John 19:36 – For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

Hello readers, new blog today. I always thought of the significance of why Jesus’ bones weren’t broken. In Psalm 34:20 the Bible says He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. When Jesus died, he gave up his life his Spirit, and died. And the custom of the Romans was to break the legs of the crucified, and they came a broke the legs of the thieves, but Jesus was already dead so they didn’t. Instead a Roman soldier pierced his side with a spear and out flowed blood and water. It’s a very powerful part of the Bible, the cross is what it’s all about, Jesus said it is finished. Our lives depend on the cross, the whole of eternity, all of our life stems from the sacrifice of Jesus for us. To a saved person who has repented of his sin and believed on Jesus the cross is everything, his blood is precious. It’s not a vain religion and a process, it’s a person. Jesus Christ. Who is he? He is God in the flesh, he came to earth born of a woman, lived a sinless life, looked to Calvary to save us from our sins. God made him bear our punishment, and if you believe that Jesus died for you to save you from your sins past, present, future you will be saved God promises. Believe on him, because it’s not just a dead Saviour, but he rose from the dead, and is alive in heaven, and seeks and saves the lost today all around the world, his Spirit working in the minds and hearts of people to draw them to himself.

Not a bone of him shall be broken. So what? Who cares? What’s the significance? I never understood it. Yes, the Bible in the Old Testament was prophesying of Jesus Christ, and thousands of years later all the prophecies were fulfilled, what are the odds? The Bible is the perfect, true book, the word of God to humanity, God speaking to us telling us what to do, how to live, what judgement will be like, how to get ready for eternity. And the Bible is all about Jesus Christ, start to finish, it is the testimony of Christ. Because Christ is God, there is God, there is man… Christ is the person of God, we cannot know God, or talk to God, or comprehend God but for him. No man has seen God, Christ is our way to God, because he is God. He is the way, the truth, the life. These are not light words, we can rattle them off, but it’s all about Jesus, who is the Creator, and he is the author of my faith and will finish it. I believe his word and his promises and base my eternity on him. And he is faithful and true.

So anyway, why is it significant that his bones weren’t broken? Because my bones are broken and do break. Jesus’ bones never broke, but mine do. Because I am a sinner, and I am helpless, broken, nothing. When we repent, we are smashed before God, because we realize our sin, our guilt, our filth, our unworthiness before holy God. The penalty of sin, eternal death, separation from God. We were created for God’s glory, that is our purpose, we want God, everyone has a hole in their life who doesn’t know God through Jesus Christ. We can substitute fill it, but only when we find rest in the Shepherd we will know the peace and joy and love of God to us. He is that great Shepherd of the sheep, and none shall pluck those of us who are saved out of his hand. But if we reject him, then one day Jesus will say depart from me… and when Jesus say’s that we will face an eternity in hell without Christ, never to fulfill our purpose, never to experience the joy and fullness of life and blessedness of being with God.

We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, there is none good. All goodness comes from God, the goodness of God is present in this world, his grace. Jesus is the Light of the world, and that light has shone on all men, but most reject him. Read Isaiah 60, starting with verse 1 – Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. The light of Christ has appeared to all men, but most men reject it. Hence in John 3:19,20 – And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. There is noone innocent, all have sinned, all are wicked, all our best efforts, our righteousnesses, are as filthy rags. We must surrender everything at the cross.

