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38th Street Church of Christ 3904 38th Street NW Canton, Ohio 44718 330-492-5523 Fax: 330-493-7119 |
“Why Jesus Chose To Die” |
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I. Introduction.
A. (Scene I: To Calvary) – The governor was clearly
impressed with this Man. He knew a revolutionary when
he saw one, and this Galilean was not a revolutionary.
Barabbas, yes. Without question guilty of revolt against
Roman authority – along with other crimes. But, the
Nazarene? No. Pilate just didn’t believe the charge of
treason brought by these Jews against Him.All through His questioning, this Man had stood in silence,
or answered in calm tones. If He’d only defend Himself
against the false charges! If He’d only give me something-
something to allow me to let Him go. The governor
thought: “I need a way out of this that maintains my
authority, and sets free an innocent man.”Pilate’s dilemma was clear to him. He’d been threatened –
his career had been threatened – by these vile Jews. He’d
been told Judea would not be an easy post, and now he
knew the reality of this. He’d had chronic problems with
these Jews and he couldn’t afford another report of
disturbances getting back to Rome. And, that’s just what
he’d been threatened with. He’d very much like to put
Caiaphas on a cross – him and his Jewish council.But, now a decision had to be made. Condemn the Man,
or let Him go? Of course, even if I let Him go, these Jews
will probably see to it that He doesn’t live much longer.
Why jeopardize my career when they will kill Him
anyway? But, they will know one thing: I don’t like this
at all, and I’m not taking responsibility for it.Pilate turns to one of the servants standing behind him.
“Go get me a basin and some water. And bring a towel.”
When the servant returns a few minutes later, Pilate puts
his hand in the basin, now filled with water. “You will
have your death. But, know this: I’m innocent of this
Man’s blood. You want him dead, not me.” Pilate took
the towel and wiped his hands.Now Pilate looked again at Jesus. He said just three more
words: “Ibis Ad Crucem” (“You go to the cross.”)B. That was the signal for the dreadful ritual to begin. First
the condemned is taken to be scourged. Scourging itself
was terrible torture.1. The victim is stripped; his hands are tied and, then,
he is lashed to a pillar, bent forward so the back is
fully exposed to the whip, a long leather thong,
studded at intervals with sharpened pieces of bone
and pellets of lead. Scourging always preceded
crucifixion – the victims’ back was reduced to raw
flesh lying in strips, inflamed and bleeding. Some
men died being scourged – few remained conscious.2. And then, there were the soldiers. While some went
to get the crosspiece for Jesus to carry on those
bleeding shoulders, some others mocked Him.
Jerusalem was not their regular duty station. Who
was this Man to them? He’d been sentenced to die.
He was a Jew. Just another one of these conquered
people.a. One soldier, sarcastically: “I heard He’s a
King! But, He doesn’t look like a king to
me! A king needs a royal robe, and a crown.
And, where’s His scepter of authority?”b. Another soldier: “Here’s a robe to fit a king.
Put it on Him.” How that cloth must have
rubbed against those raw shoulders; how the
pain must have shot in waves through that
bent body when the garment touched his
back.c. A third soldier comes near, with the
“crown” – “I found something to make His
crown. It will sit nicely on that royal head.”
And he pushed a crown made of a branch of
thorns, twisted and fashioned into a crude
circle, down on Jesus’ head.d. Immediately, blood flows from the puncture
wounds, down across the forehead and into
Jesus’ eyes. He blinks and shakes His head.
His hands are still tied behind Him, and He
cannot use them to wipe away the blood.e. In one of these bound hands the soldier who
brought the thorn crown puts a reed: “And,
here’s your scepter, king.”3. “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they all laugh. But,
there’s no hatred in their eyes – not like that of the
Jewish rulers. Their mocking is out of ignorance –
not deliberate cruelty, or hatred. There’s no
curiosity in their eyes – not like that of Pilate. They
are rough men, in a rough profession, in a rough
world. Their mocking is release and relief, not
scorn.4. “All right,” a centurion says as he approaches these
soldiers: “You’ve had your fun. Now, the work
starts.” Four other soldiers are with him – the
crucifixion detail. In fact, there were three groups
of four men each – one for each of the condemned
who are to go to Calvary that day.a. “Let’s get going, before the sun gets too
warm.”b. One of the soldiers spoke up, “I do want
that good robe back.”c. “All right. Get it off Him. Put the
crosspiece on His shoulders and tie it
down.”d. Jesus’ hands are unbound; then lifted up to
hold the beam placed on His shoulder. He
staggers under the heaviness of the rough,
wooden beam. He falls hard to His knees.5. Jesus is inside a square made by the four soldiers.
