Sermons at Trinity Church

Matthew 14v32-52

WHY DID JESUS DIE? WRATH-BEARER

13^th March 2005

Jonny Elvin

 All Bible references in this sermon transcript are taken from the English Standard Version. This can be found at www.biblegateway.com

Introduction

When was the last time you faced something that seemed beyond your ability to bear? Perhaps a bereavement of someone very dear to you, or a task that you knew would need more strength, willpower or stamina than you could muster. It’s at these times as we respond, that we see the heart of a person; how they cope with the situation, where they get their strength from.

In the garden of Gethsemane we see Jesus at his most vulnerable; at his most dependent; and yet at the same time at his strongest and gutsiest.

Jesus has already predicted his own suffering, death and resurrection three times in Mark’s gospel – in  chapters 8, 9 and 10. And when we get to it we see how horrific it must have been for him.

1. Jesus’ sorrow is very real

   ³²And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." ³³And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. ³⁴And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."^[d]

At first Jesus takes the eleven disciples into the garden. Then he takes Peter and James and John with him a little further. Remember that these three are the inner circle of disciples, whom Jesus has taken aside on a number of significant occasions to further explain things and to prepare them for their leadership of the early church (e.g. 5.37, 9.2, 13.3, 14.33).

Mark has only mentioned Jesus praying on two other occasions. The first was back in ch1.35 when he faced the challenge to heal rather than to proclaim the kingdom. The second time was after the feeding of the five thousand (6.46) when they tried to make him king by force. And now, as he faces death the following day, he prays again. Each time he has been tempted to turn aside from the servant-ministry that his Father has given him. Each time he has remained obedient to his identity, mission and call. This will be his greatest test.

Rich was saying at our last Home Group leaders meeting that someone once said to him that the cross was no big deal because Jesus knew he would rise again. Talking about it we thought that Rich’s friend totally missed the point here. Jesus’ suffering was a very big deal. As he prays we see something of the distress that he faces. Look at the words Mark uses in v33 greatly distressed and troubled… very sorrowful. Apart from on the cross itself this is the only time we hear from Jesus’ lips of the pain that he felt.

Remember that Jesus is fully human and fully divine – and he is greatly distressed and troubled by the manner of his death on both counts. As the divine Son of God he will give his life as a ransom for many (10.45), pouring out his blood of the new covenant (14.24). And he will be separated from his Father as he takes upon himself the punishment for our sin (15.34). As a man he will know the physical agony of the cross as well as the taunting and rejection of the people and the betrayal and desertion of even his closest friends.

There are hard things that we have to face in life; the breakdown of relationships, the death of loved ones, the shame of personal moral failure, the pain of being made redundant and the loss of purpose that can go with it. These and more besides are all very real and very painful. But thanks be to God we will never have to face the suffering Jesus did here.  

As he faces his most difficult hours on earth Jesus tells the three to Remain here and watch. What was required at this moment was diligent preparation for the events that would so soon come upon them.

Meanwhile Jesus goes a little further into the garden, this time on his own, but within earshot. ³⁵And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. The time which had been ‘near’ is finally here. God will, through Jesus, establish his kingdom and open the way for all who trust in Jesus to enter it. In praying for the hour to pass from him he is not saying ‘I don’t want God’s kingdom to come’, but he’s realising that it will be hard to face it – beyond anything we’ll ever know. He’s saying ‘if there’s another way I’ll take it’.

So no, Gethsemane isn’t easy. Neither will the cross be easy for him. He dreads the cross. Jesus’ suffering is very real.

2. Jesus’ separation from the Father is very real

Mark lets us hear Jesus praying. In v36 Jesus addresses God his Father as ‘Abba’, an Aramaic word of great intimacy meaning ‘beloved father. Of course for the Jews to call God ‘Abba’ was unthinkable, even blasphemous (see John 5.16-18). They were used to praying to ‘Abinu’ – a much more remote way of addressing God. They felt remote from him, which is why they prayed through intermediaries such as angels.

For many people God still seems remote; so they pray to saints and angels and the like, rather than praying directly to the God. The apostle Paul reminds the Galatian and Roman Christians that they too can call God ‘Abba’ (Gal 4.6, Rom 8.15). And so can we if we’re Christians. Jesus shows us that with God there is an intimate relationship. Jesus makes possible for us to have such a relationship. How? By drinking the cup for us, v36.  

What’s the cup? According to Isaiah 51 verses 17 and 22 it’s the cup of God’s wrath – his anger against all human rebellion and rejection of him as our rightful Lord. As Jesus looks into the cup what does he see? ‘All our pride, all our greed, all our fallenness and shame’ as the song puts it. It’s the most ghastly cocktail. ‘Drinking’ it means that he will take the punishment for it. That’s the nightmare that leads him to cry out ”all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will”.

Why does he need to drink it, he’s done nothing to deserve punishment? He drank it to bear the penalty for our sin. He takes the punishment that should have been ours. As Isaiah 53.4-6 puts it ⁴Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. ⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. ⁶All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

The theological term for this is propitiation. Propitiation means to the removal of wrath by the offering of a gift or by the paying of a penalty. It reminds us that God is implacably opposed to evil in all its forms. Some insist that on the cross Jesus was only turning God’s anger away, but not actually bearing it – expiation. But propitiation is a personal word. We have offended a person – God. It’s as though we have been brought before the court, accused and found guilty. The judge has passed the appropriate sentence on us. And we are in a helpless situation, facing the wrath of the Law. But in order to see us go free the judge himself decides to pay the penalty for our crime, which in this case is death.

