He Has Been Raised

Mark 16:1-8

Introduction

            I got in trouble with my wife the other day. I heard some news from one of our sons and I forgot to tell her. When she found out that I knew and hadn't told her she asked me, "Why didn't you tell me?" The truth is that I forgot. Then I was talking about this to our son's wife and she mentioned that he hadn't told her something either. We laughed about it and Carla was sure that it was a male problem.

            Today we celebrate the greatest event of the Christian faith. Have we told others about it? I suspect that silence about the resurrection isn't only a male problem. Today is a day on which we can be reminded about the wonder and glory of the good news of the resurrection and commit ourselves once again to tell others.

            If you look at Mark 16, you will notice that there is some question about exactly where the book ends. In most translations, Mark ends on verse 8. But most also include verses 9-20, but with the note that they likely weren't original. So the question which has been debated is: "where exactly does it end?" Some say it ends at verse 20, some say at verse 8, but suggest that there must have been more to it that has been lost. I believe that most likely Mark 16 ends at verse 8 and that this was the intention of Mark.

            Each gospel has it's own presentation of the resurrection of Jesus and Mark's presentation, ending at verse 8, is in character with the rest of his book. It presents the fact of the resurrection and ends with a challenge to make this message known. The challenge comes by way of a question, which we must answer. That is the profundity and the beauty of Mark's presentation of the good news of the resurrection.

I.     He Has Been Raised

A.   Evidence

            As with the rest of gospel, the final chapter comes to us in story form. Three women are named, who go to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. They knew where the tomb was because they had been there when he was buried. They were going to anoint the body not embalm it. Hebrews did not embalm, like the Egyptians did. By anointing his body, they simply wanted to make his decaying body smell better. It was a way of honoring Him.

            But as they made their way to the tomb, they were discussing a problem. Having been there when he was buried, they knew that a stone had been rolled in front of the opening of the tomb. They were wondering, and quite concerned, about how they would be able to remove it so that they could carry out their intentions.

            But their concern was unfounded and their intention was unnecessary. As they were about to find out, Jesus was alive!

            The events presented in verses 4-6 reveal step by step the truth that Jesus is alive. There are 4 steps which lead to the final conclusion, "He has been raised."

            The first step was that the stone was rolled away. That in itself was not proof of anything, but it was the first step in a series of events that would lead to that conclusion.

            Because the stone was rolled away, they were able to enter into the tomb. Now a second step occurred which would lead them to the wonderful conclusion. A young man, who was a divine messenger, was seated on the right side. They were alarmed, which was the usual response to a divine visitation. He is not called an angel, but he acted like an angel. He was clothed in white and he told them not to be afraid, which is the normal experience of anyone who meets an angel. The word "angel" means messenger and this young man had a message for the women from God.

            The young man invited them to take note that the tomb was empty. He said to them, "He is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him." The empty tomb was explained by the Jewish religious leaders by various means, the most popular being that the disciples had stolen the body. However, the one thing the Jewish religious leaders did not do was dispute that the tomb was empty. Because the women were there when he was buried as we read in 15:47, we know that they did not go to the wrong tomb by mistake. They knew where they were going. The tomb was empty and no one has ever disputed that it was.

            But the meaning of the empty tomb still needed to be interpreted. The interpretation of the empty tomb includes some important information. The angel mentions that they are looking for "Jesus of Nazareth." In later years there would be some who would suggest that the human Jesus died and the divine Jesus never died and resurrection means that the spirit lives on. Yet because of the mention of "Jesus of Nazareth" we know that it was the human Jesus who died and the human Jesus who was raised from the dead. This is important for it means that death has been conquered among mankind. That is why we also can expect a physical resurrection.

            He also identified him as "who was crucified." The women knew that this had happened to Jesus. They had been there when He was crucified and when He was buried. This also speaks to some of the errors which have arisen. Some have suggested that Jesus never actually died, but this statement indicates clearly that Jesus did die and so this was not a resuscitation, but a resurrection. Many people have died and been resuscitated and we can read their books. Jesus is the only one who has ever died and been raised to live forever. Because He it was a resurrection, we also believe that we will rise to live eternally when He returns.

            Finally, after all of the evidence and all of the steps towards this conclusion, the clear statement is made by the angel, interpreting the empty tomb when he says, "He has been raised." Even this statement is important. The verb tense is "has been raised." It is passive, which implies that Jesus did not raise Himself, but God raised Him. This is important. Even though the cry of Jesus on the cross was, "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?", because God raised Him we know that that forsakenness did not remain. God accepted the sacrifice of Jesus and did not abandon Him, as it seemed when he was on the cross. God accepted Him and demonstrated that acceptance by raising Him from the dead. Jesus is not in the tomb! He has been raised! He is alive!     

B.   More Evidence

            The first evidence of the resurrection was the empty tomb and the message of the angel, but there is more evidence, even in the book of Mark.

            In fact, the very existence of the book of Mark is evidence of the resurrection. If Jesus had remained in the grave, I am quite sure, because of the fear of the disciples and their abandonment of Jesus, that all talk of Jesus would have ended. Their hopes had been dashed and they were overwhelmed with complete disappointment. But something happened to change all that. Something happened to make them bold witnesses who were willing to suffer persecution and even martyrdom in order to proclaim that Jesus was alive. That something was that they had seen Jesus alive. Mark would never have told the message of the good news if it wasn't good news.

            In the gospel of Mark, we read about things said which were to happen after Jesus died and rose. For example, in Mark 9:9 Jesus told the disciples who had gone up the mountain to see Jesus transfigured before them that they should tell no one "until after the Son of Man has risen from the dead." Well, this story has been told, which means that the disciples knew that Jesus had been raised from the dead because they had seen Him alive.

            The telling of the gospel stories to people who had come to believe in Jesus through the testimony of the disciples and the formation of the church can leave us with only one conclusion and that is that Jesus rose from the dead, that they saw Him and knew that they were serving a living Christ.

            Today we gather to declare the message of the resurrection and to celebrate the wonder that Jesus rose from the grave and lives to this very day.

C.   The Meaning of the Resurrection

            What is the meaning of this incredible event? I would like to just mention a few things.

