John 19:27-30 "The Debt Paid In Full"

The Cross in John 19 and the Sovereignty of God

We're gonna be in chapter 19 today. Those are absolutely beautiful songs. Once again, I To worship God with each other today is an absolute privilege, but we're gonna be in John chapter 19 so I would encourage you to start turning that way right now as we Are going to open up in a word prayer before we look even in this text.

But we're gonna be in John chapter 19 verses 27 through 30. So let us begin with the word of prayer. Lord we just we thank you for this opportunity to come and worship you Lord God we once again. We want to be these willing vessels.

I want to take your gospel forward. And so Lord, I would just pray that you might help Help us see what your truth is Lord God. We might just stick to your word alone as truth or that we not might not be swayed by feelings.

Emotions Some.

Things that are subjective to ourselves Lord, but that we just be firm upon your word alone. And Lord I would just pray that through that kind of thinking that we just might have a deeper theology today.

And so Lord, I would just lift this up to you.

God, I.

Once again God if I say anything incorrect about this text what I would pray that I would be held accountable for those things. But that upon our minds today. We might not remember anything that I say, but that we might just remember your Almighty words.

It is finished. And so the Lord we just say these things in your holy name Jesus Christ.

Amen.

We're gonna be in verses 27 through 30 today. So as we read this text church I want to let us know real fast that as I went to study this week this text There's not enough words that could be said to unpack.

What we're about to be looking at.

We'd have to thoroughly look into the whole Testament and read from Genesis all the way until the beginning of math. You don't understand what's taking place here on this cross. The amount of prophecy that's being fulfilled here the amount of Sadness that takes place the amount of love.

There's just not enough time that we could thoroughly understand these things. And so I hope today that we might have a better understanding as we come to look at something like this as Recorded in the Gospel of John, but let us let us read through this night.

I hope that you understand after we're done reading here why it's with so much Weight that we're looking at this kind of a text why it's so difficult to understand fully What's taking place here. Because I can't even rationalize my entire sin being paid for in the body of Christ.

Let alone each and every one of us underneath this roof today. I just Can't fathom an idea like that. And so let us let us look at this text. This is Coming from verse 26. And so what we'll do is we'll start out in verse 26.

We'll read all the way to 30 says in here when Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby. He said to his mother Woman behold your son. Then he said to the disciples Behold to the disciple behold your mother.

And from that hour the disciple took her into his household into his own household and After this Jesus knowing that all things had already been accomplished in order that the scripture might be fulfilled said I am thirsty.

A Jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of sour wine upon a branch of Hyssop and Upon and brought it up to his mouth.

When Jesus therefore.

Received the sour wine. He said it is finished. And he bowed his head and he gave up his spirit. Let us pray specifically over this text again. Lord God, I would just pray that we would be edified by these verses.

That we would love you more because of these verses and that you would be glorified reading of this text today. Lord it is at your cross that we are saved. It is at the cross that sin was atoned for without this cross that the propitiation that was done.

And Lord it took you in flesh to pay this mighty price. That was no doubt owed and due to us. Lord it is with the utmost praise that we come to you today and worship you as you are in a text like this.

So Lord, I just pray that once again, you would be edified by these things and we say this in your holy name Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Christ's Suffering, Fulfilled Scripture, and the Meaning of "I Am Thirsty"

There was much time that this week that I just stared at my notes Empty and blanked with no words written down because I didn't even know where to start. We're even right. What what what can I say that would even add to what the Word of God has explained fully in this text?

This is just as a little bit of context to to unpack a text like this from verses 27 through 30. I really do think it's important that we remind ourselves of what was has been taking place prior in the Gospel of John.

We've seen Jesus Christ before a before a unrighteous high priest that's representing Jesus. It's supposed to be representing Jesus. But he's failing to do so and he's passed a judgment on Jesus and sent him on his way bound to Pilate.

Pilate has given three times saying I find no guilt in this man and Yet has turned him over to the Jews to be crucified has said that they're there what their wishes are for him to be Crucified he's given into those please.

