WEBVTT 00:00:07.608 --> 00:00:13.435 Well, today is Palm Sunday, and if you didn't get a sermon outline, you would like one. 00:00:13.435 --> 00:00:18.687 The ushers would be happy to help you now, and if you need to borrow a Bible, they have one of those too. 00:00:18.687 --> 00:00:21.743 Just raise your hand, they'll be happy to help you. 00:00:21.743 --> 00:00:49.892 Obviously, we've been singing about Palm Sunday this morning, and it gets its name from how people greeted Jesus when he rode into Jerusalem the Sunday before his death in resurrection. 00:00:49.892 --> 00:01:03.813 The people welcomed Jesus into the city by waving palm branches, laying them down with their robes in the road, so he could walk on into the city riding a little donkey. 00:01:03.813 --> 00:01:12.126 Now, to commemorate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we have a palm for you to take home, if you'd like. 00:01:12.126 --> 00:01:17.212 If you'd like one, write down here and just come up after the service and take one. 00:01:17.212 --> 00:01:18.102 You're welcome to them. 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:28.930 Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Sunday marks the beginning of the events during that week that will lead to his death on Friday, which we'll look at in a minute. 00:01:28.930 --> 00:01:39.250 The people who are waving these palm branches and shouting Hosanna on the road aren't just welcoming Jesus with glad songs of triumph. 00:01:39.250 --> 00:01:46.551 They are actually worshiping him with Psalms as their Lord and King. 00:01:46.551 --> 00:01:52.487 The people think he's come now to restore the kingdom to Israel. 00:01:52.487 --> 00:02:00.183 They're acknowledging him as Lord and King and that's why the Pharisees asked Jesus to rebuke them. 00:02:00.183 --> 00:02:08.973 That's blasphemy, calling you the Lord and King and will be instrumental in his later arrest. 00:02:08.973 --> 00:02:19.484 During the week Following Jesus' triumphal entry, what he does is he goes into the city and goes right to the temple and begins teaching there. 00:02:19.484 --> 00:02:29.872 Pretty much every day during that last week he's more and more aggressively challenged and opposed by the religious leaders. 00:02:29.872 --> 00:02:31.405 It just continues to grow. 00:02:31.405 --> 00:02:42.419 During his last week, almost everything that is happening to Jesus is being done to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies concerning Messiah. 00:02:42.419 --> 00:02:45.729 In fact, we're going to go back to the Gospel of Mark. 00:02:45.729 --> 00:02:57.288 Aren't you glad we're going to go back to the Gospel of Mark this morning, where there are 20 such fulfillment cited in chapters 11 to 15. 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:11.491 When we come to Jesus' last day in Mark, chapter 15, we're going to look at three things the meaning of Jesus' crucifixion, the meaning of Jesus' death and the meaning of Jesus' burial. 00:03:11.491 --> 00:03:13.033 So let's begin. 00:03:13.033 --> 00:03:23.008 I'm going to read the passage in Mark, chapter 15, if you're following along, about Jesus' crucifixion, beginning of Mark 15, verse 22. 00:03:23.008 --> 00:03:28.889 Then they brought him to the place Golgotha, which translated place of the skull. 00:03:28.889 --> 00:03:41.247 They tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it, and they crucified him and divided up his garments among them, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. 00:03:41.247 --> 00:03:44.247 It was the third hour when they crucified him. 00:03:44.247 --> 00:03:49.090 The inscription of the charge against him read the king of the Jews. 00:03:49.090 --> 00:04:11.723 They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right, one on his left, and the scripture was fulfilled, which says he was numbered with transgressors, and those passing by were hurling abuse at him, wagging their heads and saying you who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, come down from the cross. 00:04:11.723 --> 00:04:23.149 In the same way, the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking him among themselves and saying he saved others, but he cannot save himself. 00:04:23.149 --> 00:04:29.060 Let this Christ, the king of Israel, now come down from the cross so that we may see and believe. 00:04:29.060 --> 00:04:32.689 Those who were crucified with him were also insulting him. 