06 September 2020 (am) – Mark 15:33-41
 | Andy Bruins preaching from Mark on Sunday 6th September 2020. |
Mark 15:33-41 It is Finished!
This is Mark’s account of Jesus’ death, and he records for us a number of deeply symbolic features:
Darkness falls over the land for 3 hours in the middle of the day – a symbol of the Judgement of God falling on sin.
Jesus cries out, quoting the opening line of Psalm 22 which speaks of feeling completely abandoned by God.
The curtain in the temple, symbolic of the necessary separation of sinful people from the presence of their Holy God, is torn in two from top to bottom.
And the a Roman Centurion, standing by the cross utters the words, “Surely this was the Son of God”
By highlighting these features of Jesus death, Mark is showing us what the death of Christ has achieved for His people.
Summary: On the cross, Jesus bore the judgment that we deserve and opened the way for us to come to God by ransoming us from sin.
Q Read v33. The first thing that Mark draws our attention to is the 3 hours of darkness. Has this ever happened in the Bible before? Take a look at Amos 8:4-9 – What is the meaning of the darkness?
Q Read v34. The next thing Mark mentions is Jesus crying out the first line from Psalm 22. Why does Jesus do this? How is it connected to the darkness?
Q The third think Mark mentions is the curtain at the temple in v38. What happens and why is this so significant?
Q Read v39. The centurion standing by the foot of the cross gives his assessment of Jesus. What is it and why is this so surprising?
