Skip HeitzigSkip Heitzig

Skip's Teachings > 41 Mark - 2013 > Mark 14:26-72

Message:

BUY: Buy CD
Player will resume where you were momentarily. Please wait...

Cancel
Loading player...
Enter your Email Address:

or cancel

Mark 14:26-72
Skip Heitzig

Mark 14 (NKJV™)
26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.'
28 "But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."
29 Peter said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be."
30 Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."
31 But he spoke more vehemently, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all said likewise.
32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed.
34 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch."
35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.
36 And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."
37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?
38 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words.
40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.
41 Then He came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 "Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."
43 And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely."
45 As soon as He had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, "Rabbi, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.
46 Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him.
47 And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?
49 "I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled."
50 Then they all forsook Him and fled.
51 Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him,
52 and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.
54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
55 Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.
56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.
57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying,
58 "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.'"
59 But not even then did their testimony agree.
60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"
61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"
62 Jesus said, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?
64 "You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.
65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!" And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.
66 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."
68 But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying." And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.
69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."
70 But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."
71 Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"
72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And when he thought about it, he wept.

New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

Previous | Next Cookies must be enabled to support these options.
41 Mark - 2013

In Mark 14, we see Jesus preparing for His death on the cross, His trial before the Sanhedrin, and Peter's denial. As we study these moments, we understand the need for believers to be engaged in spiritual battle through prayer, Bible study, and being in the Lord's presence. We are also encouraged through Peter's life that even when we fail, God's grace covers us.

Jesus Christ--fully man, fully God. As we consider the gospel of Mark, we gain a greater understanding of the suffering Servant and His human emotions, His service, and His sacrifice.

FREE - Download Entire Series (MP3) (Help) | Buy series | Buy audiobook

Study Guide

    Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Show expand

Mark 14

PREVIEW: In Mark 14, the religious leaders plot to kill Jesus, Mary anoints Jesus, Judas betrays Jesus, the Passover is prepared and celebrated, the Lord’s Supper is instituted, Peter denies Jesus, and Jesus is tried before the Sanhedrin.

Leaders Plot to Kill Jesus - Read Mark 14:1-2

1. The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread—both to remember Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt—were happening. What were the chief priests and the scribes planning during this time (v. 1)?


2. Matthew records that the chief priests and the scribes were making these plans in the palace of the high priest (see Matthew 26:3–5). Who was the high priest? What was their concern about the timing of their plans (v. 2)?


Mary Anoints Jesus - Read Mark 14:3-9

3. Jesus often stayed in Bethany at the house of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Whose house was Jesus at? What was unusual about where He was (v. 3)?


4. Who came in to anoint Jesus? What was she using to anoint Him (v. 3)? (See also John 11:2.)



5. When we see this woman in Scripture, where is she most often physically located? (See Luke 10:39 and John 11:2, 32.)



6. What did the woman do for Jesus? What did it cost her (v. 3-5)? (See also John 11:2, 12:3.)



7. When the disciples saw what the woman did, what was their attitude and reaction (v. 4)? Which disciple reacted that way? (See John 12:4.) Why (v. 5)? (See also John 12:6.)



8. What was this disciple’s estimation of the extravagant expression of anointing by this woman (v. 4)?


9. The Greek word translated waste, describing this disciple’s estimation of the anointing, literally means perdition. Jesus used the same word to describe whom? (See John 17:12.)



10. How did the disciples respond to this woman's anointing of Jesus (v. 5)?


11. Jesus defended this woman’s actions (v. 6) and explained why her actions were performed. What was the reason for her lavish demonstration (vv. 6-9)?


12. What did Jesus say would be told as a memorial to the woman who anointed Him (v. 9)?


Judas Plans to Betray Jesus - Read Mark 14:10-11

13. With whom did Judas Iscariot make a deal? Why (vv. 10-11)? (See also Matthew 26:14-15.)



14. Those with whom Judas arranged a deal promised to give him money (v.11). How much did they agree to give him (see Matthew 26:15)? Why do you think they offered that amount? (See Exodus 21:32 and Zechariah 11:12-13.)


15. After Judas arranged the deal, what was he on the lookout for (v. 11)? When did Judas want to complete his end of the deal? (See Luke 22:6.) Why at that time (v. 2)?



16. Why do you think Judas made this deal to betray Jesus? (See Luke 22:3 and John 11:57, 13:2, 27, 17:12.)


The Passover is Prepared - Read Mark 14:12-16

17. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a seven-day event. On the first day of the feast, what did the disciples ask Jesus (v. 12)?


18. Jesus instructed His disciples to go into the city to a certain man. How would they know which man (v. 13)? What was unusual about that man?


19. What were the disciples instructed to tell the master of the house where the certain man went in (vv. 14-15)? (See also Matthew 26:18.)



The Passover is Celebrated - Read Mark 14:17-21

20. In the evening, Jesus and His twelve disciples came to the house (v. 17) and sat down to celebrate the Passover (v. 18). What announcement did Jesus make while they were eating (v. 18)?


21. How did the disciples react to His announcement (v. 19)? (See also Matthew 26:22.)


22. Jesus told His disciples who the announcement referred to (v. 20). (See also Psalm 41:9.) Who was Jesus referring to? What did He pronounce upon that person (v. 21)?


23. Look carefully at how eleven of the disciples referred to Jesus when they asked, “Is it I?” (v. 19, Matthew 26:22). How did the person Jesus pronounced a woe upon refer to Him? (See Matthew 26:25 and 1 Corinthians 12:3.)


The Lord’s Supper is Instituted - Read Mark 14:22-25

24. While Jesus and His disciples were eating the Passover feast, He took bread and gave it a special meaning. What meaning did He assign to it (v. 22)? (See also 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:23-29.)


25. Jesus also assigned a special meaning to the cup of wine. What did He have the disciples do with the cup of wine (v.23)? What meaning did He assign to it (v. 24)? (See also 1 Corinthians 10:16.)


26. We often refer to the Lord’s Supper as Communion. When and why should we celebrate Communion? (See 1 Corinthians 11:23–26.)


Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial - Read Mark 14:26-31


27. After the Passover meal, Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn, possibly one of the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118). Where did they go after eating the Passover meal(v. 26)?


28. Jesus quoted Zechariah 13:7 as a prophecy that would be fulfilled through the disciples. What did Jesus say the disciples would do (v. 27)?


29. Jesus looked beyond the coming crucifixion and told the disciples what would happen and where He would meet them. What did He say (v. 28)? (See also Matthew 28:7, 10, and 16-17.)


30. After hearing Jesus quote the prophecy, what did Peter confess (vv. 29, 31)?


31. How did Jesus respond to Peter’s confession (v. 30)?


32. What did all the disciples likewise confess (v. 35)?


Jesus Prays in Gethsemane - Read Mark 14:32-42


33. Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives, where Jesus went to pray (v. 32). Who did Jesus take with Him to pray? How did He feel (v. 33)? What did Jesus ask them to do while He prayed (v. 34)?


34. What did Jesus do before praying to the Father (v. 35)? What request did He make of the Father (v. 36)? (See also Hebrews 5:7.)


35. When Jesus returned from praying, what were the disciples doing? What did He ask them to do? What warning did He give them (vv. 37-38)?


36. Jesus went off to pray a second time. What was His second prayer (v. 39)? (See also Matthew 26:42.)


37. What were the disciples doing the second time Jesus returned to them (v. 40)? What did Jesus do this time (see Matthew 26:43-44)?


