Obsession Sermon
Outline
Aldergrove SDA Church, Oct 16, 2004
PMC Chapel, Thurs March 16, 2006
source: http://ministry.wikia.com/wiki/Obession_Sermon
Isaiah 53:4-5
“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. Gut 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.”
1. Intro
a. What drives you?
i. Obsession Defined
1. an idea or feeling that completely occupies the mind
2. the state of being obsessed by somebody or something
3. the uncontrollable persistence of an idea or emotion in the mind
b. Athletes strive for gold/ oversized goblet / pay even death
2. John Stephen Akhawri
a. Tanzania, Mexico City Olympics, 1968
i. Badly cut and dislocated knee, asked why he did not retire from the race…
b. “My Country did not send me to Mexico to City to start the race, They sent me to finish”
3. Christopher Reeve
a. Superman brought fame
b. Man of Steel – Hero #1 (A hero is someone who commits a courageous actions with ou considering the consequences, someone who is larger than life)
c. Horse Accident, Memorial Day 1995, on 3rd of 15 jumps, horse stopped and he fell, breaking his neck. He was unable to move or breath
d. Paraplegic– Hero#2 (an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles)
e. Created new life focused on future,
i. Autobiography “Still Me”
ii. Directed HBO film “In the Gloaning” (got 5 Emmy nominations)
iii. Established own charitable foundation to raise awareness and money for spinal chord research
iv. Speeches at Democratic Nat. Conven. And Acadamy Awards inspired people around the world
v. Testified before congress for better healthy insurance, lobbied Wash, working relationship with President Clinton….
vi. died Oct 10 @ 52 yrs old
vii. “Chris and Dana Reeve have gathered the will and the spirit to created a new life, one responsive and engaged and focused on the future”
? Heb 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the Joy set before Him endured the cross…”
4. Physical Suffering of Christ [Journal of Am Med Assoc, 1986]
a. Thursday, April 6, AD 30, age 35, approx 9pm
i. Done last supper
ii. Bloody sweat ? skin tender and fragile, chills (~sunburn)
iii. Closest friends sleeping, betrayed kiss, abandoned to mob? Alone
b. Midnight to Daybreak
i. Taken up stairs to trial by Annas (illegal at night)
ii. To Caiaphas – HP for that year
1. Peter’s denial
iii. found guilty of Blasphemy 1x
iv. Beaten, - blindfolded / spat / punched in face (tender ~sunburn)
c. Soon After Daybreak
i. Sanhedrin
1. guilty of Blasphemy 2x (Roman permission needed)
d. Early Morning
i. Taken to Fortress Antonia (Pilate) (Herod) (Pilate)
1. found no basis for charge, people demand Crucifixion
e. Summary (9pm-9am)
i. Emotional stress (bloody sweat- tender skin)
ii. Abandoned / betrayed / denied by closest friends
iii. Physical beating / taunting
iv. No food / water / sleep, walk > 4km (2.5 miles)
[could have more than 12 legions of angles at His disposal – Mt 26:53]
1. legion = largest single unit in Roman empire, ~6000 foot soldiers, 600 cavalry (here = great multitude)
v. ? subject to profuse bleeding
f. Scourging Severely to Appease Mob (approx 9am)
i. Stripped / Hands tied to post
ii. Short whip – iron balls / sheep bone fragments (bruise/cut) [also might use small rods]
1. tender skin (bloody sweat), physical/mental abuse, no food/water/sleep WEAK
2. skin > muscles > quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh
3. 39/40 (near collapse/death)
g. Mocked
1. robe / crown of thorns / staff scepter in right hand
a. spat, struck repeatedly on head with staff (thorns)
b. tore robe off (reopen wounds)
2. “pre-shock state – bloody sweat (tender skin), physical/mental abuse, no food/water/sleep
? serious to critical condition (mob not satisfied, trade for Barabas)
h. Crucifixion (late morning - noon)
i. Invented by Persians, spread by Alexander the Great, perfected by Romans
1. slow death / max pain
2. reserved for worst criminals or deserters (Romans/women exempt)
ii. Walk to Golgotha
1. Jesus clothes put on
2. tied to cross bar (75-125 lbs)
3. too week from scourging to carry 1/3 mile (600-650m) from Fortress Antonia to Golgotha/Calvary
iii. At Golgotha
1. clothes ripped off except loin (reopen wounds)
2. Painkiller refused (wine mixed with myrrh)
3. Thrown on back (contaminated wounds)
a. Wrists nailed btw Radius and Carpals
i. Tapered, square iron spikes (5-7 inches, 3/8 inch thick)
ii. Median nerve
1. paralysis/numbness
2. cut ligaments ? claw grasp
3. (bolts of fiery pain)
a. [Aron Ralston – hiker forced to cut off own arm cut with a pocket knife, cut his nerve last]
4. Lifted to Stipes (body + crossbar)
a. Ankles nailed
i. bending of knees
ii. ? peroneal / branches of meidal/lateral plantar nerves
b. Crude seat (prolong)
i. Survival avg 3hrs – 4days (Insects/birds)
ii. Little blood loss, lots of pain
iv. Breathing
1. Body weight pulling on arms – fixed in INHALATION STATE
a. Diaphragm – shallow breathing ? CO2 build up
i. muscle cramps (fatigue/CO2 further hinder respiration)
ii. (why speed death by breaking legs)
2. EXHALE
a. Push on feet + flex elbow (rotate wrists on square nails)
i. scrape back on rough stipes
ii. nerves make searing pain
iii. (add muscle cramps/paralysis of arms)
b. “Each respiratory effort would become agonizing and tiring and led eventually to suffocation” (JAMA)
3. EXCRUCIATING (Latin = excruciates, “ out of the cross”)
v. Spoke 7 times (see paper)
1. midst of taunting/insults / save yourself and us
2. difficult and painful to talk ? short, terse utterances
i. 3pm died (after 3-6hrs)
i. Usual combo for death? SLOW SUFFOCATION / HYPOVOLEMIC SHOCK
ii. Christ died from broken heart (even Pilate surprised by rapid
iii. WHY - had way out
1. [Messiah quote p. 403] ?YOU ARE GOD’S OBSESSION
2. Heb 12:2
? Heb 12:2 “for the Joy set before Him endured the cross…”
? You are the joy that completely occupied Jesus’ mind: He couldn’t stand the thought of spending an eternity without you there”
j. NASB/KJV “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame”
k. NLT “He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward.”
5. "Obsession" by Delirious OR ‘Never Being Unloved’ DVD music video by Michael W. Smith
