Mark 14:66 – 15:20 (ESV)

Today we see the suffering of Jesus in three ways, and each scene demonstrates Gods love for us. What he would endure for you and me. 

1 – he suffers betrayal by his closest friends and followers
2 – he suffers injustice and corruption from the earthly leaders and government
3 – he suffers physical mockery, pain and humiliation

Everything we will read today shows the demonstration of his love.
9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 1 john 4:9

Mark 14
66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. 

•If he’s hitched to him, Peter could be looking at the same fate. 

And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 

•Jesus came to suffer the pain of rejection. From his own creation, from the people of Israel, and even from his own disciples and followers, who said they would be with him
•Move to Act 2. the longest section of our text. Jesus is before Pilate.

15 And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

•Jesus had every retort in the world. He could justify himself in every single way. We cannot justify ourselves, and yet we keep trying to. 

6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.

•The symbolism here deserves a sermon of its own. A sinful murder is given grace on the day of Passover. God’s judgement passes over this man displaying God’s justice in the face of injustice. 

12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

•Jesus came to suffer injustice. The complacency and corruption of the human authorities is manifested in the murder of a man who lived a perfect life, unlike anyone who had ever lived before. 
•So we move to our last section, Act 3, where after being sentenced to death Jesus is beaten and tortured. 

16 And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 

•In our last Act Jesus took the physical punishment for our sins. He suffers humiliation on our behalf.

Summary

What we read this morning describes the physical punishments that we should receive for our sins. But this is the physical debt we are owed for our sins and rebellion. 

God lowered himself, to death on a cross. Philippians 2:6

“who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Even though he did nothing wrong, he came to bear our wrongs.

Application Questions I hope you can answer after this: If you are interested in discussing the answers to these questions, maybe join a life group.

Why did Jesus suffer? How is this fair?
Why did Peter, one of his most intimate followers, completely reject him three times?
How do we know that God was in control the whole time?
Did your life need to be redeemed like this? To this extreme?

He first loved us. Because of our flesh we could not love him first, but I encourage you this morning to look at what he endured for you, and for me. That is love, reciprocate it.