Not Everybody Ran | Follow-Walking in the Way of Jesus | Sunday March 29, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Challenge of Being Truly Present in Significant Moments

It is possible to be physically present for a moment yet entirely miss its significance. Distractions, disillusionment, or the simple chaos of life can cause us to overlook what God is doing right in front of us. The story of the crucifixion is filled with individuals who were present but whose hearts were far away. The invitation is to cultivate a posture of humility and attentiveness, to set aside our preoccupations and truly see. God is always at work, even when it is not immediately obvious to our eyes. [30:08]

And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour when they crucified him. And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” (Mark 15:24-26 ESV)

Reflection: As you consider the pace and demands of your life, what specific practice could you adopt this week to create more intentional space to recognize God's presence and activity around you?

Day 2: God Meets Us in the Midst of Real Suffering

God does not ask us to pretend that suffering and evil are anything less than what they are. The cross stands as a stark reminder that horrific things happen and that God does not simply erase them or coat them in a shallow optimism. Instead, He enters directly into our pain. The profound beauty of the gospel is not that God explains away suffering, but that He meets us within it, offering His presence, comfort, and strength. [35:54]

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?” (Mark 15:34 ESV)

Reflection: When have you felt pressure to minimize a painful experience with a spiritual platitude? How might acknowledging the full weight of your struggle actually create space to encounter God's comforting presence there?

Day 3: Choosing Our Posture in the Midst of the Crowd

The crowd exerts a powerful influence, often encouraging us to join in mockery, doubt, or simplistic judgments. We are faced with a choice in how we will respond to Jesus, whether from a distance or in the thick of life's chaos. This requires critical thinking and a courage that goes against the flow. Our choices in these moments actively form our character and our faith, drawing us either toward cynicism or toward awe. [31:49]

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 of God!” (Mark 15:39 ESV)

Reflection: Is there a prevailing cultural or social opinion you have quietly accepted that you feel God might be inviting you to reevaluate through the lens of Christ's sacrificial love?

Day 4: The Torn Curtain: Access to God Through Christ

The tearing of the temple curtain was a dramatic, divine act signaling a monumental shift. The barrier that separated a holy God from sinful humanity was removed from top to bottom. This was not humanity's doing, but God's initiative through the finished work of Christ. We now have direct access to the presence of God, not because of our own merit, but because of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf. [25:34]

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. (Mark 15:38 ESV)

Reflection: How does the truth that you have direct access to God's presence through Christ change the way you approach Him in both times of need and times of gratitude?

Day 5: The Faithful Witness of Those Who Did Not Flee

In the darkest hour, when many had scattered in fear, a faithful few remained. Their presence was a powerful testimony of love and devotion. They did not fully understand what was happening, but they chose to stay near Jesus, faithfully caring for His needs even in His death. Their witness reminds us that faithfulness is often shown not in grand gestures, but in simple, steadfast presence amidst confusion and heartbreak. [27:08]

There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. (Mark 15:40-41 ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs the ministry of a faithful, non-anxious presence right now, and what is one practical way you can "minister to" them this week?

Sermon Summary

The narrative walks through Mark 15 in plain, pressing terms: soldiers mock and beat Jesus, press a crown of thorns into his head, spit on him, and parade him before the crowd as a caricature of kingship. They force a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross as the procession moves through the center of town toward Golgotha. At the execution site, soldiers divide clothes and gamble, onlookers and religious leaders hurl insults, and two criminals hang nearby while Jesus refuses the offered wine mixed with myrrh. Darkness falls from noon to three, and Jesus cries out, then breathes his last. At that moment the temple curtain tears from top to bottom, and a hardened centurion, shaped by military life, declares, “Surely this man was the Son of God.” Women who had followed and supported Jesus remain at a distance; Joseph of Arimathea, a council member who awaited God’s kingdom, boldly asks for the body and lays it in a rock-hewn tomb.

The narrative refuses cheap spiritualizing. It insists that suffering remains suffering—evil and brutality do not become inherently good by retroactive interpretation. Yet the account also shows a God who enters that brutality, who suffers with the vulnerable and the mocked. The torn curtain signals a radical consequence: access to God now comes through the cross. The cross overturns worldly power, exposes the hollowness of mockery, and reveals a strange wisdom and power that defeats spiritual corruption. The crowd’s choices show how quickly cultural pressure can shape response, while the centurion, Joseph, and the faithful women model alternative responses: attention, courage, and steadfast love.

The text calls for careful attention, not haste past the cross toward the celebration of resurrection. Communion becomes a deliberate act of remembrance and alignment—a small, sober resistance to the busyness and spectacle that so often dull sight and judgment. The invitation stands plain: make a choice about standing and allegiance in the face of suffering. The cross both condemns cruelty and offers a path into restored relationship, forgiveness, and a kingdom that redefines strength as self-giving love.

