When All Is Said and Done - Good Friday Joint Service - April 22, 2011
John 19:1-16
During more than 70 years in radio broadcasting, the name, Paul Harvey, has become synonymous with excellence. His distinctive voice, his unusual intonation, allowed him to become one of the best known voices in the business. His, truly became, a household name, and millions of North Americans, including, I would imagine, many of us here this morning, would acknowledge that over the years we have tuned in and listened to Paul Harvey more than once, haven’t we? My favourite part of his broadcasts always centered around the stories he told. I enjoy stories and I enjoyed the way he told them as only he could. Several times a week you could turn on the radio and listen in as he brought a new story to life. And he always paused part way through, didn’t he, and left you hanging for a bit. When he got back to it, and wrapped it up, he always concluded with those familiar words, “… and now you know, the rest of the story.”
And it’s true. You do! You woke up this morning, and you knew the rest of the story. You knew how it all ended, how it all worked out. It’s the greatest of all stories and it’s one that some would say began nearly 2000 years ago as a Jewish rabbi rode into the Holy city of Jerusalem on the back of a young donkey. The crowds that followed Him that day knew – or at least thought they knew – what was happening. The prophecy that had been spoken by Zechariah, Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, Zechariah 9:9 was being fulfilled before their eyes! And they went wild and shouted praises to God! Deliverance was at hand! Redemption was near.
Can you imagine what that must have been like to have been there that day? To have thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people, celebrating in the streets and praising God? To see, with your own eyes, as the Word of God unfolded before you? It must have been extraordinary! But it wasn’t long until the cheering, turned to jeering. It wasn’t long before the laughter, turned to scorn, and the joy, to bitterness. It wasn’t long before that rabbi, who had been welcomed as a king, was put on trial, as a criminal. It wasn’t long until the crowds called out, “Crucify! Crucify!”
You know the rest of the story … but the disciples didn’t. Not yet at any rate. For three years they had walked with Jesus, they had learned at His feet, they had cast out demons and had worked miracles in His name. And now it had all come down to this – an unruly mob shouting, “Crucify! Crucify!” It must have been heart wrenching - utterly devastating – everything they had hoped for and worked towards – was falling apart and they were powerless to do anything about it. It must have been terrifying. Some of them went into hiding, made themselves scarce. At least one denied knowing the rabbi they called Jesus - though the shame in his heart told a different story.
And it must have been nerve wracking as they waited to see what would happen. Would Pilate let Jesus go? Would the crowds get their way? Would God intervene in some miraculous manner and rescue His Son? Would the hosts of heaven descend and overthrow the Roman oppressors? The truth is that Jesus had spoken of His coming death but they had chosen not to hear, not to believe. Now that it was at hand they didn’t know what to think; they didn’t know what was to come. But we know what happened, don’t we? Yet let me read it for you again so that it is fresh in our minds on this particular day. I’ll continue reading in John 19 and I’ll pick right up where Stephen left off in verse 17. You may follow along if you like or simply listen to the rest of the story unfold. John 19, verse 17 … Pilate has handed Jesus over to the soldiers and the soldiers have taken charge of Jesus as He makes His way to the place of death. And we’re told that …
Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 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 king of the Jews.” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” John 19:17-22
Then down to verse 28 … Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am 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. John 19:28-30
This is the Word of God and this is the rest of the story … or perhaps it’s better to say, “the rest of the story so far.” For we know that there is more to come. The darkness of Good Friday will gave way to the light of Resurrection Sunday – we truly do know the rest of the story – but again, the disciples did not. For them it was unfolding minute, by agonizing minute, as Jesus poured out His life blood on the cross. His final words, mere moments before His death, seem to say it all, don’t they? “It is finished.” Sums it up rather well.
And to a cursory glance it would seem to be true. The dream, the hope, the cause, the man, the kingdom, the life – it seems it’s all over and done with – settled once and for all – finished in the lifeless body of Jesus the Nazarene.
Scripture tells us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 And you can almost hear them cry out in victory as the nails are hammered through flesh, as the Son of God is hung upon a tree, and as His blood is poured out upon the ground. “It is finished!,” is their victory chant.
And as the stone is rolled across the entrance to the tomb, as the dying embers of the sun’s light are cut off from the interior of that dark and sorrowful place, the disciples, who did not know, and we who are here today and do know, are left with the very same question: When all is said and done, what’s it all been for?
