Amen okay so John chapter 19 starts with verse 1 let's just get straight going
into it John 19 verse 1 says then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him
and the soldiers platted a crown of thorns and put it on his head and they
put on him a purple robe and said hail king of the Jews and they smoked him
with their hands let's go to the Lord in a quick word of prayer father I thank
you for your word I thank you for this church I pray that you'll just fill me
with your spirit now help me to preach boldly clearly help people to just have
open ears and understanding and just help us to all get edified by your word
today in Jesus name we pray amen okay so scourging here they said the
soldiers plastered a crown of thorns put it on his head and before that they said
they scourged him what is scourging scourging is whipping and you know
sometimes I think when you think of whipping you know it's easy to kind of
underestimate how brutal that is I mean this is you know he basically received a
load of whipping off what was likely and there's different you know people come
out with different ideas as to what they used at the time but it was a pretty
brutal whip and a lot of the time it just leave people completely lacerated
and then with the amount of of whippings that he would have got a lot of the time
those marks will just that those lacerations will just combine and you
just end up with basically open big open gaping wounds on the torso showing organs
and all sorts of things by all accounts and I mean it sounds absolutely savage
doesn't it so Jesus God in the flesh got whipped then it says and the soldiers
platted a crown of thorns put it on his head and they put on him a purple robe
so the irony that God's crown was basically a painful mockery okay so God's
crown was just some sort of mocking and painful mocking and the purple robe
obviously is mocking him too isn't it why the Roman soldiers doing this you
wonder so why are they doing this well maybe it's a disdain just some disdain
for what they perceive as as attempted rebellion maybe remember they said
hail king of the Jews maybe they've seen it as that but I see a bit of a
contrast here between the reprobate Jews who want to destroy him at all costs you
just keep seeing them just screaming a crucify him crucify him no matter what
and then basically the unbelieving world where it's just all mockery and disdain
isn't it and we kind of see that to this day don't you got the God haters and
then you just got the just a sheer mockery that you that pretty much
everyone in here will face on a regular basis won't they the mockery of Christ
the mockery of Jesus the kind of you know chuckling when you knock on the
door trying to give out you know an invite to a church where people when you
dare to mention the gospel before it turns to anger often you're daring to
try and get them saved but the mockery and disdain and we see that don't we and
but but with the God haters there with the Jews we see time and time again this
chapter they're just saying crucify him crucify him for them it's not enough is
it the mockery is not enough the beatings not enough for them it has to
be destruction but obviously here as well as mockery it says and said in
verse 3 Hail King of the Jews and they smote him with their hands so they're
beating him smiting is to hit him okay so they're beating him lightly punching
him you know I don't think you know the punch was invented you know more
recently I think people have been punching people since the dawn of time
they're basically punching Jesus Christ they're they're beating him around the
place you know and like I said for what for what why are these soldiers doing
that and and there's something innate with the unbelievers to just want a mock
and hurt and and everything else the god of this world well verse 4 says pilot
therefore went forth again and saith unto them behold I bring him forth to
you that you may know that I find no fault in him a bit of an irony here
considering he's just had him scourged so he's saying I find no fault in him
yet pilot therefore took Jesus in verse 1 and scourged him so but he is still at
least making that statement he doesn't actually find any fault yet it hasn't
stopped him scourging him verse 5 then came Jesus forth wearing the crown of
thorns and the purple robe and pilots saith unto unto them behold the man what
an image hey what an image got the Sun standing there he's been whipped he's
been beaten he's had a crown of thorns planted into his skull and pilots saying
you know behold him and I think pilot here is saying he's basically saying isn't
this enough isn't it behold the man like look look is this not enough for you
because he finds no fault in him for him now surely that's enough you would think
but no first six when the chief priests therefore and officers saw him they
cried out so they're shouting they're not sobbing they're shouting out saying
crucify him crucify him pilots saith unto them take ye him and crucify him
for I find no fault in him the Jews asked him we have a law and by our law
he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God so pilot there he's saying
look you I don't want to cruise why do I you know what do I want to crucify him
for he hasn't seen any he finds no fault in them now what's this law so I think
the closest law to this would probably likely be for blasphemy is what they're
probably claiming and that would be you don't have to turn it but Leviticus 24
6 16 says and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord he shall surely be put
to death and all the congregation shall certainly stone him as well the stranger
is he that is born in the land when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall
be put to death so I think that's what they're alluding to blasphemy you know
that's why he needs to be put to death in their mind but by their logic how
could Christ have come without being accused of blasphemy so how could
someone have come and claimed to be Christ without by their logic being
accused of blasphemy and obviously let's not forget that he was doing miracles
healings he raised Lazarus from the dead it was that not enough for them but more
importantly more important than any any of that the sure word of prophecy
wasn't it you have to know John 441 said and many more believed because of his
own word it was the Word of God he came with the Word of God with the words of
eternal life and many believed because of those words didn't they they knew
they were the words of God and they're saying here he came with all of that but
