SERIES: WALKING WITH JESUS
“THE SUFFERING SERVANT”
MARK 14:1-15:20
OPEN
On D-Day, June 6, 1944, Winston Churchill had an over-arching desire to watch the invasion from the bridge of a battleship in the English Channel. Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D, Eisenhower was just as passionate about stopping him. His fear was that Churchill would lose his life during the battle.
Churchill would not be denied the experience. Eisenhower turned to a higher authority in King George VI. The king told Churchill that if it was the Prime Minister’s duty to witness the assault, then it was also the king’s duty to do so as well. Churchill relented because he could not expose the King of England to such danger. The prime rule of chess is to protect your king. The finish of the game is check-mate – when your king is captured.
Our king was not concerned with His own life. Phil. 2:8 tells us about our King – “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
We are almost finished with our series through the Gospel of Mark. It’s time to look at the last few hours of Jesus’ life on earth. Earlier, Jesus declared in Mk. 10:45 – “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The time has come. The ransom must be paid.
ANNOINTED
Mk. 14:1-11 – “Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the
chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. ‘But not
during the Feast,’ they said, ‘or the people may riot.’ While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the
home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume,
made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, ‘Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor.’ And they rebuked her harshly. ‘Leave her alone,’ said Jesus. ‘Why are you
bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help
them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on
my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout
the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.’ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went
to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money.
So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”
The chief priests and the teachers of the law were ready to kill Jesus. They were doing their best to plot and plan His death. But they didn’t know that even though they thought that Jesus’ death would be according to their plan, God was working all things together for good. Even though these religious leaders planned it for evil, God was going to use what was going to happen for the greatest good of all – the salvation of every person who would put their faith in His Son.
Something very important happens before their plot is completed. Jesus is attending a dinner in his honor. As he reclines at the table, a woman comes with jar of very expensive ointment or perfume. She breaks the jar and pours the expensive perfume over Jesus’ head. The Gospel of John identifies this woman as Mary the sister of Lazarus and that she also poured this perfume over Jesus’ feet.
Even though several people complain about her act of adoration, Jesus commends her for what she has done. We see a beautiful act of worship. She gives to Jesus in a loving and a lavish way. She is not afraid to worship him in a very personal but public manner.
How do you worship the King? Do you give lovingly and lavishly in worship? Are you afraid that someone will see you? Are you worried about what people are going to say? Do you see worship as a “waste” – a waste of time, a waste of effort, a waste of valuable resources?
Worship is all about pouring ourselves out before God. Worship is our thanks to God for what he has done for us. Mary poured out lovingly and lavishly before her Lord because she understood what he was getting ready to do for her. He was going to pay the ransom.
Worship is also about seeking only the approval of God. We can’t expect to find a soul-satisfying satisfaction from the approval of human beings – be it a parent, a spouse, a teacher, or a church leader. We can only experience soul-satisfying satisfaction when we know that the Lord is pleased with what we’ve done.
Notice that in this section of our passage of Mark’s Gospel, we have the much-encountered “Markan sandwich.” Mark starts this section with the treachery of the Jewish leaders. He then relates the beauty of the worship Mary lavishes on her King, and then closes with the treachery of Judas Iscariot.
BETRAYED
Mk. 14:12-26 – “On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the
Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat
the Passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water
will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they
were reclining at the table eating, he said, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.’ They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, ‘Surely not I?’ ‘It is one of the Twelve,’ he replied, ‘one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But
woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.’ While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my
body.’ Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. ‘This is my blood
of the covenant, which is poured out for many,’ he said to them. ‘I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of
the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.’ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”
Did you notice that there was no question concerning whether or not Jesus would participate in the Passover? How many of us are “iffy” in our participation in celebrating what God has done for us? How many of us make other things more important or at least just as important as gathering with fellow believers to worship, fellowship, and celebrate God’s work in our lives? No, the disciples could only ask where the celebration would take place. It would take place.
Jesus took this important celebration and changed its meaning. The Passover was a celebration of how God lead his people out of slavery in Egypt. It was an act of remembrance because God allowed the death angel to “pass over” the homes of those who had applied the blood of the lamb to the doorposts of their homes.
Jesus was soon to become the Passover lamb. His sacrifice on the cross would begin a new covenant between God and mankind. Through faith, we apply Christ’s shed blood to our lives and then the penalty of spiritual death is taken from us. Because of his sacrifice on the cross, we find forgiveness and eternal life.
