| Jesus – Why did he die? |
|
|
I wonder this morning if you wear a cross? I wonder if you think of the cross as a piece of cosmetic jewellery or a cruel form of torture? The cross was described by Cicero as ‘the most cruel and frightful of punishments.’ Although the Romans executed criminals on a cross, there is evidence to suggest the Romans were not the first people to do so.
This morning as we consider Jesus dying on the cross in Mark gospel, he provides us with some clues as to the horror of crucifixion as follows:-
Carrying of the crossbar of his own cross (v21) – usually a criminal carried their own cross-beam to the place of execution, the upright stake being already in position. However, possibly Jesus was too weak following his flogging, which always preceded crucifixion, to carry his own cross-beam. In Roman law, unlike Jewish law, there was no limit to the number of strokes, it depended upon the severity of the criminals offence.
Location – Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull) (v22) –precise location unknown, but this would be outside of the city, possibly alongside a road, which was a convenient place where a criminal could be executed and be seen and thereby provide a warning to others.
Need for wine mixed with myrrh (v23) – a bitter taste but was actually a narcotic, given by pious women of Jerusalem to deaden the pain of the crucifixion. Jesus refused it possibly to keep his mind clear for his last great fight.
Dividing up his possessions in front of him (v24) – a usual practice whereby the criminal’s clothes were the reward of the executioners. The soldiers threw dice to see who got which piece of clothing as they would not all be of the same value.
Public humiliation – people hurling insults and abuse (v29-32) – If it was not enough to be hung naked on a cross, then just to put the knife in once more insults were thrown at Jesus from those who gathered round gloating at their perceived wisdom that Jesus is not the Messiah after all. For how can he be, no Messiah would end up being crucified! The sign the chief priests and the teachers of the law demand was an impossible one. If Jesus was to save us, as suffering Messiah, then he could not save himself from the cross.
For the Roman officer in charge of the execution squad who heard and saw Jesus last words and actions, his conclusion was that the one who cried out as he did and died as he died must be the Son of God (v39). We are not told whether he became a follower or not, the gospel writers remain silent on this issue and so must we. However, it is worth considering what it was that the centurion saw that caused him to come to this conclusion?
Was it the fact that darkness came over the land? Was it the way in which amazingly Jesus cried out in a loud voice just before he died, an unbelievable act for one who had been flogged and had hung on a cross? Even in Jesus death we see the beginnings of new life dawning in another life. Jesus death brings life to others.
This is not just about Jesus dying, but also about God at work fulfilling his purposes and plans for the salvation of the human race. Behind the awful death of Jesus there is a God who is ever present who is ever seeking to save his lost people.
If we had longer we could consider each of the points already mentioned and link them back to what was foretold in the OT about how a saviour would die for the salvation of his people. They would show that these things did not just happen but were preordained by God, God is at work in the midst of the awfulness of the crucifixion.
Jesus dying on the cross is to enable you to have life, not just a life, but eternal life. Our disease of sin which leads to death is incurable and so God sent Jesus to take our disease of sin upon himself so that we might be healthy and free from our disease of sin. Instead of death, Jesus by dying on the cross offers us the gift of eternal life, if we believe in him and what he has done for us. It seems a reasonable deal, if you had an incurable disease like cancer, wouldn’t you like it if someone offered to take your cancer from you? If you have received this life then consider how much it cost Jesus. If you have not received this life, then let me encourage you to receive it, it is free, you don’t have to pay for it, you just have to believe in Jesus and ask him to forgive your sin.
Jesus earlier in Mark’s gospel tells us that we too must take up our cross, (Mk 8:34-8), lets not take this lightly and simply metaphorically, but ask the question what does it mean for me to take up my cross and follow Jesus?
As we look back over the centuries isn’t this the story of the church? As men and women, some old some young, lay down their lives for the sake of the gospel, life is borne in other people. I am sure you can think of countless missionaries over the years that have left family, friends and all that is familiar to them to share the good news of Jesus in word and deed in far away places. For them this has been the cost of carrying their cross.
However, don’t forget that as J. John says ‘A missionary is not someone who crosses the sea, but who sees the cross.’ We may never go overseas, but certainly we need to carry our cross as countries send missionaries to the UK, we are all missionaries, and need to carry our cross as we live in the UK.
I know of wealthy men in the UK who have used their money to facility others taking the gospel to places they themselves cannot reach. Carrying our cross does not necessarily mean going overseas, leaving good jobs behind, but it may do. So what does it mean for you to carry the cross? Lets not pretend that Jesus found it easy to carry his cross, remember the episode in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus did not out of choice want to die on the cross, and yet his concern was to do the fathers will, to be obedient to him. For each of us taking up our cross is not easy, God may ask us to do things and go to places we would rather not do or go to, but we too must be willing to be obedient to God rather than going our own way and doing our own thing.
God wants to bring life to everyone, are you the person who God wants to use to bring life to your family, to your neighbour, to your work colleague, to your friends. Are we willing to take up our cross just like Jesus, so that just like Jesus we too may bring new life to others?
So back to the original question, do you wear a cross, and if so is it just around your neck or on your heart as well? |
Amen |
|
|
|
