Mark 15:16-41 | Tearing up the Old

Baby Dedication

Introduce the parents and child and welcome to come up the front.

explain the importance of Child Dedications. We do not believe in infant baptism but do believe in parents making a vow before God and the Church to raise their children in the ways of the Lord.

ask the parents about their child

The parents will then read the parenting commitment vow: “Today Heavenly Father we as your children, publicly declare that we will raise your son, Timoteo, to know and walk in your ways. We promise to share the gospel with him often, love him with Christ’s love and lead him on the path of righteousness. We promise to pray for him, discipline him and model a life of discipleship. We understand that we cannot, and won’t be the perfect parents. Although we seek to love you and love our child as you have loved us. We promise to ask for help when needed, lay down our lives and teach Timoteo about the wonderful God who has saved and redeemed us through Jesus. All for your glory Father.

5. Pastor to then Pray for the Child/children & parents (include wider family)

Mark 15:16-41 | Tearing up the Old

INTRO

If you are new or visiting, over the last 18 months we have been making our way through the gospel of Mark - (Expository Preaching).

Now, we come to the end of the road that Jesus has been travelling and we have been following -  The road that takes us outside the gates of jerusalem, to stand upon a hill known as golgotha, looking up at the cross of Jesus.

As we begun last week, we are looking at this text that takes us from the roman palace where Jesus is mocked in vs 16 to his final breath in vs 41 - and we are dealing with this event over 5 weeks with each sermon looking at a different aspect or theme that Mark highlights in his account of our saviours suffering. 

RECAPS:

Christ is king

The Physical Sufferings of Jesus as a window through which we see the Love of God for sinners

Jesus received God’s wrath, and the darkness of his displeasure, so that we might recieve his grace, and the warmth and light of his love.

This morning we are going to focus on a few very simple details, in the crucifixion account that have enormous ramifications.

READ

Mark 15:25–39 (ESV)

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!”

PRAY

HOOK

As you read the OT, and I hope you do, or at the very least, as you hear about the OT = I am sure it is rather obvious, that there is a contrast, between how God’s people then, practiced thier faith, and how we do.

A noticable difference relates to how they understand the presence of God.

In contrast today, we do not go to THE TEMPLE to worship God, and when we go, we do not require the sacrifice of a lamb or a goat or a bull to cover our sins.

And this is exactly how God intended it, becuase

With the Son of God taking upon flesh, and Jesus Christ proclaiming the kingdom of God drawing near, God was bringing an end to the Old as he fulfilled it in Christ.

Mark records for us, that as Jesus breathed his last, the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottum.

With the death of Jesus, God was tearing up the Old. Tearing up the shadow, so he might bring about the fulness of his plan in the new covenant through the blood of Jesus.

——

Now, that raises a whole series of Questions.

So what I am going to aim to do this morning, is trace the story - that this statement of the tearing of the curtain refers to - from its beginnings to its end, so that we might better understand the grand reality of what God has accomplished through Christ’s death.

So… the tearing of the curtain in the temple…

is a story that goes all the way back and begins in the garden… becuase,

This isnt a story about the temple - this is about God’s presence with his people!

Kids - the Garden the Curtain and the Cross.

God dwells with humanity in the garden

Holy Space - the Garden in Eden is described as a temple garden. in fact, when God’s word describes the tabernacle (temple) he uses the same language he does of the garden.

God’s unique presence dwells there - G.K. Beale notes, “The same Hebrew verbal form (Hithpael) used for God’s “walking back and forth” in the garden (Gen. 3:8) also describes God’s presence in the tabernacle (Lev. 26:12; Deut. 23:14 [23:15 MT]; 2 Sam. 7:6-7; Ezek. 28:14).”

Adam is given the task - “to work” (עָבְדָ֖) and “to keep” (שָׁמְרָֽ) the garden, which is the priest’s task in the temple (Num. 3:7-8; 8:25-26; 18:5-6; 1 Chron. 23:32; Ezek. 44:14)

Adam and Eve dwelt joyfully in the abundance of God’s presence and his provision. - there was nothing bad, and nothing sad.

Mission - to love and enjoy God as image bearers - to fill the earth with more image bearers to extend the boarders of the Garden. Take dominion of the earth - so that the Holy place would fill the whole earth. instead

sin - GLORIFY, TRUST, OBEY /// Sought thier own Glory, didnt believe God’s words, and rebelled.

Gen 3:24 driven from the garden

Cherubim gaurding the way - keep out Sign. Becuase of huminities sin, we cannot come in!

God Doesnt give up and forsake his creation - but meets with his covenent people.

