November 2024 ~ Matt Mitchell

Sunday, November 24, 2024

“While It Was Still Dark” [Matt's Messages]

11/24/2024 11:45:00 AM Life in Jesus' Name, Matt's Messages, Resurrection, The Gospel of John 0 comments

“While It Was Still Dark”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

November 24, 2024 :: John 20:1-18

Jesus was dead and buried.

For the last several weeks, we’ve been reading how our Lord Jesus was betrayed in the darkness, arrested in the darkness, interrogated, denied, slapped around, drug around from court to court, mocked, scourged, shamed, and executed.

Our Lord was crucified. Jesus was made to carry His own cross and then was nailed to it and then suffocated on it. Excruciating pain and thirst and agony.

And Jesus cried out, “It is finished!”

And then He died. No more breath. No more brain waves. No more beating of the heart. Jesus was dead.

And then He was buried. We just proclaimed it in the Apostles’ Creed. His corpse was placed in a tomb.

A couple of His followers went from secret to public. Joe and Nick took His dead body and wrapped it in 75 pounds of spices intertwined in linen strips. Even though He died with nothing and was treated as less than nothing as He died, in His burial, He had been treated as royalty.

There was a little garden near Skull Hill where Jesus had been killed, and in the garden was a newly dug, unused tomb. And that’s where they put Him. Jesus was dead and buried.

But that was not the end of the story!

If this was anybody else’s story, the next chapter, if there was one, would be about the effect of that dead person’s life on the people who lived after them. But that’s not what this chapter and the next is about! Because something amazing happened...“While It Was Still Dark.”

I thought this week, “God does some of His best work in the dark.”

Darkness has almost been a character in this book all along. Judas slipped out into the darkness to betray Jesus. “And it was night.” Nicodemus came at night to question Jesus. John has said that humans love darkness because their deeds are evil.

But John has also said that the darkness will not win (1:5).

Jesus has been dead and buried for two days. Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. And now it’s early early on Sunday (the first day of the Jewish week) when we open chapter 20. Look at verse 1.

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.”

By the way, this is the reason why most Christians now worship together on Sunday mornings. Maybe we should start meeting at 6:00am!

It was still dark. The sun was slowly creeping over the horizon. Mary was one of the women who was there on Friday and had to watch that monstrous thing happen to our Lord. She went to the tomb, the other gospels tell us, with some of those other women to finish the rush job that Joe and Nick had done on Friday evening as the Sabbath fell.

I like to get up while it’s still dark and go for a walk. I wear a “high viz” reflective vest and carry a flashlight. I wonder if she had any light with her? Probably not.

I’m sure she felt the darkness. The special Passover Sabbath was over and all that’s left is grief. Her Teacher and Lord had died. And with Him, all of her hopes and dreams. All of that talk about the Kingdom coming. All of what He had said about Himself.

It was over. Because Jesus was over. The story was over. Jesus was dead and buried. “It is finished.”

But the story was not over. The story was not finished. Even Jesus was not finished!

And when Mary reached the tomb (v.1), she “saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.” There must have been enough light to see that. No stone!

And what did Mary think? Does she think, “Hooray! Jesus is alive again!” No. She thinks, “Oh, rats, grave robbers. Joseph and Nicodemus put 75 pounds of expensive spices in that tomb. Myrrh and aloes. Somebody has made off with the body. I better go tell Peter.” Verse 2.

“So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!’”

She might think that culprits are the Jewish leaders. They might not want Jesus to be celebrated as a martyr, so they have stolen His body so the tomb doesn’t become a rallying point.

All Mary knows is that the tomb is empty. And she’s distraught. Not only is Jesus dead, but His body has been stolen. Can it get any worse?

So she tells Peter and the other disciple, who I am pretty sure is John the gospelwriter himself. He can’t get over how beloved he was. And so he was filled with grief, as well.

Peter and John take off running. There’s a lot of running here. Mary runs to Peter and John run to the tomb, leaving Mary behind. And John is faster. Verse 3.

“So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)” (vv.3b-9)

I love that detail that John was faster. He doesn’t actually say his name, but he’s got to get in that dig.

It definitely has the ring of truth to it, doesn’t it? What interesting details to remember! John gets to the tomb first, but Peter goes in first (classic Peter!). And apparently, there is now enough light that he can see inside of the tomb. Maybe he has a torch. We don’t know.

Peter sees the layout with his own eyes but doesn’t know what to think. The other gospels tell us that he went away marveling over this and trying to figure it all out.

This does not look like the work of grave robbers, does it? They left the strips of linen. That’s where the spices were. That’s where the money was. And the head cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, it was folded up and carefully set in another place. Grave robbers folded up the head cloth? I doubt it! Anyone that raided that tomb. Who would do that?

It’s more like Someone sat up and pulled off the strips of linen and folded up the head cloth and dropped it aside. Like Someone had started breathing again. Someone had started using His heart and brain and lungs again. Someone had started using his arms and legs again. His hands and feet again. That’s what it looks like.

And at that moment, John “got it.” He understood. Verse 8 says, “He saw and believed.”

You can just about see the realization cross John’s face. “He’s alive, isn’t He?! That guy! Look how He neat He is. He folded up the face cloth and put it over there. Jesus is alive again. I believe!”

I have three points of application for us this morning, and that’s the first one. It’s been the main application for the last 50 messages as we’ve studied the Gospel of John together: Believe!

#1. BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS ALIVE AGAIN!

Because He is. That’s a fact. It’s not a myth or a fable or a fairy tale. It’s not just a metaphor or a nice little story that we tell the children. No. It is reality. It is a historical fact, and it changes everything. Jesus Christ died and was buried and has risen from the dead!

And, I know that it’s Thanksgiving, but we just have to do this:

Christ Is Risen!

He Is Risen Indeed!

John believed. And that’s why He wrote this book because He wanted you and me to believe, too. Because when you believe this, what happens? You get life. Right?

At the end of this chapter, John is going to proclaim that “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God [risen from the dead!], and that by believing you may have life in his name” (Jn. 20:31).

The lights were coming on for John. Now, he didn’t yet understand how the whole Old Testament had predicted this. Verse 9 says, “They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”

But John did understand that it had happened!

He might have all of a sudden thought of all of the ways that Jesus had predicted it.

Like when Jesus tossed the tables in the temple, and He said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (Jn. 2:19). John might have been like, “Wait a second. Was His body the temple?”