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:46.310 From those who had witnessed a crucifixion during this period in Roman history, it was considered at the time to be probably the worst way a human could be executed. 00:04:46.310 --> 00:04:59.189 Crucifixion had one purpose for the Romans the execution of a notorious criminal in the most publicly humiliating, longest lasting, torturous way possible. 00:04:59.189 --> 00:05:02.134 Why? 00:05:02.134 --> 00:05:07.548 As a strong deterrent for anybody else who had seek to rebel against Rome. 00:05:07.548 --> 00:05:23.507 From God's perspective, being crucified hung on a tree, it's called in the scripture, was the ultimate divine curse, a sign of God's complete rejection of the person. 00:05:23.507 --> 00:05:38.567 We read this in Deuteronomy 21, verses 22 and 23, where it says if a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree. 00:05:38.567 --> 00:05:44.029 You should surely bury him on the same day, for he who is hanged is a cursed of God. 00:05:44.029 --> 00:06:05.629 On the cross, jesus not only suffered extreme human pain and demoralizing shame, he also suffered probably the worst possible thing, and that is the divine rejection of God, his father, when he became a curse for us. 00:06:05.629 --> 00:06:09.086 As Paul notes in Galatians 3.13,. 00:06:09.086 --> 00:06:20.281 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law because he became a curse for us, for it is written cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, quoting from Deuteronomy. 00:06:20.281 --> 00:06:31.487 But in my mind, the most striking thing we have to realize about Jesus' crucifixion is that it wasn't just a random act of violence. 00:06:31.487 --> 00:06:46.800 It was, as the prophecies predicted, planned by Almighty God himself In Isaiah 53, verse 10, talking about the Messiah, says the Lord was pleased to crush him. 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:52.052 The Lord was pleased to crush him, putting him to grief. 00:06:52.052 --> 00:07:02.685 If he would render himself as a guilt offering, he will see his offspring, he will prolong his days and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in his hands. 00:07:02.685 --> 00:07:06.569 Before that happens, he is going to be crushed. 00:07:06.569 --> 00:07:16.485 Jesus also affirmed that that was why God had sent him to our world John 12, 27,. 00:07:16.485 --> 00:07:19.839 Jesus said Now my soul has become troubled. 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:23.831 This is as he's thinking about his imminent death. 00:07:23.831 --> 00:07:26.387 He says what shall I say? 00:07:26.387 --> 00:07:28.406 Father, save me from this hour. 00:07:28.406 --> 00:07:31.687 This is the purpose I came to this hour. 00:07:31.687 --> 00:07:33.752 He understood it. 00:07:33.752 --> 00:07:46.672 This was his father's plan and the apostles themselves testified that it was all God's plan, using evil human agents to do it. 00:07:47.261 --> 00:07:52.333 Peter said Pentecost, his great sermon, in Acts, chapter 2, verse 22 and 23. 00:07:52.333 --> 00:08:04.985 He says Men of Israel, listen to me, jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God, with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through him in your midst, just as you yourselves know. 00:08:04.985 --> 00:08:17.853 This man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to the cross by the hands of Godless men. 00:08:17.853 --> 00:08:18.533 Put him to death. 00:08:18.533 --> 00:08:29.154 So Jesus' crucifixion was prophesied in the Scripture, affirmed by Jesus. 00:08:29.154 --> 00:08:37.374 He knew what was going to happen and the apostles affirmed it as this act of God himself. 00:08:37.374 --> 00:08:47.548 Second, the Old Testament prophecies told us that Jesus' crucifixion was actually serving as an offering to God for our sin. 00:08:49.100 --> 00:08:53.912 Isaiah 53.5 says but he was pierced. 00:08:53.912 --> 00:08:57.586 Talking about the Messiah, don't miss that. 00:08:57.586 --> 00:09:05.386 I don't think literally. 00:09:05.386 --> 00:09:07.711 Crucifixion was known until the Roman era. 00:09:07.711 --> 00:09:10.826 They did all kinds of torturous things. 00:09:10.826 --> 00:09:16.566 But here it's predicting this Messiah was pierced. 00:09:16.566 --> 00:09:20.811 It also mentions his piercing in Psalm 22. 00:09:20.811 --> 00:09:27.874 But he was pierced through for our transgressions. 00:09:27.874 --> 00:09:30.284 He was crushed for our inequities. 