Sermon Tone Analysis

This morning we are picking back up in our study of the Gospel of Mark.

If you’re new to MCF, it would be good for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.

What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in order to understand what God’s Word means in our lives today.

With that said, we are currently walking through the Gospel of Mark.

A Gospel written to teach us who Jesus is, what he came to do, and what it means for you and I to follow him.

As we come back to our study today, we are moving into chapter 15 and the final 12 hours of Jesus’s life.

You may recall as we left chapter 14, Jesus has now been arrested, he’s been tried by his Jewish peers, and as we move into chapter 15, he will be handed over to the Roman government for the final phase of his condemnation.

So, with that as our basis, and to help us get our minds and emotions engaged in our passage today, I want to begin by referencing a popular reality television series that some of you may or may not watch, but I’m sure all of us have heard of.

It’s a reality television series that goes by a couple different names depending on the gender of the main character.

For instance, if the main character is a male, the show is referred to as “The Bachelor”.

And if the main character is a female, the show is referred to as “The Bachelorette ”.

Everybody know the show I’m talking about?

Now, I know nobody in this room frequently watches this show, so just to make sure we all are on the same page, let me explain how the show works.

Basically the goal of the show is to help the Bachelor or Bachelorette find love and hopefully receive or give a marriage proposal by the end of the season.

So, for that to happen, each season begins as the Bachelor/Bachelorette is presented with around 30 potential mates who have been chosen through a screening process.

So, here’s how the show works.

For example, the first episode begins as the Bachelor/Bachelorette is introduced to around 30 potential mates who through some sort of screening process have been selected as viable candidates for love and marraige.

And from that point on, the process of elimination begins as each week the Bachelor/Bachelorette goes on dates, spends time with each candidate, and then at the end of each episode eliminates 2-3 of the candidates by either giving or not giving them a rose.

And as you can imagine, the show gets more competitive and the eliminations more intense as the Bachelor/Bachelorette narrows it down to the final 3-4 candidates.

And what’s even more interesting to watch is the back stabbing and treachery that often takes place as candidates try to convince the Batchelor/Bachelorette that one or more of the other candidates doesn’t have their best interest in mind.

In a way, it turns into a giant soap opera.

It’s at that point the Bachelor/Bachelorette then takes the final few candidates to their home town in order to meet their family, get their two cents, and help them in their decision on a future mate.

And typically there’s quite a bit of drama included with that episode as something is uncovered or something not told is found out through a family member.

Exciting stuff.

From there, and with the hometown visits over, the Bachelor/Bachelorette narrows it down to the final two candidates.

Two viable candidates who have the potential to become the man or woman of their dreams.

This all then leads to the final episode where two candidates remain, one is chosen, and the other is sent home, and hopefully a marriage proposal takes place.

So, that’s how the Bachelor/Bachelorette reality show works.

Now, at this point you might have a couple thoughts running through your mind.

One of your thoughts might be, “How does Pastor Brad know so much about this show?”

To be honest, I’m just going off of what Pastor Jacob has told me about the show.

I guess he’s a big fan.

The second thought might be, “How in the world does the Bachelor/Bachelorette show relate to the arrest and death of Jesus?”

And that’s a great question, and I would explain it like this.

The truth is, when Jesus showed up on the scene in , he came at a point in history when the Jewish people were looking for the perfect savior.

A promised Messiah.

Someone to deliver them from Roman rule and occupation.

Someone to reestablish the Kingdom of Israel.

The people of Israel are lookin for the perfect king.

And so when Jesus shows up on the scene, because of his teaching, his miracles, and his following, he’s automatically seen by many as a possible candidate for that role.

Somebody who could possibly bring hope.

Somebody who could be everything the Jewish people were looking for.

The perfect deliverer and future King.

But the truth is, Jesus isn’t and hasn’t been the only candidate.

Prior to Jesus other potential Messiah candidates had come on the scene.

Some were embraced, some were rejected, and ultimately all were eliminated.

We know this from .

In , in response to the Gospel message and the threat of Jesus, the Jewish High Priest recalls two former Messiah candidates.

Listen to what he says:

“For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him.

He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.

37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him.

He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.”

(ESV)

In this passage the High Priest references two candidates for the Messiah who came before Jesus.

The first was a man named “Theudas”.

A man who had a small following, but overall didn’t connect with the people of Israel, and was eventually killed, probably by the Romans for insurrection.

The second was a man named Judas the Galilean.

He came on the scene during the census, which would have been around the time that Jesus was born.

Apparently some of the Jewish people identified with him and put their hope in him.

But it was short lived as well.

While he had a following, it too resulted in him being killed by the Romans for insurrection, and those who followed him were scattered.

All that to say, Jesus isn’t the first candidate to be the Jewish Messiah.

Others have been considered, others have tried to play the part, but in the end, they didn’t get a rose.

But unlike previous candidates, Jesus is different.

He’s lasted longer than any of the other candidates.

For three years he has grown in numbers and popularity.

Thousands now follow him.

For three years he has instructed, healed, and delivered people to the point that he’s a threat to the religious leaders of his day.

A threat to their way of life.

A threat to their authority.

And a threat to their ability to religiously control the people.

While they wanted the Messiah to come, they wanted a particular kind of Messiah and Jesus doesn’t fit their mold.

For three years he has instructed, healed, and delivered people to the point that he’s a threat to the religious leaders of his day.

A threat to their way of life.

A threat to their authority.

And a threat to their ability to religiously control the people.

While they wanted the Messiah to come, they wanted a particular kind of Messiah and Jesus doesn’t fit their mold.

So, at this point, and with Jesus’s popularity continuing to grow, if they don’t stop him, Jesus just might get the rose.

He might be the one the people choose as their Messiah.

Something must be done.

Somehow they need to sabotage Jesus.

They need to convince the people that Jesus isn’t the Messiah for them.

So, what’s their plan?

How will they stop the people from choosing Jesus as their savior?

To be honest, it’s a devious plan.

A plan that will involve trickery and deception.

And a plan that will involve the help of a Roman governor.

A plan that will eventually point people to the wrong kind of deliverer.

So, with that as our basis, let’s pick back up as we move into chapter 15 and the final 12 hours of Jesus’s life.

Beginning in verse 1 Mark writes:

Four types of Jesus choices:

Religious Jesus

Revolutionary Jesus

Rejected Jesus

Redeemer Jesus

Mark begins by setting the stage for the final hours of Jesus’s life.

If you recall, we left off last week with Jesus being found guilty of blasphemy as he claimed to be the Son of God.

A claim that was a capital offense.

So with this admission, Jesus has now been condemned to death.