WEBVTT 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:14.800 Well, church, it's happened again. 00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:18.160 We are privileged to sit under the preaching of the Word of God. 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:19.839 Would you please stand with me? 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:29.039 Today, Brian is going to bring us the word from Mark chapter 14, verses 42 through the end of the chapter, through verse 72. 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:34.799 I remind you once again this is the word of God to you. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:38.159 Mark 14, 42. 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:41.600 Get up, let us be going. 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:45.039 Behold, the one who betrays me is at hand. 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:58.079 Immediately while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came up, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:06.959 Now he who was betraying him had given them a signal, saying, Whomever I kiss, he's the one, seize him and lead him away under guard. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:14.480 After coming, Judas immediately went to him, saying, Rabbi, and kissed him. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:18.079 They laid hands on him and seized him. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:23.680 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:29.840 And Jesus said to them, Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me, as you would against a robber? 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:34.400 Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:37.680 But this has taken place to fulfill the scriptures. 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:41.120 And they all left him and fled. 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:51.280 A young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked body, and they seized him, but he pulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked. 00:01:52.079 --> 00:02:00.400 They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes gathered together. 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:08.479 Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest, and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the fire. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:18.560 Now the chief priests and the whole council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put him to death, and they were not finding any. 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:24.479 For many were giving false testimony against him, but their testimony was not consistent. 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:36.639 Some stood up and began to give false testimony against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another one made without hands. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:41.280 Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:48.080 The high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, Do you not answer? 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:51.039 What is it these men are testifying against you? 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:54.000 But he kept silent and did not answer. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:03:03.680 Again the high priest was questioning him and saying to him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:17.439 And Jesus said, I am, and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the power, and coming with the clouds of heaven, tearing his clothes. 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:21.599 The high priest said, What further need do we have of witnesses? 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:23.599 You have heard the blasphemy. 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:25.439 How does it seem to you? 00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:29.120 And they all condemned him to be deserving of death. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:42.400 Some began to spit at him, and to blindfold him, and to beat him with their fists, and to say, Prophesy! And the officers receiving him with slaps in the face. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:57.599 As Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, You also were with Jesus the Nazarene. 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:03.759 But he denied it, saying, I neither know nor understand what you are talking about. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:08.319 And he went out to the porch and a rooster crowed. 00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:16.240 The servant girl saw him and began once more to say to the bystanders, This is one of them. 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:18.399 But again he denied it. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:29.439 And a little while, after a little while, the bystanders were again saying to Peter, Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean, too. 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:36.720 But he began to curse and to swear, I don't know the man you are talking about, immediately. 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:40.319 A rooster crowed a second time. 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:44.720 And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him. 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:51.759 And he began to weep. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:57.600 Brian, would you please come. 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:22.639 Heavenly Father, you are worthy of all praise, adoration. 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:26.079 You are worthy of our worship. 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:29.839 We thank you for drawing us here for this time of worship. 00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:41.120 We ask you that this time of worship through the preaching of the word would be edifying, encouraging, challenging, strengthening, sharpening, even rebuking where necessary. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:44.480 And that your name would be honored and glorified in it. 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:46.319 Lead and guide all of us. 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:58.639 Guide my mouth and my heart to say those things which are true in accordance with your word alone, and that we would apply those truths to life, and that we would grow in Christ's likeness through this time. 