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 We'll say I'm really thankful. Stan mentioned this morning, and Stan thank you for that welcome. I think I'll not ask you to do welcomes for a while so you come fiery every time.

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 It was good. We could just go ahead and pack it in and head on home. I think there was enough there to mull over. But I worked hard on this sermon, so we're going to proceed anyway.

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 But we did finish a series, as Stan said, and really thankful to be back to our normal pattern this morning of working through the text, God's Word to us, verse by verse.

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 We believe that all of it is inspired, and therefore all of it is, in fact, profitable for us. Working through a text in this way, verse by verse, prevents me from having pet topics, things that I particularly enjoy talking about,

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 things maybe in the Christian life that I've mastered in some regard that I can with confidence stand up here and charge you to do the same.

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 It causes me to have to take a look at each and every text as we work through the Scriptures together and apply it to my own heart as well, which is the great labor in each and every week.

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 So I'm thankful to be back in that place, and I'm thankful, I've said this to you many times, but for a church that appreciates this type of preaching

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 and doesn't expect that I'll always come up with some new, sometimes kitschy series every three or four weeks.

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 So let's read together our text. We'll be beginning in verse 53 of chapter 14 and reading through verse 65.

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 We remind you where we are. We're in the Passion Week. This is Thursday night.

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 Jesus has been betrayed and arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, and we come to verse 53.

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 And they led Jesus to the high priest and all the chief priests and the elders and followed him.

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 Oh, excuse me. And the scribes came together and Peter had followed him at a distance right into the courtyard of the high priest.

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 And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire.

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 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.

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 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.

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 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying,

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 We heard him say, I will destroy the temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build a nether not made with hands.

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 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree.

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 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus,

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 Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?

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 But he remained silent and made no answer.

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 Again the high priest asked him,

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 Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

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 And Jesus said, I am.

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 And you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven.

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 And the high priest tore his garments and said,

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 What further witnesses do we need?

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 You have heard his blasphemy.

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 What is your decision?

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 And they all condemned him as deserving death.

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 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him,

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 Saying to him,

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 Prophesy.

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 And the guards received him with blows.

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 This is God's word to us.

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 It's written for his glory and our good.

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 We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.

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 Let's pray together.

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 Father God, we do praise you this morning for the opportunity to come together as a church around the study of your word.

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 And as I'm feeling this morning, and I'm sure so many others are,

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 A hurriedness to get to this point.

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 As I woke up early this morning and some six hours have passed since I've been awake,

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 And yet it's gone by in such a flash.

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 And we find ourselves now with this text laid open before us.

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 We need you.

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 No amount of preparation on my part is sufficient for the task ahead of me,

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 But Christ is my sufficiency.

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 By the helper that he sent, the spirit that is within me,

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 You can ignite the words that come out of my mouth.

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 You can help us to have right understanding by that same spirit.

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 That we would know both generally what this text means for us today

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 And what it means specifically for all of the lives of all of the individuals in this room.

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 Father, change us by your spirit.

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 Don't let this morning be lost on us.

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 A mere gathering for religious purpose.

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 Help us, Lord, to see you and to see you high and lifted this day.

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 And we pray this in Christ's name.

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 Amen.

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 So our text this morning is the account of the trial of Jesus before the Jews.

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 He will later have a trial before the Gentiles in Mark's Gospel at the beginning of chapter 15.

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 But Mark, in his very hurried fashion, also gives us a fairly abbreviated version of Jesus' trials as well.

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 There are actually six total trials before Jesus was crucified.

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 Three before the Jews.

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 And then later on, in kind of a mixed fashion, there are three before the Roman court.

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 Not in this account, but prior to this, Jesus has been taken to also one called the high priest, a man named Annas.

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 And Annas is the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who's currently serving in the role of high priest.

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 Now, much like our presidents today, once you were called the high priest, you were always the high priest.

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 And Annas and both Caiaphas are Sadducees.

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 Annas is sort of the gang leader of the Sadducees.

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 In fact, in succession, it had been his sons, I believe three sons, and then his son-in-law that had served in this role.

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 And so he's taken first, Jesus is, to Annas, kind of to see what Annas think should happen in this case.

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 And he's confounded by Jesus and the way that Jesus deals with him.

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 You can read about all of this in John chapter 18.

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 And then he's led bound to Caiaphas.

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 And this is kind of where Mark fast-forwards us and brings us to this particular trial.

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 And the home of Caiaphas is where these people are gathered together.

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 The Sanhedrin, this gathering, sort of the supreme court of their day, gathered together under the cloak of dark.

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 Now, the question should be asked, why does Mark tell the story in this abbreviated way?

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 Is it all far too brief?

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 The first trial, I believe, he leaves out because it's a formality.

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 And the last seems to be as well, as the last is a public trial, but they've already really condemned him to death.

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 They're just going through some motions.

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 So he's kind of narrowed in for us and focused on the trial that seems to matter most in this series of trials that Jesus experiences with the Jews.

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 And it would seem that Mark's aim is to highlight the depth of the deprivity of the Sanhedrin in juxtaposition to the holiness of Christ.

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 Sanhedrin means, in this case, sitting together is where we get this word from.

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 The Jews took very seriously the command given through Moses for justice.

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 If you'd like to join me, you're welcome to.

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 If not, you can listen to Deuteronomy 16, verse 18.

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 For the sake of time, I'll begin.

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 You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes.

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 And they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

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 You shall not pervert justice.

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 You shall not show partiality.

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 And you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.

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 Justice and only justice you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

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 There was no part of Israel that was lawless.

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 Even the very frontier regions of Israel, every town had some fashion of a court that was composed of judges or elders.

