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Lifted Up
April 10, 2016
Jesus Christ was lifted up on the cross to take away the sins of the world -- for those who believe in Him and obey His word. The Jewish leadership and the Romans governor Pilate together crucified the Son of God. Jesus went to that cross willingly, though dreading it, and died there to wash away our sins. - Bernie Parsons
Lifted Up
A sermon by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 04-10-2016
Presented to Load church of Christ on 04-17-2016
John 3:13 "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down
from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must
the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal
life."
John 12:31 "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of
this world be cast out.
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying
what death he should die.
34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ
abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted
up?"
Jesus knew that the leadership of the Jews wanted Him dead.
John 8:37 "I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me,
because my word hath no place in you.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which
ye have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith
unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of
Abraham.
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which
I have heard of God: this did not Abraham."
Jewish leaders plotted to deliver Him to Pilate to be killed.
Matthew 26:1 "And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these
sayings, he said unto his disciples,
2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son
of man is betrayed to be crucified.
3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the
elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called
Caiaphas,
4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.5
But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the
people."
He agonized in prayer in Gethsemane.
Luke 22:41 "And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and
kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me:
nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as
it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."
They came after Him with swords and staves. Betrayed by Judas. Deserted
by disciples.
Mark 14:43 "And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of
the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from
the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I
shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.
45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith,
Master, master; and kissed him.
46 And they laid their hands on him, and took him.
47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of
the high priest, and cut off his ear.
48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a
thief, with swords and with staves to take me?
49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but
the scriptures must be fulfilled.
50 And they all forsook him, and fled."
One of His closest followers denied Him three times.
Mark 14:66 "And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of
the maids of the high priest:
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and
said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.
68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou
sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by,
This is one of them.
70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said
again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean,
and thy speech agreeth thereto.
71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of
whom ye speak.
72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word
that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me
thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept."
Jesus was on mock trial by governor Pilate, with Jewish leaders accusing
Him.
Mark 15:1 "And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a
consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and
bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.
2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering
said unto him, Thou sayest it.
3 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered
nothing."
Jesus was mocked, spit upon, crowned with thorns and scourged.
Matthew 27:27 "Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the
common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his
head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him,
and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him,
and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him
they compelled to bear his cross."
John 19:1 "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head,
and they put on him a purple robe,
3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.
4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I
bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple
robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out,
saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him,
and crucify him: for I find no fault in him."
Luke 23:20 "Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to
them.
21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I
have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and
let him go.
23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be
crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.
24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
25 And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast
into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their
will.
26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian,
coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might
bear it after Jesus."
The scourging and the crucifixion are barely mentioned, but those words
contain the horror of what was done to our Lord. He was wrongly accused
as a criminal, mocked, spit upon, crowned with thorns and beaten about
the head, put through a mockery of a trial, scourged to the point of
near collapse, made to carry His cross, and then cruelly nailed to it,
hands and feet. He was lifted up on the cross so that He could lift us
up out of sin and into the kingdom of God.
