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Fifth in the series Words to the Cross —- Mark 15:35-96

a{oey ney es Yes Cross
TO THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT THESE WORDS AND ABOUT THE PEOPL® WHO SAID THEM. J HAVE FOUND
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THAT THE MORE I THINK ABOUT THEM THE MORE I REA IZE THATIHAD WE BEEN THERE ON CALVARY
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Corl a haf) ce AOU)

)ULD BE THE ONES SAYING THEM. THIS APPLIES|PARTICULARLY TO THE PECPLE

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IN QUESTION THIS MORNINGJ I INVITE YOU TO JOIM_ME IN EXAMINING FIRST THEM AND THEN
BEFORE WE LOOK TO THESE PEOPLE, HOWEVER, I WANT TO TELNK A MINUTS ABOUT ONE OF

THE MOST PROFO@NDLY MOVING UTTERANCES OUR LORD MADE. IT |WAS THE STATEMENT THAT

Fi IMPTE / Leh TANDERS TO CR UT TH 4 TEX PAL HIS Iu INGS LT 8 hat TL BHFORS
‘

AND C&I ‘Df ELOL, ELOI LAMA SABACTHANT WiICH Is THS ARAMAIC FOR "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY

TH [PS PHRASE IS THE OPHVING LAMENT OF THE 22 PSALM. |THE ANCIENT J@iS, WHO'S
MSTORY HAD BEEN ONE CONSTANT FLOW OF SUFFURING AND SORROW RNSGARUVED TulS PANTICULAR
PSALM VERY HIGHLY. IT WAS ‘POPULAR IN THE SNYAGOGUES AND] ALL THE YOUNG PSOPLE Mi jORTZED
ae — oe
IT~—-JUST AS WE MEMORIZE THE 23 PSALM. AS A GOOD d ily JESUS Ww D HAVE. BEEN VERY

FAMILIAR wiTH T PSA u/s ) IN THIS DARKEST HOUR OF HIS] LIFE HE DREW FROM IT TO

errs Typ cnr > i ’ . ' ’ To Ac
AD Los. } THUS Ba LA > SOURFOW AND DivSUCDILON,

26

i"

UPWARD QUESTLONINGLY AND KED HIS WHY. AND IN THIS QE§TION WE CAN FIND COMFORT
—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—< ——

IN KNOWING THAT EVEN OUR LORD SUFFIRE) SO BADLY THAT HE ASKED WHY. IN THAT SENTENCE w

KNOW THAT GIRIST TOO FELT THE S#ARING AGONY OF SORROW. NOW WE KNOW THAT THERE 1S NO

DARK TUNNEL IN OUR LIVES THROUGH WHICH HE HAS NOT BESY BEFORS US, NO HARD ROAD

ALKED WITH WOUNDED FEET.

——

SUF FIRING

PART OF THE ANXIETY WE ENDURE, IN A TIME OF
FACT THAT WE ARE FORCED T DOUBT OUR FALTH, TO ASK GOD ly

FAITH WERE STRON oN WE NEED ANSWERS THEY Dq
——

ty 2
WAY we

BRETHREN OF

————T

4 LG GRUbS. fUiL DLS
——

“m7 e¢ . ry
he +. ott tL

AS WE SO FREQUENTLY DOJESUS LOOKED
—————

Pe)

‘LF WITH HIS POOR, PUZZLED

——

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AS WE DO, BUT THAT HE TOO H FELT GNAWING DOUBT AND THEJANXIETY OF THE UNANSSERED
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UU SSTION,| WHY VE YOU FORGOTTEN ME 0 GODS} WE NEED NOT I ~ oH ha NOWHERE
—————* :
TH UR LORD HAS NOT BZEN BEFORE US,/ TEM 15 NOTHING wh MUST ENDURE, THAT
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peers:

