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Mark 14 "Promise"
"After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people." And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?" For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." and they critisized her sharply. But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you , wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him."
Cost and Convenience
We usually don't have to be reminded to count the cost.
In almost every part of our lives there is a pricetag. My family likes
to spend a day out each week. But it is very difficult to find a place
to go, without spending lots of money. There is money for gas, train
fare, lunch, snacks, admission, gifts to bring home. Everything costs
money.
And there are also hidden costs. Before we buy a air conditioner or
a car, we must think about how much electricity it uses or what the
gas mileage is.
My wife is a very smart shopper. She knows just when the sales are,
where to buy each thing to get the best price. She doesn't mind going
to a little bit of work, if she can save some money. I am just the opposite.
To me, convenience is more important. Rie will wait until the right
day, and drive down a few more blocks to the discount store. But I go
to the closest mini-market, get what I want and come home.
Our problem is that we carry these consumer attitudes over into our
relationship with Jesus Christ. Do you see how the chief priests and
scribes were calculating? They wanted to get rid of Jesus, but they
didn't want to upset the crowd
There has been a major incident in Jerusalem this past week. The prime
minister of Israel has allowed an ancient tunnel to be opened near the
temple mount and the wailing wall. The muslims were outraged and fighting
took place between the Palestinian police and Israeli military. It looks
like the Prime Minister wasn't as shrewd as his predecessors from Jesus'
time. The chief priests and scribes held back on arresting Jesus because
they didn't want to set off riots like the ones we have had recently
in Jerusalem.
How about Judas? He was calculating as well. "Hmm, how much will
I be able to get out of this little group of religious fanatics this
week?" You see Judas was out to pocket as much money as he could.
He was a thief, but a very clever thief. He pretended to be a true believer
and everyone trusted him so much that they let him take care of the
money box. And as he went to the market to buy dinner for the disciples
he would just pocket a little as his "commission". The other
disciples had the "Great Commission". Judas had his own commission.
But Judas was beginning to realize that the time was getting short.
And when Jesus started talking about His burial, Judas knew that he
had stolen all he was going to get from this group. So he thought of
the next best way to make a profit, and went to chief priests to betray
Him. Judas was out to make money, but he didn't want to work too hard
at it. He looked for the opportunity to betray Jesus conveniently, so
as not to jeapardize himself.
Contrast Judas and the chief priests with the woman, whom the gospel
of John calls Mary. Mary wasn't thinking of getting the most out of
her money. Mary wasn't thinking of anything except adoration of Christ.
The oil that she poured over Jesus came all the way from India. It would
have cost her about a year's wages. But Mary wasn't expecting anything
in return. In fact she had already received more than she ever dreamed
of from Jesus. Her brother Lazarus had been brought back to life. In
her eyes her offering wasn't great, in fact she probably thought it
too little.
How about us? Do we have a consumer attitude towards God? Are we looking
for the best bargain? Are we looking for a convenient relationship that
we can get into when we need something and get back out again fast?
Are we calculating, "Ok, God, if I do this for you, will you do
this for me?" "I went to church, said my prayers and read
my Bible every day, now Lord, I really want a new job!" Are we
trying to write up a contract with God? God doesn't want a contract
with you. God wants a relationship. God wants you to love Him with all
your heart, your mind, your soul and your strength. That is why, without
you having to sign on the dotted line, or put down a down payment, or
promise that you will pay Him back, God bought your heart, using His
son Jesus Christ to pay your debts. God did all this without asking
you first, or demanding anything from you. All He asks is that now you
receive this the free gift and walk in new life.
Prophecy and Promise
"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 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.' But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." Peter said to Him. "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be." 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 spoke more vehemently, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all said likewise."
Jesus was telling the disciples some very important instructions,
in fact these were his last words to the group as a whole before the
crucifixion. Jesus was trying to tell them something that they would
need to remember, but they didn't want to hear it.
Jesus knew what was going to happen. He knew that the disciples would
all flee. But he didn't accuse them! He didn't blame them. Instead He
gave them a promise. The promise was that He would be raised, and that
He would go before them to Galilee.
But the group didn't even hear the promise. All they heard was the prophecy.
And then Peter got all macho. "If I have to die with You, I will
not deny You!" We look at this statement and think, how zealous,
how manly, "kakkoii". But Peter was missing the point.
Let me teach you something that should be fundamental in your Christian
life. It took Moses 40 years to learn this principal. David struggled
with it too. Peter was about to learn it here, "Promise is more
important than prophecy." Let me repeat it so you don't miss it.
"Promise is more important than prophecy."
Prophecy is simply saying the truth. Sometimes this is before the event,
and sometimes it is not. What Jesus said to the disciples first was
a prophecy, "I will strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered."
He applied the scripture to the situation that they were in and spoke
the truth. In a way it is like reading the speedometer on your car.
It doesn't lie. If you are going 50 it reads 50, if you are going 150
it reads 150. It isn't good or evil, merciful or severe. It doesn't
care or love, it just tells the truth. This is what prophecy is.
But a promise is something else. A promise is when someone commits to
do something for you. It is not just a truth, it is backed up by the
character of that person. Now when that person is God, we can be sure
that the promise will be fulfilled. We can be sure that the promise
is good. Jesus promised that He would rise again. Jesus promised to
go before them into Galilee.
The disciples did well to listen to the prophecy of God. But they should
have also listened to His promise. That is the more important part.
Because it is in His promise that we see His love for us.
The Spirit is willing, but...
"Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray." And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch." he went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass from Him. 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." Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "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." Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 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 Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."
The Garden of Gethsemane reminds me of the importance
of prayer. I learn both from Jesus and from Peter about prayer in the
Garden. I learn from Jesus because even though Jesus was the Son of
God. He still needed to pray. Perhaps you are thinking that the more
spiritual you get the less you will need to pray? It is just the opposite.
The closer you are to God the more time you will spend talking to Him.
What does prayer do? We know from the scriptures that God knows our
every need before we even ask Him. Why then do we need to pray? I heard
from one person that when we pray we are focussing cosmic energies.
And this is why it is powerful when many people pray in unity. This
is not the reason. Some of the most effective prayers have been one
word, weakly spoken or even barely thought. Some have been simply "Help"
and yet God moves. Some have been spoken by people who do not know God,
and yet God has shown mercy on them. Some have been spoken by sinners,
and yet have more power than the prayers of the saints.
What prayer is, is communication between us and God. Prayer changes
things around me, but more importantly prayer changes things within
me. Everything human in Jesus cried out against the cross. His physical
body cried out against the pain. His mind cried out against the injustice
of it. His emotions cried out against the shame. But He prayed with
his Spirit, "Not My will, but Thy will be done." Prayer allows
the Spirit to take control over the flesh.
Jesus came back and found Peter sleeping. I am afraid that Jesus also
finds me sleeping more often than not. I learn from Peter in the Garden
because I too have a hard time staying awake. Jesus said to Peter "The
spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Watch and pray lest you fall
into temptation. The spirit and the flesh are constantly warring to
control you. The most important thing that prayer does is put the spirit
on top. The loud insistant voices of the flesh, the physical body, the
mind, the emotions, are for a moment put into second place and God is
allowed to speak to our spirits undisturbed.
Maybe you are thinking, I pray, but I am still not experiencing victory
over the flesh. Keep praying. Even Jesus had to go back three times.
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