Chapter 19 Verse 17

• In the Greek, Golgotha is…well Golgotha.  It’s actually a Greek word and you may say, “I thought Jesus was crucified at Calvary…so what’s the difference between Golgotha and Calvary?”  The answer is nothing.  They are the same place because you see Golgotha in Latin is Calvarie which is where we get our word Calvary and both mean literally, “the place of the skull.”
• The actual geographic location for Calvary is not specifically given in the scriptures however we do know according to Hebrews 13:12 that wherever it was and is, it is outside the city of Jerusalem which is significant…why?
• Theologically and biblically Jesus being crucified outside of the city would align particularly to the Levitical law.  The High Priest would take the blood of the sin sacrifice and once a year he would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood on the Altar there making intercession for all of Israel, the entire nation, on the Jewish Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur.  The body of the sacrificial animal would be taken and burned outside of the city.  The ashes would signify the completeness of the sacrifice. 
• And so Jesus, His blood spilled where?  Right!  Within the city and then He carried His cross where?  Right!  Outside of the city, you got it and so Jesus was and is the fulfillment of the type, the completeness, the unveiling of the Levitical Law instituted by God and commanded of the Jewish people.
• Him being crucified outside of the camp, at the place of the skull, Golgotha is also significant prophetically.  This is the time of year where we step back and think primarily of others.  We plan and we peruse and we purchase gifts for our friends, our families, even our paper delivery person whom we’ve never met.  We spend time together, enjoying each other, coming back together maybe in some sort of reunion.  We uphold family traditions and are reminded socially and ceremonially of the birth of our Savior.  We celebrate together our freedom from sin and death because of the gift that was given to all mankind. 
• All the way back in Genesis Chapter 22, God foretold us through Abraham that He would do this…His plan, His prophecy…the purchase of our eternal life through the perfect present.  And what wrecks me, what drives me to my knees in an almost compassionate confusion…is that His gift to us would culminate here, right here, as Jesus Christ would endure rejection, betrayal, scourging, abuse, mock worship…His own cross…to His own death…to take away my sin…in other words…in my place. 
• How’s that, what was that about Genesis 22?  Yea its Genesis 22 in which we find the story of Abraham being told by God to, “take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah.”  Moriah?  You see the hills of Jerusalem were part of the land of Moriah and as we follow the story in Genesis 22 we see Abraham and Isaac not stopping at the first hill but continuing on to the highest point…which would be…you guessed it…Golgotha!
• And so God said to Abraham, “your son…take him to Golgotha…and there offer him as a burnt offering.”  Wow, what?  Why would He…?  How could He…?  Just remember what Abraham remembered…that God had already promised to make a great nation of Isaac and so Abraham knew nothing was impossible for God except for Him to not keep His promises.  So Genesis 22 says, “Abraham rose early, wasted no time, got right to it…”
• And the Bible says that Abraham took the wood and laid it on Isaac…and so Isaac carried his own cross as it were…and then Isaac asks dad, “I see the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”  And Abraham looked at him…them both standing there on Mt. Moriah, Golgotha…where Jesus now is 2,000 years later…and Abraham said, “My son, God will provide Himself the lamb!”  And miraculously, Isaac, the young man, the beloved son, the innocent was spared there that day as the scene closes on Genesis 22…
• But back in John Chapter 19, Jesus Christ, the young Man, the beloved Son, the innocent arrives in precisely the same spot, in precisely the same manner, for precisely the same purpose however because of God’s great gift to you and to me…not a vocation…not something you can earn…not something you can achieve or attain…only something that you can receive…God’s Son…right here, right now…for the freedom of all men…was not spared on this day. 
• One more interesting tidbit.  One more nugget as to how just perfect Jesus’ sacrifice was…hundreds of prophecies perfectly fulfilled, Jesus Himself perfect in all ways…and look at this…just a little interesting fact…As Jesus was led away, His perfect trial was completed…perfect trial?  I thought Jesus was tried unjustly…at night, even asked to testify against Himself? 
• You are correct in saying that but look…what is the number of perfection in the Bible?  Completion?  7!  And so where does 7 show up here…look…The trial of Jesus Christ was in seven stages…Chapter 18:28-32 occurs outside, Chapter 18:33-37 occurs inside.  Third outside, Chapter 18:38-40.  Fourth inside, Chapter 19:1-3.  Fifth outside, 19:4-7.  Sixth inside, 19:8-11 (funny as this is Jesus’ final testimony against sin).  And finally seventh, outside Chapter 19:12-16.

