Mark 15:1-15, What’s He Done?

Mark chapter 15. We'll be reading the first 15 verses hear the word of the

Lord and As soon as it was morning the chief priest held a consultation with the elders of the scribes and the whole council and they bound

Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate and Pilate asked him Are you the king of the

Jews? And he answered you have said so and The chief priest accused him of many things and Pilate again asked him.

Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they have they bring against you But Jesus made no further answer so that Pilate was amazed

Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked and among the rebels in prison who had committed murder in the insurrection

There was a man called Barabbas and the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them

And he answered them saying Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews? For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priest had delivered him up but the chief priest stirred up the crowd to have him released for them

Barabbas instead and Pilate said to them Then what shall

I do with the man you call the king of the Jews and they cried out again crucify him and Pilate said to them why what evil has he done, but they shouted all the more

Crucify him so Pilate wishing to satisfy the crowd Released for them Barabbas and having scourged

Jesus. He delivered him to be crucified May the Lord had his blessings to the reading of his word if you can keep your head when all about you are

Losing theirs and blaming it on you Rudyard Kipling begins his poem if if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting to If you can do that and other such things

You're strong. You're mature Kipling says if you can fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run

Yours is the earth and everything in it and and what is more you'll be a man my son

Is that what it means to be mature? Well partly when

I was beginning eighth grade, I had just moved from Alabama to a suburb of Orlando, Florida And was riding the school bus when a boy behind me with a lock, you know there's a combination locks used for lockers started hitting me or maybe tapping me maybe hitting's too hard, but On the head in the back of the head and I told him to stop and irritated

But then when he did it again, I stood up Being from Alabama turned around and began to punch the boy for this for that the school suspended me for three days off the bus and My mother sentenced me to memorize

Kipling's poem if if you could keep your head about you When all about if you keep your head when all about you

I didn't memorize it that well All are losing theirs and blaming it on you. I Don't remember my father doing anything which probably means he thought he thought yeah,

I would have done the same thing, too What does it mean to be strong to be mature now some people seem to think that maturity is just a matter of years

Kind of like rings on a tree you you gain another layer of maturity every year. I'm old enough to be your father

So you better listen to me, but if maturity is a matter of character and that is a matter of choices

You know if you've been making bad choices for 80 90 100 years

You'll still Have an immature weak character no matter how old you get

It's true that wisdom can be gained through the years if you've been listening to advice if you've been learning if you've been changing according to what you learn if You keep your head about you when all else are losing theirs if you make all allowances for what others think if you?

Fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run if you exercise your character by swimming upstream

Against the currents of what nearly everyone around you except the church. I hope says is right and true and tolerant and inclusive if if that Well, then sure your years probably do mean growth and wisdom and character, but if you've just gone with a flow

You know like a dead fish even a dead fish can swim downstream If you've always taken the path of least resistance you always cave into pressure if You've not actually put into practice.

Maybe you've heard a lot, but you've not put it into practice You know you just you just give in when things get hard if you've never been willing to do something when it's hard You'll exercise

Well until you get tired You'll diet Until you get hungry You'll stay away from bad relationships

Well until you get lonely you'll read the Bible and pray Until you lose the thrill you'll be a faithful church member man until there's a price to pay

You'll put the word into practice Until it means well having just having to give maybe giving up some money or maybe

Having to stand against someone else's sin when that will make you pay a price if that's the way you been

It really doesn't matter how long you live you'll always be weak and immature a reed shaken in the wind kind of like a windsock, you know like they put on the top of goalposts or at airports now puffed up shaking but Empty and pointing in whatever direction you're being blown

Maturity is not a matter of years and strength is not a matter of power

There are people with many years that have never matured there are people with a lot of power But are so weak.

They can't stand up to the slightest winds indeed Democracies can promote people just like that people who claim they you know stand for something

But not really, you know Maybe who claim they are against homosexual marriage in one election and then when the polls show it's convenient for them to say so They're for it in the next

We can't just blame the leaders. Oh, they're weak. Why don't they stand up? It's what the people want So they'll be for invading a country when they think it will be an easy win and they'll be the same ones crying the loudest

To pull our troops out of that country when it looks hard They aren't willing to do anything hard to stand up for something because it's true

No matter what everyone else says to do justice because it's right if everyone else around them is for that injustice

I Have my doubts about southern religion whether almost any of it is real

People call this up call the South the Bible belt, but do you realize how historically new that is?

