Amazed & Afraid | Mark 10:32-34 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

Mark chapter 10 and beginning here in verse 32.

Mark 10 · chapter mention

And the scriptures read 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

to him, saying, 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.

Father, we ask for one simple thing together As a church, your

church, would you help us be amazed at Jesus and Lord?

Would that amazement that awakened ah cause us to be

stronger in our devotion to Him? Cleanse us now as we sit under

the washing of your word. In Jesus name, we pray.

Amen. This is a crucial and pivotal

moment in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For one simple reason, we read that he and his disciples are

now making their way towards Jerusalem.

Now that might not seem like an alarming transition for us, but

it should if we have been studying the gospel of Mark

carefully. With every glorious deed that

Christ did and every life altering encounter he had in the

background, there were powerful men plotting his death.

That's something you and I are aware of because we've been

studying this book very, very meticulously.

And this is something that the disciples themselves were very

much aware of. They understood that there were

people who wanted to kill their rabbi, and they also understood,

because they were close and public associates with him, that

they themselves were in danger of meeting the very same fate.

And so these disciples reacted in a certain way as they

realized that their pilot now has changed directions toward

Jerusalem. And to bring some proof that

this is what the disciples believed, recall when Jesus, as

just one example, heard the news of his friends Lazarus who was

sick and died and was planning to go and resurrect him.

The disciples understanding this, said in John 11 verse 8,

John 11:8

the disciples said to him says that verse Rabbi, the Jews were

just now seeking to stone you and are you going there again?

To make this even more significant, Bethany, where

Lazarus, Lazarus, and his sisters abided, was just a few

miles away from Jerusalem. And so the disciples understood

that the closer they and their master were to the city, the

greater the danger was. This was a den of lions, so to

speak. This is where his enemies had

their headquarters. It was a hotspot for trouble.

So then it makes sense in Mark 10 what we just read of the

reactions that they had again when they learned that this is

where they were going. The one place that should be

avoided is the one place now that they are making their way

too. And we read here of two

reactions. You heard it right and verse 32.

The first thing that we read is that they were amazed.

They were amazed. This is the same word.

It's a very strong word that's used in Mark chapter one of the

people, when they saw Jesus cast out a devil in the middle of the

synagogue meeting, they were amazed at the authority that

Jesus had. It's also the same word that was

used that we studied last week after Jesus.

I said how difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter

the Kingdom of God. The disciples were what they

were amazed because it collided with a belief system that they

had about those who are wealthy and how they had greater access

in favor with God. And so this is an amazement,

this is a a significant awe that they are experiencing.

But no miracle was performed. They're just walking.

There is no profound revelation that was made.

Christ is silently making his way toward this place.

So why the amazement? Why were they so moved to

wonder? I believe it's because of the

sight of their master in this transition, on this journey,

because they understood where he was going and they saw something

of a resolve in the Redeemer. It wasn't just the fact that he

is going there. Look at the way that he is going

there. Read carefully again.

Look at verse 32. And they were on the road going

up to Jerusalem and Jesus was not just walking, Jesus was

walking ahead of them. So the Lord knowing, as we just

read, knowing what's about to take place in a few days in

Jerusalem, he's not nervously trailing behind his students.

He was not pausing from time to time on that trip to second

guess his destination. No, what you see here is Christ

leading the way. He is in front of this minuscule

parade with perfect stride, completely resolute, absolutely

unswerving, and totally fearless.

Just envision this, this, this Christ who is not saying

anything but is making a statement by this March.

And that's what stunned these disciples.

The courage of their captain, the strength of their shepherd,

the tenacity of their teacher. They were, they were just

absolutely blown away by his heart posture in this moment.

Can I ask you a question? Now as we analyze this?

Are you amazed at Christ? Do you stand in awe of him?

Are there any thoughts that come to you that cause you to be like

these disciples, spellbound by him?

I can tell you with confidence that if you just come to this

book, there are many things, there are many things about him

that should amaze us. Where can we go?

There's so many places to go, and as you primarily come to

this word, surely the amazement continues as you walk with him

and see him intervene and lead and guide your life.

