New Beginnings Church, Lynnwood

A lesson on the faithfulness of God to His promises, and our need to trust in Him. Resuming our study of John's gospel, we read of how the Roman soldiers, who were delivering Christ up to Calvary for the crucifixion at this point, mocked and vilified Him. We're told of how they divided up His garments, and cast lots for His tunic. At first glance this may appear to be a fleeting detail, but it is in fact of incredible prophetic significance. John points that out for us in the text, noting that it was to fulfill a specific prophecy given through David in Psalm 22.--The more we cross-reference the account of Jesus' crucifixion with Psalm 22, the more it becomes obvious it was on Jesus' mind during the crucifixion. Far beyond that though, the psalm found it's true and ultimate fulfillment in Christ and the surrounding event of the crucifixion itself. For the Son of David, the psalm foretold with flawless detail the shame and sufferings He would endure that day. Despising the shame set before Him, Christ pressed onward to complete His mission and accomplish the will of the Father- namely, to bear our sin, guilt, and shame on the cross, so that we would be made perfect, holy, and blameless in the sight of God.

A lesson on the faithfulness of God to His promises, and our need to trust in Him. Resuming our study of John's gospel, we read of how the Roman soldiers, who were delivering Christ up to Calvary for the crucifixion at this point, mocked and vilified Him. We're told of how they divided up His garments, and cast lots for His tunic. At first glance this may appear to be a fleeting detail, but it is in fact of incredible prophetic significance. John points that out for us in the text, noting that it was to fulfill a specific prophecy given through David in Psalm 22.The more we cross-reference the account of Jesus' crucifixion with Psalm 22, the more it becomes obvious it was on Jesus' mind during the crucifixion. Far beyond that though, the psalm found it's true and ultimate fulfillment in Christ and the surrounding event of the crucifixion itself. For the Son of David, the psalm foretold with flawless detail the shame and sufferings He would endure that day. Despising the shame set before Him, Christ pressed onward to complete His mission and accomplish the will of the Father; namely, to bear our sin, guilt, and shame on the cross, so that we would be made perfect, holy, and blameless in the sight of God.

A lesson on Christ as King and Savior for all peoples, from all nations. Continuing in John's account of Christ's crucifixion, we pause to make note of the inscription Pilate had written and mounted above Jesus' head. What Pilate didn't realize was that his words served a sort of prophetic purpose. While Jesus was a Jew, and came though the ethnic lineage of the Jewish people, He is Savior and Redeemer for not just the Jews only, but all people of the world. Not in the sense that every soul will be saved, since salvation comes solely on the basis of faith in Christ. But rather, the good news is that Christ's deliverance from the bondage of sin, death, and judgement is available to all people everywhere who repent and trust in Him.

A lesson on Christ as King and Savior for all peoples, from all nations. Continuing in John's account of Christ's crucifixion, we pause to make note of the inscription Pilate had written and mounted above Jesus' head. What Pilate didn't realize was that his words served a sort of prophetic purpose. While Jesus was a Jew, and came though the ethnic lineage of the Jewish people, He is Savior and Redeemer for not just the Jews only, but all people of the world. Not in the sense that every soul will be saved, since salvation comes solely on the basis of faith in Christ. But rather, the good news is that Christ's deliverance from the bondage of sin, death, and judgement is available to all people everywhere who repent and trust in Him.

A lesson on God's judgement against the wicked, who will surely be uprooted, and His steadfast love towards those who trust in Him; they will be planted forever. Today we come to a psalm which highlights the end result of the person who would not trust in God, but instead boasts in cheap, opportunistic, selfish gain by a destructive and deceitful tongue. The end result of such a person's life is that they will be uprooted - separated from the grace of God forever. Even what they think they have would be permanently taken away from them. But those that trust in the Lord, in His lovingkindness found chiefly in His Son Jesus Christ, will be firmly planted and nourished forever under His own care.

A lesson on the folly of being a friend of the world, and the surpassing excellence of following and being a friend of Jesus. As we come to today's passage, we see Pilate's rejection of the truth about Christ, in order to get the world's approval. Likewise Israel, who had so thoroughly rejected God, outright denies Jesus as their King in favor of Caesar. It is a most sad state of affairs that in both instances, it would lead to the most wicked act humanity has committed in Christ's crucifixion. And furthermore, their rejection of Him for the world's approval would end in their own destruction. --It is absolute foolishness to pursue the world with its enticements- they never fulfill, they never last, and they always bring forth judgement. Jesus on the other hand is the Sovereign God, Creator, and Sustainer of all things. Moreover, He died in the place of guilty sinners, so that we would not have to face the wrath we were owed, but instead can be reconciled to God, and have peace that will last for eternity. There is no greater hope than that.