Transformed, Not Patched, to Rest in Christ

Mark 2:18-28

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

18 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"

19 And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins."

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

23 Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"

25 But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: 26 how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?"

27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

Fasting changed when the kingdom of God, the presence of the Messiah, and the good news of salvation arrived.  All these things now brought joy over the “affliction of the soul” that characterizes the OT description of the religious duty of fasting.  This release from the soul’s turmoil under the condemnation of sin’s penalty made such fasting no longer necessary and so the disciples of Jesus were not withholding food and drink as the Pharisees and even the followers of John the Baptist were doing at the time.  Jesus therefore answered the question of the religious concerning why they did not fast by telling them their joy in the Bridegroom’s presence made it impossible to be sad and under enough hopeless affliction to need to lament and afflict themselves further.  They were in His comforting company until they took Him away to the cross to be murmured there, and then they would have temporary sadness to be turned again to even more joy (John 16:19-20) after the resurrection.  He compared this to mending an old piece of clothing with a brand-new piece of cloth.  This would not last long because the new material is stronger and would pull the old apart once more, making the patched hole larger than before.  He also used the illustration of similarly using an old wineskin for newly fermenting wine which would expand in the inflexible old container and rust it open under the pressure.  He emphasized that new wine needs a new container to hold it, likely insinuating the new birth (John 3:3) as necessary to hold new actions and not old rituals that no longer fit the joy of the transformative gospel of hope in newness of spirit (Romans 6:4, 7:6) and not in old containers of the letter of the Law’s patching.  

Likewise, Jesus was afterwards walking through a planted field on the Sabbath and His disciples began to take nourishment by eating the grain contrary to the letter of the Law (Exodus 20:10; 31:15) as the religious Pharisees quickly accused them of violating.  The Lord of the Sabbath quickly answered back that the anointed one of God, King David, ate from the showbread meant for the priests alone (Exodus 29:32-33) and gave some to his followers as well.  Not only did this example open the door to indicate the anointed Messiah who was the Branch of David according to the flesh was rightfully a priest and consecrated to take food on the Sabbath, but also as Lord of all Sabbaths He was entitled to feed all who followed Him on that day as much as any other.  Later we see that all who follow Christ are also priests to our God, not just those according to the lineage of Aaron appointed for the temple.  We worship from individual temples (1 Corinthians 6:19, 1 Peter 2:5) now and corporately as the Body of Christ and so are not ruled by the Sabbath because we have our rest in Christ now (Hebrews 4:4, 9-10) who is Lord over all things.  Truly the Sabbath was made for us to rest in Him and His works and not in earning God’s favor by rules of rest according to the letter of the written Law as a check for holiness.  Therefore Jesus told those relying on earning righteousness by their religious obligations and works, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” and  “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”  We serve in new vessels of grace and not patched ones of the Law’s rules apart from the intent and meaning fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 5:18, Luke 24:44).  He has fulfilled the Law and is now our Sabbath rest according to the scriptures.  We rest in Him and in His righteousness alone, no longer needing to afflict our souls in the old way of fasting.  When we fast now it is voluntary to focus our attentions on the Lord and His will and not mandatory to earn grace.  It is for such freedom that we have been set free (Galatians 5:1) as new creations and containers of grace, set free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2) to rest in Him.  We have truly been transformed and not just patched with works to find rest in Christ and His work by faith as John 6:29 reminds. 

Forgiveness from Sin’s Paralysis

Mark 2:1-17 

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—He said to the paralytic, 11 "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Matthew the Tax Collector

13 Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. 14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.

15 Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"