He has to be in front of you. Though, may I add, this is a

wonderful model of what discipleship looks like Christ

in front. But I thought about what amazes

me about Jesus. And there's so many things in

the Gospels alone. And there's one particular place

I quoted to you earlier, John 11, verse 8, how the disciples

John 11:8

were concerned about Jesus being in a very perilous position by

going to Bethany. And just in that first section

of John, Chapter 11, you have a glistening truths of the love of

John 11 · chapter mention

Jesus Christ, rubies of his heart that shine so bright if

you would just take the time to meditate on them.

So why don't we do that? Allow me to just give you a

little bit of a taste of how amazing Jesus is.

Go to John 11 with me very quickly.

This is a very familiar passage, but maybe, maybe not to some.

And for those who are familiar, maybe this will bring fresh

insight. Lord amaze us once again.

John 11 verse one now certain man was ill Lazarus of Bethany,

the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his

feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.

So the sisters sent to him saying, Lord he whom you love is

ill Oh, there's so many things in those three verses.

Remember, the reason why I brought you to this neighborhood

in the Gospels is so that you would see how amazing just the

taste of how amazing Jesus is. Notice the description of Mary.

There are many Marys in the Bible, right?

So the Holy Spirit wants to define which Mary this is, but

it's more than just him defining which Mary we are Speaking of

because this is a very specific description.

Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with

her hair. So this is to demonstrate the

Mary who had a deep devotion to the Lord.

You know, scripture talks about a woman's hair being her glory

in First Corinthians 11. And she took her glory, and she

put it to the feet of Jesus. She took her perfume, that was a

year's worth of salary, and broke it in a way where she

couldn't regather its substance and poured it all out on the

Lord. The Holy Spirit wants you to

know this is the Mary that Jesus is ready to visit.

But it's not just the Mary that He is ready to visit.

This is a Mary who had a particular love for Christ, and

yet she was not exempt from pain.

She gave so much. She worshipped with great

intensity. She loved the Master.

And yet now, at this juncture, her brother is sick.

And this is painful. It's painful enough for them to

send word to the Lord Jesus. Please come.

Please come and do something about our brother.

We love him. You know, if you serve Christ,

you're not exempt from trials If you love Christ, If you worship

Christ, you're not free from pain in this life.

You're not free from witnessing loved ones experience pain in

your life. And don't you ever mistaken

crises in your life as some kind of a punishment for the weakness

of your devotion? There is discipline in the Lord,

but that's not the case for this woman.

That's not the case for many believers.

She loved the Lord. This is what the Holy Spirit's

remind. This is the Mary who had such

great adoration, and yet her brother, now he's sick and she's

broken as well. And she's worried and she's

concerned. But that's another message for

another time. They knew Jesus well enough to

give the message the way they gave it.

Again, look at verse three. Look at what they relayed

through these messengers. So the sisters sent him saying,

Lord, he whom you love is ill. So simple, so direct.

It's so beautiful. There is no elaborate

description. There was no appeal, as though

Christ is reluctant. Just Lord, he whom you love is.

I'll notice they didn't give Lazarus his name.

Lord, he whom you love is I'll. You know what that tells me?

It tells me that they knew Christ's love for Lazarus enough

for him to just hear that the one that he loves is ill and he

knew exactly who they were talking about.

That tells me that Lazarus's identity was woven and wrapped

with the love of Jesus Christ wrapped.

And they weren't appealing to Lazarus's love for Christ, they

were appealing to Christ's love for Lazarus.

So many times we come to a place of you in prayer, and we try to

make our appeal to Christ based on our love for Him.

And we should love him. We're commanded to love him, but

they understood something about Christ.

He moves from the place of love in his own heart.

Lord, he whom you love is ill, And Jesus knew exactly who they

were talking about. But notice there's no specific

request. They didn't say, Lord, he whom

you love is ill. Now come and heal him, Lord, he

whom you love is ill. Now send forth your word from

where you are, and he will be restored.

Just Lord, he whom you love is ill What does that mean?

Well, I don't think that encourages us not to be

specific. In our prayers.

We're called to give the Lord our specific request.

But I think there's a wonderful illustration here about how

Christ not only could translate the object of their need, right?

He whom you love is ill. I know that's Lazarus.

He can also interpret their need, even though they didn't

give the specific need, because there are times when pain is so

overwhelming and the trial is so confusing and the situation is

so complex that you don't even know how to direct the request.

You don't even know how the Lord should move in this situation.

And here's the example, and here's the illustration to

comfort your soul and mind. Just bring the need to him and

He knows exactly what to do with it.

