Mark 15:33-47

Do You Believe

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Sermon Summary

Main Question: Did Jesus die for me?

Text: Mark 15:33-47

Main Points:

The Sun Bowed to Jesus (verses 33-37): As Jesus hung on the cross, darkness covered the land. This cosmic event signifies the sun itself acknowledging Jesus's lordship even as He felt forsaken by God, embodying our sin and separation from the Father.
The Father Accepted the Sacrifice (verses 38-39): The tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom upon Jesus's death symbolizes God accepting Jesus's sacrifice, granting direct access to Himself, and marking a new covenant.
The Women Witnessed It (verses 40-41): The presence of women who followed Jesus, witnessing His crucifixion and burial, provides us with historical validation of these events through their eyewitness accounts.
Joseph Showed Courage (verses 42-47): Joseph of Arimathea's bold request to bury Jesus in his own tomb demonstrates the courage required to follow Jesus, even in the face of potential loss and persecution.

Conclusion: This passage challenges us to consider our own response to Jesus's sacrifice. Do we acknowledge His lordship, accept His sacrifice for our sins, believe in the historical truth of His death and resurrection, and have the courage to follow Him despite the cost?

Sample Bible Study

Objective: To explore the significance of Jesus's crucifixion, burial, and the responses it elicited, encouraging participants to reflect on their personal acceptance of and courage in following Jesus.

Discussion Points:

Cosmic Acknowledgment: Discuss the significance of the darkness during Jesus's crucifixion and how it reflects the cosmic acknowledgment of Jesus's sacrifice.
Divine Acceptance: Reflect on the tearing of the temple veil and its implications for our direct access to God. How does this change our relationship with Him?
Eyewitness Testimony: Consider the importance of the women witnesses at the crucifixion. How does their testimony strengthen your faith in the historical events of the Gospel?
Courage to Follow: Discuss Joseph of Arimathea's courage in asking for Jesus's body. What does this teach us about the cost and reward of discipleship?

Application Questions:

How does understanding the cosmic and historical significance of Jesus's death impact your relationship with God?
In what areas of your life do you need to show courage in following Jesus?
How can the example of the women and Joseph of Arimathea inspire you to be a more faithful witness?

Reformed Theology References:

Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter VIII: Explores the mediatorship of Christ and His sacrificial death.
Westminster Larger Catechism, Q&A 50: Discusses Christ's crucifixion and its significance.
Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q&A 27: Reflects on the purpose of Christ's humiliation, including His death.

Prayer Focus: Ask God to deepen your understanding of Jesus's sacrifice, to accept it fully, and to grant you courage to live out your faith boldly, following the examples of faith and courage seen in the Gospel.

Weekday Devotionals

Monday: The Forsaken Christ

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:33-34

Reflection: In the midst of darkness, Jesus experienced the ultimate separation from the Father, crying out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" This moment signifies the weight of sin Jesus bore on our behalf, enduring the wrath deserved by us. Reflect on the gravity of Christ's sacrifice, bearing the cost of our sins, offering us reconciliation with God.

Prayer Prompt: Pray for a deeper appreciation of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, acknowledging the pain and separation He endured for our sake. Ask God to make this truth real in your heart, transforming how you live in light of such a great sacrifice.

Tuesday: The Veil Torn

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:37-38

Reflection: The tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom signifies direct access to God through Jesus Christ. No longer are we separated from the Holy of Holies; through Christ's death, we are invited into a personal relationship with God. Reflect on the significance of this new access we have to the Father, made possible by the tearing of the veil.

Prayer Prompt: Thank God for the access you have to Him through Jesus Christ. Pray that you would not take this privilege for granted but would come boldly before the throne of grace, seeking a deeper relationship with God.

Wednesday: The Centurion's Confession

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:39

Reflection: The centurion, a Roman officer, witnessed Jesus' death and declared, "Truly this man was the Son of God." This acknowledgment from an unlikely source reminds us that the truth of Jesus' identity is evident to all who witness His sacrificial love. Reflect on your own confession of Christ. Does your life reflect a firm belief in who He is?

