Mark 14:1 - 72
Some days are longer than others. What has been your longest day?
By that I don’t mean the first day of summer. I mean the day which seemingly never ended. The day where events came at you, one after the other, and each event was critically important.
There was a movie in 1962 titled, The Longest Day. It is an epic war film based on Cornelius Ryan's 1959 non-fiction of the same name about the D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944. That certainly was a long day.
Consider this day for Jesus, this day some Christian traditions call Holy, or Maundy, Thursday.
· Verses 1-2…it starts with the goal: kill Jesus and do it before the Passover.
· Verses 3-9…Jesus is anointed…for burial. He is not taken back by his impending death, he will not be a failed Messiah who is overtaken, rather he is the one in control.
· Verses 10-11…the plot of betrayal is hatched.
· Verses 12-21…Jesus reveals the plot but not the person (so they would neither stop Judas, nor be surprised when it happened)…all is within Jesus’ control.
· Verses 22-25…Jesus shares the first Lord’s Supper, and in John’s version he has washed their feet, including Judas’…he is not frazzled…he is modeling discipleship.
· Verses 26-31…Jesus predicts Peter’s betrayal, while they all promise they won’t betray him.
· Verses 32-42…the disciples cannot stay awake as Jesus endures the agony of the Garden.
· Verses 43-50…Jesus is betrayed and arrested…on his terms…there is to be no violence.
· Verses 51-65…there is the mock trial where he the world’s scorn for Jesus is on display.
· Verses 66-72…Jesus’ day ends as he predicted…with Peter’s denial.
Ten separate events. You and I could ponder each. You and I should ponder each.
I am struck by the man Jesus—his character and his strength—it is utterly amazing.
His strength comes from the Father whom he serves.