Play a clip from Billy Graham’s last message to America…and the world.
God loves you and is willing to forgive you for all your sins! This clip is from Billy Graham’s last message to America, delivered when he was 95 years old. Billy Graham preached the gospel live to nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories! How many of you heard him at a stadium, on radio or TV or on the Internet? Anyone come to faith in Christ through his ministry? Beth’s older sister Jill was saved at the Chicago Crusade in 1971.
Billy Graham had an unwavering commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ and an unflinching confidence in the Bible as the inerrant and authoritative Word of God. One of Billy’s trademark phrases was, “The Bible says…”
Last weekend we focused on the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and learned that it was a place of support, sorrow, solitude, struggle, submission, and finally, strength. Today we have front-row seats to the arrest and most infamous trial in history.
We’re going to cover nearly 30 verses from Mark 14 so let’s get to what the Bible says.
Here’s a simple outline.
• A Bitter Betrayal (Mark 14:43-52)
• A Terrible Trial (Mark 14:53-65)
• A Deliberate Denial (Mark 14:66-72)
1. A Bitter Betrayal. The Bible says in verses 43-52: “And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.’ 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, ‘Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.’ 50 And they all left him and fled. 51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.”
As Jesus concludes His prayer and teaching time with the disciples, Judas brings “a crowd with swords and clubs.” This is the word “cohort,” also translated as a “band of soldiers” in John 18:12. At full strength a cohort contained 600 Romans soldiers who were armed with “swords,” or “slaughter-knifes.” There were also temple police present who carried “clubs.”
Like most undercover operations, a signal or “sign” was used to let them know whom to arrest. Judas the betrayer set it up in verse 44: “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” Judas then wasted no time as he “went up to him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ And he kissed him.” It’s noteworthy that Judas never called Jesus “Lord” in the gospels. He then embraced Jesus by repeatedly and fervently kissing him on the cheek. This was the ultimate act of betrayal since a kiss was an expressive act of close friendship. Proverbs 27:6 says, “The kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
Something else happens at this point that John records. It’s quite remarkable. The Bible says in John 18:4-5: “Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, ‘Whom do you see seek?’ They answered him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am he.’” At which point, they “drew back and fell to the ground.” In the presence of glory, they hit the ground! When Christ comes forward they fall backward. When He declares, “I am,” He is equating Himself with Yahweh and they have no choice but to fall back and fall down.
They must have known He was no ordinary man and yet according to Mark 14:46, “they laid hands on him and seized him.” While Jesus offers himself willingly, verse 47 tells us that one of those who stood by Jesus “drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.” Mark doesn’t give us his name but John tells us that it was Peter.
I think Peter and John had some friendly competition going on because John wants us to know in John 20:4 that he outran Peter to the empty tomb. We could say that Peter was courageous for drawing his sword but remember he went after an unarmed servant, not a soldier. Peter was better at fishing than wielding a weapon because he missed the guy’s head and only whacked off his ear! We read in Luke 22:51 that Jesus reattached the servant’s ear! It’s a good thing or else there would have been four crosses at Calvary.
Actually, the bigger lesson here is that Peter was trying to fight a spiritual battle with a physical weapon. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:3: “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.” Listen. You can’t fix your marriage or handle your stress or overcome your addictions or deal with your sins by just trying harder. It’s not what we do but what’s already been done for us! Instead of trying more we’re called to trust more.
Jesus then asks why they’re treating Him like a robber and why they didn’t arrest Him when He was in the temple teaching. And then He says in verse 49: “But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” The word “fulfilled” means, “to make full.” The Bible says in verse 50: “And they all left him and fled.” This is actually a fulfillment of verse 27, which contains a quote from Zechariah: “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’”
While we can’t prove that verses 51-52 are autobiographical, it’s likely that Mark inserted this about himself: “And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.” While Peter ends up denying Jesus, Mark and the disciples all ditched Him. It looks like everything is falling apart as everyone flees.
