As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” (v.20-21)
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (v.22-24)
Application point 1: There are situations/seasons of life when the Lord appoints an obstacle in our way to develop our faith and/or put His power on display.
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive your trespasses. [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.] (v.25-26)
Application point 2: Be careful removing scripture from its context. An unforgiving spirit is a great hindrance to effective prayer. An unforgiving spirit blocks our prayers and isolates us from the blessing of His presence and awareness of His grace.
And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was talking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” (v.27-28)
Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” (v.29-30)
And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, from heaven, he will say, why then did you not believe him? But shall we say, From man?” they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. (v. 31-32)
So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (v.33)
Application point 3: They rejected Jesus just as they rejected John. And He rejected them.
In Summary:
-Our failures are a usual way God grows us, but often He appoints hardships for us to grow our faith, purify us, or protect us (perhaps even from ourselves).
-While v.24 appears to be a broad promise, it is contingent that we approach heaven, exercising faith with a humble forgiving spirit. Being right or getting right with our brothers and sisters!
-The Lord did not argue with His enemies. He did not seek to enlighten them. To them, He had nothing to say. Likewise, to the mockers and skeptics, we are not the ‘fixers’ of them all. We must be Spirit-led and filled. Recognize those He has given to us and move along from those He may appoint to others.
https://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.png00Admin Midtownhttps://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.pngAdmin Midtown2024-01-07 11:00:412024-01-08 12:06:17Mark Pt. 29: The Shadow of Calvary Looms
Does Christ control all history and each moment of your life?
The Gospel of Mark:
So far it has taken 10 chapters to cover 3 yrs of Jesus’ life on earth…The rest of the book is 6 chapters to cover 8 days!!!
We just finished Advent, Christ entering our world as one of us.On what we know as ‘Palm Sunday’, Christ entered the city where He would be sacrificed for you and me as one of us. The wonder of Advent for me is that God was willing to come as one of us…And now we see Christ headed towards dying as one of us. Christ enters the city surrounded by thousands…Five days later Christ is Crucified.
Every week until Easter we will be looking at what things were a priority for Jesus to show His Disciples & The World during that last week of His pre-Cruxified life. In our text today He is showing His Disciples that He is in control of it all; Big & Small, The contrast of the Majestic and the Minute. This Scripture declares: Big or small, Christ is Lord of all!
The New year is good time to order your life to reflect a Biblical view if Jesus Christ.
Mark 11:1-18 NASB 1995
1 As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, 2 and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ you say, ‘The Lord has need of it’; and immediately He will send it back here.”
Everyone but the 12 were fearful of Jesus going to Jerusalem [10:32]
He gives very detailed instructions… like He is in control of… Everything!
The God of Creation & The God of intricate details!
He is staging a massive gathering and yet gives attention to tiny details
I wounder if God is like that in each of our lives?
God wants to involve us in the Big and Small
God is Big yet willing to be small…
4 They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it. 5 Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission. 7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.
People don’t just let someone take a valuable animal like that…
Key thing for the disciples: ‘They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them’
Obedience to Jesus’ Words & Ways is central to Biblical Christ Discipleship!
They covered the donkey & the road…Why?
Specific Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy: The coming King!
Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble, riding on a donkey riding on a donkey’s colt. ~ Zechariah 9:9
9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!” 11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.
‘Hosanna’ means: ‘O Save Us!’
The use of this language by the Jewish people was reserved for The Messiah
This is the only time Jesus is truly recognized as who He is
He checks out the temple, perhaps making a plan for tomorrow
They leave and go to Bethany, most likely staying with Mary, Martha & Lazarus
12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.
It’s Monday and they get up and head back into the city
Interaction with the fig tree is contrasted with being hailed as the Messiah
No one is there to see Him come into the city
The text makes a point to say His Disciples were listening
At this point they are paying attention to EVERYTHING…after what the’ve seen
15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; 16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.
The 1st thing He did once He entered the city was to address a big wrong
Christ was doing a big object lesson about justice
The people who were getting ripped off the most were those coming from afar
Selling sacrifice animals at inflated prices & giving them a bad exchange rate!
Besides the ‘Sacrifice Scam’ they were also turning it into a ‘Flea Market’!!
17 And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.” 18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
After getting everyones attention He teaches
Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7 ‘…For All Nations’
The context of this passage is about God not excluding foreigners
Read Isaiah 56:1-8
It angered the priests & scribes because He was condemning their set-up: They were in charge.
We end with people reacting to Jesus with fear & astonishment. What is your reaction to Jesus today? The whole crowd was astonished, the religious leaders were fearful…and His Disciples were listening and obeying!
What is the Scripture teaching US and what are WE go going to do with it?
What Jesus is showing us:
God controls all circumstances in our lives, as His Disciples we become obedient to Christ’s words and ways. When we do things with His heart & actions, He is glorified and Scripture will come alive in our lives!
Application Action:
Do three small things this week that are specifically obedient to the Words of Christ.
Examples: Turn the other cheek. Store up treasure in heaven. Forgive your Bro or Sis 70 X 7. Receive The Kingdom like a child.
What Jesus is showing us:
Jesus specifically fulfilled prophecies to demonstrate His Messiahship and His personal attention to EVERY detail, that means every detail of your life. Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem is prophetically foreshadowing His second coming. He holds all history & every moment of each of our lives in His hands.