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 And they were responsible for governing the communities.

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 They took this very seriously, this process of judicial justice.

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 This group that Jesus has gathered before is known as the Great Sanhedrin.

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 And it was 70 plus the high priests.

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 So 71 men, this odd number.

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 And you'll note in verse 53, it was the chief priests and the elders and the scribes that made up this group of people.

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 But Mark highlights for us how very, very depraved they are.

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 The depth of their sinfulness in two ways.

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 Firstly, Mark shows them to be perverters of justice.

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 Perverters of justice.

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 Was this an actual trial?

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 Were they actually a seeking for justice to be done?

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 No, they were not.

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 They had already decided to condemn him unto death.

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 Notice verse 55.

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 Now the chief priests, the whole council, were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death.

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 They'd already decided that this man must be killed.

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 This man is coming to upset the power that we have in this place.

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 These are the religious elite.

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 They ruled over the religion of Israel.

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 And they profited.

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 And they had much acclaim peeped upon them for that role that they played.

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 And we have seen in numerous ways the way in which Jesus came and disrupted that.

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 Flipping over tables.

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 Disrupting the temple trade.

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 Not allowing people to cut through it any longer.

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 Telling the Pharisees and the Sadducees exactly who they were in the sight of God.

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 He was radically changing things.

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 Messing up the power structure.

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 And so they had already decided that he must be killed.

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 They must preserve their power by his death.

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 And there were some rules that are given in the Old Testament for how these trials were meant to take place.

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 Which they break every one of.

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 Firstly, all trials had to be public.

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 They were meant to be observed by the people.

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 All trials had to have both a prosecution and a defense.

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 All accusations had to be made by two or three witnesses.

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 We see this in Deuteronomy 19.15.

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 A single witness shall not suffice against the person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed.

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 Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

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 And those testimonies had to be in agreeance with one another.

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 If not, a false witness was severely judged.

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 Deuteronomy 19.16-19

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 So if somebody were to bring a capital charge against somebody.

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 And be a false witness to that.

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 And this is found out.

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 That charge would have been applied to the person being a false witness.

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 And they took this so seriously that the accuser or accusers had to deliver the first blow in the execution in a capital case.

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 The way that the Jews put people to death in this day was by stoning.

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 So they required that if you were going to be so bold as to bring the accusation.

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 And this person is found guilty.

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 You had to be the beginning of carrying out the sentencing.

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 It was held very seriously.

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 A trial could not be held at night.

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 And in the case of a capital case.

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 Must take place 24 hours in advance.

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 To allow for any further evidence to take place.

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 So as I said before and we really need to note.

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 They followed none of these rules of the justice of their day.

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 They ignored every single one of them.

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 They had a private trial with no defense.

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 With inconsistent witnesses who were not judged appropriately for their false testimony.

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 They had it at night.

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 And they had it less than 24 hours before Jesus was crucified.

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 All this is highlighted by these false witnesses.

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 As they try to find witnesses that will corroborate some story against Christ.

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 And we see in verse 55 that they found none.

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 For many bore false witness against Him.

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 Guilty of that crime of false witness.

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 But even then their testimonies didn't agree.

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 They couldn't get together on the same page.

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 And some said, we heard Him saying, I will destroy the temple that is made with hands.

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 And in three days I will build another not made with hands.

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 Which is a perversion of what He actually had to say concerning rebuilding.

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 You see the account of that when Jesus turns water into wine.

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 He's talking about His body though, not the physical temple.

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 He does not talk in those terms at all in the Scriptures.

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 And verse 59 says, yet even about this their testimony did not agree.

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 And you see they had to pervert justice.

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 There was no way to condemn Christ rightly.

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 They had to because He was perfect in all things.

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 He had no fault whatsoever.

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 And this had to be the greatest perversion of justice in all history.

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 Because He was without fault of any kind.

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 I have a friend who served some time.

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 Was convicted of a crime that he didn't actually commit.

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 He would often lament this.

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 The prosecution brought in false witnesses.

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 People that he had never even seen before that testified against him.

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 He often talked about how really broken the judicial system is in this regard.

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 And I asked him one time if he was really embittered about that.

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 Like how does it make you feel that you served these years for a crime you didn't actually commit.

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 Are you just really, really upset about that?

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 And he said, oh no.

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 Because I was guilty of plenty of other crimes.

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 Just not that particular one.

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 He had done the thing that he was convicted of.

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 Just not in that case.

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 But he knew that he was guilty.

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 And this is true of all of us.

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 We've all committed crimes.

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 You sometimes get a speeding ticket and think it's just really not fair that you got that speeding ticket.

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 But you've gone too fast.

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 We've all speeded.

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 We're all guilty of such a crime.

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 This was not so of our Lord.

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 Not so of him.

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 He was perfect in every way.

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 He was spotless.

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 He had kept the law as no one else could at every single point.

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 So they had to.

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 They absolutely had to pervert the justice to condemn Christ.

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 Sin was the reason and the means by which Jesus was crucified.

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 God used in his sovereignty the perversion, the depth of depravity of these men to take Jesus to the cross.

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 So Mark shows them to be perverters of justice.

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 Secondly, he shows them to be perverters of humanity.

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 Perverters of humanity.

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 After Jesus' proclamation found in verse 62, he responds to the question asked of him by the high priest.

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 He says,

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 I am and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming with clouds of heaven.

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 The high priest tears his garments, a sign of lament.

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 It says,

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 What further witnesses do we need?

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 You have heard his blasphemy.

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 What is your decision?

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 And they all condemned him as deserving death.

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 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him,

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 prophesy.

