Sermon Archives

Good Friday
April 2, 2010
Pastor Dan Selbo

"Three Crucial Questions"
John 19

1. Who Killed Jesus?
Read John 19:1-16

It was a night of questioning and answers and debate. It was a morning of trials and torture and resolve. And before it was all over, Jesus was condemned to his death. By the time it was all finished, Jesus had been sentenced to die.

Who killed Jesus? That's an important question to ask tonight, as we remember those events of long ago. Who was it that put this one they called the Christ upon the cross?

That's not an easy question to answer, let alone to face. Many possibilities come to mind, many directions and people toward which we could cast the blame.

One of the most obvious targets is the religious leaders, the Pharisees, the Scribes, Annas and Caiaphas, and the other members of the Sanhedrin. They were the ones who put Jesus on the cross. After all, it was their idea. It was as much their fault as it was anyone's. Nothing would have ever happened had those religious leaders not been involved.

And they made it clear that they thought Jesus should die. The charge was blasphemy: claiming to be the Son of God! And they were the ones chosen to protect the faith! How could they not have become involved? How could they not have acted as they did?

The trouble was they had no power to do anything about it. They had a law that said that a blasphemer was to be put to death. But they had no way to enforce it. They had no authority (in themselves) to carry it out. One possibility was the religious leaders. But it couldn't have been their fault, because all they had was a law, and what they needed was a decree.

And so then maybe it was Pilate. After all, he was the Governor. He was the Roman authority. He was the one who had the power to make it happen. He held the balance of justice in his hands. (And we heard the story.) He was finally the one who handed Jesus over to be killed. And so maybe it was Pilate who killed Jesus? Maybe it was Pilate who put Jesus upon the cross?

Pilate didn't think so, nor did he want to. Now, John doesn't tell us the whole story, but Pilate had sent Jesus to Herod. He found nothing wrong with Jesus, so he sent him to be tried by Herod. But Herod found nothing wrong with him, either, so he sent him back to Pilate.

And Pilate tried to let him go, but the people would have nothing of it. And so he washed his hands of any responsibility. He washed his hands of any claim, whatsoever, to Jesus' death.

And so, maybe it wasn't Pilate? Maybe (instead) it was the people? They were ones yelling, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" Maybe it wasn't Pilate at all? Maybe it was the crowds of people?

After all, they had been given a choice. (You remember that?) "Who do you want me to release?" That's the question Pilate asked. "Do you want Jesus, King of the Jews?" Or, "Do you want me to release to you Barabbas?"

The people chose Barabbas, and they called out for Jesus' death. And so Pilate gave them Barabbas, and he sent Jesus to the cross.

But it couldn't have been the people. They had no power. They had no right. All they were were people! If the people had killed Jesus (on their own), they would have ended up on a cross themselves! It couldn't have been the people. Someone else had to kill the Christ.

And so maybe it was the soldiers. (You know the story.) No one else pounded those nails into his hands. No one else drove those spikes into his feet. No one else hoisted up the cross and dropped it unmercifully into its hole. And they cast lots for his clothing. Jesus was hanging on that cross, and they rolled the dice. (It wasn't the crowds.) Maybe it was the soldiers? Maybe the soldiers were responsible for killing the Son of God?

But that doesn't quite fit, either. (It would be easy to blame them. But it doesn't quite fit.) Because, after all, what choice did they really have? What choice could they possibly have made? Their hands were tied. They were soldiers. They did what they were told. It was their job. It was their way of life. They needed the position! It couldn't have been the soldiers. They were servants of Rome. It was something about which they had no choice.

And so maybe it was Judas, who betrayed him with a kiss? Maybe it was Peter, who denied having ever known the man at all? Maybe it was the other disciples? You know, the ones who turned and ran away? And what about John? Even John? He stayed, but he could have put up some kind of fight!

"Who killed Jesus?" That's the question we face tonight. Was it the religious leaders, the ones who brought the initial charge? Was it Pilate or Herod, the ones in authority who had the power to let him go? Was it the crowd, who called out for his crucifixion, who were given the choice and refused for it to happen? Or was it the soldiers, or was it Judas, or was it Peter, or was it the other disciples…or was it you, or was it me?

