Please turn with me to Mark 15 verses 22 through 25. And they brought him to the place, Golgotha, which is translated place of a skull. Then they gave him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but he did not take it. And when they crucified him, they divided his garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take. Now it was the third hour and they crucified him. In the last couple of studies, we've seen Jesus and the soldiers. We've seen Jesus and Simon, the Cyrenian. who carried the cross for Christ part of the way. Jesus and the soldiers, Jesus and Simon, now Jesus and the skull. Jesus and the place of the skull, Golgotha. When Jesus arrives at Golgotha, depending on how you translate, He was offered wine mingled with myrrh to drink. This was a narcotic mixture. It was not designed for the condemned man's comfort. The soldiers were not trying to ease the pain. It was designed for the soldiers' convenience. It would put them out. It would slow them down. It would cause them to relax as much as they possibly could. They didn't care how much Jesus Christ and the others suffered. They offered them the drink because it kept the prisoners from struggling so much as they nailed them to the cross. These guys would have been in all sorts of pain, writhing around, fighting them. So that was the point of the wine, not let's ease the comfort of these people we're about to kill. That was not the reason to be on it. When Jesus Christ is offered this mind-numbing drink, he refuses. He refuses because he knows he came into this world to die, to die for sin and for the sin of his people. He knew that he came to drink the cup of the wrath of Almighty God. He knew that was the reason that he came. He knew that he would bear the wrath of God. Jesus Christ is the one who bears the wrath of God. In Revelation 19, we read of Jesus Christ in chapter 19, verse 15. Now out of his mouth goes the sharp sword. that with it he should strike the nations, and he himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God. He himself, Jesus Christ, treads or puts on the foot, has dominion over. It's Christ. who put down the wrath of God, who paid the price. He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Jesus Christ knew that He came to die for the sins of His people. 1 Peter 3 verse 18, For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit. Jesus Christ. He is the one who suffered for sins. Notice, the just for the unjust. He was just. We were unjust. And he brought us to God, being put to death in the flesh. And that's what we have before us today. Christ being put to death in the flesh. Christ becoming sin for us in order that we would be able to become the righteousness of God. And Christ doesn't want any mind numbing drink to take away from this moment. To take away the moment that the wrath of God is being poured out on Christ. He wanted to do what he was about to do, suffer the wrath of God with a clear mind. Jesus willingly endured all of the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional agonies of the cross without any relief. He desired to suffer the full measure of the punishment that you and I deserved. He did it for me and he did it for you. And we should praise him for that. For he is the one that suffered. He was the one that was put to death in the flesh for our sins, not for his sins, for our sins. He became sin for us. in order that we would become the righteousness of God. We see the depths of human depravity clearly, clearly that day at Calvary. If your hope is in man, you need to look at the men at Calvary that day. That is the heart of man. If God doesn't restrain a man or a woman, these are the kind of sins, this is the kind of wickedness that men and women are capable of. After the soldiers nailed Jesus Christ to the cross, they sit down at his feet and gamble over the only possession that he had in this world, the very clothes on his back. Look at verse 24 in Mark 15. And when they crucified him, they divided his garments, cast in lots for them to determine what every man should take. And realize this, that that was fulfilling an ancient prophecy in the book of Psalms. Psalms 22, 18 tells us this. They divide my garments among them and from my clothing they cast lots. There's a prophecy of what would happen to Jesus Christ hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years before it ever took place. Psalm 22 has all kinds of prophecies in relation to Jesus Christ. In our text today with these men, it clearly reveals how wicked that man can be. These hard-hearted soldiers turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the sufferings of the condemned men around them that's hanging on the crosses that day. This to them was business as usual. But yet, lest you feel better about yourself, let's not be too hard on these soldiers. Because what I want you to understand is that the men in this text, these soldiers demonstrate to us our own callousness in our lives. For we live for ourselves with no thought given to those around us. These men are casting lots for Christ's garments. They don't care about those around them. Basically, if it doesn't touch us or our families, it really isn't too important to us, is it? People, they're going to hell, but that's really not our problem. Not our problem, we're too busy doing this. After all, those around me are saved, so why do people around me go to hell? Yeah, well, you know, people are suffering, but I have too much to do to care about that. I have my time for play, for enjoyment. Hey, after all, I earned it. Is this not the attitude of many of us? I know that there's spiritual work to be done, but you can't expect me to be involved. After all, I have things I'd like to do, too, you know. That's the same attitude that those soldiers possessed. And it should never be true of a redeemed child of God. We should care that people are going to hell. We should care about the suffering of others. We should care about the spiritual work that needs to be done. We should care. We should be compassionate. We should serve those around us. But far too often we find ourselves serving ourself and not really serving others. in verses 24 and 25 of Mark 15. We see once again what an amazing book the Bible is. All four gospel writers write about the crucifixion, but the event itself is never described. That's why I didn't want, as I entered into this text, sensationalize this portion of scripture which people, when they make movies, they run away with this. They just take this and love showing the pain, the heartache, the crucifixion of it. Shows you what an amazing book is. Verses 24 and 25 of Mark 15. It ends by this statement, now is the third hour and they crucified him. The most important event in human history is simply described by these few words, and they crucified him. And they crucified him. The whole point of history, even time is known as AD and BC, before Christ and after Christ. Right there. And