WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.179 And our final reading is from Mark 15, and this is the text upon which our teaching this afternoon is based. 00:00:10.500 --> 00:00:16.899 It was the third hour when they crucified him, and the inscription of the charge against him read, 00:00:17.019 --> 00:00:23.580 the king of the Jews. And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 00:00:24.060 --> 00:00:27.900 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, 00:00:27.899 --> 00:00:34.699 Aha, you who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself and come down from the cross. 00:00:35.619 --> 00:00:39.700 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, 00:00:40.179 --> 00:00:42.979 He saved others, he cannot save himself. 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:49.119 Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe. 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:52.820 Those who were crucified with him also reviled him. 00:00:52.820 --> 00:00:59.380 And when the sixth hour had come, there was a darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:02.759 And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:07.140 Eloi, Eloi, lima, sabachthani, which means, 00:01:07.420 --> 00:01:09.760 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:01:10.740 --> 00:01:12.859 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, 00:01:13.299 --> 00:01:15.659 Behold, he is calling to Elijah. 00:01:15.659 --> 00:01:22.539 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:26.959 Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down. 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:31.359 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:35.500 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 00:01:35.500 --> 00:01:41.299 And when the centurion who stood facing him saw that in this way he breathed his last, 00:01:41.900 --> 00:01:42.420 he said, 00:01:43.099 --> 00:01:46.400 Truly, this man was the Son of God. 00:01:47.780 --> 00:01:48.519 Let's pray. 00:01:51.260 --> 00:01:53.560 Our God, by your Holy Spirit, 00:01:54.379 --> 00:02:01.680 we ask that you would tell us now from this very famous and important historical reality, 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:06.000 the story of Jesus' crucifixion, that you would come now and show us what we need to hear, 00:02:06.960 --> 00:02:11.060 show us what we ought to do to respond to the cross of Jesus Christ. 00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:15.260 So we pray that, Lord, by your Spirit and the help that Jesus gives. 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:17.240 In Christ's name, amen. 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:27.600 So we just read the crucifixion account that Mark records in his gospel, 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:32.199 and we'll reflect on that for just a few minutes together before we finish. 00:02:33.479 --> 00:02:37.620 We didn't read this verse, but if you have a Bible, you can see back in verse 20, 00:02:38.519 --> 00:02:43.319 it says that the soldiers, after they captured him, they beat him and they mocked him, 00:02:43.699 --> 00:02:45.740 and then they all went out to crucify him. 00:02:46.359 --> 00:02:47.819 Now, one commentator writes this. 00:02:47.819 --> 00:02:48.340 He says, 00:02:48.340 --> 00:03:00.099 Crucifixion was a terrible thing, a very terrible thing. 00:03:00.659 --> 00:03:05.800 And there's all sorts of accounts we have from Roman writers, for example, about crucifixion. 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:10.640 So Cicero, he said, a famous philosopher from many centuries ago, 00:03:10.699 --> 00:03:14.420 he said that crucifixion is the most cruel and horrifying punishment, 00:03:15.020 --> 00:03:17.120 the terror apparatus of the empire. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:20.700 And Quintilian, another Roman writer, he says, 00:03:21.659 --> 00:03:25.640 whenever we crucify the guilty, the most crowded roads are chosen, 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:30.300 where the most people can see it and be moved by fear. 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:37.379 So crucifixion was a terrible thing, both physically, but also in terms of public shame, 00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:39.000 a very shameful thing. 00:03:39.920 --> 00:03:42.500 And one contemporary 21st century writer, James Edwards, 00:03:43.040 --> 00:03:43.460 he says, 00:03:43.460 --> 00:03:49.240 Crucifixion was a ghastly form of death, excruciatingly painful, prolonged, and socially degrading. 00:03:49.320 --> 00:03:52.420 And that basically captures what the Roman Empire used it for. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:57.980 And when you read Mark on the crucifixion, none of that shows up. 00:03:58.780 --> 00:04:01.379 There's not a single word about the physical horror. 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:03.640 It's the briefest little remark. 00:04:03.719 --> 00:04:06.080 They beat him, they mocked him, they sent him to die. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:09.480 Mark doesn't tell us anything. 00:04:09.820 --> 00:04:12.840 There's not even, in the text, there's not even emotion language. 00:04:13.040 --> 00:04:18.400 Mark doesn't use a single adjective of emotion language to describe the horror of this moment. 00:04:18.660 --> 00:04:18.960 Why? 00:04:19.400 --> 00:04:19.600 Why? 00:04:19.840 --> 00:04:24.439 I think because Mark, the gospel writer, he wants us to look at what this means. 00:04:25.319 --> 00:04:28.460 He wants us to see less and think less, perhaps, 00:04:28.459 --> 00:04:35.000 about the physical torture and the horror of what so many people experienced in the Roman Empire. 