Mocked
We've seen how Jesus was despised, particularly by the pharisees. Now let's look at those who mocked him.
In Luke 23:8-11, Jesus stands before Herod. Herod wanted him to perform some kind of miracle so he could see what all the fuss was about. However, Jesus stood, in silence, not wanting to perform for Herod, so Herod, instead, made his own entertainment by mocking Jesus. Not only that, he sent Jesus back to Pilate, dressed in 'splendid clothing', another attempt at making fun of our saviour.
In Matthew 9:23-24, the people laughed at Jesus when he said that the leaders daughter was just sleeping and not dead.
As Jesus hung from the cross, he was mocked by the rulers and soldiers, v:34-38. Many of them would have seen the miracles that Jesus had performed, but in this moment, Jesus was a laughing stock because he couldn't (wouldn't) save himself.
These things shouldn't suprise us, 2 Peter 3:3-4, warns that believers will be mocked with regards to Christ's return.
Now, we as believers may not mock Jesus directly, as Herod and others did, but we do mock him.
When we laugh at someone because they uphold God’s word, or call someone super holy or 'mother superior' because they want to live righteously. When we make fun of the person leading worship because they sing out of key. When we don't take a sermon seriously because the minister doesn't use eloquent words or speaks in a funny accent.
Anytime we mock another believer, we also mock God. We mock the things he has instituted, we mock an act of worhsip.
We also mock God, when we try to fool him. There's an example of this in scripture, which also shows the consequesces of mocking God.
In Acts 5:1-4, 7-9, Ananias and Sapphira, attempted to cheat God. They both pretended to have recieved a lesser amount for their property. However, God knows and sees all, to think that we can fool him, makes him no better than man.
This wasn't the first time someone tried to play with God. In 1 Samuel 2:12-17, Hophni and Phineas, used their positions in the priesthood for personal gain, and thought they could get away with it. Their father, Eli, even warned them, but his words fell on deaf ears.
God is not man, we can't say nice things to his face then laugh at him behind his back, we can't misuse what he has given us and think that he won't know.
Remember, we are to hold him in awe, in wonder, in a righteous fear that leads us to always want to do right by what he has placed in our hands.
(The continuation of a message taught on 24th September 2023)
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