“Eight Unique Characteristics of Jesus”
“His Crucifixion”
2 Corinthians 5:19; Isaiah 53
When you read Matthew chapter 21 you find the account of Jesus entering into Jerusalem in what is often been called the triumphal procession – it’s the event that is celebrated in churches usually the Sunday before Easter, which is known as Palm Sunday. Now in Matthew 21 I want to draw our attention to verse 10, where it says: "And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying ’WHO IS THIS?’. So the multitudes said, ’This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.’"
Note - "The whole city was moved". That word "moved or stirred" is a word used in other places in the New Testament to describe the shaking that takes place when there is an earthquake. In other words, the city was shaken by the entry of Jesus. The city was alive with excitement. Excitement was in the air. The passage states, that all of Jerusalem said: "Who is this?" as the multitudes with Him proclaimed His coming to the Holy City with shouts of "Hosanna to the Son of David" and "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.” It literally was a triumphal procession.
It was Sunday - the first day of the week. BUT by the end of that week the acclamation would turn to accusations, the accusations would turn into an arrest, an arrest would then lead to a trial and the trial would lead to a crucifixion.
These people in Jerusalem had seen Him work miracles - they’d heard Him teach with authority - they were drawn to Him - and so, no doubt, as they celebrated His coming into Jerusalem they were quite sure that He was the awaited Messiah, and that He was coming to the capital now to lead a revolution to overthrow the Roman oppressors. But what happened? Instead of rallying support for a revolution, instead of challenging the Romans, Jesus went straight to the Temple and challenged the Jewish leaders. NOT a good political move - NOT a good start to the revolution. The multitude was still with Him at this stage, but He clearly wasn’t doing what was expected of the Messiah.
Jesus then went outside Jerusalem to Bethany where He stayed while He taught on the Mount of Olives. He returned on Thursday to eat the Last Supper with His disciples. But all week long the Jewish leaders had been scheming and lobbying the city against Him. In the middle of the night He was arrested by the mob in the Garden of Gethsemane, dragged before Annas the High Priest, then before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. All this examining and cross-examining took place through the early hours of the morning (Jesus hadn’t slept for at least 24 hours). Then, when they felt it was a reasonable enough hour of the morning, Jesus was brought to Pontius Pilate (the Roman Governor) for his rubber stamp approval on what the Jewish leaders had determined should happen. The accusations they made before Pilate were that Jesus was plotting against Rome - treason punishable by death. Pilate was reluctant - he could smell a rat. He said: "I find no fault in this man". But finally he relented to appease the locals, and the crucifixion was ordered. By late afternoon Jesus was dead.
Now before we continue, there is a question I want to ask that I asked about 50 people back in 2005 on a Sunday evening over in the old Sanctuary. The question is WHO was responsible for Jesus dying on the Cross? Some us will say well I know the answer to that it was the Romans? Pontius Pilate? The Jewish mob? How bout Herod? I know Judas Iscariot? Or was it Satan himself? Some of you are saying come on Bro. Travis that’s easy it was US! Right? For all of sinful mankind - for if it weren’t for our sin He would not have needed to die. That’s right. TRULY I agree with all those answers, there were many hands that had a part in holding the hammer which pounded the nails in Jesus’ hands. But what I’m asking this morning is: Who was ULTIMATELY responsible for Jesus going to the Cross? Whose idea was it? Who was the mastermind behind the cross? Who was the ‘ARCHITECT’ of the Cross? TEXT: 2 Corinthians 5:19.
“GOD was, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself . . .” Who was in charge of the events taking place on that little hill called Calvary that day? The answer may shock you but it was GOD HIMSELF. It was His idea. To prove this I want you to look with me at these amazing facts that the Word of God declares.
1. GOD SENT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD.
Remember what John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” In other words, it all began with God. God saw our dilemma; He saw that we were helplessly and hopelessly lost in sin. He saw that we were cut off from having any kind of relationship with Him. SO HE TOOK RADICAL ACTION.
In fact, I believe that He had seen the need before the world was even created; the plan was launched way back before the earth was created. John 1:1-2 say “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” This makes it very clear that Jesus was with God in the very beginning, which means that God’s plan from the very beginning was to send His Son to this earth to pay the penalty for our sin.
He sent His only Son, the Prince of Glory, Who had always been co-partner with Him - He sent His Son into the world on a dark but vital mission, behind enemy lines TO PURCHASE THE CAPTIVES OF EARTH, which is us, BACK TO HIMSELF. So, from the palaces of Heaven’s glory to an obscure, dirty and stinky stable, God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that the world through Him might be saved.
