Jesus: The Basics, Talk 2 - Jesus Died (Luke 23)

1. That Jesus Died

I think that even the most skeptical or critical of us agree that Jesus, of Nazareth, died. That He died on a Cross. That Christians believe His death to be significant and important. I don’t need to convince people of the plausibility of Jesus death as much as the plausibility of Jesus’ life because it is totally believable. Everyone dies, at some point. I had to work hard last week, to establish the plausibility of Jesus doing the things He did, performing the miracles he did, claiming the wild things that He did. But this week, most people can believe that if a man is public sentenced to death by a Roman Governor, brought before Roman soldiers, nailed on a cross that Jesus really did die, that day, in around 30 AD, on a place called Golgotha/Calvary or the “Skull” (Luke 23:33)

The First thing we need to find is the significance of Jesus’ death. That’s where the clincher is. There are many minor variations on the specific details, such as mechanism of the Crucifixion, but the main divergence is on WHY, or what is the significance of His Death? So what that He died. This question, when answered, actually forms the basis of everyone’s religious viewpoint or faith commitment. No matter who you are, the answer you give  to WHY Jesus died determines your viewpoint on God, what and who He is, how we relate to Him or get to Him and on the cause and purpose of your life today. Really? Is my answer to WHY Jesus died that important? Luke, along with other eye-witnesses of Jesus’ Life, Death and [Resurrection] would have you say yes. I agree with them. Because if your answer, by the end of my explanation, is not something along the lines: “Jesus died for me, personally, for my good and my sake” then you have placed your faith commitments on something other than the Christian God, someone other than the Centre of Christianity. Your faith is probably placed in yourself, your work or some other thing you have done.

The Second thing to note is that the historical fact that Jesus died was actually more shocking to Jesus’ followers, His enemies, the critical public than it is to us today. It was completely unexpected. If I walked up  to someone on George St (Sydney) and said, “do you think that Jesus died on the Cross?” their answer would be, “Yes, very probably. It is entirely conceivable”. But this was not the case to His disciples, His followers, His Critics and even HIs enemies. I’ll explain in detail but every witness to His death you’ve heard in the Scriptures today, were shocked by the fact that this Man Jesus died and at HOW He died. It all to do with expectation. Did they expect Him to live forever? Given that He had displayed many signs of God’s power, given His teaching with wisdom and authority, given His love for the sickest and the worst in Society, given His claim that He was God’s Son, representative and chosen King [Christ]... given all things He said and did in His life HisDeath on the Cross is Inconceivable to everyone around Him, it was merely impossible that Jesus should die, in that fashion, like a criminal on the Cross, it is completely paradoxical if this Man really were the Son of God or God’s Chosen King.

Yet can I tell you that God was not shocked? That Jesus was not shocked? That throughout His Life Jesus had tried really, really hard to tell His disciples, his friends and even his enemies that He was going to die? Like that time after feeding the 5000, Jesus asked His disciples (Luke 9:18-22) who He was, Peter answered “You are the Messiah or Christ” and Jesus then began to start telling them He must suffer and die at the hands of Jerusalem leaders. And He kept on dropping hints, reminding them, over and over again, but still they didn’t think He was serious. No one really thought that the total sum of Jesus’ Life and His raison d'être was that He would give up His body, blood and spirit to be executed at the hands of men and God? Did you ever have such ambitions as a child, when someone asked: “So Will, you’re a pretty okay boy, what do you want to be when you grow up”, “I want to be betrayed by friends and countrymen, sentenced publicly, be humiliated and beaten, then experience the worst sort of execution preserved only for criminals and cursed human beings: I want to die like that.” What, are you crazy? Is this a shady side of Jesus that is so incompatible with the rest of His life? Well, it’s not. As we look at HOW Jesus Died and WHY He did, we ought realise that God had meant it and revealed it in the OT [explain under point 3 - Isaiah 53] for a long time. Jesus was always going to die, the OT expected it, God planned it and His Life mission was to Die.

 

2. How Jesus Died

 

So How did Jesus die? What was His manner? How did He approach His death? I am not asking you to see Him like Socrates and use Jesus as an example. Firstly, you can’t. Jesus, as remembered by eye-witnesses showed superhuman composure and wisdom. Secondly, that’s not the significance of His death. If you walked away from today and thought: I am going to follow Jesus’ example and try to be like Him, you have completely missed the Christian answer to the question. Yet How He died is revealing of who He really is and makes the question of WHY even more urgent.

