An Unexpected Ending

This morning we are picking back up in our study of the Gospel of Mark.

If you’re new to our church, it would be good for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”. What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then studying them from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in order to understand what the Bible means in our lives today.

With that said, we are currently walking through the Gospel of Mark, a Gospel written primarily to teach us who Jesus is, what He came to do, and what it means to follow Him.

As we come back to our study today, we find ourselves once again in chapter 15 and the final few hours of Jesus’s life on earth.

You may recall from last week, after being sentenced to death, we watched as Jesus was mocked by Roman soldiers. A mocking that involved a game of dress up. A mocking that resulted in 300-600 soldiers sarcastically praising, spitting, and beating Jesus as they dressed him as a wanna be king.

And as we learned, this is type of treatment is par for the Christian course. In other words, as Christ followers we can expect the same. Because the truth is, if you’re going to follow Jesus, you’re going to be mocked. People are going to make fun of your faith. People are going to ridicule you for what you believe, the values you hold, and maybe even where you go to church. There’s no getting around it.

The

That being the case, the real question then is, “How should we respond to mocking?” Thankfully, Jesus gave us an example to follow, and from that example He gave us two guidelines.

First, when mocked we shouldn’t mock back. We saw this through Jesus’s example. Throughout the entire mocking Jesus didn’t say a word. He didn’t mock or talk back. Why? Primarily to fulfill the prophecy of as Jesus becomes the innocent lamb of God that will be sacrificed for the sins of mankind. Jesus must remain silent to fulfill this prophecy.

But even if he spoke words they would have fallen on deaf ears, because as we learned last week, it’s nearly impossible to reason with a mocker. The fact is, when people mock us they are not in a state to reason or listen to what we have to say. In that moment they are driven by emotion and a hard heart.

Not only that, but if we choose to mock back, we may lose our ability to share our faith with that person. The truth is, you can’t fight evil with evil. Mocking back won’t win that person to Jesus. Mocking back will only drive a wedge further between us and them. The fact is, our silence will speak louder than their mocking and may even open a door to share our faith.

Second, when mocked we need to be patient and pray for those who mock us. The truth is, those who mock us aren’t mocking us, they’re mocking God. And as we read in , God will not be mocked and there are consequences when we mock God. Because a day is coming when the mocker will stand before Jesus and give an account for their unwillingness to put their faith in Him.

As a result, when somebody mocks us, instead of making us angry, it ought to break our hearts. Because their mocking is a sign they don’t know Jesus and are spiritually blind. A sign that if something doesn’t change, a day is coming when they will have to give account. Paul writes in , “But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.” (ESV)

As a result, instead of mocking back we should pray their hearts would be softened and their eyes would opened. To pray like Jesus did on the cross as he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” So, that’s how we are to handle mocking.

So, that’s how we are to handle mocking.

But, unfortunately, as we continue in chapter 15 today, the mocking isn’t over. Having been privately mocked by the soldiers, Jesus will now be publically mocked and executed.

So, before we dive into our passage today, and to help us get our minds, emotions, and spirits engaged, I want to begin by building some framework for what we are about to read. And in order to do that, I have a question and a request I’d like to ask of you before we begin.

Let’s start with the question - Have you ever watched a movie or maybe even read a book, and at some point, something unexpected happened in the story. Something you didn’t see coming or that took you off guard. Maybe something tragic.

A main character died.

The good guy didn’t win.

Or evil seemed to win the day.

And as a result, you walked away from the movie or you put the book down with a knot in your stomach. The story didn’t end like you hoped it would.

Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about. Years ago I watched a movie with my wife called “Message in a Bottle”. If you’ve seen the movie or read the book, I’m sorry, because for me it was a depressing and frustrating story.

Depressing because it’s about a guy who lost his wife, a woman named Catherine.

And as a result of her death, he's struggling to move forward.

