1 Corinthians 1.1-9

Title: The Focus of a Healthy Church: Our Blessings!

Text: 1 Cor 1.1-9

Introduction: Most days, I love serving as a Chaplain. I’m chaplain of our Volunteer Fire Department. I serve as a chaplain for the employees of Bandera Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Bandera. And I serve also at Covenant Services in San Antonio. Because of this position, I get to visit with hundreds of people. My calling has opened the door to ministry in so many ways – not to mention being your pastor.

Recently, I got to visit with an employee who grew up in the church, but alas, is no longer active in a local church. This employee spoke my language – a language you know, too. If you were raised in a local evangelical church, you speak the language, too. At first, I was so excited to meet this person; however, after a few minutes of conversation, I realized this person is no longer in a local church. Added to this concern of mine, was a statement made in reference to that employee’s children. They had chosen to not raise their kids in church, but rather for them to find their own religion and way in the world – whatever ‘faith’ that might be.

Now, you should know that as a Chaplain, my job is a little bit different than of a pastor. Being your pastor affords me rights and responsibilities to speak into your life in a manner that simply being a chaplain doesn’t. While operating in the world, I don’t have the same authority. So, I must be careful. I don’t want to ever alienate someone by having a debate over an issue. I think the conversation went well. Still, I have to say this millennial is very much like the generation of millennials who have abandoned the church. They say, “I love Jesus, but hate the church.”

Let that sink in because it is a misnomer. The reality is that they are very much one and the same. The Church is the Body of Christ. And our purpose is to image Him to the World. We are His hands, his feet. When it comes to the mass exodus of the generation that has followed us, that is a huge indictment on us as believers. We have failed to be the Church Christ has called us to be.

I feel confident that you feel as I do when I say, I don’t want to get this wrong anymore! Too much is at stake! Over the next 10-12 weeks, I’d like to study 1 Corinthians from the standpoint of how blessed they were and how in like manner, we have been blessed by God. This will not be easy, because Corinth was a dysfunctional church! Dysfunction in their relationships, Dysfunction in their polity and organization, Dysfunction in their theology, Dysfunction, Dysfunction, Dysfunction!

But Paul begins his letter by reminding them of how blessed they were! The 1^st area of focus for the church is found in the very beginning of 1 Cor. Rdv 1-9; this introduction is packed with blessings that each believer has received. There is one truth that stands out in this passage – that permeates the entire teaching: God is at work here! Everything begins, is sustained, and ends with God. Note the references to Christ, Lord, Jesus, God, Father; 23x’s; Paul starts with his place – called to be an apostle – by God’s will; and 2ndly, their place: they are called, as well, the church of God; both called to their positions.

Let’s take a moment to review these blessings from God…cont rd v2;

I. They were made Holy

exp.: Sanctified and saints are the same word in the Gk; lit.: Holy; pft, pass, ptc, having been made holy – a current state based upon a past action; Saints is lit.: holy ones; Now these two statements identify who they are and where they are in Christ – 1^st,

• Position: these believers have had their sins washed away and they stand before God Holy!
• Practice: called to be holy – lit.: called to be holy ones; this is what they’re supposed to do now as believers! They’re supposed to live out who they are! The outside reflects the inside!

exp.: and we know that this isn’t just for the Corinthians, but for us also, that is, for those of us who claim Christ today! 2c; rd v 3;

app.: What we have in this opening is a typical greeting, but – look deeper. What we also see is just what characterizes each believer – holiness; Don’t miss this: we’ve been called into relationships. God has made us holy, not because we’re really awesome, cool people and he wants to be with us. No, God has made us holy because He is … fill in the superlative… and we cannot have a relationship with him in our sin. He has called us into fellowship with Him and with each other. And take it one step further, rd v2; associations and conventions and missions; pray about going to a people somewhere in the world who don’t know Christ.

Paul was called to plant churches, not just be an evangelist. He entered into relationships with people in the communities he worked. He poured himself into people through his relationship with them. And, furthermore, he encouraged relationships within this community of grace, called the church.

t.s.: just as holiness appears in a repeated fashion, so does ‘grace’ and that is the next blessing he mentions in v 4-6;

II. They were given God’s Grace (4-6)

exp.: Look what Paul says about God’s Grace rd v4-5:

1. It is Given: it’s a gift. It’s poured out on them. Interesting, the word ‘gift’ and the word ‘grace’ are from the same derivative; χαρίς and χáρισματα; 2^nd, down in v 6 he says…
2. It is Confirmed: evidenced in their lives; a testimony of Christ!

*Don’t miss these two important items concerning Grace: repeat

JM: Three Items that Cannot exist w/ Grace:

1. Guilt
2. Human Obligation – we can’t pay it back by earning it
3. Human Merit – we won’t ever deserve it – never

Another great message out there is by Matt Chandler; He says that people don’t stumble into godliness; and he quotes Paul: “training ourselves in righteousness” (1 Tim. 4:7), “laboring in prayer,” “running to win,” “counting it all as loss” (Philippians 3) and “beating his body” (1 Corinthian 9:26-27).