            The resurrection proves who Jesus really was. He had been declared Son of God and King of the Jews and because He rose from the grave, it is certain that this is who He truly is. Romans 1:4 says He, "…was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord…"

               If Jesus had just died, he would have died a martyr death. Martyr deaths are powerful and often fuel movements, but a martyr death would not have accomplished salvation. Jesus had to die in our place but He was raised to demonstrate that God accepted His sacrifice. Therefore, Jesus conquered both sin and death.

               Because Christ rose from the dead, we are assured that we will also rise. I Corinthians 15 tells us that He is the first fruits of those who are alive. He rose and so we will also rise if we belong to Him.

               If Jesus had only died, we would have a relationship with a memory of one whose life was an influence. But Jesus is alive and so when we come to know Him, we have a relationship that is ongoing and is a relationship with the living Lord.

               These are some of the implications of the resurrection. The message, which was declared to the women on that morning when they saw the empty tomb and when the angel said to them, "He has been raised," is undoubtedly the most incredible news that has ever been declared. It is powerful! It is full of meaning! It is amazing!

II.  Broadcast Reluctance

            What do you do with such a message?

A.   Go and Tell

            The next message which the angel communicated to the women gives us a clear indication about what must be done with this message. The angel said to them, "go and tell."

            But the message of the angel, was not just to go and tell of the resurrection. The message they were to deliver was already beyond that. It was a message which began to spell out the implications. Since Jesus was alive, it would be possible for the disciples to meet Him. Before the disciples abandoned Jesus, in fact in the context of the announcement that they would abandon Him, Jesus told them in Mark 14:28, "But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” They had already been told of this meeting that would take place with Jesus. Now the women were to remind the disciples of this appointment and encourage them that they would see Him.

            What is even more wonderful is the special mention that they were to go tell his disciples, "and Peter." The angel extended a special invitation to Peter because of the spectacular way in which Peter had failed Jesus. It is a great word of encouragement to all who have failed Jesus, who have denied Jesus, who have doubted. Because Jesus rose from the grave it is possible to meet Him and to experience the forgiveness which He extends to all.

            What they were to do with this incredible message was to go and tell and that is still the appropriate response to the message of the resurrection. Repeatedly, in Scripture, this is the mandate given to those who belong to Jesus. Because He lives, we have an incredible message to proclaim. Therefore, we must proclaim it. Matthew 28:19 commands, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…" Acts 1:8 also instructs, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

B.   They Fled and Said Nothing

            They had an incredible message to proclaim. They had a divine mandate to proclaim it. How did they handle that? Surprisingly, verse 8 tells us that they failed. They were so filled with terror that they "fled from the tomb" and "they said nothing to anyone."

            How can they fail to tell such good news? Yet can we really criticize them? We also have the same incredible message and we also fail. Often we fail to go, but instead hope that people will come to us. We fail to proclaim. We don't mind demonstrating our holy lifestyle by not swearing and not engaging in other harmful practices, but how often do we tell people that Jesus is the one who is changing us into the people we hope to become? We don't mind inviting people to come to an event at church, but are we as willing to let them know that Jesus is the living one who has gathered together a people who belong to Him? We are glad to serve, but how often do we help people understand that it is the presence of Jesus, who lives in us, who has given us a servant heart?

            Jesus is alive. Have we told others about Him? Have we invited the doubters to consider Jesus? Have we talked about the incredible implications of living for one who lives eternally? As we watch the women flee in silence, we have to admit that often we are also running with them.

C.   Resurrection Renewal

            What do we do with our failure? It is in this context that the ending of Mark is so meaningful and so helpful. One way of looking at the ending of Mark, especially if we see verse 8 as the ending Mark intended, is to see in it a challenge to return to Jesus and make a new commitment to go and tell.

            Jesus had told the disciples back in 14:28 to meet with him in Galilee. He told them this in the context of announcing to them that they would all abandon Him. He did this to let them know that there would be a chance for restoration and renewal.

            When Jesus was arrested, all the disciples fled. They failed Jesus. They failed to follow Jesus as disciples are supposed to do.

            Interestingly, the women had not run away. They had stuck with Jesus throughout this time. They were still there at the cross and watched as He died. They saw Him being taken down from the cross. They saw where he was buried. Because they had stuck with Jesus all the way through, they were also the first ones at the empty tomb.

            When the angel appeared to them, he gave them the message that they should tell the disciples and Peter to meet Him in Galilee where they would see Him. For Peter and the disciples this was to be a reminder of an appointment that had already been made. The purpose of that meeting would be a chance to begin again. It would be, for Peter, a chance to be restored to discipleship. It would be for all of them, a chance to meet with Jesus and, having met with the resurrected Jesus, to begin the discipleship journey again and to follow Jesus in a new way.

            The women had not previously heard of this appointment because only the 12 had been there when it was made. Therefore, this message of a meeting in Galilee was also a message for the women, who now heard it for the first time. Up until this point, they had not needed this message because they had not failed Jesus. But now, even after hearing the incredible message that Jesus was alive, they did fail. They fled and were silent. They also needed to know that they could return to Galilee. They needed to know that they could meet Jesus and make a new commitment to begin again and walk with Jesus and proclaim Him.

            The disciples failed when they saw the death of Jesus which is understandable. It was doubt provoked by a time of deep difficulty. Sometimes we fail Jesus at such times. We fail to trust and to follow through at a time of trial or persecution. Failure is not excused, but understandable. Jesus' invitation speaks to such failure. Because of the resurrection, there is the hope of renewal.

            The women failed after they saw the power and glory of what God had done in raising Jesus. Sometimes, perhaps often, we fail in the same way. We know that Jesus is alive. We know that He reigns, and yet we still remain silent and fail to proclaim His name. Because of the resurrection the invitation of Jesus also comes to us. We also can start again. Through a meeting with Jesus we are able to begin again and to take up the challenge to go and tell!

            Although the meeting in Galilee is over, a meeting with Jesus, the one who lives is still possible and it is by going back to Jesus and meeting with Him that we can begin again and in His power to recommit ourselves to proclaim that He lives.

Conclusion

            Jesus is alive! Wow! The message is incredible, but it is only as we meet with Jesus that we will have the boldness and the joy to tell this message to the world. So besides being a message which declares the wonder of resurrection, we see that the gospel story of the resurrection is also an invitation to meet with Jesus and challenge to go and tell! May we be found faithful!