2. GOD PREPARED HIS SON FOR THE MISSION.
Isaiah 53:2a. "For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground." As we talked about 6 weeks ago, like a gardener, God planted His own seed in a virgin’s womb, and watched Jesus delivered - the babe of Bethlehem. And He watched Him grow through childhood, into adolescence, into manhood - He grew up strong and holy. And all the while, God Himself was preparing Him for what He must do. He was preparing the tender plant to be cut down.
Another image that we might liken it to: God was like the Shepherd watching especially over the prized Lamb of the flock - the unblemished Lamb; the BEST, most PURE lamb. He gives special attention to it as it grows. WHY? Because it is to be the Lamb of sacrifice. The one offered for sin. If you will remember, when John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him, he called out, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the whole world.” All through life, for 33 years, God was preparing His Son for the mission.
3. GOD DREW HIS SON TO THE CROSS.
Isaiah 53:5 states “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our sins, the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him.” When the time was right - when the sacrifice was ready - God summoned Jesus to Jerusalem. As He and His disciples travelled there He began to speak about dying. They didn’t understand it, but Jesus knew that He was being led by God into the final, all-important, conflict.
We must understand that Jesus wasn’t fooled by the reception He received as He entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey (“Hosanna to the Son of David”). He knew why He was there. He knew that by the end of the week He would be deserted by all, and He would be crucified.
As we know the Father led Him into a garden for the final ‘briefing’ and it was an agonizing night of wrestling with the task before Him and summoning strength in communion with the Father. Then the Father led Him on to trial, and then to the Cross. God drew His Son Jesus to the cross so that, according to Isaiah 53:5, “by His wounds we are healed.” And do not misunderstand this verse. Isaiah is not talking about physical healing he is talking about spiritual healing. He’s talking about being healed from that deadly disease that is called sin, that disease that can send us to eternity in hell.
THE TORTURE OF THE CROSS - It’s important to remember before Jesus was ever nailed to the cross He endured a great deal of agony and pain. Most of us have seen a movie, or attended a re-enactment of the Life of Christ and seen a staged crucifixion. But we really can’t imagine the depth of cruelty and sadism involved in crucifixion. Crucifixion was originated by the Carthaginian about 400 B.C. because other means of execution were too quick. Beheading was a relatively merciful form of killing– death came quickly. But crucifixion was designed to prolong the pain and suffering, but sometimes the torture leading up the cross killed the prisoner before he could even be nailed to the cross.
Let’s notice what happened to Jesus. We know that He was beaten. Sometimes people say Jesus received 39 lashes, but the Bible never says that. Jewish law prohibited a man from being beaten more than forty times, and the Jews were so afraid they might have miscounted and broken God’s law that they always stopped at 39 to be safe. However, Jesus was not beaten by Jews, but by the Roman Soldiers–and they had no limit.
Understand that flogging was a legal beginning to every Roman execution. The usual instrument was short whip with several single or braided leather strips in which small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones were tied at intervals. For scourging, the prisoner was stripped of his clothing, and his hands were tied to an upright post. The back, buttocks, and legs were flogged either by two soldiers or by one who alternated positions. The severity of the scourging was intended to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. As the soldiers repeatedly struck the victim’s back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather strips would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Then as the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for circulatory shock. In other words church, and I know this isn’t a pretty way of putting it but being “scourged” meant that a cruel Roman soldier turned the bare back of Jesus into hamburger meat.
In addition to the physical pain of the crucifixion, there was also the public shame involved. Jesus was the object of the disgust and ridicule of the both the Roman soldiers and the Jewish leaders. After His beating, Jesus stood naked before the Roman soldiers. At this point, they turned Him into a comic king. They pressed a crown made of 3-inch thorns on His head. They decided that if He was a king, He needed a scepter, so they used a stick. Then they blindfolded Jesus and spun him around, slamming the club into His face and head, asking Him to identify the one who was hitting Him. They laughed at Him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spit upon his face and plucked out His beard. In all of this, Jesus never responded in anger or hatred. The Jews ridiculed Him saying if He was really a king He should show His power by saving Himself. Imagine the pain Jesus felt because of the hatred and ridicule of the people He had come to save.
From there He would have been made to carry His own cross. Prisoners were forced to carry their cross in a processional through the streets. This was part of their humiliation. They would be surrounded by four Roman soldiers and would wear a sign around their neck announcing their crime. Jesus tried to carry His cross, but He was so weakened from the torture He fell under the weight. Simon, a man from the country of Cyrene, was enlisted to carry the cross for Jesus. It’s no surprise Jesus was unable to carry the cross. Physicians who have studied the crucifixion state that the severe scourging, with its intense pain and blood loss, most likely left Jesus in a pre-shock state. The physical and mental abuse handed out by the Jews and the Romans, as well as the lack of food, water, and sleep, would have contributed to his generally weakened state. Therefore even before the crucifixion, Jesus’ physical condition was at least serious and possibly critical.
