chapter 15, Mark chapter 15, and to the verses found in verse 22 to verse 32. Words cannot adequately convey the horrific nature of the scene that is before us. We have in this chapter such hatred demonstrated we see such depravity of human minds and hearts. And at the same time, we see the glorious love of the Savior for his people, that he would go through all of this in order to save his people from their sin. In many ways, the account of Calvary is a scene of contradictions. We have the innocent in the place of the guilty. We have the justice of God being poured out at the same time that mercy is being extended to sinners. We see the sufferings of the Savior at the same time that Christ would say, it is finished, and giving that shout of triumph and victory. What we have before us is no ordinary death. This is no ordinary event in this world's history. This is no ordinary scene. This is no ordinary man's execution. But through this complex, horrific, perhaps at times, and certainly glorious event, we have to see what the message of the Lord is for us today. The background to the verses that we have in verses 22 to 32 are that the Lord Jesus Christ is being led up from the presence of Pilate along the road to the place of crucifixion at Calvary. The figure of the Savior at this point will be one that is hard to behold. Torn up, all the beatings, the scourgings, the mockings that he has just gone through, blood dripping. And we find that in order to get to that destination of Calvary, we find that there must be that compelling of one Simon the Cyrenian to come and carry the cross. Oh, it must not be allowed that Jesus should die on the road. That would be a certain possibility. All the Jews would not want it. Their heart's desire was that Jesus should be crucified. Pilate had given authority for this to happen, and so the soldiers were now under orders to carry it out in this way. And so Jesus must die on the cross on Golgotha's Hill. But we have divine providence working out. Jesus would not succumb to his injuries. He would not succumb to the torments and the tortures that he has just gone through. Simon would help carry his cross. When we come to some of the details of the crucifixion scene, it is easy for us just to pass over them and consider them to be an incidental. It doesn't really matter whether they're there or not. But when we read the words, Simon the Cyrenian passed by, It seems to us as we read it that he is there by chance. But our God never deals in chance or luck. He always deals in plans, decrees, and determinations. If we were to turn over to Romans chapter 16, we would find that this man was not there out of some kind of random act. that God had his hand upon this man and upon his family so that he would become part of the church at Rome. We read in verse 13, Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord and his mother and mine. And so we see that Simon the Cyrenian, Rufus's father, would be the one that would carry the cross of Jesus with him. And this would have an impact upon that man and upon his family. As this execution party is making its way up Golgotha's Hill, we find that Jesus is offered wine mingled with myrrh. This was a basic anaesthetic. It was used to dull some of the pain receptors. It was perhaps a little bit of compassion to the victim before they were crucified. A bit of pain relief to ease the torments but our Savior would not drink it. He was about to take that cup of the wrath of God and drink it in its entirety. He was about to experience the hell for his people and so he must do that without any kind of help or assistance. There upon the cross, all help is removed from him and there he stands as a sin bearer for his people. When we consider hell, remember that man in torment in Luke chapter 16. There he is suffering and there in that parable he cries out that Lazarus would come down and dip his finger in water and touch his tongue and we're told that he could not. There is no way there could be any kind of relief in that place. And so our Savior, in order to endure our hell, does so without any kind of remedy or relief. In verse 24, we read that Jesus was crucified, when they had crucified him. Again, these words can trip over our tongue. We can become so familiar with them and yet forget the horrific nature that these words contain. Those that were engaged in such a task of crucifying Jesus Christ had become insensitive to the horrors that they were involved in. Those Roman soldiers, they were experts at what they did. They were those who, for a living, did this kind of thing, and we find that as Jesus has been crucified, they are so indifferent to what has just taken place that they sit down and they part his garments, they cast lots, they gamble as to who should have it. Such was the event to them that it was no different than any other crucifixion. Oh, there they are, just having nails into the hands and the feet of Christ, lifted him up, so that he might be exposed to the elements. And over many long hours, he would slowly and excruciatingly suffocate to death. And here they are, gambling as to who should have his clothes. Well, there is indifference amongst the soldiers, but there's indifference among the population of this world today when it comes to Jesus Christ. The only reason today that we are gathered here The only reason that there are churches and chapels in this land and throughout this world. The only reason there is gospel preaching. The only reason that we have a Bible to proclaim is because of what Jesus Christ has done. Paul would say, I don't want to know anything else amongst you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. But for many people, the cross of Christ, they're completely indifferent to it. Perhaps that accounts for you