“But he kept silent and answered nothing. Again, the high priest asked him, saying, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am: and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy; what is your verdict?’ And they all condemned him as being worthy of death.” (Mark 14:61-64)
Jesus warned His enemies — the high priests, elders, and scribes — that though they rejected Him then, they would one day see Him seated at the right hand of God the Father and coming in the clouds of glory to be their Judge. Now is the time to repent and look to Him in faith for mercy and forgiveness before it is too late (cf. Psalm 2:10-12).
Why was Jesus condemned? What were the charges against Him? It was because He told them the truth, that He is God’s own dear Son and that they would, on the Last Day, see Him as prophesied by Daniel: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, glory, and a kingdom, so that all people, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).
Jesus’ enemies accused Him of “blasphemy” for claiming to be the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, and declared Him “guilty of death.” This truth — that Jesus is the Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, and their Judge — was distressing to them. It revealed their total sinfulness and their need to repent and trust in Him for salvation; yet they were unwilling to face their own sin or their need for a Savior.
Today, many also reject Jesus and the Christian faith for the same reason. They are unsettled by the truth that Jesus is the Son of God and shall judge the living and the dead on the Last Day. They are unwilling to acknowledge their sinfulness before the LORD God or turn to Christ Jesus for mercy. Instead of accepting the guilt of their own wickedness, they attempt to justify themselves and cover up their failures.
The Scripture says: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you do not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins — and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 1:7–2:2).
The Bible also says: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not count iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones grew frail through my groaning all day long. For day and night, your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the guilt of my sin” (Psalm 32:1-5).
If we hide and cover our sins, we deceive ourselves; but if we acknowledge and confess them to the LORD, He will have mercy and forgive us for the sake of the holy life and innocent sufferings of Jesus Christ.
As it is written: “Whoever conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will find mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).
Dear LORD God, we acknowledge our sinfulness to You and ask You to graciously forgive and cleanse us for the sake of the holy and precious blood which Jesus Christ, Your only-begotten Son, shed for us on the cross. Amen.
“Now the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin requested testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.” Mark 15:55-56 (Read Mark 14:55-65)
In the dark of night, the highest court of the land scrambled for a lie that would stick. Mark 14:55-65 captures a moment of profound injustice where Truth itself stood on trial, surrounded by a cacophony of contradictions.
The Chaos of Falsehood
The chief priests and the council were desperate. They needed a legal reason to execute Jesus, but even with paid witnesses, they couldn’t get their stories straight.
“Many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree” (Mark 14:56).
There is a powerful lesson here: Lies are fragmented, but Truth is a person. While the world around Jesus spun a web of confusion and misinterpreted metaphors about temples made without hands, Jesus remained the calm center of the storm.
The Power of Silence
When the high priest demanded a defense, Jesus did something unexpected — He said nothing.
“But He kept silent and answered nothing” (Mark 14:61).
In our world, we often feel the need to defend our reputation, correct every slight, and win every argument. Yet, Jesus modeled a “holy silence.” He knew that those committed to a lie are rarely interested in the truth. His silence wasn’t weakness; it was the ultimate display of confidence in the Father’s plan, fulfilling the prophetic image of the “Suffering Servant” found in Isaiah: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).
The Clarity of “I Am”
The silence ended only when the question shifted from what He had done to who He was. When asked if He was the Christ, Jesus didn’t hedge. He spoke the truth!
“I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:62).
By claiming the title “I Am” and referencing the “Son of man,” Jesus signed His own death warrant by identifying Himself with two specific Old Testament revelations of God’s power and presence:
• The Divine Name: When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, He identified Himself as “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). By using this phrase, Jesus claimed equality with God.
• The Heavenly King: Jesus referenced the vision of the prophet Daniel: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like a Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. There was given to Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).
His critics didn’t want to hear the truth — and many still reject it today — but Jesus is the great I Am, the eternal Son of God! And He rules over an eternal kingdom made up of all who trust in Him. He will judge all nations and peoples. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord! (cf. Philippians 2:9-11).
Reflection and Application
Are you looking for reasons to reject Jesus and the truth He proclaimed? It would be far wiser to humble yourself before Him, acknowledge the truth, and look to Him in faith for pardon and forgiveness.
