A Mother, A Thief & A Pharisee

A Mother, a Thief, and a Pharisee

Read John 19: 16-42

Today we are looking at the actual crucifixion of Christ

When I came to seriously consider and study for this message I soon realised there were many ways that I could approach the topic.

I could do a verse by verse exposition and bring out some very interesting facts

The most probable route Jesus took to the cross

All the details about the actual act of crucifixion and what it involved

How many prophecies were fulfilled at the cross

The reason that I believe from this passage that John , disciple of Jesus, may in fact have been his cousin (According to info on Clopas given by Hegesippus a second century palestinian writer)

I could take time to tell you what crurifragium is and why that is relevant to these vss

Give some attn to the ‘blood and water’ reference and ponder over whether it pointed to a pericardial puncture or a post death plasma separation

Or whether or not it was a hyssop branch or in fact a Roman javelin that conveyed the spongeful of vinegar wine to Jesus lips

I could, but I won’t because this passage of all passages is so much more than an academic exercise -

The cross is the climax of Gods redemptive plan, Gods rescue mission for us and everyone else who will hear, understand and respond to it

The whole of scripture preceding this passage is a canvas painting the background of this picture

It is arguably the single most important event anywhere in the bible

The Cross, the heart of the gospel

Adam & Eve Blood and death, the price for sin

Noah Only one way to God

Isaac Give up a cherished son

God Himself will provide a sacrifice

Passover The spotless lamb

Covered by the blood

Snake on the pole Look on the snake and live

As Moses lifted up the snake in the desert so will the Son of Man be lifted up…

Sin offering Sins placed on the goat - scapegoat

Enter the most holy place once a year and not without blood for both his sins and those of the people

Sin is serious - God hates it and it can only be dealt with by death/blood

God requires a sacrifice for sins and we cannot provide it - we cannot afford the price

There is only one way to God

The sacrifice has to be perfect without spot or blemish, in other words, sinless

And God Himself will provide that sacrifice

God provided His own son as a sacrifice and unlike Abraham and Isaac,

this time the hand that dealt the death blow was not stopped,

although there was an army of angels who, at one word from Christ, would have come

down and lifted Christ from that cross, tended Him and taken Him home to heaven.

The price for sin and death has been paid once and for all , completely, done.

Christ died on that cross so that you and I can live, and there is no other way, and God wants you to understand and respond to Christ

How ?

How are we to respond to such an act?

How can I, personally, respond to Christ dying on a cross 2000 yrs ago? …………

Mary

At the foot of the cross are a no. of women, among them is Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Can you imagine how a mother would feel/react watching her son tortured and dying on a cross ? Perhaps only those who are mothers really can….

Perhaps she is recalling the words old Simeon spoke to her, about her son, so long ago;

“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising

of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken

against, so that the thoughts of many will be revealed.

And a sword shall pierce your own soul too.”

So this is the sword that he prophecied about

It is something every mother fears - losing a child and it is a fear that from the moment of Jesus birth was so very real for she would remember fleeing from the terrible anger of Herod in Bethlehem as He sought to destroy her son.

But she would know that it was for this purpose that Jesus, The Christ, was born into this world

Even so she is still a mother, and as she recalls all the times in her life when she would reach out to Jesus, feeding Him as a baby, tending the inevitable wounds and grazes that are part of being a boy, watching him grow to manhood. Wouldn’t it would hurt her deeply to see Him here in a situation that she had no power to protect Him from. Not even wipe the sweat from His forehead or bathe his wounds