this morning. Or you like coming to church. You like the friendship. You like the social activities that the church offers. You like the way in which you can spend some time in a religious ceremony, a service. When it comes to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the cross of Christ, you're utterly indifferent to it. Well, the cross of Christ always produces a response. Either it will cause that sinner to come in repentance and adoration to the Savior. Either that cross is central to all that there is in their salvation. It will include gratitude, humility, a sense of sorrow for sin, a sense of joy in what Christ has done for his people. Or it will produce indifference on a scale leading up to perhaps ridicule. So we find the cross of Jesus divine. We either bounce to it and following Him or we rebel against it. Either we are Christian or not. Either we are saved or we are lost. Either we're going to heaven or we're going to hell. There is no middle way. There is no alternative path. We're either in Christ or outside of Christ. And here we find the cross being the great divide of mankind. Either in Him or outside of him. Going to chapel, doing acts of service will count for nothing if we do not know him. We find in verses 25 to 32, the three hours when Jesus is on the cross, the first three hours. And here we find that he's being ridiculed by men. there'll be a further three hours of darkness, and at the end of that he will cry those words of dereliction, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And then he would give up the ghost, and surrender his spirit. This is the first three hours I want us to consider this morning. Now the Jewish day began at 6 a.m., so when we read concerning the third hour, that is nine o'clock in the morning, Jesus will be crucified at that time, and at midday, that's the sixth hour, three hours into his suffering, and then he would eventually die at three o'clock, being the ninth hour. And so as we view this scene, Jesus has been crucified. When they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. We find that Pilate puts a superscription, he puts a title in the first instance over the head of Jesus. Mark records it, the King of the Jews. This is what Pilate commanded to be placed over Jesus' head. This was his crime, this was what he has been charged with, that he is the King of the Jews. Some of the other gospel writers, Matthew or Luke or John, they have slight differences. We have Matthew recording that this is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Mark says the King of the Jews. Luke, this is the King of the Jews. And John, who is present at the cross, has Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Now, for some people they may say, well, clearly there's some contradiction here. Does it say this or does it say that? Well, we have these different writers coming and viewing things from different angles. The titles written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek and perhaps we find that when you translate from different languages you have slight differences that may occur which may contribute to why there are slight differences in these things. So that is why when we come to translating God's Word it's important that we go back to the original Greek and original Hebrew and not try to translate from a previous translation. But when we think about this title, the King of the Jews, why did Pilate write these things? Was Pilate trying to rile the Jews that their king was dead? Well, when we think about the way in which he brought Jesus to be crucified in the first place, that would seem unlikely. He didn't want a riot on his hand. He wanted to appease the people. He washed his hands saying that he was innocent of this blood. so he didn't want any trouble, so why would he write that in the first instance? Was Pilate attempting to make some kind of amends to Jesus that the gross miscarriage of justice that had just occurred and that he had presided over? Was it a pathetic attempt to earn him favor with Jesus? Well, as he had the authority and the power to release Jesus or to put him to death, seem likely that this is not the case. We're not given the details and the workings of the mind of Pilate. We know that Pilate had no time for the Jews, he had no time for Jesus, but perhaps what we have here is that here he is saying, here is your King, here is Jesus, the King of the Jews, your only King and this is a King that you've brought to me. He is the one that you want to have crucified. When we think about the title, the King of the Jews, Pilate didn't realize this, but this is a title of great prominence. It's a title of glory. This title speaks of the glory of Jesus. Every person that passed by that scene, everybody that viewed that cross and saw that title, will be told, here is the one who is the King of the Jews. This is the Messiah. This is the one that has come into the world, sent from God. And we know that the Lord Jesus Christ, He came to the Jew first, but also now for the Gentile. He's not just the Savior of God's chosen people, the Jews, but He is a Savior of the world. There is only one way to God, and that way is through Jesus Christ alone. It is through this King of the Jews that hung on this cross. There are not other ways or different ways. One way. One way alone. Jesus Christ. So we find the superscription that was set over. We find also, we think about the scene that we have here in these first three hours. There are the view of the cross. And it's not just one cross that's there. There's three crosses. Here we have the innocent, pure and undefiled one being placed right in the middle of two other thieves and criminals. He has a criminal to the left, he has a criminal to the right. He's surrounded by lawbreakers. These