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:01.120 May your name be exalted. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:03.279 The name of Jesus Christ we pray. 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:04.240 Amen. 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:10.879 Well, as you can see, this uh this is a longer chunk of scripture, a longer text. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:14.319 Uh the next two times that we're in the book of Mark, that's going to happen. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:23.040 And the reason is because what I want us to do as we seek to finish up Mark, except for the last piece, that'll be a little shorter in chapter 16. 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:30.160 But what I want us to do is find ourselves absolutely undone and overwhelmed in Christ. 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:41.439 And to do that, what I want us to do is the hope is that we would just be immersed into the narrative that we see here in those last hours of the life of Jesus Christ. 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:50.639 Maybe a few years down the road, or yes, a few years down the road, we're gonna dive back into another gospel account and we'll break it down a little slower and piece by piece it. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:07:08.639 But for now, what we're gonna do is we're gonna zoom out just a bit and just be overwhelmed at the glory, majesty, kindness, love, compassion, gentleness of our great Savior in these uh in this narrative account as Mark walks us through what transpired at the end of his life. 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:18.399 And so we're gonna go through this text and we're gonna recap, if you will, the events that transpire in the life of Jesus at this time. 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:22.639 And um we're gonna reflect on what Mark says here. 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:35.759 But what I want us to see today from this passage is how the betrayal, the arrest, the abandonment, and the denial of our Lord leads us today to worship him. 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:36.720 Okay? 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:38.079 Think about it. 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:50.959 He's betrayed, he's arrested, he's denied by his closest of companions, and yet his response is continual steadfastness and loving-kindness even to those who abandon him. 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:55.199 So, with that on our minds, let's go through the text. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:58.720 Let us look again at verse 42 of the 14th chapter here. 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:06.160 Last time in the book of Mark, uh, we studied about the time that Jesus and his disciples spent in the garden, Garden of Gethsemane. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:18.079 In that passage, we see that Jesus is praying to the Father for his will to be done and that he would have the strength to endure the suffering that's coming in light of uh the cross. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:27.680 He knows that he's gonna become the sin bearer, sinless sin-bearer, as he absorbs, and this is the thing, this is the thing about the cross. 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:29.040 We're gonna look at that next time. 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:36.559 He absorbs the full weight of the full wrath of his father in place of sinners like you and like me. 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:45.759 We see in the garden from Luke's account that he's sweating drops of blood as he's agonizing over what is soon to come. 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:57.759 Yet Jesus Christ, of course, remains steadfast, and he refuses to give in to temptation as he once again commits himself to the will of his Father. 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:04.559 Meanwhile, the apostles, who are supposed to be keeping watch and praying, were not. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:10.000 They were found not once, not twice, but three times fast asleep. 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:24.879 Again, and I would say what we saw there is a mild portion of what we see today, and that is we saw the beginnings of their abandonment of their Messiah, their rabbi, their teacher. 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:37.120 Last time we ended up with verse 42, and today we pick up there as well because it says that the betrayer, as we know, as the next verse teaches, is none other than Judas Iscariot, is at hand. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:38.320 He's there. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:52.240 Thinking back, remember earlier in that same evening, Judas has left the Passover meal that they were taking together, and out of that, of course, we get the first communion or Lord's table. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:58.240 So he leaves and he goes to betray Jesus with the chief priests. 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:12.799 Jesus then, after that meal, they're heading out to the Mount of Olives, a place of the garden, a place that's supposed to be a solace and prayer, so that he can be prepared for what's coming and for what Judas and the chief priests are about to do. 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:14.960 Jesus is not blindsided by this. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:16.240 He knows what's coming. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:20.960 He knows Judas is going to lead this crowd, this group, to him soon. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:24.320 And so he's not real worried about that per se. 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:26.559 He's worried about what's coming in the garden. 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:30.240 And so that's what we see taking place in the narrative today. 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:39.279 And verse 43 tells us it was not just Judas, but it was a it was a fairly large crowd with swords and clubs as they come to arrest Jesus. 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:45.279 The Romans would have had the swords, the synagogue security guards, if you will. 