The people Jesus came into contact with on the night he died

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 26 JULY 26 – MR JASON CRUISE

MARK 15 VERSES 1 – 7, 15 – 31, 34 – 38

 

There are many solemn and sombre scenes we read about in scripture. None more so than the cross. Mark 15 the crucifixion of the eternal son of God. His public ministry is now over. The one who lived an absolutely sinless perfect life is now on the centre cross of Calvary. He who did no wrong, went about doing good. The one who healed the lame, made the blind to see and deaf to hear. The one who did good for all is on the centre cross, condemned to death. As he was brought to Annas, Caiphas, the Sanhedrin, Pilate, Herod then back again to Pilate – many came into contact with him that day. They saw him face to face. As we consider these people which one represents you tonight? I wonder which of these has the same attitude towards the Saviour and his finished work? What will your response be tonight? 

First group are the chief priests – verse 3 “but he answered nothing”. As you hear this message there is the awful possibility that God would cease to speak to you.  Here are these chief priests putting many accusations to the Saviour. He answered nothing. How long has God been speaking to you? What if God were to say tonight is the last night he will speak to you? Leave you in your sin. Maybe you have heard the gospel down the years. You have rejected his offer of mercy. Still found in sin. On the road out to a Christless eternity. “Behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6 verse 2) Make sure you are right with God. Come in repentance, acknowledge before him your need of him, that you are born in sin, shapen in iniquity, fallen short of heaven’s standards. You need the Saviour. If you would only cry out tonight you could be saved, made right for home in heaven. What if God would cease to speak to you? Maybe you are saying “I am not really that bad a person, I do good to my neighbours, the sin I have committed is not that bad.” Only one sin will keep you out of the presence of heaven. Romans 3 verse 23. You fall short of the standards God demands, that heaven requires because of your sin. 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:.” On the authority of God’s word you are a sinner. If you are ever going to be saved you will have to first come and acknowledge you need a Saviour. The one who died on the centre cross. Each one of us has an appointment with death. James 1 verse 15 “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” “ And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9 verse 27. There are 8.3 billion people around the world tonight. They all have an appointment with death. It is not like an appointment with the doctor – you can cancel it at the last moment. It is an appointment with death. We must keep it. Are you ready for the day of your departure? Have you made preparation for when you leave this scene of time and go out into your eternal destination? Heaven with God or hell, eternally separated from God. Are you still a Christ rejecter tonight?  Verse 31 “he saved others he cannot save himself.” See Christ upon the centre cross. As they whipped his back you can see the blood flow. On his head was put the crown of thorns – they were pressed in so hard. See his hands and feet – the nails were driven into them. See him as he hung there.

“O Christ, what burdens bow’d 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 eternal Son of God bore all of your guilt, sin and shame. Isaiah 700 years before the birth of Christ said “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” On that centre cross Christ bore an awful load, to pay an awful price so you could be saved and made right for heaven and home. The chief priests were cloaked in their own religiosity. They believed they were good enough to get into heaven. Perhaps you are in church every week. Your name is on the roll book. You have been baptised, confirmed, catechised. You believe you are right and ready for a home in heaven. Paul in Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9 said “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” As in ages past salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person of Christ alone.” If you are relying in anything but Christ it is futile. You will find yourself in hell if you leave this earth without a Saviour. Make sure you are right with Christ tonight. Perhaps you can recall times when you were sent along to Sunday School and church services. You know the scriptures so well but you have never had a heart change. You cannot point back to a time and place when you put your faith and trust in Christ. There is no better time than now to come in repentance. A sinner in need of repentance. “He saved others, himself he cannot save.” Not only has he saved others, thankfully he saved many and is still able to save all who come in repentance and faith.

