WE BELIEVE: JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED, AND WAS BURIED
Text: John 19: 18-20, 28-37, 40-42
Introduction
1. “In the Cross is salvation; in the Cross is life; in the Cross is protection against our enemies; in the Cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness; in the Cross is strength of mind; in the Cross is joy of spirit; in the Cross is excellence of virtue; in the Cross is perfection of holiness. There is no salvation of soul, nor hope of eternal life, save in the Cross.” (Thomas `a Kempis).
2. The Cross is the center of everything we believe as Christians, for without it we are still lost in our sin.
3. It was pointed out to me years ago that we take one day to celebrate Christ’ birth, but we take a week to celebrate His death and resurrection.
4. Today we are going to take a look at what we believe about the crucifixion, death, and burial of Christ.
5. Read John 19:18-20; 28-37; 40-42.
Transition: Let’s journey up Calvary’s hill along with our Lord.
I. Jesus Crucified, Dead, and Buried
A. Roman crucifixion was a form of execution that was reserved for the worst of criminals.
1. Its purpose was not only to kill the prisoner, but to humiliate them beyond comprehension.
2. This was part of the reason that Jews rejected Jesus as messiah, for they couldn’t accept a crucified messiah.
3. The Romans considered it the most cruel and extreme form of capital punishment.
4. It was considered impolite to mention it in Roman society. This is probably the reason the Emperor Constantine abolished it in the fourth century.
B. However, for us the cross is the crucial point of history.
1. In fact, the word comes from the Latin word crux, and it is the central point of our faith.
2. Just as the Cross is the central point of our faith, the central point of any discussion in English is called the crux of the conversation.
C. There are three aspects of Jesus’ crucifixion we need to understand.
1. First, in hanging on the cross, Jesus became a curse for us. “If someone has committed a crime worthy of death and is executed and hung on a tree, 23 the body must not remain hanging from the tree overnight. You must bury the body that same day, for anyone who is hung is cursed in the sight of God.” (Deut. 21:22-23).
2. Jesus took the curse of our sin upon Himself, and therefore, redeemed us from it.
3. Second, He canceled our debt before God because of our sin. “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” (Col. 2:13-14).
4. Third, He gave us victory over sin. “As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.” (Gal. 6:14).
D. The climax of the crucifixion scene is Jesus surrendering His spirit to God the Father.
1. Jesus viewed His death as an act of obedience. Jesus had multiple chances to back away, but He chose to do the Father’s will.
2. “But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?” (Jn. 18:11).
3. The first Adam disobeyed God; the second Adam obeyed Him completely.
4. Another purpose behind Jesus’ death was to appear in time to put away sin by sacrificing Himself.
5. “If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. 27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, 28 so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Heb. 9:26-28).
6. Finally, by His death, Jesus will be remembered for all eternity.
7. “No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. 4 And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.” (Rev. 22:3-5).
E. Another important aspect of Jesus’ crucifixion and death is His burial.
1. The Bible goes to great lengths to talk about Christ’s burial. Each of the Gospels mentions it, and each writer adds different details that the others do not.
2. There are several reasons both the Bible and the Creed mention Jesus’ burial.
3. First, the burial confirms that Jesus really died. Many skeptics try and use the argument that Jesus didn’t really die, but merely fainted, that He didn’t really die, and therefore, was not raised from the dead.
4. However, Scripture affirms that He truly died, that the Romans soldiers confirmed His death, and that Pilate gave permission to bury His body.
5. Second, the burial shows the importance of the care of dead bodies.
6. The Bible shows that we should show respect and care for a human corpse.
7. No dead body was ever treated with more love and care than Jesus our Lord.
F. Now let’s look into our text. I’m going to begin with vv. 18-20, “There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. 19 And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.”
1. When a prisoner was crucified, he was laid upon the ground with their arms stretched across the beam.
2. After they were either nailed or tied, he was hoisted up and mounted on the vertical post.
3. The Romans would then nail the ankles together forcing the feet to lay sideways on top of one another.
4. Ironically, it was not the nailing onto the cross that brought death. It was usually hemorrhaging, asphyxia, or shock that brought death.
5. John, as well as the other Gospel writers, say that Jesus was crucified with two other criminals with Jesus in the middle.
6. Pilate posted a sign over Jesus head that said, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” It was a common practice for the crucified person to have their name posted along with the crime they committed.
7. The place of Jesus crucifixion made it so anyone coming through Jerusalem would have to read it.
G. Then in vv. 28-29, John tells us, “Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips.”
1. John tells us that Jesus knew the job was now complete.
2. In an act that showed His humiliation, Jesus stated that He was thirsty.
3. So, they took a sponge, soaked it with sour wine and held it up to His lips.
4. As John indicates, this fulfilled Scripture from Ps. 69:21, “But instead, they give me poison for food; they offer me sour wine for my thirst.”
