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Our Savior – A Sin Offering
God made him who had no sin to be sin (or be a sin offering) for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)
The Cross: Obscure Individuals
1. Roman soldier whose ear was cut off by Peter (John 18:10)
2. Girl by fire asking Peter if he was with Jesus (Luke 22:55-71)
3. Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross for Jesus (Mark 15:21)
4. Thief on cross saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” (Luke 29:42)
5. Roman centurion who supervises the execution and then says, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)
Who Is Barabbas?
Mark 15:6-15
6 Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
13 “Crucify him!” they shouted.
14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Questions from Part 1
- In this lesson, do you see yourself as Barabbas? How do you respond to the FREEDOM Jesus has given you?
- This lesson was centered around us being Barabbas. How will you now consider the WEIGHT of your sin being placed on Jesus on the cross?
The Death of Christ
Mark 15:33-38
33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”(which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
3 Significant Reasons The Vail Was Torn
1. When God tore the curtain at Jesus’ death: It abolished the intercessory role of the priesthood.
— 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
— James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
2. When God tore the vail: It eliminated the animal sacrifice ceremony.
3. When God tore the vail: It opened the way for all to come to God.
God Desires A Relationship With Us
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved… John 10:9
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20
Let us then come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
Questions from Part 2
- Why is Jesus’ death complete and permanent whereas animal sacrifices are not?
- Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need« How will you now come to the Lord with boldness and confidence in your time of need?
Two Cups – The New Covenant
1st Cup
In the same way, after supper, He took the CUP, saying, “This CUP is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 1 Corinthians 11:25
2nd Cup
Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed him. On reaching the place, He said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if You are willing, take this CUP from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened Him. And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke 22:39-44
The Great Exchange
“This exchange is pre-figured in those two cups Jesus talks about the night He was betrayed. There is a cup of the wrath of God over sinners with all our names on it. It is a cup full to the brim with the wages of our sin. Not a single drop may be spilled; all must be drunk dry. It is a cup of death. And this is the cup we deserve. The justice of God demands this cup be consumed. The love of God is not willing to have us drink the cup that we deserve. So God does the unthinkable. He drinks it Himself. Jesus drinks it down to the dregs. Every drop is consumed on His cross. Jesus dies drinking the wages of our sin.”
-Believer’s Bible Commentary, William McDonald, 1989
Questions from Part 3
- As you consider your own heart/life and all that our Savior has rescued you from, what else was is in the cup Christ drank for you?
- How do you view the communion cup now after this lesson on the cup of wrath Jesus drank?
Last Words of Jesus
1 – Luke 23:34 – Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.
2 – Luke 23:43 – Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.
3 – John 19:26-27 – When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “here is your mother!”
4 – Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34 – And about the ninth hour (noon) Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
5 – John 19:28 – After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said “I thirst. ”
6 – John 19:30 – When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished, ” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
7 – Luke 23:46 – Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit My spirit!” And having said this He breathed His last.
Questions from Part 4
- Name the distractions in your life that prevents you from living a cross-centered life.
- How can you be under the influence of Jesus going forward? What changes will you make in your life?
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