17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

Forgiveness from sin’s paralysis comes through repentance by faith in the only one able to break the confining chains of condemnation (Galatians 4:3, 5:1, Romans 6:22-23, Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24) from our souls as visually demonstrated by the physical healing of the paralyzed man Jesus forgave here.  This paralytic could not walk but had the faith to ask four friends to bring him to Jesus for healing of body and soul with faith through the roof.  Jesus told the man, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."  He did not begin with healing his body but the soul because that was the most important and eternal need which sin had damaged the most in the man.  The religious scribes whose life revolved around examining the difficult and subtle questions of the law questioned the right for Jesus Christ to forgive as only God was able according to scripture.  They were technically correct, yet they missed the fact that He is the divine Immanuel, God among us!  He did and does alone have the power to forgive sin and heal both body and soul according to His will and word.  Only after forgiving the man of all his sins did Jesus go further to ask the question of it was easier to tell him he was forgiven or just to get up and walk away healed of the physical paralysis to be set free from the spiritual bondage holding his soul from coming before God.  He told the man immediately to get up, grab his bed, and walk home.  This was the proof that Jesus as the Son of Man was also the Son of God with all authority (Matthew 28:18, Mark 1:27) over life and forgiveness of sins.  The response of the onlookers crowding around Him was one of great amazement and they gave the glory to God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"  That is the natural response to the supernatural work of God’s forgiveness and holistic healing of body and soul.  Jesus went from there to get Levi the tax collector for the Roman occupiers as the crowd followed Him to see more of the wonderful works of God (Psalm 40:5, Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 21:15) at His hand.  He told Levi, “Follow Me,” and he immediately did so, leaving his job and everything behind.  He ate with Levi along with many other sinners who needed forgiveness and had been following Jesus.  The religious Pharisees were outraged with condemning judgement spewing out of their mouths to question and judge the Lord for associating with such unworthy people.  Jesus reminded them and all who heard that He came to call all who recognized and confessed their sin, admitting it instead of covering it with self righteousness as they did.  His call remains the same for us all be all are sinners born by Adam’s inheritance and evil hearts to admit we are sinners and find eternal forgiveness for sin’s consequences of judgment as we are all due (Romans 3:23, 6:23).  We are to confess, repent (Mark 1:15, Acts 20:21), and trust the work of Jesus (John 6:29) by faith for our righteousness and salvation from our just due.  Jesus calls those who admit their sin, not the self righteous who deny their sin and harden their hearts against Him.  He offers forgiveness from sin’s paralysis which keeps men and women in bondage and spiritual death and which binds us to eternal death.  If the Son sets you free (John 8:31-32, 36, then you are indeed forever free from the bondage of sin’s penalty! 

Everyone is Looking for Him!

Mark 1:35-45 

Preaching in Galilee

35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. 37 When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."

38 But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."

39 And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."

41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

45 However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

Everyone was looking for Jesus when they heard of how He gave hope and healing to the sick and possessed.  The example the Lord gave us just before we hear these things was time alone in prayer with our Father in heaven for strength, guidance, and fellowship.  He did this as a man like we are to encourage us to do the same and as God’s Son to demonstrate their fellowship of a relationship we can have with them by God’s Spirit in us, giving all the more reason to find a quiet time place and place to commune alone with God first thing in the morning which I am doing now as I write these lessons learned from this time spent with Him in prayerful thought in the scriptures.  After Jesus was done some disciples sought Him out and told Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  This desire we will also have even more as we imitate Christ in our own quiet times.  Those seeking Him then wanted healing outwardly but really desired spiritual healing of their sin to be restored whole in both body and soul.  What was the answer Jesus provided to this desire of people seeking these things?  He said He would go to the nearest towns and preach the word of God which is the gospel of deliverance from sin’s penalty and judgment in mercy through repentance and faith.  As He preached the word of God Jesus cast out the demonic forces holding the listeners back from hearing and responding to the gospel of deliverance.  He then heard a leper begging to be made whole and was cleansed in body and soul.  This man was told to keep it on the down low but proclaimed the deliverance high and low wherever he was to go.  He simply was unable to hold in the wonder works which God had done for him!  He had to tell everybody of the mercy and forgiving grace of God shown to him.  Have not we who have been likewise saved down the same when the prison doors of sin’s dark condemnation were thrown open and His light beamed in on our souls (Isaiah 9:2, Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Peter 2:9, Greek: 1 Peter 2:9 (BYZ)), leading us to joyfully share that witness (1 John 1:2) of God’s salvation with others after we also have seen Him?  May we rekindle that great joy again and again as we bear witness of our salvation with the words and works of the Lord who delivered and will continue to deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:10)!  People who hear of God’s work whom He calls will come from every corner of the earth to hear as we pass through it with this message of hope and deliverance from the darkness and penalty of sin’s eternal consequences.  The few with ears to hear will be moved to search for Him (Acts 17:27-28) and finally find the eyes of their hearts opened when they hear the gospel to know this same overwhelming joy and gladness and in turn tell others.  Let us then continue to proclaim it freely.  Just as Jesus preached and restored people devastated by sin we hear Everyone is Looking for Him who know their brokenness and how they have offended God in their disbelief and disobedience, finding healing and restoration of body and soul. 

