Disastrous Discipleship
Series: One Hit Wonder
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 3rd June 2012
Passage: Mark 14:1-72
00:00:00 --> 00:00:09 One of the great encouragements of working with young people is the enthusiasm in which they bring to the Christian faith and to the scriptures.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:16 It's a great delight when you go and you speak to a bunch of teenagers and they all pick up the Bible and they're engaging with it.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:29 And what I really love is when you call them to commit their lives as disciples of Jesus and they respond and they respond not just with their words,
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 but with their hearts and with their faces.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:41 I remember one moment particularly where there was about 200 teenagers who committed that the rest of their lives they were going to follow the Lord Jesus
00:00:41 --> 00:00:46 and tears are coming down their face and really engaged in that moment.
00:00:47 --> 00:00:56 And so that brings a great joy to me, but it also brings an element of apprehension as well.
00:00:56 --> 00:01:01 Because presumption is always dangerous for anyone who follows Jesus.
00:01:03 --> 00:01:05 Many have fallen along the way.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:07 Many have fallen.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:13 In fact, 75% of those who are currently in high school who call themselves Christian
00:01:13 --> 00:01:18 will no longer call themselves Christian by the end of first year university.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:20 75%.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:29 So many have fallen along the way because they, I believe, not understood what it actually means to be a disciple of Jesus.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:38 More often than not, in our modern culture, there is a belief that Christianity means that we should work hard to be good people.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:45 We believe that God exists to serve us by helping us to feel happy and good and secure and at peace.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:54 And we believe that even though God made the world, he is only active and involved in our lives when we need him to resolve a problem.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:59 And so the rest of the time, it's great if he could kind of just stay out of the way a little bit.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:09 And so to be clear on what it means to be a follower of Jesus, we must be clear on who Jesus is and what his mission is.
00:02:09 --> 00:02:19 And so in today's text, we see two models of discipleship, one a beautiful model of discipleship and the other disastrous discipleship.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 And so Jesus sets the scene for us.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:22 Grab your Bibles, please.
00:02:23 --> 00:02:27 It's a long passage and you're not going to remember it all, so you need your Bibles in front of you.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:29 Luke, sorry, Mark 14.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:35 Jesus sets the scene for us there in chapter 13, right at the very end.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:44 You'll notice in the last paragraph there the repetitiveness of statements like be on guard, be alert, keep watch, don't sleep.
00:02:45 --> 00:02:53 In verses 32 to 37, be ready and alert because as disciples, it's going to get tough.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 And in fact, guys, it's about to get really tough.
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 Up until now, it's been fun.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:10 You know, they're the guys who have been there with Jesus while he's been doing all this incredible stuff in Mark's chapters 1 to 9, healing people, driving out demons.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 And what he says is this is going to be different.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 So you need to keep watch.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:16 You need to be on guard.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:21 Don't be afraid when you're persecuted and put on trial for my sake.
00:03:21 --> 00:03:32 And then we notice right at the beginning of chapter 14, the cheap priests and the teachers of the law are looking for a way to kill Jesus.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 And so Jesus' warning to them is very timely.
00:03:37 --> 00:03:38 He says this in verse 1.
00:03:38 --> 00:04:00 You see, Jesus was popular with the crowds, but he was on the death list of the power brokers in Israel.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:10 The battle lines were drawn when Jesus declared judgment on the temple, as we saw a few weeks ago, on the temple and the religious establishment.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:19 And so because one of their major feasts was only two days away, they've got two days to do their dirty work.
00:04:19 --> 00:04:26 It's kind of like we need to really hurry up here, guys, so we can wash our hands, change our clothes so that we can turn up for communion.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:36 So Jesus and his mates, they've left the temple and gone to Bethany for a pleasant evening, or so it would seem.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:40 And as they're reclining at the table, they witness a remarkable event.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:45 A woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made a pure nard.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 Now, this is a breathtaking scene.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:59 John 12 verse 3 reveals that the woman was in fact Mary, the sister of Lazarus.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:06 Mary unexpectedly approached her reclining lord.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:12 We know from Mary that she loved to be at the feet of her lord.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:19 She's carrying a priceless jar of imported perfume, possibly a family heirloom.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 She breaks the neck of the flower.
