When Jesus Died

Mark 15:33-42

Introduction:

For 27  years I have tried to tell the story of what happened to Jesus when He died on the cross. I have reported this story on 4 continents; I have reported it in airports, prisons, schools, ball parks, pulpits, street corners and numerous other places.

As a good news reporter of heaven, I have been called by God to proclaim this fact for the salvation of mankind. In fact, not only me, but hundreds of thousands of men, who belonged to the same preaching fraternity have given their lives to tell this same old story.

It is not a new story, but an old story. It is not a story to make you rich, but rather to have you mocked. It is not a story to bring you honor but rather to bring you difficulty, yet, nevertheless we preach it with power because we are compelled to tell somebody about the facts of Calvary.

It is an honor this morning to tell you one more time NBFBC that one Friday on a Hill called Calvary the Lamb of God died on an old rugged cross (DIDN’T HE DIE) to take away the sins of the world. I pray today as you hear these facts, you will leave here arrested by these truths and make a decision to live for Him and love like him for the rest of your life.

Background:

1. D Wilson, Amateur poet writes to describe the gruesome activities of the cross

2000 years ago, God the Father showed us his will, he allowed Jesus his Son to be shamed, hanged and killed.

The Holy Spirit He too stood aside and observed sinful man, and the Trinity put into action the salvation and redemptive plan.

Jesus lived 33 long years and walked and talked for you, so that he could do you a favor and make salvation available too. Many sick, blind and lame, he did heal hold and love, because this was a part of the mission that started in heaven above.

Since man rebelled against God in the beginning with Adam & Eve, God developed a plan to give them grace that they could not believe. He forgave them of sins committed and forgot about all that was done. He blotted out all their transgressions through the death of his only Son.

And so, Jesus he came down from heaven was born of a virgin to save sinful man, and this is where we see him today, on the cross completing God’s plan. This plan was designed in glory, something for all to savor, Jesus is Master and King, and the King has done man a favor.

He’s taken all your sins and died with them on the cross, and if you will repent and believe, you will be saved and not lost.

At the cross Christ did you a favor; The Master gave up his life!

That you may be saved and forgiven paid with the blood of the Christ.

This life can be heartache, this life can be full of pain, because there is someone out to destroy you, and don’t you know the devils his name?

But there is good news today, for someone who’s looking for life. There’s a man who specializes in saving and his name is Jesus the Christ. He has paid your sin debt in full, and is the only risen savior, for the king loves you that much that he has done you a favor.

(I believe that the poet has it right)

Historical Background:

Today we see King Jesus the Son of God being whipped and beat and transported out of Jerusalem to a place called Calvary, where he is to be crucified for the sins of the world. This was God’s plan by which he would save men & Women from their sins. (Through the sacrificial death of his only begotten son)

You see the world was in bad shape and all were headed for hell, because of the sins of Adam & Eve. But God through His divine love came up with a plan to save all those who desired to be saved from the penalty of sin and death.

This plan consisted of sending his only begotten Son” Jesus” down to earth and have him to become sin for us and sacrifice his very life in our place as an offering unto the Father.

This death was the only thing that would please a holy God. God wanted a holy sinless offering to atone for sin; Jesus is and was this special offering.

It is through his death that we can be saved, this is the only way we can make in to God’s heaven. The Bible says that Jesus is the way the truth and the life, no man can come unto the father but through him.

 

Note:

When Jesus died on the cross for you it brought us the only chance to escape God’s wrath, punishment, and eternal separation. This is called salvation by grace, something we didn’t deserve, but because of his love he made it available for us.

You see God has fixed everything, so that salvation is free for you! You cannot earn eternal life, and you cannot be good enough, smart enough, or nice enough.

Salvation is a gift from God, through his love and Grace. The King has done you a Favor. All you must do is except it. It’s free, a gift that we don’t deserve.Textual Information: 

Heaven went into Mourning

 

33 At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.

In this portion of the text two of the greatest mysteries on earth took place, when Jesus died.

1. The Solar system stood as a witness against man for the price of our sins.
2. The humanity of Jesus couldn’t stand the awful separation that took place between Him and his father because of SIN.
3. From 12:00 noon until 3:00 pm JESUS the creator of the SOLAR System was bearing the full judgment of God against our Sins.

The Heavens themselves filled up with sorrow, in observation of HIS sacrifice, they refused to give man light!

The stars who ruled the night dare not spin in their silvery sockets, at the sight of Christ on the cross.

The Moon that danced on the black azure blanket of the sky would not give off her light because of what had taken place on the cross.

 

The fiery chariot called day-light refuse to keep running across the sky when he seen his Creator hanging on that old rugged cross!   Application:

At the sight of Jesus hanging on the cross the heavens went into Mourning, at the sight of SIN against God being paid for by GOD!

If the Creation can bow down in humility at the sight of Christ on the Cross, then surely you and I can show God some reverence during the worship hour!

If the creation can stop what it’s doing in honor of the sacrifice given by Jesus, then surely, we can stop life’s activities to reverence him on Sunday!

If the creation can recognize its creator, then you and I who are made in His image have no excuse!

It is almost as if the Solar system has more since than the human system.

• The solar system does not reproduce itself
• The solar system does not look like God
• The solar system does breathe Like Humanity
• It is splendid in its design, but it is not eternal.