The Urgent Need Cured by the Gospel

Mark 1:21-34

Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit

21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!"

25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

Peter's Mother-in-Law Healed

29 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 

30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

Many Healed After Sabbath Sunset

32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Jesus the Christ went from the temptations in the desert to beginning His ministry to repent and believe the kingdom’s good news of Himself to choosing the disciples He called to immediately begin teaching of this kingdom in the synagogue with divine authority.  What a whirlwind beginning of His work on earth!  His teaching therefore shocked the hearers and the religious leaders alike because it was not with the usual human hesitancy or lack of absolute conviction of truth in their factual approach to teaching from the Torah.  He taught directly to the heart of the scriptures in ways that pierced the hearts of the listeners and brought them to face God and themselves in ways never imagined possible.  Then someone came forward in that place of worship while Jesus was teaching who was possessed by an evil spirit, a demonic inhabitation.  This one knew exactly who the Christ of God was as the Holy One of God and was about to reveal Him before the appointed time set by God, so Jesus shut it up and commanded it to leave the man at once.  It left with a scream and threw him to the ground as it left reluctantly but with absolutely no choice in the matter when commanded by its Creator (Colossians 1:15-16).  This further amazed the onlookers in the synagogue.  Not only did Jesus speak with authority over the scriptures, He also exercised that authority over the spiritual realm!  It was a new teaching and it caused the name and fame of Jesus the Christ to spread across the region quickly.  His ministry had caused immediate wonder and awe, not to mention growing opposition from the status quo of the religious community because He threatened their comfortable but limited authority inherited in the name of Moses (Matthew 23:2-3) which was the Law of God in the scriptures.  Jesus went from that place of worship to dine at the house of Simon Peter and his brother Andrew along with James and John (named the "Sons of Thunder" in Mark 3:17).  There He healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever and she served them after they told Him about her right away when they entered.  Later that night many sick and possessed people were brought to Jesus to be healed as an indication of the spiritual healing to come as promised by the prophet in Isaiah 53:5, 8, 11 of this work proving He was the Messiah.  Jesus was not ready to reveal the fact that He was the Anointed of God just yet, so He silenced the demons as He drove them out of their unwilling hosts.  We see then as we look back how Jesus made the best use of the three years of ministry to point to the spiritual healing He brought through the gospel which was closed by the people’s seemingly more pressing need for outward wellness of the body.  This desire is still seen today with the misplaced emphasis on healing of the body as the gospel instead of the more important and critical need of the healing of the soul marred by sin which is the true purpose of the gospel as Isaiah foretold (Isaiah 53:6, 12).  May we therefore emphasize the most important issue of the corruption of the spirit while not ruling out the lesser miracles of the outward wholeness of the body intended by this gospel of the heavenly kingdom, treating them as matters of secondary eternal importance.  The urgent need which is cured by the gospel is the sin-stained souls of men and women resulting from the disobedience of the Fall, our sin’s penalty of judgment and just punishment.  Any other healings must point to that end. 

The Proven Way Tested and Proclaimed

Mark 1:1-20

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the Prophets:

"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You."

3 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.'"

4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

John Baptizes Jesus

9 It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Satan Tempts Jesus

12 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry

14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

Four Fishermen Called as Disciples

16 And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." 18 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

19 When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. 20 And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