The Coronation of the King

Mark 15:16-47

Introduction

We have a collection of newspaper clippings at our place which report the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. There are pictures of her with a crown on her head and holding a scepter. Her coronation was blessed by both the political and religious leaders of England. Crowds of people celebrated the event with great fanfare. Her coronation took place on June 2, 1953 and she has been queen of England and Canada ever since.

Although I suspect that we have never thought about the death of Jesus as a coronation, as we look at Mark 15:16-47, we see that it is entirely appropriate. Admittedly, it is the most unusual coronation that has ever been seen. The story is loaded with irony, but it is exactly for this reason that it becomes all the more meaningful. As we consider the death of Jesus as the coronation of Jesus as King, we will come to appreciate deeply what happened and be invited to worship.

I.                Jesus Is Crowned As King

There are a number of things that happen in this passage which point to it as a coronation. Particularly, we notice that three times Jesus is declared to be king.

The first ones to declare that Jesus is King are the soldiers. Jesus was handed over to them to be crucified. He had already been flogged, but the soldiers thought they would have a little fun with him before they crucified Him. They found an old purple rag and put it on him mockingly as if it were a royal robe. They found some thorns and wove them into a crown. Were the thorns pointing upwards to look like a crown or towards his scalp to inflict pain? These actions mocked the accusation that He was "King of the Jews."

They also declared that he was king when they "began saluting him, 'Hail, King of the Jews!” Did they think he was king of the Jews? No! Was He king of the Jews? Absolutely!

As they hailed him as king, we notice that they hit him, they spit on him, but they also fell on their knees before him. We read in Mark 15:19, “falling on their knees, they worshipped him.” Falling on your knees before a sovereign is an appropriate way of recognizing the authority of a king and declaring your allegiance and obedience to that king. It is something that happens as part of the ceremony at a coronation. As they knelt down and worshipped, did their hearts bend in worship and obedience? Certainly not! Was it appropriate to bow before this king? There is no doubt that it was!

We see a second declaration when they brought Jesus to Golgotha and crucified him and the charge against him was posted on the cross. What was His crime? Once again we are surprised to see that the charge was “The King of the Jews.” Did Pilate, who ordered this sign, acknowledge the truth of this statement? What kind of a king did he suppose Jesus to be? We can guess, but we don’t know. There is a lot we don’t know, but what we do know is that Jesus was and is king of the Jews. What the sign declared was absolutely true.

To round out the presentation of Jesus as king we see that the words of mockery by the Jewish leaders were, “this king of Israel.”

            As Jesus was handed over for crucifixion, repeated allusions were made to a coronation, each of them not believed by those who declared or enacted them. That is the irony. If this happened once or twice, we might dismiss it as coincidental, but because it kept happening and because three times Jesus was actually proclaimed King, we cannot escape the fact that Mark is deliberately trying to tell us something. This was a coronation.

II.             A Crown of Thorns, His Throne A Cross

But the nature of this coronation was utterly unusual and unexpected. It included a crown and a throne, but not such as we would expect.

Most kings are pampered, but Jesus suffered. The soldiers treated Jesus with great contempt and horrible abuse. Geddert says, “Instead of handing him a scepter, they hit him with a reed. Instead of kissing his feet, they spit in his face.”

Clothes are an important part of a coronation. The gown and the cape which the queen wore at her coronation were impressive. At the coronation of Jesus, as He hung naked on the cross, they cast lots for his clothing. The message being communicated was, "When you die you won’t need clothes any more."

            Most kings are hailed and honored, but Jesus was mocked. The Jewish leaders rejected the idea that a king would be on a cross and the Roman soldiers also mocked the king upon the cross. That is why Paul could say in I Corinthians 1:23, "but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…"

When a king is crowned, people flock around to see him and want to meet him, but the suffering of Jesus was heightened when we read that Jesus was abandoned. We have already noted the abandonment of the disciples who ran away as soon as Jesus was arrested. In this text, we also see another image of abandonment. The people had an understanding that Elijah was the “patron saint” of hopeless causes, so when Jesus cried out “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” they thought that he was calling for the help of Elijah. But Elijah never showed up and so they would have perceived this as abandonment. In fact, that is not what Jesus cried out. He cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” which is a far worse abandonment than that of Elijah.

One of the common phrases we use in reference to kings is, “Long live the king” but the irony of this coronation is that Jesus died. Contrary to what would be wished upon a king, Jesus was actually crucified and actually died on that cross.

Most kings are seated on a throne in a palace, but Jesus was placed in a tomb.

III.           An Unlikely Coronation

Throughout the passage Jesus is presented as king. But also, throughout the passage we see anything but a coronation. Was the crucifixion a coronation or a defeat?

The irony of Jesus’ coronation on the cross propels the meaning of His death into the stratosphere of significance. He was actually crowned as a King on a cross and, because He was, He is king in a much greater sense than any other king in history has ever been.

The phrase of the mockers actually explains the irony and the meaning of it. They laughed at him when they said, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself!” They were thinking, “Although he has clearly done a lot of good and healed a lot of people, making us think that He has a lot of power, it is obvious now as He hangs on this cross that He does not. If He truly were the Son of God and the King, He would come off that cross and show His power.”

But something much greater was going on here. The problem was that they were thinking human thoughts, when divine things were going on.

Yes, He had saved a lot of people. He had cast an evil spirit out of a man, He had saved people from the bondage of leprosy, fever and many other illnesses. He saved a girl from death and a paralytic from his sins. Why then was He not able to save Himself?

It is absolutely true when it says “He can’t save Himself” but why was it true? Was it true because he did not have the power? Was it true because they had found his weakness? If you are familiar with the superman stories you know that, although he is very strong, superman can be made weak by using Kryptonite. Is that what was happening here? Was Jesus defeated because they discovered that the cross was his weakness? By no means! The reason Jesus could not save himself was that if he did, he would not be able to save others. Once again we see the irony! He had to go to the cross in order to bring about salvation. If He had come off the cross, there would have been no forgiveness, there would have been no salvation and we would not have eternal life. He actually saved others, by not saving Himself. That is why the cross is the place where He was crowned as King. It was on the cross that Jesus became king not only of the Jews, but king of all. The cross is not a defeat, it is a coronation.