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 She pours a generous portion on his head.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 And we also know that she pours the rest on his feet.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:34 And John 12 says that she humbly wipes his feet with her hair.
00:05:37 --> 00:05:41 It was an intensely fervent expression of devotion.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:51 And in fact, I would go as far as to say it is as strong as an act of devotion to Jesus as you'll find anywhere in the Gospels.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:58 This woman takes her greatest treasure on earth.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 She pours it all over Jesus.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:08 And reveals in fact that Jesus is her greatest treasure.
00:06:12 --> 00:06:16 We can assume that she gave no thought to what others would think of her actions.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 She did it in full view of everyone else.
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 And she even did the most humiliating thing.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 And took her hair and wiped his feet.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:36 Although we're not left in the dark as to what others thought about it.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:36 Verse 4.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 Why this waste of perfume?
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 It could have been sold for more than a year's wages.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 And the money given to the poor.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 And they rebuked her harshly.
00:06:52 --> 00:06:57 John also helps us to see that the one who led the charge here was Judas.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 Judas, a man who knew the price of everything but the value of nothing.
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 Instantly calculates the waste.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 A year's wages.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 Probably $35 to $40 in today's term.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 What a waste.
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 And so they rebuke her harshly.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 In fact, the original language means that they snorted.
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 They disgusted her like angry horses.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:34 That is how distasteful they thought Mary's actions were.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 But Jesus comes to her defense.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 Leave her alone.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:37 Verse 6.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 Why are you bothering her?
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 She has done a beautiful thing to me.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 You see, Jesus was fully aware of her motive.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 It was love.
00:07:49 --> 00:07:54 It was simply done to and for Jesus with no thought given to whether it was practical or whether it was sensible.
00:07:55 --> 00:08:00 Jesus defends Mary's action because it placed him before everything else.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 And you see that in verse 7.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 The poor you will always have with you.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 And you can help them with any time you want.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 But you will not always have me.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:13 Now, he's not saying that you are not to do ministry to the poor.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 Far from it, in fact.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:19 But what he is commending her for is that Christ is first.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 Totally first.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 And she gave it all.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:27 Her act of worship was insightful as well.
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 Verse 8.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 She did what she could.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:37 I'd love to unpack those five words.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 She did what she could.
00:08:42 --> 00:08:47 She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:54 You see, one of the prerequisites of resurrection is a death.
00:08:54 --> 00:09:00 One of the other prerequisites of resurrection is, in fact, not just a death, but a public burial.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 The guy's dead.
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 So he put him in a tomb.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 Jesus had repeatedly talked about his death.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 But it seems that the disciples had just passed it off.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:18 The concept of a suffering Messiah did not meet their expectations.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:23 Mary, on the other hand, yielded to his teaching and accept what was about to happen to him.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:28 And therefore, she did what she could in devotion to Christ.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 Not what other people could do.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:35 She did what she could in devotion to Christ.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:41 And verse 9 tells us that she is a model of devotion to Christ.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 I tell you the truth.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:50 Wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:58 And so in 2012, in Sydney, Australia, we hear of it again.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:03 A model of devotion to the Lord Jesus.
00:10:04 --> 00:10:08 A life that has been touched by Christ's love.
00:10:09 --> 00:10:13 And she doesn't do what Charles Spurgeon did.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:17 She doesn't do what Adoniram Judson did.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:23 She did what she could in devotion to Christ.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:29 Of course, the stark opposite to Mary's devotion is revealed in verse 10.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:34 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the 12, went to the chief priest to betray Jesus to them.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 And they were delighted to hear this.
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 Excellent.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 And they promised to give him money.
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:49 You see, all this talk about Christ dying and glory coming through serving,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:53 it's not the sort of kingdom that Judas is looking for.
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 And so he goes to the chief priest and he makes a deal to betray Jesus.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:07 Now, it's very, very important for us here to see that Jesus is not a victim of his circumstances.
00:11:08 --> 00:11:12 He is in complete control of everything that's happening here.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 His mission is on target and he's being fulfilled.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:21 And you see that in controlling the environment of the Passover meal in verses 12 to 16 and onwards.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 Especially note verse 16.
