R1684 Despite the Unbelief

In just a few moments, Dr. Don Wilton is going to be leading us to Mark chapter 15 for our Bible study today, but he's also going to be leading us in the opportunity to have communion together, to do the Lord's Supper together, however you want to phrase it. We're going to experience a drawn-near-to-God moment that I think is unlike many that we have in the body of Christ.

Again, if you'll open God's Word with us to Mark 15, that's where we'll study, but we're also open to maybe grab a glass of water or juice and a piece of bread and be a part of participating in the Lord's Supper on this particular broadcast. Today, you see way beyond. You see our innermost hearts. You know us, and that's why you went to the cross, because you love us so much. Lord Jesus, speak to our hearts today. Show us who you are, our Saviour and Lord. We pray for one another. We intercede, O God. We come before the throne of grace because of your death and glorious resurrection.

We have your permission. You have enabled us to come to God the Father directly in the name of Jesus. We don't have to go through a preacher or a priest.

We don't have to go through a pope or a king or a minister or a pastor. We can come to you, God, because of Jesus, and we come to you today. We come seeking your face, crying out to you for the people of this world, this strange dichotomy, this wonderful world, this beautiful world, this world, Lord, that just has so much, and yet there are so many who are so far from God. O God, we come to you today as we open your word and as we participate, we see you carrying us through.

You're the one who never leaves us. Everything you did was designed that you, Jesus, would carry us through because you are our Saviour. So Lord Jesus, we have met to worship you. We come with hearts open, thankful, desperately calling out to you in our repentance, confessing before you, crying out to you, thanking you. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. Just want you to know if you're listening today, I speak on behalf of so many of us. We see you. I see you. Thank you for the letters, the notes, the emails that you write.

Many of them have got my name on them. You write to me, but I hear you and I see you. I see you there in Syria and Iraq, those people that contact us from places, far away places. We see you now in Ukraine. You're a precious believer. I see you. And you're looking at destruction and bodies lying in the streets and cruelty.

You're wondering why. And we gather together and we're meeting together around the Lord Jesus today. It's in His name. You know this past week, I'm so proud of our students here in Spartanburg who fanned out to venues and sites from New Orleans to Kentucky and even in our own city of Spartanburg, scores of our young people.

Just magnificent. The way you went about what God gave to you to do. And we've already seen lives changed. This morning in Genesis, just a few moments ago, people following the Lord Jesus in believers baptism, then again in the second Genesis service today. Some of those being baptized today are the completeness of what God does. Some who were baptized received invitations from you to come to trunk or treat back in the fall of last year. They got an invitation to come.

Somebody said, why don't you come? And they came. And through that, these young people met Jesus and they were drawn into the heart of God's people. And when they met Jesus, they became part of a family like this. And it was passed from one person to another, adults and students included, culminating today in the baptism of these young people, given their lives to Christ and now know the joy. You know, I've often wondered as we prepare all of us to participate in the Lord's table, we look at this week together as we think about Passion Week. Now this marks the arrival of Jesus. And I've often thought about that. I think about it every time I'm personally in Jerusalem. And I stand on the Mount of Olives, looking down over the city of David and the city of Jerusalem.

And I think of Jesus and the people. They turned out, they turned out, they were there, thousands of them. They waved their palm branches and there were so many there that were just wonderful, wonderful Christ followers. But there were many there who waved palm branches and got caught up in the occasion. It was many of those same people that called out, crucify him, that chose Barabbas over Jesus, said do away with him.

It was those same people. Man looks on the outward appearance and God looks upon the heart, he sees you. He knows what you did yesterday. He knows where your heart is, no matter what palm branches in your hand, no matter what suit of clothing you're wearing, no matter what part of the world in which you live, no matter your comforts and your appearances, no matter your bank balance. He knows, he knows what's in our hearts.

I want to read to you an amazing account. We're going to be in Mark's Gospel, chapter 15. And I want to share with you today is a prelude to participating in communion together. I want to make sure that you're ready, that you have a cup and you have something to eat. Not in terms of a meal, Jesus rejected that.

