The DEATH Of DELIVERANCE-I—Mark 15:1-25(15:1-47)
*This 'bare-bones' sermon was delivered by 1)focusing on the historical aspects presented thru reading the verses themselves, 2)presenting the bare divisions, & 3)commenting from memory in the moment.*
Need:
To examine the historical reality of Jesus’ death on the Cross & thus to wrest/rescue the ‘Easter season’(as with the ‘Christmas season’) from the confines of secular thinking.
Mk. 9:31-32—“He taught His disciples & said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, & they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” But they did not understand this saying, & were afraid to ask Him.”
Mark related/described the chain of events surrounding Jesus’ death on the Cross.
Certain events transpired in bringing about the death of Deliverance/Emancipation/Liberation/Salvation.
BUT:
*?What causes Deliverance to die?
?How does Deliverance die?
10 delusions ensuring the death of Deliverance.
1—Deliverance dies with Delusions of...
POWER(:1-5)
Explanation:(:1-5)
:1—“Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders & scribes & the whole council; & they bound Jesus, led Him away, & delivered Him to Pilate.”
Jesus is “bound”(:1) & led by governing authorities as a blaspheming & so, an insurrectionist threat to Israel.
By “delivering” “Jesus” “to Pilate”, Jesus’ trial switches from a strictly Jewish religious political constituency composed of “the chief priests” in “consultation with the elders & scribes & the whole council.”
•The trial switches to a secular Roman political constituency, manned by Pontius “Pilate.” “Pilate”, per his orders from Rome, is intent on pacifying the majority Jewish religious political influencers to prevent riots.
Pontius “Pilate” was the ‘governor’ of Judea(Mt. 27:2, 11; Lk. 3:1) from 26-36AD. The word translated as “governor” is hgemwn--which is a nontechnical term. In Roman terms, “Pilate” was a ‘prefect or procurator’ appointed directly by Tiberius Caesar of Rome. As such, Pilate did not have a specifically military purpose(Legate) as such, but rather, was an “administrative financial officer in charge of collecting taxes & keeping the peace” or “maintaining public order”(NAC). “Pilate” did so under Roman governmental authority. Thereby he had soldiers at his disposal to enforce that administrative charge/duty.
• Pontius “Pilate” usually lived on the coast of the Mediterranean in the city of Caesarea. But “Pilate” was in Jerusalem during Passover as a reminder to all the Jews that occupying Rome would forcefully crush any riotous trouble.
:2—“Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered & said to him, “It is as you say.”
Jesus admits that He is indeed the rightful “King of the Jews”—“It is as you say.”
However, in Jn. 18:34-38, Jesus qualifies that statement—““Jesus answered him[“Pilate”], “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation & the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, & for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, & said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.””
:3—“And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing.”
“The chief priests” had an ongoing political relationship with Pilate, as he was the recognized Roman ‘governor/prefect/procurator’.
“The chief priests” were the ones who actively brought the “accusations” against Jesus before Pilate.
“Accused”--Kathgorew(English = ‘categorize’) is to accuse formally before a court of justice, or to bring a charge against someone publicly.
“Accusation” has real consequences, whether true or false.
:4—“Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!”
Pilate was taken aback when Jesus did not defend Himself. Jesus had already told His disciples & His aaccusers of God’s truth regarding Himself.
•BUT that truth was completely unreasonable & unacceptable in the hearts of His accusers.
:5—“But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.”
Argumentation:
Jn. 19:10-12—“Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, & power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.””
Illustration:
Home owner has an ant infestation. The exterminator cures the ant problem. Illusion of POWER rules the day because... the bank forecloses on the home. The bank has delusions of POWER as well, because it has executed it’s POWER over the homeowner. DELUSIONS Of POWER
Application:
?Have YOUR Delusions of POWER dismissed the Deliverance offered to you in Christ?
?Have your Delusions removed God’s true Deliverance from your life?
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We’ve found that...
Deliverance dies with Delusions of...
1. POWER(:1-5)
2—Deliverance ALSO dies with Delusions of...
