They looked on him whom they pierced
John 19:37
Man, in sin, killed Christ.
Christ died because of the sinfulness of men.
Jesus, God himself, died by the sinful deeds of men.
Jesus died baring the the weight of the sin of men.
This was no accident![1]
Indeed it was the sins of you and I that killed Him. Isaiah 53 says God poured out our sins on him, God crushed him. For what reason? That many would Go free. We killed God, the Christ, so that God the Father would be justified[2], righteous, in giving his enemies, us, a free gracious gift, ETERNAL LIFE freedom from death, His own holiness, an eternity spent in his presences. Do you realize what that sentence means? God desiring to love us, HIS CREATION, by giving us HIMSELF had to DIE to pay for our sins otherwise he would be not be a fair judge! But this was no accident. This was the plan by which he would demonstrate this glory.
This is the cross. The darkest hour in all history. That hour that moment when God uttered those glorious words, “‘IT IS FINISHED’ and yielded up his life”[3], the depth of man’s wickedness was on display as his own CREATOR hung limp and lifeless, stapled to a tree outside the “city of God”.
God died at the hands of sinners! All because of His radical love and His radical grace. His presence is as a glowing sun walking in our midst shedding its rays on every twisted surface of our wicked hearts. We cannot bare it, nor could the pharisees so they tacked God up to a tree, to die a sinner’s death, thinking they could that the light of the world would be extinguished.
hanging on the tree? Do you see your freedom rising from the grave? Do you feel guilty when looking at Christ baring sin? Do you feel anything?
Zechariah 12:10 says:
“they will look on me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping of a firstborn.
For their sin they shall weep bitterly. Their sadness and weeping will be like that of the death of their only son. WHY? Whom did they kill? …..GOD! They killed GOD! This was prophesied about 500 years before the death of Christ. God, speaking through his prophet Zechariah told the Jews that they would kill Himself. Oh what meaning does this give to Jesus’ rebuke,
“You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time”[4]
God does not leave them weeping nor does he let us see our sin with no action against it. A few verses later in Zechariah we read:These men hated the love of God. He came loving the poorest of the poor. He can forgiving Sin. He came to set people free from death. They hated this! We hate this aparat from his grace. WHAT BLIND FOOLS WE ARE! Yes we are equals to them! We want nothing of God. We call Jesus a fool. A joke! A good man! A good story! A myth! This only changes when God opens our eyes, when GOD takes away our blindness so we can see HIS glory in the face of Christ.
What say you of this Christ? That is the question? What are you going to do with this Jesus? He died but as we will see he did not stay dead? How could he? He died for sins his soul never committed? He lived a life with God loving God wanting God He was God! There was no sin found in him. He took on all the sins of all those who the father has given him so they would be free of them. As the hymn says in our place he stood condemned. He bore YOUR penalty, if you believe on Him his life HE will give YOU! So what do you say? We all must decide? Revelation says they who looked on him whom they pierced wept.[5] Do you see your sin?
In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David [those after God’s heart] and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for the cleansing of sin and impurity
God is promising those who weep at the cross that … HE … WILL … make them clean he will refine them. They very God they killed will forgive and heal them. The answer to Jesus comes fulfilling this promise. Yes your sin is there on the Cross but your life also is hanging on that cross!
The blood and water flowing from the side of Christ is the fountain by which we are forgiven of our sins and washed clean from them. We are made holy in the sight of God and we are given the Spirit, to write the will of God on our hearts, as proof of our future Resurrection from the dead.
Jesus told Nicodemus, who will joined Joseph of Arimathea in preparing Christ’s body and laying him in the tomb, that the Son of Man shall be lifted up as the serpent in the desert.[6]
So that all who believe in Him [Christ] will have eternal life[7]
Look to Christ and be saved. This is not once at some time in the past; this is every day, in every temptation because HE is our ONLY hope and stay!
This then is the question that we, each, must answer, “Is this Christ God?”
By his life, death, and rising, which we will see next week, is HE able and willing to forgive your sins and give you new life?
Is he truthful and honest?
He said throughout his ministry that He would come to this death and he is here. As you look on him what do you think? As you see the MESSIAH whom God was pleased to CRUSH, on whom God poured out his wrath for the punishment of your sinful nature, the the God-Man who loved the poor, hurting masses who he healed and gave new life to what do you think what do you feel? On the cross Christ bought life and freedom for all his sheep. Paul tells us that Christ put to death the very power that holds us separated from Himself. He killed sin in the flesh by the cross so that we would be united with God.[8]
What then does this mean to us who are Christians? What does the Cross do for us? How do we see it in our lives?