All you need is the tiniest cracker, corner of a piece of bread. But I want to, as we prepare for this, to begin in Mark chapter 15. The Bible says, as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and the scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus and they led him away and they delivered him over to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, are you the king of the Jews? And he answered, you have said so. Of course they did. They were waving palm branches just a little few minutes before.

Just read that again. Pilate asked him, are you the king of the Jews? Have you ever noticed Jesus answered? Well, evidently, you the ones who said so.

You were all standing there cheering when I arrived. Verse three, and the chief priests accused him of many things. And Pilate again asked, have you no answer to make and see how many charges they bring against you? But Jesus made no further answers so that Pilate was amazed. Now at the feast, he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked.

And among the rebels in prison who had committed murder at the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews? For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas.

Just by the way, everybody, just because someone's dressed in the clothing of the clergy, be very careful that you attest no matter who it is by the truth of the word of God. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, and what shall I do with the man you call the king of the Jews? And they cried out again, crucify him. And Pilate said to them, why, what evil has he done? They shouted all the more, crucify him. So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, having scourged Jesus. He delivered him to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is the governor's headquarters, and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak and twisted together a crown of thorns and they put it on him. They began to salute him, hail the king of the Jews. And as they were striking his head with the reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him, and when they had mocked him, they stripped the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And then they led him out to crucify him.

I have an unusual title to this Lord's Supper. It just simply is Despite Unbelievers. You and I are living in an unbelieving world.

There's so much that we could say, even in our own beloved nation. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions of wonderful, believing Christian men and women and young people. Look at you. Just look at you. But in this country, we are surrounded in our communities by hundreds of thousands of those who stand and cheer but who don't believe.

They're in our schools, they're in government. We've got thousands of people who will blaspheme the name of Jesus one minute after they have praised his name. And the picture's here, and Jesus knew that. And on Palm Sunday, perhaps God would really speak to us if we took a look at Jesus.

Look at Jesus. What was it about him? He came here into Jerusalem in this euphoric welcome. He waved palm branches, and they gathered it was a worship service bar none. The next minute, these same people did four things to him.

Number one, they bound him. Please forgive the interruption. There's never a good time to interrupt the pastor as he's preaching, but he wants me to let you know we're here for you. We're praying with you and available for you at the other end of 866-899-WORD. Jot the number down.

Call 866-899-9673. We'll connect you with one of us 24 hours a day to pray for you and to connect you with some powerful resources, resources that'll help you like this. Now is the time for us to be pouring into the people around us. People need to see Christ in us. They want to see Christ in us. He alone enables us to live lives that are pleasing to him in ways that we, in and of ourselves, cannot do.

God is raising up people to be poured out. In Dr. Wilton's message, The Poured Out Believer, you will find encouragement and strength to press through whatever you are facing to serve God. Please visit our website at www.tewonline.org or call 1-866-899-WORD to order your copy today. Again, that's just one of many great resources available on our website at www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org. While you're there, be sure and sign up for the daily encouraging word email from Dr. Don. It's a powerful word of scripture that will launch your day in a great way.

Again, sign up on our website at www.tewonline.org. Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. The next minute these same people did four things to him. Number one, they bound him.

That's what the Bible says even in verse one here. The same one that they had been welcoming, they bound him. They tied him up.

When I began to study that, God was showing me something. Mankind tried to restrict Jesus, tie him up, reduce him, hold him back. It's what usually happens if police sadly have to put handcuffs on you.

It's designed to stop you being able to get away. Somehow this unbelieving world thought that they could bind the Son of God and stop him from carrying out whatever it is that he was because they actually acknowledged him. Second thing they did was they bullied him. From verse two here in Mark's Gospel, particularly verse two and three, they bullied Jesus.

Bullying is one of the most heinous things that bullies do to people they want to bring down and belittle. Then they bartered for him. In verse six, they said, well, let's do a trade. Let's swap Jesus. Let's put him on the auction block. Let's bid and let's go ask the court of public opinion. If ever a church ever has to take a survey about the things of God, everything about Jesus is never up for the auction block. It's never open to debate.