Conclusion

The death of Jesus looks like defeat. It looks like the saddest day in human history. But it is not. It is actually the day on which the king of the universe was crowned in a most unexpected way, but in such a powerful and permanent way that we still live under the victory gained in that coronation. That is what Good Friday is all about.

How do we respond to it? In verse 32 the religious leaders suggested that if Jesus would come down from the cross, they would recognize that He was who He said and they would believe. They declared, “come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” They thought that if they would see the power of Jesus, they would believe, but it doesn’t work that way and so they walked away in unbelief.

            It doesn't work that way because Jesus invites seeing with eyes of faith. The right way to respond to Jesus is to believe. If we do that, then we will see. So it must always be. If we see the death of Jesus with human eyes, we will always miss the point. We will see crucifixion and death and ending. But if we look at the death of Jesus with eyes of faith, we will believe and understand that this truly was a coronation. We will recognize that through the cross Jesus took His place on the throne for all eternity. Seeing that, we will trust Him for salvation and worship Him as our eternal King.

Good News: The End of Religion

Mark 11:1-25

Introduction

A week or so ago, I was in a seminar with a group of pastors and we were asked to identify the characteristics of a certain religious group. We noted that they believed in God, were diligent students of the Word of God, tried hard to obey everything they learned from the Word of God, were faithful in attending worship services and were absolutely convinced that they were the faithful people of God. As we made the description, we agreed that it could easily describe us, but in fact the group we were identifying were the Pharisees - the Jewish religious leaders who wanted to kill Jesus. So what was wrong with them? II Timothy 3:5 may have the answer when it describes people in the last days as "holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power." The Pharisees gave the right impression, but when God Himself showed up, they did not recognize Him or honor Him. They were steeped in religion, but lacked knowledge of God and trust in God. Could that also be true of us?

We have been on a journey to Jerusalem in our study of Mark which began in the northern part of Galilee in Mark 8:27. Although two weeks ago we were already in Jerusalem and talked about the trials of Jesus and the disciples, this morning we will step back to the point on this journey at which Jesus first stepped into Jerusalem. If you look at 10:32 it says, “They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem.” Then in 10:46, we read that “They came to Jericho.” which is about 26 km east of Jerusalem and then in Mark 11:1, we read, “When they were approaching Jerusalem.” What happened when Jesus came into Jerusalem? In Mark 11:1-25 we read that the conflict with the religious leaders became more focused and their opposition intensified. Jesus, the one who had come from God came to the dwelling of God, but did not find a reception there. The coming of Jesus as King to the temple and His rejection at the temple was the occasion at which Jesus not only denounced what was happening in the temple, but also declared the end of religion. But this chapter also invites us to think about what takes the place of religion. It teaches us, reflecting on II Timothy 3:5, to hold to godliness and also to hold to its power.

I.      Jesus Came to His Temple

As Jesus entered into Jerusalem, together with many others who were coming for the festival, an event occurred which we have come to know as the Triumphal Entry and celebrate today as Palm Sunday. What was happening as Jesus entered into Jerusalem?

            As they approached Jerusalem from the East, from the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples to get a colt for him to use to ride into the city. It is clear that there was something very deliberate about this. Jesus had just walked almost 200km and it was certainly not because he was tired that he needed to ride the last few kilometers. The conversation about how the disciples were to acquire the colt is interesting in that Jesus predicted that they would have trouble getting permission from the owners, but that the phrase, “the Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly” would be enough to get permission.

            They got the colt and Jesus sat on it and as He entered the city, people threw their cloaks on the road and also threw branches from the field on the road in front of him and shouted the words from Psalm 118. This was one of the Psalms of approach which were often sung by pilgrims entering into Jerusalem as they came to the temple. This time as they sang this Psalm, however, there was special meaning to it. The Psalm speaks about the one who “comes in the name of the Lord” which speaks about the coming Messiah entering into the temple and this is exactly who Jesus was and what He was doing.

            In order to understand the importance of what was happening here, we need to remember several things.

            Jerusalem and the temple in it were significant places. At least since the time of Solomon, the temple in Jerusalem had been the place where God was present with His people. When Solomon built the temple, he dedicated it to the Lord and part of the dedication prayer included these words from1 Kings 8:29, "...that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place." Ever since that time God's people had directed their eyes towards the temple when they prayed, for God was present there. If they were a long way away from the temple, they would direct their eyes towards Jerusalem, which represented the temple and the presence of God. So, for example, when Daniel was far away in Babylon, we read in Daniel 6:10, "…Daniel…continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open toward Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God and praise him..."

            The temple in Jerusalem was the place where God was present. Now Jesus, who we know is the Son of God, was coming to the place where God lives. The singing of Psalm 118 at this point reinforces all of the significance of Jesus coming home. This was an occasion of powerful symbolism conveying a whole range of important meanings. The Psalm celebrates the coming of the one sent from God. Now Jesus, the one sent from God was coming to the place of God’s presence. It spoke of the entrance of God into human affairs to accomplish the promises God had made a long time ago. It celebrated the consummation of all the hopes of Israel, indeed all the hopes of mankind. It was the fulfillment of the prophecy in Malachi 3:1, where we read, "the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts." As Jesus rode into Jerusalem and came to the temple, all these promises were being fulfilled.

            The meaning is true and so powerful that we would expect a great celebration, a wonderful acknowledgement, a confident hope loudly proclaimed. Over the last few weeks as the Catholic Church has elected a new pope, we have seen many images of crowds welcoming the new pope and celebrating his appointment. But in Mark 11:11, contrary to what we should expect, we get something that is quite anti-climactic. Jesus entered the temple, looked around and left because it was already late. Where was the acknowledgment? Where was the celebration? It seems rather lame that Jesus came to the temple and looked around and left.

            It was a significant letdown, but not without significance. In Jeremiah 7:11 we read about a temple inspection by God. There it says, “You know, I too am watching, says the Lord.” As Jesus looked around, he was coming as God to make an inspection of God’s dwelling. What did his inspection reveal?