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:50.559 Um they would have, they would have had the clubs, and they come to arrest Jesus. 00:10:50.720 --> 00:11:02.960 Uh this mob, if you will, is made up, and we gather some of these things from the other gospels, but it's made up of uh really the Jewish religious leader's inner circle, except for the Romans, of course. 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:08.000 But they're in this inner circle, there's chief priests, there's scribes, there's elders. 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:12.000 John is the one who tells us that there's soldiers in this. 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:23.519 But I would say it's really kind of a group that represents a hall of fame when it comes to betrayal and legalism and corruption. 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:36.320 And this mob has come to take Jesus by force, in force, and arrest him on allegations of what the religious leaders say is blasphemy. 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:46.399 Which, of course, absolutely ridiculous charge against God to be blaspheming against God. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:49.440 Really silly, isn't it? 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:55.120 It's an absolute preposterous claim, and we're going to talk about that in just a few moments more. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:12:05.840 But think about it this way, we've all heard of just absolutely ridiculous accusations against a person or a group of people, and usually it's because there's some sort of dislike, right? 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:06.879 We've heard that. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:09.840 A lot of the times there's a lot of lying involved. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:20.240 Uh, especially maybe when we think about uh down through the years, all of the Christians, maybe, who have been fraudulently accused of crimes and punished for it. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:36.159 One instance, I've mentioned this before, is the burning of really, it was like three-quarters of the city of Rome, uh, where Nero was accused of, rightly so, but uh he decided to get the Christians off his back by charging them with it. 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:41.279 And so that resulted in the slaughter of many innocent Christians. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:46.879 We've heard of people just being strung up on false accusations in the medieval days. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:58.159 We think of all the people that were killed at the hand of religious leaders in that era, uh, the Reformation era, maybe, if you will, for things that we take for granted today. 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:02.399 People were killed for things such as translating the Bible. 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:03.679 Okay? 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:14.000 People were killed for, and brutally killed, for translating the Bible into the common language of the day, making them accessible to all households. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:27.600 I mean, we've been appalled as we read the history of accounts of all kinds of different mobs that go out and capture an innocent man for one reason or another, even though they knew he wasn't really guilty of any crime. 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:33.360 Maybe you were thinking, you know, a few hundred years ago in America with slavery. 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:37.519 So all kinds of travesty of justices, right? 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:47.759 But here in our passage, this historical truth is the greatest travesty of justice ever of its kind. 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:53.840 We have the single most unjust arrest of an innocent man in the history of the world. 00:13:54.559 --> 00:14:01.039 Where this large crowd of men come to take the sinless Son of God by force. 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:08.639 Now, if we just reflect on that for a moment, I think we come away really undone at the sinfulness of mankind, right? 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:19.200 The sinless Lamb is the one they're coming after, the one who came to seek that which is lost, including themselves. 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:24.960 The one who came to save, the one who came to bless for an eternity, the one who created all things. 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:28.000 He's being treated like a horrible criminal. 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:34.159 It's amazing and not in a good way. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:40.320 Verse 45 tells us that Judas has promised, betrays Christ with a kiss. 00:14:42.159 --> 00:14:45.200 This betrayal is fulfilling the scriptures. 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:47.360 Psalm 41.9, for example. 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:52.320 It's talking about the one who's going to betray him is the one who ate bread with him. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:15:00.240 And as Judas is kissing his cheek, by the way, that's that's a sign of real intimacy, okay, in that culture. 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:03.279 Uh, for us guys today, please don't kiss me on the cheek. 00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:04.240 I'm not interested. 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:06.240 Okay, that's a different culture, all right? 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:08.879 So we can hug, we can shake hands, I'm good. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:10.879 You know, fist bump, whatever you want to do. 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:17.679 But uh back then, this is a sign of intimate friendship, okay, between guys, even. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:19.759 Intimate friendship. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:24.799 So he didn't just kiss his hand, it's like, okay, teacher, that he went, he went for it. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:29.679 And it's a sign of the immensity of his betrayal. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:32.559 So he went for it, he kisses his cheek. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:36.879 And what does Peter do when Judas kisses his cheek? 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:38.639 He's a man, right? 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:39.519 So what's he do? 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:42.559 Automatically reaches in, grabs a sword. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:44.879 And he's gonna strike them all down. 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:56.879 We know that he ends up cutting off the sword of a guy named Malchus, and he cuts off the ear with the sword of a guy named Malchus, who's the servant of the high priest Caiaphas. 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:02.799 Mark only records that it was one of those who stood near, that he cut off his ear, but um. 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:12.879 But don't you just love Peter here? 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:19.120 He's already been rebuked by Jesus for saying he's gonna stand in the way of the cross. 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:19.840 Remember that? 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:22.159 He says, Get behind me, Satan. 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:26.320 But you've got to love his enthusiasm and even his courage. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:33.600 Now, I tend to think that he does this because he thinks, I've got Jesus. 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:35.120 What are they gonna do? 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:39.679 Not only is Jesus gonna get his back, but Jesus could easily wipe him out. 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:41.519 I mean, Peter's seen some awesome things. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:54.000 I think that's why we see later after this, Peter denies Jesus in such a way because he thinks that Jesus is now defeated in some capacity. 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:59.919 But at least Peter is ready to do something about this travesty of justice. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:02.000 He's gonna protect his buddy, his friend. 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:04.000 That's in his mind at least, right? 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:10.960 He does end up denying Jesus, but at least he's willing to try to protect him. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:13.039 I think we can learn from this. 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:14.960 And we should. 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:22.880 Now I'm not saying that we should all take up the metal sword, if you will, and start swinging it for Jesus, okay? 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:24.480 Let's not do that. 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:32.160 But I'm saying that we should always seek to protect the fame of the name of Christ before the world with the sword of the word. 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:36.400 I love what John Calvin once said. 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:41.440 He said, a dog barks when his master is attacked. 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:47.039 I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent. 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:53.839 When our master is attacked in this world, do we speak truth to that? 00:17:54.960 --> 00:18:01.039 Or do we cower away in fear as we're prone to do because of what they may do? 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:04.480 At least Peter stood up for a few moments. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:09.279 So have that on your minds. 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.480 Who are we? 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:26.559 Before we look into verse 48 and Jesus' response to this arrest, I want to spend just a moment thinking of how off the guards and the chief priests are in regards to who Jesus is and what his response would be to these captors. 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:28.559 Think about it. 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:37.119 They thought that Jesus is gonna defend himself with violence and a full uh, you know, front of a forceful attack. 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:41.279 And his disciples and all these people are gonna vigorously defend him. 00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:45.039 And so they brought this huge mob, this huge crowd. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:58.640 It's just yet another way that these religious leaders, the chief priests, the scribes, elders, they're just absolutely woefully mistaken as to the nature of who Jesus is, what his ministry is, and why he came. 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:06.720 They still thought that the Messiah's ministry was to lead this earthly and worldly rebellious kingdom. 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:19.119 They still didn't get that his was and is a coming heavenly kingdom that was set up by his sinless life and coming death on the cross. 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:25.680 Where he defeated the true enemies of mankind, which is sin and death and even the evil one. 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:30.160 And so, yeah, Peter lashes out at first, but that's not what the Lord wanted here. 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:31.839 He knew it was his time. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:34.000 That's why he's praying in the garden. 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:46.880 So I want us to remember that as we function as the church, the bride of Christ, and we fulfill our role and our job as disciple makers who are trying to influence culture and win souls for Christ. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:49.119 It will not be done with violence. 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:58.400 People have in the past, unfortunately, in the name of Christ, done all kinds of dumb, violent things, like blowing up a Planned Parenthood. 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:02.400 The way, for example, let's talk about that, abortion. 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:06.000 The way to absolve this country of abortion is to preach the gospel. 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:07.680 It's not even to make laws. 