It was it wasn't that way before the Civil War Before the Civil War Christians in the north would comment about how spiritually dark and hard the

South was it wasn't until the civil beginning in a civil war and then Afterward the churches began to seriously grow in the

South and that's that's when we became the Bible belt But think of that what else is going on in the

South during this civil war and afterward for about a century these churches growing

You know Giving the whole region a reputation for the Bible belt they were living at peace first with slavery and then for with segregation for a century when as Revivalism is just sweeping the

South now how then could a biblical faith in the one who taught? Love your neighbor as yourself

You say you believe in him that and that's the second greatest commandment and he said it's like the first Which is to love the

Lord your God with all your heart and mind and strength Love your neighbor is is like that How could that faith in him?

live and thrive side by side with such obvious injustice

Now maybe you could excuse many people. Okay, I understand many people are the sheep They kind of take reality as they find it.

They don't question too much about whether things really should be the way they are but Okay, you excuse many people but what about the shepherds?

What about the preachers? The prophets who should be declaring do justice love mercy walk humbly with your

God Where were they for over a century? What were they doing? Oh sure.

They were railing against alcohol Yeah, yeah, they give a day would just you know

Condemn you to hell for drinking a beer because that was a fashionable cause that's the way the winds of public approval were blowing

That was that was courage to speak up against a drink But where where why were they not speaking against?

injustice Why weren't they speaking for justice? Where were the Micah's? Saying he has shown you a man what is good and what does the

Lord require of you? Where were the Jeremiah's? Going into the temples with a yoke on telling the people not to listen to the false prophets not to trust in their false

Assurance, where were the men? They were weak they were blown by the wind and They produced generations of churchgoers that fold like paper before any resistance

Well here we see what happens when a weak man Even one with a lot of power is faced with the winds of injustice

We see a weak man Come face to face with the strongest man who ever lived

We see that here in three parts first the accusation second the substitution and finally the condemnation as They mentioned last week the

Sanhedrin the Jews ruling body Technically wasn't allowed to meet at night It meant that they were up to no good but they got around that by waiting until the first break of dawn and then they held their official session and Announced quickly that their verdict

Jesus is guilty and he deserves death and they've been working toward this for a while now

But there's only one more obstacle in their way to carry out their plan They weren't allowed to implement the death penalty

That right was reserved for the Romans the Sanhedrin could recommend it

But the Roman governor would have to actually carry it out and that's a problem for them Because they've just pronounced

Jesus guilty of blasphemy But they know that the pilot the governor.

Is it gonna execute someone for for blasphemy? I mean he couldn't care less

He couldn't care less about their religious sensibilities And he seems to have enjoyed a purposely offending them from time to time just rubbing their noses in his power

After all, he's not elected, you know, like our governor says to face election He's pointed by the by the

Caesar the Emperor, but they could complain to the Emperor about him if they if he offended them

But you know, there's no guarantee the Emperor would care either And so pilot had people killed in the temple while offering their sacrifices

He set up Roman flags in Jerusalem with it with the image of Caesar on them.

It's just offended You know, no graven image that that Offended them and he didn't care if he certainly is not gonna care.

He did all that He's not gonna care if some renegade rabbi from Galilee was supposedly blaspheming the

Jewish God, you know What are you talking about? So they would have to come up with a charge against Jesus that pilot would care about and that's easy

Jesus has said that he was the Christ the anointed one who brings in God's kingdom on earth and they could tell pilot that the

Messiah is going to overthrow the Romans. He's gonna lead a revolt. He's gonna rally the people to make

Israel a free Independent powerful Empire again like it was under David That was easy to think because that's what they believe the

Messiah was supposed to be anyway, that his kingdom really was of this world and so they will tell pilot that Jesus is making himself out to be the king of the

Jews That was their way of appealing to pilot get pilot against Jesus that would pilot get pilots attention

Because his number one job Was to keep Israel Subjugated keep it under Roman control any threat to that was taken very seriously

So they come to pilot with Jesus bound Hand him over to him with the accusation the indictment.