HE HAS NOT ENDURED ALRSADY ELOI BELOIT - LAMA SAI ‘ACHTHANY

HE Sth WORD TO FH! BY PEOPLE WHO

E

a

OR DEATH, 1S DUE JUST BD THE

ELOI MSANS GOD, BUT THE BYSTANDERS MADE A PUN OUT OF
———— —

_

WWERSTAND HIM AS CALLING FOR LI

— —-

Wi 1A T

ster,
SALD/ "S8H6ED HE
HIM voain f

MISTAKING ELIJAH FOR Goo,
eee

-

WELL f He MBANT--DU T BOWING THEIR

a

iene

INSTEAD OF

THE CHRIST FOR A CRIMINAL

US, WHEY WE MISTAKE THE CHURCH FOR SOMETHING Shs, WHEN i

JESCRISES TH

J M A ih -
—_

MANY OF U HEY ARE THOSE, | BY POPULAR STANDARDS

THEY HAVE THELR DAUGHT'R MARRIS) IN CHURCH, THEY NEVER MJ

AND FEEL QUITE GOOD ABOUT THAT ACCOMPLISHMO@IT, THEY FEEL

FOR A POWER BSH IND THE UNIVRSE&. THEY RSAD TEN

Ahn
CONT

BOARD AND TO THE COMMUNITY

CH ST.

———$

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FOR A OOMMUNITY TO H

—<—

GOOD

ARI 4

WHICH MEANY

1BADS IN REV

{SS PEOPLE AS "BYSTANDERS," JUST AVY

OULD

BOKS A YEAR, SERVE ON

THINK T

WJHSUS FORLORN CRY AND
THEY KNiW VERY

ELIJAH.

RENCE THEY MOCKINGLY
othe

IS CALLING ELIJAH, 442fetst5 SEE WHETHMR ELIJAH WILL COME 10 T

THESE PEOPLE SOUND MUCH LIKE

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RELIGION FOR FORM.

MISTAKEN

RAGE PEOPLE, THE ANCESTORS OF
BE CALLED "GOD PEOPLE".

SS AN ZASTER SUNDAY SERVICE,

—_——

(HERE IS A PRETTY GOOD CASE

ro

THE HOSPITAL
———

SERVATIVE POLITICALLY, LIVE

HE CHURCH 1S A GQQU_ THING

‘a

i SENTIMENT TO LIFE, THEY

4.
Wi KSVINDE RSTO

IT WAS THESE PEOPLE THAT S@@ME“BACK TO OUR LORI) ON TH

_— _—_—_—_

JUST THE AVERAGES JOBS! « 7k LORD AND
—_—<—<$<$<$<$< $$
COMPLETELY MISSED THE POINT. LET US CONSIDER FOR A MINUTE Wi ETHER WE FIT IN THAT
————
ave
CATEGORY, WHEIHER WE HAVE A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR RELATLONSHIP TO LORD AND TO OUR

—_

HAVE MISSED THE POINT.

these bySTANDENS AT THE CROSS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE HEUTGION FOR WHAT IT WAS.

Corch 13 Amp. beef nat aver you~

—_—_—_—_—$$_$— — ee, ened

INLY TRUE HEARS Il UR CHURCH BUT ON THE NATLONAL LEVEL AUSO. HvLINESS, PITY, CHRISTIANITY

iS, I CHU iCH Pil ti SHIP RGLES. IF THI , POP JLar lt NOT IO ‘ Is

~
TRUE THEN AM GRICA IS CENTAL NLY ON THe INSIOK TRACK FOR Ad A NATLON KMERICA HAS NEVE

ray HIP 1s I iGi A SN 5 WICH Aw FAST AS THE

INCR “ASS IN POPULATLON. SOME OF THE USST SEBLING BOOKS (@F RECENT YEANS HAVE DEEN THOSE with

RELIGIOUS THEMES. NOT TOO LONG AG THE PRESIDENT OF THE (UNITED STATES SIGHED A BILL

——ey
iaAMATMO MIP Dp : ary an | ‘7 At om mip : oT a Y fpy : ‘e I m™ a YY } nna
CHAI GING THs Pliwizs OF AbUBUtADCE 10 THE AMBRIOAR PlaAG T PULAU) LN PART ies NA TLON Uy Ought
af / eee

woo.) NEW CHURCH€S ARE SPRINGING UP, EVANGELISTS ANE SAYING SOULS HAND OVER FIST, MAJOR

TRON CALM

BUT, ParevektGabhY, AS A NATLON WE ARE EXPERIENCING A DECLINE IN MORALS. I SURELY
Re ——————
DON'T NEED TO DOCUMENT THIS WITH HORE THAN A FEW SHEVTOICHS. A RECENT MAGAZINE ARTICLE
STATSU SOME OF THE TACTS AND FIGURES AND IC OPIED THEM DOWN "WE CAN RIGHTLY BOAST
—_—
OF OUR Pe IAL ADVANCES IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, BUT WH SHOULD NOT BLINK AT THE
—_=— es

