John Chapter 19 - The Cross of Christ: Sacrifice, Suffering, and Redemption

Today we are studying John Chapter 19. In this chapter, we witness the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. We see Him mocked, beaten, and sentenced to death, even though He is innocent. He carries His cross, is nailed to it, and gives His life for the sins of the world. Jesus declares in John 19:30, “It is finished,” marking the completion of the work of redemption. This chapter reveals the depth of God’s love, the cost of our salvation, and the fulfillment of prophecy. It reminds us that Jesus willingly endured the cross so that we could be forgiven and brought into relationship with God.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:18

It's incredible to see how God's word continues to stand firm and go out. I can't help but think of what Jesus said in Matthew 24, 35. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Praise God that his word is moving, reaching hearts, and being shared in 42 countries around the world. We want to take a moment to say a special hello and thank you to our listeners in Chicago, Illinois, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Gainesville, Florida, Turlock, California, and Guntersville, Alabama. We're thankful you're here with us. Thank you for helping this message go further. We truly appreciate your support.

SPEAKER_00 0:59

Welcome to Giving God Praise. This is a podcast where we walk through the entire Bible, book by book and chapter by chapter. Our desire is to discover not only what God's Word says, but what it means to praise God in our daily life. In each episode, we explore a promise to claim, a response to make, an attitude to change, an instruction to obey, a sin to confess, and an example to follow. So let's go ahead and grab our Bibles and dive into today's teaching. Today we are studying John chapter 19. In this chapter, we witness the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. We see him mocked, beaten, and sentenced to death, even though he is innocent. He carries his cross, is nailed to it, and gives his life for the sins of the world. Jesus declares in John 19 30, it is finished, marking the completion of the work of redemption. This chapter reveals the depth of God's love, the cost of our salvation, and the fulfillment of prophecy. It reminds us that Jesus willingly endured the cross so that we could be forgiven and brought into relationship with God. Let's begin reading John chapter 19. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers also twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and threw a purple robe around him. And they repeatedly came up to him and said, Hail King of the Jews! And were slapping his face. Pilate went outside again and said to them, Look, I'm bringing him outside to you to let you know I find no grounds for charging him. Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, Here is the man. When the chief priests and the temple police saw him, they shouted, Crucify, crucify! Pilate responded, Take him and crucify him yourselves, for I find no grounds for charging him. We have a law, the Jews replied to him. And according to that law he must die, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever. He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, Where are you from? But Jesus did not give him an answer. So Pilate said to him, You're not talking to me? Don't you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you? You would have no authority over me at all, Jesus answered him, if it hadn't been given you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin. From that moment Pilate made every effort to release him. But the Jews shouted, If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar. When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge's bench in a place called the Stone Pavement, but in Hebrew Gabatha. It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about six in the morning. Then he told the Jews, Here is your king. But they shouted, Take him away, take him away, crucify him. Pilate said to them, Should I crucify your king? We have no king but Caesar, the chief priests answered. So then, because of them, he handed him over to be crucified. Therefore they took Jesus away. Carrying his own cross, he went out to what is called Skull Place, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him and two others with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. Pilate also had a sign lettered, and put on the cross. The inscription was, Jesus the Nazarene the King of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Don't write, the King of the Jews, but that he said, I am the King of the Jews. Pilate replied, What I have written, I have written. When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, apart for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, Let's not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who gets it. They did this to fulfill the scripture that says, They divided my clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing, and this is what the soldiers did. Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopus, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple, he loved standing there. He said to his mother, Woman, here is your son. Then he said to the disciple, here is your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, he said, I'm thirsty. A jar full of sour wine was sitting there. So they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on Hyssop, and held it up to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, It is finished. Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. Since it was the preparation day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a special day. They requested that Pilate have the men's legs broken, and that their bodies be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with him. When they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs, since they saw that he was already dead. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. He who saw this has testified, so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth. For these things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled, not one of his bones will be broken. Also another scripture says, They will look at the one they pierced. After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus' body. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and took his body away. Nicodemus, who had previously come to him at night, also came, bringing a mixture of about 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes. Then they took Jesus' body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the aromatic spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews. There was a garden in the place where he was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden. No one had yet been placed in it. They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation, and since the tomb was nearby. Let's pause for a moment and turn our attention fully to the Lord. Heavenly Father, thank you for the truth of John chapter 19 and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Thank you that, through his suffering, we have forgiveness, redemption, and new life. Lord, help us to never take the cross lightly. Remind us of the cost of our salvation and the depth of your love for us. Give us hearts that are humbled, grateful, and fully surrendered to you. Help us to live in a way that honors what Jesus has done for us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 9:38

Make sure you click the Follow This Podcast banner at the top of our webpage, www.giving GodPraisePodcast.com, so you never miss an episode. Thank you for listening.