Application Action:
Make a BIG choice that reflects the Big Picture of being Christ’s Disciple, not the ‘American Dream’ of Success, Security & Status. Remember He is coming back!
What Jesus is showing us:
God is paying attention to the Big & Small; from every plant to nations and churches. He is concerned with what we do as individuals and Members of His Body. As His Disciples we do well to listen carefully and apply such principals to our daily lives.
Application Action:
Ask someone in leadership here at Midtown how YOU can be obedient to play a part in making Midtown Church glorify God more.
For the next three months we are going to examine the last last SIX chapters of this book, events that take place over just SEVEN days! As Christ’s Disciples… As His Body… may we LISTEN & OBEY!
https://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.png00Todd Briggshttps://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.pngTodd Briggs2023-12-31 11:00:362024-01-02 08:56:27Mark Pt. 28: Christ is Lord of All, Big or Small
Today, tomorrow this whole season is about love. It’s why God was incarnated. Today is about real love, the fullness of love. NOT what passes for love [affection]. To understand love you have to start with GOD…At God’s essential core He IS love. The Trinity is the perfect expression of love for others [prefect relational community].
God defines LOVE by who HE is & what HE has done! The final Word on love would come at the cross…But it BEGINS with the Birth of Jesus The Christ! The Advent of the Messiah, the coming of The God Man, Jesus of Nazareth…
He came to demonstrate and define The Fullness of Love. God made it personal: He came HIMSELF, incarnated as one of us…He came to complete the story of our redemption. What we call ‘The Bible’. This Christmas let us joyfully receive the gift of LOVE as explained in God’s Word.
Let us learn and apply it with all of our heart, souls, mind and strength!
1st John 4:7-21 NASB 1995
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
The love John has for his audience comes from intimate knowledge of Christ
God’s essence is love. The Triune Godhead defines love!
KNOW GOD, KNOW LOVE…
Humans cannot truly love without God empowering it [just affection]
9 By this, the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
The ultimate expression of God’s love for His people was the sending of Jesus
God defines love as sacrifice for others / Doing for us what we could not do!
‘Live through Him’ = eternal life with God we have by giving our life to Christ
‘In This IS Love’ WE don’t make it happen… He loved & loves us {ponder}
‘This Love’ is God condescending to be one of us, becoming the payment for our sin
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
Our love for each other flows from God’s love for us [responsibility & privilege]
As we cannot see the wind, we can’t see God…We can see His effect: LOVE
God coming to us… as one of us… is the perfect expression of what love is
That God would live in us so that we could love like Him… HIS love perfected!
13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.
He says: Here is how we know this love, how we have this love in us: HIS Spirit
Only through Biblical Salvation does God give His chosen people His Spirit
The Biblical Gospel results in Biblical Confession and indwelling Holy Spirit
Faith in Christ as God & Savior leads us to believe and begin to live by love
God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
Love is the heart of God’s being!
Its the defining aspect of His character, from love flow all the other ways of God
God’s Love is born in us by the Holy Spirit [Eternal Security]
That confidence is lived out through sacrificial love that overcomes fear
If you know that you are ‘Heaven Bound’… you don’t fear death
If you know there will be NO punishment for your sin, you live by love, not fear
19 We love, because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.
The initiator of all love, of all redeemed relationship… is God Himself!
True love of God cannot coexist with hatred of members of of Christ’s body
It is commanded of Christ’s followers that we are to love our Christian family
If we truly share the love we also share in the abolition of hate in Christ’s Body
BIBLICAL TRUTH
The fullness of love is only found in knowing God [Knowing who Christ is] & being born of God [Indwelt with God’s Spirit]. The Biblical definition of a Christ Follower.
BIBLICAL TRUTH
As Christ’s followers we are hardwired to the definitive source of perfect love; unconditional, self-sacrificial and pure.
BIBLICAL TRUTH
As Christ’s followers, God’s love in us is proven by the gift of His Spirit, which enables us to fully trust Him for today & eternity.
BIBLICAL TRUTH
As Christ’s followers we do not fear judgement for our sin from God because we have experienced the full extent of His Love demonstrated in Christ’s coming to us.
BIBLICAL TRUTH
As Christ’s followers, God’s love in us is not compatible with hatred for other Biblical followers of Christ.
APPLICATION ACTIONS:
Get involved in more intentional scripture study to increase your faith in Christ.
Don’t settle for any other definition of love other than God’s definition of love [Christ].
Ask God to give you assurance of Eternity with HIM by His Spirit so you can live uncontrolled by fear.
Eradicate any place for hate you might have in your life for other Biblical Christians.
https://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.png00Todd Briggshttps://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.pngTodd Briggs2023-12-24 11:00:282023-12-27 16:04:15ADVENT: The Fullness of Love
What are we celebrating this season? What is it really about? For Christ’s children and those HE is calling to be His; WE celebrate His arrival. ADVENT / ARRIVAL: The coming of the Messiah.
It is the beginning of The Incarnation, the arrival on Earth of ‘The Prince of Peace’. We [Who God’s favors rests on] place our HOPE in the Prince of PEACE. We [Christ’s Body] have JOY because of the Prince of PEACE.
The actual PEACE… the SHALOM is what WE celebrate. The Hebrew word we translate as ‘Peace’ is Shalom. The fullness of what is means is not just a lack of conflict…It is a state of being where everything is as it should be, the way it started out. What Shalom encompasses is: How things are meant to be between us and God.
