Bible Study – God’s Story – JESUS Is Crucified and Raised – August 11, 2013

This is lesson eleven in our series entitled “GOD’S Story.”

Our scripture is Mark 15:33-39; 16:1-7; 1 Corinthians 15:17-19.

In our study, we have fast forwarded to the crucifixion of CHRIST. HE has been sentenced to die on the cross. In our last lesson, the Apostle John gave us his account of JESUS’ being the Word and residing upon earth as a human. John was with JESUS, the mother of JESUS and others when HE was crucified. Let’s read John’s account in John 19:25-27:

25 Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and • Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple He loved standing there, He said to His mother, “ • Woman , here is your son.” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

The Apostle John witnessed the death of JESUS but more importantly, he witnessed HIS resurrection in HIS new Glorified body.

Let’s explore the most important event in the history of the world.

Let’s read Mark 15:33-39:

33 When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni?” which is translated, “ My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “Look, He’s calling for Elijah!” 36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, offered Him a drink, and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down!” 37 But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last. 38 Then the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom. 39 When the • centurion, who was standing opposite Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “This man really was God’s Son!”

To me, the time JESUS hung on the cross, leading up to HIM giving up HIS earthly life, was HIS greatest moment of temptation. Consider, if you had the power to call legions of angels to come to your rescue and had been treated the way JESUS had been treated – beat, spat upon, ridiculed, humiliated, laughed at – what would you do? I think I would zap some people but that would have been wrong. Thinking that GOD, HIS Father had abandoned HIM, JESUS had a choice to make either to continue to place HIS faith in the Father or resort to HIS power and call in the troops.

Those who had crucified HIM heard HIM cry out. They wanted to see if Elijah would rescue HIM. They wanted to see something spectacular, which they did after HE gave up HIS earthly life.

We know that CHRIST chose to give up HIS earthly life and to trust the Father to restore HIS eternal life by resurrecting HIM and giving HIM HIS Glorified body. This is an example to all Christians.

None of us want to give up our earthly life. I believe JESUS was faced with the same dilemma. HE had the power to take charge of HIS own destiny but if HE had, we would still be in our sin.

Thank you JESUS for voluntarily giving Your life for all who place their faith in You. As a result, Christians will have eternal live through the miracle of rebirth and receive their Glorified bodies when CHRIST returns to rapture the church form the earth. When Christians leave their earth suits/body, they slip seamlessly into their Spiritual bodies fashioned by GOD. Their special Spiritual body is suitable for heaven until they receive their Glorified bodies at the rapture. The born-again Christian never ceases to exist or lose his or her identity.

Notice in verse 38, that the curtain in the sanctuary was split from top to bottom. The curtain separated the people from the Holy of Holies. The priest went into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the shed blood of the sacrificed animals on the altar to GOD for the remission of sins. A priest was no longer needed to offer up the blood of animals because JESUS, the perfect, everlasting sacrifice had shed HIS blood for the remission of sin. The sin debt has been paid in full for all who will place their faith in CHRIST. The curtain was split from top to bottom because GOD split the curtain. There were other visible signs, which are covered in the other gospels. 

The centurion saw JESUS as the Son of GOD when JESUS breathed HIS last breath and gave up HIS earthly life. I believe the centurion became a Christian at that instant. Seeing truth takes place in the heart and not in the head. It is not intellectual knowledge but heart knowledge. 

If JESUS’ death was the end, then Christians would have no more reason to believe in HIM than any religious person such as Buddha, Mohammad, etc. or choosing any religion to pursue a way to god.

Keep in mind that we can make a religion out of Christianity. True Christianity is CHRIST in you and not you being in some religious institution or worshipping another human or false god. I don’t mean to be anti-church. But I want you to know that depending on some religious institution or person, such as the Pope or priest or famous preacher or guru will not get you to heaven. Attending a church where the Bible is taught is important to help you to grow Spiritually.

Every person comes to GOD in the same way and that is through his/her faith in JESUS CHRIST. It may not be hip. GOD did not want salvation to be complicated. It is simple. You either accept or reject CHRIST as your Savior. But some may say, but I want to do it my way. You can but it will lead to eternal death. Do you want eternal life? CHRIST is the answer and HE is the way!!! HE gave HIS life just for you. 

As stated earlier, I believe JESUS faced HIS greatest temptation when HE faced having to give up HIS earthly life. The person seeking CHRIST as his/her Savior struggles with turning his/her life over to CHRIST. That is, turning over the control of their lives to GOD through CHRIST.

Christians face similar choices when they are in the middle of turmoil and GOD seems to have abandoned them. They have a choice, do they throw in the towel and give up on GOD or do they place their trust in GOD completely and trust HIM with the results? I can tell you, it is very hard to completely trust GOD, when things do not go the way you think they should. But JESUS chose to give up HIS earthly life for you and for me because of HIS limitless love for us. It is HIS amazing love and grace. 

Let’s read Mark 16:1-7:

Resurrection Morning

1 When the Sabbath was over, • Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so they could go and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at sunrise. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb for us?” 4 Looking up, they observed that the stone—which was very large—had been rolled away. 5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; they were amazed and alarmed. 6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he told them. “You are looking for Jesus the • Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been resurrected! He is not here! See the place where they put Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there just as He told you.’”

Sadness turned to joy. When the Sabbath was over, it would have been after sundown or about 6 PM on Saturday. The stores would have opened. The ladies bought spices to complete the embalming process the next day, which would be Sunday.

JESUS’ body had been embalmed quickly, before sundown on Friday or about 6 PM. The Apostle John wrote in John 19:38-42:

Jesus’ Burial

38 After this (after the crucifixion and death of JESUS), Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus —but secretly because of his fear of the Jews —asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission*, so he came and took His body away. 39 Nicodemus (who had previously come to Him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes. 40 Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the aromatic spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41 There was a garden in the place where He was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden; no one had yet been placed in it. 42 They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation and since the tomb was nearby.

