WEBVTT

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 We've come together this morning to remember a death.

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 And in occasions like that,

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!

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 And if it's an older person, we ask, well, why now? Or why like this?

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 And often that question lingers, whether spoken or unspoken.

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 It lingers, it hangs around in our minds.

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 And we're really asking the question, why death?

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 Why does this exist?

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 The why question hangs over every death.

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 Please turn back in your Bibles to Mark 15.

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 Because there is something about this death that we're remembering this morning

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 that I think we have to ask the question, why about?

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 Because Good Friday is no different to any other death in one sense.

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 Because there are why questions hanging over the whole thing.

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 It is the most studied and the most talked about and the most sung about

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 and the most written about death in history.

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 And yet, Good Friday, no matter how familiar we are with this day,

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 it rolls around every year.

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 We may have been to one.

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 We may have been to none.

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 This may be your first Good Friday service that you've attended.

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 We may have been to many, many of those.

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 And yet, the story is familiar.

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 But there are why questions that hang over it all.

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 There are bits of the story that perhaps we haven't stopped to ask why about,

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 when in fact we really should.

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 Because there are a number of things in the story,

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 that narrative that was read for us,

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 that are unusual and that really need an explanation.

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 So, my goal in the time that we have this morning

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 is to walk through what we had read from Mark chapter 15,

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 the account of Jesus' death,

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 and ask why four times.

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 Here's the first one.

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 Why could the Jewish authorities not see their Messiah?

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 It is a striking thing when we read the account of the lead-up to

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 and the crucifixion of Jesus.

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 The story of history is that despite the rebellion of those whom He created,

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 God would send a Savior who would crush Satan

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 and who would push back the powers of evil

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 and who would bring in a new world.

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 That is the story of history.

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 And the story of the Old Testament,

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 the first big chunk of the Bible,

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 is in many ways a story of expectation.

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 We're expecting this promise.

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 We're expecting this story to unfold.

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 And it's an expectation

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 as the description of this sin-killing serpent crusher

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 that has been promised,

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 what he will be like.

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 And that story takes shape.

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 And it's a bit like pieces in a jigsaw

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 slotting into place.

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 We get a picture of what the Messiah would look like.

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 And we see that through the history books

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 and through the prophets of the Old Testament

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 that He will be a man,

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 but also God.

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 One who will heal the sick

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 and overturn evil

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 and even have the power over death itself.

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 And as the Old Testament has us on the lookout for this man,

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 when Jesus arrives onto the stage of history,

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 we should be ready.

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 And Mark, who wrote this gospel,

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 begins his gospel right back in chapter 1

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 with the words,

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 the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ,

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 the Son of God.

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 Mark is telling us

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 that this is his account of the coming of God's Messiah,

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 the one that we've been waiting for.

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 And he records how Jesus opens his ministry.

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 Jesus' first words in his public ministry,

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 the time is fulfilled,

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 the kingdom of God is at hand,

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 repent and believe the gospel.

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 So with the very first words of his ministry,

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 Jesus is telling everyone

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 that he is the long-promised Messiah

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 they've been waiting for.

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 And particularly for the people of God,

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 the ones who have been looking for him

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 all the way through the Old Testament,

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 expecting God to come through in his promises,

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 Jesus says, here I am.

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 He's telling the world on his arrival

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 that God's King is here.

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 But we know that there are crackpots

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 in every era

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 who make high-blown claims about themselves.

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 Talk is, of course, cheap.

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 It's one thing saying these things,

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 it's quite another proving those claims to be true.

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 But we read on,

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 and that's exactly what Jesus does in his ministry.

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 The early chapters of all the gospel accounts

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 record him behaving exactly

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 how it was predicted that he would.

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 Teaching with unrivaled authority.

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 Healing the sick.

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 Even raising the dead.

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 He's showing himself to have all the power

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 and all the restoring compassion of God.

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 And yet here we are, verse 10.

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 Pilate perceived that it was out of envy

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 that the chief priests had delivered him up.

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 But the chief priests,

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 the religious authorities,

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 the leaders, the religious leaders,

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 who were the experts in God's Word,

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 who were waiting for his Messiah,

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 verse 11, chapter 15,

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 the chief priests stirred up the crowd

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 and have him release for them Barabbas,

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 a known criminal,

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 instead of this man.

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 And Pilate again said to them,

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 Then what shall I do with the man

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 you call the king of the Jews?

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 And they cried out again,

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 Crucify him.

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 We go to verse 31.

