Numbered With The Transgressors

Well, if for some reason you are feeling a bit lost when we come to this particular part of the narrative,

let me catch us all up.

You'll be helped to know that we have reached the point in Mark's gospel

where he is describing the final hours leading up to Jesus' crucifixion.

In fact, for the most part, most of the events in chapter 14

occur between sunset on Thursday of the Passion Week

and about 3 a.m. on Friday, the day of Jesus' crucifixion.

So everything we read, with the exception of the event in Bethany at the very beginning of the chapter,

everything between that and the end of the chapter is really in about a nine-hour time frame.

That's where it's unfolding as far as the narrative is concerned.

And we don't need to underestimate the significance of this particular section of Mark's gospel.

So far, it's already been revealed to us that Jesus is the true Passover lamb.

We have seen him institute and establish the Lord's Supper,

which is so very important to us now.

We've seen, again, his promise of resurrection.

We've seen his promise of restoration for his disciples who would inevitably fail.

And we've seen him persevere in dramatic fashion

through his final and greatest temptation in the Garden of Gethsemane.

And everything that the Bible tells us about Jesus is important.

I don't mean to insinuate that that's not true.

But only a careless reader would come to this section and miss the significance of what we've discovered in these last few studies.

All of the buildup that we have seen in Mark's gospel, or any of the gospels for that matter,

all of the buildup really finds its purpose and intent and ultimate significance in this section

as we see, and continuing forward to the end of the gospel,

as we see the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus come to be.

Now, our text for today is not complex at all.

It's not difficult to understand.

The point of the passage is actually straightforward.

I'm going to go ahead and tell you what it is.

Basically, it's this.

Everything that Jesus has told his disciples that would take place

is now beginning to take place exactly as he said it would.

That's really the significance of this section.

It doesn't really go much deeper than that.

Of course, there's other lessons that we're going to draw from this and important dynamics of this.

But the overall picture of this narrative here is that Jesus has been saying for quite some time,

this was going to happen.

And now, before the very eyes of the disciples, they're seeing Jesus' words come to fruition.

There was no more waiting.

His hour has come, and it has come in perfect fulfillment to the scriptures.

Think about all the things he's prophesied now.

Even in Mark chapter 14, we've seen him prophesy of a betrayer, which is revealed here.

Mark 14 · chapter mention

At least for the disciples, it is exposed as Judas Iscariot.

Up to this point, they didn't realize that.

Now they know.

It's fulfilled.

We have seen Jesus time and again declare that he would be delivered into the hands of the Jewish leaders.

That's precisely what happens in this text.

He even said in a previous passage a couple of weeks ago that all of the disciples would fall away.

And when we get towards the end of this particular section, we find it stated very plainly,

they all forsook him.

They all fled.

They all ran.

And so Jesus' hour has come.

Just as he prayed in the garden that this hour would pass, then he resolves to follow faithfully,

as always, the will of the Father, and the hour has begun.

And that's where we see it unfolding.

But before we jump into the verses, there's one more thing I want to point out,

perhaps the most significant part of this.

Each element of this narrative points to the scandal of it.

You want you to think about what we just read.

They took Jesus into custody in the middle of the night.

It's well after midnight now.

It was close to midnight when Jesus and the disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane.

We know he's been praying in the garden for at least one hour, probably two.

And so we're thinking one or two in the morning, and these men come to arrest him.

Isn't that a suspect?

Isn't that a bit unusual?

Doesn't that lean towards the fact that maybe there's a bit of a scandal happening here,

that he needs to be arrested in the middle of the night?

Isn't that a crowd of officers armed to the teeth?

Ambush him like a modern sting operation?

It's not like they send a few of the temple leaders to go and persuade him to come in and turn himself in.

That's not happening.

It's actually a crowd of people.

They apprehend him as if it's a dangerous fugitive that has put the people of Jerusalem at great risk.

But what had Jesus done to deserve that?

Nothing.

This is the man who took little babies and put them on his knee.

This is the man who spent the last three years going throughout Galilee and Judea,

basically eradicating disease.

This is the man who has spent day after day in the temple with these other people,

no threat to anyone, simply teaching the truth.

This is the man who has spent the last three years perfectly obeying and teaching the very law of God.

What has he done to deserve this type of treatment in his arrest?

