Sermon Tone Analysis

Our Scripture lessons today begin with our two Advent verses from the prophet Isaiah:

Our Gospel Lesson from Mark’s Gospel: Mark 14:53-65:

After decades of seeing an increase in the average life expectancy in the United States, this year marks the third year in a row that the life expectancy of the average American has declined.

The United States now has a lower life expectancy than Costa Rica!

What accounts for this decline?

It is not what normally increases death rates, such as war, disease or famine.

In all these areas the death rates are at record lows.

It is what people are now calling “Deaths of Despair”; things such as drug overdose, accidence and suicide.

It is to this dark anguish of the soul that the message of Advent speaks so powerfully, because the message of Advent is that the Prince of Peace has come, and He is coming again!

Our Scripture lesson from Mark 14 is taken from a time when there was little peace in the minds and hearts of Jesus’ followers.

As we read Mark 14 and the following chapters, we find them in...

Three Days of Turmoil and Consternation

The three days between Maundy Thursday and Easter Morning were a time of great turmoil and consternation in the lives of Jesus and His followers.

It began with the somber pathos of the Last Supper.

It moves on to the shocking prediction of Peter’s denial and the deep darkness of the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus tells His disciples, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death” and He prays to His Father saying, “Remove this cup from me.

Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Quickly the events of that evening unfold with Jesus’ betrayal and arrest.

In the wee hours of the morning, before the sun rises, Jesus stands before a kangaroo court and is condemned without evidence.

There in the courtyard, in the flickering light of a fire, Peter denies Jesus three times, just as Jesus predicted.

As the sun rises Friday morning, Jesus is taken to Pilate and although Pilate knew Jesus was innocent, Pilate condemns Jesus to be crucified.

Taken from Pilate’s court, Jesus is wipped, beaten, mocked and then crucified, crying out as He breathed His last, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

The only one with enough courage to take Jesus body from the cross was a member of the Jewish ruling Council named Joseph of Arimathea.

Late that afternoon, before the sun set, Joseph and a few women hastily prepared Jesus’ body for burial and then there was silence.

What a long twenty four hours that Sabbath day must have been for the disciples!

Each disciple had betrayed and failed Jesus in their own way.

The Sabbath was intended to be a day of rest, but there was no rest for them on that day.

Their consciences never gave them peace, it shouted one accusation after another at them!

Then there were the looks (or should I say the non-looks) they couldn’t stand to look at one another in the eye.

Each knew the other had failed and that they themselves had failed!

There was no peace, only turmoil and consternation!

We have all felt that way, perhaps you are feeling that way right now.

One of the most interesting phenomena of life is how memories, regrets and guilt from the past can suddenly come flooding back when you least expect them too.

Memory is an interesting thing and science is only know beginning to understand it, but as a Christian theologian I cannot help but think there are also spiritual forces behind all those sleepless nights, for we read in in Revelation 12:10 that Satan is “the accuser of the brethren, …who accuses them day and night.”

I think we need to be wise about what is really going on, although our consciences have the ability to accuse us unaided by any outside force, there are evil spiritual forces that jump on every opportunity to add their voices, with the intent to destroy us.

Did not Jesus Himself say to Peter, “Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.”

This brings us to the second point:

In the Midst of Accusations, Jesus Remained Silent

If anyone had the right to Twit a pithy comeback at His accusers it was Jesus.

Pilate himself admitted Jesus had done no wrong and that it was out of envy the chief priest had delivered Jesus up to him.

Yet Jesus remained silent.

Why did He remain silent?

Jesus gives us the answer in the Key Verse of the Gospel of Mark:

Although Jesus was totally without sin, the only human being this can be said of, He took upon Himself our sin, so that He could atone for our sin and silence the voices accusing us.

Isaiah the prophet, prophesied hundreds of years before that this is what the Messiah would do.

Commenting of what Jesus did for us, the Apostle Paul writes:

In other words, Jesus could not answer His accusers.

He who was innocent of all crimes, had been made guilty of all crimes by God the Father!

This explains why Jesus submitted Himself to John’s baptism of repentance.

Let me read that passage to refresh your memory:

What made it fitting?

What made it fitting is the fact that Jesus so identified Himself with those whom He came to save that “he who was without sin, became sin”!

But Jesus did not become sin and thus remain silent, so He would remain silent forever.

No! In the face of accusation Jesus remained silent in order that He could speak forever in our defense!

Jesus Remained Silent, So That He Could Forever Speak Peace

Although Mark does not record these words, we read in the Gospel According to John that the last words of Jesus on the cross were these, “It is finished.”

(John 19:30).

In dying, Jesus, paid the price for sin, which is death.

When we confess that Jesus “descended into Hell,” we are confessing that Jesus drained the cup of God’s wrath.

That is why He was able to rise again on Easter morning and that is why Paul said He “became the righteousness of God.”

Those who trust in Jesus have a defender to speak peace to them when the voice of regret and accusation threaten to take away all peace.

I want to read to you again the words of our Candle Lighting Litany:

During Advent, we wait for the coming Savior who is our Prince of Peace.

In the midst of conflict, we look to the One who brings harmony.

In the midst of confusion, we look to the One who brings clarity.

In the midst of division, we look to the One who brings unity.

In the midst of separation, we look to the One who restores the broken.

Sin causes conflict, confusion, division, separation.

We see all these things on full display during those three days of Maundy Thursday through Easter, but when the sun rose Easter morning and Jesus stepped out of the tomb, He spoke the words of peace to all who trusts in Him.

Jesus is still speaking those words to any who will listen.

He is the Prince of Peace.

What is causing turmoil and consternation in your life?

Jesus has a word to speak to those issues, it is a word of peace!

In a moment, I am going to give you an opportunity to invite Jesus into your life as the Prince of Peace.

After a brief time of silence, I will close in prayer.

Let us bow our heads and come to the Prince of Peace.