they're still accusing him of blasphemy aren't they because he made himself the
son of God we see you know if it was in John where he says he knew I think it's
in another gospel he says he knew that they delivered him for envy really that
you know it's not because of blasphemy is it it's not because of that they have
their own reasons for that now verse 8 when Pilate therefore heard that saying
he was the more afraid why is he afraid here well also Matthew 27 19 we see when
he was set down on the judgment seat his wife sent unto him talk about pilot
here saying have thou nothing to do with that just man for I have suffered many
things this day in a dream because of him so it's not that pilots just
completely unaware of anything is it here okay so he's had his wife say that
and remember in the last chapter last week Jesus said to him John 18 verse 36
Jesus answered my kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world
then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but
now is my kingdom not from hence Pilate therefore said unto him art thou a king
then Jesus answered thou sayest I am a king to this end was I born and for this
cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth
everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice so pilots conversing with God
Pilate has got God standing in front of him if he'd wanted the truth he could
have received the truth can they if he'd wanted it he could have received it
instead what did he answer what is truth you know that kind of get out that we
hear often on when we're preaching the gospel well what is a well which
religion can you believe well there's just so many religions all there's so
many virgins well John I hear what we got don't want to hear it don't want to
hear it and here he's basically saying that well what is truth you know don't
want to hear it because the thing is some might look at pilot and you could
look at pilot and say well he didn't do that much wrong he tried he was forced
into it you could say that couldn't you while he was forced you know and
obviously like I said last week you know a lot of people grow up thinking it
was the Romans that crucified Jesus well they were forced by the Jews and when
you read the Bible you could think well he's forced into it but no he had God
standing in front of him he had God in the flesh standing in front of him and
you know how many people turn around and go to you well if Jesus was there well
if I got to speak to God well if God was in front of me then I might believe he
had God standing in front of him didn't he he had God there he had he had God
there and his wife had warned him as well in his wife had warned him he heard
the words of God he had the living words of God out of his mouth directly to him
and his answer is what is truth and look there's no sitting on the fence is there
you either accept the truth or you don't that's what it comes down to and and
like I said many times I believe when you preach when you preach the Word of
God and we have the Word of God don't we when you preach the Word of God to
someone they know they know deep down it's the Word of God and and they they
accept or they reject now they can pretend they're sitting on the fence
they're just waiting to know well I'll just go away and have a look at it well
I want to I want to see for myself I just want to meet they're rejecting
really aren't they they're rejecting the gospel and the same as Pilate here he's
rejecting Jesus Christ and he does have sin here and we're gonna see that in a
minute verse 9 back to John 19 there went again into the judgment hall and
saith unto Jesus whence art thou but Jesus gave him no answer then said
Pilate unto him speakest thou not unto me knowest thou not that have power to
crucify thee and have power to release thee Jesus answered thou couldest have
no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he
that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin a pilot's got a bit puffed
up here isn't he he's got a little bit full of himself Jesus is pointing out
though that the only reason that he has power to crucify him is that God has
allowed it it's the only reason he has any power there is because God has
allowed that but the end of verse 11 has a great truth there doesn't it Jesus
answered thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee
from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin the
greater sin because firstly it's confirming obviously like we just said
that Pilate was sinning here wasn't he okay so that's confirmed that yes Pilate
was in sin here the scourging like we've just seen the crown of thorns mocking
robes smiting from the beginning of the chapter for starters yeah secondly it's
confirming what we talked about last week that the guilt you know the guilt
of the Jews that delivered him okay they're all well they didn't actually
nail him to the cross no they're there in fact they have the greatest sin but
thirdly and this is a point that sadly is is just you know it's so falsely
preached isn't it and misrepresented by so-called Christians around the world is
that there are levels of sin there are levels of sin because the liberal fall
will parrot judge not judge not judge if I had someone parrot that me last night
and if I had a guy ring me up last night they're quite an interesting story
actually so we'll just have a quick commercial break here and I had a guy I
had a guy ring me up and within five seconds you know having established who
I was this was on the church phone he decided to tell me all about why he was
homeless and why he he you know needed basically money for food okay and he
went into one it took a good few minutes you know while I was sitting silent I
said okay so why have you contacted us and well you know I just needed he told
me that he's staying at someone's house we haven't got any food and they've gone
away and there was this a very long story that that you know he told me and
I said okay and he said and he said to me right well you know I need some money
basically I need some food I said well we're not there I'm not currently at the
church I am there on Sunday so yeah it seems to be the same story same story
everywhere in South End I said okay well I said you can come along Sunday come
along to church Sunday I said but no first I said well firstly I said
actually I you know just to let you know our ministry is preaching the gospel
from this church so our ministry is we got part the gospel is giving food to it
for the to that I said no that's not the gospel the gospel is the good news of
Jesus Christ said yeah but part the gospel is is he said the Good Samaritan
