JOY "Pilate Meets Jesus" April 15, 2014

April 15, 2014

 Pilate Meets Jesus

Mark 15:1-20

I           Are You King of the Jews?  15:1-5

II         What Will You do With Jesus? 15:6-15

III        Hail! King of the Jews         15:16-20

On January 23, 1968, the USS Pueblo, a Navy intelligence ship, was hijacked by N. Korean patrol boats, in international waters, off the coast of N.Korea. The incident provoked a tense, diplomatic and military stand-off for eleven months. The eighty-two surviving crew-members were taken into captivity. 

In one particular instance, thirteen of the men were required to sit in a rigid manner around a table, for a very long time. After several hours, the door was flung open, and the man in the first chair was brutally beaten. On the 2^nd  and 3^rd days, it happened again to the very same man.

Knowing the man could not survive another beating----the next day, another young sailor took his place. When the door was thrown open, the guard automatically beat the new victim senseless. For weeks, a new man stepped forward each day to sit in that horrible chair, knowing full well what would happen. 

At last the guards gave up in exasperation. They were unable to overcome that kind of sacrificial love.

Every single one of us should be sitting in that first chair, but instead of just just getting beaten, we deserve to die. Knowing this, Jesus traded places with us and took the death blows, that were intended for us. 

No one has ever suffered more than Jesus----and no one  has ever loved us more than Jesus----- and that love is why He was willing to suffer, and sacrifice all that He did for us.

I       “Are You the King of the Jews?”

Years ago, I witnessed an incredible exchange, between, the then, 

early-morning journalist, Charlie Gibson and Billy Graham….Dr. Graham was  hitting all the morning shows, promoting the Franklin Graham Crusade. And I just happened to see one of them…I thought Charlie was acting so smug as he asked Dr. Graham leading questions trying to trip him up----and with each of the smarty questions that Charlie asked, Dr. Graham, would just say ,“Jesus said…”and then, he would quote the scripture---this happened, probably 10 times----and Charlie, got more and more agitated and Dr. Graham was as cool as a cucumber---. The interview ended with Charlie sitting back in his chair with an expression on his face, that looked like, he knew he had been bested by the master, and Dr. Graham’s expression was just as serene, as it could be,  like he knew that Charlie had been bested by the master too----- not him, as the master, but Jesus, Himself. And that is exactly what happened to Pontius Pilate----he was bested by the master…

We‘ve all heard the phrase, ”power corrupts”,  but even more powerful is the phrase, “absolute power, corrupts absolutely…” and the Sanhedrin was absolutely corrupt------because, Instead of the Sanhedrin using its power and position to give Jesus a fair trial, they used corruption, and abuse of their power, to condemn Him. They knew that the trial they had had during the night, had been illegal,  so they convened again in the early morning while it was still dark, to condemn Jesus to death legally----and to come up with a strategy to get Pilate, the Roman governor, in the area , to sentence Jesus to death, and to actually kill Him, because, only the Roman government, had the authority to put a person to death, for any crime… 

The Jewish Leaders had to convince Pilate that Jesus was guilty of a capitol crime against Rome, and worthy of death----And even though, the Jewish leaders considered blasphemy against God to be a crime, punishable, by death, the Romans could have cared less, that meant nothing to them,….so…..the Sanhedrin came up with 3 reasons that they could use against Jesus to convince Pilate to execute Him----1.) inciting the Jewish people to rebel against Rome; 2.) instructing the Jewish people to refuse to pay taxes to Rome; 3.) declaring Himself king, in opposition to Caesar, the emperor of Rome…all of which, amounted to High Treason------the ironic thing is, the people wanted Jesus to lead them in doing those 3 things, and He refused to, but wound being tried for them anyway….

Pontius Pilate was in charge of the army, collecting the taxes for Rome and keeping the peace. In addition to holding the power of life and death over his subjects, he also appointed the high priests and decided the capitol punishment cases…

Pilate was a true corrupt politician----he usually made decisions based on what would would increase his stature and favor with Rome….The Jewish people’s desires and well-being was secondary to him…he was fickle, weak in character and a coward…He had made some bad decisions in his governing of Judea---he had offended some Jewish customs and he couldn’t control difficult situations, so there had been some rebellion against his Roman authority….. and some bad reports had been sent to Rome about him, so he was a little intimidated at having Jesus in his courtroom----scholars believe that this made him wishy-washy, in his dealings with Jesus-----which he certainly was.

Mark’s account of this trial, was the briefest one, of all the Gospel accounts-----apparently, according to Mark, Pilate had already heard the charges against Jesus, because he immediately asked him the most important question, “Are you the king of the Jews?” And Jesus’ response was so perfect….when He said, “It is as you say…” The master had bested the governor----Jesus was in effect saying, “yes, I am.” 

John, gives a little more insight into how Jesus explained himself when Pilate questioned Him further----in john 18:36, Jesus said, “My kingship is not of this world, if my kingship were of this world, then my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders; but my kingdom is not of this world.” Jesus made it very clear to Pilate that He was not a threat to Rome.

But God’s plan had to go forward, Jesus had to go to the cross, and He had to get there somehow----so, even though they didn’t know that their dastardly plan was part of God’s plan---the chief priests understood that their charges might not stick, since Jesus had made it clear that He wasn’t a threat to Rome, and Pilate was waffling about his intentions were….so they hurled all kinds of trumped-up accusations against Jesus----and Pilate tried to get Him to either defend Himself or incriminate Himself----but it was to no avail----Jesus just stood there, unflinching, waiting for what was to come. 

Jesus stood in front of a man who could condemn Him and a mob who wanted to kill Him, and He was totally composed and completely at peace. Pilate was so amazed by Jesus, that he didn’t know what to do, with Him, he wanted to let Jesus go, but he couldn’t, because the Jewish leaders would have blackmailed him, with a scathing report to Rome…

So,  Pilate was stuck----he was selfish in his reasoning and in his decision, but God used it for our salvation---Genesis 50:20 says, “what man means for evil, God uses for good.” 

The example, that Jesus has given for us to emulate, in this instance, is one of grace under fire-----our composure and calmness in the midst of the trials of life gives great witness, to those around us, as to how much we trust the Lord’s sovereignty; and ,to how much we believe in His ability to give us peace, no matter what comes our way. That calm peace in a storm, is one of the ways that you will always be able to recognize a fellow believer. 

II    “What Will You Do With Jesus?”  15:6-15

‘There was a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. They both had a disease that the little boy had recovered from 2 years before. The little girl’s only chance of recovery was to get a transfusion from someone who had the antibodies built up in their blood stream, from having had and recovered from the disease. The little boy shared his sister’s same rare blood type, so he was the ideal donor.

“Would you give your blood to Mary?” the doctor asked. Johnny hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, “sure, for my sister.” Soon the 2 children were wheeled into the hospital room---Mary, pale and lisless; Johnny, robust and healthy. Neither child spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned at her.

As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny’s smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube. When the ordeal was almost over, Johnny’s voice, slightly shaky, broke the silence, “Doctor, when do I die?” Only then did the doctor realize why Johnny had hesitated when he was asked, to give Mary some blood---and why his lip had trembled even while he was agreeing. He had thought that giving his blood, meant giving his life-----in that brief moment of fear, he had made his lifetime decision, and gave all he had to give. That is love…… Johnny was willing to be the substitute for his sister, ready to take her place in death, so that she could live-----that what Jesus did for us-----he took the place of Barabbas on the cross, so that He could be our substitute, and die in our place, so that we could live…That is love…..

According to Luke, Pilate deferred his decision about Jesus’ fate, and passed the buck to Herod, the half-Jewish ruler of Galilee, hoping that Herod would handle it so well, that Pilate wouldn’t have to get his hands dirty. But Herod was no help to Pilate, he just mocked Jesus and asked for Him to entertain him, and his court, by performing a miracle for them. 

Then Jesus, was sent back to Pilate for his final trial….It is clear that Pilate didn’t believe that Jesus was guilty, but he knew he had to deal with the hostile Jewish leadership and the ever-growing rowdy crowds. He decided, rather than just letting Jesus go, that he would put it into the hands of the people---he would pass the buck again, and let them choose. And he figured that nobody would care, since it was a Roman custom to release a prisoner, during Passover week, as a sign of good-will between Rome and the conquered people of Judea, anyway.

According to Dr. Luke, there had been an uprising in Jerusalem led by an insurrectionist, whose last name was Barabbas. He and his followers had been thrown into prison for rebellion against Rome, coupled with murder charges. It’s believed that he was part of the revolutionary  group, “the Zealots.” These people resented the Romans so badly that they would have done anything to get rid of them. Some scholars believe that Barabbas was a “bible-days Robin Hood----the bain of existence to the government, and a hero, to the people….

The crowd had to make a choice between 2 men….the one who sought solutions by force and the one who ruled by love and was ready to sacrifice Himself. And they chose the one they thought would free them….little did they know, how right they chose----because Barabbas, could only fight for earthly freedom, while Jesus, could guarantee, eternal freedom,------Again, what man intends for evil, God will use for good.

Pilate knew that jealousy and fear were the motivating factors behind the Sanhedrin’s desire to kill Jesus, so he tried to undermine, the chief priests’ desires, by offering the release Jesus, the King of the Jews, to them, not Jesus Barabbas, the would-be king. But the chief priests were adamant-----they were determined, obviously, by hook or crook, to get rid of Jesus----and God the Father, and Jesus the Son, allowed it to happen, because there was no other way----so the priests stirred up the crowd so that their sheer numbers and mob mentality would force Pilate to release Barabbas and to execute Jesus. 

Pilate didn’t want to condemn Jesus, but he didn’t want his own lynching either------so he asked again if the crowd was sure what they wanted to do with Jesus ----and he must have been shocked when they yelled “Crucify Him!” He seemed bewildered by their vehemence and even defended Jesus, when he asked them to tell him what Jesus’ crime was. But by this point the crowd was crazed and just kept yelling, “crucify Him!” “crucify Him!” no matter what Pilate said.

