Finding Peace
Series: The Gospel of Mark
Summary
Finding Peace
Mark: Who is this Man?
Mark 15-16:13
12/08/2024
Psalm 22:1-18 - My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
Main Idea: This Christmas, remember that finding real peace comes through the greatest gift ever given, and we can share that gift with others.
I: Finding peace through the sacrifice of another.
Mark 15:33-39 - And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
A. The road to the cross…
• Condemned to death - Mark 15:12-15 - And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
• Beaten, abused and mocked - Mark 15:26-20 - And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.
• …And mocked some more – Mark 15:26-32 - And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.
• Forsaken, in incredible pain, He breathed His last. – Mark 15:33-39 - And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
B. Jesus suffered all of this so that we, who were sinners could find peace and be reconciled to the Father.
C. Review “Roman’s Road”
Main Idea: This Christmas, remember that finding real peace comes through the greatest gift ever given, and we can share that gift with others.
II: Finding peace through His Resurrection.
Many “great” teachers have suffered and died…
• Joseph Smith the founder of Mormonism was killed by a mob on June 27, 1844
• Ghandi was shot to death on January 30, 1948
• Muhammad was poisoned by his young wife
• Buddha died from eating a bad mushroom or pork
• Confucius died of natural causes
All of these religious leaders have something in common – they died and have remained dead. But what about Jesus? Paint the desperate scene…
Mark 16:1-8 - When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
A. The grave could not hold him.
B. While His sacrifice paid our penalty due to our sin – His resurrection gives us life and hope! 1 Peter 1:3-5 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
C. Yes, Jesus died for our sins, but He didn’t stay dead!
D. His Resurrection from the grave is the ultimate exclamation point on all the other claims of Scripture.
Main Idea: This Christmas, remember that finding real peace comes through the greatest gift ever given, and we can share that gift with others.
III: Finding peace through a personal encounter.
Mark 16:9-11 - Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
A. I can tell you all about my life and experiences, but until you taste and see for yourself, it won’t be as real to you.
B. Finding peace with Jesus means that you have the hope that your best days are ahead of you. But I don’t want you to just take my word for it, like King David in Psalm 34, I want you to taste and see that the Lord is good!
C. I believe that you can intellectually get to the place where you understand your need for Jesus – but everything changes when you taste and see for yourself – theory becomes fact.
D. The best thing you can do this Christmas is experience the peace found through Christ!
Main Idea: This Christmas, remember that finding real peace comes through the greatest gift ever given, and we can share that gift with others.
Conclusion: Christian – remember that you have peace with Christ because of the great price that He has paid. Remember that you will have victory over death, because He had victory over death.
Not yet a follower of Jesus Christ? “Taste and see that the Lord is good." You can receive the peace found in Jesus Christ today by faith.
Dan Krause
Lead Pastor
Sermon Notes
You can add your own personal sermon notes along the way. When you're finished, you'll be able to email or download your notes.