I said okay yeah the Good Samaritan was actually showing who's that someone's
neighbor who that is yeah but yeah I mean you know we want to help people but
I tell you what the Bible says if a man did not work neither shall he eat and I
said if you want to come along to the church and pass by I said we've got some
work you could do at the church and we're happy to give you some money for
some food okay because for me if you know if that man's able-bodied he could
work some food there's a lot of stuff that he's doing in the car park if you
know it's all the overgrown weeds I haven't had the time to do that so I
said by all means come by then he got angry you know then he started trying to
teach me what the Bible says and and some other points and we got onto the
gospel and um and and straight away you know I said I said to him he said he's
born again are you going to heaven don't think so I said oh why not said well
cuz you know I'm gonna be better and everything else okay well you know and
I've just was frank with him I said well let me show you what the Bible says and
explained him that he wasn't saved so this guy then got angry how dare you
judge my salvation how dare you judge if I'm saved or not I said well I'm
judging you like out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speakers and the
Bible's clear but it was quite polite you know this wasn't like some big row
I was just saying look you know you you're not the Bible's clear inside you
know shown in verse after verse and everything else anyway so he got a bit
angry and he tried to kind of counter with a few things but the upshot of it
all was was it he was saying to me that I was judging him I was judging his
salvation and I was judging and that we well we all we're all sinners I was like
we sure all sinners yeah but this is how you get saved but he's even to the point
it's got I mean beyond the point of judge no sin to the point of you can't
even judge apparently someone saved according to this guy's logic now you
know I did say to him you're welcome to come along if you come here someone will
try and get he said he didn't want to hear the gospel in the final kind of
gave him half the gospel anyway while debating things and and then said you're
welcome to come along if you want to work in the car park you're welcome
anyway point being that he came out with this judge not judge not and how
many times do you hear this judge not judge not you cannot judge any sin
because we're all sinners but it's ridiculous isn't it absolutely
ridiculous you hear the other that is he that is without sin casts the first
stone you heard this one before as well so people are like well unless you've
got no sin you you can't you can't even talk about sin but Jesus has just
confirmed that there are greater and lesser sins isn't he okay he's literally
just confirmed that and obviously I don't think anyone here probably needs
remind it throughout the Bible there's constant commands to judge certain
things on it judge situation judge you know whether or not someone needs to be
kicked out of a church you know we're constantly being told to judge and it
obviously goes without saying and just you know something that just sprung to
my mind when I think about this is for example not telling the cashier that
they gave you a pound extra isn't the same as breaking in and robbing the
place is it but in these fools minds that that is well you couldn't judge
someone for breaking and robbing the place if you one day didn't tell someone
they gave you a bit of extra trade both are wrong both are wrong don't get me
wrong if someone gives you extra change you should be giving it back to them
the second you realize shouldn't you but there are obviously different levels of
sin but this sadly is a sort of stupidity you hear now why do we hear
that stupidity you know do you wonder why where's this all coming from because
on one way what does it affect the gospel maybe not because you know people
need to understand like we know the waves of sin is death yeah and look yeah
there are different levels of sin but ultimately sin will take you to hell
yeah one sin will take you to hell there's no one in the world that's done
one sin but one sin will take you to hell but as Matthew 7 5 says thou
hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shout thou see
clearly to cast out the moat out of thy brothers eye obviously it's talking what
when Jesus said judge not he was talking about hypocritical judgment okay
because I shouldn't be up here you know preaching hard on something that I have
an issue with myself or even more so if I'm trying to individually try and help
a brother with the sin it's very hard for me to do that if I'm in that sin
myself but but what's the point here the point is and again you know I think this
I doubt this is even a refresher for most but the point is is to first cast
out the beam out of thine own eye make sure that you're not in that sin and
then shout thou see clearly to cast out the moat out of thy brother's eye because
the whole aim of that is to be able to help your brother get out of sin isn't
it and if I'm just sitting there going well I can't judge can't talk about it
then everyone is just is just living in just just the depths of depravity
telling each other they just can't can't even talk about it can't even preach
about it can't even help you out of it go because we're all sinners you know
but yes the weight of sin is death isn't it and on that point obviously that's
physical and spiritual death as again I hope everyone is aware of fear the waves
of sin is physical and spiritual death but there are lower depths of hell aren't
there there are lower depths of hell you don't have to turn there David said in
Psalm 86 13 for great is thy mercy toward me and thou has delivered my soul
from the lowest hell from the lowest hell so there is a lower hell isn't
there there's the lowest hell in Deuteronomy 32 22 God is saying for a fire
is kindled in mine anger and shall burn unto the lowest hell and that's why
obviously in Revelation 20 12 and again you don't have to turn here it says and
I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and
another book was opened which is a book of life and the dead were judged out of
those things which were written in the books according to their works why are
they getting judged according to their works and the books are I believe the
books of the Bible there why would they be getting judged according to the
Bible according to their works if they're all just gonna go to this one
