Corona Chronicles - Crown of Thorns

Welcome back to Corona Chronicles. We're in Mark 14, and in our previous session, we were looking at the beginning of the last supper and the preparations for the last supper. And now we're going really to the beating heart of what it's all about. And we will start in in verse verse 20 where Jesus is talking about this 1 who is going to betray him. It is 1 of the 12, he replied, 1 who dips bread into the bowl with me.

The son of man will go just as it is written about him, but woe to that man who betrays the son of man. It would be better for him if he had not been born. While they were eating, Jesus took bread and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples. Saying take it, this is my body. Then he took a cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and they all drank from it.

This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many, he said to them. Truly, I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God. When they had sung a Him, they went out to the mount of olives. Yeah. So here we are.

We've got the sort of heart of really what Jesus is is about, really. And and a really understanding of what the cross is about. That the cross isn't just a sad event of a whole lot of people that misunderstood Jesus. But actually, is is in the plan of God. This this is what it's about, isn't it?

So breaking of this bread and the pouring out of this car piece he he he takes these images that are, you know, rooted in the old testament and he applies them right to himself. The he's he's saying the Bible is about the old testament. It's all about me. Mhmm. And I am the fulfillment of these things.

And what you need to do is not just be a religious person. You need to eat of me. You need to be part of me. An eye part of you as you sort of eat me that imagery there, isn't it? Yeah.

And I think he is You know, as you say, he's the fulfillment of the Old Testament. He is the Passover lamb, and his his own blood, the blood of the lamb of God, is gonna be sacrificed. To to establish this covenant -- Mhmm. -- this this promise between God and his people which is going to have forgiveness and sacrifice right at the very heart of it as the lord himself gives his body and gives his blood to cure our salvation. Mhmm.

And, you know you you know, this is this is why we take the lord's supper, isn't it? Because we, too, as you were just saying, as disciples, we need to hear that gospel preached, but we also get the opportunity to sort of see and taste that gospel. Don't we? And to kind of ingest it and to remember in this most intimate way that the Lord really gave himself physically to to accomplish our our salvation. And what a moment that must have been for them.

Yeah. And I mean, the word covenant is is it is a marriage word, isn't it really? And here here is here is what God wants. God wants this this marriage between us. But in order for us to be his bride, we we have to be cleansed of in and that's what that's what the blood and and the broken body is all is really all about.

And you've also got this this kind of foretaste, haven't you? Of you know, drinking it anew in the kingdom of God. Yeah. So there's this sense in which that you know Jesus is is dying and he's giving himself to bring us into God's kingdom now, but with the expectation that the king is gonna come again, not as a sacrifice but as a triumphant board, and we're gonna we're gonna be part of the celebratory feast. Mhmm.

You know, we take part in the in the redemption feast and then there's a celebration feast to come where we're gonna drink and remember all that Christ has done for us. And then they sunk they sing this hymn, don't they? Just a cap off the evening, really. And, you know, I suppose I don't know what him that was, whether he was I guess it was a song. I guess Yeah.

I don't yeah. Yeah. Some some whether it was 1 of morning or celebration or but yeah. And then off they go to the amount of olives and you know, the the the preparation has been done for for the the great event if if if you like. And he's laid down what this is all about.

Okay. Well, how does that help us today? Do you think, Tom? Well, I think it it it helps us firstly just by reminding of of what the gospel is all about. And it is something that can become, you know, familiar if we're not careful, but it is staggering what is being claimed and promised here, isn't it?

That that the son of man, which is again rich with old testament language. You know, the look the lords of heaven and self is gonna surrender his body and his blood to establish this covenant to bring us forgiveness, and we are to be so utterly involved and united to him. And so I think I think thankfulness is 1 application, isn't it? That Christ has been through this for us. And, you know, our our response should be 1 of grateful, gratefulness.

I I was thinking. I mean, yeah, absolutely. I think that the take take it and eat it and the take it and drink it, they all drink. It's really important because it's, you know, the Roman Catholic stuff is that it's only the priests drinks this. Yes.

It's it's absolutely in contradiction, isn't it? Because the whole point is it's not it's it's it's Christ doing for for everyone and we are to, you know, be connected to Christ. We're not connected through Christ through some other human. And so this is this is quite important stuff, isn't it? They're actually we're we're eating with Christ.

There's this new hope of a new feast in the new kingdom. And this is reminding us of all that Christ has done for us. It is and and it brings an assurance as well, doesn't it? The beauty of the covenant word that because while we're in this life, we're still we're still gonna sin against the Lord and disobey him. And if my security depends upon my own performance, then I'm gonna be Or watching a performance.

Yeah. Which is the campaign sort of thing. He's sort of watching some priest do something. Do it for you. Yeah.

And and therefore it's sort of done for me. It's not really me. That yeah. So he can assurance but, you know, I can't make it. But And and but this is actually no.

I can come back to this and remember that in history Christ has done this and my assurance in the fact that he has made a promise to me. Yeah. And that is my deepest base for security in Christian Life, isn't it? Okay. We'll come back and see how Peter responds.