Check out the balance here. This is a quote from Jared Wilson, a pastor: My disobedience is good grounds for doubt, but my obedience is terrible grounds for assurance.

ill.: I love that Paul starts out with his usual greeting, thanking God. But this is unusual when you consider whom he’s talking about. This is the one church that gave Paul the most grief: the Corinthian Church! And yet he says he is thankful to God for them.

exp.: look at what he was thankful for again; rd v 4; the grace;

app.: can we just apply that to us for a moment? Here is our history, but we do not stand today because of our history! We stand in the grace of God. Don’t forget that blessing, Church! We stand holy, sanctified, and grace-filled because of the effectual work of Christ on the Cross of Calvary.

t.s.: which is where Paul is going in the next verse and offers us our 3^rd blessing…he says they were

III. They were Enriched

exp.: rd v 5; how? In every way; lit.: in every ‘thing’; and then he narrows down the focus: 1^st, in speech and 2^nd, in knowledge;

• In speech; logos; 2 Cor 8.7 – ⁷ But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.; 1 Tim 4.12; But Paul says that these folks have been enriched with this gift, too; rd v 5b;
• In knowledge; 2 Cor 8.7, let me pause and say that this is great, but there are those who speak w/out knowledge! and look at the result; rd v 6-7a;
• So that you’re not lacking in any spiritual gift

app.: here’s what Paul is saying “God has gifted you with everything spiritual (gifts) that you need as a body to function, which, by the way, you are, as has been confirmed in you! You’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing! Wow! He says this despite their arguing, fighting, division, sinful disobedience, adultery, fornication, disorganization, etc., etc., etc.

t.s.: And then Paul moves to another blessing in v 7b; rd 7b;

IV. Their Future was secure

exp.: What a blessing, knowing one’s future is secure; Paul lists 4 attributes of those who know their future is secure; 

• Waiting
• Watching; the revealing; this is the Gk word from which we get our English word ‘apocalypse’; that sounds even more like us, doesn’t it? This is living in grace; then, rd v 8;
• Enduring; because he sustains them; They’re not fulfilling their calling in their own strength and wisdom! (BTW: this is a major topic for Paul over the next few chapters) We don’t do this in our strength! He sustains us, and it’s easier to do when you know that this momentary set of problems is nothing compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us!
• They are presented before him – blameless, guiltless; ‘sustained’ is the same word as v 6 ‘confirmed’;  “establish, verify, increase in inner strength”; Fee says this is their guarantee; we see this idea also in Eph 1.11-14;

t.s.: and this final blessing, just caps it all off beautifully!

V. God will Complete His Work in Them

exp.: rd v 9a; that’s really all you need! He says to them! Rd v 9b; called out “ecclesia”; and called into a relationship w/ Christ!

Conclusion: Do you see these 5 Blessings are ours, too?

We’ve been made holy if we’ve committed ourselves to Christ! We’re not holy because of our actions; we’re not gifted because of ourselves; we’re not enriched by our works and our future isn’t secure because we are able to keep up with all that is before us! No, we enjoy these blessings because of one reason! v 9a; God is faithful! And he who called you will carry you through and sustain you until his appearing!

Observations and Implications:

1. A Church that is healthy has her focus Her Lord: Christ and God appear some 23x’s in these 9 verses.
2. The top and the tail of this short passage remind us of our calling. Both Paul and the church are who they are and where they are and do what they do because of their calling.
   1. As you look for balance in your life, how does God’s grace compare with your obedience? As a believer, you’re holy! Does your life reflect that holiness?
   2. As a church, do we realize that God has given us everything we need? If we were lacking, he’d give us more.
3. Do you understand your future is secure, and that is what matters the most? You can now live your life in Grace and Peace, fearing nothing, because of the beautiful future already secured for you!
4. The Top and the Tail of 1 Corinthians calls us to Stand! It summons us to work! ⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
   1. Too often, we get down because we don’t have what we used to have, or we don’t see what we used to see. We must realize that God is at work – and he isn’t finished with us yet! In this, if our focus is where it should be, then we’ll see that we are truly blessed!

Mark 16.1-14

Title: The Resurrection: What did it do?

Text: Mark 16.1-14; 1 Corinthians 15

CIT: Paul presents 4 elemental truths of the Resurrection

CIS: To present these 4 truths and challenge the believers to a changed life.

