We ended the month of February as Jesus approached Jerusalem for what will be a triumphal entry, his last time to come into Jerusalem (Mark 11). When he leaves, he will be carrying a cross on his back. As we conclude Mark’s Gospel in the month of March, we consider five powerful words from the Last Week of Jesus’ Life. There are five Sundays in March, and thus five words.
REJECTION
Rejection is the first word and we find it spelled out in the parable Jesus tells the religious leaders, reflecting his knowledge of what is coming very soon in his life (Mark 12:1-17). Often called The Parable of the Tenants, this is an especially brutal tale of rejection, murder, and inhuman treatment. It is heartbreaking to read, understanding that this tells us of the coming death of Jesus at the hands of a broken world. We are reminded that Jesus is the cornerstone, even if all reject him.
Teach me thy way, O Lord, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name. I give thanks to thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify thy name for ever. For great is thy steadfast love toward me; thou hast delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. - Psalm 86:11-13, RSV
LOVE
Not all of the religious leaders were terrible people, some of them showed a genuine interest in Jesus and his teachings. One of the teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Of all of the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus offers a significant answer that still resonates with us today (Mark 12:28-34). The chapter ends with two stories that demonstrate what it means to love yourself more than others (Mark 12:38-40) and what it means to love God most of all (Mark 12:41-44). The disciples will soon have to choose between loving themselves or loving God, and it will be a costly choice. There is much to think about here, and we are grateful for its placement in the story.
I will sing of thy steadfast love, O Lord, for ever; with my mouth I will proclaim thy faithfulness to all generations. For thy steadfast love was established for ever, thy faithfulness is firm as the heavens.-Psalm 89:1-2, RSV
REMEMBER
Remember is the third word in our series. In Mark 14:12-42, we find the disciples with Jesus in the upper room. In his last Passover feast, Jesus reveals a betrayal, a memorial, and a denial. Emotions are running high as the last supper is the last evening together for the Master and his Disciples. As Jesus reassigns meanings to the bread and the cup, we prepare our own hearts to enter Gethsemane, and seek for Abba’s will to be done.
What shall I render to the Lord for all his bounty to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. -Psalm 116:12-13, RSV
FORSAKEN
The cry of Jesus from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is just one of the elements of Mark’s account of the crucifixion that rivets our attention on the sacrifice of Christ. In this sermon we will walk through Mark 15, contemplating the crucifixion of Jesus and the impact this event makes on the lives of all disciples. We do not want to rush through this to get to the resurrection. Understanding the scandal of the cross will give us insight into what Jesus experienced.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but thou dost not answer; and by night, but find no rest. Yet thou art holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. - Psalm 22:1-3, RSV
RISEN
Mark has presented Jesus in fast-forward, not tarrying to explore the details of many of his messages and actions. In the same way, he gives us a brief, but meaningful recounting of resurrection morning. “He has risen!”. The greatest news anyone ever heard far surpasses all of our Easter traditions, promising the power of Christ to overcome death.
I thank thee that thou hast answered me and hast become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we beseech thee, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech thee, give us success! Blessed be he who enters in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he has given us light. - Psalm 118:21-27
We hope and pray that the messages of March will draw us closer to Jesus, who died, was buried, and resurrected to bring us eternal life.
“The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus means that one day everything sad will come untrue” - J. R. R. Tolkien.