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:08.720 I mean, that's great. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:12.480 We should try to do that to protect the innocent among us. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:19.200 But it is to preach the gospel, to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and watch hearts get transformed by his grace. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:21.680 That's how we walk forward. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:32.559 Peter's response leads to a rebuke from Jesus where he says, those who live by the sword die by the sword, showing us that those who live by the flesh die by the flesh. 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:40.240 And so we are not to take life, nor even have our fight be primarily politically to ensure that we're winning. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:46.079 Instead, we are to lay down our lives for our king and his kingdom. 00:20:47.680 --> 00:21:02.480 To truly fight for Christ means that we lay down everything in our obedience to his word, and if need be, we lay down our actual lives, our temporary flesh, if you will, for his sake, as a faithful people who are persecuted for his name. 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:09.680 To truly stand side by side with Jesus means that you will stand strong in the face of false accusations. 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:11.599 That's what happens. 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:14.640 You will stand strong in the face of false arrests. 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:22.240 It means that you will be willing to lay down your life for him so that he may be glorified in your life and in your death if it comes to that. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:28.079 So why is this all taking place? 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:29.359 What's going on? 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:36.079 How is it that Jesus knows this is coming and yet he just remains calm, cool, and collect? 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:42.799 Verses 48 and 49 tell us. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:45.519 Again, remember, he's God, okay? 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:49.440 He knows all, he's omniscient, he expects it. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:54.559 And then he actually says something I think that's absolutely phenomenal for us to remember today. 00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:59.759 He doesn't just expect it because he's God in the flesh, he expects it because it's been foretold. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:01.759 In the Word of God. 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:06.240 And God's word will always come true. 00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:08.559 Isn't that awesome to think about? 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:13.599 These are the same scriptures that you and I have in our hands right now. 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:17.599 Again, he is omniscient, yes. 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:21.920 But he also knew the Old Testament forward and backward and trusted the Father with it. 00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:27.119 It's his own word anyway, and he knew it needed to be fulfilled in him and his life. 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:33.920 And so verse 48 begins with Jesus saying that their means of arresting him is absolutely absurd. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:38.400 He says, if you come at me as though I were some robber, some petty criminal? 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:42.480 He's saying, Do you have any idea how ridiculous you look? 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:50.720 Coming in here with such a large crowd to just arrest this perfect spotless lamb who has not harmed anybody. 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:57.920 And if you actually read the scriptures, part of which Brother Dave read this morning, where Isaiah 53, he's a suffering servant? 00:22:58.319 --> 00:23:00.160 He's going to be killed. 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:15.039 The only thing Jesus ever did or advocated that was any kind of violence was a turning over the tables in the temple and throwing people out and a whip in hand, which is actually good. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:17.359 That's a good kind of violence. 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:19.440 It's righteous indignation. 00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:22.480 It was absolutely needed and called for. 00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:25.119 That's the only thing. 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:30.640 But other than that, he always taught them to love their neighbor, love their enemies, give to the poor, those kinds of things. 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:35.839 The only thing he taught them that was offensive to anybody was the need for repentance. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:39.440 And really a consecrated life to God. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:46.799 Never anything that was against the commands of our Lord, like thievery, as if he's some robber, he says. 00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:50.720 And as we'll see in a moment, all that they do is against God's word. 00:23:52.799 --> 00:24:01.440 And then he goes on to say, this is all taking place so that God's word can be fulfilled, and that God can once again be proved true and right about what is to come to pass. 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:09.200 By the way, if you find yourself being the fulfillment of a scripture, that's usually not a good thing. 00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:12.079 Unless you're Jesus. 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:20.000 And so, in their sin, it is now forever recorded that they have now been the fulfillment of a prophecy. 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:24.880 Not a good place to be. 00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:32.559 And we've got to remember, the Old Testament is just chalked full of prophecies concerning this Messiah, who was to come and what's going to happen to him. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:37.039 Our Lord expected this and even ordained it. 00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:49.920 This is working out the grand design of our Creator that leads to the redemptive story's climax and the atonement for sins, the sins of his people through the cross. 00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:53.039 It's glorious to think about. 00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:57.440 Moving on to verse 50. 00:24:57.920 --> 00:25:03.200 As things begin to transpire, Jesus could do one of these. 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:05.680 Where'd everybody go? 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:10.079 It says, they all fled. 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:12.400 Not just a couple of them. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:15.039 He didn't still have James, John, John and Peter. 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:17.279 Sons of Thunder are there, right? 00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:17.759 No. 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:19.440 They're gone. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:24.559 Right when Jesus is being arrested, they're gone. 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:36.000 Even Peter, the sword-wielding, overly self-confident future rock of the church, ends up running and trembling at what is happening to his Lord. 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:44.240 And remember, Jesus had just got done prophesying this earlier that this was going to happen. 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:55.039 Their former adamant stand for Christ in their own minds was quickly forgotten when these persecutors come, and Jesus didn't automatically just crush them. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:59.519 They had promised to die with him, remember that? 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:02.720 They said to him, I'm going to give my life for you, Jesus. 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:05.359 I will be side by side with you, my Lord. 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:11.839 But in the end, when their faith was tested, the fear of what man can do got the best of them. 00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:15.279 There's obviously things we can learn from this, right? 00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:18.640 One is what we studied a few weeks ago. 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:22.799 Self-confidence is a worldly trait, not a biblical one. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:26.880 Self-confidence is not what we're called to. 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:30.480 It is confidence in Christ that we're called to. 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:36.000 We are confident in his word, his abilities. 00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:41.359 We can really do nothing good, including standing firm for him, apart from his strength, his power. 00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:42.880 That's what the Bible teaches us. 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:51.599 If our Lord says something in his word that's going to happen, even if that means that you and I are going to fail and be humbled, we better believe that and prayerfully seek to change our ways. 00:26:53.039 --> 00:27:14.079 And secondly, the thing I want us to see is if we do fail to stand firm for Christ, if we do shrink back from ridicule that can come from others regarding our faith, if Lord forbid we stand ashamed in the face of persecutors, even if it's just taunting or joking, we've got to remember our Lord is still gracious. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:22.319 Remember, these men returned to the Lord's side following the resurrection and became the catalyst for the early church as it gets going. 00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:26.160 Our Lord continued to use them even though they fled here. 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:28.480 Isn't he gracious? 00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:36.160 But make no mistake, that doesn't mean that they just forgot all about it. 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:42.640 It was actually fuel for their faithfulness. 00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:46.880 They never forgot their fearful abandonment of the king. 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:48.720 And neither will you and I. 00:27:49.680 --> 00:27:51.359 If that comes to us. 00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:55.599 I pray that none of us would show cowardice in those moments. 00:27:56.400 --> 00:28:00.319 I pray that we would all stand for Christ as he stood in our place. 00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:08.880 But if maybe you're thinking back right now of a time when you did shrink back, when your master was attacked. 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:19.440 So remember his faithfulness, remember his forgiveness, and allow that to be your fuel for your future faithful obedience in Christ. 00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:24.480 He alone will cause that. 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:27.920 Moving to verses 51 and 52. 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:33.519 This is a very interesting section that's only found here in the book of Mark. 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:35.599 None of the other Gospels recorded. 00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:48.000 Here we have just yet another person that's ashamed in the face of the persecutions and runs away literally naked, just out of the grip of the crowds or guards. 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:50.240 I mean, you can picture that in your mind, right? 00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:53.039 Maybe they even grabbed it as he's running. 00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:54.960 His cloth. 00:28:56.880 --> 00:29:01.039 This man probably lived close by, heard the ruckus going on, went to check it out. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:06.319 He most likely at least knew about Jesus, heard the noise, got out of better passage, says he's following Jesus here. 00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:07.200 Interesting. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:09.119 Explains why he's wearing a linen cloth. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:10.480 It's late at night. 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:16.000 Now we're not directly told who this is, but many scholars agree, and I totally agree with this. 00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:18.160 This is Mark himself. 00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:22.400 The author. 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:29.279 I won't go into detail why, it's not that important, but I'll say, I think there's a reason why he added it here in these verses. 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:35.839 The importance in verse 52 lies, I believe, in the atimacy of his escape. 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:48.960 By that I mean it shows us the character of the men who were seizing Jesus, how ruthless they were that night in the garden, but it also shows us the utter desertion of our Lord and Savior. 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:52.079 Total isolation and abandonment. 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:53.920 Even by that guy. 00:29:56.160 --> 00:30:02.079 When Jesus is forsaken by his own disciples, it's all encompassing. 00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:11.039 For example, this man, Mark, is so emphatic about getting away that he's literally willing to run away naked. 00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:17.519 Just to not have the possible accusation that he is with Christ. 00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:25.680 He'd rather run away humiliated and naked than be seen as one of Christ's followers. 00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:27.920 Think about that for a moment. 00:30:29.759 --> 00:30:37.519 May that never be the case, brothers and sisters, with any single one of us, in the face of what the world can do. 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:46.480 May we always be found sturdy and steadfast for the Lord by his side, by his strength, clinging to his promises and clinging to his word. 00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:58.559 Just gripping to the hope that we have in our Messiah, no matter what comes, no matter what word of ridicule maybe in our country, or even a lynch mob if it were to come, or a law based on persecuting Christians. 00:30:58.720 --> 00:31:04.799 Let us stand strong for Christ in the face of whatever they can throw out. 00:31:07.359 --> 00:31:13.119 I would rather stand for Christ in this life than fall down completely ashamed before him on that day. 00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:23.920 Let's move now to the place where they take Jesus that night. 00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:35.680 They take him first, as John tells us in his gospel account, to Annas, the former high priest, Caiaphas' father-in-law. 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:43.519 Then he's taken before the current high priest and these chief priests and these scribes and elders, as we see in verse 53 of our text. 00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:46.000 This is really what's called a kangaroo court. 00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:47.200 You ever heard that term? 00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:49.680 This court is a joke. 00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:53.519 This is the first of two trials that Jesus is at. 00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:59.279 We'll look at the next, the other one next time, or he's before the Roman court, if you will. 00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:01.279 But this is a kangaroo court. 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:04.319 And then Webster's definition, I think, is great of a kangaroo court. 00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:10.720 It describes it as a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted. 00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:13.119 That's exactly what happened here. 00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:17.039 And we're talking about God's law, even worse. 00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:31.920 And so, no matter how awful some of our court proceedings may go sometimes in our modern day and age, because we're fallen humans, there's never been a court or trial that has embodied the definition more of what a kangaroo court is than this one here. 00:32:32.079 --> 00:32:33.839 This is an absolute sham. 00:32:35.680 --> 00:32:39.359 First, we see many people giving false testimonies against Jesus. 00:32:39.519 --> 00:32:43.839 Now, they got some of the wording right, like Jesus said, I'm going to tear this down and build it back up. 00:32:43.920 --> 00:32:51.279 Okay, they got some of that right, but not only are they inconsistent, but they're accusing him of something that he didn't actually mean. 00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:54.640 Okay, so so it's it's it's like lying, isn't it? 00:32:54.799 --> 00:33:02.559 It's usually not just this blatant made-up thing, could be, but a lot of times it's these subtle transitions, these subtle switches. 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:09.519 And so they're giving false testimonies against Jesus. 00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:15.920 Didn't line up at all with one another, in fact. 00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:18.559 And so Jesus just remains silent. 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:19.440 Why? 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:23.519 Well, there's no need to speak when wicked men are making a fool of themselves. 00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:32.880 The leaders of the Jewish people are conspiring, encouraging others to lie so that they can kill their own prophesied Messiah. 00:33:34.880 --> 00:33:42.160 I want to say that again so it sinks down a bit and helps us to remember the true heart intentions of mankind outside of faith in Christ. 00:33:42.319 --> 00:33:42.640 Okay? 00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:47.359 The leaders of the Jewish people, okay, remember who the Jewish people are. 00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:55.440 They are conspiring and even lying in a trial so that they can kill their own prophesied Messiah or Savior. 00:33:55.680 --> 00:33:58.160 Their only path to the Father. 00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:10.000 No matter what they did, don't sure it amounted to bribes, fear-mongering. 