Intro: I’m not much on Topical sermons. I preach them from time to time, but my preference is to preach through books. Oftentimes, it is hard to narrow down all of the information in a certain topic, so problem #1 is that you just have too much material. 2nd, I like knowing on Monday morning what I’m preaching next Sunday. Besides, preaching through books makes it where I must cover every doctrine at some point. You just can’t avoid it. But, the downside of not being prepared to preach a topical sermon on special days can create a situation where a preacher is presented with an awkward situation.

            CJ Mahaney is a preacher I always love to hear. Whenever he is on the schedule at a conference, I make sure to get a good seat! CJ tells the story of how he concluded a three-part sermon series about the afterlife. That last sermon in the series just happened to fall on Mother’s Day. He had not connected the special day with his topic nor with his sermon title. That Sunday morning, mothers came dressed in their pretty dresses, some with hats, some with gloves, some with a corsage. CJ was totally caught off guard, as were many of his moms when the time came for CJ to present his message, a sermon in the afterlife series which simply read: Hell!

Things have worked out well on my calendar, as I have done my best to be at this particular place in Scripture on this particular holiday. I decided to start there and move out from there to another passage on the resurrection. There is a question that I’d like to answer and, today is a great way to spend some time looking at that question: We all know what Christ’s death accomplished, but, what about His Resurrection? Was the resurrection even necessary? He died for our sins, and paid the penalty required in his death; so, why did he need to be resurrected?

            Our text is Mark chapter 16. We’ll also spend some time in 1 Cor 15; take a moment to mark those places with a bookmark. This morning I’d like to present four theological truths about the resurrection as presented by Mark and Paul. Here they are:

• The Resurrection is an essential part of the Gospel Message
• The Resurrection is validated by a tremendous body of evidence
• The Resurrection offers us the hope of a resurrection
• The Resurrection will impact how you live your life

Transition: let’s look at the 1^st truth

I. The Resurrection is an essential part of the Gospel Message (16.1-6)

exp.: rd v 1-2; the word gospel, and the word evangelism are basically the same word; the difference is that one is a noun, and the other is a verb; it is the word Ευαγγέλιον; From which we get evangelism; So, what is this good news? Rd v 6; He is not here, He is Risen! Check it out… the place where he lay. And the 2^nd part, evangelism…rd v 7; I love that the angel places an emphasis on Peter. I wonder if he was having a tougher time because he had denied his Lord.

Paul makes this point to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 15; rd v3f;

app.: Paul and Mark are establishing a very important point: without the resurrection, there is no gospel! The Resurrection is an essential part of the Gospel message. Had Jesus simply died – then he would have been like every other man who has ever died. But, Jesus proved his divinity by being raised from the dead!

t.s.: The 2^nd Theological Truth presented is found in this same sentence; 1^st – he died; 2^nd, he was buried; 3^rd, he was raised (Pft. Pass. Ind.); 4thly, he was seen; this is the 2^nd theological truth…

II. The Resurrection is validated by a tremendous body of evidence (4-34; Mark 16.7-14)

exp.: There, in 1 Cor 15, we just read “in accordance with the Scriptures: 

1. The Scriptures; rd v 3-4; Jonah; Isaiah; Jeremiah; David; Psalms; Genesis; Exodus; Numbers; Deut.; etc., etc., etc. Read v.5-8;
2. The Appearances of Christ to so many; Cephas; the ‘12’; Jn 20.19-29; 500+; James (prob, his brother); Paul; In Mark 15, we see the Mary listed first in v9; and v12. One of my favorite passages on this is in Luke where Luke gives us more information on this story. In that passage, Luke says, “²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
3. There is a third group listed in 1 Corinthians: The Martyrs: Death of the Witnesses v 29-34; 1^st, what do we know about Scripture and Salvation? Baptism cannot save you; ὑπέρ; NASB/NIV trans.: for; because of; So, who are the dead? They are the martyrs: those who preached in spite of persecution and even death; why? Because they knew death is not the end, no – there is the resurrection;

In fact, each of the disciples here will die for their faith. Why would they do that if these testimonies here were lies? Who is going to die for a lie? And, even if you could find one person foolish enough to die for a lie, how could this overwhelming group of witnesses all be willing to die for a lie. Someone, at some point, would have said, “hang on, it’s not true, I don’t want to die.” But that didn’t happen. One by one, each gave up their lives because they knew of a greater hope!

app.: the resurrection: that’s what they knew, that’s where their hope was placed! Acts 1.15-22; 2.32; 3.15; 5.32; 10.39-43; That’s more evidence for us to view…

t.s.: Truth #1: The Resurrection is one essential part of the Gospel Message. Truth #2: The Resurrection is validated by a tremendous body of evidence. Truth #3

III. The Resurrection offers us Hope that one day we, too, will be resurrected. (35-57)

exp.: The Resurrection is explained in a simple fashion. There are two prerequisites to being resurrected: Death and Faith. 1. Death: You must die in order to be resurrected.  2. Faith: You must have faith.

