1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,170 In Romans 3 26, it was to show his righteousness at the present time so 2 00:00:07,170 --> 00:00:13,559 that he might be just, and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 3 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:23,580 Our sin has resulted in a life sentence, in fact, an eternal life sentence. 4 00:00:24,930 --> 00:00:29,640 Eternal condemnation for, uh, the sin that we've committed, but even more so 5 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,790 the, the sin nature that we possess. 6 00:00:34,620 --> 00:00:38,670 And so that introduces a problem for us when we read in Romans 3 26, 7 00:00:38,670 --> 00:00:45,780 that God could be just, that means completely right vindicated in everything 8 00:00:45,780 --> 00:00:52,470 that he does, and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 9 00:00:53,700 --> 00:00:58,080 See, to be justified is not just to be de declared, not guilty, but to be 10 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:03,900 justified is to be declared innocent, to be declared fully righteous. 11 00:01:04,860 --> 00:01:07,920 And so it's not as though you had a judge being God who decided in 12 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:14,820 some, uh, measure of, of equity or, or generosity to acquit you. 13 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:18,720 Rather, you had a judge who looked at you and said, you are not only 14 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:20,910 not guilty, you are righteous. 15 00:01:21,900 --> 00:01:24,000 How does that work when we are sinners? 16 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:24,720 How does that work? 17 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:29,970 When the Apostle Paul has already said that sin is, is falling short of the glory 18 00:01:29,970 --> 00:01:32,009 of God, and that's true of all mankind. 19 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:34,530 How does this work when the wages of sin is death? 20 00:01:34,530 --> 00:01:39,030 How does this work when our sentence is an eternal life sentence? 21 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,860 Maybe you're sitting out there thinking, that seems harsh after all. 22 00:01:43,860 --> 00:01:45,690 I'm, I'm not that bad. 23 00:01:46,530 --> 00:01:47,940 Well, let me frame it this way. 24 00:01:48,884 --> 00:01:53,955 Maybe while you were growing up, you punched your brother in the face and that 25 00:01:53,955 --> 00:01:57,975 decided the, the, the results of that was you were disciplined by mom and dad. 26 00:01:57,975 --> 00:02:00,675 Maybe you ended up with a little bit of a sore backside after that. 27 00:02:02,025 --> 00:02:05,865 But what if you had hit your teacher in the face? 28 00:02:07,095 --> 00:02:09,615 Same act, but now the stakes have raised a little bit. 29 00:02:10,574 --> 00:02:13,245 If you punch your teacher in the face, you're gonna face 30 00:02:13,545 --> 00:02:15,675 expulsion from that school. 31 00:02:15,915 --> 00:02:17,745 If it's a decent school, at least. 32 00:02:18,825 --> 00:02:19,605 Let's up the ante. 33 00:02:19,605 --> 00:02:22,215 Let's say you punch a police officer in the face. 34 00:02:23,295 --> 00:02:27,405 Now you're in handcuffs with a free ride to, to, to county, to jail. 35 00:02:29,055 --> 00:02:30,225 Let's go up a little bit higher. 36 00:02:30,825 --> 00:02:33,615 Let's say you punch the president of the United States in the face. 37 00:02:34,335 --> 00:02:36,885 You may not survive that interaction depending on the 38 00:02:36,885 --> 00:02:38,145 response of the Secret service. 39 00:02:39,045 --> 00:02:40,035 What's my point in all that? 40 00:02:40,785 --> 00:02:41,685 It's the same action. 41 00:02:42,855 --> 00:02:44,954 It's punching someone in the face. 42 00:02:45,615 --> 00:02:46,965 What changes? 43 00:02:47,475 --> 00:02:51,704 Is the consequence based on the power and the office of the one who gets punched. 44 00:02:53,145 --> 00:02:58,755 Our sin was committed against the all powerful God who holds the highest 45 00:02:58,785 --> 00:03:03,615 office in the entirety of the known universe, which means that our sin has 46 00:03:03,615 --> 00:03:10,460 put us at eternal odds with him, at least unless he does something about that. 47 00:03:11,325 --> 00:03:15,045 Unless he's somehow able to be just in the justifier of the 48 00:03:15,045 --> 00:03:16,304 one who has faith in Jesus. 49 00:03:16,304 --> 00:03:18,704 And so this evening, that's what I want us to consider. 50 00:03:18,704 --> 00:03:20,114 That's what I want us to ask the question. 51 00:03:20,295 --> 00:03:24,405 How can God stay just and at the same time justify us? 52 00:03:24,405 --> 00:03:30,165 Because justice demands that we pay that penalty justice for every single 53 00:03:30,165 --> 00:03:34,545 person in this room is an eternity in hell apart from the presence of God. 54 00:03:35,625 --> 00:03:37,065 That's justice. 55 00:03:37,875 --> 00:03:39,555 So how can God stay just. 56 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:41,940 And declare us righteous. 57 00:03:42,870 --> 00:03:46,200 Take your Bibles if you have 'em and open up to John Chapter 19. 58 00:03:47,100 --> 00:03:48,000 John chapter 19. 59 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,640 We've been studying the gospel toge of John together as a 60 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:52,350 church and by God's providence. 61 00:03:52,350 --> 00:03:58,800 He's brought us here to John 19 as we celebrate the cross and anticipate 62 00:03:59,519 --> 00:04:01,230 the resurrection Sunday morning. 63 00:04:02,595 --> 00:04:07,095 But John 19, we looked together this past Sunday at the arrest and the 64 00:04:07,095 --> 00:04:10,575 trial and the beating and the mockery of Jesus, and now we're gonna pick up 65 00:04:10,575 --> 00:04:12,375 and actually look at the crucifixion. 66 00:04:12,915 --> 00:04:17,385 It says in John 19, verse 16, it says, so they took Jesus and he went 67 00:04:17,385 --> 00:04:22,425 out bearing his own cross to the place called the place of a skull, 68 00:04:22,425 --> 00:04:24,375 which in Aramic is called Golgotha. 69 00:04:25,095 --> 00:04:28,485 There they crucified him and with him, two others, one on either 70 00:04:28,485 --> 00:04:30,345 side, and Jesus between them. 71 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,635 Uh, John doesn't give us a whole lot of detail about these two thieves, 72 00:04:34,635 --> 00:04:37,725 some of the other gospels do, but I think John is trying to draw 73 00:04:37,935 --> 00:04:39,705 our attention to something else. 74 00:04:39,705 --> 00:04:44,534 I think John is trying to emphasize the, the contrast between the innocent 75 00:04:44,534 --> 00:04:46,515 Christ and the guilty robbers. 76 00:04:46,515 --> 00:04:49,784 The guilty thieves being crucified on either side of Jesus. 77 00:04:50,865 --> 00:04:55,455 These two men deserving what they get, and Jesus, the one who was completely 78 00:04:55,455 --> 00:04:57,045 innocent between the two of them. 79 00:04:58,049 --> 00:05:00,390 For many, see, including the Roman soldiers that were 80 00:05:00,630 --> 00:05:01,859 carrying out these orders. 