He's making himself out to be the king of the Jews And pilot asked him directly in verse 30 in verse 2

Are you the king of the Jews? Just asking and Jesus gives a brief the kind of mysterious answer

You say in Greek that's literally it that's that's all there is to it you say

It's meant to be a yes, but kind of yes with a hint that Yeah, I'm a king but not quite like what you mean.

In other words It is as you say, I am the king but not exactly as you think

He says enough of a yes to still stay in trouble to still be a candidate for crucifixion

But he can't fully say yes to what pilot is asking him I don't think he's trying to be evasive or cute or clever or anything like that.

He's trying to be precise He is the king But not the kind of king pilot is worried about The chief priest then began to pour on the accusations notice that accused him of many things

It says they want to convince pilot to kill him Pilot he said he's the son of man. I Mean he'll be seated on a throne judging everyone.

He said he's gonna become judging everyone even us even you pilot That's what he said. He said he's coming to smash all earthly kingdoms.

It's what it says in Daniel 7 He said he's fulfilling that prophecy. He'll smash all or even Rome. He'll smash

Rome. That's what he said He said he will rule with God's authority over all the earth even over Rome pilot.

That's what he said. He must be stopped many things in verse 3 many accusations

The winds are blowing against Jesus the week Will be carried along with it

One of the tactics of plotters schemers naggers What are the tactics they use either in politics or even just personal relationships or in churches?

The tactics they used to sway the week It's just agitate with many accusations.

There's non -stop accusations to to whip up a a sense of panic a

Frenzy that this problem that they whipped up themselves that this problem can only be solved

You'll have to agree because there's so many Problems so many accusations can only be solved if we get rid of him the one we hate you know either the president or the senator or You know if you change your mind about what this or in some churches even get rid of the pastor

He's he's he's done this he's doing that even if you try to answer every accusation

Kind of like playing whack -a -mole ever played that whack -a -mole You knock one down accusation down another one pops up and the weak eventually conclude

Well, then the only way to have peace To get to be done with this is to give in to the many accusations

Maybe if I give in I vote for someone else or cave into the nagging

You know, there's always complaining about one thing after another and then promises if you give in to me on this just Just this then after that this last time

I'll be nice to you again I'll be a peaceful voter. I'll be a happy church member.

I'll be a submissive wife a good kid and the weak Blow in the wind a

Pilot hears these many accusation and asked Jesus in verse 4. Have you no answer to make? Because he's he's

Jesus hearing him too, and he's not saying anything Pilots hearing a lot of froth a lot of anger a lot of agitation

He knows they're trying to push his buttons trying to get him to see Jesus as a revolutionary a rebel out to lead a revolt

But he picks up on the fact that there's There's no content there

There's nothing specific There's no actual proof that he's done anything Against Rome as far as he can see there's he's not organizing any underground army

He's not stockpiling weapons anywhere He's not running a terrorist training camp out there in Galilee He's not even calling for the overthrow of the

Romans. He's not even saying don't pay taxes So, you know pilot is beginning to hear the accusation it knows

There's a lot of heat But where's the beef? But what really amazes him is that Jesus isn't trying to defend himself

Now normally a man on trial for his life. It's gonna be frantically trying to prove his innocence

You know every false accusation is gonna be shouting back lies. They lie desperately shouting no

And arguing as much as he can their life is on the line and they don't care about how pathetic they look

Maybe if maybe a few You know hardcore rebels Will actually admit to it and denounce

Rome, you know death to Caesar Give some kind of passion and anti -roman speech as they're being dragged off by the soldiers

But Jesus isn't doing any of that His composure his strength

His ability to keep his head about him when all else would be losing theirs is amazing his regal stability under such pressure amazes pilot

The accusation is that Jesus is a king The accusation is true.

The accusation then leads to the substitution Pilots impressed with Jesus and he knows from all the empty shrill accusations and from Jesus's composure

That Jesus didn't do anything wrong What has he done? He's gonna ask he can't find anything.

