Mark 15:1-5

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Big Idea:

The King took our shame to save us.

Intro:

Hey Church Online, thanks for joining us today.
I’m going to start off today a little bit different. Kinda giving an [additional] announcement, but also casting some vision, as an intro for today’s sermon. Today I’d like to talk more about Life Group.
Yes, I’ve been talking about Life Groups a lot lately. And yes, it’s because we’re pushing into a new season of Life Groups at The River Church, which we really want all of you to be a part of. But also, because we’re passionate about discipleship.
Let me define discipleship real quick: Discipleship is when a leader (who follows Jesus) helps a learner follow Jesus, while also equipping that learner to be a leader who can help other people follow Jesus too. It’s what we see the apostle Paul tell Timothy (who he discipled) in one of his final letters...
2 Timothy 2:2 ESV
and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
That’s discipleship. It’s following Jesus and helping others do the same.
And here’s why discipleship is important… After the resurrection, before Jesus returned to heaven, He gave what we call The Great Commission. He said...
Matthew 28:19–20 ESV
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Notice the emphasis… it’s not making converts (though that’s part of it), it’s not planting or attending churches (that’s part of it too), it’s MAKE DISCIPLES!
That’s why we’re passionate about discipleship! And at The River Church, Life Groups is where discipleship happens.
Life groups are places:
Where we learn to love Jesus by learning God’s word...
Where we build community as we grow in faith and friendship together...
And experience joy as we serve one another, while being equipped (being discipled) to bring salvation to the world through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
And notice the intentional phrasing I’m using… phrasing you’ve likely heard before...
Love Jesus.
Build Community.
Bring Joy.
That’s our purpose as The River Church. It’s our strategy. Those three phrases describe what we believe God has called us to here in Glastonbury and beyond. And I’m hoping by continuing to communicate that, you’ll not only remember it, but it’ll become part of our church culture and your faith-DNA.
All that leads to this… Life Groups… join one! The Life Group I host at my house is changing. It’s a community Life Group, which means all ages and seasons of life are welcome. Previously, it was once a month. Starting October 20th, it’ll will shift to weekly. So, if you’re looking to join a Life Group, I invite you to consider that one… especially if you are a new believer, because to kick off this weekly shift, we’re gonna do something different.
I’m gonna start our Life Group with a 7-week foundations series available on RightNow Media. It’s called Basic. And it’ll discuss things like...
Who is God?
How do I follow Jesus?
Who is the Holy Spirit?
What is fellowship, prayer, biblical teaching, and communion.
If you are new to church or following Jesus, or even if you’d like a refresher, maybe you’ve never been taught the basics… consider joining my Life Group, which will be geared towards new believers, but open to all.
But here’s the different part: This 7-week series requires a workbook which is $20. Those of you who know me, know I’m the king of giving things a way for free. But I’m going to ask those attending these 7-weeks to both register and pay for the book - again, $20. I believe this will help those who attend have some investment in this series. Afterwards, my Life Group will continue weekly, focusing on foundational content, but not require a “cost.”
Sound good?
Let’s begin to connect that with today’s passage. Why invest in discipleship? Yes, because Jesus said so. But let me cast some vision for how discipleship impacts us as a local church.
Discipleship helps us lead more people to Jesus - that’s important!
But also, let me share a goal I have… in 20 years Ill be 62. By 62, I hope to pass this church off to a new, younger pastor who can lead our church for another 20 years.
Why? Is it because I don’t like pastoring or Glastonbury. YOU KNOW THAT’S NOT TRUE. There’s not a place on earth I’d rather live. There’s not a thing on earth I’d rather be doing. But we belong to a Kingdom that values multiplication. We want to see a multiplication of people who follow Jesus. We want to see the amount of bible teaching churches multiple. We want to raise up new leaders who can pastor others. If we at The River Church faithfully serve Jesus, I will one day be replaced by another faithful pastor. And ideally, that pastor will be discipled in this church!
And here’s the visionary statement I lay before you: You don’t need me as a pastor. You need Jesus as a Savior.
All of this is about Jesus. Not about me. Not really about you. It’s about Jesus. And I think today’s passage out of The Book of Mark teaches us this. Today, we start chapter 15. The Sanhedrin has just sentenced Jesus to die. And the story continues...
Mark 15:1 ESV
And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate.

