Jesus Knows
Jesus Knows
Mark 14:10-25
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Grayson Baptist Church - Sept. 29, 2013
BACKGROUND:
*This morning we will worship the Lord by sharing the Lord's Supper. Think back to the scene on the night before the cross. Jesus was gathered with His disciples to eat the last Passover of His earthly life.
*That night the Lord gave the Passover much greater meaning than it ever had before. Now it would become the Lord's Supper to symbolize the new covenant and the sacrifice Jesus was about to make. Let's read about the Lord's Supper this morning in Mark 14:10-25. And as we read, think about this truth: Jesus knows.
INTRODUCTION:
*Christian singer Cindy Morgan once went to Sacramento for a concert, and when she got there, her dress was terribly wrinkled. There wasn't an iron at the church where she was getting ready. But a staff member offered to go to a friend's house to borrow an iron.
*She drove to the friend's house and let herself in. But as she walked toward the bedroom to get the iron, she looked across the hall and saw her friend's teenage daughter, holding a gun to her head. That young girl was crushed by her problems, and she was just about to pull the trigger. But she got the help she needed from a lady looking for an iron. God used a wrinkled dress to save a precious life. And I love that story, because it reminds us that God knows and God cares about our lives. (1)
*Jesus knows. In John 18:4, the Apostle John gave this testimony from the Garden of Gethsemane: "Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward. . ." He knew all things. Jesus knew about the suffering He was going to face on the cross, but He went forward for us.
1. Jesus knows. -- And today's Scripture reminds us that Jesus knows His foes.
*He knows His foes. And we see one of the Lord's enemies in vs. 10-11:
10. Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.
11. So when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
*But Jesus knew all about that wicked plot. We see this truth down in vs. 17-21:
17. In the evening He (i.e. Jesus) came with the twelve.
18. Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me.''
19. And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?'' And another said, "Is it I?''
20. Then He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish.
21. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.''
*Jesus knows His foes. And there is a great warning here for anyone so foolish to oppose the Lord. Like Judas, they may think that Jesus isn't worth being trusted, worshipped, and obeyed. They may think that they will be better-off on the other side. They may even choose a little money over the Master like Judas did in vs. 11.
*But again, in vs. 21, the Lord said: "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.'' What could possibly be worse than never being born? The answer is spending all eternity in hell. And this should serve as a strong warning to everyone who rejects the Lord Jesus Christ!
*Many times people don't like warnings, because they tend to be negative, and we don't like negative things. But many times a negative warning can make a positive difference in our lives.
*Years ago, an arrogant young man walked up to an old preacher just after he finished preaching. And the young man mockingly asked, "Can you tell me where hell is?" The old preacher replied, "Yes, young man. It's at the end of a life without Christ." (2)
*That warning was a powerful wake-up call for that young man. And the Lord warns everyone who will listen. But we must remember that Jesus knows His foes.
2. He also knows His friends.
*When we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, He knows us as His friends. And this Scripture shows us some of the great blessings of a relationship with Jesus.
[1] For example, Jesus helps His friends find the way to go in life.
*That's the kind of guidance the disciples needed here in the Scripture today. They had known for months that terrible things were going to happen when they went back to Jerusalem. Jesus had told them many times. About 9 months before this night, Matthew 16:21 says, "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."
*Now so close to the cross, the disciples were troubled beyond measure. In vs. 19, they even wondered if they would be the one to betray Jesus. On top of all of this trouble, it was time for the Passover, the most important Feast on the Jewish calendar. What were they supposed to do?
*This was the question on the disciples' minds in vs. 12, so they asked for the Lord's guidance: "Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, 'Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?'''
*They wanted guidance, and in vs. 13-16, the Lord told them just the right thing to do:
13. So He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.
14. And wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?'''
15. Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.''
16. And His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.
*Those two disciples took off to find this man carrying a picture of water. That was a very unusual thing to see in that day. And I like what vs. 16 says at this point: They "came into the city, and found it just as (Jesus) had said to them."
*Church: We will always find it just as Jesus says. He always tells the truth, because He is the Truth, and He cannot lie. Plus, the Lord's truth is timeless. It is just as good today as it was 2,000 years ago, and it always will be. As Jesus said in Luke 21:33, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."
*The disciples needed guidance, and we need a whole lot of guidance in life. In Psalm 25, King David prayed for God's guidance. David knew that he had gotten off the right path, and he knew how much he needed God's direction. So he asked for guidance just as he asked for forgiveness.
*David said this to the LORD:
5. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
6. Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old.
7. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness' sake, O Lord.
*Next, David promised God's guidance to us, as he said:
8. Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
9. The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way.
[2] Jesus knows His friends, and He helps us find the right way in life. He also gives us close fellowship.
*There the disciples were together with Jesus. And church, He is here together with us too. By His Holy Spirit, the Lord is here just as surely as He was there with the first disciples.
*Except for Judas, this Passover meal was a time of close fellowship. The Lord instituted Passover to remind His people of their deliverance from bondage in Egypt. That night, God's people took the blood of a spotless lamb and spread it on the door posts of their homes. It was the only way the Lord would pass over their homes when He brought the judgment of death on the first-born of Egypt.
*It was a horrifying night. But God's people were safe in their homes, because they were protected by the blood of the lamb. From then on, the Passover meal was a time of great worship. And the disciples had the privilege of spending it in fellowship with Jesus. Though these hours before the cross were a time of great trouble for them, in their darkest hour they had the fellowship of the Lord.
*And they were sharing their troubles together. Christians: So can we. There is a special bond between us, because we belong to Jesus Christ.
