FBCWest 442 | His First Three Statements from the Cross
Recorded On: 03/14/2021
Bulletin
FBCWest
March 14, 2021
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
Praise and Worship
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 104:31 - 34
“Endless Light”
“Resurrecting”
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“The Earthly Life and Ministry of Jesus the Messiah”
“His First Three Statements from the Cross”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“At the Cross (Love Ran Red)”
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
“Think About His Love”
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate
Continued Praise and Worship
“Peace, Love, & Understanding”
“Do it Again”
Benediction “Egypt”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Sermon Notes
John 19:23 & 24 Jesus’ garments are divided
Luke 23:34 Father forgive them
Matthew 27:39 – 44 Onlookers and the 2 also being crucified mock and insult Him
Luke 23:39 - 42 One of the two thieves being crucified come to faith
Luke 23:43 Today you will be with Me in Paradise
John 19:25 – 27 Mary, mother of Jesus is there. Jesus makes His third statement: Woman Behold
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
The name of the series that we've been undertaking as.
The light, earthly life and Ministry of Jesus the Messiah.
And we've tried to go through a imperfect.
Sequence of events.
However, when it comes to this particular time, it's difficult to get the sequence actually right because things are happening simultaneously.
And so Jesus may be speaking, while other people are doing things, and so the what I've done is.
He's trying to keep the sequencing, but kind of take apart all the aspects of it now. Typically when it comes to crucifixion.
It takes days for the.
Condemned to die.
When it comes to these three who are being crucified, they don't have days. They have only hours.
Because Passover.
He's coming.
When the sun goes down and they don't want people hanging on the cross to defile Passover.
So these things are taking place.
And so when we last, took a look, we saw that Jesus had been nailed to the cross. Then inscription had been placed over his head.
And that's where we left it.
Now John 19.
1st 20 three kind of picks it up and says then the soldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his outer garment and made four parts apart to every soldier and also the tune it. Now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece.
So they said to one another, let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it shall be.
This was to fulfill the scripture. They divided my outer garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
And so we may see that the writers of the Gospel, here John, wants to make sure that we understand not only what's taking place. Like I said, it's interesting that as they go through the crucifixion, they don't try to manipulate us in our feelings and don't try to manipulate us in this sense, but they want us to come to faith. So one of the ways we know that Jesus is the Messiah is that it had been predicted. And as I read.
In Psalm 22 that there would be.
Lots cast for his garments and his garments would be divided. And so the scriptures are trying to tell us that we can tell who the Messiah is based on his death. Now based on his life.
We know who the Messiah is because he was the one who was foretold who would preach the good news?
To the poor.
That he would heal.
That he would.
Heal the blind and the deaf.
In the Lane.
And those who are sick. He would also raise.
People from the dead.
But that didn't seem to bring anybody to faith, because even when he raised Lazarus from the dead.
When it was reported back that he'd done so, instead of coming to faith, they said we need to get rid of Jesus and Lazarus.
So there was no faith being generated, but but the writers here trying tells pointing us that Jesus is the Messiah because it was thought that the Messiah would never die.
And so as it goes on in Luke chapter 23, verse 34, it says this.
But Jesus was saying, father forgive them or they do not know what they are doing.
Now I want you to take a look at a couple of things here.
Jesus.
Is asking God to forgive them?
Now, why would Jesus do that? 'cause he's the one that they're doing the things too.
Because only the father.
Can forgive sin and only sin is done against the father.
Well, what do you mean? I'll give you an example.
David.
They committed several sins.
He lost it after his heart for a woman.
Who we saw taking a bath on the rooftop.
Instead of being with the Kings and at war, he was doing other things. He then brought her to him and committed adultery.
She became pregnant, so we tried to hide it. So he lied.
He then brought her husband back to see if they could cover it up, but her husband Uriah was more honorable than David and were refused to go into the house, but would sleep outside. David even tried to get him drunk so that he would lower his inhibitions, but he was still more honorable. So then David had him killed.
So David violated a number of the 10 Commandments, the biggies.
And when David confessed, and we see that in in Psalm 51 that David says against you, and only you, have I sinned.
Now he had wronged Uriah, but he had only sinned against God. And so Jesus is saying they are sinning, but father forgive them.
Number one, I want you to understand that they are sinning.
Well, but it's God's plan. Yes, it's God's plan.
But they still.
We're crucifying.
The son of the living God.
Which was wrong.
Yes, it was part of God's plan.
But as Jesus said about Judas.
It was necessary, but woe to the man who does so.
Now to give you kind of my thinking on.
This theology
yes, it's God's plan.
Let me ask you a couple questions.