1. Death: Two bodies; one must die for the other to live; (rd v 50); The perishable must perish, in order that what is imperishable may inherit eternal life.
2. Faith: Paul says that it is a mystery; rd v 51-57;

t.s.: Truth #1: The Resurrection is an essential element of the Gospel Message. Truth #2: The Resurrection is validated by the tremendous evidence. Truth #3: The Resurrection offers us hope that we’ll one day be resurrected. Truth #4:

IV. The Resurrection will impact how you live your life (58)

exp.: In our text in Mark, he records miraculous signs that accompanied those believers in the Apostolic Age. We see in our text that many lives were changed and impacted such that, they were willing to die for what they knew to be true! Listen to what Paul says in 1 Cor 15.58:  “Therefore”; Marker of result; Because of this; For this reason; Because you have received the Gospel, Because of the tremendous body of evidence, Because of the hope you have of your resurrection, then you should – One imperative vb: to be; become; γίνομαι; two adjectives to describe; two participles (verbal adjectives) to describe;

1. Become steadfast; this info, the gospel message, the overwhelming evidence, and the hope of your resurrection, as well as those you love who’ve gone before you, should plant you firmly where you are; and
2. Become immovable – this info should not only plant you firmly but also make you immovable; there is a 3rd description of what this does to you;
3. Abounding in your Work; always; every day of your life characterized by the Resurrection; your job, raising your kids, loving your neighbor, serving your brothers and sisters! Christians do their work, because of this last ptc mentioned: we know
4. Knowing your work isn’t empty; κενός; Phil 2.5; I love this word knowing – this is faith in action! Heb 11.1

t.s.: When you gain an understanding of the resurrection, not just of Christ’s, but even your own: The Resurrection will affect your life and how you live. – and might I add, how you die.

Conclusion: Show the 7-minute video of Padina (https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=FE92J1NU)

            I began with the question: What did the resurrection accomplish? It completes the gospel story and is validated by a body of evidence. But even more, it gives us hope and impacts our lives to live for him. I hesitate to show videos like this because I don’t like it when they are used to manipulate people. That’s not my goal. I shared this video because.

• I want to challenge you over this next year to consider adopting a UUPG somewhere in the world.
• I want to challenge you to pray! Pray for God to lead us step by step. I honestly don’t know what that will mean… what will it cost us? Will some of you go and give your lives so that others may know? That burdens…
• I want to challenge you to prepare, research, acquaint, and yield.
• I pray Christ’s resurrection inspires you to live your life for others.

Mark 15.37-47

Title: The Son of God Part 2

Text: Mark 15.21-39

Introduction: We continue our message from last week in Mark 15.37. You can see from the PP that the message is entitled “The Son of God” Part 2

I’ve outlined the message this way:

1. The Crucifixion of the Son of God
2. The Rejection of the Son of God
3. The Death of the Son of God
4. The Burial of the Son of God

Transition: I think Mark’s story is simple, brief, and restrained. He doesn’t try to move us to sympathy for Christ as he is tortured and punished; Nor, does he try to make us angry at those who we consider Christ’s enemies. So, let’s pick up in Mark 15, v21 Where we see…

I. The Crucifixion of the Son of God (21-28)

exp.: The crucifixion is a process of execution. An agonizingly slow process of execution.

ill.: Dr. Mark Kubala, Outreach Magazine, April 13, 2017: To envision the pain and emotional stress Jesus endured, it may be helpful to share an analogy.

Imagine your family has allowed you to go by yourself to see some old friends you haven’t seen in many years. They live in a remote, desolate area of the Texas desert. You want to surprise your friends, so you don’t tell them you’re coming.

You turn off the main highway and travel for miles on a dusty dirt road, then fail to negotiate an unexpected sharp turn. Because of the heat, you neglect to buckle your seat belt. The car rolls over, and you are thrown out of the car. As you fall out of the car, your scalp is cut by the edge of the door.

You land on your back in a bed of prickly cacti. You suffer multiple cuts to your back. The back of your leg lands on a sharp rock which cuts the artery behind your knee. You cannot get up because the door of the overturned car has your legs pinned. You can’t find or reach your cell phone. Your suitcase has fallen on your chest, and you can’t move it. You have trouble breathing. Every time you try to move, the pain becomes excruciating. You are literally abandoned. You see your blood seep out of your body and over the next few hours you become faint, as you slowly go into shock. You know you are dying, and there’s nothing you can do.

exp.: Pilate commissions his Roman soldiers to carry out that execution. Mark is very matter-of-fact about his storytelling. He almost lists these moments and actions as bullets.

