In the sermon titled 'The Crucifixion of Jesus' by David Green, the speaker emphasizes the historical and spiritual significance of Jesus's crucifixion. The event, described as the most important in human history, is not only a historical record but also holds eternal consequences. The sermon recounts the physical suffering of Jesus, highlighting his journey to Golgotha, where Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry the cross partway due to Jesus's weakened state. Despite the Roman soldiers' attempt to offer Jesus wine mixed with myrrh to deaden his pain, he refused, choosing to remain fully aware. The inscription 'King of the Jews' was placed above Jesus, interpreted by the speaker as Pilate's act against Jewish leaders. The sermon also discusses the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, as Jesus was crucified between two thieves. Throughout, the sermon calls on listeners to reflect on their belief and trust in Jesus as their Savior, underscoring the crucifixion's purpose: Jesus's sacrifice for the sins of his people.

Let's again go to the Lord in prayer. Father in heaven, we thank you for the day. We thank you for the time that we have that we can come together to worship you. Lord, I pray that even as we've gathered together, we thank you for our members, for our visitors, Lord, for all who've come. Lord, I pray that our worship has been in spirit and in truth and will continue to be so.

Lord, I pray that truly the name of our Savior be high and lifted up even this day, that your people be drawn closer to you. Lord, if it's in your will, that others would come to know you as their savior. Lord, I pray that you will be with those who were mentioned for prayer. I pray that you'll be with them physically, as well as spiritually. Lord, I pray that you'll be with the ones who were unable to be with us this morning.

Lord, you know the need of each and every one. I pray, our Father, that you'll Forgive us of our sins and our shortcomings. Bless in the preaching of your word. Lord, may you find a lodging place in our hearts and our minds. Lord, that we may leave from here rejoicing, having been in your house.

Meet with your people even this day. Forgive us where we failed you. For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Mark chapter 15, and we'll start with verse 21, And we'll be reading verses on down to verse 32.

Says in they compel one Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexandria, Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And they bring him under the place Golgotha, which is being interpreted the place of a skull. And they gave him to drink wine mangled with myrrh but he received it not. When they had crucified him they parted his garments casting lot upon them what every man should take And it was the third hour they crucified him. The superscription of his accusation was written over the king of the Jews.

And with him They crucified two thieves, the one in his right hand and the other on his left. The scripture was fulfilled, which sayeth, and he was numbered with the transgressors. They that passed by railed on him wagging their heads and saying, Oh, thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself and come down from the cross. Likewise, also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes He saved others, Himself He cannot save. Let Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe they were crucified.

They that were crucified with him revived him. As we've been studying, preaching through Mark's gospel account, preaching through Mark's gospel account. We've been approaching this scene for a long time. In all reality, Jesus has been headed here the whole time. He was born to die.

This event, The event of Jesus on the cross is the most important event of all of human history. In fact, that's how we reckon time. BC and AD. It's all relevant to Christ. But as I preach on this subject of the crucifixion of Jesus, don't just read this as a great historical record.

Don't think of it as just an event on pages of history. It's more than that. Oh, it is that. It is, for certain, a historical event, but it is a something that is more important. There were great historical events that happened in in time.

The signing of the Declaration of Independence, that was a great historical event. The inauguration of George Washington, that was historical and important to us. The ending of World War II, that was important. All sorts of events could be thought of as important, but this, the death, burial, resurrection of Jesus Christ. This has eternal consequences in your life and mind.

And Do you believe it? Have you trusted in Jesus as your Savior? At this point in the text, Jesus is a prisoner condemned to death, and as such, he was required to carry his own cross to the place of execution. As a matter of fact, as we compare the gospel to counts over in John chapter 19, John chapter 19 and verse 17. John records it this way, and he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha.

John records it that he did carry his cross. Apparently he did carry his cross for a time, but according to Mark, here in this text in Mark chapter 15 verse 21, they compelled one Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And so apparently he was unable to carry it the whole way. His body weak from sleeplessness, blood loss, and severe injuries. And so the soldiers got Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross the rest of the way.

Now the Roman soldier's choice of such a man might have seemed random. God was at work that day, just as He is every day. There's no such thing as random chance luck. As a matter of fact, this Simon that is mentioned here is one that they would have been familiar with, the original readers of this text. That's why there's details given here, as he says, Simon Serenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, The original first century readers of Mark would have known something of this family.

They would have known who he was. And as a matter of fact, if you go over to the letter that Paul penned to the Church of Rome in Romans chapter 16 and verse 13. Romans chapter 16, verse 13, Verse 13. The ending of this letter, Paul writes, Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord and his mother and mine. This Rufus was known, known to the Church of Rome, known, This Simon was known to the first century Romans.