Well, nothing.

And that's the point.

He was treated as a criminal, though he had committed no crime.

And just as Isaiah 53 had prophesied, Jesus was, quote, numbered with the transgressors.

What Isaiah means there is he was counted, reckoned as a criminal,

reckoned, treated as a transgressor,

so that his death, in his death, by his death,

transgressors could actually be declared righteous before God.

And if you're wondering why all four Gospels find it necessary to detail the events of Jesus' actual arrest,

this is it.

He was numbered with the transgressors so that he could save transgressors.

That's the significance of this particular part of the narrative.

Let's work through it together.

The first thing that I want to point out to you is very simple.

Jesus is betrayed.

He's betrayed.

He's betrayed.

Look at verse 43.

Immediately while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve,

and with him a crowd with swords and clubs from the chief priest and the scribes and the elders.

Let's just mention the people that are participating in this verse quickly.

The chief priest and scribes and elders,

they were the three groups that made up the great Sanhedrin.

That's the ruling body of the Jews, both civically and religiously,

underneath the jurisdiction of Rome, of course,

but they were the ones that ruled over the Jewish people.

Instructions to arrest Jesus, in other words, came all the way from the top.

So the Sanhedrin provide the civic authority for Jesus to be arrested legally.

And that's important at least to their cause.

Now, they don't have just cause to arrest him,

but the fact that it's coming from the Sanhedrin actually makes the actual apprehension of Jesus,

taking him into custody, legal.

The fact that we see that there are servants of the high priest

means that there's probably an actual written warrant

accompanying this crowd of soldiers and servants.

So when they approach Jesus and the disciples,

they have at their disposal the very warrant for his arrest, so to speak,

or at least for his custody to be questioned.

So we have that.

The crowd with swords and clubs consist of temple police,

civil servants who served at the discretion of the Sanhedrin.

If the Sanhedrin provides the authority,

the temple police provide the muscle.

These are the scobies that have come in with the muscle strapped,

ready to take on these disciples if they need to take on the disciples.

If there is an uproar, perhaps, which is what they feared,

the muscle would be of great aid.

Now, let me just say, incidentally, that if you were to flip over to John 18,

maybe you would want to do that this afternoon,

you'll discover that their efforts in providing any kind of muscle

was actually very futile.

Jesus, by just speaking the word and identifying himself,

supernaturally pushes back so that they all fall to the ground.

It's really quite an amazing picture.

You can study that on your own.

That's just a by the way.

And then, of course, Judas is the other participant here.

Judas Iscariot, one of the 12, he's the architect of the whole plan.

He was responsible for instructing the soldiers on where Jesus was.

He was responsible for identifying who Jesus was.

And he was even responsible, according to Mark's words,

for the plan and precautions that they were to take

as they sought to constrain the Lord.

So Mark reminds us here that Judas was one of the 12 disciples,

heightening the sense of betrayal that Jesus endured.

And I want to remind you that Jesus had said this is precisely what would happen.

Look back just a few verses in Mark 14.

Look at verse 18 with me.

And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said,

truly I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.

And they began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another,

is it I?

And he said to them, it is one of the 12.

He even narrows it down to that.

One who is dipping bread into the dish with me.

So Jesus has said this is going to happen.

Now it's happening.

He's also said that he would be delivered to this specific group of people.

Remember Mark chapter 10?

Mark 10 · chapter mention

Jesus says, we're going up to Jerusalem.

The son of man will be delivered over to the chief priest and the scribes,

and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles.

So all of this that's unfolding here before our eyes

and before the eyes of the disciples is just the fulfillment of Jesus' own word.

And Jesus' own word is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies about him.

That's significant here.

This is not just something that happened to take place and we're reading it back into the text of Scripture.

No, this is the perfect fulfillment of God's word.

It's the perfect fulfillment of Christ's words.

And there's no variant in the way that it unfolded.

Now let's look a little closer at the act of betrayal itself.

Verse 44.

Now the betrayer, he's not referred to as Judas any longer.

He's just the betrayer.

Let's think for a moment about the reasons for this betrayal.

The need for a signal was because the soldiers probably were somewhat unfamiliar with Jesus.

They might have known who he was and had perhaps seen him in the temple.

But they're coming in the middle of the night.

