Here it is. “And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.” Mark 14:50-52

Only Mark tells us about this incident.

Who is this young man?

Some Bible commentators believe it is John Mark himself, the writer of this Gospel!

Truth be told, we just do not know.

The Holy Spirit has chosen to leave him nameless.

But still, this event is recorded for a reason, a good one since it’s in the Word of God!

That first sentence, verse 50 really, says a lot. “And they all forsook him, and fled.”

The “all” refers to the disciples.

Jesus had already predicted that this would happen. “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone.” John 16:32

There is, however, a possibility that a few of the ladies who followed the Lord did not forsake Him through that ordeal, the Cross! Here’s Luke 23:49. “The women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.”

Wow!

Literally the verb “forsook” implies they “sent themselves away!” It’s spelled “aphiemi” in Greek.

Fearful?

Offended?

Angry?

We don’t know for sure. They just left!

Here’s why I use the word “offended.” You will see it immediately. “And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” Mark 14:27, where “offended” or “skandilizo” means “to trip up,” as on “a stumbling block.”

Jesus died alone, for you and me. That old song is right!

Even His Father had to forsake Him, in the midst of His atoning Sacrifice! Jesus became the sin Bearer! “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou  forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46

Mark, in our text, needs to emphasize that no one is with Jesus, but one young man did follow the Lord, for a while anyway.

More about Him tomorrow.

Today, let’s all thank the Lord that He did die.

That He died vicariously, the preachers say. That means “in our stead.”

That, even though He did so alone, He victoriously and successfully completed God’s Plan of Salvation!

Jesus paid it all!

He now can, legally and righteously and properly, with God the Father’s approval, save old lost sinners!

Like  we once were!

Praise His dear Name!

                                                                      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 2, ONE FOLLOWED HIM:

The Text for today is brief, but necessary. I will capitalize the whole clause. "And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked." Mark 14:50-52

This event occurs at the arrest of Jesus, just prior to the Crucifixion.

Today's bold words stand in direct opposition to the foregoing sentence.

First, "They all forsook Him and fled."

Second, "And there followed Him a certain young man."

By "they all" surely is meant the disciples, those whom we normally consider Jesus' main followers.

That verb "fled" is "pheugo," meaning "to run away, to escape," at times even "to vanish!"

Peter, great as he was, has gone!

So have Matthew and James!

And, of course, Thomas!

And all the others too!

But, there was one.

One "young man," nameless to this day, who did not run away!

He "followed" Jesus when no one else would!

"And they all forsook Him, and fled. And there followed Him a certain young man ...." Mark 14:50-51

Here's the point today.

Isn't it amazing?

The fact that almost always, God has some relatively unknown or insignificant person, in some remote corner of the world, or the state, or the county, or the city, who is following Jesus, in spite of everything!

If we fundamentalists were to examine this nameless young man's life and witness, I'm quite sure we would criticize him.

But, still he was following Jesus, when our crowd had quit!

We would probably mention the fact that this boy was dressed quite loosely! Maybe you could even call it "immodestly." Nearly naked at first, then totally naked before the text has ended! But still, I remind you, he was following Jesus! When our heroes had left! "A certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked."

Wow!

Then too, we would have to get our our questionnaire and find out where he attended church. His position on the major points of doctrine. And no doubt, his eschatology! I'm pretty sure he would have been lacking in these areas. But the fact remains, He loved Jesus! He was still loyal to our Lord, after the big preachers had long since bailed out!

Plus, he too got scared, finally, and ran away!

So, I'm sure we'd point that out.

Yes, he finally fizzled , just like all the others. 

He did.

But not until they had long gone!

Here's all I'm saying.

There just may be some folks who love Jesus who do not run in our crowd!

The Lord may have some followers who dress differently, talk differently, maybe even worship differently than we do!

But they still love Jesus!

Who are they?

Perhaps, just like in our verses today, a bunch of "unknowns!"

A crowd of "nobodies" according to the world!

But still, they are following our Lord!

I disagree with a lot about Martin Luther. All his vestigial Catholicism, all his anti-Jewish venom, his ultra formalism, plus much more ... yet he did love Jesus! Best he knew how at the time, I think he was trying to follow our Lord!

Luther certainly would not have been my first choice for companionship, but he was loyal even to death, had it been necessary!