So, Pilate the politician, not Pilate, the man of compassion and justice, took over at this point----and caved to the whim of the crowd---he knew he couldn’t win, and he didn’t want bad reports going back to Rome about a mob scene in his jurisdiction---he knew that if he botched the situation, he could kiss his political career good-by------but, he didn’t believe Jesus was guilty of treason and Matthew 27:19 tells us that Pilate’s wife had sent him a message telling him to have nothing to do with Jesus, because she had been warned about him, in a dream-----so that. maybe made him think more deeply about Jesus than he would have done, otherwise------So he released Barabbas and ordered Jesus to be flogged.

Now, according to Roman custom, people didn’t necessarily get flogged before they were crucified, so why Pilate did it, we don’t really know----but it’s been speculated that maybe Pilate hoped that if Jesus were flogged and then presented to the people, and they saw what bad shape he was in, that they would relent and let Pilate release him-----it might have been Pilate’s one last ditch effort, to set Jesus free. 

But, Pilate, who seemed to want to do the right thing, chose the coward’s way out, and Matt. 27:24 tells us that he washed his hands of the whole thing and then turned Jesus over to the guards.

And Barabbas-----do we know what happened to him? Did he follow Jesus to the courtyard and watch as he took his place under the whip’s lashes? Did he follow him up the Via Della Rosa, to Calvary, and watch as he was nailed to the cross, with spikes, that were meant for him? Did he stand and watch as Jesus breathed His last breath and then help take Him down and help Joseph of Arimithea carry Him to the tomb, which should have been his?  Was he with the disciples when they walked and talked with Jesus after His resurrection? Did he recognize the sacrifice that had been made for him, when Jesus substituted Himself to take Barabbas’ deserved punishment? Did Barabbas turn over his life to the Lord Jesus, and start rallying people with love, instead of sedition? Was he there in the Upper Room. on Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came, and filled every man, woman and child’s heart, who would believe.

We don’t know what happened to Barabbas, it’s a mystery-------but I hope he realized, that the sacrifice that was made for him, was done freely and in love-----and that he accepted Jesus’ sacrifice as a free gift and a priceless treasure----- and my prayer is that each one of us has realized the same thing, and have received the free gift of God’s unlimited grace.

III   “Hail! King of the Jews”    15:16-20

When I was in the 9^th grade in high-school, I was asked to the Jr-Sr 

Prom, which was a thrill. The boy who asked me wasn’t particularly cute and he wasn’t particularly smart and he wasn’t particularly boyfriend material, but he was in my study hall, and he was as nice as he could be, and most importantly, he was a senior….

I was so excited----I still can’t believe that my grandparents let me go, because I was still only 15, and the dating rule was 16---- but I think they viewed the dance differently than a date, for some reason….plus, my grandfather’s rule was to say yes when he could and no when he had to and to pick his no’s very carefully….

This was 1973, so the styles for Prom that year, were long halter dresses, long straight hair parted in the middle with a tiny bit of hair on each side pulled back from the face with a single clip and wedge sandals….my dress was white eyelet and I thought it was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen----I was all set for it to be a magical night---but, unfortunately, I made a few tactical errors, in the two days, preceding Prom night, that contributed to what turned out to be one of my most humiliating moments, I  can remember, in my whole life…

1^st of all, I needed a suntan for that white dress----we didn’t have good self-tanners in those days, and I didn’t lay out daily, for a week, which would have been the sensible thing to do, I laid out the day before, and got burned, so that I looked like a lobster---and my swimsuit was not a halter one, so I had big fat lovely tan lines on my shoulders; 

then, since we got out of school half a day on the day of the Prom, I went go-cart riding, on the road, with the boys in the neighborhood----going as fast as I could, I skidded on some loose gravel, flipped the go cart and landed on my left side---tore my face, and arm and knee up---I was a sight for the pictures, you can imagine….

And then, we didn’t go out to dinner, we just went to the dance---I was so nervous, that I hadn’t eaten anything, so I got sick on the car ride to school and threw up as soon as we got to the parking lot-----my poor date was nothing but a gentleman----he totally ignored my embarrassment and my wounds, and sweetly escorted me into the dance.

We had been there for about an hour, and I was having a great time,,,

I thought that I was really making an impression on all those juniors and seniors, and that they loved me ,until I had to go to the bathroom------and then, my heartbreak began...

I was in the stall when 5 junior girls came in----I could tell who they were by their voices----the queen of the school with her handmaidens---I almost opened the door so I could speak to them, because I was feeling pretty full of myself----but thank goodness I didn’t because they started talking fast and furiously, ripping into some poor freshman, who had the same dress on, as the queen, heaven forbid; was sun-burned red as a lobster; had hideous red scabs on her face and shoulder----and was acting like she owned the place---who did she think she was? 

I was mortified----it was me, they were talking about----those girls may as well as have been flogging me with a whip, with the way they beat me up with their words, and their derision and their scorn----it was the worst---I still shudder when I think about it----

It was a very subdued little girl that rejoined her date, after she had sobbed her heart out, when those “mean girls” left the bathroom----and thank goodness, my curfew was 10:00 and we left soon after that. And, even though the next year, I made Varsity cheerleading and spent time with those girls, I never, ever trusted them, and I kept a very low profile around them….

Think of a time when you felt so humiliated and persecuted, that you wanted to retaliate, and make the person hurting you, pay for the pain you they were causing you……but we need to realize that the worst thing we can imagine, collectively, can be put together, on the head of a pin, compared to the way the Lord Jesus felt, when those soldiers flogged him, almost to the point of death.

There are many dimensions, to the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus. One of the most important ones being, that He was fully identifying with us and was experiencing, to a much greater degree, what we go though as human beings----but I truly believe, that if we were to ask Him, He would say, just like sin is sin is sin,  no matter how trivial or how heinous it is----trouble is trouble is trouble----no matter how trifling and no matter how heartbreaking, it’s all level at the cross…

He knows what it is to feel small, to be attacked mentally and emotionally and to be physically abused. Matthew, John and Mark, all tell us, to varying degrees, about the suffering and humiliation that Jesus experienced at the hands of the Roman soldiers. Jesus was led from Pilate’s palace into its courtyard, and was stripped naked in front of the whole company of soldiers----probably around 600 of them. They mocked Him and spat on Him, crowned Him with thorns, they probably forced Him to bend over a pole , to which He was strapped with His hands tied down, and they flogged him with a cat-o-nine tail whip, with rocks and bones tied to the ends of it, which flayed His back into a raw, pulpy mess. 

And Jesus just stood there naked, accepting the meanness, the hate and the cruelty.----looking at them with loving pity, fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 50:6 which says, “I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard, I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.” 

We, can not imagine the brutality of the way Jesus was scourged and ridiculed by these men. Two or more men would have been responsible for the flogging----and the Roman way, was to keep up a steady pace---one would strike and then the other would wind up and strike, taking turns until they had achieved 40 lashes----sometimes 39 and sometimes 41, but always somewhere near that number. One historian from the 3^rd century wrote that, “the sufferers veins were laid bare and the very muscles, tendons and bowels of the victim were open to exposure. “

And He did it, purposely, because He loves us so much----Isaiah 53:5 says, “He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, upon Him was the punishment that made us whole, and by His bruises are we healed” 

The Creator of the world, who gives breath and life to all living things, volunteered to take upon Himself, the punishment that belongs to each one of us. That’s amazing love!!!

Jesus could have destroyed them all, with one word, but instead He chose to bear the shame and humiliation, so that we could be saved by the costliness of God’s grace.  Jesus transformed the barbaric, Roman method of torture, into an example of endurance, patience and obedience.

Jesus’ suffering, is the story of what human beings did when God walked among them----it isn’t difficult, if we look hard enough, we can see ourselves in this story too,, the things we do to each other, are just as bad as what was done to Jesus. If not for the Holy Spirit, no one would be left alive, we would all destroy each other., with our pride and petty jealousies. We are broken and in need of a Savior who can forgive us.

It’s easy for us to look down on the Sanhedrin, and Pilate and the soldiers and judge them, even if the ugly words and ugly attitudes and cold shoulders and quarrels and the back-biting  wasn’t as cruel as what they did to Jesus----we are just as guilty…

Jesus’ suffering and death, is a mirror held up to our souls----a reminder of the jealousies, pettiness, self-centeredness, spiritual blindness and darkness that lurks there-------but it is also a mirror, held up to our souls, that reflects the love of Jesus, and how far He was willing to go to save the ones that He loves, and how He transforms us, when we accept Him into our hearts.

Are we living our faith in such a way, that our lives are different from the crowd and the mean, insufferable bullies, that others are touched , changed and served by what we do.

For every child who has ever been picked on, taunted, humiliated, or bullied, Jesus stood there for them.

For every man or woman who has ever been made to feel small and worthless and used, Jesus stood there for them.

For every victim of abuse, torture, murder, or rape; for everyone falsely condemned; and for all who carry a heavy burden, Jesus stood there for them.

And for all those who have done the hitting, the mocking, the harassing, the abusing, the bullying, the hating----Jesus also stood there for them that early morning…

“Due to an unjust ruling He was taken away….like someone from whom people hid their faces…He was despised….It was certainly our sickness that He carried, and our sufferings that He bore, but we thought Him afflicted, struck down by God and tormented….He was pierced because of our rebellions and crushed because of our crimes. He bore the punishment that made us whole, and by His wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-6 Praise God from whom all blessings flow….

JOY "Condemned by the Righteous" April 9, 2014

April 9, 2014

“Condemned by the Righteous”

Mark 14:53-71

I      Bogus Trial               Mark 14: 53, 55-65

II     Lack of Courage      Mark 14:54-66-72

(Years ago, there was a wealthy man, who, along with his devoted young son, shared a passion for collecting art. Together, they traveled around the world, buying only the finest art treasures. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others, adorned the walls of the family estate. The widowed, elderly father, looked on with satisfaction, as his only child, became an experienced art collector. And the son’s trained eye and sharp business mind, caused his father to beam with pride, as they dealt with art collectors around the world.