Do you honor him in battling sin and temptation. Paul tells us that those in Christ do not fear the power of Sin for it is dead BECAUSE of the power of life in Christ.[9] Have you the magnified the the Sin killing Cross through we which Christ bought you?[10]
Paul says we not MERELY set free from sin but we receive a much greater and glorious gift: ADOPTION as Sons and Daughters of God! Therefore, our fighting of sin is not a duty it is a privilege, a right which he has given us! It is a mark of our identification as sons of God. We were not simply set free from slavery to sin we are ADOPTED by God.
if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:13b-17
He did not make us orphans with no master.
He made us Sons and Daughters of the LIVING GOD!
WE ARE ADOPTED into HIS FAMILY! We have all the rights and privileges and responsibilities of Christ! God has gladly given us ALL HIS KINGDOM[11].
Paul says by this act we are joined to Christ in heaven already seated there so that God’s Grace in Christ would be on full display![12] Do you rejoice in this? Do you stand on this promise? Is this your glory?
For those who are do not call themselves Christians how do you see the cross? What are you coming to him for? Do you like Herod’s troops look on Christ with mocking scorn? Do you see anything in Christ?
Are you coming to Jesus to get something? Herod wanted to see Jesus to see what he could get from him:
When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. Luke 23:8-9
Are you coming to Jesus to see some sign? You see Herod wanted to see something that would make him happy. John the baptist had already called for him to repent, that is why he killed John the Baptist. He didn’t want to hear what Jesus had to say he simply wanted to see something amazing. He wanted Jesus to please him.
What are you looking to Jesus? Are you looking because your sinfulness offends God do you see that? Herod didn’t, do you?
You see when Jesus won’t satisfy Herod’s desire he simply turned to mocking and scorning and beating him. Why? It made the other Jews happy and provided protection for his position!
Do you see the glory of Christ in the cross? Do you see your sins hanging there? Do you see the life giving flow pouring from the side of Christ for the forgiving of your sins and the giving of eternal life?
If Not pray pray that he would open your eyes to see the glory of God in the face of Christ. By beholding Christ’s glory, the glory of the only-one-like-him, you will be save, you will be made children of the most high!
[1]John 10:17-18 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.
[2]Romans 3:26 for the demonstration of of his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be JUST and the justifier of the ones who has faith in Jesus
[6]John 3:14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up:
[8]Ephesians 2:16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
[9]Romans 8:3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
[10]Romans 8:10,13 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
[11]Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
[12] Ephesians 2:5-7 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Thoughts from a Young Man 
Thoughts From a Young Man: “whom they pierced”
They looked on him whom they pierced
John 19:37
Man, in sin, killed Christ.
Christ died because of the sinfulness of men.
Jesus, God himself, died by the sinful deeds of men.
Jesus died baring the the weight of the sin of men.
This was no accident![1]
Indeed it was the sins of you and I that killed Him. Isaiah 53 says God poured out our sins on him, God crushed him. For what reason? That many would Go free. We killed God, the Christ, so that God the Father would be justified[2], righteous, in giving his enemies, us, a free gracious gift, ETERNAL LIFE freedom from death, His own holiness, an eternity spent in his presences. Do you realize what that sentence means? God desiring to love us, HIS CREATION, by giving us HIMSELF had to DIE to pay for our sins otherwise he would be not be a fair judge! But this was no accident. This was the plan by which he would demonstrate this glory.
This is the cross. The darkest hour in all history. That hour that moment when God uttered those glorious words, “‘IT IS FINISHED’ and yielded up his life”[3], the depth of man’s wickedness was on display as his own CREATOR hung limp and lifeless, stapled to a tree outside the “city of God”.
God died at the hands of sinners! All because of His radical love and His radical grace. His presence is as a glowing sun walking in our midst shedding its rays on every twisted surface of our wicked hearts. We cannot bare it, nor could the pharisees so they tacked God up to a tree, to die a sinner’s death, thinking they could that the light of the world would be extinguished.
hanging on the tree? Do you see your freedom rising from the grave? Do you feel guilty when looking at Christ baring sin? Do you feel anything?
Zechariah 12:10 says:
For their sin they shall weep bitterly. Their sadness and weeping will be like that of the death of their only son. WHY? Whom did they kill? …..GOD! They killed GOD! This was prophesied about 500 years before the death of Christ. God, speaking through his prophet Zechariah told the Jews that they would kill Himself. Oh what meaning does this give to Jesus’ rebuke,
God does not leave them weeping nor does he let us see our sin with no action against it. A few verses later in Zechariah we read:These men hated the love of God. He came loving the poorest of the poor. He can forgiving Sin. He came to set people free from death. They hated this! We hate this aparat from his grace. WHAT BLIND FOOLS WE ARE! Yes we are equals to them! We want nothing of God. We call Jesus a fool. A joke! A good man! A good story! A myth! This only changes when God opens our eyes, when GOD takes away our blindness so we can see HIS glory in the face of Christ.
