WEBVTT 00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:11.599 Would you please stand with me if you are able for the reading of God's word to us? 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:14.000 Mark chapter fifteen. 00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:15.919 The whole chapter. 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:32.000 Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and the scribes and the whole council immediately held a consultation, and binding Jesus they led him away and delivered him to Pilate. 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:35.039 Pilate questioned him, Are you the king of the Jews? 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:38.240 And he answered him, It is as you say. 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:42.719 The chief priests began to accuse him harshly. 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:45.920 Pilate questioned him again, saying, Do you not answer? 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:48.320 See how many charges they bring against you. 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:53.759 But Jesus made no further answer, so Pilate was amazed. 00:00:54.399 --> 00:01:00.560 Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:08.959 The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who committed murder in the insurrection. 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:14.480 The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:19.760 Pilate answered them, saying, Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews? 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:25.920 For he was aware that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy. 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:32.319 But the chief priest stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:40.159 Answering again, Pilate said to them, Then what shall I do with him whom you call the king of the Jews? 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:42.400 They shouted, Back, crucify him. 00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:45.439 But Pilate said to them, Why? 00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:46.879 What evil has he done? 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:57.200 But they shouted all the more, Crucify him! Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them. 00:01:57.599 --> 00:02:02.000 And after having Jesus scourged, he handed him over to the be crucified. 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:10.000 The soldiers took him away into the palace, that is the praetorium, and they called together the whole Roman cohort. 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:15.759 They dressed him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:29.840 They began to acclaim him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! They kept beating his head with a reed and spitting on him, and kneeling and bowing before him. 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:39.039 After they had mocked him, they took the purple road off of him, and put his own garments on him, and they led him out to crucify him. 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:48.080 They pressed into service a passer by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:54.159 Then they brought him to the place of Golgotha, which is translated place of a skull. 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:58.800 They tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:08.719 And they crucified him, dividing up his garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide which man, what each man should take. 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:12.080 It was the third hour when they crucified him. 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:18.319 The inscription of the charge against him read, The King of the Jews. 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:24.159 They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right hand and one on his left. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:29.360 And the scripture was fulfilled which says, And he was numbered with the transgressors. 00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:42.879 Those passing by were hurling abuse at him, wagging their heads and saying, Ha! You who were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, come down from the cross. 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:51.840 In the same way the chief priests also among the scribes were mocking him, and among themselves saying, He saved others. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:54.000 He cannot save himself. 00:03:54.560 --> 00:04:01.919 Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:08.240 Those who crucified with him were insulting him as well. 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:16.160 When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:29.600 At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, Eloy, Eloi Lama Sabakhthenai, which translated, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:35.360 When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, Behold, he's calling for Elijah. 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:43.680 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on reed, gave it to him to drink, saying, Let's see whether Elijah will come to him and take him down. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:49.439 Jesus uttered a loud cry, breathed his last. 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:57.040 And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:08.079 When the centurion who was standing right in front of him saw the way he breathed his last, he said, Truly this man was the son of God. 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:18.560 There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the less, and Joseph in Salmone. 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:22.959 When he was in Galilee, they used to follow him and minister him. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:27.199 And there were many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:46.319 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, and he gathered up courage, went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:53.360 Pilate wondered if he was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether he was already dead. 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:59.600 And ascertaining from this this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:08.879 Joseph brought a linen cloth, took him down, wrapped him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock. 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:12.000 He rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:19.439 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Joseph, were looking on to see where he was laid. 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:22.000 This is the word of God. 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:23.360 You may be seated. 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:24.959 Brian, please come. 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:07.040 And this should happen every Sunday, every Lord's day. 