As the winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, the father received a telegram. The beloved son was missing in action. He anxiously waited for more news, afraid that he would never see his son again…and within just a few days, his worst fears were confirmed, the son had died, trying to get another soldier to a medic for treatment…

Distraught and lonely, the old man viewed the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness, he was afraid the joy of the season was lost to him forever. 

On Christmas morning, a knock on the door, woke the bereaved father up. Walking down the stairs to welcome his visitor, he was reminded, by all the art on the walls, that his son would never be coming home again. So, he was startled, when he opened the door, to see a young soldier, standing there, with a huge wrapped package in his arms. 

The soldier introduced himself to the man by saying, “I was a friend of your son; I was the one he was rescuing when he died; could I come in for a few minutes: I’ve got something to give you.” 

The old man unwrapped the gift, and found a portrait of his dead son. And though, the world, would never consider it a masterpiece, the father recognized his son’s beloved face, in minute detail. 

Within minutes after the young soldier left, the father had taken his favorite painting down, from above the fireplace mantle, in his library,  and replaced it with his son’s portrait…..and then sat there all afternoon, just gazing at it and peacefully remembering , precious times that they had shared.…

During the days and weeks that followed, the man realized that even though his son was gone, his life would live on, because of those, whose lives he had touched. He found out that his son had rescued dozens of wounded soldiers, before the bullet had stilled, his own caring heart. As the stories of his son’s gallantry, continued to reach him, fatherly pride and satisfaction, began to ease his grief. The painting of his son became his most prized possession, far eclipsing any interest he had had, in the expensive pieces. that museums around the world were always clamoring for. He told his friends that the painting of his son was the greatest gift he’d ever received. 

Late in the spring, of that new year, the father passed away. The art world was abuzz with anticipation as to when his collection of paintings would go up for auction, which according to his will, was supposed to be on Christmas day, at the end of that same year…

When the day arrived, art collectors from around the world were gathered there, to bid on some of the world’s most spectacular paintings.

The collectors were bored and a little put out, when the auction began with the painting of the son, which was not on any of their purchase lists. The auctioneer opened the bids, calling for $100 -----the room was silent---nobody said a word…

Several minutes passed, and no one spoke-----until finally, from the back of the room, somebody said, “Who cares about this painting? It’s just a bad picture of his son---let’s forget about it, and move on to the good stuff.” Many voices echoed in agreement.

“No, we have to sell this one first,” it’s stipulated in the will, “it’s stipulated in the will, so who will make a bid?” After another long silence, the father’s next-door neighbor, bid $10, which was all he had to offer, since he wasn’t wealthy----but he had watched the son grow up, and had been very fond of him.

No one else bid, so the auctioneer brought the gavel down and sold the painting to the kind neighbor, for $10. Cheers and clapping filled the room, because the real auction could finally begin….

But the auctioneer announced that the auction was over.

The collectors were stunned---again nobody said a word…there was nothing that they could say, the auctioneer explained that there was a very interesting codicil to the father’s will which stated that “whomever took the son, got everything else….lock, stock and barrel.”

God gave His son over 2000 years ago, to die on the cross… and much like the auctioneer, His message today, is still ---“Here’s the Son, who will take Him….because, when you take the son, you get everything, He has to give---all the blessings of the universe……”

Life is an auction and we are the buyers. There are material thing for us to acquire and more importantly, there are spiritual things, too. How often do we seek after material things, which, as nice and beautiful as they may be, are inconsequential, in light of eternity.  

Jesus offers us His free gift, of loving salvation, which brings with it, a deep and abiding relationship with Him, if we will just accept it---

For us, it’s free and we just need to reach our hands out and accept it,

but, it wasn’t free for Jesus, it was acquired at a cost, to Him, spiritually, emotionally, intellectually and physically, that is beyond our comprehension-----that’s why it is important, for us, to never forget what Jesus has done for us, on the cross, and to honor Him, with the way we live our lives. 

We can learn a valuable lesson from this story-------we need to remember, that, when we have the Son, who was tried and beaten, crucified and buried, resurrected and ascended---- and who’s coming back to get us, one day, to take us home----we have everything…

I    Bogus Trial     14:53, 55-65

A night session of the Sanhedrin was highly unusual and highly illegal---according to the Mosaic Law, trials were supposed to be conducted in the daytime…. and I’m pretty sure, that the high priest, Caiaphas, had called for the extraordinary session, at the prompting, of his wily fox, of a father-in-law, the ex-high priest, Annas. 

Caiaphas and Annas and their cronies, honestly thought that they were doing the right thing-----they thought it was their right and their responsibility, to get rid of the unwanted, self-proclaimed Galilean, and in their minds, fake Messiah. (How many times have we gotten up on a high horse, in a rage, thinking that someone is disobeying God, and we think, that we have to make sure that they, don’t get away with it, or, at the very least, be shown the error of their ways…..we need to pray long and hard before, we try to be somebody else’s, Holy Spirit, because we can’t be, because there is only 1----- so…. we just wind up having to pull the big fat plank out of our own eyes, not the tiny little splinter out of theirs…. )

Jesus’s 3 trials, were trumped-up travesties and they show us, still, just  how abysmally wicked, mankind can be….Many false witnesses came forward----Who paid them off and what their sneaky and devious motivation for doing it, was? as they stood in front of the priests, the elders and the scribes, and spewed out lies…we can only guess…

But God, in His goodness, used it all, to provide the opportunity to save their souls, as well as ours. 

In their spiritual ignorance, they took their oath before God, and before the leaders, who had the power to make their earthly lives miserable, and they fabricated testimony against Jesus, the one who had healed their sick; given sight to their blind, cleansed their lepers, exorcised the demons from their demon possessed; and fed their hungry multitudes---not realizing, that, right in front of them, there He stood, the Lord of Glory; the Creator of the Universe, the sinless Son of God and the perfect Son of Man, not saying a word, just watching and listening to it all…

They thought they had caught Jesus in a blasphemous statement, punishable by death, when a witness said they heard him say he would destroy the temple in 3 days, and then rebuild it, without hands, in 3 more days…..but that testimony was refuted, when another witness disagreed with the testimony…and the truth of what Jesus had said was, that if His body was destroyed, that He would resurrect it in 3 days, and that He would be the new Temple…….

They tried to take the truth and twist it to suit their purposes-----the Jewish religious leaders had decided, that Jesus had to die, but the trial and the whole situation was becoming awkward for the Sanhedrin----they wanted to destroy Jesus, but they wanted to be perceived, as doing it as legally, as they could. 

If their lying witnesses had been consistent with each other, the whole thing would have come off without a hitch, but it was quickly turning into a 3 ring circus, literally----the false witnesses were telling inconsistent lies…Caiaphas knew that he couldn’t get a conviction, that would stick, or that even looked legal, with the farce he was presiding over----so……he took matters into his own hands…..

When the priesthood was established, the office of high priest, had been the highest and holiest position in the country---it had been planned and presented by God, to Moses, to provide the children of Israel with a prototype of the Messiah ….but it had long since been perverted and exploited, by self-seeking, political opportunists----like Caiaphus and Annas---(there were a few faithful ones, like Zacharuas, John the Baptist’s father, but he was a rarity…)

Caiaphus knew that the trial was illegal in so many was---#1, no trials were supposed to be at night, #2, the accused was always innocent until proven guilty, #3, there was supposed to be a search for evidence to free the accused, till all avenues were exhausted and then, the last resort, was to enter evidence, that would incriminate him…

As the trial started to fall apart around him, Caiaphus, came down from his high seat, to confront Jesus face-to-face----So far, Jesus had maintained a fitting, but to His enemies, infuriating, silence. And that silence seems to have enraged Caiaphus-----he wanted so badly for Jesus to incriminate Himself, with some blasphemy, that would make it necessary for him to be sent to be tried in front of Pilate, the Roman Governor, so that Jesus blood would be on Roman hands--------

Jesus continued to stand silent, even when he was under oath, and He was asked to defend Himself against the false testimony that had been given about Him…

The trumped-up trial went on all night, but in the wee hours of the morning, when the trial would have finally been legal….. Caiaphus, lost patience and he asked the question, that the Lord Jesus just couldn’t, and wouldn’t, deny, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the blessed?” He used the term, ‘son of the blessed”, because he was too superstitious to speak the name of God out loud------he was so sadly blind and a little ridiculous, because the very God, whose name he was afraid to say, was standing right in front of him…

And Jesus didn’t disappoint him----with the two words, “I Am,” He brought the Old and the New Testaments together----------Jehovah and Jesus became one----and Jesus promised that one day Caiaphus and the others would see the overwhelming manifestation of God’s glory, as they saw Him burst through the clouds and then reign from the throne, that would, for all eternity, be the seat of all power. It was an unequivocal declaration of His deity----and, when all was said and done, He wanted them to remember it…

It was more than Caiaphus could have hoped for----he, in an exaggerated show of horror, tore his clothes, as an illegal (the law forbad high priests to tear their cloths) sign of piety and mourning, at what he and the rest of the Sanhedrin believed to be blasphemy--- 

We know, that they didn’t heard blasphemy, we know that they had heard the truth-----but the high priest’s performance won the day---the Sanhedrin, voted to put Jesus to death, on the grounds, that He had blasphemously declared Himself, to be God. 

