The Death of Jesus

Mark 15:33–39 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!”

Prayer

Death is never something that is easy. Out of all deaths that have ever happened, the one who defeated death who was Jesus, his even was not an easy one. Those around him were effected greatly in the moment. Even the ones who may have been classified as his enemy. Jesus was brutally murdered for others.

There is no comparison to the death of Jesus. What it accomplishes for us as believers is nothing less that miraculous. But his death, just like every other death that ever happens, is serious. We live in a time that is now more desensitized to death than I can ever remember. Death is just something that happens. And for too many, it is a way out of their problems. Suicide rates are way too high. Mass shootings happen way too often. And abortion has taken the lives of children who were created in the image of God. I have seen recent statistics that believe that nearly 28% of Gen Z was aborted. Over 1/4th of a generation here in America, gone.

This is a tragedy. Especially when we, as followers of Christ, believe that Jesus died so that everyone has the ability to live. Yet, people are going to clinics, women are taking pills, on a daily basis to end life in the womb. The church must stand up for life. One way we can do this is through prayer walks outside of abortion clinics. If women here in our neighborhood want to have a medical procedure abortion, they drive to Charlotte to do so. So do not think that by going up there that we are neglecting those in our community because we are serving them.

But another way that we stand against abortion is by talking to our politicians. This may seem futile, but it is absolutely necessary because they must stand against this issue as well. I know that many of us are supporters of our current president. But, as followers of Christ, we must stand against those we like when it goes against our values as Christians. Just one month ago, the current administration approve a new generic form of the abortion pill. This makes it even easier and cheaper for people to kill unborn children. And maybe you think that people taking pills is not as big of a problem as people going to clinics. But in a 2023 study, it was found that 63% of the abortions in the US happened through oral medication and not medical procedures.

We must gather and pray at the clinics. But we also must speak out publicly to our government leaders to make this stand. This is our duty as Christians. We cannot be silent on this issue. Francis Schaeffer once said, “In front of every abortion clinic there needs to be a sign that reads, “Here by permission of the church.””

No life is worth taking on account of making life easier for someone else. That was not the goal with the death of Jesus. It was not about making life easier but making life permanent for us. Because of the death of Jesus, death is not the end for us. We will not have to endure suffering after our last breath. Because of Jesus’s work on the cross, the sin that has separated us from fellowship with God, was now put to death because of Jesus.

Main Point: The Son of God Took on the Sin of Man

In the recent months, we have taken this journey with Jesus. He has come to Jerusalem. He was welcomed and celebrated when he arrived. He went to the temple and disrupted the corruption that was happening with the temple leaders. They decided to take care of Jesus because he was a problem. He was sold out by one of his disciples. He had a kangaroo trial. He was beaten and mocked and ridiculed. And now, he is hanging on the cross. The crucifixion began around 9 in the morning. our passage today picks up about 3 hours in.

In this passage, there are 4 events that I want to point out.

The Darkness Over the Land

People try to use science to explain away the events that have happened. They say that it was a solar eclipse that occurred here.

Mark 15:33 ESV

33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

Jesus had been hanging on the cross for 3 hours already. At the 3rd hour, it says that darkness was over the whole land for another 3 hours. So let’s take science and put this to bed. I had to do some research here to understand that it was not a solar eclipse. So a solar eclipse is when the moon passes between the sun and the earth. The crucifixion happens during passover. Passover only happens during a full moon. Full moons happen when the moon is fully illuminated by the sun. Solar eclipses cannot happen during a full moon. It is not possible. This theory of the land being darkened by a solar eclipse is not possible.

So how do we explain it? The darkness was a cosmic sign that God did to signal his wrath being poured out on Jesus. This is so significant for us as believern s. We must know that Jesus took the full force of God’s wrath on our behalf. It was our sins that sent him there. Sin will be paid for. They aren’t free. Someone is either going to pay for their own sins in hell by receiving God’s wrath there. Or their sins will be paid for on the cross by Jesus receiving God’s wrath.

I love that God, in his sovereignty, is tying together what we are talking about in our Wednesday night study with our Sunday sermons. Trust me, I am not smart enough to plan it out like this. This past Wednesday, we looked at the Exodus (Moses leading the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt). Part of the Exodus was the plagues that God gave to the people of Egypt. The last plague was the killing of the first born of every house in Egypt.

