[2026. 11. 8.] The Cross That Jesus Bore | John 19:17-27

[2026. 11. 8.] The Cross That Jesus Bore | John 19:17-27

Sermon by Rev. Jinkook (Danny) Sohn (Hope of Heaven Baptist Chuch) 

 

2026. 11. 8. 주일예배 설교- 요한복음 강해 55
본문: 요한복음 19:17-27
제목: 예수가 지신 십자가

설교자: 손진국 목사 (하늘소망교회)

 

Everyone carries heavy burdens in life. There are burdens related to family, financial difficulties, sickness and wounds, and pains that cannot be shared with anyone. Sometimes we want to lay those burdens down, yet there is no one to carry them for us, and we must endure them alone.

However, in today’s passage, we see One who carried a burden that we could never solve or escape by ourselves. That One is Jesus Christ. Jesus carried the cross and went toward Golgotha. The cross He bore was not merely an instrument of execution. It was the cross of salvation upon which He carried our sins, transgressions, shame, and judgment in our place.

Even while walking the painful road toward death, Jesus never stopped loving us. Through today's message, let us consider the meaning of the cross that Jesus bore.

 

1. The Cross of Atonement

[Verse 17] Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). (NIV) Jesus carried the very cross upon which He would be crucified and went out to Golgotha. In the Roman era, crucifixion was the cruelest punishment imposed upon criminals. A condemned person had to carry his cross to the place of death while enduring the ridicule of the crowds.

But think about it. Why did Jesus, the Son of God, have to carry a cross like a criminal?

[Isa 53:5] But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (NIV) Jesus received the punishment that we deserved. This is called substitutionary atonement. It means bearing and paying the penalty or debt that another person should have paid. The sinless Jesus paid the price that sinners deserved to pay.

Before I came to believe in Jesus, I used to scoff at the statement that Jesus died for me. I would ask myself, “If someone died in my place, how could that death possibly affect me?” The conclusion I reached at that time was that it could not affect me at all.

A person's sacrificial death can save another person's physical life. When a parent sacrifices himself or herself to save a child, or when a soldier lays down his life to save others, it is truly a noble expression of love.

However, after I came to believe in Jesus, I realized something. The death of someone who sacrifices himself for another is deeply moving and worthy of admiration, but there is something fundamentally different about the death of Jesus. The difference lies in what that love leaves behind in the one who receives it. Those who receive sacrificial love are commonly left with gratitude, deep emotion, and a sense of responsibility. But there is something found only in those who receive the sacrificial love of Jesus and not in those who merely receive another person's sacrificial love. What is it? Freedom.

If a mother dies to save me, I may be grateful, deeply moved, and feel responsible to live according to her wishes. But does that give me true freedom? No. Why not? Because her death is not an atoning death. Only when the penalty for sin is paid can a person be set free from death, which is the wages of sin.

[John 8:32] Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (NIV) Jesus then continued:

[John 8:36] So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (NIV) Jesus, who is the Truth, sets us free from slavery to sin and establishes us as God's free people. Do you believe this? If we truly believe it, we no longer live bound by the condemnation of sin and the fear of death. Of course, believing in Jesus does not make family difficulties, financial problems, illnesses, or concerns about the future disappear completely. However, we have now been reconciled to God, and as His children we can trust His love and protection even amid those difficulties. This is the true freedom enjoyed by Christians who believe in Jesus.

Once again, look at the cross upon which Jesus was crucified. Whose cross was it? It was my cross. It was the cross that I should have borne because of my sins, yet Jesus took my place and paid the debt of my sin. Therefore, as we look upon the cross of Jesus, we are moved with gratitude and thankfulness, and we become determined to live faithfully in the mission He has given us. What is even more amazing is that through His atoning cross our souls have received and now enjoy true freedom. May all of us rejoice in this truth.

[Application] As you give thanks for the grace of Jesus who carried the cross for you, what sin do you need to repent of and turn away from today? As you look upon the cross of Jesus, are you experiencing and enjoying the freedom that He has given you?