But then through a series of events he begins to find hope again as he meets a new love interest named Theresa. And so the movie takes an uptick as he and Theresa begin to explore a possible life together.

And so the movie takes an uptick as he and Theresa begin to explore a possible life together. But then through a series of events their relationship deteriorates because he’s still in love with his late wife and he can’t seem to move past it. But as time goes on, hope is rekindled once again as he decides he really does love Theresa and wants to pursue a relationship with her. But before he can tell her how he feels, he goes out on his boat and tragically dies in a storm. And that’s how the story ends. Dumbest movie I’ve ever seen. Took me two days to get over it.

But then through a series of events their relationship deteriorates because he’s still in love with his late wife and he can’t seem to move past it.

But wouldn’t you know it as time goes on, hope is rekindled once again as he decides he really does love Theresa and wants to pursue a relationship with her.

But before he can tell her how he feels, he goes out on his boat and tragically dies in a storm.

And that’s how the story ends. Dumbest movie I’ve ever seen. Took me two days to get over it.

Have you ever watched or read a story like that? A story that left you feeling empty, frustrated, discouraged, maybe even depressed.

Here’s why I ask you to consider this question. Our passage today is that kind of story. In other words, if you were reading the Gospel of Mark for the first time, and you didn’t know how the story truly ends, the end of chapter 15 would throw you for a loop. Might even shock you. Would probably leave you feeling empty. Because in our passage today the unexpected is about to take place. Something the reader didn’t think would happen. In our passage today, the main character, the hero, the savior, is going to be taken out.

To put it in modern terms, it would be like if you were watching a Jason Bourne movie, and Jason Bourne died before the movie was over. You’d be like, “What! Surely he’s not dead. He’s Jason Bourne. He’s the main character. He can’t be dead.”

If it was

That’s what our passage today would have been like for the first time reader. “What! Jesus actually dies! This can’t be! He’s Jesus. He’s the Son of God. How can he be dead! What kind of story is this?”

For the person reading this story for the first time, this part of the story is a moment of disbelief. The moment where evil appears to win the day. That leads us to my request.

That leads us to my request.

Request - The truth is, most of us know how this story really ends. We know Jesus will be crucified in chapter 15, but in chapter 16 he will rise from the dead. We know while everything seems dark at the end of chapter 15, there is light ahead.

First, the request. The truth is, most of us in the room and those watching online know how this story ends. You know that while Jesus will be crucified and die, that in chapter 16 he will rise from the dead. You know there is a happy ending to this story.

So, here’s what I’m going to ask you to do. To the best of your ability I want you to forget what you know about this story. To the best of your ability I want you to take the perspective a first time reader so you can experience the full impact of this moment. Now, as I say that, a couple of questions probably come to mind.

First, you might ask, “Pastor, why do I need to take this perspective?” Here’s why. If we can’t experience the hopelessness of this moment, we can’t fully embrace the victory of chapter 16.

Let me put it like this. Let’s say you got a phone call telling you somebody close to you, like a sibling, a parent, or child, had been in an accident and died. That would be a horrible moment, right? A shocking moment. A message in the bottle moment.

But then imagine how you would feel if later on you found out they were alive. Yes, they were in an accident, but the initial report of their death was wrong. They’re not dead but alive! What a roll a coaster of emotion that would be, right?

But it’s in that roller coaster of emotion despair and relief that you would have discovered something. Through that emotion you discovered how thankful you are for that person. You discovered how much they mean to you. Your reminded of what’s really important in life. Reminded of how short life is. You thought all was lost, but now you have renewed hope.

That’s how it works with Jesus. You see, until you experience the death of Jesus, you’ll never fully appreciate his resurrection and what He’s done for you. And the truth is, some of us have lost that appreciation, and some have never experienced it at all. And so we need to experience his death this morning. We need to read this story and feel the weight of his death. We need to experience what first hand witnesses and first time readers of this story felt as they came to the end of chapter 15.

