day 39: Jesus (Part two)

Day 39: Jesus (Part Two)

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:33–39

Darkness falls at noon. In Mark’s Gospel, this is not merely a physical phenomenon—it is a spiritual moment. Creation itself seems to mourn as Jesus hangs on the cross. The One through whom all things were made now bears the weight of sin, abandonment, and judgment. And from that darkness comes His cry: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”This is one of the most profound and unsettling moments in all of Scripture.

Jesus, the eternal Son, who has always known perfect communion with the Father, now enters into the depths of human estrangement. He does not merely feel abandoned—He experiences the full weight of sin’s consequence. This is not a cry of disbelief, but a cry from within suffering. It is the language of Psalm 22, a lament that begins in anguish but moves toward trust. Even in His silence, God is not absent. Even in forsakenness, there is still relationship: “My God…”

Here we see the mystery of the cross, Jesus stands in the place of sinners, fully identifying with the brokenness of humanity. He goes to the farthest place of separation so that no one who calls on Him will ever truly be alone again. Then, with a loud cry, Jesus breathes His last. At that very moment, the curtain of the temple is torn in two from top to bottom. What humanity could never accomplish, God Himself has done. The barrier between a holy God and sinful people is removed, not by human effort, but by divine sacrifice. Access is now open. The way has been made. And in a surprising turn, it is not a disciple or a religious leader who first confesses this truth, rather it is a Roman centurion, a hardened man of execution, who declares, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” The outsider sees what many insiders could not. This is the power of the cross. It reveals who Jesus truly is—not through displays of power, but through suffering love. It confronts our expectations and calls us to faith. The centurion did not witness a miracle in the usual sense; he witnessed how Jesus died with authority, with surrender, with something unmistakably divine.

As pastors and followers of Christ, I am reminded that ministry is not always marked by visible success or triumph. Sometimes, it looks like darkness. Sometimes, it feels like silence. Sometimes, it leads us into places where God seems distant. But the cross tells us this: God is at work even in the silence. Jesus enters into our deepest pain, our unanswered questions, and even our sense of abandonment and redeems it from within. Because He was forsaken, we are never ultimately forsaken. Because the curtain was torn, we now draw near with confidence. And like the centurion, we are invited not just to observe the cross, but to confess: Truly, this is the Son of God. May we behold Him again not only in His suffering, but in the love that held Him there. Have a Blessed Good Friday. See you all at Appenzeller Chapel by 8:00 pm tonight. Love you all!

Prayer:

Son of God, your resolute love for us shined through the darkest hour of your crucifixion. May I, like the Roman centurion, have eyes to see you for who you are: the promised Messiah, our Savior and friend, my Lord and God. Send your Holy Spirit that my life may always be oriented around the beauty of who you are.

Grace and Peace,

Rev. Won Kim

Lead Pastor of RockSpring Church