There's no electricity in those days.

It's the cover of night.

Perhaps there is light from the moon as we would understand the Passover

and how the feast and things like that would take place.

It would be associated with a full moon.

So that's really the only light that they have.

These are also men likely who have not showered maybe in a little while.

They are all bearded men.

They're all from the same region.

It would be easy for somebody not familiar with Jesus

to not really be able to pick Jesus out in a lineup of these men at this particular time, right?

So it makes sense.

They need a signal so that when they get there, they know exactly who to apprehend

because the last thing they want to do is bring the wrong guy back to Caiaphas' house.

Because by the time they get to Caiaphas' house with the wrong guy,

the guy they were supposed to get is going to be long gone

and they're going to miss their opportunity to kill him.

So we understand why there needs to be a signal.

But why didn't they just arrest Jesus during the day?

That's the question.

Why come at night when they couldn't be sure exactly who he was?

Why not take him during the day when they could identify him clearly?

Why was it necessary for them to recruit a betrayer among the Lord's disciples?

Three reasons I want to give you.

First is the reason of the Sanhedrin.

The Sanhedrin's reason was secrecy.

Secrecy.

Now step back and think of the larger picture here.

Thousands of people have gathered in Jerusalem,

many of whom have been impacted at some point in the last three years

by the ministry of Jesus.

Now think about this.

All of these people in Judea and Galilee that Jesus has healed of leprosy

or has raised their children from the dead

or has instructed them or helped them in some way

are probably in Jerusalem or nearby.

They're not against Jesus.

Why would they be?

Jesus has changed their life.

The Sanhedrin is concerned that if they were to make a public show

of this particular arrest and custody,

what would happen would be a riot among the people,

an uproar that would be politically devastating.

So they wanted to act swiftly.

They wanted to act secretly because they feared a riot.

And a betrayer provided them with the perfect opportunity

to accomplish their task.

Judas knew Jesus' movements.

Judas knew Jesus' patterns.

He would know that he's going to be in Gethsemane.

He would know exactly who he is and how to identify him

and what they should do to restrain him.

And just look back at verse number one of chapter 14 and remember this.

It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread

and the chief priest and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth

and kill him.

For they said, not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.

So why a betrayer?

Why betrayal?

Well, the Sanhedrin needed it because of secrecy.

But what is Judas' reason in this?

Why is Judas concerned with betraying the Lord?

Well, Judas' reason, I think, is selfish greed.

Selfish greed.

John chapter 6 tells us that Judas had an issue with greed.

John 6 · chapter mention

He was the group's treasurer.

Later, the disciples figure out that he had been stealing from them all along.

Clearly, Judas only followed Jesus in hopes of receiving from him

some benefit of wealth and power in the coming kingdom.

And we've talked about this before.

I don't think it's that Judas didn't truly believe Jesus was the Messiah.

He just refused to accept what the Messiah's true purpose and identity really was.

He thought what's coming along with Jesus is this new kingdom,

which meant those who are closest to him are going to give wealth and power to rule the kingdom.

And now he's starting to realize this is not who Jesus is.

This is not what he's going to do.

And so though he may think he is a messianic figure,

his faith is not in Jesus' true identity and purpose.

He's not a true disciple in that sense.

So what does he do?

When it became clear that Jesus' plan and purpose didn't meet his expectations,

Judas betrayed the Lord for what he really wanted, money.

Look back again in Mark 14 to verse 10.

Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the 12,

went to the chief priest in order to betray him to them.

And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money.

And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

We find out in other passages, this was 30 pieces of silver.

This was the price of a slave that he betrayed the Lord for.

So that's the Sanhedrin's reason.

That's Judas's reason.

What's the ultimate reason though?

The ultimate, perhaps we would say the divine reason for this betrayal

is the fulfillment of scripture.

Judas and the leaders of the Jews,

they all had their reasons for doing what they did.

But it was accomplished ultimately by the guiding hand of the sovereign God.

Jesus himself affirmed that his betrayal was following God's plan and God's word.

Look back at verse 20, Mark 14.

He said to them,

It is one of the 12, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me,

for the Son of Man goes as what?

Read that next part.

As it is written of him.

Jesus has already told the disciples,

The betrayal is coming.

It's going to be one of you.

