John 19:31-42 "Crucified, Dead, and Buried"

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House and the empty tomb. What happens in between there?

It's going to give us several final views of our crucified King.

Before we read it, I want to remember just, maybe you've been here every week, maybe you haven't,

but just a few of the things we've been seeing about Jesus in this story.

How we've seen Him specifically as King, not just on Palm Sunday, although He was hailed as King on Palm Sunday,

but just in the last 24 hours of Thursday and Friday, Jesus is in control of every painful moment, isn't He?

He spoke to His betrayer ahead of time, and then He had to awaken the awestruck soldiers who'd fallen to the ground at His I Am.

When Pilate tried to question Him, He ended up questioning Pilate and having to explain to Him the nature of His unique kingdom.

When being mocked with a crown of thorns, His silence reminded us that no one takes His life from Him,

but He lays it down of His own accord.

There's a sign on the cross that reads, King of the Jews,

and He gives His life, lifted up to draw all kinds of people

to Himself.

He endures the fires of hell for His subjects to protect them, to fulfill the Scripture.

In fact, He is the King of glory, paying all of our debts so that we have nothing left to pay

or earn to be in His kingdom.

It is finished!

And then He remains in control to the very end and hands His Spirit to His Father.

Man, what a king!

But now it seems to be over.

What will become of a crucified king?

We continue reading at verse 31 of John 19.

God's Word given for our blessing.

Since it was the day of preparation, and so that the bodies would 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.

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with Him.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead,

they did not break His legs.

But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear,

and at once there came out blood and water.

He who saw it has borne witness.

His testimony is true, and He knows that He is telling the truth,

that you also may believe.

For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

Not one of His bones will be broken.

And again, another Scripture says,

They will look on Him whom they have pierced.

After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus,

but secretly for fear of the Jews,

asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus,

and Pilate gave Him permission.

So he came and took away His body.

Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night,

came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about 75 pounds in weight.

So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices,

as is the burial custom of the Jews.

Now in the place where He was crucified, there was a garden.

And in the garden, a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.

So because of the Jewish day of preparation,

since the tomb was close at hand,

they laid Jesus there.

This is God's Word.

Let's ask for His help.

Father, we're confident of Your help,

because You sent Your Son to us,

for us.

You've given us Your written Word,

that we might know You through knowing Him.

By Your Spirit sent to us now,

would You give us eyes to see Him,

ears to hear Your Word as You would have us to?

Oh, we need Your help for that.

Help the one who speaks and the ones who listen.

We need it.

And ask for it in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Death just seems to keep coming.

I feel like it's in charge sometimes.

That's what a 90-year-old woman

at a nearby retirement community told me this week.

She wanted to talk about her grief

that just seems to be compounding.

She's had a lot of loss in her life,

so much so that sometimes in her grief,

she laughs and chuckles as she talks

to keep from crying too much.

She's lost a husband,

multiple children,

many, many friends.

Just last week,

a friend she's had for 75 years.

Some of you aren't old enough

to have had a friend 75 years.

Death just seems to keep coming.

Too soon, we sometimes say.

Isn't it almost always too soon

when it's someone you love?

Maybe it is in charge.

Maybe you felt like that.

Maybe you get that uncomfortable feeling

in a graveyard or cemetery.

Like there's an enemy

that you can't quite see

and you don't know how to defeat.

It's surrounding you somehow.

Maybe you feel that way in hospitals

or doctor's offices

or some other place

where death has tragically struck your life

or your family.

Sometimes maybe feel alone there

or overwhelmed

or afraid.

perhaps of all of the wonderful angles

that we've gotten to see

Jesus' cross from,

the most obvious one,

what's happening,

is that Jesus dies

on the cross.

The Lord of life

encounters death.

And we need to see this.

We need to see how this battle goes

when that happens

because death

is a formidable foe for us.

Yes?

It feels like it keeps coming.

It feels like there's no way to avoid it.

And so John gives us here

as Jesus dies

several final perspectives

on this crucified king

and all of them

show us another wonderful facet

of our king.

