GOOD NEWS PRESENTED BY MARK
Study of the Gospel According to Mark
As you read Mark, be aware that you are reading the very first written account of the ministry of Jesus – a fact well documented by credible Bible scholars. Quite naturally, we want to know who Mark was, and we find that he is mentioned frequently in the New Testament.
What we know about him is that he was the son of a very well-to-do woman in Jerusalem; her name was Mary, and her home became the center of early church get-togethers. So, you can imagine that Mark was there when Jesus’ closest followers came to his mother’s house for a “church council” meeting. Peter the chief elder referred to Mark affectionately as “my son.”
Mark was also the nephew of Barnabas who talked Paul into letting the youngster go with them on one of their missionary journeys - which, you may recall, resulted in Mark’s falling out of favor with Paul by leaving and going back home. However, it’s interesting to note that, years later, when Paul was in prison, facing execution, he asked Timothy to bring Mark with him, “for he is a most useful servant to me.”
I suppose Paul saw in this young man a Christian who had the ability to write; and, apparently having redeemed himself, he could now be counted on to carry out Paul’s wishes. This explanation is plausible because Mark had served as Peter’s scribe and, as such, had written much of what Peter related to him about his eye witness account of the ministry of Jesus.
MARK SERMON XI – MARK 14:1-44 . . .
A CLASHING OF WILLS ON THE WAY TO THE CROSS
On the way to an Olympics gold medal – or silver, or bronze, or for that matter, just to finish the race – the clashing of wills separates the fittest from the fainthearted. Strong-willed athletes tend to have the edge when it comes to disciplinary preparation and sheer determination.
Every Olympic contestant’s goal is “the gold”, but those participants who “stay the course” have no reason to hang their heads in shame!
Disappointed? Yes. Discouraged? Yes. Defeated? No. In practically every area of life – including religion - there are “winners” and “losers”.
During a period of crisis in a church I served, a neighbor of mine spoke words of encouragement to me as I left home to go to my office each morning. From his front porch across the street He would call out to me: “Remember, Charles, you’re on the winning side!” Raymond spoke of “winning” not in terms of prevailing - as in a contest - but as a reference to another of his euphemisms: “With God on your side, how can you lose?”
Although I, in no way, saw or see myself as a “martyr” - and certainly NOT a “savior” in any sense of the word - nevertheless there are times in our lives when we must admit that “a power beyond ourselves” is in control, and that, therefore, we are compelled to submit to God’s Way and Will.
As Jesus entered the final phase of His redemptive mission, He bowed to the absolute certainty and inevitability of the clashing of wills that would send Him to the Cross; but, through it all, He focused on God’s Purpose.
Jesus understood He was on the “winning side”; yet, humanly speaking, His burden was difficult to bear. Most of us have “been there” - in the sense that we have at times found ourselves “between a rock and a hard place”. As did Jesus, we too have experienced that feeling of loneliness.
During those final hours of great distress in the life of Jesus, not only did He have a difficult decision to make – as to God’s Will versus His own will - but so did other participants in that “drama of the ages”. To begin with, a decision by Jewish religious leaders set the tone for the events leading up to our Lord’s “Hour of Decision” --- Mark 14:1-2 . . .
How tragic it was that religious leaders conspired to murder this “teacher come from God” - on a mission “to save people from their sins” - whose innocence would be declared by the highest Roman official in Judea! For me, the lesson to be learned from the events leading up to the crucifixion is this: Love compels, but hypocrisy (hatred) repels – even kills!
Each one of us who encounter Jesus decides the path we will take in response to His redemptive claim – the way of love or the way of hypocrisy.
LOVE compelled the anointing of Jesus while He was visiting a friend in Bethany prior to going into the City (Mark 14:3-9) . . . A woman to whom Jesus meant more than words could convey decided to honor her Lord by anointing Him with a rare perfume.
HYPOCRISY prompted the scolding of her by onlookers - which brings to my mind an observation made by one of my favorite teachers: “Sometimes a man (woman) is wisest when his (her) friends think that he (she) is acting like a fool!”