Prayer Prompt: Pray for the courage and faith to confess Jesus as Lord openly, just as the centurion did. Ask for opportunities to share this truth with others and for the boldness to live out your faith authentically.

Thursday: The Witnesses

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:40-41

Reflection: Even in His death, Jesus was not alone. Women who had followed and served Him in life were present, bearing witness to His crucifixion. Their faithful presence at the cross challenges us to consider our own devotion to Christ. Reflect on your commitment to following Jesus, even in times of suffering or uncertainty.

Prayer Prompt: Thank God for the faithful witnesses of Christ's death and resurrection. Pray for the same faithfulness in your walk with Jesus, that you would stand by Him in all circumstances, bearing witness to His love and power.

Friday: The Courage of Joseph of Arimathea

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:42-47

Reflection: Joseph of Arimathea displayed great courage and devotion by requesting Jesus' body for a proper burial. His actions fulfilled prophecy and demonstrated a costly discipleship. Reflect on what it means to follow Jesus in a way that may require sacrifice, courage, and action on your behalf. Prayer Prompt: Pray for the courage to live out your faith boldly, as Joseph of Arimathea did. Ask God to show you areas in your life where you can take a stand for Christ, regardless of the cost, and to provide the strength and conviction needed to follow through.

Reflective Article

The Moment the World Stood Still

Imagine, if you will, the sun at its zenith, suddenly cloaked in an inexplicable darkness. This wasn't an eclipse or a storm but a cosmic sign marking a pivotal moment in human history. At the heart of this darkness was Jesus, hanging on the cross, enduring not just physical agony but the weight of humanity's sin. His cry, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" pierces through time as a haunting echo of divine direlection.

The Veil is Torn

As Jesus breathed his last, an extraordinary event unfolded in the temple: the veil separating the Holy of Holies from the world was torn in two, from top to bottom. This wasn't a random tear but a divine act. God was signaling the end of the old covenant and the ushering in of a new way to approach Him, not with animal sacrifices but through the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus.

Witnesses to History

In a time when the disciples had scattered, it was the women, steadfast and faithful, who witnessed these events. Their testimony, detailed and precise, underscores the historical accuracy of this narrative. These women observed not just a tragic end to their Lord’s life but the fulfillment of ancient prophecies and the dawn of a new covenant.

A Bold Request by Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea's request to bury Jesus was bold and fraught with risk. He was asking for the body of a condemned resurrectionsit. Yet, Joseph’s courage underscores a profound declaration of faith. By giving Jesus a dignified burial, Joseph fulfilled the ancient prophecy of the suffering servant in Isaiah:

And they made His grave with the wicked—

But with the rich at His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

The Question That Echoes

This historical event, laden with divine significance, beckons us to respond. The darkness, the torn veil, the bold actions of a few - they're not just elements of a story but markers of a truth that demands a personal response. Do we see in Jesus's death a historical footnote. Or, do we believe Jeus is the Son of God, who bore our sins and bridged the gap between us and the God?

Reflecting on the Cross

We must do more than just reflect on a moment in history. For this was the demonstration of God’s love for us. Jesus’s death bids us to come and be saved. Jesus’s death calls us to be reconciled to God through His blood. Through Jesus alone, we have direct access to God, forgiveness of sins, and the hope of eternal life.

An Invitation to Believe

This historical narrative isn't just for us to admire from afar. No! We are to be drawn into a deeper relationship with God. Not only do we believe this to be a true historical narrative. But, we are called to see in Jesus's sacrifice a personal call to come to the foot of the cross and receive the profound love and grace offered to us.

As we stand in the shadow of the cross, let us remember Jesus's love. Let us be comforted that he paid the cost of our freedom. Let us come with empty hands to receive the invitation to live in the light of His grace. May God’s Spirit move us not only to admiration but to transformation. May we embrace the hope and life God had purchased for us.

Worthy is the Lamb, indeed.