Are you facing criticism or persecution for confessing the truth? Take comfort in knowing that Jesus stood exactly where you are. You don’t have to win the shouting match; sometimes, your character and a humble confession of your faith in Jesus is your best defense.
Jesus spoke up when it mattered most, even though it cost Him His life. Where is God calling you to speak the truth with boldness this week?
Verse 65 describes the physical and emotional abuse Jesus endured — spitting, hitting, and mockery. We, too, may suffer for the truth. Jesus endured the shame that belongs to us so that we could share in His glory.
A Prayer for Today
Lord, thank You for Your strength in the face of injustice. Help me to know when to hold my peace and when to speak Your truth with courage. When the world feels chaotic, and the testimonies against the truth don’t agree, let me find my identity solely in You, the great “I Am.” Amen.
“He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.’” Mark 14:35-36 (Read Mark 14:26-42)
In Mark 14:16-42, we are invited into the most profound tension of the Christian life: the battle between our self-centered desires and the holy will of God. As we reflect on this passage, we are reminded that prayer is not about bending God to our will, but about our will being broken and reshaped by His.
Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). It is a simple, beautiful petition, but one that carries immense weight. As Martin Luther explains in his Small Catechism: “The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow the name of God nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith unto our end.”
Instead of praying that God’s will be done in our lives, we often pray that He would grant our will rather than His. We pray for comfort, pleasure, and security in this life, but God’s will may involve suffering, ridicule, or the loss of worldly goods and status for the sake of the Gospel. Are we truly ready for what we ask? We are prone to live as though we are praying, “Not Your will but mine be done,” as the flesh within us rebels against the crosses we must bear in following Christ.
Look at the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter, confident in his own strength, swore he would never stumble, never deny Jesus. The others said the same. Yet, Jesus knew better. He knew that their spirit was willing, but their flesh was weak.
Like the disciples, we often think we are ready to stand for Jesus, but when conflict arises, our sin-corrupted nature tends to shrink back. We fear the shame, the loss, and the difficulty, and are quick to deny Him, not necessarily with our lips, but by our silence or our flight from the demands of His Word. We think we are strong, but we so easily fail Him.
When Jesus told His disciples to “watch and pray,” He was warning them — and us, too — that we cannot resist temptation or survive the trials of this world in our own strength. We are prone to wander; we are prone to flee.
If anyone had a reason to shrink back, it was Jesus. In the Garden, He faced the weight of the sins of all mankind. He knew the cup of suffering that lay before Him — the very wrath of God that we deserved. In agony, He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Mark 14:36).
And Jesus did not just pray that God’s will be done; He lived it. He fully submitted to the Father’s will. As the Scriptures tell us:
• “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)
• “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8)
Christ suffered and died for us, ungodly sinners, to wash away our sins and reconcile us to God. His obedience to God’s holy will made our salvation possible.
The Gospel is the good news that even when we fail — when our flesh is weak, and we stumble — we are not cast away. We are invited to look in faith to Christ Jesus and His perfect obedience to God’s will — even to the point of death on the cross — and partake of His mercy and forgiveness for the sake of Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death in our stead.
Our salvation does not rest on our ability to perfectly follow Him, but on His perfect sacrifice for our sins.
And the Holy Spirit works through the promises of God’s Word to create faith, comfort our hearts, and give us the strength to hold fast to Christ. Like St. Paul, who was forsaken by men but stood firm because “the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (2 Timothy 4:17), we too can endure in our Lord’s strength.
May we continue to watch and pray, not trusting in ourselves, but clinging to Him who submitted fully to God’s will and won for us the victory.
Lord, break our selfish wills and hinder the counsel of the world. Strengthen us by Your Spirit so that we do not shrink back in fear, but hold fast to Your Word until the end. May Your good and gracious will be done in our lives. Amen.
O almighty God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — we come into Your presence to seek Your mercy, to hear Your Word, and to offer up to You our prayers and praises. Hear us for the sake of the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for our sins. Amen.
Psalm 130 A Song of Ascents.
1 Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD; 2 Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. 6 My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning — yes, more than those who watch for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. 8 And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Confession of Sins
P: Let us confess our sins unto the Lord our God and look to Him for mercy and forgiveness for the sake of the abundant redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ, who redeemed us from all our iniquities.