So physically taxing was this process for Christ, that he failed to carry his own cross to Golgotha. The Soldiers are tasked with the action to keep the process going. Jesus has been so mistreated that he can’t keep going. So, (rd v 21) they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

Consider what Mark has done in our text:

1. He’s dropped a name they would know, a witness to what had happened. This is probably someone they knew.
2. He’s told them where it happened. A place that would have been familiar to them. They probably knew what he was talking about.
3. He’s quoted to them or referenced to them Old Testament Scripture, demonstrating that this was foretold in times past.   

t.s.: First, The Son of God is Crucified, and 2^nd, he is rejected.

II. The Rejection of the Son of God (29-36)

exp.: Jesus is rejected while hanging on the cross. There are people who pass by and mock him on the cross. The religious leaders also continue mocking him (29-32). This mocking continues until the end. Rd v35f; then in v 37, we read that Jesus died… That’s point #3, where we pick up this morning.

t.s.:

III. The Death of the Son of God (37-39)

exp.: Jesus cries out and breathes his last breath. Rd v 37; Two of his 7 Statements come to mind: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. And, It is finished. He is dead. The penalty for sins has been satisfied. But something absolutely incredible happens at this moment. Rd v 38: the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

Many have asked if this could be true. Well, for the believer, we have God’s word. But as for secular history, the answer is yes. Listen to Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah:

“And now a shudder ran through Nature, as its Sun had set. We dare not do more than follow the rapid outlines of the Evangelistic narrative. As the first token, it records the rending of the Temple-Veil in two from the top downward to the bottom; as the second, the quaking of the earth, the rending of the rocks, and the opening of the graves… while the rending of the Veil is recorded first, as being the most significant token to Israel, it may have been connected with the earthquake, although this alone might scarcely account for the tearing of so heavy a Veil from the top to the bottom. Even the latter circumstance has its significance. That some great catastrophe, betokening the impending destruction of the Temple, had occurred in the Sanctuary about this very time, is confirmed by not less than four mutually independent testimonies: those of Tacitus, of Josephus, of the Talmud, and of earliest Christian tradition. The most important of these are, of course, the Talmud and Josephus. The latter speaks of the mysterious extinction of the middle and chief light in the Golden Candlestick, forty years before the destruction of the Temple; and both he and the Talmud refer to a supernatural opening by themselves of the great Temple-gates that had been previously closed, which was regarded as a portent of the coming destruction of the Temple”

I think it is wonderful when we have external evidence of Biblical recorded history. But we shouldn’t need it, but it sure does feel nice when we do! Well, all of these miraculous, supernatural events take place as bulleted notes by Mark. Rd v 39; Then, the centurion, who has charge over the detail, stood facing Jesus. As he witnesses the death of Jesus he remarks, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”(37-39).

app.: this statement is in line with what we’ve been reading in Mark for a year now. In chapter 1 Mark tells us this in the first verse. Then, in v 13, God says, this is my son! The demons recognize him as the chapters roll by. In Chapter 9, on the Mt. of Transfiguration, God once again declares the identity of who this is: His Son! Not once does a human acknowledge this, until now. And Mark closes out his book with this revelation. Theologians call this a melodic line. There is a phrase that echoes through the book called a melodic line.

t.s.: And for Mark, it is this: Jesus Christ is the Son of God. So, we have the Crucifixion, the Rejection, the Death, and now, the burial of the Son of God.

IV. The Burial of the Son of God (40-47)

exp.: more witnesses; rd v 40;

1. Women: the men have abandoned him. At this point, only the women who were a part of his ministry remain. John records that he himself was there and was given the responsibility to care for Mary from now on. It turns out that these women had been faithfully serving Christ for some time. Look at verse 41; I’d like to note that Mary of Magdala, is always mentioned first when listing the women. She takes some prominence. Salome is listed, as well. Matthew identifies her as the mother of James and John. Likewise in Matthew, we see that she is the source of the request that one of her sons sit on the right hand of Jesus and the other, on the left. Mark lists these three and uses them as representative of a group of women who serve the Master (rd v 41).

These women serve an important role, in that, not only are they witnesses to his death, but they’ll also serve as witnesses of his burial and the location of that burial plot. The role of women in the first century was considered insignificant. We really haven’t seen too much of them throughout this book. It is only now that we find out about their significant role in Christ’s ministry. In other gospels, we learn that some were wealthy or prominent women.

• The evening hours are upon them and Jewish custom required that a dead body be buried before nightfall. Read v 42f; Added to this stress, Mark tells us it is the day of Preparation. The Sabbath is upon them. They wouldn’t be able to work on the Sabbath. All preparations for his burial must be completed before sundown (I have found conflicting information here).

Joseph of Arimathea steps forward and requests the body of Jesus – to bury him properly. I can’t stress to you how important Joseph turns out to be. Their customs, practices, mores, and understandings would have made this situation difficult for the family. If they were from Nazareth, what would they do with his body? It should have been dumped outside of Jerusalem in the Valley of Hinnom or the City Dump. This action by Joseph would work so nicely, and it would serve the family well. It is really a remarkable gesture.