level of hell no because there is there's gonna be there's gonna be depths
can you imagine the most wicked people in the world some of the most sick and
vile people in the world are gonna be suffering a lot more than I would say
people that are nowhere near as sick and vile okay and there are levels of hell
there are depths of there are depths of hell but it's also the same with God
when he chastises his children isn't it okay and and look when he chastises
every son whom he receiveth we're all gonna get chastised chastise if we're
Christians when David sinned with Bathsheba and had Uriah the Hittite
killed he lost his child didn't he and had his son Absalom rebel against him
and everything that went with that as chastisement would that have happened if
he'd stolen a loaf of bread I don't think it would have done would it okay
and we see that with chastisement and I think that's pretty obvious isn't it
there are greater sins you're gonna get punished in life as a believer you're
not gonna go to hell but you're gonna get punished in life by God based on on
that sort of how bad that sin is and in the same way we punish our children
accordingly don't we to the crime and look that's also reflected in the law
isn't it that's reflected in the law of God with the different punishments the
law says in Leviticus 2013 and this is really what it's now boiling down to
nowadays isn't it because in Leviticus 2013 the Bible says that sodomy is
worthy of death isn't it the Bible's clear that that if you life with a with
a man you know as as you would with a woman but you are worthy of death okay
Leviticus 2013 makes that clear it's in a list of death penalty crimes including
incest and bestiality okay it's in this disgusting list of sins yet you get
these idiots today saying well unless you're sinless you can't judge that sin
I mean how ridiculous is that and that really is is part of the reason for it
isn't it part of the reason to just be able to kind of cozy up and buddy up
with the world and not make a stand on it and be able to just go well I'm a
Christian you know judge not judge not well I'm not sinless so I can't judge
that that the sort of vile vile disgusting sins if you're in tune with
the Word of God now you could say well I don't think as a world told me that it's
okay but what's the word of God say what's the word of God say it says that
it's punishable by death and of course we're not gonna go out and kill anyone
but that's what that's what God's government should do shouldn't it a
righteous government should do now where they say for example they like to say
well you know you can't say you know you can't say that unless you're sinless
unless you have some sort of sinless perfection you can't judge sodomites
well is that the same with bestiality then is that if you you come across
someone doing the most disgusting things I don't really want to go into them you
know what sort of disgusting things people do or should we just oh well you
can't judge that I'm not sinless I can't judge that it's ridiculous isn't it no I
don't think anyone would say that but they would sadly and they do sadly with
sins like sodomy and others and we're going to see that probably we're gonna
see that extend to pedophilia and other things aren't we the way the way the
world's going how bad is it but it's ridiculous isn't it absolutely
ridiculous but this is mainstream Christianity to this day isn't it yeah
well you know we judge not and then what that's the ones that are bold enough to
even say it's still a sin because a lot of them well well that was written in
those days oh you know you know it's just kind of we just take the general
gist of the Bible or what you know well you know that was the Old Testament well
that's not what the Bible says is it now I also on this sort of line I heard of
some pastor here in the UK rebuking his church members that didn't want to go to
his daughter's second marriage okay this is a pastor whose church members wanted
to make a staff got there you know it's not rebuking they just said I wouldn't
feel very comfortable you know going to your daughter's second marriage after a
divorce they don't want to you know bless that and be part of that and and
he was standing out there telling them they're holier than thou's and you know
these people at the church and this is the sort and this is an independent
Baptist Church a King James Bible independent Baptist Church claiming to
believe the whole counsel of God but but this is what we're dealing with isn't it
and that's the same sort of church that will say well you know sodomy is a sin
but you know just judge not you know let him into the church that's not what
the Word of God says does it and we need to stand on the Word of God now back back
to back to John 19 there but great verse that anyway for that and and just one of
many to show us so obviously there are levels of sin God recognizes that it's
ridiculous say otherwise verse 12 there says and from thenceforth Pilate sought
to release him but the Jews cried out saying if thou let this man go thou art
not Caesar's friend whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar
listen to the manipulation here right who's meant to be in charge Henry
pilot isn't it but that doesn't stop them manipulating him to make the
decision that they want does it and it's not just pilot is it turn to Matthew
chapter 27 well your turn now I'm gonna read mark 15 11 which says but the chief
priests moved the people that he should rather release Barabbas unto them they
moved the people Matthew 27 Matthew chapter 27 and from verse 20 reads but
the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask
Barabbas and destroy Jesus so they persuade the multitude to choose a
robber the one who led a rebellion the murderer a picture of the devil and to
this day the God haters persuade the multitude don't they they persuade the
multitude they move the people they move them to reject Jesus and choose the
devil don't they and they do that in a multitude of ways look at verse 21 here
in Matthew 27 the governor answered and said unto them whether of the train were
you that I release unto you they said Barabbas they said Barabbas
pilot saith unto them what shall I do them with Jesus which is called Christ
now look at this so they've gone from they've moved the people to ask for
Barabbas they all say unto him let him be crucified so the result of that
moving the people the result of of that persuading the multitude is that now
they all say let him be crucified it's not enough to reject him is it they want
him destroyed don't they they want him destroyed and they want the people to