And these new preachers whose pulpit attire looks like they're going to a ball game, whose sermons last half as long as mine, maybe a third, and whose new Church buildings have "grand openings," instead of "dedication services," drive me up the wall!

But hear me, who is to say that some of them do not really love Jesus?

I do not know their backgrounds.

I cannot see their hearts.

I cannot be judge and jury in their lives.

Perhaps one of them, like today's young man, will still be following Jesus long after some of us "conservatives" have turned tail and quit.

I'm not trying to compromise this morning.

But I am trying to say that at any given time there can be somebody a little "strange" following our Lord.

Somebody who does things differently, a lot differently, than we do.

We must allow for that fact!

"And they all forsook Him, and fled. And there followed Him a certain young man ...." Mark 14:50-51

I don't know who they are.

They may be Africans or Asians or South Americans or inhabitants of some distant island nation, but still following Jesus ... after we Americans in all our lukewarm-ness have ceased fervently serving the Lord!

Thank God for those rare but special "young men!"

And "young women!"

And "others."

Remember what God told a discouraged Elijah one day. "Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him." 1st Kings 19:17

God obviously knew about the "seven thousand."

I suspect He knew about this "young man" too.

Even his name!

And even what he believed about open or closed communion!

Just remember.

Someone who is different, may still love the Lord!

And on the journey, at times anyway, might be every bit as faithful as you or me!

Maybe even more so!

I'm sure I've made somebody mad today.

"I'll never read Bagwell again," you may be huffing.

"Good bye," I say. Regretfully, but I still say it.

Yet the fact remains, we are all human.

None is infallible.

Including those professing Christians outside our camp!

Outside our group!

Outside our clique!

I close with these verses. I do not have time or space to comment on them now. But you all are smart people. You can figure them out. They apply to today's lesson.

"And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us." Luke 9:49-50

"He that is not against us is for us!"

Even young men wrapped in strange linen things!

"And they all forsook Him, and fled. And there followed Him a certain young man ...." Mark 14:50-51

"Lord, help me to learn."

I may not be the only one in Heaven!

                                                                         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 3, LIKE JESUS, IN SIX DIFFERENT WAYS:

He is dressed strangely, this "certain young man" from Mark 14:51. He would have never entered the Biblical Record except for the fact of Jesus' Arrest. Just prior to our Lord's Death.

Mark writes: "And immediately, while Jesus yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. And they laid their hands on Jesus, and took Him. And immediately they all, His disciples, forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body ...." Excerpted from Mark 14.

This young man, unnamed, is a "picture" of something, surely. A symbol or emblem of another person or thing.

Let's notice him.

He's a "young man," in Greek "neaniskos." Let me mention to you that Jesus Himself was not very old when He died on Calvary. He, our Lord, also was a man!

He also is a "certain" young man. "And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body ...." Not just anybody! He may have been John Mark, the writer of the Gospel that bears his name. That's just a guess, please understand. But if not Mark, he's still not a randomly chosen person. And so is Jesus a "certain" man, about to die for you and me! Not just any "saviour" could have completed the task! It must have been This One, This Sinless One, this Certain One! That Darling Son of God!

So, our subject is not only man, like Jesus!

Not only a young man, still like Jesus!

And not only a certain young man, not just anyone, much like Jesus!

But also a man wearing "linen!" Still just like Jesus!

Yes, our Lord on the very day He died was wearing a similar garment! The cruel soldiers gambled over it. "Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout." No doubt made of linen too, John 19:23.

Amazing.

Then next the young man's "naked" body is mentioned. "And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body ...." In Greek the word is "gumnos." In English it becomes "gymnos," our very word "gym" or "gymnasium." Seems the Greeks, always boys of course, exercised naked, as they prepared for the now-called Olympics. This young man is wearing nothing but that linen garment! Naked underneath!

This is yet another "hint," likening the young man to Jesus. Jesus Who, despite our artist's kind attempts to portray Him otherwise, hang naked on the Cross for those terrible six hours! The Romans stripped all those crucifixion victims, adding to their shame as they died, mocking them further!

"And they stripped Him ...." Matthew 27:28

"And they crucified Him, and parted his garments." He, Jesus, thus wearing nothing, Matthew 27:35.

Wow!

Five ways Mr. Anonymous is comparable to Jesus!

Except He is free and Jesus is bound!

Oh, there's one more I think.