GAIN(:6-15)
Explanation:(:6-15) Barabbas as the answer to their plight.
:6—“Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested.”
“The feast” is “the Feast” of the Passover followed immediately by “the Feast” of Unleavened Bread.
There was a ‘good will gesture’ that was maintained by the Romans. That ‘good will gesture’ was the “release” of one prisoner to” the Jews, during the Feast.
:7—“And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion.”
Barabbas attempted insurrection thru murder. In the Gospels Barabbas is called a “rebel”--that is, he was an insurrectionist “with his fellow rebels.”
As a result, Barabbas’ deeds included “murder”(Lk. 23:19, 25). Jn. 18:40 informs us that Barabbas was also considered a “robber”--no better than a pirate of other people’s goods.
:8—“Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them.”
That is,...Releasing a prisoner(:6).
:9—“But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
This title, “King of the Jews,” was an intentionally ‘cutting’ ‘slap-in-the-face’ to the Jews! Because the majority of the Jewish power-brokers, the one’s with political pull, the talking heads, did not accept Jesus as their king!
:10—“For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.”
“Envy”—A personally sought out ‘ill will’ directed toward another person....You desperately want to see the other person fail.
*:11—“But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them.”
*The crowd assumed their GAIN was thru Barabbas, who was incarcerated as an insurrectionist!
:12—“Pilate answered & said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
Again, Pilate taunts the chief priests, by claiming that they had called Jesus the “King of the Jews.”
•As is said, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, & the stronger crushes.
•So fear must have crept into Jesus’ ‘former’ followers.
:13—“So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
Most assumed that Jesus didn’t come thru for them.
The reality is, that they did not grasp Jesus’ true purpose, which was the salvation of their very souls!
:14—“Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”
Jesus had no openly PUBLIC friends in the crowd.
:15—“So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; & he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.”
Pilate, a politician wanting to maintain his paying position, played to the masses & popular opinion, rather than doing what was right.
“To gratify the crowd”--is rendered variously in English: To content the people/To satisfy the multitude/To content the multitude.
Argumentation:
*Mk. 8:36-37—“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, & loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Mat. 6:2, 5, 16—“Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues & in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”.....“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues & on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”.....“Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues & in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”
Php. 1:19-21—“For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer & the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation & hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, & to die is gain.”
Illustration:
*Marlboro County has recently been ‘offered an opportunity’ to allow a gambling casino to be built! All in the name of financial gain! Thru the ‘I-95 Economic And Education Stimulus Act.’ If it passes, Marlboro, Dillon, & Orangeburg counties would be permitted to build casino resorts in the region.” There is already a ‘South Carolina Sports Wagering Commission’ in place.
•Marlboro’s economic Deliverance is Dead with Delusions that easy money for profiteers is GAIN.
OR—
Salisbury, NC has made a valiant effort to revitalize downtown/Owner of ‘Pottery 101’ revealed that the Salisbury City Council & Business Owners Committees began gradually buying out ‘Slum Lord’ properties downtown. Those Council & Committees then made decisions based on preventing owners from merely ‘making-a-buck’ any way they can. The whole downtown & the entire city GAIN!
•Salisbury, NC’s physical Deliverance is Dead with Delusions that easy money is GAIN.
OR—
Carrabelle’s ‘fishing industry.’ Inshore overfishing thru the previous 50+ years has left them without the fishing & oystering resources they once had. Old fishermen tell of a past abundance, & are just that—mere remembrances! Now commercially viable fishermen & companies are few & limited. GAIN
Application:
?Have YOUR Delusions of GAIN dismissed the Deliverance offered to you in Christ?
?Have your Delusions removed God’s true Deliverance from your life?
For Churches wanting to grow their population, easy believe-ism seems to be GAIN....
However, it is a mere illusion of GAIN which is only temporary.
You get baptized & member-ized to GAIN a free or cheap grave plot, GAIN Respect from others, GAIN a clientele...& You look to that, & trust that GAIN for the rest of your life.....
