Sermon snippet – The Nails of the Cross
INTRODUCTION – Today we remember our Savior’s death on the Cross, for the Communion service is a remembrance of God the Son’s sacrifice for us. Let us briefly consider three points regarding the nails of the Cross.
- JESUS IS CALLED THE NAIL
Zechariah 10:4 is a Messianic passage that prophesies the work of Jesus Christ. He was of the tribe of Judah (“him” refers to Judah in verse 3), as was predicted in Genesis 49:10. We are familiar with Jesus being called the Cornerstone (“corner” – see Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 28:16 and I Peter 2:6). Referring to Him as “the Battle Bow” in consistent with the imagery of Jesus as our Warrior (see Psalm 45:5 and Revelation 19:11-16). The designation “Nail” (or “Tent Peg”) is surprising. To my knowledge, this word picture has not made it into a Gospel song or hymn. Biblically, the tent peg is prominent in two ways. First, the tent peg is used in Isaiah 22:22-24 as a representation of a ruler upon which the nation of Israel is secured, for it is obvious that an unsecured tent cannot stand. Second,we remember that Jael, a devout Israelite woman, killed the wicked Sisera by driving “a nail of the tent” into “his temples” (Judges 4:21; 5:26). As we will see in the next two points, Jesus fulfills both Biblical uses of the tent peg.
- JESUS WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS
We know that Jesus was crucified. John 20:24-31 makes it clear that nails were employed. (We do not know for sure whether they were metal spikes or sharpened wooden pegs; both were used by the Romans.) As verse 31 clarifies, the death and resurrection of Jesus ensure our salvation if only we “believe that Jesus is the Christ [Messiah], the Son of God.” As the tent peg secures the tent, our Tent Peg secures us. His nailprints are eloquent evidence of His undying love for His people.
- JESUS NAILS OUR SINS TO HIS CROSS
Colossians 2:13-14 tells us that when mankind – all of us – nailed Jesus to the Cross, He responded by nailing our sins there. No cat’s-paw exists that can remove that nail! Rather than drive a nail into our heads (which, like Sisera, we deserve), Jesus instead fixed our sins firmly on His Cross and covered them with His precious blood.
CONCLUSION – Jesus, the Nail, was nailed to the Cross. He nailed our sins there, assuring us that through faith in Him we can be certain of forgiveness – full, free, and forever. May we worship our Savior as we partake of Communion.