The way of the Lord’s coming was proven by the testimony of John the Baptist to set the stage by calling all to repentance to make a straight path to Jesus as His ministry began.  Jesus Himself would take over after He had been prepared in the desert through temptation as a man without sinning like we all do (Romans 3:20, 23) because He was also God (John 1:1, 14).  He would call all to not only repent or turn away from their sin (as John preached) but also to turn towards Him and receive the gospel of salvation from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10, Revelation 6:17).  John preached repentance and remission of sin; Jesus preached they He was the way, truth, and life (Acts 4:12) of that step beyond repentance to acceptance of Him as the only one who can offer that full remission which baptism alone cannot do; one must be baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3, Galatians 3:27) by active faith (John 1:12) in other words.  This begins with confessing our sin, calling it for what it is as God does without applying excuses or mitigating circumstances used to justify it.  Then it means turning away from continuing to practice that sin and then turn to Him for forgiveness as we trust His words and work (John 6:29) for us to pay the price forever for it all.  We are also given the perfect example of resisting sin by Jesus in direct confrontation with the devil and the desire of this flesh.  We are not divine as He is and still fall into sin at times, but we no longer are ruled by our sin (Genesis 4:7, 1 John 3:7-8, 10, 11-12) once regenerated into Him with the power and ability to put sin to death in ourselves (Romans 8:13, Colossians 3:5) as we resist the devil (James 4:7) and our own sinful desires (1 John 2:15-17) as we choose to listen to the Lord and follow His word making our path straight through ongoing repentance for forgiveness and restoration.  Jesus Christ is the one who baptizes us into His Spirit to enable us to do these things as John foretold.  He testified that Jesus is the Son of God when baptizing Him for us to know and understand these things.  God will also minister healing and restoration of our weary souls in this process as He did with His own Son at the hand of angels after His temptation in the wilderness.  Jesus was tested and then that proven way (Acts 4:12) was proclaimed beginning in Galilee after John was taken out of the way which he had prep for the Lord.  That message we call the gospel pointed to the kingdom of God entered through repentance and faith which hears and trusts God’s words as the way of deliverance from sin’s penalty and a hope of sin’s presence to be removed forever in fullness when we enter that kingdom after death and our own resurrection.  We are to repent and believe in the gospel.  That is what Jesus proclaimed and preached.  He then called others to come alongside and work with Him in proclaiming this message of extremely good news as they went with Him, the same commission given us in Matthew 28:19-20 to proclaim (Romans 10:14-15).  May we follow as the original disciples as called out to the tested, proven, and proclaimed way of life. 

He is Risen Indeed! Tell Everyone!

Matthew 28:1-20 

He Is Risen

1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."

8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

The Soldiers Are Bribed

11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.' 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure." 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

Jesus is risen indeed and we also need to tell everyone and not hide the fact as the soldiers had done.  At dawn on the first day of the Jewish week, our Sunday, the two women named Mary went to the tomb where they had laid the body of their beloved Jesus whom they followed for nearly three years until His seemingly tragic death on a cruel cross.  There had been a great earthquake which was actually an angel of God come down to open the grave by rolling the massive stone cover away for Jesus to arise and walk out in the resurrected flesh as both man and Gods with the power over death itself.  The angel was to pronounce God’s glory and omnipotence, not because the Lord could not have moved it aside Himself.  That angel sat on the stone as white as the faces of the helpless paralyzed guards looking on in awe and great fear at the sight of God’s hand working this mighty thing.  This angel allowed the fear of the Romans to endure but he comforted the Marys with reassurance not to fear these events, but to let them know they would not find the crucified Jesus there; He was risen from death to life just as He had been trying to get them to understand as He told them more than once.  He showed them where the Lord had been laid in the empty sepulcher and then commanded them to go and tell His disciples that the Lord was no longer dead just as He had said!  They were further told that Jesus would meet them in Galilee and that they were to go there to see risen One for themselves joyfully saying, “He is risen from the dead!”  The women ran to tell the good news of the resurrection with great joy covering their trembling fear at all their eyes had seen and ears did hear.  Meanwhile the guards ran to the chief priests who had seen to end Jesus by having Him crucified that they might tell them what had happened.  They had failed to kill Jesus.  He arose from the dead, rebuilding the temple of His body in three days just as He said and for which they had mocked Him (Matthew 27:40).  Yes, these in the spirit of antichrist paid the guards to lie to deny the truth of the resurrection as others continue to do to this day, saying that the disciples of Jesus stole the body to fake the resurrection.  That lie continued in the days the gospel account of Matthew was written and is heard two thousand years later as well by those rejecting Him as the Messiah, the Anointed God come as a man (John 1:1, 14).  After these things the disciples met the Lord who called them to a nearby mountain in Galilee.  There they worshiped the Lord even as some had lingering doubts.  Jesus quelled the fears and doubts with His commission to them to continue proclaiming the kingdom of God now made fully manifest by His rising from death to life as proof of them good news they were to take to people across all nations until the whole world hears (Acts 1:8).  This message would be further explained by the apostles over the next generation as to the hope of glory promised long ago that was now revealed as Christ in us, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26-27) and they were to tell others He is risen indeed as proof of our hope (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 12-13, 19-22) and to teach them all these truths of the good news of the Kingdom (Colossians 1:28-29) as part of this great commission to tell others what they had seen and heard (1 John 1:1-2).  He is risen indeed!  Tell everyone!  Bear true witness to to the world of His saving grace according to His word and the change in you ushering His eternal presence into your life from your dead state (Ephesians 2:5-6) into the righteousness of Christ out of your condemnation of sin and death!  Amen and amen. 

