Mark 14:43-65
DISORDER IN THE COURT
INTRO: (Explain vss.51-52-This is from Mark’s perspective) Now read text……..
Here are some things not to say to a police officer: "Sorry, officer, I didn’t realize my radar detector wasn’t plugged in." "Aren’t you the guy from the Village People?" "Hey, you must’ve been doing 125 mph to keep up with me. Good job!" "Are you Andy or Barney?" "Do you know why you pulled me over? OK, just so one of us does." And finally, when the officer says, "Gee son, your eyes look red; have you been drinking?" You probably shouldn’t respond with, "Gee officer, your eyes look glazed; have you been eating doughnuts?" These are not very wise statements to make when you’re pulled over. They will definitely make your traffic stop and day in court very unpleasant. In today’s text, what Jesus said and that which He didn’t speak made His courtroom appearance very unpleasant. And as we go into this illegal courtroom, I want you to see 3 actions that really standout--three crowds with different actions. Which crowd are you in?
1. DISCIPLES DEPARTING vss.43-50 (carnal crowd)
They all forsook Him-vs.50. Why? Why do we depart? Why do people quit church? Why do
people quit the ministry? 2 Reasons:
A. LACK OF SPIRITUAL SIGHT
We are spiritually blind. We cannot see that we are in a spiritual war. Peter was spiritually
blinded. He couldn’t see that he was in a spiritual war. He’s using carnal weapons to fight
a spiritual war-vs.47 (cp.John 18:10). Peter used the wrong weapon, at the wrong time, for
the wrong purpose. Had Jesus not healed Malchus’ ear, Peter would’ve been arrested; and
there might have been 4 crosses on Calvary. This is our problem as well. We can’t see that
we are in a spiritual war. When it comes to spiritual warfare, the average Christian falls
into two extremes. One is they have bought into the Hollywood version where satan
possesses a lawn mower, TV, or A/C. Or, they think nothing of a spiritual war going on.
Listen, we are in a real spiritual war, and satan doesn’t want the carburetor of a lawn
mower; he wants your heart. It’s high time we wake up and realize we’re in a spiritual
battle and we’ve got to use spiritual weapons: Prayer and the Word of God. Two of which
Peter neglected. He slept when he should’ve been praying (vss.37-42), and he should have
heeded Jesus’ Word, that the Son of Man must die.
B. LACK OF SURRENDER vs.54
Peter first fought, then fled, now following afar. Why is this? It is half-hearted discipleship
No surrender. What happens when you are not fully surrendered? First, you begin associ-
ating with the wrong crowd-vss.66-70. Then old habits begin to flair up-vs.71. [Illus.]—
Little boy selling a push lawnmower. Baptist preacher come along and wanted to buy it
and asked did it run. "Yes sir", said the boy. The preacher pulled and pulled on the rope
and said, "Son, this thing won’t crank." The boy said, "That’s ‘cause you ‘gotta’ cuss it."
The preacher said, "Son, I’m a Baptist preacher, and I haven’t cussed in 18 years." Boy
said, "Keep pulling; it’ll come back to you." Listen, when you are not in the Word and not
on your knees and not fully surrender to the Lord Jesus it comes back to you. Are you
surrendered? Are you in the Word daily? How’s your prayer life? If these are non-existent
in your life, then you are in this departing crowd. The departing crowd is a carnal crowd.
2. SANHEDRIN DECEIVING vss.53, 55-59 (lost crowd)
Here is where we go into this illegal court, this kangaroo court. Note, it’s made up of High
Priest, elders, and scribes. This is the Sanhedrin-71 members. By the way High Priest is where
we get our English word "hierarchy". You get in front of this bunch and you’re in a mess. This
is a religious bunch but they are religiously lost. This is a conniving bunch. Several facts reveal
the evil of their hearts: (1) They hastily assembled the court at night, which was illegal.
(2) They convened this court during a feast, which was forbidden. (3) They were meeting in
Caiaphas’ palace (home), not in the official court. This, too, was illegal. All cases had to be
tried in court. In fact trials in capital cases could only be held at the Temple and only in public.
(4) They were not suppose to bribe witnesses to commit perjury. (5) They are supposed to be
objective. But you see, this court has an agenda. They have already determined to kill him (see
14:1-2); their only problem was getting evidence that would justify it-vs.55-59 (explain each vs.)
Listen, this deceiving crowd is a lost crowd. Paul said, "..savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock."—Acts 20:29. Lost people sit in church. And all they do is oppose
the Gospel. They have their late night meetings at Brother So and So’s house to scheme and
destroy the flock. They twist the rules. They come against Christians but in essence they are
rejecting Christ.(65). They want to do as they please.They want no one telling them what todo&
that includes God. Is that you my friend? Are you holding secret meetings at your house to talk
and run down other believer’s? When you play church politics you are apart of a hierarchy that is straight from hell. What you need is Jesus. You need to get saved today. You are not carnal, you are lost. Repent and receive Jesus today.
3. JESUS DEMONSTRATING vss.60-62 (saved, on mission crowd)
Here we see Jesus demonstrating His love for us. Romans 5:8 says, "..God demonstrated His
own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God demonstrated
His love for us by sending His only begotten Son, and Christ demonstrated His love for us by
dying on the cross for us-sinners. But here we see Him demonstrating that great love even in
this court room. ‘How’s that, Brother Royce?" Look at verse 60. If Jesus had of spoken, the trial
would have been over. The witnesses are contradicting each other. It doesn’t take a lawyer to
figure that out. Then in verse 62—Now if Jesus would keep quiet, He would be a free man. But
He says, "I Am." "Son of Man coming" "Right hand.." These are direct quotes from Daniel
7:13 and Psalm 110:1. Caiaphas is a walking concordance. He knows exactly what Jesus has
just claimed. But if Jesus had not said a word, He’d be a free man. But here He demonstrated
His love in order to set us free. Praise God! What a Savior!
Then look what happens next-vs.63. Caiaphas tore his clothes. Normally this was an expression
of grief, but the High Priest was forbidden to tear his clothes—Lev.10:6, 21:10. Now, some
would point out that the Talmud makes an exception, but my friend, the Talmud is not the Word
of God. And according to the Word of God, the Mosaic Law, Caiaphas cannot do this. Do you
know what just happened? He just resigned as High Priest, standing in front of the true High
Priest-Jesus Christ. Praise God!
Conclusion:
Which crowd are you in today? Lost Crowd? Do you know Christ as your Savior? Have you ever called upon Him for salvation? Won’t you do so today. He loved you so much, He died on that cross for you. And he rose again to give you everlasting life. Salvation is a free gift. Won’t you receive it today? God will not violate your free will. You must ask for it on your own. Maybe you are here today and you are a Christian, but you are following afar. You are not fully surrendered. You are in that departing, Carnal Crowd. Won’t you fully surrender today? Listen, Jesus didn’t go part of the way to the cross. He went all the way. He doesn’t ask us to take up some of the cross. He ask us to take up all of our cross and follow Him daily. He doesn’t ask us to follow Him some of the time. He ask us to follow Him all of the time. Christians, are you demonstrating that love?Are you sharing your faith and demonstrating His love every day? If not, come and repent today, and go out of these doors on mission for Jesus. Be a part of the Demonstrating Crowd!
Royce Hendry Sand Hill Baptist 3/31/01
