The Gospel According to Mark (Part 49)

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The Gospel According to Mark

(Part 49)

Good Morning and Welcome to Jesus Church

Last week we covered the story of Barabbas

• Where Mark paints an even more vivid picture of Jesus love for us
  • Because over and over we see Jesus remained silent
  • Reason he remained silent in the face of death
  • Is because of how much he loves us
• And even when it came to a criminal like Barabbas… took his place
  • And the power of what Mark shows us here
  • Is that in the same way this man who was guilty was set free
  • So are we set free by the love of Jesus

Today we read what the entire Bible up to this point has been building to

• As Jesus sacrifices his life on the cross for us

Mark 15:22-39

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: The King of the Jews. They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself!” Let this Messiah, this king of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? (which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on the staff and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Lets see if Elijah comes to take him down.” He said. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

• Which is a confirmation of the way Mark starts the Gospel…

Mark 1:1

The beginning of the good news of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God…

[PRAY]

Symbols have always been important to culture

They are unique from the ancient times and even today

1. There’s the Egyptian Anhk symbolized 3200 years ago
2. They found this Babylonian tribute to sun diety 2800 years ago
3. We see the crescent moon & star in the Muslim faith
4. Even today we see the swoosh… the M… the apple

Each of these symbols are unique and have meanings

• When it comes to Christian faith… this is predominantly our symbol
  • And while it is universally known and recognized
  • The cross is not unique… it was capital punishment
  • Just in Israel over 10k Jews were killed on crosses
• So the cross in and of itself… although significant
  • Jesus dying on a cross was not unique in early 1^st century
  • It was horrible… used not just to kill but to humiliate
• And while the physical realities around the cross were horrific
  • The spiritual realities around the cross were amazing
  • Because what Jesus did on the cross – It changes everything

Rom. 6:6

For we know that our old self was crucified with him…

And like we looked at last week with Barabbas… Jesus took his penalty

• And what happened to Jesus in the spiritual… once we are saved
  • It’s as if it happened to us as well
  • That when he died… we died
• In Paul’s letter to Colossians he gives us 3 specific things that died
  • Three things that we need to realize no longer have authority
  • And all that is left of them is a shadow of what no longer exists

Col. 2:13-15

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Here Paul shows us 3 specific thingsthat died w/ Jesus

1: At the cross your death died with Jesus

Paul tells us we were dead because of our sins

• What kind of dead does this talk about (Roman gives us 3 kinds)
  • Physical death – Separation from the living
  • Spiritual death – Separation from God
  • Eternal death – Separation from the living & God forever
• This is why Adam/Eve were told they would die for eating the fruit
  • They didn’t fall over dead… but they were separated from God
  • Spiritual death… not physical (even though one lead to the other)
    • From that point on the Gods goal was prevent Eternal death

Gen 3:22

… He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat (why) and live forever.

• B/C to live forever physically… but spiritually separated from God…
  • That’s actually eternal death
  • Adam/Eve kicked out of the Garden to prevent eternal separation

So what we are reading in Colossians is Spiritual death b/c of sin

• And because your sinful nature was not yet cut away
  • Then God made you “Alive with Christ”
  • On the cross… Jesus destroyed spiritual death for all who believe

2 Tim 1:10

But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our savior Christ Jesus, who had destroyed death and has brought everlasting life.

• Jesus destroyed separation from God and in its place – Brought life
  • So now we are alive in Christ
  • Because he forgave all our sins at the cross
  • Spiritual death was removed so that life could break through

2: At the cross enemies demonic power died w/ Jesus

Col. 2:15

In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Means 2 things… Jesus took their weapons… and their authority

• Did u know before cross… a demon delay Daniel’s prayer
  • Before cross… Satan had authority to give all kingdoms to Jesus
  • Before cross… Sin had the right to condemn you before God
• Jesus took all of that away when he won on the cross
  • And Paul uses a word picture from Rome (Roman Triumph)
  • When Rome conquered 1 of their enemies… battle not enough
  • It was only after you won the war
• General would return – Emperor would welcome them into the city
  • There was a giant celebration as they paraded thru the streets
  • Behind the general would be the evidence of plunder – Treasure
  • Last in the procession… in chains would be the enemy generals
    • Rome’s way of saying “remember those people u feared”
    • Those people you thought could defeat us
    • The people you thought were too powerful for us to take on