00:11:24 --> 00:11:31 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 And so they prepared the Passover.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 Jesus was in control of everything.
00:11:39 --> 00:11:43 This meal was possibly the most important meal eaten in the history of the world.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:49 It identified Jesus as the Passover lamb who would deliver God's people.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:58 This meal would graphically explain the centrality of Jesus to the salvation of humanity.
00:11:59 --> 00:12:06 This is the meal and the night that devout Jews were filled with hope of God's intervention once again.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 And Jesus was not a victim of bad circumstances.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:21 In fact, his words in the last supper, take, eat, this is my body.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 And this is my blood of the new covenant which is poured out for many.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:33 Make no sense at all if Jesus was not master of his own death.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:38 Jesus' mission is clear.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:44 It is glory by way of the humiliation of the cross.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:50 It is what Mary understood but the rest are still coming to terms with.
00:12:50 --> 00:12:59 Jesus breaks a piece of bread and says in verse 22, this is what's going to happen to my body.
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 And then he passes the wine and he says, here's my blood poured out for many.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:11 The Lord's Supper is so familiar to us as we will enjoy in just a moment.
00:13:11 --> 00:13:18 So try to imagine it if you were sitting with Jesus around this table for the first time.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:23 It is eerie to hear these words coming out of his mouth.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:29 In fact, it is frightening for them to hear these words coming out of his mouth.
00:13:29 --> 00:13:40 To hear that the one who you have pledged your life to is talking about his body being broken and his blood being shed.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 Jesus, we have left our nets.
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 We have left our families and followed you.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 And you're saying you're about to die?
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 Well, what of us?
00:13:50 --> 00:14:04 Judas sees the chance to slip away and betray his Lord.
00:14:06 --> 00:14:09 But did you notice the conversation on the way to Mount of Olives?
00:14:10 --> 00:14:14 Jesus points out that it's not just Judas who's going to let him down.
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 They all will.
00:14:16 --> 00:14:21 Now, Peter, as he usually is, is good at talking tough.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:29 And he says, even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:32 And all the others said, yeah, yeah, we're with Peter.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 I'm with you, Jesus.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:38 But brave talk doesn't translate into the Garden of Gethsemane, does it?
00:14:40 --> 00:14:44 All this brave talk, we will stand with you, Jesus, in your moment of trial.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:49 And Jesus says, wait here for a while, I'm going to go and pray.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52 And he takes Peter, James and John with him a little bit further.
00:14:53 --> 00:15:00 And it says in verse 34 that he was deeply distressed and troubled, even to the point of death.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 Now, we must not minimize what Jesus went through.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:10 See, if you've got a very high view of Jesus, we sort of tend to think, well, he could cope.
00:15:10 --> 00:15:13 I mean, he's God, you know, so you kind of cope with it.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:17 We know what's going to happen and he knows what's going to happen.
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 And we know it all works out in the end.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 But the fact is, let us not downplay this.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:36 Jesus is in deep distress, which for him felt exactly what it feels like for you when you are in deep distress.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:40 In fact, I want to suggest it's more.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:46 This is an anguish greater than any human has ever faced.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:50 You see, he saw the full terror of what lay ahead.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 He was most likely in sight of the other three.
00:15:55 --> 00:16:01 And they could see his prostate body convulsing.
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 And they could see his tears.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:08 And they could see the sweat of blood pouring out of his forehead.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:16 The terror he felt was not so much the pain of the cross, but what it meant.
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 He saw the cup.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 He saw the cup of human sin.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:27 He saw the brutality of a thousand holocausts over humanity's history.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:34 All the prostituting, all the idolatry of human civilizations, the blasphemy, the profanity.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:42 He saw a cup full to the brim with jealousy and hatred and bitterness and greed and anger.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:46 And it was his job to drink it.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:51 And he doesn't want to.
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 He falls to the ground and he prays.
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 He pleads.
00:16:57 --> 00:17:00 It's impossible that this hour might pass.
