Jesus, Our Atonement

Good morning Church! I missed you all over the last couple weeks. Steve, Thomas, thank you both so much for stepping in and preaching. If you have your Bible and I hope that you do, please turn with me to Mark 15:33. We are looking at the most important of all teachings in Scripture today, the atonement. The death of Christ is the most heinous, the most blasphemous, the most wicked act in all of human history. There is nothing in Scripture or in all the passage of time of what was or what will be that compares to the outright evil that mankind did to Jesus Christ.

We look at atrocities like the Rape of Nan-king or the Holocaust and our bodies recoil, our minds wonder, “How could God allow such evil to happen!?” But what we forget is that man is a morally responsible agent capable of the worst acts imaginable. God is never the author of evil and yet even in the midst of tremendous acts of evil we can see Him working for our good. Case in point— the death of His only begotten Son.

Today, we are going to look at four major events at the cross and why Jesus is the only Mediator between God and man.

Let’s stand together in honor of God’s Word as we read Mark 15:33-41

Mark 15:33–41 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.” 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!” 40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

Pray

Lord, thank You for this time that we have to gather to fellowship with each other. It’s good to be with my flock again and I thank You for an uneventful journey to and from our destinations. We thank You for your grace in that. We thank You for the joy of salvation, where we may worship You and delight in Who You are. You are worthy of our full attention, our affection, and our desire. We fail so often to give You all the honor You deserve, so we plead for Your mercy and forgiveness. We are dust and worms but You have made us new creations by faith with new hearts, minds, and natures. You have called us Your children and we are forgiven by faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your grace and calling on our lives.

Lord, we thank You for our brother Steve Warren and his good surgery on Wednesday. Thank You it didn’t take as long as they thought it would and the doctors don’t think he will need chemo. We miss him and love him so much. Thank You for his wife Cindi and her faithfulness during this season. We ask for Your blessing on their lives.

Lord, we thank You for little Samuel Fahrer and his birth this past Thursday. What a blessing to have another little one in our church. Thank you for him breathing independently after such a hard time after birth. We pray for Taylor and for healing for her. We pray for Preston as he leads his family. We ask that as they adjust to having another little one, that you would give them grace and that Samuel would be able to get home soon.

Lord, we thank You for our sister Judy Griswold’s surgery going well on Friday. We pray that she would heal up and that she would be walker free and pain free soon.

Gracious Lord, we continue to lift up to You Denny Johnson. We pray for her new treatments to irradicate the cancer in her body. We pray for You to restore her completely and we ask that faith, knowing that You can. We ask for both her and Verne to fix their eyes on You and for them to see the joy of Your work on the other side of this.

Lord, we pray for our brother Dale McPheeters who is not doing well at all. We pray for healing for him if that’s Your will, but we also pray for Molly as she visits him every day. Please give them both strength as they rely on You during this season of their life.

Lord, we pray for our brother Steve Bayless as his mom is declining. We ask that you would be with him and Janet as they head north to be with them. We ask for you to let her transition into Your arms to be smooth and not full of suffering.

Lord we pray for peace in our world. We ask that you would give our nation’s leaders wisdom as they navigate these times and issues. We want them to make the best decisions possible and we plead for You to work it out in the most glorifying way possible.

Father we also want to lift up to you our teens and adults leaving for Summer Camp tomorrow. I ask that You would prepare their hearts and minds to follow You, to surrender to You and Your will for their lives.

Lord God we ask for the many other needs in our church. We plead for men to grow into leaders from within our flock. We have plenty of men and ask that you would give them a heart for ministry and evangelism. We ask for servants that come to You with a “Here am I” attitude. Thank you for the dozens in our church that serve week in and week out. Their investments are eternal.

Thank you for hearing our prayer and we ask for You to bless the preaching of Your Word this morning. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Before we get into this, I believe it would be good to discuss why Christ had to be offered for the sins of the world. You see, the Christian belief is that the plan of salvation was in motion from creation.