Jesus held onto the Truth claims he spoke of in His Life. Look with me at the preliminary hearing of Jesus’ trial in front of the Chief Priests and Teachers:

^22:67"If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us."

Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, ⁶⁸and if I asked you, you would not answer. ⁶⁹But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."

⁷⁰They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"  He replied, "You are right in saying I am."

⁷¹Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips."

^23:1Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. ²And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."

What Jesus says here before his death sentence, is entirely consistent with the rest of His life and also the signs, teachings and testimony of those around Him. No one missed the point that He claimed to be God’s chosen King the Messiah or Christ. He is not going to deny what He knows is true, though to some of you He is probably closer to a lunatic than the real thing. To His accusers, they didn’t really care whether He was the Messiah, but they had been personally insulted, and they were thrown off their positions of authority when Jesus criticised their behaviours. This trial was merely a legal ploy to get rid of Him for standing up for truths about God. [One of their gripes was Jesus’ healing lepers, cripples, diseased persons on the Sabbath or Day of Rest. Jesus repeatedly did this to proclaim that God’s day of salvation has arrived, but because this Good News trumped the traditions of the Elders, it started an animosity between Jesus and what He taught about God and the Old School of Chief Priests.] Jesus did not back down from proclaiming the reality of God’s kingdom and neither did He backdown from claiming that He really was from God, that He was God’s chosen King the Messiah.

From a human level, what Jesus did was NOT convincing. I am expecting you guys to not be convinced yet. Why? Because like the Chief Priests our expectation of God’s chosen king is not the portrait of a poor, homeless, average man who befriended sinners, losers, outcasts. He had no class, no status, no worldly importance. He talked about spiritual things not visual, tangible, immediate gains or victory and He didn’t seem like a boss, or successful leader by our standards. May I challenge you now that you are practising what the Chief Priests did? That you are not viewing Jesus as God of the Bible would? That your expectations are way, way, way off compared to the expectations of Kingship in the Scriptures? Let me show you, firstly by looking at HOW Jesus died: Innocently and with Love.

Pilate was the Roman Governor who eventually signed the papers for Jesus’ execution. He could find nothing wrong in Roman Law against Jesus:

^23:3So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?"  "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

⁴Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man.

Pilate repeatedly told the crowd of Priests and Jerusalem Leaders that He could not legally execute Jesus. He even sent Jesus to the corresponding Judean King Herod, who “hoped to see him perform some miracle.” Jesus didn’t allow him that pleasure and was handed back over to Pilate for a final judgment. And this is what Pilate says:

^23:14and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. ¹⁵Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. ¹⁶Therefore, I will punish him and then release him."

Pilate says: He’s innocent, I’ll punish him, i.e. flog him to a pulp, then I’ll let him go. But even this level of injustice was NOT enough for the priests and leaders. They shouted, crucify him, crucify him, and Pilate resisted a third time, saying I’ve got no grounds to execute this guy, man, just let me and let him go? Isn’t this punishment enough. It wasn’t, so Pilate “surrendered Jesus to their will.”

Despite being innocent and falsely condemned, and ridiculed, what sort of composure did Jesus exhibit? Something in the realm of the divine, something PERFECT.

^23:33When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

How could Jesus say this? This is non-sense. Jesus of all teachers of the OLD Testament Law knew the heart of God. God is one who loves justice, urges His people to practice mercy and humbly obey His righteous law. God is the one who keeps His eye on the oppressed, who upholds justice for the defenseless. How could Jesus, who claims to represent God as His King, let this injustice go? Because God is able to absorb the Injustice within Himself at His own cost [more on this later]. In forgiving His enemies, however hurtful or bitter they were, He shows a divine Love that is impossible for a mere man. Jesus is stripped bare, devoid of dignity, tortured and beaten, tired and fatigued, thirsty and in physical pain. He is placed with criminals who are likely murderers, rotten and ugly. Yet He is starts to demonstrate just a fraction of the depths of God’s love for all Humankind. He says: Father forgive them, even though I am innocent, Father forgive them; they don’t know the extent of their evil deeds in crucifying the Christ, Father forgive them for they do not know just whom they have sentenced to Death.

But WHY, WHY would Jesus die? WHY die He willingly choose this career path? WHY if He claims to be God’s King would He die? Remember He’s not just your example, He’s not your local hero, He’s not going to be featured on Oprah as inspiration for humankind because simply He isn’t that sort.

 

3. Why Jesus Died

 

To put simply. Jesus died for you, Jesus died for us. For you. For me. Jesus died for you and me. That’s why.

