Jesus Willingly Sacrificed His Life to Pay the Price for All of Humanity S Sin

Session 12

Crucified

Jesus willingly sacrificed His life to pay the price for all of humanity’s sin.

Matthew 27:41-52

Memory Verse: Matthew 27:54

Prepare to lead the Group Time

READ Matthew 27:33-66, First Thoughts, and Understand the Context.

Study Matthew 27:41-52, using Explore the Text. Read Psalm 22 to gain insight into the scene of the cross.

Plan the group time using the ideas under Lead Group Bible Study, More Ideas, ideas included in QuickSource, and ideas online at Blog.LifeWay.com/ExploretheBible to customize the plans according to the needs of your group. Consider ways to get everyone in the group involved in the study.

Grow with other group leaders at the Group Ministry blog (LifeWay.com/GroupMinistry).

Gather the following items: Personal Study Guides; A story about someone who lost his or her life while saving another person; and A whiteboard or large sheet of paper and a marker. Prepare to display: PACK ITEM 1 (Map: New Testament Jerusalem); PACK ITEM 7 (Chart: The Opponents of Jesus); PACK ITEM 8 (Poster: Time Line of Jesus’ Last Week); and PACK ITEM 9 (Poster: The Trials of Jesus).

LEAD Group Bible Study

Focus Attention (First Thoughts)

INTRODUCE: After greeting the group, relay a story about someone who lost his or her life while saving another person. This can be a story of which you have personal knowledge, or you can use a news story. (You can find countless news stories on this subject by doing an Internet search for “news giving life to save others.”) Be sure to also share ways in which this person was honored for his or her bravery and sacrifice.

TRANSITION: Today’s study is about Jesus’ paying the ultimate sacrifice when He gave His life to save sinners for all eternity. When we study and reflect on His actions, we are led to worship Him, thank Him, and serve Him.

Explore the Text

DESCRIBE: Display Pack Item 1 (Map: New Testament Jerusalem); Pack Item 7 (Chart: The Opponents of Jesus); and Pack Item 8 (Poster: Time Line of Jesus’ Last Week). Use these to describe the context of today’s study: On the day we know as Good Friday, Pilate gave the order to crucify Jesus, and the soldiers led Him to Golgotha. They nailed Him to a cross and placed Him between two criminals. People who passed by ridiculed Him, and so did the religious leaders.

DISCUSS: Invite the group to recall and name the many physical abuses Jesus had endured during this ordeal that began immediately following His prayer in Gethsemane. Explain that today’s Scripture passage begins with a description of the verbal abuses Jesus endured as He was mocked and taunted while on the cross.

READ: Direct a volunteer to read aloud Matthew 27:41-44 as the group underlines in their copy of the PSG the painful words that were used to mock Jesus.

Guide: Call for volunteers to share what they underlined, recording responses on a whiteboard. Point out the identity of those making these statements. Ask: What did the mockers say in regard to Jesus’ relationship with God?

Discuss: What different types of pain and suffering did Jesus face? (PSG, p. 126) Review Pack Item 9 (Poster: The Trials of Jesus) to see all the different trials Jesus had experienced during His time on earth. Lead the group to reflect on and discuss what Jesus went through to bring about God’s will.

Ask: Of these types of pain, which do you think weighed the most? Explain. (PSG, p. 126)

Emphasize: These taunts concerning Jesus’ relationship with God were perhaps the cruelest of all. When suggesting that God didn’t want Jesus (v. 43), the mockers may have had Psalm 22:8 in mind. Read this verse. They implied that God would not rescue His servants if they had failed to please Him. They insisted that God refused to take pleasure in Jesus because He claimed to be God’s Son.

READ: Explain that these events took place between when Jesus was placed on the cross and noon. Invite the group to listen as a volunteer reads Matthew 27:45-49 to see what took place between noon and three in the afternoon.

ASK: What do the three hours of darkness teach us about the nature of sin and the magnitude of its consequences? How is the darkness of sin expressed today? (PSG, p. 127)

EXPLAIN: The words Jesus cried out in torment at three in the afternoon were prophesied in Psalm 22:1. Imagine being in so much agony that you feel God has forsaken you!

ASK: How did the crowd misunderstand Jesus’ words? What do you think were the motives of the one who offered Jesus a drink? What were the motives of those who wanted to see Elijah appear?

READ: Urge the group to listen as a volunteer reads aloud Matthew 27:50-52.

GUIDE: Invite volunteers to highlight key words and ideas found in these verses. Clarify as needed.

SHARE: Jesus’ death occurred at three o’clock, the time of the afternoon sacrifices at the temple. The priests would have been there to witness the curtain being ripped apart from top to bottom. This curtain, which separated the holy of holies from other areas, could only be entered once a year for a priest to make atonement. The days of the high priests’ interceding for God’s people was over!

ASK: What else happened at the moment of Jesus’ death? List these on a whiteboard. What conclusions can be drawn from what happened immediately after Jesus died? How does the impact of what happened continue to be experienced today? (PSG, p. 129)

Summarize and Challenge (In My Context)

READ: Urge the group to listen and reflect as you read the third bullet point from the PSG under In My Context (p. 130): Jesus’ death removed the chasm between God and sinful humanity, making it possible for humans to have an eternal relationship with God through faith in Jesus.

DIRECT: Direct attention to the second question set under In My Context (PSG, p. 130): Take time to reflect on your life when you were separated from God. What image from the crucifixion best illustrates your life at that time? What actions should you take as a result of remembering what it is like to be separated from God?

GUIDE: Have you taken advantage of the wonderful relationship Jesus offers? If not, let’s talk after the group time so I can show you how to do that. If you have, spend time praising and thanking God for this wonderful gift! Close in prayer.

Practice

· Reflect on what Jesus’ crucifixion has meant in your life. Ask God to always remind you to be thankful and to help you grow in your relationship with Him.

· If you have a group member of whose salvation you are uncertain, create an opportunity to share the gospel with him or her this week.

More Ideas

Focus attention (first thoughts)

Write on the board: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” (This old adage is reported to have appeared in The Christian Recorder in 1862.) Ask: Do you agree with the adage? Why or why not? Encourage the group to recall a time when they were hurt by words. Ask: Do you think that words may sometimes be more painful than physical pain?

Explore the text

· To enhance the study of Matthew 27:45-49, research the word “darkness” in a Bible commentary or dictionary. Discuss the connotations it holds. Ask: How is the darkness of sin expressed today?

· Point out that the Book of Matthew doesn’t tell us what Jesus shouted as He gave up His life (v. 50). Read together Luke 23:46 and John 19:30 to see what other Gospels tell us about this.

· Discuss the earthquake in more detail. Explain: Just as the curtain was “split,” the rocks were also “split.” Ask: What connotation might this hold for us? How does Jesus’ death impact all of creation?

Summarize and challenge (in my context)

Distribute copies of the following statements, adapted from the PSG (p. 130). Direct group members to privately evaluate themselves on each, using a number from 1 (doesn’t apply to me) to 10 (greatly applies to me):

___ My life testifies to Jesus’ being the Messiah.

___ Sin caused me to be separated from the holy God.

___ Jesus’ death removed the chasm between God and sinful humanity, making it possible for me to have an eternal relationship with God through faith in Jesus.

Encourage members to commit to being more faithful in one of these areas.

SUGGESTED music idea

Read the lyrics or lead the group in singing “At the Cross,” by Isaac Watts and Ralph E. Hudson. Ask them to think of Jesus’ suffering for us and to pay attention to verse 4, which reveals what He expects of us in return.