C: Almighty God, our Maker and Redeemer, we poor sinners confess to You that we are by nature sinful and unclean and that we have sinned against You in our thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. We, therefore, flee for refuge to Your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring Your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
P: For the sake of Jesus’ holy life and His atoning sacrifice on the cross, I announce unto you the grace and mercy of God and proclaim to you forgiveness for all your sins through faith in Jesus’ name. Amen.
CLH #329 “Let Thy Blood in Mercy Poured”
Scripture Lesson: Mark 14:12-26
12 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?”
13 And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. 14 Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ 15 Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.”
16 So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.
17 In the evening, He came with the twelve. 18 Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me.”
19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?”
20 He answered and said to them, “It is one of the twelve who dips with Me in the dish. 21 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”
22 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
23 Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. 25 Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
The Lamb and the Legacy: A Devotion on the New Covenant
The upper room was thick with history and heavy with the future. As Jesus sat with His disciples to celebrate the Passover, He wasn’t just observing a ritual; He was fulfilling a promise. To understand the weight of the Lord’s Supper, we must look at the shadows of the Old Covenant that were about to be stepped into by the Light of the World.
The Passover Connection
The Passover was the ultimate Jewish memorial of deliverance. It pointed back to the night in Egypt when the blood of a lamb, smeared on lintels and doorposts, caused the judgment of God to “pass over” the homes of the Israelites (Exodus 12:1ff.).
When Jesus sat at this table in Mark 14, He took the elements of this ancient meal — the bread of affliction and the cup of blessing — and infused them with a radical new meaning. He was showing them that the true “exodus” was not from Pharaoh, but from the bondage of sin.
Jesus: The Ultimate Lamb
In the Old Testament, the lamb sacrificed and eaten had to be “without blemish.” During the Passover meal, Jesus, the holy and unblemished Son of God, took the bread, broke it, and said:
“Take, eat; this is My body.” — Mark 14:22
By calling Himself the bread and later offering His life, Jesus identified Himself as “the Bread of Life” (John 6:35ff.) and “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Unlike the Old Covenant sacrifices offered again and again to cover sin, Jesus’ sacrifice was once and for all. He was the perfect, spotless Lamb whose death would satisfy the justice of God (Hebrews 9:23-28; 10:11-18). In the Lord’s Supper, we partake of His body given for us and receive through faith the benefits He won for us when He gave His body into death as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
The New Covenant in Blood
The most striking moment occurred when Jesus took the cup. In the ancient world, covenants were sealed with blood. It was a visual and visceral sign of a binding agreement.
“Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, ‘This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.’ “ — Mark 14:23–24
This “New Covenant” was what the prophets had long foretold — a time when God would write His law on human hearts and remember their sins no more (Hebrews 8:10-12; Jeremiah 31:31-34). When we partake of the wine, we partake of Christ’s lifeblood, poured out on the cross to bridge the chasm between a holy God and a fallen humanity and establish a new covenant in which we have forgiveness for all our sins. Through faith in Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross, His blood cleanses us from all our sins and shields us from God’s judgment (1 John 1:5—2:2).
Reflection
Every time we partake in the Lord’s Supper, we aren’t just performing a religious duty. We are:
• Remembering the cost of our deliverance from sin and death (Christ’s broken body).
• Receiving the seal of our cleansing and forgiveness (Christ’s shed blood).
• Proclaiming His death until He comes again (1 Corinthians 11:26).
The Passover was a look back at a physical rescue; the Lord’s Supper is a look at a spiritual redemption that lasts for eternity. We no longer wait for the lamb — the Lamb has come, the price is paid, and the table is open.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we come before You with humble hearts, standing in awe of the divine mystery of the Upper Room. We thank You for the gift of Your Word in Mark 14, which reminds us that even in the shadow of the cross, Your love was preparing a table for us.
Lord Jesus, we recognize You as the true Lamb of God. Just as the Israelites were spared by the blood on their doorposts, we acknowledge that we are saved only by Your precious blood shed on Calvary. Thank You for being the perfect sacrifice, taking upon Yourself the “bread of affliction” so that we might feast on the bread of life. We are humbled that You, the King of Glory, would allow Your body to be broken to make us whole.
