Christ Rules! Trust God In Times of Crisis

A Sermon by Jim Hammond from Mark 15:21-37

Have you ever watched a father play with his little boy, repeatedly throwing him in the air and catching him just before he hit the ground? Have you ever noticed that the child is relaxed and having a grand time. He says, "Do it again! Do it again!"? If that were me, I think I’d be stiff as a board, shouting, “put me down, let me go.”

If you were to ask that father why his child is so relaxed, even when he's so out of control, he’d say, “It's very simple really. We have a history together. We've played this game before, and I've never dropped him." [i]

For some of you, that has been your experience with your heavenly father. You have a history together. You’d say, “I’ve never been dropped.” For some of you, trusting him when things are out of control comes rather easily.

But for others of you, your perception is vastly different. You feel like there have been experiences in your life that you have been dropped rather than caught. You feel like God let you down when things were out of control. If you have ever felt that God dropped you, or let you down, the message today will be meaningful for you.

When you feel like you have been dropped, and it is very difficult to trust God fully while you are flying through the air out of control. Your faith stiffens as you struggle in the battle between faith and fear. You struggle as you are suspended somewhere between worship and worry. Have you been there? Perhaps it was in the emergency room. Or in the radiation treatment room. Perhaps you felt it most acutely while you were praying and sensed no results. Perhaps your prayers for your child seem unanswered? Or for your spouse? Or some other loved one.

I want you to know that Jesus knows exactly what you have felt. I want you to know he has been there. While being suspended somewhere between heaven and hell, from a cross he shouted “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” Even with this honest and desperate cry, however, he is the model of trust in times of crisis.

Focus: Do you find it difficult to trust God through times of crisis? Even when it seems things are out of control, and it seems God is absent we can trust Him.

I. You Can Trust God in Times of Crisis

We can learn this from our own experience. But we also learn this by observing Christ in his crisis.

A. Christ Trusted God Through the Crisis of the Cross

Mark 15:21-22 (NIV) ²¹A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. ²²They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).

1. He Trusted God enough to carry my Cross

While Physically unable to carry his own cross, he carried mine (15:21). Simon was just “passing by”. Picture the scene. Put yourself in Simon the Cyrene’s shoes. You are heading into the city presumably to offer sacrifices, Jesus is heading outside the city to be crucified. You have to reverse directions as you are forced into the scene you wanted no part of. You do an about face to head out of the city instead of into it. You begin to carry Jesus’ cross. It makes you wonder what went through his mind. This is the basis of the song by Ray Boltz, “Watch the Lamb.”

Mark names the two sons of Simon. Were they there? We don’t know. Why does Mark name Rufus and Alexander when they don’t figure into the plot? Most likely Rufus and Alexander were known to the first readers of the book of Mark. Simon must have later became a Christian, and his sons were known to the Roman Christians. Rufus is mentioned in Romans 16:13.

Mark does not describe the details of a crucifixion. There are two reasons why he does not. 1) He is interested in the meaning more than the description, and 2) The first readers of Mark were already very familiar with the gruesome details of a crucifixion. The first readers of Mark were Roman Christians. They had seen many crucifixions. They are familiar with the gruesome details.

The Latin term excruciatus, from which we get our term excruciating means “out of the cross”. It refers to the level of pain that comes out of a cross. The details that Mark does tell us about the crucifixion are told for their theological significance.

Mark 15:23 (NIV) Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.

The narcotic of wine mixed with myrrh was probably not given out of compassion to dull the pain. Why would those with compassion mock him in the next breath? Probably the narcotic was offered so as to allow the victim the ability to prolong in his suffering.

Jesus rejects the wine mixed with myrrh. He has said he will not drink from the fruit of the vine till he drinks it anew in his Kingdom. He will drink the cup of God fully and not the cup offered of men. He chooses to trust God through the pain. He wished to remain fully conscious. He refuses to become dull minded and sleep unaware as the disciples slept in Gethsemane.

He trusted God enough to carry my cross.

2. He trusted God when EVERYTHING was taken from him,

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

Every last vestige of glory is removed. His dignity was removed when they removed his clothing.

Have you ever had a repeating nightmare? I have. One of my recurring nightmares is that I go off to school or work and discover I’ve forgotten to put my pants on. My dream is filled with the horror of humiliation. This dream is almost humorous, but not the nightmare Christ was going through. This nightmare wasn’t a dream. It was not from the embarrassment of forgetfulness, it was the horror of having his dignity forcibly violated.

