The chief priests who mocked Jesus, Pilate who marvelled, the Roman soldiers who gambled and the man who was convicted

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 7 JULY 2024 – JASON CRUISE

MARK 15 VERSES 1 – 5, 15 – 25, 34 – 39

We have read here in verse 1 about the morning and then in verse 42 “now when the evening was come”.  A morning and an evening of a very great day.  In a recent survey people were asked “what day would you consider to be the greatest day in the history of the world?”  Some gave the date 20/7/1969 when man first walked on the moon.  Others said 11/11/1918 when the First World war ended.  Others said 9/9/1989 when the Berlin Wall came down.  Others said 12/10/1492 when Christopher Columbus discovered America.  Others said 15/6/1215 when King John signed the Magna Carter.  This day we have read about in scripture tonight was the greatest day in the history of the world.  When Jesus was nailed to a Roman cross.  He hung there for your sin and mine.  There were many there that day.  Many witnessed how he suffered for your sin and mine so we can have the assurance of sins forgiven and a home in heaven.  I want us to consider the people of that day, to see their response and attitude to the person and work of the Lord Jesus.  Then I would like to ask you which one resembles you tonight?

The first group of people are the chief priests in verse 3.  Remember before these chief priests stands the Lord, God manifested in the flesh.   He no longer speaks to the chief priests.  If you are still in your sins and not saved what an awful thought – to think that one day God would stop speaking to you.  Maybe you have heard the gospel so many times.  Perhaps you could preach the gospel as well as any man.  You can teach theology, debate the doctrines – what if tonight it would be the night you cross the   boundary and God would stop speaking to you?  Do not harden your heart.  Come and accept Christ as your own personal Saviour.  You might say “I am nowhere near as bad as the chief priests.”  Maybe that is true but on the authority of scripture I want to say you are a sinner.  Romans 3 verse 23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  It doesn’t matter if you are a king on the throne or just brought up in the town of Coleraine you must still come and accept the Lord for yourself.  Do you know the Lord as your Saviour and Lord?  8 billion people in the world are all sinners.  Romans 5 verse 12 “wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”     An awful thought – if you sat through a gospel meeting and go out through the doors still a Christ rejecter and you had an appointment with death one day when you stand before God he will say you cannot enter into heaven.  You would meet him as a Christ rejecter not a Christ accepter.  “Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.” (James 1 verse 15 “It is appointed unto man once to die but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9 verse 27)  We have an appointment with death one day.  You cannot cancel it like a dentist appointment.  Notice the reaction of these chief priests to the Lord in verse 31.  Here now is the Lord hanging on the cross.  The chief priests are mocking the eternal Son of God hanging there with the crown of thorns on his head and wound on his hands and feet.  He has made his way to Calvary.

O Christ, what burdens bowed thy head!

Our load was laid on Thee

Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead

Didst bear all ill for me

A victim led; thy blood was shed

Now there’s no load for me.

The Lord hangs on the cross for man.  These men mocked him.  The are not relying on him.  They are depending on doctrine and tradition.  They are hiding under a cloak of religiosity.  Could it be said of you tonight?  Where will you spend eternity?  There is only one way to be saved and made fit for heaven.  “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any an should boast.” (Ephesians 2 verse 8)  Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.  What is faith?  You came through the door tonight and sat down in your pew, you rested on it to hold your weight.  That is what faith in Christ means.  Resting in him for your salvation.  They said of Jesus “he saved others, himself he cannot save.”  We are thankful that not only can we say “he has saved others but he has saved me too.”  You were born again of the Spirit, made right and ready for heaven.  The apostle in John 1 verse 12 said “but as many as received him to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”  We are trusting in him for eternity.  If it is not the Lord it is futile.  The chief priests mocked Christ.

The second person to look at is Pilate who marvelled.  Verses 4 and 5.  Matthew tells us he marvelled greatly – Matthew 27 verse 14.  Not only did he marvel when Christ was alive but also when he was dead  - verse 44.  Here we see that Pontius Pilate marvelled when Christ was alive.  The Greek word means to be in wonder or astonishment.  He was amazed at the man who stood before him.  Pontius Pilate judged him before he was condemned to the cross.  He had seen many before Jesus but he never marvelled at them.  He said of Jesus “this man has done nothing worthy of crucifixion”.  Yet Pilate condemns him to the death of the cross.  Matthew records that Pilate washed his hands off the whole situation.  There is something however that will never wash away that sin.  The only thing that will make you right and ready for heaven is the precious blood of Christ.  Maybe you will be like Pilate – too scared of others.  Maybe your school friends or work colleagues or neighbours.  What will they say when they find out that you gave your life to the Lord Jesus.  Will you give in to pressure and yield?  Invite the Lord to be your saviour.

