Binding the Hands of Jesus
Mark
15:1
FILING
INFORMATION:
1995009
Preached
Originally: 2/19/95 – Hot Springs, AR; 2/26/95 – 6th St.
Pine Bluff
INTRODUCTION
1.
In Mk 15:1, we read of how the enemies of Jesus bound Him in preparation for
sending Him to Pilate:
a."Immediately,
in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they
bound Jesus, led
Him away and delivered Him to Pilate."
2.
As we read this, it is easy for our hearts to be filled with sadness, and even with a touch of
"righteous indignation" for that crowd that bound Jesus in such a way
3.
And yet, there are few today who are not guilty of binding the hands of Jesus in a "figurative"
way!
[To
see what I mean, consider some of the various ways we can be guilty
today
of "Binding The Hands of Jesus"...]
I.
BY REFUSING TO OBEY THE GOSPEL
A.
IN HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US, JESUS STRETCHED OUT HIS HANDS AND DIED
FOR OUR SINS...
1.
Even today, through His gospel, He pleads with all to take advantage of His
vicarious suffering
2.
He does not want us to suffer for the guilt of our own sins
3.
In truth, then, His "tender invitation" of Mt 11:28‑30 is still
being offered today
1. "Come to Me, all you who labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take
My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you
will find rest for your souls. 30 "For My yoke is
easy and My burden is light."
B.
BUT WHEN ONE REFUSES TO OBEY THE GOSPEL...
1.
The hands of Jesus are bound!
2.
There is no way such a person can then receive the benefits of Jesus death!
3.
For him or her, the death of Jesus was in vain!
C.
IS THIS TRUE OF YOU?
1.
It is...if you have not yet accepted the gospel by obeying the commands of
Jesus ‑
a..
Mk 16:15‑16 - And He said to them, "Go into all
the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 "He who
believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be
condemned.
b. Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said to them,
"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
2.
And if it is, then you will one day have to face the righteous indignation of
Jesus Himself!
a. 2 Th 1:7‑9 - and to give
you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven
with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on
those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His
power,
[But
even those who obey the gospel can be guilty of "binding the hands
of
Jesus". How? One way is...]
II.
BY REFUSING TO BE TRANSFORMED
A.
CHRIST'S WILL IS THAT WE BE TRANSFORMED...
1.
This transformation involves a renewal of the mind ‑ o 12: 1‑2; Ep 4:20‑24
2.
This renewal occurs as we read, study, and meditate upon the Word of God
a.
1 Pe 1:23‑2:2 - Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently
with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of
corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and
abides forever, 24 because "All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its
flower falls away, 25 But the word of the LORD endures
forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. 2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy,
envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk
of the word, that you may grow thereby,
b.
Ph 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are
noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are
lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there
is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things.
B.
BUT MANY CHRISTIANS NEGLECT THE INSTRUMENT BY WHICH WE CAN BE
RENEWED!
1.
We do not "receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save
your souls"
a. Ja 1:21- Therefore lay aside all
filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted
word, which is able to save your souls.
2.
Allowing other things to take precedence in our lives, we so "bind the
hands of Jesus" that we do not change!
C.
ARE WE GUILTY OF THIS?
1.
We are, if we neglect to study the Bible on our own!
2.
We are, if we fail to take advantage of opportunities to study with others!
3.
Neglect the transforming power of the Word of God, and we are just as guilty of
"binding the hands of Jesus" as were those who delivered Him to
Pilate!
[We
can also be guilty of "binding the hands of Jesus"...]
III.
BY REFUSING TO PRAY
A.
JESUS HAS BECOME OUR "HIGH PRIEST"...
1.
He became man for this very purpose
a.
He 2:17‑18 - Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His
brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things
pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is
able to aid those who are tempted.
2.
He has made it possible for us to boldly approach God's throne of grace in
prayer
a. He 4:14‑16 - Seeing then that we
have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of
God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a
High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points
tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come
boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need.
3.
As our high priest...
a.
He is able to save those who come to God through Him ‑ He 7:25a
b.
He "ever lives" to make intercession for us ‑ He 7:25b
c. Hebrews 7:25 - Therefore He is also
able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He
always lives to make intercession for them.
B. WHEN WE DON'T PRAY AS WE SHOULD...
1.
Jesus cannot be our high priest, our intercessor!
2.
Figuratively speaking, we have taken the "praying hands" of Jesus and "bound" them behind
His back!
C.
ARE WE DOING THIS?
1.
If so, what a travesty this is!
2.
For here is Jesus...
a.
Who "lives" to intercede for us
b.
But Who can't, because we prevent Him from doing so by our failure to pray!
[There
is yet another way to be guilty of "binding the hands of
Jesus"...]
IV.
BY REFUSING TO DO OUR PART IN THE CHURCH
A.
THE CHURCH IS DESCRIBED AS THE "BODY OF CHRIST" ‑ Ep 1:22‑23
1.
As His body, we are individually members of one another
a. 1 Co 12:27 - Now you are the body of
Christ, and members individually.
2.
As members of one another, we are to care for one another
a. Ep 4:15‑16 - READ OUT OF BIBLE...
3.
It is through such "mutual edification", that Christ provides much of
His help for the members of His body!
B.
BUT WHEN WE FAIL TO DO OUR SHARE, AGAIN JESUS IS "BOUND"!
1.
Just as our physical head can do little if our bodily members fail to follow
its leading, so it is with Jesus and His church!
2.
Jesus could do so much more for His members, if only more of the members did
THEIR part!
C.
HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED IT THIS WAY?
1.
That by failing to do our part, we "handicap" the body of Christ?
2.
That because of our neglect, or apathy, or lukewarmness...
a.
Either the whole body of Christ suffers...
b.
Or others are forced to do "double duty" in order to make up the
difference?
[Yes,
there are many ways we can be just as guilty of "binding the
hands
of Jesus" today as were the religious leaders in delivering Jesus
to
Pilate! But consider just one
more...]
V.
BY REFUSING TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH THE LOST
A.
JESUS HAS MADE HIS DISCIPLES TO BE HIS "HANDS" IN TAKING THE
GOSPEL TO THE LOST
1.
Consider Mt 28:19‑20 - And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all
things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end
of the age." Amen.
2.
Consider Mk 16:15‑16 - And He said to them, "Go into all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 "He who believes
and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
3.
Consider 1 Pe 2:9 - But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who
called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
4.
In every case of conversion recorded in Acts, Jesus used a disciple to tell the
good news
5.
Jesus works the same way today!
B.
BUT TO THE DEGREE THAT WE KEEP THE "GOOD NEWS" TO OURSELVES...
1.
We have "bound the hands" of Jesus once again!
2.
We hinder Jesus from telling others of His wonderful grace!
C.
ARE WE "BINDING THE HANDS OF JESUS" IN THIS WAY?
1.
Every day, countless souls die with no hope of eternal life
2.
This need not be, if more would make the sharing of the gospel the primary
concern in their lives!
3.
Sadly, in too many cases the primary concern of Christians is the pursuit of
pleasure and acquisition of worldly treasures!
CONCLUSION
1.
Yes, one does not have to literally "bind the hands of Jesus" to be
guilty of the same sort of offense that we read about in Mk 15:1; as we have seen, there are many other
ways as well!
2.
Why not today, resolve to "loose the hands of Jesus" so that IN us
and THROUGH us He may accomplish His full desire? Which is...
a.
To SAVE us!
b.
To TRANSFORM us!
c.
To USE us!