Perfect Shalom existed in the garden before Adam & Eve disobeyed God. Once sin came between mankind and God, that perfect shalom ceased to exist. God used the Law of Moses to demonstrate that humanity could not create shalom. We could not make things the way they should be, only God could… [HE did]
The birth of the Christ Child was & still is God’s declaration of PEACE to us. This morning it is our privilege & responsibility to glorify God for the gift of Shalom.
Setting the stage; Luke 2:1-7
At that time a proclamation was made by Caesar Augustus that all the inhabited world should be registered. This was the first census, undertaken while Qurenius was governor of Syria and everybody went to the town of his birth to be registered.
Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s town, Bethlehem, in Judea, because he was a direct descendant of David, to be registered with his future wife, Mary, now in the later stages of her pregnancy.
So it happened that it was while they were there in Bethlehem that she came to the end of her time. She gave birth to her first child, a son. And as there was no place for them inside the inn, she wrapped him up and laid him in a manger.
8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
In the area of Bethlehem, outside the city [I have been there]
Massive fear: they knew this was God & they knew things were not as they should be between them & God [need to sacrifice their best stuff]
If you are not at peace with God, His Glory is frightening
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
The message was: you don’t have to fear what God is doing
The news would result in JOY, not just happiness
The joy comes from getting a Savior / The Messiah / God Himself
The connection of David is important based on the scripture
The uniqueness of this event will be authenticated by the unique birth deal
13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
First there is one angel, then ‘A Great Multitude’
The angel’s communication has both worship and information
1st God is glorified in this ‘arrival’ of the Messiah
2nd they declare the ‘New Covenant’ where God make peace favored people
The Messiah will bring shalom to those who God is pleased with [Grace]
God’s messengers declared the end of ‘Fear Based’ relationship with God
15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”
They must have been stunned for a minute!
Very quickly the reality of what had happened moved them to action
Revelation made them seek more revelation [seeking the truth]
16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
They didn’t wait to seek God
It could not have been very hard to find the Christ Child
They don’t just stay there looking at the Baby, they broadcast the Good News
They told anyone who would listen what God had told them
18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
People may have not understood the deal but EVERYONE wondered…
The Shepherd’s message had IMPACT [true revelation changes people]
Mary treasured the information because she connected it with previous info
The Angel & the visit to Elisabeth
The shepherds returned to their normal life but having found the means of peace with their maker
Theirs lives are now lives of worship based on the revelation of God’s peace
THE GOSPEL Is the offer of Perfect Shalom to you from God
Steps to Shalom:
Start by recognizing that all of us start in a state of conflict with God because of sin.
Embrace the reality that God alone initiates the end of enmity between us by coming to us Himself!
Know that Christ’s coming was the culmination of God’s plan to bring salvation to all peoples through His ‘chosen people’.
The ultimate glorification of God comes from His coming to us to make peace.
The response to the revelation of God’s salvation results in the intentionally sharing of that revelation.
The advent of Shalom changes the world and those who God enables to believe it will treasure that gift by the way they live.
Application:
Are you convinced of your original state of being at war with God because of YOUR sin?
Do you fully believe that it is God who initiates and completes Shalom through the advent of Christ?
Are you active in the seeking and the sharing of Shalom with God, giving Him glory?
Have you put the pieces of what God has revealed to you together so that you treasure the Gift of Shalom with God through Christ?
https://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.png00Todd Briggshttps://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.pngTodd Briggs2023-12-10 11:00:132023-12-11 09:45:28ADVENT: The Arrival of Shalom
This text is totally focused on what those who are Disciples of Christ are to do. How they should think, feel & act. Twice in this passage Jesus The Christ asks believers, What do you want Me to do for you? 1st He asks that question to 2 of His 12 chosen Disciples, 2 of the Big 3. Then He asks that question to one of the least of believers, the last guy you would think understands who Jesus is, a blind beggar.
That Jesus asks those in top leadership & someone at the bottom of the food chain the same question means HE is asking it of all HE would choose to follow Him. All those who believe HE is The Son of David, The Christ, The Son of God, The Messiah.
He has asked the same sort of question throughout the Gospel of Mark as well as the other Gospels. It stands to reason that He will ask His Disciples this question all the time. What do you want Jesus to do for you? Entertain you? Give you self-esteem? Provide ethics & morality? Give you status? Heal you physically or emotionally? Enhance your career? Enhance a relationship?
OR…
Or are you looking for something that doesn’t involve your wants and desires? As bible based disciples of our Lord & Master Jesus Christ we have agreed to ‘Die to Ourselves’ to ‘Be the servant of all’ to ‘Give up our lives for Him’. For those who have done these things, in this passage Jesus is going to once again stress a couple of very significant aspects of being His Disciple. He has taught about these things before and will again: Servanthood & Teachability. That these two stories are together in the text means these two need to be combined in the life of Christ’s Disciples. We are all called to be taught by Christ how to be a servant and how to be a continuing student.
TODAY: Jesus of Nazareth is preparing His Twelve Disciples, soon to be Apostles. He knows His time short, in this narrative we are mere weeks from the Cross. He is going to take the time to intimately teach the twelve as well as give a public lesson.
