The death and resurrection of Jesus is the most important thing that happened in all of history. When Jesus died on the cross, He did not leave anything undone. He paid the price in full for your sin and iniquity, for your salvation and reconciliation, for your sickness and healing. Nothing more needs to be added for your salvation than what Jesus has done. All you need to do is believe in what He has done.
In John 18, Jesus had been brought before Pilate in the Praetorium. Pilate asked the chief priests and elders, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” They all said, “Let Him be crucified.” Since the governor could find no fault in the Christ, he asked, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they all cried out, “Let Him be crucified!”
Then Pilate turned Jesus over to the soldiers and they took Him into the Praetorium. The garrison gathered around him, had Him scourged and twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and a purple robe on His back. They said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit upon Him and struck Him with their hands and on the head with a reed. Then Pilate brought Jesus back out and showed Him to the crowd and said, “Behold the Man!” The chief priest and elders cried out, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”
John 19:17-18 NKJV And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.
Jesus was led down the Via Dolorosa to the Place of a Skull. This was a public place where executions took place. Two criminals were crucified along with Jesus, one on either side. Those who passed by blasphemed and mocked Him. Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing and said, “If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” The other thief said, “Do you not fear God, we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Lord, remember me when You come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” This is one of the great stories of God’s saving grace. In the last hours of this man’s life he believed in the Lord.
John 19:23 NKJV Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.
Psalms 22 is a prophecy about Christ’s death.
Much of the events of Christ’s crucifixion were foreseen and spoken of by David. The Psalm began with the words Christ cried out on the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Verse 16 says, “They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them. And for My clothing they cast lots.”
John 19:24-28 NKJV They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!”
Psalm 22:14-15 NKJV I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.
The burden of billions of people’s sin and iniquity was upon Him. Jesus was on the cross paying the price so that you and I may be redeemed by His precious blood.
John 19:29-33 NKJV Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
The soldiers were surprised when they came to Jesus and He was already dead.
Have you ever felt that burden come over you when you did something wrong?
Sometimes the weight of our sins seems more than we can bear.
Can you imagine the weight of the burden of the sin of all mankind that was upon Jesus?
Jesus bore all of our iniquity, sins, and sickness in His body on the cross. In that moment, Jesus died of a broken heart. Jesus did not die on the cross with the weight of our sin so that we would have to deal with our sins, transgressions, and sicknesses. When Jesus died on the cross, He did not leave anything undone. He paid the price in full for your sin and iniquity, for your salvation and reconciliation, for your sickness and healing. Nothing more needs to be added for your salvation than what Jesus has done. All you need to do is believe in what He has done. He went to the cross so that we might be saved, healed and delivered.
John 19:34 NKJV But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
Do you remember the construction of the Tabernacle in the wilderness? When they entered into the court, one of the first things they saw was the laver. It was a basin that provided water for washing. When the priest offered the sacrifice to atone for sins, they still had to take care of their uncleanness. They would go to the laver and wash with water to be made clean. The Scripture says we are washed with water by the word of God. When they pierced His side, blood and water for cleansing came out of the living Word of God.
Zechariah 13:1 NKJV In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
Zechariah was shown a day when a fountain would be open for sin and uncleanness. The blood and water from the Lord’s side deals with all of our iniquity and uncleanness. Jesus, the living word of God provides the cleansing from a conscience that is contaminated. The blood and the water is sufficient to cover and cleanse us from our sins. After Jesus died, His spirit went into the region of the dead. 1 Peter 3:18-20 tells us that after He suffered once for sins, He went and preached to the spirits in prison. These are the souls held in Sheol in the region of Paradise or Abraham’s bosom. This is most amazing, that the Christ Who had just paid for the sins of all would go to those and declare the victory that He had achieved on the cross. Ephesians 4:8 says, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.” He who ascended also descend into the lower parts of the earth.
John 20:1-8 NKJV Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.
There was no sign that the body of Jesus had been stolen from the tomb. There had been no struggle to remove the bandages and cloths from His body. The napkin that had been around His head had been carefully folded and laid aside. In Israel, when a napkin is folded and laid beside the plate it meant, “I’m done.” Jesus was done with death and everything that had brought Him to that place. What Jesus had accomplished was for everyone. For forty days Jesus showed that He was alive with many infallible proofs.
Romans 8:11 NKJV But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
On the third day, the Holy Spirit moved on the dead body of Jesus and gave resurrection life. Everyone who puts their faith and trust in Him may experience resurrection life in your body. He will bring you from death into newness of life. Nothing but the finished work of Jesus Christ can save from sins. Everyone is lost and undone without Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Resurrection life is available to anyone who will put their trust in Him. There is tremendous news for each of us. When you give your life to Jesus, even if you die, you shall live. One of these days something glorious is going to happen.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 NKJV For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
One of these days, all of the dead in Christ will arise from the graves. It will be a grand and glorious reunion and celebration when we meet together around the throne of God.