Chapter 19 Verse 18

• There is much that can be said regarding Jesus being crucified between two thieves…the fulfillment of prophecy, the illustration that He is the sacrifice between two sinners, two warring parties…such as when an imperfect man and an imperfect woman come together in marriage how Jesus being the center will always result in peace, love, grace, mercy and forgiveness…much to say about how this scene of Him between two of His sons, two of His loved ones, His little ones…both being executed because of evil and sin…and here He is between them, heartbroken for them…
• Yes there’s much to draw from here but I’d like to say just one thing before moving on…that in a way it’s quite fitting for Him to be positioned among thieves because that day He also took something…He stole away from me and from you that which we both deserve.  The penalty of sin. 
• He didn’t have to do it.  He could have stayed in that upper room, He could have avoided the Garden of Gethsemane, He could have accepted the offer of Lucifer that day on the Temple Mount, He could have left me…but He didn’t…

Chapter 19 Verses 19 – 20

• Hebrew was the theological language; Greek, the intellectual language; and Latin, the political language.  How significant…all those that view things theologically; all those who view things intellectually; all those who view things politically…know this; Jesus is King!  I love it!
• And the Jews go buck wild, but not just because of what is written but how it is written…check this out…

Chapter 19 Verses 21 – 22

• So they are wide eyed and flippin’ out!  Why?  Well for one they’re afraid of the Romans.  They had already said to Pilate, “we have no king but Caesar.”  Also, they hated Jesus, they thought nothing of Jesus, and here for all to see is this Jesus titled as their King and so they were…look ashamed of Him!  But man the tipping point, there is a piece of mystery here that is not blatantly obvious to us…that is what caused them to panic.
• You see in those days it was the custom of the scribes to take the first letter of each word of a sentence and give it a new meaning, a custom that remains to this day…taking a word and making an acronym of it.  So what!  Booooring…now hold on just a minute.  What was written above Jesus in Hebrew, the theological language was Jeshua Hanozri or “Jesus of Nazareth,” Wumelech or “King,” Haiehudim or “of the Jews.”  The result?  The acronym?  JHWH.  The Tetragrammaton!  The unspeakable name of God!  The name that the Hebrews were afraid to even pronounce!  The name that when it was written, each letter would require a new pen, new ink and the scribe would have to ceremonially wash himself before putting pen to paper.  The most holy name of God Almighty!
• Amazing!  Everytime you read LORD in all capitals in the Old and New Testaments, that is there written the unspeakable name of God.  7,026 times and here once again…where?  Jesus’ name tag man!  He and the Father, One!  His power, unstoppable, immeasurable, eternal…yet here He is on a Roman cross…why?  How?  Because that is the price of my sin!  Because that is the measure of God’s love for me!
• And so the Jews they freak out man!  Pilate, do you know what you’ve done?!  Pilate finally gets a little courage and says, nope…and I don’t care either…what I’ve written stays!
• But isn’t it a wonder to you, I wonder actually do you even see, that even as He was there dying, paying it all, He was STILL shouting out to anyone that would hear Him, “Look and see!  Believe and be saved!  I am hope, I am salvation, I am Yahweh!”  Why else would this title have occurred?  Coincident…please!