Step – by – faltering step, He moves out of the
courtyard and into the street beyond the fortress
gate. This is not a fast march, but a slow, agonizing
procession. And, it would take a while to get to the
place of execution – but that was deliberate. People
had to see – they had to know – the consequences of
crime. In front of each square of soldiers walked
another soldier, with a placard which told the crime
of the condemned. In front of Jesus, the placard
read, by Pilate’s order: “This is Jesus of Nazareth,
the King of the Jews.”C. Jesus takes slow, faltering steps. He staggers; He falls.
The detail of soldiers stops and picks Him up again. The
centurion says: “We’ll be all day at this rate.” He turns to
a group standing on the street. “You” – he points to a man-
“carry the crosspiece for Him.” The man hesitates, and the
centurion pulls him out of the crowd, and has the
crosspiece put on his shoulders.D. After the detail passed, people flowed into the street behind
it. In this crowd were women, weeping for Jesus. At one
stopping point, the weakened Jesus looked back at these
women and spoke to them: “Don’t weep for Me. Cry for
yourselves and your children. There are times coming that
will be worse than this. You will wish you were dead.
You will be glad you have no children. If they do this to
one who is innocent, what will be the fate of the guilty?”E. Song: “Nailed To The Cross” (#361).
II. At Calvary.
A. (Scene II: The Execution.) Finally, they arrived at
Golgotha, the “place of the skull,” the place of execution.1. The centurion commands: “Get the crosspieces on
the ground and get the prisoners nailed to them.
Push those people back to make room.” Simon
drops the crosspiece, and is pushed away.2. The three men are placed on the ground – one for
each crosspiece, their arms stretched out across the
rough wooden beams.3. A bag of crude nails; a wooden mallet; a soldier on
either side of each victim, and one soldier to drive
the nails into the wrists of the condemned. As
metal tears flesh, the victims cry out. A trickle of
blood seeps from each wound.4. The fourth soldier throws long ropes over the frame
that stands on this rise of ground. One end of the
ropes goes around the victims’ arms on the cross-
piece, the other end, behind the framework, is used
to pull the victims into a vertical position, only two
or three feet above the ground.5. Legs bent slightly. Feet crossed, one over the other.
Both placed on a block of wood on the frame –
called the “saddle” – to support the weight of the
victim. Another, longer, spike driven through the
ankles to secure the feet to the frame. The ropes
loosened – and it was done.B. The horror of the cross is superseded only by the love of
the cross, the cross upon which Jesus chose to die.1. The abuse wasn’t just physical. There were bitter,
mocking words from some of the Jews standing
there: “He saved others; let Him save Himself if
He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” / From the
soldiers: “If you are the King of the Jews, let’s see
You save Yourself.” / From the crowd: “Come
down from the cross if You are the Son of God.”2. Bitter words; sarcastic words. Hateful words.
Ignorant words. Then, Jesus’ words: “Father,
forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”3. Jesus let God judge His humiliators. He asked for
their forgiveness.4. In a body wracked with pain; through eyes blinded
by blood; from lungs yearning for air – He asked
forgiveness for these bullies. That’s love beyond
comprehension; that’s love that is Divine, not
human.5. The love of the cross is seen in what Jesus endured.
The love of the cross is known in what Jesus asked,
and in the forgiveness He granted. It’s easy to
overlook the other two victims at Calvary that day –
but they’re part of the story as well.C. We presume the two criminals deserved to die; but one
seeks a favor from Jesus; (verse 42; RE-READ underlined
portion).1. And Jesus offers personal forgiveness (verse 43;
RE-READ underlined portion).D. The love of the cross doesn’t depend on what we do for
God. It doesn’t depend on who we are.1. Jesus’ willing death, the love of the cross, is for
everyone: “Greater love has no one than this, than
to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
(John 15:13).E. Song: “Years I Spent In Vanity” (#381; vs. 1 and 4)
F. Romans 5:6-8 (READ).
III. Conclusion.
A. Jesus chose to die, and the love of the cross is open to all
of us, at all times.B. The cross is the supreme symbol and revelation of that
love.