BS6L- DARK DAYS AND SUMMARY
At the foot of the cross Christ’s disciple John, his mother Mary, Mary Magdalene and a few other women followers were there for His final words. Final words from a loved one are important. They’re ones we don’t easily forget.
Jesus had entrusted his Spirit into His Father’s hands and then said with finality:
John 19:30
He had voluntarily laid down his life for the sins of the world. He died at the exact moment that he willed it. Thus, in death as in life, he was in charge. No one could say that they had taken his life. No, he had freely given it --- for us.
Because the Sabbath was soon to be upon them, the Jewish leaders insisted that the bodies be off the crosses. To hurry along death the legs of both the thieves on either side of Jesus were broken.
John 19:31-32
But when they came to Jesus, they could see he had already died and didn’t break his legs. Instead, they thrust a spear upward into Christ’s side piercing the lining around his heart and lungs. Out poured a mixture of blood and water. This separated mixture of serum and blood would medically prove beyond doubt that Jesus had really died on that cross. Without knowing it they had fulfilled two prophecies. What were they?
John 19:33-37 / Psalm 34:20 / Zechariah 12:10
Joseph of Arimathea – a prominent member of the Sanhedrin – had been a secret follower of Jesus and had not agreed with the plan to kill him. Nevertheless, he had kept his commitment to Jesus a secret. Now, as darkness fell over the land he stepped out into the light. He went to Pilate and asked for Christ’s body. He would bury him in his own new tomb and spare Jesus from being thrown into the common grave.
Mark 15:42-43
What did Pilate need to do first before granting Joseph’s request?
Mark 15:44-45
An executioner certified Christ’s death to Pilate who was governor of the province. If he had gotten it wrong his life would have been on the line. If Pilate had gotten it wrong his job would have been on the line. But they both got it right. Jesus was dead.
Somewhere along the way Nicodemus joined up with Joseph. He was another secret disciple of Jesus from the Sanhedrin. It was time for him as well to step into the light and be counted at this terrible time. Together what did they do?
John 19:38-42
The women watched and made mental notes as to where this tomb was ---already anticipating coming back to anoint his body as soon as the Sabbath was over.
Matthew 27:55, 61
The Jewish leaders then asked Pilate if the tomb could be guarded. They wanted to prevent the tomb from being tampered with. The Jewish leaders may have already suspected Joseph and Nicodemus to be at the center of a plot by Christ’s disciples to steal the body and proclaim that he had risen – something Jesus had said he would do. What permission did Pilate grant to them?
Matthew 27:62-66
And so began some of the darkest hours for those who had really believed that Jesus was the Son of God – the Messiah. Fear and depression now engulfed those who had thought that Jesus would bring in the Kingdom of God, defeat the Romans and enable the Jewish people to rise again to greatness. It was truly a dark hour for Christ’s little band of followers.
WHY DID JESUS DIE? Summary
1. Jesus was sent from God to get back what we lost through the sin of our first parents Adam and Eve. In what is called “the fall of man” we lost our right-standing with God, our relationship with Him, our rights as God’s children, and our dominion over the earth.
2. But before sin was even committed, God had a plan ready and in place called redemption. It would be carried out by His Son Jesus Christ at a specific point in time and then continue into the future through the Holy Spirit.
3. it was time for Jesus to step out into His ministry, with God’s anointing, the first thing He did was to contend with Satan (who is behind the sin and death that all of us face in this fallen world). He succeeded three times, but the final time would be at Christ’s resurrection.
4. Jesus Christ was God’s anointed vehicle to be our way back to God. He could be that because He was fully human and fully God. As God, He was born without a sin nature, and the first person back on earth full of God’s Spirit. (The way we were all originally to be born). This made Jesus the perfect mediator for men and women who were helpless to make themselves right with God. Jesus literally had been born so He could die.
5. God dealt with our past sins by allowing His Son Jesus to die as our substitute. Christ’s shed blood on the cross enables us to be forgiven.
6. But it’s our inherited sin nature that keeps us sinning in the present. Therefore, just having our past sins forgiven isn’t enough. God dealt with our present sinning through a cosmic miracle that is effective for all times and generations. He literally reached down the centuries (starting at the beginning), took every one of our sinful natures, and put them into His Son on the cross to be crucified with Jesus. This means when Jesus died, our old nature died with him. It doesn’t mean we will never sin again, but we now have the possibility NOT to sin. Jesus brings us back to a place of neutrality and gives us a reprieve (or time) to ask Him for a “new operating system”.
7. Jesus deals with our future by giving His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) to all who will repent of their sins, turn to Him, and ask for His Spirit. When the Holy Spirit becomes our new operating system, He gives us the power NOT to sin and also the power to live for God in this fallen world. Without the Holy Spirit we are just forgiven sinners who try hard and are continually defeated. But when we receive the Holy Spirit it’s like a reset button has been pressed for our lives. We are restored to the way God originally intended and therefore able to rule and reign in our part of the universe -- with Him.
8. The Plan of Redemption is available to all, but it’s not automatic. God will never override your free-will. You have to believe it’s for you, change your thinking regarding how you live your life, and then start walking with Jesus by His indwelling Holy Spirit.
9. The Holy Spirit is vital because He is your indwelling tutor to remind you of what Jesus said and how to apply His words to your life. He is also the power you will need to do anything God asks of you.
Next Study: BS7 - THE RESURRECTION