81 00:05:02,190 --> 00:05:06,000 Jesus' death was simply one more execution that they were carrying 82 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:07,919 out one of at least three that day. 83 00:05:09,210 --> 00:05:11,760 And so as the son of God hangs on the cross, two thieves, 84 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:12,719 hang on either side of him. 85 00:05:14,490 --> 00:05:15,210 Verse 19. 86 00:05:16,469 --> 00:05:21,299 Pilate also wrote in an inscription and put it on the cross it read Jesus 87 00:05:21,299 --> 00:05:23,070 of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. 88 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,690 Many of the Jews read this inscription for the place where Jesus was crucified, 89 00:05:27,690 --> 00:05:32,159 was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin and in Greek. 90 00:05:33,030 --> 00:05:36,240 So the chief priest of the Jews said to Pilate, do not write the King 91 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,260 of the Jews, but rather, this man said, I am the king of the Jews. 92 00:05:40,890 --> 00:05:42,720 Pilate answered what I have written. 93 00:05:42,900 --> 00:05:43,980 I have written. 94 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,659 So as Jesus hangs between two thieves, as the Romans are just 95 00:05:48,659 --> 00:05:51,840 carrying out their job, there's a another scene going on here. 96 00:05:51,840 --> 00:05:54,570 There's another drama unfolding, and that's the continued drama 97 00:05:54,570 --> 00:05:56,070 of Pilate versus the Jews. 98 00:05:57,330 --> 00:06:00,120 You remember the trials when Pilate came out multiple times and said, 99 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:01,410 I find nothing wrong with this man. 100 00:06:01,410 --> 00:06:04,110 And the Jews said, you're no friend of Caesar if you let him go. 101 00:06:05,100 --> 00:06:07,410 Anyone who claims to be a king is no friend of Caesar. 102 00:06:07,410 --> 00:06:09,240 And that was the nail in the coffin for Pilate. 103 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:10,710 That's when he had to say, okay. 104 00:06:11,145 --> 00:06:12,435 Take him and crucify him. 105 00:06:12,435 --> 00:06:14,715 But this contest is still going on. 106 00:06:14,715 --> 00:06:18,645 And Pilate being in the petty man that he was, uh, took a, a sign and had 107 00:06:18,645 --> 00:06:21,315 it written in three languages so that everybody would be able to read it. 108 00:06:21,525 --> 00:06:24,915 Uh, king of the Jews, he, this was an act not of honor to Jesus, but of 109 00:06:24,915 --> 00:06:27,105 the humiliation of the Jewish people. 110 00:06:27,585 --> 00:06:31,395 And that's why the Jews go to Pilate and they say, well, you need to amend this. 111 00:06:31,935 --> 00:06:33,375 You need to edit your post. 112 00:06:33,795 --> 00:06:34,305 Make it read. 113 00:06:34,305 --> 00:06:35,955 He said he was the king of the Jews. 114 00:06:35,955 --> 00:06:38,865 And Pilate says, what I've written, I have written again, 115 00:06:38,865 --> 00:06:40,665 Jesus is hanging on the cross. 116 00:06:41,190 --> 00:06:42,540 Uh, but the world hasn't stopped. 117 00:06:42,690 --> 00:06:46,260 Pilate and the Jews, they're continuing on as they always have. 118 00:06:47,070 --> 00:06:47,909 Verse 23. 119 00:06:49,049 --> 00:06:52,560 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments 120 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,690 and divided them into four parts. 121 00:06:54,900 --> 00:06:57,690 One part for each soldier, also his tunic. 122 00:06:57,690 --> 00:07:01,620 But the tunic was seamless woven in one piece from top to bottom. 123 00:07:01,919 --> 00:07:04,770 So here you have what was part of the the Roman law, and that is that 124 00:07:04,770 --> 00:07:08,580 the executioners were entitled to anything the criminal had on them. 125 00:07:08,815 --> 00:07:13,255 When they came to the place of execution, those being crucified would've been 126 00:07:13,255 --> 00:07:15,745 stripped, bare, and nailed to the cross. 127 00:07:15,745 --> 00:07:19,195 And so the soldiers now are in possession of the garments of Jesus. 128 00:07:19,195 --> 00:07:23,875 And the outer cloak, it appears, was woven together, had multiple seams such 129 00:07:23,875 --> 00:07:28,225 that they were able to divide this cloak, rip it along the seams, and parcel out 130 00:07:28,225 --> 00:07:31,885 one piece to each of the four soldiers that were there, crucifying Jesus. 131 00:07:31,945 --> 00:07:34,945 But then they came to the inner garment, the garment that he would wear closest to 132 00:07:34,945 --> 00:07:38,005 his body, and that was woven of one piece. 133 00:07:38,065 --> 00:07:39,565 There were no seams to rip. 134 00:07:39,565 --> 00:07:43,045 So rather than destroying the garment and rendering it useless, 135 00:07:43,135 --> 00:07:44,725 they decided to play a game. 136 00:07:45,055 --> 00:07:49,195 They decided to cast lots to play a little dice game to gamble at the foot 137 00:07:49,195 --> 00:07:51,895 of the cross as our savior hung dying. 138 00:07:53,335 --> 00:07:55,855 It says in verse 24, so they said to one another, let's not tear it. 139 00:07:55,855 --> 00:07:58,135 Let's cast lots for it to see who's it shall be. 140 00:07:58,915 --> 00:08:02,095 This was to fulfill the scripture, which says they divided my garments among them, 141 00:08:02,095 --> 00:08:04,284 and for my clothing, they cast lots. 142 00:08:04,284 --> 00:08:06,055 That's Psalm 2218. 143 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,830 So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were 144 00:08:10,830 --> 00:08:12,869 his mother and his mother's sister. 145 00:08:12,869 --> 00:08:16,500 So there's a contrast here, and I want us to notice the contrast. 146 00:08:16,950 --> 00:08:19,229 You, you've got the thieves hanging on either side. 147 00:08:19,229 --> 00:08:22,890 You've got Pilate in the Jews, you've got the noise of the soldiers dividing 148 00:08:23,130 --> 00:08:27,000 the garments, and then you've got another scene over here with Mary. 149 00:08:27,570 --> 00:08:33,330 Jesus' mother, also, Jesus' aunt and Mary Magdalene gathered there and we find 150 00:08:33,330 --> 00:08:35,130 out that John is also gathered there. 151 00:08:35,130 --> 00:08:38,520 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved, that's how John always 152 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:40,890 referred to himself standing nearby. 153 00:08:40,890 --> 00:08:42,870 He said to his mother, woman, behold your son. 154 00:08:43,289 --> 00:08:45,390 And then he said to the disciple, behold, your mother. 155 00:08:45,690 --> 00:08:49,200 And from that hour, the disciple took her into his own home. 156 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,940 We know from the other gospels that in the background beyond this, 157 00:08:53,940 --> 00:08:55,380 there were the jeers of the crowds. 158 00:08:55,380 --> 00:08:56,250 There was the mockery. 159 00:08:56,250 --> 00:08:58,410 He saved himself, he saved others. 160 00:08:58,410 --> 00:08:59,580 Let him save himself. 161 00:08:59,940 --> 00:09:01,500 Physician, heal yourself. 