When I ask WHY I don’t mean what are the factors, causes and human players and decisions that led to Jesus’ execution. That is plain for all to see, it’s there on the surface, in all the accounts. I have already given you the human cause: in jealousy, in personal vengeance, in cowardice of governance and in people acting unjustly for the sake of convenience. It’s there. When I ask WHY, I mean, for what purpose did Jesus die? It is a question you don’t ask these days. A lot of you still are affected by philosophical movements that says: in life, there is no real purpose, what happens just happens and what is just is and the purpose is that you learn and be “good” [whatever stand of good you can conjure up] as a result of what happens in life. Life is existentially fluffiness for some of you and the purpose may be maximising short-term pleasures for tomorrow you die.

But not in God’s world. In God’s world there is purpose, He has plans He has power to enact them and He has reasons for making things happen the way they are: Jesus as God’s Son has a purpose in resolutely heading to His Crucifixion which He knew in advance, spoke of repeatedly to His disciples and actually FINISHED His work by dying on the Cross for you and me. How do I know? Because God laid down the plan long before Jesus came. Throughout the OLD Testament [which is a book that spans at least 1800 years of various writers and genres as God acted in Human History], God laid down a blueprint or if you like a Resume for the Role that the Christ, God’s chosen king. Let me read you from Isaiah, prophet in 700BCs, and what he saw as the portrait of the Christ. It is commonly know as the Suffering Servant passage:

[Context: God is speaking of the One who is to come, referred to as He. We know Jesus is that He for He fits the portrait. We bystanders feature in this song or vision, we are the ones who look on the Servant, who benefit from the Servant’s suffering and understand what is happening to Him. We are right in the middle of this Song, we are NOT innocent, we are the cause...]

Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed our message  and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,  and like a root out of dry ground.  He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,  nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,  a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces  he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities  and carried our sorrows,  yet we considered him stricken by God,  smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,  he was crushed for our iniquities;  the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,  and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,  each of us has turned to his own way;  and the LORD has laid on him  the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,  yet he did not open his mouth;  he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,  and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,  so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.  And who can speak of his descendants?  For he was cut off from the land of the living;  for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,  and with the rich in his death,  though he had done no violence,  nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Let me show you only 4 features of the Suffering Servant that fits Jesus [there are thousands more, not just from this passage, but alas, we lack the energy]

1. 1. The Christ has to Suffer (Isaiah 53:3-6, Luke 9:18-22, Luke 22:37), for the People
   2. Facing God’s Judgment (Isaiah 53:8:, Luke 22:42, Luke 23:44, Crucifixion Curse 23:33), for the People
   3. He the Righteous took the punishment for the Sinner [the People] (Isaiah 53:9, Luke 23:40-42)
   4. He was Passover Lamb (Isaiah 53:7, Luke 22:13-20).

[I will expand each of these points if there is time. Explain the Judgment of God, why He is angry at Sin and is just to judge. That His judgment is fierce and complete and deserved. Must mention that’s why Jesus so wanted to celebrate the Passover with His disciples and asked them to continually remember His death in that light: He is the Passover Lamb that God prepared for rescue of His people. By the blood shed, God’s people are saved from judgment and are rescued by His might into His kingdom.]

If God was like the Boss, interviewing an Apprentice who was going to inherit all that He had and be CEO of all His enterprise, this excerpt would be the on top of the contract. Jesus, He would say, you are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well-pleased (Luke 3:22). But you must do this in order to achieve my greatest and most spectacular Rescue Package. You must Suffer, as a Servant, as a Slave, as a nobody for EVERYBODY. Because everybody has sinned and face eternal judgment for their sins. I am their judge. You must be the Innocent One who takes on EVERYBODY’s debt, EVERYBODY’s punishment that they deserve. Why? Because I, you, we LOVE them. They can’t save themselves, I, you, we must do it FOR them. Die for them, die for their sins, die for their short-comings, die in their place so that they will not die. I know you are innocent, but die for them as we love them. Die for the undeserving, the helpless, the wicked, die for our enemies, though they may reject us, reject our plans, reject our LOVE, still break your body and pour out your blood FOR them. Die for them or else they die themselves. This was Jesus’ calling, HIs vocation, His task to be that Suffering Servant who was (Isaiah 53:5)

 

Pierced for our transgressions,

Crushed for our iniquities,

The Punishment that brought us peace was upon Him [Jesus],

And by His wounds we are healed.

To put simply, Jesus died for us, for our sins, took our punishment, He died in our place so that we may not die and suffer the eternal consequences of our sins. And the flip side says, it is Jesus who was pierced, who was crushed. It is only By Him that we have peace with God, each other and ourselves and are healed in all spheres of Life.