And the reason it's happening is because the scripture said it would happen.

Do you see?

God is working out his plan.

Even through sinful people,

God is working out his plan.

Now let's take a time out for a second

and think about our Lakeside Connect studies.

Just last week, our group will do it tonight.

So I guess you'll have some answers, I guess, as a part of the discussion here.

Think about what was happening with Abraham and Isaac.

Think about particularly that whole situation.

I can't remember, Mark, what chapter we were texting about last week.

The situation with Abimelech and all of that.

And then fast forward and frame your mind

along with what Paul was getting at in Romans chapter 8 there at the end.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

We have this groaning.

The temptation in that groaning is to think that either by our sin or by our suffering,

maybe God isn't fulfilling his promise

or maybe God won't fulfill his promise.

And then Paul reminds us, no, God is fulfilling his promise.

Who can separate us from the love of God?

And he gives that whole list of things.

Well, none of that can separate us from the love of God.

Judas can't prevent God's work.

The leaders can't prevent God's work.

In fact, God is going to use them and their betrayal and their sin to accomplish his work.

God is working out his plan.

It's amazing to think about.

Now, remember, the Bible is a book about Jesus.

And we could go to a few different Old Testament passages

that would point toward this betrayal.

If you would think maybe typically,

maybe you would go to the story of Joseph,

who Stephen said in his speech in Acts chapter 7 was a type of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 7 · chapter mention

And so maybe when you see the betrayal that Joseph experienced from his brothers,

maybe you start to see a picture of what is to come,

maybe being identified in Christ.

Certainly, we see that in David.

And two different times, David is betrayed by someone closest to him.

One of those times was his very own son, Absalom.

Jesus actually quotes a psalm, though.

Psalm 41 is the one he quotes.

It says,

Even my close friend in whom I trusted,

who ate my bread,

has lifted his heel against me.

John says Jesus quoted that verse at the Last Supper

in order to tell his disciples this betrayal is the plan of God

and it's the fulfillment of the Word of God.

Now, here's why I emphasize that.

Had Jesus not been betrayed,

he wouldn't be the true Messiah.

But the fact of his betrayal,

as tragic as it is,

is another confirmation that he is actually indeed the Savior.

Because the Savior had to be betrayed,

according to Jesus' own words.

So those are the reasons for betrayal.

Let's look at the sting of betrayal now.

The sting.

Think about Judas' treachery here.

It's made even more despicable by his choice in identifying the Lord.

Now remember, let's just read it again just quickly.

Look back with me at verse 44.

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.

So remember, Judas is the architect behind this plan.

He's the one who chose the signal.

He's the one who carried out the plan.

Now he could have simply got to the garden,

got close enough to Jesus to point at him and say,

Here he is, guys.

This is Jesus of Nazareth.

John tells us Jesus even steps up to the men and says,

Who are you looking for?

And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

And he says, I am he.

He's identifying himself even in this moment.

Judas could have easily said, That's him.

Get him.

But he doesn't do that.

In his own mind, in his own plan,

he chooses instead to identify the Lord with this kiss.

I think an initial mockery that is beginning the process of this passion experience of Jesus.

The words rabbi and kissed here are emphatic in the Greek,

meaning that when Judas comes to Jesus,

he embraces him in a way that expresses deep love and affection.

It's the sting of betrayal.

It's the kiss of betrayal.

It's the kiss of death.

But why?

Why would he do that?

I can't say what for sure was in Judas' mind.

It's clear what was the condition of his heart, though.

It's one thing to be the agent of betrayal.

It's a whole new expression of depravity for the sign of one's betrayal

to be a symbol of love and of affection.

This is the kind of emotional and relational pain that Jesus endures for us.

He endures on our behalf.

This is the extent that he was willing to go.

Philippians 2,

He who sat on the throne of heaven descends to become the lowest of man.

We sing the songs at Christmas,

the song I remember us singing last year so often during December,

Thou who was rich beyond all splendor,

all for love's sake,

became as poor,

was condemned.

The God who created Judas is now mocked by him,

is now condemned by him.

I want you to compare the treachery of Judas here

with the steadfast love of the Lord.

Is there not a contrast taking place here in Mark's purpose?

Notice how Jesus does and does not respond to Judas.

He doesn't berate him.

He doesn't spew hateful words.