162 00:09:01,980 --> 00:09:03,270 Get down from the cross. 163 00:09:03,270 --> 00:09:05,580 Where are the legions of angels at your disposal? 164 00:09:07,020 --> 00:09:09,900 And then there's this intimate scene between Jesus and John where he looks 165 00:09:09,900 --> 00:09:13,170 to John and he wants to see that his mother is gonna be cared for. 166 00:09:13,590 --> 00:09:15,930 So he says to John, behold your mother. 167 00:09:15,930 --> 00:09:16,200 Mother. 168 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:16,890 Behold your son. 169 00:09:18,030 --> 00:09:21,480 Jesus hanging on the cross, caring about his mother in that moment. 170 00:09:23,610 --> 00:09:27,000 But Jesus hangs on the cross and two thieves hang on either side. 171 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,980 Jesus hangs on the cross and the Jews and Pilate argue with each other. 172 00:09:32,250 --> 00:09:35,220 Jesus hangs on the cross and the soldiers play a dice game 173 00:09:35,820 --> 00:09:37,020 as they divide up his clothes, 174 00:09:39,330 --> 00:09:40,890 what happens to him on the cross? 175 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:42,120 Jump down to verse 31. 176 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,040 We'll back up and pick up the rest of it in just a moment 177 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:45,270 here, but jump down to verse 31. 178 00:09:46,290 --> 00:09:49,680 It says, since it was the day of preparation, now some time has passed on 179 00:09:49,680 --> 00:09:53,160 the cross and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath. 180 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:54,930 For that Sabbath was a high day. 181 00:09:54,930 --> 00:09:57,959 The Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and 182 00:09:57,959 --> 00:09:59,370 that they might be taken away. 183 00:09:59,370 --> 00:10:02,670 Now, this gets into how somebody died during crucifixion. 184 00:10:03,135 --> 00:10:06,345 It wasn't from blood loss and it wasn't from trauma, it was from 185 00:10:06,435 --> 00:10:09,015 suffocation most of the time at least. 186 00:10:09,555 --> 00:10:13,005 And so the soldiers would nail the victim to the cross, and in order to 187 00:10:13,005 --> 00:10:16,275 breathe on the cross, they would have to push up on the nail through their 188 00:10:16,275 --> 00:10:20,835 feet to push up on their, their, that nail bearing their weight there, and to 189 00:10:20,895 --> 00:10:25,125 pull themselves up on their arms to get a deep breath before sinking back down. 190 00:10:25,485 --> 00:10:28,095 And eventually they just wore themselves out of exhaustion 191 00:10:28,095 --> 00:10:29,025 and they would suffocate. 192 00:10:29,025 --> 00:10:33,015 That's why crucifixion would take hours upon hours, upon hours. 193 00:10:33,704 --> 00:10:37,395 So that's why I hear the Jews say, we need you to, to break their legs 194 00:10:37,395 --> 00:10:41,025 because the, the bodies need to be taken off the cross before the Sabbath, 195 00:10:41,025 --> 00:10:43,365 before the holy day the next day. 196 00:10:43,860 --> 00:10:47,010 And so the soldiers go to do just that, and they come to the first 197 00:10:47,010 --> 00:10:48,449 man and find him still suffering. 198 00:10:48,449 --> 00:10:51,089 And so they break his legs and they come to the other criminal, 199 00:10:51,089 --> 00:10:53,939 the other thief, and they find him still alive and they break his legs. 200 00:10:54,150 --> 00:10:57,839 But in verse 33 it says, but when they came to Jesus and they saw that he 201 00:10:57,839 --> 00:11:02,220 was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one of the soldiers 202 00:11:02,220 --> 00:11:03,449 pierced his side with the spear. 203 00:11:03,449 --> 00:11:05,040 And at once there came out blood and water. 204 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,400 He who saw it has born witness. 205 00:11:08,819 --> 00:11:11,069 Some have wondered what, what was pierced? 206 00:11:11,865 --> 00:11:15,615 Was it the pericardial sac and is that what led to it, or was there hemorrhagic 207 00:11:15,615 --> 00:11:18,435 fluid that had built up from the violence to the chest and that that's, 208 00:11:18,795 --> 00:11:20,595 that's the water that, that came out? 209 00:11:20,595 --> 00:11:24,225 I, I don't know that John was overly concerned about the medical analysis here. 210 00:11:24,225 --> 00:11:26,175 I think John was simply emphasizing he's dead. 211 00:11:28,095 --> 00:11:32,415 The spear pierced his side and it became clear that Jesus had died. 212 00:11:32,415 --> 00:11:36,375 And that's why John says he who has seen it, or he who saw it, bore witness 213 00:11:36,375 --> 00:11:39,345 and his testimony is true, and he knows that he's telling the truth. 214 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,740 That you also may believe for these things took place, that 215 00:11:43,740 --> 00:11:45,000 the scripture might be fulfilled. 216 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,460 Not one of his bones will be broken, likely a reference 217 00:11:47,460 --> 00:11:48,600 back to the Passover lamb. 218 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:54,420 In Exodus chapter 12, verse 46, and again, verse 37, another scripture that says they 219 00:11:54,420 --> 00:11:56,790 will look on him whom they have pierced. 220 00:11:57,150 --> 00:12:01,500 Zechariah 1210, Jesus dies. 221 00:12:02,355 --> 00:12:04,665 Notice John's emphasis on death here. 222 00:12:05,115 --> 00:12:09,135 It continues in verse 38 after these things, Joseph of Arimathea, 223 00:12:09,135 --> 00:12:12,675 who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews. 224 00:12:13,215 --> 00:12:17,565 He was a member of the Sanhedrin, asked Pilate that he might take away the body 225 00:12:17,565 --> 00:12:21,555 of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission, so he came and took away his body. 226 00:12:21,765 --> 00:12:26,025 Nicodemus, remember Nicodemus, remember from John chapter three, Nicodemus 227 00:12:26,025 --> 00:12:28,155 comes to Jesus and says, teacher, he. 228 00:12:28,450 --> 00:12:31,510 We know that you must be from God for no one can do the things that 229 00:12:31,510 --> 00:12:34,120 you're doing, and Jesus has that whole interaction with Nicodemus. 230 00:12:34,450 --> 00:12:38,140 Well, Nicodemus, God has been drawing Nicodemus this whole time over these three 231 00:12:38,140 --> 00:12:40,000 years and look where Nicodemus is now. 232 00:12:40,330 --> 00:12:42,820 Nicodemus is with Joseph of Arimathea. 233 00:12:42,820 --> 00:12:46,360 Nicodemus had also come to Jesus by night. 234 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:46,660 Bring. 235 00:12:46,690 --> 00:12:52,810 He also came now bringing a mixture of Myrrh and Alos, about 75 pounds in weight. 236 00:12:53,775 --> 00:12:57,765 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, 237 00:12:57,765 --> 00:13:00,375 as is the burial custom of the Jews. 238 00:13:00,885 --> 00:13:02,895 Now, in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden 239 00:13:02,895 --> 00:13:05,415 and in the garden, a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 240 00:13:05,805 --> 00:13:08,205 So because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was 241 00:13:08,205 --> 00:13:11,055 close at hand, they laid Jesus there. 