10:32-52 [NASB 1995]
32 They were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful.
The Disciples were in awe that Jesus was going to Jerusalem
At this point the twelve pretty much understanding who HE really is: GOD
Those who followed is the ‘hangers-on’ surrounding Jesus [text separates]
That word translated as ‘fearful’ contains dread, apprehension and alarm
Mark uses this word only 3 times. They all describe ‘fear of the unknown’
They don’t get who He is so they are afraid of His going to Jerusalem
His Disciples, who are ‘walking’ with The Christ are not fearful but are in awe!
And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him, 33 saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.”
He is doing more and more intense teaching just for the Disciples
He has spoken in generalities about His fate but here He gets more specific
He has been preparing them to comprehend what He is doing
These are the exact chain of events as they will unfold
So put yourself in the Disciples shoes, how do you react to this?
35 James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”
As a reaction to what Jesus tells them, some start thinking of their ‘Position’
Last time Jesus told them He was going to be killed they reacted the same way
Jesus asks: What do you want Me to do for you?
The ‘Sons of Thunder’ want the ‘Position’ of most honor [next to the King]
They are recognizing His coming glory but don’t understand how He gets there
For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him. They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. ~ Mark 9:31-34
38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.”
Jesus says; ‘Do you realize how I am going to get to Glory?’
To ‘drink the cup’ is to receive consequences or be put in a situation
To ‘Be Baptized’ is literally ‘to be immersed in’ / totally involved in something
He had just described the situation and consequences He would be a part of
Christ asks if they are able to take on what He is going to live through
They tell Him; ‘Yep! We are all in! [Commitment to Christ’s Discipleship]
And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40 But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
They say they are all in…Jesus says they will share in what He will go through
James is beheaded about 11years after Christ’s resurrection
Tradition holds that they tried to kill John twice and eventually exiled him
James & John did suffered for God and others, just like their Master
But the top two spots, Jesus said, were not His to assign (who might they be?)
41 Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them.”
The other Disciples are like: ‘Who do you two think you are?’
So Jesus gets their attention and teaches them a lesson He has taught before
He starts with how this world works: power & authority are oppressive
Sin corrupts all power structures in our world…even the Church
43 “But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
‘Among You’ Among Christ’s true Disciples; Spirit Indwelt Followers
Within this group power will work differently based on Christ’s example
The positions of power among Christ’s Disciples will be occupied by ‘Servants’
Leaders in Christ’s Body don’t exercise authority, they give their lives away
They are not driven by status and power but by humility and servitude
46 Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jericho is about 25 miles from Jerusalem
Jesus is traveling with a large group
This blind beggar calls Jesus ‘The Messiah’ [Son of David]
He asks for mercy… [Good Request]
He is told to be quiet…same sort of attitude Jesus’ followers had about kids!
The implication was that He was too important to spend time with this guy
49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” 50 Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
Jesus is totally assessable, approachable and willing to connect with anyone
Truth is He is too important for ANYBODY!
We are all equally undeserving of Christ’s attention yet all have equal access!
People who know exactly who Jesus, they know He is willing and able to help
Constant theme of the Gospel of Mark: ‘Faith of Others’ / Communal Faith
Bartimaeus jumps at his chance for an audience with Jesus & the question
And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.
Son of David was an impersonal title, Rabboni means My Mentor / My Example
He not only recognizes Jesus as the Christ, but also as his Personal Discipler
Not only recognizing Jesus as God; but as his instructor on all things
Bartimaeus is an example of faith being expressed in discipleship for us
He believes Jesus as the Messiah, is to be his example, mentor and teacher
With Christ: Faith that is lived out in humble teachability… brings healing
He is healed, but this is just the beginning: Bartimaeus BEGAN to follow HIM
Takeaways 4 Disciples:
Don’t pursue status or position but rather embrace suffering and rejection.
Jesus Foretells His sacrificial death a 3rd time, and again His Disciples start thinking of power positions, status and authority
Jesus asks them: “What do you want ME to do for you?” and they answer from sinful self absorption
They don’t have the Holy Spirit indwelling them yet so they can do nothing other than react in their ‘flesh’
Become a servant for the reasons Jesus did: God and others.
Jesus’ Disciples share in the rejection and suffering that comes from living for God by HIS power
It is not going top be a desirable life based on this world’s standards
Christ’s standard for His followers regarding leadership, stature and power will be Servanthood not Oppression
When faced with the reality of Christ’s sacrifice we are not to focus on fulfilling our selfish desires and lusts.
Instead we are to put God and everyone else first: SERVANTHOOD
Place yourself under Christ’s ‘Lordship Mentoring’ and remain teachable.
Bartimaeus places himself under Jesus’ ‘Lordship Mentoring’ = Biblical Discipleship
He wants healing in his life so He can Follow Jesus, not fulfill his own desires
Be willing to be taught a repeat lesson by Jesus without getting complacent.
These are similar teachings to what we have seen previously in the Gospel of Mark. Why the repetition?
Repetition is important…Deuteronomy means: ‘The Second Telling of The Law’
WE NEED REPETITION! Repeated teaching and repeated practice! Following Jesus is the most important stuff we will do in this life!
QUESTIONS 4 DISCIPLES:
Do you want Christ to teach you how to walk with Him and be like Him?
For this to happen must embrace being taught the same things over and over again
It is a long way to get from you to Jesus.