When I repented, I was broken before God, every single bone was broken. Bones are our frame, our structure, and that was all smashed by the conviction of the Holy Spirit of God. Because when we see his holiness, we say as Isaiah said when he saw God’s glory, WOE is me for I am a man undone, of unclean lips. We are vile worms, it’s just whether we see it or not. Our frame and structure, our bones rot and are cursed and sag and bend and break under the weight of the curse, of our sin. It’s why we die, because all have sinned, and death, physical and spiritual is the punishment, the consequence of transgressing God’s holiness. We are nothing. When Jesus convicts a man of sin, that man is at the end of himself. Just like the prodigal son, who reached the end of himself, who came to himself in a pig pen after a life of debauchery and filth, he came to an end of it all. He acknowledged his sin against God. It’s one thing to realize our worthlessness, our nothingness, our brokenness, it’s another thing to take it to Jesus. God gives us the solution, many people realize they’re sinners and do wrong but they stop there, they don’t go to Jesus, they don’t want Jesus, they don’t care for his blood, they’ll try their own way, and after all, sin does have pleasure, it is fun, and being weaned off sin is hard. We need the power of God to transform us, and God does that for us by giving us his Spirit when we get saved, to deliver us from ourselves and change our lives, to make all things new.

Jesus’ bones were not broken. Because for a believer, he is our frame and structure and excellence and glory. We are these pathetic, weak, earthen vessels, but he is the great treasure. He is perfect we are not. He was sinless we are not. We have failed in every single area of our lives. Our best day, our best efforts, the things we hold dearest are utterly corrupt. Jesus’ bones hold up for eternity, he did no sin. Our filth was heaped upon him, an innocent man. That’s why he is called the Lamb of God and likened to a lamb. A lamb is so innocent, clean, pure. And we are wicked, filthy, vile, base, Jesus knew no sin, but was made sin for us. What a high, high price. Think about it, a person who did no wrong, no lies, no deceit, no immorality, perfect, pure and all the filth of humanity was loaded on him, no wonder he sweat great drops of blood, no wonder he prayed… if there is any other way possible let this cup pass from me. But there wasn’t. It took his holy blood being shed for us. That blood will change a man when he sees his sin and sees and knows and receives the great love of God to him. Jesus bore the curse, cursed is every man that hangeth on a tree, he bore the wrath of God against sin, that holy anger and judgement against every act of immorality, against every lie, every bit of deceit, the cheating, the envy, the jealousy all the worst of humanity, and humanity’s pits are so low it is staggering. And Jesus bore it all for our freedom. And so pure was he, so perfect, that his sacrifice satisfied God’s wrath, he pleased God, and he rose from the dead in power and glory. And he lives today and draws us to him. All we need to do is believe in our hearts  that he did it for us, believe on his name, come to that cross in faith and gaze on the Saviour, behold the man! who took my sin upon himself to set me free. Justice was met, and love extended at the cross. Love is sacrificial, love puts the other first, God’s love, and God is love. Our love is ash compared to his love for us. And when we receive his love, it changes us forever, and then we can love others just as God loved us.

Jesus died for sinful, wretched, fallen humanity. We are all smashed. Matthew 21:44 – And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. It is a good thing to be broken by God, broken before him. To wave the white flag of surrender. And when we are broken, then we can be built. His bones are enough, his bones are my bones. That’s what marriage is, Genesis 2:23 – And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. It is a mystery, but it’s the church. Jesus died for his church, and when a man marries a woman, it is a picture of Christ and the church. Christ died for the church, loves the church, he loves you and me, the church is anyone who believe on him and is saved, born again of the Spirit of God, translated from this wicked world it’s ways, it’s thoughts, it’s life into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Such a better kingdom, and the one that is above all, and will last forever. It’s great love, and human marriages (should) reflect that same love that Christ had for us. So we are made from his bones, no longer our bones, but his bones are our frame and structure and support, he is our fullness. Jesus’ bones stand the test of time. He is alive forevermore. It’s not a religion, it’s a person, he is alive today and draws and says come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I shall give you rest. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Take my yoke and learn of me, and ye shall find rest for your souls. We can go through life with our broken, sagging, failing bones, or we can be broken and let him be our bones and our strength our help our Saviour. We just need to repent and believe on him. The name of Christ, the name that is above all names. And in our practical lives, whatever is in Christ, and from Christ… well it will endure, because a bone of him shall not be broken. What Christ does lasts, who he is lasts, and if you are in him, you have finally reached a place of life, hope, blessing and eternal safety for your soul.

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