July 8, 2012 Torn Open

Torn Open Mark 15:38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” GOD created a most sacred place inside his temple called the “Holy of Holies”. The Lord’s priests of the temple could only enter into this sanctuary, symbolizing a personal presence with God, one day a year. Here one priest would make atonement, sacrificing for the sins of the Jews. To be in God’s presence was a privileged, sacred, and fearful moment that required very specific acts of repentance before the priest entered. The Law of Moses was a system God established to teach his people of his holiness. He required them to approach him in a specific way of sacrifices, festivals and worship, so they would understand they were dealing with the “holy of holy” God, the Righteous One who had no sin. Now, God has sacrificed his Son. At Jesus’ death, the holy God tore the Holy of Holies curtain to demonstrate to the Jews the final sacrifice had been offered. God made a new promise with his people that day and said in effect, “My Son’s death will tear the curtain of sin from your heart when you confess your sin and Jesus as your Lord.” When the centurion said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” he may have been the first to receive this new promise called the New Testament. On this day, the centurion recognizes Jesus as God’s son. God’s New Testament is beginning to work in him and into the world it will unceasingly go. Pause and consider: is sin’s veil torn from your heart?

July 7, 2012 Any Hope?

Any Hope? Mark 15:35-37 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he's calling Elijah.” 36 One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. I ALWAYS marvel at this last moment of Jesus’ earthly life because of the last strain of hope some at the cross seem to exhibit. As Jesus cried out, (Mark 15:34) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” some seemed to believe God might answer his cry and send the prophet Elijah, who had lived some 8 centuries earlier. Why would they think that? The scriptures declare in Malachi 4:5 “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.” Devout Jews expected Elijah, who had entered heaven on a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11), would return in glory and power ahead of the Messiah to establish God’s rule on earth. As Jesus called out to God, the bystanders might have hoped, “What if Elijah comes and Jesus is the Messiah? We must be ready.” As they offered to Jesus some meager relief, do you think they were “covering their bases” in the event Elijah did come to Jesus’ rescue? I wonder who they were…some of Jesus’ accusers…some of Jesus’ disciples? Were they men who hoped in Jesus and clung to a final thread of hope in Jesus’ plea? Too often we live standing by the cross, not sure if we want to commit to the Messiah. But we must. That is the only way you will be ready for the “great and dreadful day of the Lord”. Pause and consider your Messiah.

July 6, 2012 Abandoned

Abandoned Mark 15:33-34 At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”-which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” JESUS’ cry from the cross rings loud and tragic through the ages. “Why, my Jehovah, the One who is Eternal, Deliverer, why have you abandoned me, your Son?” Alone in agony on the cross, the Son of Man cries out, and he seeks an answer you and I often need to know. “Why have you abandoned me, God? Have you left me to die? Have you allowed my enemies to triumph? Why, God, have you not saved me? You promised you would always be my God. Why am I all alone?” Sometimes the answer comes. Sometimes there is no answer. The question lingers until the day God returns to you. You see that in David’s life story. You see that in Job’s story. You see that in Jonah’s story. You see it in Daniel’s story. You see it in all the stories of the Bible as God transforms his world and his people to his salvation. Certainly, you see it in Jesus’ story. God had left his son to die on a cross, but he had not abandoned Jesus forever. As Jesus cried out, his human agony was deep in his soul, his human pain was excruciating to his body; yet, the day came when his Father returned to him to restore his life. Do you feel God has abandoned you? Jesus knows your feeling. He also knows the joy of reuniting with the Father. Stay with Jesus, and he’ll lead you home to the Father, too. Pause and consider Jesus is your way to life.

July 5, 2p12 Need Rebuilding?