[Answer objections now? Or save ‘til point 4? Or save ‘til Question Time?]

[So I hear you say. Sin? What is that? I’ve never heard of it? It is a culturally and socially relative term. I know I am not perfect but to say that I, an upright, tax-paying, sometime law-abiding, is a SINNER? That’s just a scare tactic. One if there were sins in my life they are not that bad, not deserving of God’s punishment... Argue the point backwards: because we know Jesus the Christ who was perfect has Suffered wrath from God -> we know that sins are punishable and must be judged.]

[And some of you might ask: How could this be Just? God is the prime violator of Justice if He chooses to transfer SINS from the SINNER to an INNOCENT 3rd party: the Suffering Servant?]

[Why should God be angry at all, why can’t He just forgive and forget like all good people? Why does He feel at all when we reject Him and forsake Him and just want His own good things, isn’t He a bit of a megalomaniac? I think the answer lies int he question itself. Why should God burn with rage and jealous anger?]

 

4. So what that Jesus Died?

 

You might get the idea, by now, that I take the Death of Jesus most seriously. It’s one of those things that I and countless other Christians before have held dearest to my heart. [speak of my near death event? and how I could only remember John 3:16, may be not] It is a thing that I am most unashamed of, most vocal about and will not hesitate in holding to Death’s door if I was forced to choose. That Jesus freely, lovingly died for my, yours and our Sins, completely so that we may not. Point a gun at my head and ask me to recount and I cannot. I will not.

That Jesus Died is to the Christian, the most paradoxically beautiful event in History: both global and universal history and our personal and intimate history. It is the litmus test for true Christian Faith: if for some reason, for some doubt, for some other obstruction, that you find this act of God in Crucifying His Own Son not a beauty, not a majestic artwork, not a heart-enthralling arrow then I declare you still in the dark, still blind to our sins and lacking a living Spirit. It is something so true, so right, so just, so loving that if we don’t see it I’m afraid we are not seeing at all. It grieves me and God that anyone should reject Him in the first place, and it grieves me and grieves God even more when He, the Lover has poured out His heart, and soul by breaking His body and shedding His blood only to find a cold, recalcitrant heart.

Look at the two thieves:

^23:38There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

³⁹One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

⁴⁰But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. B

ut this man has done nothing wrong."

⁴²Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

⁴³Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

One saw a pathetic, contradictory miracle worker who was promising but failed to deliver God’s power. Jesus just didn’t convince the first thief. But the Other, his eyes lit up, HIs heart saw and was in awe of the awesome beauty of Jesus’ death. Both are looking at the same Suffering Servant Christ, only one went to paradise. WHY because only one saw the beauty of God’s love poured out on that Cross. Only one understood THAT Jesus died for him. Only one was guaranteed life with God everlasting in Paradise. Only one could link the portraits of a self-sacrificial loving, humble God and a majestic King. Only saw his own fallen nature that was repaid with undeserving love and generosity in Jesus’ death for him.

[I am not saying we stop asking questions, I am not saying that we shouldn’t spend time to think and really digest what is going on. You think anybody so miraculously understood the beauty and Majesty of the Christ when they saw Him naked, ashamed, despised, weakened? Hardly anyone is as lucky as the believing thief who saw the Majesty of Jesus on His side. Most people take time. What I am saying is for those who have heard, who have investigated, who have decided and then finally rejected this Death of Jesus as a death for them: I have no solution, I have no more tears, I’m all out of argument and out of love. If I am not clear, then mea culpa, but if I have been clear then I truly grieve for anyone who rejects God the second time. Not even God Himself can further convince you if He appeared to you in person, because He already has. He has fully demonstrated His own love for us in this: that Jesus Died for You and Me.]

Ask yourself, do you need this Jesus to Die for you? Do you honestly think that before the eyes of God we are blameless, guiltless, perfect and should be received in His presence as we would be by the King or Queen or any other important person and dignitary on Earth? Are we really that good, that nice, that fitting for a Holy, Just, Awesome Creator God? Yes I know He’s a loving Father, but what about the whole person of God? Or do you feel just that tiny bit, even just a little bit of need for someone like Jesus, who Suffers as one who Serves us so that we might be made Right in God’s Sight? Free, blameless, guiltless and forgiven fully because He has Died for us? Can I encourage you feed that right desire, even if it’s just a little, because friends humility or poverty of Spirit: knowing I am no where near perfect and need forgiveness - that brings you and me closer to God than any of our righteousness because we will start to trust in this Jesus, who Died for Us.