Automated Transcript

May we seat him. Will you please turn over in

your Bibles with me to the book of Mark, Mark chapter 15. Mark chapter 15, we've been in

the book of Mark for, oh, I don't know, it seems like three or

four years, but we are, this is the second to last sermon

in this series. Mark chapter 15, we'll be looking

at verses 33 through 47 this morning. Mark chapter 15, beginning at

verse 33. If you're using the Pew Bibles,

you'll find that on page 901. Mark chapter 15, beginning at

verse 33. Brothers and sisters, this is the Word of God. Now,

when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole

land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus

cried out with a loud voice, saying, Alloui, Alloui, lama

shabachthani, which is translated, My God, My God, why have you

forsaken Me? Some of those who stood by, when

they heard that, said, look, he is calling for Elijah. Then

some ran out and filled a sponge full of sour wine and put it

on a reed and offered it to him to drink, saying, let him alone.

Let us see if Elijah will come to take him down. So Jesus cried

out with a loud voice and breathed his last. Then The veil of the

temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion

who stood opposite him saw that he cried out like this and breathed

his last, he said, truly this man was the Son of God. There were also women looking

on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother

of James, the last son of Joseph, and Salome, who also followed

him and ministered to him when he was in Galilee, and many other

women who came up with him to Jerusalem. Now when evening had

come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before

the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who

was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage,

went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate marveled

that he was already dead. And summoning the centurion,

he asked him if he had been dead for some time. So when he found

out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. Then he bought

fine linen, took him down, and wrapped him in the linen. And

he laid him in a tomb, which had been hewn out of the rock,

and rolled the stone against the door of the tomb. and Mary

Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joses, observed where he was

laid. This ends this portion of the

reading of God's word. Brothers and sisters, the grass

withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever. Let's pray. Father, we thank

you for your word. And God, now we pray that during

this time that we look at it, we examine it, we pray, Lord,

that you would be examining our hearts. Lord, I pray that you

would help me, a weak and often failing vessel. Lord, that it

would not just be words, just words. But Father, we pray that your

spirit would take your word and do an amazing work in our

hearts to strengthen those who believe and to give life to those

who would believe for the first time. Lord, we pray this in Jesus's

name. Amen. I need to warn you right away

that this is not just a history lesson. I'm going to go through

this historical narrative with you, but I need to let you know

that right away, this is a text that we have to do something

with. When you read this story, this historical narrative in

front of us, God's given it to us for a reason, because we've

got to do something with it. Either you believe it, or you

don't. Either it applies to you, or it's just dead words on a

page that don't matter. And some of you will walk away

saying, I need a king like this who would be willing to die for

me. Some of you are going to walk away from here knowing that

this is the Jesus whom you love and has demonstrated his love

for you, that he would be willing to die for you. Some of you will

walk away from here saying, yes, that's my type of priest. Yes,

that's my type of king. Yes, that's the one that I need

and love. Others of you here, though, may

walk out of this room this morning saying, I don't need the help

of some dead guy like this. I don't need a king. I don't

want a king. I'm in control of my own life. I think all of us

at times, whether we like it or not, sometimes we may even

act that way. Some people may be tempted to

say, I don't need anyone to help me. I don't sin. And I don't

need anybody's charity. Some people will object just

in the culture that we live in and just say, you all are just

taking sin too seriously anyways. Some of you in this room may

feel that way at times. Some of you may not think that

you need a priest. Some of you may come to a text like this

today and say, I think I'm good enough to stand before God myself. This text, I hope you walk out

