Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Sermon Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ.

Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. I'd like for you to turn to John chapter 17. I would like for us this morning to take a look at the path that Jesus traveled to the tomb.

What we celebrate in Easter, it might be nice for folks that maybe know bits and pieces. What you're looking at is an outline of Jerusalem. It shows different areas that the Bible says in these last moments of Christ's life, the places that He went, the places that He traveled. I want to take them in succession beginning at the upper room, we call it.

We're going to explain that. I would just simply like to go to each of these places. Explain to you what happened in a sense to relive, to honor, to recount what Christ went through before He arose from the tomb. This morning I'd like for us, I guess it might be a bit educational I guess it would say, but for Easter I'd like for us to fully understand what Easter is all about. In the last minutes before Jesus was delivered over to authorities and began the process of being crucified, chapter 17 verse 1. These words spake Jesus and lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, Father the hour has come. Glorify Thy Son that Thy Son also may glorify Thee. As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh that He should give eternal life.

To as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on the earth. What a statement that Jesus, part of the Trinity, remember we talked about this, the Trinity, we believe in that. There's God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Here people talk about God, here people talk about Jesus, here people talk about the Holy Spirit and it's confusing but it's really not.

The three are one. It's the same person but they're different ministries. And God is the Father, Jesus is the Son. And the Holy Spirit the Bible calls is the Comforter. The Bible says when Jesus died on the cross and He ascended into heaven that He said I leave you, I will not leave you without the Comforter.

He said it's expedient that I leave the Holy Spirit here. In other words it's better for you, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to be with us until Jesus comes back to receive us that have been saved by the grace of God. You say who are the saved?

What does that mean? It means those that believe what the Bible says. Who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ and in Him alone. For what the verse we just read for eternal life. Verse 4, I have glorified Thee on the earth, Jesus says to His Father, God. I have finished the work which Thou made me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.

Notice that. Jesus said this, God, You gave me glory before the world was even created. It's hard for you and I to even understand but there was never a beginning to God. Now that doesn't make sense. If you stop and think about it long enough your head will explode. And we don't want to make a mess in the auditorium. In our minds everything has to have a beginning.

And at least it has to have an end. But we cannot fathom in our mind that there was never ever a time that God did not exist. That just blows our mind. Remember the Bible says because we're human we only have the capacity to think like a human. But Jesus here says God before the world was even created we were here. And He says this, verse 6, I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and Thou gavest them me, and they have kept Thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever Thou hast given me are of Thee. Verse 8, For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest me. They have received them and have known surely that I came out from Thee. And they have believed that Thou didst say, send me. I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given me. For they are Thine, and all mine are Thine, and Thine are mine, and I am glorified in them.

Let's pray. Father, I know sometimes Your word can be a bit confusing. And yet You've promised that when we read it and study it that You will enlighten our minds. Lord, there is absolutely no way I could describe what You went through from the upper room all the way to the tomb. There's no way we could describe it.

Hollywood certainly tried to make a movie about it, and it was their best attempt, and it was a powerful one. But Lord, even that could never describe what You went through for us. So Lord, our intention today is just to simply share what Your word says happened. And Lord, I ask You to do a work in hearts. In Your name we pray.

Amen. There's a number of places you can go to find exactly what happened to Jesus and exactly the paths that He traveled. You can go to Mark, you can go to Matthew, you can go to Luke, you can go to John. But you have to kind of go to all four to get all the pieces. And there's no way in one message today that I could give you all the pieces, and I know you're thankful for that.

But I wanted to try if I can, and it begins, if you're wanting to keep track you can, but if you're making notes you can also do this. It begins in Mark chapter 14, Matthew chapter 26, and even earlier in the book of John. It begins in what's called the upper room. Jesus gathered all His disciples, His close disciples with Him, and He decided to have one last supper. It's what we call the last supper in the upper room. And as you see in that map in Jerusalem, down there in the middle of Jerusalem is the little place where they met up in the upper room.

We often talk about that. There was many things that went on while Jesus was there with His disciples. It was His last bit of challenge to the disciples.

And there's a number of things that He shared. He had communion with His disciples. That's where we read when we have communion. That's where Jesus said that when you drink of this wine, we use grape juice obviously. He says when you drink of this that you're drinking My blood. Now we understand that we're not literally drinking the blood of Christ. It's a sign.

It's an illustration. He says when you take of this bread, when we take of the wafer, or He says you're taking of My body, the suffering that I did. That's why we're having communion tonight on Easter. This all led up to it.

Last Sunday is what we call Palm Sunday. And what that did was that signified when Jesus triumphantly re-entered Jerusalem and people got palms and laid them down. And they said, Hosanna to the King of Kings and Hosanna to the King of the Jews. And He entered Jerusalem. And while they were triumphantly giving Him accolades, only Jesus knew in His heart what was getting ready to happen in a few days. He looked triumphant riding in on that donkey and all of those believers were triumphantly proclaiming Him King.