If there's somebody that you truly love, whether it's a child, grandchild, a spouse.
Your mother, a brother assistant, somebody that you truly love? Would you not trade places with that person?
Would you not give your life for that person so that they might live?
And you say OK, I'll die instead. And then since that's what Jesus did, Jesus is taking our place.
But the truth of the matter is.
It's not a worthy bargain.
He's dying for me and he's dying for you an we're not worth it.
It's the son of the living God.
That they're crucifying.
And yes, I thank God that he loved us so much that he gave his son to die for us.
And yes, I am grateful to God.
But because of that sacrifice, I can have my sins forgiven and that I can dwell in the House of the Lord forever.
It is not a bargain.
That he should have made.
'cause even in my best.
I'm not worthy.
So you see, it's not about.
Us
but it's about his love for us.
Now Jesus is going to teach us some things and I find it here. Notice that they haven't stopped sinning. They haven't stopped crucifying. They have continued on with their mocking him.
But even during this he says father forgive them.
Now you and I when somebody wrongs us.
We think we're pretty spiritual.
If they ask for forgiveness.
And we do in fact forgive.
But usually what we do is we wait for them to ask for forgiveness and even Peter, when talking about forgiveness, says well how many times when my brother comes to me and seeks forgiveness. Do I forgive him? Seven times he's thinking that's a Glock.
And Jesus has no seven times.
And yet
Jesus, without anyone.
Confessing their sin or seeking forgiveness as father forgive them.
Now, a few years ago there was a very there was a fad that I had criticized, and if you had a little bracelet and it had a little word, letters on it and it represented. For what would Jesus do now? Those of you have heard me known that I have criticized that for one reason, and that's that we should know what our Lord would do before he did it, so we wouldn't have to consider because we should be disciples of his knowing his teaching known his life. But there's a second reason I didn't like that.
Because that question presumes that Jesus didn't experience it.
Well, I wonder if Jesus had this problem, what would he do?
The truth is Jesus had experienced every single thing that we ever would experience, yet without sin. So is now what would Jesus do? What did Jesus do?
And in this situation, Jesus didn't wait for somebody to ask for forgiveness, he forgave.
Maybe we should look at the actions of Jesus. You see he taught.
But he lived what he taught.
So many times we are guilty of do what I say not what I do.
The second thing I want you to notice here is Jesus didn't say Father excuse them.
They don't know what they're doing.
He says forgive them so there there might be reconciliation that there might not be any thing between God and them for their action that they're taking. Jesus is an exceed expecting excuse. He's asking for them to be forgiven.
Now my wife and her family are from Texas.
And they had a saying that I heard.
Several times, Fortunately it was never directed at me, at least in my presence. It might have been directed at me when I was awake.
But they would say things like.
Bless his little heart.
Bless his little heart.
Anne, and so you know, I thought.
And then I heard a comedian a few years later after I heard it a number of times and this comedian was from Texas. He says when you hear bless his little heart, that's the Texas nice way of saying he's an idiot.
So you see Derek, it's a nice way of using the person's actions because they're an idiot. What can you expect from an idiot? But what idiots do?
Jesus is insane. Bless their little hearts. Jesus isn't asking for excuses. He's saying father forgive them.
And again, we need to look at that and say, yes, Jesus, if you forgave.
Then I should forgive and I don't need to wait for somebody to ask for forgiveness, but when they do, I certainly will.
His first statement.
Shows the heart of who Jesus is.
Forgive them.
Matthew 2739 says this, and those passing by were hurling. Abuse is at him wagging their heads and saying you are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. Save yourself if you are the son of God. Come down from the cross so there mocking him there there saying things and misquoting him.
In the same way that Chief Reese also, along with the scribes and the elders, were mocking him, saying he saved others, he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel. Let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. That's a lie.
If he came down from the cross, they still would not believe him because he did many things according to the scriptures that prove that he was the Messiah and they still refuse to believe even raising the debt.
But thank God he did not come down from the cross, because if he had you and I would still be under the same conviction of sin.
And being condemned forever.
Which shows again that Jesus isn't like me 'cause there is often times when people say, well, you can't do that. Now prove you wrong.
But Jesus didn't.
Prove them wrong.
He allowed himself to be mocked.
Because it was necessary for you and me.
He trust in God. Let God rescue him. Now if he delights in him, for he said, I am the son of God.
That's true.
But not only did he say it.
He was and is.
And the robbers who had been crucified with him were also insulting him with the same words.
Here's a situation where two men.
Or condemned to the same fate as Jesus or mocking him.
Everybody talks about Helen saying, well, at least when I go there I'll have a bunch of friends and will be like having a beer party.
There are no friends in there.
