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[0:00] Well, if you would please turn your Bible to the Gospel of Mark. Chapter 14. We're nearing completion of our extended study in the Gospel of Mark.

[0:18] And this morning, our attention will be directed to verses 43 through 65. The Gospel of Mark, chapter 14, verses 43 through 65.

[0:42] Please follow along as I read. I'm reading from the English Standard Version. And immediately, while he was still speaking, And with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

[1:10] 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 heir 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 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 and when 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

[3:26] 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 Jesus said I am and you will see the son of man seated at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven and the high priest tore his garments and said what further witnesses do we need you have heard his blasphemy what is your decision and they all condemned him as deserving death and some began to spit on him and cover his face and to strike him saying to him prophesy and the guards received him with blows let's pray

[4:50] Lord we come to yet another familiar section of Mark's gospel but in truth it is one that we are not sufficiently acquainted with it is one that we can so easily read just on the surface of the words and fail to grasp what it is we are reading and indeed what is happening I ask this morning that you would truly open our hearts and illumine our minds that we may comprehend the truth of what was happening when Jesus was betrayed and tried Lord would you grant me divine enablement that I always need but that I especially need this morning help me to be faithful to proclaim your word for the profit of those who hear and for the glory of your name

[6:01] I ask these things in Jesus name Amen this section of Mark's gospel has two major scenes to it the first being the betrayal of Jesus by Judas and the second being his trial before the Sanhedrin council but there's a scene that's sandwiched in between these two major scenes it's this scene of this man who is following Jesus and he's wearing nothing but a linen cloth on his body and when the authorities seize him he runs away naked leaving the cloth in their hands Mark is the only gospel writer who includes this account in his gospel and I imagine this morning or maybe at some other time you are wondering well who is that person and in that regard you're not alone there has been countless numbers of men over the centuries who have speculated about the identity of this man but we have no way of knowing but I think a natural reading of it seems to suggest that this man perhaps because of the commotion that night because of this large group of men who were assembled there was Jesus and his 12 disciples at least 11 of them and there was Judas with the officials who had come from the high priest with swords and clubs and perhaps it was the commotion that brought this man out of his house in a rush where he didn't probably dress himself he's probably retired for the night and he he comes outside maybe just because of the commotion and if this man happened to be a bystander and he were to observe what was happening he probably would have thought that this was some kind of a special operation by the authorities and they were dealing with this gang this gang of thieves or robbers or criminals and when they came the gang members ran away and left the leader all alone and now they're confronting this leader

[8:33] I think if you just saw that scene in a vacuum looking at it it would have been so difficult to understand what was really happening but to draw the implication that this was some scene of officials dealing with some criminal and trying to bring law and order would be so far from the truth and so the question is what was really going on that night what was really going on in these two scenes that Mark recounts for us but that's the question that I hope to answer this morning as we consider these two scenes in the life of Jesus that were mere hours before he would ascend

[9:34] Calvary's hill and he would be nailed to a cross so first the betrayal of Jesus what was going on in the betrayal of Jesus the scene is in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus is talking with his three disciples who he had taken there to pray as he agonized over the cup of the wrath of God that he had to drink as a substitute for sinners and Mark tells us that he had resolved to drink it and we read in verses 41 and 42 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 the betrayal of Jesus marks a very critical turning point in the gospel of Mark prior to this point

[10:44] Jesus moved about freely as he wanted to preaching and ministering and now we come to a point where Jesus is no longer doing that on his own Jesus is now betrayed into the hands of religious leaders who wanted nothing more than his death and Jesus says something as he sees Judas coming he says the hour has come he says the hour has come the son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners rise let us be going my betrayer is at hand the hour that Jesus referred to was really the hour for which he was born everything else up to this point was really prelude to this particular moment that would open a series of events that Jesus refers to as the hour the hour had come for Jesus to do what he came to do and that was to give his life as a ransom for many and it began with this critical step of his betrayal by Judas and his arrest by the religious leaders

[12:06] Jesus a short while ago was having the Passover with his disciples and he predicted that one of them who was eating with him would betray him and when Judas approached he identified Judas as the one who would betray him Jesus was not surprised Jesus knew that he would and so as we come to this critical point in Mark's gospel we see that the gospel of Mark is unfolding it's been leading up to this point all along the person whom Mark has been depicting for us Mark has been carefully depicting Jesus as the Messiah as the Son of God because in this hour he wants us to know who it is who's being betrayed who's being tried who's going to be crucified and who will rise again from the dead Jesus is the one whom Mark is portraying that we do not lose sight of who he is he is the one who led a perfect life and he didn't deserve to be betrayed by this disciple whom he had chosen indeed