II.   The End of Religion

A.     Jesus Cursed Fruitlessness

Jesus and the disciples left the temple and spent the night in Bethany, but the next day He went to the temple again. On his way a rather unusual thing took place. The text says that He was hungry. He saw a fig tree and went to see if there was any fruit on it, but since it was about 2 months too early to find fruit, he did not find fruit and cursed the tree.

I don’t know about you, but that seems uncharacteristic. Jesus had been kind and gentle all along. In spite of all He was about to face, it seems hard to believe that he was getting edgy and that He cursed this tree in a fit of anger. The Expositors Bible Commentary points out that, “It is the only miracle of destruction attributed to Jesus in the Gospels.” What do we make of it?

One of the themes in Mark is the theme of hearing. Jesus told parables because they hid the truth from those whose hearts were not ready to hear and opened the truth to those who both heard and saw. The mention that the disciples “heard him say it” seems more than coincidental in the context and given the difficulty of interpreting this event, it therefore seems most likely that this was intended as an acted parable.

If we understand this event as a parable, what is the meaning of it? The image of a “fig tree” is used for Israel in the Old Testament. In Hosea 9:10 we read, “I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree." In that verse, Israel is described as a fruitful tree. But in Hosea 9:15, 16 we read, “Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their officials are rebels. Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit." In the context of the temple inspection which Jesus did at the end of the triumphal entry and in the context of what happens next, it is not difficult to understand that when Jesus cursed the fig tree, it was not the fig tree itself which he was judging, but rather that he was judging what was happening in the temple and what the religious leaders were doing.

B.    Jesus Cleansed the Temple

With the curse ringing in our ears, we follow Jesus into the temple. As He came into the temple he noticed three problems. One was that there were people who were buying and selling merchandise. Second, that there were people exchanging money and third, that there were people carrying merchandise through the temple. 

On the one hand, we could suggest that it wasn't as bad as it might seem. The business that was taking place was related to the work of the temple. People came from far away to offer sacrifices in the temple and needed to bring an unblemished sacrifice. The people who were buying and selling could provide what they needed. Instead of bringing their animal all the way from Galilee, or further, and risk damage to it, they could bring money and buy the needed sacrifice right where they needed it and assure themselves of an appropriate sacrifice. Furthermore, a half shekel tax was required annually from all those who were 20 years old and older. Since people came from many countries, they needed to get the right currency to pay this tax and the money changers could provide it, conveniently right there in the temple. The other thing was that the shortest distance to Jerusalem on the road down from the Mount of Olives, went right through this area of the temple. Many people coming into the city with all their goods found this the most convenient way to go.

It all seemed reasonable enough, but Jesus began to chase them out and turned over the tables of the money changers and prevented people from taking a short cut through the temple. Why was He so upset about what was happening?

As Jesus drove them out, He also taught them the meaning of his actions. In His teaching, He quoted Isaiah 56:7, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The problem was that with all the commotion going on, the atmosphere was not one in which worship could take place. It was to be a place of prayer, but prayer was impossible with all the activity.

In the other gospels the quote stops after the word “prayer,” but Mark completes the quote adding the words, “for all nations.” The area in which this was happening was the court of the Gentiles. This was the only place where Gentiles could come into the temple. By doing all these things in this area of the temple, they were excluding the Gentiles. God wanted the temple to be a place where people could meet Him and worship Him and He wanted this to happen for all nations. So the problem was that it had become a place where people from all nations could not meet God.

The other verse Jesus quoted was from Jeremiah 7:11, “you have made it a den of robbers.” A den of robbers is the place where robbers go to hide. In saying this, he was not necessarily suggesting that the money changers and the animal salesmen were cheating the people to whom they sold. It seems more likely that he was referring to the religious leaders who had robbed the people of a place of prayer and the Gentiles of a place of access to God. The temple had become a hideout for robbers and those robbers were the Jewish religious leaders. This is where the religious leaders could hide out in safety. They would claim, as Jeremiah 7:4 does, “the temple of the Lord,” implying that they were safe from all trouble because the temple was the place where God lived and therefore a place of safety. But Jesus calls it a den of robbers, saying that instead of leading people to God, they were stealing access to God from the people.

By cleansing the temple, Jesus did not make a complete change in the way the temple worked. Likely the next day things were back to the way they had been. Rather, Jesus was being prophetic. His action was to communicate God's judgment that this was not right. He was saying that although the functions of the temple were intact, the religious leaders had taken away any real opportunity for people to meet God. They had a well structured religion, but the power and presence of God were absent. This was not what God intended. It was, as the parable of the fig tree implied, all leaves and no fruit.

The religious leaders certainly realized that Jesus was speaking against them and attacking what they were doing, and they repeated their intention to put Jesus to death.

III. Jesus Pointed to the Way to God

Later in the day, Jesus left the city for the night, but the next morning they once again went into Jerusalem. On the way they travelled by the fig tree which Jesus had cursed the previous day and Peter remembered what Jesus had said and they all noticed that the fig tree was dead.

If we look at the dried up fig tree and the words of Jesus which follow as a method for getting what we want from God, as some do, it just doesn't fit the context logically. So instead, we need to understand these words in light of the acted parable and in light of the context of all that has just happened. Jesus came into Jerusalem and was proclaimed as the one whom God had sent. He came to the place where God lived among his people. As he looked around, he realized that the intent of the temple was not being carried out. As He demonstrated against the abuse of the temple and was rejected by the religious leaders, it became clear that God was not welcome in His own home and we realize why Jesus ended up on a cross. We could say that God was rejected in the place where people should meet God. This was a significant rejection. Instead of the temple being a place where one could meet God, the religious leaders had allowed it to deteriorate into a place where they could perpetuate their God dishonoring religious system - a religious system loaded with ritual but devoid of meaning. It had become a system of ceremony, with no opportunity to really worship or pray. It had become a religious system that took away opportunity to meet God from anyone who was not a Jew. The building was great. The positions were all filled. The ceremonies and sacrifices were happening every day, but the opportunity to meet God was gone. The fig tree was dried up.

What Jesus goes on to say in Mark 11:22-25 is therefore not so much a comment on how to have power to dry up fig trees, but a word about how to meet God. If the fig tree is dried up, how does one meet God? If the place where one is supposed to meet God is not a place to meet God any more, where can one go to meet God? If religion does not bring us to God, what will?