38. The third time Jesus returned to His disciples, what did He tell them that would cause them to awake (v. 41-42)?


Judas Betrays Jesus - Read Mark 14:43-52

39. While Jesus was waking His disciples, who arrived on the scene? What did he bring with him (v. 43)?


40. The phrase His betrayer is used of whom (v. 44)? What pre-arranged signal was the indication of the betrayal (v. 44)? (See also Proverbs 27:6.)


41. While Jesus was being betrayed, how did He refer to His own betrayer (see Matthew 26:50)? (See also Psalm 41:9, 55:13 and Zechariah 13:6.)



42. One of Jesus’ disciples drew his sword (v. 47). Who was it? What did he do with it? Who was affected? (See John 18:10.)



43. What did Jesus do to correct what His disciple did with the drawn sword? (See Luke 22:50-51.)



44. Jesus referred to the Scriptures that must be fulfilled (v. 49). What do those Scriptures say? (See Isaiah 50:6, 53:2–11, Luke 24:25–27, 44–46, and Acts 17:3, 26:23.)




45. When Jesus was betrayed, what did the disciples do (v. 50)? (See also Zechariah 13:7.)



46. Mark alone mentions a young man who followed Jesus the night of His betrayal in the garden of Gethsemane (vv. 51-52). Why might Mark have mentioned this?



The Sanhedrin Tries Jesus - Read Mark 14:53-65


47. When Jesus was in the hands of His betrayers, where did they take Him? Who was there? Who followed at a distance (vv. 53-54)? (See also John 18:15-16.)


48. What did the chief priests, the elders, and all the council seek to find against Jesus (v. 55)? Why did they seek this? Did they find it (v. 56)?


49. Some rose and bore false witness against Jesus. What did they testify that they heard Jesus say (vv. 58-59)? Did Jesus ever say those things? (See Matthew 27:40, Mark 15:29, John 2:19-21, and Acts 6:14.)


50. Caiaphas, the high priest from AD 18 to 36 and son–in–law to Annas (John 18:13), arose and asked Jesus, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” (v. 60). But Jesus kept silent (v. 61). Why did Jesus keep silent when being accused? (See Isaiah 53:7.)

51. Caiaphas put Jesus “under oath by the living God” (see Matthew 26:63). What did he tell Jesus to answer under oath (v. 61)?


52. How did Jesus answer Caiaphas (v. 62)? How did Caiaphas respond to Jesus (vv. 63-64)?


53. Based upon Jesus’ response to Caiaphas, what did the chief priests, the elders, and all the council determine (v. 64)? What did they do to Jesus once they determined this (v. 65)?


Peter Denies Jesus - Read Mark 14:66-72


54. Peter was sitting below in the courtyard of the high priest’s palace. What was he doing there (see Luke 22:55)? Who approached Peter, (v. 66)? What did this person accuse him of (v. 67)? (See also Luke 22:56.)


55. How did Peter respond to the accusation (v. 68)?


56. Peter left his accuser in the courtyard and went out to the porch near the gateway (v. 68). Who did he see there? what did they accuse him of (v. 69)? (See also Matthew 26:71.)


57. How did Peter respond to that second accusation (v. 70)? How was it different from his first response? (See Matthew 26:72.)


58. About an hour later (Luke 22:59), Peter received a third accusation. How was that accusation different from the first two (v. 70)? Who made the third accusation (John 18:26)?



59. How did Peter respond to his third accusation (v. 71)? How was it different from his first two responses?


60. What happened immediately after Peter denied knowing Jesus the third time (v. 72)? What did Peter remember (v. 72)? What was Peter’s response to what he had done and what he had remembered?


Detailed Notes

    Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Show expand

  1. Introduction
    1. "You can't stop the birds from flying around your head; but you can stop them from building a nest in your hair" —Martin Luther
    2. "The devil comes to us in our hour of darkness, but you don't have to let him in" —Jewish proverb
    3. Darkness looms over this entire setting—physical and spiritual
      1. It was night
      2. Satan is very involved
      3. Judas is very in tune with Satan
    4. The sovereign will of God is being done despite the darkness
    5. Jesus was tempted by the devil at the beginning of His ministry (see Luke 4)
      1. Satan left Him for a more opportune time
      2. Several months later at Caesarea Philippi, when Peter rebuked Jesus (see Matthew 15:13-23)
      3. In the Garden of Gethsemane (see Luke 22:47-53)
    6. The Garden of Gethsemane
      1. One of Jesus' favorite spots
      2. Has become one of Skip's favorite spots on the face of the earth
  2. Jesus and the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane
    1. They traveled to the Garden of Gethsemane over the Brook Kidron which most probably was flowing with the blood of sacrificial Passover lambs
      1. It was a part of the Mount of Olives
      2. It's after the Last Supper, after the Passover
    2. Why a garden?
      1. Emblematic
      2. Human history began in a garden
      3. Human sin began in a garden
      4. Human history will culminate in the garden city of the New Jerusalem (see Revelation 22)
      5. In the Garden of Eden, Adam was overcome by sin
      6. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus Christ overcame sin
      7. Jesus Christ, the last Adam, presented Himself to the Father (see 1 Corinthians 15)
    3. The sheep will scatter (see Zechariah 13)
      1. Peter said the he wouldn't stumble: self confidence
      2. Peter was a leader and he was vocal
    4. When they got to the garden, Jesus told them to "sit here"
      1. It's hard for us to sit with Jesus
      2. We're good at doing things for Him
      3. Make time in your day to sit with the Lord and just sit with Him and love Him
    5. Today, next to Gethsemane, is the Church of All Nations
    6. Gethsemane means press olives as in the manufacture of olive oil
      1. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is given the emblem of oil
      2. Jesus promised that He would send the Holy Spirit
      3. Before the oil flows, the olive has to be crushed
      4. That's when the value comes
      5. "Jesus was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed" (Isaiah 53:5)
      6. He knew no sin (see 2 Corinthians 5:21)
    7. Jesus was distressed
      1. He took Peter, James, and John—the inner circle
      2. Two other occasions He took just this inner circle
        1. When He raised Jairus' daughter from the dead (see Mark 5:21-43)
        2. On the Mount of Transfiguration (see Matthew 17)
        3. Something all these instances have in common: death
          1. Jesus had victory over death
          2. Jesus glorified through death
          3. Jesus presented Himself for death
      3. Jesus prayed
        1. Abba—an intimate term for father—daddy
        2. Jesus, the Son of God, did not name it and claim it; His method was request and rest
        3. How could Jesus submit to the Father? He knew the nature of God—He's good, He's sovereignly in control, He's involved
      4. Jesus found the disciples sleeping
        1. Is an hour of prayer easy?
        2. When reading the Bible, is it easy?
        3. Perhaps Satan knows that prayer is powerful and study is profitable
          1. When you pray, pray aloud
          2. Walk and pray, "Come on Lord, let's take a walk"
        4. While the disciples were sleeping, the enemies of Christ were plotting—there's a principle here (see Daniel 10 and Ephesians 6:12)
        5. You pull out the big guns when you pray—it's like bringing a gun to a knife fight
    8. The betrayer was at hand
      1. Jesus was resolved—He was able to rise up because He had knelt down
      2. Judas came with a cohort—200-600 men (see John 18:3)
      3. Judas didn't really know Jesus
      4. Judas kisses Jesus to identify Him: "The kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:6)
      5. The name Judas means praise, Jesus called him poison—he defiled anything and everything around him
        1. The church
        2. The disciples
        3. The gift of the woman poured out
        4. A prayer meeting in the Garden of Gethsemane
    9. Peter cuts off an ear
      1. How many people have you cut up with the sword of the Spirit?
      2. Jesus didn't need Peter's protection
    10. A young man flees naked
      1. Weird
      2. It's believed that this is Mark
      3. Possibility: large upper room in someone's house—perhaps Mary's house, the mother of John Mark
    11. Jesus was led away and tried
      1. There were six trials that Jesus faced before He went to the cross
        1. Before Annas, the high priest
        2. Before Caiaphas, his son-in-law
        3. Before the Sanhedrin
        4. Before Pilate
        5. Before Herod Antipas
        6. Before Pilate
      2. Peter followed at a distance
        1. Physically and spiritually
        2. Some of you may be following Jesus at a distance
        3. You used to have front-row enthusiasm
        4. Peter warmed himself at the enemies' fire
      3. False witnesses accused Jesus
      4. Jesus claimed to be God; "I am"
      5. Peter denied Jesus
        1. Your speech betrays who you are
        2. Put anyone in a fiery trial and the real them will come out
        3. "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21)
        4. With each denial, Peter became stronger
        5. He was so disappointed in himself
        6. Was Jesus disappointed in Peter? No, Jesus knew
  3. Closing—the three stages of Peter
    1. At the fire, warming himself
    2. Under fire
    3. On fire, restored and useable that he never thought imaginable

