of this whole situation.
Three times prior to this,
Pilate has declared Jesus to be innocent
and undeserving of punishment.
As we heard last week,
so much of Jesus' interactions with Pilate
and Pilate's interactions with the leaders and the people
had to do with whether or not Jesus was the king of the Jews.
Let me just remind us again.
It was the first question that Pilate asked Jesus.
Are you the king of the Jews?
It was the subject of their conversation.
Jesus said,
My kingdom is not from this world.
It was the title that Pilate gave publicly to Jesus.
Do you want me to release to you Barabbas or the king of the Jews?
Shall I crucify your king?
He said.
It's what Jesus was mocked for with the robe
and the crown of thorns by the soldiers.
Hail, king of the Jews!
They said.
And finally, it was why the religious leaders said
Pilate must condemn him
or be no friend of the emperor's.
We have no king but Caesar, they said.
Whether Jesus is the king of the Jews
is at the heart of all of this.
So it makes sense that this is what Pilate had written on the sign
and yet it's ironic, isn't it?
Jesus is being executed for what?
What crime has he committed?
The king of the Jews is not a crime.
The religious leaders tried to paint Jesus as guilty of sedition.
Guilty of undermining the emperor's authority and rule
with his claim to be king.
And yet Jesus has not participated in any kind of violent uprising
or military action.
He hasn't promoted any kind of rebellion against Caesar.
So we have to think about what this charge against Jesus meant
to those involved.
John tells us that the religious leaders
objected to what Pilate had written for the sign.
They protested.
Do not write the king of the Jews
but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.
They wanted it to be clear that Jesus was not their king.
Not their Messiah.
But Pilate refused to change the sign.
I don't think he's too happy with these chief priests.
He's been working a good part of his day to figure all this out
and how he can release Jesus
since it's obvious that Jesus doesn't deserve this.
But these chief priests, they've been stirring up the people
and it's getting out of hand.
They've been posturing.
Trying to manipulate Pilate into having Jesus killed.
Like, if you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar's.
So I think Pilate is quite happy to stick it to them
and to write on there
the opposite of what they are saying.
What he knows will offend them.
And we did see that Pilate was somewhat sympathetic
even to Jesus.
Possibly, maybe, we don't know.
He thought that Jesus should be their king
at least under the Roman government.
Finally, there's what God meant
by the sign posted above his head.
In the providence of God,
in the sovereign working and orchestrating of God,
the truth of who Jesus was and is
came to be written on the sign above his head.
Remember what the angel declared to Mary.
The angel said,
You will conceive and give birth to a son
and you are to call him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called
the son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne
of his father, David.
And he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever.
His kingdom will never end.
He was the king of the Jews.
He was God's chosen king for his people.
The promised Messiah.
This is at the heart of why he was crucified.
Yet as we heard last Sunday,
they rejected him as their Messiah,
as their king.
It's a powerful detail of Jesus' death
that John wants us to see.
Why did they kill him?
Not because he had done anything wrong
or was a criminal.
They executed him
because of who he really was.
The king of the Jews.
It was a blatant and clear rejection
of him as Messiah.
As the one God had sent.
The next thing John tells us about
at Jesus' crucifixion
is what they did with Jesus' clothing.
Verse 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.
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
that said,
they divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
So this is what the soldiers did.
When the soldiers crucified Jesus,
they took his clothes.
Let's pause for a moment
before we get to what they did
with his clothes.
Consider first that they took his clothes
away from him.
Crucifixion was not only excruciating,
it was utterly humiliating.
At the same time,
they took his clothes.
They stripped him naked,
right there in front of everybody,
and then they nailed his body
to the cross.
Most depictions of the crucifixion
in art or film
have Jesus wearing some sort of undergarment
while on the cross.
Perhaps we just assume
that they still had some sense of decency
back then,
which they afforded to criminals
at their execution.
Much more likely, though,
is that artists today
and filmmakers today
are being sensitive
to their audiences.
The whole point of this
was to publicly shame
the criminal
for his actions.
Stripping them naked
was part of how they achieved that.
And the Roman soldiers,
as we heard last Sunday,
they treated people on death row
with brutality.