I mean, we can read the Gospel accounts. We can read of how Jesus was betrayed by one of His own and of how He did not resist arrest but went quietly. He appeared before the rulers and made no defence on His own behalf. He was beaten and abused and sentenced to death. The nails were driven through His flesh and He hung on that cross till life had left Him. We read the Gospels and we know that while Jesus was on the cross the sky grew dark. And that when He died the curtain in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth shook, the tombs opened up, and the dead rose, and the soldiers at the foot of the cross looked on in wonder. We can read the facts, but still, when all is said and done, we’re left to wonder: What’s it all been about? Why the pain and the suffering? Why the hopelessness and the despair? Why the cross and the tomb? When all is said and done, what’s it all mean?
And we need to ask those questions, because without the answers, the hope to which we cling is shown to be nothing more than wishful thinking, the cross of Christ nothing more than a talisman to ward off evil spirits for the superstitious, and the tomb nothing more than a grave marker for one more man. And yet it’s in the answers that we find the rest of the story and it’s a story unlike any other you’ve ever heard. So let me share with you this morning, just what it all means, when the dust has cleared away, and all is said and done.
You see, it means that God had a plan. The cross was God’s own idea. For years, as I was growing up, I never understood that. I considered the cross to be a victory of sorts for Satan, that somehow, by pure luck, God snatched victory out of certain defeat as Jesus died that day. But Scripture tells us a different story. Scripture shows us a God that is in control of all history for we are told that, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6
“At just the right time,” that’s a phrase that indicates planning, and preparation and forethought. The death of Jesus was no cosmic accident, no divine tragedy. All the intention of God was behind it for it took place at just the right time – not too soon – not too late – but at the exact timing that God had intended from the beginning.
In the book of Genesis, after Adam and Eve had sinned against God, we read that God spoke to the serpent who had led them astray saying, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 Friends, the enmity, the conflict, was known by God from the beginning, and from even before the beginning of all things as we know them, God had a plan. In the opening verses of the book of Titus, the apostle Paul speaks of our hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, he says, promised before the beginning of time. Titus 1:2 God had a plan for the salvation of His creation before they even brought judgment upon themselves by their sin.
Earlier in our service this morning Isaiah 53 was read for us. It is a powerful passage of Scripture for it gives us a real glimpse – not of the Saviour that the people were hoping for – but rather the Saviour that we needed and as He really would be. And I don’t know if you heard it or not but verse 10 is tremendously significant for it declares of Jesus that it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and to make his life a guilt offering. Isaiah 53:10
The cross was no accident – it was the will of God for Jesus to be crushed and to suffer in this manner, why? Because His life was being made a guilt offering for our sakes. And again, early on in my faith, I believed Jesus to have been the helpless victim of the cross, powerless to do anything other than die. And yet nothing could be further from the truth! It may have been the will of God the Father to crush Him and cause Him to suffer for our sakes, but it was the will of the Son to lay down His life on our behalf! Jesus was anything but a helpless victim in that day for in the book of Philippians we read that He, being found in appearance as a man, … humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Philippians 2:8 It wasn’t forced upon Him, circumstances did not overwhelm Him, the plan was not falling apart, but Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient unto death. It was a willing choice on His part. And in the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus declares, The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 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. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:17-18
So what does this all mean for us? It means that God is in control, even when life doesn’t seem to make sense, even when the struggle is the hardest, God is in control. He has a plan and history is moving inevitably to the conclusion He has set forth. Which means the Word of God will stand and not a single iota will fail to come to be as He has spoken! His promises will come to be and His word will stand! Which means the day is coming when Jesus will return and He will be coming, not meek and humble as He did once before, but this time He will come in power and in glory to call His own to Him and you need, we need, to be ready! Amen? Amen!
Which means, when all is said and done, that God had a purpose in the cross. It was not a random event. There was purpose behind it, and in it, and beyond it. And that purpose was to reconcile the creation to the Creator, to reconcile man to God. The Encarta Dictionary defines the word “reconcile” in this way: “To put people back on friendly terms, to end conflict, to make somebody accept something, and to make consistent or compatible.” Encarta Dictionary: English, On-Line And I would declare to you this morning that in the cross of Christ, God the Father was doing every single one of those things!
He was putting people back on friendly terms with Himself and making peace, for we are told, in the book of Colossians, that of Jesus, God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood. Why was it necessary to make peace? Because, he writes, Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. Colossians 1:19-21 You and I were enemies of God because of our sin – and not just our sinful words and thoughts and actions - but sinful in our very nature. That sin separates us from God and in our rebellion we become His enemies and subject to His just wrath. This is what the Word of God tells us about ourselves, but folks, because of the cross we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
And furthermore, through the cross, God was making that which was unacceptable, acceptable in His sight, He was making that which was incompatible, compatible with His holiness. For the Paul tells us that now He, (He being God the Father), has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation … This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. Colossians 1:19-23
For God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:26 And in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace Ephesians 1:7 For as is said in the book of Hebrews, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22 Friends, make no mistake - as Jesus hung upon the cross that day, there was a shedding of blood. It flowed from His hands. It flowed from His feet. And it flowed from His side. And it flowed for you.
