Village Church Annandale (Sydney) sermons

There are seven key lessons in these two verses. 

1 Be amazed at the love of God the Father and Son for us.
2 Be reminded of the appalling nature of our sin, that it was our sin that took Jesus to the cross. 

3 Be grateful that Jesus, our high priest, is able to sympathise with our weaknesses, for he has been tempted in every way as we are, yet is without sin.

4 If there was any other way to be right with God, other than through the death of Jesus, the Father and Son would have found it.  But there was no other way. 

5 Stop again and be amazed by grace

6 Be reminded of what real submission looks like, that the son does submit to his father.

7 Reach out in gratitude and thankfulness… 

Mark14:35 He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.” 

The deep grief of Jesus | Mark 14:32-34 | Daily Bible Time | Dominic Steele | 18 Feb 2021 

It is a different side of Jesus that we see today.  

Through the gospel he has spoken repeatedly and in detail to the disciples about his passion, he set his face to Jerusalem with a resolve that amazed his disciples and made them afraid. He knew back in chapter ten the cost of submission to the will of God, and yet his demeanour has been of resolute calm. 

And here Jesus is deeply grieved. 

Mark 14:32 Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 He said to them, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.”

As the report into the sexual misconduct of Ravi Zacharias was released I (Dominic) was deep in preparation for teaching on Mark 12:38-40 where Jesus addresses the hypocritical faith leaders who love the external praise, devour vulnerable women and in the end will receive harsher judgement.

It is now clear that the world famous Christian Apologist Ravi Zacharias

• Engaged in sexual abuse on many occasions, in different places over many years - involving many women

• He used those who worked in massage parlours, importing them from overseas and pursued more than massages.

• It was predatory. He engaged in a repeated pattern of skillful grooming, manipulation and pressure - on his emotionally and financially vulnerable therapists

• He used the Gospel and Christian language to gain the confidence of his victims.

* One woman details many incidents over years where the famous Christian leader raped her.

* All the while preaching Jesus

This is an excerpt from last Sunday's address and the congregational question time that followed.

I hope it helps you as you process the release on the report on Ravi Zacharias report’s sexual misconduct last weekend.

There’s a link to the released RZIM report

David Robertson has summarised the report and his reactions here

Full talk is available here:

https://villagechurch.sydney/series

https://villagechurch.sydney/series/mark-11-15--jesus-in-jerusalem

We see Peter’s naive outburst today.  

Mark 14:29 Peter told him, “Even if everyone falls away, I will not.” 30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to him, “today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he kept insisting, “If I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” And they all said the same thing.

The challenge for us is not to naively think we won’t fall into sin.  It’s quite possible for us to be just as proud and strong and wrong.  We need to understand our frailty and vulnerability, our propensity to sin, to not be naive about this.

Rather we need to build in safeguards.  And when we do sin to come humbly before our Lord and seek forgiveness. 

The prophecy in Zechariah 13:7 says:

Sword, awake against my shepherd,against the man who is my associate—
this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.
Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered;
I will turn my hand against the little ones.

Jesus says it's coming true in Mark 14:27. But adds the prophecy of a resurrection and reuniting in Galilee in Mark 14:28.

27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will fall away, because it is written:

I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.

28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

Today we see the greatness of the Messiah as Lord even over King David, plus we hear a challenge from Jesus about authenticity and we hear praise from him for a woman who puts in all she has.  

When Jesus drinks the cup at passover, establishing the new covenant in his blood, he’s actually drinking the third cup of wine at the Passover meal.

There were four cups of wine traditionally drunk.  Each cup mirroring one of the aspects of the four fold promise of redemption set forth in Exodus 6:6-7

That verse says 

1. I will bring you out.

2. I will rid you of their bondage.

3. I will redeem you.

4. I will take you for my people and I will be your God.

When Jesus gets to the fourth cup, he says ‘no more wine for me.’

Mark 12:25 Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

William Lane points out that when you link the verse 24 Jesus drinking the new covenant cup of redemption (cup number three) and the vow of abstinence in place of cup number four it makes up a solemn pledge… that the fourth cup will be extended and the unfinished meal will be completed in the consummation - when the Messiah eats with redeemed sinners in the kingdom of God. 

The new covenant in my blood | Mark 12:23-24 | Daily Bible Time | Dominic Steele 

Today we reflect that in the moment of sharing the cup with his disciples, Jesus set up a new covenant relationship with his people.  Thus replacing the Old Covenant established by Moses at Sinai.  

We remember Exodus 24:6-8, Jeremiah 31:31-33.

Mark 12:23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Where is the atonement? | Mark 14:22-24 | Daily Bible Time | Dominic Steele

It is interesting to compare the parallel Lord’s Supper passages in Mark, Matthew and Luke.  And the account from the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11. 

In the verses on the bread atonement is not as clear in Mark and Matthew, but it’s clear in Luke.  

Whereas all four narratives make atonement explicit when it comes to the wine and the reference to Jesus’ blood being shed for many.

Mark12:22 As they were eating, he took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.