Later on, when Jesus was on trial, the phrase, “destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days” became one of the phrases which they tried to use as an accusation against Jesus. It is, in fact, an explanation of what happened in the temple on these days. With the cursing of the fig tree, the cleansing of the temple and the picture of the dried up fig tree, Jesus was teaching that the temple would not be the place to meet God any more. The warning of temple destruction was given and in less than 50 years the temple was actually destroyed. But the implications are even greater. Jesus was declaring the end of religion and pointing to a new way to God.

The new way to God is now through Jesus who is the new temple of God. Access to God is found in Him. It is in the victory and resurrection of Jesus that one can now meet God. It is in the life of the risen Jesus that we meet with God. How wonderful that today we live under that reality. The temple is gone and will be no more because Jesus has erected a different temple, the temple of His body and that is the place to meet with God. When Jesus came into the temple on the day of the triumphal entry, the ending was anti-climactic because He was not welcome there. The subsequent actions of Jesus show us that access to God is no longer ceremonial or geographical but relational. Geddert says, “A new temple not made with hands will become the true house of prayer for all nations.”

So now what? How do we meet God in this new temple? The answer to that question is found in the words of Jesus in this section where He mentions three things.

1.    Faith Instead of Formalism

Those who seek God now meet God by faith. Jesus said in verse 22, “Have faith in God.” Because of Jesus, we do not come to God by ritual or because everything is clearly understood. We come to God by faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."

Instead of meeting God through prescribed rituals or obedience to certain forms, we are invited to meet God through faith in Jesus.

2.    Asking Instead of Incantations

Those who seek to meet God will also meet him by asking, that is by prayer. The temple was supposed to be a house of prayer, but it was no longer that. However, prayer is still possible and seeking God is still possible. Now we go to God, "In Jesus name." If we want to know God and walk with Him and do His work, we need to come to Him in prayer.

Prayer, however, is not a magic incantation used to force God to do our will. In the Harry Potter movies, the characters use words as magic incantations to make things happen. Some people use prayer that way, but that is not the prayer which brings us to God. True prayer is offered in the context of a relationship with God and in the confidence that God is love and that He has all power.

3.    Forgiveness Instead of Acrimony

The third way to find God is through a restored relationship with those around us. Forgiveness is the path to God. If we are wronged, we must forgive others. Notice that the text does not say if someone asks forgiveness or if they are worthy of forgiveness. The only condition to forgiveness in this verse is that “if you hold anything against anyone.” Our being forgiven by God is conditional on our forgiving others, therefore, forgiveness is not an option. Sometimes in life, wherever we live it, we meet people with whom we do not agree or who are annoying or who hurt us. The answer to every one of those situations is that we need to forgive. The church is not perfect and sometimes we get tired of all the imperfections, but the solution is not to disappear and try to find a perfect church or just to meet with people we agree with. The solution is to live with an attitude of forgiveness.

What is the way to meet with God? It is to trust God, to seek God and to love others as we have been loved.

Conclusion

This text in Mark is an important point in the history of God’s work on earth. It indicates a significant shift in the way God meets with His people. Jesus' coming announced the end of religion and the beginning of a new relationship with God through Jesus.

Yet it sometimes seems that the church has restored all the trappings of religion. It seems that we have often ended up with something very similar to the attitudes and ways of doing things that were current among the Pharisees, priests and in the temple worship. Are we in danger of "holding to the form of godliness but denying its power?" If Jesus came and made an inspection tour of our church or of our heart, what would He find?

We need to consider carefully whether we have returned to religion without power or if we are truly living in the life and power of Jesus who is present with us. Remember, we serve the one who came as God's chosen, as King. He reigns in heaven at the right hand of God and is with us in power by His Spirit. Therefore, we have access to God through faith, through prayer and through right relationships. So the things to think about as we reflect on this passage are not only to rejoice at our access to God through Jesus, but also to make sure that ritualism and maintaining a system are not preventing us from having access to God. Therefore we need to ask, "Do we have faith in God? Do we pray? Are we forgiving others?"

May God help us to live the abundant life which is ours in Christ!

The Trials of Jesus and the Disciples

Mark 14:27 – 15:15

Introduction

Do you like tests? Some people enjoy tests and see them as a challenge and gladly take up the challenge. Other people fear tests and even if they know their stuff, they are afraid that they will forget what they have learned. Trials in life can be tests which reveal what is within us. If we have learned the lessons of life well, we can usually succeed in these trials. That is how it was with Jesus.

            We have been talking about Jesus' journey to the cross. We know that the Jewish leaders were plotting to kill Jesus. We know that Judas agreed to facilitate the arrest of Jesus. Arrest must be followed by a trial. Officials don’t just murder someone but must do things in a legal way, or at least appear to be legal. In Mark 14:27-15:15, we read about the trials of Jesus which bring us from Mark 14:21where we read, “For the Son of Man goes as it is written of Him…” to Mark 15:15 where we read that Pilate “handed him over to be crucified.” How did Jesus do in these trials?

While Jesus was on trial, however, the disciples were also on trial. How did they do? Interestingly, the trials of Jesus and the trials of the disciples are bound together in a very unusual way. If Jesus had failed in His trials, the disciples would have failed completely. If Jesus succeeded in His trials, even the failures of the disciples would not be the end. That is good news!

I.                The Trials of Jesus

A.              The Trial in His Soul

The first trial of Jesus is not his trial before the Jewish leaders or the Roman leader. The first trial which Jesus went through was the trial within his own soul.

After the time he had spent with his disciples at the meal in Jerusalem, he went out with his disciples to the garden of Gethsemane which is near the foot of the Mount of Olives. All the disciples were there except Judas, and Jesus took three of his disciples, Peter, James and John and went a little further and invited them to accompany Him while he prayed.

The language of Mark 14:33-36 reveals to us the great depth of horror which Jesus faced on His journey to the cross. When we read the announcements of his death which he had given to the disciples, they may perhaps seem somewhat “matter of fact.” He seemed to be simply and coolly saying, “This is what is going to happen” and we don’t sense that it was difficult. In Hebrews 12:2, we read “…who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross…” The emphasis in that passage seems to be focused on joy and victory and we are inclined to deemphasize that he endured the cross. But in Mark 14:33-36, we cannot escape how difficulty it was for Him to go to the cross.

