crucifixion

THE REMOVAL AND BURIAL OF JESUS – John 19:31-42

Bible sermon, Bible sermons, burial of Jesus, crucifixion, death, Jesus' birth, New Testament sermon, Uncategorized

INTRODUCTION:

When the Lord Jesus came into this world as an infant, there were also miraculous signs that accompanied His birth.  Luke 2 tells us of the angel who suddenly appeared to the shepherds, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.  After the angel made the announcement of the Savior’s birth, a whole multitude of angels appeared in the sky singing, “Glory to God in the highest . . . “.  Then there was a star that pointed the way for the Magi from the East to find Jesus.

Jesus’ death was also followed by some amazing events.  Matthew 27 tells us that immediately after Jesus said “It is finished!”, the earth shook and the rocks were split apart.  Also, tombs opened up and bodies of the saints were raised and entered the holy city of Jerusalem.  When the centurion who was guarding Jesus saw these things happening, he said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”.  The Lord Jesus revealed His deity to a few people both at His birth and at His death.

I.  REMOVAL FROM THE CROSS (verses 31-37)

As we read in verse 31, the Jewish leaders asked Pilate that the legs of those crucified should be broken so that they would soon die, and then could be taken off their crosses before the Passover Sabbath began.  Breaking their legs would result in a quick death because the crucified person would no longer be able to lift himself up to exhale, and would soon die from asphyxiation.

Pilate granted their request, and the soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves, but they didn’t break Jesus’ legs because they could see that He was already dead.  So in verse 34 it says that “one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear”.  The middle of the spear’s head was a hand-breadth wide.  Out of Jesus’ side flowed blood and water.  It’s believed that the sword pierced the membrane surrounded the heart, and the serum with clots of blood in it was proof that Jesus had already died.

These events fulfilled two Old Testament prophesies.  The first was the instructions for cooking and eating the Passover lamb.  Exodus, chapter 12, says that as you eat the lamb, you are not to break any bone of it.  This command not to break any of the bones of the Passover lamb is repeated in Numbers 9:12 as they celebrate this feast day each year.  Secondly, the piercing of Jesus’ side fulfills the prophesy in Zechariah 12:10, which is quoted here in verse 37:  “They shall look on Him whom they pierced”.

II.  THE BURIAL (verses 38-42)

The Romans had made an exception by taking Jesus and the two thieves down from the cross.  Normally the Romans left those who were crucified on their crosses until their flesh was eaten by birds of prey.  Guards kept watch over the bodies in order to keep friends and family members from taking them away.  But Pilate made an exception in this case.

Up until now, Joseph of Arimathea had been a secret believer for fear of the Jews.  Now, in verse 38, he boldly comes forward to claim the Lord’s body for burial.  Why did Pilate hand over the body of Jesus to Joseph?  Joseph wasn’t even related to Jesus, and that was against Roman law.  Perhaps it was because Pilate was convinced that Jesus wasn’t guilty.

In verse 39 Nicodemus joins Joseph, bringing with him a hundred pounds of spices.  Why so great an amount of spices to prepare one man’s body for burial?  That’s’ enough spices for a king’s burial!  That’s exactly what they wanted to do for Jesus – give Him a king’s burial!  The spices were probably in a powdered form, or a paste.  They put some of the spices directly on Jesus’ body, wound strips of linen cloth around His body from His feet to His shoulders, and put more spices between each layer of cloth.

Verse 41 says that “in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb.”  Matthew 27 tells us that it was Joseph’s new tomb, which he had hewn in a rock.  This hill called “Golgotha”, on the edge of town was considered a God-forsaken place.  No expensive tombs were constructed by the Jews in this area.  Most wealthy Jews had burial places on the property where they lived.  It’s very possible that when Jesus was arrested and sentenced to death, Joseph of Arimathea hurriedly bought that piece of land in the garden and hired a crew of laborers to cut that tomb in the rock so that Jesus could be buried there.  There wasn’t time to take the body of Jesus very far because it was almost time to prepare for the Passover meal.  Matthew 27 tells us that they rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb after they put Jesus inside, and the chief priests and Pharisees put a guard there.  They didn’t believe Jesus’ prophesy that He would rise from the dead in three days, but they wanted to make sure no one could steal the body and start a rumor that Jesus rose from the dead.

As you’ve read this sermon, have the events surrounding the death and burial of Christ made an impression on you?   The centurion who observed these events was amazed and afraid, and his attitude toward Jesus Christ changed.

ILLUSTRATION:  One day two non-Christians were riding along on a railroad train discussing Christ’s wonderful life.  One of them said, “I think an interesting romance could be written about Him”.  The other man replied, “Yes, and you are just the man to do it, setting forth the correct views of His life and character.  I advise you to tear down the idea of His divine nature, and paint Him and He was – just a man living among men.”  The recommendation was acted upon and the novel was written.  The man who made the suggestion was Colonel Ingersoll, and the author was General Lew Wallace.  The book was entitled “Ben Hur”.  I imagine that many of you have read the book or seen the movie.