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:19.600 And so, Father, we ask you that as we dive into this lengthy text, that we would be just overwhelmed with sorrow and joy. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:28.240 Knowing our King, knowing our Lord, knowing what's coming in the resurrection. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:35.360 And knowing that we have the forgiveness of sins through this work of our Savior. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:44.079 Lead and guide our hearts to be worshipful, to be in tune with your word, and to be transformed by your grace. 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:47.279 As we marvel over our Savior this morning. 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:49.439 We pray this in Christ's name. 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:50.399 Amen. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:08:11.600 Well, as we begin here this morning, I just want to remind you that as we're going to be obviously going through this whole large chunk of scripture, but our goal is that we would be just overwhelmed and undone at the historical narrative of the last few hours of Jesus' life. 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:17.759 As I said, this go-around, we're just going to be immersing ourselves in the narrative and the story and the event. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:26.560 At a future date, years down the road, maybe we'll dive in to deeply discuss more the finer points of what has transpired. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:28.160 Both are needed. 00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:40.879 But I felt at this time for us that we need to, the spirit was working on me, that we need to zoom out, if you will, and see the glory of the cross in the narrative all together as one piece. 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:42.720 And so let's begin. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:47.279 As we do this, I want to ask you a quick question that helps, I think, to set our minds. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:51.279 What comes to your mind when you think of the word substitute? 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:53.120 Substitute. 00:08:53.759 --> 00:09:12.399 Many of our minds, exactly, automatically go to the educational system or structure, where you have paid staff that'll come in and help when a teacher's sick or on leave for one reason or another, and they perform the normal daily tasks to the teacher, instructing the children, try to maintain the classroom civility, on and on. 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:14.320 That's one way. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:16.799 What about maybe when somebody is cooking? 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:21.919 When you're cooking and you realize that you're out of baking powder or some other key ingredient, what do you do? 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:23.840 Try to substitute. 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:29.440 How many of you got maybe a desire in your head to make cookies or brownies? 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:36.639 And you start salivating at the thought and you think about going to the store to buy some, and then you realize, wait, I'd have to leave the house. 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:42.320 And then, secondly, store-bought cookies are never as good as those warm chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven. 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:47.279 So you get up and you start to gather the ingredients and you realize you're out of something important like butter, maybe. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:48.559 What do you do? 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:53.519 If you're a novice like me, you run to Google and you find out what I don't know what to do. 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:55.279 What do I substitute? 00:09:56.720 --> 00:09:58.159 You figure it out. 00:10:00.320 --> 00:10:23.360 But when thinking about the word substitute, and all these things can come to our minds, there is only one that should come to the mind of the Christian that is truly glorious in regards to the word substitute, one that is universe-changing, one that makes it one of the greatest words in any language anywhere in the world. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:33.120 When the word substitute is spoken of in the church or in Christian circles, it's a word that signifies our salvation, our redemption. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:35.519 It represents hope, the hope that we have. 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:39.200 It speaks of a payment, a ransom. 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:42.240 It points to the cross and the blood. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:47.279 It even has the word satisfaction laced throughout. 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:50.799 Its beautiful, truth, and weighty importance. 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:52.720 It's a wonderful word. 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:55.440 Depicting the only way to eternal life. 00:10:55.679 --> 00:11:00.240 It's a word that for the Christian is good or wonderful news. 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:08.480 This, in the end, I would say is precisely what we are shown in the 15th chapter of the book of Mark. 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:12.879 Therefore, as we go through this chapter, I want you to keep that on your minds. 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:16.480 That substitutionary atonement is what it's called. 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:26.799 As you may be familiar with, this historical chapter is all about the public trial, the torture that Jesus suffered, the crucifixion, of course, the death and the burial. 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:38.639 Again, there's a lot to be seen here from the trial before the Roman governor to the beating and mocking he endured, to the nails driven in his flesh that attached him to the cross. 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:48.240 To the time period of that suffering on the cross, to the final breath that he took, and finally that empty tomb that was filled with his body. 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:51.519 Only to be empty again. 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:53.679 It's a lot to take in. 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:55.600 It's very hard for us to swallow. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:07.279 That this is real, but even harder to swallow that it's because of us that he suffered so greatly. 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:20.080 But what we need to reflect on and ponder as we think of this glorious and willing substitute is what we should have been thinking all throughout the book of Mark so far, and that is found in a word called gospel. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:22.559 Good news. 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:24.639 Good news. 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:27.759 So what happened on that morning is great. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:28.399 It's amazing. 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:28.960 It's awesome. 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:33.840 It produces hope, provides life, comfort, peace, assurance. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:36.000 It's gruesome. 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:38.799 It's wickedness at its height. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:39.840 It's tragic. 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:41.360 It's total injustice. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:47.919 And yes, it's absolutely awful and painful to even think about, even if you've heard of it a thousand times. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:52.639 I don't know about you, but when Joel was reading that, I was just struck again. 00:12:55.840 --> 00:13:00.960 But it is the greatest thing that could ever happen for humanity. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:11.919 And so I want us to back up a bit and we're going to see this whole day's interactions and the work and the grace that comes through this time that we now get to call good news. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:18.720 This kind of event should never be able to be classified as good news. 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:21.840 I mean torture, death, sin, and its pinnacle. 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:36.240 But when you survey the realities of what is taking place, it becomes not only the greatest story ever told, it becomes the necessary account of the greatest act of love and sacrifice that will ever be, that will ever be seen. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:37.440 It will never be forgotten. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:39.039 It will never be duplicated. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:41.279 That's why it's good news for us. 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:43.279 And so let's do this. 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:44.399 Let's go through this passage. 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:53.679 We're going to go chunk by chunk, a little bit of verse by verse, and then at the end I want us to just spend some time going back and reflecting on this text as we close. 00:13:54.159 --> 00:14:05.759 And so chapter 15 starts, it really begins with the finality of, remember from last time, a couple weeks ago, the kangaroo court, if you will, the sham court that was held by the chief priest. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:12.399 They're finishing up the trial with Jesus and they're preparing to try to get him to the Roman governor, to get him before Pilate. 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:15.200 At this point, you may be asking yourselves, why? 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:17.279 Why are they even taking him there? 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:23.600 Why didn't they just do what they wanted to do and execute the justice that they thought should take place? 00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:36.320 Well, to understand that, culturally, we need to remember that even though they were free to conduct their religious ceremonies and even govern themselves in some ways, the Jewish religious leaders had no authority for this. 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:39.840 Especially to administer the death penalty to anybody. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:43.840 That was the Romans' job to decide since they're really in charge. 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:49.840 But as we saw last week, they'd already been convinced in their own minds that Jesus had to die. 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:52.399 They just needed to convince the Romans to do it. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:02.320 Interestingly, the fact that they declared over Jesus a death penalty already wasn't the only thing that they had done that was outside of their control. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:09.440 And having this trial in this way, as the beginning of chapter 15 describes, they're actually breaking all kinds of commands. 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:14.799 Even their own laws, along with the charge of death, all of those things. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:20.399 Jewish law said that there would be no trial held during the time of the feast or Passover. 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:25.519 Jewish law also said there was no trial held during those hours of the day. 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:30.480 It also said that whoever was accused was allowed legal representation. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:35.919 Each member of the court of the Sanhedrin was to vote individually. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:41.360 And there was a lot of them, individually, whether or not to convict. 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:49.120 But what we see after Jesus responds, I am, is just the shouts of kill him. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:59.759 The law also said that the one who had been accused of a crime was not to be asked any questions, it would be self-incriminating, like, are you the Christ? 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:08.639 And Jewish law even stated that if the death penalty was to be issued prior to Roman occupation, it could not be done on the same day. 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:10.159 A night had to pass. 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:14.879 You see how many things are just chucking out with their own supposed law? 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:17.039 Even the law of God. 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:18.799 They're just dismissing. 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:30.799 These religious leaders are going to great lengths to make sure that this man was stopped and he no longer disrupted their way of life and their religious piety and their control. 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:36.080 Even seeking to break the law that they pretended to uphold. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:38.879 That's kind of natural for mankind, isn't it? 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:41.039 When you're not following after Christ. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:52.559 Remember, this whole time of Jesus' ministry, he's been rebuking them for the way they live and wrongly teach, and especially how they wrongly interpret and apply God's word. 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:57.519 He has put them in their place many times, and instead of repenting, what do they do? 00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:59.039 They lash out. 