What say you of this Christ? That is the question? What are you going to do with this Jesus? He died but as we will see he did not stay dead? How could he? He died for sins his soul never committed? He lived a life with God loving God wanting God He was God! There was no sin found in him. He took on all the sins of all those who the father has given him so they would be free of them. As the hymn says in our place he stood condemned. He bore YOUR penalty, if you believe on Him his life HE will give YOU! So what do you say? We all must decide? Revelation says they who looked on him whom they pierced wept.[5] Do you see your sin?
God is promising those who weep at the cross that … HE … WILL … make them clean he will refine them. They very God they killed will forgive and heal them. The answer to Jesus comes fulfilling this promise. Yes your sin is there on the Cross but your life also is hanging on that cross!
The blood and water flowing from the side of Christ is the fountain by which we are forgiven of our sins and washed clean from them. We are made holy in the sight of God and we are given the Spirit, to write the will of God on our hearts, as proof of our future Resurrection from the dead.
Jesus told Nicodemus, who will joined Joseph of Arimathea in preparing Christ’s body and laying him in the tomb, that the Son of Man shall be lifted up as the serpent in the desert.[6]
Look to Christ and be saved. This is not once at some time in the past; this is every day, in every temptation because HE is our ONLY hope and stay!
This then is the question that we, each, must answer, “Is this Christ God?”
By his life, death, and rising, which we will see next week, is HE able and willing to forgive your sins and give you new life?
Is he truthful and honest?
He said throughout his ministry that He would come to this death and he is here. As you look on him what do you think? As you see the MESSIAH whom God was pleased to CRUSH, on whom God poured out his wrath for the punishment of your sinful nature, the the God-Man who loved the poor, hurting masses who he healed and gave new life to what do you think what do you feel? On the cross Christ bought life and freedom for all his sheep. Paul tells us that Christ put to death the very power that holds us separated from Himself. He killed sin in the flesh by the cross so that we would be united with God.[8]
What then does this mean to us who are Christians? What does the Cross do for us? How do we see it in our lives?
Do you honor him in battling sin and temptation. Paul tells us that those in Christ do not fear the power of Sin for it is dead BECAUSE of the power of life in Christ.[9] Have you the magnified the the Sin killing Cross through we which Christ bought you?[10]
Paul says we not MERELY set free from sin but we receive a much greater and glorious gift: ADOPTION as Sons and Daughters of God! Therefore, our fighting of sin is not a duty it is a privilege, a right which he has given us! It is a mark of our identification as sons of God. We were not simply set free from slavery to sin we are ADOPTED by God.
He did not make us orphans with no master.
He made us Sons and Daughters of the LIVING GOD!
WE ARE ADOPTED into HIS FAMILY! We have all the rights and privileges and responsibilities of Christ! God has gladly given us ALL HIS KINGDOM[11].
Paul says by this act we are joined to Christ in heaven already seated there so that God’s Grace in Christ would be on full display![12] Do you rejoice in this? Do you stand on this promise? Is this your glory?
For those who are do not call themselves Christians how do you see the cross? What are you coming to him for? Do you like Herod’s troops look on Christ with mocking scorn? Do you see anything in Christ?
Are you coming to Jesus to get something? Herod wanted to see Jesus to see what he could get from him:
Are you coming to Jesus to see some sign? You see Herod wanted to see something that would make him happy. John the baptist had already called for him to repent, that is why he killed John the Baptist. He didn’t want to hear what Jesus had to say he simply wanted to see something amazing. He wanted Jesus to please him.
What are you looking to Jesus? Are you looking because your sinfulness offends God do you see that? Herod didn’t, do you?
You see when Jesus won’t satisfy Herod’s desire he simply turned to mocking and scorning and beating him. Why? It made the other Jews happy and provided protection for his position!
Do you see the glory of Christ in the cross? Do you see your sins hanging there? Do you see the life giving flow pouring from the side of Christ for the forgiving of your sins and the giving of eternal life?
If Not pray pray that he would open your eyes to see the glory of God in the face of Christ. By beholding Christ’s glory, the glory of the only-one-like-him, you will be save, you will be made children of the most high!
[1]John 10:17-18 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.
[2]Romans 3:26 for the demonstration of of his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be JUST and the justifier of the ones who has faith in Jesus
[3]John 19:30
[4]Luke 12:56
[5]Revelation 1:7
[6]John 3:14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up:
[7]John 3:15
[8]Ephesians 2:16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
[9]Romans 8:3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
[10]Romans 8:10,13 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
[11]Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
[12] Ephesians 2:5-7 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
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