July 27, 2025 • 34 mins
We'd love to hear from you. Message us here.
The journey to the cross reveals humanity's darkest impulses and God's unfathomable love. As Roman soldiers clothe Jesus in mock royal garments, jam a crown of thorns on his head, and spit on him repeatedly, we witness the Creator of the universe enduring contempt from his own creation. The gospel writers focus particularly on this mockery, showing how both Jews and Gentiles participated in rejecting God's Son.
When Jesus's strength fails on the way to Golgotha, a bystander named Simon from Cyrene is compelled to carry the cross. This seemingly random encounter transforms Simon's life, with evidence suggesting his entire family became devoted followers of Christ. His experience offers a powerful metaphor for discipleship – the unexpected call to shoulder a burden that ultimately leads to profound blessing.
The Apostle Paul understood this paradox deeply. Despite his impressive religious credentials, he counted everything as "rubbish" compared to knowing Christ. But Paul's desire wasn't just to experience resurrection power; he wanted the "fellowship of Christ's sufferings" as well. This uncomfortable truth challenges our comfortable Christianity: "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."
How many opportunities to share our faith do we miss because we fear mockery? How often do we stay silent rather than risk ridicule? The cross reminds us that true discipleship means valuing Jesus above everything else – including others' opinions. This week, look for chances to stand for truth and share hope with those who are hurting. You might face resistance, but you'll experience deeper fellowship with the One who endured mockery and death for you.
Every Christian journey involves carrying a cross. What's yours?
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Mark 15,.
We'll start in verse 16 thismorning.
Mark 15, 16, starting point.
Well, the cross is upon us.
It's early in the morning, theday of the cross.
Jesus has spent the night,first in prayer and then
(00:35):
interrogation, in a lawlesstrial at the house of the high
priest.
At the first light of morninghe's been transferred to the
Roman governor, pilate.
And although Pilatehalf-heartedly tried to deliver
Jesus, through fear and pressureof the people and a fear of
(00:57):
disappointing Caesar, hedelivered Jesus to be crucified.
He delivered Jesus to becrucified and Jesus has been
scourged and he is taken now tobe crucified.
In verse 16.
Notice, we read.
Then the soldiers led him awayto the hall called Praetorium
(01:23):
and they called together thewhole garrison, that's about 600
soldiers, and they clothed himwith purple and twisted a crown
of thorns, put it on his headand began to salute him.
Hail, king of the Jews.
Then they struck him in thehead with a reed and spat on him
Bowing the knee.
(02:02):
They worshipped him.
We could find in our NewTestament.
All four gospel writers aregoing to let us know about the
crucifixion.
It's the center of everything,right, and I got to tell you I
don't feel up to it.
I've been thinking about it aswe get closer, finally, to the
cross and it's a scary thingthat we can just read this and
(02:25):
it not affect us, that I couldjust teach a Bible study on this
and you feel like words justcan't do it justice.
So I'm kind of hesitant to evendo it.
But I know that's where we'reat and we know this is the power
of the whole thing.
But here Jesus is taken infront of the Roman guards, about
(02:49):
600 of them, and it's beenpointed out interesting here
that very little is told us ofthe specifics of this
crucifixion.
We have to get it from historyand cultural details, the act of
crucifixion.
We have to get it from historyand cultural details, the act of
crucifixion.
But here we see the brutalitythrough the mockery and that has
(03:14):
been pointed out, that themockery seems to be the center
of what the gospel writers aretrying to get across.
The mockery seems to be thedetail that God wanted us to
know about, because that's whatwe're given.
That's the main thing here.
Now.
Mockery is the main response ofthe natural man to the things
(03:35):
of God.
Paul says this in 1 Corinthians2, verse 14, the natural man
does not receive the things ofthe Spirit of God, they're
foolishness to him.
So check it out.
In our natural flesh, we canplace ourselves in this crowd of
mockers, along with the rest ofthe world outside of Christ.
(03:56):
I'm reminded of this portion ofScripture in the song how Great
the Father's Love for Us.
It says this Behold the manupon the cross, my sin upon his
shoulders.
Ashamed, I hear my mockingvoice call out among the
scoffers.
(04:18):
There's a focus on the mockerythat Jesus went through.
A focus on the mockery thatJesus went through, and we see
it coming from all directions,jew and Gentile.
Notice here.
We've already been to Caiaphas'house, right, the chief priest
of the Jews, and he has broughtJesus to the Romans.
(04:40):
Now just a little side noteThroughout history, people like
the Nazis have used this idea tocall the Jews Christ killers.
Even Martin Luther, in a time ofweakness, referred to them like
that the ones who crucifiedChrist.
(05:01):
But what we really see here isthat it comes from all sides.
We're all responsible in thismockery.
Right, the Jews may havebrought him, but the Romans
finished the deal here.
The Romans, that's all of us,the Gentiles.
They mock Jesus, they beatJesus.
We're all responsible.
(05:22):
It was our sin that brought himto this place.
Since God wants us to see this,let's consider the mockery of
all this in mind.
We consider this, realizingthat Jesus is God in flesh.
He is Emmanuel, god with us.
(05:42):
Check it out, think about it.
Genesis 1.1 and John 1.3, wefind that Jesus is the one
responsible for creatingeverything.
He made man out of dirt andbreathed the breath of life into
him in Genesis 2, verse 7.
(06:02):
In Daniel, chapter 5, weunderstand that it's God that
holds our breath in his handsand ultimately has the power to
give it and to take it.
Paul, speaking of Jesus nowthink about this.
In Colossians 1.17 says thatJesus is before all things and
(06:27):
in him they all consist.
Now think about this.
Jesus is the one that holdseverything that we see together.
The moment that Jesus decidedto let it all go, nothing,
everything we see, held togetherby his power.
That's Jesus who's standing infront of these Roman guards.
(06:54):
I'm reminded also of hisauthority.
He tells Peter in the gardenremember, just a few hours
before this, when Peter takes upthe sword and starts swinging,
cuts off poor Malchus's ear.
