Why the Cry to Crucify?
Text: John 19:5-16
By: Ken McKinley
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The title of my sermon this morning is “Why the cry to crucify?” This is one of those questions you get asked in seminary. The professor asks, “Why did this crowd; that had openly welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, now want Him dead?” I mean Pilate himself said, “I find no fault in this man.” But the crowd screamed out all the more loudly, “Crucify Him!” And then you’ll get all sorts of speculation. Was it political fear mongering? Was it that the Jewish leaders were afraid that Jesus would cause a revolt and bring the wrath of the Roman Empire down on their heads? Or was it jealousy that worked them up to such a frenzy? Were they upset that Jesus was drawing such large crowds and on more than one occasion had made them look like chumps? What would cause people to demand the death of a man they had followed, a man that they had seen do miracles, and that was innocent of any and all crimes? Were they motivated by greed, anger, or lust for power?
And a wise and very knowledgeable theology professor will ask you these questions in an attempt to try and get you to think on a deeper level about this event. And we could come up with all kinds of conclusions, and we could debate it but at the end of the day, the answer to that question, “Why the cry to crucify,” is a lot closer to home than we like to admit. Yes there was political unrest, and yes there were religious power struggles, and yes I’m sure there was some jealousy involved, and maybe fear, anger, and greed were motives as well. But if we are going to come to the conclusion about why men can cry “Crucify” we are going to have to look at ourselves.
The crowd that day was not only made up of the scribes and Pharisees. It had the same people in it that had cried out, “Hosanna, Hosanna! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!” They had worshiped Him and shouted and sang songs of praise. In that crowd there were probably young adults, middle aged people, and elderly people. They were ordinary people, just like anyone else. Men and women. Some were probably farmers, some were sheep herders, some were business men, some were religious leaders. And here they were saying, “Crucify Him!” Let me tell you what kind of people do that. Sinners! People just like me… and people like you.
Now that might make you feel a little uncomfortable, and it probably should, but that’s actually part of the good news. Paul wrote in 1st Timothy 1:15, “that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” 1st John 1:8 says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” So it was sinners who said in verse 15, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” And the thing is, that sometimes, even today, we are still saying the same thing. And people say, “I’d never say that!” But how prominent is Christ in your life throughout the week? “Away with Him; while I’m doing MY thing!” “Away with Him; while I’m watching this movie!” “Away with Him; while I’m thinking those thoughts!” Believe it or not there are some people, who are attending services this morning, all throughout the world, but the minute they leave the church its “Away with Him!”
Turn with me to Deuteronomy 32:15 (Read)
Jeshurun is a poetic name for the land of Israel. God had blessed the land, and its people, but what happened is that they became both apathetic and proud. They forgot about God… God was only an afterthought to them, because life was going good, things were easy for them, they were prosperous, and they felt like they were the ones responsible for their prosperity; but then they got into idolatry, and forsook God. The New Testament equivalent is the church at Laodicea in the Book of Revelation. Let’s look at it. Revelation 3:15-19 (Read).
You know… I’m going to stick my neck out here, and you may agree with me or not, but I believe that our nation is under the judgment of God. Judgment doesn’t always come in the form of a flood, or an earthquake. In-fact, according to Romans chapter one, judgment most often comes when God lets man have it their way. Man says, “Away with Him! Away with Him!” and it gets to the point where God says, “Have it your way.” And He removes His restraining grace from us, and every one does what is right in their own eyes. But, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap!” What we sow, we will also reap.
Think about that in light of the fact that last Sunday politicians passed a bill that could very easily mandate that your tax dollars fund abortion, and legalize forced birth control. Ezekiel 20:24-25 says, “because they had not obeyed my rules, but instead had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their fathers idols; I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life.”
You see; we live in a culture that is crying out, “Away with Him! Crucify Him!” They don’t want anything to do with Jesus. They were interested in Him as long as He was doing miracles and feeding them. Remember? Jesus was doing miracles, feeding 5000 with a few fishes and loaves of bread, healing the sick and casting out demons, and everyone wanted a piece of the action then; but then He made it clear that following Him was going to be costly, that the Christian life was not about God making you healthy, wealthy and famous. We read about that in John chapter 6; how many people were following Jesus simply because they were getting their physical needs met, and because they were wanting to do the things that Jesus had been doing; they wanted to manipulate the power of God for their own benefit. That’s what they said in John 6:28, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Then they wanted a sign. Let’s pick it up in verse 29 (Read John 6:29-71), Jesus didn’t fit their mold so they went away from Him.
And in our text from John 19, Jesus didn’t fit their mold so they said, “Away with Him!”
In 2000 years mankind hasn’t changed. It was sinners who cried “crucify,” and its sinners today. Like I said a little while ago some of them might be sitting in churches at this very moment; maybe not here at Fort Supply… but maybe so. Some people do it because they like their sin. John 3:19 says, “… Men loved darkness instead of light, because their deeds were evil.” Some people do it because they are still trying to be justified by their good works, but Galatians chapter 5:4 says if you are trying to be justified by the Law, you are alienated from Christ. Some do it because the message of the cross if foolishness.
And so they cried, “crucify!” And Jesus went to the cross.
But the story doesn’t end there. It doesn’t end with mob rule. Jesus did go to the cross. You know; Jesus could’ve avoided the cross. He could’ve called 10,000 angles to come to His aid. He could’ve rained fire down from heaven and consumed every person in Jerusalem that day, just like Sodom and Gomorrah. He could’ve opened up the earth underneath their feet and swallowed them up just like God did with Korah who rebelled against Moses. But Hebrews 12:2 says that it was because of the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross. The joy that was set before Him was you. It was you, and every other sinner who would be saved. Jesus went to the cross because it was God’s ordained means of redeeming mankind. It was God’s sovereign will to save man, by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for our sins, to pay for our iniquities, to take our punishment and endure the cross in our place.
The crowds cried “Crucify!” Jesus said, “Father forgive them.”
The crowds said, “Away with Him!” Jesus said, “It is finished.”
The crowds said, “Let’s see if He can save Himself.” Jesus said, “Truly, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
You see; Jesus wasn’t interested in saving Himself. He could’ve easily. He was interested in saving you. He knew without the shedding of blood there would be no remission of sins. He knew the price He would have to pay. He said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Me.” And so for the joy set before Him, He went to the cross, He endured the pain and the suffering, and He did it for you.
Closing Prayer
