The End of the Beginning – Week 12
March 22, 2026
Our Sacrifice
Pastor Alan Smith
Sermon Notes
Mark 15:21-31
And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour when they crucified him. And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.
I. The King Who Carried Our Curse
Stop trivializing sin. If sin required Jesus to die, it is not small.
II. The King Mocked in Our Place
III. The King Who Bore Our Wrath and Won Our Reconciliation
Repentance is not self-improvement. It is turning from sin and turning to Christ.
At the cross, human rebellion mocks God’s wisdom while God is saving the world through the crucified King.
Next Steps
- I confess my sin and turn to Jesus as King for the first time.
- I commit to no longer trivializing sin but pursuing holiness in Christ.
- I commit to celebrating my salvation by sharing it with others.
Deep Dive
- Read Psalm 22:7. How does this prophecy deepen your understanding of the mockery at the cross?
- How does 2 Corinthians 5:21 clarify what it means that Jesus is our Substitute?
- According to Romans 6:6 and Galatians 2:20, what does it mean that we were crucified with Christ?
Springboards
- Why is the darkness during the crucifixion significant?
- What does it reveal about sin and judgment?
- Read Psalm 22. What details in the psalm point to Jesus’ crucifixion?
