Mark 14:17-31

Introduction

Good morning. Today we will be diving into the Gospel of Mark where Jesus introduces one of two ordinances Protestant churches observes, the Lord’s Supper. Jesus commands us to do this in remembrance of his new covenant through his death on the cross. We are going to see that on the final night with his disciples when it should be about remembering the Passover and Jesus’ new covenant, the disciples learn someone will betray Jesus, they themselves will run away and stumble in their faith. Let’s read together today’s passage Mark 14:17-31.

17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing, it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

Let’s pray.

Here are two narratives describing failures in faith. One is about betrayal, Judas. The second is the stumbling faith of Peter and the remaining disciples. In between these two failures is the faithful promise of Jesus’ new covenant by his death and resurrection. Mark frames this passage so we have to look at Judas’ betrayal and the disciples' stumbling faith in lens of the new covenant through Jesus. We have to see their lack of faithfulness in contrast to Jesus’ faithfulness to God as the suffering servant. We have to see Jesus’ blood of the new covenant is for the betrayers and failures in the world. And in turn for us to understand 1) what is the nature of the covenant for the many of the world 2) How Jesus is Gracious to the betrayers of the world 3) Jesus reaffirms the failures of the world.

Point #1: Jesus’ covenant for the many

Jesus in verses 22-25 declares a new covenant with his disciples through the symbolism of the Passover meal. The bread and wine symbolize Jesus' death on the cross to pay for the sins of the world so those who believe will have eternal life with God in his kingdom. Jesus connects his sacrificial death to redeem people from sin with the Jewish Passover. For some context, the Passover is for the Jews to remember when God redeemed Israel from Egyptian slavery around 1870 BC. The Israelites were to eat dinner, wait and be ready to leave Egypt after the Angel of God completed the 10th plague: Angel of God punished Egypt by taking the life of every living firstborn in Egypt. The angel would pass over houses with lamb’s blood painted onto the doorposts sparing the first born in the house. God redeemed Israel because of his covenant made to Abraham, the patriarch of Israel four hundred years earlier. He promised to Abraham that his descendents would be his chosen people. Abraham’s descendents would become slaves. After 400 years, God would redeem them from slavery and they will be his people and he will be their God.

Once this all happened, God would declare and seal his covenant with Israel at Mt. Sinai when his commandments were read to the Israelites. In Exodus 24:1-8 God spoke the covenant, Israel agreed, and Moses spread the blood of the sacrifice on the altar, the twelve pillars representing the 12 tribes of Israel and the people gathered. This act was a confirmation of the covenant in which Israel is set aside as God’s people.

Jesus connected the blood of the covenant in the Old Testament to the new covenant of blood he is making with them. He is teaching how his death and resurrection are the new covenant for whoever will believe in him. Verse 24 says “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” Who are the many? There are a lot of disciples in the room celebrating the Passover with Jesus and the twelve disciples. The other disciples included the outcasts of Jewish society like former prostitutes, the poor, the Greeks and Romans, tax collectors, the shallow in faith and even possible betrayers. Who are the many Jesus is referring to in the passage? The ones who are betrayers and failures in the world. They are us.

Point #2: Jesus’ grace for the betrayers

Jesus is full of grace. Jesus knew Judas would betray him to the Jewish authorities. Yet Jesus still washed Judas’ feet along with the other disciples, Jesus welcomed Judas to the table, Jesus served Judas food and even allowed him to dip his bread in Jesus’ dish. 18 And as they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. Jesus extends grace to Judas so he has opportunities to see, hear, and believe in him until there are no more opportunities according to God’s plan. There are accounts in the gospels where Jesus is eating dinner or associating with the Pharisees and Jew leaders who opposed with hostility. The ironic part about Judas’ betrayal is the grace Jesus showed him. The Middle Eastern hospitality culture meant you would selflessly provide anyone needing food and shelter. Jesus graciously and selflessly provided for him knowing in a few hours Judas will betray him. It is the worst way to abuse someone’s hospitality in that culture. Let me give you another example from the Broadway musical Les Miserables.

There is a scene where Jean Valjean couldn’t get a job because of his criminal record. He was hungry, tired, filthy, and desperate. A bishop took him in for the night providing him with food, shelter and clean clothes. The bishop said that he can rest and would help him more in the morning. Jean Valjean in his jaded and distrustfulness of people decided to take advantage of the situation by stealing from the bishop in the middle of the night. The bishop was not rich but compassionate and gracious. Jean Valjean was hostile to the bishop’s grace offered in the form of hospitality. When Valjean was caught and brought to the bishop for questioning, the bishop forgave and vouched for him. The bishop’s grace and mercy forced Valjean to a spiritual choice to make amends and to begin a Christian life.

Now, some of us may be thinking “I am not hostile or betraying God.” I challenge that we are. If you are not a Christian, you are living a life of betrayal and hostility to God. You are separated from God because of your sins. You are trying to live where you are in control of your life without the need to depend on God and defining what is right and wrong. For those of us here who are Christian, we betray God when we sin against him. We betray our faith when we fail in following God’s moral will. We betray our faith by failing to be gracious towards others who we feel are hostile to us because of our Christian faith. We fail to demonstrate grace to those who we feel do not deserve it. We don’t engage with people like Judas in our workplace, schools, and relationships. There are many reasons we do this: selfishness, pride, or fear to name a few.

Point #3: Jesus reassures the failures of the world.

I would like to focus on fear, specifically fear of people. The twelve disciples follow Jesus to the Mount of Olives where he shares how the disciples will fall away. The wording falling away carries the feel and term failing during trials and persecutions. Let’s look back at the text: 27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. Jesus reassures his disciples that he will return from death and meet them in Galilee. But Peter, representing himself and the disciples emphatically denies the possibility of it happening. Unfortunately, Peter and the disciples don’t know themselves as well as Jesus knew them. Every disciple did flee after Jesus was arrested. Peter denied Jesus three times before the rooster crows twice. Some commentaries say the disciples' failure stems from shallow faith like the parable of the seeds where one seed grew on rocky soil and couldn’t build deep roots so when persecution and trials came, it failed to grow. You could even say the 11 disciples also betrayed Jesus because they abandoned him after the arrest, trial and crucifiction.

For example, the largest and longest religious persecution of the early church happened in the 3rd century when the Roman Emperors wanted to restore the empire’s cultural and religious heritage. They ordered that other religions in the empire were banned and could only worship the Roman emperor. Christians and other foreign religious followers would have to burn incense to Emperor Decius and receive the certificate of proof in order not to be an outlaw. Some Christians stood firm through promises, threats, torture and arrest by the Romans. Some ran for the hills. Some bought fake certificates. Some caved in and made burnt offerings. Christians highly respected those who stood firm and called them “confessors.” Many of the ones who stumbled and made burnt offerings, reaffirmed their faith afterward wanted to return to church. Dr. Justo Gonzalez, church historian said the church leaders and confessors had to deal with the issue of “whether purity or forgiving love should be the characteristic note of the church.”

The modern church is still wrestling with this issue as personal sins, culture, and politics mix into the Christian faith. There is a tension to rightly push back against values in society to maintain the purity of the church while loving Christians who lapse into sin and people who reject the gospel of Christ. Some of us may seek the purity of the church and call some Christians the label “Christian In Name Only” if they fell away and returned or do not believe in the non essentials of the Christian faith. They may not allow repentant people or those who rededicate their faith in Jesus as a real Christian. Some of us may have compromised core Christian doctrines of the Christian faith to be inclusive for the sake of being lovingly inclusive. The correct way is to see what Jesus did with his disciples.

Let’s pray.