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December 3, 2021 6:00 am
You missed their chance to door Mistress chance to love on just show respect human decency are too busy doing their human thing.
This is been played out repeatedly through the centuries and is one of the great reasons why God is left us who love the Lord Jesus Christ here on earth to bring this to the attention of those who think that it is fashionable to mock him. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.
Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the gospel of Mark. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio. Specifically, you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the gospel of Mark chapter 15 for a brand-new study called, they crucified him gospel according to Mark verses 16 through 32 chapter 15 of the Gospel of Mark. Verses 16 through 32. Beginning in verse 16 then the soldiers led him away into the hall, called praetorian the call together the whole garrison to close him with purple twisted a crown of thorns put it on his head began to salute him pale King of the Jews and they struck him on the head with the Reed spat on him, bowing the knee, they worshiped him, and when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him put his own clothes on him let them out to crucify him. Then they compelled to certain man. Simon, us Iranian father of Alexander and Rufus as he was coming out of the country in passing by to bear his cross, and they brought him to the place called Golgotha, which is translated place of a skull. Then they gave him wine mingled with myrrh to drink but he did not take it when they crucified him. He divided his garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take. Now it was the third hour, and they crucified him in the ascription of his accusation was written, the king of the Jews with him. They also crucified two robbers, one on his right. The other one is left so the Scripture was fulfilled which says he was numbered with the transgressors and those who passed by, blaspheme 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 priest also marking among themselves with the scribes said he saved others, himself, he cannot save let the Christ the King of Israel to sin now from the cross, we may see and believe even those who were crucified with him reviled him.
It is the most bittersweet passage of the Bible is very difficult to read publicly. There is no charge of emotions. Of course they crucified him. That's the title to the study of God's word is too much going on between the four evangelists Matthew Mark Luke and John in their account of this crucifixion to cover it all. It's out of sequence. I will take the time to put sequence in place with at least not this round.
I maybe I did it when we did, Luke. Either way, but just for example, the detailed of verses and prophecies coming out of Isaiah 53 to so many of them. We don't have time to go into all will take some we go back to verse 16 then the soldiers led him away into the hall called praetorian and they call together the whole garrison praetorian barracks there at the Antonio fortress of the Romans. It could house up to several thousand men and the support elements to go with it. Pilate, Pontius Pilate, the governor's residences was up to the Northwest in Caesarea by the Mediterranean Sea.
Of course as he comes to Jerusalem for feast time he's going to bring a large detachment of troops with him to protect him and they make up the praetorian guard and so they hear they are this barracks for them. The translators have not done well with the word in the new King James here translated garrison. Some may have cohort. Either way it's not a definitive number. It just means sort of a band of of troops and say that as we move forward looking down at verse 17 and they clothed him with purple and they twisted a crown of thorns put it on his head. So here they are again with the abuse.
This time it is coming from the Gentiles who are not so gentle and the thorns.
Of course every Christian.
Once we hear that word warns, especially in Scripture, we are made mindful of sin because that's what it symbolizes in the Scripture thorns are directly associated with sin my sin. Personally your sin personally and mankind. Overall Genesis chapter 3 where we read of Adam and Eve falling into sin. God part of the judgment on Adam was this both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you.
Speaking of the earth.
In other words, hard times are ahead. Life's going to stick you because it's cursed now and that by the sweat of your brow you going to struggle through life. Everything is working like you can sit on the couch eating potato chips all day and becomes work. There's just nothing there. There's really no truly happy place. Here we enjoy the the brakes that we get, but it's a business and that goes back to Genesis 12 thorns. This crown of thorns, or someone had to take the time was so important to do this to put this crown of thorns on his head, pressing on him sin for us. This is what it's saying to us, his pain and his blood wasn't important to them. Unbelief still does this to Christ in some way.
He is the fulfillment of the scapegoat. The book of Leviticus. According to the Jewish sacrifices.
There were two goats, one they would they would take and they would sacrifice what he represents both of them and the other the other scapegoat. They would the high priest would lay his hands on the golden and put the sins of the people on the goat in and let it run into the wilderness to pick it up in Leviticus 16. Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel and their transgressions concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man there at the repair have pictured the scapegoat of Israel.
It speaks of our sins on the head of our Savior is the fulfillment of this verse adverse speaking of is coming in dealing with our sins that suitable man that takes the go to the wilderness certainly makes me mindful of Joseph of Arimathea.
Anyway, the transference of guilt from the one who committed no sin that goat did not sin. The people did sin and the guilt is transferred to the goat who again symbolizes the sour sins against God in this crown of thorns is speaking of these very things to us. Sin is upon him as that emblem going back to Genesis chapter 3 verse 18 out of Mark chapter 15 and began to salute him. Hell, King of the Jews. Here it is.