Jesus has been scourged upon the back. He's had a crown of thorns placed on his head. He's been mocked Continually this whole time. He has proclaimed that this is my kingdom my kingdom is not of this world is what Christ has proclaimed in John chapter 18 and we see what the king of not this world how he's being treated in this kind of a text and It should have been the scourging shouldn't have taken place.

The crown of thorns shouldn't have taken place. This cross that we're reading about in this text should not have taken place. Before we even read over this text I want to read one more time as we have in these last couple of weeks.

Acts chapter 4. And the reason I want to read this Acts chapter 4 27 through 29 is to let us be focused on Whom we're worshiping today a God that is sovereign Over John chapter 19 and it's important that we do this so.

Acts chapter 4 27 through 29. Acts chapter 4 27.

Through 29 27 through 29. It says this we're truly in this city.

They were gathered together against thy holy servant Jesus whom thou disappoint both Herod and Pontius Pilate along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel to do whatever thy hand and thy purpose predestined to.

Occur and.

Now Lord take note of their threats and grant that thy bondservants may speak Thy word with all confidence. There is not a single hair upon a head of a Roman soldier that is crucifying Christ. That is not underneath the absolute sovereignty of God and John chapter 19.

There's not a single action that takes place against Jesus Christ. That is not underneath the absolute sovereignty fulfillment of Scripture. So on and so forth of God and John chapter 19. We read from Isaiah chapter 53 and that was written 730 plus years prior in the life of Jesus.

And just from that short section that we read is clear that Christ has had a predetermined plan this whole time. That he would ransom for himself of people for his own glory. And this is why this text that we look at in John chapter 19.

It makes me tremble to even try to understand this fully. Let's go back to John 19 verse 27 Here 30 and remember that this is according to the predetermined plan of God. Verses 27 through 30 this is coming after Jesus in severe pain as we talked about last week that it would be.

It's.

Excruciating to try to even breathe upon this cross. Excruciating to even talk upon a cross. Especially if the weight was being borne on his arms. And they absolutely was because he was pierced through as we read in Isaiah chapter 53.

He was pierced through and so because of that he has the weight upon himself. Hanging forward he has to take a draw of breath in which would mean that you have to pull it himself up. While using his arms, it's painful for Jesus to talk in this text.

He says to the disciple whom he loved behold your son or to his mother. He says woman behold your son, and then he says to the disciple whom you love behold your mother. And we this is this text and we kind of talked upon it a little bit last week.

And so we'll be quick in this but the important parts that I think that we need to remember in a text like this. Is it reminds me of Matthew chapter 12 verses 46 through 50 and also Ephesians chapter 2 verse 19?

Upon many other. In the same way that John this disciple whom Jesus loved has taken Mary Jesus's mother who is a sinner and has been saved by Jesus Christ just like you and I. The disciple cares for her.

He takes her into his own household. And I want this to be a reminder to us to look around this room today and to remember her.

That we are all in Christ and.

We all call each other's mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters and that we are to treat each other like we are underneath the same household and Then the thing how am I serving one another how am I serving my brother and my sister?

This is not a friendship that we have underneath this household. This is a family that we have underneath this household because we are in Christ and think about the ways that we are Disrespecting each other.

Are we hurting our fellowship by hurting our brothers and our sisters? Are we hurting our fellowship by hurting our mothers and our fathers? Are we hurting our fellowship when we not obey each other in those ways?

The disciple whom Jesus loved has taken Mary in and has treated her as her own mother in his Household. And I'm going to read from the Ephesians chapter 2 verse 19 As a reminder of what we are to be in the church context.

Ephesians chapter 2 verse 19. It says so then you are no longer strangers and an aliens. We are no longer these things. But you are fellow citizens with the Saints and are of God's.

Household. We should love one another very very deeply.