Jesus reminds him that at anymoment, the father could give
(07:14):
him 12 legion of angels to cometo his rescue.
All that power, and yet Jesuswas mocked.
Isaiah 53 reminds us that Jesus, in meekness and humility, was
like a lamb before its shears,and it was silent.
(07:36):
He opened, not his mouth.
So think about that God inflesh enduring mockery from his
creation.
But let's look at it.
What did it look like?
We read here that the wholegarrison came together, that's
600 men in a sort of coffeebreak, a kind of mid-shift
(07:57):
entertainment here for them,some gallows humor.
Verse 17,.
They clothed him in purple.
Likely this was one of theRoman soldiers' robes cloaks,
originally scarlet, probably sunbleached.
It looked more purple.
But there it was to look like aking right.
(08:19):
Put a robe on him, a purpleroyal robe.
They put a crown of thornsnotice on his head.
Now we think of thorns and wethink of rose thorns.
But in the Middle East, therethey have some thorns that are
like nails, three to four incheslong, as tough as nails.
(08:41):
They wove them and jammed it onhis head.
The blood started to come outfrom that Notice.
They began to salute him andsaid Hail the common Roman
greeting, hail King of the Jews,and Matthew lets us know.
(09:03):
They put a reed in his hand as ascepter, the whole costume of
the emperor right, and theymocked him.
They took that we read here.
They took that reed and theyjust struck him on the head over
and over again like beating adrum.
They beat Jesus Laughing Notice.
(09:26):
They were spitting on him, theyspat on him.
So all of this brutality andthen add to that spit.
There is something just totallydefiling a spit.
Nothing really more insultingyou can do than spit on someone.
And Jesus in all of this wasspat on.
(09:48):
They did it over and over andover again and it was hard to
write this this morning.
It was really hard to considerall that Jesus went through for
us.
But why?
Why was he mocked?
Well, in the early church, justa few years from this, the
(10:12):
early church would experiencemockery like this.
Words of ridicule, right.
People would lie about them andtell all sorts of stories about
those Christians who drinkblood, have love, feasts, all
these different kinds of things.
And they were ridiculed andthey were mocked.
(10:34):
But even in our modern world,believers around the world are
mocked and abused daily.
Believers around the world aremocked and abused daily.
In fact, it's been said, thereare more people who suffer for
Jesus in the world today thanhave ever been Makes sense.
340 million to 370 millionpeople experience persecution in
(11:01):
our world.
They say so.
The early church sufferedmockery.
The modern church suffersmockery, and so Jesus
understands, as those who wouldcome after would realize, he
(11:22):
went through it.
Jesus told his disciples theyhated me and they'll hate you
too.
Also, in this, though, we seeJesus with ultimate humility
it's meekness.
The word meekness means powerunder control.
(11:43):
So, again, we put this alltogether and we realize Jesus is
God in flesh, createdeverything, utter, just,
complete power, and yet he letshis creation beat up on him and
mock him.
Well, verse 20, the soldiershave had enough and they led him
(12:04):
out to crucify him.
Verse 20, the soldiers have hadenough and they led him out to
crucify him.
Verse 21, well, before we getthere, I want you to picture
where we're at.
Jesus is led out.
He's bleeding like crazy, facedisfigured, back ripped open
from the scourging spit runningdown his beard.
(12:27):
He's a carpenter by trade, sohe can take a bit, but at this
point he's had enough.
His energy is gone in hishumanity.
So notice verse 21.
Then they compelled a certainman, simon, a Cyrenean, the
(12:49):
father of Alexander and Rufus,as he was coming out of the
country and passing by, to bearhis cross, and they brought him
to the place Golgotha, which istranslated place of the skull.
So you know the story.
As Jesus is let out of the cityto be crucified, the soldiers
(13:15):
compel a certain man here namedSimon to carry the cross.
And it was their right.
The soldiers could do that.
You remember, in Matthew 5, 41,jesus said when somebody asks
you to go a mile, go two.
The Roman soldiers could askanyone they wanted to carry
(13:36):
their stuff for one Roman mile.
I think it's a little bit lessthan our mile, but it's still
quite a ways to go.
The Roman soldier could tap youon the shoulder and say look, I
need you to carry my stuff, getgoing for one mile.
And Jesus of course says in theSermon on the Mount I know this
isn't natural, but when theyask you to go one, go the extra
(13:57):
mile, go two.
That's what it means to be aChristian.
And so they tap this certainman, notice a certain man, simon
.
It's a certain purpose.
It looks pretty random, doesn'tit, that Jesus is going out of
(14:18):
the city.
Simon is coming into the city,random guy, random Simon, and
they choose him.
But he's a certain man.
He is there for a purpose, andwe'll see that the name Simon is
pretty common, probably one ofthe most common names we have in
the New Testament.
There's nine people with thename Simon in the New Testament.
(14:42):
Seems like there was a prettygood Jewish population there.
He's probably there just toobserve the feast, to celebrate
this Jewish Independence Day ofPassover, and notice he has two
(15:02):
sons listed.
Good Greek names Alexander manyou can't get a much more Greek
name than Alexander, right?
Alexander and Rufus.
Rufus just sounds like a goodname for a kid.
And they're there on pilgrimage.
He's in the wrong place at thewrong time, or maybe he's in the
right place at the right time,but he's there.
(15:27):
Maybe he heard the ruckus ofthe crowd, maybe he was just
going into worship, but God hada plan in all this.
Now, before we move on, theother thing that should probably
catch our attention here is hisson's names.
Notice in verse 21,.
Mark lets us know that he wasthe father of Alexander and
(15:49):
Rufus.
So what?
Well, there seems to be areason why Mark is letting us
know that this is Rufus's dad,right?
Well, in the book of Romans, inthe book of Romans, chapter 16,
verse 13,.
(16:10):
Paul mentions Rufus and hismother.
He gives them greetings at theend of the book of Romans.
So this guy, rufus, a guy namedRufus, is in the church in Rome
known by Paul and greeting.
Is it the same Rufus?
(16:30):
We'll never know, but it seemslike this man was known, right,
rufus Alexander, one of themwere known in the early church.