The accusers are agitated. They're nearly hysterical But they but they have nothing real pilot now

Wants to release Jesus he's supposed to release Jesus He's called by God and by the

Roman government to do justice now often God and the Roman government had very different ideas

About what justice would mean but in this case they agree innocent men should go free now

How to do that? You know, he's got to live work with these people. So how is he gonna let

Jesus go free do what's right? He could just issue his verdict Jesus is innocent

Order him released and tell the chief priests, you know, don't bother me again with your personal vendettas

I'm not interested in your theology But even dictators have to space to pay some attention to how people feel and so he thinks of a clever ploy

He'll appeal to Democracy That's it. Yeah, they had a custom of releasing one prisoner

At the Passover and it just so happens to be the Passover All right one prisoner the people and he allowed the people to select

Let the people decide Vote on it, and he knew that many of the common people did respect the priest

So surely they'll ask to let Jesus go he probably heard about how Jesus was welcomed just a few days earlier on Sunday with Hosanna's Blessed is he who comes in the name of the

Lord and that way pilot thinks well Jesus he can do the right thing He can let the innocent man go free and still not make the priest angry after all

He's got to do business with these men regularly. He doesn't want to face their nagging and their discontent.

They're complaining every day Because he chose to release Jesus now we can just say

Democracy made me do it the people spoke and me a humble servant of the people

Did what they asked? Yeah, it's gonna work it's win -win he thinks but there was another prisoner

There was a rebel who had committed murder in his opposition to Rome Barabbas It's an interesting simple name

Barabbas Who names her child Barabbas? it means son of a father

Imagine a son is born and you name him son of a father Now surely every man is a

Son of a father just like every woman is a daughter of a father He's a murderer a thief a rebel.

He's Barabbas and every man Now surely there was nothing about him that would make the people choose him over Jesus over the one who was just hailed just a few days before The crowd came to Jesus to ask for the prisoner of their choice to be released

Now as Pilate's chance the timing could not be better as far as he's concerned. He has this man He knows is innocent

He wants to let him go and it happens to be the very day when he gets to when he asked supposed to release a prisoner of their choice

So he can get Jesus off his hands without having to take responsibility And so he asked him a leading question knows the way he asked it

He didn't even ask which of these choices. Do you want me to release? He asked me He asked him do you want me to release for you the king of the

Jews? He's your king after all Don't you want your king? You've been waiting for centuries for your king.

Now. He's the long expected King born to set his people free

Pilot wants them to choose Jesus because he knows Jesus is innocent That Jesus is not the kind of King Rome was worried about and that and and that in verse 10

He also could see That it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up envy

Envy is resenting what others have the accusers the chief priests

Resented what Jesus had the kingdom the authority the rule of God Like the son of a vineyard owner, you know that parable

Jesus told just probably just a few days before this The man had a vineyard

Lented out to stewards to take care of it to managers do what we call them stewards Sent servants to go get his rent from these people

They beat some then he eventually sends his son to the managers the stewards of the vineyard and they

They kill the son of the owner Thinking that now they can get the vineyard since he's the heir of the vineyard.

They they kill him They envied his right to inherit the vineyard here they envied

Jesus's right over it over this temple They wanted it to be theirs

They envied him. They interviewed his right over this nation his authority To do what they claim to be doing as priests making people were right with God.

He actually did it Your sins are forgiven. He could say they envied it So they thought if they could kill him

Maybe they could get it pilot saw Probably not all of that But he saw that it was indeed out of envy

That was the motive that envy that at least some of the people loved and respected him

And not not them not the priest. He was popular They weren't

They didn't do it because they cared. They didn't do it because they cared about blasphemy They did it because they wanted what he had

Pilate saw that is all about envy. And so he should let them go then, shouldn't he? But he wants to shake off responsibility on the people using his custom of releasing one prisoner

And now sure he thinks there's Barabbas, you know, they're murdering every man, but there's a substitute

They'll want Jesus as the substitute to be released. Surely they will Someone is going to be released because of the substitute there is

Substitution But the priest had prepared the crowd It thought of this ahead of time this part the people pilot was asking hoping

They would relieve him of the responsibility for what he was what for doing what was right?

