What Am I Worth To Him?
Bible Study
The Critical Questions... And More
Three Pre-Easter Bible Studies
Object:
When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"
There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
Lesson Objective: At the end of this lesson, each one will know and understand what Jesus went through to redeem fallen humanity.
Prayer Focus: Pray that each of those in the group come to know how much Jesus loves them and what he did to redeem them.
Background
There is a moment in the gospel of Mark that ever-so-slightly shifts the focus. The time has come for Jesus to do what he came to do. In Mark 10, Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph. The people thronged the streets and hailed him as the "king" and "conqueror." Later, at the "last supper" the bold words of Peter are emphasized, "I will not deny you." Gethsemane: It was the place of agony and acceptance. The events spoken of long ago are now happening. Jesus has been arrested, wrongly tried, and convicted. Now, we find out what we are worth to the Savior.
Just prior to the text for today, Jesus has been condemned to die. In spite of Pilate's attempt to set him free, the people have called for Jesus to be crucified. Pilate reluctantly agrees and Jesus is led away to the soldiers. He is mocked and beaten. He is then led outside of the city where he is to be crucified. Jesus is so bloodied and beaten that he cannot carry the cross beam the entire way. A man, Simon, is pulled from the crowd to complete this awful journey. Jesus' crucifixion begins at the third hour, about nine a.m. Jesus would hang on this cross for six long, agonizing hours. Max Lucado suggests that the first three hours Jesus would endure all the pain and abuse humanity could hurl at him, but the last three hours would be far worse. In those final three hours, Jesus would be bearing the brunt of the righteous wrath of God. Jesus has endured the worst of humanity as our story begins. He has heard their bitter cries. He has seen their sneering faces. What comes next is worse.
Lesson
A minister was called out of town unexpectedly and asked his assistant to fill in for him on Sunday morning. When the minister called home to find out how things went, he asked his wife about the sermon. She said, "It was one of the poorest sermons I've ever heard. Absolutely nothing in it. It didn't even make sense." When the minister got back to the office the next day he thought he would check with his associate to get his impressions. "Everything went great," the young man replied. "I didn't have time to prepare a sermon of my own, so I used one of your old sermons."
Sometimes things aren't exactly as they appear to be. I don't know if that's how it was for that minister, but I do know that on the day of Jesus' death, that was certainly true. We will look at what Satan must've considered his finest moment and see, "What I am worth to Jesus."
The climate: darkness
Note first the climate around this most difficult time in Jesus' life. Mark notes, "At the sixth hour, darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour." It is fitting that the most awful of times be shrouded in darkness. God's judgment against sin is beginning. Darkness is a representation of that time and that act.
Darkness is often associated with sin and judgment in scripture. John's gospel, especially, is ripe with those comparisons. "The light has shined in the darkness, but the darkness has not comprehended it." "Men love darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." Darkness is the symbolic representation of sin and evil. At this moment in Jesus' life, he is surrounded by darkness, as is the entire world.
What about you? Some of you here are still fumbling around in the darkness. Oh, you're not intentionally trying to be evil, but your staying in the dark furthers the devil's plan. Being in the dark can be scary. It is unsettling.
Remember back to when you were a kid. Were you ever scared of the dark? I am confident enough in my manhood to tell you that I can remember when I was. The "dark" brought on all kinds of monsters and scary things. It was important for me, as a child, to have a night-light. There was a sense of security in having a light present.
Aren't you tired of the dark? Have you had enough fear? Have you stumbled and fallen enough?
The condition: abandonment
One of the most agonizing parts of the whole crucifixion scene unfolds in verse 34. The physical pain of dying on a cross is real. The beatings and damage to the body are extensive. More difficult, even still, is the sense of abandonment that Jesus faces. He cries out, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" This statement of Jesus fulfills prophecy recorded in Psalm 22, but Jesus is doing much more than just quoting scripture. He is dying apart from his Father. The sins of the past, present, and future are placed upon him and for that moment, the relationship that he has enjoyed with the Father is broken. God has turned his back and Jesus is alone.
That is the result of sin. Sin separates us from God. Jesus knows the agony of it and utters this most desperate cry. Some of you know the isolation that comes from harboring sin in your life. God loves you, make no mistake about that, but he cannot tolerate sin. That is why the precious blood of Jesus covers your sin. You can come back to God because of what Jesus did here.
Billy Graham tells the story of how early in his ministry he was doing a series of revival meetings in Dallas, Texas. Nearly 40,000 came each night, but on this particular night, only a few came forward to accept Jesus Christ and become Christians. Graham was somewhat down because of that, but he talked to a friend of his, a German Christian. He told Graham the reason why so few came forward was because Graham had not preached about the blood of Jesus Christ. Graham said he was convicted by that and vowed never to preach again with mentioning the blood of Christ. The hymn writer is correct when he notes, "There is power, power, wonder-working power in the blood."
