VERSE:
Mark 15:22-39
22 Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23 They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. 24 And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. 25 It was the third hour when they crucified Him. 26 The inscription of the charge against Him read, THE KING OF THE JEWS." 27 They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. 28 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with transgressors." 29 Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!" 31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, "He saved others; He cannot save Himself. 32 "Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!" Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him. 33 When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" which is translated, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" 35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, "Behold, He is calling for Elijah." 36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, "Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down." 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. 38 And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
LESSON:
The Crucifixion - Truly this man was the Son of God
This verse recounts the final hours of Jesus' life here on earth. This is the event that he was destined to go through since his birth in Bethlehem. It was THE EVENT that God had sent him to earth to endure. This story recounts just some of the painful, cruel, lonely, mocking, and insulting experience that Jesus had to endure...even up the moment of his last human breath here on earth. Where were the cheering crowds of Palm Sunday? Where were the loving and supportive Disciples? Where were any of his other followers and supporters? Not there. Jesus had to do it alone. He did it for us...alone, even to the point of his experiencing an actual separation from God. On this day, who spoke up for Jesus? Who spoke at least one positive word in support of or in favor of Christ Jesus? Only one. In a bit of extreme irony, only the Centurion (a Roman Solder) who was quite possibly one of a number who had taken part in the Crucifixion of Jesus actually spoke up on his behalf and said..."Truly this man was the Son of God!" Reflect upon this today. Have you in some ways abandoned God/Jesus in your daily life? Are you just a curious onlooker? Are you a mocker? Are you a church leader that does not really live out the Word of God? Are you actually doing things directly or indirectly in your life that serves to spiritually crucify Jesus again and again. In some respects, I think that we are all at least just a bit like some of these "onlookers" in the crowd. Perhaps not as bad, but just not good enough on our own to be found in the company of this one man....who was said by the Centurion to be "Truly, ...the Son of God".