This lead us to a second question. How do we do that? How do we experience the death of Jesus when we know he’ll be resurrected?

Here’s how you do it. The truth is, all of us here today have a “message in the bottle story”. In other words, each of us have something going on in our lives right now we didn’t see coming. Something that has brought discouragement and despair and maybe has you saying, “This can’t be how it ends. This can’t be what happens.”

For some, your message in the bottle story today is your marriage. You just found out your spouse has been unfaithful. You just found out your spouse is addicted to pornography. You just found out they’ve been hiding something from you. You can’t believe this is happening. Could it be the end of your marriage story.

For some, your message in the bottle story is a sickness or disease. You just found out you have cancer. You just found out a friend is dying. The doctor just said they’re not going to make it. The doctor said it doesn’t look good. You’re in shock. You can’t believe this is happening to you. This can’t be how the story ends.

For some, your message in the bottle story is a family crisis. You just found out your child is using drugs. You just found out your teenage daughter is pregnant. You just found out your teenage son is looking at pornography on his smartphone. You just found out your child is failing their classes. You’re can’t believe this is happening. Not your child. This can’t be how their story goes.

For some, your message in the bottle story is your financial situation. You just found out you lost your job. You just found out you didn’t get the raise. You just got a letter that you’re being foreclosed on. The bank just called and said their repossessing your vehicle. You just got a shut off notice from the electric company. You can’t believe this is happening. How will you survive? How will you provide. This can’t be how your story goes.

You see, the truth is, we all have a message in the bottle story we’re dealing with. We all have a situation in our life where we’ve been caught off guard and our story doesn’t look good.

That’s exactly where the followers of Jesus are at the end of chapter 15. As they stand at the foot of the cross. As they look up at their beaten, bruised, crucified, and dead savior, they’re struggling to find hope. They can’t believe this has happened. This wasn’t how the story was supposed to end. In this moment the enemy is working hard to convince them that there is no more hope.

So, here’s what I’m going to ask you to do as we walk through this passage. Whatever your message in a bottle story is this morning, I want you to bring those emotions to this story.

Now, you might be thinking, “Pastor, that sounds kind of morbid. Are you saying you want me to focus on my discouragement?” In a way yes. And then here’s what we are going to with it.

Whatever your message in a bottle story is this morning, I want you to transfer it to this story. Because those are the emotions this passage is meant to stir in us.

First, we’re going to walk through the passage and I’m going to give some explanation to the crucifixion of Jesus. And as we do that, I’m going to point out some deceptions the enemy tends to throw at us to try and convince us that in the midst of our pain there is no more hope.

And Second, as we come to the end of the passage, my hope is to help you see, that while your situation may seem dark and hopeless, there's one more chapter in your story you’ve either forgotten about or haven’t read yet. That your message in the bottle story doesn’t have to end at chapter 15. That you can find renewed hope this morning.

So, with that as our basis, let’s get started as we read through our passage. Picking back up in , Mark writes:

Question - Have you ever watched a movie or read a book

Mark 15:21–22 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).

Mark 15:21

Mark begins by introducing us to three new characters in the gospel, along with describing the setting for the crucifixion.

Mark 15:21 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.

So, let’s begin with the new characters and their significance. The first character is a man named Simon of Cyrene. So, who is this guy? Scholars believe was a Jewish man who was from Cyrene located in North Africa. More than likely he was a Jew who had made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the passover. Having just arrived at the city, he has no idea what has taken place and probably doesn’t even know who Jesus is.

Mark begins by introducing us to three new characters in this gospel story. The first character is a man named Simon of Cyrene. So, who’s this guy? Scholars believe Simon was a Jewish man from the city of Cyrene located in North Africa.

So, let’s begin as we identify these characters and their significance. The first character is a man named Simon of Cyrene.

Who’s this guy? Scholars believe Simon was a Jewish man who from the city of Cyrene located in North Africa.