Or when Jesus had said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep....I know my sheep and my sheep know me..and I lay down my life for the sheep...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” (Jn. 10:11-19). John’s like, “Wait a second. What if He meant that He was going to take it up again?!”

Or when He said that He was the “Resurrection and the Life.” What if He is the Resurrection so much that He doesn’t just have the power to raise Lazarus, but to raise Himself?!

Or when He said just the other night, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” What if He is so much “The Life” that He can’t stay dead?!

Eventually, John would go back and read His Old Testament in the light of the resurrection and see it all over the place. Jesus had to rise from the dead. You see that in verse 9? Jesus had to rise from the dead.

That’s what He meant by, “It is finished.” Sin is paid for. The mission is completed. Jesus can’t stay dead because He was victorious! Passages like Psalm 16, verse 10 and Isaiah 53, verses 10 through 12 predicted it most clearly.

Jesus had to rise from the dead. John didn’t understand that yet, but he believed that Jesus did. Do you?Do you believe that Jesus is alive again?

I do. Our church does. And we invite you to put your trust in Him today. We believe that He is everything He ever said He was. And that He had to rise from the dead. Death could not keep Him.

He paid for our sins, and He promises us eternal life.

John says, “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” (Jn. 3:16).

Believe!

I love how John has not yet seen the Risen Jesus and yet he already believes. Because that’s like you and me, right? Have you seen the Lord? It would be wonderful to see the Lord with our own two eyes, and one day we will.

Somebody is just about to in the next part of the story. And her name is Mary. Mary did not yet believe. She didn’t understand what had happened. Apparently, she had made her way back to the garden and missed Peter and John and everybody else. And she just stood there outside the tomb and cried. V.10

“Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying.”

By the way, I never thought about this before yesterday, but I realized that John probably went home and told Jesus’ mother that the tomb was empty! She had just moved in with him on Friday. They adopted each other. We don’t know, but in verse 10 John might have gone back to his home, and told Mary that he believed that her son was alive again.

But it’s a different Mary that is crying at the tomb. This was a follower whom Jesus had rescued from demonic oppression (Luke 8:2). We don’t know much more about her than that she had loved and followed Jesus and was there at the crucifixion.

Now she’s crying. “Crying” is a weak word for it. “Wailing” is more like it. It’s the same word for the weeping that the family of Lazarus was doing in chapter 11. She was full of grief. She was sobbing. She was overwhelmed by emotion. Confused and dismayed.

And then she saw something she didn’t expect. She saw two angels. Look at verse 12.

“As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. [These are the only two angels that appear in the Gospel of John.] They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don't know where they have put him.’”

It feels like the darkness has won. “My Lord is dead, and his body has been stolen.” She doesn’t ask, “Who are you?” She’s just done. She just feels done.

And then she senses that there is someone else there. V.14

“At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.”

I’m not 100% sure why that is.

Could be because it was still so early and dark.

Could be because she was looking through tears.

Could be because she was somehow kept from recognizing Him.

Could be because He looked different after having been tortured, either worse because of the torture or more likely better because His body had been glorified.

We don’t know.

I tend to think it’s just because was beside herself and just didn’t expect to see Jesus. Jesus was dead.

And then He speaks. Verse 15.

“‘Woman,’ he said, ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’”

I see a twinkle in His eye. He can see what’s going to happen when the light dawns for her. She is seeing what she expects to see. She’s in a garden, she expects a gardener. But He was not what she expected. Verse 16.

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ [Just like He always did.] She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).”

What a moment! This is the first believer to ever see the risen Lord!

Can you imagine? Can you imagine what she felt like? His sheep know His voice (John 10:27).

It was Him!

It was the Teacher!

It was the Lord!

Jesus is alive again.

In my mind, Mary falls at His feet and grabs Him around the knees. She has never been this happy before!

The darkness has not won. The Light of the World has come. The story wasn’t over. And it’s not going to be!

Jesus says, “Okay. Okay. Let me go.” Big smile on His face. Verse 17.

“Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her” (vv.17-18).

I don’t think that Jesus is saying that Mary can’t touch Him. He’s going to invite other to touch Him.

But to not cling to Him because this is a special and unique time between His resurrection and His ascension. He is alive, but He’s not staying. He’s still going.

And Mary has a job to do. Instead of holding onto Jesus, she’s supposed to bear witness to Him.

#2. TELL OTHERS THAT JESUS IS ALIVE AGAIN!

Jesus is telling Mary that she has a mission to fulfill. She’s supposed to go to Jesus’ brothers (I think that’s His disciples in this context) and tell them that He is alive and He will be ascending soon. He’s going to be returning to His Father.

But notice that He’s not just Jesus’ Father. He’s “your Father.” The disciple’s Father. Mary Magdalene’s Father!

“Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Even though He’s Jesus’ God and Father unlike anyone else’s because He’s the One and Only (monogenays), He is now also their God and Father.

Through adoption! Because of what Jesus has done on the Cross and now that the Tomb is empty, the Father has adopted the disciples through faith in Jesus. It’s John 1:12, isn’t it?

“[Jesus] came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God–children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God” (vv.11-12).

It’s happened! It’s worked! Because Jesus is alive again, everyone who believes in Him gets adopted into God’s family.

So, we need tell people!

Mary did. She ran to disciples and with the good news (v.18), “I have seen the Lord!”

The first eyewitness of the Risen Jesus was this woman. But she should not be the last. You and I are called to go and tell others that Jesus is alive again.

While it was still dark, Jesus stood up once more. The stone was rolled away, and He has made our way to the Father. So that the Father is our Father.

This week, I was thinking about this, and I had the thought: “I’m so glad we’re studying this section of John at Thanksgiving. What could be greater for us to be thankful for than that “It is finished”? That Jesus died for us on the Cross. And then I thought, only one thing and that is that Jesus is alive again today. He came back to life to give us life.”

While it was still dark, the Son rose!

Let’s tell others. Who could you tell this week? When you go around the table and say something you’re thankful for, how about the resurrection? How about the fact that because Jesus is alive, everything has changed?

#3. GIVE THANKS THAT JESUS IS ALIVE AGAIN!

We’re going to spend at least two more Sundays in the Gospel John thinking about the implications of the resurrection.

Because Jesus is alive again, we can take heart. He has overcome the world and even death.

And that makes all the difference for us today, tomorrow, and forever.