Only He knew what that would end up meaning. As He ends up into the upper room, He had communion with His disciples. And the Bible says Jesus washed their feet.

He washed their feet in the upper room. And then the Bible says this, and if you ever want to look it up in John chapter 13, it gives what I think is the best account. The Bible says that Satan at that moment when Jesus was with His disciples, Satan put in the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus. It was sitting there while Jesus was giving His last words of love and gratitude to the disciples. He had communion with them. Listen to me, He got down and washed the feet of the person that would deliver Him to be crucified.

The very person that He knew would sell him out for 30 pieces of silver. He got down in humility and washed his feet. What a Savior. Sitting around with these disciples, Jesus foretold in the upper room that one of you will betray me. The disciples began to ask, well Jesus which one? And Peter the Bible says, when and laid on Jesus' chest. And he said, Is it I?

Am I the one that's going to betray you? And Jesus says, Whoever I give this sop, he called it S-O-P, bread dipped in what would be some kind of fluid either water or gravy of something, or wine, even something like that. And he dipped that and he said, Whoever I give this sop to. And he handed it to Judas. Look at me, the Bible says, when he handed it to Judas, Jesus said this, Whatever thou doest, do it quickly. He looked right at Judas, right through those eyes into that heart, and Jesus said, What you're getting ready to do, go ahead and do it. How could a man go and betray Jesus after that?

Oh dear friend, when you let Satan get in your heart, when you let Satan have his way, he'll cause you to do things you never thought you could possibly do. I wanted to read this verse to you. In John chapter 13 verse 35 in the upper room, this is what Jesus, he said many things to his disciples. But one of the things he said in the upper room before he was crucified, he said this, But this, by this, shall all men know that ye are my disciples.

That ye have love one to another. Before he was getting ready to be crucified by the hatred of people, Jesus said, Let me tell you fellas, one way that people will know that you're my disciples is if you love one another. Can I remind you dear friend today that carrying a Bible and wearing a suit or a tie or dressing nice for church or even showing up at church, putting money in an offering plate, something, that's not how people know that you're one of his disciples. The way that people know that you're one of Jesus' disciples is when we love one another.

I don't know why that's so hard for us to do, but it is. The Bible says that not only did he say that he would be betrayed, but as Peter leaned closely to Jesus, Jesus right at the end of the upper room meeting looked at Peter and Peter said a number of things to Jesus and in that upper room the Bible says Jesus looked at Peter and he said, Peter you're going to deny me before a rooster, the Bible calls it before the cock crows twice, you're going to deny me thrice. I'm sharing Peter's mind. Are you kidding? I love you Lord!

I would never do anything like that! He also said this before he left as he was closing that meeting, he said this, let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also. What a comfort to give his disciples before watching their Savior be crucified. He told them this, I'm going to prepare a place, I am going to come back again.

They left the upper room. From there Jesus made his way with a few mount of the disciples to Gethsemane. As he arrived at Gethsemane, Mark chapter 14, Matthew 26, John 18, Jesus makes his way from the upper room and he goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to do what? To pray. You say, well if Jesus is God, and God is Jesus, why does Jesus need to pray? Well let me ask this, why does Jesus need to quote the Bible? He inspired it.

I'll tell you why. Because even Jesus needed the word of God. Even Jesus used the word of God when fighting against Satan on the top of the temple. And Satan said, hey you won't have to die, I'll keep you from going to the cross.

If you'll just get down and worship me, you won't have to suffer, I'll do it all for you. And Jesus used the word of God to fight that temptation. Let me tell you why he was praying to the Father for fellowship. Jesus knew exactly what was about to come.

He said, God if there's any way this cup could pass from me, there wasn't. He knew this had to be done. Not because He deserved it. Not because He had sinned.

Not because He had done something wrong. But Jesus knew that had to be done because He knew you and I would do something wrong. Because you and I are sinners. Because you and I need a Savior.

And He's the only one that could have done it. He got to that garden and He took His disciples with Him and He said, pray while I pray. And He went into the garden and prayed at Gethsemane. Jesus prayed so hard that He had sweat drops of blood that came out of His pores.

He was praying so hard. You say, how does that happen? I don't know.

But it happened. The Bible says in the garden of Gethsemane that Jesus returned from praying and guess what He found His faithful disciples doing? Sleeping. The Bible says He woke them up and He said, can't you pray long enough? Can't you stay awake long enough to pray? And Jesus went back and prayed some more and He came back again and guess what He found Him doing?

Sleeping. The Bible says that when He woke them up, He told His disciples this, the hour is now come. As they took a few steps with His disciples He knew this, the disciples didn't, but Judas had already laid plans. He told the authorities, hey, the person I lean up and kiss, that's Jesus.