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 And the guards received him with blows.

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 The supposed, quote unquote, leaders of Jewish justice radically perverted that justice.

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 And then they gave up their dignity, their very humanity, to punish him in a way that is barbarous.

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 When you look at it, they spat on him.

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 And they covered his face with a blindfold.

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 And they strike him.

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 And they mock him.

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 And the world will tell us that sin makes us more human.

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 We should give in to the impulses of our hearts.

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 That that's who we are as people.

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 But sin, in fact, makes us less human, not more.

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 Think of Adam and Eve in the garden in human perfection.

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 And that was spoiled by sin.

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 And we all feel the weight of this, our failure to be Adamic, like Adam, or Evic, like Eve.

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 We are less human when we sin and not more.

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 Many have suggested it was just the guards.

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 You see at the end of verse 65, and the guards received him with blows.

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 But verse 64 says,

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 And they all condemned him as deserving death.

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 And then very quickly goes into this list of the things that they did.

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 So if we follow our pronouns carefully, we can see that these are these religious leaders.

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 These men that were given charge to deal justly with the people.

00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:29.980
 There's an evil that kind of jumps up in them as they bring this conviction of death to Christ.

00:18:30.099 --> 00:18:33.599
 They spit on him, which was a Jewish sign of contempt.

00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:35.839
 It still seems to be so today.

00:18:36.019 --> 00:18:43.159
 A fairly universal sign to spit on somebody when you find them deserving less than you.

00:18:44.159 --> 00:18:48.659
 This is all fulfillment of Jesus' prediction in Mark 10, 33-34.

00:18:48.660 --> 00:18:49.779
 He says,

00:18:50.120 --> 00:18:54.880
 We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes.

00:18:55.080 --> 00:18:58.560
 And they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles.

00:18:58.800 --> 00:19:03.820
 And they will mock him and spit on him and flog him and kill him.

00:19:04.080 --> 00:19:06.300
 And after three days, he will rise.

00:19:06.600 --> 00:19:07.340
 They spit on him.

00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:09.279
 They cover his face.

00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:12.060
 Likely means that they blindfolded him.

00:19:12.059 --> 00:19:17.679
 They blindfolded him probably so that he couldn't see who it was that was striking him.

00:19:18.359 --> 00:19:20.980
 Or so that he couldn't defend himself from a blow.

00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:24.819
 They blindfolded him so that they could beat on him relentlessly.

00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:27.099
 And the text says that, that they strike him.

00:19:27.179 --> 00:19:29.799
 And they mock him, saying to him,

00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:33.759
 Prophesy, which would be a sarcastic request,

00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:38.400
 which is rooted in the belief that a prophet would be able to know things about them,

00:19:38.859 --> 00:19:41.160
 even though he was blindfolded.

00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:43.279
 Maybe he could block the blow,

00:19:43.379 --> 00:19:46.279
 or he could call out the individual that was hitting him.

00:19:46.339 --> 00:19:48.519
 They didn't expect him to be able to do so.

00:19:48.599 --> 00:19:50.500
 Otherwise, they wouldn't be spinning on him and striking him.

00:19:50.539 --> 00:19:53.160
 They didn't actually think that he was a prophet that could do this thing.

00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:57.940
 So they're mocking him with this sarcastic command to prophesy.

00:19:57.940 --> 00:20:01.620
 Just as a fun aside for you,

00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:06.220
 as we look at this dark scene in our scriptures,

00:20:07.500 --> 00:20:10.000
 sarcasm can be a useful tool, to be sure.

00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:13.740
 I found this week in my pocket of one of my shirts a Lego.

00:20:14.500 --> 00:20:17.840
 And it was a little flat one by three thing.

00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:18.920
 I thought, what is in my pocket?

00:20:18.980 --> 00:20:20.100
 And I pulled this Lego out.

00:20:20.580 --> 00:20:22.160
 And I said, Kade, look what I found in my pocket.

00:20:22.259 --> 00:20:23.080
 Kade's my four-year-old.

00:20:23.299 --> 00:20:24.940
 I said, Kade, look what I found in my pocket.

00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:26.759
 And he's looking at me now.

00:20:27.940 --> 00:20:30.080
 And I said, I don't have any idea how it got there.

00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:31.140
 How do you think it got there?

00:20:31.240 --> 00:20:33.259
 And Kade said, I don't know, Dad.

00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:35.980
 Maybe it grew legs and climbed inside.

00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:41.539
 And now he's grinning.

00:20:42.519 --> 00:20:43.880
 Which is what he did then, too.

00:20:43.880 --> 00:20:46.940
 He knew that what he was saying wasn't true.

00:20:47.100 --> 00:20:49.259
 He was, in a sense, mocking me.

00:20:49.400 --> 00:20:50.100
 Like, I don't know, Dad.

00:20:50.120 --> 00:20:51.840
 How did that Lego get into your pocket?

00:20:52.940 --> 00:20:54.039
 I didn't put it there.

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:54.960
 I didn't put it there.

00:20:55.140 --> 00:20:57.100
 But here they are, mocking, mocking.

00:20:57.940 --> 00:20:58.720
 Our Lord.

00:20:59.840 --> 00:21:05.259
 So you see this depth of depravity as they've perverted Justin.

00:21:05.400 --> 00:21:09.400
 They're perverting their very humanity in the way in which they're treating Christ.

00:21:09.620 --> 00:21:11.840
 And Mark then juxtaposes.

00:21:12.100 --> 00:21:18.539
 He holds Jesus' holiness up against this great depth of sin of the Sanhedrin.

00:21:18.539 --> 00:21:29.639
 Mark exalts Jesus, the Holy One, by showing his readers how very bright his light is in this dark, dark night.

