Last week I identified four events that took place leading up to the death of Jesus to pay our sin debt.

1. The chief priests and teachers of the law plotted to put Jesus to death.
2. While reclining at dinner in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman anointed Jesus’ head with expensive perfume. Jesus said she did it before hand to prepare for his burial.
3. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, betrayed Jesus.
4. Jesus prepared to eat the Passover meal with his disciples.

Today we are going to look at five more events that took place leading up to Jesus’ death.

We don’t know for sure what is going to happen from one moment to the next, Jesus did.

Here’s the context of this particular Passover meal, Jesus and his 12 disciples gather in a room that had been prepared for them to eat the Passover meal. Judas has already agreed to betray Jesus, the other disciples had no clue about what was getting ready to happen. As they recline at the table, Jesus makes a declaration, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me– one who is eating with me.” The text says they were saddened and one-by-one they said, “Surely not I?” Jesus said to them, “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” I wonder if at that point Judas began to second guess what he was doing?

We take Communion on the first Sunday of each month. We do it in remembrance of what Jesus did for us on the cross, but here in Mark 14 Jesus inaugurates what we do on the first Sunday with his disciples prior to his death on the cross.

Mark 14:22-25

22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.

24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.

25 “I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”

“Mark is the only Gospel writer who adds, “and they all drank, they all [swear allegiance to Jesus] but they all fall away, and they all fled. The original Last Supper is attended by traitors and cowards; it is a table not of merit but of grace!”¹

Event # 5 – Jesus ate the Passover with his disciples, informing them that one of them would betray him, and inaugurates what we know today as Communion.

After the meal they went out to the Mount Olives. Jesus informs them, “You will all fall away,” “For it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

I believe it is a natural reaction of most people to defend their reputation against perceived negative criticism. Everything Jesus says is true, but Peter feels compelled to say something. “Even if all fall away, I will not.” Jesus counters Peter’s statement, “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today– yes, tonight– before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”

Sometimes, even when we disagree, rather than speaking out of turn, it is better to be silent than to speak words we will regret later. Peter had another response, trying to put himself in a good light with Jesus. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.” I pray that the day never comes for us to have to deny Jesus or die. It could come, what would you do?

Rachel Scott had big dreams for herself. The enthusiastic 17-year-old from Colorado wanted to become an actress or perhaps a missionary. But her life was tragically cut short when she was killed on April 20, 1999, during the Columbine High School massacre.

Scott was eating lunch with a friend when shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold began their attack. Scott was their first victim, and, before killing her, Harris allegedly asked Scott if she believed in God. Scott, a devout Christian, purportedly said that she did, and he shot her.

Event #6 – Jesus informed his disciples they would fall away when He was arrested. Peter said he would not abandon Jesus, that he would die first. Jesus told Peter, “Today– yes, tonight– before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”

Jesus and his disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane. It doesn’t mention it, but Judas had slipped away and was not with the other disciples. So, Jesus left 8 disciples together to watch and pray, and took Peter, James, and John with him further into the garden. Here are the instructions Jesus gave to Peter, James, and John, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

Jesus went further into the garden and prayed, “if possible, the hour might pass from him. Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

He returns to his disciples and finds them sleeping. While traveling back to Kansas from Colorado, Karen was driving, a man driving a pickup truck fell asleep at the wheel. Karen honked the horn, but he did not wake up. Karen slowed down and allowed the truck to pass her. It swerved in front of us and drifted into the median that separated east bound traffic from west bond traffic. As soon as he left the pavement he woke up and swerved back in front of us. He pulled over and stopped the truck. He was fortunate that nobody was injured.

Sometimes sleep comes on you and you fall victim to it. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

Jesus went away a second time and a third time to pray the same prayer to his Father. Each time He returned to his disciples He found them asleep. After the third time He said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Event # 7 – Jesus and his disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane where He prayed for the cup to be taken from him, but not my will but your will be done. The disciples kept falling to sleep instead of praying in support of Jesus.

Mark 14:43-46

43 Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.

44 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.”

45 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him.

46 The men seized Jesus and arrested him.

“The haste and preparedness of the mob testify to its resolute animosity. Jesus is shadowed and apprehended by a relentless bureaucracy in which, then as now, persons and processes are set in motion for which no one seems responsible and which no one is able to stop. The only persons named are Judas and Jesus, and the arrest is narrated as a fateful and final meeting between them.”²

Event # 8 – Judas leads a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs to arrest Jesus. Judas identified who they should arrest with a kiss.

Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law. Peter followed Jesus from a distance and went into the courtyard of the high priest. Peter warmed himself along with the guards around a fire while the Sanhedrin was looking for evidence against Jesus so they could have him killed.

Daniel was taken into Babylon as a young boy. He was honest and trustworthy. He rose in the ranks in the service of the king.

Daniel 6:1-5

1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,

2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss.

3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.

5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”

If this is what was said about Daniel, it should not be a surprise to us when the Sanhedrin tried to find evidence of wrongdoing with Jesus they could not. It was only after Jesus answered the question, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One” that they accused him of blasphemy and condemned him to death. While Jesus was dealing with the Sanhedrin Peter was being recognized as a follower of Jesus.

Mark 14:66-72

66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.

67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.

68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.

69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.”

70 Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”

71 He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”

72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Event # 9 – Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin and was condemned to death on the charge of blasphemy, for claiming to be the Messiah. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crowed twice, fulfilling what Jesus had prophesied.

Study Questions on Mark 14:17-72

1. Have you ever been betrayed by someone you considered to be your friend?
2. Have you ever been called on the carpet for something you said but did not do?
3. What has happened in your life that caused you to cry out to God in prayer?
4. Share a time where you were trying to stay awake but couldn’t.
5. Some people, because of their profession, are considered mandatory reporters of certain crimes. Would you turn a friend in?
6. Have you ever been tried in a court of law? If so, did your attorney tell you to answer the questions or plead the 5^th?
7. I’ve heard it said that Jesus was found guilty of LOVE in the first degree.
8. We will stand in the judgement before a holy God, believers in Christ are covered by his blood and will be found not guilty in the judgement. What action of yours will affect the rewards you will receive in Heaven?
9. Can people you barely know identify you as a Christian?