October 19, 2003 Sermon - Baldwin Christian Church
John 19:23-42 "The little things matter."
John wrote this many years after the other gospels had surfaced,
from the perspective of an eyewitness who had already read the
other accounts, and wanting to fill in some important details.
John was a details guy, and so is God.
John 19:23
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his
garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also
[his] coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top
throughout.
(The veil in the temple ripped in two as Jesus died, from the top
down.)
John 19:24
They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but
cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be
fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and
for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the
soldiers did.
John 19:25
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's
sister, Mary the [wife] of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
Considering all the hostility toward Jesus, the bravery of these
women is remarkable. Here they stood, in the plural perfect tense,
that is to say they kept standing, they're here to stay, even
against all the power of Rome, all the power of the religious
tongue waggers, and all the power of the vicious mob. They can be
killed, but they will not be moved. The cross was the great focal
point in the angelic conflict. There were demons and angels all
around this event, and whoever stood by the cross (pluperfect)
must have been filled with an abundance of Bible doctrine. All
these women have the moral courage that Pilate lacked. They stand
before the cross in maximum grief as a stark contrast to the
soldiers kneeling before the cross, throwing dice.
The crucifixion was surely the piercing of Mary's soul prophecied
by Simeon when Jesus was just 40 days old.
Luke 2:25-35
25. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was
Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the
consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he
should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
(from this it would seem that he was now an elderly man)
27. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when
the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the
custom of the law,
(that is, to have the priest make a burnt offering and a sin
offering for Jesus when He was 40 days old)
28. Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and
said,
29. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according
to thy word:
30. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31. Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
(God has fairly and justly set the way to abundant blessings and
eternal life directly in front of our eyes.)
32. A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy
people Israel.
33. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which
were spoken of him.
34. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother,
Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many
in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35. (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that
the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
John 19:26
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by,
whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
John 19:27
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold
thy mother! And from that hour that
disciple took her unto his own [home].
Throughout this book, John refers to himself as the disciple that
Jesus loved, and here's the proof. While all other disciples
scattered, John appears to be the only one brave enough to follow
Jesus to the end. Does that mean John was perfect, or that he
believed everything Jesus had taught him? Absolutely not, and
Lord willing, we'll learn that when we get to the next chapter.
After Jesus has obediently gone to the cross, which is the first
order of business, He then turns His attention to family matters.
Here Jesus teaches us that when a person has great character,
extreme pain and pressure will not destroy their thoughtfulness
for others. Your character is what matters, not your personality.
The fifth commandment (Ex 20:12) states: Honour
thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the
land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Being the son
of a successful fisherman and a recognized man in the big city,
John was pretty well off, so by entrusting His widowed mother to
John's care, Jesus certainly didn't neglect to give His mother
the honor He owed her. But, was Jesus blessed with long life? No,
but His cousin John was doubly blessed, living to be almost a
hundred years old and receiving the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
This new family was formed and forged at the foot of the cross,
and the cross is indeed the gathering place where all true
families receive healing, strengthen their bond, and receive
blessings. Children, obey your parents and honor them. The cross
is our family tree.
John 19:28
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished,
that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
John 19:29
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a
spunge with vinegar, and put [it] upon hyssop, and put [it] to
his mouth.
John 19:30
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished:
and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. It's
impossible for us to understand that He was wholly God and wholly
man. He was tempted in all ways as we are, but the difference is
that He did not yield to them. It's impossible for us to fully
understand "It is finished" (paid in full). Peter tells
us that we're "a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:1-10),
but that's a hard thing to see when we look in the mirror through
these fleshly eyes, but God sees us that way. I look back at all
the things I've done wrong in my life, and I just can't find the
ability to ask Him to forgive me one more time. It's impossible
to comprehend "paid in full," and come to grips with
the concept that one offering was made, one sacrifice for sins
for ever. Satan capitalizes on this fact, and so we find that
every other religion is based on the works of the believer, not
the works of the god. Works are only the window dressing of
Christianity. We can't do anything to get ourselves right with
God, or get closer to Him on our own. "It is finished."
