Date: SUN 7:00pm 9th August 2026
Preacher: Rev. Gary Goodes
Bible Reference: John 19:19
Podcast
The Sign Above the Cross: A Summary of the Sermon on John 19
Introduction: John’s Eyewitness Account
The sermon opens with a reading from John 19:1–22, which recounts the trial, scourging, and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. The preacher notes that whilst most of the disciples fled at Calvary, John—the beloved disciple—remained present with Mary. John was an eyewitness to the crucifixion, and his Gospel includes small but significant details that the other Gospel writers do not emphasise.
The focus of the sermon is one such detail: the little sign nailed above the head of Christ on the cross. The preacher states that this sign teaches three great truths about the message of the cross—it is controversial, it is universal, and it is personal.
The Sign Itself
Verse 19 records: “And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
The preacher explains the historical context. It was Roman custom that when a condemned man was led to crucifixion, a soldier would walk before him carrying a sign listing the crimes for which he was to be executed. Once the prisoner reached the cross, that sign would be nailed above his head. This is evidently what occurred with Christ.
The four Gospel writers describe the sign in slightly different terms:
- Matthew calls it an accusation
- Mark and Luke call it a superscription
- John calls it a title
The wording also differs slightly across the four Gospels, which the preacher addresses directly. Unbelievers and sceptics, he says, point to these differences as supposed contradictions in Scripture. However, there is no contradiction. Each Gospel writer wrote from his own perspective and for a particular audience, giving a different emphasis. The sign was written in three languages—Hebrew, Greek, and Latin (verse 20)—and each evangelist gives the translation corresponding to his intended readership:
- Matthew, writing for the Jews, gives the Hebrew translation
- Mark, writing for the Romans, gives the Latin translation
- Luke, writing for the ordinary common person and emphasising Christ’s humanity, gives the Greek translation
- John, writing for the whole world and emphasising Christ’s deity, gives his own translation
When the four accounts are placed together, they form a composite picture of Calvary rather than a contradiction.
1. The Message of the Cross Is Controversial
Only John records the controversy that erupted between Pontius Pilate and the Jewish leaders over this sign.
The Rejected King
At the time of the crucifixion, thousands upon thousands of Jews had gathered in Jerusalem from across the Roman Empire to observe the Passover. The chief priests and rulers had engineered the situation to have Christ put to death. The Jewish nation as a whole rejected the Lord as their king—they were the ones who cried out for his crucifixion.
The preacher imagines the sadistic pleasure these religious hypocrites took when Pilate finally sentenced Christ to death. The one they hated and despised, the one who spoke as never man spake, who performed miracles and went about doing good, followed by multitudes—now they were getting their way.
But then they arrived at the cross and looked up for the first time and saw the sign: “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.” It would have infuriated them. Why? Because they had rejected him as their king. They had already made their loud proclamation in verse 15: “We have no king but Caesar.” In Luke 19 they had said, “We will not have this man to reign over us.”
The irony is profound. For centuries the Jews possessed the Old Testament Scriptures packed with prophecies of the coming Messiah. They spent century after century awaiting the arrival of their king. Yet as John 1:11 states, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Christ came as the promised, prophesied Messiah—God manifest in the flesh—and they rejected him.
When they saw the sign, their feelings were roused and they were on edge. They were so upset that they sent a delegation to Pontius Pilate to complain.
Pilate’s Uncharacteristic Obstinacy
Pilate, the preacher notes, had written that sign deliberately to irritate and insult the Jewish leaders. He had already stated he found no fault in Christ and knew it was because of envy that they had cried out for his death.
Pilate is described as the quintessential compromising politician. Earlier, when he had the opportunity to save Christ’s life, he crumbled and caved into the demands of the Jewish leaders. One would expect him to cave in again over a trivial sign. But this time he is absolutely unyielding—obstinate, though in the wrong place. He refuses to budge on the wording.
This is not because Pilate had any convictions about who Christ really was; had he believed, he would not have sentenced him to death. Rather, it was a case of him trying to wash his hands of the whole affair.
In verse 21, the Jewish leaders say to Pilate: “Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.” The tense of the verb in the original is present—they are speaking as if Pilate is still writing, saying in effect, “Stop writing.”
Pilate’s reply in verse 22 is in the past tense: “What I have written I have written.” It is already written and will not be changed.
A Personal Application
The preacher draws a personal application: every person is writing a story each day—the story of their life. As a children’s chorus puts it, “You’re writing a gospel, a chapter each day, by the deeds that you do, by the words that you say. Men read what you write, whether faithless or true. So what is the gospel according to you?”
