Apostles Creed - Death of Jesus

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

• This week we look at the death of Jesus.  Today we are discussing the part of the Apostles Creed that says “suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.”

Set the scene

• We are going through the Apostles' creed.
• I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary
• We are continuing to talk about Jesus.
• Today we are discussing “suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.”
• Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin where He was struck and spat on.
• Jesus has been arrested, Peter has denied him 3 times and Judas killed himself.
• Jesus is now standing before Pilate who oversees Judea (a small area of Israel that includes Jerusalem)

Body

1. Jesus’s death historical event & included to battle Docetism.
2. Jesus’s death was included in the Apostles Creed not only because it is essential to our faith, but because of the rising belief of Docetism in their time.
3. Docetism - Belief that Jesus was not physically on earth and did not physically die.  They believed that God could not suffer or die so they held to the belief that Jesus’s death was merely an illusion.
4. Docetism peaked roughly 100 years before the apostles creed.
5. Jesus’s death is recorded outside of the Bible.
6. Roman historian and politician Tacitus wrote this in AD 116.  He was talking about the fires that Nero started.
7. “But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor, and the propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind.”
8. Read Matthew 27:11-26 NIV
9. We are Barabbas deserving of death, but Jesus took our place.
10. The wages of sin is death.
11. Jews and gentiles had a role to play in the killing of Jesus.
12. The religious leaders were the ones wanting Jesus to die, not the common people.
13. The Romans carried it out.
14. Jesus was flogged.
15. Pilate ordered Jesus to be flogged as required by Roman law before crucifixion Traditionally, the accused stood naked, and the flogging covered the area from the shoulders down to the upper legs. The whip consisted of several strips of leather. In the middle of the strips were metal balls that hit the skin, causing deep bruising. In addition, sheep bone was attached to the tips of each strip. When the bone makes contact with Jesus’ skin, it digs into His muscles, tearing out chunks of flesh and exposing the bone beneath. The flogging leaves the skin on Jesus’ back in long ribbons.
16. By His stripes you were healed.  Isaiah and Peter
17. Read Matthew 27:27-31 NIV
18. They kept changing his clothes after being flogged.  This would continue to rip at the skin that was just destroyed causing additional bleeding.
19. Not only do they put a crown of thorns on His head, they hit him with a staff right on the head which would push the thorns further and further into his head.
20. These thorns were roughly 1-2 inches as well
21. They mocked Him and spit on Him.  
22. Jesus went through so much humiliation.
23. Read Matthew 27:32-33 NIV
24. We know from other gospels that Jesus started to carry the cross, but he kept falling under it from being so weak.
25. Crosses were not sanded down, this wood would have been extremely rough which would rubbed against his wounds.
26. Read Matthew 27:34-44 NIV
27. This would've been the point where he was crucified.
28. Placed on the cross - the cross would have been on the ground.  Jesus would have been thrown down, reopening wounds and causing dirt and debris to get into them.  His torn apart back then would have been placed on the rugged cross causing pain.
29. Hands and feet - they then would have begun nailing Him to the cross starting with His “hands” and feet.  It is more likely that it would have been His wrists because the hands would rip from holding up His weight on the cross.  The nails they would have used were about 7-9 inches long (this would take multiple swings of the hammer to completely go through.  For the feet they would normally put one foot over the other and hammer through both.
30. Breathing - once on the cross and lifted up Jesus would have to push up off of His feet to be able to take a breath.  Again his torn apart back rubbing against the rough wood.  
31. In one account He says “father forgive them for they know not what they do”.  He would've had to endure intense amounts of pain to be able to utter those words.
32. They then begin mocking Him to save Himself not realizing He was saving all of humanity.
33. Read Matthew 27:45-56 NIV
34. Jesus gave up His spirit.  No one took His life.  He willingly laid it down as the ultimate sacrifice for us.  
35. Jesus was quoting Psalm 22 when He cried out “Eli Eli, lema sabacthani”
36. Jesus is literally pointing people to who He is.  Look at some of the things Psalm 22 says!
37. Read Psalm 22:12-18 NIV
38. Read Matthew 27:57-66 NIV
39. The way Jesus was buried would fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah
40. Isaiah 53:9 NIV 
41. Jesus was buried, and his tomb sealed.
42. This was no trick, no illusion, this was a real historical event that happened. 

Conclusion

• Jesus went through all of this so we wouldn't have to suffer the penalty of sin.  He did this willingly for each and every one of us.
• Communion

Engage Church Questions

1. As you reflect on everything Jesus endured for you, what part of His suffering impacts you the most personally, and why?
2. The sermon compared us to Barabbas, guilty, yet set free because Jesus took our place. How has accepting that truth changed the way you view your relationship with God?
3. Jesus willingly endured humiliation, rejection, and physical suffering out of love for you. When have you struggled to believe that you are truly worth that kind of sacrifice?
4. Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them," even while He was being crucified. Is there someone in your life you need to forgive, and what makes that difficult?
5. Jesus did not have His life taken from Him, He willingly laid it down. How does knowing that His sacrifice was intentional rather than forced affect the way you experience God's love?
6. Jesus paid the penalty for your sin so you wouldn't have to. Are there areas where you still carry guilt or shame instead of living in the freedom Christ has given you? Why do you think that is?
7. If someone asked you this week why Jesus' death matters to you personally, what would you say from your own experience rather than just what you know from the Bible?
8. After hearing this message, what is one specific response you feel God is calling you to make this week, whether that's repentance, gratitude, worship, forgiveness, or sharing your faith with someone else?

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHILE READING SCRIPTURE

What does this reveal about God?

What does this reveal about you in relation to God?

What do you need to do about it?