“Because He lives, [we] can face tomorrow,

Because He lives, all fear is gone;

Because [we] know He holds the future,

Life is worth the living,

Just because He lives!” [Bill and Gloria Gaither, #213]

***

Messages in this Series

01. "That You May Believe" - John 20:30-31
02. "In The Beginning Was the Word" - John 1:1-18
03. "John's Testimony" - John 1:19-34
04. "Come and See" - John 1:35-51
05. "The First of His Miraculous Signs" - John 2:1-11
06. "This Temple" - John 2:12-25
07. "You Must Be Born Again" - John 3:1-15
08. "God So Loved The World" - John 3:16-21
09. "Above All" - John 3:22-36
10. "Living Water" - John 4:1-26
11. "Ripe for the Harvest" - John 4:27-42
12. "Your Son Will Live" - John 4:43-54
13. "Pick Up Your Mat and Walk" - John 5:1-18
14. "To Your Amazement" - John 5:19-30
15. "Testimony About Me" - John 5:31-47
Christmas Eve Bonus: "The Astonishing Gift" - John 3:16 Again
Christmas Eve Bonus: "We Have Seen His Glory" - John 1:1-18 Again
16. "Enough Bread" - John 6:1-15
17. "You Are Looking for Me" - John 6:16-36
18. "I Am the Bread of Life" - John 6:35-71
Vision Meeting Bonus: "As I Have Loved You" - John 13:34-35
19. "At the Feast" - John 7:1-52
20. "I Am the Light of the World" - John 8:12-30
21. "Your Father" - John 8:31-59
22. "Now I See" - John 9:1-41
23. "I Am The Gate" - John 10:1-13
24. "I Am the Good Shepherd" - John 10:14-21
25. "I And The Father Are One" - John 10:22-42
26. "I Am the Resurrection and the Life" - John 11:1-53
27. "Expensive" - John 11:54-12:11
28. "The Hour Has Come" - John 12:12-26
29. "Father, Glorify Your Name!" - John 12:27-36
30. "Believe In Me" - John 12:37-50
31. "Do You Understand What I Have Done For You?" - John 13:1-17
32. "I Am Telling You Now Before It Happens” - John 13:18-38
2024 West Branch Baccalaureate: "The Way, The Truth, and The Life" - John 14:6
33. "I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life” - John 14:1-6
34. "Show Us the Father" - John 14:7-14
35. "If You Love Me" - John 14:15
36. "I Will Ask the Father" - John 14:16-24
37. "My Peace I Give You" - John 14:25 -31
38. "I Am the True Vine" - John 15:1-11
39. "You Are My Friends" - John 15:12-17
40. "If The World Hates You" - John 15:18-6:4
41. "When He Comes" - John 16:5-15
42. "After a Little While" - Joh 16:16-24
43. "Take Heart!" - John 16:25-33
44. "Glorify Your Son" - John 17:1-5
45. “Holy Father, Protect Them" - John 17:6-19
46. "That All Of Them May Be One, Father" - John 17:20-26
47. "Who Is It You Want?" - John 18:1-27
48. "Here Is Your King" - John 18:28-19:16
49. "It Is Finished" - John 19:17-42

“It Is Finished” [Matt's Messages]

11/17/2024 11:45:00 AM Life in Jesus' Name, Matt's Messages, The Gospel of John 0 comments

“It Is Finished”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

November 17, 2024 :: John 19:17-42

I have good and terrible news for you this morning. And this is it:

An innocent man was murdered.

And that sounds terrible, and it is. But it is also good for you and me.

You know whom I am talking about. This whole church is about Him.

It’s Jesus.

We’re drawing nearer, nearer to Him and His precious bleeding side. His back is bleeding because He’s been scourged.

The last few weeks, we’ve read about our Lord Jesus being betrayed, arrested, interrogated, slapped around, mocked, denied, rejected, judged, tried, convicted, and sentenced to execution. Execution of the most unspeakably horrible kind–Roman crucifixion.

Even though the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, could find no basis for a charge against Jesus, he still handed Him over to be crucified.

An innocent man was killed by the authorities. And that’s is good news for you and me.

We’re studying the part of the Gospel that we often focus on during a different holiday season than this one. But it is completely appropriate to focus on it now during this holiday season because, as we’re going to see, this is why Jesus came in the first place, at the first Christmas, and this is what we have the most reason for which to be thankful.

These last moments of His life and His death and His burial. This is why He came, and this is why His last words were (v.30), “It is finished.” That’s our title for today. “It is finished!”

In Greek, “tetelestai.” “It is completed.” Or “It is accomplished.”

Jesus didn’t say, “I am finished.” These are not words of despair, though I know that’s what would be on my lips! His are words of victory even as Jesus was killed as an innocent man. “It Is Finished.”

This morning, I want us to see just what was finished in those final moments before His death and the first few moments after His death and to reflect together on what good news that is for us today. We sometimes call these things “Good Friday.” Every good reason we have here to be thankful.

Starting with this. I have four points this morning, and here’s the first one.

#1. JESUS HAS BEEN PROCLAIMED THE TRUE KING.

Let’s start where Keagan kicked us off. In verse 17.

“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” (vv.17-18).

It’s amazing to me how little the gospelwriters describe the crucifixion for us.

There are is very little description in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or here in John about what crucifixion was like. Did you ever notice that? It’s almost matter-of-fact.

I think that one of the reasons for that is that everybody who read the Gospels when they first came out, knew what crucifixion was. You didn’t have to explain it in all of it gruesome details.

Another reason is so that we don’t get to glory in the gruesome. It is possible to take a sick pleasure in bloody gore even when talking about our Lord.

But I also think that one of the reasons why the gospelwriters say so little about what it was like is that it is nearly too terrible for words. They just couldn’t bring themselves to talk too much about what was done to our Lord!

He had to carry His own cross. Remember, His back and shoulders are torn up from the scourging. Now, He has to pick up probably the horizontal beam across His shoulders and carry it out of the city limits to “Skull Hill.”

That’s where they liked do to these crucifixions. There were probably permanent vertical stakes there to mount these beams and these men nailed to them.

John says, “Here they crucified him, and with him two others–one on each side and Jesus in the middle” (v.18).

That means they nailed Him to these pieces of wood and hung him from those poles in the air. “Lifted up.” He was “lifted up.”

And his ankles were nailed, too. And His knees were bent. So that he push up on the pole to breathe a little. And then when He got tired He would sag down and start turning blue. And then He’d push up some more. We invented the word “excruciating” to describe this kind of pain and suffering. It’s got the “cruc...” word sound in there of crucifixion, cross-killing.