You'll know that's Him for 30 pieces of silver. In the garden of Gethsemane, the Bible says that Judas and all the authorities and soldiers, they approached Him with torches, the Bible says, and weapons and lanterns. And they approached in the garden and the Bible says as they approached, Jesus said, whom seek ye? And that Judas, who just a few hours before, Jesus had looked at him and said, what thou doest, do quickly. And He sure did. He reached up to Jesus and kissed Him on the cheek. And those soldiers reached for Jesus.

When they did, the Bible says, Peter reached out his sword and he cut off the ear of one of the servants, Malchus. Wow! Can I tell you something? I admire the guy.

I wish they had guns back then. Somebody's taking Jesus in front of you, don't you think you ought to fight for him? The Bible says Jesus stopped Peter and he reached down and he got that man's ear, listen to me, the man that was getting ready to take him captive and put his ear back on and healed it. And he looked at Peter and he said, isn't it true that you have to hear the word of God to be saved?

Why would you cut off the man's ear? What a savior! The Bible says that those men gave Judas that 30 pieces of silver and Judas exited out through the garden and they took Jesus and bound him and the Bible says from Gethsemane they took him to the house of Caiaphas. They actually took him first to Annas who was his father-in-law there at the house of Caiaphas and he was the chief priest at this time. They got to the house of Caiaphas and Jesus was bound and when they brought him the chief priest and scribes were there waiting. And while Jesus was standing they questioned him and then they sought witness against him. Do we have anybody that would be a witness against Jesus? Finally the Bible says they had nobody that would be witness against Jesus.

In other words this, nobody could really say what he had done wrong. The Bible says that they brought two false witnesses. Two liars that came in and made claims and then they began to bind Jesus. And this is exactly where he was betrayed in the garden of Gethsemane.

Now they're at the house of Caiaphas. The Bible says Judas followed them as they took Jesus captive and they led him to the house of Caiaphas. The Bible says Judas followed and watched. The Bible says as Caiaphas and those began to question and hear these false witnesses the Bible says that Jesus never spoke a word.

He never one time tried to stand up for himself. The Bible says he held his peace. But finally in Matthew 26 verse 64 Jesus finally said something to him and this is what he said. He said, Thou hast said, when he called him, Do you say you're the Messiah? Do you say you're the Savior? And Jesus said, Thou hast said, Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. He said this, you may say what you want but let me tell you where you're gonna see me next.

Sitting on the right hand of the throne of God coming in the clouds. You might be ridiculing and you might be mocking but I am the Messiah. I am the Savior and next time you see me you'll know it.

By the way, while he was at the house of Caiaphas the disciples waited out for him and they began to warn themselves by a fire while Jesus is being questioned in the house of Caiaphas. And as they're warming themselves by the fire Peter's over there warming himself and all of a sudden this lady comes over to him and she goes, Hey aren't you one of the disciples that follow that Jesus fella? And Peter said, No that's not me.

All of a sudden waka waka wah! You say, How do you know that sounded like it? The Bible says that's exactly how it sounded.

I don't know what kind of bird that was but it was close. The Bible says they began to question Peter again and Peter said, No I'm not one of his followers. And the Bible says the third time finally they came over and they pressed him the Bible says, Aren't you one of his followers? And Peter said, No I'm not one of his followers.

And all of a sudden that sound again. And all of a sudden Peter thinks Jesus told me I would deny him three times. And he did. From the house of Caiaphas they led Jesus to the judgment hall. As they traveled this little short distance they got to judgment hall and there was Pontius Pilate. You hear talk of him and they brought him in before him and the Bible says that Pontius, to be honest with you, really couldn't find fault in Jesus. He really didn't see a whole bunch of reasoning but he was a true politician. He was influenced by the outcry of people.

At least the ones he heard the most. And as he was there he began to question and when Jesus finally got to the judgment hall Judas couldn't take it anymore. And the Bible says he had that thirty pieces of silver and he rushed into the soldiers and he said, Listen, I did wrong.

I don't want this. You take this money back. And they said, Hey, that's blood money.

What are we going to do with it now? And the Bible said Judas threw that money down on the floor. That measly thirty pieces of silver that he delivered the Savior for. The Bible says he threw it down on the ground and Judas ran out and hung himself.

Oh dear friend, guilt will eat you alive. There at the judgment hall they began to question and the crowd began to call her for Jesus. Then they ushered him to a little place called Herod's Palace.

They have different names for it in the Bible for sake of time. As they go there it's kind of a little bit of a private chamber and Pilate began to look at the situation and he began to say, Well I don't really think, and the Bible says that Pilate's wife came in and she urged him, she said, Don't touch this man Jesus. But he didn't listen. She said, You better stay away from him.