Eventually Jesus was taken outside the city of Jerusalem to a hill called Golgotha, the place of the skull. When Jesus was nailed to the cross they took huge spikes and drove them through His hands and feet. It is estimated that the nails were nine inches long and resembled railroad spikes, but were much sharper. After the nails were pounded into his flesh, they lifted the cross up and dropped it into a hole. As the cross hit the bottom of the hole, the body of Jesus would have sagged against the nails, further tearing His flesh. GOD drew His Son to the Cross just so our sins could be forgiven. So that we could be spiritually healed by His wounds.
4. GOD PLACED HIS SON ON THE ALTAR.
If you have any doubts about Who sacrificed Jesus’ life, come back with me again to ISAIAH 53. Listen to the words of these verses: Isa 53:4 “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.” Isa 53:6 “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isa 53:10 “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.” Isa 53:11 “After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.”
As Jesus hung there, suspended between earth and heaven, God’s hands came down, and He Himself wrung the precious lifeblood of Jesus out on the ground. He had provided for Himself a sacrificial Lamb to pay the price for our sin and meet the demands of holy justice. So as the blood of Christ poured out on the ground, our penalty was being paid.
The important thing we need to understand about the blood is that there is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb. Church, the blood has power. What kind of Power? It has the power to forgive us of our sins. It has the power to forgive us of all of our sins no matter what we’ve done. To help make my point I want to share with you an illustration that I’ve shared many times before and I want to share it again because it shows the power of the blood.
When you look at the crucifixion of Christ we see that Christ bled from seven different places. He bled from the head(blood flowed over his head, eyes, ears and mouth. He bled from his back, which means that blood that covered His back is the very blood that has the power to forgive us of every time we have turned out back on God. He bled from His left and right hands, which means that the very blood that covered his hands is the very blood that has the power to forgive us of every sin these hands have ever committed. He bled from His left and right foot, which means that the very blood that covered His feet is the very blood that has the power to forgive the feet of the sins that they walk us into. He bled from His side, which means that the very blood that flowed out of His side is the very blood that has the power to forgive this heart of every evil and wicked feeling. His blood covered every inch of His body, which means that every sin of the body can be washed as white as snow in the blood of the Lamb.
Church, God took all of the sins of the whole world; all the guilt and vile sin accumulated in all of man’s rotten history AND HE LAID IT SQUARELY ON THE SHOULDERS OF JESUS. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that “He made Him Who knew no sin TO BE SIN FOR US, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” He bore it all. All of our shame, all of our condemnation, all of our grief - it was put on Him. And in that moment the Father turned away. (Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” - that may very well be the cry of every soul in hell. Jesus cried it once for all who would put their trust in Him.) And then finally, Jesus cried out once more: “It is finished”. And at that very moment the mission was accomplished. WHAT A SAVIOUR!
Now let me ask: WHY DID GOD DO ALL OF THIS? WHY DID JESUS GIVE HIMSELF? One word, Love, He did it because of LOVE. “God so loved the world . . .” Such a love that makes all other loves pale into insignificance beside it! SO WHAT MUST OUR RESPONSE BE? This morning, the Cross makes a two-fold call:
a) TO THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER REPENTED OF SIN AND PUT THEIR TRUST IN CHRIST TO BE THEIR SAVIOUR. You MUST come to the Cross. If you do NOT receive Christ as your Savior, then one day you will be required to stand before God alone. The price Jesus paid on the cross that day does not count for you if you don’t accept His death for your sins, which means, that the penalty of sin that we talked about last week will still have to be paid, and you will be the one that will have to pay it with your own eternal death in hell. BUT today, there IS an opportunity. Today God is giving you the opportunity of an eternal lifetime. The Savior, Jesus, is standing with arms wide open willing to receive any and all who will come. Won’t you come and repent of your sin and put your trust in Christ and make Him the Boss, the Master, the Savior of your life.
b) TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED CHRIST. We are called to live constantly beneath the shadow of the Cross, and never forget that we are not our own, but rather we must remember that WE ARE BOUGHT WITH AN INCREDIBLE PRICE. The blood of Christ!
“Eight Unique Characteristics of Jesus”
“His Crucifixion”
2 Corinthians 5:19; Isaiah 53
1. GOD _________ HIS SON INTO THE WORLD.
2. GOD _________ HIS SON FOR THE MISSION.
3. GOD _________ HIS SON TO THE CROSS.
4. GOD _________ HIS SON ON THE ALTAR.