The third group to look at are the Roman soldiers who gambled – verses 24 and 25.  These Roman soldiers have led the Lord out to Calvary.  They have driven nails through his hands and feet.  Previously they took him into the Common Hall and buffeted him, spat on him, pulled the hairs form his face.  They led him through the streets to Calvary where they raised him up between heaven and earth.  There the eternal Son of God hands in your place and mine.  What a demonstration of such love.  That God would send his begotten Son into this world to give his life so that everyone could have eternal life.  Where are you going to in eternity – there are only 2 destinations – heaven or hell.  We see these soldiers gambling over the clothes of Jesus.  Will you gamble over your soul?  Will you rise from your seat and say “I will not get saved tonight but maybe on some other occasion.”  If we could lift back the gates of hell tonight we would see there a multitude of people who said the same thing but death came and they were not ready.  They went out into hell unprepared, unforgiven and unchanged.  Why would you leave tonight travelling the broad road?  Not knowing what a day will bring forth.  Why would you not come and accept the Lord as your own and personal Saviour?  You may remember one day that you heard you needed to be saved and yet you rejected it.  There is no second chance.  Maybe you are almost saved.  On the 1^st of January 1919 a small boat was making its way to the island of Lewis.  On board were 281 men who had fought in the World War and were making their way home after victory.  They were making their way home to safety.  They had walked over the border to Scotland and boarded a boat to Lewis.  The boat entered the harbour of Stornoway.  Notorious in that harbour were 2 large rocks which locals called “the beasts of home”.  That vessel crashed into the 2 rocks.  281 men went into the water and 205 perished, lost beneath the waves.  Almost home.  Some could have seen the homes they were reared in.  They were going home but never made it.  Some had with them toys bought on the way home for their children.  One man was found with an engagement ring in his pocket.  Almost saved but perished in the harbour.  An awful tragedy.  Many tonight are almost saved but not quite.  Those Roman soldiers had been gambling over the clothes of the Lord.  Jesus wanted to clothe them with his clothes of righteousness.  Christ on the cross was able to cry out “it is finished”.  The price has been paid on your behalf.  We speak of one who is alive.  He was dead but is alive for evermore.  Maybe you are saying in your mind “you don’t know the awful things I have done.”  The Lord says “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”  If you will come in repentance you will be secure for all eternity.  Whatever else you are relying on is futile.  John 14 “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me.”  You must come by the way of the cross.  The Roman soldiers gambled.

There was a man who was convicted – verse 39.  On that day this Roman Centurion came to know Christ as his very own and personal Saviour.  I look forward to meeting this man in heaven.  This day started out like any other day for him.  He woke up in the early hours of the morning.  He gathered up his men and gave them orders.  He told them of the 3 men who would be led out to be crucified.  A normal day for all of them.  News came through later that morning that Barabbas is going to be released.  If he was released who would be taking his place?  Did that Roman centurion look on as they flogged Jesus.  Did he think that there was something special about this man?  Did he hear Pilate’s words “I find no fault in this man”?  Did he hear the 2 thieves and their conversation with Jesus on the cross?  Now he becomes convicted.  This man is indeed the man Christ Jesus, the Son of God.  You can be like this man and come to know Christ as your personal Saviour.  D L Moody was once asked by a young man if he could preach in his church.  He came along one evening and D L Moody listened as he preached the gospel.  The meeting was brought to a close and the young man thought he had done a good job telling men and women of a lost world and how Christ came.  That he was suffered and died for the people.  D L Moody made his way to the young man and he wasn’t too pleased.  The young man asked him what was wrong.  D L Moody told him “you left Christ on the cross.  The Saviour we present is a risen Saviour, one who is exalted and sits at the Father’s right hand today.”  The Lord beckons you to come unto him and he promises rest when we give our burdens to him.  Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.  It is not maybe but you shall be saved.  Make sure you close in with God’s great offer of salvation tonight.