 

Are you as cold and clinical as Pilate and Herod, who saw and talked with and judged Jesus to be just another teacher and miracle worker but not the Christ who Suffers for Us? To them He’s just another good role model, but if He doesn’t fit with our current well-being, our current status and state of happiness, if His words just reveal too much of our own guilt in Sin and hopelessness in Death, then we can conveniently wash our hands of guilt and say: He’s good for you, but not for me. Fine if you want Him, fine if you don’t want Him, as for me, I’ll have nothing to do with Him. I’ll just stay neutral, agnostic and forever in the middle. But you can’t. His Death doesn’t afford that neutrality. At the End of the Day, as I said in the Beginning, the answer you give to the question “WHY did Jesus die?” will place you in a definite position with regard to who you think God is, what He’s like, how you will relate to Him and whether you need Him. If your answer is not: I know for sure that Jesus died for Me, then you will answer for that. You will have determined your own destiny and be responsible for your own life, but at a cost of ALL of your Life. Friends, brothers, sisters, my prayer is that God may open your heart of hearts, your mind’s eye, that God would so have mercy on you because I know He has, and can melt through the hardest and the coldest of hearts.

 

What about for those for whom Jesus has Died, those of you who still are faithful and ever holding to this Truth? My words of encouragement to you. My thanks to God for you. Because you stand in such privileged positions, such enormous heavenly glory is waiting for you, for whom Jesus Died! Do you know your joy? Do you know how good it will be when God’s kingdom comes in full and you are in the middle of it with Him?! Do you know you have experienced and will forever know first hand the greatest love-act of all, better than love from a lover, a spouse, a child, a mentor, a friend, an admirer, love from no one less than God Himself? DO you not feel empowered and free to love as He does? What if you are rejected by friends who mistreat you or just use you, can you afford to forgive them? Of course. You have been forgiven more. What if you are tempted to abandon ship, to drop this Jesus because you have a greater offer elsewhere? Show me the Love from this other person, this other thing, this other object [achievement, award, pleasure, thrill, success], show me what Love there is in that thing and I will show you more in the Death of Jesus for you. We have no choice but to be faithful because Jesus has Died for Us. Are you unsatisfied with your position in life now, with your state now, with your lot now? Are you lacking that something to make you complete? Let me say that Jesus’ Death for you proves to me that your insecurity is a lie from the devil: because nothing is more beautiful and precious than what God has already offered: He has broken His body for you and poured

out His blood in Dying for you.

 

So what if Jesus Died? The significance is found in your answer. He died for me, He died for you.

 

Jesus: the Basics, talk 1: Jesus Lived

 

1. What we know about Jesus: Luke the Historian (Luke 1:1-4)

What do we know about Jesus? Why is it important? Christianity is definitely not a religion. A religion can live, have followers, enforce moral demands even if there was no history to it. From traditional religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and even Islam to modern “religions” such as Food Craves, Wall Street, Apple Co. - all can have followers, objects of worship and desire, and all call on followers to stalls, festivals and flagship  stores for communion. All function as religion for our heads, hearts and wills but they can be separate from history; in fact it doesn’t matter what time in history they appear, so long as they are appealing and work for the worshipper, then they have their “truth”.

That’s not Christianity. Christianity relies on Truth. Christianity is basically about Jesus, whether He truly lived, truly died, truly rose and appeared to all and will truly come back again. From the Old Testament longings [predictions] of Jesus, to the actually comings and going of Jesus, Christians depend on externally verifiable events, not wishy-washy “spiritual sounding” principles. Because it is not a religion, not something that you and I take on, like a lifestyle choice, or a passion for living, or a set of moral principle. Christianity and Jesus is about externally verifiable events actually occurring in history and their effect on our lives. Christianity is not something that we act on but something that acts on us! It’s not something that I take-up but something, if true, will, ought and must change me.

That’s why I’m preaching on the Basics. That Jesus Lived, that He Died, that He Rose and appeared for all to see and that according to God’s word He will come back again. If He didn’t live, died, rise and will not come back that we have all believed in a lie and none of the claims of truth of Christianity will work. If people can prove, beyond reasonable doubt that in history Jesus did not live and do all the things I shall demonstrate form Luke today, then you should not have even come today, I have wasted your time, and don’t come back next week, because if Luke is not history, then there is no significance as there is no truth, and we should just all go eating (Food Crave), drinking (Oktober Fest) and fast-car driving (Motor show) and immerse ourselves in Games (Starcraft and Civ V).