Another way of putting this is this. Picture a lightning conductor. It sits on top of a building to draw the lightning away from the building. The rod earths the strike, making the building safe. On the cross Jesus died to divert God’s wrath away from us by taking it upon himself.  Then God’s anger is spent and we can be reconciled to him. What’s amazing is that God himself as the judge makes the punishment and as our substitute takes the punishment.

Who could have guessed that when God’s ‘hour’ had come to, his anointed king would drink this cup? This is how Jesus becomes our wrath-bearing sacrifice. This is what it will cost Jesus to ransom many (10.45). This is God’s chosen way for him to make atonement by becoming the Passover Lamb of God who pours out his blood for many (14.24).

As Jesus stares into the cup he sees death and hell opening up like a bottomless pit before him. And he naturally shrinks back from it. But he does drink it for our sake. We must be clear. He faced this separation so that we could be reconciled to God. He drank the cup of wrath so that we wouldn’t have to. He shed his blood like a Lamb for the slaughter so that God’s wrath would ‘Pass over’ all who trust in him.  And he did so willingly.

Knowing the intimacy and the power of God Jesus asks for the cup to be removed from him, v36 If there had been another way he would have found it. God the Father would have made it clear to him. But there was no other way for us to be reconciled to God. So Jesus prays a prayer that should become second nature for us, “Yet not what I will, but what you will”.

In bending his will to the will of God and being willing to drink the cup he is showing himself to be the obedient son that Israel should have been, but never was.

Jesus’ suffering is very real. And his separation from the Father is very real.

3. The disciples’ shame is very real

Their shame is seen first in their prayerlessness. ³⁴And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."^[d] The most important event inhuman history is unfolding before their very eyes, but they can’t keep their eyes open, they’re so tired. A second time Jesus comes to find his closest friends asleep. ³⁷And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Jesus makes the instruction is more explicit – not just keep watch, but watch and pray. And they’re not asked to pray for Jesus, they’re told to pray for themselves for good reason. ³⁸Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." As the next few minutes and hours will demonstrate.

³⁹And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. ⁴⁰And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. ⁴¹And he came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The time for sleeping – literally and metaphorically – is over. It’s now time for the disciples to be both wakeful and watchful. Jesus warns them, The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴²Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

Have you ever wondered why we pray so little? I don’t know about you, but I suspect the reason why I don’t pray as I should is because like the disciples I’m unaware of the importance of what I’m praying for. We must ask for God’s help so that we would be alert to see the need for prayer and have the heart for prayer. That’s why we have Meeting Point for prayer twice a month – because praying together is often easier than on your own.

The shame of the disciples isn’t just seen in their prayerlessness, but in their attitude once the mob arrives. Enter Judas and co. v43  ⁴³And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. ⁴⁴Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard." Clearly they’ve not come to negotiate. Now the disciples are awake! If Jesus is leading a Zealot rebellion then the disciples are up for it. Swords in hand they’ll give as good as they get. You can imagine Peter and the others counting the numbers to see what their chances were. As was so often the case Peter is the one to act first. ⁴⁷But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant^[e] of the high priest and cut off his ear. John tells us that it was Simon Peter who did this. Luke 22.49 adds ⁴⁹And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" It just goes to show that they’ve completely misunderstood Jesus’ mission and his methods.

But the greatest shame is reserved for Judas. He who had had the privilege of being one of the twelve closest people to the Son of God during his ministry, who had been given the responsibility of treasurer, he sells him for silver and betrays him with a kiss. ⁴⁵And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, "Rabbi!" And he kissed him. ⁴⁶And they laid hands on him and seized him. They come to arrest him on jumped up charges to take him to a kangaroo court.

John tells us that Judas knew where to find Jesus because he often met there with his disciples (John 18.2). And of course his name has become a byword for betrayal. It’s what football fans chant about someone who’s kissed their badge in a show of love and loyalty only to move to another club days later. But of course this is serious – it’s life and death. That’s just sport.

So the disciples let acted with shame in their sleeping and in their violence. Judas acted with shame through his betrayal. But v50 is so telling, isn’t it? ⁵⁰And they all left him and fled.

The young man of v51, who is thought to be Mark the author is this gospel, seems the bravest of the lot. He’s clearly got dressed with such haste that he’s only had time to put his dressing gown on. He, at least follows Jesus until they seize him. And then even he runs off. And they seized him, ⁵²but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

What would it take for you and me to abandon Jesus? The threat of violence? The promise of money? Maybe just the pressures of life? All of us have it within us to abandon Jesus, just like the disciples. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10.12 ‘Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall’. But he will never abandon us.

4. The fulfilment of the Scriptures is very real

⁴⁸And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? ⁴⁹Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled." His friends desert him, just as promised in Psalm 88.8, 18; his followers are scattered, as predicted in Zechariah 13.7; he offers no resistance and is numbered with the transgressors, Isaiah 53.12. This gives us great confidence that God is in control of all these events; that his purposes in history for our salvation were being accomplished; that the cross was not just a terrible tragedy, but a great triumph.

And he faced all this for us.

How might we respond? Well our next song puts it well – We worship at Your feet, where wrath and mercy meet, And a guilty world is washed by love’s pure stream. For us He was made sin, oh, help me take it in. Deep wounds of love cry out ‘Father, forgive.’ I worship, I worship the Lamb who was slain.

.