It's hard to imagine that youcould go through what Simon went
through carry the cross ofJesus, lay it down at Golgotha,
(16:51):
watch him being crucified andnot be moved by that, not be
changed by that Speculation.
But tradition has it that thisRufus is that Rufus that God
really did a work in thisfamily's heart.
Was it an accident?
No, not a chance.
(17:11):
God set it up and his life waschanged.
I think Now the thing we seehere as we kind of go on, is
that this is a picture for us,right?
Simon is a great illustrationfor us of the Christian life and
(17:32):
this is where we'll close.
But Simon is a greatillustration of the Christian
life and this is where we'llclose.
But Simon is a greatillustration of the Christian
life.
Jesus tells a rich young rulerin Mark 10, 21,.
Go your way, sell whatever youhave, give it to the poor and
you'll have treasure in heaven.
Then come, take up the crossand follow me.
And Jesus kind of sets thispicture that taking up the cross
(17:55):
is what the Christian life isall about.
Paul classic verse Paul inGalatians 2.20 says I have been
crucified with Christ.
It's no longer I who live, butChrist lives in me.
The life which I now live inthe flesh.
I live by faith in the Son ofGod who loved me and gave
(18:17):
himself for me.
So we see this theology andcome back this theology that the
cross is where we all find liferight.
We relate to Jesus on the cross.
We relate to Jesus on the cross.
He's crucified, but it's reallyus, it's our old man that's
(18:41):
crucified there at the cross.
We talked about that 2Corinthians 5.21, that he
becomes sin for us, that wecould become the righteousness
of God in him, and there's thistransfer that takes place.
But Simon's a greatillustration for us of what the
Christian life looks like totake up the cross and carry the
(19:01):
cross.
Now I just want to camp on thisfor the rest of our few minutes
here.
Let's turn to Philippians,chapter three.
Philippians, chapter three,philippians, chapter three.
(19:23):
Now in Paul's life he faced offwith these people known as the
Judaizers.
They would come around as Paulwas teaching and they would say
oh you know, jesus is great andall, but you need to become.
If you're a Gentile, you needto become a Jew first.
(19:44):
And they would heckle Paul andgive him trouble.
But they put their confidence inrituals, in the law, in
circumcision, in dietary laws.
They boasted in their knowledge.
And notice, here in Philippians3, starting in verse 4, paul's
(20:09):
going to be tempted to boastwith them.
He says, though I might haveconfidence in the flesh, if
anyone else thinks he may haveconfidence in the flesh, I, more
so, circumcised on the eighthday of the stock of Israel, the
tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew ofHebrews, concerning the law, a
Pharisee concerning zeal,persecuting the church,
(20:30):
concerning the righteousnesswhich is, in the law, blameless.
So Paul starts here and he saysyou know what, if we had to
brag about things, I could bragabout things, right, I have been
as Hebrew as Hebrew can be.
I've been blameless accordingto the law.
I was born into the right tribeand the right family.
(20:51):
I got an education.
He says here, he was a Pharisee.
Now we look at that and goPharisee, oh, those guys.
But they were highly educatedin the law, they had been to all
the schooling.
And I look at this and I go Iget it, paul, because you can
put a face on that.
(21:12):
You're humble, but it alwaysfeels a little good to kind of
throw out.
You know some of yourqualifications, you know what I
mean.
Well, you know I've done thisand I've been there and I know
this person.
Right, it just always feelsgood, right to boast.
And Paul could have done it.
He could have said I'm aneducated, I sat at the feet of
(21:32):
Gamaliel and they would havegone ooh, gamaliel, wow, the
teacher of teachers, you studiedunder him and there's a certain
amount of pride we can take onwhat we've become right, and
Paul could have done it, and Iget it.
But notice verse 7, where heswitches gears.
(21:53):
But whatever things were gainedto me, these I have counted
loss for Christ.
Yet indeed I count all thingsloss for the excellence of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus, myLord, for whom I've suffered the
loss of all things Verse 10,that I may know him, the power
(22:34):
of his resurrection and thefellowship of his sufferings
being conformed to his death, ifby any means I may attain to
the resurrection from the dead.
So check it out.
Paul starts to brag, he getshis list out.
He could do it.
But then he says but there inin verse seven, all these things
(23:03):
, whatever things were gained tome, education, place in life,
status, whatever it is I countit all as loss for Christ.
And notice, he goes on in verseeight and he says you know what?
I count them as rubbish.
Now we can get colorful withthis, but that word rubbish is
essentially manure right, not tobeat two crabs Essentially
(23:26):
manure.
So all the things that werelike little crowns you know that
he could put on his head Paulgoes compared to knowing Jesus.
It's a sack of manure, it's notworth anything.
And Paul kind of made that.
He understood that KnowingJesus is worth more than
(23:47):
everything else on earth.
But notice where he goes with itand this is where it gets
really intense.
He says, verse 10, this is whatI really want and you got to
hear it in his voice.
(24:07):
This is what I really want,that I may know him, I want to
know Jesus.
Now, this word know is not tojust know in your head, right,
we know a lot of things.
Maybe you're like me randomtrivia man.
I just I can do it on randomtrivia.
Does it mean anything?
Absolutely not.
You know random trivia.
(24:29):
But that's not what we'retalking about when we talk about
knowing Jesus.
This word know is an experience,kind of know, right, it's the
kind of know you have whenyou've been bungee jumping.
Oh, I know bungee jumping.
You know when you've donesomething, you go, I've
experienced that, catching awave or whatever You're like.
I know what it feels like tosurf, you know, or whatever I
(24:53):
don't, but that's anillustration.
But he says here this is what Ireally want.
I want to know Jesus throughexperience.
And it's so intense.
He says I want to know him andthe power of his resurrection.
And you look at that and you gooh, paul man, when you went
(25:14):
around in the ancient world andyou told people about Jesus, you
got to see the power of theresurrection taking an old life
and making it new.
That's what happens when wecome to Jesus.
The old life is gone and it's abrand new existence in Jesus.
