Follow Me to the Cross

Mark 14-15

Pastor Miles

November 4, 2012

And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."
And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." (Mark 14:32-36 ESV)

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

• Are we prepared to "die" to self in our big plans (and the little ones) in our lives?

"all things are possible for you"

• God can do anything but can we surrender to His will despite our wants. Are we willing to surrender our will and desire to God? 

And he came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand." And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard." And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, "Rabbi!" And he kissed him. And they laid hands on him and seized him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled." And they all left him and fled. (Mark 14:41-50 ESV)

"Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?"

• They were expecting resistance and rebellion from Jesus, but Jesus surrenders Himself to His Father's plan.
• Are we willing to surrender our "rights" to God's ways?
• E.g. Includes our rights to receive thanks and be appreciated for the things that we do.

Reflection: Will you surrender yourself to God?

Sweetly Broken by Jeremy Riddle

And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'" Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?" But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" (Mark 14:53-61 ESV)

And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole Council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so." And the chief priests accused him of many things. And Pilate again asked him, "Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you." But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. (Mark 15:1-5 ESV)

• Jesus was accused of many things. Yet, He remained silent despite the false accusations. 
• What about us? We often defend ourselves vigorously even at the hint of any negative thing that is said against us. 
• Are we willing to humble ourselves to those who accuse us or judge us?

Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, "Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?" And they cried out again, "Crucify him." And Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him." (Mark 15:6-14 ESV)

• Early in Jesus' ministry, the crowd was with Him (eg Palm Sunday). But Jesus knew how fickle the crowd can be. He did not base his self-worth on people's opinions. He humbly accepted rejection even by those whom He helped. 
• When we follow Jesus to the cross, he calls us to "die" to the opinion of others. 
• We are called to the One Opinion that matters! We live for the Audience of One - it's His approval that ultimately matters.

Reflection: His wounds have paid our ransom.

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. 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. (Mark 15:15-20 ESV)

• Jesus is flogged and beaten. He endured incredible physical pain and shame. In the midst of the physical torture and emotional beating, He continue to put His trust in God and surrendered Himself to God's will.

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour when they crucified him. And the inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!" So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also reviled him. (Mark 15:21-27, 29-32 ESV)

"they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it"

• Jesus refused medication to deaden the pain of his suffering. 
• What is our drug of choice when we need to feel good about ourself? Eg pornography, alcohol, shopping, eating, playing video games, etc. 
• Are we willing to follow Jesus to the cross, and let go of the need to self-medicate?

And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah." And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. (Mark 15:33-37 ESV)

• Jesus was forsaken by His Father for our sin. 
• Sometimes we feel like God has forsaken us, and we cry our "why?" 
• But we are called to put our trust in God, to "die" to self, even when it feels like He has forsaken us.

Reflection: what is our response to God's love? 

This is how we know by Redman