Untitled Sermon (32)

“The Bible is the Word of God in such a way that when the Bible speaks, God speaks.”

– B. B. Warfield

Just to make sure we're all on the same page as we dive into this passage, lets Orient ourselves to the story.

Jesus, who is God and man comes and lives among his people and his own people hate him.

In particular, the religious and political authorities,

and they've been looking for a way to kill him for awhile.

But they are afraid because Jesus has a popular following amongst the general public

and so they paid one of his inner circle, 1 of his disciples to betray him by the cover of darkness,

the Bible talks to us about how wicked people like to use the cover of darkness to try and hide their sin and their evil deeds, as if God cannot see all things.

If we contrast these men who were coming to arrest and kill Jesus with his disciples.

And we turn our minds to proverbs 4.

There is a very interesting parallel. Jesus' disciples have just eaten from the loaf that is Christ's body and drank from the cup of blessing which is Christ’s blood.

the proverbs, 4 says.

Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. 16 For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. 17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.

Mark: An Introduction and Commentary C. Jesus Is Taken Prisoner (14:43–52)

Those who have seen secret police at work in any part of the world will understand this passage well. Arrests are usually made at night, for two reasons; the victims are liable to be confused and offer less resistance, and the neighbours are not likely to gather and protest. Life changes little over the millennia.

Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” 16 You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”?

These men that Jesus formed, now think they can take hold of God and do with Him what they wish.

And ultimately they are going to cart Jesus off and run him through several kangaroo courts,

in an attempt to get him killed and they will succeed,

but what we see, highlighting both as Jesus sat at the table, the last supper with his disciples when He revealed that He knew about his betrayal and how it didn't escape the plan of God,

we see the same thing in the garden

As Jesus reminds everyone present whether they're his friend or his foe that these things will fulfill all prophecy.

John, the apostle echoes Isaiah, as he it says,

John 3:16–21 HCSB

16 “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God. 19 “This, then, is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. 21 But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

We all have probably heard John 3:16.

But in the midst of Jesus saving the world there is a serious clash of darkness with life.

Fascinating extra detail from John’s gospel.

John 18:3–9 HCSB

3 So Judas took a company of soldiers and some temple police from the chief priests and the Pharisees and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to Him, went out and said to them, “Who is it you’re looking for?” 5 “Jesus the Nazarene,” they answered. “I am He,” Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed Him, was also standing with them. 6 When He told them, “I am He,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Then He asked them again, “Who is it you’re looking for?” “Jesus the Nazarene,” they said. 8 “I told you I am He,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for Me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the words He had said: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.”

2 interesting parts of this account:

Judas:

Mark: An Introduction and Commentary C. Jesus Is Taken Prisoner (14:43–52)

The miracle is that Judas could live so close to Jesus for three years, and yet could steel his heart against him like this.

His Kiss and greeting is customary.

But 3 of the gospel accounts record this betrayal moment.

This burned itself into the apostles memory.

We should take heed from the story of Judas.

It is possible to spend a long time walking with Jesus and not love Him.

Walking with Jesus will ALWAYS change us.

Jesus is not neutral and belonging to Him will always effect a change in your life.

Either you will be made new and become righteous in God’s sight because of your identification with Christ,

OR

You will harden your heart and hate Jesus.

Judas hardened his heart.

Even to the point that He could without trouble greet Jesus with a kiss of respect while betraying Him to His death.

Do not offer Jesus your trivial respect.

It would be better to wrestle with Him like Peter did.

Place your faith in Jesus so that you can be changed

What point can we draw from all of this? What reflections could we have other than horror because of first glance? There is nothing but horror here.

It has God, who comes to bless and He is betrayed by those who hate him.

By a friend even. This is horrible.

Should make us shutter.

Anyone who has experienced a betrayal. Can feel the gravity of this.

But there's something bigger going on here.

This is part of the grand drama that is unfolding.

As I studied this week, you might be surprised at what I found to be an interpretive key.

We find in the last verse. It's a young man.

As his cloak caught and he runs away naked.

Why in the world is that in here?

What does this mean?

That’s what I was wrestling with.

The Bible is full of themes and pictures and images that are supposed to call to mind other themes and parts of the Bible,

so what are some of the themes that we see present?

Here in our passage today.

We see fear. We see shame

. We see nakedness, we see evil.

You see the work of satan, the effects of sin,

we see violence, we see betrayal.

We see separation. From God

and in the middle of this.

We have God, and man in a garden.

This should remind us of another garden

another garden where there was A man and God.

Adam.

And we see the work of evil, we see the work of satan,

we see, sin, we see violence, we see betrayal.

We see fear and shame and nakedness and separation from God,

one of the governing ways that we can view the whole biblical story. It is by looking at the story of 2 men

the first man.

And the second man,

the first Adam

And the second atom.

The first Adam

By his actions. Brings about a curse that affects all mankind, all the nations.

The second Adam, by his actions.

Brings about, Blessing for all nations.

What should Adam have done in the garden?

As the devil, a serpent, the evil one approaches his wife.

And speaks lies to her to entice her to sin. What was Adam's job?

As protector, as defender of the garden.

As a priest of God in God's Holy dwelling place what should he have done to this evil thing that was in God's dwelling place deceiving his wife.

What was the manly thing to do?

What do you do?

When there is snake, coiled right by someone you love and ready to strike?

I don't know your preferred method.

But I like to chop off its head with a shovel.

This is what Adam she had done, but he didn't.

The serpent never struck them. What this serpent did helped bring about a fatal wound to the human condition. And what is God's response part of God's response to this ?

The Seed of the woman a descendant of eve would 1 day crush the serpent's head.

Story of missionary killing snake,

the second Adam is going to catch the serpent this time.

It's going to crush his head. He's going to damage him. It's going to cripple him.

He’s going to tie him up.

And then plunder his den.

Why is my preferred method the shovel?

It separates the poisonous head.

It makes the snake impotent.

It’s still terrifying, have you ever held a snake after it has had its head removed?

It’s still writhing around.

That’s what’s going on with Satan right now.

Jesus, by His crucifixion and resurrection has crushed the head of Sata.

Church, you and I live in a story where we have a Big Brother who beats up the bad guy.

But the way he does that is by giving up his own life for us for his siblings, that he loves.

What is the end for that?

Serpent.

First He is bound.

That’s what Jesus did in the crucifixion and resurrection.

Revelation 20:1–3 LEB

1 And I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it above him, in order that he could not deceive the nations again until the thousand years are completed. After these things it is necessary for him to be released for a short time.

Future day coming.

Casting the serpent into the fire.

Revelation 20:10 LEB

10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet also are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

What a great God who defeats our enemies.

Let us worship Him.