In this scripture, Christ is showing us how we are to be taught by HIM.
[Principle, Application, Repetition]
Do you want Christ to teach you how to be a servant and not a boss?
What we need to learn most from Christ is humility
Jesus teaches us humility by humbling us.
The world will teach us how to be full of ourselves.
Not just different than the world, opposite the world [last is first, first is last]
Do you want Christ to teach you how to give away your life for others?
You and I need to change ALOT to do this. Sanctification takes time
A life of Christ’s Discipleship is a life of being a servant and being teachable
Recognize you need more lessons & more practice living for God and others.
The bar is high: transformation into the image of Christ!
If we don’t get caught up in ourselves, or in status or in what popular culture thinks of us… we will grow in Christlikeness:Thinking, Feeling and Acting like Jesus The Christ / OUR LORD!
https://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.png00Todd Briggshttps://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.pngTodd Briggs2023-11-26 11:00:592023-11-27 08:38:38Mark Pt. 27: What Do You Want Jesus Christ To Do For You?
A Biblical Truth about God is consistently He calls us to sacrifice our lives and then in return He provides exponentially more than we give up. It is found throughout the Old and New Testament writings. That is the deal with Heaven: What you give up to get there is not even comparable to what you receive there. This revelation about God is is as old as when Abraham sacrifices Issac! [Only Son] Because Abraham was willing to give up whatever God asked Him to give up, Abraham experienced God’s provision, far exceeding what he was willing to give up.
It may seem impossible but Christ’s Disciples do it, have done it, will do it! When they understand the value of eternal life with God, Disciples trade their stuff for it! [treasure hidden in a field]
Over and over again Jesus says: “Give up your life for Me and the Truth about Me!” ‘Your Life’ being everything that matters to you, He calls all humanity to do this. Some will answer that call and some will not. For many it appears to be an impossible thing to do. But Jesus says to His ‘Dear Children’ that those who give up things for ‘My Sake’, will get in return multiplied amounts of what they gave up… Along with persecution … Our passage today finds Jesus and His followers on the road to Jerusalem. Christ’s Disciples walking with their Lord.
MARK 10:17-31[NASB 1995]
17 As Jesus was starting out on His way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to Him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.”
What he calls Jesus says a lot about who he thinks He is… He does kneel…
He seeks a ‘teacher’ to get a philosophical idea about eternity [head learning]
He inherited ‘this life’… now he wants to figure out how to inherit the next life
Referred to as a young man twice in Matt. 19, called ‘A Ruler’ in Luke 18
Jesus points out the sinful nature of EVERY person…[Except Him!]
19 “But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
Jesus uses the term ‘The Commandments’
He mentions some of the relational commandments that are codified in law
I believe there was an understanding that what Jesus meant was ‘The Law’
This guys says he has kept them all! What a lie! [a teacher wouldn’t know]
21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” He told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
Jesus really loved him AND called him to surrender His ‘stuff / life’… for Him!
This demonstrates God’s love for all AND His call to follow goes out to all
Christ loved Him, but at the same time knew what his response was going to be
22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”
Obviously disappointed he resigned to live for his stuff rather than God
Then Jesus makes a statement, He is not asking a question
He says it is going to be hard to surrender earthly riches for heavenly riches
The earthly riches are right here right now… heavenly riches require faith!
24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
They are amazed because the ultra religious were also the ultra rich in Israel
Jesus then says to His ‘Dear Children’ that those with a lot of stuff will struggle
Jesus uses an example that appears to says that it is impossible to enter
Discipleship to Christ is hard in general, seemingly impossible for the rich
26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
The twelve are blown away! They thought they were in…
A camel can’t get through the eye of a needle!
If that is how hard it is NOBODY can be saved!
Jesus says, no human can make it happen… but God can do anything!
God can even fit a camel through the ‘Eye of The Needle’
The unburdening of our possessions gets us where God wants us to go
28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for My sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution.”
Peter, the instant processor says: We have totally unburdened ourselves!
Christ affirms that statement: “Yea, you guys have given up everything”!
He says that if you give up everything for ME & THE GOSPEL
Now [in this life] you will get a hundred times what ever you give up
Relationships / Property / Estates
What happens if you don’t give anything up to follow Christ? 0 X 100 = ZERO
What else do you get? PERSECUTION!! [Discipleship Special Offer]
But wait…there’s more!
“And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”
After telling His Disciples they will have a ‘rich’ life on earth as His followers
If you give up everything for ME & THE GOSPEL you get eternal life
And then Jesus adds this Kicker: Status in eternity is not based on status here
What makes people important in this world will carry no importance in heaven
People who almost nobody has heard about will be the greatest in heaven
The first will be last and the last will be first
TAKE AWAYS
This guy is the product of ‘Spiritual Posturing’ in establishment religion
Wealth & Status = Spiritual Maturity. His claim that he has kept all the commandments is a ‘Relativistic’ look at Obedience.
God’s response to fleshly attempts to appear good enough: LOVE & INVITATION.Christ exposes religious posturing & fronting as a hinderance to salvation.
We want to exempt what is most valuable to us from the list of what we will give up for God. God says: get rid of the stuff I tell you to give up & swap it for heaven! Follow ME!
This guy couldn’t part with his wealth / possessions / status / power. Jesus wants to teach us how money & status will distract people from eternal things.
