Day Two Mark 15:33-41
33 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 34 Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
35 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 36 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. “Wait!” he said. “Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down!”
37 Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
39 When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”
40 Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. 41 They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem were also there. – Mark 15:33-41 (NLT)
Discover
1. How long does the darkness last as Jesus hangs on the cross? (See how verse 33 fulfills this OT prophecy!)
2. What significant event happens in verse 38?
3. Who remains at the cross until the end and what do you imagine is going through their minds (verses 39-41)?
Respond
For six hours Jesus agonizes on the cross, facing separation from His Father for the first time in His life. When He finally breathes His last, the curtain between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in the Temple tears from top to bottom. The curtain is a constant reminder to God’s people of their sin and that their sin separates them from Him. Once a year, a high priest would enter the Most Holy place with a rope tied around his ankle in case he died, to make atonement for the sins of the people. But Jesus’ blood satisfied the wrath of God against sin once for all. Hebrews 9:12 tells us, “With his [Christ’s] own blood – not the blood of goats and calves – he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.” Spend time now and throughout your day today in praise and worship of a God who put on human flesh to make a way for us!
For Further Reading: Hebrews 9:1-12
For Families with Kids at Home
Jesus gave His life to make a way for us to be friends with God. He paid the cost that we should have paid, even though He hadn’t done anything wrong. Take time this week to encourage your kids to thank Jesus for His sacrifice that we can now be friends with God because of what Jesus did on the cross!