And so Paul would talk aboutpeople who were possessed, right
(25:36):
Like the girl who followed himaround, saying you know, listen
to these guys.
They're speaking the truth andhe turns around and cast the
demon out.
Paul knew what it was like tosee people's life do like a full
180, not the same person thatit was two minutes before, and
he goes.
That's the power of aresurrection.
That's what Jesus can do.
So many things you can apply tothat resurrection.
(26:00):
We'll probably talk about itmore in the coming weeks.
But notice what he really saysafter that, verse 10, we're
still in verse 10.
But I may know him in the powerof his resurrection, in the
fellowship of his sufferings,and the power of his
resurrection and the fellowshipof his sufferings being
(26:20):
conformed to his death.
Paul, I don't like it.
I don't like that you say stuffabout fellowship of his
sufferings, because we'rehearing the gospel and we're
seeing Jesus suffer and it'sblood and it's beating, beating
and it's all that kind of stuff.
But it's mockery, it's spitdripping off his beard.
(26:42):
I don't like that fellowship ofhis suffering.
The word fellowship is anotherword we should think about
Fellowship.
We think of fun, food andfellowship Yay.
Fellowship it means to have incommon commonality.
So Jesus is saying I wantfellowship in his sufferings, I
(27:03):
want to have that in common withJesus.
You go, paul, what is wrongwith you?
But Paul knew what theChristian life was really all
about.
He would tell Timothy in 2Timothy 3.12,.
But Paul knew what theChristian life was really all
about.
He would tell Timothy in 2Timothy 3.12,.
Yes, all who desire to livegodly in Christ Jesus will
suffer persecution.
(27:24):
We don't really need to lookfor it.
Paul didn't need to go out andgo hey, persecute me, right, I
want some suffering, persecuteme.
He didn't need to.
All who desire to live godly inChrist Jesus will suffer
persecution.
So check it out.
We suffer in a lot of differentways in our lives, but why
(27:45):
don't we suffer persecution?
Well, we live in America.
We got it good.
Honestly, I have no righttalking about suffering
persecution because I have notbeen persecuted Never.
I can't think of a time whereI've really been persecuted,
right.
But then we got to askourselves do we really desire to
(28:07):
live godly?
Eh, sometimes I try.
You know I don't use bad words.
Is that good?
You know I try.
But we don't really sufferpersecution and we typically
don't desire to live godly toomuch.
We may do it secretly.
(28:30):
You ever notice that thing whenyou go out to lunch or dinner.
You're like we're going to pray, let's all pray Now.
There are some that are veryvocal about their prayers.
I'm not saying we have to bethat Like everybody in the
restaurant.
We're going to pray now.
So be quiet.
We're going to pray, you know,I don't know if that's what we
need to do, but I tell you thisis me and there's too much
(28:51):
confession today, but this is me.
All right, guys, real quick.
Okay, god bless this food.
Thank you so much.
And you don't want it to likework out where the waitress is
at the table standing awkwardlywhile you're praying.
You know, because I don't wantto suffer persecution, I don't
want them to go.
Oh, you're one of those.
You know I got things to do.
Can you hurry up?
Whatever it is?
(29:12):
Even in that I'm kind ofstandoffish, standing up for
godly living.
We don't want to rock the boat,right?
So we endure the crass joke atwork.
We giggle a little bit witheveryone else.
(29:35):
We don't have very manyopportunities to suffer
persecution.
But I'm saying for myself Idon't generally take the
opportunities that I get.
I just kind of stay in theshadows, pray in my heart,
whatever, honestly, out of fearI have missed opportunities to
share the truth with peoplebecause I'm afraid of what they
(29:56):
think about me if I do.
I miss so many opportunitiesbecause I don't want to suffer
mockery or ridicule.
And yet Paul here says if youdesire to live godly, you're
going to suffer persecution.
Paul knew that it was there andhe walked right into it.
(30:22):
Right In Athens he got up andshared the truth with a group of
scholars and the end of it theysaid what's this babbler
talking about?
This guy is just talking.
What is this craziness thathe's talking about?
(30:43):
And he wasn't afraid to do it.
He was flat-out beaten whereverhe went in Philippi, just
beaten to a pulp.
And he walked into it, evensharing with Caesar, which
ultimately got him killed.
He did it.
Now he's just a guy.
(31:03):
I'm sure he had his times wherehe didn't succeed in this, but
this is what Paul wanted.
He says I want to know him thepower of resurrection and the
fellowship of his suffering.
And there is even though I havenot experienced it that much in
(31:23):
my life there is thisfellowship as we suffer
persecution where we go.
This is life with Jesus.
We take up the cross and wefollow Jesus.
Now we don't need to go lookingfor persecution.
Please don't.
You don't have to.
(31:44):
But those who desire to livegodly will have opportunity to
suffer persecution and mockeryfor Jesus.
That's the ultimate.
This week will offer us someopportunities.
That this week will offer ussome opportunities to stand up
(32:05):
for what's right, and we don'thave to be harsh with it, we
don't have to be boastful oranything like that, but there'll
be opportunities to stand upfor what's right.
Check it out.
I'm going to predict there'llbe opportunities for us to share
the good news with someonewho's really needing it, someone
whose life is destroyed.
And you know, we can hesitate.
(32:26):
We might hesitate and say well,you know, have you ever thought
about quitting drugs, you know?
Or perhaps it's the moment thatwe say you know what?
There is no hope in this lifebut Jesus.
You're banging your headagainst the wall.
There is no hope but Jesus, andhe loves you so much.
(32:48):
Maybe this is our week and maybewe'll have some persecution and
we'll go to know him in thefellowship of his sufferings.
He's right here with us, maybeto see some amazing fruit.
But the thing is we need him,we need his spirit for that.
None of us are just gonna goout and just get through it.
(33:11):
Oh, we're just so strong.
We need him to make it work andI encourage you look to him
these mornings, see what Godmight have for you.
Walk with him carrying thecross.
God, none of these things we canmake happen, none of these
things we can power through.
(33:32):
Just be strong people.
We need your spirit.
