These are my notes from a message by Pastor Russ Sukhia of Liberty Church PCA. It is from his series on the Gospel of Mark and is based on Mark Chapter 15, Verses 25-39.
Click here to listen to Pastor Russ’ message in its entirety.
From God’s creation of man, angels had been witness to all our manifold sins – but never was there a day like this! Never had Yahweh…the Word Incarnate…the I AM who fulfills all God’s commands…God Himself was crucified.
After the sham trial, presentation before Pilate, freeing of Barabbas, beating/scourging, dividing of His clothes…after nailing Him to the cross, continuing mocking from religious leaders and robbers, 6 hours on the cross…something amazing occurred
v33 – the sudden darkness was not an eclipse…eclipses don’t last 3 hours…it wasn’t a storm. This was a veil of darkness that had fallen in the middle of the day – just like the 3 days of darkness in Exodus 10. On this day, the nation of Israel finds the veil of darkness settling in upon them.
v34 – “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” – these were Jesus’ words after 6 hours on the cross. As recorded in the other Gospels, Christ said other things while on the cross. The Holy Spirit lifts the veil for us to see the agony of Christ’s soul – no longer having the presence and favor of His Father. We are here given a glimpse of the abandonment of the Father toward the Son. Psalm 22 foreshadowed this moment…quoting Christ some 1000 years before this event.
v35 – Even this agonizing cry didn’t end the mocking.
v36 – At this most sacred moment in history, mankind made sport of Christ’s anguished cry. The onlookers were having fun watching this terrible event; it was entertaining for them.
When the work of Christ’s atonement was completed, He gave up His Spirit…and then…something amazing occurred
v38 – The 60-foot-tall veil in the temple was rent from top to bottom. No human could have done that…this was a miraculous event. The darkening of the sky and rending of the veil were not the only miracles on this sacred day. Scripture records earthquakes and spirits rising from the dead.
At the foot of the cross…feeling the earthquake…hearing Christ’s words…the veil was lifted on the Centurion’s heart. The Centurion and some of his soldiers confess that Christ was the Son of God!
Consider the veil falling
A veil of darkness had fallen on the land.
Life stopped dead in its tracks when darkness descended at noonday…people had to wonder what was the cause?
On this Passover day, did any Israelites remember the plagues visited on Egypt during the Passover?
Did any in Israel see this as a sign of God’s judgement…His wrath being revealed from Heaven?
Darkness was the last sign before God’s final judgement on Egypt (the death of the firstborn).
Here, the darkness was a sign of God’s judgement on His Son – mankind’s only sin-bearer…with the death to follow being God’s only begotten Son.
Not only did mankind reject its Messiah, but we also murdered Him!
“His blood be on us and our children” — Mankind had a right to fear God’s wrath.
Consider the veil lifting
Christ was not dying as an example or as a symbol – He died as our substitute!
The cry of v34 lifts the veil as we can see the price the Son had to pay to ransom His chosen.
If our sins don’t deserve God’s wrath, then the crucifixion makes no sense at all.
This demonstrates why an atonement is needed to satisfy God’s holiness and justice.
Consider the veil torn
Access to the Holy of Holies was only through the veil – access to the Father is only through the Son.
As the Son’s Body was rent on the cross, the temple’s veil was rent from top to bottom.
And now we can enter the Holy of Holies ourselves and have access to the Father.
Christ is our High Priest…and now we have access to the Father through Him.
Now Christ sits at the right hand of the Father…no more sacrifices… once for all.
We no longer need an intermediary with God – our High Priest is Christ.
Therefore, we can come boldly before the throne of grace!
Consider the veil removed
The veil on people’s hearts was removed – we see it in the Centurion and his soldiers when Christ died.
“Father forgive them for they know not what they do” – God answers this prayer by opening the soldier’s hearts.
These soldiers witnessed everything…and the veil was lifted from their hearts.
Perhaps some of them even became disciples of Christ.
In Glory, we may see the men who drove the nails into Christ’s hands and feet
But to see them in Heaven, we must have the veil of sin lifted from our hearts.
If you want to know how God lifts the veil of sin from hearts, please click the link at the top of this website titled “The Gospel”.
To God Be The Glory!
Posted by Jeff 
Spreading God's Word 