And He’s not alone. He’s got actual bad guys on either side of Him. They are not innocent, but He’s dying with them.

It’s hard to talk about. It’s terrible. There’s nothing right about it.

And, yet, it’s good. And we should be so thankful for it.

Here’s one reason, as He was dying, He was being proclaimed the true king of the world. Look at 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 king of the Jews.’ Pilate answered, ‘What I have written, I have written’” (vv.19-22).

Pilate was a weak little man with a lot of power. We saw that last week as the Jews manipulated him into executing Jesus.

But he did get in this one shot. Kind of a practical joke on his Jewish pests. He put up this placard over the head of Jesus that proclaimed Him as the king of Jews. Now, Pilate didn’t mean it. If anything, it was a list of Jesus’ crimes. Here’s why this man is up there on that cross! Sarcasm, dark gallows humor.

But it sure bothered the Jews! They wanted that sign revised. They were rejecting Jesus as their king. And Pilate said, “No way. It stays how I said it.”

But you and I know that it was true. Jesus was the Messiah, the promised King of Israel. And we’ve seen how He acted like a king all the way through this trial. His shoulders back, His head held high. It felt like He was in charge of His own trial. And they were the ones really arrested, really interrogated, really judged and found wanting.

He was the true king!

And notice that it was universally proclaimed.

Pilate whipped out His Google Translate App and made sure that everybody who passed by knew what it said.

Aramaic. That was the local dialect spoken by the Hebrews in that place.

Latin. That was the official language of the Roman empire. All official documents had to be in Latin.

And Greek. That was the international language that everybody spoke and had in common. The “lingua franca,” as we say. Like English functions in so many parts of the world.

Anybody who could read, knew what that said.

“JESUS OF NAZARTEH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

And that’s true! And you and I should recognize the Kingship of Jesus over ourselves and proclaim it to the world.

Let me ask you a question. Do we live like Jesus is our true King? What was the last thing you did because King Jesus told you to do it and not because you already felt like it? What was the last thing you did because King Jesus commanded it of you and not because you already felt like doing it?

Now, of course, it’s best when we want to do what the King tells us to do. But when there is a difference between my desire, and our Lord’s commands, which one wins?

Like for example, what Jesus says to do with our finances? With our mouths (which extends to our phones)? With our relationships? Jesus commands us to forgive as He has forgiven us. Is He our true King? Do we act like it?

Pilate was joking that Jesus was the king, but He is. Sometimes we say Jesus is the king but act like we are.

The truth will come out. When Jesus was dying, the truth was being broadcast right there above His head.

Number two. Here is what was finished and that we can be thankful for today:

#2. JESUS HAS FULFILLED THE ANCIENT SCRIPTURES.

Look at 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.”

Yes, they took His clothes. When you were crucified, you were left with nothing. And it was the privilege of the four soldiers on this execution squad to get to take the victim’s things.

Jesus didn’t have much. He had no money. Just the clothes on His back. And one guy took the cloak off His back, one guy took His belt, one guy took His sandals, and the other guy got Jesus’ hat.

That just left His “tunic” which was under those other things and went from neck to knees. It was woven in one piece, so the most valuable piece of clothes He had and worth a lot more in one piece than torn into strips.

And the soldiers are like, “I’ll flip you for it.” Verse 24.

“‘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 which said, ‘They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.’ So this is what the soldiers did.”

Did you get that? The worst thing ever is happening. Jesus is struggling to breathe while probably bleeding out. And below Him, these guys are playing dice for His clothes.

It’s terrible! And yet, it’s not outside of God’s plan. It’s inside of God’s plan.

In fact, it was prophesied! These Romans executioners probably never read Psalm 22. King David wrote it 1000 years before this moment. But here are they are doing it!

John says, “This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled...”

Nothing stops Jesus from fulfilling all of the marks of the Messiah. Everything promised in the Old Testament will come true through Jesus. Even the stuff that doesn’t seem possible! Like the Messiah dying and coming back to life!

So that whenever you read a promise in the Scriptures, you can take it to the bank. You and I don’t ever have to worry that Jesus won’t fulfill all of the promises of Scripture.

We’re coming into the Advent season when the Church has traditionally thought deeply about how all of the ancient scriptures of the Old Testament find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. I think our youth group is going to start an advent Bible study tonight. If you are a teen and haven’t yet been coming to the Youth Group, this is a great night to get started.

In verse 25, we find that there are a number of women standing near the cross. And they are grieving, with good reason.

I’m glad that John tells us about this. One of those women is Jesus’ mother. Look at verse 25.

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.”

I think that’s three women named Mary. It was a popular name. We’ll learn more about this Mary Magdalene next week, Lord-willing.

But we know some things about Jesus’ mother Mary already from chapter 2 of this book. Remember the wedding at Cana? How she wanted Jesus to help the groom out when the wine ran low?

Well, now her baby boy is being killed before her eyes.

And Jesus sees her and has compassion on her. Verse 26.

“When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (vv.26-27).

I love that little detail. This little adoption (running the both directions mother to son and son to mother) to especially make sure that His mom was taken care of. Remember, “the disciples whom [Jesus] loved” is probably John the guy writing this gospel. He was tasked with caring for Mary after Jesus died.

What amazes me is how Jesus can be thinking about anybody else at this moment! I get a headcold, and all I can think about is me, me, me, me. If I have a tummy ache, I have a hard time thinking about my wife much less my neighbors. If I were nailed to a cross, I wouldn’t be thinking about Mary and John!

But Jesus’ mind is on His people. Jesus’ heart is caring for those who are in His heart. And you know that’s more than John and Mary! He was taking care of you me. On the Cross, Jesus was arranging for our new family, too.

And He’s making it all happen. Jesus is intentionally making all this come together. Even as He dies. Especially as He dies! Look at verse 28.

“Later, knowing that all was now completed [same root word for “finished,”] and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’”

He knows what He’s doing! He knows He’s bringing this whole thing to completion. He knows He’s landing the plane.

He knows that He is fulfilling ancient Scripture like Psalm 69, verse 21 and Psalm 22, verse 15.

That’s why He says, “I am thirsty.” He is thirsty! But He’s saying it here and now to fulfill ancient Scripture. The Messiah was going to thirst. And so they bring Him a drink. Verse 29.

“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.”

Now, I’ve always thought that was compassion. They had a little pity on Him. But it’s also possible that this was to get a little more suffering out Him. Keep the victim going for a little bit longer so that we can watch Him die a little bit longer. Prolong the pain.