of this room today and have to answer the question for yourself,

did Jesus die for you? Is this just a history lesson

dead on a page? Or is this true for you? So first, let's look at verse

33 through 37. Remember that this is not happening

in a vacuum. Jesus didn't just one day die

on the cross, but there's been a whole backstory to this that

we've been looking at. Remember, they've celebrated the Passover

meal. They've remembered the redemption

of God's people out of the land of Egypt. Jesus flipped the script

telling them this was a new covenant in His blood. Jesus had gone

up to the Mount of Olives and in His humanity, crying out to

God that He knew that the cup of wrath was coming, that He

was going to have to drink the full affliction from the Father,

and yet He was willing to do it. He submitted to His Heavenly

Father, not My will, but Yours be done. And He allowed one of

His closest friends to betray Him, and willingly was tried,

flogged, mocked, persecuted, and rejected, and now we find

ourselves where as he is hanging there on the cross with the words,

the King of the Jews hanging over his head, something happens

in the cosmos. Verse 33. Now when the sixth

hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the

ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a

loud voice, saying, which is translated, my God, my God, why

have you forsaken me? It's the sixth hour, it's right

about noon. This is when the sun is supposed to be high and

hot. And yet at Jesus's death, even

the sun for three hours seems to give, to stop giving its light. Now people will try to explain

this, right? Maybe there's a possible eclipse that happens. I don't

know of any eclipse that lasts for three hours. Some people

will say that this is just cloud cover over it. And I got to warn

you that there are always people who try to explain away miraculous

things, right? There's always people in our

modern mindset, right? There's the physical realm and

it's a closed system, right? God created the world. If they'll

hold that God created the world. But God doesn't intervene with

the world. And people have been doing this for a long time. People

explain away every miracle in the Bible. There's always a rational

reason why you can even say, well, I don't need to hold to

the miracles. If there's a Nile River turning

in the blood, well, that's just silting from up in the Ethiopian

hillside up north. Maybe if there's a plague of

flies and frogs and stuff, well, that's just an infestation. What

about the hail? Well, the hail is just a meteorological

phenomenon. That just happens. People even

do this with Elijah. I remember watching the History

Channel. Remember, Elijah goes up on the mountain and he prays

and fire comes down from heaven and consumes? Well, they're on

the History Channel. Literally, I'm not making this

up. They showed, well, if you take this chemical that looks

like water and you put it on the fire, on the wood, and then

you take this other chemical that looks like water and you

put it on the wood, then it creates a fire. There's always an explanation

around every miracle, isn't there? I remember reading a commentary

where Jesus was healing a blind man and somebody said, this was

like a rudimentary, ancient form of cataract surgery. I gotta

tell you, it takes a lot of faith to explain away the miracles. Mark certainly understood that

when the sun went dark for three hours, that whether it was an

eclipse or a cloud or whatever it is, that meant the sun, the

brightest thing in this known solar system, bowed to Jesus. That when Jesus died, the heavens

took notice. The light of the Father's countenance

had seemed to darken upon the Son of Man. It was at this moment

that Jesus was drinking the cup of affliction, the wrath of his

father, for sin. And the words of the prophet

Joel were fulfilled, the sun shall be turned into darkness.

Also the words of Amos chapter 8, the sun will be darkened. At Jesus's death, what seemed

to be impossible, the sun going dark, happened. As at this moment,

that Jesus identified with humanity, identified with you and me most

closely. When he cried out in a loud voice

three hours later, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? David knew what that felt like.

David, when he wrote Psalm 22, he wrote it because he knew what

it was like for people to turn against him, to betray him, to

attack him and want to kill him. David was speaking prophetically,

though, of what Jesus knew was going to be most true about him.

Jesus was the one who would have his father's face

turn against him and his humanity. One writer explained this cry

in these words. All throughout the Psalms, when

forsaken is used, it's never used in a context where God is

somehow removing his presence. No, God is very much there at

the crucifixion. Rather, forsake has to do with

the psalmist feeling that God seems to be letting one of his

own fall into the hands of his enemies for his own purpose until

he deems it time for rescue. Jesus is falling into the hands

of His enemies. It does not mean that He was

abandoned by God in His divinity, or somehow the Trinity was ripped

asunder, because He could not be separated from the Godhead.