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:02.080 Again, that's kind of like our world, isn't it? 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:04.079 Makes sense. 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:12.240 But the real troubling part is that it seems to be even more fervent among those that claim to be followers of God. 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:14.160 Even today. 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:22.240 I mean, whole churches abandon the authority of the scriptures for the authority of the culture or themselves, over and over again. 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:26.240 When our Lord calls us to repentance, it is to agree with him, right? 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:28.640 And to be aligned with his truth and his will. 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:32.640 It is because of sin and wickedness that people refuse to do this. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:42.000 And this is exactly what happened over the past three years of Jesus' life as he taught and challenged these guys from truth, his truth, the word. 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:48.960 So it's not surprising, but it's yet shocking. 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:59.920 Verse 2 then goes on to say that they do what they wanted to do, they forsook all the laws, all the things that they needed to do, and they take them to Pilate. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.759 So this is a change of scene, if you will. 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:10.720 From one terrible injustice that pretends to be a court of law to another. 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:16.960 Here we see Pilate go on to question him and ask if he was a king of the Jews. 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:24.240 Of course, there's other questioning in there that the other gospel accounts record, but Jesus just simply answers to him, it is as you say. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:34.559 Now, if we combine all the gospel records of this interaction with Jesus and Pilate, we see Jesus stated, or excuse me, Pilate stated more than that. 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:40.400 But he really found no fault in Jesus on his own. 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:44.000 Especially if you look to John's account in chapter 18 of his book. 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:50.720 But here in Mark, we see in verses 2 to 15 the ways in which Pilate goes on to try to free Jesus. 00:18:52.799 --> 00:19:04.400 Pilate knew he's innocent and that these Jewish religious leaders are being ridiculous and just seeking revenge because Jesus threatened them and their authority, something Pilate could care less about. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:08.079 This account tells us that Pilate was trying to be fair. 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:14.160 He was trying to be a mediator, if you will, between these venomous religious leaders and Jesus the Christ. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:25.440 Other gospel accounts tell us Jesus is sent by Pilate to the vassal, King Herod, because Pilate found no wrong in Jesus and didn't want to deal with the situation really. 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:31.119 Israel still did have a king at this time, even though they were under Roman rule. 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:36.319 But Herod was, as I said, a vassal king, which means a show, kind of a pretender, a little king. 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:43.279 He was allowed to have some semblance of authority as that king, but he was still very much under the thumb of the Romans in every way. 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:53.200 His kingship was show only, and the Romans did this wherever they conquered, so that they would allow people to have like a sense of normalcy and hope that they would just kind of go along and get along. 00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:57.839 Pax Romana, they used to say, Roman peace at all times in any way. 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:01.920 But Herod's under the rule of Caesar. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:05.519 And so Pilate's just trying to go, okay, get this guy away from me. 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:06.559 You guys leave. 00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:08.400 I don't want anything to do with this. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:11.200 But what does Herod do with Jesus? 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:13.599 Well, he spends some time mocking him. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:15.440 And then he sends him away. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:19.920 And all of them, all the religious leaders, tell him, I'm not interested, okay? 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:24.000 I don't care about your envious plotting and scheming. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:26.480 Herod's not a religious guy. 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:30.960 So the chief priests then take Jesus back to Pilate. 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:39.359 Again, they are not willing to give up on their plot of killing the Messiah. 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:47.359 And verse 8 says, if you look at that, that the Jews begin to ask him to release a prisoner as he always did for the feast. 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:50.880 So they get this concocted thing in their minds, like, oh yeah, that's right. 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:56.240 I'm sure one of them started like, hey, hey, remember Pilate always releases a guy for the feast? 00:20:56.480 --> 00:20:58.319 Let's let's try that angle. 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:01.359 Let's do anything we can to kill him. 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:09.680 And so Pilate, again, wanting to release Jesus, asks if he should release the king of the Jews. 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:14.240 Instead, the Jews shout, no, no, no, give us Barabbas. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:16.799 He'll be alright. 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:21.759 The chief priests insist on this. 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:37.920 And so what we find is they're they're begging for the murderous stain on society to be released, to have all the freedoms of a law-abiding citizen, so that the blessing and hope of all the world would be punished and killed. 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:45.119 They ask for a murderer when the author of life is standing before them offering peace with God. 00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:56.000 Not only do they reject it, but they want to kill him with treasonous and venomous threats just foaming out of their mouths with the lies mixed in. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:21:59.759 Isn't that awful to even think about? 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:13.599 It's beyond sorrowful to think that both Herod and Pilate were more thoughtful and peaceful toward Jesus than the leaders of the religion that Jesus established. 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:23.599 I mean, they were his chosen people, and the leaders of that people were just spewing out hate speech on a grand and eternal scale. 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:27.519 That's true hate speech, by the way. 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:34.160 Speaking ill of somebody for a specific reason like race is wrong. 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:40.240 But I would say true and real hate speech is breaking the third commandment of taking the Lord's name in vain. 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:41.920 That's hate speech. 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:46.960 This is no truer than right here in this account. 00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:53.839 This is eternally treasonous and treacherous hate speech to speak of Jesus in this way. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:57.839 He is God who came in the flesh. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:03.839 We should be reading this, go, how dare they! Yet not my will. 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:12.799 This is all under the God-ordained and sovereign hand for our good. 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:17.839 And again, it becomes the greatest news you could ever hear or know. 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:24.799 Pilate then asks in verse 12, what shall I do with him, whom you call king of the Jews? 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:26.720 A little bit of a poke there. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:29.359 What do the Jews sh? 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:36.480 No, they don't just call me go, oh hey, it would be great if they are shouting the answer. 00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:41.440 The wickedness of mankind. 00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:45.839 As Jeremiah says, the heart is deceitfully wicked. 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:47.359 Who could understand it? 00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:52.240 Crucify him, they say. 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:04.559 Even even Pilate is really just taken aback. 00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:07.039 Wow. 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:14.720 They've wowed the pagan ruler by how wicked they are. 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:21.440 And he says to them essentially, to paraphrase, he says, For what? 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:28.000 I mean, the cross, that torture weapon, that's reserved. 00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:34.079 What evil has he done? 00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:35.759 Is what he's saying. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:46.319 The chief priest and the rest of the Jews, not having an answer, don't even care, just continue to shout, crucify him, crucify him, get him out of here. 00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:48.880 Kill him immediately. 00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:51.759 Actually, torture him first and then kill him. 00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:57.119 We don't like him. 00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:58.480 We want him dead. 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:01.599 They didn't even care about what was right and wrong in this moment. 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:04.559 They had already forsaken their own laws to get Jesus here. 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:06.400 They're seething with anger. 00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:08.880 They want nothing more than to have this man killed. 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:10.880 They want him dead at all costs, doesn't matter. 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:13.599 They'll forsake their own religion to get him killed. 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:23.039 So verse 15 says, Pilate wanting to satisfy the crowd, does what they want. 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:33.039 He releases that murderous Barabbas and hands Jesus over to his guys to be scourged and crucified. 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:44.720 Now, unless we think positively about Pilate, because he didn't want to, we've got to notice that Pilate lacked courage. 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:51.279 Obviously, he lacked faith that would have prevented this riotous mob from getting their way. 00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:57.519 He fell to their demands because of his own immoral heart and lack of courage to stand for what is right. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:26:01.599 And so Pilate now becomes immortalized as a coward. 00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:08.720 Brothers and sisters, a quick application for us. 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:16.799 We must stand for truth even if that means our lives. 00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:18.799 And one day it will. 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:55.839 Cowardice is denying God before man. 00:26:58.559 --> 00:27:07.920 Verse 16 begins by speaking of the fulfillment of many prophecies regarding the death of Christ, mainly Isaiah 53, Psalm 22. 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:13.359 Isaiah speaks of the scourging and lashings that Jesus would endure for us as our substitute. 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:17.039 And as it is happening here in the 15th chapter of the book of Mark, we see it. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:19.759 Says a whole Roman cohort took Jesus away. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:23.519 Do you realize that's probably around 480 soldiers? 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:29.759 And they ended up getting their kicks by mocking and beating our Lord. 00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:37.599 Verse 17 says they dress him up in purple, kind of a royal color, mockingly. 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:43.680 Shove a crown of thorns on his head, and then again mockingly call him the king of the Jews. 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:53.039 They are beating his head with a reed or staff, spitting on him. 00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:59.920 And as we know from the other gospel accounts, he's repeatedly scourged with these Roman whips. 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:01.200 Repeatedly. 