-_ oo —
UNIVERSAL DEATH HA 0 MN MADE POSSLELE...DURING THE PAST 50 years 63 MILLION HUMAN
—_——————— i ————_——=-
LNGS WERE KILLED INT Lal) ideceelTHs COST IN MONEY ALONE WAS M THAN A THOUSAND
—,

ILLION DOLLARS...." AND JATER ON IT REVEALS "THE UNITED] STATES CAN NOW BOAST MORE DRUG
ADDICTS THAN ALL OTHER WESTE ATLONS OOMBINED..AND MORE] CHRONIC ALCHOLICS THAN THE
—<$ Ee eeenT

REST OF THE ENTIRE WORLD1*

FORTY T OF THE ARRESTS

er

Ou amtTpre
STATISTICS.

» THIS IS FRUM THE AN

FOR MAJOR CRIMES IN T

HERS THERA IS OUR

THE CHURCH AND CHRISTIANITY AS

—___

ADD TO THSSE S'TATEMENTS, AND TO SO MANY MORE THAT COU)
WAVE: OF BEHAV THAT "RADITLCONALLY BEEN CONSIDERED IMMORAL.
——,
————_————_
SUCH IS INRELEVANT AND TENT AS A STAHTLIZING S& Ci,
aa eS an J
PERSONS WHOSE MES ADORN THE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP ROLES HAV@ MISUNDERST

ee

0) THE POINT OF

WOT OTT Fate “itr er Ww Tm men mi mir 7m F Sita th cTevn ct itt “ TL aa
CHRISTIANITY. OFVIOUSL Pye by LS TO THE LATTER THAT We SHOPLU DEVOTS OUR A ATENT UN
— 1 aceoeaiea
rr 1 mTAm TT MTT : 17
fe 2 LAS i i' hid IF Fi PER Pitis £ JOLIN Mer ar i Gg U ) a 4 UR Jd DUB S WULL

—_—_—_—_ +
— } ————--
——
—_— ae —-
HANDS DIRTY IN THE SERVICE AND ITS CLOTHES TORN IN THE BATTLE AGAINST EVIL. ONE
———— —_—_—_—_—
—_——"
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Aho . 7 funy cy 7 re -
pape ee
—————_.__ —_—— ——
——————

ALGO C STANT TRUGGLES TO BRING ADUWTeTHE KINGDOM OF QOD ON EARTH. CHURCH Ment RSHIP

Is Nwl RT ij ANLIN dieu Si Ue te ie he & oe 8 Bee Be) 4 © UNWito LULU. HAVING Ul iS Naruse VN LAG
—————— —————— ———

,

LL IS NOTHING UNLESS THs 1 a NOT ONLY UNDERSTANDS TIS, BUT ALSO 1S WILLING TO
———_—_—_———— zi

OnMrT? WIMGRTY 4 nc PINT itp ' 4 Ta Tit prec ! 7 " JOR LURS 3 IMP)
COMMIT HIMSELF TO ITS FULFILLMNIT. ERSIN IS TH PROBLEY, CHURCH hip kto Dino tis io SIMPLY

HAVE EITHER MISUNDERSTO@ OR MOCKINGLY MADB A JOKE OUT OF THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST.

Vs

At pure poss’

I Ti RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF

THE ONS T

THAT MADE LONG PRAYERS,
ee

f£0 OUR LORD. AND WHY,jJ BECAUSE

+
WE DO WELL TO REMEMBER WHO IT REALLY WAS THAT KILLED
— ba a eee
THE DAY.{ THE PHAR SEES, SCR 5S, CHISF PRIESTS AND THE C
THE ONES THAT DEMANDED HIS DEATH. THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE,
=r” —
AID KNEW THELR SCI PTURES «BLL, THE CHURCH MEMBERS CRUCIF
—_—o _—

HE HIT THEM His CALLED THE HE NE

Weis nu a 4 HURT,

—

' te
at val Se)

