Day 15: Divine Love on Display

Welcome to day 15 of our Gospel study of the book of Mark. And, first of all, thanks for hanging with me. This has been a great time together. We actually started in verse 1 of chapter 1, and we've gone all the way through, and we're actually going to cover end of chapter 14 and most of chapter 15.

And today's kind of a paradox. And I wrote down, just for sort of context, to ponder as you think about how you celebrate this Good Friday.

This Friday, the innocent are found guilty, the law keepers, those religious leaders that were so upset about Jesus breaking their traditions. Well, they break the law. The crowd who cheered, hey, you know, now they're jeering, crucify him. The healer is wounded. The powerful, people who could make a difference, stand silent. The weak shout. The Giver of life is in a tomb. The loyal flee. The sinless becomes sin on our behalf and the instrument of death, the cross, becomes the springboard of life. It really is a paradox, isn't it?

We pick it up where there's a trial, beginning in verse 53. Of, chapter 14, there's an illegal trial that literally is a charade. So let me give you sort of what's really going on and then we'll read the text. So, hopefully the lights will come on and you'll get, Oh, this is what's going on.

So, first of all, there's what I would call like a preliminary hearing. And we're going to learn it's Annas’ house and he's a former high priest and the thing got super political. So, he's a former high priest. He's a power broker. So, they're taking Jesus to him because whether he's the actual high priest, think of some countries where, maybe dictators have been ousted and they're not the actual dictator. But what they do is they appoint a prime minister, or a leader. This is Annas. He's a real power broker.

And then there's Caiaphas, and, son-in-law, you know, it's about probably about 1 a.m. By the time all these things are happening. Picture in your mind Jesus has been through this time with the disciples, emotionally, you know, you can still smell some of the perfume, but there’s sweat that has come out. He's been emotionally exhausted, He's now watched people run for their lives that his loyal friends, and I would remind all of us, just knowing something is going to happen is not the same as it happens, right? You might know they're going to flee, but it's a little different emotional experience when you're being taken away and they flee. And the reality of that happens.

Then it's post dawn, a little bit later, they're going to reconvene the Sanhedrin, about 71 members, and after this mock trial, false evidence, these 71 members will, confirm a sentence.

In fact, listen, verse 53. 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, that's that council, were looking for evidence against Jesus so they could put Him to death. But they didn't find any. He was innocent. Many testified falsely against Him, but their statements didn't 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? Answer, I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One. Coming on the clouds of heaven.

The high priest tore his clothes. Why do we need any more evidence, he asked. You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think? They all condemned Him as worthy of death. Then some began to, think of this, spit at Him. And they blindfolded Him. And they struck Him with their fists. And they said, Prophesy. And the guards took Him, and they beat Him.

How many of their own laws, how much of everything they've taught other people. What is it about the fear inside of people, losing control. This demand, this fear, as He brought the truth to their life, this is the response. This trial, was a complete manufactured charade.

Now, if that wasn't challenging enough, I want you to picture. What Jesus is experiencing. These are priests spitting at Him. This is vile behavior. They're mocking Him. And then He's going to have an experience with, I think, His closest disciple.

I mean, even later on when He's resurrected, He tells the women, Go tell the disciples and Peter. He knows Peter is really struggling after he'll betray Him. And here we find Jesus actually witnesses Peter betray 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 the Nazarene Jesus, she said, but he denied it. Denial number one. I don't know or understand what you're talking about, he said, and he 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, and again he denied it. Denial number two. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, Surely, you are one of them, for you're a Galilean. He began to call down curses and he swore to them, I don't know this man you're talking about.

Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. And 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 he wept. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

You ever, at work, had a conversation with a coworker and, one of those controversial topics that's going on right now about, sexual lifestyles or political issues or all kind of things that are happening and someone brings something up and it's very clear, Hey, you're one of those Christians, right? Aren't you? And well, or you're silent. You know, the door opens, there's a window, you're prompted by the Spirit, it's clear, you're supposed to step up, here's the moment, and you just.