Want us to consider his death again this morning?

We'll do it again Thursday

and again Friday, by the way.

It's that important.

And you know what it'll do in your heart

if you keep doing that this week?

It'll make you long for Easter.

Anybody excited for Easter?

It's because I got you real sad there

for a few minutes.

You wanted to breathe.

But you'll start longing.

You'll long for life.

Let's get some glimpses of the crucified king.

First, eyewitness testimony.

Likely from John himself

who's writing,

oh, it's fine if it's someone else

who was there.

Jesus dies on Friday, remember,

the day before the Sabbath.

And this is a special Sabbath

because it's during the Passover feast.

So it's a big deal.

The Jews don't want bodies on the cross

on such a special day

because bodies on the cross are cursed, right?

In fact, it brings a curse on the whole land.

And so they went,

get those bodies off of there.

They want to hasten their deaths

and get them out of the way.

So the Roman soldiers break the legs

of the two thieves that are crucified

on either side of Jesus,

breaking the shin bone

so that you can no longer push up

to get air and thus you die quickly.

Archaeologists have unearthed bodies

of crucifixion victims from the first century

and seen those crushed shin bones.

But then as the witness looks on,

the soldiers come to Jesus

and they realize something different.

What's different about Jesus?

He's already dead.

Perhaps faster than the others

because of the beating that he's taken,

the torments of hell that he's endured,

that would do it.

Perhaps also because he's handed his spirit

over to his father.

Whatever the reason,

they don't break his legs.

But don't be confused.

These executioners,

this special group of Roman soldiers

doing the crucifixion,

these are death experts.

Okay?

That's their line of work.

Leaving no doubt,

one thrusts his spear

into Jesus' side

and John looks on

as blood and water

flow out separately from his side.

There are multiple medical explanations

for this,

but all of them agree

that what's being witnessed

is a confirmation

of his death.

Jesus is really dead.

This is what the witness primarily

is telling us.

Why it's so important

that he's telling the truth,

right?

That Jesus has really encountered

and endured death.

That common human enemy,

that common human experience,

he experienced

for us

in our place,

paying the wages of sin,

right?

Death.

He died.

The word

became real flesh,

real human flesh,

really lived on this earth

and really

died.

He didn't dodge

any battle.

He didn't avoid

any enemy.

He didn't shortcut

any suffering.

He didn't swoon,

as some have said,

and resuscitate

in the cool tomb.

That's a theory

that develops quickly

after Jesus' death.

You know why?

Because he's alive.

And there's so many people

who see him alive,

so many appearances

that they say,

well,

he's obviously alive.

I don't know.

Maybe

he never died.

That must have been

what happened,

some say.

No way,

the witness says.

Many saw the blood

and water,

the pierced side.

There's so many other issues

with a swoon theory,

but it is vital

for us to know

that Jesus died

and was buried.

Paul tells us

that's at the heart

of the gospel, right?

Right there in the early creed

that we professed

earlier this morning,

he was crucified,

dead,

and buried.

Now, many have seen

in the blood and water

flowing from Jesus' side

those clear signs

of life

and cleansing

and purification.

Michael and Lindsay

just sang about that

so beautifully.

Let the water

and the blood

from thy riven side

which flowed

be of sin

the double cure.

Cleanse me

from its guilt

and power.

That's the picture

as God meets

his people's needs

from the rock

that is struck,

the rock of Christ.

John doesn't elaborate

on that.

The witness

is focused

on testifying

that Jesus

is really,

truly,

certainly

dead.

But the Old Testament

background

will lend credence

to seeing

the spiritual picture

as well.

See,

these very unusual

circumstances

at the cross

directly fulfill

Scripture written

hundreds of years

before these events.

We keep

encountering

every week

it has been

another Old Testament

Scripture,

many weeks

multiple ones

being fulfilled.

This is not

a defeated

out of control

imposter

Messiah,

right?

But a God

showing us

this plan

to rescue us

at the cost

of his own

son

has been

their joint

commitment

since before

they created

the world

together.