00:09:30.284 --> 00:09:37.009 The chastening for our well-being fell on him and by his scourging we are healed. 00:09:37.009 --> 00:09:46.206 The most horrible, cruel, evil, unjust act was under the sovereign control of God to accomplish his good purpose. 00:09:46.206 --> 00:09:51.953 Ironically, that good purpose was for us, you and I. 00:09:51.953 --> 00:09:54.320 Paul says it. 00:09:55.583 --> 00:09:58.293 Listen carefully to Romans 8, verses 3 and 4. 00:09:58.293 --> 00:10:03.674 For what the law could not do, nobody can keep it. 00:10:03.674 --> 00:10:08.320 Law could not do for us, couldn't give us eternal life. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:11.833 The law could not do, weak as it was, through the flesh. 00:10:11.833 --> 00:10:12.758 God did it. 00:10:12.758 --> 00:10:13.279 How did he do it? 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:18.259 He sent his own son in the likeness of sin, for flesh and as an offering for sin. 00:10:18.259 --> 00:10:21.077 He condemns it in the flesh. 00:10:21.077 --> 00:10:21.299 Why? 00:10:21.299 --> 00:10:24.320 So that the requirement of the law would be fulfilled in us. 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:27.071 We have his righteousness now. 00:10:27.071 --> 00:10:39.695 We're completely fulfilled as a result of his offering, as a result of Jesus' crucifixion. 00:10:39.875 --> 00:10:41.279 Obviously, jesus died, which we'll look at next. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:45.320 Mark 15, beginning in verse 33. 00:10:45.320 --> 00:10:51.320 When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. 00:10:51.320 --> 00:10:58.615 At the ninth hour, jesus cried out with a loud voice Eloi, eloi Lama, sabbik tani. 00:10:58.615 --> 00:11:04.320 Which translated my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:09.320 When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying behold, he's calling for Elijah. 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:19.320 Someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave him a drink, saying let's see whether Elijah will come and take him down. 00:11:19.320 --> 00:11:24.320 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:27.711 Jesus' death was also a fulfillment of Scripture. 00:11:27.711 --> 00:11:28.573 You all know this. 00:11:28.573 --> 00:11:34.296 Go back to Isaiah 53, verses 10 and 11, where we look. 00:11:34.296 --> 00:11:39.259 But the Lord was pleased to crush him, putting him to grief. 00:11:39.259 --> 00:11:42.677 If he'd rendered himself as a guilt offering. 00:11:42.677 --> 00:11:48.082 He'll see his offering and, as a result of the anguish of his soul, he will see it be satisfied by his knowledge. 00:11:48.082 --> 00:11:51.095 The righteous one, my servant will justify his death. 00:11:51.095 --> 00:11:57.152 The righteous one, my servant, will justify the many as he will bear their iniquities. 00:11:58.701 --> 00:12:09.299 And Paul captures what's happening here in this really compilation of what Jesus is doing here. 00:12:09.299 --> 00:12:10.947 We call it now the gospel. 00:12:10.947 --> 00:12:23.745 And 1 Corinthians 15, 3 and 4, paul says I deliver to you as of first importance what I also received that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scripture. 00:12:23.745 --> 00:12:25.350 That he was buried. 00:12:25.350 --> 00:12:28.279 That he was raised again on the third day. 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:39.134 According to the Scriptures, jesus, who was without sin, was crucified, put to death to make atonement for our sins. 00:12:39.134 --> 00:12:45.232 It's just phenomenal, unbelievable, life-changing truth. 00:12:45.232 --> 00:12:54.274 In 2 Corinthians 5, 21, paul captures the essence of what Jesus did, what God did through him. 00:12:54.274 --> 00:12:59.279 God made him, who knew no sin, to be sin. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:01.239 He absorbed all of our sin. 00:13:01.239 --> 00:13:08.673 He became sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. 00:13:08.673 --> 00:13:16.846 Okay, all that's reviewed. 00:13:16.846 --> 00:13:19.368 You should already know that stuff. 00:13:19.368 --> 00:13:31.347 But the only way to really grasp the meaning of Christ's death is that we must begin to understand the gravity and power of sin. 00:13:32.922 --> 00:13:35.990 In the Scripture, sin has basically two aspects. 00:13:35.990 --> 00:13:40.320 First, sin is wrongdoing. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:42.320 It's doing what's not right. 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:50.274 James 4, 17 says therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it to him. 00:13:50.274 --> 00:13:53.320 That is sin, so wrongdoing. 00:13:53.320 --> 00:14:11.394 Second, in the Scripture, sin also comes with a capital S sin proper name and that is a corrupting, spiritual, malignant force within us called the sin nature. 00:14:11.394 --> 00:14:42.993 It's very much alive and the apostle Paul describes his wrestling with this force, this proper name, this malignant force called sin, when he says in Romans 7, I find that the principle, the principle that evil is present in me, this malignant force, and he calls it principle or law in him. 00:14:42.993 --> 00:15:05.015 I find that the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good, for I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of which sin, of sin, law of sin which is in my members. 00:15:06.721 --> 00:15:24.388 The meaning of Jesus' death shows us that only the power and vicarious death of listen to me, only this malignant, powerful force in us. 00:15:24.388 --> 00:15:34.980 We are unable to eradicate it and it is behind the reasons we do what is wrong. 00:15:34.980 --> 00:15:37.184 Now listen to me. 00:15:37.184 --> 00:15:52.446 Only Jesus' death, only the only power of the victorious death of the Son of God is what can free us from the penalty and power of sin in our lives? 00:15:52.446 --> 00:15:54.914 That says something. 00:15:54.914 --> 00:16:03.783 See, only the Son of God himself can die and free us from that power. 00:16:03.783 --> 00:16:04.804 That's it. 00:16:04.804 --> 00:16:14.937 It has to be that powerful, and Jesus knew this, and that's why God sent him. 00:16:14.937 --> 00:16:16.491 Therefore. 00:16:16.491 --> 00:16:18.720 Why, therefore, listen to me? 00:16:18.809 --> 00:16:21.458 We must stop trivializing sin. 00:16:21.458 --> 00:16:32.004 We must stop thinking sins no big deal, I'll be forgiven, god will forgive me. 00:16:32.004 --> 00:16:45.900 We must see it for what it really is Enemy destroyer, destroyer of lives, avoiding it in all costs by the power of God. 00:16:45.900 --> 00:16:51.275 It only leads to death In one form or another. 00:16:51.275 --> 00:16:54.220 Romans 6 to 83,. 00:16:54.220 --> 00:16:57.125 The wages of sin is death. 00:16:57.125 --> 00:17:06.336 That is, death is the consequence, something in the realm of death. 00:17:06.336 --> 00:17:09.919 James talks about that too in James 1. 00:17:09.919 --> 00:17:18.964 But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 00:17:18.964 --> 00:17:32.385 Listen, if Jesus doesn't die for us as our sin bearer, we will all face the eternal judgment of God and perish forever. 00:17:32.385 --> 00:17:40.667 Only the vicarious death of the Son of God himself can free us from its power. 00:17:40.667 --> 00:17:52.750 We must stop thinking of sin as no big deal, if nothing else to honor the one who saved us from its power and consequences. 00:17:55.396 --> 00:18:00.089 But when Jesus took our sins in his body, two things result for those who believe in him as their Savior. 00:18:00.089 --> 00:18:10.869 First, jesus' crucifixion and death means that our sins are forgiven and we will not face God's eternal judgment for our sin. 00:18:10.869 --> 00:18:21.109 Jesus prepared us for that when he said in John 5, truly, truly, I say to you, you hear my word and believe in who sent me has eternal life. 00:18:21.109 --> 00:18:25.829 He does not come into judgment, but is passed from death to life. 00:18:25.829 --> 00:18:39.910 So not only are our sins forgiven, but Jesus' death on the cross means that the power of sin which is at work in us, is defeated. 00:18:39.910 --> 00:18:46.910 We can now say no in the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:18:46.910 --> 00:18:50.448 We were once slaves to it. 00:18:50.448 --> 00:19:02.910 He's freed us, no longer has the power over sin, no longer reigns in the lives of believers, and Paul says it this way in Romans 7. 00:19:02.910 --> 00:19:06.910 You've got to read Romans 7 into Romans 8. 00:19:06.910 --> 00:19:08.890 They're really together. 00:19:08.930 --> 00:19:14.808 I don't know why the translator stopped it, but they did Romans 7 and 24. 00:19:14.808 --> 00:19:20.910 Wretched man that I am, paul says who will set me free from this body of death? 