call for that verse 23 and the governor said why what evil hath he done but they
cried out the more saying let him be crucified they're shouting this when
Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing but that rather a tumult was made as I
basically they've created now this like it's almost like a riot for him to be
killed he took water and washed his hands before the multitude saying I am
innocent of the blood of this just person see you to it but he wasn't was
he he's wrong there he's not innocent they just have the greatest in verse 25
then answered all the people and said his blood be on us and on our children
so look at the look at what's happened in the space of a few verses there now
all the people are not only saying his blood be on us and on our children too
and that's the thing with wickedness it affects more than just you doesn't it
and that's that's what Christ rejection does they were condemning their children
too and how many people in this world to this day I mean how often do you knock
on a door and there are kids there that actually want to hear don't they they
want to hear in their wicked parents stop them prevent them hearing the Word
of God how many times we had complaints and that I mean we had a when the past
was here we had a borderline fight in a park because we were trying to preach
to some teenagers and some were a bit younger than that they are you know we
weren't you know we were clearly just giving them some distance awesome they
wanted to hear the Word of God and this guy is so angry living out there trying
to get them in a ring up their parents you know to check that they can hear the
gospel and everything yet they just in the middle of not in the middle of a
park no one around you know well you know that's okay but someone's preaching
the gospel to them I mean can you imagine what would have happened what
could have happened to them yet they've got just some a couple of Christians
they're with kids just preaching the gospel to him this guy's livid he's in
sense funny though because one of them actually called the mum and the mum said
are they Jehovah's Witnesses we shouted out no she said that's alright then and
the daughter got saved amen to that but this guy you know I'd preached a few
kids then he come out pastors preaching to this this young girl and then I'm
basically just trying to do the silent partner I've got these kids saved you
know but there are so many more that wanted to hear and he's just cussing and
calling but you know in the end he's kind of like acting like he wants to
fight me then he's gonna he's gonna get all the men from the estate to come back
beat us up I'm just like do whatever you like mate we're carrying on and but he
did prevent other kids getting saved and he was just so angry so angry that we
preached the gospel to kids and and you know it's like this isn't it his blood
be on us and on our children that's what people are doing aren't they they're
just saying no no don't even want it don't want my kids to have the chance
and you hear often don't you hear people try and act like well pre you
know preach to their kids is telling them what to believe we just let them
make their own decision but where's their decision coming from TV most the
time is there TV the the social media or whatever else it is and and that's
really what you're saying you're saying no no I don't want someone with a Bible
to show them what the Bible says I'll just let them get brainwashed by the TV
and ultimately who are they the same people that are moving the people they're
moving the multitude because it comes it's the same god-hating reprobates
isn't it wicked isn't it verse 13 when pilot sorry back to John 19 verse 13
says when pilot therefore heard that saying he brought Jesus forth and sat
down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the pavement but in the
Hebrew gabbatha and it was a preparation of the Passover and about the sixth
hour and he said unto the Jews behold your King and they cried out away with
him away with him crucify him pilot saith unto them shall I crucify your
King the chief priests answered we have no King but Caesar more lies and
manipulation verse 16 then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified
and they took Jesus and led him away and he bearing his cross went forth into a
place called the place of a skull which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha so he's
carrying his own cross at this point but at some point we see Simon the
Cyrenian carrier don't we so I don't know for me it sounds like you've
probably got the point was unable to carry it I mean bear in mind he's been
beaten badly here he's been beaten he's he you know he's had a time of it here
and he starts off it seems by carrying the cross verse 18 where they crucified
him and two other with him on either side one in Jesus in the midst obviously
we see see what happened there in Luke but we're not going to go there for
sake of time today in verse 19 and pilot wrote a title and put it on the cross
and the writing was Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews this title then
read many of the Jews for a place where Jesus was crucified was an eye to the
city and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin so just because it said
King of the Jews doesn't mean that he didn't come to save the whole world does
it I had a guy once say this to me wise it's for people out there it's for like
you know Middle Eastern people that's what you know Christianity is for well
no it wasn't it was out there but no that and I think that's a sign of that
isn't it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin it's for the whole world
isn't it verse 21 then said the chief priests of the Jews to pilot right not
the King of the Jews but that he said I am King of the Jews so they're still
trying to tell pilot aren't they what to do here they're not even just trying to
like manipulate now they're just telling him aren't they but he's not having it
now at least pilot answer what I have written I have written then the soldiers
when they crucified Jesus took his garments and made four parts to every
soldier apart 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
render is to basically rip it but cast lots for it whose it shall be that the
scripture might be fulfilled which saith they part of my raiment among them and
for my vesture they did cast lots he sings therefore the soldiers did that's
from Psalm 22 by the way verse 25 now they're stood by the cross of Jesus his
mother and his mother's sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene now
