Aids To Remembrance

1. Jesus is Lord

1) Of all men.

2) Of the earth.

3) Of the universe.

4) 1 Corinthians 8:6 states, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”

5) Ephesians 4:5 states that there is “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

2. But why did the Lord have to die on the cross?

1) Because man is a sinner he merits the penalty of eternal death (Romans 6:23).

2) There is nothing that man can do to redeem himself from this situation (Psalm 49:7 “None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him”).

3) For man to be redeemed, God had to take upon Himself the burden of redemption.

4) He accomplished this through His only begotten Son, Jesus.

5) Jesus must be Lord to redeem us from our sins.

6) His blood must be pure to satisfy the justice of God and to pay the penalty.

7) And He and it were.

8) 2 Corinthians 5:21 states: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

3. And so, let us remember during the Lord’s Supper that there was one Lord at Calvary.

1. Matthew 27:38 states: “Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.” Mark 15:27, 28 states “And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. “

1) It is not coincidental that this is mentioned in the story.

2) Jesus died the death of a common criminal and common criminals died alongside of Him.

3) The two thieves further emphasize that Jesus paid the penalty for our sin.

4) We should have died on that cross that day just like those common criminals because that’s what man lost in sin is to God, a common criminal.

2. The two thieves represent all mankind; they represent us.

1) Both thieves initially railed upon Jesus. Matthew 27:34 states, “The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.”

2) But one thief repented. Luke 23:39-42 “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”

3) One thief was unrepentant.

4) The other thief was repentant.

5) All mankind can be found in one of these two categories.

3. Let us remember during the Lord’s Supper that there were two thieves.

1. Luke 23:33 records, “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.” — three crosses.

2. The cross was Rome’s solution to the problem of capital punishment.

1) It was an instrument of torture.

2) It was a rather simple device composed of two wooden beams that crossed each other.

3) The victim’s hands were nailed to the horizontal beam and his feet to the vertical one.

4) Behind the victim’s legs there was a wooden block to keep the victim from stretching out and getting a complete breath of air.

5) Most victims took days to die on the cross.

6) These crosses were set up along the major roadways coming into the cities so that those who entered could see what happened to criminals.

3. Jesus carried his cross to his own crucifixion until he could not for lack of physical strength.

1) John 19:17 says, “And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha.”

2) Luke 23:26 tells us that Simon of Cyrene carried the cross when Jesus couldn’t.

3) John 19:19 says that Pilate wrote on the cross, “This is Jesus, King of the Jews.”

4) John 19:25 says that Jesus mother stood by the cross.

4. Let’s remember that on that day, there were three crosses when there should just have been two.

1. We read in John 19:23, 24 “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.”

1) Those who were crucified were stripped of their remaining dignity.

2) Their last remaining possessions were taken from them and given as payment to the soldiers whose dirty job it was to make sure they died.

3) Jesus outer cloak was torn into four parts so that it could be evenly divided.

4) The inner coat, however, was without seam; this was valuable so instead of tearing it, the soldiers gambled for it.

2. This incident reminds us that everything that was done was in fulfillment of prophecy.

1) Even the actions of Jesus’ enemies fulfilled God’s prophecies.

2) Written some 1000 years before Jesus died, Psalm 22:16-18 states “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

3. This incident also reminds us that Jesus lived a life of poverty. All his worldly possessions were these two pieces of clothes.

1) Matthew 8:20 “And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”

2) Paul wrotes in 2 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

4. Let us remember that there were four parts of the garment.

1. Jesus was crucified with three nails. One in each hand and one in both feet. This made four large wounds in his body.

1) Thomas knew this was so. He said, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)

2) The nails were likely placed in the wrist between the two bones so that the hand would not tear away.

3) The nails in the feet likely pierced between the meta-tarsals in the middle of the top of the foot.

2. Jesus side was pierced with one spear. This was the fifth wound.

1) In John 19:34, John writes, “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”

2) This reminds us that his flesh was broken, his body was torn, and his blood drained out.

3) Hebrews 10:20 states that we can enter God’s most holy place, “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh”

4) The veil of the temple was torn in two when Jesus died on the cross. Mark 15:38 states, “And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.”

3. Let us remember the five wounds in Jesus’ body.

1. He hung suspended between heaven and earth for six hours.

1) Mark 15:25 “And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.”

2) Matthew 27:45 “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.”

2. During those six hours…

1) Every few moments he would push down on his legs and lift himself up to breathe.

2) He had to endure the crown of thorns on his head.

3) Those who crucified him mocked Him while He hung on the cross.

a. Mark 15:29-32 “And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, Save thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.”

3. Let us remember that Jesus was on the cross for six hours.

1. Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

2. John 19:26, 27 “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. “

3. Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

4. Mark 15:34 “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? “

5. John 19:28 “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

6. John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

7. Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”