The Darkest Day, pt.2

As we pick back up from this morning looking at “The Darkest Day” in human history, Jesus has had some deep valleys so far that night. The joy of celebrating the Passover with His disciples, was diminished by Judas Iscariot abandoning the Saviour to go and betray Him to His enemies. Then there was the low of His spiritual agony as He prayed in the Gethsemane. And to top it all off there was the betrayal by Judas kissing Him and His arrest by the soldiers. But the night was going to get worse. Again let me remind you that we will never know the true depths of agony and pain Jesus went through for sinners like us.

Text; Mark 14:53-65

Mark 14:53–65 NKJV

53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes. 54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. 56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree. 57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, 58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.’ ” 59 But not even then did their testimony agree. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. 65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

Mark 15:1–47 NKJV

1 Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. 2 Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.” 3 And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. 4 Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” 5 But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled. 6 Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. 8 Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 12 Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13 So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!” 14 Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!” 15 So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified. 16 Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. 17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, 18 and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. 20 And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. 21 Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. 22 And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23 Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. 24 And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take. 25 Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. 26 And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS 27 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. 28 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.” 29 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him. 33 Now 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 out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35 Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!” 36 Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.” 37 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. 38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!” 40 There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, 41 who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem. 42 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. 45 So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

1. The Darkness of Humanity; 14:53-65

False Witnesses- According to the Law, the testimony of witnesses in a trial had to be in perfect agreement,

Deuteronomy 17:6 NKJV

6 Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

Corrupt Court- the trial of Jesus was illegal

The Jew’s own laws, that regulated their court system, prohibited them from having a trial at night, on a feast day or on the eve of any Sabbath days.

All trials conducted by the Sanhedrin were to be held in The Hall Of Hewn Stones, on the Temple grounds. This was held at the home of the High Priest.

The Sanhedrin could not bring formal charges against a defendant, they could only investigate charges made by others.

The charges were changed 3 times during the trials [destroy the temple, blasphemy, treason against Caesar]

Murderous Mob- Priests, Pilate, People, Praetorium Guard

I don’t believe any of these people were followers of Jesus. Jesus was carried to a mock trial at night and most of the people who were thankful for Jesus in His teaching, healing and loving them were asleep and unaware of what was taking place. In the early morning when Jesus was before Pilate, the people were preparing for the High Sabbath of the first day of Unleavened Bread.

The Priests hated Him because he hurt their religious business. Pilate didn’t know him and was a coward when it came to appeasing the people. The people chose a rebel leader they admired because he started an insurrection against the Roman occupation of Jerusalem, and the Praetorium Guard hated all Jews, especially one who claimed to be their king.

2. The Darkness of Calvary; 15:22-34

Calvary- another name for Golgotha/Place of a Skull. It is a hill outside of Jerusalem that is shaped like a skull. When you think about a skull you think of death, bones, fear, nothing good! [22-26]

Numbered with the transgressors- Jesus was crucified between two transgressors [lawless ones/thieves]. The King of Glory is treated as a common thief. He died in the company of the ones He came to seek and save and fulfilled the prophesy of Isa. 53:12. [27-28]

Mocked- adding to the pain of the cross was the shame and disgrace of public humiliation from the people. They hurled insults and wagged their heads as a gesture of hatred and scorn. [29-32]

Sin- from 12 noon till 3pm, darkness covered the earth. A darkness like it was during the 9th plague on Egypt [Ex. 10:21-29]. A darkness of a hardened heart of Pharaoh, a darkness of death. God’s judgment on sin. [33]

Forsaken by God- The greatest darkness of the day was when God had to abandon His Son because of SIN! [34]

In the wilderness and in Gethsemane, Jesus went through great despair and agony, but was comforted by angels sent by His Father [Mark 1:13; Luke 22:43]. On the cross, Jesus endured the full reality of hell’s torments, including being forsaken by His Father.

John Phillips said, “the work of creation was done in the light; the work of redemption was done in the dark.”

3. The Darkness of Death; 42-46

Joseph of Arimathea came and asked for the body of Jesus to prepare it for burial instead of it rotting on the cross for days. He buried Jesus in his own tomb and rolled the stone shut.

Death seems so final. The Bible presents death as separation: physical death is the separation of the soul from the body, and spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God.

Death is the result of sin. “For the wages of sin is death,” Romans 6:23a. The whole world is subject to death, because all have sinned. “By one man sin entered the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

On the cross Jesus experienced the darkness of death, not as a sinner, but as our substitute.

Close;

In the midst of all the darkness we have in this world, remember there is hope in the Light.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”