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 Jesus hangs on the cross.

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 So also the chief priests,

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 these religious authorities,

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 chief priests and the scribes,

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 mocked him to one another,

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 saying,

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 He saved others.

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 He can't save himself.

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 And they go on,

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 Let the Christ,

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 the King of the Jews.

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 They use his title with their very lips.

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 The religious leaders,

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 his own people,

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 these experts in God's Word,

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 who had been looking for God's long-expected Messiah,

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 here he is,

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 and they can't see him.

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 Why?

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 The reason is because by nature,

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 humanity,

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 we are suppressors of the truth.

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 That is our condition.

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 The world was created by God,

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 and it reveals his glory.

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 His Word is truth,

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 and it reveals his character,

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 and it describes our corruption.

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 And what we have done

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 is taken the glory,

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 and taken the truth about God,

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 and we have suppressed it.

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 Because our nature despises

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 being under his authority.

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 We instinctively want to be God

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 in our own worlds.

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 We want to be in control of our own lives.

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 We don't want to submit

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 to anybody's authority.

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 That is the essence of sin.

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 We are selfish.

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 We want life on our own terms.

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 So what we do is

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 we choose blindness.

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 Blindness to reality

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 rather than submission

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 to what is true

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 and beautiful and good.

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 And we'll do anything

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 to maintain that status quo.

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 We will deny what is obvious.

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 We will believe what is incredible.

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 All for the sake of self-preservation

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 and self-glory.

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 We want to be in control

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 of our own lives.

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 When you see a politician

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 say something one day,

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 and then say something

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 completely the opposite the next.

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 And it's clear to you

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 that they're simply doing that

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 to try and hold on

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 to their own power

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 and their own fame

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 and their own recognition.

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 When you see that,

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 you see Pilate

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 and you see the chief priests

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 because you see the human heart.

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 That is all of us.

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 Why could the Jewish authorities

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 not see their long-promised Messiah?

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 Because they had the same condition

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 we all have.

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 And that is a truth-suppressing heart.

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 A heart that wants oneself

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 to be an authority

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 rather than God.

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 And that is a reminder

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 why we need Good Friday.

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 Why we need the cross.

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 Left to ourselves,

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 we would have been there

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 nailing Jesus to the cross.

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 As Martin Luther says,

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 we carry His nails

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 around in our pockets.

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 John Stott says,

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 before we can see the cross

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 as something done for us,

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 we have to see it

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 as something done by us.

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 Why could they not see?

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 Because like all of humanity,

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 they rejected the truth.

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 Well, let's keep going.

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 Second question,

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 second head-scratching moment,

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 why did everything go dark?

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 Verse 33,

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 when the sixth hour had come,

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 there was darkness

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 over the whole land

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 until the ninth hour.

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 Between noon and 3 p.m.,

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 the brightest part of the day,

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 the sky goes completely black.

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 It's a really unusual darkness.

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 I remember about 25 years ago,

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 there was an eclipse in the UK.

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 I remember where I was in Belfast.

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 At the time,

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 it wasn't that significant actually,

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 but there was no mistaking

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 what was going on.

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 All of a sudden,

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 everything felt very strange.

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 It was dark and it was cold

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 in the middle of the day.

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 It got my attention.

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 So why has this happened

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 when Jesus is on the cross?

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 Well, because the darkness

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 is a visual aid

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 to what is happening.

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 Look at verse 34.

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 At the ninth hour,

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 Jesus cried out with a loud voice,

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 Eloi, Eloi,

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 lemma sabachthani,

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 which means,

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 my God, my God,

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 why have you forsaken me?

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 Jesus is quoting

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 the first line of Psalm 22

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 in the Old Testament.

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 And what He's doing there

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 is identifying Himself

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 with the King who suffers

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 and who feels abandoned by God.

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 This is the darkness,

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 the supernatural darkness

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 of divine judgment.

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 It's like the ninth plague

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 on Egypt

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 in Exodus chapter 10.

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 It's like the prophet Amos

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 had announced in Amos chapter 8,

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 I will make the sun go down at noon

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 and darken the earth

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 in broad daylight.

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 As Jesus

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 hung on that cross,

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 He wasn't just experiencing

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 the verdict

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 of a crazed crowd

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 and a rigged court.

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 He was being judged

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 by His Father.

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 He didn't deserve it.

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 But this is what it took

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 to deal with our suppression

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 of the truth.

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 This is what it took

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 to deal with our sin.

