Mark 10:32-34 "And they were in the way
going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as
they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to
tell them what things should happen unto him, (33) Saying, Behold,
we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief
priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall
deliver him to the Gentiles: (34) And they shall mock him, and
shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third
day he shall rise again."
We start with the words of Jesus, in the book of Mark, telling the disciples what will take place when they arrive in Jerusalem. This is the third time that Jesus told them exactly what would happen. It seems He goes into more detail on this occasion than on the others. He is very explicit in describing the mockery, the scourging, even that He would be spat upon. He is plain spoken in saying they would kill Him and the third day He shall rise again. Mark tells us the disciples were afraid. We see that fear being manifested when later they would flee from the Roman soldiers as they came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. We should take notice that when the disciples were afraid, Jesus was very matter of fact.
In the book of Isaiah, we see the words of Jesus. "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. (7) For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." (Isaiah 50:6-7) These words are not printed in red; yet, they very much are the words of the eternal Son of God speaking through the prophet concerning the things that would fall upon Him as He conducted the work for which He came to accomplish. Notice the words in verse 7, "I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." We can see this being fulfilled in our text today. Jesus had set His face like a flint. Nothing was going to deter Him from accomplishing the work of redemption assigned to Him.
He was determined to complete His work and He went about it with an assurance that the Father would be with Him. He expressed that on the night when He observed Passover with His disciples. "I will not be alone." He expressed that on the cross. "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." He knew the Father would give Him glory to accomplish His work. He would not be ashamed. He would rise again. He was just as matter of fact about that as He was the misery that He would endure.
The disciples were afraid in the calmness of our Lord. Jesus knows. He has always known. He declares the end from the beginning. In our fear, we can trust His wisdom, power, and grace. The Psalmist declared in Psalm 56:3, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." In all our struggles, we can trust Jesus. In all our fears, we can trust Jesus. In all the unknown, we can trust Jesus. So this morning I ask myself, "Do I trust Jesus?"
We start with the words of Jesus, in the book of Mark, telling the disciples what will take place when they arrive in Jerusalem. This is the third time that Jesus told them exactly what would happen. It seems He goes into more detail on this occasion than on the others. He is very explicit in describing the mockery, the scourging, even that He would be spat upon. He is plain spoken in saying they would kill Him and the third day He shall rise again. Mark tells us the disciples were afraid. We see that fear being manifested when later they would flee from the Roman soldiers as they came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. We should take notice that when the disciples were afraid, Jesus was very matter of fact.
In the book of Isaiah, we see the words of Jesus. "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. (7) For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." (Isaiah 50:6-7) These words are not printed in red; yet, they very much are the words of the eternal Son of God speaking through the prophet concerning the things that would fall upon Him as He conducted the work for which He came to accomplish. Notice the words in verse 7, "I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." We can see this being fulfilled in our text today. Jesus had set His face like a flint. Nothing was going to deter Him from accomplishing the work of redemption assigned to Him.
He was determined to complete His work and He went about it with an assurance that the Father would be with Him. He expressed that on the night when He observed Passover with His disciples. "I will not be alone." He expressed that on the cross. "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." He knew the Father would give Him glory to accomplish His work. He would not be ashamed. He would rise again. He was just as matter of fact about that as He was the misery that He would endure.
The disciples were afraid in the calmness of our Lord. Jesus knows. He has always known. He declares the end from the beginning. In our fear, we can trust His wisdom, power, and grace. The Psalmist declared in Psalm 56:3, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." In all our struggles, we can trust Jesus. In all our fears, we can trust Jesus. In all the unknown, we can trust Jesus. So this morning I ask myself, "Do I trust Jesus?"