And that means that you are special, precious, and that your life has value to God. The world may make you feel small and insignificant. The world may knock you around and kick you when you are down. Those closest to you may reject you, and scorn you and ridicule you, but friends you are loved by God. For Scripture tells us that God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 Amen? Amen!
And that means, that when all is said and done, God has a promise for you to hold to. You see, because of the cross of Christ we have the assurance that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:21 Saved from what? Saved from the consequences of our sin and rebellion; saved from the fearsome wrath of God. Because of the cross of Christ we have the promise of salvation. We are saved, not by our works, not by our good deeds, but by the grace of God! Ephesians 2:8-9 It is the promise of new life in the here and now. You might not look different on the outside but if you have received Jesus Christ then a tremendous change has taken place within your heart – not the organ that beats within your chest – but the heart of who you are – that central essence of your person from which your beliefs, and your words, and your actions flow. God speaks these words to those who will be His and says … I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you. Ezekiel 36:26-27
This is God’s promise to you: that through faith in Christ you are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 You are set free from bondage to sin! You are released from the shame of the past! You have come from the darkness into the light! And you have been granted a sure and certain hope for what is to come. Not a hope as the world hopes – not a wishful thinking – but a certainty that that which God has spoken will come to be just as He has spoken it! It is the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of God, for friends, the day will come when the flesh will wither, and the bones will dry up, and our breath will grow ragged and will eventually cease, and then we will pass from life to death - only to discover that death is not the end that so many think it to be, for death itself has been defeated on the cross!
This morning we look forward to Resurrection Sunday but there is a resurrection that is yet to come. The apostle Paul speaks of it with these words … I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:50-53
And to the Thessalonians he writes … Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
This is God’s promise to those who will receive His Son and it means that God has a place for you both in the here and now and in the kingdom that is yet to come in all it’s fullness. It means that the trials and the sufferings and the frailty of this life need not define you. It means that death need hold no fear for the day will come, when like Job we will declare, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. Job 19:25-26 Amen? Amen!
And that means, that when all is said and done, God has a proclamation for you do declare. You who have received the grace of God, who have benefited from the cross of Christ, who are the heirs of the kingdom that is to come, you have a profession of faith to speak to the world in which you live. Before He ascended into heaven Jesus appeared to His disciples and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 We call this the “Great Commission.” It’s not meant just for pastors or evangelists – it’s meant for every single one of us who has experienced the blessing of the cross of Christ. If you’ve been made a new creation in Jesus then those words, that commandment, that profession of faith, is for you to live out and declare day by day in the places where God has put you.
I like how the risen Lord Jesus, explains it to Saul on the road to Damascus, saying … ‘I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Acts 26:16-18 We ought to be taking those words to heart because the gift of salvation is not meant to end with you. There is a world out there living in bondage to sin, existing in the darkness of hopelessness, a world that, in many cases, does not even recognize it’s own need. It’s a world, a people, that Jesus died for. It means God has a work for you to do – not on your own – but by the Spirit of God at work in you, and through you, and going before you and preparing the way. It is a work we ought to be doing in community with one another as we live out this new life that we have received by the grace of God. Friends, proclaim the wonders of God to anyone who will listen that they too, may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those sanctified by faith in Christ! Amen? Amen!
In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul writes these words … Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. … It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-31 Amen? Amen!
Now it’s true - we all want the wonder, and the blessing, of the resurrection – but you need to know that we can’t get there without the cross. Scripture tells us that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, in the days leading up to the crucifixion, the crowds cheered Him on. They were honouring a king. But while the people praised God, Jesus wept. Tears of sorrow fell from His eyes because there was a people before Him who did not recognize the time of God’s coming. There was no room for the cross in the hearts of that people and He knew the brokenness and darkness and sorrow that that would bring upon them.
And that could be said of many right here in Dauphin today. Perhaps it might even be true of some who are here with us this morning. And if it is then I implore you on Christ’s behalf: embrace the cross; Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20
But whether you came to the cross decades ago, or whether you’ve come for the first time today, or even whether you are still on your way, I want to ask you a question as we close this morning: Now that you know the rest of the story … what will you do about it?
Let’s pray …