The man's clothing was "cast about" his body, merely wrapped around him. The verb is "periballo," just "thrown around" him! "And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body ...."We've all said, using similar language, "Let me throw on some clothes and I'll be ready to go."

Jesus was dressed that way during this part of His Ordeal we believe. Something just "periballo," just "thrown around" Him! Here's the proof. "And they platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe." John 19:2, with our verb underlined. 

Too many similarities to be incidental!

For some reason Mark has painted a portrait of a "young man" who is much like Jesus in six different ways!

Let's count them again.

A "man."

A "young" man.

A "certain" one, not anybody at random.

A man wearing "linen," a special garment.

And a man who is "naked" otherwise. In fact, before the text is complete, he is totally naked!

Then sixthly, a young man whose sole garment is "cast about" him, the same verb used of the robe they temporarily put on Jesus to mock Him! That's "periballo," as we've seen.

Six ways!

But why does this young man so carefully typify our Lord? Why is the Text written with such deliberate and obvious purpose?

Oh, there's beauty in that answer!

For which you must, of course, come back tomorrow!

This young man is like Jesus in one more critical way!

Essential to what Mark's Gospel is trying to tell us!

And also a beautiful sign of the Holy Spirit's Hand in this all.

"And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked."

John Mark may have been the youngest of all the Gospel writers, but what he lacked in age he did not lack in significance!

He constantly paints "pictures" within "pictures!"

I'm absolutely convinced that Mark's portrayal of the Crucifixion of Jesus, especially his Death March to Golgotha, is an exact replica of a Roman Triumph! That famous Victory Parade given every emperor upon His accession to the throne!

Jesus' Death, to Mark, was not a defeat!

No, it was a grand Triumph!

Even greater than any Roman General had ever experienced!

Wow!

And that's what Mark is doing again with the story of this "young man."

Proverbs 25:11 says: "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." If so, Mark is quite a craftsman! An artist even!

And just maybe, he's the most brilliant of all the Gospel writers!

The Bible, what a magnificent Book!

No wonder God honors it like He does! "I will praise Thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto Thee. I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy Name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." Psalm 138:1-3, written by David.

God's Word ... elevated even above His Name!

Mercy!

                                                                       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 4, UNLIKE JESUS IN ONE CRITICAL WAY:

"And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked."

"And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled." Selected from Matthew 26:47-57.

Here it is in Leviticus 16:8-10. "And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness."

                                                                     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 5, GRAVE CLOTHES:

It's amazing what a good concordance can do, a Bible concordance. In today's case a Greek concordance, or a readily available Bible software program.

The point being this, in our Text, Mark 14:50-52, the little noun "cloth" contains a lot of information. Actually "sindon" is translated "linen cloth" in our passage, twice in fact.

Here it is. "And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked." Mark 14:50-52

The concordance will tell us that "sindon" is only used five times in the whole Bible, two of them right here.

The other three times, near the end of each respective book, "sindon" appears in Matthew and Luke, as well as again later in Mark. John does not use the word at all.

But now, here's the central fact. "Sindon" is used to describe Jesus' burial! In every case!

Here's Matthew 27:57-60. "When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple. He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed."

"Sindon" usually indicates a very high quality piece of material also, the finest linen, so to speak. It would have been quite expensive too.

Here's "sindon" again, by Luke this time. Jesus has just died, having been crucified. Now it's time for burial. "And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just. The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them. He was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid." Luke 23:50-53, with "sindon" underlined.

Then back to Mark, but again at Jesus' burial. Yet notice Mark, purposely no doubt, uses the noun twice! "And Joseph bought fine linen, and took Jesus down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre." Mark 15:46

Now we can make the comparison.

The Holy Spirit wants us to associate the naked young man's clothing, the Luke 14:50-52 young man, with Jesus' Death!

Somehow!

More than that, with Jesus' Burial!

"Sindon" only being used in those two contexts.

After the Cross, concerning Jesus ... and at our Lord's  Arrest, as far as this unnamed young man is concerned.

Thus, a seemingly incidental event, only three verses long, only mentioned by Mark, bearing not a single name, is transformed into some kind of "marker" or "pointer" or "sign," shining directly on Jesus' Passion, on His Death, Burial and Resurrection!

This proves that the young man is a "type" of Christ in some way.

And his wearing just a "sindon," or otherwise in Scripture "grave clothes," certainly requires attention!

