Series: When Jesus Comes To Your Town [#8]
JESUS, IN YOUR PLACE
Mark 15:21-47
Introduction:
As we have studied in our series, ¡§When Jesus Comes To Your Town¡¨, we have studied when Jesus comes to our home, our church, etc¡K; but today you must see what Jesus did for you- ¡§Jesus, In Your Place¡¨.
Today we are going to Golgotha, where Jesus was being taken to be hung upon a cross that should have been mine and yours. We are going to the place where Jesus was going to go from being the only perfect person to ever live on this earth to becoming the greatest sinner that was ever here.
In our text this morning we are going to go to the place where Jesus Christ was crucified. There at Golgotha, we are going to focus on the people gathered around the cross. The view that the writer gives us is not the view of looking at the cross, but the view that Jesus had from the cross.
The amazing thing about this view from the cross is in year 2005; you can still find the same kinds of personalities that Jesus found.
Mark 15:21-47
Simon of Cyrene
Can you imagine how Simon felt? Think about it. Simon had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Feast. He had traveled all the way from Cyrene, which was in North Africa. Simon was coming from his lodgings outside the city and had no idea that this strange event was about to take place. As he was watching Jesus stagger under the weight of the cross, Simon suddenly was grabbed by the soldiers and forced to carry the cross. I¡¦m sure he was mad about this interruption. Undoubtedly his attitude was one of unwilling involvement.
There are many people today who are resentful that God would dare change their plans. We don¡¦t want things to happen to us by surprise that don¡¦t fit into our routine. We resent it when some circumstances over which we have no control suddenly changes our plans, especially if it involves pain and suffering.
Roman Soldiers
Gathered around the foot of the cross were the soldiers who had crucified Jesus. These rough Roman soldiers had crucified many people. They undoubtedly had much experience in crucifixion, because when they had finished their work and Jesus was hanging from the cross, these soldiers got out a pair of dice and started a ¡§craps game¡¨ at the foot of the cross. It seems strange to us that any man could contemplate the dying of Jesus and carry on in such a way, but here were men who were far more interested in making a buck than they were in the blood of Jesus.
We too, in year 2005 have many people who are not at all concerned about the meaning of the death of Christ. Their whole concern is focused on making a fast buck. These soldiers stand forever as examples of those callous individuals who have no interest in the great story of the cross ¡V who shrug their shoulders with indifference to anybody who tries to call their attention to what was really happening at this scene.
Robbers
Here are two men who had been arrested because of their acts of terror and violence. They were professional revolutionaries. They were angry young men, committed to the philosophy of ¡§get what you can any way that you can and it doesn¡¦t matter who is hurt in the process.¡¨
These two looked upon Jesus as the same kind of man. They hated Him because He was of no more help to them than they could be to Him. We do know that one of these men had a change of heart. One of these robbers asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His Kingdom.
There are still many today that even at the point of death, they are still mocking and hating Jesus Christ. There are still many today who question the power of Christ. There are still many today who seem to think that Jesus was no different than we are, there are also many who see the need for the Savior.
Passers-by
In verse 29, Mark tells us that there were certain passers-by who came by the cross as Jesus was suspended on it. These were just bystanders, but when they saw Jesus, they remembered that He was the One who had made these great claims, and they said, ¡§Look, they¡¦ve caught you, haven¡¦t they? You¡¦ve gone too far. You were doing fine teaching the people, but then you began making these ridiculous claims that you could destroy the temple and raise it up again. You got what you had coming.¡¨ They were enjoying the verbal abuse that they put upon Jesus.
There are many today that claim to be followers of Jesus, but when someone says something like ¡§Jesus is the only way to salvation¡¨ they can¡¦t follow that. In another words, they can¡¦t and refuse to listen to the truth. They would rather spend their time arguing about things such as the virgin birth or the way to salvation, things that are not arguable instead of living a life of truth.
Priests
In verses 31-32, Mark describes the priests who were at the cross. These priests had been very frightened of Jesus before, but now they were very arrogant. Before, they were threatened by Him, but now what could He do to them?
They screamed out words to Jesus to come down off the cross and then they would believe. They wanted Jesus to abandon the cross.
There are still religious leaders today who would like us to abandon the cross. It is too gory and bloody they say. But, we must realize that the cross is at the very center of the good news of Jesus Christ. Whether they like it or not, that gory and bloody cross that Jesus Christ hung upon is the only way to our salvation. Jesus paid it all!