And this

Jesus is

the long-awaited

Christ,

the promised

Messiah King,

the anointed

one.

It's Jesus.

The first

Scripture cited

is not one

of his bones

will be broken.

That may refer

to Psalm 34

where the righteous

one has no bones

broken.

That fits

certainly here,

but perhaps

even better

is the reference

to Passover.

John has made

this repeatedly,

right,

with the Lamb

of God.

All the way

back to the Exodus,

God institutes

the Passover

and talks about

the Lamb saying,

you shall not

break any

of its bones.

Here then,

I think,

is biblical

reason for us

to see

the blood

flowing from

Jesus

as bringing

life

to others.

You may

know the story.

Derek mentioned

part of it

earlier in the

service.

God has

promised

to send

the angel

of death

to kill

the firstborn

son of

every home

in Egypt.

That's a pretty

scary promise,

right?

Especially if

you're an Israelite

living in Egypt

as they did

then.

Especially if

you are a

firstborn son.

That's

scary.

scary.

But what

does God

tell his

people?

He says,

kill a

lamb and

use a

hyssop branch

to put

its blood

up on the

door frame

of the

house.

And the

angel of

death will

pass over

that house

with the

blood on

the door

frame and

let the

child live

because the

lamb has

died.

Right?

Jesus has

already sat

with his

disciples just

last night

and he's

told them

that his

blood would

be shed to

give life in

the new

covenant.

That's the

blood of the

new covenant.

And now we

see here the

picture of his

sacrifice.

What a

beautiful picture

when we think

about the

blood that has

been shed for

us.

I love the

reminder that

this is of

the finished

work of

Christ that

he really

fully

finally

saves us.

The power

of his

blood that

we were

singing about.

There's nothing

stronger than

the wonder

working power

of the

blood that

it would

make us

sons and

daughters of

God who

we otherwise

couldn't even

come into his

presence.

Can his

blood really

do that?

I'd ask you

to imagine

back to the

Passover.

What if I'm

not sure?

Pastor, what if

I don't know

all the answers

to all of my

questions?

Well, imagine

that that's the

way you were

as an Israelite

family and you

hear what Moses

tells you to do.

This is Yahweh's

command and you

think, I don't

know, I've got

some questions for

Yahweh before

tonight.

I'm not really

sure how all

this is going

to work out.

And you're

wrestling with

it, but before

you go to bed,

you do kill the

lamb and put the

blood on the

door frame.

Or imagine,

you're just

really scared.

I mean, you're

not sure how

this night's

going to go.

You can't even

sleep.

You're anxious

all night.

But before you

go to sleep, you

kill the lamb and

put the blood on

the door frame of

your house.

I want to ask

you, were the

firstborn sons in

those houses full

of fears and

questions and

anxieties, were

they alive in the

morning?

Yes, they were.

And it was not

because of their

clarity.

It was not because

of their confidence.

It was because of

the blood of the

lamb.

The power in that

blood of that

lamb.

That is actually

the good news of

Jesus, isn't it?

That while Passover

lambs are being

slaughtered inside the

city of Jerusalem, he

is the perfect Passover

lamb with no blemish or

defect, with no bones

broken, being slaughtered

outside the city, and he

cries out what?

It is finished.

As he sacrifices his

life.

No more sacrifice

needed.

He gives his life to

protect all who will

place their trust in

him from eternal

death.

You can count on it.

The second scripture

here quotes the

prophet Zechariah.

Zechariah, likewise,

tells of salvation for

God's people.

I will pour out on the

house of David and the

inhabitants of Jerusalem a

spirit of grace and

pleas for mercy, so that

when they look on me, God

says, on him whom they

have pierced, they shall

mourn for him.

As one mourns for an only

child and weep bitterly

over him as one weeps

over a firstborn.

Some common themes here,

aren't there?

On that day, the mourning

in Jerusalem will be as

great as the mourning for

Hadad-Rim, and on that

day, there shall be a

fountain opened for the

house of David and the

inhabitants of Jerusalem

to cleanse them from sin

and uncleanness.

