OUR FRIEND WHO DIED FOR US
John 19:17-27
Luke 23:32-43
John 15:13- Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Introduction: The earthly life of the Lord Jesus is remarkable from start and finish. His birth was a miracle. How he survived all the attempts of Satan to kill him shows his Heavenly Father's perfect plan was done.
But at this junction of his life, it was the perfect will of God for him to die. This is how you can see God was going to completely revealing his inexhaustible love for sinful man. (Romans 5:8) This is the ultimate love story. In most love stories, you have two people who love each other. But in this love story, you see how one sided this love was. God loves us but we don't really love him.
We will be looking at all the different types of the people who were at the cross. These people represent every type of mankind. The old song said it this way "Were you there when they crucified my Lord? We may not have been there in body but all of our sins were there. We will be looking at these people and see how Christ died for each of them and us even today. Matthew tells us in chapter 11 and verse 19 that Jesus is the friend of sinners. We are all born sinners according to Romans 3:23. As we look at these passages, remember Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
I. THE LEWD ONES- ROMANS SOLDIERS
John 19:23,24
“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. 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.”
Luke 23:34
“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
A. They were famous
1. for their cruelty
2. for their covetousness
3. for their customs (gambling for the clothes of their victims)
4. for their corruption
5. for their cursing.
B. They could have been forgiven.
Vs. 34
They could have been by the very Son of God.
Jesus died for their sins. No matter how sinful a person is Jesus saves to the uttermost. Hebrews 7:25
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
Regardless how cruel, covetous, corrupt or how much cursing they do or are.
II. THE LAWLESS ONES Luke 23:39-43
“And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
These men were thieves and murderers.
A. They were caught.
B. They were convicted
C. They were being crucified for their crimes.
D. They were confounded Romans 5:6
“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
1. One was a rejecter and railer.
2. One was a receiver and repentant.
But the third cross held the Redeemer. He was a friend who lay down his life for his friends. Both could have been saved but one rejected Christ and died in his sins and is still in Hell. The other trusted the words of Christ and died forgiven of his sins and is still with Christ in heaven.
Everyone here today will or has made on the two choices.
III. THE LAWFUL ONES Luke 23:35
“And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.”
Mark 15:29-32
“And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, Save thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.”
A. Their religion was the doing type.
1. They tried to keep the law.
2. They tried to be prospers by the law.
3. They were miserable because their religion was dead.
B. They were responsible for Christ's death.
But Jesus died to save them from their dead religion. He was their friend because He was dying for their sins also. 2 Corinthians 5:15
“And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
Hebrews 9:14
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
IV. THE LOVED ONES John 19:25-27
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”
A. The ones who loved Him because who He was.
1 John 4:19
“We love him, because he first loved us.”
1. Mary's little boy
2. John's Messiah
B. The ones who loved Him because what he has done for them.
1. Nicodemus
2. Mary Magdalene delivered from demons.
3. Other women who are not named
4. Unnamed people
Conclusion: John 15:13- “Greater love hath no man than this, at a man lay down his life for his friends.
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