When we speak of fellowship, it's not in the sense that we are friends with people. That's not doing a good. Definition of that word fellowship fellowship is that because you are all equally we are all equally under sin.

God has covered us and because of that covering we love one another we are equal with each other. We are all brothers and sisters in this God's household. And so we see the disciple whom Jesus loved care for Mary in such of a way.

That he invites her back into our household and this is interesting in of itself because there are many people. In verse 27, it says and from that hour the disciple took her into his household. So he understands now this this plea of Christ to take care of his own mother to the disciple and John Takes her into his own household.

He treats her as his own and in that sense We need to remember there. There's some people that would tell you that Christianity you have to Sell your house and you have to go and do this meditation thing and be one at one in this way.

Not worldly in any sense. Did you just notice that John has a house? John has a house. They miss quote and they take the context from Matthew chapter 19 16 through 26. Out of context and that's when this rich ruler who is prideful Sinful and so on and so forth comes to Christ and says I have not broken any of these laws.

And how do I enter into this kingdom of God and Christ says well you need to go and sell all your possessions and then you're worthy to enter in and as we see the This this rich man, he's unwilling to do that.

And so we see them the principle that Christ is getting at that if you're not willing to leave this world behind and come to me. You're not worthy of. But John the disciple whom Jesus loved has a house.

He has possessions in that sense. So it's not saying that you today need to go sell your house and become homeless. That's not what that's doing, but that you should utilize what you have to bless each other with.

That you should love one another in that way. Let's continue on into verse 28. Verse 28 after this Jesus, you know. After this. It's not before the cross that Christ says. I Know all things have been correct.

It's while our all have been complete. It's while on the cross.

After this.

That he says knowing all things are complete all things have been fulfilled all things.

Have been accomplished.

I'm going to make mention of this word accomplished right here in this text because it's the First of the two times that it's ever used in the New Testament. Accomplished it is to tell us I and we see that here in verse 30 where Christ says it is finished.

It's that same word to tell us I that Christ says in verse 30. So Christ says G John records that Christ knew all things had been. To tell us I all things have been fulfilled all things have been accomplished.

And it's not prior to the cross that these things have happened it's not a year prior. It's not any of those things but that all things had been accomplished on this cross. And it's right before this that Christ will then finally give up his spirit that he knows this but Christ says all things have been accomplished now.

We're gonna make mention of it a little bit more in verse 30 because the verse 30 is once again This this sweet sweet text that we have here today. But it says in verse 28 that Jesus knowing all things.

I want to ask you how many people In the Roman time have been crucified a lot a lot. Did any of them know that all things have been accomplished? No, not a single one of them. I Can't stand up here today.

Nor can you sit down here today and say I know what's going to happen in an hour. We can't say those kind of things but Christ in this text knows all.

Things.

This is because Jesus is.

Omniscient.

He knows all things and this is a attribute that only God has. Only God has this attribute. Like I said, we'll talk about this a little bit more in verse 30. But we need to remember this is God upon the cross.

This is Jesus Christ fully God and fully man upon the cross. We're gonna continue on now. It says Jesus known that all things have been accomplished in order that the scripture might be fulfilled. In Order that the scripture might be fulfilled.

This saying happens all the time in the New Testament. It's fitting for him to fulfill all righteousness. It's so scripture might be fulfilled. We see that Christ to be the Christ to be Jesus to have this atonement He has to fulfill all Old Testament Prophecy he has to.

If we say that there is one prophecy that Christ is supposed to fulfill in this first advent that he failed.

To fulfill.

He is no longer the Messiah. Christ fulfilled it all and What great confidence do we take in? That every single word of Christ in the New Testament is not one that was spoken out of randomness. Spoken out of a predetermined sovereign prophesied thousands of years before the birth of Christ.

We can take great confidence in that. There's no randomness to this when I speak to an atheist or somebody that is unbelieving. I love to show him look Jesus this this book is recorded hundreds of years before Jesus Christ.