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 Because of His love

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 for His people,

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 the triune God,

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 Father, Son,

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 and Holy Spirit

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 forged this plan

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 to judge the Son

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 in our place.

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 Jesus experienced

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 this agony.

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 He cried this cry

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 so that we need never go there.

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 That's why it went dark.

00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:44.519
 William Cooper,

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 the hymn writer,

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 scholar,

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 he was a friend

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 of John Newton.

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 He also suffered

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 with chronic depression

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 and had real bouts

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 of deep darkness

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 in his own life.

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 About a century

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 after Cooper,

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 in the mid-1800s,

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 Elizabeth Barrett Browning

00:11:59.539 --> 00:12:00.120
 wrote a poem

00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:01.379
 called Cooper's Grave.

00:12:01.379 --> 00:12:03.000
 And in that poem,

00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:03.759
 she discusses

00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:04.480
 his influence,

00:12:05.439 --> 00:12:06.299
 which was vast,

00:12:06.379 --> 00:12:07.120
 and his scholarship,

00:12:07.299 --> 00:12:08.039
 similarly vast,

00:12:08.139 --> 00:12:09.379
 and alludes to his faith.

00:12:09.439 --> 00:12:10.539
 And then she writes this,

00:12:12.439 --> 00:12:14.559
 Yea, once Emmanuel's

00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:15.600
 orphaned cry,

00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:17.740
 His universe hath shaken.

00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:20.179
 It went up single,

00:12:20.899 --> 00:12:21.539
 echo-less,

00:12:22.299 --> 00:12:23.000
 My God,

00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:24.100
 I am forsaken.

00:12:24.980 --> 00:12:26.139
 It went up

00:12:26.139 --> 00:12:28.159
 from the holy's lips,

00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:30.399
 amidst his lost creation.

00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:32.720
 that of the lost,

00:12:33.439 --> 00:12:34.679
 no son should use

00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:35.379
 those words

00:12:35.379 --> 00:12:36.879
 of desolation.

00:12:39.319 --> 00:12:40.319
 Jesus Christ

00:12:40.319 --> 00:12:41.399
 experienced the darkness

00:12:41.399 --> 00:12:42.759
 and cried out

00:12:42.759 --> 00:12:43.600
 on the cross,

00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:44.779
 My God,

00:12:44.899 --> 00:12:45.500
 My God,

00:12:45.559 --> 00:12:47.159
 why have you forsaken me?

00:12:47.419 --> 00:12:48.899
 So that for all eternity,

00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:49.639
 William Cooper,

00:12:50.299 --> 00:12:51.019
 wrecked with torment

00:12:51.019 --> 00:12:51.600
 and darkness,

00:12:51.699 --> 00:12:52.259
 wouldn't have to.

00:12:55.399 --> 00:12:56.439
 He cried out

00:12:56.439 --> 00:12:56.939
 on the cross,

00:12:57.079 --> 00:12:57.899
 My God,

00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:58.559
 My God,

00:12:58.620 --> 00:12:59.919
 why have you forsaken me?

00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:00.919
 So that for all eternity,

00:13:01.179 --> 00:13:02.519
 anyone who will trust Him

00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:03.699
 wouldn't have to.

00:13:06.779 --> 00:13:07.819
 I love this quote

00:13:07.819 --> 00:13:08.699
 from the Puritan

00:13:08.699 --> 00:13:09.539
 John Flavel.

00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:10.360
 He says this,

00:13:10.439 --> 00:13:10.860
 My God,

00:13:10.919 --> 00:13:11.360
 My God,

00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:12.500
 why have you forsaken me?

00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:14.079
 If Jesus had not said

00:13:14.079 --> 00:13:14.719
 these words,

00:13:14.959 --> 00:13:16.079
 we must have

00:13:16.079 --> 00:13:17.019
 howled out

00:13:17.019 --> 00:13:18.379
 this hideous complaint

00:13:18.379 --> 00:13:19.819
 in the lowest hell

00:13:19.819 --> 00:13:20.679
 forever.

00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:24.039
 Jesus Christ

00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:25.299
 cried out

00:13:25.299 --> 00:13:26.120
 these words

00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:27.500
 on the cross

00:13:27.500 --> 00:13:28.699
 in the darkness

00:13:28.699 --> 00:13:30.259
 so that for all eternity

00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:31.219
 you wouldn't have to.

00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:34.759
 Left to ourselves,

00:13:34.839 --> 00:13:35.659
 we deserve to be

00:13:35.659 --> 00:13:36.779
 completely forsaken

00:13:36.779 --> 00:13:37.359
 by God.

