The Path of the King

Initial Notes

Jesus is called “King of the Jews” (Ho Basiloos Ho Udios)5x in chapter 15 and nowhere else in the gospel of Mark. Also interesting to note Jesus is only called “the Son of God” by the centurion and the author at the beginning of the text only otherwise used by demons in 3:11 and 5:7.

The Jews proclaimed Jesus as King so as to put a wedge between Jesus and Rome. Rome had to deal with external and internal threats to Kingship and so Jesus must be dealt with.

Introduction

Today we celebrate Palm Sunday and usually Palm Sunday is a high energy celebration because people are worshipping and yelling out Hosanna but it signifies something much more ominous is around the corner. It marks the beginning of the end.

Lutheran Church. They brought the little children up to sing a song and recite some scripture. They all had little branches with leaves, and one little boy stood right in front of me and his mom was leading the choir. Every kid was singing and being cute but this little guy stood there and held out his branch starring at his mom, slowing pulling off the leaves and dropping them to the floor.

He represents the feeling on Palm Sunday, everything is cute and well but there is something ominous lurking around the corner.

Continuing our series in Mark we move forward to the

The Path of Humiliation

Mark 15:15–20 ESV

15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. 16 And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18 And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

Jesus has been brought to the Pilate and condemned to die.

This is what they call Jesus before Pilate and really the world. (Ho Basiloos Ho Udios)

They use a title meant to convey power and authority. The King was the ruler and the ultimate voice in a kingdom.

This title is used 5x in the gospel of Mark and it is only used in the presence of the Romans. It is first used in front of Pilate.

When Jesus went before the counsel it was Jesus the Nazarene.

The Results of Humiliation

Humiliation causes us to spiral.

What happens when someone humiliates you? What is our usual response? We stay away from that person and we grow to hate that person.

Psychological Study (The Journal of American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law)

Walter Torres and Raymond Bergner

In embarrassment, a person discovers such things as that his zipper is open, that there has been spinach between his teeth during a just completed conversation, or that a gossipy comment has been overheard by its target.

an individual suffers humiliation when he makes a bid or claim to a certain social status, has this bid or claim fail publicly, and has it fail at the hands of another person or persons who have the status necessary to reject the claim. Finally, what is denied is not only the status claim itself, but also and more fundamentally the individual's very status to have made such a claim at all.

Humiliation affects your status with people.

It happens when you create of vision of yourself and what you want to be but it gets taken away from you or you find out it isn’t true.

Examples: The Pastor gets caught drinking and driving and ends up in the county jail.

The husband of twenty years with 4 kids is found cheating on his wife. He portrays the idea that he has it all together but really he falls short, he is humiliated. But the wife too is humiliated. She thought for sure everything was ok and she was living the dream but now it is all crashing down around her. She is humiliated. Neither one of them wants to be seen in public because they are humiliated.

Ravi Zacharias - His fall from grace brought humiliation to himself, his legacy, his entire organization and most importantly those he victimized and manipulated.

Think about it....

Have you ever had something happen or a secret get out that everybody knows about and you can’t show your face in public. You know your status has been destroyed and can’t deal with the social pressure.

YOU HAVE MADE CLAIMS AND LIVED A LIFE THAT REPRESENTS YOU A CERTAIN WAY BUT PEOPLE FIND OUT AND PROCLAIM YOU UNWORTHY.

The Result of Jesus’ Humiliation

What was meant to happen?

Jesus was to be publically humiliated before the entire community. 5 different times Jesus is called “the King of the Jews” in Mark, all five occurences happen on this path.

They gather together over 600 Roman soldiers. They put a crown of thorns on his head, a purple robe around his shoulder and salute him loudly proclaiming, “Hail, King of the Jews”.

They strike his head with a stick, spit on him, kneel down to pay homage to him.

Jesus will get hung on a cross with a sign reading “King of the Jews”

People would walk by shouting “If you’re king of the Jews come down so we might see and believe”

Who do we know Jesus to be from Mark?

Jesus is a healer, a miracle worker, a man full of love and compassion.

He was strong and masculine but tender and kind

He spoke with authority and power proclaiming an unpopular message of repentance.

He raised children from the dead, and stopped for the outcast.

He fead the multitudes and had compassion on prostitutes

But Now....

Jesus is a fraud

Jesus can’t heal because he was wounded

Here’s the one the hits the deepest....

Jesus can’t set you free......because he couldn’t even come down off that wooden cross.

They are trying to shape your perception of Jesus. They are trying to change the reality of who he is.

Destroy a mans reputation and no one will follow.

Jesus isn’t a King, he’s a fraud.

What did happen?

What’s your response to this King?

What did happen?

Do you know who Scholars say wrote the book of Mark?

After all the nerdy debates and detailed exposition of church fathers, the most plausible person to be behind the writing of the book of Mark is a fisherman named Peter. The same man who authored the book we know spend hours over, preaching through, is the same man who backed down from a little girl and even pronounced curses on himself to put distance between him and Jesus.

“When you realize the humiliation of the King, you are confronted with your own humiliation.”

The only scene Peter speaks of where he is center stage. The focus is all on him, Peter is telling the story remember, this is his big moment and the story he tells is of how he denied the Christ 3 times.

Mark 14:71–72 ESV

71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

The Gospel is a pride destroyer because it says, “YOU AREN’T A BIG DEAL”.

The only people who can never change are the people who never see their own pride.

Everything about these scenes is meant to show you why Jesus is unworthy.

Jesus didn’t defend himself

Jesus used no strength or force

Jesus was the King who was bound in chains

Jesus was the King who was mocked.

All these are meant to say you aren’t worthy!

“The reality of the humiliation of the cross is that by it, I am humiliated”

Our faith is one where it is the humiliated are exalted and the proud are brought low.

When you are humiliated your confidence can no longer be in yourself, it has to be placed in another.

Jesus took on our humiliation

Jesus went to a cross and died with our sin, this is what Peter realized.

Jesus died for a bunch of people who were striving to become something they could never be. We are all running around thinking we are a big deal when in reality we are not. We are all broken, sinful people we just get good at faking we’ve made it.

Have you repented of your sin and realized your humiliation before God.

God knows who you are. He sees past the fassad and the masks you wear.

There’s no relationship more terrifying than one where the other person knows everything about you

but nothing more liberating because you have nothing else to hide.

Peter could follow Jesus because he faced his own humiliation. He rejected his social status and what others thought and