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What Jesus Did For You And MeText: Hebrews 3:1 Introduction:
I. The words of the Hebrew writer encourage men to,
“consider Jesus.” In connection with our consideration
of Jesus this morning, I want us to consider, “What
Jesus has done for you and me.”
II. As man views the life and teaching of Jesus, more often
than not, he views it from an impersonal standpoint.
But, we must be made to realize that the things that
Jesus did he did for you and me.
Body:
I. He left Heaven and assumed the form of man for you and
me.
A. He left Heaven…
1. Scriptures:
a. Philippians 2:5-7
b. John 6:38 (Many look upon this Scripture and
place no more meaning to it than if we were
saying, “A man traveled from New Orleans to
assume a new job.”
2. The meaning is far deeper and with far richer
sacrifice.
a. From the place of creator, he assumed the
place of the created.
1) Colossians 1:16
2) Genesis 2:7
3) Philippians 2:7
b. He substituted an existence of immortal
spirit for a tabernacle of clay, subject to
death.
1) 1 Timothy 1:17
2) Philippians 2:8
c. From the station of deity being worshipped,
He became a man offering worship.
1) Philippians 2:6-7
2) Matthew 6:9
3) Matthew 11:25
3. To come then from a blissful existence in Heaven
to a sin saturated world, would demand a great
sacrifice. Yet Jesus did this for you and me.
II. Jesus revealed the Father to you and me.
A. Matthew 11:27
B. John 14:5-11
1. The Scriptures teaches us that the Son revealed
the Father. But How?
2. Thru His teaching, he revealed the nature of the
Father. John 14:10, 24
3. Thru His deeds, Jesus revealed the Father.
C. John 5:19-23
1. By this, we know how to glorify and please the
Father.
III. Jesus became “Sin” for you and me. 2 Corinthians 5:21
A. The Scripture clearly shows us that Jesus had
committed no sin himself. “knew no sin.” (also 1
Peter 2:21-22)
B. Yet, the apostle Paul says He, “was made to be sin
on our behalf.” What does this mean?
C. Jesus, though sinless, became our sacrificial lamb
that we might rid ourselves of sin.
IV. Jesus died for you and me. Romans 5:8
A. How easy the words pass our lips, “died for us,”
“nailed to the cross,” “crucified.”
B. Yet we fail to comprehend the great suffering that
took place on that day.
“Preparations for the scouring are carried out. The prisoner
is stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post
above His head. It is doubtful whether the Romans made any
attempt to follow the Jewish law in this matter of scourging.
The Jews had an ancient law prohibiting more than forty
lashes. The Pharisees, always making sure that the law was
strictly kept, insisted that only thirty-nine lashes be
given. (In case of a miscount, they were sure of remaining
within the law.)
“The Roman legionnaire steps forward with the flagrum (or
flagellum) in his hand. This is a short whip consisting of
several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead
attached near the ends of each.
“The heavy whip is brought down with full force again and
again across Jesus’ shoulders, back and legs. At first the
heavy thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows
continue, they cut deeper into the subcutaneous tissues,
producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and
veins of the skin, and finally spurting arterial bleeding
from vessels in the underlying muscles. The small balls of
lead first produce large, deep bruises which are broken open
by subsequent blows. Finally the skin of the back is hanging
in long ribbons and the entire area is an unrecognizable mass
of torn, bleeding tissue. Then it is determined by the
centurion in charge that the prisoner is near death, the
beating is finally stopped.
“The half-fainting Jesus is then untied and allowed to slump
to the stone pavement, wet with His own blood. The Roman
soldiers see a great joke in the provincial Jew claiming to
be a king. They throw a robe across His shoulders and place
a stick in His hand for a scepter. They still need a crown
to make their travesty complete. A small bundle of flexible
branches covered with long thorns, (commonly used for
firewood) are plaited into the shape of a crown and this
pressed into His scalp. Again there is copious bleeding (the
scalp being one of the most vascular areas of the body.)
After mocking Him and striking Him across the face, the
soldiers take the stick from His hand and strike Him across
the head, driving the thorns deeper into His scalp. Finally,
they tire of their sadistic sport and the robe is torn from
His back. This had already become adherent to the clots of
blood and serum in the wounds, and its removal, just as in
the careless removal of a surgical bandage, causes
excruciating pain…almost as though He were again being
whipped—and the wounds again begin to bleed.