In the beginning God made all things and He made creation good. On the sixth day, God made man in His image. There’s nothing in all the universe that was made in the image of God except humanity. Not even the angels. God set Adam in the Garden and made for him a helpmate named Eve. They had everything they needed and everything was perfect. God was delighted with His creation and said it was very good. Unfortunately, Lucifer, the worship leader in heaven, rebelled against God and God cast him out of His dwelling place. Satan took on the form of a serpent and seduced Adam and Eve as they were reflections of the image of God. The lie was simple, they wouldn’t die if they rebelled against their Heavenly Father, they would actually be like God and would know good and evil. This appealed to them and Eve ate and she didn’t die. She gave some to Adam who was with her and both of their eyes were opened to good and evil. Satan had deceived them! They fell from innocence and death entered the world. God promised a Savior as a result

Genesis 3:15 ESV

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

This is the first promise of redemption and the Old Testament dwells within the shadow of a coming deliverer and every story whispers the name of Jesus all throughout the Bible. God didn’t delight in burnt offerings or sin offerings. All those offerings never justified anyone. They pointed people to the original promise of the Messiah, a deliverer who would come and die on their behalf.

Our passage begins around noon on this horrific Friday. Jesus is already three hours into His crucifixion on the cross and we learn about a supernatural darkness that has descended on the land.

1. The Darkness

Imagine standing at the foot of the cross, darkness covering the land while the weight of sin crushes the Savior.

Amos 8:9 ESV

9 “And on that day,” declares the Lord God, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.

What day is Amos talking about? It’s the day of the Lord’s judgment! The most famous time of darkness as judgment is the ninth plague in Exodus was darkness that was so dark and heavy that it could be felt. What is happening here is God’s judgment on sin. Jesus is bearing the weight and guilt of sin and shame. All the secret things you’ve done, all the evil thoughts you’ve had will be judged. Every single one of them. No exceptions. However, either they have been judged when you trusted in Christ’s death to pay for them or they will be judged if you do no turn away and trust in Christ for salvation.

It is this moment in human history that everything changes. Jesus Christ here is making a substitutionary atonement for us. Jesus Christ took our place on the cross in order to satisfy God’s justice. In 2006 Ross McGinnis was manning a Humvee in Baghdad when an insurgent threw a grenade into the vehicle. He shouted a warning and dove on top of the grenade. His heroic actions saved the other soldiers in the vehicle. He could have escaped. But he didn’t. In a similar way, Christ laid down His life and He didn’t just die for us, He died instead of us. He took our place and suffered the wrath we deserve so that we could have abundant life!

When we believe in Jesus and lean all our hopes on Him what happens is that we are set free! We no longer have guilt or shame. Jesus bore the weight and judgment of our sins and took the darkness so that we could walk in God’s light. Now, we don’t have to worry about judgment any more because God is not wicked. He doesn’t collect debts twice.

Some groups celebrate what they call mass. It is a sacrifice that takes place. It is a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice. In other words they re-offer up the eucharist and make another atonement, another sacrifice!

But the Bible says

Hebrews 7:27 ESV

27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

The atonement was a one time sacrifice for our redemption. It doesn’t take reoffering over and over again. The darkness of the cross of Jesus doesn’t require ongoing sacrifices on our part. It demands our faith and trust. We don’t supplement the work of Christ by our own efforts. We are justified by faith alone in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.

For three more hours Jesus continues to suffer on the cross until suddenly we get to the next event:

2. The Cry

Jesus cries out

Psalm 22:1 ESV

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

The Pharisees and others immediately would have recognized this quotation but we must remember that this was not considered a Messianic psalm. For a Jewish person to think of the Messiah as a Suffering Servant was not on their radar. The Deliverer would conquer and bring a time of peace and prosperity for God’s People! He wouldn’t die on a cross! The Bible teaches in Deuteronomy 21:23 that one who is hung on a tree is cursed! The Messiah wouldn’t be cursed! Yet, that was exactly God’s plan— Jesus Christ, the Messiah would hang on the tree. He would become cursed so that we would no longer be cursed.