He knows exactly what to do with it.

Isn't Christ amazing? Isn't he wonderful?

Do you stand in awe of him? Oh, there's an end there.

I better be careful. Also, we're going to stay in

John 11 for the rest of the day. But let's go down to verse 5

now. Jesus loved Martha and her

sister and Lazarus. You can't just read past these

verses. Please don't do that.

Jesus's love wasn't just for Lazarus.

The Holy Spirit wants us to know that he loved Mary.

He loved Martha and he loved Lazarus.

Now that might not seem like it's a deep thought.

Unless of course, you think about these individual

characters. And they were characters, and

they differed from each other. Mary was the worshipper.

Whenever you read Mary in the Gospels, you will always find

her at the feet of Jesus. Always.

Even in John 11, she'll end up finding herself at the feet of

Jesus. When she anoints Jesus, she's at

his feet. When Jesus came to their home,

remember, Martha was frantic running around.

Where was Mary? At his feet she was a

worshipper. She loved the Lord.

Martha was the server. She expressed her devotion by

going around and getting things done and it kind of bothered her

to see somebody just sitting there and enjoying the presence

of the Lord. Hey, we got things to do, let's

go. And she was also anxious.

She had that kind of temperament.

Lazarus, not much, he said about Lazarus.

He's very quiet fellow, but I like to see Lazarus as the

silent witness. Because what you'll read in John

is that many people heard about his resurrection and because of

his testimony they came to Christ and now Lazarus was in

danger. Lazarus is a picture of the

witness, Mary's the worshipper, right?

Martha's the server. And Lazarus was the one who

testified of what Christ's power can do in a life.

Very different, very different strengths, very different

gifting, so to speak, different weaknesses.

And Jesus loved them all equally.

You know, you and I are tempted to look at another brother or

sister and dis disapprove of them or criticize them, perhaps

because they're not like you. They're not like me.

Christ doesn't discriminate with his love.

He looks at each of us. This is what this verse is

teaching. He looks at each of us, and we

are all familiar with each other enough to know that we're all

different. We're all different in many

ways. We laugh at different jokes.

We interpret things differently in life sometimes, though it

should be ultimately filtered in the word of God.

We have different strengths and different weaknesses.

This verse teaches Christ loves each of us.

His love is personal. It's individual.

It's not just this corporate declaration.

I love my church, not he loves each of us.

Are you amazed at Jesus? I can keep going about how Jesus

love. It's different the way we

understand love because he loved Lazarus and when he received the

news, it says because he loved them that he waited a few extra

days. You would think if you love

Lazarus that you would pick up your bags right there and go.

But Christ's love is also interwoven with wisdom and he

knows how to express his love far greater than you.

And I think he should. But let's come back to Mark.

They were amazed at Jesus. Oh, I pray that you would be

amazed at Jesus. And they're amazed because they

were willing. They were seeing a Christ who

was willing to go into a very dangerous place.

You know the the revelation that the disciples had about Christ

and his death still produce an amazement.

You and I have a full understanding of the purpose of

Christ that shouldn't that cause greater amazement?

It should. But that's not the only response

that they had. We read here in verse 32, and

they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.

And it's generally believed that it's the same people.

Some would say it was a crowd, another crowd that was there

that was also afraid. But this is speaking primarily

about the disciples. So there was a mixture of

emotion here, and we don't have to go into great explanation to

why they were afraid. You and I just heard why they

were afraid. They put the pieces together.

But there's another phrase here, a phrase that's connected to

that second emotion that's important for us to consider.

And those who followed were afraid, and those who followed

were afraid though they were fearful, Listen to this, they

still followed. Sometimes following the Lord can

be scary, can be daunting, can be intimidating, can be

threatening, can be risky. And yes, we should ultimately be

amazed at Christ. But let's be inspired by these

disciples. They were fearful, but they

still followed. You know why that's an important

thought? Because there are too many

professing Christians who allow their feelings to drive their

devotion, whether that be heightened positive feelings or

unfavorable feelings of despair. Discouragement.

You cannot allow what you feel to determine your devotion.

A true mature disciple though, these disciples were immature in

many ways, and this place, this is something that we can draw

from. They show that it's conviction,

it's conviction that should ultimately determine your

destination. If you're waiting for feeling

you're never going to be consistent, you're never going

to know perseverance. You're never going to know the

flourishing of a ministry. You're never going to come to

this house consistently. I don't feel like it.