His body would then be hastily prepared because of the late hour. The women could return to this tomb first thing Sunday morning and finish the task of properly burying Jesus’ body. It could remain in the tomb for a year. And then after that year, the bones could be collected and placed in an ossuary. Then, they would be transported back to the family plot – wherever that might be. Joseph has a tomb nearby and volunteers it. Again, incredible.

A Couple of thoughts:

1. Joseph’s actions are evidence that not all the Sanhedrin were allied against Christ. Added to this, John tells us in his Gospel that Nicodemus also participated in burying Jesus. So, more evidence that not all the Sanhedrin were against Jesus. Furthermore, the text says that Joseph had to gather up his courage to go to Pilate and ask for the body. It’s like he was counting the cost of making public his decision to follow Christ publicly. Other Gospels tell us that he was a secret follower and that he was wealthy. I’m guessing from this point forward, that it isn’t much of a secret! And it doesn’t look like Joseph wanted it to be a secret.
2. Rd v 44f; Pilate is surprised by the death of Jesus – that is, that he died so quickly. He needs confirmation from the Centurion and gets it.
3. Some have argued that this brevity and concern of Pilate offers evidence that Jesus wasn’t ‘really’ dead. There are a couple of stories in history that tell of crucified individuals who lived. One is a fictional satire written by Petronius. The story goes that the family brings their own member down off the cross while the Roman guard is away. But again, it is fiction. The second story is from Josephus, who finds out that three of his friends are being crucified. Josephus petitions Titus for their release and is granted his petition. Two of the men died, but one recovered from his injuries. But again, these stories aren’t anything like ours, where it was erroneously assumed by some that the Roman Centurion misdiagnosed the victim! BTW: there is no record of a Roman Guard ever misdiagnosing the death of an executed criminal.

Exp.: Mark then gets back to his story. Rd v46; Jewish custom would require him to wash the body and add ointments and spices. This was a temporary fix and would be remedied come Sunday morning when the women returned to the burial site.

Many such tombs have been discovered through the years and are available for tourists to visit. I visited one such site, the site not too far from the Golgatha, considered to be the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, the tomb Jesus will borrow for three days.

Well, we kind of have a Markan Sandwich again, as Mark circles back around to the women in v 47; you see them in v 40f and then again here; rd v 47’ – identifying them as witnesses to this event. We’ll pick up with this on Easter Sunday morning.

Conclusion: so, let me wrap this up.  Let me leave you with a couple of thoughts to take home with you.

Application:

1. What are we to make of the foreigners in our story? Most of the Jews hated the Romans and their presence in Israel. The reality is most of them detested all foreigners. That was never their calling, though. They were supposed to be a light to the Gentiles. Interestingly, now, God uses foreigners in our story – and Mark reminds us. Simon from Cyrene – probably a Jew by birth, but from the African continent. More importantly, a 2^nd foreigner, the Centurion was used to make the declaration Mark has been impressing on his readers since Chapter one. “Surely this was the Son of God.” This is a reminder to me that when I detest certain people – I’m not likely to share Christ with them. I want the foreigner out. He’s making things harder on me. Whether it is an illegal immigrant or a transgendered militant, Jesus died for their sins, too. Just as he did for me. Am I no different than the Jewish leadership who I rail on? Am I evangelistic, as I’ve been called to be to everyone? And, if I don’t share this incredible message of hope with those who are different than me, who will share with them? Or, should I say, if WE don’t share this incredible story, who will?
2. What are we to make of the darkness in our story? And also, What about the torn Veil? In Genesis 15, there is a beautiful story about God’s faithfulness. He promises Abraham a heritage. And then, God cuts a covenant with Abraham. The animal is killed and cut into two pieces. God then passes between the two pieces of the sacrifice. This is huge. God invokes a curse upon himself should He ever fail in this regard, (which He won’t ever do because it isn’t in his nature,) then that death is what should happen to Him. So, in this story in Genesis, there is beauty and tragedy. Gen 15.12ff.

There is this darkness that is ‘dreadful and great’. I think about this moment when I consider our text, and how darkness covered the land for 3 hours. I think also of the plague of darkness in Exodus. I think there is a connection here for us. Darkness is a theme of judgment – Jesus refers to Hell as being ‘cast into outer darkness. There is beauty and hope and fear and tragedy all at the same time!

What hope is there for us? It is only through Christ and what he has accomplished on the Cross. That was all put on him at that moment. Without Christ – that is the judgment waiting for you. I would be remiss if I failed to tell you that.

Added to this, the veil being torn in two demonstrates that the separation between God and man has been removed. We now have access to God through Christ.

• There is a planned baptism next Sunday. Wednesday night, I’m going to talk about baptism and why we do it. Why is our baptism different than that of say, Catholics or the Church of Christ? Why do we call new believers to baptism? Is it really that important? This Wednesday night.