00:04:35.159 --> 00:04:35.560 So many. 00:04:36.060 --> 00:04:38.839 He wants us to ask, but what does this moment mean? 00:04:39.539 --> 00:04:40.199 What does it mean for me? 00:04:40.259 --> 00:04:40.859 What does it mean for you? 00:04:40.919 --> 00:04:42.719 What does it mean for all of world history? 00:04:43.539 --> 00:04:44.719 What is it about this moment? 00:04:44.719 --> 00:04:51.539 In 8071, Spartacus was defeated by the Roman Empire. 00:04:51.919 --> 00:04:55.839 And they crucified 6,000 people at the defeat of Spartacus. 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:58.459 So many people were crucified. 00:04:58.659 --> 00:05:03.699 Why is it that this one particular man on this one particular cross changed the world? 00:05:04.819 --> 00:05:05.299 Why this? 00:05:05.379 --> 00:05:10.279 And there's a hint at it in verse 39 at the very end of the passage that we read. 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:14.159 The centurion, this soldier, and think about his life. 00:05:14.620 --> 00:05:19.519 Boy, a centurion in the Roman Empire, he had been to so many crucifixions. 00:05:19.659 --> 00:05:21.719 He had been part of so many crucifixions. 00:05:21.720 --> 00:05:27.560 Yet, when he's watching this crucifixion after he had been the one who mocked Jesus and put him on the cross, 00:05:27.960 --> 00:05:30.520 in verse 39, he all of a sudden looks up and says, 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:33.300 truly, this man was the Son of God. 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:37.440 You see, in the centurion's life there, something broke through. 00:05:38.520 --> 00:05:39.460 Something changed. 00:05:39.580 --> 00:05:41.880 Where all of a sudden, after thousands of crucifixions, 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:46.640 he had seen there was something about this one that changed his life. 00:05:47.379 --> 00:05:48.219 So what is that? 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:49.240 And let me just highlight. 00:05:49.620 --> 00:05:52.959 I think the centurion probably had a breakthrough 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:56.979 because of two things that happened, two things that he saw. 00:05:57.419 --> 00:06:00.939 So I just want to point them out to you and say a bit about them, and we'll finish. 00:06:01.779 --> 00:06:02.879 What did the centurion see? 00:06:02.939 --> 00:06:06.060 First, he saw the darkness cover the land that day, 00:06:06.159 --> 00:06:09.399 and then he heard the cry of Jesus. 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:11.860 And I think that changed his life. 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:14.419 And maybe it can for you, too, today. 00:06:14.420 --> 00:06:17.280 Okay, so first he saw the darkness cover the land. 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:18.420 So I just want to cover two verses. 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:18.800 That's all. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:21.500 Verse 33, the sixth hour had come. 00:06:21.980 --> 00:06:24.360 There was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 00:06:24.460 --> 00:06:30.120 So Jesus is on the cross, and at noon, darkness came over Jerusalem for three hours. 00:06:30.939 --> 00:06:31.560 Now, why? 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:33.280 What's going on here? 00:06:33.379 --> 00:06:35.980 Some have come and said, well, you know, it was a solar eclipse, 00:06:36.780 --> 00:06:40.540 but that's the wrong season for a solar eclipse, the Passover season. 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:42.780 Solar eclipses don't happen during this time. 00:06:42.779 --> 00:06:45.299 This was not a natural event. 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:47.339 The Bible says this was a supernatural event. 00:06:47.939 --> 00:06:52.719 And the Old Testament talks about this event centuries before it ever took place. 00:06:52.819 --> 00:06:56.479 So in Amos 8, verse 9, the Bible says, 00:06:56.719 --> 00:06:58.759 On that day, God speaks, 00:06:58.879 --> 00:07:01.899 I will darken the earth in the midst of broad daylight. 00:07:01.899 --> 00:07:09.719 And so Christians for centuries now have taken that prophecy of Amos and said that it was fulfilled in this moment 00:07:09.719 --> 00:07:14.019 when Jesus was hanging on the cross and darkness covered the land for three hours. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:16.659 But the question is, why does this happen? 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:18.500 Why does darkness cover the land? 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:22.359 And to really understand, I think, what God is communicating to us, 00:07:22.779 --> 00:07:26.979 you've got to just take a minute and back up to the very beginning of the Bible, 00:07:26.980 --> 00:07:31.800 to Genesis chapter 1, to understand a little bit about what darkness means. 00:07:32.420 --> 00:07:35.759 And in Genesis 1, we learn that in the beginning when God created the world, 00:07:35.819 --> 00:07:40.200 the first thing that took place was there was darkness over the whole world, the whole cosmos. 00:07:40.300 --> 00:07:40.720 It was darkness. 00:07:41.660 --> 00:07:43.580 And then God spoke and God said, 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:44.480 Let there be light. 00:07:44.600 --> 00:07:48.740 And light came in and creation happened and order filled the world. 00:07:48.819 --> 00:07:50.520 And it was harmonious and beautiful and glorious. 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:56.000 And ever since then, after sin came into the world in Genesis 3, 00:07:56.219 --> 00:07:58.319 all throughout the Bible in the Old Testament, 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:02.419 any instance of darkness is often seen as an instance of judgment. 