WHO DO YOU SAY JESUS IS?

MARK 15:21-39

Mark 15:21–39 ESV

21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him. 33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

In an online-poll taken a number of years ago, the question was asked: “What is the key to getting into heaven?” and those who answered according to the following choices:

-- Living a good life 60.5%

-- Having connections to someone at the top 32.5%

-- Helping old ladies cross the street 2.2%

-- Slipping St. Peter a large tip 1.7%

-- Having a strong letter of reference 1.6%

-- Making a deal with the devil 1.0%

-- Telling a really good lie 0.6%

-- Total votes: 8,602

Then the question was asked, “Are you going to heaven?”

-- Yes 91.2%

-- No 8.8%

--Total votes: 10,284 [1]

JESUS COULDN'T RECEIVE MERCY ON THE CROSS.

1- THE ROMANS

A- THE ROMANS ACKNOWLEDGED JESUS AS THE KING OF THE JEWS

Mark 15:21–27 ESV

21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.

John 18:36 ESV

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

2- THE PEOPLE

A- THE PEOPLE ACKNOWLEDGED JESUS AS A FRAUD

Mark 15:29–32 ESV

29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.

B- THE CHIEF PRIEST AND SCRIBES ACKNOWLEDGED HIM AS A FAILURE.

Mark 15:31–32 ESV

31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.

3- THE CENTURION

Mark 15:33–36 ESV

33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.”

Cambridge English Dictionary - to leave someone forever, especially when they need you (THIS IS A GOOD DEFINITION IN CONTEXT OF JESUS' WORDS ON MARK -- JESUS NEEDED THE FATHER, BUT THE FATHER HAD TO TURN AWAY/FORSAKE BECAUSE JESUS HAD TO BE THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD FOR SIN. HE HAD TO BE CONSUMED SO TO SPEAK EVEN AS THE OLD TESTAMENT BURNT OFFERING SACRIFICE FOR SIN HAD TO BE COMPLETELY CONSUMED - BY PARALLEL JESUS HAD TO BE COMPLETELY ABANDONED. 

A- THE CENTURION ACKNOWLEDGED THAT JESUS WAS THE SON OF GOD.

Mark 15:37–39 ESV

37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

B- WHO DO YOU SAY THAT JESUS IS?

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.