I've been on airplanes with people and, you all think just because I'm a pastor that, I have some super “P” on my, on my chest that, when anyone asks me about Jesus, I'm just, I'm bold as a lion, I always come through. Praise God, I've had a number of kinda neat experiences, but I will tell you, I've had times where I've sat next to someone and they're very powerful or very rich or very powerful and rich and very intelligent and they start talking in a certain way and I feel like God wants me to say something and I've chickened out. I mean, and those are just words, it wasn't like they're gonna throw me off the plane, wasn't like someone was gonna hurt me. I, in that moment, in that window, I betrayed Christ. As we all do.

Notice, now what happens, they can't legally kill Him. And so, what they have to do is they've got to come up with an arrangement with a corrupt Roman official and they've got to play their cards just right to get this corrupt Roman official to kill Jesus. What they know is that criminal trials - Pilate, this was his pattern - criminal trials that could end in terms of capital offense were done at dawn. Basically, because it's mostly criminals, it was mostly slaves. At one point in time, if you want to know a little history, one of the emperors actually had 30,000 slaves crucified.

In another time, the Appian Way, kind of a main road that went into Rome, it was lined with crosses and just hundreds of people crucified and they would leave them on the crosses to hang and even let the body decay as a warning to others.

You need to remember that Rome was a really, really cruel place. And so, this trial is going to be a mockery, but it's one trial, but it has about three parts. The charges will come before Pilate. And they're going to range from He's a subversive to the nation. They're gonna tell him, you know, Hey, He doesn't pay taxes to Caesar, which is a lie. He's the King of the Jews. So, you know, this is treason. He's saying that he's a king. And what we know is, we all worship Caesar. And, and then the charges come before Pilate.

Then Pilate, sort of in a political move, sends Him to Herod. He knows Herod always wanted to meet Jesus, and the other gospel writers tell us a little bit more about that. And then He comes back to Pilate, and then Pilate gets a warning. He gets a warning from his wife, I had a dream about this man, don't go there Pilate, I'm just telling you, be careful with this.

And all those things are happening in the background, and so, as a hypocrite, what he knows the Jews have an agenda. He knows they're jealous. He wants to appease them. One of the Scripture writers tell us that he and Herod were at odds until this event. So, he's saving face, saving political career, and he doesn't really care what happens, but he makes a show. But part of the show that is important, legally, he washes his hands and says, I find no evidence. Which really matters. He still flogs Him, he still gives in, but he tries to flip it and says, What do you want me to do with Him?

In other words, the culpability isn't mine, the culpability is going to be yours. And of course, the crowd’s instigated by the religious leaders, Crucify Him, crucify Him, crucify him.

Well, chapter 15, verse 1, Very early in the morning, the chief priests with the elders, the teachers of the law, and the whole Sanhedrin, reach a decision. Hey, it's unanimous. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate.

Pilate starts to interrogate. Are you the King of the Jews? asked Pilate. Yes, it's as you say, Jesus replied. The chief priest accused Him of many things. So again, Pilate asked Him. Aren't You going to answer? See how many things they're 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.

So, he says, Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews? asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priest had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priest 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. Crucify Him, they shouted. Why, what crime has He committed, asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder. Crucify him. Get this, underline this. Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged and handed Him over to be crucified.

Boy, this is, you know, the applications, I like to think that I'm a disciple when I read the text, but unfortunately, sometimes I read it and realize there's a lot of Pilate in me. You know, I want to please everybody. Sometimes we want to please people and we violate the truth. Sometimes we are unwilling to step up because we want to please people.

And Pilate says, wanting to satisfy the crowd. He made a show. He washed his hands. And so, he turns Him over to the soldiers and notice, to be crucified, and he has Him flogged. And, you know, if you've seen The Passion of the Christ, they accurately depict what flogging was like, and- it would be a bar about this long and then they would have various length leather and tied into it would be balls of steel or pieces of bone.

And it would cause contusions and it would wrap around the body and then they would pull it out and would rip the flesh. People would be almost near death by the time they got crucified.

Well, what happens next is these soldiers are going to just do to Jesus what they did to criminals, and they know, King of the Jews, well, why don't we have some fun with this?