Even if I study the scriptures day and night I Couldn't fulfill what Jesus did. I couldn't say the things that Jesus did and fulfill scripture in the way that Jesus did. There's great confidence that we have and I know that Christ said these things.

One to fulfill prophecy and to to also have us have great assurance in Jesus being the Christ and so in order to fulfill all scriptures, he says this I.

Thirst I.

Thirst.

John has purposely not recorded everything that takes place that the other synoptic Gospels is recorded for us and we're not going to turn and look at them all the day. But it is said that before Christ has been nailed and pierced and put onto a cross.

It said that they offered him this this wine mixed with myrrh. This this this all need to have tried to give it to him and he was unwilling to drink it. And there's a lot of skepticism and thinking on why these Roman soldiers had this vinegar wine Mixture thing that was next to the cross.

It was often sometimes people would say it was so that it could prolong the pain. Person and the Roman that would look at this cross. They would say that that has been enough torture. They've been on this cross for four days.

We're gonna give them this poison now and kill them. And that's just a historical context for us right now. And so prior to the cross Jesus has been offered this and he was unwilling to drink it. And now Christ says I am thirsty knowing that all things have been paid for.

It's it's.

We can't go beyond scripture and say that this drink that the Romans offered was either poison or something to prolong the pain because it's not said all. It says that it was wine.

Mixed.

It says that it was it was this sour wine here in this text that we have. It says that it's sour wine. And so Christ says I am thirsty. And if you were in this sign of Excruciating pain where people would often die because of dehydration. They didn't have any fluid in their body Christ requests I am thirsty.

What would you as a human want to do if you had somebody walk by your house and knock on your door and say I am.

Thirsty, what would you give them?

You give them water and here's Jesus on the cross saying I am thirsty and what did they give him.

Sour bad.

Wine.

Now it does say that it was to fulfill scripture. And so what is that scripture that is fulfilled in this? It comes from Psalm chapter 69 verse 21, and it says they gave me gall For food and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

And that's David that's speaking in Psalm 69 in that text and isn't it interesting that before the cross they gave him this wine mixed with gall they gave him gall to eat and Vinegar to drink this sour wine that we breathe here in this text.

When is enough enough when is mocking enough to Christ? They are unwilling to help him in his any sort of idea. They are always Seeking to mock Christ as who he is This king of not of this world. They were unwilling to give him the water.

They were willing to give him sour wine. Thus fulfilling Old Testament prophecy again in order that the scripture might be fulfilled said I Am thirsty and so we see in verse 29 and it gives us this explanation a jar full of sour wine was standing there.

So they put a sponge full of sour wine upon a branch of hyssop. This hyssop plant is used all throughout the Old Testament. It was often used to sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice all Over the temple and it was to signify the shedding of a blood of a sacrifice That would cover ourselves and so there's no coincidence that they use this plant of hyssop To lift this sour wine to Christ who would sprinkle us with his blood.

We actually just read about that in Isaiah chapter 52 verse 13. I believe it said in there that He will sprinkle the nation's.

Psalm.

151 we're going to turn to this real quick Psalm 51 and In this text you might want to keep a finger here as we'll turn back to this chapter just a little bit that Psalm 51. Psalm 51 verse 7 it says this.

Psalm 51 verse 7 says purify me with hyssop and.

I shall be clean.

Wash me and I shall be wider than snow. Like I said keep a finger in this area keep a pen or whatever you have because we're going to be turning back here in Just a moment. It says that with this hyssop he has Sprinkled us.

He has sprinkled us the nation's he's sprinkled us according to Isaiah 52. There's no coincidence that this hyssop plant has been brought up to the mouth of Jesus.

Jesus.

Has.

Thieves were hurling abuses at him said get yourself off this cross and get us down down to. Christ had absolutely every authority and power to do such if he wanted to get off that cross he could have and So why I'm mentioning this is it says that they brought this up to the mouth of our Savior.