I read recently of a detachment of British troops during the Boer War. They lay wounded in the field of battle and in perilous position. A corporal came to realize that the only hope they had of surviving was to come under the protection of the Red Cross flag. They had a piece of white cloth, but no red paint. They decided to use the blood of their wounds to paint the cross. The enemy respected the grim flag as it was held aloft. All the British wounded were brought back to safety.
That quick thinking saved the lives of all those men. Physically, they were saved by the blood of the cross. Spiritually, you and all people are saved by Jesus' blood on the cross. Are you tired of being alone and abandoned? Come home.
Conclusion
Jesus has been hanging on the cross for almost six hours. The ninth hour is approaching. Verse 37 tells us, "With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last." The curtain of the temple at that moment was torn in two. The Centurion standing at the foot of the cross spoke what all of creation knew to be true at that moment: "Surely this man was the Son of God." The conclusion of Jesus' life and ministry are seen in these events. His task is complete. The gulf that separated God and man has been bridged. The temple curtain keeping God from the people is torn down. Jesus has made access to God possible.
That access is still available today. You can come to God through Jesus Christ. You don't have to become "holy" or "righteous" to come before him. You do not need any mediator except Christ Jesus himself. He wants you to come. He begs you to enter. Know today that he loves you. You may be in darkness. You may have known the abandonment and loneliness that comes from living apart from him, but it doesn't have to stay that way.
In the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) must walk across rocks that contain letters to get to the Holy Grail. It is important that he walk only on those stones that spell out the name of Christ, otherwise he will fall to his death.
This is true for you, too. Do you want to come in from the darkness? Do you want to know that somebody cares? Do you want to come home to God? Come through Jesus.
Suggested Songs And Hymns
"Were You There?"
"The Old Rugged Cross"
"I Will Sing Of My Redeemer"
"Lord I Lift Your Name On High"
"There Is Power In The Blood"
Thought/Discussion Questions
1. While he hung on the cross, Jesus felt "abandoned" by his Father. How do you think he endured that? What does this tell us about how much he loves you and me?
2. Why does darkness symbolize evil so often? What is there about "darkness" that seems so sinister?
3. There is an old saying that goes, "Jesus loves you this much, as he stretched out both arms and was nailed to the cross." How would you describe his love?
There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
Lesson Objective: At the end of this lesson, each one will know and understand what Jesus went through to redeem fallen humanity.
Prayer Focus: Pray that each of those in the group come to know how much Jesus loves them and what he did to redeem them.
Background
There is a moment in the gospel of Mark that ever-so-slightly shifts the focus. The time has come for Jesus to do what he came to do. In Mark 10, Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph. The people thronged the streets and hailed him as the "king" and "conqueror." Later, at the "last supper" the bold words of Peter are emphasized, "I will not deny you." Gethsemane: It was the place of agony and acceptance. The events spoken of long ago are now happening. Jesus has been arrested, wrongly tried, and convicted. Now, we find out what we are worth to the Savior.
Just prior to the text for today, Jesus has been condemned to die. In spite of Pilate's attempt to set him free, the people have called for Jesus to be crucified. Pilate reluctantly agrees and Jesus is led away to the soldiers. He is mocked and beaten. He is then led outside of the city where he is to be crucified. Jesus is so bloodied and beaten that he cannot carry the cross beam the entire way. A man, Simon, is pulled from the crowd to complete this awful journey. Jesus' crucifixion begins at the third hour, about nine a.m. Jesus would hang on this cross for six long, agonizing hours. Max Lucado suggests that the first three hours Jesus would endure all the pain and abuse humanity could hurl at him, but the last three hours would be far worse. In those final three hours, Jesus would be bearing the brunt of the righteous wrath of God. Jesus has endured the worst of humanity as our story begins. He has heard their bitter cries. He has seen their sneering faces. What comes next is worse.
Lesson
A minister was called out of town unexpectedly and asked his assistant to fill in for him on Sunday morning. When the minister called home to find out how things went, he asked his wife about the sermon. She said, "It was one of the poorest sermons I've ever heard. Absolutely nothing in it. It didn't even make sense." When the minister got back to the office the next day he thought he would check with his associate to get his impressions. "Everything went great," the young man replied. "I didn't have time to prepare a sermon of my own, so I used one of your old sermons."
Sometimes things aren't exactly as they appear to be. I don't know if that's how it was for that minister, but I do know that on the day of Jesus' death, that was certainly true. We will look at what Satan must've considered his finest moment and see, "What I am worth to Jesus."
