The Beauty of the Cross – Good Friday

Mark 15:16-41

I. Beauty – Crazy Talk

a. The cross was used to crucify the lowest of the low

i. Rarely a Roman Citizen

b. Meant to be slow and exert as much pain as possible

i. Scourging – pre-crucifixion

ii. Drugged

iii. Suffocation

c. Shaming

i. Lined the road going into the city – Rome sending a major message – don’t get out of line

ii. Naked or near naked

1. Crowd showed up to mock – make sport

iii. Usually bodies left as carrion

iv. Difficult for the family to overcome the stigma of a family member being crucified

d. Our sin – God’s wrath

e. Yet Jesus chose the way of the cross

II. Yet this is what God chose to use

a. The world can’t understand it. – cosmic child abuse

i. 1 Corinthians 1:18 – God takes something foolish and makes it wise.

b. No nothing but – 1 Corinthians 2:1-3 (Paul very intelligent)

c. Boast in Nothing Galatians 6:14

d. Who would start a religion with one of the worst torture execution devices as its center piece?

e. Now the cross adorns our art and many wear it around their neck

III. How we are Saved

a. You see God sent his son – for you – make it personal

b. Not because you are good are do all the right things

c. Because he loved you and he knew you could not save your self – So he would save you

d. Romans 6:1-11

We are dead to sin but alive in Jesus Christ – forever – that is pretty beautiful.

Lord our God, Father of all,

You guard us under the shadow of your wings

And search into the depths of our heart.

Remove the blindness that cannot know you

And relieve the fear that would hide us from your sight.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

- The Liturgy of the Hours

Read the crucifixion account in all 4 Gospels – go dark for the day