The second in a series of 8 sermons
Series Theme
As we meditate on the love of God and the sacrifice of Christ in the season of Lent, it would be easy for us to set our minds on the central doctrines of Scripture as to the atonement and resurrection in an academic way.
In this series we endeavour to take to hearts to the point of amazement, that Christ dying on the cross was FOR US, and while we long to go to Heaven after our life, to atone for our sins, Christ who already being there, willing left Heaven to come to death to take our place under the wrath of God.
This series goes on after the resurrection to meditate on the ascension of Christ, His return to Heaven and the sending of the Spirit at Pentecost, as well as what he doe sin heaven for us (interceding). All these have by God’s grace US in view.
Readings reproduced on this page:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996, 1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Readings
Mark 15:21–41 (NIV84)
21A 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.
22They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).
23Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.
24And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
25It was the third hour when they crucified him.
26The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.
27They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.
29Those 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,
30come down from the cross and save yourself!”
31In 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!
32Let this Christ, 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.
33At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
35When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
36One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
37With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
39And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
40Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
41In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
Text
2 Corinthians 5:14–21 (NIV84)
14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