00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:14.239 No matter what they did, were they ever able to accuse him of any wrongdoing? 00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:19.599 With their double speak and their lying perversions of the truth. 00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:23.519 Remember, these are the religious leaders. 00:34:25.920 --> 00:34:33.760 They are the very ones put in place by God to preserve his pure word, protect the innocent, shepherd the wandering. 00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:41.920 This is why God says in Ezekiel, I think it's 36, where he talks about, my shepherds have failed. 00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:43.039 I'm coming. 00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:47.679 I'm gonna destroy those shepherds, and I'm gonna shepherd you. 00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:58.159 These vengeful hypocrites ended up being the leaders and falsely accusing the innocent, spotless, and sinless Son of God. 00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:06.400 This mockery of justice will forever be remembered as the perfect God man is accused and sentenced to be put to death. 00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:15.360 So, what is it that they finally agreed upon that caused him to be able to say that he deserves this death? 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:24.400 Well, they kind of finally give up trying to make false accusations against him in his comments regarding the destruction of the temple, and they just say, Hey, would you incriminate yourself? 00:35:24.480 --> 00:35:25.679 That'd be great. 00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:33.199 The high priest Caiaphas asked Jesus in verses 60 and 61, if he is indeed the Christ, the son of the Blessed One. 00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:45.280 Now, before now, Jesus has just been silent before these ridiculous and false accusations, but immediately after that question, Jesus just emphatically responds with what? 00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:47.280 I am. 00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:50.159 So good. 00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:58.000 Same exact words that God used to give Moses his name back in Exodus 3 with the account of the burning bush. 00:35:58.239 --> 00:36:04.320 And so Jesus says, he uses that exact same statement, and he says, I am. 00:36:06.639 --> 00:36:09.119 He's saying, you're looking at God. 00:36:11.679 --> 00:36:16.000 And then he goes on to speak a little bit about the future and his return and whatnot. 00:36:20.480 --> 00:36:22.159 So how do they respond? 00:36:24.079 --> 00:36:29.519 At this response, the high priest and all the others absolutely lost their minds. 00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:34.400 They just explode in unrighteous anger. 00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:37.119 Notice the unrighteous part of that. 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:41.440 The high priest goes on to tear his clothes. 00:36:42.159 --> 00:36:45.440 That's what they used to do when they're just overwhelmed and undone, right? 00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:48.800 And he tears his clothes and he says, Death. 00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:54.159 You deserve to die, Jesus, for saying that? 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:55.920 Because that's blasphemy. 00:36:57.599 --> 00:37:00.480 Crying out, tearing his clothes on behalf of God. 00:37:01.760 --> 00:37:02.960 He thinks. 00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:13.280 Not because he's prayerfully, faithfully, cognitively thought it through, but because his flesh is ruling him. 00:37:13.519 --> 00:37:16.639 And his hardness of heart is just exposed. 00:37:20.079 --> 00:37:32.079 And so what he doesn't understand because of his hardness of heart, an absolute rebellion against that which is true, is that for him to not fall on his knees and agree with Jesus is the actual act of blasphemy. 00:37:34.719 --> 00:37:42.719 Think about it, the the the highest leader, human leader of the Israelites of the day, is blaspheming God. 00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:53.440 For Caiaphas to not see Jesus as the Son of God and the great I am is to charge God with blaspheming God. 00:37:53.760 --> 00:37:56.000 Foolishness beyond belief. 00:37:59.679 --> 00:38:05.840 And this is because basically he's saying, Jesus, you are less than who you say you are. 00:38:08.719 --> 00:38:14.159 His charge of blasphemy and death to the blasphemer should have been rightly his own charge. 00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:18.719 Jesus should have been tearing his clothes. 00:38:22.239 --> 00:38:24.480 This is the world's cry every day, isn't it? 00:38:26.719 --> 00:38:28.159 Watch the news. 00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:37.840 Maybe we think about all those who say there are so many ways to God and that Jesus is God for you, good, but for me it's something else. 00:38:39.679 --> 00:38:44.400 They say they've found God through other religions or an inner light or maybe a combination of all. 00:38:44.559 --> 00:38:48.400 Well, here's the thing: God says something different. 00:38:49.440 --> 00:38:59.920 He says that to say Jesus is somebody other than God in the flesh, or that there's any other way to heaven, that's blasphemy against the one true God. 00:39:00.239 --> 00:39:05.360 And it is the same that all the same thing that all these accusers in this kangaroo court are saying. 00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:08.400 Brothers and sisters, there's one God. 00:39:08.719 --> 00:39:09.920 We've got to remember that. 00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:11.840 We've got to stand firm with that. 00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:20.559 There's one Messiah, one mediator, one savior, one king, one eternal son, one prince of peace, one wonderful counselor. 00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:22.000 I mean, how long do we go on? 00:39:22.159 --> 00:39:31.199 One eternal judge, one creator, one eternal bridegroom, one ultimate sacrificial atoning lamb, one author of life, one rock of hope. 00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:39.039 And his name is Jesus the Christ, Son of the living God, second member of the Trinity. 00:39:39.199 --> 00:39:45.280 Anything short of that is blasphemy and worthy of hell. 00:39:46.880 --> 00:39:48.639