He doesn't let him know,

I knew it all from the beginning it was going to be you.

No, there's nothing like that that happens.

Matthew actually says,

Jesus said to him,

Friend,

do what you came to do.

Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him.

Matthew,

who was present in the moment,

who witnessed this unfold,

said he called him friend.

That's an interesting choice of words here, isn't it?

Because Judas certainly wasn't Jesus' friend.

He was his betrayer.

But he wasn't speaking from the perspective of Judas.

It doesn't mean that Jesus was ignorant of

or indifferent to what Judas did.

I think it does reveal the steadfastness of his love

for those who sin against him,

which is all of us, by the way.

He didn't merely teach us to love our enemies.

He lived it.

And he commands that we follow him

as we face treacherous acts of betrayal ourselves.

When people do us wrong,

how is it that we respond to them?

I think Jesus gives us a pretty amazing pattern here

on what it actually means to love your enemies

and to pray for them,

to persecute you,

and to show kindness to them.

Well, that's Jesus' betrayal.

Let's secondly look at Jesus' arrest.

Jesus arrested.

Verse 46,

And they laid hands on him and seized him.

So just as Jesus predicted his betrayal,

so he foretold his arrest.

Now Mark has told us this three different times already.

In fact, let's just trace it back.

Flip a couple of pages back to Mark chapter 8.

Mark 8 · chapter mention

Mark chapter 8.

Mark 8 · chapter mention

And look with me at verse 31.

And he began to teach them

that the Son of Man must suffer many things

and be rejected by the elders

and the chief priests and the scribes

and be killed

and after three days rise again.

And he said this plainly.

All right, prediction number one.

Now look at chapter 9.

Look at chapter 9 and verse 30.

Let's start at verse 30.

They went on from there and passed through Galilee

and he did not want anyone to know

for he was teaching his disciples,

saying to them,

The Son of Man is going to be delivered

into the hands of men

and they will kill him.

And when he is killed,

after three days,

he will rise.

That's prediction number two.

Go to chapter 10 now.

Chapter 10.

Let's look at verse 32.

And they were on the road going up to Jerusalem

and Jesus was walking ahead of them

and they were amazed

and those who followed were afraid

and taking the 12 again,

he began to tell them what was to happen.

See, we are going up to Jerusalem

and the Son of Man will be delivered

over to the chief priests and the scribes

and they will condemn him to death

and deliver him over to the Gentiles

and they will mock him

and spit on him

and flog him

and kill him

and after three days,

he will rise.

Verse 46 here,

back to chapter 14,

is the precise fulfillment

of what Jesus had repeatedly prophesied.

The precise fulfillment.

I want you to think about this.

He knew exactly what was going to happen

when he got to Jerusalem

and he went there anyway.

Nothing about this moment

is outside of Jesus' control.

It's not outside of his power to influence.

He willingly obeyed the Father's plan

by laying down his life for us

and verse 46,

simple as it may be,

straightforward as it may be,

is a monumental verse

to just tell us what Jesus said is true.

It happened

and it happened

because he was willing for it to happen.

Now another gospel

we're going to see here in just a second,

one of the disciples gets carried away.

Another gospel tells us

that when Jesus responds in that moment,

he says,

do you not realize

that I can call

12 legions of angels

from my Father?

That's a thousand angels

at least

for Jesus

plus all of the remaining disciples.

If we were really in trouble, men,

if this was really a problem, men,

I could appeal to the Father

and we'd have all the help that we need.

But this is the plan.

This is what I've told you.

It was all a part of God's plan.

Jesus knew

and he pursued it willingly.

Why?

Love, right?

Love,

all for love's sake,

he did these things.

Verse 47,

one of those who stood by

drew his sword

and struck the servant

of the high priest,

cut off his ear.

So one of the disciples

was far less willing

than Jesus was.

John 18 tells us

it was Peter.

Which isn't so much

of a surprise to us,

is it?

It's not unusual

for us to find Peter

acting or speaking

without first thinking.

Now how many of you

can identify with Peter

in that?

I think I've told you

my mom had this habit

when I was growing up.

She would tell me

that my mouth was in drive

and my brain was in neutral

is what she would say.

In other words,

I would act or say

before I would actually

use the brain

that God had given me.