This family was known to the readers of Mark. And so, whether he was a saved man at the point of this compelling him to carry the cross or whether he was saved later I do not know, but one thing's for sure, the family was known to the first century Christians. Back to the text there in verse 22, it says, and they bring him unto a place, Golgotha, that is being interpreted the place of a skull. Golgotha is a term in the Hebrew or Aramaic which is meaning skull. Mark translated it here for his readers.

Although the exact place is unknown today, two locations in Jerusalem are considered as possibilities. One is Gordon's Calvary, named for the man who discovered it in modern times, to the north, and the traditional site to the west, which is called the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It's a traditional site dating to the fourth century. Wherever it was at, again, the first century readers would have known exactly where it was. Some scholars believe that the place was so named because it was situated atop a hill that looked like a skull.

That's the more probable place, but other others have suggested that it was probably named that because of the skulls of crucified victims that were left lying on the ground. Now that's a possibility however very unlikely That the Jewish people would have tolerated such a practice if you go back to numbers chapter 19 Numbers chapter 19 and verse 11 Numbers 19 and verse 11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be uncleaned seven days. So, so it would be unlikely that the Jews would have tolerated something like that being there. So it's more probable that it would have been a hill that looked like a skull. So this place called Golgotha, the place of death, a place of crucifixion, a place of terrible execution.

This is where our Lord was being taken, a place where criminals were led away to die. Verse 23 of Mark chapter 15. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, but he received it not. Before nailing Jesus to the cross, setting it upright, they tried to give Jesus this wine mixed with myrrh. It was a concoction that they gave a mixture meant to deaden the pain.

Now, before you think that these guys were sympathetic to their prisoners, were sympathetic to their prisoners or that they were compassionate to those who were in their possession, those who were about to be crucified, this was not the case. They did this to keep them from struggling on the cross during the crucifixion. This was a pain-deadening medication for those who were going to die. In fact, if you go back to Proverbs, there's a in Proverbs chapter 31, there's a passage there that That is Often overlooked, You know, we think of Proverbs 31 about being the virtuous woman, and certainly it is about that, but in Proverbs 31 in verse 6, before the text goes into about the virtuous woman, it says, Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. That be of heavy hearts.

So, so the, There was a practice in the old days of using wine and strong drink for those who were about to die. Jesus refused it. He wasn't going to go down in an intoxicated or a way like that. He wasn't going to deaden his senses in such a way that that would have... He was going to die in a way that would make him aware of his pain as well as what was happening.

As the sinless Lamb of God died on the cross, He would die for His people, fully aware of what was going on there on the cross. And so in verses 24 through 25, when they crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them what every man should take." And it was the third hour they crucified him. Crucifixion was a very, As I mentioned before, it was a well-known form of execution to the ancient world. Again, as Mark wrote to his original, wrote this, his original readers would have been well familiar with what he was talking about. The Roman writer, Cicero, described it as the cruelest and most hideous punishment possible.

It apparently originated in Persia. Crucifixion was later used by the Romans as a brutal means of inflicting pain on its victims, but also it was used as a deterrent of other would-be criminals. Criminals. It's estimated that by the time of Christ, the Romans had crucified some 30, 000 in Israel alone. It's said that after the fall of Jerusalem in 8070, so many Jewish rebels were killed by crucifixion that the Romans ran short of lumber to make crosses.

As we've seen in the crucifixion of Christ, the victims were first scourged forth. And as that happened, this would result in severe injuries and massive blood loss. And as I mentioned before, sometimes some even died before they ever got to the cross. But crucifixion was a prolonged form of dying. As I read about this, as I've never seen it, None of us have and we should be thankful for it.

When the condemned criminal arrived to this place of execution, He was forced onto his back, nailed to the cross as it lay on the ground. The nails measured five to seven inches long. They resembled modern railroad spikes. They were driven not through the palms of the hand, but rather through the wrists in order to support the full weight of the victim's slumping body. The victim's feet were secured with a single spike with the knees bent so that he could push himself up in order to breathe.

In order to breathe. The cross was then raised slowly until it was vertical. The foot of the cross was dropped into a deep posthole, landing with a thud. It caused terrible pain through the victim's body. The hanging position of the body constricted the diaphragm, which made it impossible to breathe.

In order to get air, the one on the cross had to push himself up, pushing his weight on the nail, wounds in his feet and wrists, rubbing his back, his bare back, on his back that had the terrible wounds from the scourging which oftentimes went to the bone already, rubbing that against the rough wood of the cross. And as that happened, his ability to breathe became increasingly hindered. Increasingly hindered. Eventually, he died on the cross. But if needed, The soldiers could hasten suffocation by breaking the victim's legs so he can no longer push himself up to help himself breathe.