The answer to each of those questions is "Yes! Yes!" (Begin pounding nails into the block of wood.) It was the religious leaders who killed the Son of God. It was Pilate and it was Herod who killed the one claiming to be the truth. It was the crowd who killed Jesus. It was the soldiers who put him upon a cross. And it was Judas and it was Peter and it was the rest the disciples who nailed him to a tree, and it was you and it was me who were responsible for his death.

Who killed Jesus? It was all of us. Every one of us here tonight had a part in hammering those nails into his hands and his feet. The answer to the question is "Yes." It was us who put Jesus on the cross.

But the answer to those questions is also "No! No!" (Stop pounding nails and put down the hammer.) It wasn't Pilate. It wasn't Herod. It wasn't the religious leaders, or the crowd, or the soldiers, or the disciples, or even us. And, therein lies the gospel, therein is found what this Friday we call good is all about.

No one put Jesus on the cross. Jesus went to the cross, on his own. "Not my will," He prayed, "but thine be done." That's what was happening that day. It was a day centered in Jesus. It was a day planned and purposed by God from long ago.

None of the others were in control at all! "No one takes my life from me," Jesus said, "I lay it down willingly and of my own accord."

And so it was when Jesus went to the cross. And so it is as we stand at that cross, here tonight. The truth of Good Friday is simple. The truth we need to face tonight is clear: You and I deserve to be damned to hell (for the part we played in Jesus' death). But God, in his mercy and grace, intervened for us in Christ.

The answer to each of those questions is "Yes! Yes!" (Begin pounding nails into the block of wood.) It was the religious leaders who killed the Son of God. It was Pilate and it was Herod who killed the one claiming to be the truth. It was the crowd who killed Jesus. It was the soldiers who put Him upon a cross. And it was Judas and it was Peter and it was the rest the disciples who nailed Him to a tree, and it was you and it was me who were responsible for His death.

Who killed Jesus? It was all of us. Every one of us here tonight had a part in hammering those nails into His hands and His feet. The answer to the question is "Yes." It was us who put Jesus on the cross.

But the answer to those questions is also "No! No!" (Stop pounding nails and put down the hammer.)

+ It was the religious leaders…who killed the son of God
+ It was Pilate and Herod…claiming to be the truth
+ It was the Crowd…who killed Jesus
+ It was Judas and Peter and the rest…who nailed him to a tree
+ And it was you and it was me…responsible for his death

Who killed Jesus?...All of us…we all had a part in hammering those nails…The answer is "Yes"…It was us who put Jesus on the cross

But the answer to those questions is also "No! No!" (Stop pounding nails and put down the hammer.)

I still remember the story from a number of years back. It's one of those that has a way of staying with you (of sticking in your gut).

It was the story of a new Marine recruit who was training on Parris Island. He was a good man, an honest man, a man who wanted nothing but the best. But he was different. I never heard exactly why, but there was something about him that caused him to stand out (and not in a helpful way). And so he was (as a result) the object of much of the barracks laughter and humiliation and abuse.

One day they came up with the idea of throwing a disarmed hand grenade in the middle of the room and pretending it was about to explode. This new recruit would be so terrified and it would give them a good laugh at his expense. (And so they did it.) At the appointed time, they tossed a hand grenade and everyone began to shout, "Get out! Get out! It's a live grenade. And it's about to explode!"

But (the trick) backfired. Instead of running for cover, this new recruit threw himself on the grenade and cried out for the others to leave before it exploded. "Get out of here! (he said). "Run for your lives!"

And the barracks fell silent. And shame and embarrassment filled the air. Because this new recruit, (who had been the object of so much of their humiliating abuse), had been willing to give his life that they might live.

Why did Jesus die? What was his death on the cross all about? If it was God's will that his Son go to the cross, and if it was Jesus' choice to walk the path that he did, then even if you and I (and everyone who has ever lived) were responsible for the sin that caused it to happen, why is it that Jesus had to die?

Now, that's not a new question. It's a question that's been asked for nearly 2000 years. And it's a question that continues to be asked even today. "Why did Jesus die? What was his death on the cross all about?"