[3] Jesus knows His friends, and He gives us close fellowship. He also gives us forgiveness.
*We all need forgiveness. Three key verses from the Book of Romans make this truth clear:
-Romans 3:10: "As it is written: 'There is none righteous, no, not one.'"
-Romans 3:23: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
-And Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
*We all need forgiveness from God, and that is the greatest need in our lives. Jesus Christ is the only Friend who can help us find the forgiveness we so desperately need.
*Verses 22-24 help explain how we can be forgiven:
22. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body.''
23. Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
24. And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.
*In Matthew 26:28, Jesus said: "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission (or forgiveness) of sins." Jesus was about to die on the cross for our sins. And He did die so that all of our sins might be forgiven.
*Today in the Lord's Supper we remember that Jesus gave His life, so that we could be forgiven. He loves us so much that He took the death penalty for our sins. There is no greater love, no greater Friend than the Lord Jesus Christ! Remember that He knows His friends.
3. And remember that He knows His future.
*In vs. 25, Jesus said: "Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.'' In Matthew 26:29, Jesus said: "I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new WITH YOU in My Father's kingdom." Christians: What a future we have together, because of Jesus Christ!
*William Barclay explained: "Here is divine faith and optimism. Jesus was going out to Gethsemane, out to a sham trial, out to the cross, and yet he is still thinking in terms of a Kingdom. To Jesus the cross was never defeat. It was the way to glory. He was on his way to Calvary, but he was also on his way to a throne." (3)
*Jesus was looking into His future, and it is a future of eternal fellowship with His friends. It is a future that all of us can look forward to, if Jesus is our Lord and Savior.
*Back in the early 90's Mary met a lady named Thelma Pascal. Mary was teaching at Lenwil Elementary, and Thelma was a grandmother who volunteered in the library. A couple of years later, Thelma was diagnosed with serious cancer, and she had to be admitted to Glenwood Hospital.
*One Tuesday night, we had not planned on going to see Thelma, but Mary thought it would be a good idea. While we were there we got the opportunity to talk to her about Jesus, and Thelma gladly prayed to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.
*After Thelma got saved she gave us a great testimony. She said that she could have lived another 35 to 40 years, but might have missed this. Thelma also said she had no doubt that salvation was the greatest gift she could ever receive. The difference in that hospital room was like night and day. Thelma compared it to trying to see without contacts; then putting them in. She said, "That's how I feel right now. I can see everything in a whole new light."
*I'm so glad that Mary listened to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit that night, so glad that Thelma got saved, and I am so glad that she shared her testimony with us, because when I went back to see her the next day, Thelma had passed away.
*We were shocked. But Thelma's future is safe and secure forever, because she is with the Lord in Heaven. Don't take your future for granted. Tomorrow is not guaranteed to us. Trust in the Lord while you can. Receive Jesus Christ as your Lord, Savior and Friend.
*You can do that right now as we go to God in prayer.
INVITATION
LORD'S SUPPER
*As we observe the Lord's Supper this morning, remember that it is for everyone who has received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. So, if you know Jesus, we invite you to share.
*The Apostle Paul told us how to take the Lord's Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:23-29. There Paul said:
23. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24. and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.''
25. In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.''
26. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
27. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
29. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
*Paul tells us here that before we take the Lord's Supper, we need to examine our hearts. The only way to properly receive the Lord's Supper is to search our hearts, repent and confess our sins to the Lord. All of us need to do this, of course, because all of us have sinned. Please join me in a time of silent prayer, as we search our hearts before the Lord.
DEACONS COME FORWARD TO SERVE THE ELEMENTS
*The Lord's Supper is to remind us of the high price that Jesus paid on the cross for our sins.
[1] Jesus wants us to remember His body.
*And we remember His body with this bread, because Jesus is the Bread of Life. As He said in John 6:
35. "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
47. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
48. I am the bread of life.
49. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.
51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.''
PRAYER TO BLESS THE BREAD
PASSING OF THE BREAD
*The Apostle Paul said: "I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'' (1 Cor 11:23-24)
TAKING THE BREAD
[2] Through the Lord's Supper, we remember the Lord's body and we remember His blood.
*The Apostle John tells us:
5. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
6. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)
*We remember the Lord's blood, because "the blood of Jesus Christ (God's) Son cleanses us from all sin." This cup represents the blood of Jesus Christ, the Blood that He shed when He died on the cross for us.
PRAYER TO BLESS THE CUP
PASSING OF THE CUP
*The Apostle Paul said: "In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." (1 Cor 11:25)
TAKING THE CUP.
1 Cor 11:26, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes."
BENEDICTION: "Blest Be the Tie That Binds"
(1) "God Stories" edited by Donna I. Douglas - Lancaster, PA - Starburst Publishers, 1999 - pp. 86-88 - Source: "Dynamic Illustrations" July, August, September, 2002 - Topic: adversity
(2) "500 Gospel Sermon Illustrations" by John Ritchie - Copyright 1987 by Kregel Publications, Division of Kregel, Inc. - Copyright 1988 - Electronic Work Product - Ellis Enterprises, Inc. - Major Topic: - FACTS AND INCIDENTS TOLD AT GOSPEL MEETINGS - Topic Number: - 420 / Topics: - Where Is Hell?
(3) Adapted from BARCLAY'S DAILY BIBLE STUDY SERIES (NT) by William Barclay - Revised Edition (C) Copyright 1975 William Barclay. First published by the Saint Andrew Press, Edinburgh, Scotland - The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - HIS BODY AND HIS BLOOD - Matthew 26:26-30