Theme : The Self-Giving Love of God
Bible Reading : Mark 15: 22-41
Introduction
What is Love ? What is Self --Giving Love ? What is the difference between the two expressions of love ?
- General expressions of Love in the world
-
Love between people ( conditional)
-
Love for things
-
Love for ideologies/ philosophies ( a thought/ idea)
- Understanding God's Love
-
It is not conditional
-
It is not based on material things
-
It is not a idea / philosophy
- Why is the cross a symbol of God's love ?
- Because Jesus Chose to Die in our place ( as the Lamb of God) on the cross
- Why was the cross used to punish people ?
-
It was an instrument of capital punishment ( death sentence)
-
It was used by the Roman Empire to punish anyone breaking the Roman law
-
It was the most cruel form of death
- The Disciple Mark recorded the crucifixion in Mark 15: 22-41
-
Mark was not one of the 12 disciples of Jesus , he was a first generation Greek Christian
-
12 disciples ( Luke 6:13)
-
Mark was the first follower of Jesus to record the life and ministry of Jesus Christ
-
50 % of Mark's Gospel is about the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
- Mark's Narration of the Crucifixion
-
Simon of Cyrene ( a Greek region) was asked to carry the cross for Jesus, he was a Greek
-
Golgotha was a common place for crucifixion
-
The sign on the Cross was put as ' King of the Jews' to mock Jesus
-
Jesus was crucified in-between two thieves
-
Passerby's mocked him ( cross was not on a far away hill, as the crucifixion was meant to be a humiliation by the people passing by)
-
Jesus was mocked and humiliated on the cross
Conclusion
-
Jesus bore all the pain, suffering and humiliation because he was dying for the sins of world
-
Jesus was dying in place of all humanity as the sacrificial lamb
-
Jesus was not sinful, but he took our sin on himself.
Conclusion
-
Jesus bore all the pain, suffering and humiliation because he was dying for the sins of world
-
Jesus was dying in place of all humanity as the sacrificial lamb
-
Jesus was not sinful, but he took our sin on himself.