[13:26] Matthew records that Judas later came to regret his decision and he tried to return the 30 pieces of silver and he said I have sinned by betraying innocent blood and Jesus didn't deserve to be treated the way the religious leaders treated him Jesus had done nothing but good look at what Jesus says in verse 48 he says to them have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to capture me there's nothing in Mark's gospel up to this point that indicates that Jesus was worthy of that kind of treatment that they were to view him in that way there's nothing that you would be able to attribute that to I mean we followed

[14:27] Mark's gospel so we know what the motive of the religious leaders were but if you were a stranger and somebody just recounted to you broadly the story of Jesus and then tell you this happened to him they would say well why why would they treat somebody like him in that way when Peter was preaching on the day of Pentecost he said to the Jews who were assembled he said Jesus a man approved of God by signs and wonders said he was delivered over and you crucified him there's nothing in his life that indicates that he deserved to be treated as an enemy and betrayed by Judas and treated as a robber and arrested by the religious leaders these things happen for one reason they happen for one reason and one reason alone look at what

[15:34] Jesus says in verse 49 day after day I was with you in the temple teaching and you did not seize me but let the scriptures be fulfilled brothers and sisters those things happened to Jesus because the scriptures were being fulfilled in John's gospel chapter 13 in verses 18 and 19 on the same night of the Passover meal Jesus speaking to his disciples said I'm not speaking of all of you I know whom I have chosen but the scripture will be fulfilled he who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me I am telling you this now before it takes place that when it does take place you may believe that I am he the scripture that Jesus quotes is Psalm 41 verse 9 and it points to Judas who betrayed him and so brothers and sisters despite what it looked like that night despite what it may have looked like to a curious onlooker that night

[16:45] Jesus was arrested he was betrayed because the scriptures were being fulfilled the one who had come to give his life as a ransom for many was doing exactly that even though it looked like he was at the mercy of those who were arresting him those who seemed to have all kinds of authority over him the one who would heal the sick the one who would raise the dead the one who calmed the storm and cast out demons he uses none of his power to resist that group of men armed with swords and clubs and he did so for one reason the scriptures were being fulfilled beyond the evil deeds of evil men in that moment the sovereign God of the universe was working out his redemption plan and it was unfolding in its final hours and brothers and sisters this remains true today in the midst of all that's going on in our world in the midst of sinful deeds and seemingly powerful leaders who seem to be in absolute control

[17:59] God's sovereign plan of redemption continues to unfold as he saves the lost as he builds his church until the day when Christ will return and usher in new heavens and a new earth that's the first scene the betrayal of Jesus the second scene is the trial of Jesus which we see in verses 53 through 65 we read in verse 53 and they led Jesus to the high priest and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together now clearly this was planned out in advance this is late at night they had arranged with Judas to betray Jesus and the entire Sanhedrin council is present the chief priests the elders the scribes and the high priest is sitting as judge but it's an unlawful trial it's unlawful because it was taking place at night trials were not lawful if they took place at night they were not supposed to take place at night and then trials were supposed to take place at the temple but here it is the trial is taking place at the high priest residence and also the haste with which this trial took place was also unlawful but this was not a trial to determine the truth this was a trial that was against the truth this was a trial that was rigged to produce an outcome that they wanted which Mark tells us in verses 40 in verses 55 and 56 he writes now the chief priests and the whole council was seeking testimony against

[19:56] Jesus to put him to death but they found none and many bore false witness against him but their testimony did not agree I don't know about you but one of the ways that I am tempted more than other ways is whenever someone says something that is not true about me I just!

[20:29] I just don't like people to lie on me and I'm thinking about Jesus in this situation where he is being falsely accused there's witness after witness who is coming and they're trying to in the spur of the moment concoct a lie that would corroborate and agree with one another and Mark tells us it wasn't happening their stories just did not agree and the midst of all the false accusations which it would have been easy for Jesus to obviously point out the inconsistencies Mark tells us he remains silent he remains silent in the face of all of the accusations and he only speaks when the high priest gets to the real issue he asks Jesus in verse 61 are you the Christ the son of the blessed and that's the same as saying the son of God

[21:34] Jews had a superstition about calling the name of God and so they substituted names and blessed was one of them so they're saying so the high priest asked him are you the Christ the son of the blessed this was the claim that they had Jesus before their kangaroo court to begin with and Jesus knew that the truthful answer to this question would result in condemnation to death this is Jesus who agonized in the garden of Gethsemane praying for the cup to be removed and in a sense he has an opportunity for the cup to be removed right now he's asked are you the Christ the son of the blessed and Jesus who had resolved to drink the cup replies in verse 62