First of all we read, “He…began to be distressed and agitated.” There was a powerful agony in the depth of his soul. In the next verse we sense the anguish when we hear Jesus say, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.(NIV)” It is hard to know what to say about such a thing, but we need to allow these expressions to speak for all they are worth. We see even more of his deep grief when we read in verse 35, “…he threw himself on the ground.” What is happening in your heart and mind when you are driven to throw yourself to the ground? This was crisis time for Jesus, it was a severe trial. We understand that when we read His prayer in which he asks, “Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me.” Jesus had agreed to leave heaven and come to earth. Jesus had lived as a human child, worked as a human man and now for three years He had proclaimed the kingdom of God. At this time all He had come to do was coming to a head. He was about to enter upon the final act, which would seal the victory planned from the beginning of time. The pressure was on and it was almost too much. Jesus was on trial in the depth of His soul. Would he go through with it? Would He be faithful? How would He come through this trial?

In the very next line we read, “Yet not what I want, but what you want.” Jesus succeeded in the trial within His soul when, in spite of the deep anguish, he agreed to follow the Father’s plan.

B.              The Arrest and Trial before the Sanhedrin

The second trial happened before the Jewish leaders.

After Jesus finished praying, we read that Judas came with a whole mob of people with swords and clubs to arrest Jesus. How horrible when we read that Judas identified Jesus with a kiss. The Greek word used for friendship love is “phileo” and the word for kiss which is used here is the same word. A kiss implies love and Judas used a sign of friendship love to betray Jesus. How awful!

Jesus highlighted the injustice of the arrest when he commented in verses 48, 49 that they could have arrested him any day. But he knew that they were looking for a sly way and this was it. He was arrested at night, in a secluded garden. He was arrested unjustly, as the Scriptures say.

Then they took Jesus to the house of the high priest and all those who wanted to get rid of him, who from Mark 3:6 on had plotted to kill him, gathered to find a “legal” way to justify their action. Jesus was on trial before the court of the Jewish leaders. What would the trial reveal?

They found some who were prepared to accuse him of saying that he would “…destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.” Jesus never said that. He never said that “he” would destroy the temple, rather He said “destroy this temple” meaning if others would destroy it. However, there was an element of truth to the accusation. He had said that if the temple was destroyed He would build another. When He said this He was pointing to the temple of His own body and implying that the physical temple would no longer be the place where God dwelt. He was stating that His body would be the manifestation of God’s presence. Yet as He was accused of these things, He never defended himself but remained silent.

Other false accusations were made but none of them were sufficient to find cause to put him to death. Finally the high priest asked him directly in Mark 14:61, 62, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” and Jesus replied "“I am; and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Now the whole Sanhedrin thought they had their cause to judge him worthy of death. In their eyes He had blasphemed.

In actual fact He had not. What Jesus said was not technically blasphemy because He did not claim to be God nor did He use God's name in vain. Furthermore, what Jesus said was actually true. He was the Christ, the Son of the Power. He would sit at the right hand of God and He would come on the clouds of heaven. But the Jewish leaders did not accept that. They understood what Jesus was saying, but did not accept it and so sentenced Him to death.

Did Jesus succeed in this trial or not? When he was sentenced as worthy of death by them, we might think that He did not succeed, but in fact He did. Jesus was successful in this trial because in it, His true identity was clearly explained. He succeeded because He died as God, which is exactly what God’s plan was. This was the divine necessity of which Jesus had spoken.

C.              The Trial before Pilate

Having achieved a verdict that Jesus was worthy of death, they brought Him to Pilate in order to achieve a sentence of death. But a strange thing happened in the next trial of Jesus. The accusation changed. The Jewish leaders had charged him with blasphemy. Now, before Pilate, they charged him with being the “king of the Jews.” Ironically, once again, they got it exactly right.

When confronted by this charge before Pilate, Jesus answered and the NIV translates his answer as, “Yes, it is as you say.” The Greek is not that clear. In Greek it simply says, “you say.” NRSV captures this well when it translates, “You say so.” We need to keep the answer Jesus gave as an evasive answer. Is Jesus king of the Jews? Most certainly He is. But what did Pilate understand about such a statement? It was what the Jewish leaders wanted him to understand. He would have thought that Jesus was king in the sense that he was a threat to Roman rule and would try to establish a kingdom on earth to rival the Roman Empire. Jesus had already revealed in the rest of Mark that His kingdom was a secret kingdom. It was a kingdom that comes in a completely different way. It was an eternal kingdom and although a threat to the Roman Empire and every other kingdom on earth, it was not a threat in the sense that Pilate and the Jewish leaders were thinking. Jesus' answer was evasive because He did not want to affirm a wrong understanding of what it meant that He was king of the Jews.

While this conversation was taking place, a crowd was gathering before the palace. Pilate lived in Caesarea, but had come to Jerusalem for the festival. It was a custom each year at the festival that he would grant release to a prisoner as a gesture of good will to the Jewish people. The crowd that was gathering was likely not a crowd that was there because of Jesus. They may not even have known much about Jesus. Rather, it was more likely a crowd of people who were strongly pro Jewish and sympathetic to rebellion against Rome. They had come early on the morning of the day on which they knew that Pilate would release a prisoner in order to get him to release the one they wanted. They already had someone in mind and were hoping for the release of Barabbas.

It is interesting to see the political maneuvering that was going on here. Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent and that the Jewish leaders had requested that He be sentenced because of envy. So Pilate thought that perhaps he could get this crowd, which did not know about all that the Jewish leaders were intending, to agree to the release of Jesus. The crowd, which had gathered, did not fully grasp what was going on. They had only one goal in mind – to get Barabbas released and so when the offer was made by Pilate, they were prompted by the Jewish leaders to reject it and stick with their original plan. They chose Barabbas not because they had anything against Jesus, but because they wanted Barabbas set free. Three men were supposed to be crucified that day – all three were criminals and rebels. But when the crowd chose Barabbas instead of Jesus, the three who were crucified were two rebels and one innocent man.