Pilate said, in effect, it is too late to change it. The day will come when every person will have to give account for the life they have lived, for the decisions they have made, particularly in reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. Each person will acknowledge their own handwriting and admit that the record of their life is true.
The Cross Remains Controversial Today
The preacher asserts that the cross of Christ is still controversial. Those who doubt this need only go into the middle of Belfast and preach the gospel in the open air to see the responses. Approach someone devoted to another religion and tell them their religion will not save them, and observe the reaction. When anyone stands up to speak a word for Christ in the media, suddenly everyone turns against them.
An example is given: a man in England was insuring his car and was asked if there were any modifications. He mentioned only the sticker on the side. The sticker read “Jesus Saves” across the front and back doors. The insurance company refused to insure the car until the stickers were removed. The man is taking the matter to court.
1 Corinthians 1 states that “the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.” To the Jews it is a stumbling block; to the Greeks it is foolishness. The cross still stirs a response—and in many cases a hostile one—because to many, Christ is still the rejected King.
The Ultimate Author
Though Pilate was writing that day, God was also writing. The book of Revelation speaks of books kept in heaven recording the deeds and words of every person. The Lord was the ultimate author of Calvary and of all that took place that day, because Christ was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Before Adam and Eve ever walked upon the earth, God knew they would sin, and before there was ever a sinner, the Saviour was already in the mind of God. It was as if God himself said, “What I have written I have written.”
Whether received or rejected, Christ is revealed to the world as the Lamb of God, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and the only Saviour from sin. As Acts 4:12 declares: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
2. The Message of the Cross Is Universal
Verse 20 notes that the place where Jesus was crucified was “nigh to the city.” It is commonly believed that the Lord was crucified alongside a public highway. To this day, at Golgotha—the little hill shaped like a skull—there is still a road at the bottom, with a bus stop. People could come right by where Christ was crucified, look up, and read the sign.
The sign was written in the three main languages of the day:
Hebrew—The Language of Religion
Hebrew was the language of the Jews and of religion. The Lord Jesus Christ is the final word when it comes to religion. The preacher observes that when the subject of religion or salvation arises, there are many different opinions. Some people who never attend church consider themselves absolute authorities on the Bible. But what matters is not human opinion—it is what the Lord himself has to say about eternity and what determines a person’s eternal destination.
An illustration is given: a man once told the preacher that going to church made him a Christian. The preacher replied, “If you go and sit in your garage, does that make you a car?” Sitting in a church does not make one a Christian, just as sitting in a university does not confer a PhD, or sitting in a hospital does not make one a doctor. What is needed is Christ in the heart—sins cleansed in his precious blood, sealed with the Holy Ghost, and a life transformed.
The Jews should have known better. The Old Testament prophesied the coming Messiah. But it was the religious leaders—the hypocrites, the Pharisees and scribes who loved to stand in public places and pray aloud for the commendations of men—who were envious when bigger crowds followed Jesus of Nazareth.
Greek—The Language of Culture
Greek was the language of culture. All true culture ultimately leads to the Lord Jesus Christ. Culture is a beautiful and wonderful thing, but culture without Christ can result in something crude.
A person may think they have culture—they may eat caviar every night, have glasses on a stick—but culture without Christ is not enough. It is Christ that refines the human heart, beautifies the soul, and transforms a life. It is Christ that puts beauty, meaning, and purpose into life.
The preacher shares his personal testimony: he was an atheist until the age of 23—not merely unsaved, but an atheist. He never attended church, Sunday school, youth meeting, or Sunday service. For 23 years he thought he was really living. Then on the 24th of May of that year, he was converted, and he realised just how empty his life had been without the Lord. Christ came not only to give life but to give it more abundantly—eternal life and the real meaning and purpose of life. When Christ comes into the heart, he changes behaviour and lifestyle: “Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Latin—The Language of Law and Government
Latin was the language of the Roman Empire—of law and government. The Lord Jesus Christ is the one whose laws become the standard for eternity. Different countries have different laws; something legal in one country may be illegal in another. But Christ’s laws are eternal. One day every person will stand before him and be examined according to the Word of God.
Politicians today make all kinds of laws—laws that even legalise sin. But no matter what they do on earth, they cannot change the laws in heaven, and one day they will be subject to them.
Universal Invitation
The sign in three languages declares that everybody is invited to come to Christ for salvation. Acts 17:30 states: “God… commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” Coming to Christ is not an option—it is a command from the God who created, breathed life into, and preserved every person, and before whom every person will one day stand.