00:19:20.910 --> 00:19:25.420 Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 00:19:25.420 --> 00:19:33.624 So then, on the one hand, I myself, with my mind, am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh, the law of sin. 00:19:33.624 --> 00:19:53.403 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the power of sin and of death. 00:19:53.403 --> 00:19:59.099 Paul argues in Romans I don't have time to go there Romans 6 and so on. 00:19:59.099 --> 00:20:04.561 Then we need to yield to the spirit. 00:20:04.561 --> 00:20:09.141 We no longer have to obey sins call in our lives. 00:20:09.141 --> 00:20:13.420 We should remember how deadly it is. 00:20:13.930 --> 00:20:18.280 The Gospel of Mark is talking about finishing up with Jesus' death. 00:20:18.280 --> 00:20:30.542 Here, the Gospel of Mark, which I find fascinating, mark doesn't include everything surrounding Jesus crucifixion and death. 00:20:30.542 --> 00:20:35.882 He's choosing the things he wants to emphasize for his point. 00:20:35.882 --> 00:20:40.910 And Jesus uttered several things from the cross. 00:20:40.910 --> 00:20:50.869 But there are two things he uttered that help us, that Mark mentions, that help us understand the meaning of his death for us. 00:20:50.869 --> 00:20:59.890 The first cry from the cross, mark 1534, is where Jesus said my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:20:59.890 --> 00:21:03.597 And you know this. 00:21:03.597 --> 00:21:08.910 He was experiencing at that moment God's judgment for our sin. 00:21:08.910 --> 00:21:13.682 He took our sin in himself and God is judging him for it. 00:21:13.682 --> 00:21:20.721 And what does that mean Total, eternal separation from the presence and fellowship of God? 00:21:20.721 --> 00:21:30.444 Jesus experienced what we would have experienced if we had died for our own sins. 00:21:30.444 --> 00:21:34.314 That's the first thing. 00:21:34.314 --> 00:21:37.632 The cry means the first cry. 00:21:37.632 --> 00:21:42.012 Then we have Jesus last cry from the cross Mark mentions. 00:21:42.032 --> 00:21:48.869 Mark 1537 says Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 00:21:48.869 --> 00:21:51.298 This is very significant. 00:21:51.298 --> 00:22:00.400 I've seen a number of people take their last breath, but I've said this before Jesus last breath was different. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:07.118 In fact, we know it was different because even the centurion who's watching? 00:22:07.118 --> 00:22:10.364 He's standing right there watching Jesus die. 00:22:10.364 --> 00:22:15.999 How many crucifixions has this centurion witnessed? 00:22:15.999 --> 00:22:16.861 I don't know. 00:22:16.861 --> 00:22:17.402 Hundreds. 00:22:17.402 --> 00:22:19.717 He's a warrior. 00:22:19.717 --> 00:22:23.433 He's seen a lot of people die and breathe their last breath, maybe some of his friends. 00:22:23.433 --> 00:22:25.118 They've all died and breathe their last breath. 00:22:25.118 --> 00:22:26.041 That's it. 00:22:26.041 --> 00:22:34.042 But this breath, this last breath, was like nothing he had ever heard. 00:22:37.751 --> 00:22:41.741 The text says he uttered a loud cry. 00:22:41.741 --> 00:22:47.587 Magalene phonane, you know what those words mean. 00:22:47.587 --> 00:22:51.134 Those words mean literally. 00:22:51.134 --> 00:23:03.136 He shouted, and many of the commentators believe what's happening here. 00:23:03.136 --> 00:23:07.325 This was Jesus' shout of victory. 00:23:07.325 --> 00:23:19.342 When the centurion heard this and watched how he died, he literally was crushed. 00:23:19.342 --> 00:23:22.227 This must be the son of God. 00:23:22.227 --> 00:23:23.991 He'd never seen anything like that. 00:23:23.991 --> 00:23:28.021 A victory cry that means last breath. 00:23:28.021 --> 00:23:29.285 Are you kidding me? 00:23:29.285 --> 00:23:31.827 Wow? 00:23:34.010 --> 00:23:42.080 Jesus' crucifixion means that when Jesus took all our sins on himself, he was cursed by God. 00:23:42.080 --> 00:23:57.368 For us, jesus' death means that our sins have been judged in Jesus and will never come to account for eternity. 00:23:57.368 --> 00:24:03.806 The power of sin over us is defeated, our sins are forgiven and allowing us direct access to the presence of God. 00:24:03.806 --> 00:24:10.455 Now, after Jesus was crucified and died, he was buried. 00:24:10.455 --> 00:24:14.086 Why is that so important for us to know? 00:24:14.086 --> 00:24:16.371 It is important for us to know. 00:24:17.553 --> 00:24:23.332 Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 15, it's part of the gospel message. 