00:17:01 --> 00:17:04 Father, if there's any other way to do this.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:15 The hour he's about to face is the cup of God's anger against all of humanity for their rebellion.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:21 Where he takes the punishment due to Israel for their rebellion.
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 Where he soaks up the punishment of the sins of the world.
00:17:24 --> 00:17:29 Where all of God's anger is focused on him.
00:17:29 --> 00:17:35 But the answer to his prayer is that there's no way.
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 There's no way it can pass from you.
00:17:42 --> 00:17:46 And in the greatest display of obedience that will ever be known,
00:17:46 --> 00:17:51 Jesus took the cup full to the brim of human sin and God's anger.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:57 And he looked shuddering deep into its death.
00:17:57 --> 00:18:01 And in a steely act of his will, he drank it all.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:09 And here in the garden, it is but hours away.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:14 And Jesus says to his disciples,
00:18:15 --> 00:18:19 Be ready.
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 Keep watch.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 It's about to get really tough.
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 Verse 37.
00:18:29 --> 00:18:36 Then he returned to the disciples and found them sleeping.
00:18:39 --> 00:18:43 Simon, are you asleep?
00:18:44 --> 00:18:47 Could you not keep watch for one hour?
00:18:48 --> 00:18:51 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:54 The spirit is willing but the body is weak.
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 Once more he went away and he prayed the same thing.
00:18:57 --> 00:19:01 And when he came back, he again found them sleeping.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 Because their eyes were heavy.
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 And they did not know what to say to him.
00:19:06 --> 00:19:09 And he said to them,
00:19:10 --> 00:19:13 Are you still sleeping and resting?
00:19:17 --> 00:19:22 On the night where you could imagine it would be good for his disciples to comfort and support him,
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 Jesus is quite clearly all alone.
00:19:26 --> 00:19:31 Three times he goes back to them and three times they're asleep.
00:19:32 --> 00:19:36 It's hardly the picture of worship and devotion that we saw in Mary.
00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 These men can't even stay awake.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 And here's the climax in verse 41.
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 Are you still sleeping and resting?
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 Enough.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 The hour has come.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 Look.
00:19:52 --> 00:19:55 The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 Arise.
00:19:56 --> 00:19:59 Let us go because here comes my betrayer.
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02 You see, the time of betrayal had arrived.
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04 It's all about to get really ugly.
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 And so take a look at verse 43.
00:20:06 --> 00:20:10 Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, appeared.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:17 And with him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs sent from the chief priests, the teacher of the law and the elders.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:20 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with him.
00:20:20 --> 00:20:23 The one I kiss is the man.
00:20:24 --> 00:20:26 Arrest him and lead him under guard.
00:20:26 --> 00:20:33 And going at once to Jesus, Judas said, Rabbi, and kissed him.
00:20:34 --> 00:20:37 And the men seized Jesus and arrest him.
00:20:38 --> 00:20:46 The betrayer had come with a crowd armed with swords and clubs.
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 Why?
00:20:50 --> 00:20:55 Because that's the sort of kingship they thought Jesus was leading.
00:20:57 --> 00:21:01 That's the sort of kingdom they thought Jesus was on about.
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 But he wasn't the only one.
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 They weren't the only one.
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 Verse 37.
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 47.
00:21:09 --> 00:21:17 Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
00:21:21 --> 00:21:23 That's one of Jesus' boys.
00:21:23 --> 00:21:26 Pulling out his sword.
00:21:28 --> 00:21:33 Jesus had earlier predicted that they would all scatter on the way to Gethsemane.
00:21:33 --> 00:21:36 That they would all scatter when the going got tough.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:39 But it hasn't happened yet.
00:21:41 --> 00:21:44 Moments ago when Jesus was praying, these guys are all asleep.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:50 Now the mob is here with their swords and their clubs and their machine guns and their camo gear.
00:21:50 --> 00:21:53 And they've got it all there, ready to come and arrest Jesus.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 And what do the disciples do?
00:21:55 --> 00:22:01 They pull out their sword ready for battle.
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 They don't scatter.
00:22:04 --> 00:22:16 They are a long way from abandoning Jesus until that is, he says in verse 48.
00:22:16 --> 00:22:24 Am I leading a rebellion that you would come out with swords and clubs to capture me?