They've missed their chance to adore him. They've missed this chance to love on him to just show respect human decency there too busy doing their human thing. This is been played out repeatedly through the centuries and is one of the great reasons why God is left us who love the Lord Jesus Christ here on earth to bring this to the attention of those who think that it is fashionable to mock him, people are too busy living life for themselves apart from Christ to listen to the love of Christ, we struggle within ourselves, we struggle to be focused on what it is were supposed to be doing as believers, knowing that Jesus said, take up your cross daily and follow me, and across is that emblem of shame and of judgment and of sin dealt with so many things at the cross of Christ speaks to us about and hopefully I can cover some of that as we move through this 15 chapter verse 19. Now then they struck him on the head with a read and spat on him, bowing the knee, they worshiped him with the Angels doing who is holding them back. Having already received the blows of the Jews in the court of Sanhedrin. Also, having received the scourge the lashings ordered by Pontius Pilate, which incidentally were that the one when Pilate ordered his scourging. He was hoping that the Jewish leaders, religious leaders would would have sympathy for Christ looking at him, until Christ comes out in an Pilate says behold the man at the man and and that was a hopefully they would not be so bent on his death, and yet they shouted crucify him so that we get some of that from John to help the sequences flow anyway. Isaiah chapter 50 Isaiah speaking of the coming Messiah almost 800 years before these events that were reading here in chapter 16, Isaiah said. I gave my back to those who struck me did not hide my face from shame and spinning. He took it like the Savior. He did not back down from any of it. He knew this was coming, and now it is here.
And of course love restrains him from retaliating against these men. Vengeance was was banished from him by his decree father, and will forgive them. They know not what they do. In speaking of our father who is in heaven.
He is watching all of this take place. The Holy Spirit is right there watching all of this take place, the cherubim, the seraphim, the archangels, the angel Michael, Gabriel are all aware of what is going on here, except these people are not call later in his ministry, writes a similar thing he says of the church current fry think that God has displayed us the apostles. Last, as man condemned to death. We have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men, of course, as Paul is going around preaching in the Gentile world. Many of the Gentiles and want to hear. They wanted their idols. They wanted the immorality they wanted nothing to do with the Savior. And Paul is saying, you know, we suffer these people they come against us. We made a spectacle amongst them. Many times, still while Christ is subjecting himself for all sinners loving the world, not the system of the world. The people in it. Still, most of mankind at this moment is totally oblivious there out, waking up in the morning going about their chores going about their activities.
You and Owen in Egypt is mindful of this. For example, far reaches of the world to the to the east, then they are not mindful of these things, they have other things to do in here Savior of the world alone in the eyes of men is suffering. This where is Peter where is John where the disciples will they would be powerless anyway to do anything their lives wasted trying to his rescue him would've been just that wasted.
We are grateful that they did not barge in and try to make some sort of a rescue attempt.
But we we look at this way saying okay at these lessons they fly off the page towards us. They glare at me. Sometimes what am I supposed to do with this information. I don't want my ears to be tickled I want my heart to be moved so that I can do something with my life for my God one day I will spend more time with God than I will ever spend with him in this life and I want my life to be in that direction from preparing for that moment when I am in heaven forever. Verse 20 when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him put his own clothes on him and let him out to crucify him. If this were just a man. If this were a prophet of God you like Isaiah or Jeremiah of Abraham or any of the other great characters of Scripture, we would say what a tragedy. But this is the sinless one, the Creator of the heavens and earth subjecting himself to this for me. Hopefully, speaking for myself, it will make me look at my problems a little differently because of course my problems are always huge and and looking at God. I have to say he is larger. Whatever happens here Job in his that one of his expressions of of just grief over what was happening to him was saying you know if God is is gotten so bad between me and God. Even if he speaks to me. I wouldn't know it was him Joe's like us said to himself.
God is sovereign. Therefore, he's responsible were thought responsible for what well goddesses I'm responsible for your eternity about that you the stuff you're going through now that you're facing now it will last forever.
We know that yet our flesh demands insist on something protecting us from everything God says is not like that right now. Stay stay focused on me. I'll save you giving us that example have read everything here. The mission was going to be completed so focused was he on the mission and when it was time to sort have thought of number him up so they wouldn't feel so much of the pain.
He said no.
I still have ministry to do and I will not enter ministry with a muddled mind will come of that momentarily coming back to verse 20 and one they had mocked him, they took the purple off him put his own clothes on him and led him out to crucify him who daughter offer him just a sip of water at this point who would show just adjusted scintilla of kindness still to come with wrath father still to come. Yeah, the crucifixion, but the wrath of God would be upon him. He earned those thorns on his brow because of his love for us. The one person in history that could wipe out all of humanity with less than a blank does not do it. Isaiah again. Chapter 53. He was taken from prison and from judgment, for he was cut off from the land of the living, for the transgressions of my people he was stricken. They beat him for the sins of my people. Isaiah is saying God expands that this is my people of the people of earth.
