Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: The Battlefield Wounds of Christ

Theme: Remembering His Cost was Our Gain

“They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head.

They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him.

‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said.

They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again.

After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him.

Then they led Him away to crucify Him.” Isaiah 52: 13, 14 says, “See, my servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

Just as there were many who were appalled at Him--His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness.”

(Matthew 27:28-31)

In contrast was the atonement day of Christ

When I first got started in the Arabian Horse business, my parents and I attended a special coronation celebration for a beautiful Arabian Stallion.

On a Saturday night, in Lincoln, Nebraska we sat in a large indoor arena, excitingly watching this beautiful horse receive the very high honor of “Legion of Merit.”

The lights were turned off and a large spotlight appeared at the entrance gate.

Music was playing and our hearts beat with anticipation.

Then suddenly a beautiful bay stallion with long black flowing mane and tail entered at a gallop.

The spot light followed him as he loped through the arena while the announcer told of all the achievements that this horse had accomplished.

When the announcer was finished, the horse trainer entered and called the horse to come to him.

With lights upon them, a coronation of roses was fastened around his neck and laid across his chest.

With a standing ovation this beautiful Arabian Stallion was led from the arena.

In contrast was the atonement day of Christ--the day the perfect man received for a coronation a crown of thorns.

He went about accomplishing the complete will of God, healing the sick, feeding the multitudes and raising the dead.

If anyone was worthy of honor it was Him.

Yet, He was not greeted with lights and music, but darkness came over the land.

(Luke 23:44) He did not receive a coronation of roses, a public announcement of achievements and a standing ovation.

Rather, He was given a crown of thorns and afflictions from men.

“They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head.

They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him.

‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said.

They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again.

After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him.

Then they led Him away to crucify Him.” Isaiah 52: 13, 14 says, “See, my servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

Just as there were many who were appalled at Him--His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness.”

We have chosen this Sunday to observe Easter by observing the Lord’s command to His church.

(1 Corinthians 11:23) The observing of Communion is a blessed occasion and the Lord Jesus was clear in His instructions to the Apostle Paul, “…do this in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11: 24, 25)

I would propose to you that Jesus means for the Communion service to be a lot more than just a religious observance, but to keep fresh in our minds the act of sacrificial love He has for us.

What are we to remember?

What are the blessings of His wounds?

Sometimes we need to talk about and meditate on the battlefield wounds our Lord received as He paid the price for the redemption of our very souls.

I grew up in home were I did not experiences the frustrations and heartaches of war.

Most of my life no one ever took time to talk to me about the cost of war.

I have watched closely at the “Veteran’s Day Parade” and took notice how the young find their joy in grasping for the candy.

The youth are captivated by their friends who ride on the floats.

But, it is those who have tasted the bitter fruit of war in some way, they are the ones who appreciate the men and women of whom the Veteran’s Day remembrance parade is for.

I have to admit, it took getting to know a veteran who received a purple heart and hearing the story of how he received that honorable medal, before I could grasp the truths of Veteran’s Day.

Because I took time to listen and meditated upon the cost of one of our American soldiers, I attend the “Veteran Day Parade” with a much different outlook.

Crown of thorns

The Word of God gives us great details on the “Battlefield Wounds of Christ” which were inflicted upon Jesus Christ as He gave His life for our redemption.

Taking time to remember those wounds and understanding what He purchased for us could fan into flames the love we should be expressing all year long to our Lord.

The scene of the battlefield of which Christ was on was humanity at his worst and Jesus was inflicted with many wounds, one was a “crown of thorns.”

Jesus came to rule in the hearts and souls of men, and the rebellion of man’s soul wounded Him.

He came to rule the wills of His people, and the resistance of self-will hurt Him.

He came to rule in righteousness, to cast out all unrighteousness, and the wickedness of the world turned against Him.

The crown that the soldiers pressed on the brow of Jesus was meant only for insult with the purpose of causing pain and mockery.

Yet, even through their view and pleasures, God was pronouncing some power truths.

Thorns came in with sin and became part of the curse that was the product of sin.