00:24:23.332 --> 00:24:26.244 He was buried, he was certified dead. 00:24:26.244 --> 00:24:39.820 Well, again, with each of the other crucifixion, death, his burial was also a fulfillment of scripture. 00:24:39.820 --> 00:24:49.174 Isaiah 53, verse 8 and 9, says but the Messiah, by oppression and judgment, he was taken away. 00:24:49.174 --> 00:24:55.094 And as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off from the land of the living? 00:24:55.094 --> 00:25:00.270 That means death for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due. 00:25:00.270 --> 00:25:11.125 His grave was assigned with wicked men, and yet he was with a rich man in his death, because he had done no violence, there was no deceit in his mouth. 00:25:11.125 --> 00:25:12.747 And when? 00:25:12.747 --> 00:25:16.413 I find fascinating we talked about this in our Jonah series. 00:25:16.413 --> 00:25:34.518 Jesus referred to the book of Jonah, looking forward to his own burial and defeat of death when he said an evil and adulterous generation crazed for a sign. 00:25:34.518 --> 00:25:37.586 And yet no sign will be given it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet. 00:25:37.586 --> 00:25:51.900 For just as Jonah was three days three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of man be three days three nights in the heart of the earth. 00:25:51.900 --> 00:25:54.105 He said this while he was alive. 00:25:56.450 --> 00:26:12.019 Now, on Easter Sunday, we'll have a good time talking about the significance Jesus prepared his disciples of all that was going to happen to him His death bear on resurrection. 00:26:12.019 --> 00:26:32.545 Repeatedly, over and over again, I'll say this next week, so you would think on Easter Sunday, some of the disciples would have gathered around the tomb and said well, let's see what happens here. 00:26:32.545 --> 00:26:35.449 But they didn't Not one of them. 00:26:35.449 --> 00:26:37.832 They didn't believe it. 00:26:37.832 --> 00:26:54.865 It's interesting how Jesus' death affected people who were there and who took it upon themselves to assist in his burial. 00:26:54.865 --> 00:27:03.298 Now something happened to them that radically changed their lives. 00:27:03.298 --> 00:27:09.530 Everyone who had a part in Jesus' burial experienced a profound transformation. 00:27:09.691 --> 00:27:18.565 Mark tells us that he mentions Nicodemus, joseph of Arimathea, mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joseph. 00:27:18.565 --> 00:27:26.138 John tells us that Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were secret disciples of Jesus. 00:27:26.138 --> 00:27:28.488 John 19.38,. 00:27:28.488 --> 00:27:39.984 After these things, joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. 00:27:39.984 --> 00:27:46.419 I love Jesus, I'm a disciple. 00:27:46.419 --> 00:27:57.403 John tells us that Joseph and Nicodemus went together to ask for his body and bury him. 00:27:57.503 --> 00:28:02.394 Nicodemus and Joseph began with an amazing transformation. 00:28:02.394 --> 00:28:10.829 They began with a new courage to identify with Jesus, their Savior and Lord. 00:28:10.829 --> 00:28:15.576 They got a courage they didn't have before. 00:28:15.576 --> 00:28:23.938 They were content to stay in the background, not ruffle any figures. 00:28:23.938 --> 00:28:27.346 I might lose my stuff, they might be really mad at me. 00:28:29.069 --> 00:28:34.400 The text says Joseph went boldly to Pilate to ask for Jesus' body. 00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:35.903 Mark 1543,. 00:28:35.903 --> 00:28:48.113 Joseph Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body Boldly. 00:28:48.113 --> 00:28:57.086 You realize that it took great courage to go and ask for Jesus' body. 00:28:57.086 --> 00:29:02.587 Normally, to the Romans, these bodies wouldn't be buried, they'd be thrown in a pit. 00:29:02.587 --> 00:29:08.498 Why did it take good courage? 00:29:08.498 --> 00:29:13.809 Because the Romans had just tried and executed Jesus for high treason. 00:29:13.809 --> 00:29:19.025 You don't want to be identified with a treasonous criminal. 00:29:19.025 --> 00:29:27.681 Not only that, the Jewish Sanhedrin found Jesus guilty of blasphemy. 00:29:27.681 --> 00:29:34.734 These two guys were members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council in Israel. 00:29:34.734 --> 00:29:47.040 Now Joseph and Nicodemus members of the Sanhedrin for the first time are willing to say out loud that they have been secretly following Jesus. 