Big Idea - As our study through the book of Mark brings us to the cross we come to the main point of the book and the sole purpose of Jesus' life. Three times Jesus warned the disciples that this is why He came. Not only that He would die, but He told them in great detail exactly how it would happen - Mark 10:33–34 (ESV) — 33 saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” If you have seen the movie The Passion, or heard many sermons on crucifixion, you get the impression that the most important thing about the cross is the incredible suffering that Jesus experienced. It could indeed be argued that Crucifixion was the most horrific way to die that man has ever devised, but that is not actually what Mark stresses. The brutality of the cross is only briefly mentioned. Instead, Mark focuses on other things, specifically on the things that show us the true meaning of the cross. In the events of this passage, we have a much greater understanding of why Jesus died and what it all means. So what does it all really mean? Yes, Jesus suffered a most terrible death, but what else is important about the cross? The short answer to that question is that the cross is a mind-blowing demonstration of God's grace. Grace is getting what we do not deserve. How does Mark focus on the grace of God in the way He tells the story?

1) Jesus is the rejected King, 2) who gave Himself up for us - rebels and murderers, 3) securing the release of the guilty by being condemned for their crime. Jesus died as the King of the Jews, because He was the rightful King over Israel and in fact over all the earth. As the creator of all things He has authority over heaven and earth, but His Kingdom was not political and earthly, but a heavenly and spiritual Kingdom. But, He was rejected by His own people. The leaders rejected Him because they He was a threat to their power and control. The people chose a rebel over Jesus because they focused on earthly power, not spiritual power. The "gentiles" mocked and ridiculed the King, because they saw His kingdom as weak and powerless.

All rejected Jesus, but His life was not taken from Him by their authority or power. In the end, He gave Himself up for us. He made no defense because He had already determined to the Father's plan. This is why He came - a king who would lay down His life and die on the cross for us. He is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! If we stopped there we would have an amazing picture of a loving King who would surrender His life to save His people. But, we would not yet understand the depth of His grace. To show us how Jesus' death is an extravagant display of grace, Mark highlights a rebel named Barabbas, a rebel and a murderer. As a rebel he represents all those who reject the reign and rule of God and who are guilty of insurrection and treason against God. As a murderer, he represents all those who hate their fellow human beings. Murder is the ultimate expression of human selfishness and pride. It is an action that says your life doesn't matter, only my life matters. So, Barabbas is the exact opposite of the great commandment to love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself. And every sin that you can conceive of, is simply the outworking of these two primary sins - the sin of rejecting God as our King, and the sin of pride which says I am the only one that matters. In other words, Barabbas represents very one of us because we were born with a nature precisely like his. Jesus gave Himself up, not only for the sins we have done, but for us who rejected Him as King. He willingly took our place, when we hated Him and everyone else! That brings grace into much greater focus! Jesus gave Himself up for us, and we could not be more underserving of such kindness. But there is even more to grace than that.

The final picture of grace is that Jesus could not be more undeserving of such suffering! He was the great King, but unlike any earthly King, he had never done anything wrong. The Jews convicted Him of being the Messiah, but that would only be a crime if untrue. The accused Jesus of being an insurrection against Rome, but Pilate found nothing wrong with Jesus. He was completely innocent, even though He said nothing to defend Himself. But, the great irony in all of this, is that Jesus, not only in the place of one guilty of insurrection, but He dies accused of the crime of insurrection. He became sin, He died convicted of the very crime that we are most guilty of - rejected King who died for treason, ultimately against Himself! Like a man of incredible wealth, whose entire estate is stolen out from under him, but when the thief is caught, convicted, and receives the death penalty, the wealthy man steps in and dies in his place! And why would He do that? So that Barrabas could be set free. That is grace!