They're all selfish.
And they're all concerned with their own torment.
There's mocking.
However.
One will change one of those two thieves will have a change.
First look 3020. Three 39 says this and one of the criminals who were hanged. There was hurling abusive at him, saying, are you not to cry? Save yourself and us, but the other answer and rebuking him said, do you not even fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed are suffering just before we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds.
But this man has done nothing wrong.
Something happened to this man.
As he hung on the cross and as he saw Jesus and he saw who Jesus was, and he saw how Jesus reacted and he went from mocking him.
To having faith.
And to me this is one of the greatest testimonies of faith in the whole entire scriptures.
Or you see, if there was ever a time that did not appear that God was in control. If it ever appeared at time that Jesus was being defeated. If it ever was a time when it did not appear that Jesus was the son of God, it is now.
The religious leaders are mocking him.
The crowds are marking him, even those condemned to die with him or mocking him. He has been beaten. He has been slapped. He has been scourge. He has had a Brown of thorns face, and he is a bloody mess.
And yet this person doesn't see the circumstances. He sees Jesus.
All too often we keep saying God if you will deliver me from this circumstance, I will believe.
This person had faith, God, I don't care what the circumstances are, I believe.
And so this man says.
And he was saying Jesus Remember Me when you come into your Kingdom.
So obviously this man believes that God that Jesus is going to have a Kingdom.
And then Jesus is going to go there. And when Jesus goes there, he wants to be included in that Kingdom.
A statement of faith, a condemned man, as he hanging, bruised, bloodied, scourge, and crucified. He says, Remember Me, when you come into your Kingdom.
Oh, what great faith.
The religious leaders saw Jesus raised people from the dead. See him healed, people see him, cast out demons, and refuse to believe this man sees a bloody mess.
And aspect.
And notice in verse 43 with Jesus says his second statement and he said to him truly, which means you can depend on it. Truly, I say to you today you shall be with me in paradise.
Not someday now a far off, but two day.
You're still hanging on a cross. I'm still hanging on a cross, but today you and me are going to be in paradise.
Which Jesus is statements tells us a certain thing.
There is no soul sleeping.
You don't die, and whenever Jesus comes back again, you wake up and you are to be when the scripture says when you you are absent from the body that you are present with the Lord, there is no soul sleeping.
There is no time out.
It is eternal life, not life pass out life.
Not life death life. It is eternal life.
And Jesus says today.
Two day.
And that same statement applies to every loved one who's.
Find the name of Jesus that has gone on for bore us.
Is with Jesus.
Now the difference.
Here.
And now.
Is that the?
Saints prior to Jesus's death.
Go to paradise. Abraham's bosom.
But after his death.
We go to be with the Lord.
So today.
In John 19, verse 25, it says this. Therefore the soldiers did these things.
But standing by the Cross of Jesus, where his mother?
In his mother, Sister Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalen.
Now it's interesting.
The Scriptures tells us that the women
And were there viewing him and his mother?
Was there?
Now, despite what our Catholic brothers and sisters say, Mary isn't the mother of God.
Mary gave birth.
The band Jesus, who is the son of God, who is God.
But he did not originate from her.
He was before her.
But she was faithful because when the Angel Gabriel came and said the Lord seeks for you to deliver his child.
She said he had done to this made, Sir.
As you deem fit.
She surrendered herself.
For his glory.
This one who raised Jesus who moved from her home.
In Galilee to Bethlehem, while she was at time to give birth and gave birth and stayed in Bethlehem and then moved to Egypt.
Because it was not safe and then after it was, Herod had passed, moved back to Galilee, but to Nazareth, so that they might be safe. This one, who when they would go back and forth to Jerusalem on holy days, an Jesus wasn't there panic because he wasn't with the family and search for him. And then he responded.
I'm at my father's house.
This mother, who I'm sure.
Felt the great burden and responsibility of raising the son of God.
Now is that his foot of his cross seeing his life hoard out a ransom for many.
Now those of you who are parents, especially your mother's, you can know exactly how she feels.
She's there.
And so are the other women.
There there it is most difficult hour.
It's funny that we're going only here.
One other disciple being there in this passage will tell us who that is.
But it's obviously other disciples had been there, for instance, Thomas.
'cause later Thomas is going to say no, no don't tell me about resurrection. 'cause I saw him die. I saw him fiercely hate hands in the feet and I saw him pierced the side.
I saw him die, he was dead, he didn't swoon, he he was dead and I will not believe until I see the hands and the feet and the side.
So obviously Thomas was there a first hand experience of what's going on, and I suspect the other disciples had been as well.
But the women were there.
First 26 it says, and when Jesus saw his mother.