Yet Jesus, crying out, is experiencing for the first

time the displeasure in His humanity of His Father. Jesus' entire

life was marked by those words that the father had said multiple

times, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And

Jesus' entire life, whether he was in the desert being tempted

by Satan, or whether he was even on the Mount of Olives crying

out that God's will would be done, he knew that it was still

the Lord, his father who loved him, and whose face still shone

upon him. But in this moment, In this moment, that great benediction

that we remember each week that the Lord's face shines upon us,

Jesus in his humanity felt his father's face turn away from

him. Jesus was experiencing the horror

of an abandonment he didn't deserve and yet was willfully enduring

for us. One commentator by last name

of Taylor remarks this way, the depths of the saying are too

deep to be plumbed. But the least inadequate interpretation

are those in which find it in a sense of desolation in which

Jesus felt the horror of sin so deeply that for a time the

closeness of his communion with the Father was obscured. Some

have felt that Jesus's cry of dereliction shows his utter agony

in tasting for us the very essence of hell, which is separation

from God. You see, for Jesus, to experience

even for a moment the displeasure of his father was against his

very nature as a human." Now, there's going to be an objection

to some of this. Some of you may say, Brian, I

think maybe you've taken this too far. I'm not sure sin is

really that bad. Maybe Jesus is just using hyperbole

here. Are you just using hyperbole?

No. No, because this is exactly what

God meant when He said in the garden, the day you eat of this,

surely you shall die. God wasn't mincing words or changing

things around or lessening the severity of sin when He said

in Romans chapter 3 that the wages of sin is death. I'm talking

about somebody decaying in the grave, death. That pain and the grief that

comes with it. This is why the prophet Isaiah

says that we have turned everyone to his own way. It is because

of our sin, because of my sin, that Jesus hung on that cross,

dying in pain. Our rebellion really is that

bad. Our transgression really is that great. I doubt everybody in this room

believes that. There's many in the world who

would treat Jesus the same way today. There are many people,

even as Jesus was dying, the centurion goes and he grabs a

bunch of sponge and he gets some wine in it, some sour wine, some

cheapo wine, and he runs to Jesus, puts it on a stick and tries

to have him drink it. Why? So that way he'll live a

little bit longer. Maybe we'll see a miracle. He's

mocking Jesus, even in his death. There's many in this world who

would even if they did see a miracle like Elijah coming. By the way,

the idea of Elijah coming, Jesus told us before, that was John

the Baptist who had already come. But there's many people in this

world, it doesn't matter if the sun went dark or any miracle

happened in front of their eyes, even if somebody rose again from

the dead, they're not gonna believe. They're just not gonna believe. There are many in the world who

would have done the exact same thing, getting that sour wine

and trying to hand it to Jesus. And so there's really only two

groups of people. Those that saw Jesus and believed

Him, saw the miracle of the sun going dark around them and understood

what was going on, at least to an extent. And those that saw

Jesus, disbelieved Jesus and could live with their denying

and just explaining away everything that had happened. And maybe there's skeptics in

the room today. I don't know your heart. Maybe there's some

of you. Would a miracle even ever convince

you? But the darkening of the sun

wasn't the only sign that happened that day. Look with me down below

at what happens. Verse 37 through 39. And Jesus cried out with a loud

voice and breathed his last. Then the veil of the temple was

torn in two from top to bottom. The scene transitions from Jesus

outside the city walls, dying and being dead, to it seems like

it's a quick pan, straight to the east, to the temple itself. And there in the midst of the

temple is the temple curtain, right? See, the temple is really,

the heart of the temple is really one big structure with two rooms,

the holy place and the holy of holies. And between these two

places in the temple, there's a veil thickly woven, right? One commentator thinks that it

might have even been as much of a hand's breadth thick And

when Jesus dies and breathes His last, as it's the ninth hour,

when that afternoon sacrifice that's finally finished, from

top to bottom, the temple curtain is torn in two. The priests are

no longer mentioned in our passage. Why? Because they're back at

the temple. They're making the sacrifice. But what's really

going on here? The true sacrifice, Jesus Himself,

the Lamb without blemish, was offering His life for us. And

once the true Lamb had cried out and breathed His last, the

temple's torn, notice the direction. Not from bottom to top, it's

not like somebody was able to reach down with a knife and cut

it and pull it. No, from top to bottom. It's as if God the

Father himself reached down with his hands, grabbed the temple

curtain, and said, there's no more division. There's no more

separation from you with me, but you will come to me. The Lord had accepted his son's