And it is because of this curse the Father turns His face from the Son. So Jesus expresses the sheer agony of being forsaken by the Father as He bore sin’s penalty. Why did this separation have to take place? It’s because Jesus had to be the mediator between sinful man and a holy God.

1 Timothy 2:5 ESV

5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

This is the cost for Christ to be the Mediator. It is because of this work that Jesus is able to be our Great High Priest who now intercedes on our behalf! Hebrews 4:14-16

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This is why Christ cried out on the cross. The sheer weight and agony pushed Him. Our sin separated us from a Holy God and yet it is in this cry that Jesus becomes our Mediator and bridges the chasm that we never could so we could be reconciled to God.

There are some groups that are growing in influence and popularity that teach that deceased saints and even Mary are intercessors or co-mediators with Christ. They teach that priests can mediate through sacraments and confessions but the Bible teaches that there is one mediator and His name is Jesus. He alone bore the cost to become our Mediator and there is no one else that can share that role.

Christians can intercede on other’s behalf, but the saints that have gone before us have no ability to hear our prayers. It’s an insult to Christ for anyone to assume that anyone can be the mediator between God and someone else. We can’t even go to God ourselves, we ourselves must come to God through Christ. The best thing we can do is go to Christ and encourage others to go to Christ as well.

The sour wine here was an extremely watered down wine that kept water safe to drink and free from bacteria. This wine was offered to our Lord to prolong His life and it was done at His request according to John which fulfilled

Psalm 69:21 ESV

21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.

The bystanders thought that Jesus was calling for Elijah. They believed that Elijah would come before the Messiah and so in some way they were looking for his return in this moment, but they didn’t realize that Elijah had come in John the Baptist. As we read in

John 19:30 ESV

30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus’ life wasn’t stolen from Him. He laid down His life willingly. Before Christ gave up His spirit He yelled out Tetelestai! It is finished! The cup of wrath was drunk, the Way to God was opened, the price had been paid in full. And an earthquake stuck Israel, the righteous dead were raised, and the third event happened:

3. The Veil Was Torn

The Veil was ordained by God to keep men and God separated. Humans were unworthy to enter because of sin. Only the High Priest, one day per year could do it. It was a means of safety to keep sinners from dying who may have accidentally looked upon the Lord, but it was also a means of demonstrating God’s set apartness.

The veil was made of blue, purple, scarlet and fine linen. The color blue is reminiscent of the sky or heaven and points to the divinity on Christ. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and His divinity is essential to Him being the perfect sacrifice, a divine offering Who could fully atone for sin.

The purple points to the royalty of Christ. It points to Christ’s kingship and authority which He proved through His many miracles. He came from the line of King David and His royalty was mocked at His humiliation.

The scarlet points to the sacrifice of Christ. It proves Jesus’ humanity that He bled red like everyone does. It also reminds us to the necessity of blood to take away sins.

1 John 1:7 ESV

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

The fine linen points to the purity of Christ. He is the sinless Lamb of God who was completely righteous and His perfect obedience qualified Him to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

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.

It is because of Jesus’ death that the veil was torn and it wasn’t torn from from bottom to top as though humans had made a way to God, but from top to bottom because salvation is of the Lord! He made a way for us to be redeemed and it’s His way. No one can come to God by another other way.

Back in the Garden of Eden, it was God that placed a flaming sword at the entrance of the Garden. God did that to slay anyone that would try to get into the Garden and attempt to eat of the tree of life and live forever separated from God. The plan of God was to offer up His only Son. Remember how God commanded Abraham to ascend the mountain and offer up Isaac? Abraham said in Genesis 22:8

Genesis 22:8 ESV

8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

It is God who provides the way to eternal life for you and He invites you to come to Him. He bled and died and opened the way so that whosoever will may come. Hebrews 10:19-20

Hebrews 10:19–20 ESV

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,

How do we come to that new and living way?