00:08:02.799 --> 00:08:03.000 Why? 00:08:03.579 --> 00:08:08.959 Because it's seen as a reversal of the creation order that God had first put into place. 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:11.000 So we went from darkness to light. 00:08:11.259 --> 00:08:13.599 But then all throughout world history, there's these moments of darkness. 00:08:13.719 --> 00:08:15.899 And these moments of darkness are moments of judgment. 00:08:16.859 --> 00:08:20.419 You think about the darkness that went over the land of Egypt during the ten plagues. 00:08:20.420 --> 00:08:22.520 It's a statement of judgment. 00:08:22.819 --> 00:08:24.259 It's like de-creation. 00:08:24.780 --> 00:08:26.300 It's like the world is being uncreated. 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:27.120 It's going back. 00:08:27.340 --> 00:08:28.560 It's not supposed to be that way. 00:08:28.920 --> 00:08:29.319 Darkness. 00:08:29.620 --> 00:08:30.540 It shouldn't be like that. 00:08:31.080 --> 00:08:33.180 And in this moment, darkness falls over the land. 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:37.340 And it's saying that at the cross, it should not be this way. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:41.980 Boy, the creator of the world, the light of the universe himself, 00:08:42.180 --> 00:08:44.980 being murdered at the hands of human beings, the people he created, 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:46.759 talk about de-creation. 00:08:46.940 --> 00:08:48.960 Talk about the undoing of all that should be. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:51.639 This is an utter reversal of everything that's good. 00:08:52.620 --> 00:08:54.400 That's why the darkness came over the land. 00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:58.639 Mark has no emphasis here on the physical horror of this moment 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:03.240 because the greater pain, the greater horror that's being talked about here 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:07.060 is the spiritual reality, the spiritual horror that's falling upon. 00:09:07.160 --> 00:09:10.940 And it's being exhibited in the physical darkness that comes over the land in this moment. 00:09:11.080 --> 00:09:13.240 Why was Jesus plunged into darkness? 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:17.139 And the reason is, if you put all the pieces together in the Bible, 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:20.480 what we learn here is the reason the darkness has come over the land 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:23.120 is because Jesus has been plunged into spiritual darkness. 00:09:23.419 --> 00:09:28.159 And the reason for that is because he has taken on in this moment our darkness. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:33.339 See, the first thing we learn here is that the darkness that has come over the land 00:09:33.339 --> 00:09:38.559 is a physical representation of the fact that Jesus has taken on our darkness in this moment. 00:09:39.740 --> 00:09:41.240 We have darkness in our lives. 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:43.379 We have darkness in our hearts. 00:09:44.339 --> 00:09:47.819 Ever since the light of the world made us and shone his light upon us, 00:09:47.899 --> 00:09:49.879 we've chose darkness instead of light. 00:09:49.959 --> 00:09:53.899 We've chose selfishness instead of actually serving the God who made us. 00:09:53.899 --> 00:09:59.159 I don't know if you've ever had the opportunity to go do a cave dive 00:09:59.159 --> 00:10:02.459 or to go deep down into a deep cave. 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:04.779 I've had that chance once or twice in my life. 00:10:05.419 --> 00:10:08.459 And when you do that, you go deep, deep down into these caves 00:10:08.459 --> 00:10:10.159 and you go through these narrow passageways. 00:10:10.279 --> 00:10:11.340 It's awful. Don't do it. 00:10:12.319 --> 00:10:14.259 You feel like you're stuck. You're never going to come out. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:18.199 But the tour guide will do the same thing every cave dive you go to. 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:21.980 I've only been to two, so I'm 100% so far on this. 00:10:22.699 --> 00:10:23.299 What does he do? 00:10:23.299 --> 00:10:24.779 He takes you down to the bottom of the cave, 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:25.679 and then all of a sudden he says, 00:10:25.779 --> 00:10:27.599 all right, everybody grab your loved ones 00:10:27.599 --> 00:10:29.139 because I'm about to turn the lights off. 00:10:29.979 --> 00:10:31.399 And they will flick the lights off, 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:35.039 and it may be that you've never experienced utter darkness, 00:10:35.419 --> 00:10:38.159 but when you're deep down in the heart of the cave, it happens. 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:41.419 And when you experience utter darkness, it is so disorientating. 00:10:42.019 --> 00:10:44.000 You lose your balance. 00:10:44.279 --> 00:10:45.759 You can't stand properly. 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:48.679 The darkness completely engulfs you, 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:51.059 and in a sense, it demolishes you. 00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:52.740 It disintegrates you. 00:10:53.299 --> 00:10:54.159 It destroys you. 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:56.579 I was watching a documentary recently, 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:07.639 and one of the scholars on the documentary was saying that humans can only stand about 17 days of utter darkness until they die. 