Greek Terms: Ἀββᾶ; Abba, Father; σπεῖρα; speira, a cohort, the tenth part of a legion; a military guard

Figures referenced: Martin Luther

Cross references: Job 1:21, Proverbs 27:6, Isaiah 53:5, Daniel 10, Zechariah 13, Matthew 15:13-23, Matthew 17, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 4, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:3, 1 Corinthians 15, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 6:12, Revelation 22

Transcript

Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Show expand

Introduction: Welcome to Expound our weekly worship and verse by verse study of the Bible. Our goal is to expand your knowledge of the truth of God as we explore the Word of God in a way that is interactive, enjoyable, and congregational.

Skip Heitzig: Turn in your Bibles to Mark, chapter 14. Speaking of the whole counsel of God, welcome to Expound where we explore and expound God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times. And I believe that no church can claim to equip their congregation with the whole counsel of God unless this kind of teaching takes place, where you actually as a congregation go through all of the Bible, so we do that.

And that's why Wednesday night of all of the meetings of the weekly palette, this is my favorite. This is the heartbeat of it all. So, we saw last week that Mark 14 is a rather lengthy chapter. There are seventy-two verses, and we did about half. So, we'll pray and we'll get started.

Father, anybody can say things to you, or sing things to you, and feel really good, and call that worship. But it just seems that the truest form of worship is when we are willing to subject ourselves to what you have to say when you speak to us, and we are willing to submit ourselves to the hearing of your voice, your truth, your Word. And then the walk away from that and say, "By God's grace, that's going to become a part of my life."

And so, Father, we continue our worship. Worship was so great, and we felt by those words and the music ushered into your very presence. But now, Father, in your presence we pray that your Holy Spirit would take these words written by Mark, testimony about Jesus Christ, and bring us to an understanding and a maturity, in Jesus' name, amen.

It was Martin Luther who once said, "You can't stop the birds from flying around your head, but you can certainly stop them from building a nest in your hair." [laughter] But there's a Jewish proverb that's sort of like that, that is more applicable to what we're about to read. The Jewish proverb says, "The devil comes to us in our hour of darkness, but you don't have to let him in." Now I begin with that because the scene that we're about to read is a scene of darkness.

Darkness looms over this entire setting physically as well as spiritually. It is nighttime, and nighttime the night accentuates the spiritual darkness that is going on. Satan is very involved in this night. Judas is very in tune with the will of Satan. All the while the will of God, the sovereign will of God is being done despite all of that.

You may recall that when Jesus was tempted by the devil out in the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry, Luke, chapter 4, spells it out so beautifully, saying that, "When Satan had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time." It's a key phrase. Satan said, "I'm done here, but I'll be back." He waited for the right time, the right moment, an opportune time for him to come back and introduce and interject himself into the life of Christ.

Question is: What was the opportune time? Well, one time was several months later when Jesus was up at Caesarea Philippi with his disciples, and said, "Who do men say that I am? Who do you say that I am?" We've been through that story. And after that whole identification, Jesus then announced that he would be going to Jerusalem, that the plan of the Father was that he himself be delivered into the hands of the chief priests, be killed. He would die, but he would rise again on the third day.

Peter began to rebuke Jesus, "Never, never! We're never going let this happen to you, Lord. Far be it from you, Lord." And if you recall, Jesus gave him a response that must have taken Peter's breath away. "Get behind me, Satan!" "Whoa, you just said, 'Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah.' Dude, what's up with the 'Get behind me, Satan!'?" Because Peter in saying what he said was voicing the will of Satan. Satan in his theology never has place for the cross.

So, when he tempted Jesus on that mountain at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, he tried to persuade Jesus, "You don't have to go the way of the cross. You don't have to go the hard way. Just bow down before me now. I'll give you what you came for. You came for the world; I'll give it to you. For it is mine and I can give it to whomsoever I will," trying to keep Jesus from the cross.

So, here is Peter saying, "We're not going let you go to the cross that you just predicted." "Get behind me, Satan!" It's as if Jesus looks at Peter and says, "I recognize that voice. I recognize that counsel. That is the counsel of Satan himself. You're not thinking like God thinks, but you're thinking like man thinks, Peter." That was an opportune time.

The second time is here in the garden of Gethsemane in this time of darkness. The parallel account to this chapter in the parallel account of Luke when Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane---and by the way, all four gospels will tell us the denial of Peter denying Jesus after this whole event in the garden. When Luke tells the story and Jesus is in the garden when they come to arrest him, and he says, "Look, I was with you publicly in the temple and I was teaching and you didn't arrest me," but then he said, "But this is your hour and the power of darkness. This is your hour and the time when darkness reigns. You are cooperating with the powers of darkness to even see this event to its end."

Now, as we pick up, and we left off in verse 26, so that's where we'll pick up where we left off. Jesus will leave the upper city of Jerusalem and go to one of his favorite spots, the garden of Gethsemane. It has become over the years one of my favorite spots on the face of the earth. I've gone to Jerusalem many times. I've done thirty-five different trips over there.

When I get there in the afternoon, typically is when we get in, and people go to the hotel and they freshen up. And they're kind of tired from the day. And they may want to explore a little bit of the city and then go bed. I will often leave the crowd and go alone or with a friend or maybe a small group. And I know the route so well that Jesus took that I take the same route. It's usually at night. And I leave the city gate, go around the city walls, go down into the Kidron Valley while it is dark. Nobody's there.

Cross the little, what used to be the Brook Kidron, and go into the garden of Gethsemane. Now there's a wall and there's a gate. They try to keep people out. But usually at night they can't---they don't have cameras there, so I just hop the wall. [laughter] I don't mean any harm. I'm not going to vandalize anything. And I just sit among the olive trees in the garden of Gethsemane and I just pray. It's something I've looked forward to, because I remember from the Scriptures it was one of the favorite hangouts of Jesus. Of course, he didn't have to hop the wall and it wasn't a barred gate. It was just a known area on the Mount of Olives. But it's become one of my favorite spots.