And then, it was a free-for-all---the spiritual leaders of the nation, 71 of the wisest and most religious men of the time, spat on Jesus, they beat him, they blindfolded Him and pummeled Him, they jeered at Him and challenged Him to tell them who had struck Him----then after having their fill, they turned Him over to their servants and let them, take turns slapping Him----and sweet, humble, uncondemning Jesus, endured their abuse, without saying a word, sick to the heart, with sorrow, for their disbelief, and their blasphemy…. knowing that He was going to die for them, the next day…

II   Lack of Courage  14:54, 66-72

(One day, a bus driver was driving along his usual route. He didn’t have any problems for the first few stops; a few people got off and on, and things went pretty smooth.

At one stop, though, a big hulk of a man got on----he was 6’8”, built like a wrestler, and his arms were so long that they seemed to touch the ground…

He glared at the bus driver and said, “Big John doesn’t pay…” 

Then he made his way to the back of the bus and sat down…

The driver was 5’3” and scrawny, very meek and timid, so he didn’t argue with Big John----but he wasn’t happy about it…

The next day, the same thing happened---Big John said the same exact thing, and sat down----in fact, it became a daily occurrence…..

The bus driver started losing sleep over how Big John was taking advantage of him----he felt bullied and embarrassed….so he decided to do something about it---he signed up for body-building courses, judo and karate classes, and a seminar on self-esteem…

By the last weekend in August, the bus driver had become quite strong and felt really good about himself----When John got on the bus that Monday morning and said, “Big John doesn’t pay…” the newly empowered bus driver stood up, looked him the eye and shot back…”and why not?”

With a surprised look on his face, Big John said, “Big John has a bus pass…”

Fear can cause us to do crazy things, and to behave in uncharacteristic ways------when we feel like we’ve lost control, we grab for a component of life that we can manage---- our diet, the tidiness of our home, alcohol, work, exercise, the armrest of a plane, the hand of a loved one or a friend-------anything, to keep us from spinning out of control…)

Peter ran from the garden just like everybody else did, as Jesus was being arrested…but he must have, at some point, halted his headlong flight, and plucked up enough courage to follow Jesus and His captors.

But, even though he followed Jesus….Peter was careful to keep his distance, he didn’t go right into the palace, itself, he just went into the palace courtyard, where the servants were gathered, some were running errands for their masters, but most, were huddled around fires, trying to stay warm, while they waited-----the unusual circumstances, must have had everyone wired with anticipation, as they waited for the outcome of the trial…

Peter’s desire to be near the Lord proved his heart was right even if his courage was weak, but his disobedience, of the Lord’s command to scatter, put him in a dangerous situation. What Peter thought he could accomplish, by hanging around with the Lord’s enemies, we won’t know----- till we can ask him personally------ maybe he thought he would get information; or maybe he thought he would be able to help Jesus escape, or maybe he just wanted to be near Him, cause He couldn’t bear for Jesus not to have somebody, who loved Him with Him….

Whatever his reasons, Peter, was standing warming his hand’s by the “world’s” fire, holding his tongue, for once, and hoping against hope that Jesus would be set free….  Instead of being being bullied and beaten, by Caiaphus and his thugs, just a few yards away.

When the young servant girl looked at him searchingly, and then pointed out that he was a Jesus follower, I don’t think Peter even thought about his response, her question caught him totally off-guard, and I think he just reacted, and blurted out the bold-faced lie…..saying that he didn’t even know what she was talking about…(I think if a guard or the high priest had asked him, he would probably have admitted his relationship with Jesus,  I think that he was prepared for that, he had just lopped off a man’s ear, but, the servant girl’s accusation, was just so unexpected, that she tripped him up----that’s the way we are… the little things in life are what trip us up----we can steele ourselves for the big things, but the unexpected, day to day things, are what blow us out of the water------that’s why I believe that the Lord told us in Joshua 1:9 “…do not be discouraged, do not be terrified, for the Lord your God, will go with you wherever you go.”)

 The contrast between the Lord Jesus, inside the palace, fearlessly telling the truth of His identity, knowing that He was condemning Himself to death, with his admission---and Peter, outside, mouthing a cowardly careless lie, to save his own skin, is unmistakable------and what a lesson is to us, of just how weak we are, and just how strong Jesus is and just how much we need Jesus, to do even the simplest thing….

The girl left him alone, but it scared Peter, so he moved away from the fire---- he didn’t leave, he was still loyal to Jesus, but he moved over to the porch that led from the courtyard to the outer gate----getting closer the an escape route----it was then, that the rooster crowed the first time----that first, early morning sound, didn’t seem to register with Peter, probably because he was consumed with fear…

The servant girl caught sight of him again, and this time she voiced her opinion of his identity, to the other people who were standing around waiting----she drew everybody’s attention to Peter and he quickly denied it again, but when the people heard his voice and realized he was a Galilean, they started to point fingers at him too….

And Peter, bless his heart, in what I think, was his lowest moment, began to curse and swear-----he filled the night air with the sound of his blistering sailor’s mouth, his fisherman’s oaths…

and we’re told that in that instant, the rooster crowed again….and then, Peter caught Jesus’ eyes, as the soldiers were leading him out, to take him to his trial before Pilate-----the love, the forgiveness and the compassion in those eyes, prompted Peter to remember Jesus’s words to him, and Peter’s heart broke, into a million pieces, I believe he was a changed man after that----and he began to weep tears of deep repentance. 

It’s true that Peter was loud and profane and cowardly in the courtyard that night------------but it is also true, that underneath it all, he loved Jesus, and was there, present, in the courtyard, ----he should have been at Jesus’s elbow, but at least, even with all his faults, he was close by…. ….at heart, Peter was a good man…who in that moment, failed, to live up to the best intentions of His heart.

It wasn’t Peter’s faith that failed him and prompted his denials that night, it was his courage that had failed him….Jesus said in Luke 22:32, “I have prayed for you, that your faith might not fail.” And His prayer was answered---Peter never lost his faith-----in the moment of crisis, he lost his courage-----but after the Holy Spirit came and indwelled him, Peter’s courage never wavered again….

Jesus knew about Peter’s denial long before it happened, it was not a surprise----He knew what Peter would do, and how he would react, and He knew the kind of man that Peter would be afterward…

From my medical background, I read about an interesting phenomenon that effects broken bones----a bone that is broken, often becomes stronger after its healed----something in the healing process, actually makes the breakpoint stronger than it was before----well the same is true about our failures----the Lord can take us where we’re broken, and make us stronger than we were before---even though we fall and fall and fall, by God’s grace, we can get up again and again and again, and keep putting one foot in front of the other, as long as our eyes are fixed on Jesus.

Peter’s guilt, was turned into grace, which forgave him over and over again; and his shame ,was turned into a preacher’s heart for the lost; and his failure, was turned into a faith that made him the Rock, that Jesus built His church on…

In his failure, Peter lost:

His Vanity

His Pride

His self-confidence

His rash impulsiveness

His unreliability

But in his repentance and the Lord’s forgiveness, he gained:

Humility

New confidence in God

Tested courage

New determination to serve the Lord Jesus

A willingness to use his experience to help others---not only with his lifetime of preaching and shepherding God’s people, but allowing John Mark to immortalize it, in the pages of scripture, for all generations to learn from…

The things Peter lost, he didn’t really need anyway; and the things he gained, he couldn’t have found them any other way. And God redeems our mistakes and our lack of courage in the same way----he redeems our mistakes by removing the things that brought us down and by replacing them with the qualities that we always wanted to have, but couldn’t seem to find.

Jesus, even in the middle of His suffering, loved Peter, and He loves us so much, that it doesn’t matter what we’ve done, or how we’ve denied Him or how many times we’ve lot our courage, or how often we’ve failed, or how ugly our language has been, even under our breath, or how we’ve hurt somebody else with our attitude or our thoughtless words----if the Lord could forgive Peter, He can forgive you and me-----the cross makes the difference----it’s all level at the foot of the cross-----failure, suffering, sin, trouble, brokenness, discouragement -----that’s where our hope is, that’s what the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross---if we fall, He picks us up; if we’re broken, He makes us whole again; if we fail, He makes us useful again, and if we lose courage, He gives it back to us….

And all this brings us back to the truth, that we learned, in the story about the art collectors----“When you have the Son, you have everything.”

JOY "Night of Agony" April 2, 2014

April 2, 2014

Night of Agony

Mark 14:27-52

I    “Pray With Me……”        14:27-40

II   “The Time Has Come…..”       14:41-52

(Braveheart is a movie that tells the story of Scotland’s pursuit of freedom, from the tyranny of the English, under the leadership of William Wallace. There was one particular battle where Wallace and his men were fighting the English----they thought they had the backing of the Scottish nobles, but the nobles had been bought off by the king of England, and wound up betraying Wallace on the battlefield…

Robert the Bruce, who later becomes the king of Scotland, suffered pangs of remorse for his part in the betrayal---and he confessed his heartache to his father, in one of the scenes…There conversation went like this….

Robert Bruce Sr.”I’m the one who’s rotting, but I think your face looks graver than mine. Son, we must have alliance with England to prevail here. You achieved that. You saved your family, increased your land, And in time, you will have all the power in Scotland.”

Robert the Bruce “lands, titles, men, power…nothing.”

Robert Bruce Sr. “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 children. Those men who bled the ground red at Falkirk fought for William Wallace. He fights for something that I never had. And I took it from him when I betrayed him. I saw it in his face on the battlefield, and it’s tearing me apart.”

Robert Bruce Sr. “all men betray--- all men lose heart.”

Robert the Bruce “I don’t want to lose heart!!!!! I want to believe as he does and, I will never be on the wrong side again.”)

That’s what Judas did----he chased after things that he thought would satisfy his soul. He even thought that betraying the Savior, would satisfy him----but he was so wrong-----and as we see his actions stacked up against the Lords----we can’t help, but look beyond our anger at Judas, and feel pity for him, because as it says in Mark 8:36, “what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, only to lose his soul.” 

I   “Pray With Me”  14:27-40

Scholars have decided that the Garden of Gethsemane was probably owned by a wealthy acquaintance of Jesus. And since its still there, we know that, it was a walled orchard on the side of the Mount of Olives, that contained its own olive press. 

