Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- Mt 27, Mk 15, Lk 23 & Jn 19
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: It's good to see you today. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas. Welcome to our Journey Through Scripture podcast as we go in a chronological order ⁓ through Scripture. ⁓ today ⁓ we're ⁓ kind of gonna just focus on ⁓ the the crucifixion, just on the death of Jesus. ⁓ we'll do the burial and resurrection. ⁓ but we're just gonna focus on this ⁓ aspect. Each of the four gospels ⁓ kind of have different ⁓ observations. They they bring out different things about ⁓ the crucifixion. ⁓ there's there's quite a quite a few different things that are ⁓ found in in the different gospels ⁓ in this. ⁓ remember the gospels are ⁓ giving a a message as well. It's not just a historical ⁓ walk through Jesus's life. ⁓ they're they're ⁓ all presenting a different message to a different audience. And so they highlight and bring out certain things ⁓ for that message. And so we see ⁓ different ⁓ emphasis in each of the different gospels. So today we're gonna be in in Matthew 27, ⁓ verse 32 through 56, Mark 15, verses 21 through 41, ⁓ Luke 23, verse 26 through 49, and John nineteen verse 17 through 37. So starting off in Matthew, ⁓ one of the things that is common is they all mention this ⁓ guy named Simon of Serene, who is ⁓ asked to help Jesus carry his cross. Remember by this time Jesus has been flogged, ⁓ he's exhausted, he hasn't slept, ⁓ is he's been mocked, he's been beaten, ⁓ and now he has to carry ⁓ the cross beam ⁓ up to the ⁓ the the road to Golgotha. So he has to carry it up to this hill. And obviously he is having trouble doing that. And so they pull this guy from the crowd. I mean, can you imagine that you're just sitting there? the this this guy from S Sirene, and they said, ⁓ here, help him carry his cross. And now you are forever ⁓ in history of carrying, literally carrying Jesus' cross, ⁓ up up the up to ⁓ the the hill of Gal Galgotha. And so Jesus gets there. Matthew talks about how they cast lots for his garments. then there was that they do all mention that this a sign was put says King of the Jews. ⁓ John actually talks about how there was debate about that. ⁓ but that was the charge is that he claimed to be King of the Jews. And ⁓ so Pilate had them put that on the cross. He was also crucified there, we see with two robbers, ⁓ one on his right, one on his left, and Matthew. ⁓ the it then goes right into the mocking that he receives, you know, people coming by, because you know ⁓ crucifixion was a brutal thing. It was a public display, it was designed to inflict ⁓ a lot of pain, but also to to basically be a warning for anyone else that you don't want this to happen to you. ⁓ and so people could pass by, they could watch this happening, and they would come and they would tell him, why can't you get off the cross? You know, why don't you cry out to God? if you are the Son of God, why don't you save yourself? all of this mocking. I mean, can you can you imagine? Here's the God incarnate ⁓ just being mocked and ridiculed ⁓ in addition to going through the physical suffering of the cross. ⁓ then you get to ⁓ verse forty five and forty six. ⁓ there was a darkness over the land. Matthew really talks ⁓ about this. ⁓ and then he's ⁓ Jesus' last words in Matthew ⁓ is Eli, Eli Lama Sabakhani, ⁓ my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? ⁓ which that is ⁓ also from a psalm ⁓ and again, ⁓ I believe Psalm twenty-two. Imagine what Jesus is going through. We talked about as he was taking that cup. Not only is he ⁓ taking on our sin, he's taking on the punishment of our sin, which means that he is separated from God, that he is experiencing what that means. And so he feels, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? ⁓ now we know that ultimately God is. does not forsake him, but but in that moment that he he is taking on all the sin that separates us from God. And and so he was separated from God ⁓ at that time. And that that's that's what's behind that phrase. ⁓ and then you continue, ⁓ Matthew talks about how the temple veil is torn in two from top to bottom. So there would have been very thick curtain basically that would separate the holy of holies where only the chief priest could go in and they'd only go in, you know, at certain times and things like that. It it broke that. So sym symbolic of now there is the the that we all can approach the throne of God. We all can ⁓ go to him to to ask for forgiveness ⁓ and to receive forgiveness. ⁓ then ⁓ you you see ⁓ the the ⁓ earthquakes. Matthew talks about how there were people that the the the graves opened up and people walked out of the graves, the spirit their spirits. I ⁓ who who knows? I don't know. This is a powerful moment. That's what Matthew is kind of showing is that this is a supernatural moment that is happening here when Jesus Jesus dies. ⁓ the d darkness covers the land. all of these things that ⁓ make it clear This was not just an ordinary person. And then one of the things that we see in all the different gospel accounts is that the centurions that were close to Jesus said they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. Again, they recognized, okay, something different about this guy. ⁓ then ⁓ we we see in Mark chapter fifteen, verses twenty-one through forty-one. ⁓ we see very very similar Simon of Serene, ⁓ king of the Jews. he he cries out in in Mark just like he does in Matthew, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? so Matthew, ⁓ Matthew and Mark are very similar ⁓ in their telling of the crucifixion. ⁓ and then we get into Luke chapter twenty three, verse twenty six through forty nine. ⁓ Luke has a little bit more interaction with Jesus, Jesus talking a little bit more. ⁓ it's at this time, again, we have Simon of Serene. ⁓ but as Jesus is walking through the crowd to carrying his cross, right, he comes across some of the women. ⁓ we know that his mom is there. ⁓ the the women that followed him, they're they were also mentioned in Matthew and Mark. and they are mourning and lamenting, and Jesus turns