The veil of sin that seperated us from God was torn apart from
the top down, and by faith in the accomplished work of Jesus, we
can step through that veil to make intercession for ourselves and
for others. And when we give up our last breath on earth, we know
that our next breath will be in His presence (2 Cor 5:5-9). There
is no rest for those who reject Jesus, because they believe that
this life is as good as it gets. There's no comfort in not
knowing what happens to you after your last exhale. "It is
finished" --- the cry of victory, not the cry of a martyr.
Even if we cannot fully understand it, if we believe "It is
finished," we can rest in the comfort of knowing that this
life is as bad as it gets, and we can begin to share in His
victory over death.
Everything He did had reason and purpose. His last actions were
to calmly bow His head and dismiss His Spirit.
John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me,
because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man
taketh 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 commandment
have I received of my Father.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he
humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross.
John 19:31
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the
bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for
that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their
legs might be broken, and [that] they might be taken away.
The ruling religious council demonstrates again just how far they've
strayed from the love of God. By going after the "little
things," by straining their pious, holier-than-thou soup for
gnats, they'e overlooked the camel-sized defilement they just
swallowed. The feast of unleavened bread would begin at twilight,
and earlier this day (John 18:28), they had refused to enter
Pilate's judgment hall because they feared a speck of yeast might
get stuck on their sandals. Such is the way of hypocrites;
carefully avoiding pollution from "little things," but
screaming "Crucify" in condemnation of an innocent man.
I pray that it doesn't sound like I'm passing judgment on the
Jews. Anyone harboring bitterness toward them or blaming them
for crucifying Jesus is either misinformed or ignorant of the
truth. If I sound like I'm condemning anything, it's hypocricy.
As we go about our daily lives, the people around us observe our
behavior and our reactions under all sorts of circumstances.
Jesus told us that these people can't come to Him unless the
Father draws them to Him. When people are observing us as
Christians, we have no way of knowing the exact strength of the
thread the Father is using to draw them to Jesus. Lest we nick
even the tiniest of strands, it's best that we altogether avoid
carrying the blade of hypocrisy. Anything we do that might
distract people from the cross hurts the cause of Christ, and
this was told to me yesterday afternoon by a woman that I know
who claims there is no God. Little does she know that God is
adding little strands to her thread every day.
John 19:32
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of
the other which was crucified with him.
John 19:33
But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already,
they brake not his legs:
John 19:34
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and
forthwith came there out blood and water.
John 19:35
And he that saw [it] bare record, and his record is true: and he
knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
John 19:36
For these things were done, that the scripture should be
fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
John 19:37
And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom
they pierced.
(refers to Ex 12:46, Num 9:12, Ps 34:20, and Zech 12:10)
Why no broken bones? God wanted us to be absolutely sure WHO the
Passover Lamb is. If the entire Roman army had come at Him,
trying to break His legs, I don't believe God would've allowed it.
God is a details guy. He takes care of even the sparrows, and you
can't lose a single hair without Him knowing about it. All these
minute details made sure that the Scriptures were fulfilled, and
God is glorified by fulfillment of Scripture.
The good news 1 Cor 15: Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures; he was buried, and he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures. The burial is a significant part,
and here we'll learn a little about two of the witnesses.
John 19:38
And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus,
but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might
take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave [him] leave. He came
therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
John 19:39
And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus
by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an
hundred pound [weight].
Nicodemus first entered the picture back in chapter 3, but this
is our first introduction to Joseph of Arimathaea. The picture of
Joseph is that he was a rich man from Arimathaea (somewhere in
the hills of Judea), but now living in Jerusalem. Mark tells us
that he was a member of the governing council, the Sanhedrin, so
he had to be a highly respected teacher. Luke tells us that he
was a righteous man, good and upright, open to Jesus and looking
for the things of God, and that he didn't vote with the council
to condemn Jesus, he voted against it. On an interesting side
note, the legend of the Holy Grail centers on this Joseph.