"And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked." Mark 14:50-52

So, he is dressed for burial!

In fact, he is nearly arrested. They, the authorities did "lay hold" of him. It's just that he escaped his "grave clothes" (the only other way "sindon" is used in the Bible) and ran away freely!

But the other Man associated with "sindon," with fine linen draped around His Body, is named Jesus!

Jesus died!

Our Mark 14 young man lived!

Jesus was buried.

Our subject was not.

Do you see it?

A young man who came extremely close to arrest, trial, and likely execution himself ... was spared!

The other Young Man, the very Son of God, still in His early thirties by the way, was arrested, tried, convicted and crucified!

Then buried!

But that's not the end of the Story!

Oh, no!

Jesus was raised from the dead too!

All this ... so that young person, and multitudes of others like him (including you and me) could step away unscathed!

Does this make any sense? The way I am explaining it? Or at least trying to explain it?

It all reminds me again of the Leviticus 16 account of the Jewish "Day of Atonement."

Two animals are selected. Two "just-alike" animals!

Goats, in this case.

Both are subject to death!

But, as God would have it, one died!

The other is set free!

One suffers!

The other does not!

See it yet?

Jesus is slain, mercilessly, shedding His Blood!

Mark's young man here is granted liberty, no doubt because the Romans have already got their "Man!"

Now let's broaden the application.

Jesus who died and was buried and resurrected two thousand years ago, His Death still has great saving power!

And those of us, marked for death, each wearing our "sindon" material, our grave clothes, can now be set free too!

Sinner friend, because Jesus died and wore His "sindon," you do not have to die and wear yours!

Spiritually, you do not have to endure the "second death!"

"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." Revelation 20:14

I, once marked for death, can live forever!

Because of Jesus' Death!

His shed Blood!

His "sindon" clothed Burial!

And His glorious, literal Resurrection!

Hallelujah!

One more time, but now with all the insight you can muster. At Jesus' arrest, mind you. "And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked." Mark 14:51-52

"And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed."  Matthew 27:59-60

Thank you, Lord.

                                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

He died.

That I might live.

LESSON 6, CONCLUSION:

Here are our study verses for the last six days. "And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked."

Late last night I saw a couple more interesting possibilities about this week's Text, Mark 14:50-52. In fact, I had already gone to bed. And there they were, plain as day!

It was as if the Holy Spirit had "opened" the eyes of one of his Servants from long ago. I was reading a sermon by a man who died in 1811 in London.

Issue number one, why was this young man wearing only a linen cloth? One could say because he had been rudely aroused from sleep, hearing the commotion outside. The crowds who had arrested Jesus! The excitement and clamor. Maybe so, but that's a pretty mundane explanation. It doesn't take that much longer to slide into a second garment, or third. Besides, surely there's something to be said for modesty!

There's another possibility. In that ancient time one's clothing indicated more than social standing. It could have religious undertones too. Like the "blue" fringe on the Jew's outer garments, commanded by the Lord. "Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribbOn of blue: and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: that ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God." Numbers 15:38-40, clothing and spirituality! Clothing and testimony!

Here's the point. All white clothing, especially if that's all one was wearing, often indicated spiritual purity. Or at least dedication to some spiritual point of view. And in Scripture "fine linen" seems to point to "godliness" and "holiness" of life! Read Revelation 19:8 in that light, spoken of the Bride of Christ. "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." See it? "Fine linen" is likened to "righteousness!"

This young man, in Mark 14:50-52, reminded the crowds of "holiness" and "purity" and righteousness!"

The very things they hated so much about Jesus!

Jesus exposed their sins! Jesus rebuked their iniquities! Jesus never did one thing wrong, not even close! He rebuked and reproved the cultural wrongs of that day!

Largely, for this reason, He was being crucified!

They, the mob, had taken their wrath out on Jesus, now to attack anyone else whose demeanor even remotely reminded them of godliness!

They, I think, would have accosted the disciples of our Lord. But, guess what? They have all run away! The first verse of our Text, "And they all forsook him, and fled."

Wow!

But now a new "target" emerges! This young man wearing white linen, nothing but linen, the "sindon" we noticed already.

So the mob "lays hold" of him!

In anger!

And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men (the arresting soldiers apparently) laid hold on him ...."

That's why they tried to seize the young man, pure hatred for Jesus, animosity against Christ's Message! Antagonism for holy living!