Hebrews 10:11–18 ESV

11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

The covenant is the new covenant of the blood of Christ which we become partakers of by faith.

Romans 3:22–25 ESV

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Notice that we are not justified by penance, by sacraments, by obedience to the Law, or anything like that. We are justified by faith alone in Jesus’ atoning work. And because of Christ’s death all the barriers to God are now removed save one: You have to come to God through Christ. In order to have salvation you have to trust in Christ. Believe on Christ with your whole being. You can’t rely on yourself or your goodness. You must come to Christ and believe on Him alone.

Don’t try to gain eternal life by trying to find your own way to the tree of life. God’s sword of judgment awaits any that try to sneak around! But if you come to Christ, the sword of God is stayed and eternal peace and life in God is there for you.

Lastly, notice the confession of the witnesses to Christ

4. The Confession

The Centurion was the leader of 80-100 soldiers in a Roman army. He likely oversaw dozens of crucifixions and heard all the curses and godless suffering imaginable. He was there when the whole battalion stripped our Lord down. He was there when Jesus was beaten. He was there when He was scourged. He saw his fellow soldiers place a reed in Jesus’ hands, a robe on Jesus’ back, a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head and he saw them bow down and mock Jesus.

He saw Jesus walk to Golgotha. He saw forgiveness as Christ said “Father, forgive them! They know not what they do!” He saw Jesus continue to teach and warn about the coming destruction as a result of the Jews rejection of the Messiah. He saw Jesus offer comfort to a penitent thief on the cross. He saw the way that Christ did all these things and darkness and the earthquake. He saw how Jesus died like a man on a mission and when Jesus died the centurion confessed exactly what Jesus had told the demons to be quiet about, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

Can you imagine the fear of killing the Son of God? Can you consider for a moment what you would be feeling?

The women were there watching and weeping. John was there according to the other Gospels. You have Jews, Gentiles, men and women and Jesus’ death draws them all to confess Him as Lord and God! Now we believer Romans 10:9-13

Romans 10:9–13 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

When you trust in Christ and His death for you on the cross it is this faith, not a ritual, not baptism. Nothing except for living faith that saves you. This reminds of Pauls teaching Ephesians 2:8-9

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

We can’t be good enough. We’re not. But we can be made good when we trust in Jesus. You see His atoning death is the complete, once-for-all sacrifice that makes Him the sole mediator between the Father and humanity. The darkness shows the weight that Christ bore for our sins, His cry reveals the cost of His mediation, the torn veil opened the way for us to come to God, and the centurion’s confession calls us all to faith.

So what should you do?

Trust in Christ today. Do it now! Don’t delay!

Frances Havergal wrote “

Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes Salvation

Nothing to pay! Yes, nothing to pay!

Jesus has cleared all the debt away.

Blotted it out with His bleeding hand!

Free and forgiven and loved you stand.”

Some people may say that you need to clean yourself up, or believe all the right things about everything, or know all the right answers. But the Bible says that we have a mediator. So we may not have all the right answers, we may not have all the right beliefs, we may not look very righteous but Jesus is and He is what you need. So trust in Jesus. Trust in Him.

Head: God wants you to know that Christ’s death on the cross was the decisive, once-for-all atonement for sin, fulfilling God’s plan and opening the way to the Father. Jesus bore the full weight of divine judgment, fulfilling the Old Testament shadows and promises. His cry, death, and the torn veil revealed His role as the only true Mediator. The cross is not just a tragedy but the central turning point of redemption history.

Heart: God wants you to believe that you must believe that Jesus is the Son of God who bore your judgment and that His sacrifice alone can reconcile you to God. No religious ritual, good works, or saintly intercessor can make us right with God. Only Jesus, the sinless and divine Mediator, can bridge the gap. We must trust in Him, not in ourselves, for righteousness and eternal life.

Hand: God wants you to turn from self-reliance and trust wholly in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Mediator. No matter your past sins or present struggles, come to God through Christ alone. Trust Him today. Don’t wait to “clean up” your life — He alone cleanses and saves. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.