Mark 15.21-36

Title: The Son of God

Text: Mark 15.21-39

Introduction: We’ll be in two texts this morning: here (Mark 15) and Psalm 22.

Let’s review the events leading up to where we are and to the crucifixion –

• Our series began in Chapter 14.1 where Jesus was anointed for burial. That event caused quite a stir among some, especially Judas who was so offended, he betrayed Jesus into the hands of those who wanted him dead.
• Jesus celebrated the Passover Meal with his disciples – including Judas – on the night before his death. It is sometime during this meal that Judas slipped out and went to the religious leaders, having already agreed to betray Jesus into their hands. Just as the Passover had been instituted by God to be remembered and observed by the Jewish people, so also, at the end of the Passover meal, Jesus instituted for us the Lord’s Supper. These events that occurred at the crucifixion are what we remember every time we partake.
• There is the prediction of the falling away of all the disciples and of course, Peter’s denial – which of course, he ended up doing. Jesus takes the disciples up to the Mount of Olives and then his three to pray with him in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is here the three who were adamant about their faithfulness cannot watch and pray for one hour with him.
• Judas comes to the camp bringing a mob. Jesus is then arrested and led away to the High Priest. Jesus will spend the night before an informal gathering of the Sanhedrin. They will accuse Jesus falsely, but in the end, get him to say what they need to condemn him. Peter will be just outside in the courtyard denying he knows or is a part of Jesus.
• In the morning, the Council (Sanhedrin) will gather and officially charge Jesus, but then take him to Pilate to deal with this issue of Jesus being the ‘King of the Jews’. 
• Pilate, of course, will find no fault in him.
• Pilate appealed to the crowd to release to them Jesus, as was the tradition he had begun some years before at this time. But instead, the crowd chose Barabbas, a man who had committed murder and was a revolutionary. The crowd’s desire was to have Jesus be crucified.
• So, Pilate had him scourged and turned over to the soldiers. That is where our story picks up this morning… we begin in v 21; however, the language dictates that this section actually starts in v 16

I’ve outlined the message this way:

1. The Crucifixion of the Son of God (21-28)
2. The Rejection of the Son of God (29-36)
3. The Death of the Son of God (37-39)
4. The Burial of the Son of God (37-47)

Transition: I think Mark’s story is very simple, incredibly brief, and wholly restrained. He doesn’t try to move us to sympathy for Christ as he is tortured and punished; Nor, does he try to make us angry at those who we consider Christ’s enemies. So, let’s pick up in Mark 15.21, Where we see…

I. The Crucifixion of the Son of God (21-28)

exp.: The crucifixion is a process of execution. Pilate commissions his Roman soldiers to carry out that execution. Mark is very matter-of-fact about his storytelling. He almost lists these moments and actions as bullets. For example, he begins each sentence with And they… did such and such. Notice, Mark begins this for us in v 16 and continues through v 24; “and they”;

Mark is making it clear to us that these soldiers are the ones acting here. In our section, their first action is to keep the process going. Jesus has been so mistreated that he can’t keep going. He is just too weak. It was customary for the victim to carry his own cross. It is most likely that he didn’t carry the whole thing himself, but rather just the traverse beam. He fell beneath its weight and needed someone else to carry his crossbeam. So, (rd v 21) they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. It is amazing that Mark includes some interesting information here for us.

• Simon is a Jewish name – so we assume that this man was a Jew. Of Cyrene means he was from North Africa, making him a Jew of the Diaspora – i.e.: the Exile.

The question would be why? Why would Mark add this to his story?

1. I believe he wants us to see there are witnesses to what is happening. Sure, the disciples wimped and ran, but not others. In a moment, Mark will add to these folks, some women who were present.
2. It is highly possible that this Rufus, probably just a child here, is the same Rufus mentioned in Romans 16.13. Consider, Mark served in Rome under Peter. This Gospel is considered written to those people. This would be a natural tie. However, with that said – it doesn’t make it so. But, if that is the case, it would make sense that Mark would add witnesses who they would know.
3. In 1941, an Israeli archeologist unearthed a burial cave used by a family from Cyrene. This burial cave was used just before the destruction of the Temple and was found on the western slope of the Kidron Valley. The valley that links the Temple and the Mt of Olives. What got the attention of these scholars was an inscription on one ossuary. It was written twice in Greek: Alexander, son of Simon. To be sure, these were common names by people of that day. I’m sure there were other Jews from Cyrene who had moved back to Israel. But it is interesting, nonetheless.