They’re defeated & in chains… nothing ever to fear from again

• At the cross… Jesus found Triumphant Victor for us
  • He stripped them of their ability
  • He stripped them of their authority
  • On the cross Satan’s power died with “It is finished”

3 – At the cross your debt died with Jesus

Paul tells us we have been forgiven ALL our sins and failures

• Problem: We don’t is it that we understand words like “ALL”
  • Yet we don’t live based on that understanding
  • Because God died for all of your sin… past/present/future
• Did it by canceling the record of debt u owed & its legal obligations
  • The Bible says that Satan is the accuser of the brethren
  • Jesus took every legal charge against you… nailed it to the cross
  • On the Cross God placed on Christ all of our sins
• Paul talks about it as a record of debt (only used once in NT)
  • Literally means BILL or RECIEPT
    • When u go to Texas Roadhouse… after you eat you get a bill
    • It’s a list of all the items charged to you
    • Rolls / Ribeye / Loaded Sweet Potato / Salad w/ ranch
  • And you have to pay for what is billed to you – No way around it
    • Your life has a bill of debt that has to be paid
    • And there’s a record of every single thing you ordered

Col. 2:14

Having cancelled out the charges of our legal indebtedness which stood against us and condemned us (hostile to us).

So this debt isn’t just a number with a minus sign before it

• The Bible says your debt was your enemy
  • It was actively working against you
  • It was never just a record but something that condemned you
• And the danger was that it was right… it was a debt that we owed
  • And that debt demanded payment in the form of death
  • And there’s nothing we could do about
  • But Paul tells us at the cross: Your debt died with Jesus
• The word Paul uses is CANCELLED – Describes erasing not just a word
  • It’s like erasing an entire volume… where does bible talk on this

Rev 20:12

And I saw the dead both great and small standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the book of life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

• Matt: Jesus says we’ll give account 4 everything we say at judgement
  • That account is what will be read from the book in Revelation
  • And when you come to Christ – That entire volume was erased
• How did he do it… His blood was the death of your debt on the cross
  • Because there was a physical shedding of blood
  • And for centuries that physical shedding of blood
  • But there was also a spiritual shedding of blood

The physical shedding of blood – had been practiced for centuries

• God had set up a sacrificial system that delt with physical bloodshed
  • Where daily people would sacrifice crops/animals for their sin
  • And an animal could fulfill the physical blood shed
  • But no animal could fulfill the spiritual blood shed
• Imagine living 1000 years before Jesus
  • Typical day: You would hear the sound of people in the city
• Sound of Shofar… Israel heard this sound twice a day
  • This sound made everyone stop… merchants to children
  • Reason was sound meant priest was making a sacrifice to God
    • A lamb was being sacrificed on their behalf
• Silence was in gratitude that something was taking place of their sins
  • God was conditioning people that sin brings death
  • Twice a day for centuries
  • Ongoing reminder that there is a cost (debt) for forgiveness

Isaiah prophecy said

The coming messiah would bear our sins, pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities and by his stripes we would be healed.

Words of John the Baptist

“Look the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world”

100’s of years before Jesus

Bible says as a lamb before his sheers is silent, so will he be

• It cost Jesus his life and throughout the Bible we read…

Heb. 9:22

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness

Let fast forward to this Friday

• By Jesus time Sacrifice became very elaborate
  • Priest would hold a knife to the throat of the lamb
  • Another priest stood on the highest point of temple with Shofar
  • He would blow the shofar twice… 9am and 3pm
    • When did crucifixion begin?

Mark 15:25

It was nine in the morning when they crucified him.

• Jesus was put on cross same time the shofar is blown
  • And when the horn sounded… everyone heard it and stopped
  • Just like they had done for 1000’s of years
  • 3 hours later, darkness covers the sky for 3 hours

Estimate is 2 million people in Jerusalem for Passover

• And the city is veiled in darkness … at 3pm the Shophar sounds again
  • And they all know a sacrifice was being made on their behalf
  • The lamb was shedding its blood in their place
• And Jesus hung on the cross and stayed alive until 3pm
  • He says “Father into your hands I commit my spirit. It is finished”
  • Which means… “It has been paid”
  • Debt of sin was forever forgiven

The cross is so significant to us because…

• Its where death died
• Its where demonic power was lost
• Its where our debt was paid

When it comes to sin, victory was won at the cross

[PRAY]