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:11.460 So the idea was that if you put somebody into total darkness, 00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:14.699 they can only last about 17 days on average, 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:16.000 and they'll just disintegrate. 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:16.419 They'll die. 00:11:16.500 --> 00:11:17.340 We can't take it. 00:11:18.620 --> 00:11:21.740 You see, Jesus Christ was plunged down into utter darkness 00:11:21.740 --> 00:11:26.299 because he was wearing and carrying the burden of the darkness that is in our hearts, 00:11:26.299 --> 00:11:28.899 the darkness that we brought into this world. 00:11:28.899 --> 00:11:32.459 The light of life made us and shone his life on us, 00:11:32.539 --> 00:11:34.500 and yet we chose to go into the cave. 00:11:34.779 --> 00:11:38.679 We chose to serve self instead of serve the God who made us. 00:11:38.740 --> 00:11:41.459 And so we are walking through this world. 00:11:41.579 --> 00:11:44.019 Boy, we're walking through this world in darkness. 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:46.439 We don't know who we are quite often. 00:11:47.400 --> 00:11:48.860 We don't know where we come from. 00:11:49.520 --> 00:11:51.120 We don't know what we're to do with ourselves. 00:11:51.220 --> 00:11:52.880 What's the meaning and purpose of our lives? 00:11:53.300 --> 00:11:54.540 We're walking through darkness. 00:11:54.700 --> 00:11:56.800 Jesus Christ in this moment took it on. 00:11:58.120 --> 00:11:59.220 The centurion saw it. 00:11:59.560 --> 00:12:00.480 I think that's the first thing he saw. 00:12:00.580 --> 00:12:01.780 Secondly and lastly, 00:12:02.780 --> 00:12:05.760 I think the centurion's life was changed in this moment 00:12:05.760 --> 00:12:10.360 because not only did he see the darkness and start to realize what was happening, 00:12:10.460 --> 00:12:12.560 but then he heard Jesus cry out. 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:16.199 So we call this cry in verse 34 the cry of dereliction. 00:12:16.839 --> 00:12:18.000 Jesus cries out and says, 00:12:18.239 --> 00:12:20.799 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:12:21.479 --> 00:12:24.339 And the centurion, this man, 00:12:24.899 --> 00:12:27.299 he would have seen so many crucifixions, right? 00:12:28.359 --> 00:12:31.639 And one thing he would have known very well better than anybody 00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:34.179 is that normally in crucifixion, 00:12:34.299 --> 00:12:37.459 it takes a long time for the person to die. 00:12:38.139 --> 00:12:41.399 So quite often we have reports that crucifixion would take days. 00:12:41.399 --> 00:12:44.139 And what would happen is for the first day, 00:12:44.259 --> 00:12:47.399 a person could still draw breath a little bit and speak, 00:12:47.620 --> 00:12:50.519 but eventually they would get so exhausted that they could no longer speak. 00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:52.759 And sometimes it would take many days. 00:12:53.899 --> 00:12:58.100 But Jesus, he died fairly early in the crucifixion process. 00:12:58.919 --> 00:13:03.100 And he gathered enough strength in this moment to cry out. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:06.600 The other gospels use a Greek word that says that he shrieked. 00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:08.679 He screamed. 00:13:08.679 --> 00:13:12.099 And he said, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:15.379 And in the other gospels, we also learned that in this moment, 00:13:15.699 --> 00:13:18.359 he said, I yield, Father, my spirit. 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:20.959 I give myself over to death. 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:23.799 And we learned that Jesus said, I've been forsaken, 00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:26.179 and now it's time for me to die. 00:13:26.299 --> 00:13:26.899 He knew it. 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:28.519 He knew it was the moment for him to die. 00:13:28.959 --> 00:13:30.539 He knew that he didn't need to last for days. 00:13:30.620 --> 00:13:33.319 He knew that once he was forsaken, 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:35.599 he could die. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:36.040 Why? 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:36.560 Why? 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:37.620 What's going on? 00:13:37.680 --> 00:13:38.560 The centurion saw it. 00:13:38.980 --> 00:13:40.320 He started to see something strange. 00:13:40.700 --> 00:13:45.019 What's going on here is that darkness is more than just our sinful condition. 00:13:45.300 --> 00:13:50.500 The darkness that he was plunged into is more than just him taking on the sins of the world. 00:13:51.800 --> 00:13:52.820 It's something further. 00:13:52.820 --> 00:13:57.820 And when he cries out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:13:57.920 --> 00:14:02.640 He is saying in that moment that he has been plunged into such the depths of hell 00:14:02.640 --> 00:14:05.660 that he has lost all intimacy with God the Father. 00:14:07.100 --> 00:14:09.560 That's the darkness he totally entered into. 00:14:09.640 --> 00:14:12.080 He went down into hell itself in this moment, 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:17.140 and he experienced the punishment, the hell that our sin, that our darkness deserves. 00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:19.439 It wasn't just that he took on our sins. 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:25.740 It was that our sins plunged him into total abandonment from God the Father to God the Son, 00:14:26.899 --> 00:14:28.779 to Jesus Christ in this moment. 00:14:29.439 --> 00:14:30.720 He lost everything in this moment. 