During this historical re-enactment of the original Passover, Jesus did something historic. He used the symbols of part of the Passover meal to refer to himself and what he was going to do in just a few hours.
As Jesus talked about the sacrifice of his body and blood, there is a traitor in their midst. Jesus identifies the traitor as being one of the Twelve and one who shared directly in the meal with him. The apostle John describes it this way in Jn. 13:21-30 – “…Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘I tell you the truth, one of
you is going to betray me. His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One
of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and
said, ‘Ask him which one he means.’ Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ Jesus
answered, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan
entered into him. ‘What you are about to do, do quickly,’ Jesus told him, but no one at the meal understood
why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy
what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went
out. And it was night.”
The movie Braveheart tells the story of Scottish patriot William Wallace (Mel Gibson), and his quest to liberate his country from British rule. Robert the Bruce, the most powerful of the Scottish noblemen, is faced with a difficult decision because of Wallace's rebellion. On the one hand, he wants a free Scotland; on the other hand, he wants personal power and wealth.
Robert the Bruce's father is an aging leper who wants power for his son above all else, even if it means betraying Wallace and his freedom fighters. He convinces Robert to betray Wallace in a major battle with the English, fought at Fulkirk, so that he will become the puppet-king of Scotland.
In this poignant scene, Robert the Bruce comes to terms with his betrayal and realizes what matters most in life. He has been transformed by Wallace's example.
Robert's Father: Son, we must have alliance with England to prevail here. You achieved that, you saved
your family, you increased your land. In time you will have all the power in Scotland.
Robert the Bruce: Lands, titles, men, power—nothing.
Robert's Father: Nothing?
Robert the Bruce: I have nothing. Men fight for me because if they do not I throw them off my land, and I
starve their wives and their children. Those men who bled the ground red at Fulkirk, they fought for William
Wallace, and he fights for something that I've never had, and I took it from him when I betrayed him, and I
saw it in his face on the battlefield, and it's tearing me apart!
Robert's Father: All men betray. All lose heart.
Robert the Bruce: I don't want to lose heart! I want to believe, as he does…I will never be on the wrong
side again.
Have you been unfaithful to Christ? Have you sought after your own designs and desires? Have you placed your own interests over his? Don’t despair. We know that Judas was so desperate because of what he did that he went out and hung himself. Christ forgives. Recommit yourself to him. He will forgive and restore. 1 Jn. 1:9, we have this promise – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
FORSAKEN
Mk. 14:27-52 – “‘You will all fall away,’ Jesus told them, ‘for it is written: I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered. But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’ Peter declared, ‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’ ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘today—yes, tonight—before the rooster
crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.’ But Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I have to die
with you, I will never disown you.’ And all the others said the same. They went to a place called Gethsemane,
and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he
began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ he said
to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch.’ Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the
hour might pass from him. ‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet
not what I will, but what you will.’ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Simon,’ he said
to Peter, ‘are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into
temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’ Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. Returning the third time, he said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’ Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders. Now the betrayer had
arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ Going at
once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him. Then one of those
standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Am I leading a
rebellion,’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you,
teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.’ Then everyone
deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.”
Here are some quick lessons we can learn from Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. The first lesson is, Christ knows what it is to face intense pressure. Things were so intense, Jesus described it this way: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” Life is full of intense pressure. Life-threatening illness. Economic collapse. Family problems. We have a king who knows our sorrows.
The second lesson is he met intense pressure with intense prayer. When was the last time you really wrestled with God in prayer? I don’t mean blaming God for your situation. I mean really wrestling with God over the issues and problems involved in your situation? John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus prayed so hard that he sweat what looked to be drops of blood. That’s intense prayer.
The third lesson is that he was strengthened supernaturally. Jesus knew that the Father had the power to remove the suffering. He also knew that the Father had the power to get him through the suffering. God does not always remove the hard stuff. But he does give us strength and endurance for the hard stuff because sometimes God’s will can only be accomplished with the hard stuff.
In light of all that is happening and will happen, Jesus’ brave disciples “deserted” him in the Garden. It’s interesting that Mark uses the same word here in Mark 14 that he uses in Mark 1 where he says that the four fishermen “left” their nets to follow Jesus. They abandon everything to follow him and now abandon him in Gethsemane.