Exegesis:

Remember, Jesus’s trial before the Sanhedrin happened overnight. It was now morning, and the religious leaders finalized their decision to execute Jesus. However, under Roman rule, they were not authorized to do that. So, they had to go to Pontius Pilate (the Roman governor of the region) to act on the death sentence.
Mark 15:2 ESV
And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”
That seems like a weird question for Pilate to ask, especially if you remember from last week, the Sanhedrin convicted Jesus on the charge of blasphemy. So why does Pilate lead with, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Something important to consider is Mark just hits the highlights. He’s not communicating every detail, but only what the Holy Spirit inspires Him to write. But the other gospel authors (Matthew, Luke, and John) give us other details that help us fill in the gaps.
So first, know that Pontius Pilate couldn’t stand the Jewish people. They annoyed him at the least. And obviously, he didn’t share the same religious beliefs. And the Jewish leaders knew Pilate didn’t care about the charge of blasphemy, even if it was a big deal to them. And they were right.
When the apostle John writes that “Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” (Jn 18:31), the sense is, “Why are you bothering me. I don’t care about your religious fights. You judge Him.”
If they had charged Jesus with blasphemy, Rome could care less. So, they modified their charge. Since the blasphemy charge was connected to Jesus’s messianic confession - and the Messiah was to be a King - the Jews said, “This guy claims to be a king!”
Now, that charge would hold up. Declaring any person as king other than Caesar… was treason. And punishable by death, crucifixion, actually. And that’s why Pilate asks, “Are you a King?”
Mark only records Jesus replying with, “You have said so,” but John writes that Jesus said...
John 18:36 ESV
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
And strangely, Pilate believes Jesus. He’s not threatened by him, even though He’s confessing something serious. He seems to believe Jesus is being wrongly charged. That Jesus is different. Maybe a different kind of King? But not one guilty of treason.
Mark 15:3–6 ESV
And the chief priests accused him of many things. And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked.
Again, Pilate hated the Jews. And by Rome’s authority he had all the power he needed to treat them however he wanted. But there was a delicate balance in the relationship. The Jewish crowd, while of no personal value to Pilate, could still impact his position as governor.
For example, riots were bad. “Pax Romana” or “Roman peace” was important to the empire’s agenda. Riots are not peaceful. And if Pilate couldn’t keep Roman Peace, he would be replaced. So, Pilate was also a people pleaser. And one tradition to keep peace (and gain the people’s favor) was to release a prisoner during the Passover Feast.
Mark 15:7 ESV
And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas.
See… Rome takes disturbing the peace seriously. Barabbas was sentenced to death...
Mark 15:8–10 ESV
And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.
Pilate could see right through the religious leaders. He knew Jesus was being falsely accused. And he thought, “Maybe if I make the crowd decide between Jesus (who seems special and claims to be the King of the Jews) and Barabbas (who was a murderer)… they’ll definitely choose Jesus! And it’ll be over with. I can move on with my day. These Jews will get out of here. At the same time, I’ll make those annoying religious leaders mad because they didn’t get their way.”
But I’d like to pause and bring up a biblical principle found in this passage that can help us examine our lives...
Pilate (a pagan ruler) could see right though the Jewish leaders hypocritical faith. I wonder what people think when they look at our faith today as Christians. Do they see love? Do they see lies? Do they see hypocrisy? Do they see the heart of Jesus?
Some of what they see is based on how we act. In this passage, one thing the Jewish faith-leaders do is accuse Jesus. It’s interesting because accusations are tied to a certain biblical character.
Revelation 12:10 ESV
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.
You know who is known for accusations? Satan. That’s who this passage is about. Jesus saves. Satan accuses. Which action do our lives most align with? Do we point people to Jesus who saves? Or, do we point our fingers in accusation?
Mark 15:11 ESV
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.
Once again, the faith-leaders actions speak volumes. Not only do they accuse in the spirit of Satan, they are now influencing the crowd to release a murderer!
Brings up another question we can ask ourselves? How do we influence the people in our lives? Are we okay with sin having freedom in our community?
Mark 15:13–15 ESV
And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
As I studied this passage, I saw myself in this passage.
I think of all the times my faith has been hypocritical.
I remember the times when I’ve accused my brother and sisters in Christ, being more like Satan than my Savior.
I see all the times I’ve influenced people in all the wrong ways, even for my own selfish ambition.
And my heart is broken for all the times I’ve looked at my Savior and said, “Crucify Him!”
You may ask, “When have you done that?”
1 Peter 2:21–24 NLT
For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
Jesus suffered for me. He was completely innocent. Yet, He was beaten and crucified for my sins. And by his wounds I am healed. I am forgiven. I am saved.
And now, Peter rightly says, “You should do good. You should live holy. Don’t play with sin.” Yet, all too often, I find myself sinning. Choosing to do things that are not based on the example of Jesus. More than that, since Jesus miraculously died for our sins - past, present, and future - when I currently embrace and act in sin… sin Jesus had to die for…
Every gossip, bitter complaint, unholy thought, act of rebellion...
Every selfish ambition, act of pride or unforgiveness...
...I too, yell, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
…and for that, I am ashamed. My heart hurts to know the Savior who loves me, not only died to set me free, but also suffered for the sins I still act upon once He saved me. Sins I am no longer in bondage to, but still willfully choose. And I know we don’t like the word these days (and maybe rightfully so)… but I am ashamed.
But hear this… not all shame is bad. There are many biblical examples of shame used to bring about biblical repentance. One example is when David murdered Bathsheba’s husband and then got her pregnant. He then wrote Psalm 51 - a psalm of repentance. Why? Because his shame drove him to the feet of God our Savior.
Mark 15:12 ESV
And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?”
And today, I wonder if that’s the response the Holy Spirit would like from us today. Maybe you too understand how our sin makes us ashamed. But here’s the point of today’s passage: The King took our shame so we can be saved.
Strangely, the release of Pilate’s prisoners, the exchange of Barabbas the murder for Jesus the King hints to this. It foreshadows what Jesus would ultimately do for all of us on the cross. On the cross, Jesus exchanged His perfect life for our sinful shame. And when we repent and put our faith in Him, that glorious exchange happens to us.
Our sin is forgiven. We are washed by the blood of Christ - cleansed from the inside out. And we are given a new life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Do you need to become a new creation today?
But before we close, let’s finish with verse 15...
Mark 15:15 ESV
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
When I read this passage, I can’t help but think that - at any moment - Pilate is going to help Jesus. He said himself...
John 19:10 ESV
So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?”
He can see through the lies. Even his wife told him...
Matthew 27:19 ESV
Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”
I can’t help but think, “Any moment now, Pilate is going to save Jesus.” But he doesn’t. In an act of self-preservation, he satisfies the crowd and crucifies Jesus.
I see a lesson here: No worldly thing or person will ever save us. Only Jesus saves.
Pontius Pilate represents every worldly hope we hang onto in this world. Every job, politician, pill, sexual desire, relationship - anything we think will satisfy us. Every person, pastor, or celebrity influencer. Anything will save or satisfy us. It’s all Pontius Pilate. Ultimately, it will let us down. It will leave us with shame. The is only one Savior - His name is Jesus.