Key Takeaways

1. Suffering is not a silver lining The narrative refuses spiritual spin that flattens pain into tidy meaning. Suffering and evil remain real, brutal, and destabilizing; pretending otherwise risks numbing moral response and spiritual honesty. Honest lament preserves the depth of human ache and keeps open the possibility that God will truly meet sufferers, not merely rebrand their pain. [35:03]
2. God meets people inside suffering God’s presence does not dodge darkness; God enters it. The crucifixion portrays a God who suffers alongside the abandoned, offering solidarity that honors human pain rather than explaining it away. That solidarity creates a pattern for pastoral care: accompany, listen, and resist easy answers so people find authentic healing. [33:52]
3. The cross breaks spiritual barriers The torn temple curtain signals a decisive change: access to God no longer depends on intermediaries or religious spectacle. The cross dismantles systems of power that exclude and replaces them with a way of grace that invites direct relationship and responsibility. This reorientation calls each person to live in the new reality of mercy and accountability. [25:07]
4. Choose where the heart stands The crowd’s jeering, the centurion’s confession, and the women’s steadfastness reveal that proximity to the narrative does not guarantee understanding. Moral agency matters—one either joins the crowd’s spectacle or adopts a posture of attention, sorrow, and trust. Daily decisions form character; choose responses that reflect justice, humility, and compassion. [31:28]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[10:55] - Opening Prayer and Focus
[13:23] - Holy Week Announcements
[16:08] - Reading Mark 15: The Arrest to Trial
[16:57] - Mocking, Crown of Thorns, and Beating
[18:49] - Simon of Cyrene and the Walk to Golgotha
[20:08] - Crucifixion, Insults, and Soldiers’ Games
[23:44] - Darkness, Final Cry, and Death
[25:07] - Curtain Torn; Centurion’s Confession
[27:08] - Women, Joseph of Arimathea, and Burial
[35:03] - Reflections on Suffering and Honest Lament
[43:26] - Don’t Rush Past the Cross
[49:03] - Communion and Remembrance
[51:04] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Bible Study Guide

Based on the sermon summary provided, here is a Bible study discussion guide.

Bible Reading
Mark 15:16-39 (ESV)
16 And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18 And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.
21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.
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 of God!”

Observation questions

What specific actions did the soldiers take to mock and humiliate Jesus in verses 16-20?
Who was forced to carry the cross for Jesus, and what does the text tell us about what he was doing at that moment? [18:49]
What were the different groups of people who insulted and mocked Jesus while he was on the cross, and what did they say?
What two significant events happened immediately after Jesus breathed his last, and what was the centurion's reaction?

Interpretation questions

The narrative refuses to soften the reality of suffering or call it a "silver lining." [35:03] Why is it so important for our faith to acknowledge that what happened to Jesus was pure evil and not somehow "good"?
The torn temple curtain signaled a decisive change in how people access God. [25:07] What did the curtain represent, and what does its tearing from top to bottom tell us about the consequence of the cross?
The centurion, a hardened military man, confessed that Jesus was the Son of God after watching him die. [25:57] What was it about Jesus' manner of death, as opposed to coming down from the cross, that could have led to this profound confession?
The women watched from a distance and Joseph of Arimathea boldly asked for Jesus' body. [27:08] [28:15] In a scene dominated by mockery and fear, what do their actions reveal about the different ways people can respond to Jesus even in the same difficult circumstances?

Application questions

Suffering and evil remain real and brutal; pretending otherwise risks numbing our moral response. [35:03] When you are with someone who is suffering, what is the temptation to offer "easy answers" or "spiritual spin"? How can you instead practice simply accompanying them and listening, honoring their pain rather than trying to explain it away?
God’s presence does not dodge darkness; God enters it. [33:52] How does knowing that God chose to suffer alongside the abandoned change the way you approach your own seasons of darkness or pain?
The crowd’s jeering, the centurion’s confession, and the women’s steadfastness reveal that proximity to the story does not guarantee understanding. [31:28] In the "crowds" of your own life—cultural pressure, social media, popular opinion—where are you most tempted to just go along with the spectacle? What is one practical way to adopt a posture of attention and trust instead?
Communion becomes a deliberate act of remembrance and alignment—a small, sober resistance to the busyness that dulls our sight. [49:03] The next time you take communion, what specific thing about Jesus' sacrifice on the cross will you choose to remember and align your heart with?
The cross both condemns cruelty and offers a path into restored relationship. Where in your life do you need to receive the forgiveness and restored relationship that comes through the cross? Is there an area where you are still living under a sense of separation from God that the torn curtain has already abolished?
The story shows we can be present and still not really be there, missing the significance of what God is doing. [30:08] What distractions or disillusionments most often cause you to not be fully "present" to what God might be doing in your everyday life? What is one way you can fight that distraction this week?