So what do we know and where do we get our Jesus from? I am asking you to read Luke the Historian. You say: Hey isn’t he biased? Is he a converted Jew? How can he be telling the truth? Let me ask you a couple of questions in reply: have you read Luke? What parts of Luke does not correlate with what we know of Israel (Galilee, Judea, Samaria) under Roman occupation and rule of the Emperor Augustus? What do mainstream historians think of Luke as History?

Let me start from some historical critics of Jesus, and see what we learn about Jesus and what early Christians believe about Him. The point is that these are not friends, but sometimes enemies and haters of the early church. Like them, you need not believe the significance of the events, but at least suspend your prejudice and understand that even enemies close in time to the actual events, understood what Christians held to be true.

Thallos AD 50 in Histories - Eclipse at time of Jesus’ crucifixion

Tacitus AD 56-120

Christians derived the name from a man called Christ, who during the reign of Emperor TIberius had be executed by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate. The deadly superstition, thus checked for the moment, broke out afresh not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but also in the City of Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world meet and become popular.

Pliny AD 61-113

The sum total of the guilt or error was no more than the following. They had met regularly before dawn on a determined day, and sung antiphonally a hymn to Christ as to a god. They also took an oath not for any crime, but to keep from theft, robbery and adultery, and not to break any promise.

Josephus AD 37-100

(18.63-64)

At This time there appeared Jesus, a wise man. For he was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of people who received the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following both among many Jews and among many of Greek origin. He was perhaps the Messiah-Christ. And when Pilate, because of an accusation made by the leading men among us, condemned him to the cross, those who had loved him previously did not cease to do so. For they reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. And up until this very day the tribe of Christians, named after him, has not died out.

see also (20.200)

Talmud AD 100-200

(baraitha Sanhedrin 43a-b)

On the eve of the Passover Jesus was hanged (on a cross). For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, ‘He is going forth o be stoned because he has practised sorcery and enticed and led Israel astray. Anyone who can say anything in his favour, let him come forward and plead on his behalf.’ But since nothing was brought forward in his favour, he was hanged on the eve of Passover.

see also (baraitha Shabbat 104b)

So what are mere historical events, that coincide with what Christians claimed to have happened?

Jesus was named Jesus

He public lived in Palestine during Pontius Pilate’s governorship AD 26-36

He had a mother called Mary

There is a question about how he was born

One of his brothers is called James

He was known for being a teacher, miracle worker or sorcerer

Some believed him to be the Messiah or Christ of the OT

Some believed he was a “king” in his way

The time, place and circumstances of his death

Both Jewish and Roman leadership were involved in His crucifixion

Some eclipse [or other explanation of “darkness”] around His death

Report of Jesus’ appearance to His followers after He died

A movement of worship of Jesus after his death [and reported resurrection]

We already have the framework for the whole of Jesus’ life, even if we haven’t opened the pages of the NT.

But majority of the events and the interpretation of the events around Jesus’ time were written by those close to him and those who lived, heard, saw and followed him, either in written form or in verbal form that were later collated by Gospel writers such as Luke, Matthew and John. I have chosen Luke, because it is accessible, detailed, and contain some accounts that are central to the central message of WHY Jesus lived, died and rose. And it clearly is an example of the history of the New Testament part of the Bible.

Luke is a historian. He is a doctor [and also my hero then]. He is a learned writer with exceptional grammar. He writes with so much historical reference, to time, place, events that there is no way in the world you can think he is writing myth. Avatar is a myth, Da Vinci Code is a myth, but Luke, he’s writing Truth in History. He is a Christian, who believed on account of witnesses and writings available to him. He can be you or rather, you can be like him too.

Luke 1:1-4

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

So how are you to read Luke and the other gospel writers? He firstly looked at many written sources (v.1) that was available then, though lost now, but are fortunately researched and collected by Luke so we have them in front of us in a short Twenty-Four chapters. We have an early written record of all of Jesus’ [LDR], carefully researched, from plentiful number of eye-witnesses and from reliable people by a reliable person, Luke.