You better leave your hands off of this. But he didn't and the people screamed for Jesus to be crucified. And the Bible says that he began to offer the people there. He said, Well what about Barabbas? Barabbas the Bible said was a well known repeat offender. He was a prisoner.

He had been a rotten guy and he was well known in the area. And he said, Well how about if you want to crucify somebody, how about we crucify Barabbas at Herod's palace? He tells the people and they say, No! Crucify Jesus!

He said, Alright. And he let Barabbas go. And the Bible says that Pilate reached his hands in washed his hands and he said, I'm washing my hands of this case. And they delivered him to be crucified. You can wash all you want to.

You and I can, you can wash your hands, scrub your head, take a shower if you want to. We will answer for what we do. From there the Bible says they took him to Judgment Hall back to where he was. And at Judgment Hall is where it all began. That's where they began to first scourge him. And I'm not going to go into detail.

We all understand that. They began to beat him. And they began to whip him.

And they did a number of things. And that's where they came in with a cat of nine tails. That had long strands of leather with sharp objects at the end. And they just began to beat him. And what they would do is as they would whip him those pieces would go into his back and it would dig into his flesh. And then they would rip those nine tails back out and it would rip the flesh of Jesus. And the Bible says they spit on him and they mocked him.

They stripped him of all his clothes. And the Bible says in the Judgment Hall here that they put on a scarlet robe. And I find it amazing that they put this scarlet robe mocking him and yet Jesus said, Though your sins shall be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Aren't you thankful for the love of Christ? The Bible says that they put a reed in his hand. Like a stick. They were kind of mocking him like he was a ruler with a staff. And they put this little reed in his hand and then they got a crown of thorns. The Bible says that they plaited that to his head.

What does that mean? It means to braid or twine together. That means they took that crown of thorns and they put it on his head and they began to rotate it and dig it into his skull so that it would braid with his skull.

It would almost become uniform and dig into the skin and almost become secure on it. And as they're whipping him with nine tails, digging a crown of thorns in his head, spitting on him, mocking him. The Bible says from there that they bowed their knees in front of them and they mocked him saying, Hell!

The Jews! The Bible says they continued to spit on him there. And then they took that reed that was in his hand and they took that reed out and began to hit him in the head repeatedly with that reed. Then they continued to mock him. Then they took that robe back off of him.

It was just a joke, you see. It was just something to ridicule him for a little while. They took that back off and they put his old bloody clothes back on him as the skin was ripping off of his back. Then they put stuff on him.

They would dig into those sores that were now fresh and bleeding and they put that stuff on him and then they began to beat him with that cat of nine tails even more. And then they made him carry his own cross. And if you think about it, when you have a cross, the one end of the cross, the top sticking out, he would have to hold it like this. So that means that most of the cross sat on all that flesh that they just torn off. That wood cross with splinters and everything was laying on all that flesh that they just ripped off and he had to walk that all the way to Calvary.

And as he walked, everybody's spitting and throwing things and mocking and ridiculing him. And the Bible says that finally they urged, that means they compelled, the Bible says, a man named Simon of Cyrene. They urged him to come out and carry the cross for him because Jesus just couldn't go on.

His body was so demapulated at that point. He was crucified and then from there he went to Calvary. He traveled that road and he finally got to what they call Golgotha, the place of the skull. And they got up there and they had two other criminals there, they were crucifying and they laid that cross down and they laid Jesus on top of that cross with his arms extended. They put one foot on top of the other foot and the Bible says they took these long spikes and they put it right through the wrist here and they just began to pound those spikes through his wrist, both arms and then they put both feet together, put the spikes through both feet into that cross and pound and pound and pound. And the Bible says they lifted that cross up in a hole and as it went down it jarred his flesh. Above that, on that cross they put a little saying and it said Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews. The Bible says that as they were there, the garments that Jesus, they hung them naked on the cross, folks. And the garments that they had left, the Bible says there were four soldiers and they said, hey, they began to cast lots who would get what so they could go sell it?

Even his garments they ridiculed and did that. The Bible says that Jesus' mother Mary was there, John whom he loved was there, Mary the wife of Cleo was there and Mary Magdalene was there. The Bible says as Jesus hung on that cross and as he began to suffer and bleed and die as he was hanging on that cross, the Bible says that he finally looked over at his mother and as he looked at his mom standing there in the crowd, imagine what that mom went through.

The Bible says he looked and he said, I thirst. And then he looked over at his mom and he said, woman, behold thy son. And then he looked at John whom he loved and he said, son, behold thy mother. So what was he doing? He was giving the care of his mother to John. And in the midst of his suffering he wanted to make sure his mother was taken care of. And he said, John, you become her son now. She becomes your mom and you take care of her. you you you you