00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:33.879 And that means that he didn't just get our condition. 00:14:34.019 --> 00:14:35.059 He got what we deserved. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:36.939 And so the clouds covered everything, 00:14:37.460 --> 00:14:39.240 and the physical land, the darkness, 00:14:39.699 --> 00:14:42.600 manifests the reality that he was plunged into hell in this moment. 00:14:42.600 --> 00:14:46.220 So if you confess, as a Christian, the Apostles' Creed, 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:48.720 we say this in the Apostles' Creed. 00:14:48.940 --> 00:14:49.820 The Apostles' Creed says, 00:14:50.300 --> 00:14:52.180 Jesus Christ descended into hell. 00:14:52.779 --> 00:14:53.180 When? 00:14:53.460 --> 00:14:56.240 Right here, in this moment, at the cross, 00:14:56.920 --> 00:14:58.320 he was plunged into utter darkness. 00:14:58.800 --> 00:15:01.480 He was punished by the wrath of God for our sake. 00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:10.500 Like, the only person in world history who ever deserved, 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:13.379 when he said, my God, my God, 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:16.259 the only person, the only person who could say, 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:17.740 my God, my God, 00:15:17.800 --> 00:15:19.580 and deserved to hear the words, 00:15:20.220 --> 00:15:21.480 my son, my son, 00:15:21.820 --> 00:15:23.220 he got deafening silence. 00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:25.320 So that today, 00:15:26.160 --> 00:15:26.580 you, 00:15:27.379 --> 00:15:29.180 who have walked in darkness in your life, 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:31.240 when you cry out to God, 00:15:31.340 --> 00:15:32.120 could hear God say, 00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:33.540 my son, my son, 00:15:33.620 --> 00:15:34.560 my daughter, my daughter. 00:15:35.779 --> 00:15:37.000 Now what can you do with this, 00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:37.740 the cross? 00:15:38.680 --> 00:15:39.540 And I'll finish with this. 00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:42.120 First, let me give you three quick applications. 00:15:42.759 --> 00:15:44.060 First, here's what you can do with this today. 00:15:44.160 --> 00:15:44.580 Number one, 00:15:45.320 --> 00:15:48.560 see that there is no message like this in all of world history. 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:50.120 That's the first thing. 00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:53.679 And the Bible says that this moment is foolishness 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:57.419 and a stumbling block to anybody who encounters it. 00:15:58.419 --> 00:15:59.600 It's totally unexpected. 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.759 One of the things to know, 00:16:00.919 --> 00:16:01.560 the foolishness, 00:16:01.620 --> 00:16:02.779 the stumbling block that this is, 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:04.379 is that this came in a moment 00:16:04.379 --> 00:16:05.799 that was so, 00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:08.580 so unexpected in the culture that it arrived in. 00:16:09.320 --> 00:16:11.279 The Jewish religion was not looking for this. 00:16:11.340 --> 00:16:12.500 The Greeks were not looking for this. 00:16:12.560 --> 00:16:15.419 The Romans were not looking for a Messiah, 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:17.720 the God who would die. 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:19.740 It was completely unexpected. 00:16:19.740 --> 00:16:21.840 And you think about how unexpected this is 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:24.480 to the norms of culture in the first century 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:25.480 or the 21st century. 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:26.460 It's the same thing. 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:29.680 We look for God to be on display, 00:16:29.820 --> 00:16:29.960 how? 00:16:30.060 --> 00:16:31.019 In power, right? 00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:33.000 But Jesus Christ, 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:33.700 the Son of God, 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:36.539 came displaying power through utter weakness. 00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:37.759 You know, 00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:39.740 the might of the empire is what we expect. 00:16:39.940 --> 00:16:41.259 Somebody better than Caesar. 00:16:41.419 --> 00:16:42.240 But yet he came 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.480 and gave himself to Roman crucifixion. 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:46.139 What do we expect? 00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:49.819 We expect to see the smartest person in the room. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:50.500 We expect, 00:16:50.600 --> 00:16:51.960 we expect in our culture, 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:52.659 we want to be wise, 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:53.600 we want to be smart people. 00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:56.319 But Jesus Christ came displaying the wisdom of God 00:16:56.319 --> 00:16:57.039 and what the Bible says 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:58.559 was utter foolishness to the culture. 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:02.720 We want to be good people. 00:17:03.539 --> 00:17:04.559 We want to be able to say, 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:05.359 I'm a good person. 