And disciple, whom he loves. Standing nearby again. That being John. John never says John. He says, the disciple which to me is kind of like even even more.
Egotistical.
You know, I would have said.
An Jesus saw Joe and he said whatever, but John always says.
The disciples who Jesus love well, Jesus loved all his disciples.
But I bet there was a special relationship between him and John.
He said to his mother.
Woman, behold your son. Now when I first read this many, many years ago, my initial thought was that Jesus was saying he saying, look at me, Mom.
It is not.
You're not saying look at me, Mom.
He's saying look at Jaune.
Behold.
Your son.
Then he said to disciple, behold your mother.
Jesus is telling his mother.
Look at John as if he were your son and John looked at.
Mary, as if she was your mother.
No.
Because I'm human go I don't get quite why he's doing this because Jesus again, despite what our Catholic brothers and sisters say, had brothers and sisters.
James and Ann Judas would eventually be followers of Jesus and and write a couple of letters.
So you go well, why didn't he have them do it?
Because I think he knew.
That the demands that we're going to be placed on.
James
and Judas.
We have it difficult to care for their mother.
Is James is going to be leader of the Jerusalem Church?
And so he provides for his mother in this way. Now some say because it says.
In verse 27, then he said to this I behold your mother. From that hour, the disciple her into his Castle.
Which may mean that John may have had someplace to live in Jerusalem.
And they were to remain in Jerusalem for a period of time. And then after that the church was going to originate from Jerusalem. So maybe it was because John had the place for Mary to be during these times, that it was necessary for James for John to do that. Where is James and Anne? Others of his half brothers still lived in Galilee.
I'm not sure, but I know this.
That Jesus.
Is being crucified?
And yet
he is concerned about other.
All too often when we find ourselves unjustly accused of things and going through circumstances that we don't think we deserve.
We think about ourselves.
How unfair it is, how I shouldn't be treated this way. The pain and the anguish. And if I just had somebody to share the pain in the anguish with.
Jesus wasn't focused on himself.
He goes my mother who cared for me.
Who loved me?
You follow me throughout my ministry.
Is now going to be forever.
Now I want her taken care of.
So when we ask ourselves.
Not what would Jesus do, but what did Jesus do?
What he did was even in his own problems and heartaches, and pain and suffering.
He thought of us.
And maybe we should do as well.
Then we should break the cycle.
A bowl with me.
And say.
What are you needing?
And Jesus took care of his mother.
At a time when we could think.
That would be the last thing on his mind.
Three of the four statements that Jesus declares on the cross.
Each of them tells us more about who he is.
And he forgives.
Even while being.
Suffering.
Then he responds.
In
kind of faith.
And says.
Today
and he.
While being.
Crucify.
Still concerned about others.
Why did he not come down from the cross?
Because he loved you and me more than the pain.
And he wanted to obey the father more than all of that.
Well, you see Jesus lived.
The bread of life to do the will of the father, and it was very clear this was the will of the father, because he prayed three times. Let this Cup pass from me. But nevertheless your will be done in not mine.
And Jesus took the full brunt of everything.
To obey the father.
Because the father so loved the world.
That he gave Jesus.
Restatements.
Jesus is still teaching us by what he says and what he does.
The reason I'm spending so much time.
On the crucifixion is I want you to one understand just exactly what Jesus went through.
And I want you to understand that just exactly what it means to our faith because.
We all too quickly.
Go from his death to his resurrection.
'cause it's difficult to think about because we are not worthy.
All of us collectively combined are not worthy for this sacrifice, and yet he gave it, and so we need to contemplate it. We need to meditate about it. We need to understand it because we can learn a whole lot about who Jesus is.
While it's hanging on the cross.
So let us not jump.
From one event to the other.
Because.
Christ demonstrated his love towards us.
While we were yet sinners, he died for us.
I'm going to sing in a moment.
At the cross, love ran Red and as I said last week, the reason I picked in the reason we're going through it several times.
'cause it's one of the few songs.
That never talks about the resurrection. It only talks about his suffering and that is what I wanted to contemplate. That is what I want is to meditate. That is what I want us to think about because the Son of God.
The one who spoke all the things that are come into existence.
Hung thereon across.
Accepting the shame and the pain.
Love it.
And notice here.
Again, like I said, the writers don't talk about the agony on the cross.
The only time they ever talked about the agony was when he was praying let not this Cup.
Be there, but let it pass.
The agony of prayer. But once it was decided that that's what God wanted, then he bore it.
Uncomplaining
taking on the full measure.
Of the hatred and the mockery and the beating and discouraging.
The slapping
because he obeyed his father.
He loved you and me.
All God's people said.