Excessive Violence
Many parents monitor their kids as far as the video games, TV shows, movies and books that their children watch and read; and rightly so. Parents have to worry about inappropriate sexual content, language and violence. Excessive violence is a real concern with many popular movies, shows, video games and books. What I’m about to say next may surprise you, but the Bible also contains excessive violence. Please note that I’m not talking about gratuitous violence, but excessive violence. No, I’m not really talking about how God judged the Canaanites and commanded the Israelites to kill every man, woman and child (Deuteronomy 7:1-2). (God did so out of righteous judgment against the nations in Canaan.) I’m not even talking about when God judged the whole world and condemned the whole world to death except for the eight souls that were spared on the ark (Genesis 7:7-23).
No, I’m talking about extreme, excessive violence that was perpetrated against one individual. I want to talk today about the excessive violence that Jesus Christ the Lord endured. Jesus suffered like no other and He was sinless! The Lord didn’t even commit a single sin and sure didn’t deserve a violent death. Yet, that’s what He received; what He willingly endured. Please listen to some of the Bible verses that describe the excessive violence that was perpetrated upon the Lord Jesus. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
Jesus Was Despised And Rejected
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture (Psalm 22:12-18). I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting (Isaiah 50:6). As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men (Isaiah 52:14). He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
The Lord Was Numbered Among The Transgressors
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:3-12).
Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands (Matthew 26:67). Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified (Matthew 27:22-23). Then (Pilate) released Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
Jesus Was Beaten, Mocked And Spit Upon
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him (Matthew 27:26-31). And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left (Matthew 27:33-38). Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:45-46) Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
Truly This Was The Son Of God
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God (Matthew 27:50-54). Jesus suffered like no other person. He was beaten unmercifully beyond recognition. He was spit upon, hit with a reed (or stick), His beard was plucked out, a crown of thorns were platted upon His head. Furthermore, Jesus was beaten with 39 lashes across His back and then He was nailed to the cross where he suffered for six, long, torturous hours.
God is all-powerful, all-knowing and ever-present. Everything that happened to Jesus was at God’s direction. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, suffered unimaginable pain as a substitute for guilty sinners. That is for guilty sinners who repent and trust Jesus. Think about this: if God was willing to punish Jesus (again sinless) over sin, how much more do guilty sinners who die in their sins rejecting the Gospel, deserve everlasting punishment? Guilty sinners who reject such a great salvation deserve eternal damnation. God is so Holy that He punished Jesus to this extent, will most definitely punish unrepentant, rebellious sinners in the lake of fire and brimstone forever.
Excessive Violence In The Bible
I’ve talked about excessive violence in the Bible tonight because I’m hoping and praying that you will see what an affront your sins are to a Holy and righteous God. I’m also hoping and praying that you will repent of your sins and surrender your life to Jesus Christ if you haven’t already done so. Why Jesus? Because He suffered, bled and died on the cruel cross to save His people from their sins. Three days after His death, Jesus rose victoriously from the grave. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you (Matthew 28:1-7). Come to Jesus and be saved. Repent of your sins and put your trust in Christ Jesus. We are to have repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). Jesus suffered physical pain like no other. He suffered God’s wrath over sin like no other. Those who foolishly die in their sins will suffer in the lake of fire and brimstone for all eternity. Don’t do it. Don’t continue barreling down the broad road to destruction. Repent and believe the Gospel. Surrender your life fully and completely to Jesus.
Repent And Surrender Your Life To Jesus
Do this today. Don’t put it off. You are not guaranteed tomorrow. You’re not even guaranteed your next breath. Do not harden your heart. If God is convicting you over your sinfulness and revealing His Holiness to you, please, please repent of your sins and submit your life to King Jesus. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Surrender your life to Him, fully and completely. Trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5). Jesus suffered excessive violence when He was beaten beyond recognition. He was the propitiation for the sins of His followers (1 John 4:10). Propitiation means the wrath of God was satisfied when God poured His anger over sin out upon Jesus. Why foolishly suffer for your sins for all eternity? Swallow your pride. Admit that you are a sinner. Cry out for God to save you. Repent from your sins and surrender your life to Christ Jesus.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on February 7, 2020)