I. Introduction Jesus Prediction January 8, 2017 Mark 14:26-31 Don t get me wrong, I like the holidays Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year s, and the days in between, but, isn t it nice getting back to normal whatever that may mean in your life? For most of us all of the holiday stuff is packed away for another year except for a few things which seem to have gone into hiding until you thought you were done. Like here at Tabernacle with the tree and all the Advent decorations are put away things just seem calmer as we get back into our daily routines. With the thought of getting back into the routine, I d like to pick up our study of the Gospel of Mark which, for those of you who are counting, we started a year ago January 10, to be specific. Since it has been a while, it seems appropriate that we do a quick review before we look at today s Scripture. II. Review A. Author and Source First, the author and source of information like the other Gospels, the second Gospel does not include the name of its author. However, the early church named John Mark as the author of this Gospel. An early church leader by the name of Paphias wrote in AD 140, Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatsoever he remembered. The conclusion from this along with the rest of Paphias writings, as well as others of his time, is that the Gospel of Mark largely consists of the accounts of the Apostle Peter which were collected, arranged, and shaped by Mark. The author was John Mark, the source of information was Simon Peter, and then there is the purpose. B. Purpose In the first verse in Mark 1:1, Mark gave his purpose for writing: to tell the gospel, i.e., the good news, about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. A key verse is Mark 10:45: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. This is Mark s theme: Jesus is God s Servant. As we have seen in our studies, the emphasis in the Gospel of Mark is on activity. Mark moves quickly through much of Christ s ministry, using the words like immediately and at once more than the other three gospel writers combined. Mark described Jesus as He busily moved from place to place and met the physical and spiritual needs of all kinds of people. Mark often left out the lengthy discourses found in the other gospels, like the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew which takes 3 1
chapters and gave only short excerpts instead. Mark s emphasis was on what Jesus did rather than what Jesus said, so Mark recorded 18 of Jesus 35 miracles but only 9 of Jesus 40 parables. C. The Recipients and Date Finally, there are the recipients and the date of writing. Mark was written for the Gentile believers. For this reason, Mark explained Jewish customs (7:2-4; 15:42), he translated Aramaic terms (3:17; 5:41, 34; 14:36), and he omitted certain things of particular interest to Jewish readers like Jesus genealogical records. Mark also calculated time according to the Roman system (6:48; 13:35) and used Latin expressions in place of their Greek equivalents (5:9; 6:27; 12:15, 42; 15:16, 39). Although Peter was killed under Nero c. AD 67 68, there is no reason that Peter s death had to be after or before the writing of the Gospel of Mark. However, Jesus statement in Mark 13:2 about the Temple seems to imply that Mark s Gospel was written before the Temple was destroyed for this reason, evangelical scholars generally place the date of writing before AD 70. Since Peter was in Rome during the last days of his life and was martyred there and since Mark was closely associated with Peter and with Paul who had also been in Rome, it is assumed that Mark wrote from there. With that behind us, let s look at today s Scripture and Jesus Prediction. III. Jesus Prediction On Thursday evening (we call it Maundy Thursday ), Jesus and His disciples celebrated both the last Passover Supper and the first Communion in the upper room in Jerusalem (Mark 14:12-26). The Passover meal probably lasted 5 to 6 hours, from after sunset (around 6 pm) to not long before midnight. According to Mark 14:26, Jesus and the eleven left the upper room after finishing the Passover and walked toward the Mount of Olives. This was the place where, just over 24 hours earlier, Jesus had instructed His disciples about the glories of His second coming. Now, around midnight on Friday morning, He went to face the excruciating agony of His imminent crucifixion. Once they had left Jerusalem through the eastern gate, they would have crossed the Kidron Valley, crossing the brook at the bottom that was still flowing with water from the late winter rains. During the Passover, the water in the brook was reddish from the blood of the lambs slain at the temple. Undoubtedly, this reminded Jesus of the ultimate sacrifice that He would soon be making. Before they reached their destination at the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus made His prediction: You will all fall away. Because He possessed divine knowledge of the future Jesus had already prophesied His death and resurrection four times in Mark (Mark 8:31; 9:9, 31; 10:34), He had foreseen His betrayal by Judas (Mark 14:18), and now He prophesied the scattering of the other disciples. The Greek word translated 2
