(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see why)
Focus Question:
Why do Jesus’ predications of his own death matter to you?
Intro:
The book of Mark records Jesus predicting his own death and resurrection three times, but why does that matter to you? Today in our bottom line segment I don’t just want to answer the question, but promise you one nugget that will help you share your story more effectively.
NEW TESTAMENT SEGMENT:
As we turn to today’s NT segment, let’s do a brief review of where we’re at in the story. For the last few days we’ve been hearing about Jesus while he’s en route to Jerusalem. Importantly, we’ve also heard more than one story where the disciples seem to be pretty dense and Jesus going, “Yo, dudes, you still don’t get it?” Well, that lack of understanding is a key theme in Mark, but it goes hand in hand with another theme — opposition. Today Jesus and the crew make it to Jerusalem and, as you’ll hear, that opposition reaches the doorstep of the temple authorities.
Passage: Mark 10:32-11:33
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 47
Words: ~994
OLD TESTAMENT SEGMENT:
So yesterday, the familiar story of God delivering Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the furnace ended with Nebuchadnezzar, arguably the most powerful person in the ANE, praising the Lord and declaring now that anyone who slanders the Lord is going to be torn limb from limb and have their house turned to a trash heap. So with that in mind, Daniel chapter 4…
Passage: Daniel 4
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 37
Words: ~1163
Wisdom segment:
Passage: Proverbs 10:29
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 1
Words: ~16
The bottom line:
Here’s what I want to encourage and equip you with regarding our focus question — why is it important that Jesus predicted His own death and resurrection.
One, only Christianity rests upon a resurrection.
And here’s a little factoid for you…I’ve heard from a trusted source that at the time Jesus was making these claims there were no fewer than 14 self-proclaimed Messiahs. Which one is true? The only one who’s word has been (and of course will be) infallibly true.
Two, multiple key converts happened AFTER Jesus’ word proved true.
Remember, even his half-brothers James and Jude didn’t believe Him…until after they saw Him post-resurrection. We read in Mark 3 that some of his own family thought He was nuts. “Oh, now I see! Wow! We know dead people don’t just come back to life, but whoah! This is my brother, and I saw him die. But I know it’s Him!” And as Paul wrote to the Corinthians… “Yo, more than 500 people saw Him, and most of them are still alive.” In other words, “Go ask ‘em!”
Three, what’s more important…something that’s true or something that makes you feel good?
Yeah, we know how many people answer that. We ALL succumb sometimes to something that makes us feel good. But true is lasting…and that steadfastness is something we’re wired to desire deep inside.
Finally, I’ll leave you with this. Inevitably this leads to the question of how we know it’s true. Remember, Jesus said…
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you. Jn 14:26, CSB
And our posture, our hope, our words, should be something like…
I choose to believe the Bible because it's a reliable collection of historical documents written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other witnesses. They report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claim that their writings are divine, rather than human, origin. ~ Voddie Baucham
There it is. No one else in all of history has risen from the dead, let alone in fulfillment of hundreds prophecies from the Hebrew Scriptures and their own self-proclamation. No other religious founder, no one.
And the documents that anyone can investigate, particularly the NT and the Gospels, are the most reliable documents we have from the ANE.
Why is it important to you that Jesus predicted his own death and resurrection?
Because faith isn’t just woo-woo and feelings and preferences, it’s truth, it’s based in reality.
I love you. Amen? Amen.
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) Victor Harold Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), Da 2:4.
(2) D. A. Carson, “The Gospels and Acts,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 1789.
(3) D. A. Carson, “The Gospels and Acts,” in NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 1791.