As Christ Disciples we become ‘Unencumbered’ in whatever way Christ calls us to. We give up: Status, careers, relationships, possessions, where you live…
Christ’s Disciples will give up what they are called to give up, and will receive back multiplied amounts of what they give up. Jesus said it, do you believe it enough to act based on what He says?
Give up nothing: you receive what you can provide, not the multiplied riches of GOD. Giving up wealth & status will make Christ’s Disciples look unimportant in this world. Giving up wealth and status will make Christ’s Disciples great and rich in Eternity.
If you find yourself at the point of surrender…Ask God to give you eternal life, only He can make it happen! If He is making it happen He will ask you to give up something…That is what Christ’s followers do, they imitate their Lord and lay down their life. If you don’t think you can, believe what Christ says, ‘Everything is possible with God!’
Application Questions:
What are you willing to give up to follow Christ? What have you not been able to give up?
Do you compare your obedience to Christ with that of others? Do you think this is a Biblical practice?
What are some examples in your life where you gave up things for Christ’s sake and then received so much more than you gave up?
Lay It Down, See It Multiplied / Sacrifice and Provision
https://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.png00Todd Briggshttps://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.pngTodd Briggs2023-11-19 11:00:132023-11-20 08:44:24Mark Pt. 26: Lay it Down, See it Multiplied / Sacrifice & Provision
The text this morning is a complex one. Two main stories today; First, Jesus teaches about divorce. It can be an uncomfortable topic. Jesus teaches it, so we’re going to address it.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17
We believe that. The bible is given to us so that we can be equipped to live a life in service of Him.
Before we get in to what Jesus says, the text itself, lets dish a little about what the world says about divorce. The societal view on divorce, particularly in America, has shifted RADICALLY in the last 60 years. There was a time not long ago that even the law was quite averse to divorce. New Yorkers had to wait until 2010 before their state would grant a “no fault” divorce without a justification like adultery or battery. The idea that marriage is something we can just change our minds about is a very new concept in America.
As much as we try to avoid it, the world can really influence us and the way we feel about important topics. So take a minute, and ask yourself, what do you think about divorce? Do you believe marriage is a man-made device? And so if so we can treat it like other man-made things? Maybe that isn’t the case for you. Perhaps marriage is something you give respect to. It’s something we honor, take seriously.Either way, this morning we will level set whatever we believe about marriage with the only thing that matters, with the word of God.
The second story we’ll read is Jesus instructing what kind of person can receive his kingdom. He tells the disciples to “let the little children come to me”. Possibly a familiar story, but we’ll read another installment of the disciples failing to understand who Jesus is, and why he came.
Our title this morning is “God meets us where we’re at”. One of the greatest tenants of Christianity is that we don’t need to show up with anything. “nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling”. We don’t need to arrive before we are welcomed in.
These stories can orient our hearts, if we let them. It can define how we see our relationship with our spouse, and also define our relationship with him.
Mark 10:1-16 (ESV)
10 And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them. 2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?”
So what is going on? Why are they asking him this question?
If it feels like a loaded question, it probably is. Mark states it was to test him.
Huge point here. Jesus uses the scripture to refute his attackers. We can try to live like Jesus and model our lives after him in many ways but perhaps none more important than this one. Scripture is the default; it is the first thing he checks.
Jesus flips the question back on them, knowing they are ready with the answer. They say…
4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.”
The response from the pharisees. Moses said we could do it!!
You get the sense that they wanted a chance to justify their own actions. The pharisees probably thought they were following the law of Moses.
I don’t know for sure if any of these religious leaders had been divorced, but let’s paint a picture of what marriage looked like in those days. Roman rule has been around for a while, and they were pretty lenient with divorce as a legal proceeding. In their society marriage was a contract set up between families, and sometimes those contracts didn’t work out. Simple.
Divorce was part of Jewish culture even before the Romans entered the picture. In Jewish law, a man could send his wife away with some provisions, for specific reasons. But the pharisees are misusing Deuteronomy 24.
Jesus goes on teaching:
5 And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Jesus again quoting scripture here, he recaps the God breathed account of the first marriage. The pharisees should know this.
“No longer two”. This is how God describes a couple who is married. What does that mean to you?
Distinct personality? Different jobs? But what about different friends? Living in different places? Finances?
You can tell there is a very different vibe here, not just a contractual agreement
“let not man separate”. This can be uncomfortable, but this is what the bible teaches
There are other accounts of his teaching, where Jesus gives some very limited exceptions, but here in this gospel Jesus sticks to Gods heart surrounding marriage.
There are three points that Jesus makes very succinctly:
He confirms the law Moses gave them / Moses allowed for divorce
He then reminds them of God’s intentions surrounding marriage / That marriage is from God, that it is unique and permanent
And lastly he explains the reason there is a difference / God permitted divorce as a merciful concession to people’s sinfulness. Because of their hardness of heart he allowed for it.
What Jesus says here is so counter cultural that we’ll see his disciples need clarification
10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
Sounds like the disciples want Jesus to level with them. Give them the real scoop, he didn’t really mean that right? You are saying we should not divorce our spouse?
Not only should a man not divorce his wife, but if he marries another, he is then committing another sin against God!
These are not rules for just men or just women. If God has joined something, what ways are there for us to separate?
Through today’s lens we might think this is really unfair. Jesus is saying if you remarry you are committing adultery.