00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:39.539
 Our sin,

00:13:39.839 --> 00:13:40.439
 our rebellion,

00:13:40.599 --> 00:13:41.719
 our self-government

00:13:41.719 --> 00:13:43.059
 deserves nothing less,

00:13:43.219 --> 00:13:44.159
 but because Christ

00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:44.699
 went there

00:13:44.699 --> 00:13:45.419
 in our place,

00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:46.639
 we need never

00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:47.500
 utter

00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:48.959
 those words.

00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:52.960
 And that's true

00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:53.580
 even when our

00:13:53.580 --> 00:13:54.660
 day-to-day experience

00:13:54.660 --> 00:13:56.280
 leads us to doubt.

00:13:56.400 --> 00:13:57.200
 So when the darkness

00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:58.460
 in our lives

00:13:58.460 --> 00:13:59.240
 closes in,

00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:01.500
 when we feel

00:14:01.500 --> 00:14:03.080
 like we're forsaken

00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:03.680
 by God,

00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:05.920
 when we feel forgotten

00:14:05.920 --> 00:14:07.600
 or alone,

00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:09.019
 or when we feel

00:14:09.019 --> 00:14:09.519
 that there isn't

00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:10.320
 any hope,

00:14:12.019 --> 00:14:12.420
 well,

00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:14.240
 while we might

00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:15.300
 feel that way,

00:14:15.700 --> 00:14:16.519
 we can trust,

00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:17.680
 as John Calvin says,

00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:18.000
 quote,

00:14:18.079 --> 00:14:19.019
 the grace of God

00:14:19.019 --> 00:14:19.639
 which is hidden

00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:20.459
 from the eye

00:14:20.459 --> 00:14:21.099
 of sense

00:14:21.099 --> 00:14:22.000
 and reason.

00:14:22.139 --> 00:14:22.739
 What he's saying

00:14:22.739 --> 00:14:23.779
 is that when the darkness

00:14:23.779 --> 00:14:25.539
 threatens to overwhelm us,

00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:27.059
 we go to the cross

00:14:27.059 --> 00:14:28.639
 and we go to the cry

00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:29.620
 from Jesus' lips

00:14:29.620 --> 00:14:31.239
 because those remind us

00:14:31.239 --> 00:14:32.179
 that He took

00:14:32.179 --> 00:14:32.899
 every drop

00:14:32.899 --> 00:14:34.019
 of divine judgment.

00:14:34.779 --> 00:14:35.519
 And that means,

00:14:35.819 --> 00:14:36.439
 quite simply,

00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:37.419
 that there cannot be

00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:38.699
 any of that left for us.

00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:42.099
 So whatever we are experiencing,

00:14:42.319 --> 00:14:42.740
 it isn't,

00:14:42.819 --> 00:14:43.759
 it can't be

00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:44.759
 God's judgment

00:14:44.759 --> 00:14:46.339
 because that all fell

00:14:46.339 --> 00:14:46.759
 on Jesus

00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:47.539
 on Good Friday.

00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:50.460
 It must be something else.

00:14:51.620 --> 00:14:52.460
 It must be something

00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:53.259
 that as yet

00:14:53.259 --> 00:14:53.759
 is hidden

00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:54.500
 from the eye

00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:55.019
 of sense

00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:55.600
 and reason.

00:14:57.179 --> 00:14:58.200
 So if that's you

00:14:58.200 --> 00:14:58.679
 this morning,

00:14:58.740 --> 00:14:59.360
 as you sit

00:14:59.360 --> 00:14:59.960
 in the pain,

00:15:00.059 --> 00:15:00.480
 can I say,

00:15:00.620 --> 00:15:01.059
 remember that

00:15:01.059 --> 00:15:01.700
 because Christ

00:15:01.700 --> 00:15:02.740
 went into the darkness,

00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:03.480
 that pain

00:15:03.480 --> 00:15:04.879
 will one day lift.

00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:09.539
 And our next question

00:15:09.539 --> 00:15:10.500
 actually helps us

00:15:10.500 --> 00:15:12.439
 understand this more.

00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:13.279
 Jesus' cry

00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:13.799
 has ripped

00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:14.740
 through the darkness.

00:15:14.740 --> 00:15:16.700
 people are confused.

00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:17.820
 Look at verse 36.

00:15:18.299 --> 00:15:19.039
 Is it Elijah?

00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:20.240
 I don't know.