But Jesus has other plans. He’s used that little bit of moisture to loosen his lips and His tongue so that He can yell out His famous last word:

“Tetelestai!”

Look at verse 30.

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

King to the end! He decides exactly when He is going to die. Until this moment, His head was unbowed. But now He bows His head and willingly gives up His spirit to His Father. And before He did that He said, “It is finished.”

#3. JESUS HAS COMPLETED HIS SAVING MISSION.

How many times has He said in the Gospel of John that the Father has sent the Son? He’s been on a rescue mission all this time. Reveal the Father. Show the Father. Make the Father known. And save those who believe.

And now, Jesus says, “Check! “Mission accomplished. I’ve done it. I’ve completed the work. I’m declaring victory. It is finished!”

Just a few hours before this, Jesus taught His followers our memory verse. John 16:33.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

And here’s the moment when He did just that! “It is finished.”

An innocent man was murdered at that moment, and I’m so glad!

Because He was choosing it and using it to save us.

History tells us that this word "tetelestai" was often written on a business document or a receipt to indicate that a bill had been paid in full. There was no more payment required. Like that red stamp we put on a bill today. "Paid in Full."

"Tetelestai!" Jesus was saying that He had paid it all. That we don’t have to save ourselves or add to our salvation. That He had accomplished it all for us on our behalf.

We just have to receive it as the free gift it is! “Tetelestai”

Have you received it? Have you put your faith in what Jesus did and what Jesus did alone to save you? He’s done it all! He’s paid it all. It is finished! And you put your trust in His saving work, in His saving mission? If you have not, I invite you to do so right here and right now!

Some people have the idea that Jesus’ death only gets us so far. And we have to take it from there. His death was necessary but not sufficient. They sing the song, “Jesus paid it some....”

But we know that Jesus is not just the true king and the true fulfillment of all of the ancient scriptures, but the true sacrifice that is all-sufficient to pay for all our sins, past, present and future.

He is the true Lamb of God! Who has declared, “It is finished!”

And then He died.

Jesus flat-lined. His heart stopped beating. His brain stopped working. He turned blue, then white. His body began to cool. He was dead.

It was terrible. His mother saw Him die. His beloved disciple saw Him die.

The hero of the story isn’t supposed to die!

Unless the hero dies saving the people He loves.

“It is finished.”

Is He really dead? It’s the job of the execution squad to make sure. They had to verify their kills or they would be in major trouble. Look at verse 31.

“Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath [Passover Sabbath!]. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.”

Here they go again with their hypocrisy. Wouldn’t want to break the law of Moses by having an executed man still hanging out there in public on the Sabbath, especially if that executed man was the Messiah! So they petition Pilate to hurry things along. If they break their legs, then they can’t push up and they suffocate faster.

Normally, the Romans would just let them hang there for days. Even days after they died, to send a message. “See what happens if you fight with Rome. Want to end up like this guy?"

But Pilate knows that Jesus was innocent. And he agrees, probably out of a kind of mercy to let them break Jesus’ legs. [I can’t believe I have to say that.] Verse 32.

“The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.

But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water” (vv.32-34). He didn’t flinch. He didn’t jerk. No involuntary nervous system reaction. Instead, the spear poked the heart and fluid around the pericardium came out with the blood. The cleansing water and cleansing blood of Lamb.

He was dead. He was fully human, and He was fully dead. And John raises his hand to solemnly swear to it in a court of law. Verse 35.

“The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.”

And you know what happens if you believe? You get life in Jesus’ name!

John says that this, too, was a fulfillment of ancient scripture. Look at verse 36.

“These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: ‘Not one of his bones will be broken,’ and, as another scripture says, ‘They will look on the one they have pierced.’”

Psalm 34, verse 20. Zechariah chapter 12, verse 11. Even while He’s dead, Jesus is fulfilling prophecy! He was the perfect Lamb of God without blemish or defect.

“[He] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 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” (Isaiah 53:5-6).

The only thing left to do is bury Him. But who is going to do that? Mary can’t do that. Not on her on. She’s not up to that. Will John do it? Who will step forward and claim this corpse? You could get into a lot of trouble by identifying with this man. They just killed Him as a traitor to the nation and to the greater empire. Who wants to be known as His follower?

There is a guy named “Joe.” And a guy named “Nick.” Look at verse 38.

“Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night” (vv.38-39a).

This is big. I remember when I first saw this about twenty five years ago. At that moment Joe and Nick stepped out into the light. They went public as followers of Jesus Christ. Joseph already believed, but he was keeping it a secret. He hadn’t voted against Jesus’ death that night. But now, he’s asking for the body. Nicodemus had asked some big questions back in chapter 3. Remember “Nick at Night?” I think he was pretty hostile to Jesus back then. But something has changed. He’s now on board. And he’s going public.

Here’s our fourth and last point this morning:

#4. JESUS HAS ACTIVATED HIS FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS.

Even though He’s dead, He’s inspiring these guys to be bold!

And I love that because I want to be bold, too. We’re not supposed to be secret agents for Jesus. We are supposed to be faithful followers.

That’s part of what it means to be baptized. Looks like we’re going to have some more baptisms next month. If you have not yet gone public with your faith in Jesus and told the world that you are His disciple, why not? No time like the present!

Joe and Nick went public at this moment when Jesus was hanging there dead. Certainly you and I can go public when Jesus is alive again?!

I think the reason why they do this, is that they are convinced that Jesus is worth it. They came to believe that Jesus truly was the king. The placard of verse 19 was true. Look at what they did to show it. Verse 39.

“Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.”

How many pounds of spices? Does anybody know what that was in the Greek and Roman system? It says that it was 100 “litra.”

Anybody remember how many “litra” Mary of Bethany’s nard was?

Less than a week before this, Lazarus’ sister Mary had anointed Jesus with some pure nard. Remember that? Remember how many litra it was?

It was 1 litra. Now, that was expensive stuff. Pure spike nard. Extravagant all by itself. Maybe this stuff was much less pure and less exotic.

But there are 100 litra here. 75 pounds of myrrh and aloe to hide the smell of the decaying corpse. 75 pounds of myrrh and aloe to speak of the worth of the subject being spiced. Nicodemus must have had servants to carry all of that spice. 75 pounds! The great Rabbi Gamaliel was once perfumed at his burial with 80 litrai. This was 100 litrai! This was an anointing fit for royalty!