What that tells us is he’s not from Jerusalem, but he traveled there to celebrate the passover. So, more than likely, having just arrived in the city, he has no idea what has taken place and probably doesn’t even know who Jesus is.

But apparently, as he enters the city, he finds himself smack dab in the middle of Jesus’s crucifixion, and he gets dragged into the middle of it. So, how and why does that happen?

Well, what you have to understand about crucifixion is it began with the victim being nearly whipped to death. It was called scourging. This took place for Jesus back in verse 15. It involved whipping the prisoner with leather thongs that had bone and glass embedded in them. Typically the victim’s back was shredded until you could actually see their spine. It was a horrific whipping.

If they survived the scourging, the victim was then forced to carry the crucifixion beam on their shoulders to the place of execution. And as you might imagine, having been nearly whipped to death, it would have been a challenge.

That’s where Simon of Cyrene comes in. Because apparently, as Jesus is carrying the beam to his place of execution, he’s struggling to carry it, Simon happens to be there, and so the Roman soldiers volunteer him to help Jesus carry the beam as Simon’s two sons, Alexander and Rufus walk with them.

But there are two other characters mentioned along with Simon. Apparently he has two sons with him. A son named Alexander and a son named Rufus. These are the three new characters.

So, a good question might be, “Why does Mark give us this information?” Mostly because Mark wants to identify certain individuals who were there. People who could testify and the early church would have none. In fact, most scholars believe Simon’s sons, Alexander and Rufus, were part of the early church. The Apostle Paul actually mentions Rufus in one of his letters. In he writes:

Romans 16:13 ESV

13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well.

So, what Mark is saying is, “If you want a first hand account of how this played out, go talk to Alexander or Rufus, they were there. They’re father carried Jesus’s cross.”

Simon, Alexander, and Rufus are first hand witnesses to the events of that day giving further credibility to everything that is about to happen. If you doubt what Mark is writing, go talk to these guys, they were there.

So, what does this mean for us? It highlights that one of the greatest ways to share or defend our faith is through first hand testimony. To share our first hand account of what Jesus has done in our lives. What his cross has done for us. How he transformed us. How he delivered us. It’s hard for people to argue with your testimony. :Oh, you don’t believe me, well, look at my life. What more evidence do you need?” So, yes, Simon serves a purpose in helping Jesus physically carry his cross, but long term it becomes a testimony to the early church.

So, what happens next? Mark writes:

Mark 15:22–27 ESV

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.

Mark says Jesus’s journey to the cross comes to an end at a place called Golgotha. To be honest, we’er not certain of the exact location, but we do know is it was located right outside of the city walls. More than likely it was an elevated hill that was often used for crucifixions. Jesus wouldn’t be the first crucified there and he wouldn’t be the last.

Mark also tells us before they crucified him they offered him wine mixed with myrrh. The mixture of wine and myrrh created a narcotic with enhanced pain deadening qualities. This was the closest thing to mercy a crucifixion victim would receive. Something to minimize the excruciating pain of crucifixion.

But amazingly Mark says Jesus refused the drink. Why would he do that? More than likely Jesus wanted to face his death in complete control without minimizing the cost of sin. He was ready to bare the full weight of our sin.

This is a reminder to us that sometimes following Jesus involves pain. Pain that can’t always be minimized. You see the challenge for a lot of Christians is we want to minimize the pain of following Jesus. In fact that’s what the enemy wants us to buy into. That’s one of his deceptions when it comes to your story. He wants us to believe:

This is a reminder to us that sometimes following Jesus involves pain. Pain that sometimes can’t be minimized. You see the challenge for a lot of Christians is they want to minimize the pain of following Jesus. They only want to follow Jesus as long as it doesn’t cost them to much or hurt to bad.

Deception #1 - Following Jesus will never be painful.

I’m sorry to tell you this, but that’s simply not true. Following Jesus will be painful at times. And if you buy into the deception that it’s not, the result will be a watered down walk with Jesus, and maybe no walk at all.