[Objections: why would Luke tell the Truth? Does it benefit him and his fellow group  of believers. Answer: no, it didn’t it never did, and it still doesn’t benefit people to hold on the literal truths of the New Testament. No one risks ridicule, persecution, death, confiscation, torture. Yet this is the story of the Early Christian Church that grew despite the lack of benefit. Why, because there were externally verifiable truths independent of how they felt, desired , a truth that changed them from outside in so that they are enabled to keep holding onto Truth of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

[Perhaps explain the criteria of historical truth: multiple attestations, coherence, dissimiliarity, archaic style, embarrassment, memorability and date]

2. Jesus the Man and How He Lived

At the very least, Jesus was a Man. He had a birth and a childhood, which we heard read from Luke today. How did the early years of his life look like? Both Ordinary and extraordinary. From chapter 2, Joseph and Mary were simple, not rich and Mary was with child at a young age even when they weren’t married yet (2:5). Imagine having contractions, pain and no where to stay, and the only place affordable was a stable (2:7). You, Bear Gryls, etc might have done it tough, but they did it pretty tough. Jesus was born, he cried, felt cold, had to be wrapped, and needed the nurture of his parents.

But this was no ordinary birth. See what the angel said to the Shepherds about the expectation of this birth.

Luke 2:9-12

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

The expectation is that this little human baby, will grow up to be a Saviour! Someone who rescues people out of their pits, and not just a local saviour, like our own life-savers, or like a caring nurse, loving husband, or a skilled surgeon, but a global, universal Saviour. Why? because the Angel gives him the title reserved for the Universal God-Chosen King predicted [prophesied] in the OT: Jesus will be called "the Christ". [Not his last name, but a title, of Kingship, one destined to lead God’s people, His Kingdom and be a source of blessing, salvation and leadership for all peoples, even non-Jewish peoples] This is embarrassing. And that’s why I think it is most plausibly the truth of what the Angel really said to the Shepherds. Because against all human expectation, a Saviour, a King, the Chosen representative of God is a tiny, whimpering, helpless, baby wrapped in cloth in a manger. It’s too embarrassing to even be a lie or a nice-myth: it is more likely to be the truth of what they heard and later repeated to Mary and Joseph. You need not agree, but you must admit that even if they were deluded, this message was what they really heard. Hold your suspense until you see how Jesus really lived in Luke, okay?

Jesus was also an Extraordinary Child as he grew up. Here at end of Luke chapter 2, in the time of Passover [Easter Time for Jews] when Jesus was around Twelve, He engaged in amazing conversations with the leaders, the teachers at the Temple. His parents lost him, then found him after 3 days, talking to people who were way his senior, who knew all the Old Testament inside out including all the history and later expectations and prophecies of the OT. These scholars were amazed at the young child’s wisdom and knowledge of God as shown in the OT. They weren’t deluded, they really saw that this young child understood God, loved God, wanted to learn and even had answers about God. Jesus was going to be an amazing teacher Himself. Furthermore Jesus’ own words would further amaze Mary.

Luke 2:49-50 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Did that just slip by you? Luke records that even at a young age Jesus realised [this is what He himself believed and other heard him claim] He had a special relationship with God: that of Father and Son. He called the Temple, House of God in those days, “[His] Father’s House.” Did Mary wash His mouth with soap? Did the teachers around Him strike Him down [not yet], was Jesus seriously deluded. You don’t need to agree yet, but this is what Jesus, His Family and those around heard and remembered and later believed to be true: that Jesus claimed to be Son of God, not just a generic son/daughter of God is Creator and Father of all, but the particular, Son of God, who was to be Saviour of the World.

[Objections: Virgin Birth. Answer: Save for Christmas time? Save for the end Q&A]

Throughout the rest of Luke, we see many significant things that Jesus did when he lived. I want to give you a quick bird’s eye-view, then focus on one particular encounter that sums up HOW and WHY Jesus lived.

1. Jesus received Baptism for Sin by John the Baptizer (Luke 3:21-22)
2. Jesus claimed or received the title willingly “The Son of God” (Luke 3:23-38, 9:34-36)
3. Jesus is tested and tempted (Luke 4:1-15)
4. Jesus claimed or received the title willingly “Lord” (Luke 6:1-5, )
5. Jesus taught extensively, at synagogues, homes even outdoors (Luke 6:17-19)
   1. Kingdom
   2. Calling of Israelites
   3. Sin and Forgiveness
   4. Money
   5. Coming Judgement
   6. His own Death & Resurrection
6. Jesus was a miracle worker (Luke 4:14-19, then 31-42) with the prediction of the OT
7. Jesus was a friend of Sinners and Foreigners (Luke 7:36-45)
8. Jesus explained that He was the Christ or Messiah (Luke 9:18-22)

Obviously we can’t read through all of Luke today, but I have chosen just one event which I think highlights the life, teaching, work and message of Jesus the Man. Let me read for us:

Luke 19

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

HOW did Jesus live?