(Genesis 3:18) Therefore Christ, being made a curse for us, and dying to remove that curse from us, felt the pain and hurt of those thorns.

Jesus’ bearing the crown of thorns answers the type of Abraham’s ram, which took the place of Isaac.

(Barnes Notes; New Bible Dictionary; Matthew Henry’s Commentary) The “thicket” (bak) that the ram had his horns caught in were a dense growth of heavy shrubs or underbrush that are intertwined in a manner that would catch persons or creatures and were very difficult to go through.

(The Complete Word Study Dictionary; Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains) The Bible is very clear, God told Adam, "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

It will produce thorns and thistles for you…” (Genesis 3:18) Thistles (darda) were a very prickly plant having no value for producing life giving fruit.

Even though they are a luxuriantly growing plant, they are still a worthless plant.

(Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains; Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament) Thorns (qowts) are a non-fruit bearing bush noted for their sharp, wood-splinter-like spines or tines.

(Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains)

It has been said that “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay.”

Sin holds you in bondage and keeps you from having a fruitful relationship with Christ.

Sin grows vigorously yet will leave you in a worthless state of mind and heart.

It was the custom of some heathen nations to bring their sacrifices to the altars, crowned with garlands; these thorns were the garlands with which the greatest Sacrifice, Jesus Christ was crowned.

That garland, the crown of thorns represents all that He was to die for, the sins of the world.

Mocking

Sin, sooner or later becomes public, thus, Christ wore publicly the “Crown of Thorns” a representation of that which brings disgrace on all men.

Symbolically Jesus wore our sins so all could see, so that we may receive forgiveness and have our sin no longer to be remembered against us.

Another wound that was laid upon our Lord was mocking.

Matthew 27:29 says, “They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him.

‘Hail, king of the Jews!’”

A definition for mock is an object of ridicule.

The common mode of showing respect or homage for kings was kneeling or prostration.

This showed the tremendous love that Christ has for us.

He withstood a false homage from the sinful wicked so that we may not have to remain guilty of sin that always brings mockery in the end.

In the workplace it is not uncommon to see co-workers encourage sinful behavior that leads to all kinds of outward manifestation such as lying, adultery, and the misuse of God’s name.

Worldly attitudes cause all to eventually misuse gifts, talents, and skills that God has given to mankind.

When the manifestations of the sinful nature reach the point of public embracement, mockery comes from the co-workers, who by their actions and words encourage the sinful behavior.

I have seen the very ones who encouraged flirting among the man and female sexes, mock those who eventually become involved in adultery.

I have heard those who encouraged back biting, telling dirty or off colored jokes, and wrong attitudes, publicly bad mouth those they have encouraged to live a sinful lifestyle.

Sin always brings approach, heartache and emotional drain.

Jesus undertook His Father’s will.

No one could not find any real fault in Him so they hurled Him with lying accusations and put Him through an unlawful trial.

Mockery and reproach is at all times very cutting to a man’s integrity.

Yet our Lord took those words and actions of mockery for the sake of God and us.

The Holy Spirit spoke through David, a man after God heart, reflecting the heart of Christ regarding His Father’s will, “For I endure scorn for your sake…” (Psalm 69:7; The Treasury of David) That is exactly what Jesus did for His Father and us.

Jesus was stripped when He was put on the Cross and no doubt this brought further mockery as He hung there exposed to the cruel gaze of a huge amount of people.

(The Expositors Bible Commentary; Barnes Notes)

The Romans had learned that this type of mockery is a powerful way to break a person mentally and especially emotionally.

Mockery does not affect the body but it puts tremendous strain on the mind and tears at the heart of a person.

Woman and children have been scared for an entire life time from emotional and mental abuse.

In war or sports, if you can intimidate or break the heart of your opponent the battle is half over.

Sin brings destruction to every part of our lives and this includes our emotions.

Thus, our Lord suffered in mocking and reproach, being placed on the Cross of Calvary naked.

(Barnes Notes; The Expositors Bible Commentary; Matthew Henry Commentary)

Salvation is often represented as a garment.