 

2. The Cross of the King

[Verse 19-20] Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. (NIV) Pilate placed a charge above Jesus’ cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” It says that the inscription was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. It would have looked something like this: Hebrew - “Yeshua HaNotzri Melech HaYehudim,” Latin - “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum,” Greek - “Iesous Ho Nazoraios Ho Basileus Ton Ioudaion.” Why was it written this way? Pilate likely posted the inscription to publicly announce the charge brought against Jesus. It may also have carried an element of political mockery toward the Jewish leaders. However, the remarkable thing is that whether Pilate intended it or not, the inscription proclaimed who Jesus truly was. Furthermore, it was written in such a way that Jews, Romans, and Greeks alike could read it. Jesus truly is the King of the Jews and the King of the whole world.

Do you believe that Jesus is King? At that time, Israel was under Roman rule. Emperor Tiberius held supreme authority over the empire, and Pontius Pilate governed the region of Judea. Yet Jesus was entirely different from the rulers of this world. He was not merely the king of one nation but the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

[Rev 17:14] They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings-and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers. (NIV) This passage demonstrates the final victory of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, in the spiritual battle against the evil powers that rule the world.

What else makes Jesus different from the kings of this world? Earthly kings sacrifice their people in order to preserve their own power. Jesus did the exact opposite. He gave His own life to save His people. When people saw Jesus wearing a crown of thorns and hanging on the cross, they thought He had been defeated. However, God's evaluation was completely different.

[1 Pet 1:21] Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. (NIV) God raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, revealing His kingship and victory to the whole world. The cross was not the defeat of a king. Rather, it was the path of victory through which He conquered sin and death and saved His people.

This is God's way. The principles of the kingdom of God are different from the principles of this world. Jesus clearly taught this to His disciples.

[Matt 20:26-27] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave. (NIV)

[Matt 23:11-12] The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (NIV)

The church is a community of God's people who acknowledge Jesus Christ as King and live under His rule. As people who belong to the kingdom of God while living in this world, we are called to display the values and character of that kingdom. Who is considered great in the church? Who is considered great in God's sight? From a worldly perspective, the one who is served appears to be great, but from a spiritual perspective, the one who serves is great. I want all of you to become great and honorable in God's sight.

What must we do for that to happen? We must take up the cross as Jesus did. Yet we must remember that this cross is not a cross of defeat but the cross of a victorious King. Do you desire to become such a person? Then serve whenever you have the opportunity to serve. Humble yourself whenever you have the opportunity to be humble. Help others whenever you have the opportunity to help. Sacrifice when you have the opportunity to sacrifice, just as Jesus did. This is the heart of the true King who bore the cross. Believe that those who live this way will reign together with Jesus.

[Rev 5:10] You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. (NIV)

Yet there are times when, in our desire to reign in this world, we allow money, success, reputation, pride, and selfish ambition to rule our lives instead of Jesus. That is not the mark of a true king. Let us remember once again that true kingship is found in bearing the King's cross that Jesus bore. May we surrender the control of our lives to the Lord and become believers who humble ourselves, serve others, and make sacrifices just as He did.

[Application] What are you pursuing in order to become successful and exalted in this world? As you acknowledge Jesus as your true King and seek to follow His example, what Word is He calling you to obey today?

 

3. The Cross of Love and Care

[Verse 23] When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. (NIV) After crucifying Jesus, the soldiers divided His garments among themselves by casting lots. Even at the very moment when Jesus was giving His life, they were concerned only about what they could gain for themselves.

In that situation, beginning in verse 25, Jesus' attention was focused on His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing near the cross. [Verse 26-27] When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (NIV)

Jesus was suffering intense agony on the cross. It was difficult even to breathe, yet He did not forget His mother. Thinking of the deep sorrow His mother would experience after His departure, He entrusted her care to someone else. Even at the moment of death, He cared for those He loved.

He also provided the disciple with a spiritual mother whom he could serve. This is the church, and this is the spiritual community. Through the cross, Jesus revealed a new family relationship. Those who believe in Jesus are no longer simply people who share the same faith; they have become brothers and sisters in the Lord. The cross not only reconciles us to God but also creates new relationships among us in Christ. Those who have received the love of Jesus must now live as God's family, caring for and serving one another.