This has to be a bit embarrassing if this was Mark. It’s quite possible that he had followed quickly without taking time to get dressed, simply draping a sheet over him. This reminds me of the time we lived in a townhome on Harlem Avenue in the western suburbs of Chicago when I heard some noise below our bedroom window one night. When I looked out, I saw a man stealing our neighbor’s car. I yelled at him and then ran downstairs and out into the parking lot and starting chasing the car before realizing I was in my pajamas with no shoes on. It was kind of a vulnerable position to be in. Sorry about putting that picture in your mind. It’s no wonder Mark doesn’t give his name.
2. A Terrible Trial. It’s important to keep in mind that Jesus actually had six different trials – three religious and three civil. And only the Roman authorities had power to put someone to death. We’ll look at the religious trials today and the other three next weekend. The Bible says in verse 53: “And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.”
We read in John 18:12-14 that Jesus was bound and led first to Annas. In the gospels two individuals were given the title high priest – Annas and Caiaphas. According to the Old Testament, the high priesthood was an office for life, but the Romans had given this role to Caiaphas, even though many still looked to Annas, who was older and very influential. He was like the “godfather” of the temple establishment, and cases had to be cleared with him first. Caiaphas was a son-in-law to Annas, and was also powerful and extremely ruthless.
While all this is going on with Jesus, Peter goes right into the courtyard of the high priest where he warms himself at a fire in verse 54: “And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire.” We’ll pick up Peter’s story in a bit but for now let’s ponder a few questions:
• Am I following Jesus from a distance?
• Am I allowing the enemies of Jesus to influence me?
• Am I playing with fire?
Peter is in a precarious position according to what the Bible says in Psalm 1:1: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.”
According to Numbers 35:30 the religious leaders needed at least two witnesses before putting Jesus to death but they can’t find any that agree. The Bible says in verse 56 that some came forward but their stories didn’t line up. As they kept trying, others “stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” They’re hoping this charge will stick because the destruction of a worship place was a capital offense.
This was a stretch as well because Jesus was clear that they’re the ones who would destroy the temple in John 2:19-21: “‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking about the temple of his body.”
Once these “witnesses” contradicted each other, they should have been declared false and the case against Jesus dropped. In fact, under Jewish law, in a capital case, false witnesses were to be put to death (Deuteronomy 19:16-21).
But the interrogation intensifies in verses 60-61: “And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, ‘Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?’ But he remained silent and made no answer.” The fact that the high priest stood indicated that a verdict had been reached. This was also illegal because the high priest was to sit quietly and the accused was never to be attacked directly. In Jewish law, defendants had the right to remain silent. Our Miranda Rights are rooted in this law.
By remaining silent Jesus is fulfilling what the Bible says in Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” Here’s how Peter puts it in 1 Peter 2:23: “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”
Since he’s getting nowhere, the high priest decides to ask a very direct question in the second half of verse 61: “Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’” The tense of “asked him” means, “kept on asking” and the word “you” is emphatic. The religious leaders often substituted different names for God but this is the first time we read, “Son of the Blessed.” The high priest is trying to get Jesus to declare that He is the Messiah and equal to God.
The Holy One did not hesitate and gave a very clear answer about His person, His position and His power in verse 62: “And Jesus said, ‘I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” This is the second time Jesus uses the phrase, “I am,” which is a clear confession of deity that hearkens back to Exodus 3:14 when God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” I’m reminded of John 8:58 where Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I am.” Interestingly, in this past week the high school students drilled into this truth Wednesday night and last Saturday at the Ladies Learning Lab, nearly 50 women focused on the seven “I am” statements from the Gospel of John.
The high priest got more than he bargained for with this answer as Jesus references what the Bible says in Daniel 7:13-14, a passage everyone knew referred to the Messiah: “And behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” The Savior’s statement is also rooted in Psalm 110:1, another prophetic passage about the Messiah: “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’”
Not only did Jesus declare that He was the Messiah, He also showed that the roles were going to be reversed one day. How could they have the audacity to sit in judgment of the one given all dominion and glory? They may have cast their votes in judgment but Jesus is coming again on the clouds of heaven as the Righteous Judge and Cosmic Ruler of the universe. His death will not be the end because He will rise from the dead, ascend to heaven and return in great power and glory. Jesus is actually the judge and Caiaphas the condemned. Jesus may be in custody but He’s in control and in charge!