Once again we ask, “Was Jesus successful in his trial?” He was sentenced to be crucified and so we would think that He was not, but that would be to misunderstand what was happening.  Jesus was successful in his trial. He was successful because He died as an innocent man in place of one who was guilty. When Jesus took the place of Barabbas on the cross, we understand that the death of Jesus was substitutionary. He took not only the place of the guilty Barabbas, but also the place of each one of us. He died for us – the innocent in place of the guilty. Jesus succeeded in this trial because He died in our place for our sins.

II.             The Trials of the Disciples

But as I have said, the trial of Jesus was not the only trial that was going on that day. The disciples were also on trial.

A.              Warning!

Going back to the beginning of the text, we see how Jesus had the compassion to warn the disciples that they were not as ready for the trials they would face as they thought.

Jesus warned them, “You will all fall away.” Falling away had been predicted in Zech 13:7 and Jesus reminded them of that.

But they were pretty sure that they would not fall away. They had seen all that Jesus had done. Perhaps they were beginning to get it. Jesus had demonstrated his power by healing and feeding the people. When they were in the boat, terrified by the wind and the waves, they had seen him still the water. At that time they were frightened, but with all they had experienced, perhaps they were beginning to understand that Jesus could do anything. Perhaps they believed that nothing bad would happen to Jesus because He would triumph in His great power. Every time Jesus had told them that He would be rejected and killed, they had denied such a possibility. So now again, they were very bold and confirmed that they would stand firm. Peter was the most vocal of all. He almost seemed to say that even though it was likely that others would fall, he would not. But Jesus warned him that not only would he fall, but he would be the most vocal in his fall. He would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crowed twice.

When they arrived at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus took three disciples and gave them a special opportunity to accompany Him on His terrible journey. He asked them to be with Him as He agonized before the Father in His trial of the soul. But He also warned them. He told them in Mark 14:38, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.(NIV)” He knew the trial that was about to come to them and He gave them the only possible strategy for victory in the coming trial. He encouraged them to watch and pray and so pointed the way for them to succeed in their trial.

B.              The Failure of All

When Jesus was arrested, the trial of the disciples began. They had been warned and they had been given the means of victory, but now the trial came. How did they do?

1.              All Desert

The disciples had been bold because they believed in the power of Jesus and in the victory He had come to bring. But when the hour of trial came, when Jesus was arrested, their courage disappeared and they became afraid that perhaps the power of Jesus was not enough to overcome this danger.

The text tells us “All of them deserted him and fled.” A disciple is one who follows Jesus. At this moment they failed in their obligation as disciples and deserted Him. Judas had already fallen when he chose to betray Jesus. He was the first to desert Jesus, but now another ten also left.

2.              The Young Man Flees

Next we read about a young man who fled away naked. Why, at such a serious time when the most horrible thing in the universe was happening, would Mark talk about a young man running away naked. There have been many suggestions, but the most acceptable and also the oldest explanation is that the young man who fled was Mark himself.

Why would he talk about something that must have been a painful memory? Probably the best explanation is that he was identifying with all the rest and, in fact, letting us all know, “I ran away too.” He acknowledges his failure together with all the rest.

3.              Peter Denies

Eleven have fallen. Judas betrayed Jesus. Ten abandoned Jesus, but Peter was still in the picture. We read in Mark 14:54 that “Peter followed Him at a distance.” Inside the high priests house the trial of Jesus was going on. In the courtyard outside, the trial of Peter began.

Three times he was given the test question and asked if he was connected with Jesus. The first time he denied knowing Jesus. Then the rooster crowed. I wonder if the crow of the rooster gave Peter pause to think about his denial and about what Jesus had said? It didn’t help though because both the second and the third times, when he was asked if he knew Jesus, he denied it. The third time he actually began to swear and call down curses upon himself to strongly affirm that he did not know Jesus. Then the rooster crowed again and this time Peter remembered and broke down and wept.

All deserted Jesus. All fell away from Him. The disciples failed miserably in their trials. Jesus had warned them that these trials were coming and that they should watch and pray. But they did not prepare. Three times Peter slept and then, three times he denied Jesus. Because they did not prepare, as they had been warned, they failed.

III.           The Promise of Hope

We identify with the disciples. We also fail. When we have an opportunity to make Jesus known, we are silent. When we have a chance to trust Jesus to see us through a crisis, we worry. When we are wronged and have an opportunity to follow the Jesus way, we indulge in self pity. In spite of the fact that we are called to be holy as He is holy, we walk in impurity. Is there any hope in this long history of failure which each of us as disciples shares?

Hope comes not because we have succeeded, because the truth is we have not. Hope comes because Jesus succeeded.

Already in Mark 14:28 Jesus offered the disciples hope beyond failure. After telling them that they would all fall away he said to them, “But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

Jesus succeeded in all of his trials and because He did, His death became the atonement for our sin. Because He succeeded, God raised Him from the dead and received Him. Because He succeeded, the offer of restoration for the failure of His disciples is now gladly extended.

The mention of Galilee is important. After the resurrection, this same invitation was given again in Mark 16:7 and it included a special invitation to Peter. Galilee was the starting point of the ministry of Jesus. It was also the starting point of the discipleship journey for those who followed Jesus. When Jesus said that they would all return to Galilee, He was inviting them to return to the starting point. He was indicating that forgiveness and renewal were possible.

This was why the young man who fled naked, Mark, could speak of this embarrassing moment. He knew that he had been restored and included the incident to say that even though he had failed, he had also been restored. But it is not only a testimony of his experience. It is also included so that all of us who have failed can know that restoration is possible. Even though all the disciples had failed in their discipleship journey, Jesus had not failed and so opened up the way to find restoration and to begin the journey again. And so we are invited to follow the one who was successful.

Conclusion

            Jesus was successful in the most profound trials of His life. Because He was, He accomplished God's purposes. Our trials continue. Sometimes they are very difficult and sometimes we don't do very well in our trials. However, because Jesus was successful in His trials, there is a tremendous promise. Jesus succeeded because He died on the cross and, because He did, our deepest sins, our most awful failures can be forgiven. Because Jesus passed His trials, it is possible for us to go to Him, find forgiveness and begin again. The good news is that our Savior's victory assures renewal.

            If you are suffering because of failure – failure to be obedient, failure to be faithful, failure to love, failure to live in holiness - I invite you to go to Jesus, find forgiveness and begin again.