What Really Happened at the Cross
St. Charles | Bob Ingle
March 29, 2026
John 19:17-30
“So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:17-30 (ESV)
*At the Cross of Christ…
1. God positioned the SACRIFICE.
“So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.” John 19:17-18 (ESV)
“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” John 10:18 (ESV)
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Isaiah 53:4 (ESV)
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.” 1 Peter 2:24 (ESV)
“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Colossians 2:15 (ESV)
The cross was not a dismal ACCIDENT; it was a divine APPOINTMENT.
*At the Cross of Christ…
2. God Proclaimed KING.
“Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”” John 19:19-22 (ESV)
“God has highly exalted him… that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Philippians 2:9–11 (ESV)
The cross did not HIDE Jesus’ kingship; it HERALDED it.
*At the Cross of Christ…
3. God Proved His WORD.
“This was to fulfill the Scripture…” John 19:24 (ESV)
“Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture)…” John 19:28 (ESV)
“For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled…” John 19:36 (ESV)
-> The SAVIOR Foretold
P: “…and he went out, bearing his own cross…” John 19:17 (ESV)
F: “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Isaiah 53:4 (ESV)
P: “There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.” John 19:18 (ESV)
F: “He was numbered with the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:12 (ESV)
-> The DETAILS Foreordained
P: “When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.”” John 19:23a, 24a (ESV)
F: “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” Psalm 22:18 (ESV)
P: ““I thirst.”…so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.” John 19:28 (ESV)
F: “For my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.” Psalm 69:21 (ESV)
-> The WORK Finished
P: “It is finished.” John 19:30 (ESV)
F: “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring…Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied.” Isaiah 53:10-11a (ESV)
The cross proves that God’s plan was WRITTEN long before it was WITNESSED.
*At the Cross of Christ…
4. God Purchased Our SALVATION.
“After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:28-30 (ESV)
The cross proves that God would rather DIE for you than LIVE without you.