242 00:13:12,495 --> 00:13:16,305 Jesus is taken down by his followers, wrapped in linen, claws, and 243 00:13:16,305 --> 00:13:22,995 spices, 75 pounds of spices, and he's placed inside a tomb sealed. 244 00:13:23,430 --> 00:13:24,750 With a large stone. 245 00:13:27,030 --> 00:13:31,290 It's quite the scene that John paints for us on the side of this hill. 246 00:13:31,290 --> 00:13:35,430 While many of the Passover pilgrims sat unconcerned in their homes 247 00:13:35,430 --> 00:13:40,650 within the city and a couple of Roman soldiers gambled for his garments 248 00:13:40,650 --> 00:13:46,590 in two thieves deserving of their sentence, hung next to him, God died. 249 00:13:54,285 --> 00:13:58,244 And he died in order that the father might be just in the justifier of 250 00:13:58,244 --> 00:13:59,535 the one who has faith in Jesus. 251 00:14:01,334 --> 00:14:03,314 But that should introduce a question for us. 252 00:14:03,314 --> 00:14:05,714 How does God die? 253 00:14:07,334 --> 00:14:10,905 That seems to be a self-defeating statement to say God died. 254 00:14:10,905 --> 00:14:13,814 In fact, plenty of people have announced the death of God only to be proven 255 00:14:13,814 --> 00:14:15,224 wrong time and time and time again. 256 00:14:16,635 --> 00:14:19,694 And yet here we read in the Bible words from the Holy Spirit 257 00:14:19,694 --> 00:14:22,155 through the Apostle John that God. 258 00:14:23,115 --> 00:14:23,625 Die. 259 00:14:26,115 --> 00:14:28,455 Well, to understand this, we have to understand the nature of the one who 260 00:14:28,455 --> 00:14:32,025 was on the cross, the nature of the one who was on the cross, being Jesus. 261 00:14:33,375 --> 00:14:35,325 See, there's a lot of people who die. 262 00:14:35,895 --> 00:14:40,035 In fact, 106 people die every single minute, give or take. 263 00:14:40,605 --> 00:14:43,305 That's 6,360 people a year. 264 00:14:44,055 --> 00:14:49,395 152 or per hour, sorry, 152,600 every day. 265 00:14:49,545 --> 00:14:50,385 4.5 266 00:14:50,385 --> 00:14:53,130 million every month in 54.9 267 00:14:53,130 --> 00:14:54,675 million every year. 268 00:14:55,035 --> 00:14:58,125 Those are the most up-to-date statistics as of this week. 269 00:14:58,125 --> 00:15:00,945 Those are guesstimates, but that's about what we're talking about. 270 00:15:01,215 --> 00:15:04,230 So why does one man in 54.9 271 00:15:04,230 --> 00:15:06,615 million that year, why does he matter? 272 00:15:06,615 --> 00:15:08,805 And it matters because of who he was. 273 00:15:09,855 --> 00:15:11,685 Remember, this is the one in John one 14. 274 00:15:11,685 --> 00:15:14,625 The word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory 275 00:15:14,625 --> 00:15:17,295 glories of the only begotten son from the Father full of grace and truth. 276 00:15:19,365 --> 00:15:20,235 Or John one 18. 277 00:15:20,235 --> 00:15:21,345 No one has ever seen God. 278 00:15:21,345 --> 00:15:22,695 The only God. 279 00:15:22,695 --> 00:15:24,045 This is the one that we're talking about. 280 00:15:24,765 --> 00:15:26,775 The only God who is at the father's side. 281 00:15:26,775 --> 00:15:27,645 He has made him known. 282 00:15:29,460 --> 00:15:33,645 Or in John 1 29, the next day, he saw Jesus coming toward him and 283 00:15:33,645 --> 00:15:36,555 said, behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. 284 00:15:38,865 --> 00:15:43,185 Or John 1 49, Nathaniel said to him, rabbi, you are the son of God. 285 00:15:43,185 --> 00:15:44,355 You are the king of Israel. 286 00:15:46,875 --> 00:15:51,135 Or in John 4 25 through 26, the woman said to him, I know that the Messiah is coming. 287 00:15:51,135 --> 00:15:52,455 He was called Christ. 288 00:15:52,785 --> 00:15:54,705 When he comes, he will tell us all things. 289 00:15:54,705 --> 00:16:00,735 And Jesus said to her, I am he or John 6 38. 290 00:16:01,035 --> 00:16:04,395 I have come down from heaven not to do the will of myself, but 291 00:16:04,395 --> 00:16:05,760 the will of the one who sent me. 292 00:16:07,725 --> 00:16:12,615 Or John 6 68 through 69, Simon Peter said to him, Lord, to whom shall we go? 293 00:16:12,885 --> 00:16:16,095 You have the words of eternal life and we have believed and come to know 294 00:16:16,095 --> 00:16:18,555 that you are the holy one of God. 295 00:16:20,745 --> 00:16:24,345 John 8 58, Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you before 296 00:16:24,345 --> 00:16:29,595 Abraham was, I am John 10 30. 297 00:16:29,895 --> 00:16:31,695 I and the Father are one. 298 00:16:33,569 --> 00:16:36,719 John 1125, Jesus said to her, I'm the resurrection in the life. 299 00:16:36,719 --> 00:16:40,260 Whoever believes in me, though he die, he shall live. 300 00:16:40,260 --> 00:16:44,790 So we see the one on the cross wasn't just a man, and that's why it 301 00:16:44,790 --> 00:16:47,640 matters for us that this one died. 302 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:48,810 God died. 303 00:16:49,290 --> 00:16:50,819 But how does God die? 304 00:16:51,964 --> 00:16:55,620 Well, the Bible teaches us a reality that, that God in Christ, that Jesus, 305 00:16:55,620 --> 00:16:59,909 the second member of the Trinity, was both truly God and truly man. 306 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,920 It's what we refer to in theological circles as the hypostatic union. 307 00:17:05,970 --> 00:17:09,329 Uh, that is the, the fullness of his deity and the fullness of 308 00:17:09,329 --> 00:17:13,050 his humanity represented in one person, two natures, one person. 309 00:17:13,575 --> 00:17:15,194 Neither one is lessened. 310 00:17:15,224 --> 00:17:16,964 Neither one is compromised. 311 00:17:16,964 --> 00:17:23,444 This is not a mixture of the two, but two fully formed natures within the one person 312 00:17:23,474 --> 00:17:27,194 Jesus Christ, truly God and truly man. 313 00:17:27,645 --> 00:17:33,315 And so it's in the true humanity of Jesus, that Jesus very truly died for us. 314 00:17:33,315 --> 00:17:34,575 So how does God die? 315 00:17:34,995 --> 00:17:37,485 Well, Jesus died in his true humanity. 316 00:17:37,485 --> 00:17:38,805 And why does that matter for us? 317 00:17:38,805 --> 00:17:40,935 Because if God is gonna be just in the justifier of the 318 00:17:40,935 --> 00:17:42,015 one who has faith in Jesus. 319 00:17:42,795 --> 00:17:44,775 Jesus has to be able to take our place. 320 00:17:45,165 --> 00:17:46,815 He has to be able to pay that penalty for us. 321 00:17:46,815 --> 00:17:50,745 That life sentence, the eternal life sentence, the wages of sin is death. 322 00:17:51,435 --> 00:17:54,465 And the way that he could do that is by taking on full humanity to our, to 323 00:17:54,465 --> 00:17:56,745 himself and taking our place on the cross. 324 00:17:57,135 --> 00:18:00,600 Point number one this morning, just two points tonight, is this, trust 325 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,705 Jesus humanity to take your place. 326 00:18:04,815 --> 00:18:08,355 Trust Jesus, humanity to take your place. 327 00:18:10,590 --> 00:18:15,030 And again, in his very true humanity, Jesus very truly died. 328 00:18:20,490 --> 00:18:21,870 What about his divine nature? 