Now, there are many ways to come at that question, many parts that work together to make the whole of the truth. One way is to talk about it as punishment. When Jesus went to the cross, he was being punished for the sins of the world. The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death…and it says, "all of the sins of the world were placed upon Jesus went he went to the cross."

Jesus took our place. He suffered and died in place of us. We were the guilty. Jesus was the innocent. But Jesus took the punishment. We were the ones who had sinned. Jesus had lived a sinless life. But he took our place. He received the wages we had earned. He was punished upon the cross for sins he had never done.

One way to answer that question is to talk about it as punishment. Another way is to talk about it as payment. If it wasn't punishment, then maybe it was payment? Maybe Jesus was paying for something when he went to His death?

The Bible uses two words to talk about the payment Jesus made. One word is the word "ransom." The Bible says "Jesus came to give his life as a ransom for many." Now, you know what a ransom is. A ransom is when you make a payment to get something back. A child is kidnapped, and the parents pay a ransom to have their child back.

That's what happened for us in Jesus. You and I were kidnapped by sin. We were captured and held in bondage by the chains of death. But Jesus bought us back. He paid a ransom to have us as his own. Jesus paid for a ransom for you. Jesus paid a ransom for me. And the ransom he paid was himself. The ransom he gave was His own life.

The other word the Bible uses is the word "redemption." Years ago, you could save up stamps and trade them in for gifts. You'd redeem them. You'd use them to get something you wanted.

It's the same thing in Jesus. Paul says, "Jesus redeemed us from the curse. He redeemed us from the grave." He says, "In him we have redemption through his blood." On the cross of Calvary, Jesus bought you back!

Punishment for our sin, a ransom or a redemption (to buy us back); another way to come at it is to talk about it as an atonement, about how Jesus atoned for our sin when he gave himself up to death.

Now, what's an atonement? To atone means to make amends, to make up for some deficiency or mistake. When the Bible says that Jesus atoned for our sins, it's telling us that Jesus was making things right for us with God.

There's a separation, the Bible says, that takes place, there's a chasm created with every sin we commit. Jesus bridges that chasm. He does away with that separation. In his death on the cross, Jesus was bringing us back together with God.

Now which one was it? Why is it that Jesus had to die? Was it punishment for our sin? Was it payment for a debt? Was it ransom to buy us back? Was it to redeem us from the grave? Was it atonement for the separation that has happened between each one of us and God?

Take your pick! Every one of those ways of coming at it fits. Jesus died for all those reasons, and for many more. He died as a sacrifice. He died as a substitute. He died as a suffering servant. He died because of his love for your life!

Every one of those ways fits…because every one of those ways points to Christ. And when they point to Christ, they speak to us the truth.

On the cross of Calvary, Jesus fell on that grenade for you. (Jesus fell on that grenade for you.) But it wasn't a joke. It wasn't disarmed. He took the punishment, offered the payment, paid the ransom, became the redemption, and was the atonement…all the way to the cross, all the way to his death.

Do you remember what Jesus' said that day (as the grenade was about to blow)? He didn't say, "Get out of here!" He didn't cry out, "It's about to explode!" No, he looked down from the cross at the ones who were putting him to death, and (he said) "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

And he said it to you and to me (and he's saying it again here tonight). And that's where we find our hope.

Hard to imagine that the one who came into this world as the promised Prince of Peace, breathed his last breath from the hard wood of a sinner's cross. Hard to believe that the one who showed nothing but love for people, (all throughout his life), found an end to his life because of the hatred of people toward him.

Tough realities to face tonight as we gather around the cross of our Lord: to think that the one who died between two thieves was nailed there because of our sin. To think that the nails driven into his hands and feet were ones nailed into his flesh by you and by me.

But what did Jesus' death accomplish? Why do we continue to remember what happened upon that cross so long ago? Paul says, "Far be it from me to glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Why was the cross so important? What happened that day that continues to make a difference for us?

The last word Jesus spoke from the cross was "It is finished." Three little words (in the English language)." Only one word in Greek. "Tete'lestai!" "Tete'lestai!"

That's an interesting word. It can mean all kinds of things. It is finished. It's over. It's done. It's complete. It's accomplished. It's come to the end. And not only can its meaning change, but so can the reason for it being said.