But the 10th plague was set up by the 9th plague.

Exodus 10:21–22 ESV

21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.

Before the passover lambs died and their blood was spread upon the doorpost to protect the people from God’s wrath, darkness came upon the land. Listen to this. Darkness came upon the land for 3 days. Then, after that, the spirit of God was going to go throughout Egypt and kill the firstborn of every house. To protect them from death, the people had to slaughter an innocent lamb, take the blood of the lamb, and spread it on the doorpost.

And maybe you have read the story of the plagues and wondered why God would do that to innocent people. Who was innocent? No one is innocent of sin. Sin must be paid for. For the people in Egypt, they were saved by the blood of innocent lambs being spread on the doorpost. Now, fast forward to Golgotha, and darkness is over the land. A lamb is being slaughtered to save people. This time, instead of it saving the first born, it is the first born of God that is being slaughtered to save those who will believe.

What a beautiful picture of what God does for us through the cross of Jesus. Here, in this moment, God brings darkness on the land as a symbol of what is going to happen.

The Desertion Because of Sin

When I think about desertion, I cannot help but to think of Benedict Arnold. Now, if you don’t know who he is, he was a soldier in the American Revolution. As an American soldier, he worked his way up all the way to the rank of Major General. But, over time, he began to feel unappreciated for his work. This bitterness took root and he devised a plan to turn on America. He got word to the British leadership that he would surrender West Point for money and a title and they agreed. Before this could take place, his plot was discovered and he was able to flee before he could be captured.

Arnold deserted the country he once served because of how he was treated. Unlike Arnold, God did not desert Jesus on the cross because of anything that Jesus did. He was forsaken because of what we did. We are the ones who sinned and caused the need for Jesus to die.

Darkness was over the land for 3 hours. These 3 hours have passed and now, at around 3 in the afternoon, we get to point where Jesus takes his last breath’s.

Mark 15:34–35 ESV

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.”

Some mishear him thinking that he is calling out to Elijah. But that was not his cry. His cry was from a son to a father. My God, my God. Cries of abandonment. He knew that this was it. The events that are taking place are a picture of God’s hatred towards sin. The sin that was committed against God and the sin that sent Jesus to the cross for the wrath of God to be poured out on him, is the sin that we personally have committed.

If you notice here, he doesn’t say my father, but says my God. This is important because he has generally always spoken about God as his father. But now, it is just my God. This is because in this moment, he is no longer just the son of the most high God. He is now the sacrifice needed for the forgiveness of sin.

Mark 15:36 ESV

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.”

More mockery. The man who is hanging on the cross, abandoned by God because of sin that isn’t even his, dying, and the mockery continues. But this will be it. There will be no more mockery for Jesus. As we are about to see, Jesus takes his last breath. He accomplishes what he came to do. In his mercy and kindness, Jesus took the mockery that should have been reserved for us. Jesus took the weight of our sins, that should have been reserved for us. And Jesus took the desertion from God that we deserve. But we don’t have to go through these things because Jesus did.

Mark 15:37 ESV

37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.

Jesus dies. He hangs on the cross, beaten and mangled, ridiculed and mocked, and he takes his last breath and dies. In John 19:30 “30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” The task has been accomplished. The sacrifice had been made. Sins had now been atoned for. The wrath of God was satisfied. And Jesus had died. Remember that death does not hold him. As we will see in chapter 16, he raises from the grave, full alive. Our salvation is found in his death, our hope is found in the resurrection.

This week, as we spend time quietly in worship, let us remember these things and praise God for not abandoning us. Remember the promise that is given in Hebrews 13:5 “5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””

(desertion because of sin)

The Destruction of the Curtain

I used to work swing shifts at one of my jobs. We would do 12 hour shifts and every 2 weeks we would switch from days to nights. We would work from 6-6. So, getting home right after work, a little after 6 in the morning, and having to sleep during the day was often a struggle. Some genius somewhere invented these wonderful things called blackout curtains. They were just thicker curtains that wouldn’t let light in.