LOVE compelled the affirming of the woman by Jesus; He foretold that her act of extravagance would be mentioned everywhere the gospel was preached as an example of the unselfish devotion love compels.
HYPOCRISY prompted the plotting to betray Jesus by one of the Lord’s inner circle – a man who, like too many folks in our day, had his “price” and therefore could be “bought” (Mark 14:10-11) . . .
LOVE compelled the observing of the Passover (Mark 14:12-26) as an act of commemorating (1) the love of God - demonstrated by the deliverance of God’s people from bondage, and (2) the love of Christ – which would be demonstrated by His sacrificial death on the Cross – a sacrifice symbolized by the “breaking of bread” (His broken body) and “drinking from a cup” (the shedding of His blood for the remission of our sins).
HYPOCRISY, perceived by Jesus to be present in the heart and mind of one of His closest followers, prompted the foretelling of a shocking denial (Mark 14:27-31).
Whether LOVE or HYPOCRISY prevails in the hearts and minds of followers of Jesus Christ depends on the individual decisions we make.
If our decision is to DO the Will of our Father who art in heaven, LOVE prevails; but if our decision is to live our lives apart from God’s Will, HYPOCRISY prevails.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, LOVE prevailed over HYPOCRISY as Jesus prayed about the decision He had to make - Mark 14:32-35 . . .
Don’t you suppose that Jesus could have stayed in the Upper Room to pray? Perhaps; but most likely He wanted to be alone during His Hour of Decision at a time when the house where He observed the Passover meal might be raided by those with whom Judas had conspired.
LOVE compelled our Lord to “go it alone” as He agonizingly poured out His soul to the Father to see if there was any way to accomplish God’s purpose other than the way of the Cross. Folks, it is okay to want to make sure that what we are about to endure is indeed God’s Will.
HYPOCRISY tempts us to seek the “easy way out” and have it our way or no way. But not Jesus! He prayed it through until He was convinced that God’s Will - not His own - would be done – Mark 14:36-40 . . .
LOVE compelled Jesus to address His Father with the use of a term of endearment – “Abba, Father” – similar to our common usage of the word “Daddy” – indicating an intimate relationship.
HYPOCRISY may have been the “cause” of the Disciples’ falling asleep even though He had asked them to “stay awake and pray”. You might say that snoring when they should have been imploring indicated insincerity, especially considering their vow to never abandon Jesus!
LOVE compelled Jesus to react to His Disciples’ lack of dedication by giving a sort of “Oh, well” response, saying in effect, “My decision has been made: It is time to finish the purpose for which I came into this world” – Mark 14:41-42 . . .
Will you commit yourself to “keeping on keeping on” until you finish God’s purpose for your life – even though you may not fully understand the reason why you are still here? (I have often remarked that I was born accidentally for a purpose. But I am deliberately going to stay the course until God calls me home!)
HYPOCRISY reared its ugly head more forcefully than ever as the “moment of truth” arrived – when it was revealed that Judas’ decision to betray Jesus had been acted upon – Mark 14:43-44 . . .
“He’s the one!” My, how often have you and I observed someone within our ranks pointing the finger of blame at a brother or sister in Christ, or another. Shifting blame onto a “scapegoat” may be the most disgusting act of betrayal known to mankind!
LOVE compelled Jesus to react to His accusers calmly with dignity, but sadly, the same could not be said about His inner circle of Disciples – Mark 14:45-50 . . .
Make no mistake about it! Only because Jesus had made the decision to do His Father’s Will no matter the cost did He refrain from allowing His Band of Disciples or a Legion of Angels to intervene on His behalf! REAL LOVE was in command of His decisions and actions!
What about His Disciples? Sad to say, HYPOCRISY won the day!
Would you agree that LOVE shall prevail only if individual Christians willingly crucify HYPOCRISY and magnify DEVOTION TO CHRIST who loved us and gave Himself for us?
So may it be! Amen.
