Sermon Notes - Simple Symbols of Profound Realities

Simple Symbols of Profound Realities, Mark 14:12-26
J. Josh Smith, MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, attended February 21, 2010

Words are often not enough. God uses symbols. The rainbow is a reminder of His promise. Jeremiah wore a yoke. Hosea married a prostitute to show Gods compassion for an adulterous nation. These are illustrations of Gods work. Symbols can be dangerous, however. Symbols often take place of the reality. We start to worship the symbol because we have lost the reality. We must look beyond the symbol to the reality.

1. Symbol of deliverance – Mark 14:12-16

Doors marked with blood were spared. The family was “passed over”.

Unleavened bread – swift deliverance
Salt water – tears of slavery
Bitter herbs – bitterness of slavery
Fruit puree – reminds them of the bricks

2. Symbol of betrayal – Mark 14:17-21

This is a “mood changer” compared to the previous celebration. The providence of God doesn’t cancel out the freedom of Judas, he is still guilty of sin.

“…better for that man if he had not been born” – a tragic phrase from Jesus. Jesus knows that this person will spend eternity separated from Him. Jesus knows how terrible hell is. This is a picture of everyone who ultimately deny Jesus.

We should about every unbeliever we know. It is a terrifying statement that should cause all of us to present the Gospel faithfully, consistently, prayerfully, and passionately. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5, we should be begging people to receive Christ.

3. Symbol of salvation – Mark 14:22-26

He took the symbols that pointed to something else and changed them to point to a new reality. They were looking at Jesus, they knew it waasn’t His literal body. They knew it was symbolic because the old symbol was symbolic also.

The cup symbolized the new covenant with His people. It was the blood of lamb before, now it is the blood of Jesus Christ.

Once and for all lets us know that there is no need for annual animal sacrifices ever again.

Jeremiah 31 tells us of this new covenant. The Passover symbols were a symbol of the past as well as a shadow of the future.

4. Symbol of a personal reality

These are symbols of what He has done historically but also symbols of what He has done for me personally. When we take the elements, it is a symbol of what we have done. The symbol by itself means nothing without us personally knowing that reality. It is a symbol of His death but, personally, a symbol of life. 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 talks of people partaking of the elements who have never experienced a personal reality. The symbol is a dangerous thing without the reality behind it. The power is not in the symbol; the power is in what the symbol represents.

Symbols point to:

The past – What Jesus did.

The present – I have applied what He has done.

The future – Salvation is complete and we will be with Him.

Have you experienced the reality of the symbol? It can be a symbol of reality or hypocrisy.

NOTE: These are my notes, taken as I listened to the sermon live. Any errors, misunderstandings or misinterpretations are my responsibility entirely and not the fault of the preacher.