In the process of writing that book, Wallace learned some amazing truths.  The more he studied Jesus’ life and character, the more he become convinced that Jesus was more than just a great teacher.  Like the centurion in Matthew’s Gospel, he became persuaded that “Truly, this was the Son of God”!  I pray that you might also reach that conclusion, act upon it, and enjoy the privileges of being a “child of God”.

THE SUFFERING AND DEATH OF CHRIST – Mark 15:15-39

Bible sermon, crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Good Friday sermon, suffering and death of Jesus

Crucifixion was invented by the Phoenicians as a method of maximum torture.  It was later adopted by the Romans as their method of capital punishment. Crucifixion was a shameful and agonizing form of death reserved for slaves and the worst criminals.  In order for us to fully understand why Christ died, it may be helpful for us, first of all, to think about how He died, and what He experienced on the cross.

I.  HOW JESUS DIED

Before His crucifixion, we read in verse 15 that Jesus was scourged. The scourge whip consisted of several leather strips that had sharp pieces of bone, metal, and stone sewn into them.  Jesus’ skin was literally stripped off His back in gouges, while His whole body went into spasms.  It was not uncommon for a person to die as a result of the scourging alone. When the scourging was over, it says in verses 17-20 that the soldiers dressed Him in purple, put a crown of thorns on His head and mocked Him, and spat on Him.  Luke and John’s Gospels also tell us that the soldiers punched him in the face and beat him on the head with a reed. When Jesus was crucified, historians tell us that 7-inch spikes were hammered into his hands and feet to secure Him to the cross.  On the cross, Jesus could breathe air into His lungs,  but He couldn’t exhale because His pectoral muscles couldn’t function in His stretched-out position. Jesus had to raise and lower His body again and again with each breath, and each time He experienced excruciating pain.  For six hours Jesus hung there in agony on that cross.

II.  WHY JESUS DIED

But despite all the intense physical suffering and the mental and emotional strain because of the jeering crowd, Jesus’ greatest agony was not physical, mental, or emotional, but spiritual.  Verses 33 and 34 tell us that for three hours, beginning at noon, there was darkness over the whole land.  The darkness signified that God had turned away from His Son.  Jesus experienced the fullness of God’s wrath for sin in our place.  In verse 34 Jesus said in His loneliness, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”  Notice that Jesus did not say, “My Father” because He was experiencing a complete loss of fellowship with His Father as He became sin for us.  Isaiah 53:9 says, “He was pierced through for our transgressions;  He was crushed for our iniquities.”  Sin is so awful and so terrible in God’s sight that He would not and could not accept any other payment than the death of His own perfect Son.  Jesus satisfied God’s wrath by willingly taking our place.  The hymn writer said, “Bearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned He stood. Sealed my pardon with His blood.  Hallelujah, what a Savior!” A Christian American Indian was once asked the question, “What did Jesus Christ do for you?”  He squatted, and with his hands gathered some leaves into a pile.  He picked up a worm and put it in the center of the pile of leaves and, striking a match, he lit the outer edges of the pile of leaves.  As the flames were about to engulf the worm, he quickly reached in, grabbed the worm with his hand, and put it in a safe place.  Then, looking up at the person, he said, “That’s what Jesus Christ did for me!” In verse 37 Jesus “uttered a loud cry”.  John 19:30 tells us that, with His last breath Jesus shouted, “It is finished!”  This was not a cry of defeat but of victory.  It is the word an artist would use after putting the finishing touches on his masterpiece.  Verse 37 also says,  He “breathed His last.”  Jesus did not die from the crucifixion.  He gave up His spirit when the Father was satisfied that He had paid the price for the sins of the world. At that moment, verse 38 says, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom”.  This was no ordinary veil. It was made of tightly-woven fabric and was six inches thick.  The tearing of this veil didn’t happen by accident.  God was demonstrating that the way into His presence was now open to all who believed in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The choice is yours.  You can place yourself either under God’s wrath or under God’s mercy.  You can choose either eternal life or eternal separation from God. You can choose to live for God or for yourself.   It’s your choice.   You will be held responsible for your choice, and there are no other alternatives and no excuses.  Respond to His love and to the price He paid for your sins.  Sing with the hymn writer, Isaac Watts:  “And can it be that I should gain an interest in my Savior’s blood?  Died He for me, who caused His pain?  For me, who Him to death pursued?  Amazing love!  How can it be?   That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me!”

If you would like to see a visual depiction of the suffering and death of Christ, go to YouTube.com and type: “The Life of Jesus” film in the search engine.  The film is based on the Gospel of John.  It is very graphic and follows the Gospel of John closely.  Move the grey timeline at the bottom of the picture to 2:28:00 where the scourging begins.  I hope that watching the scenes from the movie will increase your understanding of what Jesus Christ suffered to pay the penalty for our sins.