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MARK 15: 42- 47

"A STONE OVER THE DOOR"

I. WHAT LAY BEHIND THAT STONE?
        A. A dead concept of God.
                1. Jesus came to reveal the Father. 
                        a. "No man hath seen the Father."
                2. What concept had He brought? 
                        a. God is love.
                                1. The thought of Him as a vengeful judge.
                                2. Jesus declared Him a loving Father.
                3. "He that hath seen Me, hath seen..."
                        a. As you see Him heal the sick, you see the concern of God for 
                           suffering humanity.
                        b. As you see Him weeping over Jerusalem.
                        c. As you hear Him denounce the Pharisees. 
                        d. As you see Him bless the children.
                4. Man refused this concept of God, with bitter hatred, they nailed this
                   advocate of love to the cross.
        B. A dead desire to redeem, "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save."
                1. To the Greek philosophy this was a foolish desire anyway.
                        a. Can an Ethiopian change his skin, can a leopard change his spots.
                        b. That which is lost is lost and they mocked the suggestion of
                           redemption.
                2. It would seem the Greek philosophers were correct .
                3. Wicked man wanted nothing of this redemption.
                4. They took this would be redeemer.
        C. A dead religion.
                1. Jesus taught all the ingredients for a new religion.
                        a. Based on Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man.
                2. Man by a right relationship with God can attain his full potential, in a
                   right relationship with his fellow man. This right relationship will be a
                   love relationship with God rather than legal and demonstrated by love for
                   fellow man.
                3. Man would have nothing to do with this new religion, he denied his 
                   potential worth and nailed Jesus to the cross. 

II. THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
        A. Concept of God not dead.
        B. Redemption a possibility.
        C. Man can achieve full potential.