329 00:18:23,129 --> 00:18:25,260 What happened to his divine nature on the cross? 330 00:18:26,970 --> 00:18:32,909 Luke 2343 says this, Jesus said, truly, truly, I say to you today, 331 00:18:32,909 --> 00:18:35,639 you will be with me in paradise. 332 00:18:36,180 --> 00:18:38,340 So Jesus, there is talking to one of the thieves on the cross. 333 00:18:38,340 --> 00:18:41,940 John doesn't give us this information, Luke does, and Jesus tells that 334 00:18:41,940 --> 00:18:44,550 thief on the cross, today, you will be with me in paradise. 335 00:18:44,550 --> 00:18:48,180 Well, that same day, his fleshly body was gonna be laid in a tomb. 336 00:18:49,050 --> 00:18:52,890 And so the divine nature, the, the, the full, the true godness, the true deity 337 00:18:52,890 --> 00:18:54,870 of Jesus was gonna be with the Father. 338 00:18:55,140 --> 00:18:59,850 In fact, that's why Jesus says in Luke 2346, while on the cross he calls out with 339 00:18:59,850 --> 00:19:01,950 a loud voice, father, into your hands. 340 00:19:01,950 --> 00:19:04,410 I commit my spirits. 341 00:19:05,340 --> 00:19:07,380 And having said this, he breathed his last. 342 00:19:08,370 --> 00:19:11,580 And so RC Sproul put it this way, he said, so we have every reason to believe 343 00:19:11,580 --> 00:19:15,900 that at the moment, Jesus died, the divine nature remained united to his 344 00:19:15,900 --> 00:19:21,420 soul, which was in heaven and to his body, which was in the tomb waiting to be 345 00:19:21,420 --> 00:19:23,370 reunited at the moment of resurrection. 346 00:19:24,330 --> 00:19:27,660 And so when we say God died in Jesus, we're saying that his true 347 00:19:27,660 --> 00:19:31,770 humanity tasted the fullness of death, but his divine nature. 348 00:19:32,250 --> 00:19:33,270 Did not die. 349 00:19:33,270 --> 00:19:36,570 In the same sense, his divine nature did not cease to exist. 350 00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:42,510 It participated in the sacrifice, it participated in the offering and 351 00:19:42,510 --> 00:19:45,149 the satisfaction of God's wrath, which we'll look at in just a moment. 352 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:49,980 But the divine full deity of Jesus did not cease to exist on the 353 00:19:49,980 --> 00:19:51,600 cross, but is in his humanity. 354 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,700 He fully died there on the cross. 355 00:19:54,060 --> 00:19:55,080 Why does that matter? 356 00:19:56,070 --> 00:19:56,910 Why does that matter? 357 00:19:56,910 --> 00:20:00,750 Well, it matters because of this, the humanity of Christ and the death of Christ 358 00:20:00,750 --> 00:20:02,490 is an essential tenet of Christianity. 359 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:06,720 Your Muslim neighbor isn't going to understand how God can die. 360 00:20:07,890 --> 00:20:12,570 In fact, they're gonna argue that they're gonna give you, yes, fine, Jesus died, 361 00:20:13,950 --> 00:20:16,500 but they're not gonna give you the fact that he was God and rose again. 362 00:20:16,500 --> 00:20:19,950 Three days later, your Hindu neighbor is not gonna understand. 363 00:20:19,950 --> 00:20:24,360 How in the world would you worship a God who would subject himself to death? 364 00:20:24,360 --> 00:20:28,695 Th And so we have to, to understand this because it's a basic tenet that defines 365 00:20:28,695 --> 00:20:31,365 the uniqueness of Christianity, but we also have to understand it because it 366 00:20:31,365 --> 00:20:35,325 matters when it comes to the ability for God to be just in the justifier 367 00:20:35,325 --> 00:20:36,645 of the one who has faith in Jesus. 368 00:20:38,865 --> 00:20:42,405 Romans 6 23, the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is the 369 00:20:42,405 --> 00:20:44,715 eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 370 00:20:45,105 --> 00:20:48,855 See, in his true humanity, Jesus had to die because the wages of 371 00:20:48,855 --> 00:20:50,895 your sin and my sin is death. 372 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:56,580 God couldn't be just if the payment wasn't paid, that the payment of physical 373 00:20:56,580 --> 00:21:01,800 death wasn't offered, and in his true humanity, Jesus died because without it, 374 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:06,030 our balance has not been paid, and we're still under that eternal life sentence. 375 00:21:06,690 --> 00:21:11,970 So God can declare you just tonight because the sentence demanded by your 376 00:21:11,970 --> 00:21:14,580 sin was paid by Jesus on the cross. 377 00:21:15,929 --> 00:21:18,570 The writer of Hebrews describes it this way for us, he says, but 378 00:21:18,570 --> 00:21:21,750 we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels. 379 00:21:22,110 --> 00:21:25,679 Namely Jesus crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, 380 00:21:25,679 --> 00:21:31,229 so that by the grace of God, he might notice this taste, death for everyone. 381 00:21:33,300 --> 00:21:38,610 Or Hebrews two 14 through 17 says, since therefore children share in the flesh and 382 00:21:38,610 --> 00:21:42,600 blood, he himself likewise put partook of the same things, true humanity. 383 00:21:43,215 --> 00:21:45,855 That through death, he might destroy the one who has the power of death 384 00:21:45,855 --> 00:21:48,735 that is the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death 385 00:21:48,735 --> 00:21:50,565 were subject to lifelong slavery. 386 00:21:51,075 --> 00:21:55,365 For surely it's not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 387 00:21:55,965 --> 00:21:59,745 Therefore, he had to be made like his brothers in every respect so that he 388 00:21:59,745 --> 00:22:03,525 might become the merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God to make 389 00:22:03,525 --> 00:22:07,275 propitiation for the sins of the people. 390 00:22:08,430 --> 00:22:12,300 So in his true humanity, Jesus identifies with us and dies for us. 391 00:22:12,300 --> 00:22:13,860 He takes our place on the cross. 392 00:22:13,860 --> 00:22:14,880 He's our substitute. 393 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,860 But physical death is only part of the consequences of our eternal life sentence. 394 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:24,570 The other part of it is the eternal wrath of the Father, the punishment that we know 395 00:22:24,570 --> 00:22:29,730 of as hell, that that place that Jesus talked about as being unending, the place 396 00:22:29,730 --> 00:22:34,410 of weeping and gnashing of teeth, and this is where his true deity comes into play. 397 00:22:34,784 --> 00:22:39,044 His true humanity was such that he could represent us by dying for us, 398 00:22:39,044 --> 00:22:43,335 but his true deity is such that he can pay the eternal weight that we owed. 399 00:22:43,335 --> 00:22:44,385 And so keep going with me. 400 00:22:44,385 --> 00:22:47,955 Let's look back up at that section that I skipped there in John 401 00:22:47,955 --> 00:22:49,995 chapter 19, verses 28 through 30. 402 00:22:51,495 --> 00:22:56,054 John 1928 says this, after this, Jesus, knowing that all now was final was 403 00:22:56,054 --> 00:22:58,155 finished, said to fulfill the scripture. 