Well, you're not going to go very far.

And so these disciples show here that it's not about emotion.

And again, though, they were failures in different regards,

and though they had shortcomings, here's one thing

that moves me Wherever Christ was willing to go, they were

going to go. So again, I told you about John

11. I don't know why we keep going

back there, but why not? So they understood even in John

11, Lord, if you go there, I mean they they try to kill you.

You want to go in the same facility, You want to go in the

same parameters. And Jesus said, I'm going, we

must go to our friend Lazarus. And one of the disciples spoke

up. He said something that is so

profound because he, he tends to have a negative reputation among

evangelicals. Thomas.

Who's Thomas known as Doubting Thomas?

Pessimistic. But you know what Thomas said in

John 11. Maybe you've never seen Thomas

in this light. When they learned Jesus was

going to Bethany, Thomas said in John 1116.

So Thomas called the twin and said to his fellow disciples,

let us also go that we may die with him.

How about that for doubting Thomas?

All right, Lord, we told you that if you go there you might

get stoned again. Lord said, we're going to our

friend Lazarus. So Thomas looks at the

disciples, says, all right guys, let's go and be prepared to die.

That's discipleship. OK, Lord, I don't know where or

why you're leading me in this way.

There's a lot of fear in my heart right now because I know

exactly where this might be going in terms of this moment.

But I'm still going to go. I'm still going to follow you.

And don't limit that challenge to fear.

We don't have much to be afraid of here in the West.

We will in a few years, in the flesh at least.

But paint that for everything across the whole board.

Any feeling that would challenge your commitment to follow Christ

further, know that. What will be the secret to

overcoming those obstacles? It's conviction.

I know this to be true. I know what his word says,

whether my feelings at this time agree with it or not.

He is Lord, He is worthy. I am his servant.

I'm his child. I have one life.

I want to live it for him. I'm going to serve him.

I'm going to follow him. Now we come here to Jesus and

mark 10, pulling his disciples aside and it says here and

taking the 12 again. The latter part of verse 32, He

began to tell them what was to happen to him and Jesus.

Now, for the third time, the gospel of Mark is foretelling

his death, his suffering, his resurrection.

This is the third time he's going to do it, and each time he

shared it with the 12. He added more detail than the

last. So it's very close in Mark Go to

Mark 831. Let's read these different

instances where he shares and predicts his death, and let's do

a comparative analysis. In Mark 831 we read 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.

So this is the most basic explanation he gives.

He's going to be rejected by the chief rulers, he is going to

suffer, he is going to die, and he is going to resurrect.

That's the first time. Now notice the second time the

detail that he adds in Mark 931, not 830-1931.

It says here 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. What is Christ at here?

He will be delivered, which is synonymous with what He will be

betrayed. There is going to be a betrayal

that's going to make this death possible.

And so he says to the disciples and he brings further light,

there is going to be a betrayal. And now we come to the last time

and notice the great detail of the suffering.

And also another important feature, verse 33.

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 them to death and deliver them over to the

Gentiles. There's the 3rd and final most

important detail that's added before Christ actually

experienced this prediction. What is this all to mean?

Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen to him exactly.

Every scene he has been prepared for, and every time he explains

it and they come closer to this, he wants to let them know I have

a full understanding of what's about to take place, and that's

important for you to know for many reasons.

Let me give you a real life example to why.

Just a few days ago I had a conversation with a Muslim and

obviously it didn't take too long for us to get to the person

of Jesus Christ and the deity of Christ.

And this very passionate individual began to criticize

what seems to be contradictions in our Bible concerning the

person of Jesus Christ and his dual nature.

And it came to this point, your Christ, apparently your God who

came in the flesh was overtaken, overcome by Jewish people by his

enemies and they nailed him. What kind of a God is that?

You claim that he's God and he was arrested and he was dragged

to his death. That's your God.

And he was coming from the place as though Christ was taken by

surprise. And we have to understand that

Christ was not taken by surprise.

He predicted it. Listen, not only did he predict

it, he permitted it. And here's where the

conversation ended, where Jesus says there in John 1018, no one

takes it from me. But I laid down on my own

accord, and of my own accord. I will rise it up again.

And that's where the conversation ended.