Holy Spirit, help us to grasp the depth of this New Covenant. Thank You that we no longer live under the weight of the law, but under the covering of Your grace. As we reflect on and partake of the cup of the New Covenant, wash away our guilt and renew our spirits. Let the reality of Your sacrifice change the way we live, the way we love, and the way we forgive others.
As we go forth, may we live as people of the Covenant — cleansed and marked by Your shed blood, fueled by Your life, and looking forward with hope to the day we feast with You in Your Kingdom.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb, sacrificed for us. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matt. 6:9-13)
CLH #332 “According to Thy Gracious Word”
Lord’s Supper
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1 Cor. 11:23-26)
Prayer of Thanksgiving
O LORD Jesus Christ, Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, we thank You for fulfilling all righteousness in our stead and then taking upon Yourself the guilt and punishment for all our sins and making full atonement for us by Your perfect sacrifice on the cross. And we thank and praise You for giving us to partake of Your holy sacrifice so that we might also partake of the blessings that You won for us by Your death and have made sure to us by Your glorious resurrection. Strengthen and keep us in the true and saving faith, and move us to live our lives for You while we await Your glorious return and the joys of Your everlasting kingdom. Amen.
Benediction (Num. 6:24-26)
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” Amen.
Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of the Lenten season for Christians around the world, especially for those who hold to more traditional and liturgical forms of worship.
Lent is 40 days long, corresponding to the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, but it extends over 46 days because Sundays are not counted in the traditional Lenten season.
Since the date for Easter is set based on the lunar calendar — the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox — the season of Lent begins on different calendar dates each year. This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, February 18, and continues through Saturday, April 4. Easter Sunday is April 5 this year. The first full moon after the vernal equinox is on Saturday, April 1, making Sunday, April 5, the date of Easter in most Western Churches.
In most years, the date for Easter or Pascha falls later in the Eastern Churches. Easter dates were the same for Eastern and Western Churches in 2017, but this year the date is April 12 in the East (Eastern Churches use the same formula to determine the date for Easter, but use the Julian Calendar, while Western Churches and most of the world use the Gregorian Calendar).
Some churches do not observe the season of Lent at all. It is not specifically commanded or forbidden in the Bible, so churches that do not observe the special season cannot be faulted, and anyone who insists it must be strictly observed goes beyond the Bible’s teaching. Nevertheless, the observance of Lent can be a good thing if it is undertaken with the purpose and intent of reflecting on Christ’s sufferings and death for the sins of the world (often called His passion) and as a special time of self-examination and repentance.
While many would simply go through the outward forms of repentance — including ashes on the forehead and fasting during the season — the Bible calls for true contrition and sorrow over our own sinfulness and faith in the shed blood of Christ Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Psalm 34:18 says: “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Psalm 51:16-17 says: “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
The prophet Joel writes: “Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil” (Joel 2:12-13).
John, in his first epistle (1 John 1:8-9; 2:1-2), writes: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. … And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
God desires that we live in continual repentance — acknowledging our sinfulness and the judgment we justly deserve, but then looking in faith to Christ Jesus and His death on the cross for our sins and trusting that in Jesus we are forgiven and accepted by God. Therefore, as we contemplate the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ bitter sufferings and death for the sins of all, it is certainly also a fitting time to examine ourselves and see that it was for our sins that He suffered and died such an agonizing death.
As Isaiah 53:5-6 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Many, of course, speak of giving things up for Lent, and giving up things that we might focus on Christ and what He has done for us can be a good thing. But we need to always remember that our giving up something, whether it be through fasting or some other form of self-denial, can never merit God’s favor or blessing. Our observance of Lenten self-sacrifice will not somehow atone for our sins and make us acceptable to God. It is only through faith in the shed blood of Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), that we receive God’s pardon and forgiveness and are acceptable in His sight.
As the Apostle Paul writes, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
It’s really too bad that more people do not observe Lent in a Biblical and Scriptural way—not just giving up something for 40 days, but rather repenting of sin and evil and looking to Christ and His cross for pardon, forgiveness, and life eternal. In fact, it’s sad that true Lenten contrition and repentance are not observed by more people year-round!
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]