And His grave was a rich man’s grave. Every indication was that it was supposed to be Joseph’s grave. It was in garden near Golgotha. And it had just recently been dug out of the rock. It was ready for Joseph to die, and it was nearby, and the sun was going down, so they took the body there and buried it in that tomb. Another important garden in less than twenty four hours!

Even in His death, Jesus was activating His faithful followers.

Are we activated? Are we acting in public like we believe that Jesus is the true king? That Jesus has fulfilled all the ancient scriptures. And that Jesus has completed His Father’s mission? If not, what’s stopping us?

“It” might be finished, but we should just be getting started!

Because we have everything to be thankful for. An innocent man was murdered, and it’s terrible. And it’s the best news in the world.

***

“Here Is Your King” [Matt's Messages]

11/10/2024 04:11:00 PM Life in Jesus' Name, Matt's Messages, The Gospel of John 0 comments

“Here Is Your King”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

November 10, 2024 :: John 18:28-19:16

The title of this message comes from the mouth of Pontius Pilate in chapter 19, verse 14.

We’re going to see that he didn’t really mean it. Pilate didn’t really believe that Jesus was the king or he wouldn’t have sent Jesus to the Cross!

But you and I know that Jesus is the King and a king like no one else.

So as we look intently into this passage, we can actually see our King for Who He really is, at least glimpses of it.

And one thing we will see is that He is a king Who was on trial. Jesus is a defendant here. He has been arrested, interrogated, and slapped around. But Jesus is a defendant unlike any defendant anyone has ever seen before or since.

He is a defendant who doesn’t defend Himself.

And, in fact, He seems to be in charge of His own trial!

Last week, we saw that Jesus doesn’t act like a criminal. He acts like a regal king.

We said, “Who is really arresting whom?” Because Jesus takes the initiative, “Who is it you want?” “Well, that’s me.” “I am He.” And they all fall back. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” And they do!

And then we said, “Who is really interrogating whom?” Because when the high priest starts asking Jesus questions, Jesus starts asking them back! “Where are the witnesses? What kind of a monkey trial is this? Why did you strike me? What have I done wrong?”

Who is really on trial here?

We have reached the day of the crucifixion. Good Friday. We’re in that part of the Gospel that we often focus on in the Spring as Easter approaches.

But it’s just as appropriate to focus on it now as Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming because this is why Jesus came and this is the thing we have the most to be thankful for.

This unjust trial. This mockery of justice. This cruel and inhumane punishment. This tragedy means our salvation. That’s why Jesus allowed Himself to go through it.

Last week, we saw Jesus be arrested and taken to the Jewish high priests (the shadowy “godfather” high priest Annas and then his son-in-law the official high priest Caiaphas). Both Annas and Caiaphas have condemned Jesus. And at the same time, his disciple Peter has denied Jesus three times. The rooster has crowed. And now the high priests are sending Jesus from their Jewish jurisdiction on to the Roman governor with a desire for him to execute the defendant.

And, spoiler alert, that’s exactly what happens. They get what they want. Look at verse 28.

“Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.”

What an ugly sentence that is! What an ugly farce this all is. The Jewish leaders want to maintain their “ritual cleanness” while they offer up their rightful Messiah for crucifixion!

There’s an interesting dynamic that goes on here as the story toggles between inside and outside. Jesus is inside with the Roman governor. He is innocent and at peace. The Jews are outside, angry, and pretending to be clean. The Roman governor shuttling between the two is a man named, “Pilate.”

P-I-L-A-T-E. To some of you exercise nuts, that looks like “pill-aht-ay.” To some of you phonics folks, it looks like “Pi-late” which is the worst way to get some pie. Unless it’s for breakfast I, for one, want my apple pie to be hot.

But traditionally, we pronounce this name, “Pilot,” and it’s the Pilate that we mentioned in Article 4 of our EFCA Statement of Faith during our Worship in Unity. It’s the same Pilate named in the Apostles’ Creed.

This is a person in the history books. Pilate was the governor appointed by the Roman Emperor over Israel from AD 26 to 36. And he was a very weak man. On paper, he was the most powerful man for hundreds of miles. And he had plenty of Roman authority at his disposal. And yet, he is weak and ineffectual. And he ends up doing what he doesn’t want to do. The Jews play him like a fiddle.

First off, he comes outside to them. Pilate plays along with their pretending to be clean. He leaves Jesus inside and goes out to meet the Jews outside. V.29

“So Pilate came out to them and asked, ‘What charges are you bringing against this man?’”

That’s a pretty straightforward question. Pretty basic. But notice their answer. It’s feisty and manipulative. Verse 30.

“‘If he were not a criminal,’ they replied, ‘we would not have handed him over to you.’”

“Don’t ask us what He did. Just trust us. Let’s not get into a big thing here. Just trust us and kill him.” Verse 31

“Pilate said, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.’ ‘But we have no right to execute anyone,’ the Jews objected.”

Pilate clearly does not want this case. He wants the Jews to handle their Jewish problems on their own Jewish terms. But the Jewish religious leaders don’t just want to punish Jesus. They want Him killed.

And they are not supposed to do that. By law. (Doesn’t mean that they don’t do it from time to time. Mob justice. Stoning. Like they will do to Stephen.) But they aren’t supposed to do executions. That’s up to their Roman overlords. And they want Jesus dead so bad, and they want Him to die in the worst possible way–by Roman crucifixion.

But guess what? That’s the way Jesus has already chosen to die. That’s why Jesus is going to die by crucifixion. Look at what John says about all of this in verse 32.

“This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.”

I have five things I want to point out about King Jesus in this passage today, and this is the first one.

“Here is your king...”

#1. WHO SPEAKS THE FUTURE INTO EXISTENCE.

Look at verse 32 again.

"This happened [what happened? The Jews petitioning the Romans to execute Jesus] so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die [crucifixion] would be fulfilled."

All of these terrible machinations against Jesus happened so that Jesus’ prophecy would come true!

What did Jesus say about how He would die? Remember what He said in chapter 3 about the snake in the wilderness?

“So the Son of Man must be lifted up.”

“Lifted up.” He said something similar in chapter 8 and chapter 12.

Jesus didn’t just know that He was going to be crucified. He chose it. He didn’t like it, but He chose it. This is how He said it was going to happen. He wasn’t just going to be stoned or stabbed. He was going to be lifted up.

Look what Jesus did for us! Look Who is really in charge here.

Our King speaks the future into existence. Last week, we said that He was an undeniable prophet. What He says will happen is what happens. “This happened (v.32) so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was go

So Pilate goes back inside. And he plays the “tough guy.” Verse 33.