thieves that were hanging either side of him, they were not just little shoplifters. They were those that are described as malefactors. They were notorious criminals. And either side of Him, He has these people. Perhaps as people walked by, they saw the first one. Malefactor. Oh, and see the one on the right. Malefactor. See Jesus in the middle. Oh, He must be the ringleader. He must be the worst of the worst. And so we find Him being counted and being numbered with the transgressors. Verse 28, we have that Scripture being fulfilled from Isaiah 53, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Either side of Him, all around Him, were lawbreakers. When we consider that 500 years beforehand, the prophet Isaiah would write in that prophecy concerning the suffering Savior, that suffering servant portion of Scripture, that He would be numbered with the transgressors. or Jesus couldn't have manufactured this himself. It's a wonderful proof of the authenticity that God's Word is true from beginning to end, that He is the author of it. Nothing is happening by chance or random acts. Or we make all kinds of plans. We're hoping to go and have roast chicken when we get home. but who knows whether we'll have a power cut, who knows whether we'll drop the chicken on the floor when we get it out of the oven, who knows whether we'll actually make it home today, who knows what will happen. We can make our plans, we can make our ideas as to what's going to happen, but we have no absolute guarantee that they will come to pass. But when we find in Isaiah 53, 500 years or so before Christ would come, that Jesus, the suffering Savior, would be numbered among the transgressors, Here in Mark 15, it's as certain as if it's already taken place, because here in Mark 15, is fulfilled. As we view this scene, Jesus in the midst, transgresses all around. Oh, we're reminded of that hymn, bearing shame, scoffing rude, in my place condemned he stood, sealed my pardon with his blood, hallelujah. What a Savior. For the Christian, as he surveys this scene, he sees all those transgressors, and the one in the middle, on that cross that he should be hanging upon, is somebody else. As we view that scene, we see Christ dying in the place of his people. Jesus is dying the transgressor's death. in order to set free those that have transgressed God's law. This is the Gospel. Jesus Christ has done it all. Jesus Christ has done something. He has merited my salvation. He has borne my sin. He has endured God's wrath. And through believing on Him, looking to Him, all we can have peace with God. As we think about our Savior, notice how He is numbered amongst the worst kind of people. He identifies with the lowest. He saves to the uttermost, transgressors, lawbreakers, those that think they're righteous, those that think that they don't have any need for salvation, or they're not the ones that He came to die for, or how we must be careful about having a proud heart. Here we have a Savior who saves and dies for the lowest kind of people. When we think of the cross, as we look to it as the Lord's people, our faith can become weak and timid. We perhaps begin to look at our past life and tremble and think to ourselves that perhaps after all, perhaps as it is going to turn out, that there's going to be judgment for us. All our sins are so many, they are so grievous. We have transgressed God's law so often and in such a terrible way, perhaps after all God will just have to condemn us because we're just too wicked. But as we looked to this cross, as we view this scene, we find that on that middle cross where we should hang, where we should suffer, there is a Savior. I think it's Spurgeon that said, there's no room for you and the Savior on the same cross. Can we hang there? Can we suffer there while he has already suffered there? Dear friends, there's no room. or when we think about our present and future sins, or what a blessed thought this is that Jesus has paid it all. And so if you are seeking sin of this morning, what is the remedy for your soul? Please go to Calvary. View the one that was numbered with the transgressors. Perhaps you've backslidden. You're standing before God is not as it ought to be. There's sin in your heart. You do not love God as you ought. And the remedy for such is to go to Calvary. Perhaps you lack assurance. You are the Lord's people. You know that you have been saved, but you have these doubts and fears come into you. What is the remedy? Go to Calvary. View Him. When your hearts are cold, our love seems almost non-existent. What is the remedy? Go to Calvary. View Him there. See what He has done for His people. See what He has done for our souls. When we're tempted to despair, when Satan comes with all of his accusations, what do we do? We must go to Calvary, because there we can see a One who has made an end of all our sin. When we're tempted, when we face trials and difficulties, perhaps even when we're persecuted, what are we to do to have that strength renewed, that encouragement in our hearts? We are to go to Calvary. and you the Savior. Here we have at this site a cure for every distressed soul. Jesus Christ and Him crucified. But as we see in verses 29 to 32, we have the people's response gathered round about. The vast majority of people that viewed that scene, how they reacted. Or we find that there are three groups that are described by Mark here. There are those that passed by. There are the religious leaders and there are the other criminals. And we find that as Jesus is suspended between heaven and earth, as he is suffering there, we find all the enemies gathering together. They come with all of their hateful scowling and scorning. And Mark says what they did. Those that passed by, what did they do? Oh, they see Jesus and they