The Sovereign Cross and Promise to Rise Again

Matthew 27:32-66 

The King on a Cross

32 Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. 33 And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

35 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:

"They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots."

36 Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37 And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:

THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"  44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

Jesus Dies on the Cross

45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!" 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

49 The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."

50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

55 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Jesus Buried in Joseph's Tomb

57 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

Pilate Sets a Guard

62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.' 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first."

65 Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

This passage tells of our Sovereign King Jesus Christ going to the cross to be crucified as a painful punishment for our sin and of His death, burial, and subsequent resurrection from death to life.  This is the substitutionary atonement of the Son of God and Son of Man sacrificed on the sovereign cross according to God’s will and plan to deliver all whom He calls to Himself to not have to suffer eternal death as a result but be given eternal life and peace with God at last.  Jesus was given sour wine (Psalm 69:21) which He refused and then nailed to the tree as one cursed by His Father on our behalf as if it were us all hanging there with Him.  They gambled for His clothing as He hung in agony while attempting to push Himself up to catch some air to breathe as it was written in Psalm 22:18 long before this day.  It is difficult to imagine the excruciating pain of hanging by two nails in your wrists and pushing up against a third one pounded through both ankles and their nerves.  Yet Jesus Christ willingly allowed Himself to suffer the pain and humiliation of such suffering that those who are called by Him and trust in this atoning work by believing and thus receiving Him (John 1:12, 6:29) through repentance and faith will be delivered (2 Corinthians 1:10, 1 John 4:18) from the death that never dies (Isaiah 66:24, Mark 9:43-44) as promised and sealed by the death of death in the death of Christ.  The executioners hung a sign over Him identifying Jesus as the Sovereign King over all, yet did it mockingly but still showing the truth despite their evil intentions.  God’s will was accomplished in spite of men trying to get rid of the Messiah.  It is hard to kick against the goads and fight God’s will.  They continued to mock as they taunted and challenged Him to destroy and rebuild the massive temple in three days and use His divine power to come down from the cross instead of suffering.  He would rebuild the temple of His flesh on the third day in the resurrection and He did not give in to the temptation to call down angelic assistance to bring Him off the cross because that would nullify the work of a substitutionary death for us all.  Love kept Him nailed there in agony to suffer and die for those who believe and receive Him by faith in that death which brings us life through divine mercy and forgiveness.  They mocked His claims as the Son of God and taunted His faith in the Father who could deliver Him from the suffering, much like Satan tempted Jesus to stop His work in the beginning of His ministry in the desert for forty days.  