So, it says in verse 26, "When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." They went to the garden of Gethsemane. The garden of Gethsemane is part of the Mount of Olives. So, leaving the upper city of Jerusalem, which would be the northwest side, they would have gone around the city walls like I just described.

In those days, at the time of Jesus, the historians tell us there was a little brook at the bottom of the valley, the Kidron Brook that was flowing with a little bit of water because of the spring and the winter rains. But also because of the sacrifices in the temple during Passover that that little stream, that Brook Kidron had blood in it, the blood of the lambs being sacrificed in the temple.

A conduit went out from underneath the Temple Mount and emptied into the Brook Kidron to convey the blood away from the city of Jerusalem. So, just imagine the imagery of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, stepping over the Brook Kidron flowing with the blood of lambs from the Passover sacrifices with his disciples, knowing that within hours he would be the Lamb slain once for all. Impactful. Amazing. So, Jesus goes to that part of the Mount of Olives.

On the other side of the Mount of Olives would be where Lazarus, Martha, and Mary lived in Bethany also on the Mount of Olives. It's a large area.

But Jesus goes to the garden of Gethsemane. So, after the Last Supper, after the Passover, he's in the garden of Gethsemane. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself: Why a garden? Why does this take place in a garden? I believe it's emblematic. I believe it's pregnant with imagery. Human history began in a garden. Human sin and failure began in a garden. Human history will culminate---you might say the pinnacle of our existence will be in the garden city of the New Jerusalem, Revelation, chapter 22.

So in between the garden of Eden, where man failed, and the garden city of the New Jerusalem, where God reigns, is this very important garden scene, the garden of Gethsemane. In the garden of Eden the first Adam was overcome by sin; in the garden of Gethsemane the second Adam, Jesus Christ, overcame sin. In the garden of Eden, Adam fled, ran from God; in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ the last Adam---First Corinthians 15 calls him the "last Adam"---presented himself to the Father for the Father's will, very emblematic. A garden, not by accident, I believe, but by design.

"Then Jesus said to them [his disciples], 'All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written: "I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered." But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.' " He is quoting now the prophet Zechariah. Zechariah's prophecies play a very important role in predicting the Messiah in his first as well as his second coming.

Zechariah, chapter 13, this is a direct quote: "Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will scatter." Based upon that, he is saying, "I am predicting that that will be fulfilled when all of you flake out on me." This is as if to say, "You're going to run from me before I die; I'm going run after you after I'm raised from the dead. I'm going to go before you into Galilee."

"Peter said to him, 'Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.' " That's his first step downward---self-confidence. "Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.' But he," he being Peter, "spoke more vehemently, 'If I have to die with you, I will not deny you!' And they all said likewise."

So, Peter once again the spokesperson, always listed first in the list of the apostles, and often the one who speaks up. And I'm sure a lot of people were thinking things; Peter vocalized them. And he was a leader among them, because he said it. And they said, "Yeah, what he said. Yeah, we agree."

"They all said likewise," but Peter came up with it first. "And then they came to a place which is called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I pray.' " Now, just notice what he said. He said, "Just sit here while I pray." He didn't say, "Boys, I want you to come and pray with me." We often interpret that, you know, they should have been praying, and they should have been. But Jesus just said, "Look, I just want you to be with me. I don't want you to do anything for me right now or with me; I just want you to be with me while I pray. Sit here while I pray."

So often it is so hard for us to sit with Jesus. We're good at doing things for him, but sometimes, "Just be with me," he would say. "Just be in my presence. Just enjoy my presence." I would encourage you to make time in your day to sit with the Lord. And you might have a prescribed early morning devotion. We call it a "quiet time." And you're regimented a certain way, and that's fine, but just to be in his presence, and say, "Lord, you know, I don't have a lot of stuff right now. I just want to tell you I love you, and it's great being with you, and I want to enjoy intimacy with you." I think the Lord loves that. I think he delights in that. "Just sit with me."

So, "They came to this place called Gethsemane." Now if you were to go to Gethsemane today, besides hopping over the wall, which I do sometimes, next to it is a church, a beautiful church called the Church of All Nations. The windows are made out of carved alabaster very thinly cut to let dim light from the sun come in and light the inside of it. It has been preserved for a long, long time.

And though that's a great spot, I'm really not a guy who likes to go into churches and go, "Wow, look at this cool church." Because typically most churches to me of ancient genre kind of all look like old churches. But for me to go into that garden next to it where the olive tree are just growing---it's private property and they are still growing trees---is what it would have looked like back then. So that's why we do show people the church, but we often have our Bible studies and our worship time next to it just under the olive trees.

Gethsemane---you're familiar with the name. If you're a Bible student, you've read it dozens of times reading through the Scripture. But do you know what Gethsemane means? It comes from two words in Hebrew: gat which means "press"; and sh'manim which means "olives," it's a masculine plural for olives. So it really means "the olive press." Gat sh'manim transliterated in English, Gethsemane, simply means "the place of the olive press."

They grew olive trees. They had an olive business. They would harvest the olives. They would crush the olives. They would make olive oil. Now, olive oil was made by taking two stones, part of the press, an upper stone which would revolve around the lower stone. And anything between two stones pretty easily gets crushed. When the olives were crushed, the oil that comes from the pits of olives is gathered into the channel and conveyed and bottled and sold. That's the olive business.

The real value of the olive comes when it's crushed. You can eat the olives, but the real money in this business is the crushing of the olives. The value comes from the crushing. Now, again, I want you to think emblematically for a moment. If you know your Bible, you know that sometimes the Holy Spirit is given the emblem of oil, that oil is emblematic of the Holy Spirit. And Jesus promised that after he would leave, he would send the Holy Spirit to work in all of us in the body of Christ. But first, before the oil flows, the olive has to be crushed.

When the olive is crushed, when that pit is crushed and the oil is exuded, that's when the value comes. Jesus first came and was crushed. Isaiah 53, "He was wounded for our transgression," the NIV says, "he was crushed"---that's the literal translation---"for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed." Jesus crushed for us. "God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be the righteousness of God in him," Second Corinthians 5:21 tells us. There's the value. Jesus came to be crushed; the oil of the Holy Spirit can then flow.

Verse 33, "And he took Peter, James, and John," James and John were brothers, "with him, and he began to be troubled and deeply distressed. And then he said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.' "

Peter, James, and John, the familiar trio, the inner circle, we might say. Now, I don't know how the other disciples felt about Jesus having an inner circle, but I bet they were a little miffed; don't you? I mean, first of all, Jesus had a lot of people following him, but he had twelve disciples whom he called apostles. They were special. They were with him a lot. But on a few occasions he left the other apostles and he took only Peter, James, and John---special occasion, an inner circle.

It's interesting, we find two other occasions with Peter, James, and John, the inner circle, gathered together: Occasion number one, Mark chapter 5 at the house of Jairus, the raising of Jarius from the dead. Remember when Jesus went inside the house and took with him Peter, James, and John? Everybody else was left outside.