Peter functions that way

quite a bit,

doesn't he?

He's often rash,

passionate,

to his credit,

passionate,

but a bit rash.

And it always bites him,

doesn't it?

The heat of the moment,

he kind of thoughtlessly

grabs a sword

and he takes a swing

at one of the high priests.

One of the gospels

tells us the high priest

priest's servant.

His name was Malchus.

Now Luke wrote

that after correcting Peter,

Jesus touched Malchus' head

and fully restored

his injured ear.

That's pretty amazing too.

In the midst of all of this,

Jesus still displays

his love and compassion

and his power

in order to heal this man.

Which just as another,

by the way,

I would really encourage you

to lay the four gospel accounts

beside each other.

Each of them is a bit different

and helps really fill in

this particular story.

I would encourage you

to do that.

Mark omits a lot

of the details

that the other gospel authors

includes.

But his aim

was not to fill us in

on every detail

of the story.

That's not Mark's aim here.

Remember the dual focus

that I told you Mark has

in his book overall,

but especially

in this section.

There's the dual focus

of Jesus' Messiahship

and faithfulness

compared with the,

or contrasted with,

the dynamic

of faithful discipleship.

Where all of the disciples

failed,

Jesus was faithful.

Jesus persevered

in all of those things.

We see that happening

here again.

There's a contrast here

for Mark's purpose.

It doesn't matter who it is.

What matters

is what they did.

So let's consider

Peter's sin

for just a moment.

Let's give him

a little bit of credit.

Peter's motive

was born out of his love

and his loyalty for Jesus.

Let's get that part right.

It would also be wrong

for us to say

that Peter shouldn't

have been bothered

by what was happening.

That he should have just

accepted

because Jesus had said

he would be betrayed

and arrested.

That he should just accept

it without any kind

of emotional experience

at all.

That wouldn't be right

for us to say either.

The problem here

is that his untempered anger

produced a murderous act.

I think it's safe

for us to say

Peter wasn't aiming

for Malchus' ear.

One preacher said

either he was really good

to be able to cut off

only Malchus' ear

or he's really bad

to miss the rest

of his head

because that's what

Peter's aiming for here.

He's trying to kill this man.

This is not the man

arresting Jesus.

This is the servant

probably with the warrant.

And Peter in a moment

of brashness

takes out his sword

and commits

a murderous act.

This was attempted murder.

And Jesus reminds Peter

as such

when he says

in Matthew 26

that all who take

the sword

will perish

by the sword.

In other words

this is not

the right action Peter.

This is murderous

which makes

means that

it would be

perfectly legitimate

for justice

to be carried out

on you.

You would deserve

to be put to death

for what you just did.

That's what he's saying

to Peter.

Peter was right

to be angry

but still he acted

in the flesh

instead of following

Jesus' teaching

and example.

When did Jesus

ever call his disciples

to arms?

Never.

Never.

In fact

he regularly preached

against this type

of retribution

and vengeance.

Kent Hughes notes

how easy it is

to be out of step

with Christ

when we think

we are serving him

even defending him.

Think about that again.

How easy it is for us

to actually

in a moment

where in our motive

and in our thought

we are serving Christ

and we are defending Christ

but we're actually doing it

in quite a sinful way.

It's a reminder to us

isn't it?

That our motives

and our position

can be right

and yet our actions

still be sinful.

We need to take

the right stand

but we have to avoid

this hateful

spiteful

self-righteous spirit

that's wrapped

often

in compassionless

argumentation

with those

who disagree with us

or do not follow Christ.

There's a difference

between standing for Christ

and being a jerk

and here

Peter's being a jerk.

His aim

was to destroy

his enemy

and we're often

guilty of having

the same goal

and we start

to consider

the culture

around us

there's lots of things

we need to stand for

in biblical truth.

We talk about

the abortion debates

that are getting

very heated

at this point.

We think about

the sexual revolution

that's taking place

and is only going to

continue to get worse

and we can even

get really specific

with the things

going on with Disney

and some of the things

that they're doing

and what do we do

and it would be

very easy for us

in the process

of standing for truth

and defending Christ

to actually do that

in a way

that's actually

quite sinful.

But Jesus shows us

a way of righteousness

and that's what I want

to point out here.

Verse 48

Jesus said to them

have you come out

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.

