Sermon for 3/21/2010
Jesus Died- John 10:17-18
Introduction:
A male Sunday school teacher asked his Sunday school class, “If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into Heaven?” “No!” the children all answered. “If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?” Again, the answer was, “No!” “Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children, and loved my wife, would that get me into Heaven?” Again, they all answered, “No!” “Well,” he continued,” then how can I get into Heaven?” A 5 year old boy shouted, “You gotta be dead!”
WBTU:
A. We have been looking for the past several weeks at the miracles around the cross.
B. This week we are going a different direction and we are looking at the death of Jesus. (Mark 15:37 NIV) With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. I’ve been there when the person has breathed their last. This is true for Jesus and for all of us until the Lord comes.
C. (Luke 23:46 NIV) Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
D. other two gospels add more: 1) (Mat 27:50) And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 2) (John 19:30 NIV) When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
E. Here is the order of this. Jesus said, “It is finished.” After this, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” After this, Jesus bowed his head, breathed his last and gave up his spirit.
F. This goes back to what Jesus said in (John 10:11 NIV) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
G. In connection with this, going down a few verses, this is a good theme verse for this morning: (John 10:17 NIV) The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again.(John 10:18 NIV) No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
Thesis: Jesus’ death is different. Let’s talk about that.
For instances:
1. No one takes it from me (John 10:18)
A. Wait a minute. Yes, they did. Jesus was executed by the state. No, Jesus had control all of the time. It would be a mistake to suppose that human forces were the final, determining factor in the death of Jesus. There are several times in the life of Jesus when He should have died. (John 7:30 NIV) At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.
B. Jesus had control all of the time over his life. Jesus knew the time, the place and the circumstances when he would lay down his life but He always had control.
D. (Mat 26:51 NIV) With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.(Mat 26:52 NIV) "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.(Mat 26:53 NIV) Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
E. Plan A was for the Jews to accept Jesus as their king. Since they didn’t, God went to Plan B with the cross and then the church. Heresy!
E. William Barclay- Jesus was not helplessly caught up in a mess of circumstances from which he could not break free. It is quite clear that to the end he could have turned back and saved his life. He did not lose his life; he gave it. The Cross was not thrust upon him; he willingly accepted it- for us.
E. It is different for us. We have limited control over our lives. (Acts 17:26 NIV) From one man he made every nation of men that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
F. (Psa 139:16 NIV) All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
G. “It just wasn’t his time or it just was his time.” (Eccl 8:8 NIV) No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death.
H. This is what happens when people near the end. Lament the loss of control.
2. I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. (John 10:18)
A. Jesus laid down his life. Jesus came to this earth voluntarily and He died voluntarily.
B. On the cross Jesus had the control. Jesus had control over his soul and so he could have remained alive on the cross indefinitely. He also could have released his soul long before 3 or 4 in the afternoon on Good Friday. When the penalty had been paid for mankind’s sins, Jesus said, “It is finished,” and then left his body. Jesus was a free will offering for our sins. He stayed there and suffered until the price was paid.
C. In John 19:30, the phrase “gave up his spirit,” is slightly different that the other gospels in the original Greek. The Greek word here means to “hand over,” and nowhere in Greek literature is this used as a reference to death. Jesus did not die as other men. He handed over his soul to the Father. We don’t do that in this sense.
D. Many people wish to die or will themselves to die. The family wanted me to go and see Percy Elks. Tell her it is okay to give up. I did and she seemed to do that but she didn’t die for a few more hours. “No one has the power over the day of his death”- except Jesus. “Lost the will to live”- but don’t die until God takes us away.
E. Jesus had authority to take it up again. This is what Jesus did on Easter morning.
F. Because of this, (Mat 28:18 NIV) Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Mat 28:19 NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Mat 28:20 NIV) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
G. He said in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Yet, our culture has told us over and over again that God’s authority and standards don’t really have any hold on us. We now live in a time of “relativism.” A time when the truth is wishy washy and people find it narrow and intolerant if someone tries to say there is a right and wrong way to live. And that thinking is hurting us in government, in the work place, in our schools and in our homes. From Timothy Smith at Christ’s Church of Jacksonville, Florida- We experience that even in our own ministry. People will call from time to time desirous of getting married, wondering if one of the ministers will perform the wedding. We send them a letter which tells them that in order for us to do that they must agree to attend pre-marital counseling and that they must maintain sexual purity. The letter tells them we are not judging them but simply, as the church, must comply with what we see as the truth of Scripture. Do you know how many respond to that letter? With anger.. "Who gives you the right to set rules like that?" “How could you be so narrow?” So many people have the attitude- "I do what I think is right for me. Nobody tells me what to do." So we take the 10 Commandments off our walls, nativity scenes off our courtroom steps or we let majority rule.. anything but be submissive to Christ’s authority.
3. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again (John 10:17)
A. Jesus was always concerned with pleasing God, his Father. (John 5:30 NIV) I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. (John 8:29 NIV) The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."
B. Let’s be honest. Most of the time, we are not seeking to please God the Father but we are seeking to please others or ourselves. (Gal 1:10 NIV) Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
C. Jesus went to the cross in the midst of people who hated him. He wasn’t concerned about their taunts but only about pleasing God his Father and doing His will. If he was trying to please men, he definitely wouldn’t have done that.
D. (Eph 5:10 NIV) and find out what pleases the Lord.
E. We cannot die for the sins of others. Only Christ did that. (John 17:4 NIV) I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
G. Will Shriner- “I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather... Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.” I want to die like Stephen (not being stoned). (Acts 7:55 NIV) But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.(Acts 7:56 NIV) "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."(Acts 7:57 NIV) At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, (Acts 7:58 NIV) dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. (Acts 7:59 NIV) While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."(Acts 7:60 NIV) Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Conclusion and invitation:
Don’t know the day or conditions of our death, but we can know where our soul will be.
Don’t have much control, but we do have control over this because of Jesus.