If you remember back in John chapter 19. John 19 verses 31 and 32, then the Jews therefore because of the preparation that the body should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day for that Sabbath day was a high day we sought pilot that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away then came the soldiers and break the legs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already and they breaking on his legs. You see, several years ago there was a doctor that did a study on the effects of the crucifixions and what it would do to the human body. Terrible, terrible what these things would do. I think there have been books written and recordings of it but just absolutely terrible way to die.

Terrible way of execution. But it was commonplace in those days for criminals. This is what our Lord went through. It was about the third hour. It was the third hour or about 9 a.m.

When they crucified him according to Mark. Mark 15 verse 26 through 28, and the superscription of his accusation was written over the king of the Jews. And with him they crucified two thieves, the one on his right hand and the other on his left. The scripture was fulfilled which sayeth he was numbered with the transgressors. When anyone was condemned to be executed on a cross, their crime was written on a wooden board over their head on the cross.

Jesus' inscription was written in Latin, Hebrew, and Greek, according to John 19 and verse 20. This title then read, Many of the Jews for the place where Jesus was crucified was nine to the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. A comparison of all four of the Gospeled accounts reveals that the full inscription read, said this, this is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Now Pilate did this, I don't believe, to honor our Lord, nor did he do it to to mock him. I believe this was to get back at the Jewish leaders who had given him so much trouble.

Remember Pilate had never found any crime that Jesus was guilty of, but those Jewish leaders, they wanted Jesus dead. They gave Pilate some trouble, So he wrote what he wrote and made sure everybody could read it. And in fact, over there again in John chapter 19, verses 21 and 22, it says, then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, right not the king of the Jews, but that he said, I am king of the Jews. Pilate answered, what I have written I have written. You see putting Jesus there in between the two robbers with the inscription above that said that he was king of the Jews said to the world, to everyone that passed by, that your king, the Jewish king, is nothing more than a common criminal.

Again, this may have been a game to Pilate. This may have been a getting back at the Jewish leaders to Pilate. He had no fear of God. He had no thoughts of doing the right thing. Nothing of that.

But again, this was a sovereign God in control of all things, because this had been prophesied long ago. Isaiah chapter 53 verse 12 says, Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death. And he was numbered with the transgressors and he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors." You see, he was numbered with the transgressors. There's no mistake that Jesus was there on the cross between two thieves. Just like Isaiah prophesied long ago.

Back here in Mark chapter 15. Verse 29-32 They that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, all thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself and come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, he saved others, himself He cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross that we may see and believe and they were crucified with him and they that were crucified with him reviled him." As Jesus was on that cruel cross suffering the physical pain of the crucifixion, there was mocking, there was wagging of the heads, there was insults, there were false charges, so on. The unbelieving world insisted that Christ come down from the cross, and even the Jews saying that if he would come down, they would see and believe.

Turned out to be false for many of them, many of them, still did not believe it. Even after the greater miracle of the resurrection. The two thieves on either side, they even joined in on this even though one of them, praise God, did later repent. Over in Luke chapter 23, look at this, Luke chapter 23, Luke chapter 23 verses 30, 39 rather, down to verse 43. Luther chapter 23 verses 39 down to verse 43.

One of the male factors, or criminals, which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we received the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing amiss. He said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto unto thee today thou shalt be with me in paradise." Praise God that even in the midst of all of that, that one of the thieves on the cross did repent and believe.

In one of these days we'll see him in glory. But in all of those things, we see the terrible physical suffering of Jesus. And in this text here in Mark chapter 15, It's not over yet. It's hard to put into words everything that I'd like to say about it, but oh, as terrible as this was, and it was terrible. Believe it or not, the worst is yet to come.

Isaiah 53 and verse 10 puts it this way, when he said, it pleased the Lord to bruise him, Because in the midst of all of that physical suffering, and even though thousands upon thousands of people had been crucified on the cross, nothing happened Like what was about to happen on that day. As Mark says, In Mark chapter 15, this will be my text for next week. Verse 33 and 34. When the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, Eloi, Eloi, Lama sabachthanai, which is being interpreted, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Nothing like that had ever happened when it pleased the Lord to bruise him. Lord to bruise him. Let's not lose sight as we look at the commonality and the terribleness of the physical suffering of Jesus on the cross, and it was terrible, and it was common in those days. But let us not lose sight of the reason why Jesus was on the cross in the first place. He was dying for the sins of his people.

He shed his blood for his people, his sheep, his elect. Do you believe it? Have you trusted in him? Oh, how I rejoice in this text. May God have the blessing to the preaching of his word.

Let's stand and be dismissed.