So, it was the perfect place to go, for Jesus to have some time to pray, and the disciples some time to rest…After they sang what was probably, the beautiful, traditional Passover hymn, from Psalm 118, and left the Upper Room, Jesus and the disciples walked to the Garden-----and as they walked along---Jesus warned them that they would all forsake Him, when the time came for him to actually be arrested----- and some scholars even believe that He was telling them to flee, to spare them from being arrested too.

But, as they talked, Jesus did His best, to keep them from despairing over Him and His death, because He promised that He would meet them in Galilee after His resurrection.  And He backed up His words, with the prophecy from Zechariah 13:7, “Strike down the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” 

And we know that that’s exactly what did happen, they scattered--------but, that night, on the way to the Garden, their minds and their hearts weren’t able to receive and comprehend what He was saying. Because even 3 days later, they just couldn’t believe the reports that they heard about His resurrection----it took the angel giving them a special reminder to meet Jesus in Galilee, for them to remember, what He had said, and to galvanize them out of their dejection and spur them to action…----

If they had listened to the Lord and been able to believe His words, they would have saved themselves, so much grief and anxiety, and Peter wouldn’t have broken his own heart , because he would never have denied the Lord, if he’d just believed what Jesus said, and trusted Him---

but, they needed the Holy Spirit, to be able to trust Him and to stand firm for Him, 

and scripture says, that Jesus had to go, in order for the Spirit to come---that’s why Jesus didn’t give them a hard time---not even Peter, who kept insisting that He would follow Him into death, if he had to-----

Jesus was a man, so He knew and understood the disciples’ humanity and what their minds and hearts could take and couldn’t take-----so, He just continued to love them, as He gently turned away from their well-meaning vows of loyalty, even from sweet, impestuus Peter’s rash promises------ who did follow Him, after they left the Garden, to be near him, at His trial---- but, then, even Peter failed Him, as he gave into fear and denia,l and then, into despair, as the cock crowed 3 times, and Jesus looked right at him with forgiveness in His eyes… 

When I hear an inexperienced believer confidently assert that they will follow Jesus, come what may, it makes me feel both glad and a little concerned---thrilled, because they have a new life in the Lord, and wary, because they are so naïve---it brings a picture to my mind, of Dorothy and the Tin Man, gaily skipping down the yellow brick road, arms crossed, singing “I have decided to follow Jesus…..” with the wicked witch watching them from behind and the Emerald City, surrounded by poisonous poppies in front of them…

Naively presuming that we can follow the Lord’s will, just because we’re determined to, gives us a rude awakening sometimes!

We can’t do anything in our own strength----only through prayer and total dependence on the Lord Jesus, can we even follow Him a fraction of the way, we would like to….. (

I remember, once, when Griff was in middle school----he went to summer camp, for a week, with the youth----When he got home he was determined, my sweet boy, who was playing the violin when he was 4, that he wasn’t going to listen to any more secular music-----I didn’t want to hurt him, or discourage his commitment, but I did talk to him about setting yourself up for failure, and biting off more than you can chew-----as we talked, we decided that he would make a compromise----he would take it one week at a time---which he did.

Over time, Griff didn’t completely give up secular music----but Christian music, has always featured, the heaviest, in his ipod playlist ) 

I always like it better, when I hear a new believer say, “I know I can’t do it alone, but with the Lord’s help, I will do my best.”

When Jesus and the disciples got to Gethsemane, most of the disciples settled down at the entrance to get some rest……but the Lord took Peter, James and John, on a little further, into the Garden with Him….I wonder if the other disciples had already accepted those 3 as their future leaders-----because this was the 3^rd time that Jesus had picked them for deeper revelation---in the house of Jarius, they had witnessed His power and greatness, when He raised the little girl back to life-----and then, at His transfiguration, on the mountain, they had seen His deity and glory, as He talked with Moses and Elijah----and, finally, in the Garden, Jesus wanted them to witness and share His deep sorrow and grief and His heartbreaking suffering, as He struggled with it, in His humanity. 

Nobody wants to suffer by themselves, we might think we do, that we don’t want to burden anybody, or inconvenience them, but I can tell you from experience, over these last 6 months, and you all know this too, that having somebody come alongside you and share the burden with you, especially, in prayer, is a blessing beyond words. 

And Jesus, was no different, He wanted the companionship of His friends---He asked Peter, James and John to come with Him-----we need to learn this lesson-----we are supposed to ask people to help us, and we are supposed to receive their help, when they offer it-----we tend to feel guilty and embarrassed that we even need help, or comfort, or counseling----but that’s so dumb, because God created us, knowing that we would have a hard time going it, alone---He created us for companionship, relationship and fellowship, with each other, and especially with Him------and we need to embrace each other, not push each other away----plus, we don’t want to be guilty of robbing somebody of their joy, as they desire to serve us…

Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane knowing the anguish that was ahead of Him, so He asked His friends to go with Him------ we don’t always know what’s ahead of us, because more times than not, we stumble into our Gethsemane gardens----but we don’t have to stay there alone-----we need to  ask people to come and join us….

If Jesus needed somebody, doesn’t that tell us, how much more we need each other-----so, we need to get into the habit of sharing not just our joys, with each other, but our hard times too.

Jesus’ struggle, in the Garden, can only really be understood, when you understand what happened to Him, on the cross….He became our sin-bearer, the sin-bearer for all mankind--- and He submitted Himself to the penalty for our sin, so that we would never have to----not for past, present or future sin….but as bad as we know that His physical pain must have been, that isn’t what drove Him to His knees, and then on His face, before His Heavenly Father, that night, in the Garden----what almost overwhelmed Him, was anticipating, the anguish and sorrow, that He knew He was going to experience, when He had to be forsaken by His Abba Father, to be separated from the precious papa and son relationship, that they shared, as Jesus had all the sin of the world placed on His spotless heart….

That was the cup, He knew He was going to have to drink! According to Hebrews 5:7-9, Jesus asked the Father, to be saved, not “from death”, but He asked to be raised “out of death”----He asked the Father to raise Him from the dead-----Jesus was persistent in his prayer----He kept praying until He was peaceful about going forward------we need to be that persistent----we need to pray and pray and pray again, even if we’re praying the same prayer over and over again, we need to keep praying----God will always answer us----He always answers, yes, no or wait---none of those answers may be what we want to hear, but we need to keep praying, no matter what the answer is, until we can reach the place in our hearts and minds that Jesus did, where we can say,  “Not my will, but Yours be done….”and walk out, and face whatever it is, secure and resolved, in perfect peace, the way He did…..

One thing we need to realize about Jesus’ prayer though, is that He never one time, told the Father what to do because He had perfect confidence in God’s will-----3 times, He prayed for there to be some other way, and 3 times He yielded to the Father’s will, in loving surrender------which repeats for us, what we’ve said so many times before-----we can’t control the circumstances around us, but if we take our focus off of the circumstances, and put them on Jesus----the circumstances probably will not change, but our attitude about the circumstances will change----every single time------because our focus is where it should be, on Jesus, and we can trust Him, to handle everything else, even if the circumstances seem impossible….

While Jesus was pouring His heart out to the Father, Peter, James and John, bless their hearts, were sleeping----it’s hard to know whether they were just so tired---- or, did Satan have a hand in trying to dull their senses?-----first and foremost, so that Jesus would feel alone and isolated and rejected by His friends, and so, that the 3 of them would leave themselves vulnerable to later temptation….

We don’t know, but it’s odd to me, even as easy a sleeper as I am, that if Jesus was struggling to the point of sweat-drops of blood pouring off His face, I don’t think His prayers were quiet---I think He was crying out to God----scripture tells us, over and over again, that Jesus cried out to God----I think He was loud, in His prayers (It reminds me of being in my grandparents house, when I was growing up----and somebody would come, in the middle of the night asking for prayer----and my preacher granddaddy, would get everybody in the house up, call us to the family room and we would pray----it would start out quiet, at first, with just one voice, and then, as the Holy Spirit, would fill the room, the other people’s voices would join my grandfather’s, in a cacophony of sound, that was earnest, often tear-filled and always worshipful----and to my young ears----- loud!!!! I would never have been able to sleep through it…) so I think Satan was prowling that night…..

The truth is, Jesus, actually was pretty clear in His admonition to Peter, to be alert as they prayed, to keep their spiritual eyes open, because the enemy was near, just looking for an opportunity to tempt them into disobedience…

Jesus was so gentle with His 3 friends, even though their sleeping, during His dark hour, was disappointing to Him-----and the lesson for us is, that He didn’t let His disappointment in them, turn into annoyance or frustration-----He didn’t keep his mouth shut, He wasn’t passive-aggressive, pretending that everything was ok on the outside, while He was secretly fuming or crying, on the inside---And He didn’t yell at them----He spoke directly to them about His disappointment…people don’t automatically know what’s going on inside of us----we need to tell them----for some reason, we think, that if they really loved us, they would be able to read our minds----but that’s silly, because we can’t read each other’s minds, so we need to talk , directly, about what’s on our hearts----Jesus was the great communicator----He showed us by example, how we’re supposed to go straight to a person, and be honest with them…Don’t be silent----- if you are disappointed , for some reason, in a friend---- don’t let the friendship be damaged---don’t be silent, don’t give up---just keep talking to them….

That night, in the Garden, Jesus kept pursuing them, even though, they failed Him, 3 times---we tend to give up on people, especially when we really need them, and they aren’t there for us---but Jesus kept giving them the opportunity to comfort Him----remember, that everybody, has their own issues to deal with, and we can’t judge each other for that------so we need to be persistent, loving, kind, open, and honest, in our commitment to each other, so that we don’t lose our unity, with the Lord and with each other.