00:22:24 --> 00:22:30 Every day I was with you teaching in the temple courts and you did not arrest me.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 But the scriptures must be fulfilled.
00:22:33 --> 00:22:38 Jesus says here, have you not heard a single thing that I've said?
00:22:39 --> 00:22:42 Do you not understand what my mission is?
00:22:43 --> 00:22:47 It is not to be fighting this war.
00:22:47 --> 00:22:56 And it would seem that that was the moment the penny dropped for the disciples.
00:22:59 --> 00:23:06 All this talk of coming not to be served but to serve and to give your life as a ransom for many.
00:23:06 --> 00:23:10 All this talk of the first will be last and the last will be first.
00:23:10 --> 00:23:15 All this talk of his blood being poured out for many.
00:23:15 --> 00:23:20 It would appear that that is when the penny dropped.
00:23:22 --> 00:23:24 Verse 50.
00:23:25 --> 00:23:29 Then everyone deserted him and fled.
00:23:31 --> 00:23:38 So total was the fleeing from Jesus that even one of them fled naked.
00:23:39 --> 00:23:42 So total was the desertion of Jesus at that moment.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 Here's the point.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:51 They didn't desert Jesus because they were afraid.
00:23:53 --> 00:23:55 They weren't afraid to take on this mob.
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 They didn't desert Jesus because of fear.
00:24:00 --> 00:24:02 They were in fact prepared to die with Jesus.
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 I think Peter was right.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 I will not abandon you.
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08 I will die with you Jesus.
00:24:10 --> 00:24:13 They didn't desert Jesus because they were afraid.
00:24:14 --> 00:24:18 They deserted Jesus because of ideological disillusionment.
00:24:18 --> 00:24:27 The kingdom they thought Jesus was actually leading was not the kingdom that Jesus was leading.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:31 They were going to be with Jesus.
00:24:31 --> 00:24:34 They would give their lives for Jesus.
00:24:35 --> 00:24:44 Providing Jesus' kingdom meant that they were marching into Jerusalem and that they were going to take the throne and the palace and the temple.
00:24:44 --> 00:24:49 And they had glory and honor at the right hand of the left hand of Jesus.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 Remember chapter 10?
00:24:54 --> 00:24:56 One on your left and one on your right?
00:24:56 --> 00:25:00 They're thinking when we get to Jerusalem.
00:25:03 --> 00:25:05 When your kingdom is established Jesus.
00:25:06 --> 00:25:09 We are happy for you to be the king.
00:25:10 --> 00:25:13 As long as I'm the prime minister and he's the foreign minister.
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16 You get the glory.
00:25:17 --> 00:25:21 As long as we get to shine in the glory as well.
00:25:21 --> 00:25:26 As long as we get to be the people there when the press conference is on.
00:25:26 --> 00:25:29 Sitting beside you and waving at the camera behind you.
00:25:30 --> 00:25:32 So that everyone can see that we're with you Jesus.
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 We're on the winning side.
00:25:36 --> 00:25:40 But when your king surrenders himself to death and calls you to do the same.
00:25:42 --> 00:25:44 Well that's not what we were signing up for.
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 I've got to say friends.
00:25:47 --> 00:25:53 This has got something really to say about our consumeristic culture and the way it bears on church.
00:25:54 --> 00:25:56 A consumeristic culture says what's in it for me.
00:25:58 --> 00:26:01 The core of such a culture is me, my agenda.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 It's me getting something out of it.
00:26:05 --> 00:26:11 And so it is possible to be with Jesus and yet not be with Jesus.
00:26:11 --> 00:26:18 It is possible to come to church and sing songs of praise and pray and nod your head when the sermon is preached.
00:26:18 --> 00:26:21 And yet make decisions that pursue your agenda.
00:26:21 --> 00:26:26 That makes much of me rather than making much of Christ.
00:26:27 --> 00:26:30 I think it's often a subtlety for Christians.
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 Rather than a blatantly obvious.
00:26:32 --> 00:26:35 Too often we are happy to pursue God's glory.
00:26:35 --> 00:26:41 So long in the process, he makes much of me in the process.