Do you see the difference

in Peter

and Jesus' responses?

Peter aims

to destroy the enemy

Jesus appeals

to their conscience

instead.

He doesn't seek

to destroy them

he seeks

to win them

if not in that moment

perhaps later

when they would look back

on this particular

experience that they had.

He pointed out

that their method

of arresting him

exposed the lack

of justification

for the very arrest.

He essentially says

if I'm guilty

of a crime

that warrants

a crowd of armed soldiers

why did you come

in the secrecy

of the night?

Why didn't you

just take me

during the day?

Do you see what he's doing?

He's not fighting

against them

he's exposing

their error.

He's appealing

to their conscience

I didn't hide

from anyone

Jesus says

he could have

easily gotten me

in the temple

day after day

why are you

doing it like this?

He wanted them

to look back

on that moment

and see it

as a fulfillment

of scripture.

Sinclair Ferguson

I think was

was helpful

in pointing this

dynamic out to me

he said

inherent

in Jesus' words

is a moral appeal

he wanted

to speak

to their

consciences

in a way

that might be

used later

to convict them

of their own sin

and of his own

righteousness

wasn't that always

Jesus' aim?

He didn't seek

to destroy people

he sought

to win them

quite a difference

from Peter

whereas Peter's

hatefulness

is aimed

to destroy men

Jesus' love

and compassion

sought

to convince

them of the truth

and in that

we find the right way

to stand boldly

for Christ

and for the truth

in a way

that in our

heart of hearts

seeks to actually

win a person

to the truth

not merely

destroy them

or viscerate them

with our words.

So we see

Jesus betrayed

we see Jesus

arrested

finally and quickly

we see Jesus

forsaken

Jesus forsaken

look at verse 50

and they all

left him

and fled

and a young man

followed him

with nothing

but a linen cloth

about his body

and they seized him

but he left

the linen cloth

and ran away

naked

interesting

so again

Jesus told the disciples

this would happen

right?

Look back at verse 27

of Mark 14

Jesus said to them

you will all

fall away

for it is written

I will strike

the shepherd

and the sheep

will be scattered

that's a quotation

by Jesus

from the prophet

Zechariah

Jesus says

all of you

are going to

fall away

because the Bible

says all of you

will fall away

and then he gives

them that wonderful

promise

right?

So Jesus said

this would happen

and what do we

find in this passage?