This is a dark day, right?

Just like the one we're

reading about on Good

Friday, because they've

pierced God himself.

The word made flesh.

You know, remarkable

prophecies, right?

Because rarely is anyone

ever crucified and

pierced.

But when Jesus is

pierced on that day, a

fountain is opened to

cleanse from sin and

uncleanness, and oh, how

we need that fountain,

don't we?

For us, the fountain from

Emmanuel's veins that we

sang about to wash away

with clean water.

All our guilty stains to

cleanse us from the guilt

and power of sin.

John says, look no further

for that fountain.

Come and mourn.

It's right.

Jesus is crucified.

But as he dies, don't miss

the life that flows from

him.

The cleansing and the

forgiveness that results

from his sacrifice for

sins once for all.

The witnesses here at the

cross watching what the

law and the prophets have

foretold for centuries,

right?

Behold the Lamb of God who

takes away the sins of the

world.

He sees it.

Next we notice two men who

get involved in Jesus' burial.

Normally what would happen is

that crucifixion victims would

be left up on the cross for the

vultures to pick at.

And then eventually thrown in a

common criminal grave called

Gehenna.

But Joseph, he's a connected

man.

He gets all the way to Pilate,

doesn't he?

Somehow on this day, all the way

to Pilate and receives

permission to take the body

of Jesus.

Maybe even more remarkable

than that is that until this

day, virtually no one knew

that Joseph even followed

Jesus, even cared about this

guy.

He was a secret disciple.

Does that sound pretty cool?

Secret disciple.

Except the reason he was a

secret disciple is that he was

afraid that it would cost him

personally, perhaps professionally,

to follow Jesus.

Joseph was a member of this

Jewish ruling council that had

just condemned Jesus.

And now, all of a sudden, this

fearful, secretive, self-serving,

self-protective Joseph steps

forward to spare the precious body

of Jesus from the

vultures and

Gehenna.

We don't know

what all went on in Joseph's heart.

What we do know

is that the cross

inspires

bold discipleship

where there has been fearful

following

of Jesus.

We see the power

of the cross

to do in

his life

what nothing else

had done

to motivate Joseph

out of hiding

and into the service

of King Jesus.

And I love this part.

I mean, think about this.

Just

imagine what this could mean

for you.

That God uses here

resources

and connections

that Joseph has

in part

due to his weaknesses

and sins

and his fear

of man.

He's still influential

and has access

to power.

He's still wealthy

and has access

to a new tomb nearby

and in his abundant grace

toward Joseph

God says

I've placed you here

and I've given you

access to these things

to use

for the king.

Where has God placed you?

And what has he given you?

Would some of you

sometimes describe yourself

as a secret disciple?

Sometimes because of fear?

What relationship

might God

use

for his kingdom?

What resource

might God

ask you

to consider using

for King Jesus?

Even now

are you perhaps

in a new season

of life

where there's opportunity

where you've felt

an outsider

in rooms

like this one

for a while

maybe?

And you think

I never really

could be

central in God's work

and God says

yes you can.

That's the way

I work

with people

like you.

Where might God

call you to go

boldly

because you begin

to grasp

the value

of King Jesus.

You say

oh he's worth

the cost

whatever it is

I don't know

what it'll be

but I'm going

Jesus

I'll be there

for the king.

Joseph teams

up with

Nicodemus

God rarely

sends his followers

out alone

does he?

Remember Nicodemus?

The teacher

of Israel

who had

lots of questions

for Jesus

under the cover

of darkness

back in

John chapter 3?

John 3 · chapter mention

Nicodemus

was really

thrown off

by the idea

of being born again

he had a lot

of questions

about that

right?

You could

certainly

call Nicodemus

a skeptic

about Jesus.

He speaks up

for him

at the Sanhedrin

once

later in John

but really

we have no

evidence

that he

believed

in Jesus

until now.

