A Deep Acquaintance With the Cross | Pastor Jim Hammond

A Deep Acquaintance With the Cross | Pastor Jim Hammond

 

Pastor Jim took us on a deep-dive investigation of what our Lord and Savior endured for us on the cross. He quoted author Frederick T. Zugibe from his book entitled, “The Crucifixion of Jesus: A Forensic Inquiry,” to shed light on significant and meaningful details that took place during Jesus’ crucifixion. Paul said, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (2 Cor. 2:2). Like the apostle Paul, we should hold close to our hearts what Jesus endured for us on the cross. Through Him, we have been made righteous before God the Father.

Knowing the cross was before Him, Jesus experienced deep grief and sorrow. Mark 14:34–35 says, “And He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sad (overwhelmed with grief) so that it almost kills Me! And going a little farther, He fell on the ground and kept praying that if it were possible the [fatal] hour might pass from Him.” Jesus was overcome with grief.

 

A Jesus filled with grief and sorrow was not a Jesus the disciples were used to seeing. Grieved, Jesus prayed, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Commentaries believe He repeated this prayer over and over, while looking up to heaven.

 

He was in complete agony, so much so that an angel came to strengthen Him physically.

 

In the book, “The Crucifixion of Jesus: A Forensic Inquiry,” author Frederick T. Zugibe walks the reader through how Jesus felt, what He looked like, and how He literally sweat drops of blood. He talked about the processes the body would go through for it to sweat drops of blood.

 

Pastor Jim went through the importance of the shedding of blood in Romans 3:25, that God sent Jesus to be a propitiation for our sins. And through the shedding of His blood, we are made righteous.

 

Jesus’ suffering wasn’t just all physical. He also endured great emotional humiliation before His crucifixion. While in custody, the Roman soldiers reviled Jesus, treated Him with contempt, scoffed and beat Him.

 

The Roman soldiers dressed Him in purple robes, kneeled before Him, and mockingly called Him, “King of the Jews.” And then crushed a crown of thorns on His head.

 

Genesis 3:18 says, “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth for you, and you shall eat the plants of the field.” After the fall of mankind, the ground was cursed with thorns and thistles. Pastor Jim pointed out that the crown of thorns that Jesus endured, lifted the curse of thorns and thistles from those that receive His salvation.

 

Pastor Jim asked, “What’s the point of this message? Why am I talking about this?” He quoted the apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 2:2, “For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified.”

 

We need to fashion ourselves to be like Paul in that our priority should always be to have Jesus Christ the Messiah and Him crucified ever before us. Pastor Jim said, “Don’t let the devil diminish what Jesus did for you in your mind. I pray, as Paul said, that you are conscious of this every day.”

 

The service ended with Pastor Jim and the congregation praying for revival for 12 minutes.

 

Mark 14:34–35, “And He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sad (overwhelmed with grief) so that it almost kills Me! And going a little farther, He fell on the ground and kept praying that if it were possible the [fatal] hour might pass from Him.”

 

Romans 3:25, “Whom God put forward [before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.”

 

Genesis 3:18, “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth for you, and you shall eat the plants of the field.”

 

First Corinthians 2:2 “For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified.”

 

When hearing about the suffering of Jesus, how did it make you feel?

In what way has this message changed the way you’ve thought about the crucifixion?

What kind of impact has this message had on your day-to-day lifestyle?