Text: John 18:1-19:37
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
On Palm Sunday, the people gathered in Jerusalem and hailed Jesus as their King. In their hands they waved palm branches. With their lips they confessed Him to be the King of Israel, the king that the Prophet Zechariah had prophesied about. He was the One the people were looking for.
Then on Maundy Thursday, the Temple soldiers gathered in the Garden of Gethsemane looking for Jesus of Nazareth. They were not looking for their king. When they found Him, they bound his hands. Previously in John chapter six, Jesus departed from the crowd that wanted to make him king by force. Now, Jesus willingly allowed the crowd to take him and reject him as king by force.
Then on Good Friday, the Jews gathered before Pontius Pilate to hand over Jesus of Nazareth. Pilate asked our Lord Jesus if He was in deed the King of the Jews. Jesus affirms that He is the king. This is why He was born, but His kingdom is not of this world. Pilate, finding no fault in Jesus wanted to release the King back to His people, but they didn’t want Him. Instead, they chose to have a guilty murder named Barrabas rather than have a guiltless King Jesus.
Then the Roman soldiers gathered around Jesus to flog Him. With their hands they struck Him violently. With their lips they mocked Him as King of the Jews. In His hand they placed a reed and on His head they placed a crown of thorns. What a distorted sight! Here sat the King of Glory with thorns from the cursed ground stuck in His Sacred Head.
Then Jesus was brought before the Jews, bloody and beaten. Pilate again declared Him to be the King of the Jews. Pilate wanted to release Jesus alive, but the people who had gathered wanted Him dead. They cried out, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15 ESV). Pilate then washed his hands and gave Jesus into the hands of the Jews to be crucified.
In the days of Samuel the prophet, the people of God demanded Samuel to give them a king like the Gentiles. Samuel was crushed at such a thought. Then the Word of the Lord came to him declaring that the people of God were not rejecting Samuel. Instead they were rejecting God Himself as their King.
Once again, the people of God were rejecting their King. They knew that the Lord Himself was their King; yet, they so quickly confessed Caesar alone as king so that they could put Jesus to death on a cross.
On the cross, Pilate again testifies to the fact that Jesus is the King of the Jews when he wrote the title of our King on the title block above the cross which read, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” This sign was written in three languages for the people gathered around to read. It was written in Hebrew, the language of the Jews, Greek, the common language of the empire, and Latin, the language of the Romans. These were the three original languages used to spread the gospel message and here they are on the wood of the cross declaring the gospel message for all the people gathered.
Let us look at the words of this title. First, the word “Jesus” means God saves. This title shows us that in this man salvation is found—the salvation that God offers to the whole world. In the death of Jesus, God would win salvation for all people. Second, the word “Nazareth” points us to Jesus being the true Nazarene of the Old Testament. One who was devoted and dedicated to God. Jesus was the only One who was perfectly devoted to God’s law. Third, the title of “King of the Jews” points us to Jesus being the fulfillment of the long awaited Messianic King. The Jews were the ones who were entrusted with the Word of God that promised the Savior of the nations. The lifting up of Jesus on the cross would usher in the Heavenly Kingdom for us all. Jesus said, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” John 12:32 (ESV). From the cross in Jerusalem, this Word of God that had been entrusted to the Jews was sent throughout the world to all nations.
On the cross hung the Savior of the world with outstretched arms and pierced hands. His death was the work of our own hands because of our own sins. With His precious blood, He has purchased and won us so that we may live under Him in His Kingdom. When His work was completed, He cried out, “It is finished.” Then He died commending His spirit into the Father’s hands.
What great comfort there is to be found in these words, “It is finished.” Jesus has completely finished all that is necessary to gain for us access to Heaven. He has merited eternal life for us. He has paid a debt that is impossible for us to pay. No matter how hard we try, we can never rid ourselves of our own sinfulness. We can never meet the perfect demands of the law, but Jesus did. He has atoned for our sins. We do not need to trouble our conscience with making ourselves good enough to deserve Heaven. Jesus gives to us the gift of His Kingdom.
His work was completed in His death. His side was pierced open just as the door to Heaven has now been opened to us. His body was taken down from the cross and laid to rest in the tomb. Jesus had completed His work on our behalf. Now His body lay at rest from His labor. His eyelids closed and His body lay asleep. Just as He has made His grave a bed for His body, He has made our future graves into beds for our bodies. Death has been defeated.
All who are of the truth listen to the voice of Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26; ESV). Those who believe, even though they die, shall live for ever. Amen.
