FBC Morning Light – March 1, 2023

What a good Wednesday morning to you. Today, in our Bible reading plan, we're beginning the book of Numbers, chapters 1 and 2, and then

Mark chapter 15, and the 43rd Psalm. By the way, speaking of Numbers, does that rank right up there as one of your favorite

Old Testament books to read through? I remember many years ago, serving as an assistant pastor, and the pastor at the church was an expository preacher and wanted to preach through Numbers, but he specifically said,

I'm going to preach through the narrative sections of the book of Numbers, which left out quite a bit of the book of Numbers.

Yeah, well, anyway, we're starting that book today, and then Mark chapter 15. I want to focus on a couple of ideas in Mark 15.

This is the account of the crucifixion, and we could spend weeks in these six, seven, eight -minute devotionals, talking about events related to the crucifixion of our

Lord. I want to just emphasize two ideas. One of them is the interesting note that the hatred and scorn that Jesus received seems to have been the greatest from those who should have been the most eager to embrace him.

I'm talking here about the religious leaders, the chief priests, the scribes, those who had such a meticulous intention of carrying out the law, the

Pharisees, for example. These individuals who claim to have such a love for the

Old Testament, such a love for the Scriptures, they should have been the first to embrace

Jesus, and should have had the most ardent devotion to him. He was the fulfillment of all this

Old Testament Scripture, the fulfillment of the sacrifices, the fulfillment of the law, the fulfillment of prophecy, there, right there in front of them, before them.

But they refused to see it. Their hearts were hard, their ears were closed, they would not accept him.

Rather than accept him, they exhibited the greatest degree of hostility.

They were the ones that cried the loudest to crucify him, and did all they could to get

Pilate to go along with their evil scheme. That is a tragedy. But it does point out one of the dangers of a traditionalism religion, where your religion is built on traditions rather than on truly the

Scriptures. It also points out the danger of being religious, but not right with God, of being religious without being really redeemed, and regenerated, and truly converted.

Those are great dangers. The other thing I wanted to point out was the fact that, interestingly, whereas the person of Christ evoked such hostility on the part of the religious leaders, it was the hostility of the religious leaders, to bring

Jesus to that place of crucifixion, that ended up provoking a sort of secret disciple of making his love and affection known for Jesus.

I'm speaking here, of course, about Joseph of Arimathea.

When Jesus had died, he's there on the cross, his life is gone from him, it is

Joseph of Arimathea. Not Peter, not James, John, Andrew, any of the inner circle, but this sort of closet disciple, secret disciple.

He steps forward and asks for the body of Jesus to be buried in his own tomb.

I find it interesting, because it seems that that is a pattern throughout church history even, that when the church enters into a time of persecution, it'll make or break people.

Those who are nominal Christians, those who have a form of religion, but they really don't know

God, they tend to slip away, and maybe even express hostility toward true biblical

Christianity. We're seeing some of that today. On the other hand, those who have been sort of on the fence, or not on the fence, more on the fringe, they see the reality of the faith that they've been sort of nonchalant about, when those who are truly committed to it are suffering for it.

A lot of times it brings out of them a greater, deeper commitment and a loyalty to the

Savior. A lot of people through church history ended up experiencing great persecution, because when they saw the persecution starting, it compelled them to choose sides, and they chose the side of right and orthodoxy, and ending up suffering for it.

A couple of challenging sections in this chapter. Where are we?

Are we on the fringes? What's this current climate in the world?

What's this going to do to our faith? Is it a genuine faith? Are you finding yourself drawn more and more to hold on to that faith and to declare your loyalty to the

Lord Jesus, or do you find yourself shrinking back? I want to challenge you, test yourself, whether you are in the faith, if you find yourself wanting to shrink away and not suffer in any way in this current climate.

Well, let's pray. Father, I pray that you would encourage us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, to be men and women like Joseph of Arimathea, who even in the face of great persecution and hostility, will demonstrate our love and loyalty for the

Lord Jesus Christ. Help us, we pray, and that we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. All right, well, listen, have a good rest of your