Christ knew. He predicted it, He was aware of

it, and he permitted it. No one can take it from Him.

He in his own authority, He by his own accord, lays it down,

and he will bring it up. But notice something else about

these three instances where Christ predicts and foretells of

his suffering, death, and resurrection.

He speaks in a certain tense each time, right?

He speaks in the third person. The Son of Man will be delivered

over. And if you look at the text that

we have before us today, notice the last part.

It says here in verse 34 they will mock him and spit on him

and flog him and kill him. Well, isn't it Christ?

So why isn't he saying they will deliver me over to the chief

priest and they will condemn me to death and deliver me over to

the Gentiles and they will mock me and spit on me and flog me

and kill me. Why is he speaking in the third

person? Because it's strategic and he's

a teacher and he understands his audience, Christ and explaining

what's about to happen to him. The culmination of his mission

here is from the standpoint of prophecy.

That's why he's speaking this way.

He wants to let him know that this event is not isolated from

something that has been predicted and prophesied

throughout the centuries. This is something that has been

anticipated. This is something that has been

declared by the mouths of men of God.

And he's trying to help his disciples, who are very

ignorant, especially of these prophecies concerning the

Messiah. What's about to happen is not

random. It's not isolated to me.

It's something that is part of redemptive history.

And so he speaks about it as though he is an outsider, not

because it's not going to happen to him, because he wants him to

know of the bigger picture. And if you need proof of that,

when you look at Luke's parallel account of the same thing that

we're studying, let me just read it to you.

You could write it down as a reference.

Here is the confirmation that This is why Christ spoke in this

format. And Luke 1831, we read and

taking the 12, he said to them, see, we are going up to

Jerusalem and everything that is written about the Son of Man by

the prophets will be accomplished.

You see, disciples, I'm trying to show you that this was

written and what I'm going to do is going to accomplish what has

been written. And so he speaks in this way.

But you know what? That tells me something that you

know, but let it awake in a fresh amazement.

Christ's death, the way of his death, his betrayal, his burial,

his triumph, his victory over the grave can be found in the

Hebrew Scriptures. It's been written.

It's there. I want to challenge you.

You've heard me say this before. Can you and I present the gospel

using the Old Testament alone? We should be able to.

We should be familiar with what has been written.

And Jesus here emphatically declares the Passion of the

Christ is not a spontaneous story.

It has been a forecasted one. It is something that's been

declared from the ages ago, and even the resolve here of the

Savior is demonstrated as a fulfillment of prophecy.

Did you hear what I just said? Even Christ here and his

attitude towards what's about to come this impending moment was

prophesied about. Let me prove it to you just to

go to show how rich the scriptures are.

So here's a prophecy about the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 50.

And look at this if you want to know this moment of Jesus making

his way toward Jerusalem. Can this be found in the Hebrew

scriptures? I say to you, yes it can.

And Isaiah 50, verse five, notice what we read hundreds of

years, several, 100 years before Christ.

Incarnation. Isaiah 50, verse 5.

Isaiah 50:5

Just to whet your appetite, here's Isaiah speaking with the

prophetic tone of the Messiah speaking the Lord God has opened

my ear. Pause.

You know what that means? Open my ear.

If you were a Hebrew slave and you served your master for six

years, on the 7th year you were released, and if you loved your

master, goes to show what kind of slavery they actually

endured. If you loved your master, if you

want to remain with your master, you can turn back to your master

and say I want to be your servant forever.

And the ordination for that, the event that would seal that

relationship is that the servant would allow his ear to be

pierced with an awl that would brand him as a servant of that

master forever. And here's the Messiah saying,

the Lord has opened my ear, I am his servant, his permanent

servant. And notice what he says next.

And I was not rebellious. I turned not backward.

Verse six I gave my back to those who strike and my cheeks

to those who pull out the beard. I hid not my face from disgrace

and spitting. Verse seven.

You want to know why he was so confident?

You want to know why he had such strength?

But the Lord God helps me. Therefore I have not been

disgraced. Therefore I have set my face

like a Flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.

That's Messiah and Luke 9. In describing Jesus turning

point in his ministry where he goes towards Jerusalem, he

borrows the language of Isaiah 50 He says he set his face

toward Jerusalem. Where does that come from?