Chapter 19 Verses 23 – 24

• John refers here back to Psalm 22 which describes in astounding detail the suffering Messiah…what is happening here 700 years later at Calvary.  And quite interesting what specifically is quoted here is Psalm 22:18 in its entirety.  So what.  Who cares…well many may not but it somewhat jumps out to me that 18 is 6 times 3 or 6+6+6 and what is being described here?  The High Priest of mankind, the Bridge between God the Father and busted man…the Door to eternal life, the One who holds the key of David and the keys to death and Hades…the only Way to truth and everlasting life…is being robbed.  They’re taking His robe man!
• And look, this evil that rules this world, that sin that you “struggle with” and most of the time that just means that sin that you choose…robs you…mugs you…will leave you condemned and bleeding while it plunders your family man…but Romans 8:28 says that condemnation is not even in God’s vocabulary…
• And so from Genesis 22, Abraham taking Isaac to this same spot 2000 years prior to the cross; to Psalm 22, where God’s Messiah, Jesus Christ again described in great detail 700 years prior to the cross…and look there’s another 22…Revelation 22 > the last chapter, the final words and Jesus says get the pattern kids…look at My name tag!  My finger prints!  Hear Me because Revelation 22:12-15, “Behold I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me (all the saints), to give to each one according to his work.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”  Blessed are those who DO His commandments, that they may have the RIGHT to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.  But outside are dogs, sorcerers (pharmakos) and sexually immoral (pornos) and murderers (phoneus) and idolaters and whosoever loves (phileo) and practices (or authors and performs) a lie. 
• Here He hangs for His reward; to buy back His lost children and notice what the dogs do…they cast lots it says here back in John 19.  Here they are throwing dice, playing games even as Jesus was dying for their sins!  Are we doing that?  Are you playing games with the Lord?  Throwing dice for what you can get…you know a better robe, a better house, a better job, a better girlfriend…are you at church looking for the next blessing, the next piece of bible study knowledge to use against your wife or husband or neighbor…the next days sinful life will feel a little more justified if you attend church…you know pay your dues…  This ought not to be.  Jesus would call that murder.
• We just read it back in Revelation 22…those that are just playing here…phoneus in the Greek…phonies…translated for us “murderers.”  Why?  Because He said that with Him comes His reward to give to each one according to their WORK.  And your work, your position in Christ, He is to you…you are to Him either a born again saved sinner or one that individually nailed Him to that cross…His murderer.  Wow.  Let us not be casting dice folks but casting our lives, placing our faith, our hopes our cares our days and minutes into the hands of Jesus.
• You know, He calls them phonies…the Bible translators call them murderers…those that play and ultimately are “just looking”…ultimately like after hearing the truth, after knowing clearly who Jesus is…after seeing His very nametag…yet ultimately they’re still following after their own lust…God calls them phonies, the Bible translators call them murderers…I call them wolves…because before too long…they start eating sheep.
• And I’m on the clock man.  I will not hesitate…the flock of God is not to be a happy meal for some wolf…no drive through here…the only fast food here is the Word of God man and so you too, when folks, sheep here begin to be devoured…I pray you too are on the clock and will stand with me like David did for his flock…Like Jesus does here as He gives His everything for our protection and supplication…
• This verse angers me…I guess you may be able to tell.  Phonies drive me absolutely bonkers man because they hurt people and here we see that ultimately whatever is done to the least of the sheep is done directly to My Commander, My God and My Savior as He hangs here dying for them yet they mock Him and they rob Him…God’s gift to us, His Son, His baby boy…sent into this mess, given to you and to me…but like a rose trampled on the ground, here He is…taking my cross, thinking of me…
• That is the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of giving…tell your kids please.

Chapter 19 Verses 25 – 27

• Understand these verses describe a very special time between Jesus and His mother.  In fact, this is it for them.  From here on out, Mary is released from her biological bond…Look.  After this, He would no longer call her “mother” as doubtless He had addressed her many times throughout His life.  Understand that His death on the cross made an end of all His natural ties.
• Paul wrote in 2 Cor 5:16, “We had known Jesus Christ  according to the flesh…as a man…yet now we know Him thus no longer!”  From here on out Jesus would be linked to Mary and to each one of us by an even closer bond than heredity…by carnal, temporary bloodline…she and we are all now link to Jesus by spiritual, eternal relationship…and this is what the Savior would now teach His beloved disciple and His mother. 
• Woman, behold thy son…I am thy “Son” no longer…you see this statement separates Himself from the place that He had once filled and notice, don’t miss this…look at this…He first commands Mary to look to John!  The order is striking…He gives to John the place which He Himself had filled – a higher place mind you than He would give to Peter…and again, notice the order!  John was to be the stay of Mary, her strength, her lead…not the other way around!  This is most important as so many have turned to a high form of idolatry in the worship of Mary…Jesus sets the record straight here…
• But don’t lose sight of this amazing moment between Mary and her baby boy…She had born the secret of His incarnation her whole life.  The angel had said to her, “He shall be great, He shall be called the Son of the Highest.”  And when Jesus was brought to the temple to be dedicated, the ancient man Simeon to whom God had promised would not die until he had seen the Messiah, saw the baby in Mary’s arms and he proclaimed, “Oh God let your servant depart in peace, for I have seen Your Salvation.”  But then he turned to Mary and said, “A sword will pierce your soul.”  You find this account in Luke Chapter 2.
• At this moment, as the gift of the Father to you and to me and to all who would believe…as He looked there at here and blessed her…her baby boy, her little guy, her young man, her pride and joy…all she had…her Lord and Savior…at this moment, she know what Simeon was talking about. 
• The other disciples, scattered in fear.  John alone remains there next to Mary…Joseph no doubt was dead by now…and so watch what Jesus does, He makes provision for family within the body of believers.  And even today, I find closer, deeper bonds of family in my own life within the family of the Lord than I do in my own blood.  What a blessing when that bond is comprised of both…
• Here the ultimate gift of God…the Reason for our celebrating Christmas…for giving gifts…bestows upon us His free gift of grace…salvation through His cross…and so amazing…even as He suffered His last…He freely offered His best.
• Notice John’s obedience.  From that hour that disciple took her to his own home.  Will you obey the call of the Lord today?  Will you answer the Holy Spirit today and from this hour on…share in His eternal love and grace…power and strength?  I pray you will!
• What better gift to offer the Lord this Christmas…than your entire life, your complete attention…you focused and fervent adoration and worship?!