John 19:17-27
Hello all, please start the lesson early and end early because at approx 12pm, the youths have to gather in 1 classroom for a sharing by Ivan Lim (FaithActs) regarding youths serving as tutors for primary school students. This sharing will end ard 1230pm.
Previous lesson – Learnt about the conflict and decisions Pilate made:
·
Succumbed to societal pressure
·
Based his decision not on conscience, but rather
on his own security
·
How are we like that? – Will we be like that?
John 19:17-27 – The crucifixion of Jesus.
Main point
Satan can SEEM to win, but ultimately, God holds victory.
Lesson
V17-20: Jesus crucified on Golgotha
·
Why Golgotha?
o
It was a prominent location OUTSIDE the city at
a major junction
§
This meant that everyone walking in and out of
the city would see the crucifixion – a political method of instilling fear to
keep order
§
It humiliated those put to death – another way
of keeping order in society.
o
It was a place of high elevation
§
It made it all the more obvious
·
What’s the significance?
o
From the POV of the disciples and those close to
Jesus, it seemed that Satan had won – The death and humiliation of Jesus would
have no doubt left them believing that God had somehow lost.
§
Matt 27:42 – The choice not to save himself
despite the taunts
§
Matt 27:43 – That God didn’t save Him from death
§
That He died.
o
On the surface, it was all in God’s disfavour –
that Evil had won, and God chose not to intervene.
V20-22: Pilate subtly declares his real opinion of Jesus (God controls
the NOW)
·
Notice Pilate writes “King of the Jews”, rather
than “He claims to be the King of the Jews”.
o
We know from last week that Pilate
subconsciously knew that Jesus was more than He seemed to be – His attempts to
free Jesus show that
o
We also know that Pilate was a coward – He eventually
gave in to the pressure of the Sanhedrin.
o
But he makes a stand here –that Jesus is indeed
a King.
§
One can argue that Pilate did so out of respect
and a subconscious knowledge of who Jesus really was
§
But one can also argue that it was an insult to
the Jews, and a show of political dominance over them.
§
But both are possible at the same time – He
could have used this opportunity to both show his respect, as well as serve his
own agendas – not unlikely for someone like him.
o
Notice God’s hand in the situation – He did not
allow the authorities of the world to change the title He bestowed on His Son.
§
To be the King of the Jews => King of God’s
chosen people => King of the Earth.
§
Subtle as it may be, the fact that Jesus was
crucified as the King of the Jews, made, by extension, the declaration that He
was King of the Earth.
§
Notice how the proclamation counters Satan’s
plan of humiliation.
·
Satan would have wanted to use the public
spectacle of the crucifixion, to destroy the faith of those following Him, to
declare that he had won.
·
But this ended up working against him – Jesus
declared to be the King of the world instead.
o
Ultimately, God was still in control – and Satan
fell right into the trap.
V23-24: Fulfilment of scriptural prophecies (God controls the PAST)
·
The significance of the fulfilment of scripture
o
The robe Jesus wore wasn’t typical – a normal
criminal would have 4 articles of clothing (headgear, shirt, pants and
sandals).
o
The probability of 4 RANDOM ROMAN soldiers
fulfilling a thousand-year old prophecy is ridiculously low.
§
The soldiers were acting completely out of
impulse and the norm of the day (I.e. they weren’t knowledgeable about the
prophecy and probably hadn’t even heard of it)
o
The significance of the robe – It was seamless,
a representation of His role as a High priest (Exodus 28)
V25-27: Jesus cares about our future (God controls the FUTURE)
·
Even as He was dying, what does Jesus do? – He
makes arrangements for His disciple and His mother, to take care of each other!
o
Jesus was more concerned about their well-being,
rather than the pain and suffering He was going through.
o
He knew the needs of those around Him, and He
attended to their needs all the way till He “died”
o
He knows the future. He cares for each one of
us, regardless of how hurt, how devastated and how desperate things are.
The disciples would have thought, by all human reasoning, that God had
lost. Sometimes we feel the same way too. That nothing ever goes right. That
I’m just a loser – born to fail at everything I attempt (something like the
inverse midas touch?) But I hope this lesson helps us all to remember – God
still cares and is ultimately still in control. Sometimes He speaks and does
things in subtle, soft ways and we don’t see them. I pray that if ever anyone
of us goes through such dark times, that we’ll just keep holding on. Pray for
eyes to see the things He is doing, but trust nonetheless even if you cannot
see.
As the kids enter into poly/jc, even sec 5, change is going to happen.
For good or for evil, it is easy to be swept away by the whirlwind of change. I
pray that as we teach this lesson, that all of us (yes leaders included), will
remember that God is faithful. Has been, is, and always will be. It is my
prayer that in all things, we can declare that we have done all things, in (and
for) Christ alone.
In Christ alone, I place my trust.
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory, let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope
Is Christ alone.
In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
Done by: Joshua Tang
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