Mark 15:33-41 In The Shadow Of The Cross (Part 2)

This Sunday, we will finish the sermon we began last week. Mark 15:21-41 is the climax of the book and what all of redemptive history has pointed toward. Jesus, the Son of Man, will give His life as a ransom for many, as He said earlier in Mark. Last week, we went into great detail describing the suffering and shame of the cross as Jesus. We discussed the vicious scourging that left Jesus too weak to carry the cross and the horrors of a Roman crucifixion. We also bore witness to the unrelenting mockery heaped upon His head from the various people around the cross, including the theives crucified with Him. As Jesus is crucified as a substitute for sin, He bears the suffering and shame that sin brought into the creation. However, the worst is yet to come. Mark 15:21-32 (last week’s text), surveyed Jesus’ first three hours on the cross (9am-12pm). This Sunday, in verses 33-39, darkness will descend upon the land as the Father pours out His wrath on the sins of a multitude no one can number, all heaped upon the head of the sinless Son. The torment of such judgment is so great that Jesus cries out “Why have you forsaken me?” quoting Psalm 22:1. Though it seems easier for us to understand the awful physical suffering of the cross, nothing can compare to the torment Jesus experiences as His Father pours the cup of His wrath upon His Son. We will examine this in depth on Sunday. Yet, in the midst of this day of great darkness, we also see the power of the cross. That power is displayed when Jesus dies, atoning for sin, and God tears the thick curtain in the temple, forever opening access to His presence through Jesus’ sacrifice. Moreover, the power of the cross also changes hearts. A Roman centurion who had no doubt witnessed many crucifixions sees the way Jesus dies and says, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” I am looking forward to diving into this text with you that we may see the cross in all its terrible beauty. III. The Judgment of the Cross (33-36) IV. The Power of the Cross (37-41)