Mark 15:25-36
Introduction:
A. “Father, forgive them” showed us the mission of Calvary for without the shedding of blood there is no remission. Christ dying for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).
B. “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” showed us the men of salvation. Though Christ died for all, not all are saved. Only those who come to Him are born again.
C. “Woman, behold thy son” showed us the importance of both family and church family in the absence of the Lord. We need our families and we also need the church.
D. This morning, I want to look at next of the seven sayings. “Why hast thou forsaken me?” Here we find a change. Psalms 22-24 are a trilogy that foreshadows the cross of Calvary in 22, the care of the sheep in 23, and the coming of the King in 24. In this saying, we find the fulfillment of Psalm 22:1 as Christ is now suffering for the sins of the world.
E. Until this point—as far as I can discern—Jesus Christ is still sinless because of His continued intercession for sinners. At some point, He became sin for us: 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. My personal interpretation of these verses leads me to believe that He became sin for us when the darkness came.
F. Until then, He was not only interceding but was also praying to the Father as well as saving the dying thief. I want to look at that 3 hour period of darkness and try, with my finite mind, to grasp what infinitely took place. In those three hours of darkness we find:
1. Darkness – “There was darkness”
a. Christ was crucified the 3rd hour or at 9 AM.
Mark 15:25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. There was 3 hours of light in which they watched our Lord. From 12 noon until 3 PM (6th until the 9th hour) there was darkness upon the face of the earth. This was a preternatural event – this was not a Solar Eclipse as this would have caused a twilight effect. According to Luke’s gospel, the “sun was darkened.” (Luke 23:45a)
Amos 8:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:
b. When the Lord judged the sin of Egypt, He cause a darkness which may be felt.
Exodus 10:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. It was an absolute darkness in which you could not see your hand in front of your face. I have experienced such darkness while miles underground. There is a complete absence of light. Many of you have been in a cave when they turned out the lights and have felt the smothering effect of that darkness.
c. As sin brings about darkness, it also causes the heart to be darkened.
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
John 3:19-21 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (20) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (21) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
d. There was darkness because the payment of sin at Calvary was between God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. God allowed no one else to observe. The remission of sin is an act of God, not man!
Isaiah 53:10-11 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (11) He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Jude 13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
2. Division – “why hast thou forsaken me?”
a. There has always been a division between darkness and light.
Genesis 1:1-5 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (4) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. (5) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
b. Christ became sin for us! Sin separates man from God.
Habakkuk 1:13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
c. Sin must be paid for before relationship can be restored.
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
3. Despair – “My God, my God, why?”
a. There is earthly despair.
Proverbs 13:15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
b. There is eternal despair.
Matthew 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
4. Death – “forsaken me”
a. The wages of sin has been set.
Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Ezekiel 18:20a The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
b. The wages of sin never changes.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Conclusion: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” For me! For you! For the world!
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