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God Can Help Us Be Faithful
Mark 14:66-72
This second movement of the events of the cross takes us back to Peter. Jesus had shown Peter a prophecy from Zechariah that indicated Peter would scatter from him that very night (14:27). Peter didn't like it and told Jesus he would die before denying him. But Jesus told him he'd deny Him three times before the rooster crowed twice (14:30). This episode shows us the fulfillment of that prediction.
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God Must Open Eyes
Mark 14:53-65
Our previous passage led us to Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. All his disciples fled from him (50). Jesus was left with only his captors, and here we learn they took him directly, in the dead of night, to the high priest.
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The Ineffective Disciples
Mark 14:27-52
Last week, we saw how Jesus was the hero of this passage. We should also take note of the disciples. They were ineffective. The passage begins with them declaring they will never deny Jesus, and it ends with all of them, even an unnamed-linenless-dude, running away from Jesus.
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The Hero Christ
Mark 14:27-52
In this passage, we have a determined Jesus and ineffective disciples. Let's look at both, starting with Jesus.
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Christ’s Betrayal
Mark 14:27-52
The passage before us is raw. It feels too intimate for our eyes to behold. We shouldn't get such an honest glimpse into Jesus, into God, or into the disciples, we think.
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Why Should We Take Communion? Part 2
Mark 14:22-25
Communion offers us so much as believers in Christ. Last week, we began looking at some of the many reasons taking communion blesses and benefits the church – it reminds us of the incarnation, centers us on the atonement, emphasizes the importance of our personal faith, and communicates the unity of the church. Let’s continue looking at six more today.
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Why Should We Take Communion? Part 1
Mark 14:22-25
Mark tells us that Jesus and the disciples **were eating** the Passover meal when Jesus did something out of the ordinary (22). The customary Passover ceremony would have begun with a blessing over the group. Then, they would drink from the first cup of wine. Next, the youngest child in the group, perhaps John in this upper room, would ask, "Why is this night different from other nights?" The host or father of the group -- Jesus in this instance -- would then retell the events of the original Passover in Exodus.
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The New Passover Meal
Mark 14:12-25
In Exodus, God set Israel free from their Egyptian captivity with the Passover (Exodus 12). Though plague after plague had rained down on Egypt, Pharaoh would not surrender. With a hardened heart, he refused to acknowledge a deity greater than himself. He was the ultimate man, and, like many after him, in his defiance, he would not and could not submit to God.
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Mary, an Example of Devotion to Christ
Mark 14:1-11
Jesus Christ is worthy of our devotion. There is nothing we can give him that would put him in our debt. Though we know this about Jesus, what the woman in this story did for him is still astonishing because of its total lack of moderation. This is what the people present struggled with when they saw her that day. To them, she could have given the money to the poor and thanked Jesus less extravagantly.
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A Healthy Heart Before God - How To Deal With a Condemned Heart
(1 John 3:19-20)
At this point in his letter, John knew his readers were ripe for feelings of condemnation. He'd written to them about believing in Jesus, obeying God, and loving other Christians. And on this last point, many might have felt terrible weakness. (7 Minutes/1900 Words)
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