5. Jesus didn’t accept the wine earlier because He wanted to be fully conscious during the entire event.
H. Then John declares that Jesus uttered the three most important words in all of the Bible, “When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
1. According to the Greek, the one word, tetelestai, means “paid in full.”
2. Jesus had accomplished His mission and done what only He could do; He paid in full the debt that was owed by all of the human race.
3. From the time of Adam and Eve, through all of the human race for all time, sin had been paid for. It was now time for Jesus to die.
4. Up until then, sin could only be atoned for by sacrificing an animal, but even this was temporary. It had to be done again and again. But now Jesus had accomplished it once for all time.
5. Jesus had fulfilled all of the OT prophecies concerning the Messiah, and “IT WAS FINISHED!”
6. So, having completed His mission, Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
7. Jesus’ life was not taken from Him; He gave it up willingly. This shows Jesus’ authority over all things - even death!
I. Now that Jesus had given His life, it was time for His burial. But John tells us about something important that had to take place first. In vv. 31-37, he tells us, “It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. 33 But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. 34 One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. 35 (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also may continue to believe.) 36 These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and “They will look on the one they pierced.”
1. John said that the Jewish leaders were concerned that the bodies would be hanging on the cross during the Passover, which would have desecrated it.
2. So, they asked that Pilate have their legs broken to speed up the death process.
1. The prisoners could conceivably push up on their feet in order to get air to their lungs, but if their legs were broken, they would be unable to do so.
2. So, the soldiers broke the legs of the other prisoners.
3. However, when they came to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead. but just to make sure, one of the soldiers took a spear and thrust it into Jesus’ side.
4. Immediately, blood and water flowed out. Medical experts believe the pericardial sac was ruptured, thus confirming Jesus’ death.
5. John confirms this as an eyewitness account as he was standing right there and saw it for himself.
6. It also refutes the belief of some that Jesus merely slipped into a coma, from which He awakened later.
7. The piercing itself would have killed Jesus. He did indeed die a human death.
J. After Jesus’ death, a rich man called Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus, came to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. In vv. 40-42, John tells us, “Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. 41 The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42 And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.”
1. It was not the Jewish custom to mummify or embalm the body.
2. Instead, they washed the body and wrapped it in a cloth soaked with aromatic oils and spices. So, that’s what they did with Jesus’ body.
3. The tomb was new and belonged to Joseph, who gave it up for Jesus. This type of tomb was very expensive, and even in His burial, Jesus’ fulfilled prophecy.
4. “He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.” (Is. 53:9).
5. Fortunately, this tomb was near the site of the crucifixion and Joseph wanted to put Jesus in it, as it was the day of preparation before the Sabbath, so they needed to hurry.
6. That is where Jesus laid…for now!
Transition: Now, let’s look at…
II. What Does This Mean to Us Today
A. The Cross of Christ gives us victory over sin.
1. “He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.” (Col. 2:14-15).
2. “The cross is the victory, the resurrection is the triumph…The resurrection is the public display of the victory, the triumph of the crucified one.” ? Leon Morris
3. Jesus’ death on the Cross not only saved us from our sin, but it demolished the shackles that kept us in bondage to it.
4. Before the Cross, whenever the devil snapped his fingers, we came running like a slave to his master.
5. But now our master is Jesus, and sin no longer has a hold on us.
6. “He set me free, yes, He set me free,
He broke the bonds of prison for me;
I'm glory bound, my Jesus to see,
For glory to God, He set me free!”
B. Jesus’ death on the Cross marked our debt “paid in full!”
1. “So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 12 With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. 13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.” (Heb. 9:11-14).
2. “He paid a debt He did not owe,
I owed a debt I could not pay,
I needed someone to wash my sins away;
And now I sing a brand new song,
“Amazing Grace,” Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.” (He Paid a Debt He Did Not Owe, Author Unknown).
3. Under the law, sin could only be paid by sacrificing a spotless lamb. But it had to be done over and over.
4. When Jesus said, “It is finished!” it was over! Sin was paid for all time.
5. “For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” (Heb. 10:10).
C. Jesus’ burial showed His victory of death.
1. “But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.” (Acts 2:24).
2. In His burial, Christ not only overcame sin and the devil, but He also overcame death and the grave for us!
3. He triumphed over death and the grave because they couldn’t hold Him.
4. The Good News is that they can’t hold us either!
5. Jesus overcame them and passed that victory on to us!
Conclusion
What’s the point preacher? In His crucifixion, death, and burial Jesus set us free from the shackles of sin and death. Now, live in the freedom that Christ our Savior paid such a high price. Go live in victory!