00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:38.540
 In the midst of all of this that's happening around him, how very, very light Jesus is and how worthy he is to be exalted.

00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:42.720
 And he does so by expressing Jesus' character to us in three ways.

00:21:43.600 --> 00:21:43.840
 Nope.

00:21:43.980 --> 00:21:44.280
 In four.

00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:45.139
 I added a fourth one.

00:21:45.139 --> 00:21:45.980
 I didn't change my note.

00:21:46.420 --> 00:21:46.980
 In four ways.

00:21:48.379 --> 00:21:53.819
 Firstly, Jesus is the silent sufferer.

00:21:54.660 --> 00:21:57.139
 Jesus is the silent sufferer.

00:21:57.420 --> 00:21:57.960
 Verse 60,

00:21:57.960 --> 00:22:07.220
 Well, what they were testifying was falsehood.

00:22:07.299 --> 00:22:09.960
 They weren't even agreeing in their lies.

00:22:10.620 --> 00:22:12.079
 Verse 61, the first half says,

00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:20.199
 Now, a student of the Bible would recognize that this is a fulfillment of prophecy.

00:22:20.199 --> 00:22:22.799
 Isaiah 53, 7 says,

00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:27.359
 He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth.

00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:31.799
 Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that is before its shears, is silent.

00:22:31.939 --> 00:22:34.119
 So he opened not his mouth.

00:22:34.199 --> 00:22:39.179
 He expresses this meekness in not speaking out against his accusers.

00:22:39.180 --> 00:22:44.560
 And he also expresses his faithfulness to his father.

00:22:45.620 --> 00:22:47.519
 Peter records in 1 Peter 2.23,

00:22:48.360 --> 00:22:51.120
 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return.

00:22:51.960 --> 00:22:58.900
 When he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

00:22:59.740 --> 00:23:02.400
 In the midst of being unjustly judged,

00:23:03.400 --> 00:23:05.700
 he knew that he was in the will of the father,

00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:08.400
 and that God would one day vindicate him.

00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:14.039
 His view of God was much, much higher than his fear of men.

00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:18.140
 He had already committed himself earlier that evening to the will of the father.

00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:20.880
 He had asked that the father would take the cup from him,

00:23:20.980 --> 00:23:23.860
 but fully convinced that this was the will of the father,

00:23:23.960 --> 00:23:25.920
 he gave himself to it.

00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:30.740
 And this enabled him to be silent against these accusations of his accusers, right?

00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:33.380
 None of us would naturally do this type of thing.

00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:34.840
 We're being accused of things we didn't do.

00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:35.960
 We'd say, I did not.

00:23:36.220 --> 00:23:38.180
 That's not what I said at all.

00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:42.440
 And yet Jesus is silent as he suffers before them.

00:23:43.340 --> 00:23:45.000
 Not only is Jesus the silent sufferer,

00:23:45.299 --> 00:23:49.820
 secondly, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:54.140
 This is the question in the last half of verse 61 that the high priest asked him.

00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:55.220
 This is Caiaphas.

00:23:55.320 --> 00:23:58.360
 Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

00:23:58.519 --> 00:24:03.120
 Which is fairly synonymous in our understanding of what he's trying to ask him, right?

00:24:03.119 --> 00:24:05.639
 These two things could be a title carried together.

00:24:05.899 --> 00:24:09.459
 The Christ, the Son of God, the Son of the Blessed.

00:24:09.659 --> 00:24:15.679
 And Jesus simply responds and goes on beyond, but simply responds to that question,

00:24:16.399 --> 00:24:18.099
 I am.

00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:22.279
 I am the Christ, the Son of the Blessed.

00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:27.879
 It's important to note at this point that Jesus had not really made this information public.

00:24:28.779 --> 00:24:34.960
 He had gone around calling himself the Son of Man, but he hadn't gone around calling himself to the broader audience, the Christ.

00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:43.359
 Remember in Mark chapter 8, verse 29 and 30, Jesus asked the apostles, this small group, this close group,

00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:45.359
 who do you say that I am?

00:24:45.419 --> 00:24:48.000
 And Peter answered him, you are the Christ.

00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:54.719
 In verse 30, he's very telling, and he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

00:24:55.859 --> 00:25:02.559
 So it's likely that Caiaphas has noted the authority in Jesus' teaching and in his temple disruption.

00:25:02.719 --> 00:25:05.599
 He's heard the stories from the surrounding area.

00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:11.899
 The story has made its way from Galilee to the miracles that Jesus has performed.

00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:14.620
 That he's putting it together in his mind.

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:18.540
 This may even be an honest question.

00:25:19.100 --> 00:25:27.360
 Still looking to kill him to be sure, but he is actually asking because he knew who Jesus was claiming to be.

00:25:28.440 --> 00:25:39.720
 There are some who say that in this day that the Sadducees and the Pharisees had not connected the Messiah, the Christ, to being the Son of God.

00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:43.539
 And I think this question itself tells us otherwise.

00:25:43.960 --> 00:25:53.299
 And others would argue that they had a clear understanding of prophecies like Psalm chapter 2, verse 7 through 12, which says,

00:25:53.299 --> 00:26:23.279
 I will tell of the decree.

00:26:23.299 --> 00:26:25.299
 For his wrath is quickly kindled.

00:26:25.899 --> 00:26:28.839
 Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

00:26:29.539 --> 00:26:37.919
 So there's this picture in Psalm chapter 2 of the Son of God being the Christ, being the Messiah, the one that would come to judge.

00:26:38.159 --> 00:26:42.819
 And we see in this Psalm a picture of redemption as well.

