Mark 14:54,66-72 - Peter Denies Jesus

From the introduction to this sermon:

“Peter, to me, is the most interesting of the twelve apostles, perhaps because we are given more insight into his character than we are of any of the others. Peter is among the first called in every gospel. He is often the mouthpiece for the rest. He is the first to speak up, the first to take action, the boldest, the sincerest, the most passionate. And when he falls he falls the hardest. And that’s what we are looking at here in this last pericope of Mark 14–the fall (though temporary) of Peter.

Mark has tied this story together with that of Jesus’s trial because they both happen at the same time and in relatively the same location. While Jesus is in an upper room facing his accusers, Peter is down in the courtyard warming his hands by the fire with Jesus’s enemies. The contrast could not be more clear, and no doubt Mark intended for us to see it. And not just us, but primarily his immediate audience of persecuted followers of the Way in Rome.

For good reason this has been called the trial of Peter. The parallels to what is going on upstairs is obvious. While Jesus is being interrogated, Peter faces interrogation. Both lives are in danger. Answering truthfully comes at a price. Jesus answers truthfully and boldly and accepts that price willingly. Peter lies, and denies, and tries his best to avoid the shame and the cost of knowing Jesus. While both are on “trial” in the sense of facing tough questions from antagonistic accusers, both are also facing this trial because of the loving providence of God. 

Jesus was sent to earth for this by the love of the Father. It is his own love which compels him forward. And it is the Spirit of love within him which strengthens him for what is ahead. And Jesus, though condemned by the Sanhedrin, will ultimately be vindicated by the Father. Meanwhile, Peter will avoid being found guilty in the courtyard, only to be overwhelmed by his guilt before God. It is only a word in the resurrection scene of chapter 16 which will give us hope of his restoration. 

So in this trial, Jesus anchors his trust upon the will of the Father and passes the test. Meanwhile Peter trusts to conniving and manipulation—to self—and fails.”

To listen to the audio recording of this sermon just click the link below. A new window will open in your browser and you will have the opportunity to with stream the audio right away or download it for later listening. God bless.


Click here: Mark 14:54,66-72 - Peter Denies Jesus


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Mark 14:53-65 - Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

We are reaching the climax of the gospel of Mark and every pericope seems to grow in intensity and drama compared to the last. In the sermon prior to this one Jesus was betrayed and arrested. In this sermon he appears before the Sanhedrin. In the next he is denied by Peter. That will close chapter fourteen but the narrative still proceeds rapidly. In chapter fifteen we will witness Jesus as he witnesses a good profession before Pontus Pilate. That will be followed by three sermons covering Mark’s telling of the crucifixion story. Only four sermons will remain after that to finish this gospel up.




But right now the circumstances seem to be spiraling rapidly out of control for Jesus—at least we would think so if it weren’t for Mark who, time after time goes out of his way to make it clear that Jesus remains in complete control of these events which are leading to his death. Remember, this is the purpose for which he has come and we know this because he has told us over and over again. So in this sermon I describe the trial scene as Jesus goes before the Sanhedrin and show the irony of an innocent Messiah declared guilty for making false claims of being Messiah, claims which would have been true had he made them, but he didn’t, at least not publicly. In this sermon I show you the audacity of a man in chains claiming to be the king of the people who’ve chained him, a man dying at the hand s of a people he came to save, and doing so on purpose. And I explain what it all means. I hope you’ll listen.

Just click the link below. God bless.


Click here: Mark 14:53-65 - Jesus Before the Sanhedrin


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Mark 14:43-52 - Jesus Betrayed and Arrested

This is how I began this sermon on Jesus’s betrayal and arrest from Mark 14. From the introduction:

“We have been with Jesus and the disciples now for nearly fourteen chapters. They have been his constant companions since he called the first of them back in chapter one. Every story we’ve looked at has involved them. They understand. They don’t understand. They confess. They believe. They forget to bring bread. They fail to act in faith. They marvel. They are afraid. They rebuke Jesus. They ask him questions. They forsake all to follow him. 

They are there, on the inside with Jesus, every step of the way. The crowd gets a parable. The disciples get an explanation of the parable. The crowd gets fed. The disciples get a lesson and a challenge. Many of the miracles Jesus does he does for their sakes alone. He is teaching them, preparing them, strengthening them, being patient with them, promising them, warning them. For them he calms the storm. For them he walks on water. For them he takes a child into his arms and says, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.” “The first shall be last, the last shall be first,” all of this has been for the disciples. They have been with him in every story, every step of the way, from the Sea of Galilee where he found them in chapter one, to right here in an olive grove just outside the city gates of Jerusalem. Jesus and the disciples. Jesus and the disciples.

And now all of that is about to change.

Now the disciples will fade into the background. Now Jesus will face the end alone. But he has prepared them for this, or tried to. He’s been telling them since chapter eight what is going to happen to him. And now the time has come. Jesus has resigned himself to the will of the Father completely. The chessboard has been set, the pieces are all in place. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him.”

To listen to the audio recording of this sermon just click the link below. A new page will open up in your browser and you can follow the instructions to either stream it on your device or download it for later. I hope you’ll take the time to listen. God bless you.


Click here: Mark 14:43-52 - Jesus Betrayed and Arrested


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