When Jesus said, “Woman, here is your son,” and “Here is your mother,” He was telling them to regard one another in that way from that moment on. Yet He was not merely instructing them to adopt a new mindset. He was calling them to put that relationship into practice in real life. That is why the final part of verse 27 is so remarkable. [Verse 27] From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (NIV) He did not stop with words. He did not stop with thoughts. He obeyed in practical life. Let us remember that the love of Jesus was not merely spoken love. It was love demonstrated by giving His own body for us.

The Apostle John personally witnessed and experienced the love of Jesus displayed on the cross, and he practiced that love in his own life. Later, when he wrote to believers in his old age, he said:

[1 John 3:18] Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (NIV)

The love of the cross transforms us. It enables us to forgive those we once hated and reach out to those whom we once ignored.

Before I believed in Jesus, I secretly obtained permanent residency without telling my parents and came to New Zealand, saying that I would be away for only one year. In reality, I emigrated here because I did not want to live with my father. When I was young, my father was my hero, but during high school I gradually became rebellious, and things became much worse when I entered university. I wanted to attend medical school and had completed all the application forms. However, parental approval was required before submitting the application, and my parents opposed it. As a result, my resentment and rebelliousness grew even stronger. After graduating from university, I even volunteered to work in a factory laboratory located in another region. Later, when I was transferred back to the head office and had to live with my family again, I found it so difficult that I eventually ran away.

However, after I came to believe in Jesus, a great change took place in my heart. I was no longer controlled by resentment and anger toward my father. Instead, I began to view my parents, who did not yet know Jesus, with compassion and mercy. In order to share the gospel with them, I left my life in New Zealand and returned to Korea. Jesus changed my heart.

Eventually, both of my parents came to believe in Jesus before they went to be with the Lord. During the final days of my father's life, while he was in the hospital, he said to me when I visited Korea, “I'm sorry,” and “Thank you.” For a man who had always been so strong to become physically weak like a child and to speak with such tenderness was truly a miracle to me. Jesus changed him.

The gospel did not merely change my feelings toward my parents. It changed my heart. It changed the direction of my life. It changed my attitude and actions toward my parents. Those who have been reconciled to God begin to experience transformation in their relationships with other people as well.

When we believe in Jesus, God begins to renew our hearts. In the past, we may have been controlled by anger and resentment, but now we begin to learn forgiveness and love instead of being dominated by those emotions. Of course, this transformation is not completed overnight. The Holy Spirit works within us throughout our lives, transforming us to become more like Jesus. As a result, the way we view people changes, and hearts filled with love and compassion begin to reveal themselves through practical actions.

There are people around us who need love and care. There are lonely people, wounded believers, and neighbors who are struggling. These are the people God has placed in our lives to love and care for. We may not be able to solve all their problems, but I pray that we will first ask how they are doing, pray with them, and offer whatever help we can, showing the same love and care that Jesus demonstrated on the cross when He thought about His mother and His beloved disciple even while He was dying. This is the life of a believer who puts the love of the cross into practice.

[Application] Is there anyone whom you have still not forgiven? Who is the neighbor to whom God is calling you to extend a hand of love today?

In conclusion, as we look at the cross that Jesus bore, we are led to examine our relationship with Him once again. We are people who have received the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ and have obtained true freedom. We now belong to Him.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us always remember the grace of redemption that Jesus accomplished for us, forgive and love one another, and serve our neighbors around us. May we all enjoy the freedom that Christ has given us, obey Jesus our King, and demonstrate His love through our lives. I pray this in the name of the Lord. Amen.

 

 

하늘소망교회(담임 손진국 목사)는 뉴질랜드 오클랜드 북부 실버데일에 세워진 한인교회로 '하나님의 마음으로 사람을 살리는 교회'입니다.

Hope of Heaven Baptist Church (Senior Pastor: Rev. Jinkook Sohn) is a Korean church established in Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a church that saves people with the heart of God.