Christ’s Confession
Tim Keller | February 25, 2007
Overview
We’re looking at the final days of Jesus’ life on earth. And in Mark 14, Jesus is on trial.
There’s nothing more dramatic than to be on trial for your life. And there’s no more dramatic moment in a trial than when the defendant is called to testify on the witness stand. And there perhaps has never been a more dramatic and shocking testimony given on a witness stand than the one Jesus Christ gives.
In this passage, we see 1) that Jesus is the judge, 2) that Jesus is the judge who was judged, and 3) if we understand those two things together, it’ll change our lives.
Outline
Mark 14:53–65
When we look at the final days of Jesus’ life in Mark’s gospel, we see a shocking trial. We can learn three key things from this: Jesus is not just the Judge, He is also the one being judged. Understanding this can change our lives in a big way.
1. Jesus is the Judge
Jesus was accused of wanting to destroy the temple, even though there was no real proof. People’s stories didn’t even match up. When He was asked if He was the Messiah, Jesus said that He was the Son of Man, who would one day judge the world with God’s power. This was a big deal, and it made people either scared, angry, or full of love. Believing in Jesus isn’t just about going to church, it’s about knowing that He will judge the world.
2. Jesus Christ is the Judge who was judged
Jesus said He was the Judge, but He was also the one on trial. Sin is when we try to take God’s place, but salvation is when God takes our place. Jesus, the divine Judge, took the judgment we deserved, giving us hope and justice, and saving us from a test we couldn’t pass.
3. If you understand these two things, it will change your life
Believing that Jesus Christ is the Judge who took our judgment can really change your life. It helps us respect and love people who think differently from us, forgive those who hurt us, and stop judging ourselves, because Jesus has already done that for us. It also makes us want to help and stand up for people who are poor and treated badly, just like Jesus did.
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