Do you feel like being married is a right? In America there is an expectation, we can marry someone that we love? But the hard truth is that we cannot separate what God has joined.
As serious as this is, remember it is a sin like all the others we commit every day. It is forgiven through Christ. It is something to repent from.
If you are left or abandoned, know you are not forgotten and abandoned by our God. He is there for us.
As humans we have a tendency to look for the exceptions, what about this? Practical application is important. Especially when its directly applicable right now. If you have questions about this, I encourage you to dive in, to the text, in prayer, ask your discipler
But it shouldn’t be about what we can get away with. Jesus is telling us we need a high view of marriage; we should not look to justify our actions like the pharisees. We cannot attempt to water down Gods command and intention/design of marriage like they did.
13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
The disciples saw it as a waste of time.
Interesting to note that His harshest words are reserved for the disciples, not the pharisees. He was indignant, showing anger and annoyance.
The disciples thought that the children were not worth Jesus’ time. They needed to grow up first, be ready to understand what he was teaching.
Jesus says no, in fact they are the ones ready to hear what he has to say.
15 “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
When I first read this, I asked myself “how do children receive things”?
the key verb here is receive. Its passive. Not achieve or bring about the kingdom. It is a gift to us
Jesus puts his hands on them
But to answer the question, what is it about children that Jesus is drawing our attention to?
Characteristics of a child, the most obvious is dependence
A child does not make any meaningful contributions to the household
Yet Christ says we need to be like them.
That is how we are to participate in the kingdom. We rely on him. We ask to draw near him. We ask him to accept us in our sin and helplessness. We go to him for everything. Study his every word, like a kid watching his parents.
There is still grace for us. He still wants us where we are. He certainly doesn’t want to leave us there, but he is ready to accept us, faults and all. Spurgeon makes the point that the little child finds no difficulty, in fact needs to do nothing to grow in to a man. Yet the difficulty lies in us growing down to become like a child.
• What areas in life do I not want to listen to Jesus?
o Things that make us uncomfortable. Do you think the bible is wrong, or not worth listening?
• Am I studying Gods word enough to grasp the nuance?
o Godly living isn’t merely difficult, but can be complicated. We have his words, but are you studying it enough?
o Christians need to study this book, understand what God is saying. Give him the time to talk to us
• Am I acting with one flesh in my marriage?
o Opportunity to examine marriage. Are we doing things as one flesh? Are there areas of your marriage that you’ve resisted fully joining together in?
o What does being one flesh mean to you?
• Do I depend on God like a child, or do I attempt to bring something to the table?
o It seems pretty important to “receive the kingdom…like a child”. How?
Jesus isn’t here to beat people over the head. God’s grace is directly related to what God knows you can handle. He knew that the Israelites were operating in a messy world. Sin, betrayal, broken promises, all played a part in corrupting God’s design for marriage.
Jesus taught so that the pharisees would understand that a man who divorces his wife in order to marry another woman is doing the same thing an adulterer does, but under the cover of the law of Moses.
He wants us to value the relationships he has made for us. That’s what this passage is about, both are God centered relationships that he has for us. The way we can approach him as a child, and the way we are to treat and interact with our spouse.
Statistics obfuscate the truth, they tell you divorce is inevitable. But that already is a lie. It is Satan at work, deceiving us. The truth is that we have the spirit in us. We have a God who saves, who gives grace.
As Christians, we are to commit to marriage in the context of a community of believers. We move forward, knowing we are not going to be perfect in anything let alone marriage, and we strive for God’s vision of marriage instead of living in fear of what the world says is normal or unavoidable.
I don’t have a secret trick to a happy marriage that avoids divorce, but I want to leave us with an encouragement, to adopt God’s outlook on marriage. And an encouragement especially to heed his command to receive the kingdom like a child. Depend on him like a little kid.
https://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.png00Admin Midtownhttps://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.pngAdmin Midtown2023-11-12 11:00:302023-11-13 08:29:46Mark Pt. 25: God Meets Us Where We Are
Super interesting passage! Straightforward teaching from Jesus to His Disciples! He lays down standards for His Chosen. What is a Standard? [Biblical Culture] Lot’s of specific examples of how Jesus says His Disciples are to live. We LIVE culture into existence AND affirm existing culture by how we LIVE. The bulk of this passage is a private session with The TWELVE / The Disciples. This discourse [lot’s of red letters = Jesus speaking]. The sermon on the mount was aimed at heart condition, now it is translated into actions.
Be the servant / Receive Them / Don’t stop them / Don’t cause them / Cut it off!
The Sermon on the Mount had BE-Attitudes, here we have BE-Actions. These commands are for His Disciples… [Context…anyone could BE these things…only His Disciples Will.
We start with Jesus making another statement predicting what will happen to Him here on earth. The Disciples are confused, fearful and lose focus. They are thrown by this hard teaching and become self-focused. Jesus recognizes their fleshly thinking, and uses this to begin some key standards.
Standards that He then places into the context of things that matter eternally.
Mark 9:30-50 [ESV]
30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And He did not want anyone to know, 31 for He was teaching His disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And when He is killed, after three days He will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask Him.