The second occasion is on the Mount of Transfiguration, Mark, chapter 9, I believe, if memory serves. When they went up on that high mountain, I believe Mount Hermon up in the north. Jesus was transfigured before them with Moses and Elijah. And it says that Jesus was speaking to Moses and Elijah about his departure, which would happen at Jerusalem, his death, but he was in this glorified state. And the third time he takes Peter, James, and John alone is here in the garden of Gethsemane.

Now, let me throw out something that I think is fascinating: all three of these instances have something in common---death, death. Number one: Mark, chapter 5, the house of Jairus; Jesus demonstrated that he was victorious over death by raising her from the dead. Instance number two: Mount of Transfiguration; Jesus was showing that he would be glorified through death, his own death on the cross. Instance number three: the garden, here, of Gethsemane; Jesus presents himself for death to the Father.

Something else is interesting, Peter, James, and John: The very first Christian martyr was James, according to Acts, chapter 12, by King Herod. The last of the apostles to die was John. The middle one was Peter who would be crucified in Rome also but upside down, as we have often noted.

Verse 35, "He went a little farther, and he fell on the ground, and he prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, 'Abba,' " which is an Aramaic term, also a Hebrew term now, which means "daddy" or "father." It's an intimate term of relationship. " 'Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.' "

Have you ever noticed the way Jesus prayed? And have you ever compared the way Jesus prayed with the manner in which some people even today tell you how you ought to pray? What they say to you, some people, will say, "When you talk to God, you need to name it and you need to claim it. You need to come with absolute confidence, and say, 'Lord, I just, like, command this or I demand that.' " That's the wrong way to pray. That's not a prayer of faith; that's a prayer of arrogance and presumption.

Even the Son of God didn't come and "name it and claim it." His method was request and rest. That ought to be your method---request and rest. Leave it to God. "Lord, this is what I want, but nevertheless, whatever you want is most important." That's a prayer of faith. That's a prayer of faith. You know what the best kind of prayer is? "Lord, I see it this way, but you know the rest of the story, I don't. So, whatever you I want, Lord, I submit myself to that."

Jesus is submitting to the will of the Father. In his human nature he's feeling the anxiety that's coming upon him, but "Nevertheless, not what I want, I'm here to do what you want." That is so foreign to the way we think. It's so foreign to the way I think. I have to be constantly reminded of this instance to be adjusted. How could Jesus submit himself to whatever the Father wants? It's because he knew the character and nature of his Father.

He submitted to the nudge of the Father because he knew the nature of the Father. The nature of the Father is he's good. He's not an ogre. He always does what is right. He is sovereignly in control. He's not a passive bystander; he's very involved in his creation. Knowing all that he knows about his Father, he says "Nevertheless, not what I will, but you will."

"And then he came and he found them sleeping, and said to Peter," notice what he calls him, " 'Simon.' " If you remember on our weekend studies, we noticed though Jesus changed his name from Simon to Peter, sometimes Jesus will call him by his old name when Peter acts like his old self. It's a helpful reminder: "You still have an old nature, Simon." [laughter]

" 'Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' " Okay, so let me just ask you something candidly: When you sit down to pray, is it, like, really easy for you to do that? It's like, "Oh, man, an hour of prayer, this is, like, so easy for me. I'm just so into this. I do this, like, all the time, it's that easy."

And reading the Bible, do you find that when you sit down to read and pray is when your mind wanders and you get distracted? The phone calls come and all that stuff, but just your mind goes crazy, goes wandering. Or you get tired. It's like, "Man, I thought I was awake, but I'm getting so tired." Why do you think that is? Could it be that Satan knows that prayer is powerful, and that study is profitable, and he wants to take that power and that profit away from you so he'll just have all sorts of things happen when you sit down to watch and pray to distract you from it?

Let me make a suggestion to you. When you pray, it's very helpful, pray out loud. Listen to yourself praying. When you pray quietly, you're doing it in your mind, and your mind, you know, synapse fires because of a pizza you had last night or whatever it might be. So, I find when I pray out loud, and I'm listening to what I'm saying to God, like in a conversation, it's much easier.

Also, I like to walk and pray. I like to take a walk and on that walk cover over several things with the Lord. And it's just, it's like, "Come on, Lord, let's take a walk." And I talk, sometimes I'm talking it out loud. And I'm sure those that see me walk think, "He's lost his mind." [laughter] It's kind of fun to think that they think that.

"Again he went away," verse 39, "and prayed, and he spoke the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy." I don't fault them for that. It's late. It's been a busy day, a Passover. "And they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and he said to them, 'Are you still sleeping and resting? It's enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.' "

While the disciples are sleeping the enemies of Christ are plotting. Do you see a principle at all in that? Do you see a principle in this idea of watching and praying? I believe that there are meetings that take place in hell, strategy meetings. "How can we get her off track spiritually, this young little Christian? Ooh, she's so on fire for Jesus. Let's see what we can do in her family, in her work, in her ministry to dissuade her or him in that regard."

Do you not think that that kind of strategy takes place? Because if you don't, go back some time and read Daniel, chapter 10, about that whole angel meeting the prince of the power of Persia, and all of that spiritual warfare going on behind the scenes. And then think to what Paul said in Ephesians, chapter 6, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but principalities, powers, and the rulers of darkness in heavenly places." And so what Jesus would say is, "Engage in the battle. Get involved in the battle."

And you pull out the big guns when you pray. Please, please, please get rid of the notion that says, "I guess there's nothing else to do except pray. That's your big gun, man. When you bring out the prayer gun, it's like bringing a loaded gun to a knife fight. That's why---and if you've ever seen a gun at a knife fight, and I'm thinking of Indiana Jones now.

I always think back to that little episode in that movie, or he's in, like, that Egyptian little souk and there are guys flinging the sword and Indy pulls out the gun and goes poom! Remember that? [laughter] It's a classic scene, one of the great scenes in movie making. Trust me on that one. [laughter] It's a great analogy. It's the weapon that changes the fight. And so Satan would look at you and go, "How can I get that gun out of his hands? How can I keep him/her from praying?" Jesus would say, "Get in the battle. Get engaged."

Look at verse 42. Jesus says after that, "Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.' " Now, Jesus at this point is resolved to walk straight ahead into this whole scene that has played out apart from them where he is being betrayed by Judas Iscariot, will be delivered into the hands of Roman soldiers and temple guards, and go off to court and be crucified. He's resigned to it.

"Rise, let us be going. Behold, my betrayer is at hand." The reason Jesus could rise up is because he had knelt down. The reason he could stand up is because he had bowed before the Father. And when you bow before the Father, you can stand up to anything and through anything.

" 'Rise, let us be going. My betrayer is at hand.' " He's just, like, walking straight into the storm. "And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas"---remember what his name means, right? Praise. Of course, Jesus gave him another name, "the son of perdition." "One of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders." Now it's always helpful when you read a gospel, if you can, as much as possible compare what you're reading with the other accounts.

So, when John tells the story, he says they came with "a detachment of troops." A detachment was a cohort. A cohort was a tenth of a Roman legion, which was six hundred men. That's what a detachment was. So, you could look at it as they came with a detachment of six hundred men. However, that seems a bit much just from reading this scene. The word for detachment---translated cohort, which is a tenth of a legion, which is six hundred men---is the Greek word speira, which is sometimes translated in literature, "a third of a cohort," which would be two hundred men.

Two hundred men is still a lot of men, but it's a lot less than six hundred. So, probably a crowd of between two and six hundred men came to arrest Jesus. Now, if you're thinking, "Why that many people to get Jesus?" That's a good question. I believe it's because Judas put them up to it. "You don't know this guy. He's done, like, crazy miracles."

So, Judas really didn't know Jesus. He didn't know the heart of Jesus. He thought, "He's gonna, like, do some crazy miracle," or "He's going to want to run away," or "He has primed people around the area to fight for him, so we're going to need a lot of men on this." But we would call this overkill, especially since Jesus walks right into it and gives himself willingly to it.

Verse 44, "Now his betrayer had given them a signal, saying, 'Whomever I kiss,' " that is the common greeting, " 'he is the One; seize him and lead him away safely.' " What does Proverbs 27 say? "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." This is the kiss of an enemy. "The One that I kiss." Now they wouldn't be able to identify Jesus any other way than, "I'm going to walk up to this guy and give the common greeting. I'm gonna---be a kiss on the cheeks. I'm gonna kiss him."

That's interesting because when I grew up, I always thought Jesus glowed in the dark. [laughter] I honestly did. I'm not making this up. Now, how did I ever get to think that way? Well, I had these things called "holy cards." And holy cards were pictures of saints or Jesus. And in the Bible that my parents had, Jesus always had this glowing Frisbee over his head. [laughter] That's what it looked like to a Californian. There's a Frisbee behind him glowing and he exuded this sort of this light.

He was a little more glowing than the rest of the scene. But Judas didn't say, "Now, you'll be able to tell Jesus, he's the one who glows in the dark, and he's got the Frisbee behind his head." No. He looks ordinary like anybody else. You'd never know that this is the Son of God. But, "I'm going to go up to him and I'm going to give him a kiss," a common greeting, "and you'll know that it's him. That will be the mark of identification." Wow.

Again the name Judas means "praise." Jesus calls him poison, son of perdition. He defiled everything and everyone around him. He defiled Jesus' church, the disciples, by being a part of it. He defiled what happened earlier in the account in this chapter when the gift of that woman was poured out, and he said, "This could have been sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor." Right? But he was a thief, the Bible tells us, so he defiles her gift. Now he defiles a prayer meeting in the garden of Gethsemane. Wherever he goes, he brings his defilement with him.

Verse 46, "They laid their hands on him and they took him." "As soon as he had come, immediately"---I don't know if I read verse 45 or not. "Immediately he went to him and said, 'Rabbi!' And he kissed him. And they laid their hands on him and took him. And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear." Now who is that? That's Peter. It doesn't say it's Peter, but we know from John's account. John identifies, "That's Peter." [laughter]

Mark doesn't identify with it, but there's something we know about the gospel of Mark. Who's giving Mark the information for the account? Peter. It's not like Peter's prideful; I just think that Peter wanted to distance himself from this. Have you ever had an embarrassing moment? You just, you don't, like, want to bring it up and advertise everywhere you go. "Oh, yeah, I was the guy that made that stupid mistake. Let's just tell that to everybody." So, Peter still was sensitized about this, enough to say this happened. He doesn't need to identify. He wants to distance himself from it.

Question: Why did Peter feel like he needed to defend Jesus? Well, I think, my opinion, he's trying to prove something to Jesus. He's the one that said, "Even if all of these flakes forsake you, not me. You can count on me. I'll never do that." It's as if he's saying, "Lord, you really don't know me, do you? I thought you did. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, but you don't know me. If you knew me, you'd know that I would never betray you." "Well, it's going to happen, Peter. I'm predicting it. And if I predict it, it's going to happen." "No!" taking out the sword to try to prove a point to Jesus. He's always the impetuous one, isn't he?

Cut off the ear of Malchus the high priest. I've always contended that Peter wasn't a great swordsman. He was a good fisherman, that was his occupation, but he wasn't good at a sword because he wasn't aiming for the ear. Now, if he was aiming for the ear, we'd say, "Good hit." I think he was aiming for the head. I think he missed. I think he nicked his ear. The Bible says Jesus healed his ear and told Peter, "Put your sword up."

How many times have you been like Peter where you take out the Bible, the sword of the Spirit, and you chop up another believer to prove your point? You want to be right. You want to argue your point, and you'll say things and use the Scripture to do so, just to prove you're right. And so we leave chopped ears and bloody heads around in the name of being right for the Lord.

"Peter, I don't need your protection." Jesus didn't need Peter's protection. He didn't want Peter's protection. There's sort of an interesting ideology among Christian leaders that they need to have their body guards with them, their protection with them. Really? Well, now, how sovereign is the Lord? "Peter, don't need your sword." "Put your sword up," one of the accounts says.

"But the Scripture," verse 49, "must be fulfilled. Then they all forsook him and fled." Just like Jesus predicted. "Now a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked." Now, now, now wait a minute. Just stop right there. That's just a weird thing that we just read. [laughter] Right? It is, right? And it's only found in Mark.

Because it's only found in Mark it is believed that the young man mentioned in Mark is Mark, that this is the young teenager John Mark. But it still doesn't answer the question: What's going on here? What are you doing in the garden with, like, a sheet on your body? Right? That's just kind of weird, right? So, let me piece this together for you. Here's a possibility, and I believe this is the case: Jesus celebrated the Passover in a house in Jerusalem, the upper chamber, the upper room of a house in Jerusalem.

It just says in this chapter, you'll be shown a "large upper room; there make ready." It doesn't say whose house that is. As you read the book of Acts it shows the disciples, the early church meeting together in this large upper room. It doesn't say whose house it is, it just says "large upper room." When we get to Acts, chapter 12, we get, perhaps, the answer. Peter has been in prison. The angel releases him. Peter, it says, goes "to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where the disciples had gathered together praying."

So, it could be that the upper room where the Passover was at and the upper room they met at was the upper room as part of the house of Mary the mother of John Mark: Mark who wrote the gospel of Mark, also called John Mark, also the cousin of Barnabas. As you read through the book of Acts, you discover that. So what happened? What happened is that as Jesus was celebrating Passover, who got up and left in the middle of the Passover and went away? Judas, to betray Jesus.

After Passover was ended, Jesus and his disciples walked out of the room, went down to the garden of Gethsemane. Judas with the detachment of troops probably first went to the house of John Mark's mother where the Passover was, where he had last been with Jesus, not finding them there. But, you know, you got a couple hundred men knocking at the door, that'll wake anybody up in the house.

It woke John Mark, this young teenager, up in the house. He saw what was going on, that they were after Jesus. He puts the bed sheet around him, runs down to the garden of Gethsemane, and this takes place. Make sense? That's how I'm piecing it together. [laughter] That's the best I can give you on that.

But verse 52 is just an interesting---you know, he had to literally streak out of the garden. "He left the linen cloth and fled from them naked." Well, thank you for sharing that, Mark. Thank you for putting that in our heads. [laughter] "And they led Jesus away to the high priest, and with him were assembled all the chief priests, and the elders, and the scribes. But Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire."

Now we're going now through the trials of Jesus, and let me just sort of truncate this. Let me abridge this for the sake of time. There's not one trial, there are not two trials that Jesus faced, there will be six separate trials that Jesus will face before he goes to the cross. The first three are religious; the last three are secular, Roman.