Because unfortunately, a lot of Christ followers only want to follow Jesus, as long as the pain is minimum.

“Yeah, I’ll follow Jesus as long as I can sleep around.” “Yeah, I’ll follow Jesus as long as I don’t have to tithe.” “Yeah, I’ll follow Jesus as long as it fits with my lifestyle.” “Yeah I’ll follow Jesus as long as I don’t catch to much grief from friends and family.”

You see, to often we want to minimize the pain of following Jesus. But the truth is, in order to follow Jesus, there are going to be moments of pain. Moments when it costs you something. Where you have to be willing to say, “If this is what it costs. If this is what following Jesus requires, I’m willing to endure the pain.” Jesus was willing to do it, and so will I.

And again, that’s why it’s easy to get discouraged when our story doesn’t go the way we think it should. In that moment it’s easy to think, “Wow, it shouldn’t hurt this bad. Wow, why am I having to suffer like this? I thought following Jesus would be easier than this. I’m not sure I want to keep going in this direction.”

And that’s exactly what the enemy wants you to do. He wants you to question the pain. He wants you to give up when the Christian life gets uncomfortable. But like it or not, following Jesus won’t always be comfortable.

It’s at this point that Mark makes a statement that we typically don’t fully appreciate. Mark says, “And they crucified him...” (ESV)

In this one word Mark summarizes one of the most horrific deaths ever devised by man. A death that Jesus did not deserve.

The fact is first century readers understood what crucifixion is. That’s why Mark doesn’t give us a graphic account. But since we’re not first century Christians, and so we can have a better understanding, I think it would be appropriate to give a little detail into what crucifixion involved.

As I said earlier, it first involved the scourging and the journey to the place of execution. But once there, it got worse. And while I could describe it, maybe the best way to understand how horrific was would be to watch it.

Video Clip - Passion Movie

You see what made crucifixion so horrific wasn’t so much the nails, as the purpose they served. You may have noticed when they nailed Jesus’s feet to the cross, they pushed his legs up so his knees were bent. The purpose of that was to put the victim in an asphyxiated position.

In other words it put them in a position where they couldn’t get their breath, limiting the amount of oxygen getting to the brain. In a way, it was a slow form of choking somebody to death.

And so the only way for the victim to overcome the asphyxiation was by pushing up with their nailed feet so they could get in an upright position and catch their breath. And you can imagine how painful that would have been.

It was a horrific way to die, and sometimes took days as the victim mustered the strength to push up and down, over and over again until they didn’t have the strength or couldn't’ endure the pain any longer. And sometimes, in order to expedite the execution, the Roman soldiers would take metal rods and break the legs of the victim so they couldn’t push up any longer. This is what Mark means when is says, "And they crucified him...”

This is what Mark means when is says, "And they crucified him...”

Mark goes on to give us a couple more details. As Jesus was hanging on the cross, they took his clothes and cast lots. In other words, they rolled dice to see who would get them. Clothes were a hot commodity in the first century, and so like scavengers going through the pockets of a dead man, they gamble off his clothing.

In addition to that, they placed an inscription above his head that read, “The King of the Jews”. It stated the reason he’d been crucified and physically illustrated how Rome dealt with wanna be kings.

Mark also tells us there were two robbers crucified with Jesus, one on his left and one on his right. The word for robber here could be translated insurrectionists. More than likely they were friends of Barabbas, the criminal that was set free in place of Jesus.

This is meant to remind us that Jesus is smack dab in the middle of where we deserve to be. It should be us up there. It’s the death we deserve. But he took our place. Now he’s the one suffocating to death between two criminals. It should be us, but its him.

It’s at this point you’d think the humiliation is over. You’d think it couldn’t get any worse. But it does. Mark goes on to write:

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.

