Bible Text: John 19 | Preacher: Rev. Dr. Lou Saldiveri | Series: Sunday Morning Worship

— Pastor Lou’s Notes —
Intro: Isn’t if ironic that we think we can control everything? Just when we think we have everything under our control, it seems as if life brings us an unexpected turn or event. I believe that God allows this to happen in our lives for several purposes. The first reason is to keep us humble. The second reasons is not to place our hope in people or circumstances, but to place our faith and hope in God. If we let our pride and arrogance stand in the way, we will continue to think we know it all, control it all, and we really do not need God, Jesus, and God’s plan.

We need to remember that God’s plan was always to give us hope and love through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The birth, death, and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, was and is part of God’s plan to reconcile us to Himself through faith in the finished atoning work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

There are several elements of biblical hope which are evident in this passage.

1. The First Element of Biblical Hope is God is Still in Control v. 17
1. Note the irony: “So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.”
1. If we read this passage carefully, we will find that all the events are the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy as well as Jesus’ prophecy.
1. For instance, verse 18 is the fulfillment of Genesis 22:6 e.g the foreshadowing of Jesus sacrifice

2. The Crucifixion was prophesied in Isaiah 52-53

2. Pilate thought he was in control v. 19-22
1. When a person was crucified in the Roman culture, it was customary that a sign be placed on top of the cross to proclaim the crime of the criminal
2. Pilate wrote the truth without even knowing it!
1. Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews.
1. He wrote this in part to mock the chief priests of the Jews

2. God was still in control

2. The Second Element of Biblical Hope is that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit Must Be Taken Seriously v. 23-24
1. Without the birth, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, there can be no real hope, only cheap substitutes
2. We can choose to mock Jesus and say He isn’t who He claimed to be
3. We can ignore the reality that is in front of us by being complacent about God’s plan
4. But God is still in control

3. The Third Element of Biblical Hope is Nothing We Can Do Stops God’s Plan v. 25-27
1. Can you imagine what was going through Mary’s mind and heart at this point in time? (Simeon’s Prophecy)
2. Can you imagine what was going through the minds and heats of the other women?
3. Can you imagine what was going through the minds of the Disciples?
4. Can you imagine what was going through the evil mind of Satin?
5. But God was still in control…”it’s only Friday, but Sunday’s coming!”

4. The Fourth Element of Biblical Hope is that Jesus Death and resurrection is the foundation of true hope and true salvation v. 28-30
1. We need to remember that without the cross of Christ we are hopeless
1. Without the cross of Christ, there can be no forgiveness for us
2. Without the cross of Christ, there can be no possibility of being right with God
3. If we reject the finished work of Jesus Christ, there is only eternal separation from God in a place the Bible calls hell
4. The choice is ours!

2. Jesus was made sin for us
1. He endured separation form His Father because of my sin and yours
2. He endured the full wrath of God and hell to pay the full penalty for your sin and mine
3. Our debt for sin was paid in full once and for all by the cross of Christ!
4. Jesus, fully God and fully man, voluntarily and in love gave his life and endured the full wrath of God for sinners like me and you
5. God was and still is in control!

Closing: Good Friday and Easter Sunday should give us hope and encouragement to face the challenges of life. You see, God is still in control!

The Lord’s Table is a place for Christ followers to remember the cross of Christ. We need to remember God’s holiness, justice, and grace at the cross of Christ. You see, the cross is where God’s holiness and grace kiss. It is a time to remember that the agony of the cross was not the terrible physical suffering of Christ on the cross. The agony was when Jesus took on the very thing He hated; the sin of the world. The Father for the first time in all eternity, turned His back on His Son until Jesus endured the full wrath of God which we deserve. Jesus took the full wrath we deserve in our place. I don’t deserve God’s love in Christ, but through grace, God offers us salvation by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross.