The Resurrection

Mark 15:40 – 16:8 ⁴⁰ Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. ⁴¹ In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

⁴² It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. ⁴⁵ When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶ So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

This passage shows us two paths we can choose to follow: one of fear or one of faith. A dominant feature of this section is fear. But after the crucifixion we do see an upswing of Jesus’ friends coming out to help. Even AT the crucifixion Mark added that some of the women were there: Mary, Mary and Salome who had been with Him during His ministry. Rabbis didn’t usually have a lot of women around, but Jesus wanted to show the equality of all people. Women were important too.

Joseph was a part of the Sanhedrin who had condemned Jesus to death. So was Nicodemus. They were very high up the chain. But they believed in Jesus, even if it was secretly. And they were mindful of the need of a proper burial. Pilate would have just known they were Sanhedrin who had started the whole thing and so let them take the body.

According to John 19:39 they used 100 Roman pounds of myrrh and aloes. That’s about 75 of our pounds. First they would have laid the cloth down. Then put the body on it and covered the body with the ointment and myrrh. Then they would have rolled the cloth around and around the body like a mummy. The head would have been wrapped separately.

This part wasn’t just told to show that after the horrible way Jesus was treated Jesus’ body was taken care of at His burial. It was important that people knew He was really and truly dead.

They took the body to the tomb. Joseph was a rich man and this would have been a large tomb. New and never used.

Tombs usually had a small entrance that opened into a bigger section which had a ledge along a wall for the body to lie on. A HUGE stone would have been placed a little higher up the hill, braced by a smaller stone that a man could kick aside once the body was placed and the stone would then roll into place.

The women had followed and were watching to see where He was buried, not wanting to leave Him.

This is what we’ve been waiting for through the whole ordeal of His trials and beatings. Someone to come forward and proclaim who He was! To honor Him.

But because of the Sabbath nothing more happens until the first day of the week. And again that starts in fear. As soon as the stores were open the women would have bought spices for Jesus. Then they went to the tomb hoping to find away in to add the spices to His wrappings. So they could honor Him too. They had no idea how they would get in.

But when they got there the enormous 3 to 4 thousand pound stone had already been rolled away and there were no Roman guards around. Then they saw an angel and the grave clothes. The Gospel of John describes the grave clothes as basically left like a cocoon. The body had apparently vanished! And the face cloth had been folded as if to show someone had done it on purpose.

The Angel said He has risen. And they were very afraid. They were trembling. They were beside themselves. But there was also great joy! Like a roller coaster ride – great anticipation, but also great fear. They heard He is risen, but hadn’t seen Him yet. They may at this point have remembered Him saying He would rise.

We feel fear in our lives too. But Christ wants to offer us faith. And the resurrection supports our faith and dispels our fears

Proofs of the resurrection

1)  The body of Jesus has never been found.

There are no bones. The tomb was empty!  Bones are very hard to destroy.  If Jesus had not risen from the dead, someone would have had to take the bones.  If someone would have taken the bones it would have taken a large number of people to subdue the guards and take the body. 

2) The scriptures would have immediately been discredited.

When the Gospels were written there were still people alive who had seen what happened!

3) The supernatural transformations of the Apostles into bold preachers and martyrs. The willingness of the all the fainthearted disciples to die for their belief. Would eleven of twelve have died for a fraud? Would none have cracked? Liars make cowardly martyrs.

4) The multiplied testimonies of people who saw the resurrected savior. 1 Cor. 15:5-8 “and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. ⁶ After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, ⁸ and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born”)

5) The entirety of the Christian faith would not be based on conjecture or probability, but on a fact. If the resurrection was a hoax and the Scriptures are a man made document, wouldn’t the writers have been more careful than to place all of their authenticity eggs in one basket?

6) The Jewish conspiracy to cover up the resurrection. Matthew 28:11-15 “While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.”

7) The grave clothes are a testimony that the body simply vanished. The wording of John indicated that’s the grave clothes would have hardened and were left as a ‘cocoon’ shape after Jesus’ body went away. 

8) No defense of the resurrection and nothing artificial is done to protect the credibility of the account. The point blank assumption that He was raised features an assumption that it is fact.

9) The Apostles were not frauds but men of character.  They were simple men who were powerfully transformed by a supernatural event.

10) The moving of the huge stone can only have been supernatural. The breaking of the Roman seal and the removal of the stone highlights the supernatural work of resurrection.

11) The change in Peter. He went from a coward to captain of the faith

12) The salvation and change in Paul.  He went from a Christian killer to captivated servant of Jesus Christ.

13) The change in James the brother of Jesus. And the change in Thomas who went from being a doubter to disciple.

14) Sunday worship from Sabbath worship. The central day of worship moved from Saturday to Sunday as a result of the New Testament account of the Resurrection.

15) That the Romans guarded His tomb speaks to the threat of resurrection. How often were the tombs of criminals guarded?  A dead criminal was seldom a threat in any way.  This guard would have consisted of 4-16 soldiers deeply loyal to the Roman seal.  In fact, their lives were dependent upon there performance.

16) The early creedal testimony of 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 that dates to within 5 to 10 years of the resurrection.

17) Jesus disappeared after 40 days. As suddenly as He appeared back on the scene is a suddenly as He left again, ascending into heaven.

18) The dominance of women as eye-witnesses.  If the account were fabricated the authors would not have used the testimony of women to prop up a lie.  It is just stated including the involvement of women that would not have been allowed to testify in court.

19) The state of the grave clothes convinced John a skeptic. (John 20:6-8). The grave wrappings provided by Joseph and Nicodemus remained in the form of a chrysalis.  The body simply vanished.  No one would have been able to have created this cocoon, except God removing the body supernaturally.

20) The disposal of the Roman guards. The Roman guards failing to maintain there post was a cause for court martial and death.  The only explanation for them being neutralized is a large well-trained fighting force or the appearance of an angel Matthew 28:2-4 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

21) Jesus’ predictions of the resurrection miracle underscores its reality.

23) The plain manner in which the narrative is recorded. The story is greatly understated.

24) The existence of the church demands a dramatic reversal. The church began 50 days after the crucifixion and 3000 were added on the first day.  Something sparked the viral launch of the world’s largest religion.  That something is the resurrection.

25) The enshrinement of the dead was common ancient practice for renowned religious leaders. Mohammed, Buddha and other religious leaders have tombs that are visited by their adherents.  The largest religion in the world has only an empty tomb, several of them to visit. There is no debate as to where these men lay.  There tombs are enshrined. Jesus tomb was never enshrined because His was empty.

1 Corinthians 15:14-19 ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵ More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Paul put all of his eggs into one basket. It’s all about the resurrection. Christ is the way to God! Only Christ!

1 Corinthians 15:20-26 ²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. ²⁴ Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Christ is the King and the judge. So what do we do with this knowledge?

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

The work of the Lord is making disciples and saving souls. Taking spiritual responsibility for the souls or others. We are called to be disciples. Look again at what the Angel told the women in Mark 16:7 go, tell his disciples and Peter.

Jesus and Pilot

Mark 15:1-15 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
² “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied. ³ The chief priests accused him of many things. ⁴ So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.” ⁵ But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

⁶ Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. ⁷ A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. ⁸ The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

⁹ “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, ¹⁰ knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.

¹² “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. ¹³ “Crucify him!” they shouted. ¹⁴ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” ¹⁵ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Pilot was governor over Judea and Samaria for 10 years. His job was to collect taxes for the emperor Tiberius, keep peace and oversee building projects. Keeping peace between the Jews and Rome required calm leadership. But Pilot was a prideful man. He had done several things that really riled the Jews in the past. For instance; the Jews never used images. Normally Roman soldiers had a picture of the emperor on their shield, but past governors of this area, out of respect, would have the soldiers use plain shields in Jerusalem.

Not Pilot.

At the time he was living quite aways away in Caesarea and a huge number of Jews came to him to complain. He ignored them for about 5 days and when they didn’t go away he sent in his soldiers to surround them and threaten them with death. They presented their necks to him willing to be killed. Jews are very stubborn and very principled! Of course he couldn’t be the cause of such a large massacre so he backed down. But it really hurt his pride.

Another time he did something similar and this time the Jews wrote to Tiberius who rebuked Pilot. Pilot was totally shamed. So at this time he was caught between a hard place and a rock! He didn’t want to rile the Jews again – especially during Passover when there were so many of them in Jerusalem, but then again he knew Jesus was an innocent man.

At first he tried to just get them to deal with it themselves. But they weren’t allowed to crucify anyone in a public way and that’s what they were after for Jesus. He also tried sending the problem to Herod since Jesus was from his district, but Herod sent Him back. Then he offered up the chance to release a prisoner as was his custom during Passover, hoping they’d let Jesus go. He even gave them a choice of just Jesus or Barabbas who was a notorious murderer. Surely they wouldn’t let him go!

But they did! And when he asked what he should do with Jesus the frenzied crowd shouted “Crucify him.” Over and over.

Jesus never defended Himself so He could go to the cross. For us.

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Mark 14:66-72 The Rooster Crows

Mark 14:66-72 ⁶⁶ While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. ⁶⁷ When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.

“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.

⁶⁸ But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.

⁶⁹ When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” ⁷⁰ Again he denied it.

After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”

⁷¹ He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”

⁷² Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

This passage starts out at Annas’ house. He’s the high priest. His house would have had a large courtyard and it would have been gated. We know John got through the gate because he knew someone; possibly the gatekeeper. But Peter only made it as far as the courtyard.

This is a sad story of a man who denies Jesus. But it’s also a story about how God knew it would happen. Jesus prophesized about it before hand. And later we’ll see that He restores Peter.

For three years Peter had been taking steps of faith forward and it seems just as many steps backward. When he stepped out of the boat that time when Jesus was walking on water, it was a huge step of faith. But then he took his eyes off Christ and began to sink. Another time when Jesus was telling the disciples what was going to happen in Jerusalem Peter said basically “this must never happen!” And Jesus rebuked him saying “Get behind me, Satan!” He did many impulsive things. But his denying he even knew Jesus was his lowest point.

But Jesus has a plan for losers. His grace is profound. His grace is amazing! Christ will meet us at any point of our life. Do not resist His grace. Receive it through repentance.

During Peter’s first and second denials he started to back away from the courtyard to the porch (or gate area) and the girl who was accusing him kind of went after him. The third accusation happened about an hour later at the home of Caiaphas. This is verse 70 where the people standing near Peter said, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”

A Galilean’s speech might sound a little different. They might dress a little different. And they knew Jesus was a Galilean.

This time Peter actually cursed in a panic of self preservation.

And in verse 72 the rooster crowed. The sound pierces Peter’s heart and wakes him up to what is happening. He remembers himself saying to Jesus that “no matter if everyone leaves You – I won’t!” And six hours later he had denied Jesus three times. And Jesus had told him he would!

The rooster’s crow was a warning. Our warning could be financial ruin, a lost job, some kind of trial. Something that should stop us in our tracks and get us to stop doing something we’re doing. When it happens the right thing to do is recognize what you’ve done, repent and get your eyes back on Christ.

When Peter realized what he’d done he began to weep. We see his repentance here. He knew everything Jesus had ever done for him and he saw at this moment what he had just done to Jesus.

We do things to Jesus too. We deny Him. And when we do the Holy Spirit produces sorrow in us.

Luke 22:61 says when the cock crowed Jesus turned and looked at Peter. In spite of all of the stuff that was happening to Jesus (and He wouldn’t have been able to hear Peter’s words – He wasn’t close enough) –  Jesus knew. He knows everything. And can you imagine the look Jesus gave him? It wouldn’t have been a look of “I told you so.” Or a look of anger or condemnation. It was a look of kindness and love. Of grace. The look that says I know everything about you and I love you. I’m willing to restore you.

Jesus forgives! Jesus pursues us! God doesn’t bring us to Himself through fear or warnings of judgment. God brings us to Himself by His great love!

2 Timothy 2:13 says that if we are faithless He is faithful. Our salvation isn’t based on our works or getting it all right. HE is faithful. At one point Jesus had told Peter that Satan had asked to sift Peter and Jesus wouldn’t let him. Peter was His! And Jesus will not lose one of His own!

Jesus was NOT a victim!

Mark 14: 43-52 ⁴³ Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.

⁴⁴ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” ⁴⁵ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. ⁴⁶ The men seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁴⁷ Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

⁴⁸ “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? ⁴⁹ Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” ⁵⁰ Then everyone deserted him and fled. ⁵¹ A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, ⁵² he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.

We shouldn’t feel sorry for Jesus! He was NEVER a victim and we’ll look at five things from this passage that show that in just a minute. We can mourn that He had to go through what He did. But He was always in control of the situation.

The Jewish leaders would have gone to the Romans about arresting Jesus. The Jews and Romans were NOT friends and this may have been the only time they ever agreed on anything! Jesus either draws people together: believers. Or He’s a divider: those who hate the truth.

Jerusalem would have been very quiet this late at night. So Jesus and His disciples would have heard this huge crowd coming. John 18:3 says it was a Roman cohort, which is 600 Roman soldiers. Plus the Jews leaders and temple guards. There could have been 1000 people in the crowd!

At this point Judas was a pawn of Satan’s. But he had set himself up for that through his life style and thoughts and attitudes. Here he greets Jesus with “Rabbi”, but in the Matthew account he says “Hail, Rabbi!” a term of honor and respect. And he kissed Him! At this time in history it would have been normal for a slave to kiss his master’s feet, or a subject to kiss a ruler’s hand or a friend to kiss his friend’s cheek.

But the hypocrisy would have been blatant! Everyone in the crowd knew why they were there and that Judas was betraying his friend. Yet Judas was still acting like he cared about and honored Christ.

And actually he wasn’t the only one who betrayed Jesus that night – the other disciples fled.

But here’s where Jesus’ authority strongly showed through:  In verse 42 He had told the disciples ahead of time who was coming and what was going to happen. And He went toward the Jews and the Romans. In verse 49 He said “this has to happen to fulfill scripture.”

Psalm 55:12-14 If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide. ¹³ But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, ¹⁴ with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers.

Believers and non-believers are ultimately under the control of God. There is a plan authored by Christ and God that has been playing out and will continue to play out. The believers will enjoy His gracious control and the non-believers will fight it.

Another place this passage shows His complete authority is spelled out better in the John version. John 18:6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

The Greek used for “I am” is the eternal name of God. It was the name God gave Moses when Moses asked God for His name to give the people. And when Jesus said this all 1000 people in the crowd fell to the ground!

He also showed His authority when Peter cut off the slave’s ear and Jesus healed it. All this chaos going on all over the place and Jesus just automatically does what He does – He healed. Luke 22:51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

In the Matthew version He says in verse 26:53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

12 legions were 72,000 angels! Back when the Assyrian soldiers had surrounded Jerusalem ONE angel killed 180,000 men in a night. Can you imagine what 72,000 angels could do?

Jesus was NOT a victim!

The Glory of His Submission

Pastor Kurt was back to preaching on The Gospel of Mark this morning!

Mark 14:32-42 ³² They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ³⁴ “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

³⁵ Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. ³⁶ “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

³⁷ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

³⁹ Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. ⁴⁰ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.

⁴¹ Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

The upper room was in the western part of Jerusalem. The disciples had been enjoying a holiday dinner with Jesus; a time of great fellowship. But they were also confused and concerned. Jesus had told them He was the sacrificial lamb and He was leaving them.

Passover always takes place during a full moon, so they would have been able to see pretty well. But it was late and they were cold and tired. They probably assumed they were headed back to Bethany south of the city where they were staying. As they were walking east across Jerusalem Jesus stopped at one point and prayed. That prayer is in John 17. It’s a prayer for His glorification, for His disciples and for all believers. After that they passed the Temple and went into the Kidron Valley, but instead of going south to Bethany Jesus turned north to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had prayed here many times before, but he usually went alone.

This wasn’t a landscaped pretty garden. It was really a walled off olive grove, maybe a few acres in size. Jesus left eight of the disciples at the wall and took Peter, James and John with Him farther in. He told the three to stay and keep watch.

Jesus was going to pray to His Father. Really He was going to wrestle with Him and then yield His life to save us. This passage gives us three things to think about: the greatness of Christ, the glory of submission and the failure of humanity.

Jesus told them His soul was very sorrowful, even to death. He had prepared from before the beginning of the world for this moment, but here He was and he was overwhelmed at the pain He was feeling. Not just what He would be physically going through the next day, He knew all of that, but that He would have to take on all of our sins and feel the complete wrath of God. And for awhile He would be separate for the first time from His Father. I heard a minister say that it wasn’t the nails or the flogging or the spear that killed Jesus; it was a broken heart after God turned away from Him.

Jesus knows everything we suffer through. He knows every worry in our head. There is not a hurt or sorrow He doesn’t understand.

Hebrews 2: 17-18 ¹⁷ For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

And Hebrews 2:16 ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.

He gives help! He knows what we are going through and He is willing and able to help us. But we have to trust in Him and lean on Him. Rely on His way of helping! It might be in a different way then we would expect.

When you are sorrowful and filled with dread; crying out to God, remember the Garden of Gethsemane. He gets it! Even though He prayed asking if it could be taken away He said, “but not my will but Thine.” He said yes because He knew it would save people and it would glorify His Father. This is the glory of His submission.

Our sin is an eternal offense toward God. A death payment must be made to atone for this. God is willing to forgive us if we put our trust in Christ’s work. Here’s a warning:

If you don’t trust in Christ’s payment you will pay it yourself forever!

Jesus showed us how to submit and we need to follow His example.

John 5:30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

John 8:29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.

The first way we glorify God is by trusting Him! Anything we do we should ask ourselves, “Is this God’s will?” If it is we are called to submit. And then enjoy the ride!

The disciples were told to stay awake and pray, but they couldn’t. The Gospel of Luke says they fell asleep because they were very sorrowful. They kind of gave up instead of turning to God. Jesus had told them to pray, not so much for Him, but for themselves – He knew it would focus them on what would get them through the experience. We try by ourselves, but we need God!

Another thing we should remember about this story.  God’s answer to Jesus was “no.” God the Father said no to His precious, perfect Son so He could say yes to us! Our response should be thanksgiving and praise!