[22:36] I am and you will see the son of man seated at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven in addition to affirming his identity in addition to affirming who he was Jesus embraced his death but he affirmed his resurrection he affirmed his essentially affirmed his enthronement he affirmed his return and he told the high priest you're gonna see it you yourself will see me seated at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven the high priest reactions he goes ballistic he tears his clothes and this is the greatest outward expression of disgust and anger in that culture you would tear your clothes and he he rips his not too easy to rip garments and he says what further witnesses do we need verses 63 and 64 the high priest tore his garments and said what further witnesses do we need you have heard his blasphemy what is your decision and their decision was they condemned him as deserving death but Israel was controlled by the Romans and the Romans did not allow any of their controlled territories to carry out the death penalty that was reserved for Rome alone and so they knew they would have to take Jesus to Pilate to the

[24:20] Roman governor and try to persuade him to sentence Jesus to death and meanwhile these religious leaders they demonstrate the travesty of a trial that this was no trial at all the way they treat Jesus that Mark records in verse 65 it says and some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him saying to him prophesy and the guards received him with blows in Middle Eastern culture the greatest sign of disdain or insult is for someone to spit on you and it's a spitting culture and you can imagine people just spitting on the Lord Jesus Christ and Mark gives us no hint that he reacted to what they were doing he absorbed it all he absorbed the spit coming at him he absorbed the mocking coming at him he absorbed the blows that the guards levied upon his no doubt weak and tired body and why were they treating

[25:39] Jesus this way why was Jesus allowing them to treat him this way the one who could have called ten thousand angels they treated him this way for one reason and Jesus endured it for one reason and that is because the scriptures were being fulfilled some 700 years before Jesus Christ was born the prophet Isaiah prophesied how he would suffer we read in Isaiah 53 verse 3 he was despised and rejected by men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised and we esteemed him not and then Isaiah 53 7 through 8 he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth like a lamb that is led to the slaughter and like a sheep that before it shares is silent so he opened not his mouth by oppression and judgment he was taken away the hour had come for the one who came into this world to give his life as a ransom for many the hour had come for him to do exactly what was prophesied in the scriptures so brothers and sisters that's what was going on that night the scriptures were being fulfilled and God was sovereign over the betrayal of

[27:27] Jesus he was sovereign over the trial of Jesus he was bringing his plan of redemption to pass and how easy is it for us to miss that to just read the story and not read above the story and understand above the story and in our own lives as well that God is working out his purposes in the midst of all that goes on he's bringing his eternal purposes to pass the next section of Mark's gospel is the account of Peter's denial which we covered two weeks ago but we shouldn't miss the contrast that Mark gives us with these two sections Jesus on trial before the Sanhedrin council and Peter on trial below Jesus is upstairs in the high priest's house on trial and

[28:33] Peter is on trial downstairs Jesus is affirming who he is knowing that it means certain death but Peter is downstairs he's denying who Jesus is denying that he even knows him because Peter wants to avoid certain death and it is so easy for us to read these accounts we read about Judas and we read about Judas in a vacuum we read about Peter and we read about Peter in a vacuum we think about them in a vacuum but you know what whenever we refuse to stand up for Christ with the hope of gain we're really operating with the same attitude and spirit of Judas who betrayed

[29:37] Christ for a few dollars of gain and when we refuse to identify with Christ and to stand with and for Christ because of what we think we might lose we're no different from Peter who denied Christ in an attempt to save his own life or to save some form of punishment we're no different when those motivations whether the motivation of Judas for gain or the motivation of Peter to prevent loss we don't stand with and for Christ as we should and it happens in the little day-to-day things that we experience and sometimes so quickly we don't even think about it maybe this morning you are an unbeliever you've not yet trusted in Jesus

[30:38] Christ and maybe part of the reason for that from your perspective is as you consider it you believe that serving Jesus may cause you to lose out on some benefits some gains that you think you would have in life and if that's your situation then that's the same thing that motivated Judas or maybe it is because you believe that there's some cost that will come to you something that you will lose maybe relationships like Peter you refuse to pay that price because you feel that you don't want to lose whatever it is you think is so valuable to hold on to we read that Judas came to regret his betrayal and return the money but it was too late

[31:38] Peter came to regret his denial and he repented and we're told from church history that Peter died as a martyr but he had one request of those who were crucifying him he asked them if they would crucify him upside down because he was not worthy to be crucified the way his master was crucified the one who denied in an effort to save his life had repented and come to the place where he could identify with Christ and not recant and die as a martyr I pray that all of us who put our trust in Jesus Christ will forever thank God that the scriptures were fulfilled that night and that the scriptures continue to be fulfilled until Jesus rose from the dead and descended on high and promise that he will return once again we are the beneficiaries of that that he has given his life as a ransom for many and I pray that the

[32:56]  Lord would help all of us to see the worth and the beauty of Christ that we will never betray him like Judas we'll never deny him as Peter did