404 00:22:58,155 --> 00:22:59,804 I thirst. 405 00:23:00,705 --> 00:23:03,465 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full 406 00:23:03,465 --> 00:23:06,135 of the sour wine on the SAP branch and held it through his mouth. 407 00:23:06,525 --> 00:23:11,655 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said it is finished, and he 408 00:23:11,655 --> 00:23:13,995 bowed us head and gave up his spirit. 409 00:23:15,135 --> 00:23:17,745 If we need to trust the humanity of Jesus to take our place, we 410 00:23:17,745 --> 00:23:20,445 have to point number two, trust the deity of Jesus to pay our debt. 411 00:23:21,975 --> 00:23:24,195 Trust the humanity of Jesus to take our place. 412 00:23:24,195 --> 00:23:26,355 We trust the deity of Jesus to pay our debt. 413 00:23:27,315 --> 00:23:28,125 It is finished. 414 00:23:29,010 --> 00:23:29,790 What is finished? 415 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:31,710 He drained the cup. 416 00:23:33,150 --> 00:23:35,610 He drained the cup of God's wrath for your sin. 417 00:23:35,610 --> 00:23:38,940 In my sin when he prayed in the garden. 418 00:23:38,940 --> 00:23:41,730 Father, if there's any way, let this cup pass from me and the father. 419 00:23:42,854 --> 00:23:45,885 Essentially with, without it being written down for us, said There is no other way. 420 00:23:45,885 --> 00:23:46,635 This is the way. 421 00:23:46,635 --> 00:23:49,034 And Jesus said, okay, not my will, but your will be done. 422 00:23:49,034 --> 00:23:52,215 That cup that Jesus prayed by pass from him was actually poured out 423 00:23:52,215 --> 00:23:55,334 upon him on the cross, the cup of God's wrath, and this is the 424 00:23:55,334 --> 00:23:57,495 part that we can't resonate with. 425 00:23:57,524 --> 00:24:01,514 This is the part that no movie or TV show can ever depict for us. 426 00:24:02,790 --> 00:24:05,070 This isn't the physical suffering that Jesus went through, 427 00:24:05,070 --> 00:24:06,150 although that was a part of it. 428 00:24:06,150 --> 00:24:09,750 This is the spiritual, this is the the wrath of God. 429 00:24:09,750 --> 00:24:11,280 This is the Forsakenness. 430 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:13,890 When he calls out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 431 00:24:13,890 --> 00:24:17,460 This is what you and I will never know because he knew it for us. 432 00:24:19,350 --> 00:24:20,310 It is finished. 433 00:24:21,120 --> 00:24:22,320 The cup has been drained. 434 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:25,230 There's not a drop left for us. 435 00:24:25,830 --> 00:24:28,620 That eternal torment, the weeping and gnashing of teeth. 436 00:24:29,940 --> 00:24:34,110 That's ours because of our frail humanity would've been yours eternally 437 00:24:34,110 --> 00:24:37,920 without Christ, unending without Jesus. 438 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,180 And yet because Jesus was fully God, Jesus could bear the full 439 00:24:42,180 --> 00:24:43,860 wrath of God against our sin. 440 00:24:44,850 --> 00:24:50,040 God is infinitely holy, and the penalty for our sin must be infinitely great. 441 00:24:50,370 --> 00:24:53,910 And so we needed an infinite savior to be able to satisfy that wrath, and 442 00:24:53,910 --> 00:24:55,800 that's exactly what we have in Jesus. 443 00:24:56,639 --> 00:25:00,720 Because it wasn't just that he was man, he was truly God as well. 444 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,010 Being truly man, Jesus was qualified to take our place on the cross being truly 445 00:25:05,010 --> 00:25:12,360 God, Jesus was qualified to satisfy God's wrath against our sin on the cross in 446 00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:16,080 Selma of Canterbury, put it this way, he said it could not have been done unless 447 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,929 man paid what was owing to God for sin. 448 00:25:19,139 --> 00:25:25,080 But the debt was so great that while man alone owed it, only God could pay it. 449 00:25:25,590 --> 00:25:32,639 So that at the same person must both be God and man again, as man Jesus 450 00:25:32,639 --> 00:25:35,790 could identify with and assume the debt that was owed take it upon himself. 451 00:25:36,180 --> 00:25:40,110 But as God, Jesus alone had the means to pay the debt, and that's 452 00:25:40,110 --> 00:25:41,550 what he did for us at the cross. 453 00:25:42,300 --> 00:25:46,379 All of this is what's known as the doctrine of propitiation, which is a word 454 00:25:46,379 --> 00:25:51,180 that that means satisfaction, that God's wrath was satisfied against our sin. 455 00:25:51,180 --> 00:25:52,889 Romans 3 25, Paul says. 456 00:25:53,205 --> 00:25:59,445 That God put forward Jesus as that propitiation, that satisfaction by 457 00:25:59,445 --> 00:26:01,514 his blood to be received by faith. 458 00:26:01,965 --> 00:26:05,024 This was to show God's righteousness because in his divine forbearance, 459 00:26:05,024 --> 00:26:06,285 he had passed over former sins. 460 00:26:06,285 --> 00:26:09,345 The next verse from there, y'all, that's the verse I started with. 461 00:26:09,645 --> 00:26:12,435 This, was to show his righteousness if the present time, so that he 462 00:26:12,435 --> 00:26:16,215 might be just in the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 463 00:26:17,085 --> 00:26:21,254 You see the way that God can be, just that God can be right. 464 00:26:21,945 --> 00:26:26,955 And declare you righteous in spite of your sin and in spite of my sin. 465 00:26:27,015 --> 00:26:31,395 The way that he can do that is because Jesus took our place on the cross and took 466 00:26:31,425 --> 00:26:33,555 all of God's wrath against our sin for us. 467 00:26:35,505 --> 00:26:39,915 That's how God can be just in the justifier because he made Jesus 468 00:26:39,915 --> 00:26:41,685 the propitiation by his blood. 469 00:26:41,685 --> 00:26:46,575 For us, there's no other way and no amount of good works 470 00:26:47,205 --> 00:26:48,735 can satisfy the wrath of God. 471 00:26:50,455 --> 00:26:53,580 Uh, uh, no amount of penance can satisfy the wrath of God. 472 00:26:53,580 --> 00:26:57,600 In fact, there are sex of Catholicism right now during this season that are 473 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,409 beating themselves and flailing themselves with whips, thinking that somehow 474 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:04,230 that's gonna atone for their sinfulness. 475 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:08,879 Those scars aren't the scars that save. 476 00:27:11,220 --> 00:27:13,710 There's three scars that save, four scars that save, and those 477 00:27:13,710 --> 00:27:15,330 are on Jesus and Jesus alone. 478 00:27:18,225 --> 00:27:21,675 See, unless our faith is in Christ and in his finished work on the 479 00:27:21,675 --> 00:27:23,805 cross as fully man and fully God, 480 00:27:25,875 --> 00:27:28,185 then you can't be justified in the sight of God. 481 00:27:29,715 --> 00:27:32,655 In fact, I was reading someone today who even suggested even our sinful 482 00:27:32,655 --> 00:27:39,885 nature, even aside from our sinful acts, even our, our fallen nature is such 483 00:27:39,885 --> 00:27:42,015 that God cannot tolerate our presence. 