they crucified him before the death of Christ and after the death of Christ. was that while the Bible does not give us much in the way of the scripture, it does let us know that the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross at Calvary was a very important event. In fact, as I said, the cross is the centerpiece of all history. The day Jesus was crucified was the day sin and sin were forever defeated. The crucifixion is an event that deserves a closer look. I took a look at this for a moment, a brief moment. Frederick Farrar in his book, The Life of Christ, describes a crucifixion in this way. A death by crucifixion seems to include all that pain and death they can have of the horrible and the ghastly. Dizziness, cramps, thirst, starvation, sleeplessness, traumatic fever, shame, long continuance of torment, horror of anticipation, mortification of intended wounds, all intensified just up to the point at which they can be endured at all. but all stopping just short of the point which would give the sufferer a relief. The unnatural position made every movement painful. The lacerated veins and crushed tendons throbbed with insensate anguish. The wounds, inflamed by exposure, gradually gangrened when a victim took several days to die, of course. The arteries, especially at the head and stomach, became swollen and oppressed with blood. And while each variety of misery went on, gradually increasing, there was added to them the intolerable pain of a burning and a raging thirst. And all these physical complications caused an internal excitement and anxiety, which made the prospect of death itself, of death, the unknown enemy at whose approach man usually shudders, the aspect of a delicious and exquisite relief. If I could just die, you'd be hoping to die on that course. One thing is clear, the first century executions were not like the modern ones, for they did not seek a quick, painless death, nor the preservation of any measure of dignity for the criminal. The first century executions were not like the modern ones. They sought agonizing torture. An agonizing torture with completely humiliated demand. And it's important that we understand this, for it helps us realize the agony of Christ's death. That's it for my sensationalizing of it. But it had to be said. The death of Jesus Christ and the two thieves that day was just business as usual for the Romans. The death of three Jewish men never even made a blip on Rome's radar. I want you to know that while I didn't see the significance of what was happening that day, the death of Jesus Christ definitely made news in heaven. The father witnessed the death of the son and he was satisfied. His wrath was satisfied. Sins penalty had been paid and sinners now could be saved. The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ opened the way to God that will never be closed until the last breath is breathed. Now all those who come to him by faith, trusting his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead as their sole hope of salvation will be eternally saved by the grace of God. Where do you find yourself today? Do you know that Romans 9 tells us this? That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God is raising from the dead, you will be saved. That's either a true statement or a false statement. Verse 13 of the same chapter. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. There's the gospel. There is the gospel, whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The Lord Jesus Christ. There's no other name given amongst men where we should be saved. I'll say more about the cross as we continue our studies in Mark 15. We got a glimpse at these three scenes as Jesus made his way to the cross. The question is, what do you think? when you study these things. What do you think? Are you reminded of His love for you? Are you filled with praise and thanksgiving for our Savior who gave Himself for you so that you might have life and salvation? Wouldn't today be a good time for you to bow before Him and worship Him for His love? for his pain and his great gift for you? Is he not worthy of your worship? Is he not worthy for you to bow before him and to adore him? Maybe you're reminded of the vows and promises that you made to him that you'd follow him. You're reminded of the promises that you've broken. That there was a time when Jesus was everything to you. You loved him enough to come to his house to pray, to read his word, And now you've strayed from him. You're no longer close to him. But behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone will open the door, I'll come in and sup with him. I'll come in and fellowship with him. Do you find yourself today backslidden away from the Lord? But after hearing these messages about his love and his sacrifice, it's reminding you of where you need to be. Come back to Him today. Let Him forgive you, restore you to the place that you need to be with Him. It's forgiveness. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2, all I want to know is Christ and Christ crucified. For those of us that have stayed at Calvary and stay there and worship Him, we look at Christ and Him crucified. And when we sin, we look at Christ and Him crucified. When we're saved, we look at Christ and Him crucified. No matter how far you've fallen, look to Christ today and Him crucified. That's why Paul said, that's all I want to know, Christ and Him crucified. For justification, for sanctification, and for glorification. It's Christ and Christ crucified. Maybe these scenes have caused you to see that you're a sinner. Has it become clear to you that Jesus Christ died to save people from their sins? And do you find yourself in need today of salvation? For this scripture says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. All of us, my friend, is in the same boat. All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The only one who never sinned was Christ. And he paid the price for sin. He became sin for us in order that we would become the righteousness of God. If you never come to Christ, If you never realized that Christ was crucified for the sin of his people to redeem his people, to redeem his people, they had to pay the price for their freedom, for their salvation. And the price was his blood. That was the price of salvation. That was the price of redemption. He had to redeem a people. And that was accomplished that day at Calvary. He paid the price. He paid the price for sinners. So no matter where you find yourself today, be you a child of God, be you a child of God that has turned his back and walked away and become like the prodigal, or if you've never been saved, you never became a child of God. The message is the same. Christ crucified, Christ on the cross. That is where we find our redemption. That is where we find salvation. That is where we find forgiveness, Christ and him crucified. I want to invite you today to come to Calvary where Christ was crucified.