I want you

to try to

put yourself

in his mind

for a minute

just from

what we know

of him

back in chapter 3

Jesus had

told Nicodemus

that he

Jesus

would have

to be

lifted up

on a cross

like the

snake

in the

wilderness

in order

for men

to be born

again

to have

new life

in fact

without that

kind of

new birth

from above

Nicodemus

the one

who knew

so much

would never

even see

the kingdom

of God

it seems

that

skeptical

Nicodemus

thought

I believe

that kind

of crazy

sacrificial

leadership

when

I

see

it

that's

not

the way

kings

and kingdoms

work

around

here

and now

at the cross

what happens

all of a sudden

the guy who's

waiting

he's in

wait and see

mode

with this

Jesus

that he's

talked to

he sees

the cross

and it all

starts

falling

into place

Nicodemus

is all

in

born

again

you might

say

75

pounds

of spices

so expensive

trust me

the honor

of a rich

man's tomb

in fulfillment

of Isaiah

53

and these

are spices

fit for

a king

no one else

in these days

would have

received

that amount

of spices

for a burial

except a king

do you hear

what Nicodemus

is saying

now

there's the king

this is a royal

burial

the king

of the Jews

the Messiah

even

in a graveyard

the king

even as he's

wrapped head to toe

and placed in a tomb

the king

Nicodemus

doesn't know

what's coming next

does he

there's lots

of spices there

that wouldn't be

practically necessary

but like

Lazarus'