Bystander
There was another man at the cross who was interested in what was happening. His name is not given. He was just one of the bystanders. This bystander enters the picture when Jesus calls out to God in verses 35-36.
At first glance, it looks like this man is concerned about Jesus. He runs to get vinegar, which would deaden the pain of suffering, and he filled a sponge with it and put it to Jesus¡¦ lips. It looks like he is trying to help, but if you look at this account carefully, that is not his motive at all. His motive is to see if something exciting will happen. He is not moved by compassion, but by curiosity.
I have heard several stories about people who have crawled out on a ledge over a big city street and was getting ready to take their lives. As they stood there, a crowd began to gather. After a while people in the crowd began to shout things like, ¡§Jump, what¡¦s the matter?¡¨
People are seeking thrills. We have people that come to our churches not to seek the Savior but to seek a thrill and when they don¡¦t find that thrill, they don¡¦t come back.
At this point, Jesus dies. Mark still has three more accounts about the people who gathered around the cross; but these people are of a different character. These now described are the lovers and admires of Jesus.
Centurion
In verse 39, we see this centurion who was in charge of the crucifixion crew. This centurion was a pagan. He probably believed in many gods. Yet, the cross brought to him awareness that what he was watching was no joke. There had been a terrible mistake made.
This centurion sees that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. Notice, he says ¡§was¡¨. There is no hope here. There is no understanding that there may be help for him in the process.
This thought is still representative of many people today. Many people understand that God is at work in the death of Jesus. They understand that Jesus was more than just a man, but it never gets any further than that. They are impressed by the cross and impressed by the character of Jesus, but it never becomes personalized, and they never enter into the value of that death.
Crowd of Women
In verse 40-41, Mark describes a great crowd of women who were gathered around the cross. Where were the men? These women were not gathering around the cross in hope, but in hopelessness. This is a picture of hopeless commitment. These women were there because of their love for Jesus.
There are many today who believe in God. They believe in the record of the Scripture. They believe that God is there and that He works until it comes to that moment of a crisis in their own life. Then their hope is gone.
They really have no hope that God actually will act in the hour of despair. While their love remains, their hope and faith are gone. Their faith is strong as long as everything goes well, but when the bottom drops out, they still love, but their faith is gone.
Joseph Of Arimathea
Mark relates one final scene in verses 42-47. Here is Joseph of Arimathea, the secret disciple, a wealthy Sanhedrin of Jerusalem, looking for the Kingdom of God. He was attracted toward Jesus, but he was afraid to come out in the open. He did not raise his voice in the court where Jesus appeared before the Sanhedrin. But after the death of the Lord, when the body was hanging dead on the cross, then Joseph took courage and finally stood up to be counted.
A lot of us are like Joseph. We are willing to go along with our Christianity until it gets us into trouble or threatens us. Then we resist and we hide for a long time; but at the last moment, we stand up and say, ¡§Yes, I¡¦m with Him too¡¨. Thank God for those who find the courage to stand up for what they believe.
Conclusion:
We have looked at nine views of the cross of Jesus Christ this morning. Each one of us has one of these views and that view could determine where you spend all of eternity.
Is the cross of Jesus an:
„« Interruption
„« Not of concern
„« Something you hate
„« Not real
„« Too ugly
„« A place of curiosity
„« A thing of the past
„« A place of lost hope
„« The center of your life
Has Jesus set you free this morning? If you are here this morning and you have not personally surrendered your life to Jesus Christ you are bound for eternal suffering and separation from God for all of eternity. This is what will happen if you die in your sins. You are like the thief that rejected Jesus¡¦ offer of salvation. The Holy Spirit of God is telling you right now, ¡§Today is the day¡¨; but you are saying, ¡§I don¡¦t really believe in this Jesus stuff¡¨; or ¡§This is just not a very good time for me¡¨; or ¡§You just don¡¦t understand how bad I am¡¨. You may not believe that there is only one way to salvation right now, but one of these days you will have to stand before God and then you will believe; but then it will be too late. You must accept God¡¦s free gift of salvation while you are living, because once you die you have to live with that decision for the rest of eternity. Do you want to change your final destination to Heaven? If so, let me remind you how.