Number one, before Annas the high priest. Number two, before Caiaphas his son-in-law, the acting high priest that year. Number three, early the next morning before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council, when they passed the verdict that he should die. Problem is now he's gone through three trials; they can't kill him. The right of capital punishment has been taken away from the Jews. The Romans had the exclusive right. They have to get a special acceptance by the Roman government to get this deed done.

So, they go, number four, or number one on the secular side, to Pilate. Pilate tries to wash his hands of it, doesn't want anything to do with it, tries to squirm out of it, gives it to Herod Antipas. Herod doesn't want to have anything to do with him, sends him back to Pilate. Pilate finally gives in to the will of the Sanhedrin and passes a law that he should be killed. So that's six trials.

I mentioned that the acting high priest was Caiaphas, but the power behind Caiaphas was his father-in-law, a man by the name of Annas. In 6 AD Annas was put in place by Quirinius the governor of Syria. In 15 AD Annas was deposed by---oh, I can't remember his name. Um, something like Gratius Varius [sic] [Valerius Gratus]. Some guy who deposed him. Okay, so, Annas is not the acting high priest, but a high priest is a high priest till he dies.

And the real power behind the throne is Annas, though he's not the acting high priest. But his influence is incredible. Let me tell you why: Caiaphas his son-in-law is the acting high priest, but his four sons control the revenue from the temple. All of those tables that were set up to collect money and to do transfers and to sell animals were done by his sons.

That's why Annas wants to see Jesus, and he's the first one to interrogate him, because Jesus hit Annas where it hurts---the pocketbook. When he overturned those tables, that's revenue. So Annas, the real influence, then Caiaphas, then the Sanhedrin, then Pilate, then Herod, then back to Pilate, and he gives into the will of the Sanhedrin. But notice that Peter is following at a distance. And I believe that to be so physically, I believe that to be so spiritually.

Some of you may be following Jesus at a distance. You look back and you remember a time when your walk was intimate. You had front-row enthusiasm, we might call it. And you're all in, you're all there, but as time went on that front-row enthusiasm, that intimacy waned. And it's like, "Yeah, there's Jesus, he's way out there. I'm following him, but sort of at a distance on my terms." That was a mistake for him. And he warmed himself at the enemy's fires.

Verse 55, "Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimonies did not agree. Then some rose up and bore false witness against him, saying, 'We heard him say, "I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands." ' But not even then did their testimony agree."

Did Jesus say that? Well, he said something very close to it. But, you know, being a false witness witness---if you're a false witness like these people, you can have the right information with the wrong implication. Yeah, Jesus said that, but what he was implying---his own physical temple, his body would die, and three days later he would rise up that temple, not the temple in Jerusalem. But they act the part of a false witness.

"And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, 'Do you answer nothing? What is it these men testify against you?' But he kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, saying, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?' " Remember, Jews often didn't say the name of God because it was too precious, too valuable, too holy to be uttered by human lips. " 'Are you the Christ, [the Son of God] the Son of the Blessed?' Jesus said, 'I am.' " You can't get any clearer than that. "Are you claiming to be the Messiah? Are you claiming to be deity?" "I am."

" 'And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.' " Wow, that's like, okay, in-your-face, unmistakable. They would have immediately thought of something I hope you immediately think of now that you are astute Bible students---and that is, Daniel, chapter 7. Daniel sees a vision of the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man coming in the clouds of glory to the Ancient of Days. That's almost a direct quote. He's saying, "I am that One. That's who I am."

"Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, 'What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?' And they all condemned him to be deserving of death. Then some began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to beat him, and to say to him, 'Prophesy!' And the officers struck him with the palms of their hands. Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, 'You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.'

"But he denied it, saying, 'I neither know nor understand what you are saying.' And he went out on the porch, and the rooster crowed." That's once that he denied him. "And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, 'This is one of them.' But he denied it again." There it is twice he denied him. I'm sure by this time Peter could have reached out gladly and choked that servant girl. It's like, "Get out of here. Sick of these servant girls! They can ruin everything for me." [laughter]

"A little later those who stood by said to Peter again, 'Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.' " There was an accent the Galileans had, an unsophisticated accent. So that if you were in Jerusalem and you heard a Galilean, you just knew that's a Galilean.

When you hear somebody from different parts of the country, and I'm not even going to say from where. They can be different parts of the state, different part of states close to us, different parts of other states around America---their speech gives them away. Am I right? You can say, "Is that a Texas accent?" [laughter] "No, that's a North Carolina accent." "Well, forgive me," or, "Bless you child."

You know, your speech will eventually give you away. You might be good at God talk right now, but in the right opportunity your speech will betray who you really are. Jesus said, "From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Put a person in a fiery trial and listen to what they say. The real them will come out. He put Job in a fiery trial. He lost everything. "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Wow! Your speech gives you away. Your speech betrays you. You must be a child who trusts the Lord.

"Your speech gives you away," she said. "And then he began to curse," verse 71, "and swear, 'I do not know this man of whom you speak!' " That's number three. "A second time the rooster crowed. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said to him, 'Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.' " With each denial Peter becomes stronger, until finally he curses and swears.

And the word here is a very strong word that in one of the sources I read was used in ancient times---here's the equivalent: "May God condemn me," or "May God damn me if I am not telling the truth." That's how strong of a curse Peter uttered this last time---very, very strong. And then Peter remembered what Jesus said. "And when he thought about it, he wept." The word "wept" is also strong. It means, not, "Oh, do you have a Kleenex?" It means to weep convulsively from the gut, to be so torn up that you're emotionally breaking up. That's how Peter wept.

Peter was so disappointed in himself, but listen to this. Peter was disappointed in himself, rightfully so. Do you think Jesus was disappointed in Peter? Now, I want you to really think about this, because really in your heart you go, "Yeah, he was." No, he wasn't. Jesus predicted he would. If Jesus predicted he would deny him, do you think Jesus went, "Gasp! I can't believe he would do that." No---"Peter, dude, I knew you were going to do this. I told you you were going to do this. I also told you you were going to be recovered, and when you are recovered, to strengthen your brethren."

This was Peter's darkest night. This darkest night will soon be eclipsed by Peter's brightest day when Jesus comes after the resurrection and restores him to usefulness once again. So, if I were to close by giving you the three stages of where Peter is at in this story: number one, at the fire warming himself; number two, under fire. "Who are you? You're one of them! I saw you. Your speech betrays you." Number three, on fire. After the resurrection, the one who was at the fire, then under fire, will be the man who is on fire, restored, and useable in a way that he never thought imaginable. And we on our weekend studies are partaking of that fruit as we read First and Second Peter. Let's pray.

O Father, we thank you for showing us who these great apostles really are made of. Boy, does it encourage us, because we see as we look at them a mirror of ourselves---so over confident, so unwilling to watch and pray, so easily swayed by sleep and distracted by so many things. Yet, you know our frame and you remember that we are dust. Lord, I pray for so many who might be here who are so disappointed with themselves, so disappointed with their walks. I do believe that to be disappointed with yourself means you've trusted in yourself.

So, Lord, no matter where we're at, would you just kindly pick us up, set us back on the path, your path, and use us. Use us this week, Lord; use us tomorrow with our family, in our neighborhoods, at work, that we could be a light. That no matter what darkness we may be facing this night, that as we go out into the darkness to our cars, to our homes, that the light of Jesus Christ, the light of the truth would be that which fans our flame and makes us on fire, in Jesus' name, amen.