other than the disciple John we don't hear anything of the other disciples
being there do we but as Matthew 27 55 it turn there if you like but keep a
finger over seeing John Matthew 27 55 to 56 says and many women were there
beholding afar off many women which followed Jesus from Galilee ministering
unto him among which was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother James and Joseph and
the mother of Zebedee's children so many women are there until the end aren't
they they haven't forsaken him they're still there they may not have been
chopping people's ears off casting devils out of people you know previously
obviously when they're going out the disciples debating who will sit at
Jesus side in heaven but they didn't forsake him did they didn't forsake him
either they didn't leg it they didn't hide out they were there until the
bitter end weren't they these women many women were there until the bitter end
and we want women like that don't we well we were like that in this church
women like that in in all churches don't we because they might not be the big
news you know they might not be the big preacher or the big you know that the
sole winner who's got that time who hasn't got the kids at home you know
hasn't you know is it looking after the husband and the children and be able to
get out more often they'll be able to go and do this and that and sometimes maybe
they do feel a bit in the in the shadow there feel a bit like well you know I
can't I'm not able to do what what my husband's doing or to do what these
other men are doing or you know whatever else but these women are there till the
bitter end and they can just week in week out serve God can't they week in
week out just be there not forsake him just be doing those doing doing that
that godly woman bit just week in week out year after year and for me that's a
great testimony isn't it and of course you know women should be out soul
winning for sure and women should be doing things you know should obviously
be doing things for God but you know it could be hard sometimes can't it and
obviously there are positions in the church which are only for men the Bible
is clear about that we don't have to apologize for that that's how God God
ordains it but these women here I think you're a great example aren't they
women that do not forsake you because they can be can't they it could be the
big news in a church they could be the guy that turns up and nowhere
suddenly he's at every soul winning event you know he's there he's you know
the kind of big I am everywhere and everyone knows that and then they just
Peter out disappear with time start to see him less and less suddenly they're
no longer at church anymore and they might get a lot done in a year maybe six
months or whatever it is but it's you know the Christian life's measured over
decades isn't it verse 26 when Jesus sorry back to back to John 19 when Jesus
therefore saw his mother and the disciples 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 now
I don't know what had happened to Joseph or how old Jesus Jesus brothers were at
this time but that's a love and a trust that Jesus had for John isn't it okay
and we obviously seen this time and time again in this gospel that that kind of
elevation of John isn't it the disciple there that he basically said to him you
know that he's sent his mum home with him to be looked after by him that's it
that's a big deal isn't it I don't know about you guys but I wouldn't be sending
my mum home with most no offense but with most people in here I'm sure you're
great guys you know but you know Jesus said look John you know you can look
after my mum and that's you know again that just shows that elevation of John
isn't it verse 28 after this Jesus knowing that all things were now
accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled saith I thirst now there was
set a vessel full of vinegar and they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it
upon hyssop and put it to his mouth now this is fulfilling Psalm 69 21 you don't
have to turn it but it says they gave me also gall for my meat and in my thirst
they gave me vinegar to drink verse 30 when Jesus therefore had received the
vinegar he said it is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost you
feel like he was holding on to fulfill all things here don't you there's not
like he was just right this is the time good I think he was just holding on and
holding on and then finally right all things were fulfilled verse 31 the Jews
therefore because it was a preparation that the body should not remain upon the
cross on the Sabbath day for that Sabbath day was in high day but salt
pilot that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away so
either it's to prevent escape while the cross is down or some say you heard this
before that the broken legs result in a quicker death anyone heard this before
yeah as they can't push themselves up to breathe because they're basically
hanging off the nails and aren't they so with the broken legs they're just
dropping off the light yes it's horrendous isn't it absolutely
horrendous verse 32 then came the soldiers and break the legs of the first
and of the other which was crucified with him but when they came to Jesus and
saw that he was dead already they break not his legs but one of the soldiers
with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came that out blood and water
now apparently this would likely be a build-up of fluid around the heart from
either what they call hyper volemic shock or asphyxiation brother max know
much about this okay so just by the maxes in in the medical field so yeah
not just because I want to pick on him there and see if he'd heard about this
okay so this is this is what they you know this is what I've read about I
don't know much about this but apparently these are the two most common
ways of dying from crucifixion okay so so it's basically a shock that you go
into asphyxiation basically that's choking strangling isn't it that from
you know you can't breathe now it says in verse 35 and he that saw it bare
record his record is true and he knoweth what that he sayeth true that you might
believe so even the fine details like the fluid okay and then we can learn we
learn about that afterwards that where okay that was the way they died and it's
hardly fairy tales is it hardly fairy tales like these god rejectors like to
say anyone heard that said to you before I heard that sort of nonsense come out
I was just fairy tales oh you believe in your sky daddy in your fairy tales and
