Father, don't leave me

The Darkness at Noon: The Weight of Our Sin

Bible Passage: Mark 15:33-34

Summary: In Mark 15:33-34, we witness the moment when darkness envelops the land as Jesus hangs on the cross, and He cries out with anguish, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' This passage captures the profound isolation and burden of sin that Jesus bore for humanity.

Application: This sermon challenges Christians to reflect on the weight of their sin and the sacrifice of Jesus. It can help believers understand the depth of Christ's suffering and encourage them to turn toward Him for redemption, knowing that He understands their pain and isolation.

Teaching: This passage teaches about the reality of Jesus' suffering, the significance of His sacrifice for our sins, and the importance of acknowledging our need for grace. It reveals the depths of despair Jesus experienced, showing how it was essential for our redemption.

How this passage could point to Christ: The cry of Jesus on the cross is a fulfillment of Psalm 22:1, highlighting the connection between His suffering and the prophecy of the Messiah. It signifies Jesus as the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world, standing in our place under the weight of sin and alienation from God.

Big Idea: The big idea is that recognizing the darkness of sin and the depth of Christ's sacrifice invites us to a deeper relationship with Him, acknowledging our need for His grace and the hope found in His resurrection.

Recommended Study: Consider examining the historical and cultural background of crucifixion in Jewish and Roman contexts as well as the significance of the three hours of darkness in Mark 15. Look at the original Greek terminology used in this passage and how it reflects Jesus' emotional turmoil. Using Logos, explore commentaries on Psalm 22, connecting Jesus' allusion to this text with His experience on the cross.

1. Darkness Descends at Calvary

Mark 15:33

Perhaps, you could use these verses to highlight the enveloping darkness when Jesus was crucified, symbolizing the weight of the world's sin that He carried. This moment of darkness underscores the separation from God that sin brings, which Jesus willingly endured. This point will help us understand the depth of Christ's sacrifice for our redemption and His identification with our own moments of feeling forsaken and alone.

2. Desolation Echoes Fulfillment

Mark 15:34

You could emphasize Jesus’ anguished cry, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?', linking it to Psalm 22. This shows Jesus' fulfillment of prophecy and the real alienation He experienced on our behalf. Delving into this cry helps us appreciate the depth of His sacrifice, encouraging a grateful and transformative faith response from us. Reflecting on this can reassure us that Jesus fully feels our pains and stays with us in our moments of desolation.

The fact of a closed Heaven was brought home in those moments on the cross, when the Lord Jesus standing in the place of man, as sinful man, cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?..."(Psalms 22: 1). Such is the state of man by nature, shut out from Heaven, the place which belongs to him in the original purpose of God.