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Impaled And Entombed

October 11, 2015 Speaker: Ken Ramey Series: John

Topic: The Gospel Passage: John 19:31–42

Sunday Service

John 19:31-42

In John’s eyewitness account of the final stages of the crucifixion of Jesus, he contrasted TWO GROUPS of people and the key role they played in this epic drama.

1. OVERT DISBELIEVERS (vv. 31-37)
These included the unbelieving Jewish leaders and Roman soldiers. The Jews were exhibiting blatant hypocrisy by striving to uphold the laws of the Sabbath while at the same time putting Jesus to an unlawful death (Matthew 23:23). This was a supreme form of legalism, which was manifest in hypocrisy. In spite of the sinful and evil motives of the Jewish leaders, the actions of the Roman soldiers during the crucifixion attests to the fact that Jesus had actually died in fulfillment of the scriptures of prophets that foretold of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Zechariah 12:10; Revelation 1:7).

2. COVERT DISCIPLES (vv. 38-42)
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had become disciples of Jesus and were used by God to carry out fulfillment of the scriptures which foretold that Jesus would be crucified with criminals but buried in an unused tomb among the wealthy (Isaiah 53:9; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:50). These men had previously maintained secret discipleships because of their religious leadership positions (John 12:42). Ironically, men such as these came forward to openly minister to Christ after His death, while at the same time Jesus’s closest disciples fled into hiding (John 7:45).

Praise and thank God that you have died, been buried, and have been raised (Romans 6:4-5; Colossians 2:12) with Christ and you are now walking in newness of life. Ask Him to grant you grace and opportunities to love and serve Christ in courageous and costly ways.

More in John

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November 8, 2015

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