“Pilate then went back inside the palace [only one Jew in there], summoned Jesus and asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’”

Pilate knows what’s up. He knows that Jesus is being accused of leading a rebellion. He knows about the ride into town on the donkey. He knows that the Jewish religious leaders hate Jesus. He wonders if Jesus is truly a threat. “Are you the king of the Jews?” Yes or no?

How would you answer that question? Jesus answers it with another question! Verse 34.

“‘Is that your own idea,’ Jesus asked, ‘or did others talk to you about me?’”

Who is really on trial here?

That’s a feisty answer from our Lord. He basically asks, “What do you mean by ‘king?’ What kind of king are you worried about? Is this your own question or are you being manipulated, Mr. Roman Governor?”

Pilate doesn’t like it one bit. Verse 35.

“‘Am I a Jew?’ Pilate replied. ‘It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?’”

“Why are you here in front of me? How should I know? Do I look like I know what’s going on?”

Do you see how weak he is? Which of these two men are defending themselves and their actions? Which of them seems at peace and which is jumping up and down? Verse 36.

“Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.’”

“Here is your king...”

#2. WHO BRINGS A KINGDOM FROM ANOTHER WORLD.

Jesus says that He does have a kingdom, but it’s not the kind of kingdom that is worrying Pilate. He’s not bringing a military kingdom through guerrilla warfare. His kingdom isn’t coming by the edge of the sword. Just like he told Peter when Peter tried that by attacking Malchus earlier that morning.

Jesus’ kingdom is here, but it’s not from here. It’s from above! It’s from heaven. And it comes, first, by changing hearts.

Now, that’s not say that it doesn’t affect everybody’s life. Pilate’s kingdom will be affected by Jesus’ kingdom, but not because Jesus’ servants have taken up swords.

And one day, “The kingdom of the world [will] become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

But it starts small like a mustard seed. And then it grows and it grows and grows until “it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches” (Matt. 13:32).

But this kingdom starts in hearts.

Has is started in yours? Are you a citizen of the kingdom that is not of this world?

It’s the same idea, I think, as what He just was praying hours ago for us as His disciples, that we would be in the world, yes, but not of the world. So that the values of the kingdom that comes from another place would be our values and characterize our lives.

Did you live differently from the kingdom of this world this last week?

In how you did your job?

In how you lived with your family, in your neighborhood?

In how you voted or didn’t vote according your conscience?

In how you related to those who didn’t vote like you did?

In how you loved your brothers and sisters in Christ?

In how you prayed for Jesus’ kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven?

In how you talked to your friends, neighbors, co-workers about Jesus?

Did you tell someone about Jesus’ kingdom that is here but is not from here? And is coming here fully one day soon.

Jesus says to Pilate, “Don’t worry. I’m not that kind of threat. My kingdom is not of this world.”

And what did Pilate hear? “Just the word ‘kingdom.’” Verse 37.

“‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’”

“Here is your king...”

#3. WHO WAS BORN FOR TRUTH.

Do you see how this fits with Christmas?

Why was Jesus born? Well, for a lot of reasons that I’m sure we’ll be talking about over the next two months, but one that He knew and said on the day He died was that He was born on Christmas day to “testify to the truth.”

His kingdom is characterized by truth. It is the kingdom of truth. Jesus not only speaks the future into existence, but He only speaks what is true. And everyone who is on the “side of truth” listens to Him.

But look at the sad thing that Pilate says back to Jesus in verse 38.

“‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked.” Oh, man, that is sad. Pilate is dismissive at best, and I think, probably disillusioned and depressed. He doesn’t know what truth is any more.

You ever feel that way? Up is down and down is up. 2+2 is 5. Good is evil and evil is good.

It was Pilate’s job to decide what was true in this case. But he doesn’t care. Not enough! He runs from the truth.

“What is truth?” he says. And he walks out.

What would have been better is if Pilate asked the question, “Who is truth?” Not just “What is truth?” but “Who is truth?”

Because Truth Himself was standing right before Pilate! John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

Everything He say is how it is! There is no falsehood in Him. There is no trickery. There is no bait and switch. Jesus is not a con-man. Anything He says will happen will happen. And whatever He says is true is what actually is.

So for example, our memory verse right now. John 16:33.

“I have told you these things [everything in the Farewell Teachings], so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (Jn. 16:33 NIVO)

Pop quiz. If Jesus is telling the truth, then will we have trouble in this world? Yes, we will. Trouble, tribulation, persecution, oppression. Cancer. Conflict. War. We will not have it easy.

Anyone who tells you that everything will great, is lying to you. Because the One Who is Truth says that in this world, we will have trouble. But He also says that He has overcome the world. That’s true, too! And because of that, we can take heart.

But Pilate is not listening. He has turned up his nose about the truth, and he’s turned on his heel and gone back out to the Jews.

But notice that he tries to get Jesus off! This is the place where Jesus almost goes free. And, of course, He should have if there was any justice. Look at verse 38.

“With this he went out again to the Jews and said, ‘I find no basis for a charge against him.”

Wow. I think that Pilate does know what’s true. Jesus is no earthly threat to Rome. He’s going to say this three times. Just like Peter denied Jesus three times, Pilate is going to say “I find no basis for a charge against him.”

“Here is your king...”

#4. WHO WAS INNOCENT OF ALL CHARGES.

Jesus should be released. It was obvious to Pilate. And he thinks it should be obvious the Jews, too. This has gone too far.

The Gospel of Luke tells us that right about this point in the day, Pilate tried to foist this problem onto Herod who was also in the city for the Passover. But Jesus wouldn’t even speak to Herod. And though Herod mocked and ridiculed Him, he sent Jesus back to Pilate also with no basis for any charges against Him (see Luke 23).

So Pilate offers a way out to the Jews. He pulls out a custom they have practiced from time to time of releasing a prisoner at the Passover festival. Kind of a celebration in amnesty.

He probably thinks he’s come up with a perfect solution for all. Jesus goes free. Pilate is seen to be wise and gracious. Those who would be rebels don’t have a martyr in Jesus to rally behind for their cause. And the Jews don’t get their hasty hands dirty with blood. Look at verse 39.

“I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?’ They shouted back, ‘No, not him! Give us Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.”

We’ll come back to Barabbas himself in a minute.

But it’s clear that the Jews did not want a way out. They wanted Jesus dead. And they got what they wanted.

This next part becomes increasingly hard to read.