They mocked Jesus.
They spit on him.
They beat him.
They tortured him
with the crown of thorns.
And so we can be pretty confident
that they took all of his clothes,
stripped him completely naked
before executing him.
John remembered this part
of the crucifixion.
They took his clothes.
Now here's what they did with them.
They divided them up like plunder,
says John.
Now we might have to wonder here,
why would they even want
the clothes of Jesus?
They would have likely been covered in blood
from when Jesus was flogged.
Truth be told,
we don't know
what was going on
in the minds of these soldiers.
Could it be that Jesus
had been such a popular figure
that they thought of having
an article of his clothes
as a sick sort of souvenir?
Something to be able
to brag about to others.
I was there.
I was one of the ones
who executed Jesus.
We don't know.
But evidently,
they wanted his under tunic
enough
to cast lots for it,
to roll dice for it.
It must have been
absolutely heart-wrenching
for John to watch this.
But as John reflected on all this,
he remembered the words
of Psalm 22,
a psalm written by King David
almost a thousand years
before all this.
John remembered a part
of that psalm
where God's chosen king,
David,
said,
They divide my clothes
among them
and cast lots
for my garment.
Here John is watching
as that very thing
is happening.
As the word of God
spoken long ago
through David
is fulfilled.
It's happening
right in front of his eyes.
They divided
Jesus' clothes,
plural,
and cast lots
for his garment,
singular.
Just as King David
described,
so it was happening now
with the son
of David.
God's ancient words
of prophecy
being fulfilled.
Now we come to
a very unique part
of this account,
something we only see
through John's eyes.
Verse 25.
Near the cross
of Jesus
stood his mother,
his mother's sister,
Mary,
the wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw
his mother there
and the disciple
whom he loved
standing nearby,
he said to her,
Woman,
here is your son.
And to the disciple,
here is your mother.
From that time on,
this disciple
took her
into his home.
So John tells us
that there were
some women
standing near
the cross
where Jesus
was hanging.
He mentions
four women,
one of whom
was Jesus'
own mother,
Mary.
And standing
nearby to Jesus'
mother was
this disciple
whom Jesus
loved.
Now,
I'm not going to
get into all this
this morning,
but a good
biblical case
can be made
that the disciple
whom Jesus
loved
was John,
the author
of this
account.
The later
writings of history
affirm that.
Tradition
agrees.
This is likely
John the apostle
referring to himself
in a way that
keeps
himself
anonymous.
I think that
John doesn't want
to do anything
to draw attention
to himself
at this moment.
He wants to
keep the spotlight
on Jesus.
Look up
to the man
on the cross.
Don't look at me
down on the ground
here.
So John was
there
near
the cross.
He was right
there witnessing
all of this
with his own eyes.
And something
happened in that
moment that John
just had to tell
us.
As Jesus
was suffering
on the cross,
Jesus looked
down and
saw his
mother.
And he
saw John
and he spoke
to each of them.
To his mom,
take
John
as your son.
And to John,
take
my mom
as your own
mother.
father.
This is a
sweet moment.
In the midst
of Jesus'
suffering,
his agony,
he is still
thinking of
others.
He's still
caring for
others.
He's thinking
of his dear
mother and
what it's like
for her to be
losing her son
in this moment.
And so,
take this
beloved
disciple of
mine,
John,
as your
son.
And John,
take my
mom as
your own
mom.
Look after
her.
Take care
of her.
We don't
know where
Joseph,
the earthly
father of
Jesus,
has been.
He's not
mentioned in
the gospel
accounts after
the beginning.
Did he die?
Was Jesus'
mother a
widow?
John tells
us that
from this
moment on,
this disciple
took Jesus'
mom into
his home.
And so,
history and
tradition probably
has it right.
They could
have just
verified this
after John's
writing.
Who is Mary
living with
today?
You know,
as I read
this,
I'm just
blown away
at how
truly loving
Jesus is.
His own
pain and
his own
suffering
cannot keep
him from
thinking of
others and
caring for
others.
Even as
he dies,
he's making
arrangements for
his mom to
be cared for.
It's amazing.
