Sermon Tone Analysis

Open your Bibles to Mark 14:26-31.

•We’re continuing our study of the Gospel of Mark.

•This morning we will be considering a text where Jesus tells His disciples, especially Peter, that they would all fall away from Him.

Our culture often tells us to be self-confident.

•We’re told, “You can do it.

Believe in yourself.

You’re strong,” and many other things like that.

•And maybe there is qualified, limited way that those slogans are true in certain aspects of life.

•But they are utterly inappropriate and false with regard to Christianity and the Christian life.

The Word of God often reminds us to NOT put our confidence in ourselves, but to rely upon the Lord.

•The Scriptures teach us that we are weak, and sinful, and prone to wander from God. 

•The Scriptures teach us that apart from God we can do nothing at all.

But that, by His grace alone, we can do what He calls us to do.

We need only to submit to Him in love and obey His Word.

And He will supply those who look to Him in faith with the strength they need to be faithful.

•But nowhere are we taught in Scripture that we are strong, sufficient, sound, or faithful in ourselves (in our own strength and abilities).

•Scripture actually warns us that when we trust in our own power and abilities that we should LOOK OUT because then we are most liable to fall into sin.

I think the text before us this morning serves as something of a warning to any Christian who thinks he or she is strong.

•It’s something of a wake-up call to those who would arrogantly trust in their own willpower or abilities to withstand temptation and remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ.

•But it also contains a great message of hope and grace to disciples who fall and fail.

So this morning I hope to issue a warning about proud and arrogant self-confidence.

•But I also aim to encourage you by reminding you that Christ has grace for disciples who are weak failures.

•In other words, He has grace for each one of us who trust in Him. 

•May God help us to see these things today.

If you would, and are able, please stand with me now for the reading of the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God.

Mark 14:26-31

[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.

(PRAY)

Our most merciful God, 

We thank you for the opportunity to worship you this Sabbath day.

And we thank you for the privilege of sitting under the ministry of your Word.

You have put your blessing to the reading, hearing, and preaching of your Word.

You have promised to use it to do wonderful things.

And so, we ask that you would be pleased to do what you have promised and bless us as we hear, meditate upon, digest your Word in faith.

Grant us to see ourselves rightly.

And grant us to see your grace for us in the Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.

By your Spirit, work in us this morning as we humble ourselves before your Word.

Glorify yourself in us today.

We ask these things in Jesus’ Name and for His sake.

Amen.

1.)

Let’s start with some context.We get that in v26.

[26] And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

•Jesus and His disciples are on their way to the Mount of Olives.

Passover has ended.

And Jesus has just instituted the Lord’s Supper.

•The time has now come.

The night has come.

•In just a few hours, Jesus would be betrayed into the hands of sinful men.

•His suffering, His passion, is upon Him. 

•In just a few hours, our Lord would be arrested and taken to a mockery of a trial.

And He would be sentenced to death, pending the agreement of the Roman official, Pontius Pilate.

At this point, Bible commentator Matthew Henry points out something worth mentioning:

•At the first Passover, the Israelites were to stay inside, lest the Destroying angel strike them and kill them.

•But now, at the final Passover, Jesus, the true Passover Lamb, goes out into the night, goes outside, in order to expose Himself to destruction to save sinners.

2.)

And Jesus affirms as much in the next verse.

•On the way to the Mount of Olives, Jesus speaks to His disciples.

•He had said something similar in the Upper Room at the Passover (John 13).

And now He says it again.

[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.’

Jesus is prophesying about what will happen that night.

And He is quoting the OT Scriptures as proof.

•Jesus is quoting from Zechariah 13:7.

•Let me read Zechariah 13:7-9 so you can see a little clearer what Jesus is getting at:

“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the LORD of hosts.

“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand upon the little ones.

In the whole land, declares the LORD, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive.

And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested.

They will call upon my name, and I will answer them.

I will say, ‘They are my people;’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

That passage in Zechariah makes me ask some questions that I can’t answer yet (particularly v8), but this much is clear:

•God’s chosen Shepherd would be struck.

•In the book, Zechariah talks about wicked shepherds and a Good Shepherd whom God has chosen.

And here God says that the Good Shepherd would be struck and His sheep would be scattered.

•The final result of all of this is that a fountain that cleanses would be opened.

(You can read about that in Zechariah 13:1.)

And the sheep will be regathered to God, and they will have fellowship with Him. 

•Big picture: The result of the Shepherd being struck is the sheep receiving salvation and cleansing and fellowship with God.

We’ll get to the “You will all fall away” part in a minute.

But first I want you to see that Jesus says here that He will be struck.

•As He has done many, many times before, He is prophesying His coming death on a cross.

•More specifically, in Jesus’ quotation/paraphrase of Zechariah 13:7, He says, “I will strike the Shepherd…”

•Who is speaking in Zechariah 13:7?

It is GOD who is speaking.

It is God who commands the sword to strike the Shepherd.

It is God who is behind this.

•Let’s be clear: Human agents will sinfully crucify Jesus.

But God will be at work in it.

God will be doing the most ultimate striking of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

•The stroke of the sword of divine justice will be laid upon Christ by God Himself.

•And it will be done in order that an atonement can be made for the sinful sheep.

•As Isaiah 53:10 says, “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.”

Jesus would be struck by God at the cross.

And in His suffering and death, Jesus would make an offering for guilt.

•Not for Himself.