There is a paradox here. He trusted God while everything was taken from him, so that God could provide me with everything I need for eternity. He lost everything, so that I could gain everything. Because he was stripped naked, I was clothed!

Galatians 3:27 (NIV) ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

There is another theological reason Mark relates this detail about the casting of lots for his clothing. Mark is recalling for the reader Psalm 22:18. The link helps the reader to see that Jesus’ absolute humiliation was in keeping with God’s will, a fulfillment of the scriptures.

His dignity was removed in other ways.

His dignity was stripped when he is fully identified with criminals

Mark 15:25-27 (NIV) It was the third hour when they crucified him. ²⁶The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁷They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.

Jesus is crucified between two criminals. One on his left and one on his right. This puts a new twist on the words of Jesus to James and John when they asked to sit on his left and his right when he came into his kingdom. Jesus says to them, “You do not know what you are asking . . . These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” (Mark 10:38, 40) I should say, they didn’t know! This is not what James and John had in mind. Do you think Jesus already had a vision of who would sit in those “coveted” spots on the right and left when he came into his kingdom? God appointed criminals to be crucified with Jesus. Jesus is identified with criminals by God’s choice.

His dignity is stripped by Mockery

Mark 15:29-33 (NIV) Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, ³⁰come down from the cross and save yourself!”

³¹In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! ³²Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Ironically, the scoffers blind mockeries are also declarations of truth.

He was the “king of the Jews” and far more (15:26)

It is ironic that Jesus who resisted all the political overtones as the Messiah is charged with and crucified for claiming to be a political messiah. The placard proclaimed his crime. He is The King Of The Jews.

The Mockers were the Blasphemers

They unknowingly proclaim the truth. The reader must decide who it is that truly blasphemes. Was it Jesus who claimed to be the Christ, The Son of Man who would come in glory? Or was it these scoffers who tempt him to come down off the cross? Jesus had already called Peter, “Satan” when Peter attempted to deter Jesus from the way of the cross. Now these scoffers are speaking the blasphemies of Satan. “Come down off the cross, if you really are the Christ!” Again, these are words from the pit. Their taunt is Satanic. The reader must decide who to believe. Who really blasphemes? The one charged or the ones who taunt and crucify!

Jesus WAS going to destroy the Temple

Their mocking statement about the temple is also closer to the truth than they realize. Jesus’ death would put an end to the Temple system. The resurrection of Jesus would establish the new temple without walls, the Body of Christ, the Church, where the Spirit of God dwells.

“He saved others, but he can’t save himself!”

He saved others, but he can’t save himself! This would have been an appropriate epitaph on a tombstone for Jesus. It is strange that from the lips of the mockers comes this short and concise proclamation of the Gospel! Were he to save himself, he could not save others! It is not the nails that hold him to the cross, but love and Commitment! The mockers do not understand that in order to save others He must die as a ransom for many (10:45).

The mockers demand that Jesus prove he is who he claimed to be by doing what they would do if they were the Christ! Jesus however taught his disciples to take up the cross not to come down from it.

You can trust God in times of Crisis:

· (1) He trusted God enough to carry my cross.

· (2) He trusted God when EVERYTHING was taken from him, and

3. He Trusted God in the Darkest Hour

³³At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.

Darkness was a sign that the judgment of God had come

Amos 8:9-10 (NIV)
“In that day,” declares the Sovereign LORD,
“I will make the sun go down at noon
and darken the earth in broad daylight.
I will turn your religious feasts into mourning
and all your singing into weeping.
I will make all of you wear sackcloth
and shave your heads.
I will make that time like mourning for an only son
and the end of it like a bitter day.

The amazing thing to me about this judgment is that Jesus is on the wrong end of the judgment. The judgment due to the world of sinners is falling upon him!

Mark 15:33-38 (NIV) ³³At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?“—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

³⁵When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

³⁶One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

³⁷With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

Jesus WAS Forsaken—and he cried out in despair mingled with trust

Jesus asked the “Why” question. Many times we also ask “Why” when we are despairing. Sometimes there is no reply but darkness and silence. Is God gone? Does He not hear? Most of us have been there before haven’t we? This is the experience of trust, or faith, that is rooted in contradiction. This is when faith is crying out because our experience seems to contradict our theology. Our theology, our faith in God has developed over time as we have seen the value of trusting Him and being caught, not dropped. What do we do when we are dropped? Or at least feel that way? We are given permission, to be honest in our despair, to be honest with God and our emotions as we cry out to God. Notice this, Jesus brings his despair to God. He cries, “My God, My God” there is the statement of trust and faith prefacing his desperate question.