John now
fast-forward
a little bit
and time
passes on
as Jesus
hangs there
on the
cross.
Verse 28,
later,
knowing that
everything had
now been
finished and
so that
scripture would
be fulfilled,
Jesus said,
I'm thirsty.
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.
When he
had received
the drink,
Jesus said,
it is
finished.
With that,
he bowed
his head
and gave
up his
spirit.
So John
tells us
about Jesus'
final moments
leading up
to his
death.
John
remembered
that Jesus
was thirsty,
and after
saying so,
a drink of
wine vinegar
was given
to him.
This word
refers to
an inexpensive,
a cheap,
sour wine
that people
in the
lower ranks
of society
would often
drink in
those days.
And they
lifted this
up on the
stalk of a
hyssop plant
to his
lips,
and this
seems to
prepare Jesus
for his
last words
from the
cross.
It is
finished.
Could be
that these
were the
words that
Jesus spoke
with the
loud cry
mentioned
by Mark
before
breathing
his last.
It is
finished.
These are
rich and
meaningful
words.
And we
know from
how Jesus
has been
speaking that
he doesn't
just mean
finally my
suffering is
over.
This word
for finished
he has
already been
using the
previous night
in his
prayer.
John 17
verse 4,
he was
praying to
his father.
He said,
I have
brought you
glory on
earth by
finishing the
work you
gave me to
do.
It's the
same word.
It is
finished.
It is
accomplished
is what
Jesus means.
Mission
completed.
My work
is done.
And upon
saying this
Jesus bows
his head
and gives
up his
spirit.
I know
I've said
this many
times.
So many
times I've
lost count.
But what a
thing to say
in this
moment.
we don't
think of
death as
the completion
of our
work.
We think
of that
as kind
of, you
know, it's
tragedy.
It's the
loss of our
opportunity to
live and to
work.
But Jesus,
knowing that
he's about
to die,
claims his
own death
as the
accomplishment,
the completion
of his work.
he knew
he came
to do
this.
He knew
he was
here to
offer his
life as
a sacrifice
of atonement
for the
sins of
people.
And so
staring his
own death
in the face,
knowing what
it will
achieve,
he embraces
it and
declares,
mission
accomplished.
I mean,
what a
holy thing.
such a
unique thing
about Jesus
as he
dies.
It's a
sign that
he really
was sent
from heaven.
Notice
the way
that John
describes
Jesus
dying.
With
that,
he bowed
his head
and death
overtook
him.
No.
With
that,
he bowed
his head
and gave
up
his spirit.
Literally,
handed over
his spirit.
I don't
think this
is coincidence.
Death
did not
overtake
Jesus
like a
greater
power
overtaking
a lesser
power.
No.
Jesus
handed over
and gave
up
his spirit.
He allowed
death,
the lesser
power,
to have
his body
and surrendered
his spirit
to the
hands
of his
father.
Remember
what Jesus
said
back in
John
chapter
10
verse 14
and 15.
I am the
good shepherd
and I lay
down my
life for
the sheep.
No one
takes it
from me
but I lay
it down
of my own
accord.
I have
authority to
lay it down
and authority
to take
it up
again.
Just like
Jesus said
in the
garden of
Gethsemane
at his
arrest,
he could
have called
upon his
father in
this moment,
come down
from the
cross,
healed his
wounds,
struck down
his enemies.
They couldn't
take his
life from
him.
But just
like in
Gethsemane,
shall I not
drink the
cup the
father has
given me.
And so
Jesus
willingly,
voluntarily
surrenders
his life
to death
and hands
over his
spirit
from his
body
to God.
Now John
has more
to tell us
about that
day.
We're going
to save it
for next
Sunday.
In the
time we
have left,
let's linger,
let's reflect
a little
on this
suffering and
this death
of Jesus.
what's the
meaning of
all this?
Well,
John's already
shared some
of that.
To recap,
this is the
true king
of the Jews,
chosen and
sent by
God,
yet rejected
by his
people.
And this
isn't happening
outside the
great plan
of God.
John tells
us twice
in this
account,
this happened
so that
the scriptures
might be
fulfilled.