If we get the picture of what happens, it should make us both incredibly mad and incredibly sad. Chapter 19, verse 1.

“Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.”

Here’s what that means:

“Jesus was stripped, tied to a post or thrown to the ground, and beat with flagella–leather whips to which were attached pieces of iron, bone, or spikes, which would shred the skin, often leaving it hanging on the victim’s back in strips. Unlike the thirty-nine maximum lashes prescribed by Jewish law (Deut 25:3), the Romans did not limit the number of lashes, thus leaving the victim helpless to the cruelty of the supervising soldiers” (Edward W. Klink III, John: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, pg. 776).

Often this first flogging would be the lightest one, the later one would be much worse.

But, remember, our King is innocent! Pilate just said that He was innocent. And he has Him flogged.

I think, actually, this first flogging was a weak way of trying to help Jesus. See how weak Pilate is? He had the authority to dismiss the charges and set Jesus free. But he didn’t think he could pull it off. So he’s going to make Jesus look ridiculous and humiliate Him in the hopes that that will be enough punishment so that he doesn’t have to make a hard decision. V.2

“The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they struck him in the face” (vv.2-3).

They made wreath of thorns and put it as mock crown on His head. And they pressed it down so that He bled from His scalp. It hurt. And blood started to cover his face. And they put a royal purple robe on Him. He is royalty! But they mocked His royalty. And they yelled in His face and they hit Him. They hit our innocent King. Blood everywhere.

Look at verse 4. “Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, ‘Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.’”

Second time he says it. “This man is innocent. He’s inside. I’ve humiliated Him. I’m going to bring Him outside. You can see what’s happened to Him. But I have to say it again. He is innocent as far as I can tell. Okay. Bring Him out.” Verse 5.

“When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, ‘Here is the man!’”

Can you see it in your mind’s eye? Can you see how terrible He looks? Can you see how they have tried to shame and humiliate Him? I think that Pilate is trying to engender sympathy for Jesus. He’s maybe trying to get the Jews to pity Him. “Look at this sad thing. Here is the man. He is harmless.”

And you, I say, “Yes, He is the man! He’s the man that Adam should have been. He’s the man that David should have been. He’s the man that can fix everything for all of humanity. In fact, He’s doing it right now in front of us.”

But that’s not what the Jews said. Look at verse 6.

“As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, ‘Crucify! Crucify!’ But Pilate answered, ‘You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.’”

Third time! Pilate is so frustrated, isn’t he? How about that petulant, “You take and crucify him”? They can’t do that! He doesn’t want to do it.

But they insist that he do it. Verse 7.

“The Jews insisted, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.’ When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. ‘Where do you come from?’ he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer” (vv.7-9).

The Jews insist that Jesus has blasphemed the name of God by saying that He is the Son of God. And Jesus DID say that He was the Son of God! He said it and shown it in so many ways in the Gospel of John.

But it’s only blasphemy, if it’s false. If I said I was the Son of God, it would be blasphemy. But it’s not blasphemy if it’s true! And Jesus is the King of Truth!

And this freaks Pilate out. We learn in the other gospels that Pilate’s wife had a difficult dream about Jesus that caused her tell him to leave Jesus alone. Pilate was scared stiff that he might be executing a supernatural person. He pulls Jesus back into the palace and just about screams in His face, “Where do you come from?”

But Jesus says nothing. “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a [innocdent] lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Isa. 53:7).

And that freaks Pilate out even more.

Can you see how this is “the Weak versus the Meek?” Pilate has never seen a defendant like this before. Normally, they are doing everything they can to get out of their predicament. Making every argument. Every defense. This is a defendant Who doesn’t defend Himself.

And it freaks Pilate out. V.10

“‘Do you refuse to speak to me?’ Pilate said. ‘Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’

Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.’” (vv.10-11).

I think He means Caiaphas or He could mean Annas or Judas or even Satan. The point is that Jesus doesn’t think much of Pilate at all. He is weak and sinful, and bears guilt for what he does. But he isn’t as powerful as he thinks. The only reason he has power in this situation is because power has been given to him “from above.”

Which is important for everyone who is in authority for a time to remember. Whether your name is Biden or Harris or Trump or Vance or Mitchell or put in your name there.

Whatever authority on earth we are granted “from above” is temporary and limited, and we will have to give an account for how we used it. I don’t want to be in Pontius Pilate’s shoes for what he did with his.

He tried, weakly, to get Jesus released. Verse 12.

“From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, ‘If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.’”

They play Pilate like a fiddle. They know what he cares about and that is staying in power. And staying in Caesar’s good graces. So, even though Jesus is innocent, and these people are supposed to be under Pilate’s authority, Pilate ends up doing what they want! V.13

“When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.

‘Here is your king,’ Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, ‘Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!’

‘Shall I crucify your king?’ Pilate asked.

‘We have no king but Caesar,’ the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus” (vv.13-16).

Pilate loses the tug of war. The other gospels tell us that he tried to symbolically wash his hands of the whole thing, but, of course, inaction is action, too. He handed Jesus over to be crucified.

That question that he asks them, “Shall I crucify your king?”

Man, what a thing to say! And they refuse to receive Jesus. “We have no king but Caesar.” They refused their Messiah. “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:11).

They rejected Jesus even though He was innocent of every charge. And Jesus was crucified.

We will talk more about that next week, but we have one more thing from this passage to remind ourselves about our king.

Even though He was innocent of every charge, He took our place.

“Here is your king...”

#5. WHO TOOK YOUR PLACE.

What Jesus went through, the flogging, the humiliation, the execution? That is what you and I deserve for our sins. And He chose to do all of that out of love for you and me.

Like Barabbas, right? From the last few verses in chapter 18? Barabbas was a bad guy. He was a traitor and a domestic terrorist. He taken part in a rebellion. Barabbas deserved to die. But that day, he went free.

Do you know what his name means? “Bar” is son and “abba” is father or daddy, right? So he was “Son of the Father.” Maybe his father had been a rebel, too. But isn’t it ironic that the True Son of the Heavenly Father took the place of the one named “son of the father?” So that the guilty one gets grace and goes free!

That’s a picture of the gospel.

That’s a picture of what animates us here as a church.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 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. 53:5-7).

Jesus is a king like no other.

He speaks the future into existence.

He brings a kingdom from another world.

He was born to testify to the truth.

He was put on trial as a defendant, but He was innocent of all charges. And yet He did not defend Himself.

Instead, He took our place.

Don’t reject Him. Receive Him.

“Here is your king!”