sacrifice, received him as a vicarious offering for our sins. The heir of the temple, was from

this point on fading away and when indeed the temple would

be destroyed. It's at this moment that the

centurion confesses. Look with me at verse 39. So

when the centurion who stood opposite him saw that he cried

out like this and breathed his last, what did he say? Truly

this man was the Son of God. He gets it. He understands it

in this moment of God-given clarity. The man who had stood by and

been cruel to Jesus, the man who had divided Jesus's... didn't

want to divide His clothing, but instead cared more about

the cost of a fabric than the cost of Jesus's life, looked

up to the one who had just died on that cross and said, This

was the son of God. He wasn't a liar. He was who

he said he was. He is actually the king. He realizes Jesus was no fraud and

is the first Gentile to identify the true nature of Jesus. But again, there might be skeptics.

There may be skeptics. Some people believe they're very

smart and they're not going to be manipulated by sentiment and

by no means do I want you to be manipulated by sentiment either. There are those who will say

it is perfectly reasonable. Right? Because Matthew tells

us that when Jesus died, there was also an earthquake, and so

there was just a random seismic event, and it's personally reasonable,

during this random seismic event that happened, just happened

to happen when Jesus died, that the seismic event put tension

on the curtain and it pulled and tore. It's the same thing

they do with the story of Joshua leading the army of Israel across

the Jordan River. It just happened to be at the

very moment when they were the whole army right at the Jordan

River, the priest stepped his toes in and there was a landslide

up above. It just happens, guys. It takes

a lot of faith. No. No, it could have been coincidence,

but I sure don't think so. It could have been just coincidence

that just as Jesus died, the thickly woven curtain in the

temple tore from top to bottom. That would be quite a coincidence,

I've got to tell you. Many people feel free to just

explain this away. But if we believe what Mark says

here, I don't think Mark understood it as just a coincidence. No

Christian ever understood it that way. But by faith we believe

that this was God's demonstration of His own love towards us, that

He sent His Son to die for us. We believe that this was God

accepting Jesus' sacrifice. This was the beginning of the

shift from the temple to the tabernacle in heaven. This was

the beginning of the shift from the Levitical priesthood to Jesus's

priesthood. This was the shift from the sacrifice

of bulls and goats, which could never actually take away the

sins of the world, to the acceptance of Jesus's sacrifice that paid

for every one of our sins. This was Jesus becoming our Passover

lamb. This was Jesus obtaining an eternal

redemption. This was Jesus cleansing us from

our conscience of dead works. This was Jesus making us able

to serve the living and true God. This was Jesus becoming

our only hope that we may receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

We believe that Jesus didn't just die by accident, nor were

all these signs just coincidence, but that God spoke from heaven

in miraculous acts to give us assurance of faith that our sacrifice

was accepted. So I have to ask, Are you skeptically

explaining everything away as just coincidence, or do you believe

it? Right, there's people who don't

believe it. The priests who were in the temple

didn't believe it. They still didn't believe it. We shouldn't

be surprised by that. But the centurion did believe

it. The question is, what will you

do? Do you believe it? Or is it just

words? Again, not everybody's going

to be satisfied though. Right? There are people who have

even might say, you know, well how do we know this is even historically

accurate? How do we know this is even historically

true? Right? But isn't it true that

all of Jesus' disciples abandoned him? So how do we even know that

this has actually happened? Well, I'm so glad you asked.

Let's look at verses 40 through 41. How do we know this actually

happened? Now, this is a short point, but

I'm sure thankful to the Lord for it. There were also women

looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the

mother of James, the last, and Joseph, and Solomon, who also

followed him and ministered to him when he was in Galilee, and

many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. How do we actually know that

this happened? Because we get eyewitness accounts

that this happened. Because we know that yes, Jesus'

disciples, all of them save one, abandoned Him. It was only John

who was left there. But we know that the women were

there. They had ministered to Jesus, they knew Jesus, they

loved Jesus, and they watched all of this happening at a distance.