The preacher explains repentance: when the truth of the gospel dawned upon his soul, he knew he was a sinner. He had to confess to the Lord that he was a sinner and ask to be cleansed from sin in his precious blood. He was ready to turn his life around and be whatever the Lord wanted him to be.
John’s Gospel consistently presents Christ as the Saviour of the world:
- John 1:29 — John the Baptist says, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (not merely the sin of Israel)
- John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world”
- John 4 — The woman at the well runs back to her village saying, “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” The men who came out declared, “Now we believe… for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”
The invitation goes out to whosoever will come: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It does not matter who a person is, where they are from, their nationality, upbringing, education, or lack of it—the invitation is open.
3. The Message of the Cross Is Personal
Ordinarily, the sign carried before a condemned man would list his crimes. But when one looks at this sign, no crime is mentioned: “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.” No crime is recorded because Christ was not dying for any sins of his own.
The Sinlessness of Christ
The Bible states that “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” That is why all people age and head towards the grave—because when sin entered the world, death came by sin. But Christ was sinless. He was God the Son, Emmanuel, God manifest in the flesh. He was “tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.” Not one sin could anyone ever point to in the Son of God.
Christ himself highlighted this truth when he asked his enemies, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” The preacher remarks he would not want to ask that of his friends, let alone his enemies—but Christ’s enemies could find none.
The evidence of Christ’s sinlessness is abundant:
- Pilate twice admitted, “I find no fault in him”
- Judas Iscariot, the traitor, said, “I have betrayed innocent blood”
- One of the thieves crucified beside him said, “This man hath done nothing amiss”
The Handwriting of Ordinances
When Christ died on the cross, he was dying as the Lamb of God—the fulfilment of all the Old Testament types. The Jews would offer a lamb on behalf of themselves, their family, or the nation, to be the sin-bearer for their sins. Christ was the fulfilment of all those sacrifices, prophecies, and typology.
Colossians 2:14 states: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”
When God the Father looked down upon his Son dying on behalf of all those who would place their faith and trust in him, he saw the ordinances that were against us. In those days, when a man owed a debt he could not pay, there would be a public posting of the debt and a public acknowledgement that he could not pay. At Calvary, the sins that were against us—the ordinances—were nailed to the cross.
An unsaved, unregenerate soul is a sinner and a debtor to God. There is nothing anyone can do to atone for their sins. Salvation is by grace, not of works. The handwriting of ordinances is against every person. The only way for a soul to be saved is to accept the salvation purchased at Calvary.
Salvation: Free but Not Cheap
Christ paid a terrible price. Salvation is free to the recipient, but it was not without cost. Christ paid the debt that humanity could never pay, and salvation is offered as a free gift.
The preacher uses the illustration of a birthday or Christmas gift. When he gives gifts to his daughters and grandchildren, no one asks, “How much do I owe you?” The price has been paid; the gift to them is free. So it is with salvation: Christ has paid, and the gift is offered freely.
The Dying Thief
Luke 23 records that two thieves were crucified with Christ, one on the left and one on the right. At first, both reviled the Lord and poured insults upon him. But as one of them watched the scene at Calvary, something changed.
In Luke 23:42, that thief said: “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”
Where did he get the idea that Christ was a king? He got it from the sign above the Lord’s head, stating that he was the King of the Jews. That one sentence upon the cross became a gospel tract for that dying thief. That one statement was all the poor thief had, and yet—on the edge of eternity, with only seconds to live—that one verse upon the sign was enough. By it he latched onto Christ by faith and said, “Lord, remember me.”
The preacher reflects on the simplicity of that prayer. The thief was on the edge of eternity with moments to live. He had no time to debate doctrine, play games, or try to impress. He could not change his life—he was nailed to a cross, unable to get down, about to breathe his last breath. Yet being a heartbeat from eternity, he knew that faith in Christ was enough to save him.
The preacher asks: “What verse of Scripture will the Lord use to convert you?” He was converted through Romans 10:13—“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Others have been converted through John 3:16, or John 7:37—“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” But all that old thief prayed was, “Remember me.” It was simple, but it was a sincere prayer of repentance.
Conclusion
The sermon closes by drawing together the three great truths:
- The message of the cross is controversial — there will be those who reject it, but praise God for every soul that receives it
- The message of the cross is universal — it does not matter what language a person speaks or where they are from; that is why missionaries go into all the world preaching the gospel to every creature
- The message of the cross is personal — no sin was recorded against Christ because he died on behalf of others
The preacher concludes with an appeal, quoting the old hymn: “At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I’m happy all the day.”
The closing prayer asks that no one would leave without the assurance of salvation, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life—and that the few words on that sign, which were enough for the dying thief, might be enough for every soul present.
