Heading to the Cross
The Suffering Sevant • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Jesus is heading to the Cross! The Passover celebration is growing closer and closer. Jesus knows that His days on earth are numbered, and short lived. This morning we are continuing our study in the book of Mark. If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Mark 14.
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or the people may riot.”
Two days before Passover. So this would between sundown Tuesday and sundown Wednesday.
We’re told that the chief priests and teachers of the law were trying to find some sly—crafty, deceitful way—to arrest Jesus and kill Him.
Not during the Feast—because they were afraid the people might riot.
At Simon the Leper’s Home
At Simon the Leper’s Home
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
Jesus is eating at the home of Simon the Leper—most likely, the early church knew who this man was by his descriptive name.
A woman—John’s gospel tells us that the woman was Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha (Jn 12:3).
An alabaster jar—the jar was ornate and sealed, and could only be opened by breaking the neck.
The perfume inside was extremely expensive.
Made of pure nard—a pure ointment made from the root of the nard plant out of India.
Mary breaks the jar’s small neck and pours the perfume on Jesus’ head.
Now look at the response of the people that were sitting around with Jesus.
Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.
Some of those present—John tells us it was Judas that rebuked Mary (Jn 12:4).
Why waste the perfume—It was seen as an extravagance.
It could have been sold for a year’s wages—300 denarii! That’s a lot of money.
The money could have been given to the poor—it could have been used for something productive. Legitimate or not?
They—the men—rebuked her harshly. They were scolding her.
But look at Jesus’ response:
“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Leave her alone!
Why are you bothering her?
You will always have the poor!
You won’t always have me! Jesus knows he is heading to the cross, but the disciples STILL don’t understand.
She has prepared Jesus for his burial before hand.
This will be remembered forever!
I wonder if this even pushed Judas over the edge. Look at verse 10.
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
If not, why did this upset Judas so much? (1) Perhaps he realized his dream of God's Kingdom was not going to happen the way he expected. (2) Perhaps he was greedy. (3) perhaps he was he was being controlled by Satan. (4) Perhaps it had to do with the fact that he was the only non-Galilean in the group. Maybe it was some of all of these.
He went to the chief priests to betray Jesus.
They were delighted for the help and even promised Judas money.
So Judas watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them.
We are now at Thursday—look at verse 12.
Passover Coming!
Passover Coming!
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
In this verse there are two time markers:
The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread—strictly speaking it would make it Friday.
But there is another time marker—when it is customary to sacrifice the Passover Lamb—that would make it Thursday.
The disciples want to know where they need to go to make arrangements for the Passover celebration.
They are assuming they would celebrate Passover together.
They would need a place and that would be hard to come by.
So Jesus—kind of answers their question.
So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”
Go into Jerusalem.
Watch for man carrying a water pot—normally men would carry a wineskin filled with water rather than a water pot, that is what a woman would carry.
Talk to the owner of the house into which the man goes, saying “the Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?
He will show you to a large upstairs room, furnished and ready—there make preparations.
The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
They went into town, and they found things just like Jesus told them.
So here’s the question: Had Jesus made some prearranged plan? Or was this supernatural? This is the same kind of question we asked back in chapter 11 when Jesus sent two of his disciples to get the cold for the triumphal entry.
Let’s continue to story.
When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”
The twelve arrive and begin the Passover meal.
During the meal, Jesus tells them that one of the is going to betray Him. One of those eating with Him right then!
The disciples can’t believe what Jesus is saying!
They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely not I?”
Each one of them was saddened by this news.
Each one of them said in disbelief, “Surely not I?” This is both a statement and a question at the same time. Yet none of them can believe they would be one who would betray Jesus.
What I find interesting about this story—is that ALL 12 of them were there, including Judas! Judas knew he had already put the betrayal plan into action. Yet even he said, “Surely not I?”
Jesus went on to say:
“It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
It is one of the Twelve—Jesus’s inner circle.
The phrase “one who dips the bread into the bowl with me. . .” is not meant to actually identify Judas, but to reinforce that the betrayer is someone very close to Jesus!
The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper
As the Passover Celebration continued, Jesus instituted what we have come to call “The Lord’s Supper.”
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Peter’s Denial Predicted
Peter’s Denial Predicted
As they left the Upper Room, Jesus continued to talk with the disciples as they walked.
“You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
While only one would betray Jesus, ALL of them would fall away.
Jesus quotes from Zechariah 13:7
“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.
After Jesus rises from the dead, He will go ahead of the disciples and meet them in Galilee.
Peter, still left with a bad taste in his mouth about the betrayal makes a bold statement.
Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
Peter boldly states, “Even if all fall away I will not!”
QUESTION: How many times have you and I really believed that we would be faithful to the Lord, NO MATTER WHAT?
QUESTION: And how many times have you and I failed to be faithful to the Lord?
Still, the Lord has bad news for Peter!
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
Jesus continues to tell Peter exactly what will happen that very night! But Peter still won’t let go of his belief. Look at Mark 14:31.
But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
So many times, I believe I’m much stronger in the Lord than I really am. I truly believe that I will stand up under the pressure of life—the pressure of temptation—but I’m not as strong as I think I am.
Just like Peter, I believe that I will NEVER disown Jesus—but I am just a breath away from disowning Him.
But remember Jesus has told His disciples to watch, watch out, be on guard! He told them (and us) these things because He knew that if we really don’t watch out and guard our lives we will end up disowning Him when the pressure becomes so great!