II. God has Good purposes that We Don’t Yet Fully Know for our Troubles

We know the answer to the why question of Jesus. And I believe Jesus knew the answer also. Knowing the answer to that question is what made Jesus willing to take that cup. However, knowing the answer to the why question didn’t make suffering under God’s judgment easier. Jesus knew the answer but cried out nonetheless in the lost despair of that unfathomable forsakenness when he absorbed into himself the sin of the world. He knew why he drank the cup, but didn’t know, and couldn’t know how terrible the forsakenness would be. God forsook Jesus for a time, so that I can be saved for eternity!

Does God usually tell us the outcome while we are in crisis? Not usually. We usually have to trust him without knowing the outcome.

III. God Knows the Outcome So We Can Trust Him!

We know from scripture that Jesus knew that this was not the end. We read in Hebrews 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross,. . .” We know also that even in the darkest despairing cry, Jesus was quoting Psalm 22. Jesus was fully aware that his utter despair was fulfilling prophecy. I urge you to study more carefully with your Care Group or on your own Psalm 22. But for now notice the words of the mockers in Psalm 22:8:

⁸“He trusts in the LORD;
let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”

What makes the suffering more difficult for David who wrote this is that it appears that the mockers are correct—God has deserted him! He begins to pray earnestly not that he would be healed, not that he would be saved, but that the horrible distance felt in the forsakenness might be removed. He could endure if he knew God was there with him! “Do not be far from me” he cries. Jesus fully identifies with this Psalm that begins with his desperate cry, and ends with something very close to the words, “It is finished”.

IV. Knowing God is Better than Knowing the Outcome

Illustration: Jump Tania Gray, Stories for the Heart p. 269.

After the long day at work in his cubicle, the young man simply wanted to go home, relax, and prepare for his next day at work. As he made his way toward the elevator, he heard screaming and saw black smoke and flames billowing out of the hallway. Panic gripped him as a succession of thoughts flew through his mind, I’m on the sixth floor. I’ll never make it down. I’m going to die! What he considered to be his only escape—the hallway—was engulfed in flames and impossible to navigate. As his mind continued to race, he heard fire engines and remembered that the office was lined with tall windows all across his floor. He coughed and staggered to the windows in hope of a swift rescue. Instead, when he looked down he could see nothing but a curtain of smoke covering the area. Through the smoke and flames, he realized that a crowd had gathered and along with the firemen everyone was yelling, “Jump!” “Jump!” The young man felt a cloud of fear envelop him. Over a loudspeaker he heard the voice of what he assumed to be a fireman, “The only way you’ll survive is if you jump. We’ve spread out a safety net. You’ll be perfectly safe.” As the crowd continued to yell, the young man realized he didn’t have the courage to make the leap without being able to see the net. His feet were cemented to the floor. Then, over the loudspeaker came the voice of his dad, “It’s okay son, you can jump.” As the familiar voice reached the young man, he felt the grip of fear lift. The trust and love that had been established between dad and son gave him the courage to jump safely down into the net.

Do we know and trust our heavenly Father’s love that much?

Jesus did. He jumped not to save himself, but he jumped for us. Now he is asking that you make the leap of trust also. He is asking you to trust what he has done for you. It is not a blind leap as it seems. I’m sure God has already been speaking to you for some time in many ways. He is the one asking you to trust him. Jump into his arms. Some of you are afraid to make that leap of commitment. What is your alternative? Listen again to the call of God. He says, trust me. Jump!

How? You ask.

For some of you it means jumping right into the scriptures and prayer to develop a history together with your Father. To get to know Him. He has revealed himself. Get to know Jesus. When you know Jesus, Jesus said, you know God.

For some of you, jumping, means making that commitment. You need to take the next step. Asking Jesus to be your leader and forgiver. You need to give him yourself in the act of baptism, identifying fully with what He has done on the cross. Why don’t you jump today, by talking to someone about it today.

[i] Rod Cooper, "Worship or Worry?" Preaching Today, Tape No. 108.