Isaiah. So even the journey to the

suffering, the prophet said it's going to happen, it's going to

happen. He didn't turn his back, he

didn't become rebellious. He knew exactly the play by play

of his passion, and he went with the strength of the Lord.

That's our Christ. But notice what Jesus also says

in these three instances of foretelling his death and his

resurrection. He calls himself the Son of Man

each time, the Son of Man, the Son of Man, the Son of Man.

In fact, this is the Lord's favorite title to describe to

himself in the Gospels. And the common understanding and

looking at those two major titles that Christ gives himself

and that others also give, Son of God implies his what Deity,

Son of Man infers his what? Humanity.

That's a basic understanding of those two titles, those

designations. And it's true.

You look at Ezekiel and Ezekiel over and over again by the Lord

is referred to as Son of Man, Son of Man, Son of Man.

You see it in the Psalms and describing humanity and their

frailty, Son of Man, Son of Man, When his ego is called Son of

Man, all that the Lord was saying is you're human and you

come from a human. But when you look at and analyze

and survey the Gospels completely, you understand that

Jesus's referral to this title has a deeper significance.

And some of you are already very familiar with us.

Maybe some are not. There's a profound truth in

Christ saying I am the Son of Man, and the clearest

description and meaning of this is found during Jesus trial,

which I think is one of the strongest references you can go

to to prove Jesus, his understanding and his

emphatically clear identification as the Messiah.

Here's the high priest looking at a silent man who's not

defending himself because he is a lamb who is silent and he's

ready to embrace his slaughter. And finally, he demands, speak

up. I adjure you by the living God,

tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.

And this is a Matthew 2663. And in 64 of Matthew 26 Jesus

said to him, you have said so. He didn't deny it.

Are you the Christ? Are you the Son of God?

You're right. I'm not rejecting that claim.

I embrace that claim. But he adds to it.

You have said so, but I tell you, from now on you will see

the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming

on the clouds of heaven. And you know what the response

of the High Priest was? He tore his robes.

Blasphemy. What more do we need to hear?

He's not only confirmed my claim, he's added to it with

what? If Son of Man strictly means I'm

human, then the response of the High Priest doesn't make much

sense. But if you understand Jesus

reference here to a specific instance in the Hebrew

scriptures of an exalted heavenly divine figure, then it

makes sense. I am the Son of Man and those

who understood the scriptures knew exactly what Christ meant

clearly by their response. It's a prophecy.

In Daniel 7, verse 13, Daniel 713, Daniel has a vision.

Daniel 7:13

He has a vision of the ancient of days on his throne.

And yet that scene is interrupted by one who had a

human form like appearance. And when he enters, we read how

he enters a verse 13 of Daniel seven.

I saw in the night visions, Daniel says.

And behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son

of man, and he came to the ancient of days and was

presented before him. Now he doesn't just come this,

this human like individual, doesn't just appear on the

scene, he comes with the clouds of heaven.

That's an important detail, and the reason why that's important

is because to ride on the clouds, to have authority with

the clouds is a prerogative and a privilege that is only

experienced and demonstrated by Yahweh alone.

And there are many verses in the Old Testament that ascribe

Yahweh with the clouds as a display of His Majesty and

power. And yet here is Daniel now

having this vision of the ancient of days, and he sees

this human like individual appear, not just appear, but

with a right that exclusively belonged to Yahweh.

He came with the clouds of heaven, so he looks like a

human, but he's sharing divine rights and the Ancient of Days

has no problem doing it. He is presented before him and

you read later on the same prophecy.

The Kingdom was given over to him, dominion was given over to

him, glory was given over to him and the peoples served him.

And if you look at that word, serve, it's not just helping

somebody or or giving somebody some assistance.

It means worship one like a son of man.

That's how Daniel was describing it.

There's someone here. He looks like a man, but he

can't be a man. He's coming with the clouds of

heaven and he's been given all of this, all these things that

belong to God alone. Who is this man?

Jesus. He tells this people and his

trial, you will see him, the Son of Man.

That's me coming at the right hand of the power and with the

clouds of heaven. So what's the blasphemy here?

That he's Messiah? More than that, that he is a

divine Messiah claiming to be God.

And This is why they responded the way they did.

And so we come here in closing. He says Son of Man will suffer,

Son of Man will die, Son of Man will resurrect.

Here's a practical point for us to conclude our time before we

providentially reflect on the suffering of our Lord.