Abraham - calls and promises a nation

Moses - on the mountain - creates a nation - gives a means by which…

God dwells uniquely with his covenant people

tabernacle // later Temple God is everywhere - but he chooses to be uniquely present as he dwells among his covenant people Elijah - God is in the tires. Story

Hebrews 9:1–5 “Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.”

i. God’s unique dwelling place amongst the people The most holy place - where God uniquely dwelt among his people. It was a room that was a perfect cube - its length and width and height equal.

ii. Keep out sign And separating it from the holy place was a grand curtain - upon which was emblazoned two cherubim, as if guarding the way to the holy place of God. ‘it was a reminder, that becuase of your sin, you cannot come in!’

iv. AND - for the Old Covenant community, it was the place Where sacrifices were made to atone for the peoples sin.

Hebrews 9:6–8 “These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing

That is, until

4. God Comes - in Christ

Jesus - Immanuel ‘God with us’

‘tabernacles’ among us. John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

He proclaims the end of the Old Covenant - through the destruction of the temple (Mark 13). Infact this is one of the things they deride him for on the cross - v. 29-30 “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!”

Yet, he doesnt come down from the cross, but he remains, making the sacrifice for sin, taking upon himself the wrath of God that sinners deserve -

and at his final breath, mark records that the temple curtain, the barrier between the presence of the holy God and the unholy people of God, is torn in two. From top to bottom the keep out sign, is destroyed.

The writer of Hebrews then interprets this event for us -

Hebrews 9:11–12 “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”

Hebrews 9:15 “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”

a. Christ has entered into the perfect tent (the heavenly) The tabernacle and later temple - were mere copies (v. 24) of the true heavenly reality.

Copies of God’s heavenly holy space.

c. To secure an eternal redemption - ‘to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

At the coming and death of Christ the Old is fulfilled, the new has come.

God has torn up the curtain - the keep out sign is removed becuase he has made a sacrifice of Sin for us.

Hebrews 9:26 “Christ has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

NEW AGE

Hebrews 10:19–21 “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God,”

Access to God

“since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus”

He isn’t talking about the physical holy places, he is talking about God’s spiritual dwelling place.

In the OT, the people would come to the temple to meet with God.

Psalm 84:10 “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

Psalm 73:16–17 “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.”

Psalm 122:1–4 1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” 2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! 3 Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together, 4 to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

But in the NEW COVENANT - we come to God through Christ.

We have confidence to enter into the presence of God by the blood of Jesus! Our Sins have been forgiven.

Now here is what is wild… where does God dwell?

since we have a great priest over the house of God,

Where is this house? where is this temple

Temple is his people.

indwelt by the spirit 1 Corinthians 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,”

1 Peter 2:4–5 “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, …, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 2:19 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,”

God dwells in us, by the Holy Spirit sent by the Father and the Son, so that we might have access to God by Faith.

We no longer have to keep out, becuase our sins have been forgiven by the blood of Jesus.

Now, the passage goes on, and it gives us 3 Let us’s (a rabbits a delight)

Hebrews 10:22–25 “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

As the New Temple - Indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Friends, if you are believing in Jesus, you are forgiven, you are a child of God, and you have been given the great privilege of drawing near to him. In the Old Covenant, the people of God considered it a glorious blessing to come to the temple to worship… but even then, it was only the high preist who could enter through the curtain. But through Christ, we have the full assurance of faith Even though we sin, and sin often, Christ’s death has torn the curtain So, Draw near - There is no greater blessing Then for a human being to draw near, to seek, to know, to love the holy God who created everything. So drawn near, make it your life’s pursuit to delight in the wonders of God in his creation, to be in awe of his name and nature in his word, and to commune with him as he dwells in you.

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. How? by trustin gin the one who is faithful - he has fulfilled what he promised. He was faithful to his promises in the past examples He has saved us by the blood of his son. he will keep us - John 6:39 (ESV) 39 And this is the will of him who sent me that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Certainly that is a good Christian thing to do, but why does the writer put that exhortation here? The following passage explains - that since we have been saved by the blood of Jesus, let us live in a manner that honors him, and doesnt trample him underfoot. By his grace we are saved, and by his grace we seek to honor him. How - together! Stir up one-another, meet together, encourage one another. As living stones - not seperate rocks Together we are the House of God, together we grow into maturity, together we help eachother walk in holiness. by the Spirit in you, walk in the light… Confess sin… Story. In the Old - a come and see! In the New - go and proclaim! Stir up to good works.

All the more… The Day

The final remark should fill us with urgency. Becuase the day is ever drawing near. the Day when Christ returns to judge the living and the dead, and the day of final fulfillment as God brings about the new heavens and the new earth.

When Christ returns, he will judge all

and he will bring about God’s presence finally, totally and eternally on the earth.

- the final fulfillment as God will dwell among his people.

Revelation 21:1–4 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””

Verse 16 describes the city, and it describes it as a perfect cube, ‘its length and width and height are equal.

The hope of the garden realised in the New heavens and the New Earth.