The Place of a Skull: Golgotha
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 3/25/2016 PM (Good Friday) |
Text: | John 19:17,18 |
Psalters: | 232, 240, 47, 108 |
- What is seen.
- He was led out of the city to the place called Golgotha, near a major intersection of roads.
- He was taken out of the city to a hill which was likely shaped as a human skull.
- The soldiers took a shovel, hammer, nails, jug of myrrh (wine with a sedative) and two beams.
- Many physical things happened: three men experienced the cruelty and hatred of men, being nailed to a wooden cross.
- Jesus was crucified “in the midst,” i.e., with two others, both evil-doers.
- He is identified/numbered with the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12) because He entered into our state guilt.
- Jesus’ cross divides them.
- He was led out of the city to the place called Golgotha, near a major intersection of roads.
- What is not seen.
- Jesus “went forth” thought they “led Him” to this place.
- First, this shows that Jesus was not the victim but the Master in control of every circumstance.
- And this shows that this was according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23).
- Only by a work of God’s grace can we see the spiritual realities behind the physical sight.
- Jesus “went forth” thought they “led Him” to this place.
- The significance
- Jesus is in the midst of evil-doers because this is the only way to pay for our sins.
- Golgotha happened because it was the only way to remove forever the sins of God’s elect.
- The Son of God, for all His people, goes under the darkness of eternal death and makes His soul an offering for sin.
- What does it mean to you? We will spend all eternity recounting what it means.
- Jesus is in the midst of evil-doers because this is the only way to pay for our sins.