GAMBLING AT CALVARY–PSALM 22:11-21
Introduction:
The Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth to be the supreme offering for our sins. He had enjoyed the glory of Heaven with the Father in eternity past, but in order to redeem fallen man Jesus had to submit to the death of the cross.
Charles H. Spurgeon called the 22nd Psalm “The Psalm of the Cross.” He states further, “It may have been actually repeated word by word by our Lord when hanging on the tree; it would be too bold to say that it was so, but even a casual reader may see that it might have been.”
I. OUR LORD WAS IN GLORY WITH THE FATHER
A. Jesus was in the Ivory Palaces of Heaven during eternity past, Psalm 45:8, “All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.”
B. Jesus became a man to fulfill God’s will, Philippians 2:6-8, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7- But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8- And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
1. Jesus claims His deity:
a. In the Old Testament, Isaiah 44:6, “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”
b. In the New Testament, Revelation 1:17-18, “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18- I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
2. Jesus was made in the likeness of men, Hebrews 10:5, “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:”
3. His life on this earth was not that of the rich, 2 Corinthians 8:9, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
4. The Lord actually lives as poor man, Matthew 8:20, “And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”
C. Jesus was a man not of wisdom, Luke 16:9, “And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”
II. JESUS LEFT GLORY TO BE THE SACRIFICE FOR THE SIN OF MAN
A. God the Father was His Joy, John 17:13, “And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”
B. The GOAL of the Lord Jesus was to fulfill God’s will, John 17:4, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”
1. He had kept the Father’s commandments, John 15:10, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”
2. He always pleased the Father, John 8:29, “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”
3. He was obedient unto death, Philippians 2:8, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
III. JESUS CAME TO DIE FOR YOU AND ME
A. He was forsaken by God, v. 1; Psalms 71:11, “Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.”
1. There was none to help, v. 11; Psalms 10:1, “Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?’
2. This was done to fulfill the Scriptures, Matthew 26:56, “But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.”
B. He was mocked by the Jews, vv. 12-21.
1. The “strong bulls of Bashan” = “The priests, elders, scribes, Pharisees, rulers, and captains bellowed round the cross like wild cattle,” v. 12; Psalms 68:30, “Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.”
2. Jesus marks the more ignoble crowd, while less strong than their brutal leaders, were not less ferocious, vv. 16, 20; Jeremiah 12:6, “For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.”
C. They gambled for His vesture, the seamless coat, v. 18; John 19:23-24, “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24-They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.”
1. Jesus prayed for His tormentors, Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
2. Jesus suffered the maximum humiliation of being crucified naked.
CONCLUSION:
Psalm 22 paints a true picture of Jesus’ suffering for our sins on Calvary written over a thousand years before Christ’s birth. “It is the photograph of our Lord’s saddest hours, the record of his dying words, the lachrymatory of his last tears, the memorial of his expiring joys.” —Charles H. Spurgeon.