484 00:27:44,205 --> 00:27:50,745 Without Jesus, but that changes with Jesus completely changes with 485 00:27:50,745 --> 00:27:55,365 Jesus because now with Jesus, we are declared righteous and, and so here's. 486 00:27:55,710 --> 00:27:56,910 Here's how it works, y'all. 487 00:27:57,065 --> 00:28:01,500 And, and, and God, just by his grace and mercy gave me a, a, a 488 00:28:01,500 --> 00:28:05,160 phenomenal example of this, this week that also just wrecked me 'cause 489 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:06,510 it convicted me at the same time. 490 00:28:06,870 --> 00:28:11,310 And it's like this, uh, uh, about a month ago, um, my son who just turned 491 00:28:11,310 --> 00:28:15,060 16, went out to his car and went to go start it and it just did a, a, an 492 00:28:15,060 --> 00:28:16,920 extended crank and wouldn't turn over. 493 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:17,790 And we're like, okay. 494 00:28:19,170 --> 00:28:21,930 I went out there and tried it too, in case he didn't know how to push a button. 495 00:28:21,990 --> 00:28:24,060 And I'm happy to report he does know how to push a button. 496 00:28:25,515 --> 00:28:26,295 It wouldn't work. 497 00:28:26,385 --> 00:28:29,925 So we called AAA and got it towed up the road here to Christian Brothers 498 00:28:29,925 --> 00:28:32,265 in Salina, near nearby our house. 499 00:28:32,685 --> 00:28:36,375 Um, and they began to do their diagnostic work on it and they 500 00:28:36,375 --> 00:28:39,495 came back and, and there were two massive repairs that had to get done. 501 00:28:39,495 --> 00:28:40,725 And so that was not fun. 502 00:28:40,940 --> 00:28:45,375 Uh uh, and, and we got the car back though, and it was great. 503 00:28:45,375 --> 00:28:46,215 We got the car back. 504 00:28:46,215 --> 00:28:46,845 That was exciting. 505 00:28:46,845 --> 00:28:49,215 He got to drive it for about a week and a half. 506 00:28:49,215 --> 00:28:51,495 And then last Sunday we came home from church and. 507 00:28:52,020 --> 00:28:54,330 Being 16, he was like, dad, I'm gonna go to McDonald's. 508 00:28:54,330 --> 00:28:55,139 And I said, great. 509 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:58,020 And he went and got in the car and went and pushed the button and it 510 00:28:58,020 --> 00:28:59,610 was the, the extended crank again. 511 00:28:59,610 --> 00:29:05,310 Same exact thing he came in, dad, the, the car, uh, won't start, which is exactly 512 00:29:05,310 --> 00:29:08,190 what you want to hear after a, a good long day at church when you get home. 513 00:29:09,510 --> 00:29:10,770 So I was like, well, lemme try. 514 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,409 'cause I thought again that I could fix it by pushing the button different. 515 00:29:15,149 --> 00:29:17,940 So I went out and tried it again, pushed the button. 516 00:29:17,940 --> 00:29:18,870 Still nothing. 517 00:29:19,455 --> 00:29:22,185 Aaa again, we're ge, we're on a first name basis now with aa. 518 00:29:23,025 --> 00:29:26,805 They came out, they towed it back to Christian Brothers Monday morning. 519 00:29:27,165 --> 00:29:29,655 Uh, I got ahold of the guy that helped me with the car last time there. 520 00:29:29,655 --> 00:29:30,405 His name's Clayton. 521 00:29:31,215 --> 00:29:32,805 And uh, Clayton said, well, we'll get after it. 522 00:29:32,805 --> 00:29:33,555 We'll, we'll take a look. 523 00:29:33,765 --> 00:29:37,665 So all day Monday they were looking, uh, checked in Monday evening. 524 00:29:37,665 --> 00:29:39,825 He's like, yeah, we're going to keep looking tomorrow. 525 00:29:39,825 --> 00:29:40,905 We're, we're still trying to find it. 526 00:29:40,905 --> 00:29:41,955 We're, we're not exactly sure. 527 00:29:42,945 --> 00:29:46,755 Tuesday, all day, they had it around two o'clock on Tuesday. 528 00:29:47,459 --> 00:29:50,610 Um, I called to, to check in on it and he said, well, we think it's 529 00:29:50,610 --> 00:29:52,139 something to do with the wiring. 530 00:29:52,169 --> 00:29:54,840 We're, we're, we found a, a ground wire that was loose. 531 00:29:55,050 --> 00:29:56,129 It's way more detail than you need. 532 00:29:56,129 --> 00:29:59,070 Anyways, Tuesday, they're still chasing the problem. 533 00:29:59,490 --> 00:30:02,850 Wednesday I get a call or I get a text. 534 00:30:02,850 --> 00:30:05,879 I'm sitting at my desk in my office preparing this sermon Wednesday. 535 00:30:05,909 --> 00:30:10,050 I get a text from him about one 15 that says, Hey, uh, pj, we, we've 536 00:30:10,050 --> 00:30:11,490 identified what the problem is. 537 00:30:11,850 --> 00:30:14,580 Uh, I'm working on the final details of the report, but we have an answer 538 00:30:14,580 --> 00:30:15,840 and I'll, I'll be with you shortly. 539 00:30:16,725 --> 00:30:22,095 An hour goes by, two hours go by, and I'm just, my stomach's in knots right now. 540 00:30:22,125 --> 00:30:24,315 'cause we just paid a bunch to fix it. 541 00:30:24,435 --> 00:30:28,395 Like a, a few weeks ago gone, I, I'm, I don't know how this is gonna happen. 542 00:30:28,395 --> 00:30:30,975 I can't, there's no way I'm gonna be able to afford this. 543 00:30:32,445 --> 00:30:38,085 So he eventually calls me after two and a half torturous hours of sitting there not 544 00:30:38,085 --> 00:30:39,585 being as productive as I wish I had been. 545 00:30:40,905 --> 00:30:43,425 And he starts walking through what's wrong with it, and he starts telling 546 00:30:43,425 --> 00:30:44,415 me the problems with the car. 547 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:47,730 And as he's telling me the problems with the car, the, the, the weight 548 00:30:47,910 --> 00:30:50,580 just keeps sinking in, in my gut. 549 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:54,870 And I realize more and more, man, I, what am I gonna do? 550 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:57,720 I, I can't fix the car. 551 00:30:57,810 --> 00:30:59,400 I know nothing about cars. 552 00:30:59,970 --> 00:31:02,640 And then as he's talking to me about this, it's part of the electrical system. 553 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:05,430 The fuse box is all burnt out and, and other things are happening here. 554 00:31:06,090 --> 00:31:08,640 And, and I, I, I just am sitting there and I'm just waiting for 555 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:10,620 the, the, here's what you owe. 556 00:31:12,690 --> 00:31:15,150 And I, I was outside, I was going for a walk because I didn't 557 00:31:15,150 --> 00:31:16,800 wanna see my staff to see me cry. 558 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:19,380 Um, no. 559 00:31:19,380 --> 00:31:21,960 But I was outside going for a walk and, and around our building. 560 00:31:21,990 --> 00:31:24,390 And he says to me, he says, so this is what it's gonna be. 561 00:31:24,390 --> 00:31:28,560 And he said, he said, pj, uh, he said, we're gonna take care of this. 562 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:30,330 You're not gonna know, owe anything on this. 563 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:39,330 What y'all, I, I almost, I dropped down to like a catcher squat. 