Let's stand and read together our memory Scripture for this first quarter of 2018.
2 Timothy 2:11-13
“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will also disown us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot disown
Himself.”
And now our memory refresher verse ....
Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
You may be seated.
On September 11, 2001 four commercial airliners were hijacked by Muslim radicals. They were fully loaded with passengers and fuel. Two of them were flown into the twin towers in NYC. Another one was flown into the pentagon in Washington, DC. The fourth one seemed to be headed to Washington, D.C to possibly be flown into the White House or the Capitol Building.
There were 2,996 innocent people killed on that day and many died later from the dust and ash that was inhaled by those near ground zero.
It was a devastating attack that cost the lives of more people than the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Just a few years later a reporter was interviewing someone in California about what he remembered about 9-11 attack and the guy responded, “Oh, you mean that thing that happened on the east coast?” As if it was some insignificant event.
Sometimes I think we as Christians are like that!
The Creator God, to Whom we owe our very existence sent His one and only Son 2,000 years ago for our salvation.
He was brutally tortured and killed on our behalf and sometimes our actions almost seem to say, “Oh, you mean that thing that happened 2,000 years ago?” Like it’s an afterthought!
Please open your Bibles to Mark 15:1-39 which we will read in a few minutes.
Why do I bring that up today?
Next Sunday is Palm Sunday so we will be taking a look at the events that took place on that day but on Good Friday we will be meeting for a community gathering at Yorkshire Free Methodist Church.
Good Friday is when we usually set aside time to take a careful look at the events which took place between the Last Supper Jesus had with His disciples and the crucifixion. And, since we will not be meeting here on Good Friday it seemed good to me that we would set aside to day for that purpose.
With that in mind let’s go ahead and read Mark 15:1-39
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Let’s look at some of the things Jesus endured for us, for our salvation.
Jesus is betrayed into the hands of the Jews by Judas
Jesus is tried before Annas. Annas is a former High Priest and the father-in-law of the current High Priest and during questioning Jesus is slapped in the face by one of the Jewish officials … this is just the beginning …
Jesus is tried before Caiaphas the High Priest – many accusers are brought forward – and they are becoming emboldened with their abuse of the Lord. They spit in Jesus’ face, they punch Him with their fists, they slap Him and taunt Him.
Now, remember, Caiaphas is the one who prophesied in the Jewish council, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one Man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” – John 11:49b
Jesus hears Peter deny that he even knows Him for the third time. In the middle of all the confusion, the false witnesses, the accusations, the questioning, Jesus hears Peter call down curses on himself as proof that he does not know Jesus and Jesus looks directly at him.
This pierced Peter’s heart and must have pierced Jesus’ heart as well.
Jesus is then called before the entire Sanhedrin, the Jewish “Supreme Court” and here it is decided that they will ask the Roman government to put Jesus to death.
Pilate is in Jerusalem for one reason only, to control the Jews and to keep rebellion in check. Herod is the appointed king of the Jews so to have someone else claiming to be the king could be troubling.
So, here is Jesus standing before Pilate with accusations whizzing around Him and He’s not fighting back, not trying to protect Himself. This is something that Pilate has never seen before.
Pilate knows exactly what is going on. He’s been around Jerusalem long enough to know the power structure within the Jewish religious community.
Why was important for Jesus to not defend Himself?
Yes, Jesus did speak a few words during His trials but never in rebuttal or condemnation of those accusing Him.
Why was this important?
John 1:1-3 the Word created all things
Genesis 1 – "and God said" … and it came into being
With His words Jesus had:
Healed the withered hand – “Stretch out your hand”
Cast out demons
Raised the dead – “Lazarus come forth …”
Calmed the raging wind and waves
Jesus could have wiped out His enemies with one word and brought the whole ordeal to an end but He came to save His enemies not to destroy them so He remained silent while they tortured, mocked and killed Him.
It is amazing, isn’t it? Pilate ask WHY Jesus should be crucified and they have no answer just a demand; Crucify Him!!!
Why did Pilate have Jesus flogged instead of just handing Him over to be crucified?
The purpose of the flogging was to weaken the person so that they would die quicker!
There are documented accounts where this flogging was so brutal that the person’s inner organs were revealed; their intestines, kidneys, liver, stomach, etc. could be seen through the gaping wounds. This was done to our Jesus.
Now, remember, Jesus has already been flogged and most likely strips of his flesh are hanging from His body like ribbons of meat.
He is being mocked, spit on, hit on the head with a staff, a crown of thorns has been forced onto His head.
Isaiah 52:14 says, “… there were many who were appalled at Him - His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and His form marred beyond human likeness ….”
Isaiah 50:6 says, “I offered My back to those who beat Me, My cheeks to those who pulled out My beard; I did not hide My face from mocking and spitting.”
Psalm 22:14-18 says, “I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within Me. My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue sticks to the roof of My mouth; You lay Me in the dust of death.
Dogs (gentiles) surround Me, a pack of villains encircles Me; they pierce My hands and My feet.
All My bones are on display; people stare and gloat over Me.
They divide My clothes among them and cast lots for My garment.”
No matter how much you hate someone, it seems that there must be some point where the cruelty to that person causes you to have at least a little compassion!
The two rebels, those who were just passing by, the chief priests and the teachers of the law and even the soldiers who were crucifying Him were mocking Him.
Jesus is dead! We certainly do not know how much of Jesus’ deity the centurion understood, but, even in total ignorance he was able to utter this statement of truth, “Surely this Man was the Son of God!”
The sun has gone dark as if it was night from noon until Jesus died.
Then there was a great earthquake and in the temple the four inch thick curtain separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn in two from top to bottom.
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Jesus was tortured to death for my sins and for yours.
As horrid as this is we MUST remember. We must never forget what the God of Glory did in sending His One and Only Son to be tortured to death for us!
A song by Sandi Patty says ...
“At times I am tempted to overlook His grace
Thinking I’m worth the love He’s given
I act like I’m earning the right to run the race
Somehow forgetting He died in my place
Still isn’t long before I stumble
One look at the cross and I am humbled!
It should've been my hands where the nails were. It should've been.
It should've been my feet where the nails were. It should've been.
It should've been my side that was opened, my heart that was broken.
But it was Your hands. Yes, it was Your feet.
It was Your blessed hands. It was Your precious feet.
It should've been my hands. It should've been my feet.
Where the nails were.”
Where do you see yourself in this epic event?
Are you Peter, denying that you even know Jesus?
I know there have been times when I should have spoken up for Jesus and did not.
There have been times when I thought it would make the situation to uncomfortable for me to identify with and speak the words of truth for Jesus but I didn’t.
How about you?
Perhaps some of us are like Pilate; judging Jesus, knowing that He does not deserve condemnation but it’s just not worth the fight! So … we take the easy way out and we attempt to wash our hands of the consequences of our decision.
Who else might we be?
We are all Barabbas!
Because of Jesus’ death on the cross of Calvary all of us can be set free from the curse of sin because of Jesus’ suffering and death, who are we? We are Barabbas.
Barabbas didn’t deserve to go free from the penalty for his sin and neither do we deserve to go free from the penalty of our sins!
We don’t know what happened to Barabbas. There have been books and movies and songs written about Barabbas but there is nothing in history to tell us what happened.
Did he find true freedom by finding the risen Jesus as his Savior or did he end up dying on another cross on another day because there was no change in his life?
We have that same choice.
Final comments
Prayer and dismissal
