Sermon Central
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From Jesus' Side Series
Contributed by John Bright on Apr 7, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: This is a sermon series for the six Sundays of Lent. I am using a wooden "Tau" cross on the platform and some examples of the instruments of torture the Romans used - a large spike, scourge/cat of 9 tails, spear, and crown of thorns. There is a teaching sheet below the sermon.
Series: Jesus’ Blood for Me
“From Jesus’ Side”
Romans 5:12-14, 18-19
Pastor John Bright
Romans 5 “12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.”
“18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
Miss Abigale was the one church member sure to stick her nose into everyone’s business.
One day, she accused George, a new member and a man of few words. She told him, in front of others, that he must be a drunk because his truck had been seen in front of the town’s only bar. George did not defend himself. He just walked away.
That same evening, George parked his truck in front of Miss Abigale’s home and left it there all night. 😊
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Today, I want to talk about fun things… like gossip.
Gossip is an intentional, wrong action. It’s something we choose to do, even though we would NEVER want somebody else to do it to us. Sounds like I should invoke the Silver Rule like I did when my kids were young: “Don’t do something to another person if you wouldn’t want them to do it to you.” I have been teaching you that the Bible refers to those intentional actions as transgressions.
History of Roman Crucifixion
This a medical description of what happens:
DEATH BY CRUCIFIXION: SLOW SUFFOCATION
1 - Shallowness of breathing causes small areas of lung collapse.
2 - Decreased oxygen and increased carbon dioxide cause acidic conditions in the tissues.
3 - Fluid builds up in the lungs. Makes the situation in step 2 worse.
4 - The heart is stressed and eventually fails.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/terasaka_david/misc/crucify.cfm
It was at the end of this process that Jesus bled from His side. It is the last in the sequence. A few folks have figured out the first way Jesus bled for us. He was circumcised on the eighth day after His birth. That blood was applied to fulfill the law of Moses for all of us.
Roman crucifixion was a long, drawn-out process that often lasted for several days. This was not the case for Jesus - "Pilate marveled that He was already dead…" Mark 15:44.
What happens on that cross?
• With weight on the wrists - the chest is stretched when the person is slumped over - able to take only shallow breaths without a full exhale - pain increases on the wrists
• Weight is transferred to the feet and the person pushed up- full exhale is possible - pain increases in the feet
• Time after time the person slumps down again - eventually exhaustion makes the transfer of weight to the feet impossible – the person can’t push up anymore and the respiratory muscles cramp and stop working – this process is sped up when the lower leg bones are broken
• There is also a slow buildup of fluid (serum) in the lungs and around the heart
We see the evidence of these effects when a Roman soldier uses his spear on Jesus - John 19:33-34 "33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out."
The Roman soldier would have used a spear like this one. Coming in from the side, he would have put the tip of his spear into the lungs and pericardial sac. These would have filled up with a reddish serum: a liquid that is a mix of plasma and blood.
Our problem with transgressions
Transgressions are willful disobedience. Transgressions go all the way back to Adam. Romans 5:19 “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
From last week’s scripture: Isaiah 53:5 “… He was wounded for our transgressions.” In Hebrew, that word refers to a puncture or piercing wound, like a spear.
We tolerate all kinds of transgressions in our lives and inside the church. What did I mention first this morning? I got your attention when I mentioned gossip. Is it right or wrong?
