Christ choses ‘Weak Offenders’ Mark 14:27-31

Text: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His Presence.”

1 Corinthians 1:26-29.

Good morning, weak and offending Christian! Take heart, beloved in Christ, the weaknesses, faults, and failings of both you and I - as Spiritually regenerate Christians - is not some awful new cause of rejection and censure. Our weaknesses, faults, and failings were well prophesied by our Lord God hundreds of years prior to Christ’s incarnation in human flesh; His thirty-three and a half year impeccable and Holy ministry among us; His cruel Crucifixion and death as our Substitute; and praise God, His victorious resurrection in glory on the third day to justify us in the sight of our thrice Holy Lord God. The Lord KNOWS whom He has chosen to save and to serve Him, weaknesses, faults and all!  Hallelujah! He is risen!

The full Atonement for our weaknesses, faults and sins has been made by our Saviour, the living Lord Jesus Christ! “…The Lord KNOWETH (knows, has always known, and shall forever know) them that are His. And, let everyone that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:19)

Our weakness foretold: “I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” (Mark 14:27) “In that day (of Crucifixion) shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrim-mon in the valley of Megiddon…In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness…Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered…”   (Zechariah 12 & 13)

When the Lord Jesus applied this prophecy of Zechariah to His disciples of the time, Peter, being his usual bold and forthright self, immediately sought to dispute what was about to happen: “But Peter said unto Him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily (truly) I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny Me thrice.” (Mark 14:30)

The rest of Christ’s disciples were also vehement that they would not be weak and run away from the betrayed Christ Jesus: “But he (Peter) spake the more vehemently, If I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee in any wise.  Likewise, also said them all.”            (Mark 14:31)

However, we know from what is recorded in the God-breathed Gospels, that all the disciples revealed their human weaknesses and fled from the arrested Jesus – denoting the weaknesses inherent to us all as followers of the risen Christ. As the well-known hymn clearly states, “Jesus knows our every weakness, take it to the Lord in prayer…”  There is only ONE sinless Christian, and this is Christ Jesus Himself.

“For we have not an High Priest (Jesus) which cannot be touched by the feeling of our infirmities (faults, failings, weaknesses); but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”  (Hebrews 4:15-16)

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise…” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“We see in these verses, how well our Lord foreknew the weakness and infirmity of His disciples. He tells them plainly what they were going to do. “All ye shall be offended because of me this night.” He tells Peter in particular of the astounding sin which he was about to commit: “This night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”

“Yet our Lord’s fore-knowledge did not prevent His choosing these twelve disciples to be His apostles. He allowed them to be His intimate friends and com­panions, knowing perfectly well what they would one day do. He granted them the mighty privilege of being continually with Him, and hearing His voice, with a clear foresight of the melancholy weakness and want of faith which they would exhibit at the end of His minis­try. This is a remarkable fact, and deserves to be had in continual remembrance.

“Let us take comfort in the thought that the Lord Jesus does not cast off His believing people because of failures and imperfections. He knows what they are. He takes them, as the husband takes the wife, with all their blemishes and defects, and, once joined to Him by faith, will never put them away. He is a merciful and com­passionate High-priest. It is His glory to pass over the transgressions of His people, and to cover their many sins. He knew what they were before conversion, wicked, guilty, and defiled; yet He loved them. He knows what they will be after conversion, weak, erring, and frail; yet He loves them. He has undertaken to save them, notwithstanding all their shortcomings, and what He has undertaken He will perform.

“Let us learn to pass a charitable judgment on the con­duct of professing believers. Let us not set them down in a low place, and say they have no grace, because we see in them much weakness and corruption. Let us remember that our Master in heaven bears with their infirmities, and let us try to bear with them too. The Church of Christ is little better than a great hospital. We ourselves are all, more or less, weak, and all daily need the skilful treatment of the heavenly Physician. There will be no complete cures till the resurrection day.” (J.C. Ryle’s Exposition of Mark’s Gospel)

Thought: “My grace is sufficient for thee: My strength is made perfect in weakness.”