Who do you think Luke went to When he went to investigate everything,

to write his historical narrative to Theophilus, he went to eyewitnesses'

accounts, he went to Mary Magdalene, and he asked her, what did you

see? He went to Mary, the mother of Joseph, and he said, what

did you notice? What happened that day? He did

not believe it on the testimony of one witness, but made sure

that he had the testimony of multiple witnesses of what happened

so that we could believe that these things are true. They were

not mistaken with what they saw. These are not nameless people.

Mark wrote this down and people could go find Mary Magdalene

and ask, is this true? Did you actually see this? It's

quite a thing to put somebody's first name and their relationships

in there, right? There's a ton of Marys, by the

way. It's a very, very common name, right? So if you just said,

some Mary saw this, it'd be, yeah, right, who's Mary? But

he says, no, no, Mary Magdalene, you know the one that Jesus cast

all those demons out of? That one. You want her address? I'll give it to you. You didn't

marry the mother of Joseph? Oh, well, there's a bunch of

Joseph's around. Well, she's also the mother of James the

last and of Salome. You can go talk to her too. There

are multiple witnesses that you can go and talk to. They are

known to, these women are known by the early church, their testimonies

lined up, their memories are clear, because this is a historical

narrative. This is not fanciful fable. This is not a made-up story,

but this is what happened, which is why we have to do something

with it. When there's a historical truth,

a historical moment that happens, you have to deal with it. You

can't just brush it off. So the question for you today

is, do you believe these things are true? Or are the Marys liars? See, we have a reasonable faith.

Christianity is not just a leap into the darkness. It's not suspending

your logic. There's a reason God wrote it

in a book and gave us historical narrative because we can put

a peg on the board and a date on the timeline and say, this

happened. We believe because it's true. But faith in Jesus isn't always

easy. And that's where we'll finish

up this morning. Look with me at verses 42 through 47. Joseph of Arimathea showed courage. My question is, will you? Now when evening had come, because

it was the day of preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath,

Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member who was himself

waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went

to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate marveled that

he was already dead. And summoning the centurion,

he asked him if he had been dead for some time. So when he found

out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. Then he bought

the fine linen, took him down, wrapped him in the linen, and

he laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and

rolled the stone against the door of the tomb. And Mary Magdalene

and Mary the mother of Joseph observed where he was laid."

Joseph of Arimathea, this is a rich dude. This guy had money

and he had influence. He was a member of the Sanhedrin,

the council. And he had to show great courage. Why? We're told about his character,

that he's waiting on the kingdom of God. Matthew tells us that

he was a follower of Jesus. But it shows us either he missed

that early morning trial of Jesus, where it wasn't supposed to happen,

when it wasn't supposed to happen. Either he missed that meeting

or not all the Sanhedrin agreed with putting Jesus to death.

But no matter what, when Joseph of Arimathea comes and he sees

that Jesus is dead, he does something crazy. He goes to the Roman ruler

and he says, hey, that guy who just was convicted and executed

for seditious acts, can I have his body so I can honor him in

his death? It took courage for him, and

God goes out of His way to tell us that. He himself was a man

waiting for the kingdom of God, And what did he have to do in

verse 43? Coming and taking courage. He had to have courage to ask.

Normally when somebody died of crucifixion like this, you just

throw them in a shallow grave or just let the dogs eat them. You don't give them an honorable

burial because they don't deserve the honor, but Joseph comes and

he says, this man does deserve an honorable burial. And now

Pilate's shocked by this, right? I mean, crucifixion is supposed

to be this agonizing long death. I mean, it's not supposed to

take six hours. It's supposed to take six to

16 days. And Pilate is shocked by this. How is he already dead? That's

not supposed to happen. And we know that Jesus is dead.