He always had the intention to meet the LOST. This was only one of many examples I could have picked. Zacchaeus was the top of the corrupted "MPs" in the province, yet Jesus intentionally sought after him. He didn't just pass by, he knew about, he sought, he looked at and convinced Zacchaeus to dine with Him. When you dine with someone, it means you are seeking friendship, you are offering acceptance. This is exactly what Jesus offered: to the Lost, the wicked, the hated and despised He offers friendship, acceptance, love and forgiveness.

Zacchaeus was ridiculous, but Jesus doesn’t mind, but rather actively befriends Z.

Jesus relates to the outcast, eats with them, identifies with them.

People looking from outside in do not understand WHY, therefore they judge HOW Jesus lived.

3. Why Jesus Lived: to bring Good News for all Humanity

Again Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus shows us WHY - according to Luke and I as I retell this account - WHY Jesus lived the way He did.

Luke 19: 9-10

9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Jesus Lived to Seek the Lost

The Lost is Saved: physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually [needs explaining]

The Lost, once encountered the Truth of Good News, is changed. Zacchaeus changed dramatically and immediately, because he understood the truth of the Good News.

The Lost are offered blessing according the God’s OT promise to Abraham.

Therefore: the Lost, is found, and reunites with God in His Family. This is the Good News.

But I cannot explain to you the full richness of WHY Jesus came to Live without looking at His Death and Resurrection. Because His Death and Resurrection is HOW Jesus Saves. IF there is no Death, no Resurrection, then there is no Salvation and we have wasted our time. Again, I’m telling you, Christianity depends on externally verifiable events which stand on themselves and change us, not the other way round.

You will just have to come back in the next two weeks when I go through them. But if I could take just ONE action that Jesus focussed on fully His whole life, whether he was performing miracles, teaching or befriending sinners: it would be that He lived so that He could die for Humanity and that He Rose to Life again for Humanity as Humanity’s Lord and Messiah the Christ.

4. That Jesus Lived changes Your World

I’ve hit your heads hard I hope. But you are not merely brains, as I can see you have faces, bodies, you have inner beings to which I have no access unless you tell me. So you have hearts. You also have desires, motivations and strong emotions which drive your behaviour, let’s call this “will” [I like the term “Will” ; p]

Luke is a good source, so are the other Gospels, for knowing Jesus’ life, what He did, how He lived and why he lived the way He did. You must ask yourself, for those who are not believers: is this true? Is what Luke and other witnesses and sources have said of Jesus true? NOT whether it works for you, no it probably won’t work well for you. That’s not the point. Ask yourself, is He true? Was He truly born, did He truly teach, did He truly perform those miracles, did He truly dine with sinners, did He truly live to seek and save the lost?

Is He truly the Son of God, chosen to be Saviour and does He truly reveal to us God’s own heart and mind through HIs Life, Death and Resurrection?

Friends I doubt you can answer those without a grasp of Jesus Death and Resurrection. But even coming here today, and even considering and even admitting Luke is most probably [you can’t be certain, you don’t have to be there, you don’t have to see, touch, speak, dine with Jesus] telling the Truth and only the Truth to the best of his ability along with the support of many witnesses, even just making this first step is the right step in the right direction. Come back, seek, ask and you will find.

For those of you who have believed. I want you to be comforted, strengthened, reassured. Like Luke I want you to have certainty of the things which you have been taught! Because the simple truths that you have believed were true, are true and will remain true. You need not be ashamed of Jesus, embarrassed for weird and wonderful news or fearful of scrutiny. Christianity, Jesus has been on the dock, heads have been on chopping board, bodies have been placed on stakes and light as night-time entertainment for years. You won’t get crucified literally, but you will be crucified socially, intellectually, emotionally and relationally, when you speak of the Truth. That’s for sure.

You must expect skeptics, critics and animosity. You must be prepared. You must give reasons for what you hold dear in your head, your heart and your wills because you must love your friends, your family, your mates and your enemies. We must speak the truth in love.

So HOW do we live when we are faced with the Truth of Jesus’ Life?

We are thankful, for ultimately Jesus lived to bring Good News to the Lost.

We must know the truth, understand and equipment ourselves so we may speak the Truth in Love.

 

We’ve got to love this Truth as well. What if we’ve lost it, what if there’s been great fires, or corruptions, erosions, any sort of disaster large or small that have may have denied these Gospels and NT writings? But God has been kind. We have the Truth kept for us: that we who are lost may be saved by this Truth, in the Life of Jesus.