Nicodemus was also a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin. In chapter
3, he sought out Jesus secretly, under the cover of darkness,
because it wasn't popular for the rich and powerful to be seen
with Jesus, and that truth still applies. Nothing of the flesh
can glory in His presence. As Paul told us, not many wise men
after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called to
Christ. In chapter 7, Nicodemus correctly pointed out to the
religious council that by condemning Jesus without a hearing,
they were in violation of their own law, but they wouldn't listen.
Standing in contrast to Pilate, these two powerful men suddenly
find courage and become willing to trust more in the things of
God than in their posessions or their position. Both Joseph and
Nicodemus were interested in the truths that Jesus was teaching,
but if they were found out, it might have cost them their lives,
or at least it would mean banishment from the synagogue. Most
people usually do struggle for great lengths of time before
publicly confessing their faith in Christ. God leads us in a
gradual process to maturity. These men struggled in their fears
up until the moment of crucifixion, when most of those who
publically followed Jesus had abandoned Him, and it's only then
that these two timid disciples lose their cowardice and find
their faith.
As Paul explains so well in Romans 14, only God knows the truth
about each of us, and that gives us comfort alongside the
trembling. Even though it's in our nature, we should never judge
anyone in their potential to receive the salvation of Jesus
Christ. The only thing we know for sure is that He has called us
to live a life obedient to Him. We can't win people to Jesus. We
only sow the seeds, water them, or tend to them. God gives the
increase. If you can, step back for a minute and try to remember
all the little steps that you took on the way to the cross, on
the way to taking the big step of publicly confessing your faith.
All the different people who influenced you, the moments, the
music, the revelations you received, the sum total of events that
compelled you to take that big step. Here we have Joseph and
Nicodemus taking the big step. Joseph goes to ask Pilate for the
body; Pilate is surprised to learn that Jesus is already dead (Mark
15:44-45), so he summons the centurion to confirm the death (you
know, the centurion who said at the cross, "Truly this man
was the Son of God."), and now with the centurion's
testimony, along with the undeniable impact of a man, a ruler of
Joseph's stature, requesting the body of Jesus, Pilate is here
given one more chance. While Joseph is obtaining the permission
that once again allows Pilate to wash his hands of Jesus,
Nicodemus is gathering a fortune in burial spices.
Even with the knowledge that there would be a painful fallout
from these actions...
John 19:40
Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes
with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
John 19:41
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and
in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
John 19:42
There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation
[day]; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
The other accounts of the crucifixion tell us that one of the
thieves hanging on a cross next to Jesus confessed his belief and
was granted his salvation. All of the soldiers (Matt 27:54) saw
the strange way that Jesus died; they felt the three hours of
darkness at mid-day (We know it couldn't have been an ordinary
eclipse because it lasted way too long, and the moon was unable
to block the sun because the Passover occurs during a full moon.),
and then they felt the rock-ripping earthquake. Matthew tells us
that they were very afraid, and they all confessed their belief
that Jesus was the son of God.
My point is that you can never tell who's leaning toward the
positive, on the very edge of God-consciousness. We might try to
kid ourselves and think we can tell, but only God knows. By all
appearances, these soldiers weren't likely candidates for
conversion. They weren't nice people. They beat Jesus; they
mocked Him and spat on Him; and as soon as He was crucified, they
went about their business dividing the spoils. Even though these
men had positive volition toward accepting Jesus, there was
absolutely no outward sign of it, but being uniformed members of
the military, they observed what was going on around them, they
evaluated the situation, and they changed their tune and made the
right decision about Jesus. It's sad that the same couldn't be
said about the majority of the men in religious garb that day.
Joseph and Nicodemus had already accepted Him, but up until the
crucifixion, it certainly wasn't obvious to those around them.
Jesus knows about you and He knows about me, and that's certainly
enough for us, but we're part of a community, and others learn
about us. Let's watch our steps that we not trample on anyone's
tenuous, slender thread of trust in Jesus.