Well we find

what Jesus said

actually

indeed happening

just as he said it

now Mark

is the only gospel

author to include

this note

about the young man

and many scholars

believe that this

is Mark himself

and it's very easy

to build a convincing

argument about that

in fact

if you want to know

what that argument is

I'll talk to you

after the service

but it's not the point

of why it's here

we don't know

for sure who it is

we don't know

why they're there

there is an

intentional ambiguity

in Mark's

on Mark's part

that tells us

that it was

his intention

not for us

to get distracted

by the unusual

nature of this

story

the fact that

he doesn't name

the person

and he gives us

no other filler

information

tells us that

none of those

things matter

to Mark

what Mark

is trying to

emphasize

is the event

itself

what actually

happened

with this

young man

he writes

it

merely because

it happened

and what Mark

is emphasizing

here is the

fact that

all of the

followers of

Jesus

fell away

even

the brave

young man

who outstayed

all the other

disciples

all the disciples

fled

and then there's

this young man

who seems to be

tagging along

and he follows

closely along

with Jesus

until the soldiers

recognize him

let's just say

for just a second

whoever this man

is whether it's

Mark or someone

else

this young fellow

has got a lot

of courage

because all the

disciples ran

and he follows

along anyways

and it's only

at the moment

only at the moment

that the soldiers

recognize him

and his very life

is then threatened

that he begins

to run

which is exactly

why all the

disciples ran too

so even the most

courageous

of the people

present in that

moment

still forsook

Jesus

that's Mark's

point

that in this

moment

Jesus was

utterly

forsaken

he faced

what was

ahead of him

totally

abandoned

by every

friend

by every

follower

and ultimately

by the

father

himself

and in

fulfillment

of the

scripture

he was

totally

alone

to bear

our sin

and to

endure

the wrath

of God

again

Ferguson

is helpful

Jesus

was being

left

entirely

alone

in what

he was

about to

do

no one

would stand

with him

no one

could

he would

stand alone

as savior

because he

alone

was fit

to bear

the judgment

of God

in our

place

like a

lamb

led away

to the

slaughter

Isaiah

writes

so Jesus

is led

away

in this

moment

utterly

alone

to drink

the cup

and face

the hour

that the

father

had set

aside

for him

to drink

and to

face

and why

does he

do that

he does

that in

order that

he might

take our

place

and provide

forgiveness

and freedom

and life

I said at the

beginning

this this

passage is

simple and

straightforward

it really

is

and while

there's

lessons for

us to

learn through

the text

the main

purpose

here is

to reveal

that Jesus

is the

perfect

fulfillment

of the

scriptures

teaching

about the

Messiah

remember

Mark

Mark 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1

in verse

1

Mark

tells us

his goal

the beginning

of the

gospel of

Jesus

Christ

Messiah

Son of

God

what's he

doing

he's

presenting

the fact

declaring

the fact

proclaiming

good news

Jesus

of Nazareth

he is

the one

and when

we get

to this

passage

and we

see the

fulfillment

of Jesus

the fulfillment

of scripture

in Jesus

we see

yes indeed

Jesus is

the one

yes indeed

he is

the one

we must

trust

that we

must follow

that we

must believe

he is

the only

way

that's

the point

it's

significant

simple

praise the

Lord

but significant

and there's

real

eternal

implications

to this

truth

for every

one of

us

step back

for just

a moment

and consider

the bigger

picture of

this arrest

even knowing

your own

innocence

there would

be

incredible

shame

and embarrassment

that would

come with

being publicly

carried away

in handcuffs

and put

into a

police car

to be

driven

to the

city jail

in front

of your

wife

and your

children

and your

neighbors

and your

friends

or your

church

can you

imagine

even if

you knew

your innocence

there's

shame in

that

there's

embarrassment

in that

Jesus

was totally

innocent

having never

even sinned

one time

yet he was

counted as a

dangerous

criminal

he was

put on

display

even in

the night

in front

of his

disciples

as if

he was

the

transgressor

in his

arrest

he is

numbered

with the

transgressors

Jesus

bearing

the shame

that belongs

to us

and this

was just

the beginning

Isaiah 53

12

he poured

out his

soul

to death

and was

numbered

with the

transgressors

yet he

bore the

sin

of many

and makes

intercession

for the

transgressors

do you see

what Isaiah

was saying

this righteous

one

the servant

of God

sinless

perfect

would be

counted as a

transgressor

and in being

counted as a

transgressor

he would

bear the

sin of

many people

true

transgressors

why

what did

he say

so that

he could

make

intercession

for the

transgressors

is that not

the role

that Jesus

now plays

for us

the new

testament

refers to

him as

making

intercession

that he

pleads

along with

the father

when we

stand

condemned

in our

sin

dead

in our

sin

Jesus

the righteous

one

upon our

faith

intercedes

for us

on our

behalf

to the

father

and in

that moment

reconciles

two enemies

the holy

God

and the

sinful

man

and what

makes it

possible for

Jesus to

do that

he was

counted as

a

transgressor

and he

bore the

sin of

many

that's the

significance

this isn't a

story of

execution

this is a

story of

substitution

we are the

sinners who

deserve to be

forsaken

alienated from

God

but on the

cross

Jesus the

righteous one

was forsaken

in our

place

he was

numbered with

the transgressors

so that real

transgressors could

be declared

forgiven

and free

his death

pays the

price for

our sin

and he

offers forgiveness

and life

to all

who will turn

from their

sin and

believe in

his name

which leaves

one question

remaining

will you

believe

will you

follow him

will you

trust him

and believe

him for what

he is or

will you be

a Judas

who comes to

him only

seeking certain

gain but

will ultimately

fall away when

he doesn't meet

your expectation

no

see who he

is

see what he

accomplished

and believe

and he

says all

who will

believe

he will

receive

and will

give this

life

so receive

him

and then

share

him

what better

news could

we bring to

our family

what better

news could you

take to your

neighbor

as much as I

would love to

brag to Shane

about the way

the Yankees have

been beating up on

the Red Sox this

weekend

what better

news would there

be other than

to say Shane

Jesus has died

for your sin

if you will

just believe