Between the Pieces: What Really Happened at the Cross (Part 12)

The following is Part 12 of the transcript of the sermon by Pastor Paul White titled “Between the Pieces: What Really Happened at the Cross”. Check back each day as we continue to post the transcript to this exciting sermon.

Do you know the only reason they gambled for Jesus’? It was because they had heard a story: One day He was walking to a town, and a woman with the issue of blood came and elbowed her way through the crowd. And, legend has it, that she reached through the crowd and grabbed the hem of his garment and got healed. One might have said, “I’ll give you a hundred bucks for the robe,” and the other might have answered, “No, that’s not fair. We’re not having an auction. We’re going to cast lots.” At the foot of the cross, they fulfilled the eighteenth verse of Psalms 22.

Maybe they were trying to fulfill it? They were Romans; they didn’t even know Psalms 22:18. They’re not trying to help the Scripture get fulfilled. They’re not Jews.

Verse 24:

“He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted.”

The first part of this verse tell me this: God was not upset at Christ’s being killed at Calvary because (Isaiah 53:10 says), “It pleased the Lord to smite Him. He was satisfied with the death of His son.”

Why was He satisfied? Because He knew that what was happening there was happening in our place. So, God did not abhor the afflicted of the afflicted.

Watch the next line:

“He did not hide His face from them. “

God did not abandon Jesus at the Cross. God was with His son as man killed Jesus. He did not see the death an execution, or as an assassination, nor as a murder. God saw the death as a sacrifice. God said, “I’m going to take my son and I’m going to put everybody’s sins in Him if He’ll take it.”

If He’ll take it.

That’s why Jesus said, “Father, if there’s another way to save them, let’s do that. But if not, I’ll drink the cup.” God was saying, “Son, here’s their sins. Put them into your body. Son, you’re going to have to lay your life down because they can’t kill you.”
They could have run nails through every square inch of His body, and it would have been impossible for Him to die if he had not wanted to lay His life down.

But what God was saying was, “Here’s the cup. If you’ll take their sins and then lay your life down, I’ll view you as a sacrifice. It’ll please me to judge their sins in you. And I won’t leave you, Son. I will not hide my face from you.”

Isn’t that good? When he cried unto Him, He heard.

When Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do,” He heard.

When He said to the thief, “Today, you shall be with me in Paradise,” God heard.

When He said, “Father, I committ it into You. Father, I’m yours,” He heard.

Jesus saw His father and in that moment of darkness when, judicially, God placed the curse into Jesus, Jesus suffered in the dark so that you and I could walk in the light. Someone must love you very much.

Read out Psalms 22 and watch how this Chapter ends. It ends with you . What starts with Jesus always comes back for you.

Verse 27:

When the world’s preaching gloom and doom, this is my verse.

“All the kindreds of the nation shall worship before Him in Jesus’ name.”

Verse 29:

When God wanted to say the opposite of dead, He said fat.

“A seed shall serve Him. It shall be counted to the Lord for a generation.”