00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:20.940
 What do you think?

00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:21.399
 Well, let's,

00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:22.120
 I don't know.

00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:22.659
 Let's see.

00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:24.500
 And then he breathes

00:15:24.500 --> 00:15:25.019
 his last,

00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:25.919
 verse 37.

00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:27.360
 And then,

00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:28.899
 we're told

00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:29.740
 what the centurion

00:15:29.740 --> 00:15:30.220
 who's standing

00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:31.180
 in front of him says.

00:15:31.560 --> 00:15:32.060
 See that?

00:15:34.060 --> 00:15:34.379
 Well, no,

00:15:34.440 --> 00:15:35.159
 that's not exactly

00:15:35.159 --> 00:15:35.659
 what happens,

00:15:35.720 --> 00:15:35.919
 is it?

00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:36.379
 Have a look.

00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:37.519
 Despite being out

00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:38.539
 on Golgotha Hill,

00:15:38.899 --> 00:15:39.580
 verse 38

00:15:39.580 --> 00:15:40.680
 tells us about something

00:15:40.680 --> 00:15:41.299
 that's going on

00:15:41.299 --> 00:15:42.039
 back in the temple.

00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:45.419
 So here's our third question.

00:15:45.599 --> 00:15:46.719
 Why the curtain?

00:15:47.799 --> 00:15:49.099
 And why did it tear?

00:15:52.199 --> 00:15:52.679
 37,

00:15:52.959 --> 00:15:53.519
 Jesus uttered

00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:54.199
 a loud cry

00:15:54.199 --> 00:15:55.199
 and breathed his last,

00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:56.179
 and the curtain

00:15:56.179 --> 00:15:56.799
 of the temple

00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:57.659
 was torn in two

00:15:57.659 --> 00:15:58.480
 from top to bottom.

00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.679
 And when the centurion

00:16:00.679 --> 00:16:01.699
 who stood facing him

00:16:01.699 --> 00:16:02.959
 saw that in this way

00:16:02.959 --> 00:16:03.939
 he breathed his last,

00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:04.439
 he said,

00:16:04.539 --> 00:16:05.379
 truly this man

00:16:05.379 --> 00:16:06.919
 was the Son of God.

00:16:08.819 --> 00:16:09.579
 God was said

00:16:09.579 --> 00:16:09.919
 to dwell

00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:10.319
 in the heart

00:16:10.319 --> 00:16:10.799
 of the temple.

00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:12.439
 And this building

00:16:12.439 --> 00:16:13.379
 had levels of access

00:16:13.379 --> 00:16:13.979
 for people

00:16:13.979 --> 00:16:15.000
 and the Holy of Holies

00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:15.919
 was only accessed

00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:16.500
 once a year

00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:17.359
 by the high priest

00:16:17.359 --> 00:16:18.099
 after he had made

00:16:18.099 --> 00:16:19.559
 all kinds of ritual cleansing.

00:16:20.899 --> 00:16:21.740
 Unclean people

00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:23.179
 cannot enter

00:16:23.179 --> 00:16:23.639
 the presence

00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:24.359
 of a holy God.

00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:25.039
 Sinful people

00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:25.740
 have no business

00:16:25.740 --> 00:16:26.319
 in the presence

00:16:26.319 --> 00:16:27.079
 of a holy God.

00:16:28.379 --> 00:16:28.919
 And so there was

00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:29.779
 a massive curtain

00:16:29.779 --> 00:16:30.879
 that served as a barrier

00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:31.719
 cutting off

00:16:31.719 --> 00:16:32.519
 sinful people

00:16:32.519 --> 00:16:33.419
 from God.

00:16:33.779 --> 00:16:34.579
 It was a huge

00:16:34.579 --> 00:16:35.519
 no entry sign

00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:37.179
 in the temple.

00:16:37.899 --> 00:16:38.339
 Now Mark

00:16:38.339 --> 00:16:39.039
 doesn't tell us

00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:39.959
 what Jesus said

00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:40.560
 when he breathed

00:16:40.560 --> 00:16:41.019
 his last

00:16:41.019 --> 00:16:41.720
 but we know

00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:42.680
 from John's account

00:16:42.680 --> 00:16:43.960
 exactly what he said.

00:16:44.040 --> 00:16:45.040
 His last words were

00:16:45.040 --> 00:16:46.519
 it is finished.

00:16:48.780 --> 00:16:49.879
 He's crying out

00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:50.519
 from the cross

00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:51.820
 I've done the work

00:16:51.820 --> 00:16:53.280
 that I came to do.

