sbc
December 12, 2004
Sunday Morning
Series: Christ The Sum & Substance of The Bible
Subject: “ The lifting Up of Christ”
Text: John 12:32-33
Sermon # 23
Intro: Through out the ministry of Christ was the clear teaching that he was going to die for the sins of his people. In the gospel of John let me sight a few places where Christ preached that he was going to die...
John 2:18-19 “ Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
When Nicodemus came to Jesus and the Lord preached to him about being born again he uses an old testament event that he was well aware of and predicted his death on the cross...
John 3-14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up...
When Christ was preaching and comparing himself to a shepherd and his people as sheep, he said these words:
John 10-11 “ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Once again speaking of his dying for his people. On another occasion Christ speaking of the great cost of real friendship said:
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends... here we have the supreme sacrifice of a real friend lay down his life for his people. What a sacrifice Christ did for us...
IN THIS MESSAGE THIS MORNING I WANT TO PREACH THREE THINGS CONCERNING THE LIFTING UP OF CHRIST..
I...”CHRIST WAS LIFTED UP TO THE CROSS BY ANGRY AND WICKED SINNERS” ...
Following the arrest and the trail of Christ the releasing of him to the Elders of Israel they came to place which is called Golgotha, which was the place of the skull. It was at this place where man’s wicked hands would heap angry words and intentionally beat Christ beyond recognition...
Matthew said:
They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him: Matt 27:28
They platted a crown of thorns & put it upon his head: Matt 27:29
They put a reed in his right hand so as to mock him: Matt 27:29
They spit in his face: Matt 27: 30
The smote him: Matt 27:30
They gave him sour wine to drink mingled with gall: Matt 27-34
This great and glorious day in the hands of wicked men by the divine providence of GOD his father, set back and there they watched him as he bleed and died for the sins of his chosen people...
The crowning act of man: Matt 27:36-37 And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
It was at this very point that God begin to lay upon him the iniquity of us all. For Matthew says from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour Matt 27:45 After this great event of the Father judging the Son for his peoples sins, our Lord Jesus Christ with a exclamation and with an emotional outburst these words are recorded: Matt 27:50 “ Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice yielded up the ghost....
The Veil in the Temple rent in twain: MH says and I quote from his notes: What a great day when they lifted up the Son of man on the Cross... not knowing what they were doing:
Paul said:
I Corinthians 2:7-8 “ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princess of this world knew: for had the known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1st. It was in his death on the cross that he condemned sin: Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh..
2nd. It was in his death on the cross that he paid the price of all our sins: 1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
II.. “ CHRIST WAS LIFTED UP OUT OF THE GRAVE”
As you know the word lifted means to be raised up. In his public ministry Christ not only preached his death, but also declared that he would raise his body from the grave. He used figurative language in teaching this...
Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
John 2-19 Destroy this temple and three days I will raise it up again. Of course they thought he was talking about the Temple structure. Christ was speaking of his resurrection.
I love the recorded event in Matt 28
1st. Just as an angel announced his birth, and angel announces his lifted up out of the grave...
This angel descended from heaven and rolled the stone back, those attending his grave saw it and became very fearful so fearful that they shook, and became as dead men. This angel said to Mary and the women with her:
Matt 28:5-7 “And the angel answered and said unto the women, fear not for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified vs 6 “ He is not here for he is risen as he said Come and see the place where the Lord lay, And go quickly and tell his disciples the he is risen from the dead and behold he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him lo, I have told you.
The next verse says they departed quickly with great Joy and fear in their hearts, can you imagine, he is alive that must have went through their hearts and minds. Not understanding and yet willing to do as they were told.
I like verse 9
And as they went to tell his disciples behold, Jesus met them saying all hail. And they came and held him by the feet and worshipped him.
1st. Christ lifted up out of the grave: our sins are gone
2nd Christ lifted up out of the grave: Justice is vindicated.
3rd. Christ lifted up out of the grave: We are justified.
4th. Christ lifted up out of the grave we have great hope...
5th. Christ lifted up out of the grave we are secure for heaven now.
The hymn writer said it like this: living he loved me, dying he saved me, buried he carried my sin far away, rising he justified freely forever one day he is coming a glorious day.
III... CHRIST IN THE SIGHT OF HIS DISCIPLE WAS LIFTED UP TO HEAVEN”
The writers of the gospel: Mark said it like this: 16:19 “ So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.
Luke said it like this: 24:50-51 “ And he led them out as far as Bethany and he lifted up his hands and blessed them> And it came to pass, while he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
Again Luke says in Acts 1-9-11
And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their site. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Christ lifted up to heaven to his rightful place, he rules from heaven this great kingdom of God, the church he started, through the hearts of his people on this earth. One day he will come again the hope of the Lord’s people in every generation since he went back to heaven.
This Christ that was lifted up on the cross, that lifted up out of the grave, this same Christ that was lifted up to heaven to be seated by the Father until he makes all his enemies his footstool can lift you up from your lost condition this morning, from your pit of darkness... Can you trust such a Christ this day to save your soul?