It Is Gone!

Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid. Mark 15:46-47

What happened with Jesus at the cross? Why do we who believe in Him make such a big deal out of it? Without the words and actions of Jesus, it would be just another of many executions carried out by a world ruler such as the Roman Empire. Two other men died that same day on similar crosses, and I suspect that not one of us can name either of those men. So, what's the big deal with Jesus?

A little story may help.

Imagine moving into a new house. It is a lovely house and only grows more so as the years pass by. You have added a room or two, and made it more comfortable. But, out back in the yard, way back in a weedy corner of the property that no one sees, sits a barrel of waste with a biohazard sign on it. Just yesterday the ruling authority raised a tax on barrels such as that one, and the new tax will ruin you. All that you have will be taken from you, and you will live your days in such complete misery that no one can see an end to it.

You stare in mute horror at a newspaper trying to distract your worried mind with the latest news. You see that a man was executed yesterday. Strangely, this man had only one charge against him, but it does not appear to be a crime as far as you can tell. King of some religious people, what does that even mean? You look out back wondering why he had to die, and suddenly do the classic double take. The biohazard barrel that will surely ruin you tomorrow is gone! Where did it go?

Rushing outside to take a closer look, you find a note. Jesus, that man who died on a crimeless charge yesterday, left a receipt for you. It states that your toxic waste was disposed of as far as the east is from the west. Where? The term written in what appears to be blood at the bottom states, Paid In Full. The mystery only grows more mysterious, but your relief is beyond words! When the neighborhood accuser points his beady eyeballs at your house, there will be no biohazard barrel for him to point at. It is gone!

And that, my dear friends, is my poor way of describing the redemption of the cross. The sin on my record simply disappeared from my account; and the only remaining invoice states, Paid In Full, with the signature of Jesus on the bottom.

Love, peace, and grace to you in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Bucky

Let The Fun Begin

Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!” Mark 15:38-39

Jesus of Nazareth has died on a cross and the world powers appear to have won the day. Then the fun begins after three hours of darkness as the veil of the temple is torn in two from top to bottom. A Roman centurion recognizes that Jesus was the Son of God. Matthew recorded an earthquake and the splitting of rocks - probably the stones ready to cry out if the Lord's people were silent. And then, Joseph of Arimathea requests the body of Jesus from Pilate, buries our Lord, and Passover, Sabbath, and quiet. And thus begins one of my favorite periods for speculation over what happened until the Resurrection of Jesus. What happened? Probably nothing. Sabbath was for rest and the law of Sabbath said no working. The disciples probably laid low, gathering together in secret after being scattered. A pause after events had run at a sprint for a time.

The first day of the week was coming.

Bucky

Consistently Misunderstood

Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!” Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.” And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Mark 15:35-37

It is consistent that as He was misunderstood throughout His ministry, His last words in Mark would also be immediately mistaken for a call to a long-dead prophet. It is a cherished myth that our beloved ones always pass away with important last words. So, of course someone runs to give Jesus a bit of vinegar to drink and get some important last words from Him. But no, a loud cry and Jesus has gone. Try to feel that.

Bucky

What He Did Not Want To Do

Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Mark 15:33-34

From Psalm 22:1, Jesus calls out this question to His Father. From years of study, I have come to believe that this is what Jesus did not want to do. This question is unbelief. This question expresses our sin. This question assumes that a forsaking took place and accuses God of doing it. Jesus was intimately connected with His Father and would know better. Of all the things that Jesus suffered from the arrest to His death, I believe this question He wanted to avoid most of all. But by asking this, He became our sin, the worst sin of unbelief. The scapegoat for our sin now had that sin upon Him and the mission was accomplished.

And by His sacrifice we are saved,

Bucky

Ended Him

And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”
Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.  Mark 15:29-32

How a person chooses to behave after defeating an enemy says much about their character and discipline. In our time, it is the exceptions that are what gets reported and not the majority. However, in the case of Jesus, it seems that the majority was the starring act. Chief priests, scribes, Roman soldiers, and the Jews passing by all got into the mocking performance. Luke records that one repented, but here in Mark's gospel both of the other cross occupants reviled our Lord Jesus also. Those who had shouted, "Hosanna to the son of David" (Matt 21:9), were now mocking their Savior and King. Those who did not believe in Jesus thought that ending him was the end of the matter. 

But was it?

Bucky

Died For Us

Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. And the inscription of His accusation was written above:

THE KING OF THE JEWS.

With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”

-- Mark 15:25-28

We are a crazy bunch of fools, according to the world, for believing at this moment that Jesus was perfectly in control and laying down His life to save us from our sins. Those transgressors in the prophecy? They are us as well as the two robbers. The inscription on His cross was meant to be derogatory, but we know it is accurate. Given the chance we might even upgrade it to, King of kings and Lord of lords. Savior, Lord, and Friend, Jesus here in the scripture moment for today will only suffer a little while longer.