We want to be right there withyou and we know you're right
there with us, god.
Thank you for what you've donefor us, god, as we just look at
how you laid down your life, howyou offered your face for those
beatings in your back, for thescourging, how you put up with
(33:54):
their mockery, god, you did itbecause you loved us.
God, I just pray that that lovewould help us to see that there
is nothing on this planet worthmore than that, not money or
status or what people thinkabout us.
There is nothing worth knowingyou, god, help us.
(34:16):
I don't want to say it lightly,that we'll just go out and do
it, but, god, help us to reallywalk with you and be in
fellowship with you every day.
Thank you for what you've donefor us.
Just thank you that you love us, no matter what.
God, you are so good.
We thank you in Jesus' name.
(34:36):
We pray Amen.
Mark 15,.
We'll start in verse 16 thismorning.
Mark 15, 16, starting point.
Well, the cross is upon us.
It's early in the morning, theday of the cross.
Jesus has spent the night,first in prayer and then
(00:35):
interrogation, in a lawlesstrial at the house of the high
priest.
At the first light of morninghe's been transferred to the
Roman governor, pilate.
And although Pilatehalf-heartedly tried to deliver
Jesus, through fear and pressureof the people and a fear of
(00:57):
disappointing Caesar, hedelivered Jesus to be crucified.
He delivered Jesus to becrucified and Jesus has been
scourged and he is taken now tobe crucified.
In verse 16.
Notice, we read.
Then the soldiers led him awayto the hall called Praetorium
(01:23):
and they called together thewhole garrison, that's about 600
soldiers, and they clothed himwith purple and twisted a crown
of thorns, put it on his headand began to salute him.
Hail, king of the Jews.
Then they struck him in thehead with a reed and spat on him
Bowing the knee.
(02:02):
They worshipped him.
We could find in our NewTestament.
All four gospel writers aregoing to let us know about the
crucifixion.
It's the center of everything,right, and I got to tell you I
don't feel up to it.
I've been thinking about it aswe get closer, finally, to the
cross and it's a scary thingthat we can just read this and
(02:25):
it not affect us, that I couldjust teach a Bible study on this
and you feel like words justcan't do it justice.
So I'm kind of hesitant to evendo it.
But I know that's where we'reat and we know this is the power
of the whole thing.
But here Jesus is taken infront of the Roman guards, about
(02:49):
600 of them, and it's beenpointed out interesting here
that very little is told us ofthe specifics of this
crucifixion.
We have to get it from historyand cultural details, the act of
crucifixion.
We have to get it from historyand cultural details, the act of
crucifixion.
But here we see the brutalitythrough the mockery and that has
(03:14):
been pointed out, that themockery seems to be the center
of what the gospel writers aretrying to get across.
The mockery seems to be thedetail that God wanted us to
know about, because that's whatwe're given.
That's the main thing here.
Now.
Mockery is the main response ofthe natural man to the things
(03:35):
of God.
Paul says this in 1 Corinthians2, verse 14, the natural man
does not receive the things ofthe Spirit of God, they're
foolishness to him.
So check it out.
In our natural flesh, we canplace ourselves in this crowd of
mockers, along with the rest ofthe world outside of Christ.
(03:56):
I'm reminded of this portion ofScripture in the song how Great
the Father's Love for Us.
It says this Behold the manupon the cross, my sin upon his
shoulders.
Ashamed, I hear my mockingvoice call out among the
scoffers.
(04:18):
There's a focus on the mockerythat Jesus went through.
A focus on the mockery thatJesus went through, and we see
it coming from all directions,jew and Gentile.
Notice here.
We've already been to Caiaphas'house, right, the chief priest
of the Jews, and he has broughtJesus to the Romans.
(04:40):
Now just a little side noteThroughout history, people like
the Nazis have used this idea tocall the Jews Christ killers.
Even Martin Luther, in a time ofweakness, referred to them like
that the ones who crucifiedChrist.
(05:01):
But what we really see here isthat it comes from all sides.
We're all responsible in thismockery.
Right, the Jews may havebrought him, but the Romans
finished the deal here.
The Romans, that's all of us,the Gentiles.
They mock Jesus, they beatJesus.
We're all responsible.
(05:22):
It was our sin that brought himto this place.
Since God wants us to see this,let's consider the mockery of
all this in mind.
We consider this, realizingthat Jesus is God in flesh.
He is Emmanuel, god with us.
(05:42):
Check it out, think about it.
Genesis 1.1 and John 1.3, wefind that Jesus is the one
responsible for creatingeverything.
He made man out of dirt andbreathed the breath of life into
him in Genesis 2, verse 7.
(06:02):
In Daniel, chapter 5, weunderstand that it's God that
holds our breath in his handsand ultimately has the power to
give it and to take it.
Paul, speaking of Jesus nowthink about this.
In Colossians 1.17 says thatJesus is before all things and
(06:27):
in him they all consist.
Now think about this.
Jesus is the one that holdseverything that we see together.
The moment that Jesus decidedto let it all go, nothing,
everything we see, held togetherby his power.
That's Jesus who's standing infront of these Roman guards.
(06:54):
I'm reminded also of hisauthority.
He tells Peter in the gardenremember, just a few hours
before this, when Peter takes upthe sword and starts swinging,
cuts off poor Malchus's ear.
Jesus reminds him that at anymoment, the father could give
(07:14):
him 12 legion of angels to cometo his rescue.
All that power, and yet Jesuswas mocked.
Isaiah 53 reminds us that Jesus, in meekness and humility, was
like a lamb before its shears,and it was silent.
(07:36):
He opened, not his mouth.
So think about that God inflesh enduring mockery from his
creation.
But let's look at it.
What did it look like?
We read here that the wholegarrison came together, that's
600 men in a sort of coffeebreak, a kind of mid-shift
(07:57):
entertainment here for them,some gallows humor.
Verse 17,.
They clothed him in purple.
Likely this was one of theRoman soldiers' robes cloaks,
originally scarlet, probably sunbleached.
It looked more purple.
But there it was to look like aking right.
