Jesus’ body broken for us. Text: Mark 15:1-32

1. We are not to be surprised by these events

2. We are to understand the importance of these events

1 Corinthians 2:2 “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

1 Corinthians 15:3 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures”

DA Carson ‘I fear that the cross, without ever being disowned, is constantly in danger of being dismissed from the central place it must enjoy, by relatively peripheral insights that take on far too much weight. Whenever the periphery is in danger of displacing the centre, we are not far removed from idolatry.’

3. We are to grasp the horror of these events

4. We are to understand the uniqueness of these events

1. They mocked Jesus as the ‘king of the Jews’

Mark 15:18 “And they began to call out to him, "Hail, king of the Jews!”

Mark 15:26 “The written notice of the charge against him read: The King of the Jews.”

Revelations 19:11-16 “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God….

Revelations 19:11-16 …The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords

2. They mocked Jesus as the ‘temple of God’

Mark 15:29 “Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days”

John 2:18-21 “Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" But the temple he had spoken of was his body.”

1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

3. They mocked Jesus as God’s appointed Saviour

Mark 15:31 “In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself!”

Donald English “ What they taunt him for not doing – saving himself, is precisely so because he is doing what they ridicule – saving others. He could not do both. ”

He could not save others and save himself. In order to save others he had to sacrifice himself

1. See your face in this passage

2. Rest secured in His finished work

3. Jesus was forsaken so that you never will be!