....However the reality is...your ‘so-called’ DELIVERANCE is DEAD!
********************************
We’ve found that...
Deliverance dies with Delusions of...
1. POWER(:1-5)
2. GAIN(:6-15)
3—Deliverance ALSO dies with Delusions of...
CONTROL(:16-20)
Explanation:(:16-20)Mockery
:16—“Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, & they called together the whole garrison.”
Praetorium—Palace built by Herod/Roman leaders occupied it when in from Caesarea
:17—“And they clothed Him with purple; & they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head,”
:18—“& began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
:19—“Then they struck Him on the head with a reed & spat on Him; & bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.”
—Probably a small whiplike portion of tree or possibly the center rib of a palm. Something substantial but not substantial enough to warrant a true scepter or retaliating against the soldiers.
:20—“And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, & led Him out to crucify Him.”
We desire/enjoy CONTROL...It’s natural! We are ‘in charge’—We can do it our way.
Argumentation:
Rom. 2:4-8—“Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, & longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness & your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath & revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, & immortality; but to those who are self-seeking & do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness--indignation & wrath,”
Illustration:
*A toddler with a steering wheel on car seat. The toddler assumes they are driving the car. Delusion of CONTROL
Bullies in grade school/Delusion of CONTROL
Application:
?Have YOUR Delusions of CONTROL dismissed the Deliverance offered to you in Christ?
?Have your Delusions removed God’s true Deliverance from your life?
Men are so depraved that they will take advantage & pleasure in the difficulties & misfortune of others. They assume they are in control!
You get baptized & member-ized to CONTROL the Church, CONTROL her Programs, CONTROL her Pastor, CONTROL her Ministries, to have the final say....An exercise in self-direction & management
If I trust that CONTROL for the rest of my life.....
then my Deliverance is Dead!
********************************
We’ve found that...
Deliverance dies with Delusions of...
1. POWER(:1-5)
2. GAIN(:6-15)
3. CONTROL(:16-20)
4—Deliverance ALSO dies with Delusions of...
CONDEMNATION(:21-25)
Explanation:(:21-25)Finality/Weakness/Disaster
:21—“Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander & Rufus, as he was coming out of the country & passing by, to bear His cross.”
Soldiers pressed Simon into service.
:22—“And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.”
Heb. 13:12-13—“...Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.”
:23—“Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.”
Jesus bore the full brunt of every aspect(physiclally & spiritually) of the crucifixion.
:24—“And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.”
:25—“Now it was the third hour, & they crucified Him.”
9:00am until 3:00pm—He would hang there for 6hrs!
A simple statement of the fact of His suffering. But not actually the manner which He would die(cf.-Jn. 19:30).
Argumentation:
Isa. 59:1-2—“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.”
*Jn. 3:18—““He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
*Eph. 2:4-9—“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), & raised us up together, & made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, & that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Illustration:
Consider an ‘Innocent’ person, who has been wrongly imprisoned. Based on DNA evidence, they are released after being imprisoned for many years. In that particular person’s eyes, the court system, & society at large, had fallen victim to the DELUSION of CONDEMNATION, so that the innocent person’s life has been ruined.
Application:
?Have YOUR Delusions of CONDEMNATION dismissed the Deliverance offered to you in Christ?
?Have your Delusions removed God’s true Deliverance from your life?
You get baptized & member-ized to CONDEMN the Church, CONDEMN her Actions, CONDEMN her Pastor, CONDEMN her Ministries, CONDEMN her future....An exercise in self-Determination
& trust that CONDEMNATION for the rest of your life.....
& your Deliverance is Dead!
CONCLUSION:
Action:
This 'bare-bones' sermon was delivered by 1)focusing on the historical aspects presented by reading the verses themselves, 2)presenting the bare divisions, & 3)commenting from memory in the moment.
Deliverance dies with Delusions of...
1. POWER(:1-5)
2. GAIN(:6-15)
3. CONTROL(:16-20)
4. CONDEMNATION(:21-25)
Pts. 1-4 presented 04/06/2025am to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