(08:19):
Put a robe on him, a purpleroyal robe.
They put a crown of thornsnotice on his head.
Now we think of thorns and wethink of rose thorns.
But in the Middle East, therethey have some thorns that are
like nails, three to four incheslong, as tough as nails.
(08:41):
They wove them and jammed it onhis head.
The blood started to come outfrom that Notice.
They began to salute him andsaid Hail the common Roman
greeting, hail King of the Jews,and Matthew lets us know.
(09:03):
They put a reed in his hand as ascepter, the whole costume of
the emperor right, and theymocked him.
They took that we read here.
They took that reed and theyjust struck him on the head over
and over again like beating adrum.
They beat Jesus Laughing Notice.
(09:26):
They were spitting on him, theyspat on him.
So all of this brutality andthen add to that spit.
There is something just totallydefiling a spit.
Nothing really more insultingyou can do than spit on someone.
And Jesus in all of this wasspat on.
(09:48):
They did it over and over andover again and it was hard to
write this this morning.
It was really hard to considerall that Jesus went through for
us.
But why?
Why was he mocked?
Well, in the early church, justa few years from this, the
(10:12):
early church would experiencemockery like this.
Words of ridicule, right.
People would lie about them andtell all sorts of stories about
those Christians who drinkblood, have love, feasts, all
these different kinds of things.
And they were ridiculed andthey were mocked.
(10:34):
But even in our modern world,believers around the world are
mocked and abused daily.
Believers around the world aremocked and abused daily.
In fact, it's been said, thereare more people who suffer for
Jesus in the world today thanhave ever been Makes sense.
340 million to 370 millionpeople experience persecution in
(11:01):
our world.
They say so.
The early church sufferedmockery.
The modern church suffersmockery, and so Jesus
understands, as those who wouldcome after would realize, he
(11:22):
went through it.
Jesus told his disciples theyhated me and they'll hate you
too.
Also, in this, though, we seeJesus with ultimate humility
it's meekness.
The word meekness means powerunder control.
(11:43):
So, again, we put this alltogether and we realize Jesus is
God in flesh, createdeverything, utter, just,
complete power, and yet he letshis creation beat up on him and
mock him.
Well, verse 20, the soldiershave had enough and they led him
(12:04):
out to crucify him.
Verse 20, the soldiers have hadenough and they led him out to
crucify him.
Verse 21, well, before we getthere, I want you to picture
where we're at.
Jesus is led out.
He's bleeding like crazy, facedisfigured, back ripped open
from the scourging spit runningdown his beard.
(12:27):
He's a carpenter by trade, sohe can take a bit, but at this
point he's had enough.
His energy is gone in hishumanity.
So notice verse 21.
Then they compelled a certainman, simon, a Cyrenean, the
(12:49):
father of Alexander and Rufus,as he was coming out of the
country and passing by, to bearhis cross, and they brought him
to the place Golgotha, which istranslated place of the skull.
So you know the story.
As Jesus is let out of the cityto be crucified, the soldiers
(13:15):
compel a certain man here namedSimon to carry the cross.
And it was their right.
The soldiers could do that.
You remember, in Matthew 5, 41,jesus said when somebody asks
you to go a mile, go two.
The Roman soldiers could askanyone they wanted to carry
(13:36):
their stuff for one Roman mile.
I think it's a little bit lessthan our mile, but it's still
quite a ways to go.
The Roman soldier could tap youon the shoulder and say look, I
need you to carry my stuff, getgoing for one mile.
And Jesus of course says in theSermon on the Mount I know this
isn't natural, but when theyask you to go one, go the extra
(13:57):
mile, go two.
That's what it means to be aChristian.
And so they tap this certainman, notice a certain man, simon
.
It's a certain purpose.
It looks pretty random, doesn'tit, that Jesus is going out of
(14:18):
the city.
Simon is coming into the city,random guy, random Simon, and
they choose him.
But he's a certain man.
He is there for a purpose, andwe'll see that the name Simon is
pretty common, probably one ofthe most common names we have in
the New Testament.
There's nine people with thename Simon in the New Testament.
(14:42):
Seems like there was a prettygood Jewish population there.
He's probably there just toobserve the feast, to celebrate
this Jewish Independence Day ofPassover, and notice he has two
(15:02):
sons listed.
Good Greek names Alexander manyou can't get a much more Greek
name than Alexander, right?
Alexander and Rufus.
Rufus just sounds like a goodname for a kid.
And they're there on pilgrimage.
He's in the wrong place at thewrong time, or maybe he's in the
right place at the right time,but he's there.
(15:27):
Maybe he heard the ruckus ofthe crowd, maybe he was just
going into worship, but God hada plan in all this.
Now, before we move on, theother thing that should probably
catch our attention here is hisson's names.
Notice in verse 21,.
Mark lets us know that he wasthe father of Alexander and
(15:49):
Rufus.
So what?
Well, there seems to be areason why Mark is letting us
know that this is Rufus's dad,right?
Well, in the book of Romans, inthe book of Romans, chapter 16,
verse 13,.
(16:10):
Paul mentions Rufus and hismother.
He gives them greetings at theend of the book of Romans.
So this guy, rufus, a guy namedRufus, is in the church in Rome
known by Paul and greeting.
Is it the same Rufus?
(16:30):
We'll never know, but it seemslike this man was known, right,
rufus Alexander, one of themwere known in the early church.
It's hard to imagine that youcould go through what Simon went
through carry the cross ofJesus, lay it down at Golgotha,
(16:51):
watch him being crucified andnot be moved by that, not be
changed by that Speculation.
But tradition has it that thisRufus is that Rufus that God
really did a work in thisfamily's heart.
Was it an accident?
No, not a chance.
(17:11):
God set it up and his life waschanged.
I think Now the thing we seehere as we kind of go on, is
that this is a picture for us,right?
Simon is a great illustrationfor us of the Christian life and
(17:32):
this is where we'll close.
But Simon is a greatillustration of the Christian
life and this is where we'llclose.
But Simon is a greatillustration of the Christian
life.
Jesus tells a rich young rulerin Mark 10, 21,.