The New Covenant Mark 14:27-31

Mark 14:27-31 ²⁷ “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ ²⁸ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

²⁹ Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”

³⁰ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”

³¹ But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.

God made us a promise and Jesus is the promise keeper. Back in verse 24 Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many”. God is a covenant making God. All throughout the Bible. A covenant is an expression of God’s desire to know us.

And every time there was a covenant man broke it. All the old covenants: with Abraham, with Moses, were sealed with the blood of an animal. And then the prophet Jeremiah spoke of a new covenant.

Jeremiah 31:31-33 ³¹ “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. ³² It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.
 
³³ “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”

God wants to relate to us. He wants us to be His people. He wants to be our God. This covenant would be different then the ones carved in stone. This one would be in our hearts. And that was accomplished by the Holy Spirit moving into a believer’s body. This is being born again.

But blood would still have to be shed and the disciples of course knew this Jeremiah passage and were waiting all their lives to see whose blood it would be. And now Jesus told them. His blood! He was the sacrifice.

Luke 22:20 ²⁰ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Jesus also refers to Himself as the shepherd in this passage. ‘I will strike down the shepherd (Jesus) and the sheep (the disciples) will scatter.” This refers to another Old Testament passage Zechariah 13:7 “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.”

“Against the man who is close to me.” God would strike His shepherd, His very own son. And the sheep would scatter.

The disciples heard this much and got all huffy because they didn’t like to be called faithless. They totally missed where Jesus said he’d rise and go ahead of them to Galilee. Peter jumped in saying everyone else might desert Him, but not him! Jesus was wrong! But Jesus told him that he, Peter, would deny Him three times that very night.

Peter wasn’t listening and therefore he wasn’t doing what he was supposed to be doing. He was trying to do everything his own way. Peter did become humble later. Probably that very night when Peter had just finished saying the third denial and the cock crowded and he looked up to see Jesus watching him across the courtyard. Can you imagine how Peter felt in that moment? But would Jesus have looked at him with anything but love, understanding and forgiveness?

And because He rose and because He forgave Peter, Peter told this story to Mark – with all of Peter’s faults in it – and it became the Gospel of Mark. And Peter became a pillar in the early Christian church.

Jesus turns the Passover dinner into our Communion

Pastor Kurt Gebhards continued preaching on the Gospel of Mark today. Here are my notes:

Mark 14:22-26 ²² While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

²³ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

²⁴ “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. ²⁵ “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus was hosting a Passover dinner for His closest friends. This is a dinner of Thanksgiving to God for getting them out of Egypt back in Exodus 12 and had been celebrated by the Jews for the 1400 years since then.

At this dinner Jesus transforms it into our Communion.

We remember the story of Jacob and his 12 sons. How Joseph was his favorite and some of his brothers were so jealous they sold him into slavery and he ended up in Egypt. But because of his faith in God he rose to become the second highest official in Egypt. Later because of a huge famine his family and people join him there and the Israelites are together and safe. Eventually though when that Pharaoh died and was replaced they became slaves and called out to God to free them.

Then Moses steps in and there are 10 plagues, each worse then the last, until finally the first born of every family in Egypt would be killed if they didn’t put blood from an unblemished lamb on their doorframe so the angel of death would see the blood and pass over that house and they would be saved. The Passover. God told the Israelites ahead of time what to do to be saved. The blood on the door was a sign that you believed in God’s plan for your deliverance.  And because they believed Him and did it, they were spared. But the Egyptian first borns were all killed and that finally convinced Pharaoh to let the Israelites go.

Every year since they would celebrate God’s deliverance with this meal. In fact God commanded them to do this

Exodus 12:3,5,13-14 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. ⁵ The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats.  ¹³ The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.¹⁴ “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance.

Judgment was deserved. But God wanted to save His people and He had a plan to do that.

Today God wants to save His children. And He has a plan to do that too. Jesus’ blood, of course, is what God sees when He looks at His believers. We are covered in His blood when we believe in His work on the cross. Jesus is what keeps us from judgment.

The feast of unleavened bread is why our communion uses unleavened bread. Leaven is a sign of sin. This is a call to remove the sin from your life. When God delivers us we are to become sanctified. To show a life that has been altered by His work. The Passover didn’t leave them in Egypt. He delivered them out of it. God delivers us to change us!

Why did the lamb have to die? It was unblemished and spotless. But something had to die because the wages of sin is death. So the lamb, a perfect lamb, was their substitute. God established a provision for someone to die in their place and also in ours.

John 1:29 ²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! and again in John 1:35 ³⁵ The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. ³⁶ When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

The Jews were aware of the lamb that would serve as their substitute and John the Baptist said quite plainly “There he is!” Jesus Christ is our substitute. Only Jesus was perfect enough to take our place. In this Mark passage Jesus says while breaking the bread, “This is my body.” (In other words I am the substitute, not the lamb anymore, Me!”) And “This is my blood poured out” (His blood will cover us now, not the lamb’s). Christ is not just with us, He is for us! He came on our behalf. He died in our place!

Hebrews 9:22 answers the question of the need for the blood, for the substitute. ²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

All of the goodness in the world couldn’t make up for 1 sin against God. Because sinning is against God and it’s like declaring war against Him. But He is willing to be at peace with us. And look at the lengths He went to, to do it! So Jesus here tells us that His flesh would be broken and His blood would be poured out.

Isaiah 50:6-7 I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.

Isaiah was prophesying about the Messiah. And this happened to Jesus exactly as written. But notice it says “I offered” and “I did not hide my face”. Jesus gave Himself to the people who beat Him for us! His flesh WAS broken. He was pierced by a spear in His side. His blood DID pour out. When Jesus broke the bread He wasn’t saying the bread was His body, but breaking it was showing He was going to die and that His body would be broken. We do this in communion to remember that He died for us.

Matthew 26:28 says the reason His blood is poured out is “for the remission of sins.” Romans 8:32 says He was delivered over for us. And Paul says in Galatians 2:20 “He “gave Himself for me!”

God loved us in our sin so much that He sacrificed His beloved Son to save us.

In verse 25 it says He isn’t going to drink of the cup again until He’s in the kingdom. He’s going to have another dinner someday. He let the disciples know that when He died on Friday it wasn’t the end!

The question for each of us is “Have I been covered by His blood? Have I accepted His provision?”

Betrayed! Mark 14:10-21

Mark 14:10-21 ¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. ¹¹ They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

¹² On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

¹³ So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. ¹⁴ Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹⁵ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

¹⁶ The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. ¹⁷ When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. ¹⁸ While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

¹⁹ They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?” ²⁰ “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. ²¹ The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

Passover feast is like our Christmas: very important. It’s a little surprising that Jesus and the disciples hadn’t prepared for it until that morning. But really, Jesus did have it planned. He told them exactly what to do. Telling them to find the man in the city carrying a jar of water wouldn’t have been as hard as it sounds. Men didn’t usually carry jars of water. And the room was already set up. This would be the setting of the Last Supper. And this part of the story is about Judas.

Unlike Jesus, who was born in poverty and had to flee the country with his parents to avoid being killed by Herod: Judas was born into a religious family of means. His parents gave him his name after Judah one of the most important of the twelve tribes of Israel. They wanted to honor their religious heritage. Judas was proud. He was pro-Israel: a nationalist. He would have grown up looking for the Messiah who would overthrow the Romans. Judas would have heard of John the Baptist first, stirring everyone up about the coming Messiah. Then he would have heard about Jesus healing and preaching. And when Jesus told him to follow Him, he did so.

He was enthusiastic in the beginning. In John 6 Jesus told His disciples that one of them was a devil and they ALL wondered who it was. He was singled out to carry the groups’ common purse. They trusted him. And Judas saw all the miracles: Jesus walking on water, feeding the 5000, raising people from the dead, etc. But his initial enthusiasm had soured.

Jesus kept turning away the offer to make Him king. All of the disciples were confused, but Judas was becoming bitter. From unmet expectations. In John chapter 12 we see that Judas was the one who complained the most about Mary “wasting” the perfumed oil. And this finally pushed him to act. He went to the Jewish officials and offered Jesus’ life for a price.

He felt like Jesus owed him. After all he had given up everything to follow Him nearly three years ago. And for what? He’d been stealing from the common purse here and there to “make up for some of it” but that wasn’t enough anymore.

30 pieces of silver was only a few hundred dollars. But Judas took it on Wednesday night. Then all day Thursday he hung around with Jesus including at the Passover meal where Jesus washed all His disciples feet.

At the dinner Jesus said “one of you will betray me”. Again everyone wondered and even asked “Rabbi it’s not me is it?” But this time he knew! And so did Jesus. He told John it would be the one who dips his bread into the bowl with him. And then he told Judas, “What you do, do quickly.” And Judas left.

Judas would have known that Jesus liked to get away and pray in the Garden of Gethsemane and he told the Jews they could find Him there. In the garden Jesus asked Peter, James and John to stay awake and pray with Him, but they fell asleep only to be awakened by the noise of an entire Roman cohort (600 soldiers) and the Jewish leaders and Judas coming toward them.

Judas gives the signal by kissing Jesus who is taken into custody while the disciples fled.

That night Judas’ conscious attacked him. He had SOLD Christ for 30 pieces of silver! And he knew that Jesus was innocent. Early Friday he tries to get the money back, but the priests won’t take it, so he throws it on the floor at their feet and runs to hang himself at the edge of a cliff. The rope breaks and he falls down into a field bursting open. Later the priests used the “blood money” to make this land into a graveyard for strangers.

What can we learn from Judas? Judas started with a favorable impression of Jesus. And he had faith in what He could do. But that didn’t equal salvation. It takes more then believing in the miracles. He expected the wrong thing from Jesus and that led to disillusionment.

There are people today who believe the facts about Jesus, but they are disillusioned because He’s not doing what they want Him to do. So they turn away from Him and to the world for their help. This leads to rebellion and then to ruin.

We think that Judas was the worst betrayer ever. But he wasn’t. We are worse because we know more! We’ve seen that Christ died and rose for our sins. And yet we betray Him with our disobedience and lack of faith, our judgment of what He does or doesn’t do for us, every single day.

But the good news is, Christ will forgive us at any step whenever we ask. We need to trust Him, His will, and His work completely.

Oh Come Let Us Adore Him - Mark 14:1-9

I was worried Pastor Kurt Gebhards would take a break from preaching on the Gospel of Mark because in Mark we are right at the Easter story and of course we are in the Christmas season now. But as he explained today "Christmas has no meaning without Easter. Jesus came to die." Here are my notes from today's sermon.

Mark 14:1-9 14 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. ² “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

³ While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

⁴ Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵ It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

⁶ “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. ⁹ Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

The Passover and the feast of the unleavened bread is when the Passover lamb is brought into Jerusalem. Jesus was the Passover lamb and had come to Jerusalem. We only know of three times in his three year ministry that He came to the city. The chief priests would never arrest Him in His own territory; only on their turf. He came to them.

They had a plot. But God had a plan! He planned it! Jesus told them over and over and over again, “I am going to Jerusalem to die.” God was never caught off guard. He never will be! He planned this for Himself. For God’s Glory. And for us.

Jesus liked to stay in Bethany when He came to Jerusalem. He had good friends there. Simon the Leper was no longer a leper because Jesus had cleansed him. The woman with the perfume was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. The Lazarus that Jesus had very recently brought back from the dead.

Perfume in those days was extremely expensive. They didn’t readily have a way to store their wealth back then so they would store it in their stuff. And perfumed oil was one way to do that. This was 12oz. of very potent and precious perfume in an elaborate alabaster vial. The oil could have been sold for a year’s wage. (Today $30,000.00 to $40,000.00) And the vial maybe another $1000.00. Mary broke the vial! She didn’t have to. She could have poured it out. But she wanted to show expressive, unlimited worship because He was worth it!

In Mark it says she poured it on His head. In the John account it says she also poured it on His feet and rubbed it in with her hair. This would have been scandalous! But she didn’t care because she had an audience of One! He wasn’t just worth a lot – He was worthy of everything!

1 Peter 2:7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.

Some of the people there thought it was a waste and they scolded her saying the money could have been given to the poor. They still didn’t get it. But Jesus was so patient with them when He explained she did it for His burial.

There was nothing wrong in them saying they should help the poor. But this wasn’t the priority here. There shouldn’t be a list of priorities in our lives, like: God first, family second, etc. There is only 1 priority and it’s God!

He was telling them He would only be with them for a little while more. He tells us we will only have so long to accept Him. We are only on this earth for a short time and then it will be too late.

When we do help the poor we must always share the Gospel too. We should help take care of their physical needs, but more importantly their spiritual needs. God wants His children to come home to Him above all else!

In verse six Jesus said Mary had done a good thing TO Him. Not for Him. For Him is extending a cup of water to the thirsty, or paying a tithe. To Him is fellowship with Him, worship of Him, friendship!

Why was Mary aware that He was going to die so soon and the disciples weren’t? Remember the story of Mary and Martha where Mary didn’t help Martha because she was sitting at Jesus’ feet? Mary loved listening to Jesus. She had a relationship with Him. And she worshiped Him lavishly because of it. If your worship is dim it’s because your relationship is weak.

This act was so precious to Jesus because that whole week He knew exactly what was going to take place and the disciples kept dismissing it. Brushing it aside like it wouldn’t happen. But Mary got it. She shared in His suffering. You know this week is called Passion Week because of the intense pain and suffering Jesus went through. Not only on the cross but leading up to it.

Jesus told the others that wherever the Gospel was preached in the world the story of Mary and her vial of perfume would be told. Why? Because this story illustrates the power of God to change us. Mary was changed. She didn’t need a safety net. And she didn’t hold anything back.

Be Alert! Mark 13:28-37

Mark 13:28-37 ²⁸ “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. ³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

³² “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”

This passage tells us we need to be prepared and how to do that. We’re to read the signs. A fig tree loses its leaves in the winter; and in late spring when you see the new growth, you know that summer is coming. He says when you see the signs you will know the end is near. Jesus will be right at the door. There’s immediacy in His statement. In the book of Revelation Jesus says many times “I am coming quickly”. And it’s for sure. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not my words”.

Where He says “this generation will not pass until these things happen”, He doesn’t mean a 20 or 40 year time period. It’s more like “the church age” or this season of trials kind of thing.

He also makes it clear in this passage that we are not to figure out when it will happen. We’re not to focus on the timing; we are to focus on the task. And that’s to be ready to welcome the Lord Jesus into our life. To trust Him and with joy anticipate His arrival.

Luke 12:35-38 ³⁵ Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning;³⁶ and be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him.

³⁷ Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them.³⁸ And if he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find them so blessed are those servants.

We’ll be blessed if we are ready for Him!

Jesus then tells a story about a master who has servants and he’s going away on a trip. He leaves his servants in charge. Jesus is the master who has gone away. We are the servants and we’ve been left in charge while He’s gone. The verse says each one was left with their assigned task. The task is the same really for every Christian. That we be engaged in developing quality followers of Jesus Christ. Period! It’s called different things in scripture, “loving your neighbor”, “making fishers of men”, “spreading the Gospel”… and we have different ways of doing it based on our gifts; telling people about God and Jesus, teaching, writing, mentoring, encouraging, showing Christ’s love, giving God the Glory, etc. but it’s all to make disciples. That’s our job as Christians.

Of course, even His disciples were slow learners:

Acts 1:6-8 ⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus had already told them no one knows, but the Father. But here they ask again. So Jesus answers them again: don’t focus on the times or dates. Focus on the task – “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Mark 13:10 also said the Gospel must be preached to the ends of the earth.

So encourage people by your faithfulness. Be alert! Be ready! We’ve all been left in charge of this task!

Judgment Mark 13:24-27

Mark 13:24-27 ²⁴ “But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light; ²⁵ the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

²⁶ “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

Christ is not just coming back. He’s coming back for His elect! And we need to be ready!

The darkness in this passage is judgment. Christ will condemn the rebels after the tribulation. And He will come with the power to make everything right. The sun, moon and stars darken in the face of the true light of the world. In the final Heaven there will be no day or night; Christ will be the light, and this event nods to that.

Another time it was dark all over the earth was when Jesus died on the cross. At that time condemnation for sin was coming from God onto His Son! Jesus was paying the penalty for our sins, which we couldn’t pay. One day Christ will come back in judgment and the lights will go out again.

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. ⁶ God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you ⁷ and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. ⁸ He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might ¹⁰ on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

This passage tells five things about the judgment that will come against those who rebel.

1. God will repay with affliction those who afflicted us. (God doesn’t appreciate those who pick on His kids!) God doesn’t judge because he’s harsh, but because He cares. He cares about the indifference toward a suffering neighbor, about people who don’t hear the Gospel.
2. God will come with His mighty angels. They will be mighty, strong and flaming with fire.
3. God will deal out retribution to those who don’t know Him. God knows us! We should know Him! If we reject His offering, His love, His gift…we will face retribution.
4. Retribution against those who do not know the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. The Gospel is a command for us to repent and believe. The gift has expectations. Jesus has done everything necessary for us to be saved. We then need to turn from sins and trust in His provision alone! These warnings are a kindness to us. They are full of mercy and grace.
5. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction. People sometimes don’t want to turn to Christ right now because there’s a price to pay: dying to self, turning from sin, but the price is infinitely higher if we don’t turn to Him and all of a sudden it’s too late. A lot of people don’t believe in condemnation because they don’t think they are guilty. But we are. We all are! Everyone is going to see His return! For some it will be for the condemnation, for others for the deliverance. He will send out His angels to gather His believers together.

Romans 8:18-23 ¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

There are five promises of comfort in this passage:

1.      Glory will eclipse suffering.

2.      We’re all living in futile times. That’s why bad stuff keeps happening. Expect suffering – don’t be surprised. Because we live in a fallen world!

3.      Freedom is coming! Today is hard and difficult, but persevere! It’s not far away.

4.      Creation is suffering now too. That will also change. And our bodies will be redeemed and we will be adopted as sons and daughters.

5.      We have our hope and that hope allows us to persevere.

The first time Christ came, it was private. He was born in a stable. In His ministry He was misunderstood. The next time He comes everyone will see it happen and everything will be very clear! We need to be prepared!