564 00:31:39,705 --> 00:31:46,695 I, I was just, it overwhelmed me, said you, I said, say that again? 565 00:31:46,695 --> 00:31:48,345 He said, yeah, we're, we're gonna cover this. 566 00:31:48,435 --> 00:31:50,085 We've got it covered fully for you. 567 00:31:50,355 --> 00:31:51,975 You're not gonna owe anything on this. 568 00:31:52,065 --> 00:31:54,705 We'll take care of it, y'all. 569 00:31:54,705 --> 00:31:58,155 The relief that washed over me in that moment. 570 00:32:01,845 --> 00:32:03,765 Here's why it wrecked me with conviction. 571 00:32:05,235 --> 00:32:09,555 Because I need to feel that every single day when it, when I look at the cross 572 00:32:11,715 --> 00:32:13,275 to an infinitely higher degree. 573 00:32:16,005 --> 00:32:17,925 See, I couldn't fix the car. 574 00:32:19,215 --> 00:32:20,175 It had a problem. 575 00:32:20,235 --> 00:32:23,025 And, and that problem was such that that car was worthless. 576 00:32:23,055 --> 00:32:24,375 I, I, it was broken. 577 00:32:24,915 --> 00:32:25,695 Good for nothing. 578 00:32:25,905 --> 00:32:26,745 Can't do anything. 579 00:32:27,555 --> 00:32:30,825 It's dead, and I can't bring it to life. 580 00:32:32,235 --> 00:32:35,175 I don't have the expertise, I don't have the knowledge, I don't have the means. 581 00:32:37,245 --> 00:32:42,554 And so I had it with somebody who did have the means, and rather than telling me, 582 00:32:42,554 --> 00:32:46,635 Hey, this is what you have to bring to the table, they said, we've got it covered. 583 00:32:46,635 --> 00:32:47,385 Don't worry about it, 584 00:32:50,205 --> 00:32:50,895 y'all. 585 00:32:51,284 --> 00:32:56,115 Our standing before a holy God is that we are dead 586 00:32:58,485 --> 00:33:00,465 and we can't bring ourselves to life. 587 00:33:02,220 --> 00:33:07,050 We don't have the means, we don't have the expertise, we don't have the resources, 588 00:33:08,820 --> 00:33:13,290 and so we have to place ourselves into the hands of the one who can. 589 00:33:16,230 --> 00:33:18,930 And what I want you to hear tonight is that he doesn't look at you 590 00:33:18,930 --> 00:33:20,460 and say, this is what you owe. 591 00:33:20,905 --> 00:33:25,740 He looks at you tonight and says, you don't owe anything. 592 00:33:26,310 --> 00:33:27,149 I've taken care of it. 593 00:33:29,625 --> 00:33:35,415 Because of the cross, because Jesus took your place in his true humanity 594 00:33:35,834 --> 00:33:38,385 and he paid your debt in his true deity. 595 00:33:40,004 --> 00:33:45,105 There's an old hymn I've decided to follow Jesus, that came to mind 596 00:33:45,105 --> 00:33:48,044 as I was thinking about this this week, just thinking, man, I want the 597 00:33:48,044 --> 00:33:50,235 cross more and more in front of me. 598 00:33:50,235 --> 00:33:53,415 And there's a, a line in this hymn, there's a verse in this hymn that says, 599 00:33:53,415 --> 00:33:56,205 the cross before me, the world behind me. 600 00:33:57,150 --> 00:34:03,450 The cross before me, the world behind me, the cross before me, the world behind me. 601 00:34:04,620 --> 00:34:04,889 No. 602 00:34:04,889 --> 00:34:07,320 Turning back y'all. 603 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:13,020 When we rightly understand what took place at the cross, this is our prayer. 604 00:34:14,219 --> 00:34:15,210 This becomes our hymn. 605 00:34:16,199 --> 00:34:20,280 This becomes our, our, our verse in life, 606 00:34:23,730 --> 00:34:24,120 the cross. 607 00:34:26,850 --> 00:34:29,310 Where Jesus took my place and paid my debt. 608 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:35,639 What we're gonna do together this evening now is we're gonna remember the cross. 609 00:34:37,050 --> 00:34:38,909 We're gonna take communion together here. 610 00:34:40,034 --> 00:34:44,699 Uh, remembering Jesus truly, man, truly God, taking our place on the 611 00:34:44,699 --> 00:34:48,929 cross, uh, to to be our substitute and also to satisfy the fullness 612 00:34:48,929 --> 00:34:50,938 of God's wrath against our sins. 613 00:34:50,938 --> 00:34:55,049 And you're gonna have a, a piece of bread and a cup of grape juice there. 614 00:34:55,739 --> 00:34:57,629 By the way, I know we have a lot of kiddos in the room. 615 00:34:57,629 --> 00:34:58,379 Let me just encourage you. 616 00:34:58,379 --> 00:35:03,419 Parents, uh, communion are, is, is an act that are, is for believers, okay? 617 00:35:04,455 --> 00:35:07,035 And so with your little ones, I, I'd encourage you to use this even as an 618 00:35:07,035 --> 00:35:11,085 opportunity to, to teach them as the, the elements are passed to encourage them 619 00:35:11,085 --> 00:35:14,115 not to take, uh, from these elements. 620 00:35:14,145 --> 00:35:17,175 That this is something that is, is for believers for the church. 621 00:35:17,745 --> 00:35:20,715 Um, and it's not to keep them out, it's not to exclude them, but it's to 622 00:35:20,715 --> 00:35:24,105 teach them about something that God has commanded us to do as the church. 623 00:35:24,585 --> 00:35:26,685 But these elements, you're gonna have a, a, a piece of bread 624 00:35:26,685 --> 00:35:27,885 that's gonna have jagged edges. 625 00:35:27,885 --> 00:35:28,935 It's not gonna look smooth. 626 00:35:28,935 --> 00:35:31,515 And it's a reminder as Jesus told us of his body broken. 627 00:35:32,625 --> 00:35:35,265 And you're gonna have that grape juice that's gonna be the same color 628 00:35:35,265 --> 00:35:39,195 or, or similar to the color of his blood, that's gonna remind, remind 629 00:35:39,195 --> 00:35:41,145 you of the, the blood that shed. 630 00:35:41,655 --> 00:35:44,115 And as we take these elements, you're gonna take the bread and, 631 00:35:44,115 --> 00:35:47,385 and be reminded of Jesus saying, I am the, the bread of life. 632 00:35:47,715 --> 00:35:50,595 Whoever eats of my flesh shall never die, but have eternal life. 633 00:35:50,625 --> 00:35:53,115 And, and then you're gonna drink the cup and be reminded, whoever 634 00:35:53,115 --> 00:35:56,775 drinks my blood shall never have, see death, but have eternal life. 635 00:35:56,985 --> 00:35:58,575 But then I also want you to note. 636 00:35:59,655 --> 00:36:04,635 After you drink that little plastic cup of grape juice, whoever designs 637 00:36:04,635 --> 00:36:07,095 those has designed them such that there's a juice trap at the very 638 00:36:07,095 --> 00:36:11,745 bottom of that cup, there's always a little bit left in that cup. 639 00:36:12,435 --> 00:36:15,135 And what I want you to think of tonight is I want you to think of the glorious 640 00:36:15,135 --> 00:36:19,935 reality that there's nothing left for you when you die and stand before Jesus. 641 00:36:20,385 --> 00:36:24,165 That the cup that Jesus took on the cross for you is drained, completely dry. 642 00:36:24,885 --> 00:36:28,335 There's no juice trap at the bottom of the cup of God's wrath. 643 00:36:28,335 --> 00:36:32,385 It's completely empty so that when you get to heaven, you'll be welcome. 644 00:36:32,445 --> 00:36:34,515 Welcomed in, well done, good and faithful servant. 645 00:36:34,515 --> 00:36:36,945 So the ushers will pass the elements all come back up and we'll take 646 00:36:36,945 --> 00:36:38,445 them together in just a moment.