everything else well even to the finer details of the blood and water coming
out when he was speared in the side but again it's just they just want any
reason it's and again it's a mockery isn't it it's a purple robe it's a crown
all your fairy tales like with some sort of idiots for believing the words of God
but but how rich is the Word of God and how accurate is the Word of God even in
fine details like this verse 36 for these things were done that the
scripture should be fulfilled a bone of him shall not be broken now you know
Exodus 12 46 when describing a Passover which is obviously a picture of Christ
says in one house shall it be eaten thou shalt not carry forth alt of the flesh
abroad out of the house neither shall you break a bone thereof and that's
that command about the bones repeat again in Numbers 2 and obviously that
that's the prophecy of Jesus Christ isn't it he's fulfilling that Passover
and and remember that Jesus is the Lamb of God which taken away the sin of the
world isn't he okay and not one bone of him was broken which is a miracle in it
self really considering what he went through you know think how you know how
bones can think with the beatings think how easy a nose breaks maybe or a cheek
bone or or something else like that I mean I like to say that those reprobate
Jews couldn't punch very hard it was probably a bit like I'm not saying he
didn't he didn't get it though he still got it didn't he you know and that he
got so badly beaten and abused but not one bone was broken was it verse 37
and again another scripture saith they shall look on him whom they pierced
turn to Zechariah chapter 12 so Zechariah 12 now just bear in mind that
Zechariah chapter 12 is the Lord speaking here in verse 10 where he says
Zechariah 12 10 and I will pour upon the house of David and upon the
inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they
shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as
one mourneth for his only son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is
in bitterness for his firstborn who's he talking about himself just another great
verse to show that Jesus is God yeah Jesus is God that's the Lord they're
saying they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and look it's just
more scripture being fulfilled there as well isn't it more scripture being
fulfilled and I remember seeing some stats once about they're like the you
know the the possibility of someone fulfilling so much scripture so much
prophecy and how it was I can't remember but it was something like billions and
billions and billions of chance to one it was impossible for someone to have
fulfilled all of that by chance it's just scripture after scripture after
scripture on there's so many prophecies verse 38 and after this Joseph of
Arimathea being a disciple of Jesus but secretly for fear of the Jews besought
Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus and Pilate gave him leave and
came therefore and took the body of Jesus and there came also Nicodemus
which at the first came to Jesus by night and brought a mixture of myrrh and
aloes about an hundred pound weight now these guys haven't exactly been taking
on the world for Christ at this point have they and we don't know for sure
that Nicodemus was saved but if he was they kind of been the sort of low
profile Christian here haven't they that the ones that we would most likely
criticize it would probably be getting rebuked a bit from the pulpit here but
they've still become a key part of the story haven't they they become a key
part of the story the other Gospels tell us that Joseph this Joseph of Arimathea
was rich and had bought the grave okay so he actually bought the grave
Nicodemus comes with all of the stuff needed for a clean burial look at verse
40 where we are then took lay the body of Jesus and wound it in linen clothes
with the spices as a manner of the Jews is to bury now in the place where he was
crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new sepulcher wherein was never
man yet laid now you know from this you could say look even if you've been a
lousy Christian yeah even if up to this point you've been a lousy Chris you've
been too scared to admit it like Joseph it's too scared to admit he's a Christian
you've been hanging out with the God haters like Nicodemus was wasn't he it's
never too late to get to work for God though is it never too late to get to
work for God you you could come to a church like this and just sing you know
I'm not a soul winner I'm not doing this I haven't even read my Bible through
once and feel maybe a bit out of place maybe but it's never too late is it it's
never too late to get going get get working for God get doing saying God
could give you stuff to do and you know I like I don't know I like I look at
this and I like to believe that they went on from here to just be these kind
of you know you know the these real just just strong Christians there and we
don't know do we okay and okay they're not really mentioned in the book of Acts
but we don't know we don't know and I'd hope and pray that maybe they did maybe
Nicodemus is still doing we're still doing stuff for God and maybe Joseph was
and maybe he got over that fear and maybe he started to be bolder I don't
know maybe didn't but it's never too late though is it never too late there's
still you know you still just get working for God you just gotta get get
doing things for God don't you and just get started and if that's just starting
by just start reading your Bible start coming to church regularly you know
start make sure you're in prayer make sure that that that you know that you're
trying to get sin out even if you're just getting one sin out of your life a
week a month whatever just start trying to do things for God and it's like the
snowball effect isn't it and the more you do for God the more you try and live
for God the more you're gonna grow and the more and the less you're gonna feel
out of place around other Christians that do seem to be doing more for God
that do seem to be doing that stuff and look and it's same with soul-willing
isn't it I wouldn't even know where to start I don't know how to give just get
out and listen be a silent partner we want silent partners we need silent
partners we need people out there every for every silent partner that's another
pair that can go out with every talker isn't it it's just more people that get
saved you know it makes no difference if I'm out with a silent partner if I'm out
with someone who's a who's a talker we're gonna get probably on that as a
rule you know as a law of averages same amount of people saved aren't we but I'll