That's what he was hoping But these people were full of the priest people and they were spreading rumors to the rest about Jesus accusing accusing

Accusing Jesus all kinds of things

Barabbas. Yes. Sure. He did some things wrong, but he's a patriot. Don't you know? He's on our side not like Jesus He said pay taxes to Caesar.

He did this. He said that one thing after another It's just exhausting to trying to keep up with all the accusations until finally even if you can't substantiate any of them

You conclude it's it's easier to get rid of him Weak people Choose what is convenient?

Not what is right? I think we've seen that in this country in the last 20 years or so on the homosexual marriage debate.

It first seemed just outlandish I think most of us my age are older. I think it was just out Yeah, I'll let it this is bizarre.

You would even suggest such a thing as a same -sex marriage I mean when I was first likes to get what in the world

But then they kept nagging for it never -ending propaganda that snuck into TV dramas everywhere even into children's movies like Beauty and the

Beast Constant accusations that those who are against it were haters and bigots never -ending harassment of those who dare to speak up About what marriage really is and and and got

I think it got to the point where many people just concluded. Yeah It's just easier to cave in this easier to give them what they want

Now they'll do the same thing with Transgenderism or whatever else they want to push on us. The weak people will be swept along Repeating the new slogans that everyone else is repeating

Here the chief priest had prepped the crowd So instead of following Jesus following pilots leading question, you know, do you want me to release for you the king of the

Jews? They asked for Barabbas Barabbas is scheduled for execution for crucifixion.

He's guilty He deserves it pilot wants to him to be crucified in the innocent Jesus to go free. He has the power to do it but he's a weak man a weak man with power

He first pathetically, you know I hope Jesus will give him a good reason to let him go because Jesus could talk his way out of this

But he doesn't he's amazed when he does it Jesus just stays quiet. Now. He's hoping the crowd will let him let him do the right thing without having to take responsibility

That's what weak men do they refuse to take responsibility They'll do whatever the strongest currents around them are pushing them to do

They'll be swept along in immorality if their lusts are moving them that way They'll give all their time to their business and none to God in the church if if their greed or the money is moving them

That way maybe they'll even go to church if their wife nags them to go to church But not for the

Lord not because they really care They're just weak and is the way the winds are blowing or maybe they'll drop out of a biblical church if the wife nags them

To do that too. They might know what is right? like pilot here People might tell them plainly what is right, but they're too weak to do it.

They're swept along like a dead fish downstream Pilots too weak to do what is right.

So he hopes democracy will believe him of his responsibility You want me to release the king?

No, they say we want the rebel And that's what sinners always choose rebels over the king

And pilot is flummoxed and so we ask in verse 12 Notice that in verse 12.

He's asking Why is he asking? He knows what's right

He has the power to do it Why won't he do it? Why is he asking them?

Because he's too weak He wants to be a politician. He wants to make the people happy more than he wants to do what's right?

And so we ask Then what shall I do with the man you call the king of the

Jews? They shout back crucify him Pilot asked again.

He's asking He asked back why? What evil has he done?

Pilot you've just answered your own question if you can't find that he's done any evil

You must let him go. You can't crucify an innocent man just to placate a clamoring hysterical mob

What's he done? He doesn't pilot doesn't know the people don't know but they are

Unreasonable they shout louder and louder crucify him He has the power to do the right thing.

All he has to do is say no He has done nothing wrong

He gets them even sending his troops to disperse the crowd armed with their with their whips

That they'll soon be using He knows Jesus is innocent He knows what is right

But he's a weak man. And so he's blown with the wind There's accusations

That amount to nothing there's substitution in which

Jesus takes the place of Every man and there's condemnation

Pilot in verse 15 wishing to satisfy the crowd notice that Wishing to satisfy the crowd wanting to make this murderous mob happy Taking the path of least resistance caving in to the nagging

Blown by the winds like a windsock losing his head when all else around him are losing theirs and prepared to blame it on him wishing to satisfy the crowd the worst verdict of a man's character possible like weak people today

Who know what's right? Who know the absurdity maybe they know the absurdity of a homosexual marriage or or know the importance of going to church or keeping?