And then the Bible says in verses 63-64: “And the high priest tore his garments and said, ‘What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?’ And they all condemned him as deserving death.” In a show of holy hypocrisy, Caiaphas tore his clothes to declare that Jesus was committing blasphemy. Friends, for Jesus to declare that He was the Son of God was not blasphemy, it was fact. Interestingly, Caiaphas is actually the one committing blasphemy, isn’t he? The sentence of death is now formalized and concludes the final religious trial before Jesus is sent to Pilate in chapter 15.
This group then declares that Jesus is worthy of death and in verse 65, they let loose on the Lord of Glory: “And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, ‘Prophesy!’ And the guards received him with blows.” These personal indignities were not only illegal; what they did demonstrated their total disregard for Jesus. They want it to appear that instead of being divine, Jesus is hardly worthy to be regarded as human.
To spit in the face of someone was to repudiate that individual and was one of the worst insults imaginable (Numbers 12:14). Their spittle gave vent to their spite. By hitting Him with their fists, they were rejecting His claim as Messiah by saying He was too weak to defend Himself; and by blindfolding Him and telling Him to prophecy, they were rejecting Him as a prophet.
The sad irony of telling Jesus to prophecy while they’re striking Him is actually a fulfillment of what the Bible says in Isaiah 50:6: “I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.” In Bach’s passion from the Gospel of Matthew, there’s a line that says, “Who is it that hit you?” The response of the choir is jarring: “I, I and my sins.”
3. A Deliberate Denial. When Jesus was arrested, the disciples became deserters. But Peter turned around and courageously gained access into the courtyard of Caiaphas. We should give him kudos for that. Jesus had warned Peter that before the night was over he was going to deny Him three times.
Let’s walk through these denials.
• Denial #1: The Bible says in Mark 14:66-68: “And 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 the Nazarene, Jesus.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed.’ It’s hard to believe that this was the same guy who had whacked off a soldier’s ear and had boldly declared in Luke 22:33: “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
Mark 14:54 tells us that he had been warming himself by the fire, but now things are becoming too hot for him. As Peter tries to get out of there, the girl spots him and declares out loud that he was with Jesus of Nazareth. The word “you” is emphatic while “Nazarene” is a term of derision. Luke 22:56 says that she “looked closely at him and said, ‘This man was with him.’” Peter is caught off guard and pleads ignorance, using a standard form of denial in Jewish legal texts. It’s like he’s saying, “Talk to the hand.” It’s interesting that it doesn’t take much to get Peter to deny Christ. He drew down on the servant in the garden but now cowers in fear at the question of a little servant girl.
• Denial #2: Peter moves away from the fire and is now under a covered passageway where he thinks he’s safer. Mark 14:69-70: “And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, ‘This man is one of them.’ But again he denied it.” The tense of “denied” indicates that Peter “kept on denying.”
• Denial #3. About an hour later (see Luke 22:59), the Bible says in Mark 14:70-71: “And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, ‘Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.’ But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, ‘I do not know this man of whom you speak.’” One of these accusers, according to John 18:26, was a relative of Malchus, the man Peter had whacked in the garden. According to Matthew 26:73, they were certain that Peter was a disciple because of the way that he talked. Galileans were careless with their vowels and failed to clearly differentiate the various guttural consonants. People from Wisconsin are sometimes made fun of for something similar.
Let’s be clear. Peter wasn’t cussing and using bad language. It’s worse than that. The word “curse” actually means, “anathema.” He’s placing himself under a curse if he’s found to not be telling the truth. Notice that he refers to Jesus as “this man,” as if Jesus was a complete stranger to him. He is saying something like this: “May I be condemned and go to hell if I’m found to be a follower of that man!” The more he talks, the more people hear his accent. And as he calls down curses, people see that he has compromised the truth. One could make the case that Peter is the one committing blasphemy.
As Peter is cursing he hears a cock crowing. I picture him freezing in mid-sentence because the Bible says in verse 72: “And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.”
At the point of Peter’s denial, the Bible says in Luke 22:61, “the Lord turned and looked at Peter.” As Peter gazes at the gracious face of Jesus covered with spittle and bruised by the blows He had received, he sees pain…and he sees pardon. The look of love from His Lord broke Peter’s proud heart. I’m reminded of what the Bible says in Romans 2:4, “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” The kindness of Christ turned Peter into a puddle. The phrase “broke down” means, “to cast or throw upon” and the word “wept” refers to “wailing, lamenting and bitter weeping.”