Sermon Clips

But don't we've gotta be careful that we don't just jump to that. Listen. His death is uncomfortable. It's jarring. It's mysterious. It's offensive. It's scandalous. It's foolishness in my eyes most of the time. And yet, self sacrificing god, the death of Jesus, the cross, guys, is the wisdom and power of god. Paul and first Corinthians, and and the author of Hebrews and the author of John all wrote about the work of Jesus and its wisdom, that it was to come and defeat the works of the enemy. [00:43:34] (53 seconds) #CrossIsWisdom

That Jesus came, he suffered, he died in his death, the cross, offered forgiveness of sin and the brokenness that we live out. And Jesus' death broke the the the corruptions and systems, the powers and authorities that we experience within this present world, he shared in our humanity that we might be able to come to him and find grace and strength and mercy and forgiveness in our time of need. That he might meet us in our darkness at three in the afternoon. Well, hope seems to be gone. [00:44:27] (42 seconds) #JesusMeetsUs

It's horrible. It's horrific. It's evil. Suffering is real. And yet, our god who understands evil, who understands suffering, who understands the challenge of life, says, I got you. I I wanna come alongside of you, and it's such a beautiful thing. Such a beautiful now listen. Okay. Back. We're back on the road now. Give that little pause. Don't rush past Jesus' death. Don't don't rush past Jesus' death to get to Easter. We wanna do that because Jesus was raised from the dead, and it's awesome, and I'm gonna stop there because that's next Sunday. [00:42:38] (56 seconds) #DontRushTheCross

I wanna touch on something that I hear and we and I, maybe we we struggle with when when life gets bad or life gets hard, brutal, things, circumstances. I don't know exactly what's going on. Sometimes what what sort of just almost instinctively and I don't wanna say it's meant to be flippant, but it just sort of jumps out. Our phrases like, well, you know, it's a blessing in disguise. Well, you know, god turns bad things into good. No. He doesn't. Bad things are bad things. [00:35:03] (44 seconds) #StopTheSilverLining

No. He doesn't. Bad things are bad things. Evil is evil. Suffering really is suffering. And we've got to we've got to understand that. Because if we just constantly go, oh, there's just silver linings around everything, and, you know, it's just all good, and and we just sort of try to hype ourselves up that it's just all of that. Folks, we're gonna miss god because it was not good. What he went through was horrific. So I know this is something we struggle with trying to figure this out. And, [00:35:39] (57 seconds) #TruthAboutSuffering

And we see it in this story. We see it in the crucifixion scenes that we have a choice, and we have to be careful. Like, we have to be really wise because the choices we make then do form us. I mean, there's a crowd there. Are we going to join with the crowd? Are we gonna gonna join in, you know, with the criminals, the rebels, the soldiers, and the the passersby? And are we gonna go, yeah. Who is this guy? Come on. He said all this stuff, and, he's just like everybody else. Is that us? [00:31:17] (34 seconds) #WhichSideAreYouOn

The story is one that, as we have been talking about, reminds us that our god, who was god, came down, took on the flesh, became man, and lived a self sacrificial life. And what we need to understand as we enter into this story as we kinda come to the conclusion of this story in this this upcoming week that that that this suffering savior piece of Jesus is an absolutely beautiful thing. His death wasn't. It was evil, horrible, and yet God can do something amazing. [00:34:00] (53 seconds) #SufferingSavior

Sometimes it's nice when you bump into some other person who you respect who literally says, I think what I was trying to say this morning. And Tim Keller found a little clip of his, and he said, folks, let's not do this. There there's no silver linings. That's not how we word this. It's horrible. It's horrific. It's evil. Suffering is real. And yet, our god who understands evil, who understands suffering, who understands the challenge of life, says, I got you. [00:42:19] (41 seconds) #GodUnderstands

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Not Everybody Ran | Follow-Walking in the Way of Jesus | Sunday March 29, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Challenge of Being Truly Present in Significant Moments

Day 2: God Meets Us in the Midst of Real Suffering

Day 3: Choosing Our Posture in the Midst of the Crowd

Day 4: The Torn Curtain: Access to God Through Christ

Day 5: The Faithful Witness of Those Who Did Not Flee

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Not Everybody Ran | Follow-Walking in the Way of Jesus | Sunday March 29, 2026

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