It’s at this point that Jesus’s enemies take a victory lap. As Jesus is hanging there suffocating and bleeding out, they begin to basically flip him off as they wag their heads at him. It then it gets verbal as they shout out, “Come on Jesus! If you’re really the Son of God, then prove it. Come down from the cross. Save yourself. Maybe then we’ll believe.”

It’s a complete mockery. Their goal, to convince everybody standing there that Jesus wasn’t who he said he was. Because if he was, then this wouldn’t be happening to him. He’s a fraud, a fake, a phony. He can’t even save himself, so how could he save you? This leads to a second deception the enemy wants us to believe.

Deception #2: Jesus isn’t who He says He is.

He wants us to believe that Jesus is no savior, and he can’t save you. He can’t save your marriage. He can’t help you overcome addiction. He can’t help your kids. He can’t help you financially. And he can’t save you spiritually. Your hope in him is pointless. He’s no savior. That’s what the enemy wants you to believe.

And to be honest, it’s what the enemy still wants you to believe about Jesus. He wants you to believe that your story ends here. He wants you to believe your marriage is over. He wants you to believe you can’t overcome the addiction. He wants you to believe your kids are lost. He wants you to believe your financially ruined. He wants you to believe that your hope in Jesus has been pointless. That Jesus can’t help you in your situation. That’s what he wants you to believe.

And unfortunately, it can be a convincing lie, because listen to what Mark says happens next.

Mark 15:33-

Mark 15:33–37 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.

Mark says as the time passed, as Jesus’s legs grew weary from pushing up, as the oxygen depletion began to take affect, the sky grew dark, and in his final moments, Jesus cried out.

Up to this point he’s said nothing. As he stood before Pilate, he said nothing. As they dressed him up like a wanna be king, he said nothing. As they whipped him, he said nothing. As they beat the nails in his hands and feet, he said nothing. But now, in his final moments, with his final breath, Jesus has something to say. Mustering the strength he has left, Jesus pushes up against the nails and cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. And then he dies.

For the followers of Jesus standing there, it was their “message in a bottle” moment. They're in shock. They’re in disbelief. “What?! He’s dead. This can’t be! This wasn’t how the story was supposed to end!”

At this point, doubt kicks in. “Maybe the religious leaders were right. Maybe Jesus wasn’t who he said he was. Because did you here what Jesus said right before he died? He said, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me!”.

It’s a disheartening moment. A moment where the claims of Jesus appear to fall short as he announces defeat.

And the truth is, that’s what the enemy wants you to think. It’s another deception. The enemy wants you to believe:

Mark 15:21–41 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!” 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.

Deception #3 - When things go bad, it means God has abandoned you.

He wants you to think the story is over and that God has abandoned you. It’s over. You might as well give up. That’s what he wants us to believe. But it’s a lie.

Because what if I told you that this moment isn’t the end of the story, but the beginning. What if I told you that Jesus’s last words aren’t a cry of defeat, but a cry of victory.

You see, what we need to understand about Jewish Rabbi’s, is often when they taught they would reference Bible passages.

And often times the scripture reference were meant to encourage the listener to go and read the scripture in its context. To read what comes before or after the scripture reference in order to get the application and meaning of what the teacher was saying.

Believe it or not, that’s what Jesus is doing here. Right up until his last breath, Jesus is teaching and instructing his followers. And in his final moments, when it seems all is lost, Jesus has one more message of hope for his disciples.

You see, when Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” He wasn’t declaring that God had abandoned Him. He’s pointing to a passage of scripture he wants his followers to read. It’s a passage of scripture found in .

And what’s interesting is while Mark records these final words of Jesus, the Apostle John records another set. John writes, “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.’ (ESV) John says Jesus’s last words are, “It is finished”.

Now, you might be thinking, “Are they contradicting each other?” No. Jesus probably made both statements and both make reference to .