00:29:47.040 --> 00:29:56.621 That's the impact of his death when they began to grasp what was happening. 00:29:57.742 --> 00:30:03.602 Joseph and Nicodemus are using now their power and influence as members of the Sanhedrin to get Jesus' body. 00:30:03.602 --> 00:30:05.666 I don't know if anybody else could have done it. 00:30:05.666 --> 00:30:17.351 They had power and influence with the Roman, pontius, pilate and so on. 00:30:17.351 --> 00:30:24.306 The interesting thing is they're risking everything to do it, to identify themselves with Jesus. 00:30:24.306 --> 00:30:31.207 They don't have the same priorities anymore, which before was to save themselves and what they had. 00:30:31.207 --> 00:30:35.394 That's how his death affected them. 00:30:35.394 --> 00:30:38.161 It gave them a different identity. 00:30:38.161 --> 00:30:40.705 We don't know a lot about it. 00:30:40.705 --> 00:30:55.377 In addition to the new courage and identity, the barely of Jesus brought out in them a new humility, generosity and willing service. 00:30:55.377 --> 00:30:59.025 You see this because what they did. 00:30:59.025 --> 00:31:02.053 Let me read it verse 42. 00:31:02.914 --> 00:31:13.749 When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, joseph of Arimathea came a prominent member of the council who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. 00:31:13.749 --> 00:31:20.127 He gathered up the courage boldly before Pilate asked for the body of Jesus. 00:31:20.127 --> 00:31:22.355 Pilate wondered if he was dead by this time. 00:31:22.355 --> 00:31:31.326 Summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether he was already dead and, ascertaining this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 00:31:31.326 --> 00:31:44.834 Joseph bought a linen cloth, took him down, wrapped him in the linen cloth, laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock. 00:31:44.834 --> 00:31:53.085 He rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb and Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of Joseph, were looking on to see where he was laid. 00:31:53.085 --> 00:32:00.000 Joseph purchased the linen Out of his own pocket. 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:01.703 He is going to take care of things. 00:32:01.703 --> 00:32:03.548 He is going to take care of Jesus properly. 00:32:05.373 --> 00:32:08.640 That also meant they took the body down. 00:32:08.640 --> 00:32:12.829 They washed it, a job normally for women or slaves at the time. 00:32:12.829 --> 00:32:19.025 They washed it, they wrapped it and perfumed it. 00:32:19.025 --> 00:32:41.010 Joseph purchased the linen and we understand from the other gospel accounts that Joseph gave up his own tomb, a very elaborate, expensive place he himself made for his own burial out of the rock Hewn out of the rock. 00:32:41.010 --> 00:32:50.171 Nicodemus purchased and bought the spices to perfume the body of Jesus as it lay in the tomb. 00:32:50.171 --> 00:32:56.648 What's interesting is the normal custom, I found out for perfuming a body after death. 00:32:56.648 --> 00:33:05.990 They used five pounds of spices, which is normally every household would have had that much, just in case somebody died suddenly. 00:33:05.990 --> 00:33:12.121 Nicodemus, though, brought 75 pounds of spices. 00:33:12.121 --> 00:33:17.998 They were told in the gospels that amount was used for royal burials. 00:33:17.998 --> 00:33:24.092 You get a picture of what they started to think about Jesus. 00:33:25.316 --> 00:33:43.435 To understand the meaning of Jesus' crucifixion, death and burial, you need to look at the profound transformation in those who were there and who believed Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, from the centurion on through. 00:33:43.435 --> 00:33:46.365 That was Mark's point. 00:33:46.365 --> 00:33:53.766 The quote of the centurion, basically, is the climax of the Gospel of Mark, because that's how we started. 00:33:53.766 --> 00:33:57.053 This is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 00:33:57.053 --> 00:34:00.426 Now we go through the gospel, and then it's at the end. 00:34:00.426 --> 00:34:04.914 The centurion proclaims this is the Son of God. 00:34:04.914 --> 00:34:06.698 Thank you, mark. 00:34:06.698 --> 00:34:07.885 Close it up good. 00:34:07.885 --> 00:34:19.052 Those who believed in Jesus, we see, responded with a new courage, new willingness to serve and new willingness to boldly tell others about Jesus, regardless of the cost. 00:34:19.052 --> 00:34:31.679 Well, that's, I think, a challenge for all of us, if we really grasp what happened there on that Friday. 