tell you what if me and that talker both had a silent partner that's double the
amount of people saved isn't it and look you know even if you just just get out
and just start learning how to do it look that's what we need we need silent
partners we want people out we we don't want to rush you into the gospel because
I think there's a tendency as well that people can feel like I've got to I've
got to be preaching the gospel quick you know I've got it you know I've got to
show people are they gonna think that I'm no good I'm lousy no for me I if
you're a silent partner for a long time I'm thinking good they want to get it
right you know because that you know we look not look when you feel that burn
you want to start talking nothing wrong with that yeah we're not gonna limit you
we don't want to stop you doing that but there's nothing wrong with just get
it learning and learning and learning getting the point where you're bold
enough and confident enough to preach the gospel and there's no rush no one's
sitting there going rubbish Christian they've been a silent partner for three
weeks now you know three years I don't care just get out help pray you know
that's not look silent partners are massively underrated as well aren't they
aren't they massively underrated like you know and and there's an art to being
a good silent partner as well okay and being able to keep your mouth shut
that could be hard for some got it sometimes you know you just want to say
something because you know you just really want to get involved and and the
art of praying as well because it's easy to be a silent partner and you're you
you think that guy's praying you know and then and then afterwards you find
out they were you're asking sorry forgot there oh you know and look and even when
you're a silent partner and all of us obviously a lot of time we're going out
with with other people that preach the gospel so we do have to be silent
partners and often you might have to check yourself well we're gonna pray
here you know because you're just listening in and everything oh we want
to be praying want to be ready to deal with distractions we want to be keeping
them bold don't we want to want to be that strength we want to be you know
encouraging them look you know silent partners are important here and if you
feel like look you know I don't know I just feel I'm not that comfortable my
gospel but nothing wrong with going back to being a silent partner if you decide
look I just want to be silent for a bit longer again I want to go with some
different people you know I learn a bit more I feel like I'm still maybe a bit
shaky there's nothing wrong with that no one's going to sit there and go
backsliding backslidden into silent partnership it'll be out of church soon
no we don't think that do we we just think good we want you to get it right
want you to be confident want you to be bold enough to be able to preach the
gospel and here you know you just hope that these guys would have gone on to
that now verse 42 there laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews
preparation day for the Sepulchre was nigh at hand now it was nearby which
meant that they they weren't able to do it all before the Sabbath now what
Sabbath are they talking about here so it must been Good Friday Good Friday
because they're talking about the Sabbath but but Sabbath is used for any
rest day isn't it so Sabbath is used for the multitude of rest days and here it's
the annual Passover Sabbath so we can't then deduce that it was a Friday so how
do we deduce what day it was well Jesus made it clear it was three days of
three nights wasn't it so on that reckoning if there if he rose on the
first day of the week which is a Sunday okay the three days of three nights bear
in mind that the Hebrew day starts at night doesn't it the evening and the
morning were the first day so if he died on a Wednesday around the time of even
you've got the evening in the morning is one day you've got Thursday evening and
Friday morning is day two you got Friday evening and Saturday up until now
Saturday evening is day three and then at some point remember that that it was
early but it was while it was still dark they came and found the tomb empty so at
some point he rose didn't he on that basically what we would call Saturday
night which was in fact in the Hebrew day Sunday the first day of the week yeah
okay that and and you know you might sit there go a second but the Roman
Catholics have been wrong but the the Protestants said they've all been wrong
for that long yeah yeah maybe wrong about a lot of stuff yeah but wrong
about most things aren't they and and let's be honest every other basically
sired bastard religion you know version of Christianity from the Catholic Church
really again are all wrong aren't they because it's simple maths isn't it if he
died on a Friday and he said he'd be in in in the heart of the earth for three
days and three nights then how on earth did he rise on a Sunday it just makes no
sense and I remember being young and often just being a bit confused about
this you know just thinking maybe something I'm getting this wrong but
because again that the Sabbath didn't mean that it was that Saturday Sabbath
now like I said that the Roman Catholics they do get a lot wrong most importantly
they get salvation wrong don't they and there's no sacraments to get saved it's
as simple as believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and on
that let's pray father I thank you for your word I thank you I thank you that
that you that you did so much for us I thank you that you know that that you
know your son came and died on the cross in such a brutal way like what a way to
die and you know we so often I think could just just gloss over that how how
you know the Lord Jesus Christ died what he went through for us that he went to
the heart of the earth to hell for three days and three nights and yet then we
can just just sit there and think yeah well I'll just do the bare minimum no we
should be wanting to serve you should we we should just be getting our hearts
right and wanting to do whatever it takes for you for you to be pleased with
us after all you did for us but thank you for that free gift of salvation you
know I pray that you'll just help us to go forward this week and show show that
to other people with the sole winning times in a week to be back in to be to
make it to the sole winning marathon on Saturday as well and to get many people
saved and to be back here next week on Sunday as well for another day in your
house Jesus name we pray all of this amen