Additional Messages in this Series

Show expand

 
Date Title   Watch Listen Notes Share Save Buy
4/3/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 1:1-31
Mark 1:1-31
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
The gospel of Mark is a fast-paced, action-packed read—a small package full of great things! In chapter 1, we encounter John, a messenger who prepared the way for and baptized Jesus. Jesus was immediately sent into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. He then began His ministry—gathering four fishermen as unlikely disciples, casting out an unclean spirit, and healing Peter's mother-in-law.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
4/10/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 1:32-2:20
Mark 1:32-2:20
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus Christ, the selfless Servant, is not "willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9). He came in the flesh and touched contagious, sick, and demon-possessed people—He healed them and He forgave their sins. He ate with tax collectors and sinners—the ones that needed to be saved. The Pharisees scorned Him for that. But He didn't mind, because He didn't come to pour new life into an old system, He came to bring something brand new.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
4/24/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 2:21-3:35
Mark 2:21-3:35
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus Christ is the rightful King who possesses ultimate authority. His authority is one of compassion before custom. In this text, Jesus heals and cares for people in ways that are in direct opposition to the rules and customs of the Jewish culture. Through His words and actions, He elevates the importance of relationships and compassion over religious traditions.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/1/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 4
Mark 4
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
"To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God" (Mark 4:11). One of the ways that Jesus taught was through parables. On many occasions, Jesus shared a story of something familiar—farming or shepherding, for instance—in order to reveal truths that were previously unknown. These were stories with a message. Jesus wanted to teach the people spiritual things; He did it by showing them physical things. The power of a good, well-told story drives the truth home so that it can be applied in the life of the hearer.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/15/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 5:1-35
Mark 5:1-35
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus has compassion on everyone who is lost and entangled with the enemy of God, Satan. From this study of Jesus’ encounter with a demon-possessed man, we learn that while Satan desires to rob us of joy and see us condemned to eternal judgment, Jesus has ultimate power and has already defeated this enemy.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/22/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 5:30-6:13
Mark 5:30-6:13
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
God is not a prisoner to the laws of nature—He is God of the extraordinary. The miracles Jesus and his disciples performed validate who Jesus is and they reveal the heart of God. In this study, we learn to face life's difficulties, while remembering that God is good. Both faith and unbelief are powerful—and they carry eternal consequences.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/29/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 6:7-56
Mark 6:7-56
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus made His disciples apostles by sending them out to deliver His message. That message was heard by Herod, whose worldly sorrow led to death—the death of John the Baptist. When Jesus invited His messengers to go with Him to a quiet place and rest, they discovered a multitude of people in need of compassion and teaching, like sheep without a shepherd. As believers, we too are called to become apostles—careful to share the gospel with those in need.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/12/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 6:45-7:23
Mark 6:45-7:23
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In this study, we learn that obedience to God's Word does not always equal smooth sailing. Yet, the Pharisees were more concerned with being ceremonially pure than morally upright. We must remember that God is first concerned with our inward attitudes before our outward actions.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/19/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 7:24-37
Mark 7:24-37
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
No matter what we do, we cannot get to Heaven based on our own merit. Jesus came to earth to offer His life as a sacrifice so we could be reconciled to God and fellowship with Him. In this study, we see Jesus demonstrate His amazing love by seeking outsiders to bring into His covenant. We're reminded that God alone can satisfy us, and He offers His salvation as a gift, but first we must receive it.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/26/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 8:1-33
Mark 8:1-33
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
The feeding of the 4,000 in Mark 8 is a miracle we don't often consider, but through this miracle, Jesus demonstrated that His love isn't just for the Jewish nation but for anyone who will receive Him. And, through the Pharisees' refusal to see Jesus' authority and the man Jesus healed from blindness, we get a valuable lesson in faith. We also learn that we should seek God first in all of life's matters and are reminded that when we fail to remember God's mercies, our hearts begin to harden.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
7/10/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 8:34-9:41
Mark 8:34-9:41
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus presented two lifestyles to His disciples: They could deny themselves or live for themselves. Today, we face the same decision. Will we embrace the cross or ignore it? In this study, we learn that if we choose to follow Jesus, we must be willing to serve others, dethrone ourselves, abandon our personal ambition, and submit to God's will for our lives.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/7/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 9:42-50
Mark 9:42-50
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus explained that the faith of true believers would be like the faith of a child: simple, open, and dependent. In this study, we learn a tough message from Jesus about how we should deal with our sins and take care of younger believers. As His followers, we must remember that we were bought with a price and our lives should be consumed with His glory.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/14/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 10:1-52
Mark 10:1-52
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
As Jesus continued His journey to Jerusalem where He would be crucified, He knew He still had divine appointments with people—appointments that would change lives and teach timeless truths. In this study, we see Jesus address self-righteousness, salvation, servanthood, and what it truly means to have sight.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/21/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 11:1-33
Mark 11:1-33
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Mark 11 opens with Jesus' triumphant and peaceful entry into Jerusalem. As He encounters the chief priests, scribes, and elders in the temple, Jesus proves His rightful authority, God demonstrates His amazing sovereignty, and we gain insight about how our lives should look as we follow Jesus.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/28/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 12:1-44
Mark 12:1-44
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus often spoke in parables, presenting earthly stories with heavenly meanings to all who would listen. However, the religious leaders would challenge Jesus, waiting for Him to make a mistake. Instead, the truths He proclaimed would stumble them. As we look at His responses to the religious leaders, we learn about stewardship and the greatest commandment.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/4/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 13:1-37
Mark 13:1-37
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In Mark 13, Jesus addresses His disciples in what is known as the Olivet Discourse. He warns them about spiritual warfare, false prophets, and the coming tribulation for the nation of Israel. As we study this teaching from Jesus, we are reminded as believers to be alert and to get busy telling the good news of Jesus Christ.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/11/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 14:1-26
Mark 14:1-26
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
As we consider Jesus' last days on the earth, we look at His Last Supper with the disciples and get a glimpse into the hearts of some people who spent time with Him. In this study, we see Jesus' tender and unconditional love and are reminded to take every opportunity for personal intimacy with our Lord.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/25/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 15:1-32
Mark 15:1-32
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Jesus' claims to be God were so offensive to the Jewish leaders that they gave Jesus an unfair trial—even breaking their own rules—so they could have Him killed. As we examine the trials and beatings that led up to the crucifixion, we learn who the real Judge is and see the extent of Christ's love for us.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
10/2/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 15:22-47
Mark 15:22-47
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
The early church leaders drew an interesting comparison between the sacrifice of Jesus and the near-sacrifice of Abraham's son, Isaac. We know God stopped Isaac's sacrifice, but He allowed Jesus to die on the cross. He acted as Judge: giving Jesus what we deserved and giving us what Jesus deserved. As we continue this study in Mark 15, we are reminded to keep Christ's sacrifice for us fresh in our memories.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
10/9/2013
completed
resume  
Mark 16:1-20
Mark 16:1-20
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
The resurrection of Christ is the greatest miracle in all of history; it was central in the apostle's teachings. They wanted everyone to know that Jesus conquered death! As we wrap up our study in Mark, we learn about the evidence for the resurrection. But it's not enough to just have the facts. Our lives are a witness and testimony to the people around us, so we must allow these truths to transform our lives.
Message Trailer
WatchClosed Captioned
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Study GuideTranscript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
There are 20 additional messages in this series.
© Copyright 2024 Connection Communications | 1-800-922-1888