And we mourn Him,

Bucky

Foretold

And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take. Mark 15:22-24

They divide My garments among them,
​​And for My clothing they cast lots.
  -- Psalm 22:18

Psalm 22 begins with some of the last words Jesus called out on the cross. The prophetic psalm also foretells the disposition of our Lord's clothing while He worked our salvation. To suffer great pain while others have a little gambling action going on nearby must be both insulting and terribly frustrating. Yet Jesus, I believe, included those soldiers stealing His clothing when He prayed to His Father to forgive them. We too are forgiven in this, for what are we if not similar to those Romans as we ignorantly go about a little of this or that in life while our Lord works to save us?

Praise God for the forgiving of our Lord Jesus,

Bucky

The Other Simon

Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. Mark 15:21

Jesus chose two Simons, one surnamed Peter, and one known as a zealot, but then a third one is passing by while Jesus bears His cross toward Golgotha. The Roman soldiers chose this third Simon, and they didn't ask whether he wanted to come along with or not. Why did they choose this man from a city in what we know as Libya? Probably due to his appearance, given they knew nothing else about him. For all those who state their piety by desiring to touch the cross of Jesus, Simon gets to do it by the overbearing compulsion of imperial Rome. This Simon may not have seen the honor in it. The cross of Jesus, bloody and sweaty, and probably used for many executions before and after this time. Imagine being compelled to tote an electric chair up the hill to a public execution. You would need no compulsion to let everyone up there know the chair wasn't for you!

Let 'em know, Jesus is Lord!

Bucky

Mocking Game

Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. Mark 15:19-20

Although the Roman garrison bowed the knee to Jesus, their heart was not in it. How a person or group behaves with another person delivered to them by an authority as a prisoner will say much about their character. We can criticize the Roman soldiers for this, but there is Jesus also to consider. This man who walked across the stormy surface of Lake Tiberias and raised dead people back to life, must not be entirely helpless even in this circumstance. In Matthew's gospel, Jesus tells His valiant, ear-whacking, swordsman to put it away since His Father could send twelve legions of angels to His rescue. One Roman garrison versus twelve legions of angels? Gotta go with the angels on that one. Therefore, as Jesus had the power to call upon a superior force but didn't, what mission holds Jesus on this course? We are grateful that this mission was our salvation, and that Jesus held Himself to it.

Praise God for our Lord's longsuffering and patience,

Bucky

Pilate's One Chance

So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.  Mark 15:15

Wanting to gratify the crowd may be a good thing, such as a music performer playing that hit song that maybe they do not want to play yet another time, or it may be that the crowd needs a restraining influence. Here is Pilate, the one authority who could restrain the crowd, but he doesn't want to answer them with a negative. So, Barabbas gets to live another day, while an innocent man goes to the cross. Pilate lives on also, but what thoughts go through his mind after meeting Jesus? We do not know. Pilate is not quite out of the story after this. There is the matter of a body to be buried. However, Pilate's one chance came and went, and he chose the crowd over Jesus. I think there is a lesson there!

Rejoice in the Risen Savior!

Bucky

They Turned On Him

Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”

So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”
  -- Mark 15:12-14

If repentance is turning to the Lord, this would be a demonstration of the opposite. The people, stirred up by the chief priests, turned on Jesus. Were these the same who a few days before had hailed Jesus as the Son of David? His twelve disciples had fled from Him, one even betrayed Him to the authorities, and God? God it appears wanted Jesus right where He was, unjustly condemned by the crowd. The crowd of His chosen people. Their king. "Crucify Him!" they shouted at the Roman governor. A sad moment in the history of Israel. And yet, from this apparent weakness comes our Lord's great victory over sin and the grave.

His redemption of us, an amazing story!

Bucky

They Had One Chance

Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Mark 15:6-9

What can unbelief do to a people? We have here as one choice the Savior of the world, Messiah, King of the Jews, the Christ. On the other side a rebel and murderer. And the people have one chance to release their king and Messiah. Ah, the problem is that they do not believe that Jesus is those things. They have unbelief as their guide. Pilate knew well the entry into Jerusalem Jesus had just done a few days past. No doubt the people would want the One they shouted "Hosanna!" and laid cloaks and palm branches before. Nope, give us the murderer and rebel, the crowd asks.

And thus did a great miracle happen and us Gentiles got the chance to believe in the risen Son of God, the Christ.

Praise God!

Bucky

The Answer Of Silence

And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.  Mark 15:3-5

A testimony making allegations carries too much weight many times in our world today. Sometimes a person is convicted in the public arena before a trial even comes. A trial is held to determine the truth, but some think that the trial is proof of the crime. But Pilate wasn't the public, and he had dealt with the chief priests before. Jesus, for his part, answered those questions he could not deny, as we studied last week. These accusations then must have been spurious nonsense. Jesus stood silent, refusing to give the allegations weight by his denial. And sadly, those set as watchmen for the coming Messiah, were the ones demanding the death of the Messiah. Jesus gave to them the answer of silence, and the Roman governor marveled. 