00:26:46 --> 00:26:51 We can be involved in church activities that look like we're doing it for the glory of Christ.
00:26:51 --> 00:26:56 But secretly harboring a hope that some of his glory will radiate on me.
00:26:56 --> 00:26:59 In such a way that other people will see it.
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 And notice it.
00:27:00 --> 00:27:03 Let's be honest.
00:27:03 --> 00:27:09 It is so much easier taking up your cross and following Christ when other people are applauding you for it.
00:27:14 --> 00:27:16 It's a struggle for church leaders.
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 It's a struggle for me.
00:27:21 --> 00:27:25 What are my motives in wanting God to be glorified at St. Paul's?
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 And the vision that we have?
00:27:27 --> 00:27:31 Let me be honest with you.
00:27:31 --> 00:27:35 The reality is that if we only achieve half of what we hope to here at St. Paul's,
00:27:36 --> 00:27:39 much will be made of St. Paul's in church circles.
00:27:42 --> 00:27:44 That is the consumeristic culture in which we live.
00:27:46 --> 00:27:52 People won't automatically look to God and be amazed at his goodness to a bunch of ordinary people.
00:27:52 --> 00:27:56 They will look to us and praise us.
00:27:59 --> 00:28:02 And want us to help them do the same thing for them.
00:28:02 --> 00:28:08 Jesus didn't say, take up your sword.
00:28:08 --> 00:28:10 He said, take up your cross and follow me.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:16 And my guess is that if we search our hearts, we'll discover that it's so much easier, as I said,
00:28:16 --> 00:28:21 to take up our cross and follow Jesus and be a servant when other people are watching and applauding it.
00:28:22 --> 00:28:25 So that we at least get some glory out of it.
00:28:25 --> 00:28:35 If the way to be glorious really is to make Jesus look glorious by being a servant,
00:28:36 --> 00:28:39 do you really want to be glorious that way?
00:28:39 --> 00:28:48 So friends, every decision you make, every choice that you're faced with,
00:28:48 --> 00:28:52 you are there with this option.
00:28:53 --> 00:28:56 Make much of Christ or make much of me.
00:28:57 --> 00:29:01 The subtlety is, I'll make much of Christ if he makes much of me at the same time.
00:29:06 --> 00:29:09 And that's the struggle that we have with our motives all the time.
00:29:09 --> 00:29:14 And if we're not clear on those motives,
00:29:15 --> 00:29:21 then we may well abandon Jesus when the going gets tough.
00:29:23 --> 00:29:27 The great news is in this passage, and this is a message of hope here as well,
00:29:27 --> 00:29:30 Jesus knew his suffering and death wasn't going to be the end of the story.
00:29:32 --> 00:29:36 He knew that his disciples weren't going to take the heat.
00:29:36 --> 00:29:38 He knew that they were going to abandon him.
00:29:39 --> 00:29:43 And yet for Jesus, there was still plenty of room for putting things right.
00:29:44 --> 00:29:48 I love this bit in verses 27 and 28.
00:29:49 --> 00:29:52 Even for someone like Peter, there's an opportunity to put things right.
00:29:52 --> 00:29:54 Where Peter talks big, I'm not going to abandon you, Jesus.
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 And then Jesus says this,
00:29:56 --> 00:30:14 See that.
00:30:14 --> 00:30:23 Galilee. See that? The resurrection changes everything. There's hope even for a Peter.
00:30:24 --> 00:30:28 After the resurrection, there is a new start. Jesus says, I'm going to go ahead of you into
00:30:28 --> 00:30:34 Galilee. That is, I will meet you on the other side and I will gather you to myself. That's
00:30:34 --> 00:30:40 what the resurrection does. And with the coming of the Holy Spirit, these weak and disastrous
00:30:40 --> 00:30:47 disciples are courageous and bold for Christ to the point where they actually do give their
00:30:47 --> 00:30:59 lives for Christ and for his kingdom. Their failures are forgiven, washed over, cleansed.
00:31:00 --> 00:31:06 And so there is always hope here for disastrous disciples, for weak disciples.
00:31:06 --> 00:31:14 And that is the good news of this passage. Amen.