SPEAKER_00 9:49

Now that we've read God's Word and prepared our hearts in prayer, let's begin our praise study and listen to what God wants to say to our hearts today. In John chapter 19, we see a powerful promise to claim in the declaration of Jesus. It is finished. These words are not words of defeat but of victory. They mean that the work of salvation is complete. Every sin has been paid for. Every requirement of justice has been satisfied. There is nothing left for us to earn or accomplish in order to be made right with God. This promise assures us that our salvation is secure in Christ. We do not live striving to be accepted. We live from a place of being accepted because of what Jesus has done. The cross was not an accident. It was the fulfillment of God's plan. This promise gives us confidence, peace, and freedom. No matter our past, no matter our failures, the work of redemption has already been completed. We can rest in the finished work of Jesus, knowing that his sacrifice was enough. The response to make in this chapter is to believe, receive, and surrender. When we see the cross, we are called to respond with faith. Jesus gave everything for us, and our response is to trust him fully. This means we stop relying on our own efforts and place our faith in his finished work. It also means surrendering our lives to him. The cross calls us to lay down our pride, our control, and our self-sufficiency. We are invited to follow him, not just in belief, but in obedience. Our response is also gratitude. When we truly understand what Jesus has done, it changes how we live. We begin to live with a desire to honor Him in every area of our lives. This chapter calls us to respond with faith, surrender, and a life that reflects the grace we have received. We are called to change our attitude from indifference to gratitude. It is easy to become familiar with the story of the cross and lose sight of its significance. This chapter challenges us to see it with fresh eyes. Jesus endured suffering, humiliation, and death so that we could have life. That truth should stir something deep within us. We must also change from self-centered living to Christ-centered living. The cross reminds us that life is not about us, it is about Him. Another attitude to change is from pride to humility. The cross shows us the seriousness of sin and the depth of God's love. We cannot approach it with arrogance. We must come with humility, recognizing our need for a savior. A changed attitude lives in constant awareness of what Jesus has done and responds with gratitude, humility, and devotion. The instruction to obey in this chapter is to follow Jesus in surrender and faithfulness. Jesus willingly went to the cross, submitting to the Father's will completely. We are called to live with that same surrender. Obedience means trusting God even when the path is difficult. It also means living in a way that reflects the truth of the cross. We are instructed to love others sacrificially, just as Jesus loved us. We are also called to stand firm in our faith, even when it is unpopular or costly. The cross is not just something we believe, it is something that shapes how we live. Obedience means allowing the reality of the cross to influence our decisions, our priorities, and our relationships. This chapter calls us to live lives that reflect the sacrifice of Christ. The sin to confess in this chapter is the rejection of Christ. We see people who mocked him, denied him, and chose worldly power over truth. This reveals a deeper issue that still exists today. We must confess the times we have rejected Jesus in our hearts, whether through disobedience, doubt, or neglect. We must also confess indifference. The cross demands a response, yet it is possible to hear the message and remain unchanged. Another sin to confess is pride, thinking we can earn what Jesus has already paid for. We must also confess fear, like those who followed him secretly, but did not stand boldly. Confession brings us back to the cross. It reminds us that forgiveness is available because of what Jesus has done. When we confess, we are not condemned. We are restored. The example to follow in this chapter is Jesus Himself. He demonstrates perfect obedience, humility, and love. Even in suffering, he remained faithful to the Father's will. He also showed compassion, caring for his mother even while on the cross. Another example is Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Though they had previously been fearful, they stepped forward with courage to honor Jesus. Their actions remind us that it is never too late to stand for Christ. Following these examples means living with courage, faithfulness, and love. It means choosing to honor Jesus openly and boldly. This chapter calls us to follow Christ in both our words and our actions. John chapter 19 reminds us that the cross is the center of our faith. It is where justice and mercy meet. It is where sin is defeated and grace is made available. It calls us to remember the cost, respond with faith, and live with purpose. Take time today to reflect on the cross. What does it mean to you personally? Are you living in the freedom of what Jesus has already finished? If this message encouraged you, share it with someone who needs to be reminded of the power of the cross. Let's close our time by lifting our hearts to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that our listeners chose to spend their time with us in your word today. Thank you for the truth of John chapter 19 and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Lord, help us to live in light of what you have done. Teach us to walk in gratitude, humility, and obedience. Give us boldness to share this message with others and to live lives that reflect your love. We pray that this message would encourage every listener and draw them closer to you. May God bless you and keep you in his grace. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 17:09

If this ministry is helping you grow in God's Word, please consider supporting the growth of this ministry. Simply click on the Support This Ministry button on our website, www.giving God PraisePodcast.com, so we can continue reaching the world through God's Word together.