March 19, 2016 - Church at Worship

Sermon: “The Verdict of a Casual Accomplice”  - by Randy Roberts

Pastoral Welcome: Dustin Aho

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:33–39, TNIV

Children's Feature: Shawna Campbell

Sermon Notes:

On a fateful Friday two thousand years ago, Jesus was crucified. Many witnessed the scenes of that long weekend—from the shouts of Hosanna! at the Triumphal Entry to the cries of Crucify him! in Pilate’s judgment hall to his cry, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? on Mt. Calvary. Doubtless, many of those spectators were not only eyewitnesses to the events of that day, but had also heard Jesus teach crowds and watched him heal sick bodies. Though many were caught up in the emotional contagion of what there happened, they at least had earlier parts of his life by which to judge him. However, there were doubtless also people in Jerusalem that weekend who knew little to nothing about this itinerant prophet. They would have been caught up in the furor and the drama. Some of them would have been witnesses to his crucifixion. They would have felt the earthquake, witnessed the darkness, heard his cry part the sky, It is finished! And they would have seen him bow his head and die. What sense would they have made of the experience? What conclusions would they have reached? What decisions would they have made? After all, they never heard him tell the parables of the prodigal son or the great banquet. They never heard him preach the Sermon on the Mount. They were not witnesses to resurrection of Lazarus. All they saw was the cross! Would being witnesses to the cross be enough for them to render a verdict?

Randy Roberts,

Senior Pastor