00:26:43.079 --> 00:26:48.899
 Serving the Lord, rejoicing with trembling, kissing the Son, giving him the honor that is due him.

00:26:48.900 --> 00:26:51.420
 So we see the redemption in that as well.

00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:56.300
 It's expressed in another place by Paul, Ephesians chapter 2, beginning of verse 11.

00:26:56.299 --> 00:27:03.159
 Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision.

00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:06.319
 Think that that's the majority of us in this room.

00:27:06.399 --> 00:27:08.819
 I don't know if any of us are of Jewish descent or not.

00:27:08.899 --> 00:27:11.919
 But those of us who were not of Jewish descent, this is us.

00:27:12.339 --> 00:27:13.519
 We were Gentiles in the flesh.

00:27:13.639 --> 00:27:20.259
 We were the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, Jewish descendants, which is made in the flesh by hands.

00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:29.819
 Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise,

00:27:29.940 --> 00:27:33.299
 having no hope and without God in the world.

00:27:34.039 --> 00:27:42.519
 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

00:27:42.819 --> 00:27:49.879
 And this is such a beautiful expression of the gospel in Ephesians 2, 11 through 13.

00:27:50.539 --> 00:27:56.160
 Remember, I've been saying to you that the gospel is found all over the pages of scriptures.

00:27:56.299 --> 00:28:02.900
 And here Paul, in just three verses, gives us this clear, clear picture of how we were once far off.

00:28:02.940 --> 00:28:09.019
 But because of the sacrificial work of Christ, but God, this very, very precious little phrase,

00:28:09.019 --> 00:28:15.420
 but now in Christ, those of us who are far off have been brought near.

00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:17.599
 This is our Lord.

00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:21.519
 Jesus says to this question, are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:24.019
 I am.

00:28:25.659 --> 00:28:31.159
 So Jesus is shown to be by Mark as the silent sufferer, the Christ, the Son of God,

00:28:31.879 --> 00:28:35.000
 and thirdly, the Son of Man.

00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:37.960
 Jesus expounds.

00:28:38.039 --> 00:28:39.279
 He goes on in verse 62.

00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:39.700
 He says,

00:28:39.779 --> 00:28:45.140
 I am, and you will see the Son of Man, seated at the right hand of power,

00:28:45.319 --> 00:28:48.500
 and coming with the clouds of heaven.

00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:53.880
 And here is citing Daniel chapter 7, verse 13 and 14.

00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:57.380
 So hear this prophecy of Daniel.

00:28:57.380 --> 00:28:59.780
 A vision he experienced.

00:28:59.780 --> 00:29:01.760
 I saw in the night visions.

00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:07.200
 And behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a Son of Man.

00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:08.680
 That's where this phrase comes from.

00:29:09.320 --> 00:29:12.700
 And he came to the Ancient of Days, which is understood to be God the Father,

00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:14.400
 and was presented before him.

00:29:15.060 --> 00:29:19.280
 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

00:29:19.820 --> 00:29:23.180
 that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.

00:29:23.180 --> 00:29:26.779
 His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away,

00:29:26.840 --> 00:29:30.100
 and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

00:29:30.220 --> 00:29:34.100
 You see this strong language about Jesus the Christ, the Son of Man,

00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:37.480
 being given dominion over the universe.

00:29:37.799 --> 00:29:40.880
 And so he is king as the Son of Man.

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:45.120
 And he is also the perfect judge.

00:29:46.680 --> 00:29:51.080
 John records in his Gospel account, chapter 5, verse 25 through 27,

00:29:51.079 --> 00:29:53.500
 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming,

00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:58.579
 and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God.

00:29:58.899 --> 00:30:01.379
 And those who hear will live.

00:30:01.399 --> 00:30:02.759
 He's talking about the spiritually dead.

00:30:02.859 --> 00:30:04.599
 And those who hear will live.

00:30:04.839 --> 00:30:06.699
 For as the Father has life in himself,

00:30:06.919 --> 00:30:10.799
 so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

00:30:11.399 --> 00:30:14.480
 And he has given him authority to execute judgment,

00:30:14.819 --> 00:30:18.299
 because he is the Son of Man.

00:30:18.299 --> 00:30:23.799
 He's been given this dominion to rule over, to reign, and to judge.

00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:28.519
 And so Jesus is the Son of Man, King and Judge.

00:30:28.639 --> 00:30:33.200
 The good King, the righteous King, and the just Judge.

00:30:33.859 --> 00:30:37.019
 You see the juxtaposition now that Mark's trying to lay out for us

00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:38.899
 between Jesus and his accusers.

00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:41.680
 So Jesus is the silent sufferer.

00:30:42.339 --> 00:30:44.399
 He is the Christ, the Son of God.

00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:46.620
 He is the Son of Man.

00:30:46.800 --> 00:30:51.780
 And notice, lastly, He is the faithful witness.

00:30:52.800 --> 00:30:54.019
 He is the faithful witness.

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:59.400
 We highlighted for you the false witnesses that are brought before him,

00:30:59.700 --> 00:31:03.140
 falsely accusing him, not agreeing in their lies.

00:31:03.320 --> 00:31:06.440
 And then we see the faithful witness of Jesus.

00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:09.120
 Jesus is God.

00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:12.119
 And Paul states in Titus 1 that God cannot lie.

00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:15.259
 Therefore, Jesus cannot lie.

00:31:15.899 --> 00:31:16.519
 Praise God.

00:31:17.379 --> 00:31:19.259
 Jesus says in John 12, 49,

00:31:19.419 --> 00:31:21.319
 For I have not spoken on my own authority,

00:31:21.799 --> 00:31:26.279
 but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment.