Those curtains have nothing on the curtain that was in the temple. In the temple, there was a curtain that was to separate the Holy place from the Holy of Holies. Only the priest could go through the curtain and he was only to do it one day a year, the day of atonement, when they would carry in the blood of the sacrifice to atone for sins. This is what the curtain was for. And this thing was thick. It was 60 ft tall, 30 ft wide, and about as thick as a man’s fist. That would naturally keep people out.

Mark 15:38 ESV

38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

Jesus shouts loudly, he breathes his last breath, and the curtain is torn. This is not coincidental. This all happens through the sacrifice of Jesus.

The curtain tearing signifies the destruction that will fall upon the temple. Jesus told them that this would happen. This is a foreshadowing and a picture of that happening. But it is more than that. The curtain that separates the priest from the people is now torn. The people now do not have to go through someone for access to God. Jesus took care of that for us. Lastly though, what we see happening here, is that it is God who is tearing the curtain. It is torn from top to bottom to show that it is God himself who is taking away the separation that was put in place because of the sin of man.

The idea of reconciliation is a biblical tale that must be told. We need to see to it that we reconcile with others just as God has reconciled with us. Are there people in your life that have wronged you that you have not reconciled with? Are there people that you have wronged that you need to reach out and seek reconciliation? This is at the foundation of Christianity. Forgiveness. Being reconciled. The veil being torn is a picture, not of us reconciling to God, but God reconciling himself to us through the death of Jesus.

So far in our text, we have seen the darkness over the land, the desertion because of sin, and the destruction of the curtain. Lastly, we see…

The Declaration of the King

A declaration is not the same as a coronation. In the weeks prior, we saw the Roman soldiers give Jesus a mock coronation. We know that this was not a real coronation and that their declaration of him being the king of the Jews was just done as an insult to him. But have we ever thought that someone is not a king just because we declare them to be.

I could tell everyone that I was the president of Mexico and that doesn’t mean that I truly am. This thought makes me think of Frank Abagnale Jr. Maybe you have heard of him, they made a movie about him called Catch me if you can. But, as a young man, he learned different tricks of trades and basically made himself a professional imposter. Before the age of 21, he has posed as an airline pilot, a doctor, a lawyer, and even a college professor. He was a great forger and forged all of the documents one needed to pretend to be these things. But just because he declared himself to be these things, doesn’t mean he actually was.

Jesus is not God because we say he is. We are not the ones who put on the coronation for him. God has already done that. And just because we may utter words that make it sound like Jesus is king, those words are not what makes him king. But, we can prove to others that he truly is our king.

Mark 15:39 ESV

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!”

This centurion, this Roman soldier, was right there and witnessed everything that had happened. He most likely participated in the events. And here he was, seeing Jesus taking his last breath.

Think about this. The centurion had witnessed probably hundreds of executions this way. This was nothing new to him. Every time that someone had died on a cross, it was a declaration of victory for Rome and for Caesar. But here, this time, something was different. For 6 hours, this centurion had been here watching Jesus die. He saw him refuse wine that had narcotics mixed with it to help ease the pain. For the last 3 hours, he was witnessing this in supernatural darkness. He sees Jesus breath his last breath, possibly even hears a commotion not even a quarter mile away at the temple when the veil was torn from top to bottom, and sees that there was something spiritually different about this death.

All of the accusations from the temple leaders, all of the people who had followed Jesus, the miracles, the teachings, the demeanor from Jesus throughout the trial, how he had not resisted this one bit throughout the ridicule and the beatings. Now, he realizes that this man who is naked and hanging on the cross, is truly who he said he was.

Truly this man is the son of God. This is the same declaration that we need to make. But not one that is just words. One that is truly from the heart.

But this isn’t just a one time declaration. This is a constant, and daily declaration. It is easy to sit here on a Sunday and make that declaration. But what about tomorrow morning when you get to work and nothing is going right? Will you still make that declaration that truly this man is the son of God. And because he is the son of God, he is the Lord of my life.

If you have never made that declaration, and you are wonder what this means, this means that you believe in the gospel. (gospel presentation)

I believe that there are some of us here that need to make that true public declaration through the act of baptism. This is where we follow through with the command that Jesus gave us to believe and be baptized. And we do this in front of the church to declare that we are part of this family.

But we also declare it with our words and our thoughts and our actions. So when things go wrong this week and we want to think and do and say things that are contradictory to us following the Lordship of Jesus, dwell on who he is and let that guide who you are.