“In deference to Jewish custom, the Romans return His
garments. The heavy patibulum of the condemned Christ, two
thieves and the execution detail of the Roman soldiers,
headed by a centurion; begin its slow journey along the Via
Dolorosa. In spite of His efforts to walk erect, the weight
of the heavy wooden beam, together with the shock produced by
copious blood loss, is too much. He stumbles and falls. The
rough wood of the beam gouges into the lacerated skin and
muscles of the shoulders. He tries to rise, but human
muscles have been pushed beyond endurance. The centurion,
anxious to get on with the crucifixion, selects a stalwart
North African onlooker, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross.
Jesus follows, still bleeding and sweating the cold, clammy
sweat of shock. The 650 yard journey from the Fortress
Antonia to Golgotha is finally completed. The Prisoner is
again stripped of His clothes—except for a loin cloth which
is allow the Jews.
“The crucifixion begins, Jesus is offered wine mixed with
Myrrh, a mild analgesic mixture. He refuses to drink. Simon
is ordered to place the patibulum on the ground and Jesus is
quickly thrown backward with His shoulders against the wood.
The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the
wrist. He drives a heavy, square, wrought iron nail through
the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the
other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull
the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement.
The patibulum is then lifted into place at the top of the
stipes and the titulus reading, “Jesus of Nazereth, King of
the Jews” is nailed in place.
“The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot,
and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven
through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately
flexed. The Victim is now crucified. As He slowly sags down
with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excoriating,
fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to
explode in the brain—the nails in the wrists are putting
pressure on the median nerves. As He pusher Himself upward
to avoid this stretching torment, He places His full weight
on the nail through His feet. Again, there is the searing
agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the
metatarsal bones of the feet.
“At this point, another phenomenon occurs. As the arms
fatigue, great waves of cramps sweep over the muscles,
knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With
these cramps comes the inability to push Himself upward.
Hanging by His arms, the pectoral muscles are paralyzed and
the intercostal muscles are unable to act. Air can be drawn
into the lungs, but cannot be exhaled, Jesus fights to raise
Himself in order to get even one short breath. Finally,
carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream
and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, He is able
to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in the life-giving
oxygen. It was, undoubtedly during these periods that He
uttered the seven short sentences which are recorded.
The first, looking down at the Roman soldiers casting lots
for His garments, “Father, forgive them for they know not
what they do.” The second, to the penitent thief, “Today
thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”
The third, looking down at…John (the beloved Apostle), He
said, “Behold thy mother,” and looking to Mary, his mother,
“Woman, behold thy son.”
The fourth cry is from the beginning of the 22nd Psalm, “My
God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Hours of his limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-
rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation searing
pain as tissue is torn from His lacerated back as He moves up
and down against the rough timber; then another agony begins.
A deep crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium
slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart, Let
us remember again the 22nd Psalm (the 14th verse). “I am
poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my
heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.”
It is now almost over—the loss of tissue fluids has reached a
critical level—the compressed heart is struggling to pump
heavy, thick sluggish blood into the tissues—the tortured
lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of
air. The markedly dehydrated tissues send their flood of
stimuli to the brain.
Jesus gasps His fifth cry, “I thirst.” Let us remember another verse from the prophetic 22nd Psalm:
“My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue
cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust
of death.”
A sponge soaked in Posca, the cheap, sour wine which is the
staple drink of the Roman legionnaires, is lifted to His
lips. He apparently doesn’t take any of the liquid. The
body of Jesus is now in extremis, and He can fell the chill
of death creeping through His tissues. This realization
brings out His sixth words—possibly little more than a
tortured whisper. “It is finished.”
His mission of atonement has been completed. Finally He can
allow His body to die.
With one last surge of strength, He once again presses His
torn feet against the nail, straightens His legs, takes a
deeper breath, and utters His seventh and last cry, “Father,
into thy hands I commit my spirit.” “The Crucifixion of
Jesus” by C. Truman Davis, M. D., M.S.
C. After this reading, we might better understand
the meaning of Paul’s words to the Philippians
in Philippians 2:8: “even the death on the
cross.”
V. Jesus has prepared a place in heaven for you and me.
A. John 14:1-3
B. This is a prepared place for a prepared people.
“I gave my lie for thee, my precious blood
I shed That thou mightst ransomed be, and quickened
from the dead;
I gave, I gave my life for thee: What hast thou
given for me?”
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