sister Mary

just a few

months ago

he sees

the value

of Jesus

and he honors

him the best

way he knows

how

listen

bring your

questions

bring your

confusion

bring your

skepticism

to Jesus

he welcomes

those

he welcomes

you

he wants to

walk with you

to the cross

and say

look what I'm

going to do

for you

bring your

questions there

to him

he dies on

the cross

to give you

new life

what a gift

from a self

sacrificing

king

quite a king

see there's one

more perspective

on this crucified

king that

is clearly very

important to

John

it's ours

it's yours

look back at

the witness

why does

John go to

such great

lengths

to shine

the spotlight

on the death

of Jesus

why does he

need us to

know it's an

eyewitness

who sees

exactly what

happens and

can confirm

this for us

that you

also

may believe

John is

urging you

as he does

in this whole

book

to see that

the true king

the promised

Christ

Christ

is Jesus

he invites

you to

see that

he really

suffered

and truly

died

that he

fulfilled the

scriptures

that he

obeyed

to the

end

but

it's more

than that

John's

inviting you

into more

than that

he's offering

that as

you believe

you will

have life

through

Jesus

see

dependent

faith

what he's

inviting you

into

it's not

mere

intellectual

ascent

to some

historical

realities

and teachings

about

Jesus

John often

uses the

phrase

believing

into

Jesus

because

it's

about

a

relationship

entering

into

this

relationship

with

Jesus

that's

what

John's

describing

for you

it is

a

relationship

of

grace

where

you

believe

in

him

not

merely

that

he

died

not

merely

that

he

died

as

a

sacrifice

for

sins

but

that

he

died

to

pay

the

penalty

of

your

sins

that

the

penalty

you

could

never

pay

and

so

bring

you

into

the

presence

of

God

he

pays

the

price

you

get

the

credits

it's

a

relationship

of

grace

where

you

believe

into

Jesus

not

merely

that

he

was

pierced

in

blood

and

water

flowed

out

of

his

body

but

that

his

blood

washes

you

clean

and

that

rivers

of

living

water

will

flow

from

you

as

you

are

the

one

who

receives

his

spirit

because

you

know

the

unique

king

the

king

who

gives

his

life

for

his

people

rather

than

demanding

they

give

theirs

for

him

it's

a

relationship

of

grace

where

you

believe

Jesus

not

merely

that

he

was

a

king

and

did

lots

of

wonderful

things

that

should

be

emulated

in

your

life

get to

work

do

enough

try

harder

but

you

believe

that

he

finished

all

righteousness

for

you

all

that

God

required

of

you

so

the

burden

is

off

of

you

and

yet

he

gives

you

his

spirit

so

that

you

can

do

the

good

works

that

he

has

prepared

personally

for

you

while

he

walks

with

you

in

his

name

for

his

glory

he

set

you

up

for

that

I

heard

someone

describe

this

believing

into

Jesus

as

boarding

an

airplane

some

passengers

on

an

airplane

understand

more

than

others

about

how

the

plane

flies

how

it

stays

up

in

the

air

right

perhaps

as a

result

some

are

more

fearful

than

others

maybe

you

felt

that

some

sleep

while

others

busy

themselves

with

work

but

everyone

who

by

faith

steps

into

that

plane

arrives

at the

same

destination

together

come

aboard

!

Believe

into

Jesus!

He

will

bring

you

home!

You

can

sit

back

and

relax

and

depend

on

him

and

he'll

get

you

there!

It's

why

he

died

for

you!

I

just

want

to

say

to

three

different

groups

of

you

this

morning

maybe

friend

who

has

never

seriously

considered

the

good

news

of

Jesus

would

you

see

Jesus

today

and

believe

in

him

and

find

life

forever

he's

the

king

who

dies

to

give

you

life

would

you

receive

that

today?

maybe

I think

there's

quite a

few

friends

who

have

for

many

many

years

of

your

life

you've

liked

the

idea

of

the

good

news

of

Jesus

and

so

you

hang

around

places

like

this

occasionally

won't

you

see

Jesus

and

believe

in

him

for

you

personally

you've

been

hanging

around

but

you've

thought

I'm

not

really

sure

why

I

need

him

embrace

how

dependent

you

personally

are

on

him

to

have

any

hope

in

the

face

of

death

what

else

would

you

hope

in

than

the

one

who

has

faced

it

and

conquered

it

and

then

there's

friends

here

who've

already

embraced

the

good

news

of

Jesus

won't

you

see

Jesus

today

believe

into

him

and

live

with

a

fresh

boldness

as

his

disciple

wherever

he calls

you to

follow

him

to

go

with

him

because

he's

worth

it

would

you

see

him

and

see

him

as

worthy

today

listen

he's

the

king

the

real

king

even

in

the

face

of

death

the

powers

of

darkness

don't

stand

against

king

Jesus

you

are

safe

only

in

him

I've

been

in a

lot

of

graveyards

as

a

tourist

kind

of

like

history

graveyards

are

good

places

to

go

as

a

pastor

you

end

up

there

quite

often

and

sometimes

I do

feel like

death

just

keeps

coming

like

it's

in

charge

so

I've

made

a

habit

when

I'm

there

in

a

graveyard

to

look

for

crosses

you

can

almost

always

find

some

kids

if

you

want

to

play

this

game

while

you're

being

a

secret

disciple

some

of

them

are

on

tombstones

Some

of

them

are

in

the

ground

themselves!

They're

reminders

to me

that

there's

a

king

who's

in

the

graveyard

who

has

really

encountered

death

so

I'm

not

alone

when

I

feel

overwhelmed

and

alone

because

no

one

else

can

enter

death

with

you

but

Jesus

does

you'll

still

be

united

to

him

on

his

plane

when

you

die

those

crosses

are

reminders

to

me

that

death

is

not

in

fact

in

charge

is

not

the

king

because

this

king

is

always

in

control

and

actually

conquers

death

spoiler

alert

for next

week

I am

so

sorry

if

you

were

waiting

till

we

got

to

chapter

20

and

what

happens

next

week

I

know

that

is

most

of

you

but

this

king

will

rise

victorious

saying

and

enabling

us

to

say

where

oh

death

is

your

victory

where

oh

death

is

your

sting

because

our

sin

is

forgiven

and

our

God

is

restored

and

we

no

longer

have

an

enemy

to

fear

because

even

death

is a

defeated

foe

even

when it

feels

like

he

has

the

upper

hand

I've

told you

before

of the

painting

entitled

Checkmate

this

painting

once

hung