What Jesus Did

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, "I am thirsty." A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

—John 19:28-30 NLT

Key Thought


Jesus lived on earth just a little over three decades. When he died, he declared his work "finished." I'm not sure...

 

Then Pilate turned Jesus over to [the Jewish leaders] to be crucified. So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them.

—John 19:16-18 NLT

Key Thought


Jesus came to earth to live among us and to pay the ransom price to buy us out of sin and death. So where should we expect...

 

Standing near the cross were Jesus' mother, and his mother's sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, "Dear woman, here is your son." And he said to this disciple, "Here is your mother." And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

—John 19:25-27 NLT

Key Thought


We find our spiritual family at the foot of the cross. Jesus' death brings us all together...

 

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, "Rather than tearing it apart, let's throw dice for it." This fulfilled the Scripture that says, "They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing." So that is what they did.

—John 19:23-24 NLT

Key Thought


There was a whole lot more gambling going on at the cross...

 

And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it. Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, "Change it from 'The King of the Jews' to 'He said, I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate replied, "No, what I have written, I have written."

—John 19:19-22 NLT

Key Thought


The sign...

 

Then Pilate tried to release [Jesus], but the Jewish leaders shouted, "If you release this man, you are no 'friend of Caesar.' Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar." When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, "Look, here is your king!"...

 

Then Pilate tried to release [Jesus], but the Jewish leaders shouted, "If you release this man, you are no 'friend of Caesar.' Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar."

—John 19:12 NLT

Key Thought


Who was Pilate trying to please, God or the masses? Who were the masses trying to please, themselves or God? Who are you trying to please, yourself, your peers, or your Savior? Answering that last question is just as crucial for you as it was for the...

 

"Why don't you talk to me?" Pilate demanded. "Don't you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?" Then Jesus said, "You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin."

—John 19:10-11 NLT

Key Thought


Sin clouds our thinking. Sin tempts us to overestimate our abilities; then sin ensnares us in its deceitful and deadly web of death. Sin wounds others. And as Jesus...

 

The Jewish leaders replied [to Pilate], "By our law [Jesus] ought to die because he called himself the Son of God." When Pilate heard this, he was more frightened than ever. He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave no answer.

—John 19:7-9 NLT

Key Thought


Pilate was trying to find a way out of dealing with Jesus. He knew Jesus was innocent, but couldn't appease the crowd. What if Jesus was who he said he...

 

The Jewish leaders replied [to Pilate], "By our law [Jesus] ought to die because he called himself the Son of God."

—John 19:7 NLT

Key Thought


We often have a hard time hearing Jesus specifically make the claim to be "the Son of God." Yet it is made carefully and repeatedly in the Gospel story. Jesus often referred to God as his Father. He accepted the title of Son of God when others gave it to him, except on some occasions when the others were demon...