to them in it amazing, he has compassion on them ⁓ in this moment, even though he has been beaten, he has been flogged, ⁓ he's d has tried to drag his cross and is about to be crucified, he still has compassion on them. and he kind of gives an interesting word. He ⁓ do not weep for me, ⁓ but then he says, Weep for yourselves. And it it It seems to be that he's talking about what will come in the fall of Jerusalem. ⁓ some of the things that he mentions will be experienced. and and so it it it's kind of interesting that he's he's saying, Listen, you you too will will don't mourn for me. You you too will have to bear your own cross. ⁓ I and I think that's that's important for us to remember, you know ⁓ the way of the cross, the way of Christ is not easy. ⁓ we ultimately ⁓ have to to pick up our cross and follow him. That means we are going to go through difficult times as well. Just as he is going through this and will complete this suffering, ⁓ we will have to go through suffering as well. ⁓ then ⁓ as he is crucified, ⁓ crucified among the the criminals, ⁓ it And he's again being mocked and ridiculed. He looks in ⁓ one of the most powerful lines in all of scripture, Jesus looking from the cross ⁓ saying, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. I mean, again, it imagine and what an example for us, for those people who are ⁓ treating us unjustly, who are ⁓ hurting us. are we willing to forgive? ⁓ and it doesn't mean that. There's not accountability. It doesn't mean that we just ⁓ allow ⁓ anything to be done to us. ⁓ but we can never lose that ⁓ heart of forgiveness. ⁓ and Jesus shows that in in truly amazing, ⁓ amazing ways. then ⁓ in Luke you also have the encounter with the the two thieves. One of them is blaspheming and making fun of Jesus, the other ⁓ rebukes him, verse forty ⁓ of Luke chapter twenty-three, but the other answer answering rebuked him, saying, Do you not even fear God, seeing that you are under such the same condemnation? And we are ⁓ just we justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. Right. So again, kind of this ⁓ this even Jesus pointing to the fact that there there is going to be something that happens in the afterlife, right? That there is a there is a judgment, that there is an account, ⁓ but that we can be with him ⁓ forever as well as he assures the thief on the cross who recognizes that there's something special about Jesus and recognizes that he is Lord. And then the end of ⁓ Luke has a little bit different ⁓ what Jesus says says ⁓ the temple ⁓ the veil is torn in two cried out Jesus cries out in a loud voice he says Father into your hands I commit my spirit ⁓ and then again you have a centuri centurion saying surely this was a righteous man so Jesus ⁓ is willingly giving up his spirit for us. They are not taking it. He is willingly giving it up. John chapter 19, verses 17 through 37, again we have ⁓ we have a little bit more interaction with the sign. ⁓ many of the the Jews they they didn't like this. They said ⁓ the chief priest said ⁓ to Pilate in verse twenty one, do not write King of the Jews, but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Right? So that that's really interesting. Like they they didn't want the sign up there king of the Jews, because they didn't want to be associated with him. ⁓ they said, you you can put on there that he said he was king of the Jews. And it's very interesting to me as Pilate just answered what I've written, I have written. It's basically like, shut up you peons, I'm the one in charge here. But it shows you that there's something going on with Pilate. I mean, he he still does the wrong thing, but he knows there's something about this Jesus guy, that that is different. And and he wasn't man enough to follow on conviction. ⁓ he decided to give in to the crowd. ⁓ but he does recognize there's something going on here. ⁓ now now here you have Jesus ⁓ Again, the the women are there at the foot of the cross. It appears that John is there. The other ⁓ gospels do not show this. ⁓ and ⁓ Jesus is speaking to them and he said, Woman, behold your son, and then to to the disciple, behold your mother. ⁓ basically he's saying, Please take care of my mom. ⁓ you know, again, so Jesus caring for others, even as he is going through such suffering. ⁓ and then ⁓ Jesus' last words ⁓ from ⁓ John, or he says, I thirst. ⁓ that's whenever they're offering him ⁓ a mixture of wine and vinegar. ⁓ and then Jesus ⁓ took that and he said, It is finished, right? That this is completed. Again, this this idea that ⁓ this wasn't done to Jesus. He allowed this to be done and he was doing it for a purpose. It is now finished. ⁓ and then the end of John, ⁓ the account there in John chapter nineteen, starting in verse thirty-one. t they wanted to get the bodies off of the you know off off the cross on Friday before Saturday. So this would actually be before Friday evening. The Sabbath actually starts on Friday evening. ⁓ so they wanted them off the cross. and because the cross normally took hours and hours and hours, sometimes days for the person to die. ⁓ because ultimately you died by suffocation. You'd you'd fall down and you can't breathe. You have to lift yourself up to breathe. ⁓ so again, all of that just causes agony. ⁓ and but you could do it for a while. ⁓ but that's why they were broke the legs of the ⁓ criminals. ⁓ so that they could not push up and they could not get a breath. ⁓ that's why that they they would die. And Jesus ⁓ had already died, and so they pierced his side ⁓ to make sure. but we know that no bones were broken. And ⁓ and and again that fits with an old testament prophecy and scripture. So we're gonna stop there. ⁓ again just reflect on that ⁓ gruesome scene of what Jesus went through for us, and he did that for you. ⁓ and now it we will look ⁓ at his burial and resurrection. So ⁓ read the rest of Matthew twenty-seven, Mark fifteen, Luke twenty-three, john nine nineteen, and then we'll get into Matthew twenty-eight, the resurrection, Mark sixteen, Luke twenty-four, and John twenty, the first parts of all those chapters. as we'll do the the burial and the resurrection.