The highest bidder is never placed in the hands of public to determine the lordship of Christ. And the fourth thing they did to him was they bruised him. Verse 15 through 20, they beat him relentlessly, mercilessly. Bible says he was bruised because of our sin, bruised for our transgression. You and I sometimes unintentionally, we recoil from the horror of the beating and the bruising that the Son of Man took upon the cross. In all likelihood, the bruising that he received rendered him almost unrecognizable. It was most likely considering the nature of a cat o' nine tails, which was used, which was designed to inflict unimaginable damage to the body, rendered the Lord Jesus Christ so beaten to within an inch of his life. And even all our own understandable perception of trying to make certain that the Jesus that we portray is always very neatly on the cross.

These people hated him so much they took out the venomous hate and anger against him. And despite these unbelievers, with all of that, despite this, Jesus saw them. He saw them. There was not a moment from his arrival in Jerusalem as they waved those palm branches, that Jesus didn't see them. He sees us in our sinfulness.

That's why he did what he did. He sees you. He sees you right now, regardless of how you're dressed, regardless of where you are, regardless of the impression you give, regardless of what other people are saying about you, regardless of your goodness, your kindness, regardless of everything, he sees you. Jesus went willingly to the cross because he saw us. He not only saw them, these unbelievers, but he really loved them.

Wow. I find myself saying in a human way, which is so inadequate, you've got to seriously love somebody to do what Jesus did after they did what they did to him. I suppose we've spent generations trying to describe the love that Jesus has for us. Despite these unbelievers, Jesus saw them and he loved them. He just loved them because God so loved the world. God loves you, my friend.

He sees you. He saw them, these unbelievers. He loved them.

His love was so pure that not all the binding and the bullying and the bartering and the bruising was going to stop him. He saw them, he loved them, which is why he died for them. Despite these unbelievers, he died for them. Jesus died for you.

He actually carried it through. He died for them. And because he died for them, Jesus carried them. When Jesus went to the cross, he carried our sin, our hate, our antagonism, our struggles, our hypocrisy of the battles. He carried, he carried us, he carries us. He took all of us, this unbelieving world, and he went to the cross and he died and gave his life for us.

Yes, he did it for you. What do you need to do today to stay focused, to return to your faith, or maybe to give your life to Jesus for the very first time? You can do that with a simple prayer. I'd love to lead you in that.

You can say, me too, or repeat after me. Lord God, I realize my sin has separated me from you, so God, I turn my back on my sin and I ask you to forgive me. Lord, I believe you are the son of God, and I believe that you died and rose from the grave so that you could give me life. Lead me, God. Show me how to make you the Lord of my life. I will follow you. In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen. It starts with that decision, or perhaps today's the day that you've rededicated your life. Once you give us a call, Dr. Wilton has free resources he wants to put in your hands that will help you grow in your faith. We'd love to hear from you. The number is 866-899-WORD. We'll send those resources that Dr. Wilton wants you to have. We'll send those out right away if you'll call us, 866-899-9673, or meet us on our website at www.tewonline.org.

That's tewonline.org. Now, just before we go, the Lord has put in my heart today to pray for you. You know, that's something that I can do, that we can do for one another. But I just want you to know that prayer is so critical. Do you know that the Lord Jesus not only hears our prayer, but he answers our prayer too? I'd like to pray for you today.

You love the Lord, I know, but there are things going on in your life, aren't there? Let's talk to the Lord Jesus. Heavenly Father, right now, I want to present to you my friend who is searching, looking, longing, needing, crying out to you. I just pray, Lord Jesus, even through the lens of this camera, that by your Spirit you would touch this person's heart. Answer that prayer right now, fulfill that need. Come down in the power of your Spirit and manifest yourself. I'm praying this in the strong name of Jesus. We believe in prayer. You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. God, hear my prayer for my friends. In Jesus' name, Amen.