00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:54.180
 The Messiah

00:16:54.180 --> 00:16:54.900
 has come

00:16:54.900 --> 00:16:55.980
 to earth

00:16:55.980 --> 00:16:56.519
 to deal with

00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:57.280
 our sin problem

00:16:57.280 --> 00:16:58.540
 to take our judgment

00:16:58.540 --> 00:16:59.460
 in our place

00:16:59.460 --> 00:17:00.280
 and that work

00:17:00.280 --> 00:17:01.139
 has been accomplished.

00:17:01.800 --> 00:17:02.840
 And just as the darkness

00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:04.579
 was symbolic

00:17:04.579 --> 00:17:06.840
 arresting people's attention

00:17:06.840 --> 00:17:07.440
 to the judgment

00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:07.799
 of God.

00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:08.440
 So the curtain

00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:09.039
 in the temple

00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:09.900
 is torn

00:17:09.900 --> 00:17:11.519
 in a symbolic depiction

00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:12.460
 of what has been achieved

00:17:12.460 --> 00:17:13.019
 through the death

00:17:13.019 --> 00:17:13.460
 of Jesus.

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.440
 Because he

00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:17.680
 was forsaken

00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:18.779
 on the cross

00:17:18.779 --> 00:17:20.580
 atonement for sin

00:17:20.580 --> 00:17:21.240
 has been made

00:17:21.240 --> 00:17:22.100
 and full

00:17:22.100 --> 00:17:22.960
 and free

00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:23.720
 access

00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:24.799
 to God

00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.279
 has been achieved.

00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:29.100
 That is why

00:17:29.100 --> 00:17:29.539
 Good Friday

00:17:29.539 --> 00:17:30.000
 is good.

00:17:30.820 --> 00:17:31.660
 In the end

00:17:31.660 --> 00:17:32.400
 that is why

00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:33.320
 Good Friday

00:17:33.320 --> 00:17:34.360
 is good.

00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:35.699
 The cross

00:17:35.699 --> 00:17:36.879
 is the doorway

00:17:36.879 --> 00:17:38.299
 to our reconciliation

00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:40.000
 with God.

00:17:40.919 --> 00:17:42.379
 And we're being restored

00:17:42.379 --> 00:17:44.279
 in that relationship

00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:45.779
 restored to the humanity

00:17:45.779 --> 00:17:46.379
 that was supposed

00:17:46.379 --> 00:17:46.939
 to be ours

00:17:46.939 --> 00:17:47.459
 in the beginning

00:17:47.459 --> 00:17:48.279
 that we forfeited

00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:49.059
 through our sin.

00:17:50.639 --> 00:17:52.379
 Jesus recovered it all

00:17:52.379 --> 00:17:54.439
 for all who turn

00:17:54.439 --> 00:17:54.939
 in repentance

00:17:54.939 --> 00:17:55.639
 and faith

00:17:55.639 --> 00:17:56.519
 to him.

00:17:57.699 --> 00:17:58.759
 That is the offer

00:17:58.759 --> 00:17:59.419
 of Good Friday.

00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.339
 Forgiveness

00:18:01.339 --> 00:18:02.119
 for every sin

00:18:02.119 --> 00:18:03.779
 every single one

00:18:03.779 --> 00:18:04.960
 and reconciliation

00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:05.899
 with the God

00:18:05.899 --> 00:18:06.720
 who made you

00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:07.579
 for himself.

00:18:09.559 --> 00:18:10.079
 Don't miss

00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:10.980
 the Roman centurion

00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:11.680
 verse 39

00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:12.319
 look at him.

00:18:14.819 --> 00:18:15.879
 When the centurion

00:18:15.879 --> 00:18:16.799
 who stood facing him

00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:17.740
 saw that in this way

00:18:17.740 --> 00:18:18.579
 he breathed his last

00:18:18.579 --> 00:18:18.980
 he said

00:18:18.980 --> 00:18:20.019
 truly this man

00:18:20.019 --> 00:18:20.960
 was the son of God.

00:18:21.879 --> 00:18:23.299
 He sees who Jesus is

00:18:23.299 --> 00:18:24.339
 and he puts his faith

00:18:24.339 --> 00:18:25.099
 in him.

00:18:25.339 --> 00:18:26.379
 The man has just

00:18:26.379 --> 00:18:27.000
 been involved

00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:28.019
 in Christ's murder

00:18:28.019 --> 00:18:29.799
 and yet Mark

00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:31.899
 records for us

00:18:31.900 --> 00:18:32.820
 how even he

00:18:32.820 --> 00:18:33.480
 can receive

00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:34.259
 this salvation.