Second, Pontius Pilate – verses 4 and 5. Pilate marvelled. In the original Greek to be in wonder was to be amazed, astonished. Many people stood before Pilate. He was the Roman Governor. He condemned many to death on the cross. Never a man stood before him that left him amazed, in wonder as did the eternal Son of God. Matthew 27 verse 14 “marvelled greatly”. Not only marvelled greatly when alive but also in death. Verse 44 Pilate was never in amazement of astonishment by any man that stood before him in court but now he is. “I find no fault in this man”. Pilate had condemned Christ to death. Matthew 27 verse 22 “what then shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?” Pilate does not say “what would you do?” What would they do? A personal question demands a personal answer. You must and will ask yourself. “What will you do tonight with Jesus?” Will you log off for another Sunday evening? Leave the building still with your back to God? In rebellion? Trampling the broad road. Now Pilate gives in to the crowd. Are you scared of the crowd tonight? Scared what friends might think? To tell your friends you have put your trust in Christ as Saviour? They will laugh you into hell but never laugh you out. Don’t worry about what people will say, worry about the eternal destination of your never dying soul. Pilate is scared of the crowd. He washes his hands of the whole situation. There is something that water will never wash away – sin. The only thing that can deal with your sin is the precious blood of Jesus. 

“What can wash away my sin

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Hebrews 13 verse 12 “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.”

 

He suffered so you can come and put your trust in him. Now your name is recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

 

Third, the Roman soldiers – verse 24. The men that had led the Lord. Matthew 27 verse 27. They led Jesus into the common hall. They buffeted, smote, spat, pulled the hair off the face of God’s eternal Son. They plaited a crown of thorns and forced it down onto his head. What agony he endured. He suffered that he might be able to go all the way to Calvary to take the sin of all humanity on himself. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.” (1 Peter 3 verse 18)  What are you relying on for eternity? The divine judgment of God was satisfied by the sacrifice offered at Calvary because of the sacrifice offered. The way is open to you to know the joy of sins forgiven. Maybe you are wondering how long would eternity last. If I could tell you that after 1000 years in hell you would be released or after 10,000 years but there is no hope. Revelation 20 talks about the lake of fire, eternally separated from God and the love of God. It is for eternity. We love you and love your soul. We don’t want you to go into that awful place called hell. We read of these men who gambled over the garments of the Saviour. The eternal Son of God wants to clothe him with his imputed righteousness. Romans 3 verse 10 “For there is none righteous, no not one.”  Isaiah 64 verse 6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Christ wants to clothe you in his imputed righteousness, make you ready for home in heaven.” Maybe you are saying “you don’t know the awful sins I have committed. My list of sins are so bad.” “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast him out.” (John 6 verse 37)  Will you not come to him tonight? Know you are ready for home in heaven. John 14 verse 6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” The only access is God’s son. By coming and trusting in his finished work on Calvary.

We have thought of the chief priests who mocked, Pilate who marvelled and the soldiers who gambled.

Lastly the 2 men who hung on either side of the Saviour. One of these men came in repentance and put his trust in Christ as Saviour. Luke 23 verses 39 to 43. This man hangs at the side of the Saviour. A dying man stepping out into eternity. He knows his time on earth is now over. As he hangs on the cross he becomes discerning. He begins to think of his sin. He became a delivered man. He came to put his faith and trust in God’s Son the Lord Jesus. Verse 41. This man acknowledged his wrong doing, that he is a sinner. If ever you are going to be saved you will have to acknowledge you are a sinner. He did more. He acknowledged that the man on the centre cross had done nothing amiss. The only reason why the sacrifice at Calvary was accepted was the author was the one accepted.All the sacrifices in Leviticus chapters 1 to 6 have to be without blemish. The only one who ever lived on earth and met the criteria for Calvary was Christ. Pontius Pilate could say of him “I find no fault in him.” He lived upon this earth for 33½ years, perfect before man and God. Never one vile word, thought or action. He stares death in the face. This dying man became a discerning man. He became a delivered man. There was only one who could rescue him. He was the man on the centre cross. Verses 42 and 43. These words of Christ are a great comfort to that thief. “Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.” The comfort of every dying person – to be in the presence of Christ in a moment. Joy can become a reality for you if only you put your faith and trust in Christ. Nothing you can inherit, earn or achieve to make you right for heaven. John 2 verse 9 “Salvation is off the Lord.” All of God, nothing to do with the preacher or any church elder. Salvation is of the Lord. If you only would come in true repentance you can know the joy of sins forgiven. We don’t present a dead Saviour in the gospel tonight. He is heaven, in his rightful place at his Father’s right hand. He calls to you “come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” After 3 days he arose again. “Christ died for our sins”  We can rely on the word of God. We present to you a living Saviour, the one at God’s right hand. “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”