The Life of

On Sunday, April 13th

@ 7 pm

The King on His Cross

Weekend of April 5/6, 2014

Saul, the King of the Jews1. The first king of Israel would not have

needed a sign over his head, announcing “This is Saul, the King of the Jews.”

2. You would have known him just by looking at him.A. He was a head taller than anyone else;B. He was handsome and good looking;C. Just looking at him you would have said:

Jesus, the King of the Jews1. But, not so with Jesus. 2. He was not handsome or good looking.

Isaiah 53:2-3 “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him… [He was] like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised.”

3. Jesus was not even recognized by His own people. John 1:11 “ He came to his own people,

but they did not receive him. “

Jesus, the King of the Jews4. The terrible abuse Jesus endured made

Him look so grotesque that He did not even appear human. Isaiah 52:14 His appearance was so

disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness.

5. You and I would have cried loud and long, “Unfair…unfair!” and yet Jesus does not even cry out. Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed and

afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth.”

Jesus, the King of the Jews6. So, Jesus needed a sign to identify who

He was.

7. He set aside His Kingly might to voluntarily die in weakness and disgrace.

8. Jesus was rich in Heaven, yet for our sakes He became poor, so that we might become rich.

Jesus, the King of the Jews Paul said in 2 Corinthians 8:9 “Our Lord

Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

9. This is what makes the cross of Jesus, as bloody and horrific as it is, so beautiful to us sinners.A. Jesus takes our place, and dies paying the

penalty for our sin;B. We receive the forgiveness He earned and

the promise of Eternal Life.

The King and His Cross1. But Jesus did open His mouth a number

of times, but not to curse His tormentors, but rather bless those He loved and cared about.

The King and His Cross2. Jesus spoke to His Father:

A. Luke 23:34 reports Jesus saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

B. Jesus cared about those who were crucifying Him and asked for their forgiveness.i. The Romans soldiers, the priests and all the

people who cried for His crucifixion;ii. How about you and me? We may not have

cried for His crucifixion, but we too are the reason it had to happen.

The King and His Cross3. Jesus spoke to one of the men being

crucified with Him:A. Luke 23:43 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth,

today you will be with me in paradise.”B. We can only imagine the comfort and

hope those word brought this dying man.C. But those words were not spoken only to

him, but to everyone of us who are trusting in Jesus and waiting for His Kingdom to come.

The King and His Cross4. Finally, Jesus spoke to His earthly

mother, Mary, to provide for her ongoing care, once this ordeal was over. John 19:26-27 reports, “When Jesus saw

his mother there, and the disciple [John] … he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”

The King and His Cross5. How could Jesus be so concerned about

others when He was in so much pain and suffering Himself?A. When you or I are in pain, are we also

then more loving toward others?i. Say, you got a terrible tooth ache, are you

more considerate toward your spouse or family members then?

ii. Say, you got a splitting head-ache and right about that time your neighbor comes over for some help on a project?

B. But that’s NOTNOT how Jesus reacted!

The King and His Cross6. Jesus loved people and us in the midst

of His suffering and agony.7. We can take great comfort from this

scene of Jesus on His cross:A. He is shouldering our burden of guilt of all

the times we were not very loving, when we were hurting;

B. He is carrying all the insults and bitterness we have felt when we reacted with anger and hurt toward people we love;

The King and His Cross8. And then Jesus said, “It is finished,” and

bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 9. From that dead King on His cross,

comes a gusher of life-giving water that fills our Baptism font and washes away all our sin.

10.From that dead King on His cross, comes the life-giving blood that fills the chalice here in the Lord’s Supper, that you will drink and cleanses us from all sin.

The King and His Cross11. The King on His cross, bowed His to

give us so much.12. Now we can lift-up our heads to give

Him glory by living for Him.