fall away is σκανδαλίζω from which the English world scandalized is derived. This same word appears in the parable of the soils in Mark 4 turn to Mark 4:13-20. When persecution arises because of the Word, those who are like seed sown on rocky soil are scandalized and fall away. In a similar manner, Jesus predicted that all of the disciples were going to be like seed on rocky soil, and Peter would have the rockiest time of all. Jesus quoted Zechariah 13:7 Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered to back up His warning. Their desertion had been foretold by the prophet Zechariah hundreds of years earlier. Jesus knew that He would be struck down while they scattered in fear. Looking beyond the cross to His resurrection, the Lord assured them that their scattering would not be permanent. Though they would all abandon Him, He would gather them again. As He told them, But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. This was the same thing that the angels told the women following Jesus resurrection; it was in Galilee that Jesus gave the Apostles the Great Commission turn to Matthew 28:5-7, 16-21. Earlier in Mark 8:31-33, Peter had protested Jesus announcement that the Son of Man must be killed and after 3 days rise again. Now, in spite of Jesus clear prediction that all will fall away, Peter proudly said, Even if all fall away, I will not. In his overconfidence and pride, Peter insisted that his courage would never fail. He boasted that he would prove himself more trustworthy than the rest, who, he implied, probably will fall away. Earlier that same night while they were still in the upper room, Jesus had already issued a similar warning to Peter turn to Luke 22:31-34. Now, mere hours later, as they walked toward the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter s stubborn pride again/still refused to acknowledge the possibility of any weakness. In response to Peter s overconfidence, Jesus again told him, Truly I tell you, today-- yes, tonight-- before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times. Of the four gospel writers, Mark is the only one that explained that the rooster would crow twice. The crowing of the rooster may refer to an actual rooster crowing just before dawn or it could represent the 3 rd watch of the night for the Roman soldiers which ended at 3 am. Either way, since it was around midnight when Jesus said these words to Peter, in just a short time, before the sun arose on Friday morning, Peter would deny the Lord 3 times, exactly as Jesus foretold (Mark 14:66-72). Refusing to accept Jesus warning, Peter insisted emphatically, Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you. Peter s proclamation of His loyalty to Jesus may have been noble, but his unwillingness to listen to Jesus admonition was not. This self-assured disciple was blinded by his pride and overconfidence. Once again he found himself arguing disagreeing with the Messiah with 3
God Himself. He would soon be the poster child for the words of Proverbs 16:18, Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Without a doubt, Peter was the most outspoken member of the disciples, but he wasn t alone in his boastful protest. In overconfidence, all the others said the same. But in the end, they all failed. But, as we have already seen, after His resurrection, Jesus would graciously restore Peter and the others to Himself and commission them for full-time ministry and missionary work (John 21:15-17; Acts 1:8). IV. Conclusion The disciples may have missed the reason Jesus had quoted Zechariah, Jesus may have been telling the disciples what to do when the Jews arrested Him they were to scatter. In fact at the very time of His arrest, Jesus told those sent to arrest Him in John 18:8, I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go. In other words Jesus was saying, Men, get out of here. Had they listened and obeyed, Peter would not have attacked a man with his sword or denied the Lord three times. But like we sometimes do, they misunderstood what the Lord said and went a different way. Because of the direction that Peter and the disciples took, we learn a different lesson: disciples cannot stand in their own strength. In their own strength, the disciples fled at Jesus arrest. Peter denied knowing Jesus to a mere servant girl and then to others gathered in the courtyard of the high priest. John 20:19 records that On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you! In their own strength, they seemed to be afraid of their own shadows. But something happened to them, turn to Acts 2:1-4, 14, 36-41. This wasn t the same man who denied Jesus in the courtyard, these aren t the same men who hid behind locked doors. They were changed the Holy Spirit had filled them and given them power. Paul summarized it this way in Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. The same Holy Spirit that changed the proud, boastful but cowardly Peter and the other 10 disciples can change each person here as well. Turn to Romans 8:9-11. In 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Paul wrote, Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. If Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, then you have the Holy Spirit living within you. But there is something every Christian needs to do, if they are to experience the power of God in their lives. In Ephesians 5:18 we read, Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Actually the last part should be translated as, continually be filled with the Spirit. 4
Roman 12:1-2 put it this way, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will. As we begin a new year, I would challenge you to daily allow the Holy Spirit to fill you and use you for His purpose. Set aside time to meet with God daily to pray and to read His Word maybe by using some devotional like the Daily Bread or a Read through the Bible in One Year program there are several on the internet there are even a few copies of Reading Through the Bible in One Year programs on a table in the foyer. Be continually filled with the Spirit and see what God will do in your life. 5