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:17.519 Consisted of leather straps, multiple leather straps, embedded with metal, glass, sometimes bone, even metal balls, sometimes sewn into the end of each of the thong of leather. 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:25.839 And scourging only stops in this case when it is determined that the victim is near death, or 39 lashes are reached. 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:28.400 They called that the number of mercy. 00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:30.480 Funny. 00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:40.240 So our Lord was continually and brutally beaten, whipped, mocked, and spit upon even before he goes to the cross. 00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:50.079 Verse 20 indicates the soldiers are finally done with their torture as we move through the text. 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:57.200 They decide it's time for them to take him up the hill, the place of the skull called Golgotha. 00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:59.119 We know it plainly as Calvary. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:03.920 And he's to be led like a sheep to the slaughter, as was promised in the Old Testament. 00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:17.279 They tear off the mocking purple robe and put his own garments back on him, and they force him to carry his cross up the path, something he ends up not being able to do physically, because remember, he's God in the flesh. 00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:19.839 He's human. 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:24.160 Can't do it because of the torture. 00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:26.480 They went way further than normal. 00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:31.680 So they forced this man, Simon the Sirene, to help him. 00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:33.759 I want to say a quick word about this man. 00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:36.720 I think it's important because Mark thought it was important. 00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:49.119 Whether before or even through this time with Jesus here, I believe Simon becomes a devout follower of the Lord's, and he has forever been recorded here as the one who was side by side with Jesus in his last few moments. 00:29:49.680 --> 00:30:01.200 The Romans forced him to carry the cross with Jesus, which he didn't want to do, but I believe that it was a part of this man and possibly his son, his legacy to his kids coming to the faith in the Messiah. 00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:04.160 And I think that's why Mark records their names for us here. 00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:14.160 If we read the letter to the church in Rome written by Paul, we see at the end of it the same sons listed out, at least one of them, Rufus, is mentioned when writing to the church in Rome by Paul. 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:20.240 And I believe that his prominence in the church in Rome as a believer is what led Mark to include him here in the book. 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:24.319 So I think that Simon, his father, had now believed in the Lord. 00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:28.880 He was definitely aware of all what was taking place, and he passed that along to his children. 00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:30.640 It's a great legacy, isn't it? 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:37.680 Their faith comes from Simon's interactions here with Jesus, and that's why Mark's pointing him out. 00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:44.319 So even in the carrying of the cross, we see good news, don't we? 00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:46.720 We see hope for a man. 00:30:51.359 --> 00:30:56.240 Eternal life for souls who may have otherwise been condemned to hell. 00:30:58.559 --> 00:31:01.359 So Simon has to do it. 00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:14.480 He carries, helps Jesus carry the cross to the top of this hill, and then Jesus is once again alone as a sacrificial substitute as the Lamb. 00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:18.079 As he is nailed to the cross. 00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:22.400 Nailed to the cross. 00:31:23.839 --> 00:31:25.279 Through flesh. 00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:28.079 That's our God. 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:31.279 Our King. 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:32.640 Our Savior. 00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:34.799 Our Lord. 00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:58.160 While on the cross, the Romans try to give him some wine, mix it with myrrh, verse 23 tells us, but Jesus refuses it, even though he's thirsty. 00:31:59.200 --> 00:31:59.839 Why? 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:04.400 Because it's a mixed drink, if you will. 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:12.319 It would have been used as a numbing agent, an anesthetic of sorts, and Jesus doesn't want anything to cloud out what's taken place. 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:20.160 He is suffering for the sins of many, and he has to endure it to the fullest extent. 00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:28.880 Says it's the third hour when they put him on the cross. 00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:30.000 9 a.m. 00:32:31.920 --> 00:32:39.200 It's significant because it helps us to understand how long he was on the cross and how long he suffered is what we call the sin bearer. 00:32:41.039 --> 00:32:44.160 Verse 27 says it's another prophecy fulfilled. 00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:47.359 He'd be numbered with the transgressors. 00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:58.640 This was fulfilled by him being crucified between two robbers. 00:32:59.440 --> 00:33:01.359 One who we know repented and believed. 00:33:01.440 --> 00:33:03.839 We love to talk about that thief on the cross, right? 00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:10.160 But as he hung there on the cross, everybody's just in reverence and awe, right? 00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:18.480 People just continue to mock him, insult him, saying, Why don't you come down from there if you're the Son of God? 00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:28.319 Those first three hours until noon were marked by suffering the wrath of human beings. 00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:33.200 Even before that, of course, including the torture and the ridiculous court trials. 00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:38.079 And these three hours, they're given all they can, all they can muster up against him. 00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:41.440 But then something happens. 00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:46.160 So we fast forward to verse 33. 00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:49.440 The sixth hour arrives. 