00:34:35.125 --> 00:34:41.684 See, in these final paragraphs, mark is leaving us with the content of the gospel Paul picked up on it. 00:34:41.684 --> 00:34:44.009 Jesus died for our sins. 00:34:44.009 --> 00:34:49.597 He was buried and hang on, it was raised on the third day. 00:34:49.597 --> 00:34:56.076 Only the substitutionary death of Christ could have toned for our sins and set us free. 00:34:56.076 --> 00:35:04.333 Only that the gospel reveals some profound truths about Jesus and about us. 00:35:04.333 --> 00:35:15.052 Really, we are so bad that our only hope is that Jesus, the Son of God, had to die in our place. 00:35:15.052 --> 00:35:25.431 But Jesus loved us so much that he was glad to die for us One day. 00:35:25.431 --> 00:35:28.635 Welcome us into his kingdom. 00:35:28.635 --> 00:35:37.193 You know, there's only one thing left undone after he finished his great work on the cross. 00:35:37.193 --> 00:35:50.521 Only one thing left for us to experience the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life that, at great cost, he came to give us. 00:35:51.322 --> 00:35:59.882 And what's interesting is, before he died, jesus told Nicodemus what he had to do to be born again. 00:35:59.882 --> 00:36:01.545 It's almost like preparing him. 00:36:01.545 --> 00:36:15.251 He knows Nicodemus Mr Secret Disciple is going to need to know this as well as everybody else who really gets it his death what it means. 00:36:15.251 --> 00:36:21.641 He must believe in Jesus as a Savior. 00:36:21.641 --> 00:36:24.407 Jesus said it to Nicodemus this way. 00:36:25.230 --> 00:36:28.717 He used an Old Testament illustration. 00:36:28.717 --> 00:36:54.965 He said, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, and what he's talking about here is a plague had swept through the children of Israel in the wilderness and God said I want you to take a big stake and put a bronze emblem of a serpent on it. 00:36:54.965 --> 00:37:04.786 Hold it up there, and everybody who looks at that will be saved from the plague. 00:37:04.786 --> 00:37:13.726 And Jesus said, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up. 00:37:13.726 --> 00:37:22.315 That's why that whoever believes will In him have eternal life. 00:37:22.315 --> 00:37:31.025 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 00:37:31.025 --> 00:37:35.777 For God didn't send the Son in the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 00:37:35.777 --> 00:37:57.905 And when that belief, the Son of God as our Savior sent to be lifted up on our behalf, when that grips your heart, what has to happen is express that in prayer to God and welcome Jesus into your heart, calling on him to save you. 00:37:58.650 --> 00:38:00.474 Romans 10, paul says it. 00:38:00.474 --> 00:38:04.983 He says there's no distinction between Jew and no matter who you are. 00:38:04.983 --> 00:38:12.869 The same Lord is the Lord of all bounding and riches for all who call on him. 00:38:12.869 --> 00:38:18.623 For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. 00:38:18.623 --> 00:38:21.811 I urge you, if you've never done that, do it. 00:38:21.811 --> 00:38:26.418 That's why he came, not for himself, for you. 00:38:26.418 --> 00:38:35.356 Believe in him, your Savior, for the gift of eternal life, for the forgiveness of your sins. 00:38:36.920 --> 00:38:37.362 Let's pray. 00:38:37.362 --> 00:38:45.000 Father, thank you for sending Jesus, your Son, to rescue us from the power of sin and death. 00:38:45.000 --> 00:39:01.739 Thank you that we are linked across the millennia in acknowledging Jesus as our King who comes to save us, and with those who wave the palm wrenches acknowledging Jesus as Lord and King. 00:39:01.739 --> 00:39:04.585 We too do the same this morning. 00:39:04.585 --> 00:39:19.019 Help us, lord, to stop trivializing and minimizing our own sin and realize the extent of the love and the price you paid to forgive us and free us from its penalty and power. 00:39:19.019 --> 00:39:20.824 We need your help to do that, lord. 00:39:20.824 --> 00:39:36.998 Forgive us for the many times we just have trivialized what you look at as a huge violation of your love and grace to us. 00:39:36.998 --> 00:39:39.302 Give us the grace, lord, we need. 00:39:39.302 --> 00:39:41.384 I pray in Jesus' name, amen.