The Day God Died

Notes: The Day God Died
Jonathan Laurie
John 19
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Series: Life: the Gospel of John
Music: Phil Wickham
https://www.harvest.org/watch-and-listen/webcast/watch/the-day-god-died

The name of hero is really thrown around loosely today. We have guitar heroes today. However, most of us look at first responders and military as our modern day heroes.

Mikey Monsour was a Navy SEAL, that is a real hero for us. He dove on a grenade for his unit. He was the one that could have escaped, but it was him that saved his friends.

John 15:13 NKJV
[13] Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

The first 13 Chapters of John’s Gospel really focus on three years of Jesus’ ministry. John 16 to 19 is one week of Jesus’ life.

Luke 24:17 NKJV
[17] And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"

Luke 24:18 NKJV
[18] Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"

Everybody knew what happened to Jesus.

Jesus’ death was:
1. Public

Jesus suffered a death that was far from peaceful.

John 19:17-22 NKJV
[17] And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, [18] where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. [19] Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. [20] Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. [21] Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews."'" [22] Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

The cross was a standard death device to the Romans. That cross could have been used many times before.

He was put on that cross with the criminals of that day.

John 19:20 NKJV
[20] Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

People would be passing by like it was a grocery store.

2. Painful

John 19:18 NKJV
[18] where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.

No explanation was necessary to describe a crucifixion when the Gospels were written. It was very common.

Pain was the point!

He was carrying the cross after being beaten and scourged.

Excruciating comes from a
Latin word meaning out of the cross.

John 19:23-24 NKJV
[23] Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. [24] They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots." Therefore the soldiers did these things.

He was mocked.

Mark 15:29-32 NKJV
[29] And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, [30] save Yourself, and come down from the cross!" [31] Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. [32] Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.

John 19:25-27 NKJV
[25] Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. [26] When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" [27] Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

John was the only Disciple, that we know for sure was there.

3. Payment

Mark 15:33-34 NKJV
[33] Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. [34] And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV
[21] For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

John 19:28-30 NKJV
[28] After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" [29] Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. [30] So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

John 6:37 NKJV
[37] All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

Mark 15:37-39 NKJV
[37] And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. [38] Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. [39] So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"

Hebrews 6:19-20 NKJV
[19] This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, [20] where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

4. Predicted

Psalm 22:15 NKJV
[15] My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.

Isaiah 53:9 NKJV
[9] And they made His grave with the wicked- But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

John 19:31-37 NKJV
[31] Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. [32] Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. [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. [35] And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. [36] For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken." [37] And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced."

Two fulfilled prophecies in just those verses above.

Jesus was on a rescue mission from the very start.

John 19:35 NKJV
[35] And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.

Jesus dies so we can live.

John 10:18 NKJV
[18] No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."

Jesus could have come off that cross that day, but He hung there for us.