Your covenants are hearing the word and following the word Sacrificing luxuries and fancy vacations for the sake of giving seeking first the kingdom of God.

They've heard it all they know it all They even say on what level I believe at all, but they want to satisfy

Whatever. Maybe the the wife is nagging for nice things for herself another vacation at the beach or a church where she didn't have to be bothered with the with with the word or maybe the boyfriend

Who wants to have sex the kids who want whatever they want the friends?

They want you to be tolerant in the new Intolerant definition of the word and so seeking to satisfy them

You cave You lose your head Because you don't want them blaming something on you here this weak man issues the condemnation

Jesus is crucified because a weak man with power couldn't stand up and do what he knew was right and What makes you think you would do any differently if you're too weak to do what's right now

There's the accusations That amount to nothing that are just excuses for envy envy that he's the king and they're not

There's the substitution not the murderer for the innocent Jesus as it should be but Jesus for the everyman for the murderers the thieves for us rebels and Then there's the condemnation

Jesus is condemned because even people with power are too weak to do what is right, even when they know

It's right So pilot has Jesus scourged for no reason just to satisfy the crowds

The scourging would be with a whip with many lashes with pieces of sharp bone and Lead or rocks tied into it.

It would sometimes rip pieces of flesh off Often two men would inflict it

Alternating from two sides they could do it until the ribs are showing Some men would die just from the scourging

These are the stripes by which we are healed. What did he do wrong?

nothing All this is so that a weak man with power Could satisfy the crowds

But weak people do the same today They know what's right They've been told but they get swept along by the nagging that they feel they just must satisfy

When the currents were flowing in the right direction You know when it was easy to serve God You had the money excess money to give and you could give it when everything was new and fulfilling and exciting

When everybody around you was encouraging you then it was easy

Here are the same crowds that were cheering for Jesus just the Sunday before it's

Friday and Just the previous Sunday these crowds were shouting Hosanna and putting palm branches in front of Jesus hailing him as their king

They've gone from cheers on Sunday to jeers on Friday The disciples are nowhere to be found

They've not kept their heads about them when all else were losing theirs Now the king is being stretched out

Bent over and having the skin of his back ripped off because weak people can't do what's right

Even when they know it's right Jesus is condemned to death, but the condemnation doesn't stop there

Sure pilot is condemned for murdering the righteous one in Acts chapter 4 verse 28

The Apostles say to God in prayer that the pilot had committed murder in God's eyes

And so he would ultimately pay for it himself There will be condemnation for him but oddly enough

They say also in prayer That the pilot did what?

Quote God's hand and plan had predestined to take place In other words pilot did what he did as weak and as sniveling and as cowardly and spineless as you as he was because God Determined that that he would do that Now does that mean that?

pilots free of condemnation Because he was he was just God's instrument to carry out

God's plan. He did what? God's hand and plan predestined to take place

Is he free of condemnation No pilot did what he did murder the only truly innocent person who ever lived because that's the kind of man

He was a weak sniveling cowardly spineless man with power who couldn't do what was right because he cared more about satisfying the crowds

That's who he was he acted out of his own character and God put him there for that Because this is far more than a morality tale about how we just need to grow up and learn to keep our heads about us and Whenever you know when everyone else is losing theirs and blaming on us

How we need to have a spine and do what's right, even when everyone else is pressuring us to cave in This is all this means a lot more than Just don't be like pilot

God's hand and plan Predestined that this would take place

Because God had a right condemnation of us of us rebels

We have condemnation What's he done

He's taken our condemnation We are like Barabbas the son of a father the son of Adam and Like the everyman rebels and as rebels we deserve condemnation the accusations against us are true

We are sentenced to punishment for our rebellion and an infinite crime

Against the infinite King deserves an infinite punishment, but then amazingly

There's a substitute Jesus steps forward And he is the king himself.

He's the very one we rebelled against but he doesn't take the easy ways out The Lord lays on him the iniquity the condemnation of us all and so he's stretched out

Scourged and led away to be crucified So that our rebellion our weakness our relationship with God Could be healed