REJECTED
Mk. 14:53-72 – “They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law
came together. Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence
against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him,
but their statements did not agree. Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: ‘We heard
him say, I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.’ Yet even
then their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, ‘Are you not
going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ But Jesus remained silent
and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’
‘I am,’ said Jesus. ‘And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on
the clouds of heaven.’ The high priest tore his clothes. ‘Why do we need any more witnesses?’ he asked. ‘You
have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?’ They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some
began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, ‘Prophesy!’ And the guards
took him and beat him. While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came
by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. ‘You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,’ she said. But he denied it. ‘I don't know or understand what you're talking about,’ he said, and went out
into the entryway. When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, ‘This fellow is
one of them.’ Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, ‘Surely you are one of
them, for you are a Galilean.’ He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, ‘I don't know
this man you're talking about.’ Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the
word Jesus had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times.’ And he
broke down and wept.”
Did you ever stop to consider how unfair the legal process was to Jesus? Jesus actually faced six trials. The first three were religious trials before Annas, Caiphas and the Sanhedrin. The last three were civil trials before Pilate, Herod, and then back to Pilate. According to Jewish law and the rules of the Sanhedrin, there were at least eleven major breaches of justice in regard to Jesus’ trials.
The first breach was that he was arrested through a bribe; blood money was involved. Second, he was arrested without a clear charge – no clear indictment. Third, trials could not be held at night or on feast days. Jesus’ series of trials lasted through the night and was during Passover.
Fourth, they used physical force to try to intimidate Jesus. Fifth, false witnesses offered conflicting testimony against him. Sixth, witnesses were not supposed to testify in the presence of each other. Seventh, Jesus was asked to incriminate himself, which he did not do.
Eighth, Jesus was not given the opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses against him. Ninth, The high priest never asked for a vote from the Sanhedrin, which should have started with the youngest and moved to the oldest. Tenth, Jesus was charged with blasphemy and temple violations at his religious trials but the charges were changed at his civil trial to include claiming to be king, causing disturbances, and refusing to pay taxes. Eleventh, He was convicted and executed the same day as his trial.
Does life ever seem unfair to you? How do you handle it? Do you trust the Father to do what it says in Rom. 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Even though the unfair proceedings led to his death, Jesus trusted the Father to work it out for good.
Was it easy? Was it painless? Absolutely NOT! But God too what seemed to be the greatest evil and made it the greatest good – the salvation of all who would believe.
Even in Peter, we see our weakness. Had he truly believed what Jesus had told him, he would not have been at the place where he could deny his Lord. He would be faithfully awaiting the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that he would meet them all back in Galilee.
CONDEMNED
Mk. 15:1-20 – “Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. ‘Are you
the king of the Jews?’ asked Pilate. ‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied. The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, ‘Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing
you of.’ But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had
committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
‘Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?’ asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief
priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. ‘What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked them. ‘Crucify him!’ they shouted. ‘Why? What crime has he committed?’ asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!’ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the
whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on
him. And they began to call out to him, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ Again and again they struck him on the head
with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him,
they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.”
Christ committed no sin. He broke no laws. Yet 2 Cor. 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
He came to give his life as a ransom for many. And he was executed on a cruel Roman cross for your sins and mine. Rom. 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jn. 3:16 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Max Lucado said, “Consider what God did. He gave his Son. His only Son. Would you do that? Would you offer the life of your child for someone else? I wouldn’t. There are those for whom I would give my life. But ask me to make a list of those for whom I would kill my daughter? The sheet will be blank. I don’t need a pencil. The list has no names. But God’s list contains the name of every person who ever lived. For this is the scope of his love. And this is the reason for the cross. He loves the world. Aren’t you glad the verse does not read: ‘For God so loved the rich . . . For God so loved the famous . . . For God so loved the thin . . .’ It doesn’t. Nor does it state, ‘For God so loved the Europeans, or Africans . . . the sober or successful . . . the young or the old.’ How wide is God’s love? Wide enough for the whole world. Are you included in the world? Then you are included in God’s love.”
CLOSE
Is. 53:4-6 – “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
The great evangelical Anglican bishop John Ryle gives great insight into this passage: “Was he scourged? It was that ‘through his stripes we might be healed.’ Was he condemned, though innocent? It was that we might be acquitted, though guilty. Did he wear a crown of thorns? It was that we might wear the crown of glory. Was he stripped of his raiment? It was that we might be clothed in everlasting righteousness. Was he mocked and reviled? It was that we might be honored and blessed. Was he reckoned a malefactor, and numbered among transgressors? It was that we might be reckoned innocent, and justified from all sin. Was he declared unable to save himself? It was that he might be able to save others to the uttermost. Did he die at last, and that the most painful and disgraceful of deaths? It was that we might live for evermore, and be exalted to the highest glory.”