show their utter contempt by blaspheming. They railed on him. They insult him. They take the words that he used in his ministry and twist them and show that they have such disregard for them. They shake their head. They say, oh, the one that destroys the temple, the one that said he's going to build it up in three days, look at him now. Save yourself and come down from the cross. Oh, think of all the sneering and the mocking by those that passed by. how premature that sneering is by those just passed by. Or we could think about Haman as an example, in Esther's day. Or he wanted to put to death Mordecai. He wanted to hang him on those gallows. And so he did all that he could to prepare them. But he was far too premature in his actions and he ended up being hanged on his own gallows. Likewise those that passed by. Or when we think about all their sneering, all of their laughter, all of them mocking towards the Savior. In Revelation 6, verse 15 to 17, they will not be doing that then. They'll be saying, hide us. Hide us from the face of the Lamb. The people here that passed by showed their ignorance. They imagined that for Jesus to prove who he was, he must do as they say. Jesus showed infinite power and obedience and love to stay where he was to save sinners. Another group of people that came by were the religious leaders. They continued their theme of scorning. We find that they would say, he saved others himself, he cannot save. Here were the ones that puffed themselves up. They prided themselves that they were so religious. They were the ones that were so good at keeping God's law. And they readily admit that Jesus has done good. He has saved other people. That the lame are walking, the blind are seeing, the dead are living. He saved others. But their accusation is this. He cannot save himself. They're saying that He cannot come down from the cross and deliver Himself. And if He does, then they say they'll see and believe. Oh, many people are looking today for signs and wonders. Pharaoh, he had all of the demonstrations of God's mighty power, yet his heart was hardened. Here the religious leaders, they had seen, they had witnessed, they had perhaps even experienced all that Christ had come to do. Yet, here they are sneering at him. We find also, we find the other criminals, those on the left and the right, they too reviled him. Verse 32, they that were crucified with him reviled him. You would think that the other criminals who were dying, agonizing with that crucifixion, they would have kept quiet. In order to take a very breath, it required great agony of the body. Every part of the body would be in pain. And so just to breathe would have been trialsome. But here we find these other criminals, even with their dying breath, even with the agony that it would bring, they still reviled the Savior. Such is the heart of men and women. Perhaps we see that in those that we've loved. or they're coming to the end of their life. And you try and speak a word concerning the Lord to them. They don't want to know anything. They don't want to hear. They're not interested and as time moves on perhaps the pain increases. The disease progress is surely now coming to its conclusion. You now think, well perhaps now they will think about the Lord. Perhaps now they'll consider Him. And they will not. And perhaps even with their very last breath I'll say something like, I'll do it my way. I've done it my way all my life. I can do it without Christ now. Here we see the depravity and rebellion of the heart, even in these criminals. We know from Luke's Gospel that one of these criminals, or he turned, he said to the Lord Jesus, remember me, and come into my kingdom. Jesus would turn to him and say, Today, thou shalt be with me in paradise." Or this man here is reviling the Savior. Oh, we thank God that he had his mercy upon him and turned this man's life and that he was welcomed into paradise. As we view this scene, apart from a few cross-utterances, we find the Lord Jesus Christ remaining silent. endured these things with majestic display of strength, such regal dignity. He could have come down from the cross. He could have called upon a great legion of angels to come and deliver him. He could have won the battle of the words with the Pharisees, the scribes, and the religious leaders. But he hung and suffered there in order to save his people from their sins. We're not redeemed by corruptible things such as gold and silver, but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. And so as we view this scene, we find our Savior hanging on that cross, dying in our place, suffering all that we deserve. And as the Lord's people, oh, we must have those hearts that say, hallelujah, what a Savior. cross of Jesus Christ. It is central to everything that we do here in this church. It should be central to everything that the Lord's people do and think and say. What is your view of Christ today? What is your view of this scene that we have here recorded in Mark 15? Are you like these soldiers and different? Are you like those that pass by, that you mock, that you ridicule? Are you like these chief priests and even the criminals that rile and mock the Lord for all that he has said and all that he has done? Or are you like this one that turns and looks and says, remember me and I'll come into thy kingdom. Here we have Lord Jesus Christ dying in the place of sinners. Lord Jesus would Repeat and reiterate what was said in Isaiah 45. Look unto me, all the ends of the earth, and be ye saved. What a wonderful savior we have, that he saves the uttermost. He saves completely. He saves fully. He saves men and women like you and I. May the Lord help us. May our hearts be melted as we view him. Amen. We're going to close by singing that hymn of Philip Bliss, 221.