 |
| Jesus before Pilate. |
She had
faith in man!
In
remembering the great sacrifice of Jesus for mankind and referencing nothing
toward Him but only for faith in man brings tears indeed. What death occurred
and what horrendous hate accumulated in the flesh of Jesus to be hung on a
Cross for all the world to view at that time.
Mark
14:32-42 NKJV 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 The 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 is indeed 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 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.”
Are we keeping watch today? Do we note what to pray for?
Mark 14:43 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. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” 50 Then they all forsook Him and fled.
Mark 14:53 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 all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.
Peter followed at a distance. He was lagging behind and when he sat, he sat to warm himself. Not with his peers but with others trying to be lost in a crowd!
Mark 15:6-15 NKJV 6 Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. 8 Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" 10 For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 12 Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?" 13 So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!" 14 Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!" 15 So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.
Pilate recognized the envy of the Jews at this time. The chief priests stirred up the crowds to release the rebellious one and crucify the humble and faithful One.
Mark 15:33
Now when the sixth hour had come there was darkness over the whole land until
the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice,
saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani?” which is translated :MY God, My God why
have You forsaken Me?” 35 Some of those who stood by, when they heard that,
said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!” 36 Then someone ran and filled sponge
full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink saying,
“Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.” 37 And Jesus
cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. 38 Then the veil of the
temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 So when the centurion who stood
opposite Him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed His last, he said,
“Truly this Man was the Son of God!” 40 There were also women looking on from
afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of
Joses and Salome, 41 who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in
Galilee and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.
As Jesus hung on the Cross, & darkness took over for 3 hours, the depths Jesus went was the very place where Lazarus was placed in the Bosom of Abraham. Noise filled the place, & vicious hatred came out against Jesus. Only His body remaining on the Cross, his soul was taken by the dogs of damnation to be punished because of man’s sin. Yes, when Jesus cried out “It is Finished”, those that filled the depths of hell came to take Jesus to hell. The ground shook as the bulls of Bashan came out. The stout-hearted devil angels of hell held Jesus in Sheol. Deut. 32:22-24 For a fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn unto the lowest hell[Sheol]…they shall be burnt with hunger, & devoured with burning heat, & with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with poison of serpents of the dust. Amos 5:18-19 For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness & not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion & a bear met him! & a serpent bit him! That takes place in hell is the evil demonic force in their hatred of men made in the image of God is horrific. The extent of your anger & hate is the depth of your flame!
Mark 16: 1
Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and
Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the
morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tome when the sun had
risen. 3 And they said themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door
of the tomb for us?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had
been rolled away----for it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a
young man clothed in a long white role sitting on the right side; and they were
alarmed. 6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth,
who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid
Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples-----and Peter-----that He is going before you
into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” 8 So they went out
quickly and fled from the tome, for they trembled and were amazed. And they
said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Nothing was
found in Jesus to crucify Him on the Cross. They chose the “world”, they chose
Barabbas! That Passover day in AD 31, there was a guilty "son of the
father"—Barabbas—and a totally innocent "Son of the
Father"—Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Ancient
texts say that Barabbas' full name was Jesus Barabbas. If that is correct—and
it may be—then the crowd picked the wrong Jesus to be freed! Is that not
typical of human nature? On our own, we too would choose the wrong savior and
doom ourselves to bondage to sin and death rather than freedom from sin and
eternal life (John 6:44; Romans 2:4).
Our faith
is to be in Jesus! He stood before the Pharisees and the governor Pilate! He
stood and spoke nothing to bring accusation to Him. Man brought false accusations.
Mark 16:5
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and
they were alarmed. 6 But he said to
them, “Do not alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is
risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His
disciples-----and Peter-----that He is going before you into Galilee; there you
will see Him, as He said to you.” 8 So they went out quickly and fled from the
tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for
they were afraid.
Awestruck:
an angel appearing to them. He is clothed in a long white robe. He brought alarm
to those seeing him. Anyone seeking Jesus: He is not here. But is risen. Jesus
of Nazareth is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His
disciples and Peter. He is going before you into Galilee. There YOU will see
Him as He said to you.
Jesus was on the move. He was not held by nails, nor a Roman cross! Coming and finding an open tomb, they were bringing spices to bind that which was now dead for the bones to appear. But an angel, with lightning appearance spoke to them. An angel who had no work to open that tomb to some light. He spoke instructions that Jesus had given earlier to them. Tell His disciples and tell Peter. Jesus would see them in Galilee. Jesus would appear to them and His wounds would verify His last moments on the Cross! He gave instructions to them. Scatter they did, and scatter they will do today. If they scatter like the disciples, as they did then, they will do now. For many hide to not be found, but Jesus is alive and He expects us to deliver His message. For things changed certainly, but Jesus is alive and His message is important to live and declare His very works to the lost. We will do this to the end of the age!
His is
exclusive and not inclusive. His kingdom is truth and only His truth. We
listen, we obey and become more like Him, to abide in the kingdom of God that
is coming. We abide in His truth now, knowing people stood against Him then and
they will do it again in this time. But God is everlasting. His truth endures
to all generations.
This woman of Jewish heritage made it known she came through
Holocaust. Praise the Lord. She waits for Jesus. We are to be diligent and
honest in our search for a true shepherd of the church of God. It is everyone's
responsibility. It is imperative that we find a fold where we can be properly
fed and where we can serve. The enemy has scattered the flock through the
extensive doctrinal changes, and God has permitted it for our good.
Faith holds us together in His grace. But only Jesus leads us. And man should know the Lord by his heart. WE are to remain constant in our call and the place God has placed us. How necessary this is in the heart and life of every believer. Yet, in many of the churches of our land; the radio and TV programs together with statements and articles coming from the lips and pens of the most popular and influential “Christian leaders” in our day make it crystal clear that “church growth” and “success” in the eyes of men has replaced absolute fidelity to the Word of God! The Word of God is never replaced. Men move from the peace of God to living outside Him in their own sufficiency.
We as believers
who refuse to bow the knee to Baal—those who will not go along with the crowd
are a great blessing and encouragement. WE hear from and correspond
with an increasing number of others of like precious faith and we give thanks to
God our Father in Jesus’ name. As we believers increase in that developing
spiritual discernment as the group in
the Lord, we will no longer follow and support those leaders who glorify the
psychological approach and depend upon every trick of modern advertising and
salesmanship to broaden their sphere of influence and increase their prestige
and following. We are thankful that God always maintains and sustains His
faithful remnant in every generation.
Awestruck,
yes, that God Himself sent the Son of His love, to bring the presence of the
Father to a lost people, to bring Holy Spirit for change and bring the doctrine
of life for us to become the image of our Father God. Awestruck, an angel appeared,
Jesus not there, but Jesus alive and speaking, eating and enjoying His
disciples. Jesus alive with wounds of the world to point to way in Him to
heaven, to hearing His voice and know the truth. It was a babe in a manger, a
twelve year old with God’s wisdom, it was signs and wonders to the interest of
God for people, it was the blood shed for humanity and it was love that ruled
through it all.
Awestruck!
If God be for us, who can be against us?
According to the Hope