They had to bring it up because Christ was nailed to a cross and it is because that he was fulfilling all Things and and paying for our sins that he couldn't get it. He wouldn't get himself off that cross.

It was the love of God that held him in that place. It was the wrath of God that was being poured out in that place. He didn't get himself off that cross. He stayed up there Until it had been completed as we were going to look here in just a second verse 30 in Jesus Therefore received the sour wine.

He said to tell us I it is finished and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit when Jesus. This is so vitally important as we have been talking very much as a church In prior weeks and especially in this week.

Faith is only as good as the object that we place it into. I Reject who Jesus Christ claimed to be it doesn't matter the same terms. I'm using as you I'm Unsaved it says when Jesus who is this Jesus that we're speaking of in this text?

Because if I go on and say this Jesus is the Son of Man. He's this lamb. But I will reject him as being Almighty God, but I use the exact same terms as you and every other respect. It is no longer the Jesus that died upon a cross that I'm speaking about it's no longer a Savior.

We have to understand and take Jesus had his word in this text when it says when Jesus did this. It means that it's the Jesus of the Bible Psalm we're gonna go back to that Psalm text. Like I told you Psalm 51 verse 4 It says in there against thee.

The only I.

Have sinned and done what is evil in thy sight so that thou art Justified when thou dost speak and blameless when thou dost judge. Who do we sin against church when we break the Ten Commandments when we break the law when we are morally unclean?

Who is it that we sin against? It is against the one and only God. I want to give you an example of forgiveness. I want you to be thinking in your mind. Are these examples true forgiveness? When I was going to this LDS seminary There were two LDS seminary teachers and one backed into another and hit his car Struggling and this was his example of forgiveness.

And he actually had this conversation with the seminary teacher. And he said it wouldn't wouldn't it be great if for our students that we explain to them what forgiveness is. I forgive you. But I'm going to let you still pay for everything that you did to my car the one that was struck.

Is it forgiveness if you struck my car and I said, oh I forgive you, but you can pay the debt. Because that is the Mormon view of salvation. That Jesus forgave us and allows us To pay him back with our words.

Is that forgiveness? No, I'm using the same term forgiveness. That's not forgiveness. That is getting what is owed. That is getting what is due. Let me give you another example. Let's say somebody was to strike my car and I said don't worry.

I forgive you. But I'll make your wife or my wife pay the debt. It's my vehicle, but I'm gonna make somebody else pay it.

Is that true forgiveness?

No, it's not. What is true forgiveness. You strike my vehicle. I forgive you. I pay the debt. That is true.

Forgiveness and.

So.

We read from Isaiah that we have forgiveness of sins that they've been washed away that they've been wiped clean. Who died upon the cross because if it's God alone that I have sinned against and it's God alone that you have sinned against.

Who in order for you to have forgiveness had to pay your price? It's God alone that has to do that. Don't you see now if we misunderstand who Jesus Christ is we don't have forgiveness. We can use the same terms we can use the same definite we can not the same definitions.

We can use the same terms with different definition of definitions and get a completely different understanding of who Jesus Christ is. Jesus Christ has to be fully God and fully man to pay this price.

Is This payment that Christ did an eternal payment or is it only partially doubt that you will have a hundred years of forgiveness. And then you'll have to pay a price. No, it is eternal. It took an eternal being to pay the price for you and I why did Jesus have to be fully man in order to pay?

The price that's a really great question. Is it not let's turn to Romans chapter 6 verse 23. Romans chapter 6 verse 23. Romans chapter 6 verse 23 It says for the wages of sin. Is death the wages of sin is death?

So I have sinned against the one and only God and it's against him alone that I have sinned. And what is my payment? What is my what is the wage that I received for my work that I had done against him?

It's death. So the only thing I'm deserving from the one and only God that I have sinned against is death. Can God die? That's a really great question. Can God die? He's the Alpha and Omega. He's from everlasting to everlasting.

He doesn't have that nature of dying. So no, he can't die. But a man can die. Now do we see why Jesus Christ had to be fully God and fully man? Jesus died on the cross Romans 6 23 for the wages of sin is death.