00:17:05.439 --> 00:17:06.279 But the cross comes 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:08.399 and subverts that. 00:17:08.579 --> 00:17:10.619 The cross is the most equalizing force 00:17:10.619 --> 00:17:11.299 in human history 00:17:11.299 --> 00:17:12.299 because it looks out and says, 00:17:12.619 --> 00:17:14.319 every single person has to look at the cross 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:14.659 and say, 00:17:14.899 --> 00:17:16.000 I crucified him. 00:17:16.819 --> 00:17:17.799 My sins put in there. 00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:18.859 I'm not good. 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:19.699 I'm in darkness. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:21.059 I need mercy. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:21.959 Right? 00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:23.159 We want, 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:24.000 boy, 00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:24.879 we want the good life 00:17:24.879 --> 00:17:26.339 and we sure expect a king 00:17:26.339 --> 00:17:27.759 to come into this world, 00:17:27.879 --> 00:17:28.359 God himself, 00:17:28.439 --> 00:17:29.359 and live the good life, 00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:31.039 the life of an emperor. 00:17:31.199 --> 00:17:32.159 But what did Jesus choose? 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:33.700 He sacrificed all comfort 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:36.420 and chose death itself for our sake. 00:17:37.420 --> 00:17:38.660 This is totally unexpected. 00:17:40.120 --> 00:17:41.259 This is unlike anything else 00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:42.340 that's been in all of world history. 00:17:43.040 --> 00:17:43.840 We didn't read this, 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:46.320 but in verse 21 in Mark's gospel, 00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:49.560 he says that when Jesus went to be crucified, 00:17:50.100 --> 00:17:52.180 the soldiers chose a man from the crowd 00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:53.259 named Simon of Cyrene 00:17:53.259 --> 00:17:56.320 to carry the cross to the hill for him. 00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:59.200 And then Mark mentions this one little clause. 00:17:59.340 --> 00:17:59.660 He says, 00:18:00.040 --> 00:18:01.840 Simon of Cyrene carried the cross of Jesus 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:04.619 he was the father of Rufus and Alexander. 00:18:05.899 --> 00:18:06.500 And you say, 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:06.859 boy, 00:18:06.919 --> 00:18:08.079 I know that when I'm told 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:09.500 in the seminary, 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:10.480 we tell the students, 00:18:10.639 --> 00:18:11.759 if you're going to write a good essay, 00:18:11.899 --> 00:18:13.240 you cut extraneous details. 00:18:13.659 --> 00:18:15.159 If you're going to preach a good sermon, 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:19.299 you cut extraneous details that do not matter. 00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:21.839 And here in the middle of the gospel, 00:18:21.959 --> 00:18:22.519 Mark's gospel, 00:18:22.659 --> 00:18:23.000 he says, 00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:24.279 Simon of Cyrene carried the cross. 00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:24.740 By the way, 00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:26.619 he was the dad of Rufus and Alexander. 00:18:26.619 --> 00:18:27.579 Why does he say that? 00:18:28.539 --> 00:18:30.099 You know that Rufus is mentioned 00:18:30.099 --> 00:18:31.000 in the book of Romans. 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:31.920 What's going on there? 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:32.660 Mark is saying, 00:18:32.740 --> 00:18:33.279 by the way, 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:36.019 if you want to know more about this, 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:37.980 go and ask Rufus and Alexander 00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:38.980 because it was their dad. 00:18:39.019 --> 00:18:40.220 He's saying that these are real people 00:18:40.220 --> 00:18:42.440 and you can go ask the boys that were there 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:43.680 where their dad carried the cross. 00:18:43.859 --> 00:18:44.619 In other words, 00:18:44.700 --> 00:18:45.640 this is historical. 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:46.799 It's real. 00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:47.740 It's evidenced. 00:18:48.099 --> 00:18:50.019 There's never been anything like it in world history. 00:18:50.019 --> 00:18:51.579 So let me ask you, 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:53.059 will you see that today? 00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:56.720 Maybe if you look closely, 00:18:56.940 --> 00:18:59.139 it'll be something that you will want to give your life to. 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:00.639 Secondly, 00:19:01.420 --> 00:19:04.200 the cross is where God says to you, 00:19:05.500 --> 00:19:06.519 I love you 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:08.160 and I loved you 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:10.420 long before you were ever looking for that. 00:19:10.420 --> 00:19:12.400 So at the end of this passage, 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:13.360 when Jesus dies, 00:19:13.840 --> 00:19:15.340 the curtain tears in two 00:19:15.340 --> 00:19:16.740 in the temple from top to bottom. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:19.140 This was the place that divided 00:19:19.140 --> 00:19:21.460 the normal people from the Holy of Holies, 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:23.100 the place behind the curtain 00:19:23.100 --> 00:19:24.660 where God's holiness dwelt, 00:19:25.300 --> 00:19:26.220 God's very presence. 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:27.920 And in this moment, 00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:28.580 when Jesus died, 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.500 the curtain ripped in two. 00:19:29.580 --> 00:19:29.820 Why? 00:19:29.940 --> 00:19:30.580 It's very simple. 00:19:32.340 --> 00:19:33.560 It's saying today, 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:35.080 because of the cross of Jesus Christ, 00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:36.680 no matter who you are, 00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:38.320 no matter what you've done, 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:40.279 no matter where you've come from, 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:42.679 you can have access to God. 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:44.960 Today, 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:46.079 because of the cross, 00:19:46.419 --> 00:19:48.359 no matter what you've believed in your past, 00:19:48.439 --> 00:19:49.659 no matter what you've done in your life, 00:19:49.939 --> 00:19:51.359 you can have access to God. 00:19:52.159 --> 00:19:53.039 And so maybe today 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:54.819 is a day where for the first time 00:19:54.819 --> 00:19:55.279 or for, 00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:56.879 in a state of renewal, 00:19:57.099 --> 00:19:58.359 you might come and pray. 00:19:59.639 --> 00:20:00.319 Because today, 00:20:00.460 --> 00:20:01.379 you have access to God. 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:02.879 God will actually hear you 00:20:02.879 --> 00:20:04.200 because the cross is torn in two. 00:20:05.679 --> 00:20:06.000 That's right, 00:20:06.099 --> 00:20:07.119 the curtain is torn in two. 00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:08.839 Thirdly and finally, 00:20:10.119 --> 00:20:11.719 it could be the case today, 00:20:11.799 --> 00:20:13.299 maybe you've come in 00:20:13.299 --> 00:20:15.019 from the Royal Mile today 00:20:15.019 --> 00:20:16.019 just checking things out. 00:20:16.159 --> 00:20:17.579 You might have come and said, 00:20:17.659 --> 00:20:19.699 I've been indifferent to this message 00:20:19.699 --> 00:20:20.419 my whole life. 00:20:20.599 --> 00:20:22.119 I've been indifferent to the cross 00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:23.019 my whole life. 00:20:23.099 --> 00:20:25.139 I've ignored God my whole life. 00:20:26.219 --> 00:20:26.779 Let me say, 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:28.639 that is exactly why Jesus came. 00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:31.459 Don't stay away from Jesus 00:20:31.459 --> 00:20:33.119 because you're not religious. 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:36.219 Don't stay away from Jesus 00:20:36.219 --> 00:20:37.199 because you feel like 00:20:37.199 --> 00:20:38.559 I haven't performed enough. 00:20:39.539 --> 00:20:40.459 I haven't done enough good 00:20:40.459 --> 00:20:41.159 in my life yet. 00:20:41.639 --> 00:20:42.079 Don't stay away. 00:20:42.159 --> 00:20:43.839 This is exactly who Jesus, 00:20:43.939 --> 00:20:45.339 you are exactly who Jesus came for. 00:20:45.399 --> 00:20:47.099 He's got you right where he wants you 00:20:47.099 --> 00:20:47.659 when you say, 00:20:48.199 --> 00:20:49.979 I've not lived my life for God. 00:20:50.059 --> 00:20:51.339 I've not done great things for God. 00:20:51.419 --> 00:20:52.359 I've ignored God. 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:54.000 I have been in the darkness. 00:20:54.119 --> 00:20:55.239 He has you right where he wants you. 00:20:55.299 --> 00:20:57.179 This is exactly what the cross is for. 00:20:57.180 --> 00:21:01.820 Let me finish with an excerpt 00:21:01.820 --> 00:21:04.220 from the writings of Malcolm Muggeridge. 00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:07.519 Malcolm Muggeridge was an English journalist. 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:11.240 He became a Christian later in life 00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:14.720 and he writes about rejecting the cross, 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:15.779 rejecting Christianity 00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:17.420 all throughout his childhood 00:21:17.420 --> 00:21:19.100 and into his early adult years. 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:19.840 This is what he says. 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:22.060 He said, 00:21:22.180 --> 00:21:24.240 I would catch a glimpse of a cross, 00:21:24.420 --> 00:21:25.980 maybe two pieces of wood, 00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:27.940 accidentally nailed together, 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:30.000 maybe on a telegraph pole 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:31.220 when I was a kid. 00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:32.960 And suddenly, 00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:34.620 my heart would stand still. 