II     “The Time Has Come…” 14: 41-53

(“Howard Flynn has written, “Come with me in your imagination to the Battlefield of Saratoga, in New York, where in 1777, 2 battles of the revolutionary War, took place. You will notice on that battlefield, a pillar standing as a monument to what happened there. At the base are 4 different deep niches for the bronze figures of the generals who fought there so heroically. The first niche contains the figure of Horatio Gates, the next one houses the figure of Philip Schuyler. In the 3^rd niche, we can see the figure of Daniel Morgan, but when we come to the 4^th niche, we see something unusual----

The 4^th niche is empty. This one was for a general whose performance during battle merited honor. But later he committed an act of treason which wiped all of his heroism away-----and he has gone down in the pages of history as a traitor. The base of the empty niche where his figure should have gone, still has his name engraved -----and that name, Benedict Arnold, and that empty niche will stand forever, as a monument to a person, who went from being a hero to being a traitor…

In heaven, there is also a great monument---a city, that is paved with streets of gold-----it consists of 12 foundations on each of which is the name of an apostle----but there is one name missing, that should have been there---the name of Judas Iscariot---oh the tragedy of abandoning noble purposes…”)

Just at the moment that Jesus was waking Peter, James and John up, for the 3^rd time, Judas and the Temple Police and a huge contingent of Roman soldiers came to do the Sanhedrin’s dirty work and arrest Him-----if it weren’t so tragic, it would be funny, to think that the scribes and Pharisees thought, that it would take close to 1000 people, to bring Jesus to them….The fact that they brought such a large group of armed men, is evidence that neither Judas nor the religious leaders really understood Jesus---they had no clue who He was, or How He operated-----they must have thought that He would try to escape, or that He and His followers would put up a fight, or that He might perform some wonderful kind of miracle that would help Him evade them…what they didn’t understand was, that if Jesus Had wanted to escape, they could have had 100,000 armed soldiers there, and they wouldn’t have been able to stop Him----He had created the world with a word-----He had God’s legions, of angels, at His command, He and He , alone, was in control------no man, could make him to anything, that He didn’t choose to do, when He chose to do it. And the religious leaders had had numerous times to arrest Him, and they hadn’t, not because it wasn’t the right time, from their perspective, but because it wasn’t the right time from God’s perspective…

But with Judas’ kiss, of ultimate betrayal, the hour had come…..

Peter, bless his heart, did a foolish thing when he lopped off the ear of Malchus, the High Priest’s servant. We can’t fight spiritual battles, with physical weapons---Peter used the wrong weapon, at the wrong time, for the wrong reason------Jesus had to go to the cross, and this was the way that it had to happen…..and plus, Jesus doesn’t need us to defend Him---He can defend Himself---we need Him to defend us----He doesn’t want us to get in verbal arguments or physical fights over Him----He wants us to show people His love, so that we can draw them to Him, not turn them away from Him---- in the end, when He comes again, He will take care of the wrath, then …

If Jesus hadn’t healed Malchus, Peter would have been arrested right along with Jesus, and there might have been 4 crosses on Calvary, instead of 3…How many times have we interfered with God’s work, on our behalf, because we think we have to “help…” We need to learn to seek the Lord’s will, before we speak or act to solve any kind of situation.

What an example of submission to the Father Jesus is for us-----

*He walked forward, with peace and resolve, one foot in front of the other, to meet His death…

*He depended on the Father, for His strength….through prayer…

*He received the terrible kiss of betrayal, and still responded to Judas, 

 lovingly…

*He refused to let anyone fight in His defense…

*He submitted Himself to the arrest of the soldiers…

*And in His humanity, He did it all alone….

As we look at His bravery and His resolve and His compassion, and His obedience, knowing, that the end result, was our salvation----we have to realize that there is only one acceptable response that we can give----and that is….total submission to the One, who walked down the road to Calvary, so that we would never have to…

(Mark Evans, pastor of Valleybrook Community Church, reflects on his daughter’s first attendance at a Passion play in a way that I think we can all relate to…

“She was 4 years old and was about to see her first Easter play. And like most little girls, she was all decked out in her new flowered dress, patent leather shoes, matching purse, white lace socks and gloves, and to top it all off----her beautiful Easter hat….

As the play started, she screamed with excitement…”there’s Jesus, there’s Jesus…” He was playing with the children on stage, and she wanted to know why she couldn’t go up and play with Jesus too.

My response to her was ‘Honey, this is only a play. He isn’t really Jesus. He’s only an actor. This isn’t real.’ ‘Okay’, she said, but will you pick me up so that Jesus can see my hat?’

During the scene of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the soldiers came barging in, yelling and screaming, my daughter became so frightened that she turned her face away, buried it into my chest and began to cry.

Again, I tried to rationalize with her, ’It’s ok, honey. This is only a play. They are only actors. It isn’t real.”

Then came the dreaded scene. Down the aisle of the church came Jesus, dragging His cross----people yelling and cursing Him. This was too much, she couldn’t bear to watch. I held her tightly and tried to comfort her, ‘It’s ok honey---it’s just a play, they are actors, it isn’t real.’

Next the soldiers grabbed Jesus, threw Him against the cross, picked up their hammers and started pounding. At the top of her lungs, my daughter screamed, ‘Noooooooo! They’re killing my Jesus!’

She cried so loud and so long that I had to rush her out of the auditorium. I took her outside where she could finish watching the play on the outside TV screen and told her that Jesus was going to come back to life if she would watch. But she would not be consoled until she could see Jesus alive again----and at the end of the play, she made me take her to Jesus so that He could hold her and assure that He was alive…

‘Many people were in that auditorium that day----and they like me, had gone to see a play with actors-----it wasn’t supposed to be real----but…. when we saw the Gospel come alive, through the eyes of a child----- all of a sudden, it became very real----the truth of just what Jesus had done-------and the blessing of Easter took on a new dimension….it became more real to me, than it ever had before…’)

The struggle in Gethsemane, the arrest, the trial, the walk to the cross, the physical pain, the betrayal, the loss of His friends and the anguish of separation from His Father, is the Lord’s most precious gift to us. And my prayer is, that this year, Easter will take on a whole new dimension for us, and we will be able to love him, with the same depth of love and devotion and unquestioning loyalty, that that little girl did…

JOY "Love's Extravagance" March 26, 2014

March 26, 2014

Love’s Extravagance

Mark 14:1-26

I                   Precious Act of Worship        14:1-11

II                  Ultimate Act of Betrayal        14:12-21

III                 Priceless Gift of Love             14: 22-26

The first illustration that our commentary gave us, that describes, just a fraction of how much Jesus loves us, is one that I found in another publication----- and it is so sweet and tender that I wanted to use it too…

Soren Kierkegaard was a Christian theologian and Danish philosopher, and he wrote this little story in the 1800’s. Its been rewritten, by lots of different people, over the years, and presented in many different forms---And the beauty of it is, that it has been just as relevent, in every generation, as it was when it was first written….

A prince wanted to find a maiden suitable to be his queen. One day, while running an errand in the local village for his father, he passed through a very poor section of town. As he glanced out the window of the carriage, his eyes fell on a beautiful peasant maiden….For many days after that, he made up excuses, to go into town and pass that same way, hoping that he would see her ----and he did see her, so often, that it wasn’t long, even from a distance, before he fell in love with her.

But he knew he had a problem----how would he seek her hand? How would he woo her? How could he get her to fall in love with him? 

He could order her to marry him-----but even a prince wants his bride to marry him freely, without coercion. He could put on his most splendid clothes and drive up to her front doors in a carriage drawn by 6 horses------but that would either make her afraid of him, or so overwhelmed by his splendor, that she couldn’t help but obey him, and he would never know if she truly loved him for Himself…

So, the prince came up with another solution. He gave up his throne---gave up his kingly robes, gave up his crown, gave up his wealth, gave up his authority, and left his father------he moved into the village, wearing the garb of a peasant. There, he lived among the people, he worked among them, he ate with them and shared their interests---he wept with them in sorrow, and laughed with them in joy, he shared their concerns, and he spoke their language…In time, the maiden grew to love him for himself, because he loved her first and so well....

This very simple, childlike story, is an example for us, of all the Lord gave up, to show us how much He loves us---- and what lengths He was willing to go to, for us understand that love, so that we could love Him back… 

In the 14^th chapter of Mark, we can see the incredible love, that Jesus has for us----As Mark tells the story…….Jesus was about to enter into the most agonizing time of His ministry----He was going to be betrayed into the hands of His enemies, by one of His own--- the other disciples were going to forsake Him----- He was going to agonize, to the point of sweating blood, at the thought of being separated from His Heavenly Father, as He bore the sins of all mankind----- He was going to be denied by his closest friend---- and He was going to willingly, give Himself up, to the cruelty and injustice of the people, who were His enemies, because He couldn’t help them understand who He was.

All for the sake of love-----He loves us so much, that He was willing to yield Himself to it all, and to give up everything for us, including His life, so that we can know what that extravagant, committed love is…….

Amazing love, how can it be, 

that thou my God, would die for me….

I’m forgiven, cause You were forsaken

I’m accepted, cause You were condemned

I ‘m alive, and well, You’re Spirit is within me

Because You died, and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be?

That You my King would die for me.

Amazing love, I know it’s true

It’s my joy to honor You…

I                  Precious Act of Worship     14: 1-11

Pediatrician, David Cerqueria tells the story of a little 7 year old girl, in his wife’s Sunday School Class. His wife had prepared a lesson on how to  love the Lord Jesus, by being useful to Him, and she told the children that it didn’t matter how young or old a person was---what mattered was in their hearts…. 

There was a short moment of silence, and the little girl, named Sarah, raised her hand and spoke up, “ Teacher, what can I do, I don’t know how to do very many useful things?”