The climate: darkness
Note first the climate around this most difficult time in Jesus' life. Mark notes, "At the sixth hour, darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour." It is fitting that the most awful of times be shrouded in darkness. God's judgment against sin is beginning. Darkness is a representation of that time and that act.
Darkness is often associated with sin and judgment in scripture. John's gospel, especially, is ripe with those comparisons. "The light has shined in the darkness, but the darkness has not comprehended it." "Men love darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." Darkness is the symbolic representation of sin and evil. At this moment in Jesus' life, he is surrounded by darkness, as is the entire world.
What about you? Some of you here are still fumbling around in the darkness. Oh, you're not intentionally trying to be evil, but your staying in the dark furthers the devil's plan. Being in the dark can be scary. It is unsettling.
Remember back to when you were a kid. Were you ever scared of the dark? I am confident enough in my manhood to tell you that I can remember when I was. The "dark" brought on all kinds of monsters and scary things. It was important for me, as a child, to have a night-light. There was a sense of security in having a light present.
Aren't you tired of the dark? Have you had enough fear? Have you stumbled and fallen enough?
The condition: abandonment
One of the most agonizing parts of the whole crucifixion scene unfolds in verse 34. The physical pain of dying on a cross is real. The beatings and damage to the body are extensive. More difficult, even still, is the sense of abandonment that Jesus faces. He cries out, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" This statement of Jesus fulfills prophecy recorded in Psalm 22, but Jesus is doing much more than just quoting scripture. He is dying apart from his Father. The sins of the past, present, and future are placed upon him and for that moment, the relationship that he has enjoyed with the Father is broken. God has turned his back and Jesus is alone.
That is the result of sin. Sin separates us from God. Jesus knows the agony of it and utters this most desperate cry. Some of you know the isolation that comes from harboring sin in your life. God loves you, make no mistake about that, but he cannot tolerate sin. That is why the precious blood of Jesus covers your sin. You can come back to God because of what Jesus did here.
Billy Graham tells the story of how early in his ministry he was doing a series of revival meetings in Dallas, Texas. Nearly 40,000 came each night, but on this particular night, only a few came forward to accept Jesus Christ and become Christians. Graham was somewhat down because of that, but he talked to a friend of his, a German Christian. He told Graham the reason why so few came forward was because Graham had not preached about the blood of Jesus Christ. Graham said he was convicted by that and vowed never to preach again with mentioning the blood of Christ. The hymn writer is correct when he notes, "There is power, power, wonder-working power in the blood."
I read recently of a detachment of British troops during the Boer War. They lay wounded in the field of battle and in perilous position. A corporal came to realize that the only hope they had of surviving was to come under the protection of the Red Cross flag. They had a piece of white cloth, but no red paint. They decided to use the blood of their wounds to paint the cross. The enemy respected the grim flag as it was held aloft. All the British wounded were brought back to safety.
That quick thinking saved the lives of all those men. Physically, they were saved by the blood of the cross. Spiritually, you and all people are saved by Jesus' blood on the cross. Are you tired of being alone and abandoned? Come home.
Conclusion
Jesus has been hanging on the cross for almost six hours. The ninth hour is approaching. Verse 37 tells us, "With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last." The curtain of the temple at that moment was torn in two. The Centurion standing at the foot of the cross spoke what all of creation knew to be true at that moment: "Surely this man was the Son of God." The conclusion of Jesus' life and ministry are seen in these events. His task is complete. The gulf that separated God and man has been bridged. The temple curtain keeping God from the people is torn down. Jesus has made access to God possible.
That access is still available today. You can come to God through Jesus Christ. You don't have to become "holy" or "righteous" to come before him. You do not need any mediator except Christ Jesus himself. He wants you to come. He begs you to enter. Know today that he loves you. You may be in darkness. You may have known the abandonment and loneliness that comes from living apart from him, but it doesn't have to stay that way.
In the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) must walk across rocks that contain letters to get to the Holy Grail. It is important that he walk only on those stones that spell out the name of Christ, otherwise he will fall to his death.
This is true for you, too. Do you want to come in from the darkness? Do you want to know that somebody cares? Do you want to come home to God? Come through Jesus.
Suggested Songs And Hymns
"Were You There?"
"The Old Rugged Cross"
"I Will Sing Of My Redeemer"
"Lord I Lift Your Name On High"
"There Is Power In The Blood"
Thought/Discussion Questions
1. While he hung on the cross, Jesus felt "abandoned" by his Father. How do you think he endured that? What does this tell us about how much he loves you and me?
2. Why does darkness symbolize evil so often? What is there about "darkness" that seems so sinister?
3. There is an old saying that goes, "Jesus loves you this much, as he stretched out both arms and was nailed to the cross." How would you describe his love?