Need Rebuilding? Mark 15:29-32 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can't save himself! 32 Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. THE crucifiers weren’t satisfied to only nail Jesus to the wood. Drive nails into a man’s hands and feet, then stand back to insult and mock him. Sin is a cruel destroyer, isn’t it? The thing is, these mockers thought they were right. They heard Jesus say he’d destroy the temple and rebuild it in 3 days. They didn’t understand he meant his own body. They mocked Jesus because to them his claims were meaningless. They thought he had spoken of earthly things, and he had no power to change anything. Little did they know Jesus had spoken eternal truth. As his body the temple was rebuilt, Jesus is now empowered to rebuild you. Jesus came to rebuild people’s lives then and your life now out the brokenness you are experiencing. Is it the brokenness of worry, fear of work tomorrow, uncertainty in a relationship, separation from a loved one…and the list goes on. Regardless of your brokenness look to Jesus’ power for you. Refrain from mocking him with your disinterest and disbelief. Believe his words. See him from your heart. Know his words are eternally, powerfully rebuilding for you. Pause and consider Jesus’ power builds you anew.

July 4, 2012 God's "Unfair" Act

God’s “Unfair” Act Mark 15:27 They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” PILATE had released, in place of Jesus, Barabbas, one sentenced to death for insurrection. Evidence shows these two robbers flanking Jesus were Barabbas’ co-conspirators. “Robbers” means “revolutionaries”. Barabbas was likely scheduled to be crucified with these two men (Their names were Zoathan {right hand} and Chamnmatha.). Luke records a conversation between Jesus and the two. One mocked Jesus and condemned Jesus for not physically saving him. The other defended Jesus, repenting of his guilt. Jesus responded to the repentant robber (Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”) Now think about this. God had acted to save this man on this day, didn’t he? If Pilate had released Jesus instead of Barabbas, this robber would not have met Jesus. He would have had no desire to repent of his sins. And he certainly would have entered into Hell on that day, crucified as a sinner. Instead, this robber became the first human saved from Hell in the atoning death of Jesus. When we read of Pilate releasing Barabbas, the killer, and crucifying Jesus, the Savior, we often think, “Stupid Pilate! You released the wrong guy!” But the truth is he released, in God’s plan, the right guy and crucified the Son of Man to save the robber and to save you. What a remarkable love God has for you. Pause and consider: are you joyful God “unfairly” sacrificed Jesus for you?

July 3, 2012 Killing the King

Killing the King Mark 15:25 It was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. WHEN was Jesus on the cross? Why was Jesus on the cross? Two questions I’ll answer for you. When Mark says ‘the third hour” Mark refers to the Jewish day segmented into 4 parts: first at sunrise, the second about 9 am, the third at noon and the fourth at 3 pm. The “third hour” refers to the beginning of the third segment. Thus, Jesus was crucified at noon. Why was Jesus crucified? Under God’s will, of course, his death atoned for mankind’s sins. But the political and religious reason was his claim to be the King of the Jews. In the multiple trials that morning, Jesus affirmed the “king charge”. (Mark 15:2 "Are you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate. "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.) And although the priests accused Jesus of many things before Pilate, this king charge was the one charge Pilate could use to condemn Jesus. If Rome viewed Jesus as a rebel claiming his kingship over Israel, he would be an enemy of the state, a crime punishable by crucifixion. This is, in fact, the only reason Rome in principle crucified people. Pilate creates the sign to point to Rome as the Jews’ true authority. He also is likely warning any “wanna-be messiahs” to dare not challenge Rome. Of course, the life-giving truth you can see here is that Jesus, indeed, was then and is now the King of the Jews. He’s the King of Creation. He is the king because he humbly submitted himself to the cross for you. Pause and consider how you must hail the King.

July 2, 2012 They Crucified Him

They Crucified Him Mark 15:22-24 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. ONE simple sentence, “And they crucified him.” Here is the moment God promised as he speaks to Satan in Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Satan has struck “his heel”. The forces of sin are physically killing the Son of God made flesh in Jesus. Yet, this is critical to your salvation. “And they crucified him.” is a necessary step in the Father’s plan to save your soul as all history moved to Jesus’ crucifixion. As a result, you praise God for the second part of the Genesis promise: “He will crush your head.” Through the crucifixion will come Jesus’ resurrection and his ascension to Heaven’s throne. From his throne, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to crush the head of evil destroying the world. The Spirit has changed countless hearts to Jesus’ salvation as he crushes sin’s death and raises hearts to Jesus’ life. Behold the victory promise! Revelation 21:7-9 “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Praise God! Because of “And they crucified him.” You can live. Pause and consider: is sin crushed in you?