The Final Station
Station 7: Jesus Dies on the Cross
Mark 15: 33-39
The Death of Jesus
33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son[i] of God!”
It was dark in the middle of the day. It seemed that the heavens and the earth were grieving, telling us that something was horribly wrong. And yet some still seemed to mock. Or did they really expect some final miracle to save You?
Jesus, You cried out in lament from the Psalms and anyone could hear and know that it was the cry of human pain and desolation. Here, where they often only saw You as God, You revealed Your true humanity. Most everyone had forsaken You, and in Your pain the emotion escaped in a cry of abandonment. Yet, it was a prayer, a cry from human lips to a God who hears such cries.
Finally, it was over. You were dead. What had we done?
The earth shook. The curtain in the temple was torn right down the middle. The Holy of Holies was exposed for all to see. What did it mean? Who were you? Even the Romans then thought You were the son of God. But You were dead. It was too late. What had we done?
Yet You never stopped loving me even in death. Had I been there, would I have wished I had shown more of my love for You while you were yet alive?
You died because of human sin, because of me.
Yet we know sin was never going to have the final word. God can still redeem the worst that human beings can do. But Your death? I wonder if they thought, “What could come of this?” “What could God do with such a final ending?”
They hoped, and waited . . . ..
We now hope and wait for You to come again.
Prayer: O Lord, I cannot comprehend the depth and breadth of Your love. There are not enough words in all languages together to describe what Your love means to me. May my love for You and my love for all Your children in some way reflect Your love. Let this dark night become fertile soil for growth in Your love and for our growth as a community of Faith. May You use this night to teach us how to love You and to love others the way You have loved us. O Lord, we long for newness, for hope, for renewal, for life where there is now death. Out of this darkness bring to us the light of a new dawn. O Lord, have mercy on us.
Song of Worship: Your Great Name
All condemned, feel no shame, at the sound of Your great name
Every fear, has no place, at the sound of Your great name
The enemy, he has to leave, at the sound of Your great name
You are high and lifted up, that all the world will praise Your great name
Hungry souls, receive grace, at the sound of Your great name
The fatherless, they find their rest, at the sound of Your great name
Sick are healed, and the dead are raised, at the sound of Your great name
You are high and lifted up, that all the world will praise Your great name
Oh, Your great name
My Savior, Defender, You are my King
My Savior, Defender, You are my King
You are high and lifted up and all the world will praise Your great name
Slain for us, son of God and man
You are high and lifted up, that all the world will praise Your great name
Your great name
Sara Burt 