Ah, but when He was dying there Jesus echoed the words of Psalm 22:1 to speak the cry of being forsaken as His people due to our sin which He took on Himself to enable His death to cover all our sins as our substitute (Romans 5:8-9, 2 Corinthians 5:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:10, 1 John 2:2, 3:5).  When the Sovereign died on that cross sovereignly placed and participated on, He shouted that His work of atoning redemption was completed as John 19:30 records for us to read.  The veil of the temple which had restricted access to God’s atonement was torn in two to allow permanent entrance by faith to the Father’s face as Moses used to do temporarily (Exodus 33:11, 2 Corinthians 3:13-14, 18).  We have been given access to God to be further changed into His image as a result of our salvation which Jesus worked in His death as proven in His resurrection!  Some even came out of their graves afterwards as a proof of this to those then.  Yes, many admitted that He was the Son of God upon witnessing these words and works.  He was subsequently buried on that day after He laid down His life for His children and then was guarded heavily in case someone tried to take His body and claim He arose as promised.  Little did the Romans know that He had power over life as well as death.  We see then the gospel news arises out of the bad news of suffering and death with a certain promise of life now and into eternity because of the substitutionary atonement of Christ for us to enter into that promise.  This is good news indeed for condemned sinners such as ourselves.  This is good news indeed for condemned sinners such as ourselves and our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27) in Jesus Christ our Lord!   

Handed Over, A Hanging, Taking a Sinner’s Place, and Mocked

Matthew 27:1-31

Jesus Handed Over to Pontius Pilate

1 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself

3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."  And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!"  5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.

6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood." 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.  9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and gave them for the potter's field, as the LORD directed me."

Jesus Faces Pilate

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.

13 Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?" 14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Taking the Place of Barabbas

15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"  They said, "Barabbas!"

22 Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"
They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"

23 Then the governor said, "Why, what evil has He done?"
But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"  24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it."

25 And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children."  26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. 28 And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30 Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

This passage shows us how Jesus was handed over to death on a cross, how the betrayer hung himself in remorse, how the Son of God took a sinner’s place of death, and how He was mocked for doing all these things on our behalf for salvation from sin’s wrath of punishment.  Firstly, we see Jesus handed over to those seeking to put Him to death by tying Him up and bringing Jesus to the governor.  Then we see the results of how Judas had betrayed the Lord to the religious authorities who wanted Him dead and out of their way.  He had remorse and wanted to undo his wicked act by returning the blood money, but they would not accept it back.  He tossed the thirty pieces of silver into the temple and then went out from their presence and hung himself.  The hypocrisy of the chief priests led them to not accept the coins because it was blood money, the very money they gave to shed blood by Judas handing over Jesus to shed His at their demand to the government who alone could put the Lord to death since they were unable to legally do so.  They thought it was a good deed to buy a field to bury strangers in with that money, but they really were just taking their place in history according to the promise prophesied in Zechariah 11:12-13 as a sign of the broken covenant with His people for their continued unrepentant immorality and idolatry against Him.  The governor asked Jesus if He really was the King of the Jews but He remained silent so the execution process could continue that He might offering Himself as a sacrifice on the cursed tree to take the curse of sin on Himself and set His chosen people free from judgment as deserved by all the sons and daughters of Adam.  He did not open His mouth (Isaiah 53:6-7) in defense as it was written in the prophet Isaiah long before Jesus came in the flesh for this purpose.  The criminal Barabbas was then voted to go free while Jesus was put in his place to die as a precursor to the gospel for us all.  He took a sinner’s place to accept the just judgment of punishment by death just as all sin earns each of us (Romans 3:23, 6:23).  The crowd was stirred up to demand the crucifixion of Christ against the governor Pilate’s judgment (who claimed that he could not be held responsible) and so Jesus was handed over to be killed by hanging on a tree as cursed (Deuteronomy 21:22-23, Galatians 3:13-14) for us all who have been called to Him for salvation from that punishment due to each one.  When at last Jesus was nailed to the tree of the cursed, He was mocked by the Roman soldiers given the cruel task of killing Him slowly and painfully (Isaiah 53:3-4) for us as also foretold in Psalm 22:7-8, 16 for us to look back afterwards on the sovereign plan predetermined by God for our deliverance from the eternal punishment for our sin.  They abused and ridiculed the Lord of heaven and earth without understanding that He was suffering for their salvation.  How must some of them felt after they later witnessed His death and resurrection!  We see then that these things of bad news provided the good news of deliverance from our own punishment for our sin by Jesus taking on ours (John 1:29, Hebrews 9:26-28).  May we remember this when we think of the betrayal of our sin against Him that delivered our Lord to suffer and die in our stead by taking our place on the tree of cursing and endure any mocking of unbelievers who stand against our stand for the witness of this gospel to them (Acts 5:41, 1 Peter 4:13-14) that by these means some may be saved.