00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:36.780
 The grace

00:18:36.780 --> 00:18:37.460
 of God

00:18:37.460 --> 00:18:38.220
 that is held out

00:18:38.220 --> 00:18:39.140
 to us in the cross

00:18:39.140 --> 00:18:40.140
 is for all people.

00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:41.420
 It is for everyone

00:18:41.420 --> 00:18:42.320
 no matter what

00:18:42.320 --> 00:18:42.780
 you've done

00:18:42.780 --> 00:18:43.860
 no matter what

00:18:43.860 --> 00:18:44.480
 your past

00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:45.460
 involves.

00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:48.500
 This offer

00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:49.360
 is for you.

00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:53.140
 We want to ask

00:18:53.140 --> 00:18:53.460
 ourselves

00:18:53.460 --> 00:18:53.860
 well is this

00:18:53.860 --> 00:18:54.540
 even possible?

00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:55.620
 Sounds too good

00:18:55.620 --> 00:18:56.120
 to be true.

00:18:57.019 --> 00:18:58.060
 Well one last question.

00:18:58.740 --> 00:18:59.340
 Question four.

00:18:59.339 --> 00:19:01.539
 Why does he mention

00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:01.980
 the women?

00:19:03.199 --> 00:19:03.759
 Verse 40

00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:07.000
 It seems so out of place

00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:08.179
 with all of the emotion

00:19:08.179 --> 00:19:09.240
 of the crucifixion

00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:10.059
 the declaration

00:19:10.059 --> 00:19:11.159
 of the centurion

00:19:11.159 --> 00:19:12.459
 it's a chaotic scene

00:19:12.459 --> 00:19:13.299
 and then Mark

00:19:13.299 --> 00:19:14.299
 insists on telling us

00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:14.959
 about who it was

00:19:14.959 --> 00:19:15.500
 that witnessed

00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:16.939
 all that went on.

00:19:17.019 --> 00:19:17.519
 Verse 40

00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:18.599
 There were also women

00:19:18.599 --> 00:19:19.759
 looking on from a distance

00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:20.919
 among whom were

00:19:20.919 --> 00:19:21.720
 Mary Magdalene

00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:22.839
 and Mary the mother

00:19:22.839 --> 00:19:24.039
 of James the younger

00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:24.619
 and of Joseph

00:19:24.619 --> 00:19:25.279
 and Salome.

00:19:25.959 --> 00:19:26.859
 When he was in Galilee

00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:27.559
 they followed him

00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:28.480
 and ministered to him

00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:29.120
 and there was also

00:19:29.120 --> 00:19:29.960
 many other women

00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:30.620
 who came up

00:19:30.620 --> 00:19:31.259
 with him

00:19:31.259 --> 00:19:32.079
 to Jerusalem.

00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:34.440
 Seems a bit random.

00:19:34.599 --> 00:19:35.279
 Why do we need

00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:35.900
 those details?

00:19:36.180 --> 00:19:37.000
 But the reason Mark

00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:38.000
 includes this detail

00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:39.079
 is so that we know

00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:39.700
 that these events

00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:40.920
 actually really happen.

00:19:42.140 --> 00:19:42.900
 When you hear

00:19:42.900 --> 00:19:43.480
 all of this

00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:44.500
 when you recognize

00:19:44.500 --> 00:19:45.759
 that there is

00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:47.620
 there is this

00:19:47.620 --> 00:19:48.680
 kind of

00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:49.880
 grand picture

00:19:49.880 --> 00:19:50.680
 of our sinfulness

00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:51.940
 in the hard-hearted

00:19:51.940 --> 00:19:52.799
 rejection

00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:54.640
 of the chief priests

00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:56.099
 when you recognize

00:19:56.099 --> 00:19:57.200
 that there is

00:19:57.200 --> 00:19:58.340
 a divine judgment

00:19:58.340 --> 00:19:59.559
 that is depicted

00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:00.279
 in the darkness

00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:02.019
 as the wrath of God

00:20:02.019 --> 00:20:03.460
 falls on Jesus

00:20:03.460 --> 00:20:04.519
 and we realize

00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:06.200
 that it's falling on him

00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:07.120
 not for his sake

00:20:07.120 --> 00:20:07.980
 but for our sake.