Go your way, sell whatever youhave, give it to the poor and
you'll have treasure in heaven.
Then come, take up the crossand follow me.
And Jesus kind of sets thispicture that taking up the cross
(17:55):
is what the Christian life isall about.
Paul classic verse Paul inGalatians 2.20 says I have been
crucified with Christ.
It's no longer I who live, butChrist lives in me.
The life which I now live inthe flesh.
I live by faith in the Son ofGod who loved me and gave
(18:17):
himself for me.
So we see this theology andcome back this theology that the
cross is where we all find liferight.
We relate to Jesus on the cross.
We relate to Jesus on the cross.
He's crucified, but it's reallyus, it's our old man that's
(18:41):
crucified there at the cross.
We talked about that 2Corinthians 5.21, that he
becomes sin for us, that wecould become the righteousness
of God in him, and there's thistransfer that takes place.
But Simon's a greatillustration for us of what the
Christian life looks like totake up the cross and carry the
(19:01):
cross.
Now I just want to camp on thisfor the rest of our few minutes
here.
Let's turn to Philippians,chapter three.
Philippians, chapter three,philippians, chapter three.
(19:23):
Now in Paul's life he faced offwith these people known as the
Judaizers.
They would come around as Paulwas teaching and they would say
oh you know, jesus is great andall, but you need to become.
If you're a Gentile, you needto become a Jew first.
(19:44):
And they would heckle Paul andgive him trouble.
But they put their confidence inrituals, in the law, in
circumcision, in dietary laws.
They boasted in their knowledge.
And notice, here in Philippians3, starting in verse 4, paul's
(20:09):
going to be tempted to boastwith them.
He says, though I might haveconfidence in the flesh, if
anyone else thinks he may haveconfidence in the flesh, I, more
so, circumcised on the eighthday of the stock of Israel, the
tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew ofHebrews, concerning the law, a
Pharisee concerning zeal,persecuting the church,
(20:30):
concerning the righteousnesswhich is, in the law, blameless.
So Paul starts here and he saysyou know what, if we had to
brag about things, I could bragabout things, right, I have been
as Hebrew as Hebrew can be.
I've been blameless accordingto the law.
I was born into the right tribeand the right family.
(20:51):
I got an education.
He says here, he was a Pharisee.
Now we look at that and goPharisee, oh, those guys.
But they were highly educatedin the law, they had been to all
the schooling.
And I look at this and I go Iget it, paul, because you can
put a face on that.
(21:12):
You're humble, but it alwaysfeels a little good to kind of
throw out.
You know some of yourqualifications, you know what I
mean.
Well, you know I've done thisand I've been there and I know
this person.
Right, it just always feelsgood, right to boast.
And Paul could have done it.
He could have said I'm aneducated, I sat at the feet of
(21:32):
Gamaliel and they would havegone ooh, gamaliel, wow, the
teacher of teachers, you studiedunder him and there's a certain
amount of pride we can take onwhat we've become right, and
Paul could have done it, and Iget it.
But notice verse 7, where heswitches gears.
(21:53):
But whatever things were gainedto me, these I have counted
loss for Christ.
Yet indeed I count all thingsloss for the excellence of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus, myLord, for whom I've suffered the
loss of all things Verse 10,that I may know him, the power
(22:34):
of his resurrection and thefellowship of his sufferings
being conformed to his death, ifby any means I may attain to
the resurrection from the dead.
So check it out.
Paul starts to brag, he getshis list out.
He could do it.
But then he says but there inin verse seven, all these things
(23:03):
, whatever things were gained tome, education, place in life,
status, whatever it is I countit all as loss for Christ.
And notice, he goes on in verseeight and he says you know what?
I count them as rubbish.
Now we can get colorful withthis, but that word rubbish is
essentially manure right, not tobeat two crabs Essentially
(23:26):
manure.
So all the things that werelike little crowns you know that
he could put on his head Paulgoes compared to knowing Jesus.
It's a sack of manure, it's notworth anything.
And Paul kind of made that.
He understood that KnowingJesus is worth more than
(23:47):
everything else on earth.
But notice where he goes with itand this is where it gets
really intense.
He says, verse 10, this is whatI really want and you got to
hear it in his voice.
(24:07):
This is what I really want,that I may know him, I want to
know Jesus.
Now, this word know is not tojust know in your head, right,
we know a lot of things.
Maybe you're like me randomtrivia man.
I just I can do it on randomtrivia.
Does it mean anything?
Absolutely not.
You know random trivia.
(24:29):
But that's not what we'retalking about when we talk about
knowing Jesus.
This word know is an experience,kind of know, right, it's the
kind of know you have whenyou've been bungee jumping.
Oh, I know bungee jumping.
You know when you've donesomething, you go, I've
experienced that, catching awave or whatever You're like.
I know what it feels like tosurf, you know, or whatever I
(24:53):
don't, but that's anillustration.
But he says here this is what Ireally want.
I want to know Jesus throughexperience.
And it's so intense.
He says I want to know him andthe power of his resurrection.
And you look at that and you gooh, paul man, when you went
(25:14):
around in the ancient world andyou told people about Jesus, you
got to see the power of theresurrection taking an old life
and making it new.
That's what happens when wecome to Jesus.
The old life is gone and it's abrand new existence in Jesus.
And so Paul would talk aboutpeople who were possessed, right
(25:36):
Like the girl who followed himaround, saying you know, listen
to these guys.
They're speaking the truth andhe turns around and cast the
demon out.
Paul knew what it was like tosee people's life do like a full
180, not the same person thatit was two minutes before, and
he goes.
That's the power of aresurrection.
That's what Jesus can do.
So many things you can apply tothat resurrection.
(26:00):
We'll probably talk about itmore in the coming weeks.
But notice what he really saysafter that, verse 10, we're
still in verse 10.
But I may know him in the powerof his resurrection, in the
fellowship of his sufferings,and the power of his
resurrection and the fellowshipof his sufferings being
(26:20):
conformed to his death.
Paul, I don't like it.