Mrs. Cerqueria, thoughtfully, looked around------ that was one question she hadn’t anticipated----she spotted an empty flower vase on the windowsill, and suggested to Sarah, that bringing a flower in, for the vase, would be a wonderfully useful thing…

Sarah frowned and said, “but that’s not important…”

Mrs. Cerqueria, trying not to laugh, explained to Sarah that everything is important, if you do it because you love Jesus and want to please Him…

The next Sunday, Sarah brought in a dandelion and put it in the vase----in fact she continued to bring in a flower every week----without reminders or help===she made sure the little vase had a yellow flower in it every Sunday. When the pastor found out about it, he put the vase in the sanctuary, right next to the pulpit…He used Sarah’s little vase, with her flower as a sermon illustration, about loving Jesus, by being useful too others….The congregation was touched by the message….

That same week, little Sarah was diagnosed with leukemia---David Cerqueria was her doctor----and he did his best to explain to her parents that there was nothing that could be done to save her life---her situation was already desperate….

Eventually, Sarah became confined to bed----and the end came near…

One Sunday, at the end of the service, the pastor suddenly stopped speaking---his eyes widened in amazement, as he stared at the back of the church----and the whole congregation turned around to see what he was looking at----

It was Sarah----- her parents had brought her one last time----she was bundled up against the cold, and was clutching a dandelion in her little hand. She slowly walked to the front of the church, where her little vase still rested beside the pulpit. She put her flower in the vase, and left a little piece of paper beside it.

Four days later, Sarah passed away----after the funeral, the pastor went up to the Cerquerias and told them he wanted them to see something…he handed them the little piece of paper that Sarah had left beside her vase-----they opened it and read what Sarah had written in pink crayon----“Dear God, this vase has been the biggest honor of my life”….

She, at 7 years old, understood what it meant to love God, by making herself useful to Him, simply and faithfully, in the only way she could, week after week------

what a lesson there is for us in her story---what a lesson there is for us in Mary of Bethany’s story….

The religious establishment had wanted to kill Jesus, almost from their first encounter with Him…their hatred and desire for His death, had unified the Sanhedrin, when he had healed the man’s withered hand and let His disciples try to find food, in the field, on the Sabbath-----their desire had dramatically intensified, when He had cleansed the Temple, the first time…and when He told the Parable of the Wicked Vineyard, they would have arrested Him, and killed Him right then, if they hadn’t been afraid of the growing crowd around Him…and after the several continued days, of verbal exchanges with Him, that last Passover week, which  stepped all over their misplaced pride, they crossed over the line of spiritual understanding and intellectual reasoning… and had a hard time restraining themselves, from His murder…..the tension was high, in the secret places, where they gathered, plotting some sly way, to eliminate Him, without the people knowing, that it was them… 

Passover was a time of intense, nationalistic feelings, among all the Jewish people, anyway, because it made them remember their deliverance from Egyptian slavery … 

And then, add to that, the Jews who were there, from all over the world, who had heard some of Jesus’ teaching…..and the many Galileans, visiting, who were known for their volatile and excitable behavior, who had heard a lot of His teachings and were self-proclaimed Jesus followers…and you’ve got the perfect storm, waiting to happen….

so, no matter how angry they were, or how ready they were to get rid of Him….they had to bide their time, till the right opportunity presented itself….

Meanwhile, Jesus was going on about His Father’s business…..He seemed to be in Jerusalem in the daytime, and 2 miles away in Bethany, at nighttime….

While they were there, we know that He and the disciples visited, and spent their nights with friends. The night of the story in this passage, Simon the Leper had invited them for dinner….nobody really knows, who this Simon was, but speculation is, that he had been one of the people that Jesus had healed----- so he wanted to honor Him with an appreciation dinner. Whoever he was, he knew a lot of Jesus’ friends and had invited them all, to the party too…he wanted Jesus to be relaxed among the people who loved Him and were closest to Him, like Mary, Martha and Lazarus…

As they were reclining around the table, about 6 days, before Passover, the people there, witnessed a remarkable event, which they would never forget-----John, in his Gospel, tells us that Mary came in carrying an alabaster jar of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard, a spice that was imported from India-----in today’s economy, it would have been worth about 25-30 thousand dollars… She broke the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head and then on His feet, which she wiped with her hair------the whole house must have been filled with the fragrance of the perfume…What an astounding moment of love and worship, that Mary poured out on Jesus. It shocked people with it’s unexpectedness and it’s fervent and intentional devotion…

I’m sure there were some people there, that night, who applauded Mary and worshiped right along with her, but more attention is paid to the ones who were indignant about, and what they saw as a waste of money----Judas, was the first to say that the perfume should have been sold , and the money given to the poor….and Mary was rebuked harshly by the naysayers, because they could have sold it, and given a substantial gift, to the poor and needy, which was customary to do, on the evening of the Passover.

 So they accused her of sinfully wasting gifts for the poor-----even though the perfume belonged to her family and had nothing to do with anyone else there----it was her decision to make…

Poor, gentle Mary must have been mortified----the intensity of her desire to honor Jesus, was so focused, she must not have given any thought to what others might think, about her gift, before she gave it…which was a good thing, she gave like a child gives, with her whole heart…

The disciples, bless their hearts, thought that they knew the mind of Jesus, but they were badly mistaken---- because Jesus put Himself between Mary and her attackers---- defending her with a heart-searching list, of why what she did was right and good----------

It was beautiful---Jesus was aware of her loving motive….He knew that the motive behind her gift was a pure and innocent love----things done because of a simple, real love for the Lord Jesus are a treasure to Him. Mary’s beautiful gift came from a beautiful heart… 

It came from a spontaneous response, to the promptings of the Holy Spirit-----The Holy Spirit led her to do it, and she yielded herself to Hs promptings------among the tragedies of life are the times when  the Holy Spirit moves us to do something fine or noble, and we ignore it-----instead, we give in to common sense, or embarrassment, or the busyness of life----we ignore the impulse to write a note of appreciation, or the prompting, to tell someone that we love them, or the urge, to meet someone’s need…when we ignore the Holy Spirit’s prompting, the possibility of blessing and joy for that moment, is gone forever.

It was not motivated by practicality----Mary’s act was simply done to and for Jesus , with no thought of whether it was practical or sensible----it was done, just because He deserved all that she had to give, no matter how little or how much it was-----the uninhibited beauty of the gift, was that she was willing to give it all…..

She placed Jesus above anything else----Jesus said that we should always take care of the poor because they will always be with us----because the truth is, it’s impossible, to be true disciples, without serving others----so Jesus wasn’t diminishing our obligation to the poor, when He said that we could help them anytime, He was actually advocating ongoing responsibility….Praising Mary for putting Him above all else was reflecting the greatest commandment , which is,” for us to love the Lord God first, and then, others second” …….we are to worship God and to minister to others. The ideal, is a lavish, contemplative devotional life, in which we love the Lord, so much, that we pour ourselves out for others….

Mary gave everything she had to give, in the way, that she had to give it----What she gave was complete and total-----all that she had, from all that she was……and she gave it with utter abandon….complete sacrifice, is the only adequate expression, for a life which has been redeemed by God----that’s what Romans 12:1 means when it says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-----which is your spiritual act of worship.” Mary did what she could, being the person she was, according to her personality and her disposition----she followed her heart------snap went that bottle neck, out poured the perfume, worth a fortune, and down came her hair. We usually, have no trouble, believing how we will behave in certain situations, or imagining how we will-----too many times, we think more highly of ourselves, than we deserve------because getting from the heart to the lips, or from the heart to the hands, or from the heart to the bank account, or from the heart to the poor---- is a very different matter, and often requires more than we’re willing to give….the fragrance that is so honoring to Him and refreshing to others, doesn’t come from giving half of our hearts, or half of our wallets, or half of our talents or half of our ambitions----God wants us to give everything, with all, that He created us to be…

Her worship was insightful------Jesus believed that Mary had poured perfume on His body, beforehand, to prepare for His burial. Jesus had repeatedly spoken plainly about His death-----and the disciples just kept trying to push the thought away----the concept of a suffering servant, was beyond their expectation and their desire---- But Mary was different---- she yielded to His teaching, and accepted, what He said was coming----She realized that when the horror came, that there was nothing she would be able to do, for Him, so she didn’t wait, she did what she could, when the opportunity presented itself….Jewish women considered their hair their glory---so when she let it down, to dry Jesus’ feet, it meant that all of her humanity, and all of her glory was totally, submitted and devoted, to Him, in worship…We never know just how important, or what the ultimate significance, of our devotion and service to the Lord, may be….so we just need to do all we can, when we can…. 

Jesus ended the list of Mary’s act of love with these words, 

“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.” 

The Lord wants our devotion, commitment, love, and acts of service, for Him, to be just as beautiful as Mary’s was…

II                Ultimate Act of Betrayal     14:12-21

From the world’s perspective, if life is going well and we are having success in all things, does that mean that God is pleased with us? That’s a good question….. If we’re successful in most of the things that we attempt, does that mean that God, is behind our success?  Another good question…

When things are going well, it’s nice to believe that, isn’t it?  It’s nice to feel like, we must be doing something right, if we’ve become strangers to failure, and success is our new daily companion. We like to think, that it has to be God, on our side, because why else would life be working out so well?

When things are going well, it is tempting to lay that success on God’s doorstep-----but then, we have to stop and ask ourselves…. when the failures come back again, and they will come back again….are we supposed to lay our failures on His doorstep, too? 

Among the 12 disciples, from he world’s perspective, the one absolutely stunning success was Judas, and the one thoroughly groveling failure was Peter. Judas was a success, in the ways, that most impress us---he was successful, both financially and politically----- he cleverly controlled the money, that belonged to Jesus’ ministry, and he skillfully manipulated the political forces, of the day, to accomplish his goal.

And Peter was a failure in ways that we most dread----he was impotent in a crisis and socially inept. At the arrest of Jesus, he collapsed into being a blustering coward; in his most critical moments with Jesus----the confession on the road to Caesarea Philippi(he tried to talk Jesus out of His road to suffering) and on the Mount of Transfiguration(he wanted to build 3 tabernacles for Jesus, Moses and Elijah to live in) he said the most embarrassingly, inappropriate things. 

