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Lenten Devotion

April 7, 2023

All Day

Mark 15: 21-39 

21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.

25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.

27 They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left.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, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 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! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” 

Surely This Man Was the Son of God

In Jesus’ death on the cross, the Gospels portray a vivid picture of the situation that each and every one of us is in. On the one hand, we have the criminals (rebels, probably murderers) either side of Jesus. These men are yelling insults at Jesus, but by God’s grace one of them seems to repent, asking of Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42) In response, we see the grace and mercy of our God: “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:43)

On the other hand, we have the story of the centurion. This is a man who seemingly was involved in the killing of Jesus on the cross. We don’t know if he agreed with it, or if he just did as he was told, but nonetheless he was a part of the murder of the Son of God. And by God’s grace and mercy, we have this account: “And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:39)

Now far be it for us to judge these men for their sins. These stories force us to come to terms with the reality that each and every one of us is the criminal next to Jesus, being executed for our sins. Each one of us is the centurion standing before Jesus, standing there with guilty hands. Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In God’s overwhelming love, grace and mercy, he has offered each of us forgiveness of our sins. He has offered us eternity with him.

Each of us is like Barabbas, who walked free, while Christ took his place on the Roman execution device; while Christ bore the curse of sin for us on the cross. No matter where we’ve come from, and no matter where we are at now, Jesus Christ is our only hope, our living hope; all praise be to him!

First Peter 1:3-4 reads: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.”

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