The Sense of it All by Pastor Chris Oakes

​Mark 14:32-36 NIV

[32] They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” [33] He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. [34] “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” [35] Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. [36] “Abba , Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

---

​Such promise, such hope

Unlimited potential

The way he talks

The way he walks

The way he carries himself

The way he touches

The way he heals

The way he is

His being, his essence

Such powerful presence

Prophet?

Priest?

King?

MESSIAH?

The image of the invisible God!

Christ, Anointed One, Jesus –

Betrayed, arrested, led away.

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!

 

Wait…that’s it –

This is the inciting incident,

That moment in the story, ground zero,

When everything changes for the hero –

When he is forced into circumstances

Beyond his control

And, finally, his true colors begin to show

Finally, he shows himself as secret agent man,

Warrior,

Savior.

THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE!

 

But wait…

He has no sword, no gun,

No army,

No battalion,

And as he’s taken from the garden

He doesn’t even have any followers, supporters

One of his disciples is wearing the enemy’s colors

One swings a sword wildly

There goes one running away naked

Such promise, such hope

Unlimited potential

The way he talks

The way he walks

The way he carries himself

The way he touches

The way he heals

The way he is

His being, his essence

Such powerful presence

Prophet?

Priest?

King?

MESSIAH?

The image of the invisible God!

Christ, Anointed One, Jesus –

Betrayed, arrested, led away.

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!



Wait…that’s it –

This is the inciting incident,

That moment in the story, ground zero,

When everything changes for the hero –

When he is forced into circumstances

Beyond his control

And, finally, his true colors begin to show

Finally, he shows himself as secret agent man,

Warrior,

Savior.

THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE!



But wait…

He has no sword, no gun,

No army,

No battalion,

And as he’s taken from the garden

He doesn’t even have any followers, supporters

One of his disciples is wearing the enemy’s colors

One swings a sword wildly

There goes one running away naked

And the rest – nowhere to be found.

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!



Now before the religious courts he stands.

They call witnesses who raise their hands.

The stories make no sense

False

Phony baloney

Fabricated

Exaggerated

None of them can agree.

Anyone can see

Such mockery of a trial.

That’s it!

He’s exposing the religious leaders

For the hypocrites they are –

Shams

Fakes

Twisters of justice

Sinister

Power-hungry

Whitewashed tombs.

The crowd will see

Through all of these

And demand his release,

Then come to his side

To usher in the new kingdom.

THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE!



What’s that they’re saying?

Not Hosanna

Not Messiah

But heretic, blasphemy!

How can they not see

Not realize

Not know?

How can they be so fickle

So fragile

So forgetful

Of the one who healed all their diseases

Forgave all their sins

Cleansed all their consciences

Invited all their friends

Fed them

Loved them?

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!



Away with him to Pilate,

The governor,

The real authority around here.

Ah! Pilate’s not easily fooled,

He’ll see what’s going on.

He knows it’s out of envy

That they’ve

Accused,

Arrested.

That’s it!

Pilate’s set them up –

Jesus or Barabbas

Jesus the healer

Barabbas the murderer

He’s made it easy for them –

They’d never pick Barabbas.

THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE!



Give us Barabbas!

Crucify him!

What! This can’t be!

Why?

What crime has he committed?

Pilate pleads,

But the leaders, the crowd,

Unrelenting,

Unrepenting,

And Pilate’s giving them what they want!

Flogged

Mocked

Beaten

Stricken

Crown of thorns

Blood streaming down.

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!



9 a.m.

He’s hanging on a cross

Sign says: KING OF THE JEWS.

What an outrage!

Those passing by mock

Jabbing

Stabbing

With words of insult.

Just listen to them –

“Come down from there!”

“Save yourself!”

Show us who you really are.

C’mon, Christ

King

Your Highness

Come down now!

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!



Noon.

Complete darkness.

Jesus cries out.

God-forsaken?

Are we mistaken?

An appeal for Elijah?

And then – Silence.

Dead.

THIS MAKES NO SENSE!

THIS. MAKES. NO. SENSE.



(Selah)



Let’s pause in this moment –

We too often walk – or run – right through it

Because we know what happened in the following days.

But it’s important to meditate sometimes on

What the people who were there experienced.

Profound disappointment.

Following Jesus, claiming him as Lord,

Does not mean there will never again be

Moments of disappointment and disillusionment.

Just pause and be with a dead, lifeless,

Crucified Lord.



Hold on.

Hold on.

Wait for it.