So, with that understanding, listen to what Jesus wants to teach us in this moment as we go to . Beginning in verse 1, listen to what the Psalmist writes, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?“ (ESV)

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?“ (ESV)

Psalm 22 ESV

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David. 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— 17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. 19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! 22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

Sound familiar? That’s how we know this is the scripture Jesus is referencing. As Jesus takes his last breath, he quotes the beginning of . A signal for us to read it. So, what else does the passage say? Let’s move down to verse 6 as the psalmist continues:

6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—17 I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” (ESV)

9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

If you haven’t figured it out, what the Psalmist just described was the future crucifixion of Jesus. He says, “All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads.” (ESV) Mark writes, “And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads...” (ESV)

16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— 17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

The Psalmist writes, “For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet-I can count all my bones-they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” (ESV)

19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21  Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

Mark writes, “And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.” (ESV)

22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.

2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” 9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—17 I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. 19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21  Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! 22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” (ESV)

You see, as Jesus prepares to take his last breath, he reminds his followers that this is how it was suppose to happen. This was the plan all along. The Psalmist predicted it. And while it seems dark now, victory is not far off. Because the Psalmist isn’t done. keep reading. And the Psalmist writes:

24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” (ESV)

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!

9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—17 I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. 19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21  Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! 22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” (ESV)

19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21  Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! 22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.” (ESV)

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

The Psalmist says this crucifixion doesn’t end in defeat. He says the cry of the afflicted one, the cry of Jesus has been heard. He says that kingship will belong to him. He says that he will rule over the nations. He says all will bow down before him. He says that Jesus has and will do what nobody else could do. That for all future generations he has done it. He has defeated death. He has done it. Salvation is ours. It is finished!

And just to make sure that we got the message, in the moment Jesus died, something happens in the temple to solidify Jesus’s victory. Mark writes, “And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top top bottom.” (ESV)

Matthew says along with the curtain tearing there was an earthquake as well. He writes, “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open...” (ESV)

What’s the significance? The curtain in the temple is what separated the worshipers from the Holy place. Nobody was allowed to go behind the curtain. Nobody was worthy to stand in the presence of God. But Jesus changed all that. Through his death he made a way for us to have relationship with God once again. Jesus’s death destroyed the barrier. You see, when Jesus cries out to God, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.” Jesus isn’t crying out a cry of defeat. he’s crying out a cry of victory. Death has been defeated! The salvation of mankind is at hand.

And so impactful is this moment, that those standing at the cross are in awe. Mark writes, “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!’” (ESV)

And there are also witnesses. People who heard what Jesus said. People who would relay it to others his words of hope.

Mark writes, “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.” (ESV)

Like Simon, Alexander, and Rufus, these women are witnesses to all that has happened. They will testify to the events of this day. They were there when Jesus cried out. They heard the reference to . They were there when the sky turned black and the earth shook. They can testify to the hope that Jesus promises. Because in just a few days, the Psalm will be fulfilled, and Jesus will rise again.

That’s how chapter 15 really ends. It doesn’t end in hopelessness. It ends with the promise of hope.

As we close this morning, that’s the messageGod wants to give us. Because the truth is, while your situation may seem hopeless, I’m here to tell you there is hope.

I’m here to tell you there’s still hope for your broken marriage.

I’m here to tell you there’s still hope for that lost loved one.

I’m here to tell you there’s hope in the midst of your addiction.

I’m here to tell you there is hope for your financial situation.

I’m here to tell you there is hope for your kids.

I’m here to tell you, as long as you keep your eyes on Jesus there is hope. Because even though the day is dark, even though the it seems hopeless, there’s a chapter 16 to your story. Jesus will rise. Jesus has the power over death and the grave. Jesus has done it. It is finished.

Listen, I know it hurts right now. i know what you’re going through is no fun. But God hasn’t abandoned you. You are not alone. In the midst of your storm He is with you. And I’m here to tell you, that as long as you keep your eyes on Jesus, there’s a chapter 16. There’s hope. God is going to help you. God is going to deliver you. God is going to make a way. God is going to give you victory.

Let’s Pray