Mark 10:32-34. This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on Sunday, March 15, 2020.
I am always a bit leery of using the word “foretell” with Jesus or his prophets because it has connotations that are more associated with fortune tellers and those who try to predict the future. Jesus, however, was not a skilled fortune teller, nor was he a skilled political analyst who was able to see what would happen in the future. Rather, Jesus is telling them before hand what will happen in the future because he and the Father have discussed this in heaven. Jesus had come down as the One and Only Unique Son of God. It was the plan of God for the things we will discuss today to happen. This does not mean that God is forcing the wicked players involved to do what they do. Instead, God incorporates their willful rebellion into His plan.
In Mark’s Gospel, he wants us to be clear that Jesus knew that the events leading up to the crucifixion were coming. Jesus had taught his disciples that rejection was part of God’s plan. Though the leaders of Israel would cast Jesus aside, The Father would overrule their decrees.
Let’s look at our passage today.
The last march up to Jerusalem
Mark 10 begins a transition in the book. It opens in verse 1 telling us that Jesus was in the region of Judea on the other side of the Jordan. In these verses today, they are on the road to Jerusalem. At the end of the chapter, they will be in Jericho. Thus, they are somewhere between the other side of the Jordan and Jericho at this point.
Mark 11 opens with the Triumphal entry, which occurs less than a week before the crucifixion. This is how close we are in this passage to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Mark tells us in this passage that the disciples are amazed and that they are afraid. They are afraid because Jesus is going up to Jerusalem and the religious leaders were trying to get Jesus. This is interesting because the disciples believe to things that are in tension with one another. On one hand, they are finding it hard to believe that the Messiah would actually be killed. Yet, on the other hand, they are definitely afraid of the intentions of the religious leaders. This is not a contradiction. The tension is between what they believe should happen, according to the prophecies about the Messiah, and their knowledge that the very powerful leaders are seeking to arrest Jesus and perhaps them. The Gospels all tell us that Jesus warns his disciples multiple times about his coming death, and many people were warning them that the religious leaders were out to get them. So, this explains their fear, but what is amazing them?
In contrast to the disciples, we are told that Jesus is leading in front of them. He is purposefully headed towards Jerusalem and they are amazed at his fearless approach to the city that held so much danger for them. Jesus is not sneaking under the cover of darkness, nor is he keeping a low profile (at Jericho he heals the blind Bartimaeus). He is not leading from the back of the group, or from the center as an attempt to protect himself. Rather, he is leading in front of them, like a true Captain of our salvation.
Of course, I use that terminology because the writer of Hebrews 2:10 gives this image to us.
“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”
Jesus was a fearless leader because his relationship with the Father was inseparable and without doubt. He marches in front of us, even today, but not so much in front that the weak are left behind. Thus, we see Jesus sensing their fear of what lies ahead, and yet their amazement at his bold march towards certain trouble. He stops and takes time to speak to them about it.
Sometimes those who lead into difficult times or circumstances are not so noble in their leading. It is easy to mislead people regarding what lies ahead in order to get compliance or quell panic. Some may even keep those they lead completely in the dark. Jesus was not this way. He is being truthful and honest with the disciples about the difficult things ahead. Yet, he is taking time to bring them along. He is modeling for us what it means to carry your cross and follow God’s plan. No, it is not easy on our flesh, and yes, we must take time to pray and encourage ourselves in what God would have us do despite all of the fearful things that we may see around us. We also see him modeling how those who are strong in faith should come alongside of those who are not, and encourage them in marching towards the plan of God.
I want to tell you today that Jesus knows your fears about what lies ahead. By His Holy Spirit, He is marching ahead of you to lead you to the Father, and to perfect that work of God within you. However, he will stop from time to time in order to draw you near to him and speak the truth to you in love. Hard times lie ahead, but fear not! Jesus is with us, even unto the end of the age! Let us not forget that our Lord has not abandoned us, but that he is marching in front of us. We can trust his plan because he has proven his heart on the cross.
As I said, Jesus doesn’t sugar coat what lies ahead. This is the third time that Mark describes Jesus telling them about his coming death and resurrection. More than likely, Jesus had more than these 3 discussions. Here is a breakout of what Jesus told them in those discussion.
We see that in Mark 8:31 Jesus references 3 main events. He will suffer many things, which is only detailed by being rejected by the elders. Then he will be killed, and after that on the third day he will rise again. We are therefore given a three-stage outline of the events ahead. His suffering, his death, and his resurrection. In Mark 9:30-32, the same three stages are outlined, but now we are told that part of his suffering will be in a betrayal. It is one thing to be rejected by the leaders who never liked you, but betrayal involves someone that is close to you.
In Mark 10:33-34, we again have a reiteration of these three stages with more detail on his sufferings. He would be betrayed to the chief priests, condemned to death by them, handed over to the Gentiles, mocked, scourged, and spit upon. This is a pretty detailed list of just how bad things were going to get. Jesus does not mention what will happen to the disciples here, but they cannot say that he never warned them.
Many Christians around the world today are having to deal with the reality that their future involves many such sufferings, and even the threat of death. They have to choose whether they are going to follow a Lord that leads them into such difficult and impossible circumstances, or turn back. We live in a part of the world where it is much easier to follow Jesus. There are no literal crosses and prison cells directly in our path, but we do see around us a world of chaos that doesn’t know its right hand from its left.
I want to encourage us, but not by sugar coating what lies ahead. I want to encourage us, but not by freaking out and shouting, “Run for your lives!” No. There are many things ahead that you and I will have to suffer. We don’t exactly know what those things will be for us. However, Jesus will lead us, and teach us, and give us strength. He will bring us along until that day that we too breathe our last and leave this earth. It most likely won’t be on the third day after our death, but we too will rise again. This is God’s promise to all those who put their trust in Him. This is our glorious hope. Do not look to the wisdom of this world to lead us into peace and safety, or to chart a path into a better world. Yet, do not surrender to fear and desperation. Our God has a plan through all of this. He will not abandon us, even though we may face a martyr’s death. We will rise again, reign with Him, as God fulfills His promise to all those who have waited for Him in trust! Let’s rise up, follow Jesus, and trust in Him no matter what lies ahead!