Death

Introduction

The centrality of the cross cannot be underestimated. The crucifixion of Jesus is more than a story of a good man dying. It was God’s way of dealing with sin—the perfect man, who was God in the flesh, offered himself for us. The cross is the place where God took care of our sins and opened the floodgate of grace, allowing us to be with him now and completely throughout eternity. Mark’s gospel records the events which lead up to and including the crucifixion. But his gospel is devoid of many of the graphic details which he could have included. His initial readers would have known all about crucifixion. The horror did not have to be recorded. We are going to let Mark speak for himself today. The text doesn’t need elaboration as much as it needs to be listened to, absorbed, and appreciated. I will have some application at the end.

Mark’s Testimony

Mark’s record of the life of Jesus begins with the statement “The beginning of the Gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God,” and the words of the centurion at the end of Jesus’ life verify Mark’s account. Some want to quibble over the centurion’s words by saying that what he really said was “this man was a son of God.” Quibbling over a word misses the point. Jesus’ death was different from the other crucifixions this centurion had seen. Others had screamed and cursed. Others had died with a whimper. But there was something about Jesus that led the centurion to confess that there was something divine present. This hardened soldier saw the divine.

What We See at the Cross

What do you see at the cross? Death, forgiveness, grace, weakness. Some want us to focus on the pain of the suffering. Some want us to focus on his separation from God. Both miss the point. We should focus on what Jesus is focusing on. Listen to Psalm 22. A song lamenting the suffering one has to go through gives way to praise and thanksgiving because God’s will is being done. In the garden Jesus prayed that God’s will would be done. And now on the cross he proclaims that God’s will is being done. Even in suffering, Jesus acknowledges that God’s will is all that matters. And so we focus on what Jesus focused on.

God’s will matters above our own. God’s will matters more than our opinions. God’s will matters when we suffer. God’s will matters when we are lonely. God’s will matters when we just want to be loved. God’s will matters when we want to enjoy the pleasures of this world for just a moment. God’s will matters, and all the proof you need is at the cross.

The Call

So whose will are you praying will be seen in your life? Whose will wins out in your life?

Follow Jesus

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