The soldiers led Jesus away in the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. A company was about three to six hundred soldiers. In other words, Hey, hey, there's gonna be a show, you guys gotta see this.

They put a purple robe on Him. And they wove a crown of thorns and set it upon 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 they spit on Him. Falling on their knees, they worshipped Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put on His own clothes, and they led Him out to be crucified.

Verse 21, a certain man from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way from the country and they forced him to carry the cross.

Normally when the cross is carried, the vertical beam is already there. But the horizontal beam, sometimes between six and nine feet long, weighed probably thirty pounds, sometimes a little bit more. And, and the criminal would, would carry that cross, and he would be escorted by four soldiers in sort of a diamond formation. They're coming through the crowds. And unfortunately, like hangings in the Old West, when people were being crucified, crowds came.

They brought Jesus to the place of Golgotha, which means the place of the skull. Then they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it. And they crucified Him. Dividing up His clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.

It was the third hour when they crucified Him. That's about 9 a.m. The written notice of the charge against Him read, The King of the Jews. They crucified two robbers with Him. One on His right, and one on His left.

Those who hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads, saying, So, you're going to destroy the Temple and build it in three days? Come down from the cross and save Yourself. In the same way, the chief priest and the teachers of the law mocked Him among themselves. He saved others, they said. He can't save Himself. Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe. Those crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him.

We learn from other gospel writers that both of them may have started with insults, but one of them had a moment. He had a moment and he realized, I deserve this, but not this man. And we see the incredible love and compassion of God, which is what the cross is all about. Remember Me. Dependence. I don't deserve mercy. Just remember me. He just brings his need before Jesus, today. Today, you'll be with Me in paradise.

I meet people all the time that because of what I've done, Jesus could never forgive me. Jesus’ work on the cross and His love is for everyone. Whosoever would even come and say, Oh, I don't deserve it, please forgive me, have mercy on me. The Scripture says, God delights to extend mercy.

At the 6th hour, the darkness came over the whole earth. It's noon. Until about the 9th hour, 3-hour block. At the 9th hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani – which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

When some of those standing near heard this, they said, Listen, He's calling Elijah. One man ran and filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it up to Jesus to drink. Leave Him alone now. Let's see if Elijah comes to take Him down, he said.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last. The curtain of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard His cry and saw how He died, he said, Surely this man was the Son of God.

And some women were watching from a distance, and among them were Mary Magdalene, the one that He cast out seven demons, Mary, the mother of James, the younger, and of Joses, Salome. In Galilee, these women had followed Him and cared for His needs, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem were also there.

The disciples have fled, these supporting women from a distance, they have their hearts broken, and Jesus chooses to die. He offers Himself as a sin offering.

And the question we have to ask, and we know the answer in terms of our story and our theology. But why? Why a trial that's a joke? Why a friend who's fickle? Why a governor who's a coward? Why soldiers that were mindless beasts? And why a cross that should be reserved only for criminals?

And the answer is, For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom for many.

The writer of the Hebrews actually puts it a bit more clearly, if you can say it more clearly, as he describes some of the inner workings of Jesus at this moment.

In Hebrews Chapter 12, verse 2, it says, Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author - literally, the trailblazer - and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. Joy. Scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Jesus died in our place and paid for our sin because He loves us. It was the joy set before Him of what could happen when He died on the cross and He atoned - or covered - for our sin for every single person who would turn, repent from our sin, recognize our need, and in the empty hands of faith receive the free gift of God. His work in our place to cover and forgive us. As many as received Him, Jesus, to them, He gives the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name.

This Good Friday, could you appreciate, like never before, how much Jesus loves you? For those of you that have never received Jesus, I just encourage you, receive His forgiveness right now, in your own words. And for those of us that have, Paul's words are, We no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose again on our behalf.

This Friday, this very good Friday for us, and very hard and bad Friday for Jesus, is a day to remember that you are loved more than you can possibly imagine. And God's plan and heart and desire for you is that you would turn and walk with Him and surrender and follow His model the way He did with the Father. And you will receive the life that's really life.