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