Here's Jesus, fully aware of the script of his suffering.

You know what he does. Think about it.

Just think about it. If you knew this evening you

were going to die a grueling, torturous death, Hey, sometimes

we disconnect from the humanity element of this.

Yes, he is God, but he's also a man.

And so it's OK to think on a practical level of what the

implications of this are. Well, he's going to resurrect.

Well, yeah, you're going to resurrect, and so am I.

But Can you imagine, knowing that if you go to a certain

place today, that you would be arrested, that you'd be

tortured, that you'd be humiliated, Would you go there?

I don't think so. That you would go in the direct

opposite direction. Right.

Not the Lord. He goes toward it.

And as he's going toward, what kind of preparation do you make

for that? That in a few days, this is how

I'm going to go in a few days. This is where everything is

going to change. I wonder what he was doing as he

was walking ahead. Was he praying to the Father?

Was he communing with him as he was striving?

We're not told. But you know what happens at

some point, as Christ is there, focused with resolve, strength,

glory, majesty. He pauses, and he takes his

fearful disciples aside, and He teaches them.

Why is He teaching them this? Why is He taking the time to do

this? Because he wants to prepare

them, Says as much as he is there, ready to fulfill

prophecy, ready to honor the Father.

He's thinking of his students, and he wants them to be ready.

Think about the compassion, the tenderness of the Lord.

He's so much invested in these talk.

He's so much invested in US. That as he is leading us, as He

is walking ahead of us, He is mindful of us.

He is mindful of you and I. So he tells these disciples,

Look, this is what's going to happen, and let me be as

detailed as possible so you're not shocked by it.

It's been written. It's going to happen.

I'm going to accomplish it. And it's not until I get back

two weeks from now where you and I will be able to explore.

I mean, the inspiration of the disciples doesn't last very

long. Doesn't.

Yes, they're falling while they're afraid.

And Jesus talking about his humiliation and his suffering,

And then what's going to happen next?

Hey, Lord, can we sit closest to you in the Kingdom?

When are you going to get it? When am I going to get it?

When are you going to get it? Takes some time.

But he is a patient shepherd. He's a kind God.

Today, you and I have an opportunity, by God's perfect

leadership, with this text on the 1st Sunday of the month to

be amazed at the Lord. Can we prepare our hearts to do

that? As you are bowing your head, I

hope that you're also bowing your heart.

We're going to hear a brief exhortation in a moment

concerning the Lord's table, but I just want to do my part and

let you know that if you're here visiting to us, we're visiting

with us. We're so grateful that you can

be here. But this, this part of the

worship service is dedicated to Christians who have professed

their faith and repented of their sin and are confident that

they are a child of God by faith.

And so this is reserved for Christians, And we just kindly

ask you to reserve from participating.

You have every right to watch and participate as an observer.

And as you're observing, what you're seeing is people who are

making a declaration that they are saved by the grace of God,

not by their own merit, not by their own efforts, not by their

own obedience, but by the obedience of Christ.

And believers as you're sitting there today, please, this is a

holy moment. This is a sacred scene.

Just forget what's happening around you right now.

Don't be distracted. This is very precious to the

Lord and He calls us to see it as such.

Just reflect on the performance of Jesus Christ.

You have eternal life because of His body and blood.

There may be many uncertainties in 2024 for the rest of your

life, but one thing is guaranteed.

You have heaven because of the love of the Savior for you.

And Please remember He loved Lazarus and Martha and Mary.

Christ Love is for you, not just His church as a whole, but you

put your name on it. Jesus loves you At the same

time. He calls us to be reflective.

If our hearts have not demonstrated A conscious

devotion to Him, if we're holding on to sin, and yet we

come here to declare the sufficiency and the beauty of

His cross, then we do so in vain.

And so we must repent. If there's any sin in us, we

must relinquish it, divorce ourselves from it, and plead

with the Lord to forgive you. Because His grace does not

stimulate sin, it should stimulate holiness.

If you're at odds with someone, if there is contention, if

there's tension that has not been addressed between you and

another believer, the Lord does not want you to participate at

this table. He wants you to lay your gift at

the altar. Go make it right, and then come

and do this again. So relish in his redemption.

Reflect on your life. We're going to sing in a moment

here and then we're going to partake after Pastor Daniel

shares a few verses with us if the team can come now in

preparation to sing.