Again, not that he was just sleeping on the cross or faking it. How

do we know that? Because the other gospel tells

us, when Pilate finds out about this, to find out if he's been

dead a while, what do they do? They take a spear and they shove

it in Jesus' side. And I don't care how good you

are at acting, if somebody shoves a spear in your side, you're

at least going to wince with pain. But Jesus is truly dead, hanging

lifeless on the cross. Water and blood come out of his

side. And so, Pilate agrees. He gives him the body of Jesus. And Joseph is determined to spare

no expenses to honor Jesus. He placed him in his family tomb.

This would have been buku bucks, guys. Like, a lot of money. I know that funerals cost a lot

of money now. This would have been, like, huge. Land is scarce. Hillside land

is very scarce. Digging out a tomb is extremely

expensive. It's like one person does this

for their family, and it lasts for generations. You've got to

have a really, really wealthy person who's able to actually

give you a family tomb, right? Because there's different shelves,

and you would lay, you know, Grandma would go here, and Grandpa

would go here, and then Mom and Dad would go further back, and

this was generational, right? And it costs a lot of money,

because it took a lot of work to do this. And it would have cost Joseph

dearly. Only a rich man could have afforded

such extravagance, but Joseph was determined to show Jesus

the highest honor, even in Jesus's death. And in doing this, the

prophet of Isaiah, his words were fulfilled. Isaiah chapter

53, verse nine. And they made his grave with

the wicked, but with the rich at his death, because he had

done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth." It took

courage for Joseph to bury Jesus in his family's tomb. Joseph

would have risked his reputation with the council, but he followed

Jesus still. Joseph could have lost his seat

in the council, but still he followed Jesus. Joseph could

have shocked his family, but he still followed Jesus. Joseph

could have faced the financial shock of this. Still, he decided to follow Jesus. You know, it takes a lot of courage

to follow Jesus today. It may cost you your reputation.

It may cost you your place prominence it may cost you financially it

may cost you in your family question is will you follow Jesus right

if you believe that this historical narrative is true and Jesus is

who he said he is and the Bible speaking of what this means is

true my question is will you have the courage by the Holy

Spirit to follow Jesus Will you explain away all the phenomena

surrounding Jesus' death as just mere coincidence? Or do you trust

what the Scriptures say? Will you believe this was the

Son of God who offered up His life as a ransom for many, as

the Scriptures tell us? Will you not only believe that

this is a historical event, but this is what I'm really pushing

you towards. Do you believe that this is true for you? It's not good enough just to

say that, okay, I believe that Jesus is God, I believe that

Jesus is the King, I believe that Jesus really died on the

cross. That means nothing if it is not you saying, I believe

that Jesus died on the cross for me. Is this true for you? Will you follow Jesus? Though

it may take courage and cost you. Because I gotta tell you, Jesus

lived a perfect life that we could never live. Jesus died

the death that we deserve. Jesus gave of himself for us

everything because he loves his people. Is it true for you? Do you join with the thousands

of thousands in heaven that Revelation says this about Jesus. For you

were slain and you have redeemed us to God by your blood. Out

of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, worthy is

the lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and

strength and honor and glory and blessing. Do you worship

the lamb like that? Or is this just words? Just words. For those of you

who believe, I pray that you walk out of here, even though

you may doubt at times and even though you may be weak, I pray

that you walk out of here with a renewed sense of strength and

assurance that Jesus died for you. I pray that you walk out of here

with joy, knowing that God did not give you his secondhand goods,

but he loved you so much that he was determined to show you

that love by giving his only begotten son, that you may live

forever. And worthy is the lamb. Worthy is the lamb. Let's pray. Father, we are not worthy of

your love. but you showed yourself bound and determined to show

your love toward us that you sent your own son to die for

us. Lord, you paid the price that we could not ever pay with

the blood of your own son. You have bought our freedom and

you have promised us security with you forever. Lord, we pray

that we would be those who would believe and we would be those

who would rejoice. For the Lamb was slain, and is

worthy to receive all honor, glory, and power. In Jesus' name

we pray. Amen. Well, let's stand.