May God our Father raise you up this week,

Bucky

Enabled To Believe

Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.”
-- Mark 15:1-2

Last night I noticed a little stupid fluttering about. So I grabbed it and fondled it a bit. Upon finding out that I had not done what I thought I had done, and that what I was trying to do was doubling the problem, I stopped and corrected the first part and then was able to do the second. Then I let the stupid go on its way. If you are past childhood, but not yet suffering from A.G.E. you will not understand all that.

Meanwhile, back in the scriptures. Jesus has been taken, in restraints, to the Roman authority. Why? The Jewish religious authorities wanted their Roman overseers to take the life of this son of the tribe of Judah. Pilate, perhaps thinking to be smart or funny, asks Jesus one question, "Are you the king of the Jews?" The high priest had asked Jesus a question that Jesus answered similarly, "It is as you say". So, Jesus claimed to be the Christ, the Son of God, and King of Israel. The question is, what does each person believe about that? The priests, Pharisees, scribes, and (nearly) all the Sanhedrin have refused to believe Jesus. What will Pilate do?

Praise God that we were enabled to believe in Jesus!

Bucky

Three Times Denied

A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept. Mark 14:72

Jesus had already said that whoever denies Him before men would be denied by Him in heaven. Peter may have thought of that as he wept. But, it is also tough to come face to face with your weakness. Peter was among those pledging their lives to defend Jesus, but they fled and he denied. But also, it is disheartening to have a prophecy of your cowardice in the face of little servant girls come to pass. How precious then becomes the forgiveness of Jesus Christ as we face our sinful weakness?

Rejoice in Christ, we have some good company in the saints,

Bucky

Eulogetos, The Blessed; No, Dynamis, The Power

Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”  Mark 14:61-62

The high priest had this man from Nazareth right where he wanted the man to stand for a conviction. But after several false witnesses couldn't get their fabrications to agree, the priest, exasperated, asked Jesus of Nazareth a direct question. Jesus, silent before the false witnesses, answered a question He would not deny - He was indeed that man. However, when the high priest used the name of God for blessed, Jesus came back with the name for power or miracle. In other words, while the high priest thought he was standing with God on his side, Jesus would return with the real power, and priestly-boy would get to witness it first hand. I couldn't find the Greek word for 'uh-oh!' to place here. 

Believe in the Miracle, He returns soon!

Bucky

The Betrayer Comes

"See, My betrayer is at hand.”
And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Mark 14:42b-43

In the dead of night and with a useful traitor, the religious authorities finally muster the courage to act against Jesus. Of course they don't come themselves. Jesus knew what was up and called out the plays as they began to arrive in a great multitude armed with swords and clubs. Judas Iscariot has just made a name for himself that will last through this age. The authorities needed a traitor, and Judas provided them one for a mere 30 pieces of silver - the price of a slave in those times. As the gospel of Jesus has spread around the world, so has the infamy of Judas Iscariot. That was probably not his intention when Judas started down this road.

Better for us, I think, to promote the name of Jesus Christ than to make a name for ourselves.

Bucky

Someone Represented Us

And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” Mark 14:36

Jesus, the Son of God, prayed in the garden at Gethsemane one night. Strangely, he did not pray as God praying to God, but as a human praying - a son of man. God wouldn't need to pray that His will not be done, the scriptures consistently tell us that He wants His will to be done. Jesus prays as a man submitting his will to the will of God. How extraordinary! All of this because Jesus was about to be the sacrificial lamb, the scapegoat, that we need to atone for our sins. God the Son knelt down before God the Father and represented us the sinners.

And without Jesus we have no hope,

Bucky

The Test

Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mark 14:37-38

We read some strong words from Peter about not falling, not denying, and even dying for Jesus. The Lord then tested this man's faith by having him keep watch for one hour. Peter failed. Such an easy task for the test too, we think. Some of us have experience in keeping watch, and we know that this is not so easy. Later in the night, a full meal the prior evening, a little walk to get there, and the peace of a night in a garden when everyone else is in bed sleeping combine to make keeping an alert watch difficult. Another difficulty in staying awake on watch can be emotions. Too much fear can make one sleepy. A time of emotional stress, such as the disciples had when Jesus told of His arrest and death during the meal, can cause one to be worn out even without a serious physical exertion. Keeping watch for one hour - not so easy as it may seem in the morning with the sun shining.

Metaphorically speaking, we are keeping watch for one hour while Jesus makes intercession for us with His Father, God. Let us keep watch in the strength of Christ our Lord.

Bucky