Response:

So, as we close today [and the worship team comes up], let’s apply God’s word to our lives through 4 statements:
1) I will let Jesus take my shame. Today, if you are living with shame because of your sin, know there is a Savior who loves you and paid for that sin, so you could be free from shame. All you need to do is turn from your sin - the Bible calls that repent. Then, put your faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Believe in your heart that what He did on the cross paid for your sin… and when He rose from the dead was proof the payment was accepted. When you do that, you are given a new life - you are, as Jesus put it, born-again.
2) I will put my hope in no earthly thing. Don’t put your hope in the Pontius Pilate’s of the world. They will always let you down. That person, place, or thing - if it’s not Jesus - can do nothing for your shame.
3) I will point to Jesus instead of in accusation. If you are a Christian, don’t live like the devil. The devil accuses. Instead of pointing in accusation, point people to Jesus, so they can be saved and find eternal joy.
4) I will give my life for the one who took my shame. Jesus died so you can live for Him. Right now, ask the Lord, “How can I live for you? How can I serve you? How can I seek Your Kingdom first?” [Today, we have a Ministry Fair. God has called you to this church family and given you gifts, so you can help us make disciples. So you can help us further God’s Kingdom. If you’re ready to live for Jesus and serve Him, pray, then sign up to serve here at The River Church.]
Let’s pray...
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