00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:28.819
 What to say and what to speak.

00:31:30.299 --> 00:31:34.059
 His testimony of himself is perfect and it is true.

00:31:34.379 --> 00:31:36.500
 And this is good for us, beloved.

00:31:36.500 --> 00:31:39.359
 John records in 1 John 2, 25,

00:31:39.579 --> 00:31:43.140
 And this is the promise that he made to us.

00:31:43.339 --> 00:31:44.359
 The sure promise.

00:31:44.740 --> 00:31:45.900
 The confident promise.

00:31:46.019 --> 00:31:47.759
 Because Jesus is the faithful witness.

00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:49.259
 Eternal life.

00:31:49.900 --> 00:31:52.500
 This is the promise that he has made to us.

00:31:53.640 --> 00:31:57.359
 So Mark, in contrast, stark contrast,

00:31:57.799 --> 00:32:00.519
 to his accusers on this dark night,

00:32:00.700 --> 00:32:02.700
 shows Jesus in all of his radiance

00:32:02.700 --> 00:32:03.839
 to be the silent sufferer,

00:32:03.839 --> 00:32:05.399
 the Christ, the Son of God,

00:32:05.659 --> 00:32:06.480
 the Son of Man,

00:32:07.379 --> 00:32:09.240
 and the faithful witness.

00:32:10.579 --> 00:32:12.639
 And I hope that turns your heart toward him.

00:32:13.259 --> 00:32:14.959
 I hope that that exalts him

00:32:14.959 --> 00:32:18.339
 by the frailty of my words to do so.

00:32:18.439 --> 00:32:21.299
 That you're getting a right picture of Jesus.

00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:24.459
 But what does it mean as we behold Christ

00:32:24.459 --> 00:32:25.319
 in this moment,

00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:27.019
 in these ways?

00:32:27.119 --> 00:32:28.659
 What does it mean for us?

00:32:28.879 --> 00:32:30.019
 How does that impact our living?

00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:31.599
 How do we turn those realities,

00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:32.980
 those doctrines,

00:32:33.400 --> 00:32:34.220
 into application,

00:32:34.440 --> 00:32:36.839
 into life for us now?

00:32:38.339 --> 00:32:39.339
 There's a couple of things.

00:32:40.299 --> 00:32:42.160
 Because Jesus is the silent sufferer,

00:32:43.160 --> 00:32:44.460
 we can suffer well.

00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:46.920
 This is something that's promised to us

00:32:46.920 --> 00:32:48.299
 if we're going to walk righteously,

00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:50.440
 that we will be persecuted.

00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:53.559
 We look to him as our model for this.

00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:57.539
 Trusting in the just judgment of God.

00:32:57.539 --> 00:32:59.659
 Romans 12.19

00:32:59.659 --> 00:33:00.399
 Paul says,

00:33:00.519 --> 00:33:00.859
 Beloved,

00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:02.379
 never avenge yourselves,

00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:03.879
 but leave it to the wrath of God.

00:33:04.440 --> 00:33:05.079
 For it is written,

00:33:05.220 --> 00:33:05.980
 vengeance is mine,

00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:07.579
 I will repay,

00:33:07.940 --> 00:33:08.619
 says the Lord.

00:33:09.940 --> 00:33:11.339
 Because Jesus is the Christ,

00:33:11.440 --> 00:33:12.180
 the Son of God,

00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:14.299
 we can boldly approach the Father

00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:15.839
 because we have been brought near

00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:17.700
 by the blood of Christ.

00:33:18.619 --> 00:33:18.899
 Beloved,

00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:21.000
 we have full granted access to Him.

00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:22.599
 You do not have to carry around

00:33:22.599 --> 00:33:23.920
 the guilt of your past

00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:25.119
 or present sin,

00:33:25.319 --> 00:33:26.259
 nor the future.

00:33:26.259 --> 00:33:27.879
 If you were found in Christ,

00:33:28.200 --> 00:33:30.259
 He bore God's wrath

00:33:30.259 --> 00:33:32.160
 for your sin in Himself.

00:33:32.579 --> 00:33:35.539
 And this is a completed work.

00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:38.879
 We are so unique as Christians.

00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:41.460
 Our faith is so different

00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:43.160
 from the faith of the rest of the world

00:33:43.160 --> 00:33:45.779
 because the work has been completed.

00:33:46.140 --> 00:33:47.599
 Not so much what would Jesus do,

00:33:47.660 --> 00:33:49.319
 but what has Jesus done

00:33:49.319 --> 00:33:51.759
 and accomplished for us?

00:33:51.759 --> 00:33:54.180
 We work at,

00:33:54.279 --> 00:33:55.579
 we strive for,

00:33:55.700 --> 00:33:56.420
 by grace,

00:33:56.500 --> 00:33:57.579
 living righteous lives

00:33:57.579 --> 00:33:59.160
 in response to the good news

00:33:59.160 --> 00:33:59.740
 of the Gospel

00:33:59.740 --> 00:34:01.599
 because we have been accepted.

00:34:02.039 --> 00:34:03.379
 We don't work

00:34:03.379 --> 00:34:04.519
 and strive

00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:06.119
 and try to accomplish good things

00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:08.679
 so that we will be accepted.

00:34:09.780 --> 00:34:11.920
 And I think that most of us

00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:15.139
 tend to beat ourselves to death

00:34:15.139 --> 00:34:16.280
 when we sin.

00:34:16.280 --> 00:34:18.860
 We carry around so much burden

00:34:18.860 --> 00:34:20.900
 and so much guilt.