wie
—_—_o

AND H¥BOCIRTICAL wey THEIR RULES AND TIRUAL, BECAI
ee

4

a ty
T
fe

JER HESITATED TO POINT HOW

Fl SUND ERSTOOD

° THe | [ BEN LDST. HE SPOKE THE HARSH TRUTH
— : Ce
AND IT CUT THEM BD TH? QWCIK, THEY COULD NOT STAND HIM, HE WAS DESTROYING THEIR
(OTABILITY SO THE CHURCH MEMEE HOSE MOST SACRED [PR@X COMMANDMENTS TOLD THES
\ ad = ce ° " -— - -+ ~
THEY SHA.L NOT RILL DEMANDED HIS D fATH, AND IN JEST AND MDCKIN r GAVE HLM VINEGAR TO
——_——
TT
WOULD: YOU AHD I BE IN THE CROWD? LD WE TOO DEMAND] HIS DEATH BECAUSE HE HAD
—_ '
INSULTED US? WOULD JSSI CHRI LOOK AT OUR CHURCH, INTO]OUR EYES SEABCHINGLY
—<—— ————— oe
ONE BY ONE AND TELL US THAT WE HAD. MISSED THE POINT. THAT WH HAD SIGNED THE ROLE,
—_————,,
ATTENDED CHU PARTICIPA IN THE RITUAL OF WORSHIP BUP HAD FAILED TO CAPUTULE THE
paimenellhon +4 SELUL FA Lo J —_—

SPIRIT OF CHRISTIANITY. LO ; ENFURIATED EY WHAT HE WOULD TELL US? OR COULD WE
LOOK TRAIGHT IN THE EYE KNOWING THAT HIS EXAMPLE OF LOVE HAD PERMEATED OUR LIVES,
_— -_ ———=

8.

THAT WE BAU DONS ALL di HR POWSn TO SEAVE IM AO HE WUULD HAVE Uo OGY lis WUUL AG i
Pe
AM NG THOSE W ORD GU ANU WEPT AS He ULEAD, OF WOULD Wit ANAL SLY AWAIT HIS RIDDANCE?
————

Loko ALL i 1 ee ie * w WS i) Y THE SPECTABLE BYSTBRNVEAS WH MISUNDERSTOOD OUR

LOND. Pn ANS QU So TLONS * ARE FORCED TO ASK OURS#LVES A WE NEAR THE OCCASLON OF
DE he eit FL

Fa | FRIEND OF CHIL Jia ’ NUL AND

THIS LIWE OF THINKING HAS
sia tt hel

i a sth iERLA SOF Ti vee PORTRAY ED

to . mt

TAT , "TT
MAL OAL wul D os 1nd td bia

IAT S OP: i) TO ADMIRE THE
AND JILY EJECTED MANEY
Ait AN. TQ Asti E> FEET wl TH
LL J LAI “ e

6 THAT CA PULLED O HAWING ONE'S NAMB ON § CHURCH ROLE. IF wit THINK

OE
a
edicts ——
——
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—— |
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88

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THE BYSTANDEiS ON CALVARY MISUNDERSTOOD JESUS' PLEA: THY TURNED
HIS SNCERITY INTO A PUN. WE IN THIS CHURCH ARE IN THE MIDST OF A CRUCIAL
UPHEAVAL. YOU HAVE ALL BEEN ASKED TO STAND UP AND REAFFIBM YOUR FAITH: AND
IN SO DOING YOU HAVE BECOME MEMBERS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN UHURCH. BUT LET US
NOT BE GUILTY OF MISUNDERSTANDING JESUS CHRIST BY MAKING THIS INITIAL ACT
THE END OF THE AFFAIR. NO. AND IN THE COMING YEARS AND MON THS YOU WELL
BE CALLED ON TO BACK UP THAT STABMENT WITH ACTION.

MAY GOD GRANT US SEX WISDOM THAT WE MAY FULLY UNDERSTAND THE TASK
He HAS ORDAINED US TO PERFORM. MAY HE GRANT US GRAVE THAT FROM THIS TIME

FORWARD Wi MAY DEVOTE OURSELVES COMPLETELY TO HIS WILL.

IN CONCLUSION I WANT TO SHARE WIT! YOU AN APPROPRIATE

POEM THAT IS INSCRIBED ON THE WALL OF A CATH DRAL IN LOUBECK, GiRMANY:

Share | i 10,

ALL 1 HAVE SAID IS SUMMED LEGANTLY IN A POEM INS@RIBSED IN THE WALL OF AN
ae —_—_—

OLJ CATHEDRAL IN LOUBECK GERMANY:

——_

, Se ,
wry re Varl . "A . s Deh
LUU UALL BE a ud T ANU 3235 BS NOT
v——_ —
Wi ’ Mr
IU VALis Bib ad AU WAE }

YOU GA ME FALR AND LOVE ME NOT.

YOU CALL ME RICH AND ASK Mi NOT
we ATT kth ral r
I GALL ME ETERNAL ) D} OT
—— ——
— —
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