So that
what God
declared
long ago
would be
completed.
And we
heard also
from Jesus
himself in
the moment
just before
he died
that the
death he's
about to
die is
his work
now
finished.
But what
is that
work?
Why did
he have to
die like
this?
what I
want to
do here
now is
to just
simply
quickly
go back
through a
couple
pieces of
John's
gospel and
just read
a few
verses to
you that
explain the
significance
of his
death.
Because
Jesus has
been talking
about it
all the way
through.
Why did
Jesus die
on the
cross?
Hear the
words of
John the
baptizer
again.
Behold
the Lamb
of God
who takes
away the
sin of
the world.
Hear again
what Jesus
said to
Nicodemus.
Just as
Moses lifted
up the
snake in
the wilderness
on the
wooden pole,
so the
Son of
Man must
be lifted
up that
everyone who
believes may
have eternal
life in
him.
For God
so loved
the world
that he
gave his
one and
only Son
that whoever
believes in
him shall
not perish
but have
eternal
life.
Hear again
what Jesus
said to
his disciples
in Samaria.
John
chapter 4
verse 34.
My food,
he said,
is to do
the will
of him
who sent
me and
to finish
his work.
Don't you
have a
saying?
It's still
four months
until harvest.
I tell you,
open your
eyes and look
at the fields.
They are ripe
for harvest.
Even now
the one
who reaps
draws a
wage and
harvests a
crop for
eternal life.
Hear again
what Jesus
said to the
crowd at
Capernaum.
He declared
to them,
I am the
bread of
life.
Whoever
comes to
me will
never go
hungry and
whoever
believes in
me will
never be
thirsty.
Your
ancestors
ate the
manna in
the wilderness
yet they
died.
but here
is the
bread that
comes down
from heaven
which anyone
may eat
and not
die.
I am
the living
bread that
came down
from heaven.
Whoever
eats this
bread will
live forever.
This bread
is my
flesh which
I will
give for
the life
of the
world.
Whoever
eats my
flesh and
drinks my
blood has
eternal life
and I will
raise them
up at the
last day.
hear again
his words to
the Pharisees.
John chapter
10 verse
11.
I am the
good shepherd.
The good
shepherd lays
down his
life for
the sheep.
I am the
good shepherd.
I know my
sheep and my
sheep know me
and I lay
down my
life for
the sheep.
Hear what
Jesus said to
his disciples.
John chapter
12 verse
23.
The hour
has come for
the son of
man to be
glorified.
Very truly I
tell you unless
a kernel of
wheat falls to
the ground and
dies it remains
only a single
seed.
But if it
dies it
produces many
seeds.
Now my
soul is
troubled and
what shall I
say?
Father save
me from this
hour?
No.
It was for
this very
reason I
came.
to this
hour.
Here again
how John
describes this
final day
leading up to
Jesus' death.
John chapter
13 verse
1.
Jesus knew
that the hour
had come for
him to leave
this world and
go to the
Father.
Having loved
his own who
were in the
world he loved
them to the
end.
hear again
what Jesus
said to his
disciples later
that night.
John 15
verse 13.
Greater love
has no one
than this
to lay down
one's life
for one's
friends.
And finally
hear again
Jesus' words
to his
Father in
his prayer.
John 17
verse 19.
for them
my disciples
I set
myself apart
that they
too
may be
truly
set apart.
All along
God has been
speaking
preparing us
telling us
the meaning
of what would
happen
with Jesus
at the cross.
he died
as a
sacrificial
lamb
to atone
for sins
to secure
eternal
life
for all
who will
believe.