But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So God has to pay this price and it has to be done as a man to pray this price. So we see Christ himself being fully God fully man this hypostatic union those big Words that we that in the last 2 ,000 years that we've used to help understand this kind of idea.

I want to turn now To we'll turn to Colossians chapter 2 verse 13 through 14 and as you're turning there Colossians chapter 2 verse 13 through 14 I'm gonna read again in John 19 verse 30. It says when Jesus so we have a good understanding of who this Jesus is now and with that Understanding we can have atonement for sins without understanding.

We can have forgiveness with understanding you and I can be made wider than snow through his blood. Praise him for that. So let us see now what Jesus says. He says therefore after receiving this sour wine He said to tell us die.

It is finished. What a sweet word if I was to get a tattoo on my face, which I'm not going to do. I would get to tell us die right across my face because it is a sweet word to tell us die it is Finished.

What is this word? Because it is after Christ has said this and we once again, we're not going to turn to the other gospel accounts. But it says also father into my hands. I commit thy spirit. Does he say that prior to it is finished or post to it is finished.

There's a lot of speculation on there. We're looking at John though right now He says it is finished and because he's God in flesh we can take that word very seriously. Because if I said it is finished does it mean anything.

No it does not Colossians chapter 2 verse 13 through 14. This is what it means when somebody says it is finished upon a cross and it's God in flesh. It says it it says this and when you were dead in your transgressions in the uncircumcision of your flesh He made you alive.

Together with him having forgiven that forgiveness word again forgiven us all our.

Transgressions.

Having canceled out The certificate of debt once again, what does that debt the wage of sin? He has canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees Against us which was hostile to us. And this is the sweetest thing ever.

Church pay attention to this and has taken it out of the way. And having nailed it to the cross. That were to tell us die is a payment word in that day if you bought something. You would get a certain kind of a receipt and we have these kind of documents that are still left today.

They would if you wanted to buy a donkey for me from me I would write out a receipt and when you gave me the payment at the bottom of this certificate. I would write to tell us die. You pay the debt in full it is no longer a debt you have given me.

What is owed here is the donkey. Or whatever example you want to use. So when Christ said to tell us die, what does that mean? The certificate of debt. The thing that we owed. The price that needed to be paid from us Had been paid by Christ.

Had been paid by Christ. This is one of my most favorite doctrines in the entire Bible this were to tell us die and trying to understand what reconciliation means. Christ Paid the price for me. He paid the price for you.

He paid it 90 80 or how much did he pay church? He paid it all. Jesus Christ isn't God in flesh. And he says this were to tell us die. It would be like you and I saying to tell us I that means nothing.

That means nothing to me.

It is only when Jesus Christ when we understand him correctly when he says to tell us die it has any Power at all. It has been paid in full and If Jesus had just died and he was still in the grave today There's a lot of speculation that could be made is it not true church that we could say well.

How can we know anything that Christ said was absolutely true? That'd be a great accusation and a great thinking that you could do. Luke chapter 5 gives us a great picture of what the resurrection was for us.

Luke chapter 5 verses 19 through 26 I believe it is it says that there's this paralytic man who is lowered through the roof of a house in front of Jesus and Jesus says to this paralytic man Because I have seen your great faith your sins are forgiven.

And the Jews accuse them of something. They say only God can forgive. Only God can forgive because it's only God that I have sinned against. Only God can forgive sins. And so the Jews were absolutely correct only God can forgive.

Who are you then to say your sins are forgiven you? And Jesus asks the Jews instead of rebuking them about him not being this God that can forgive what does he say to them? He says to them. What is it easier for me to say?

Your sins are forgiven or get up and walk. And The answer is very clear. Get up and walk has a actual physical flesh thing that we can see to it. That when he says it it validates his previous statement that his sins are forgiven and so to the paralytic man he says get up and walk and take your bed home.