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:58.960 This is noon, the middle of the day under the Middle Eastern sun, and everything goes dark. 00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:05.279 This is high noon and darkness falls over the whole land. 00:34:07.359 --> 00:34:10.719 This isn't like the sky getting dark because a storm is coming. 00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:12.880 There is no visible light whatsoever. 00:34:13.039 --> 00:34:16.079 Remember being able to do this on occasion, you can't see your own hand? 00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:17.360 It's that. 00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:20.239 And it's like that for three hours. 00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:26.719 It's like it was back in Exodus when darkness came and it was almost thick. 00:34:29.599 --> 00:34:34.559 I hear that Grant County was a great place to be when the eclipse happened a few years ago. 00:34:35.119 --> 00:34:38.559 People came from all over to see this event, sun going dark for what? 00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:40.320 Seconds, maybe minutes? 00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:41.760 It was a draw to people. 00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:43.039 People spent tons of money. 00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:51.519 They got special glasses, taking time off of work, and just to be a part of this, to be a part of this occasion, to be able to say, I was there, I bought the t-shirt. 00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:52.639 I saw. 00:34:54.480 --> 00:35:02.719 Well, 2,000 years ago-ish, the sky went black for three hours straight, and it was frightful. 00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:07.199 There's no eclipse in that time. 00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:11.039 Now we know this not only scientifically but theologically. 00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:16.719 We know it theologically, most importantly, because God's word said so. 00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:20.079 That's how we know anything theologically. 00:35:20.960 --> 00:35:24.639 God said it was dark at the sixth hour, there it is. 00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:27.360 For three hours. 00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:30.400 Why did this happen? 00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:36.400 Why did the sky turn black for three hours as Jesus is hanging on the cross? 00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:42.559 I would say one reason the Lord did this was to show those onlookers who this really was. 00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:50.400 For the Romans, the Gentiles, a black sky was an incredible, visible sign of the magnitude of this event and his death. 00:35:50.639 --> 00:36:03.679 For the Jews, this would have been evident as well, but they would have also been shocked and stunned as the later hour approaches, as they realize the veil's been torn from top to bottom, and now the Holy of Holies is laid bare before their eyes. 00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:11.920 And so, in part, this is ha uh this is the part of this revelation is to show them what they had just done. 00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:28.239 But way more importantly, what was happening to Jesus on the cross during this time of darkness, is the Bible says he was absorbing the just wrath of the Father. 00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:36.000 That's the true suffering of Christ. 00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:38.800 It's not the body. 00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:40.480 That's suffering. 00:36:41.599 --> 00:36:43.119 And it shouldn't have been. 00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:48.239 But the true suffering is the wrath. 00:36:51.760 --> 00:37:01.360 For three hours, third to sixth, you felt the ridicule and the pain of what humanity can do. 00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:03.760 Excuse me, sixth and ninth. 00:37:11.199 --> 00:37:15.519 So the human suffering is painful, the first portion. 00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:20.880 But nothing compared to what came in that sixth and ninth hour. 00:37:21.199 --> 00:37:26.079 He's being forsaken by the Father on the cross as a sin bearer. 00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:31.840 Again, for the first three hours on the cross, he's enduring the incredible physical pain in his body. 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:35.039 I would say probably fever and throbbing pain are constant. 00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:38.000 He hadn't slept the night before, so fatigue setting in. 00:37:38.079 --> 00:37:39.760 Men and women are just taunting him. 00:37:42.960 --> 00:37:46.320 But then at noon, Jesus begins to endure the great pain. 00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:49.119 A pain that is unfathomable for us mere humans. 00:37:50.159 --> 00:37:58.960 The pain of the Father's wrath being poured out on him, the pain of the Father, as the song How Deep the Father's Love for Us goes, his father turned his face away. 00:38:01.599 --> 00:38:05.280 For the sake of us, sinful humans. 00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:10.000 And so for the first time he felt the abandonment. 00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:13.119 He didn't have the father's help. 00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:15.840 He was taking it all on himself. 00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:21.840 Again, as I said a few weeks ago, I don't think that the triune relationship is severed here. 00:38:22.400 --> 00:38:29.119 But Jesus is fully bearing the pain of sin's repercussions, and the Father did not hold back from what was required. 00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:30.400 It is gospel. 00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:32.639 Good news. 00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:35.199 Darkness falls over the whole land. 00:38:35.360 --> 00:38:36.960 Jesus is in pure agony. 00:38:38.000 --> 00:38:44.960 For the first time he felt what sin is like and the repercussions of it. 00:38:45.920 --> 00:38:51.119 And at the end of it, he cries out those famous words, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:53.519 Because he's quoting Psalm 22. 00:38:57.440 --> 00:39:03.440 But as Jesus said in John 16, 32, even though all would desert him, his father would be with him. 00:39:04.960 --> 00:39:13.519 He was suffering the isolation, therefore, of being without the Father's assistance, support, and comfort. 00:39:13.679 --> 00:39:15.679 And this is the first time that's ever happened. 00:39:17.760 --> 00:39:20.639 It was utter and complete suffering. 00:39:20.800 --> 00:39:26.960 Agony greater than any that could ever be known or we can even conceive of. 00:39:27.679 --> 00:39:32.559 And the important part is that this was done willingly and obediently. 00:39:44.159 --> 00:39:47.440 Jesus knew from before the foundations of the world this was coming. 00:39:47.679 --> 00:39:50.079