Those who live in the sense not of the sense of relationship right relationship with God in the sense of the sins of the people in that lesser sense the cross. They laid on him at everyone else's name on it except him. Very interesting. It should be very interesting, challenging, so you younger Christians. Have you ever read Isaiah chapter 53. And if you have you said yourself here's a man that wrote this 800 years before these events in Christ finish them followed every one of them. They are prophecies that have been fulfilled only by Jesus Christ.
No one on earth comes close to fulfilling Isaiah 53, leaving us with no excuse to reject him, but every reason to accept him just Isaiah 53. For example, there are others just pointing out that one verse 21 now and they compel the certain man. Simon, us Iranian, the father of Alexander and Rufus as he was coming out of the country and passing by to bear his cross. Well, there's a lot here.
I think I don't. I remember doing it. Character study on this Simon. This Iranian will coming back to this room, open it up some about the man, a Roman soldier compelled Simon to carry the cross of Christ.
Right we get that the love of Christ, compelled him to never put that cross down this man becomes a believer be pointless to mention his children here. If the church at that time didn't know who those children were at that time when you had a testimony like that you were serving God you are not just a churchgoer and for them to save his sons are with us to this day. Remember, Mark is writing at least 20 years after these events, and still the children of Simon. This Iranian are in the Gentile church. Alexander is a Gentile name and there is Rufus who is mentioned again in Romans 16 great Rufus, chosen in the Lord and Paul says his mother and mind powerful testimony did the aged apostle Paul. Many years later writing to the church at Rome for 30 years. After this, at least he's talking about this man's son and this man's wife and he saying make sure you say hello to Rufus and his mother is like a mom to me. Also, this was, you know, we were just singing.
One of the most challenging Christian songs that there is will know that we are Christians by our love yeah will they really what a challenge challenges me Simon. This Iranian now that's a north and north Africa and goes back to the Jews were bit have been there over 300 years.
The days of Ptolemy and they had a substantial community. He is a convert a proselyte to Judaism is a Gentile that has become a Jew. They had their own church in Jerusalem because they were pretty no question knowing how people are. Knowing how the Jews were in Jerusalem and Jesus day they were sort of funeral be class believers. Hopefully we don't have that view of one another but anyway carrying the cross of Christ was something Simon can do personally, I I'm convinced he was a dark skinned African which would cause contribute to him standing out in in the crowd and you know, here he is minding his business and he singled out Simon. This Iranian in the place of Simon Peter on the computer, put that together. I would hope not. For his sake, but I you know, we see it is carriage of the cross was by appointment. He didn't know it until afterwards much. I'm sure long afterwards that cross never belong to guiltless Christ anybody should carry.
It would be anybody. Anybody was fit to carry that cross. And of course those crosses. They were just logs pretty much cut down a tree that was just thick enough you know the girth was enough to hold a man's body on it and there was no you know finish carpenter coming in to make sure the splinters were sanded out or anything like that on Bobby's dog barks to lawn it is chop it down, put a crossbeam on it and and impale the prisoner and likely use it for firewood when it was all said and done and will be glad about that up my cover that moment to annoy Sammy cover a lot of things because it just so much stuff and you can't see inside my head flying around bumping all over the place anyway every body. If you just walked up after Simon was picked to carry the cross and he is lugging the cross of Christ and you just walked up. You think he was the felon.
You know how sensitive we are people having a wrong opinion about us.
They said what I mean tissue. None of us like to have people slander us say something about us, especially negative, that is not true. No man before or since Simon can claim to have carried the cross of Christ. Abraham can't say Moses what that one a distinction that we cannot look at this man carrying the cross of Christ and say boy had missed my opportunity. I have a chance every day to carry the cross of Christ, not the cross. He died on the cross he assigned me. Take up your cross and follow me. Isn't cross like this. Only Christ could die on this piece of wood. That's what Peter said they think they crucified him on a tree because I still look like a tree you look at the cross. It wasn't.
Again, this nice block of wood. Someone had shaped and and and and smooth out. And when they crucified them to put them at face level she could see into their face the horrors of what crucifixion was it was to be at the Tarrant Rome knew how to do it they crucified so many of those with Spartacus. They crucified so many Jews when the after the destruction of the Temple and Renato would father of Alexander and Rufus at two Simon is and clearly marked understood that his audience was familiar with these men and I think that is what we call testimony, men or people Christian reputation move. Thanks for tuning into cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com what you there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick.
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