We were made in the likeness of God, endowed with the Spirit of God. The Solar system was made to help us and not us to help it.34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?“-which means, “My God, my God, why have you left me?”

Note:

Yet it has since, and man is ignorant of who His creator is.

Here we have a prayer/cry from our intercessor Emmanuel speaking in the “Aramaic tongue” My God, My God Why have you turned away from me!

This is the Mourning of heavens King, as he must suffer alone for US!

He missed the relationship He had with HIS Father in the Beginning. Jesus went through mourning that we might obtain His grace.In the Old Testament when the sacrifice was offered in the temple the animal being slain would cry out as his blood was being shed for the sins of the people. Here we have the Lamb of God being crucified and killed for our Sins, on the altar of sacrifice! As he his paying the Price he cries out as the Lambs would in the temple sacrifice!

Observation:

Jesus who is 100% God and 100% man, suffered at the hands of His Own Father because of Sin. He had never experienced separation before Calvary. (They had been one from the beginning of the annals of eternity)

But now because of HIS willingness to become sin for us, HIS FATHER turned His back on HIS ONLY Begotten Son that the Sins of man may be atoned for!Note:         (As Heaven went into Mourning)I am sure they wondered why Jesus would die for those who hate Him so much!

I am sure that the Angels stood in amazement and grief to watch their God, Creator and Master humble himself and willingly die for fallen man!

Observation:

• Why would He die for the ungrateful?
• Why would he die for the un-loving?
• Why would he die for those who never obey him?
• Why would he die for those who don’t want salvation?
• Why would he die for those who wouldn’t die for Him?
• Why would he die for the immoral and the wicked, when he kicked Satan out of his presence for thinking half of what they think?

Application:

1. When we are living in this fallen world and have died to the sin nature, every now and then there is Pain and loneliness even in Christianity!
2. Sin has a way of causing you great pain and sorrow!
3. Sin has a way of causing you grief and heartache!
4. Sin has a way of bringing you dark moments and tear stained pillows!
5. Sin has a way of crushing your heart and wounding your Spirit!You too cry out in your Humanity “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” 35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

Heathens went into Mocking

Jesus knows your pain, Jesus knows your trouble, Jesus knows your experience and He can tell you to hold on, because it is a part of your cross!

And what makes it so bad is that when you are living righteously, and SIN against You occurs, you go to God for comfort and he does not answer!

One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

Note:

In this portion of the verse we see the reality of wickedness.

Even while hanging on the cross, mankind yet inflicts more agony upon our suffering savior.

The first thing we notice is mans ill-reverent Humor at the cross. The observers now make fun of the master’s prayer in the midst of his suffering.

They twist his prayer and mock his agony! “He is calling for Elijah” to come down and Save Him!

They first make this statement because all religious Jews believed that Elijah was a great prophet who was miraculously taken to Heaven upon a fiery chariot!

They also believed that he would one day come back again “Like the prophecy of Malachi predicted”! But here you have vile sinners mocking Christ and mocking scripture, attempting to inflict more pain upon Jesus.

They offer Him Sour wine to quench is thirst! Criminals were given this to drink, they equated the King of Glory with being a common thief!

Application:

• Every now and then in Life you have enemies who cannot get enough of your suffering!
• Every now and then in Life, your dying daily to Christ is not enough to satisfy those who despise you!
• Those who truly are anti-Christ will go out the way to make your crucified life filled with Pain!
• I stop by to tell you that the Pain of Calvary is real!
• The Pain of hanging on a cross and carrying a cross are two different things!

Listen:

Rom 6:5-115 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was. 6 Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 9 We are sure of this because Christ rose from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 He died once to defeat sin, and now he lives for the glory of God. NLT

11 So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus.

8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also share his new life.

• The crucified life of Christ is an example of how we are to live in a hostile world for the one who has redeemed us from SIN.
• As Christians you have been called to both, you are called to carry the cross and then you are called to die daily upon that cross!

History was in the making

 

38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

Note:

1. When Jesus died History was in the Making!
2. When Jesus died the new covenant was established
3. When Jesus died God changed the entire sacrificial system!The Veil that was in the temple separated the Inner courts from the holy of holies: Only the high priest could enter to offer prayers to God for the people; (Heb. 10:19-22)

Background Observation:

But When Jesus died he was our High Priest who went into the Holy of Holies and tore down the Veil that kept us separated from God!

Because he died, you and I now have access to God!

Because he died we no longer have to offer bulls and Goats, he was our last and forever offering!

Because he died I can go to God 24/7 and tell him how I feel, tell HIM what’s on my mind!

I can go to God and tell Him how my life is messed up and that I need His help!When Jesus died History was made, because GODS sacrifice was complete, there was nothing else needed to pay for man’s SINS!When Jesus died History was made, because I was eligible to be born again by the blood of the Lamb!

Conclusion:

Nothing but The Blood

When Jesus died History was made, Because the old Law was replaced with the New Law!

When Jesus died History was made because mankind’s Savior had finally Paid it all!

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh! precious is the flow That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my cleansing this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Naught of good that I have done,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.When Jesus died He shed His precious blood for me, and because of His blood he has washed all my Sins away.

He didn’t stay dead, early Sunday morning he rose from the dead with all power of Heaven and earth in His hands!