00:34:21.340 --> 00:34:23.360
 As if Jesus needs to be put back

00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:24.860
 on the cross once again.

00:34:25.760 --> 00:34:28.019
 It is finished.

00:34:28.200 --> 00:34:29.640
 It has massive implications

00:34:29.640 --> 00:34:30.840
 for the way we live.

00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:33.060
 Jesus is the Christ.

00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:36.320
 The One who took away our sin.

00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:38.360
 Romans 8.1 says,

00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:41.940
 There is therefore now no condemnation

00:34:41.940 --> 00:34:44.940
 for those who are in Christ Jesus.

00:34:45.539 --> 00:34:47.200
 We have placed our faith in Him.

00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:50.539
 So we have His righteousness.

00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:52.420
 Go to the Father.

00:34:53.240 --> 00:34:55.480
 Don't let your sin separate you

00:34:55.480 --> 00:34:56.700
 from Him anymore.

00:34:57.960 --> 00:34:59.920
 Because Jesus is the Son of Man,

00:35:00.660 --> 00:35:02.180
 we can bear up

00:35:02.180 --> 00:35:03.960
 under the trouble of this world

00:35:03.960 --> 00:35:06.760
 because we are citizens of His kingdom.

00:35:06.760 --> 00:35:08.480
 And we know that Jesus

00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:09.480
 is the perfect King

00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:11.360
 and a just judge.

00:35:12.220 --> 00:35:14.180
 This world has so many troubles.

00:35:14.600 --> 00:35:15.740
 The day in and the day out.

00:35:16.180 --> 00:35:17.640
 I'm referring certainly to

00:35:17.640 --> 00:35:18.640
 the persecution

00:35:18.640 --> 00:35:19.880
 that's been promised to us.

00:35:19.980 --> 00:35:21.460
 But also just the daily trouble.

00:35:22.040 --> 00:35:23.020
 The day to day.

00:35:23.120 --> 00:35:23.760
 The ins and outs.

00:35:23.880 --> 00:35:25.260
 The challenges of school

00:35:25.260 --> 00:35:26.280
 and of work

00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:28.480
 and getting stuff done at home.

00:35:28.740 --> 00:35:30.900
 There's so many things.

00:35:31.220 --> 00:35:32.020
 Raising children.

00:35:32.240 --> 00:35:33.280
 Men loving our wives

00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:34.060
 the way that we should.

00:35:34.340 --> 00:35:35.280
 All of the challenges

00:35:35.280 --> 00:35:36.260
 that face us.

00:35:36.760 --> 00:35:37.700
 Soon,

00:35:37.880 --> 00:35:38.900
 it's been pretty cold

00:35:38.900 --> 00:35:39.960
 and everybody's hoping

00:35:39.960 --> 00:35:41.400
 and wishing for warm weather.

00:35:42.080 --> 00:35:43.520
 The grass is going to start growing again

00:35:43.520 --> 00:35:44.480
 when it gets warm.

00:35:44.680 --> 00:35:45.680
 And I really hate

00:35:45.680 --> 00:35:46.760
 keeping up with yard work

00:35:46.760 --> 00:35:47.860
 at our house.

00:35:49.900 --> 00:35:50.920
 I cut the grass

00:35:50.920 --> 00:35:51.940
 about every two weeks

00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:53.020
 and it is miserable

00:35:53.020 --> 00:35:54.760
 at our home.

00:35:55.800 --> 00:35:56.540
 It's all the things

00:35:56.540 --> 00:35:57.360
 that come our way.

00:35:57.700 --> 00:35:59.000
 All of the maladies

00:35:59.000 --> 00:36:00.000
 of our health.

00:36:00.660 --> 00:36:02.740
 This life is not easy.

00:36:03.320 --> 00:36:04.520
 We're not promised that.

00:36:04.519 --> 00:36:05.780
 But we are promised

00:36:05.780 --> 00:36:06.619
 that for those

00:36:06.619 --> 00:36:07.900
 who love God,

00:36:08.679 --> 00:36:10.659
 all things work together

00:36:10.659 --> 00:36:11.940
 for good.

00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:14.820
 That is precious.

00:36:15.539 --> 00:36:17.659
 Because Jesus is the Son of Man.

00:36:17.860 --> 00:36:19.259
 Because He's the perfect King

00:36:19.259 --> 00:36:20.699
 and the just Judge.

00:36:21.360 --> 00:36:22.639
 This is true.

00:36:22.900 --> 00:36:24.440
 He's reigning sovereignly

00:36:24.440 --> 00:36:25.739
 over all things

00:36:25.739 --> 00:36:26.739
 that happen in this world.

00:36:26.900 --> 00:36:28.219
 Nothing escapes

00:36:28.219 --> 00:36:29.380
 His attention.

00:36:29.380 --> 00:36:31.740
 And we can trust in that.

00:36:32.260 --> 00:36:33.840
 Getting that reality

00:36:33.840 --> 00:36:34.680
 in our head

00:36:34.680 --> 00:36:35.320
 working down

00:36:35.320 --> 00:36:36.480
 into our hearts

00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:37.800
 is a major challenge.

00:36:37.900 --> 00:36:38.480
 I often say

00:36:38.480 --> 00:36:39.780
 my problem is

00:36:39.780 --> 00:36:40.920
 that I can't get my heart

00:36:40.920 --> 00:36:41.599
 to catch up

00:36:41.599 --> 00:36:42.599
 to my head.

00:36:43.140 --> 00:36:44.280
 We know it to be true

00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:45.220
 but we don't live

00:36:45.220 --> 00:36:46.400
 as if it's true.

