“Where the Wrath of God and the Love of Christ Met”

Where the Wrath of God the Father and the Love of Jesus Met

Mark 15:24 – And they crucified Him. Dividing up His clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. (NIV)

That is a very simple verse.  The first four words really cover a lot of ground, “And they crucified Him.”

It reminds me of a simple verse in Genesis. Genesis 1:16b – He also made the stars.  How many stars are there in the universe? Billions and billions?  And they only get five words?   I read some time back where they had finally found the Higgs Boson.  A particle of matter so small they just have to assume it is there.  It is called the “God Particle” because they think it will help them explain creation, or how everything began.  Well, I can tell them that.  Five words describe the creation of all the stars and man is still trying to figure it all out.

And here n Mark, four words describe it all, “And they crucified Him.”  Wow, you just can’t believe how much is contained in those four words, “and they crucified Him.”

I could not touch on the depth of that if I had all day, but we will begin to try.

Let’s begin with Luke 23:34.  Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”   And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

They are just beginning to drive the nails into Jesus’ flesh.  And He responds with love.  How else would you expect Him to respond?  They laid Him on the Cross to drive the nails, and the evil and love began to flow.  The Wrath of a Righteous God began to pour, and the Love of the Sacrificial Lamb began to flow.

If we could just pull the curtain back and see the war going on in the spirit world, it would have dwarfed D-Day.  Angels and demons fighting hand to hand and Satan standing with his arms crossed and a smile on his face.  There was a lot of evil going on that day, but there was even more love happening.

There were two subtle things that happened that day that not many grasp the importance of.  The first is the three crosses, and Jesus hanging on the middle one.

If I had delivered this sermon in our Sanctuary, I would have referred to our Altar table where the gold Cross stands with the candles on each side.  I would have commented that Jesus didn’t die on a pretty cross flanked by two lit candles.  Jesus died on a trash heap, the town land fill, between two thieves.

At that time, it was probably the most shameful way a man could die.  He was born in the humblest way He could have been… and He died in the most shameful way possible.  Have you ever thought of it that way before???

Now back to the scene… do you remember Barabbas?  The prisoner that was released instead of Jesus?  Jesus was hanging on Barabbas’ cross.

More accurately, Jesus was hanging on MY cross.  It should have been me hanging there for my sins instead of God’s Lamb.  I deserve that punishment for my sins, not Him.  You can place yourself on that cross if you want to, I can’t do it for you.

The second subtle event occurs in John 19:28 – Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”  29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.

Jesus was offered a sponge soaked with spoiled wine vinegar and gall.  This was a mixture that was used to ease the pain as the prisoners hung on the cross.  If they were in less pain they would hang on the cross alive for much longer, increasing the pleasure of the base, vulgar Roman soldiers.  Jesus refused the drink.  Without the drink, without the deadening chemicals Jesus would feel the full effect of the crucifixion.  He would feel the excruciating pain, a word derived from crucifixion.  Indescribable pain. Pain with, seemingly, no end.

From 9 AM until 3 PM that day Jesus hung on my cross.  He felt the agony meant for me.  The Cup of God’s Wrath was poured out on Him, not me.  And He responded with only love.  The sky grew dark.  Did Jesus’ creation respond on its own and do this?  Or did God the Father wave His hand over the sun to darken the sky?  After all this was not a bright shining event.

Finally, Jesus said, “It is finished.”  Three words that, like the other short verses, contains so much more than can be understood.  It is finished, but it had really, only just begun.

As we are so far apart today, no crowded pews, I pray you take the time to pray and thank Jesus Christ for all He has done for you.  I think it is important to know some of the unpopular, ugly details.

Let’s start that right here — Heavenly Father, Holy Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, thank you for your love, for your sacrifice, for your free gift of Salvation that was paid for so long ago on a cruel tree.  Lord remind me, each day, to thank you for all I have and All I should be for you. In Jesus Christ’s Holy Name I Pray.   AMEN