I don't like that you say stuffabout fellowship of his
sufferings, because we'rehearing the gospel and we're
seeing Jesus suffer and it'sblood and it's beating, beating
and it's all that kind of stuff.
But it's mockery, it's spitdripping off his beard.
(26:42):
I don't like that fellowship ofhis suffering.
The word fellowship is anotherword we should think about
Fellowship.
We think of fun, food andfellowship Yay.
Fellowship it means to have incommon commonality.
So Jesus is saying I wantfellowship in his sufferings, I
(27:03):
want to have that in common withJesus.
You go, paul, what is wrongwith you?
But Paul knew what theChristian life was really all
about.
He would tell Timothy in 2Timothy 3.12,.
But Paul knew what theChristian life was really all
about.
He would tell Timothy in 2Timothy 3.12,.
Yes, all who desire to livegodly in Christ Jesus will
suffer persecution.
(27:24):
We don't really need to lookfor it.
Paul didn't need to go out andgo hey, persecute me, right, I
want some suffering, persecuteme.
He didn't need to.
All who desire to live godly inChrist Jesus will suffer
persecution.
So check it out.
We suffer in a lot of differentways in our lives, but why
(27:45):
don't we suffer persecution?
Well, we live in America.
We got it good.
Honestly, I have no righttalking about suffering
persecution because I have notbeen persecuted Never.
I can't think of a time whereI've really been persecuted,
right.
But then we got to askourselves do we really desire to
(28:07):
live godly?
Eh, sometimes I try.
You know I don't use bad words.
Is that good?
You know I try.
But we don't really sufferpersecution and we typically
don't desire to live godly toomuch.
We may do it secretly.
(28:30):
You ever notice that thing whenyou go out to lunch or dinner.
You're like we're going to pray, let's all pray Now.
There are some that are veryvocal about their prayers.
I'm not saying we have to bethat Like everybody in the
restaurant.
We're going to pray now.
So be quiet.
We're going to pray, you know,I don't know if that's what we
need to do, but I tell you thisis me and there's too much
(28:51):
confession today, but this is me.
All right, guys, real quick.
Okay, god bless this food.
Thank you so much.
And you don't want it to likework out where the waitress is
at the table standing awkwardlywhile you're praying.
You know, because I don't wantto suffer persecution, I don't
want them to go.
Oh, you're one of those.
You know I got things to do.
Can you hurry up?
Whatever it is?
(29:12):
Even in that I'm kind ofstandoffish, standing up for
godly living.
We don't want to rock the boat,right?
So we endure the crass joke atwork.
We giggle a little bit witheveryone else.
(29:35):
We don't have very manyopportunities to suffer
persecution.
But I'm saying for myself Idon't generally take the
opportunities that I get.
I just kind of stay in theshadows, pray in my heart,
whatever, honestly, out of fearI have missed opportunities to
share the truth with peoplebecause I'm afraid of what they
(29:56):
think about me if I do.
I miss so many opportunitiesbecause I don't want to suffer
mockery or ridicule.
And yet Paul here says if youdesire to live godly, you're
going to suffer persecution.
Paul knew that it was there andhe walked right into it.
(30:22):
Right In Athens he got up andshared the truth with a group of
scholars and the end of it theysaid what's this babbler
talking about?
This guy is just talking.
What is this craziness thathe's talking about?
(30:43):
And he wasn't afraid to do it.
He was flat-out beaten whereverhe went in Philippi, just
beaten to a pulp.
And he walked into it, evensharing with Caesar, which
ultimately got him killed.
He did it.
Now he's just a guy.
(31:03):
I'm sure he had his times wherehe didn't succeed in this, but
this is what Paul wanted.
He says I want to know him thepower of resurrection and the
fellowship of his suffering.
And there is even though I havenot experienced it that much in
(31:23):
my life there is thisfellowship as we suffer
persecution where we go.
This is life with Jesus.
We take up the cross and wefollow Jesus.
Now we don't need to go lookingfor persecution.
Please don't.
You don't have to.
(31:44):
But those who desire to livegodly will have opportunity to
suffer persecution and mockeryfor Jesus.
That's the ultimate.
This week will offer us someopportunities.
That this week will offer ussome opportunities to stand up
(32:05):
for what's right, and we don'thave to be harsh with it, we
don't have to be boastful oranything like that, but there'll
be opportunities to stand upfor what's right.
Check it out.
I'm going to predict there'llbe opportunities for us to share
the good news with someonewho's really needing it, someone
whose life is destroyed.
And you know, we can hesitate.
(32:26):
We might hesitate and say well,you know, have you ever thought
about quitting drugs, you know?
Or perhaps it's the moment thatwe say you know what?
There is no hope in this lifebut Jesus.
You're banging your headagainst the wall.
There is no hope but Jesus, andhe loves you so much.
(32:48):
Maybe this is our week and maybewe'll have some persecution and
we'll go to know him in thefellowship of his sufferings.
He's right here with us, maybeto see some amazing fruit.
But the thing is we need him,we need his spirit for that.
None of us are just gonna goout and just get through it.
(33:11):
Oh, we're just so strong.
We need him to make it work andI encourage you look to him
these mornings, see what Godmight have for you.
Walk with him carrying thecross.
God, none of these things we canmake happen, none of these
things we can power through.
(33:32):
Just be strong people.
We need your spirit.
We want to be right there withyou and we know you're right
there with us, god.
Thank you for what you've donefor us, god, as we just look at
how you laid down your life, howyou offered your face for those
beatings in your back, for thescourging, how you put up with
(33:54):
their mockery, god, you did itbecause you loved us.
God, I just pray that that lovewould help us to see that there
is nothing on this planet worthmore than that, not money or
status or what people thinkabout us.
There is nothing worth knowingyou, god, help us.
(34:16):
I don't want to say it lightly,that we'll just go out and do
it, but, god, help us to reallywalk with you and be in
fellowship with you every day.
Thank you for what you've donefor us.
Just thank you that you love us, no matter what.
God, you are so good.
We thank you in Jesus' name.
(34:36):
We pray Amen.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.