00:36:46.640 --> 00:36:47.400
 Because Jesus

00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:48.640
 is the Son of Man

00:36:48.640 --> 00:36:49.340
 we can bear up

00:36:49.340 --> 00:36:49.980
 under these things.

00:36:50.059 --> 00:36:50.599
 We can know

00:36:50.599 --> 00:36:51.460
 that He is fully

00:36:51.460 --> 00:36:52.760
 in control.

00:36:54.059 --> 00:36:54.780
 And finally,

00:36:54.900 --> 00:36:55.400
 because Jesus

00:36:55.400 --> 00:36:57.240
 is the faithful witness,

00:36:57.239 --> 00:36:59.739
 we are to be

00:36:59.739 --> 00:37:00.419
 faithful witnesses.

00:37:01.659 --> 00:37:02.979
 We are to follow

00:37:02.979 --> 00:37:03.699
 the example

00:37:03.699 --> 00:37:04.939
 of our Lord.

00:37:05.019 --> 00:37:06.019
 He is our teacher,

00:37:06.419 --> 00:37:07.199
 our rabbi.

00:37:07.279 --> 00:37:08.399
 We are meant to pursue Him

00:37:08.399 --> 00:37:10.459
 and live as He lived.

00:37:11.539 --> 00:37:12.959
 He witnessed truly

00:37:12.959 --> 00:37:13.839
 about Himself.

00:37:15.239 --> 00:37:16.819
 He responded rightly.

00:37:17.500 --> 00:37:17.759
 He said,

00:37:17.859 --> 00:37:18.179
 yes,

00:37:18.319 --> 00:37:19.219
 I am the Christ,

00:37:19.679 --> 00:37:20.579
 the Son of the Blessed.

00:37:20.899 --> 00:37:21.679
 I am the way,

00:37:21.779 --> 00:37:22.159
 the truth,

00:37:22.279 --> 00:37:22.759
 and the life.

00:37:22.819 --> 00:37:24.199
 I am the restoration,

00:37:24.559 --> 00:37:25.039
 the redemption

00:37:25.039 --> 00:37:26.019
 back to God.

00:37:26.019 --> 00:37:28.460
 And I am the Son of Man.

00:37:28.920 --> 00:37:29.019
 Right?

00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:31.019
 I will rule

00:37:31.019 --> 00:37:32.599
 and I will rule forever.

00:37:32.719 --> 00:37:33.539
 And we are to be witnesses

00:37:33.539 --> 00:37:35.039
 of the same thing.

00:37:36.099 --> 00:37:37.139
 Testifying to who

00:37:37.139 --> 00:37:37.880
 Jesus

00:37:37.880 --> 00:37:39.340
 is.

00:37:41.139 --> 00:37:41.860
 And if you haven't

00:37:41.860 --> 00:37:42.460
 noticed the theme

00:37:42.460 --> 00:37:43.340
 to keep us in Romans,

00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:44.380
 Romans 10, 14.

00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:46.679
 Paul says,

00:37:46.759 --> 00:37:47.860
 How then will they call

00:37:47.860 --> 00:37:48.579
 on Him in whom

00:37:48.579 --> 00:37:49.599
 they have not believed?

00:37:49.980 --> 00:37:50.739
 And how are they

00:37:50.739 --> 00:37:51.599
 to believe in Him

00:37:51.599 --> 00:37:52.480
 of whom

00:37:52.480 --> 00:37:53.719
 they have never heard?

00:37:54.219 --> 00:37:55.099
 And how are they

00:37:55.099 --> 00:37:56.400
 to hear without

00:37:56.400 --> 00:37:58.039
 someone preaching?

00:37:58.299 --> 00:37:59.139
 And Paul's not talking

00:37:59.139 --> 00:38:00.059
 about what I'm doing.

00:38:00.159 --> 00:38:00.619
 He's including

00:38:00.619 --> 00:38:01.219
 what I'm doing.

00:38:01.319 --> 00:38:02.179
 But he's talking about

00:38:02.179 --> 00:38:03.259
 all of us

00:38:03.259 --> 00:38:05.019
 sharing the Gospel message.

00:38:05.219 --> 00:38:06.279
 Testifying to who

00:38:06.279 --> 00:38:08.259
 Jesus is.

00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:09.839
 And I will say to you

00:38:09.839 --> 00:38:10.579
 that if you see Him

00:38:10.579 --> 00:38:11.599
 rightly this morning,

00:38:12.059 --> 00:38:13.000
 if you see Him

00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:13.579
 as this

00:38:13.579 --> 00:38:14.880
 just judge,

00:38:14.940 --> 00:38:15.920
 the silent sufferer,

00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:16.980
 the Christ,

00:38:17.099 --> 00:38:17.799
 the Son of the Blessed,

00:38:18.219 --> 00:38:18.360
 right?

00:38:18.360 --> 00:38:19.679
 The Son of Man.

00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:22.079
 If you're seeing Him

00:38:22.079 --> 00:38:23.079
 in this way

00:38:23.079 --> 00:38:23.819
 this morning,

00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:25.000
 then it ought to work

00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:25.599
 in you a desire

00:38:25.599 --> 00:38:26.420
 to share that

00:38:26.420 --> 00:38:27.179
 with other people.

00:38:29.579 --> 00:38:31.059
 If we rightly behold Christ,

00:38:31.179 --> 00:38:32.739
 He's the most precious thing

00:38:32.739 --> 00:38:34.980
 ever in the world.

00:38:35.739 --> 00:38:37.039
 We should want to share it

00:38:37.039 --> 00:38:38.699
 with others.

00:38:39.139 --> 00:38:39.960
 Let's pray together.

00:38:40.400 --> 00:38:40.400


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