He laid
down his
life
for his
people
to protect
them
to save
them
to bring
about a
great
harvest
a great
ingathering
of people
set apart
specially
for God
and again
we hear
of how
his
love
is why
he is
doing
this work
for God
so loved
the world
having loved
his own
who were in
the world
he loved
them to
the end
greater
love
has no
man than
this
to lay
down
his life
for his
friends
so again
I want to
call all
of you
to see
him there
hanging
on the
cross
dying
because
he loves
you
to
atone
for
your
sins
do you
know
do you
believe
that he
did it
out of
that
deep
strong
love
for you
it
is
finished
salvation
has been
secured
for all
who will
put their
trust
and hope
and faith
in the
Lord
Jesus
have you
done
that
if not
I urge
you
do it
today
for those
of us
who have
done it
already
hear this
wonderful
news
again
for every
sin
for every
failure
of this
past
week
this past
month
this past
year
Jesus
died
and made
full
atonement
it's
finished
it was
finished
at the
cross
you're
free
your guilt
is gone
the Lamb
of God
Jesus
died
to make
it so
you're
forgiven
praise the
Lord
give thanks
to the
Lord
for he
is good
his love
endures
forever
are you
walking in
that freedom
in that
forgiveness
that was
accomplished
for you
at the
cross
the cross
is where
that great
burden
of our
guilt
and sins
was dealt
with
permanently
once for
all
are you
still carrying
that burden
around
with you
or have
you let
it fall
to the
ground
trusting
Christ's
work
for you
is
finished
I want
to end
this morning
by reading
an excerpt
from John
Bunyan's
allegory
Pilgrim's
Progress
if you know
the story
there comes
a moment
when the
main character
a man
named
Christian
arrives
at the
cross
and I'll
read it
for you
there's a
couple
old words
here
one of
them is
sepulchre
which means
a burial
place
or tomb
and the
other is
raiment
which means
clothing
Christian
ran
dust
till he
came
at a
place
somewhat
ascending
and upon
that place
stood a
cross
and a
little below
in the
bottom
a sepulchre
so I
saw in
my dream
that just
as Christian
came up
to the
cross
his
burden
loosed
from his
shoulders
and fell
from off
his back
and began
to tumble
and so
continued to
do till
it came
to the
mouth
of the
sepulchre
where it
fell in
and I
saw it
no more
then was
Christian
glad
and lightsome
and said
with a
merry heart
he has
given me
rest
by his
sorrow
and life
by his
death
then he
stood still
a while
to look
and wonder
for it was
very surprising
to him
that the
sight of
the cross
should ease
him
of his
burden
he looked
therefore
and looked
again
even till
the springs
that were
in his
head
sent the
waters
down
his
cheeks
now
as he
stood
looking
and weeping
behold
three shining
ones
came to
him
and saluted
him
with peace
be to
you
so the
first
said to
him
your
sins
are
forgiven
the
second
stripped
him
of his
rags
and clothed
him
with
change
of
raiment
the
third
also
set
a
mark
on
his
forehead
and
gave
him
a
roll
with
a
seal
upon
it
which
bid
him
look
on
as
he
ran
and
that
he
should
give
it
in
at
the
celestial
gate
so they
went
their
way
then
Christian
gave
three
leaps
of
joy
and
went
on
singing
thus
far
did
I
come
laden
with
my
sin
nor
could
ought
ease
the
grief
that
I
was
in
till
I
came
hither
what
a
place
is
this
must
hear
be
the
beginning
of
my
bliss
must
hear
the
burden
fall
from
off
my
back
must
hear
the
strings
that
bound
me
crack
blessed
cross
blessed
sepulcher
blessed
rather
be
the
man
that
there
was
put
to
shame
for
me
amen
look
to
the
cross
and
look
again
keep
on
looking
to
the
cross
never
stop
looking
to
the
cross
it's
there
the
burden
of
our
guilt
and
sins
was
dealt
with
forever
by
Jesus
blessed
cross
blessed
sepulcher
blessed
rather
be
the
man
that
there
was
put
to
shame
for
me
let's
pray
what a
holy
moment
you have
given us
to look
at
father
through
the eyes
of john
who stood
near the
cross
i pray
that you
wouldn't
let us
pass
this
by
as
just
a
thing
written
in
a
book
but
i pray
that
the
truth
of
what
happened
there
would
fill
our
souls
that
your
love
would
pour
into
us
and
that
we
would
know
it
to
its
depths
and
that
we
would
know
with
great
assurance
that
yes
we
are
forgiven
our
sins
are
gone
and
we
have
life
forever
now
with
you
thank
you
for
the
cross
to
Jesus
be
the
glory
amen