Today, we had a community leader come in a conduct a session. He has came in a couple times before and today's topic was about the cross. We started by listing some of the ways of how we think about God. Here are some of the ways we listed:

and many others. Think of the lyrics to this children's song:

(I do have a point with that, I promise!)

He started with looking at the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. We looked at the verse Daniel 3:17 in a couple different translations. One of the translations stated this (paraphrasing) "If our God is able..." After that is when our discussion got started.

We looked at Hebrews 5:7- "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and
petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from
death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." and Philippians's 2:5-9 "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,"

Now we took those verses and did the same in the beginning. We made a list of how we see Jesus:

To quote Dave "Vulnerability is the key to understanding Jesus and thus God."

In Mark's gospel, he uses the term "Son of God" only 5 times; in 1:11, 3:11, 5:7, 9:7 and in 15:39. All the times that term is used is in reference to a divine act. Casting demon's out or God speaking. Except the last verse. The verse reads "And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, 'Surely this man was the Son of God!'"

There are different theological differences in viewing the cross in the Bible: triumphal or vulnerable. How we see the cross determines our view being vulnerable or triumphal. The triumphal view (as portrayed in Luke and John) is that of Psalm 31 and the vulnerable view (as portrayed in Mark) is that of Psalm 22. In John, Jesus dies in a way that is triumphal saying "it is finished" and in Mark, Jesus dies in a way that seems vulnerable saying "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?"

Dave states that Mark's theology of the cross is that He died because it was part of His life. Mark puts emphasis on the part of Jesus' death where He is in pain, He is broken, He is week. His vulnerability. Whereas the other gospel's put emphasis on a triumphal death. He has complete control. He can do whatever He wants.

Tying in all of that together, which do you think you can relate with more? The Jesus that is suffering? The Jesus that is broken and week? Or the Jesus that is still strong? The Jesus that can still do anything?

At the end, we re-wrote the children's song I mentioned in the beginning:

In Mark's perspective, I believe that even in Jesus' brokenness and weakness, is still the same salvation that is in John and Luke.

Just remember, in this, there is no right or wrong way of viewing this. People have different views on things. That is fine. Some people will agree with Mark and this interpretation and some people will agree with John or Luke and whoever teaches their interpretation.

Now, on the flip side, there are seven different things total said while Jesus was on the cross. Four in Like, one in Matthew and Mark (which are the same quote), and two in John. Seven is the number of completion. Well Jesus' death would only be complete if all these things were said, right? Would it be complete with only Matthew's accounts of the crucification? Or only Luke's? Or only Mark's? Or only John's? Would the gospel's for that matter be complete with the book of Matthew was removed? Or if any book was removed?

In the crucifixion, Jesus was not just vulnerable. He was not just triumphal. He was both! Vulnerable in the sense that He was the only one to ever experience full separation from God. God had forsaken Him. Turned His back on Him. Yet He was triumphal in the sense that through everything He said on the cross, through all the torture He endured, through His death...He conquered death for us! So we won't have full separation from God after we pass. Would you say He was both vulnerable and triumphal at the same time? I would.