Mark 14:43-52Jesus Arrested

In the Darkness the Light shines • The arresting party were well organised • They were under the instruction of three groups;

“the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.”

• They were well armed; perhaps expecting trouble

• Led by Judas the betrayer • Motivated by sin • Look to Jesus in the darkness

In the Chaos the Light shines • It’s the early hours of Friday• The evening had been crammed with incident • The disciples have had very little sleep• The quiet of the garden was lost as a crowd

appeared• It must have been confusing • Jesus remained at peace • Look to Jesus in the chaos

In the Violence the Light shines• It was Peter with the sword; “Then Simon Peter,

who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus)” (John 18:10)

• It was Jesus who cleaned up the mess; “But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.” (Luke 22:51)

• Peter could have been arrested • There should have been four crosses

In the Violence the Light shines• “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he

will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53)

• There is no fight or flight

Abandoned, the Light shines• “You will all fall away” (Mark 14:27) Jesus knew

he would be left alone• “Then everyone deserted him and fled”• Who is the young man?• “When this had dawned on him, he went to the

house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.” (Acts 12:12)

• Did Judas lead them to Mark’s family home first; did he try to warn Jesus?

Abandoned, the Light shines• "The modest spirit of Mark seemed to say, 'Friend

Peter, while the Holy Ghost moves me to, tell thy fault, and let it stand on record, he also constrains me to write my own as a sort of preface to it, for I, too, in my mad, hare-brained folly, would have run, unclothed as I was, upon the guard to rescue my Lord and Master; yet, at the first sight, of the rough legionaries, at the first gleam of their swords, away I fled, timid, faint-hearted, and afraid that I should be too roughly handled.’” (Spurgeon quoted by David Guzik of Enduring Word Media)

• They all failed him

In my Place the Light shines • Jesus is no victim• “But the Scriptures must be fulfilled”• “I told you that I am he,” Jesus answered. “If you

are looking for me, then let these men go.” (John 18:8)

• Jesus endures it all; the violence, humiliation, sin and the wrath of his father, that we might go free