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 7:10: “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” The path to restoration requires godly grief and repentance. Craig Groeschel says that while we can’t un-sin; we can repent.
I wonder if you feel like Peter today. You’ve failed and feel like you can’t be forgiven. Maybe your marriage is a mess or a close friendship has fractured. Perhaps you’ve been fired from your job or your business is a bust. Maybe your kids haven’t turned out like you wanted them to. Maybe there’s a slow leak going on or perhaps you’ve already had a blowout. It’s time to move from rebellion to repentance so that you can be restored. A denial doesn’t disqualify you. Remember that while Peter is falling into sin, the Savior is preparing to procure his salvation. We could say it like this: When we fall on our face and realize Jesus took our place we will experience His grace.
After Jesus is put to death, the disciples are afraid and go into hiding. I love what the angel said to the women who had come to the empty tomb on Sunday morning in Mark 16:7: “But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” The angel wanted Peter to get the news that Jesus was now alive. This customized message was designed especially for someone who felt like a failure.
So how do we respond?
1. Serve God in your generation. I often hear people say that there will never be another Billy Graham. I don’t buy that. Billy was simply a man who was surrendered to the Savior and to the Scriptures. I’m reminded of something D.L. Moody often said, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man.” Billy Graham considered Moody his hero and he aimed to be fully consecrated to Christ in his generation.
So here’s a question. What’s keeping you from being a man or woman like that? God uses those who are fully surrendered to Him. Is God calling you to live on mission like you’ve never done before? What are you waiting for? I was talking to Mike Syler this week and ended our conversation by asking him what I could pray for. I was humbled when he told me that he’s shared the gospel with 21 of the 23 people he works with. He asked for courage to witness to the final two!
2. Let’s leverage this cultural moment for gospel impact. Have you noticed that everyone is talking about the life and legacy of Billy Graham right now? His body will be on display in the Capitol Rotunda this week and his funeral will be on Friday. Let’s pray that the gospel will be presented clearly all over the world. This is also a gospel moment for each of us. When you hear people talking about him, look for ways to insert the gospel into conversations. One idea is to simply ask this question, “What do you think about Billy Graham dying this past week?” This may open up gospel conversations.
Kathie Lee Gifford leveraged his legacy in an interview on NBC: “My whole family came to faith in Jesus Christ through the Billy Graham organization...my mother and sister both came to Christ watching one of his crusades on TV. I came home one night and I found my mother and sister on their knees sobbing their eyes out. I wondered, ‘who died?’ but it wasn’t that, it was ‘who was born?’”
3. Repent and receive Jesus Christ. You must make a choice about Christ and be born again if you want to go to heaven. You can judge Him like the religious leaders or you can deny Him like Peter, or you can choose to receive Him as your Lord and Savior right now. Will you bow before Him or beat Him with your fists? Will you continue to be angry with Him, or will you adore Him? You can attack Him, or you can abdicate to His rule in your life. Will you accept Jesus as Savior now so that the judgment you rightly deserve will be absorbed by Him? If you refuse to repent and receive Jesus Christ you will stand condemned before Him as your judge and spend eternity in Hell.
The Bible says in Romans 10:13: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Will you call on Christ right now so the Savior can save you? I’m going to lead in prayer and ask you to pray along with me so that you can settle your salvation. After the prayer, we’re going to play a clip from one of Billy Graham’s Crusades where he gives an invitation for people to come down front. If you’re ready to do that, you can come up here. When you hear the song, “Just as I am,” feel free to sing along. When the clip ends, Pastor Chad will lead us in singing this song of invitation. Would you stand right now as we pray?
“Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life. I own that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. Forgive me for judging you on the one hand, and for denying you on the other. I repent of my sins by changing my mind about the way I’ve been living. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth and experiencing all that you did for me. With all my heart I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe your words are true. I repent and receive you now into my heart. Be my Savior and Lord. I surrender to your leadership in my life. Make me into the person you want me to be. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
Closing Clip of Billy Graham Crusade/“Just As I Am.”