*This is the Gospel of Mark’s account of Joseph of Arimathea’s request for JESUS’ body. Mark 15:43-46:

43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Sanhedrin who was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God, came and boldly went in to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate was surprised that He was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him whether He had already died. 45 When he found out from the centurion, he gave the corpse to Joseph. 46 After he bought some fine linen, he took Him down and wrapped Him in the linen. Then he placed Him in a tomb cut out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.

The bottom line, JESUS was dead as a human. Remember they stuck a spear into HIS side to make sure that HE was dead.

The ladies knew it would be a quick embalming process because it was not long until the Sabbath would begin. They loved JESUS and wanted to make sure HE had a proper burial. They needed to know where JESUS would be buried. So they had a plan as recorded in Mark 15:47:

47 Now Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were watching where He was placed.

They saw the large stoned rolled into place to cover the entrance to HIS tomb, which was sealed and even guarded to make sure no one stole HIS body.

Now back to our scripture in Mark 16, verse 3.

They were walking to the tomb early that Sunday morning, which Christians celebrate as Easter, contemplating how in the world they would move that large stone covering the entrance to the tomb. But to their surprise, as they approached the tomb, the large stone had been rolled away.

These were gutsy women. They entered the tomb and saw a young man dressed in a long white robe. He was an angel. The ladies were amazed and then startled. They were amazed that JESUS was missing and startled that this young man was there in the tomb where JESUS was supposed to be.

Notice, the young man, an angel, quickly put them at ease. This was the greatest event in the history of the world and it was no time to frighten those who would be telling the greatest news of all time. The angel made statements and gave them instructions as recorded in verses 6 and 7:

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he told them. “You are looking for Jesus the • Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been resurrected! He is not here! See the place where they put Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there just as He told you.’”

WOW!!! That was a lot to comprehend. HE HAS BEEN RESURRECTED!!! These are the most important words ever spoken. Because HE lives, so will all who place their faith in HIM!

Our scripture fast forwards a number of years to consider what the Apostle Paul had to say about the importance of the resurrection. Let’s continue.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 15:17-19:

17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Therefore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. 19 If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.

The Apostle Paul hits the nail on the head, so-to-speak in these verses. Paul had been dealing with problems among Christians in Corinth. One was doubts about the resurrection of CHRIST. Paul was summarizing his argument in favor of the resurrection.

There was a time when I questioned the resurrection of CHRIST. The Holy Spirit led me through the scripture to reveal the attitude of JESUS brothers toward HIM before HIS crucifixion and after HIS crucifixion. Let’s read John 7:1-5:

The Unbelief of Jesus’ Brothers

1 After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee, since He did not want to travel in Judea because the • Jews were trying to kill Him. 2 The Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 so His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea so Your disciples can see Your works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 (For not even His brothers believed in Him.)

But after the resurrection and ascension of JESUS, guess who were in the upper room praying and waiting on the coming of the Holy Spirit as recorded in Acts 1:12-14:

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away.

13 When they arrived, they went to the room (l) upstairs where they were staying:

Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. (m)

14 All these were continually united (n) in prayer, (o) along with the women, including Mary (p) the mother of Jesus, and His brothers. (q)

Scripture reveals that HIS brothers went on to serve HIM in ministry. HIS resurrection made the difference in their lives.

Paul stated in verse 17, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”

The words used “has not been” carried the idea of another party being involved in HIS resurrection. CHRIST did not resurrect Himself, it was GOD, Who resurrected HIM. JESUS had to place HIS faith completely in the Father to resurrect HIM and give HIM HIS new Glorified body, which HE did.

Just as JESUS had to place HIS faith and complete trust in HIS Father, GOD, all humans are in the same situation. Do we place our trust in CHRIST Who was born as a human, yet GOD to give HIS life to save us from sin and eternal death?

Faith is step one in the process. When a person takes that step of faith, he/she is not only saved but is born into the family of GOD through the miracle of rebirth in his/her spirit. The new Christian becomes a Son or Daughter of GOD.

Those who place their faith in CHRIST also receive the indwelling Holy Spirit, Who confirms, enlightens, reveals, teaches, empowers and assures them of their security in CHRIST. The Holy Spirit is the security deposit or the down payment that your faith in CHRIST is real and can be counted upon.

The Apostle Paul wrote about this in 2 Corinthians 1:22 and 5:5:

22 He has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment (a) in our hearts. (b)

5 And the One who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

This security deposit/down payment is guaranteed by GOD. At the instant you receive CHRIST you go from death into life and will not face judgment. Read the words of JESUS as recorded in John 5:24:

24 “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life (c) and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

The Apostle Paul states in Romans 8:16-17:

16 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs —heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

The Apostle Paul makes it clear when you have been born in the family of GOD through CHRIST, you will know it because of the witness of the Holy Spirit in your heart and being a Christian is not easy. It takes the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to give Christians the strength to live an obedient life for CHRIST.

Paul makes it clear in verses 18 and 19 of our lesson scripture, if CHRIST was not resurrected by GOD, then those who have died believing in CHRIST have no hope and those who are still alive and have placed their faith in CHRIST are to be pitied. If the resurrection is not true, Christians believed a lie and were living a lie.

Do you believe that CHRIST gave HIS life to pay the sin debt for you? Do you believe that GOD raised HIM from the dead on the third day? If so, ask HIM to forgive you for your sins and to come into your life. When you do, you will experience the miracle of rebirth in your spirit and an awesome journey will begin. Read and study the Bible, pray and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you. The Christian life is not easy but the rewards are eternal as you obediently serve HIM. Blessings!!!