00:21:35.360 --> 00:21:37.160 In an instinctive, intuitive way, 00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:39.420 I understood that something more important 00:21:39.420 --> 00:21:40.279 was at issue 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:42.599 than just our personal good causes, 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:44.120 however admirable 00:21:44.120 --> 00:21:45.460 our good causes might be. 00:21:46.120 --> 00:21:46.960 This symbol, 00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:49.620 which was considered to be foolishness 00:21:49.620 --> 00:21:50.279 at my house, 00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:52.279 was yet the focus 00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:53.900 of inconceivable hope. 00:21:55.980 --> 00:21:57.059 As I remember this, 00:21:57.140 --> 00:21:58.420 a sense of my own failure 00:21:58.420 --> 00:22:00.799 would lie heavily upon me. 00:22:02.339 --> 00:22:04.059 I should have worn the cross 00:22:04.059 --> 00:22:05.740 of Jesus Christ over my heart, 00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:07.980 a precious standard, 00:22:08.440 --> 00:22:10.640 never to be wrested out of my hands. 00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:12.819 It should have been my religion. 00:22:13.480 --> 00:22:14.940 It should have been my uniform. 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:16.160 It should have been my language. 00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:17.319 It should have been my life. 00:22:17.700 --> 00:22:18.900 I have no excuse. 00:22:18.900 --> 00:22:21.519 I paid no attention to the cross. 00:22:22.560 --> 00:22:23.980 I knew from the beginning 00:22:23.980 --> 00:22:25.640 the power of the cross, 00:22:25.900 --> 00:22:27.180 but for many years, 00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:27.860 I turned away. 00:22:29.320 --> 00:22:29.820 And then he writes, 00:22:29.880 --> 00:22:30.580 until one day, 00:22:31.080 --> 00:22:31.700 I didn't. 00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:34.759 Now, remember the centurion, 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:36.180 he had seen people crucified 00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:37.040 so many times. 00:22:38.080 --> 00:22:38.220 You know, 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:39.960 he had seen it thousands of times, 00:22:39.960 --> 00:22:41.200 but then one day, 00:22:41.299 --> 00:22:42.579 he passed by this cross, 00:22:42.840 --> 00:22:44.100 and he saw the power. 00:22:44.980 --> 00:22:45.640 And it could be that 00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:46.620 you have passed by. 00:22:46.819 --> 00:22:46.960 You know, 00:22:46.980 --> 00:22:48.779 you're like a bystander on the road. 00:22:49.120 --> 00:22:50.180 They would always crucify people 00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:50.480 on the road, 00:22:50.519 --> 00:22:51.299 and you've walked by 00:22:51.299 --> 00:22:52.220 the cross of Jesus Christ 00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:53.299 so many times, 00:22:53.860 --> 00:22:54.860 like Malcolm Ugarage, 00:22:55.360 --> 00:22:56.100 and he said, 00:22:56.460 --> 00:22:57.160 I don't know. 00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:58.140 I don't know what this means. 00:22:58.200 --> 00:22:58.759 And today, 00:22:59.880 --> 00:23:01.819 Jesus Christ is coming to you 00:23:01.819 --> 00:23:02.660 by the Spirit 00:23:02.660 --> 00:23:03.259 and saying, 00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:05.700 the light of life 00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:08.460 plunged into utter darkness 00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:09.920 so that you today 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:12.119 could know life and light. 00:23:12.859 --> 00:23:13.900 The forgiveness of sins, 00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:15.879 it can be yours. 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:18.259 Let us pray. 00:23:18.359 --> 00:23:19.539 Father, we ask today 00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:22.839 that you would grasp hold 00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:24.920 of hearts by faith. 00:23:25.400 --> 00:23:27.140 Lord, give the gift of faith today 00:23:27.140 --> 00:23:28.940 in the power of the cross. 00:23:29.400 --> 00:23:30.640 Give the gift of faith today, 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:31.859 not in the symbol itself, 00:23:31.980 --> 00:23:33.019 not in the cross itself, 00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:33.940 but in the man, 00:23:34.099 --> 00:23:34.400 Jesus, 00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:35.940 the Son of God. 00:23:36.859 --> 00:23:37.819 Lord Christ, 00:23:37.879 --> 00:23:40.180 we thank you for the power 00:23:40.180 --> 00:23:41.720 that you have gifted us 00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:42.279 through the cross, 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:43.400 the forgiveness of sins. 00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:44.779 And so we come today 00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:45.759 seeking your Spirit, 00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:47.420 asking that you would now, 00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:47.940 as we sing, 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:48.660 as we close, 00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:50.200 come and meet with us, 00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:51.079 touch our hearts, 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.759 show us once more 00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:53.599 our darkness 00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:54.759 and yet your light. 00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:55.940 Show us once more 00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:57.420 how much we need 00:23:57.420 --> 00:23:58.960 your light in our lives. 00:23:59.000 --> 00:23:59.599 And we pray this 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:00.539 in Jesus' name. 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:01.180 Amen.