He was not the companion that we would want with us in times of danger, and we wouldn’t feel comfortable with him at a social event. 

Time, of course, has reversed our judgment of these 2 men. Judas has become a byword for betrayal and Peter has become one of the most honored names in the world…Judas has become a villain, and Peter has become a saint…but the world still continues to chase after the successes of Judas----his financial wealth and his political power----

And, the world continues to defend itself against Peter’s failures---lack of courage, ineptness and volatility-----

We need to be careful not to equate our successes or our failures with an ability or inability to please God. ----saying that, doesn’t mean that God is indifferent to our striving----it just means, that His real desire, for us, as believers, is for us to be successful, in our willingness to do His will, and, ultimately, gain victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil. When we strive to know and love our Savior, to conform to His image, we please God. But earthly successes, are not the measure of God’s approval. We need to remember that just because things are working out well, doesn’t necessarily mean that we are always doing the right thing. We have too walk by faith, not by works… 

As precious and beautiful as it was for Mary to anoint Jesus for His burial, it was a little macabre’---because, from the anointing on, a palpable gloom settled over the remaining days of Jesus’ life-----and the gloom got thicker, as Judas, secretly made arrangements, to sell Jesus to the priests for 30 pieces of silver, when there would be no one around to interfere….

but, Jesus was in control of it all----He knew exactly what was going to happen, and how it had to happen, and who was going to be the players, as it unfolded….Jesus’ mastery of the events, in His days of darkness, should give us great hope and unwavering belief, in His mastery of the dark days, that we have to walk through, as a natural part of this life…

Jesus had prearranged to have the Passover meal, with His disciples, in the upper room, of the unidentified man’s house-----that is evident from the directions that He gave Peter and John, which fell into perfect order, just like He said that they would----

Jesus deliberately chose a secret place, because it hid the location from Judas, until it was too late for him to tell anybody----also Jesus must have wanted to control the environment because He knew it would be His last Passover,

 and He knew He was the ultimate Passover Lamb, who would be the fulfillment, of Israel’s dream, of redemption and salvation—

He wanted the night, to be remembered in a way, that was equal ,to the night of the first Passover---

the first one was a promise----the second one was the fulfillment of that promise…. 

and He had some things that He wanted to say to, and do, just with the disciples, that would reverberate, down through church history, and would become one of our most revered and sacred ways to remember His sacrifice… The Lord’s Supper….

Far from being crushed in the wheels of history, at the hands of evildoers…..Jesus was turning the wheels, the way that God had planned for them to turn…..Judas might have thought that he was instigating and forcing things forward, but the reality is, Jesus’ death was no accident----it had been planned from the beginning…the words that He spoke,” take it, this is my body, this is my blood…..which is poured out for many…” makes sense, because Jesus was choosing, Himself, to give His life…

The good news for us is, that a God, who is in control, when the foundations of His own earthly existence are crumbling, is a God, who can sustain us, when it looks like our lives are caving in, too…..we trust Him, with our eternity, why do we fret about trusting Him with the details of our daily lives----He can take care of it all…..

John says in His Gospel, that Jesus, was “troubled in His Spirit”, and I don’t believe, that it was so much His death He was troubled about, I think it was Judas-----look at how Jesus gave him every opportunity, to turn back from what he was planning…..

Jesus shocked everybody when He announced that there was a traitor in their group----they all questioned Him, even Judas (who fooled everybody, but Jesus) because they wanted to make sure, that they wouldn’t somehow betray Him, by accident… (we all do that sometimes, we get caught up in circumstances, take our focus off of the Lord, for just a minute----and boom----you wouldn’t even realize that we know him….)

We know from the other scriptures, that Judas’ motivation was greed, and he was deliberate in his actions---- its hard for us to fathom somebody who could have had such fellowship with Jesus and the disciples, and still live out such great evil-----but none of us are far from the very same thing when we take our focus off the Lord and let the things of the world penetrate our hearts------

that’s why we’re supposed to put on the armor of the Lord every single day…..

Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray him and that his plans would succeed, but Jesus was troubled for Judas’ soul---- He knew how Judas would feel and what he would do, after the deed was done, and in His great compassion, the Lord’s heart ached for him----

So, He reached out to him in love ----He washed his feet, He gave him a place of honor, when they reclined around the table, and He broke off a piece of bread, dipped it in the common bowl, and, in an accepted display of sweet fellowship----gave it to Judas----

Jesus was offering him friendship and forgiveness---but Judas refused-----and as he got up to leave the table, John says, “that Jesus gave him over to himself, and told him to go do his worst quickly”-----

so sad----the truth is -----Jesus’ compassion for Judas was real----if Judas had repented----it wouldn’t have saved Jesus from death, that was already decided----but it would have saved Judas from his physical death, at least------ we don’t know where he will be in eternity----but we do know that he did regret what he’d done (maybe that was repentance)  he did try to give the money back, and stop the arrest from happening, but he couldn’t stop it, it had gone to far… 

Jesus is in sovereign control of everything, and He can make a way, when there seems to ne no way-----especially through the darkness that mars our world----(Frederick Nolan, a British writer, in the 20^th century, was fleeing his enemies, in Northern Africa----hounded by his pursuers, he ran till he couldn’t run anymore, and he fell exhausted into a wayside cave, and waited to be found…while he was laying there, he saw a spider weaving a web. Within minutes, the little insect had woven a beautiful web across the mouth of the cave. When his pursuers got to the cave, Nolan could hear them debating about him hiding in the cave, and then deciding that he wasn’t, because the spider web, would have been disturbed-----so they went on….Having escaped from his enemies---Nolan said, “where God is, a spider’s web is like a stone wall, where God is not, a stone wall is like a spider’s web…”

III             Priceless Gift of Love             14: 22-26

Jesus used the language and the elements of the Passover meal to show the disciples, that He, was the fulfillment, of the event, that they were celebrating and remembering….as He offered them the bread and the cup…..

First H took the bread…..

Bread has always been the staple of life------it makes me sad when people give it up, cause they’re afraid that it’ll make them fat, when it symbolizes so much about life and sustenance and well-being, and who the Lord is to us…

Physically, it’s impossible for us, to live without food and spiritually, it’s impossible for us to live without the Lord Jesus----

Scripture says that Jesus, is the Bread of Life-----He took on a human body----

He demonstrated His divinity to the whole world, by living a sinless life, in that body----

He bore our sins to the cross, while in that body---

He triumphed over the grave by bringing that body back to life----

and now He lives in that body, glorified, at the right hand of the Father, praying for us-----

And as believers, we are members of that body, so, we share His life---- 

The Lord told us, on that long ago night, that, as we break the bread, we are to remember what He’s done for us, 

to remember what we’ve been spared, 

and to remember how much He loves us-----individually and collectively…….

And as we eat it, we are to remember that we are identifying ourselves, and each other, as one, with the Lord Jesus, in body, mind and Spirit…

And them ,He took the cup…

The redness of the wine, in Jesus’ cup represented His atoning blood----From the days of Moses at Mt. Sinai, God had said, that without the shedding of blood, that there could be no forgiveness----- 

So, for hundreds of years, animals were sacrificed, pointing to the One, who would someday come, who would allow His blood to be spilled once and for all, for all mankind…

That night, Jesus was telling the disciples, that He was that ultimate lamb-------

and that only because of HIs shed blood, have we been redeemed for all eternity, with a new covenant forged between God and mankind that has been sealed in His blood----

So, when we take the cup, we are remembering:

1. what we’ve been spared,

 2’ that Jesus took our place, as He took our sins onto Himself, and became our scapegoat----as He took the punishment, that we deserve----

3. That he has provided the only way that we can have a relationship with God, and have true  fellowship with each other,

4.  That we are totally forgiven because of the Lord’s glorious blood…. 

The bread and the cup,  together, remind us….

1. Of God’s great love for us;  

2.That His blood washed our sin away, His

 3.That our faith, in Him, enables us to believe in His death, His resurrection, His ascension and His future return; 

4.That we can not live, and we dare not die, without Him; 

5. That He has given us a hope that transcends time, heartache, sickness, death and even the joys and celebrations of our lives……a hope that goes far beyond anything we can imagine, in this world….

 (Jason Jones, a pastor in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, wrote, that in 1948, his father had just returned home from WWII. On every highway, you could see soldiers in uniform, hitchhiking home to their families. The thrill of the reunion, with his family was soon overshadowed by his grandmother’s illness. There was a problem with her kidneys. The doctors told his father that she needed a blood transfusion immediately or she wouldn’t live through the night.

His grandmother’s blood type was AB negative, a very rare type. In those days, there were no blood banks like there are today…No one in their family had that blood type, and the hospital had not been able to find anyone with that rare type. The doctor gave their family very little hope…

His dad decided to head home for a little while to change his clothes and then he planned to come back to say goodbye to his mother. As he was driving home, he passed a soldier in uniform hitching-----deep in grief, he wasn’t going to stop, but something compelled him to pull over…

The soldier climbed in, but Jason said his father didn’t say a word. He just continued driving down the road toward home. The soldier could tell that he was upset, as tears were rolling down his cheeks. So he asked about the tears….Jason’s father began telling him about his mother, her illness and about the fact that she was going to die, because they couldn’t find anyone to donate AB negative blood…..As he turned to look at the soldier, for the first time, to thank him for his compassion, he realized the soldier was holding out his hand with dog tags that read AB negative-----the soldier told him to turn the car around and head back too the hospital------Jason said his grandmother lived another 47 more years-----

One of God’s greatest and most beautiful truths is…. that Jesus’ blood was the most precious thing that He could give us----the highest price that He could pay------the strongest language to tell us how much He loves us…..and through God’s amazing love, we were redeemed with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ-----He didn’t just match our blood type----He changed it, to match His, so that we wouldn’t just live out our lives here on the earth, but that we will live, with Him, for all eternity….