He is hated because of the message his clothing portrays! And probably his lifestyle substantiates as well. Trying to live "without spot or blemish!" Following his Lord!

Now, let's go to fact number two.

That being the point that Mark ever so carefully explains to us. This young man "escapes" the crowd's wicked intentions.

Just as well say he "avoided" arrest, trial and likely death himself! This situation, as you well know, is soon to degrade into a lynch mob!

They are going to kill Jesus!

And perhaps anyone else associated with Him!

Now, look at the scenario Mark has drawn.

One young man dies! That's our Lord.

Another young man, quite similar, even dressed in like manner, lives!

One's heart ceases beating.

The other's heart continues! Its rhythm consistent, indicating very good health!

And get this.

One is to be buried!

The other never sees the inside of a tomb, not now anyway!

Jesus, a perfect picture of death, vicarious death!

The young man, a perfect picture of escape from death, also called resurrection!

Wow!

It's just like the two birds of Leviticus 14, one dead and the other released to fly away, one symbolizing Jesus' coming Death, the other His coming Resurrection!

So are Jesus and this young man parallel.

Jesus ... Death for sinners!

The young man, nearly dead but having escaped, very much alive, Resurrection from the grim reaper!

Yes, Jesus did so much on the Cross that one bird or one goat or, for that matter, one Gospel is not sufficient to tell the whole Story!

It takes more!

One Man dies!

One man escapes the clutches of death!

For the next three days ... Jesus lies in a tomb, albeit a borrowed one.

For the next three days, and a whole lot longer, this young man roams the countryside freely, not bound by death at all!

It takes both!

Death!

And Resurrection!

Listen to Paul, two verses, one highlighting Jesus' Death, the other His Resurrection.

Speaking of Jesus in Colossians 1:14, Paul preaches: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." Jesus' Death! That's the only way He could shed that Blood! The only way we can be forgiven!

Now Paul is speaking of Jesus' Resurrection, Romans 5:10. "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." His Life, His Resurrection! Essential for our salvation, too!

Glory to God!

The tomb is empty!

Jesus is now alive, at the Father's Right Hand!

Both facts, Death and Resurrection, pictured by two young Jewish men.

One is Jesus!

The other is this unnamed young man in Mark 14:50-52.

One dies!

On lives, snatched from the fangs of death itself!

Both sides of the Story!

Hallelujah!

                                                                       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Let me close,

I'm sure feeling good this Saturday morning! Even if it is fourteen degrees outside and getting colder by the minute! Still, it's pretty warm in my heart right now! Jesus died for sinners! Jesus is raised again for sinners! That's how I got saved!

Praise His dear Name!

I'm so thankful Mark included the account of this young man in his Gospel! No name, but plenty of truth! Jesus is alive!

LESSON 7, ONE MORE THOUGHT:

Well, I just can't quit, can I?

I got to thinking.

About Jesus and this young man in Mark 14:51-52. "And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked."

The young man left the authorities holding one thing, his linen cloth! His "sindon," using the exact Greek word!

We yesterday said he was undoubtedly a "picture" of Jesus' Resurrection.

Now think of Jesus and His literal Resurrection.

What did He leave behind, our Lord?

His grave clothes too!

Read it.

"Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, John, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed." John 20:6-8

Wow!

This unnamed young man, a symbol of Jesus' death and resurrection, left behind his linen cloth. In the soldiers' hands!

And Jesus too, at his Resurrection, left behind linen clothing, which no doubt was eventually touched by soldiers' hands too! Maybe even the very same soldiers!

Wow!

Evidence!

He lives!

There must have been something very special about those garments!

I say that because when John saw them, the way they were positioned apparently, he immediately believed!

He instantly knew, no doubt about it, Jesus was alive!

Back when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the first thing He said about the newly revived man was this. "And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." John 11:44

"Loose him," unwrap those strips of linen!

Set him free!

But with Jesus, I do not believe He had to be "unwrapped!"

I suspect He came right through those things!

They still lay there, tightly wound, undisturbed, their Subject having miraculously escaped!

That's why John believed!

There was just no other explanation!

Jesus is alive!

And yes, He is still alive today, thousands of years later!

Alive, never to die again!

Oh, what truth a linen cloth can convey!

Graveclothes!

                                                                        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Yes, thank God for this brief Text, Mark 14:50-52. "And they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked." Amen!