So what is Mark doing? I think he’s just dropping names. Here are the witnesses and you know them or can easily find them and ask them yourselves!  

ill.: If I were to tell a story about the past and I dropped the name Bob Padget, most folks in these parts would say “I know him.” I might get beat up, too, but most folks know the name. And I could mention his kids. All of the sudden, there is credibility to my story.  

exp.: Well, they (the soldiers) brought him to Golgatha – the place of the skull.

ill.: Show Pictures. The 1^st one is from the early 20^th Century… the 1900s. the 2nd is a pic from modern times – probably in the last 30 years. Now, look at this photo from 2014. Should Jesus tarry in his return, our grandchildren will only be able to see old pictures. The decay is occurring at an alarming rate – and because it is Arab-owned, there is nothing that can be done to preserve it. 

exp.: So, they offer him some wine mixed with myrrh. Rd v 23; I was taught growing up that this was probably used as a painkiller. There are stories of women who would mix frankincense with wine and offer it to the condemned. However, consider that those who offer the wine aren’t the women, but the soldiers. Because of this, it is possible that this is more of the mockery they have been pouring out on Jesus – offering him the finest of wines for a King.

Then, after this processional, v 24 tells us that Jesus is crucified. Rd v 24; I think this is much more important to Mark in the storytelling – Jesus is fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies concerning him. Here, Mark quotes from Psalm 22 – Specifically, v 18. Turn there. Mark makes clear references to:

V1: ¹        My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

V6-8: ⁶    But I am a worm and not a man,

scorned by mankind and despised by the people.

⁷    All who see me mock me;

they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

⁸    “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;

let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

V15-16, 18: ¹⁵            my strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to my jaws;

you lay me in the dust of death.

¹⁶    For dogs encompass me;

a company of evildoers encircles me;

       they have pierced my hands and feet—

¹⁸    they divide my garments among them,

and for my clothing they cast lots.

app.: Truthfully, you can read so much more into Mark from Psalms, especially when you know this story through the eyes of the other Gospels. Mark’s intent is for us, the reader, to see that Jesus is fulfilling what was spoken of him through the Prophets and the Writings.

Consider what Mark has done:

1. He’s dropped a name they would know, a witness to what had happened. This is probably someone they knew.
2. He’s told them where it happened. A place that would have been familiar to them. They probably knew what he was talking about.
3. He’s quoted to them or referenced to them Old Testament Scripture, demonstrating that this was foretold in times past.

exp.: Mark gives us a timeline in v 25 – 9 am when he was crucified. They place a placard – an inscription with this charge: King of the Jews. And they crucified him between two thieves. 

t.s.: First, The Son of God is Crucified, and 2^nd, he is rejected.

II. The Rejection of the Son of God (29-36)

exp.: Jesus is rejected while hanging on the cross. There are people who pass by and mock him on the cross. The religious leaders also continue mocking him (29-32). But something very interesting happens about noon: Darkness. Man, I wish we had time to spend talking about darkness.

• Not a solar eclipse: it lasted 3 hours – vs. 2min and 25 sec. 
• I think of the 9^th plague: darkness: a Darkness to be felt! I think of Isaiah 9: ²² And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.

For unto us a Child Is Born

9  But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time, he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time, he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

²    The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

       those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,

on them has light shone.

That famous passage on the promised coming Messiah…

What is going on here? Well, I believe it is a demonstration of the Father’s reaction to the sin of the world. This becomes clearer for us as Jesus cries out “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” You probably noted this earlier when we read Psalm 22. At this point I can’t help but think of the song:

How deep the Father’s love for us– How fast beyond all measure

That he should give his only son– to make a wretch his treasure

How great the pain of searing the loss– The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the Chosen One– Bring many sons to glory

 Psalm 88.14 – ¹⁴ O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? If you’re having a tough time with this – the actions of God – Can I let you in on a little secret? There in Psalm 22.24, we read, All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! ²⁴ For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. God sacrificed his Son for our sins. But he did not abandon him. I think that is important.

exp.: I believe the mocking continues as someone grabs a sponge and offers Jesus a drink, but hesitates to see if Elijah will come to his rescue (33-36).

app.: I picture this ‘someone’ with the reed in his hand as Jesus dies…

t.s.: The Son of God is Crucified, is rejected and finally, he dies… This is our third point and we’ll pick up here, next week…

Conclusion: so, let me wrap this up.  Let me leave you with a couple of thoughts.

Application:

1. The Christians of the early church who were suffering persecution would have been encouraged by this story. Persecution, suffering and death are not necessarily a sign of God’s absence, but rather his active work in our lives and in the lives of others.
2. There is irony here:
   1.  In how Jesus is treated; what they call him and who he really is.
   1. They call him to save himself, but by staying on the cross he will make it possible for them to be saved.
   1. Although all rejected Christ, he will not reject anyone who comes by faith.
3. God judges sin and the penalty for sin is death. Therefore, all sinners must die. However, Christ died for the unjust, giving us hope. Let Christ pay your death penalty and set you free today.
4. Observance of the Lord’s supper.