"Tete'lestai" can be said when one's been defeated. Like a young boy (on the school ground) in a fight with the class bully (who cries) "Uncle." It's over. It's done. It's finished. I can't take any more. "Tete'lestai" can be a word of giving in or giving up or having enough.

But that's not what Jesus said. (That's not how that word was being used from the cross.) His cry was not that of a boy on the playground, (giving in and giving up) when he'd had enough. No, his cry was one of a marathon runner, coming to the end of the race. Or that of a birthing mother (at the end of a long and painful labor), giving it the one final push. Jesus' cry was one of accomplishment and fulfillment and victory; one of completion and finality and success.

"What did his death accomplish?" It accomplished a number of things. Paul talks about Jesus as the second Adam. In contrast to what happen in the garden (with the first Adam), what Jesus did in another garden was completely the opposite.

The first Adam gave in to the temptation (and it all began to fall part). The second Adam prayed for his Father's will to be done (and it all began to be put back together). And so, Paul says, "The free gift is not like the trespass. For as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all people, so one man's act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all who believe."

The second Adam undid what the first Adam began. The second Adam erased what the first Adam brought about. But not without its price. Not without its cost.

It is finished. Do you remember when it happened, (what time of day it was) when Jesus was nailed to the tree? It was the sixth hour (the sixth hour). For us, that would be six in the morning. For them, (with their day beginning at sunrise), it was high noon, (twelve o'clock), the middle of the day.

Do you know what else that hour was? For the Jewish people, it was the hour of sacrifice, the very hour in which the Passover lamb was to be killed.

Coincidental that Jesus was nailed to the cross at the same time as the blood of that Passover lamb was to be spilled? Jesus was the lamb (the Lamb of God), sacrificed for the sins of the people (for you and for me). But not once a year, every time that time of year came around, but once and for all, never to happen again. Because it was finished. Jesus' death on the cross brought it all to an end.

And what about the curtain? (You remember the curtain in the Temple.) It was a curtain that separated the main courtyard of the Jerusalem Temple from a place they called the "Holy of Holies." Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and, (on behalf of the people), offer a sacrifice that would atone for their sins. And it was a sacrifice that would make them clean. And it was a place only the High Priest could go.

You remember what happened (to that curtain) at the very moment Jesus died. The Bible says, "It was torn from top to bottom." All the way from the top, all the way to the bottom, the curtain into the Holy of Holies was ripped in half.

How come? Because the work of the High Priest was no longer needed. Because the Lamb of God had been sacrificed upon the cross. And the one that was sacrificed was the High Priest himself. And now the door's open, the curtain has been pulled away, and the one (who goes before God for us) has paid the price.

What did Jesus' death accomplish? Why does it make a difference for us today? Jesus didn't die to give us a religion. Jesus died to make right our relationship with God. Jesus didn't die to create for us a church. Jesus died so that all who would come to faith, all who today make up Christ's Church, might be forgiven and live with the promise of life.

Whatever else you get tonight, don't miss what happened on the cross. Don't leave this place without coming face to face with the reason and the result of Jesus' death.

It was Jesus' greatest hour when he went to the cross. It was our greatest hour when he suffered and died for our sin. And it was God's greatest hour when his Son was nailed to the tree.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him might not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him."

In Washington D.C., (I imagine some of you have seen it), the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is striking for its simplicity. Etched in a black granite wall are the names of the 58,156 Americans who died in that war. Over the years, many who have visited the monument have been stirred by the sacrifice that was made.

For three Vietnam Veterans, the monument is even more stirring. The names of Robert Bedker, Williard Craig, and Darrall Lausch have each been forever etched in that wall. What's most striking is that fact that none of them ever died in the war. Because of data-coding errors, each was incorrectly listed as killed in action.

My friends, in a similar way, that's what happened to us (and to our names) on the cross. It was not we who died, but Jesus. It was not our lives that were given, but his. But our names have now been forever etched in a book of those who have been saved. And because they were etched in the blood of Jesus, they will never be removed.

(Slam the Bible shut.) "Tete'lestai!" It is finished. It's over. It's done. It's accomplished. It's complete. In Christ. Amen