00:20:08.299 --> 00:20:09.100
 And when we recognize

00:20:09.100 --> 00:20:09.799
 that this picture

00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:10.299
 in the temple

00:20:10.299 --> 00:20:10.779
 shows us

00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:11.519
 that there is a way

00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:12.200
 into God

00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:13.559
 and that all are invited

00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:14.120
 we think

00:20:14.120 --> 00:20:15.640
 it can't possibly be true

00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:16.980
 this must have been made up

00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:18.420
 and yet Mark gives us

00:20:18.420 --> 00:20:19.080
 this detail

00:20:19.080 --> 00:20:19.920
 so that we know

00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:20.539
 that it's not.

00:20:21.840 --> 00:20:22.500
 These women

00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:23.120
 were among

00:20:23.120 --> 00:20:24.259
 the first eyewitnesses

00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:25.900
 of these earth-shattering events.

00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:26.819
 They are named

00:20:26.819 --> 00:20:28.240
 so that the first readers

00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:29.140
 of this document

00:20:29.140 --> 00:20:30.500
 could check with them.

00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:32.140
 But the important thing

00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:33.160
 is that at the time

00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:34.319
 women's opinions

00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:35.500
 weren't considered credible.

00:20:35.859 --> 00:20:36.720
 A woman's testimony

00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:38.160
 was not admissible in law.

00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:39.680
 So the only reason

00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:40.700
 that you would record

00:20:40.700 --> 00:20:41.379
 this detail

00:20:41.379 --> 00:20:42.519
 was if these women

00:20:42.519 --> 00:20:43.339
 were actually there.

00:20:45.980 --> 00:20:47.640
 There have always been people

00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:48.400
 who argue

00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:49.400
 that the gospel accounts

00:20:49.400 --> 00:20:50.019
 are made up

00:20:50.019 --> 00:20:50.819
 to suit the story

00:20:50.819 --> 00:20:51.579
 that these Christians

00:20:51.579 --> 00:20:52.420
 wanted to promote.

00:20:52.420 --> 00:20:54.259
 But if you were

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:55.279
 making this up

00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:56.640
 you would not have said

00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:57.100
 that women

00:20:57.100 --> 00:20:58.480
 were the first eyewitnesses

00:20:58.480 --> 00:20:59.539
 because no rabbi

00:20:59.539 --> 00:21:00.440
 would take it seriously.

00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:04.120
 It is hard to believe

00:21:04.120 --> 00:21:04.920
 that God would come

00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:05.800
 to earth in His Son.

00:21:06.900 --> 00:21:07.620
 It's hard to believe

00:21:07.620 --> 00:21:08.259
 that He would take

00:21:08.259 --> 00:21:09.259
 our sin upon Himself

00:21:09.259 --> 00:21:10.360
 and step into death

00:21:10.360 --> 00:21:10.940
 for us.

00:21:11.820 --> 00:21:12.640
 If we're honest

00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:13.180
 with ourselves

00:21:13.180 --> 00:21:14.240
 we know that's incredibly

00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:15.000
 difficult to believe

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:15.700
 because if we're honest

00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:16.180
 with ourselves

00:21:16.180 --> 00:21:17.360
 we know that our hearts

00:21:17.360 --> 00:21:18.220
 do not deserve it.

00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:19.460
 We know that the way

00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:20.279
 we've lived our lives

00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:20.940
 in God's world

00:21:20.940 --> 00:21:21.920
 does not deserve

00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:22.660
 someone else

00:21:22.660 --> 00:21:23.800
 to rescue us

00:21:23.800 --> 00:21:25.039
 from that.

00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:26.759
 But Mark tells us

00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:27.620
 that this is exactly

00:21:27.620 --> 00:21:28.539
 what God has done.

00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:31.100
 And when we consider

00:21:31.100 --> 00:21:32.180
 why things happen

00:21:32.180 --> 00:21:32.860
 the way they did

00:21:32.860 --> 00:21:33.980
 on that first Good Friday

00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:35.200
 these ladies

00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:36.380
 give us confidence

00:21:36.380 --> 00:21:37.600
 that it's real

00:21:37.600 --> 00:21:38.820
 and it's reliable

00:21:38.820 --> 00:21:40.220
 and we can trust it

00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:42.120
 and we can stake

00:21:42.120 --> 00:21:43.460
 our lives on it.

00:21:45.460 --> 00:21:46.380
 Let's pray together.

00:21:46.380 --> 00:21:46.480
 Amen.

00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:46.480


00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:46.480