The ‘there’ He left was Bethesda [Northeast shore of the Sea Of Galilee, headed southeast]
He was keeping a low profile because HE wanted to focus on teaching the 12
Hard stuff to understand for the disciples [they don’t know what we do]
The Scripture states they let fear keep them from asking! Not a positive
Discipleship growth requires questioning, like a child questions, without fear
33 And they came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And He sat down and called the twelve. And He said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
At home base, in private, Jesus gives them the chance to be honest with Him
We saw this last week too: Jesus doesn’t want to correct His Disciples in public
Christ flips the world’s expectations of greatness upside-down!
Amongst HIS followers greatness is not measured by this worlds standards
Jesus Christ has different standards for His Disciples
36 And He took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking Him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
Next: an upside-down standard of relational success: treatment of regular joes
Relationships that are not based on what the other person brings to the table
Disciples of Christ do as their Lord does: give grace to everyone
That same attitude is how you come to redemption in Christ
A relationship with Christ is to be without calculation of what you get out of it
It is a surrender, and what you get is: ‘The Father’… The one who sent Jesus
38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your Name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in My Name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.” 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.”
This guy would call himself, ‘The Disciple Jesus Loved’… not being so lovable!
He was basically saying: ‘We didn’t give him permission to use your name’
Jesus said, if Demons were cast out [mighty work] that guy is on our side
Only two sides: Kingdom of Light / Kingdom of Darkness [No 3rd KINGDOM]
Christ command us to do what we are called to do in His Name
42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”
Using the Child again as a metaphor for the innocent, immature and dependent
Christ’s Disciples defend and care for such people, not in ‘theory’ but in ‘ACTS’
This is about Biblical standards for living amongst Christ’s Disciples
Biblical Standards of sin that have always existed amongst God’s people
If you do not take the proper responsibility for youth entrusted to you…OUCH!
This is a command for Christ’s Disciples
43 “And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm [gnawing anguish] does not die and the fire is not quenched.’”
In this translation, notation of verses 44 & 46 is missing.
Have they been deleted???
While it is true that both of those verses are not present in many modern translations (at least in the main body of the text), that kind of language assumes upfront that these verses must be a genuine part of Mark’s original work. Most scholars today, however, point out that these verses are not present in the earliest manuscripts we possess. Far from deleting the verses, these scholars claim the verses were added by later scribes. They were not a part of what Mark originally wrote. ~ Luke Wayne CARM [Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry]
Now we have the most intense command in this discourse
Three times Jesus basically says the same thing!
How do we get the right level of how important this is to God?
Hand, foot and eye… pretty important parts!
Some longstanding, very connected things in our life can be avenues to sin
Verse 48 echoes Isaiah 66:24
God describing Hell
These are high standards His Disciples are to observe, complete with consequences for disobedience. They are completely counter to our nature and the cultures we have been raised in. How will we live up to these standards? Like I said only His Disciples will.
What enables Christ’s Disciples to live in such selfless / counter culture ways???
49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Lev 2:13 Adding salt to your offerings:
The offering that is your life will be accompanied by a preserving or purification
Salt is the purifying agent ‘Everyone WILL BE salted…’ with fire?
This is describing the regeneration of Christ’s Disciples by the indwelling Spirit
God’s Spirit is the purifying agent in Christ’s Disciples [Fire / Pentecost]
Christ is looking ahead to the Indwelling of His Disciples with The Holy Spirit
Teaching just His Disciples, so He uses everyone referring to other Disciples
Purity is Good!
If it loses it’s distinctiveness [flavor] How do you get the flavor back? Can’t
Only God can make us and can keep us salty!
We can only be purified by Christ’s death, resurrection and call to discipleship
Jesus’ disciples seek to have and preserve purity from God
Be united with the Disciples Christ has placed you into A Body with!
Have salt in yourselves…
How is one ‘Purified By God’? This is known as Biblical Salvation!
THIS happens when someone is called by God and they surrender their life to Jesus Christ and the Biblical Gospel.
When Jesus speaks, His Disciples apply His Words to their lives
Jesus says hard things, His Disciples need to overcome fear and ask for help with unbelief so they can avoid becoming self-absorbed.
Jesus says His Disciples are to be last of all and the servant of all, He means it. Christ’s Disciples make humble servanthood a life priority.
When approached by those this world deems ‘worthless’, Jesus says His Disciples are to be as gracious with them as HE is.
When unknown people do Godly things in His Name, Jesus says His Disciples trust they are ‘In Christ’ and consider them ‘Teammates’.
Jesus says being responsible for how innocents learn to live is a massive responsibility and His disciples act accordingly.
Jesus says His Disciples will cut off the attachments that lead to sin, no matter what! [career, family, relational, financial, cultural or ethnic ties]
Jesus’ Disciples offer up their lives as a living sacrifice to Jesus Messiah, in this they are purified by the indwelling Spirit of Christ. This purity is to be cultivated, valued and shared.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. ~ Romans 12:1&2
https://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.png00Todd Briggshttps://midtownchurchatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/logo-full-Black-340x100-v2.pngTodd Briggs2023-11-05 11:00:322023-11-06 08:27:31Mark Pt. 24: Jesus Says
The demon possessed boy needed someone else to petition God for his release. Besides praying God’s armor for yourself, pray it for others. And PRAY for God to help you and others in their lack of belief Pray for wholehearted belief…because with that anything is possible!
How do we believe better? How do we believe more? How do we believe in Christ Jesus ‘Wholeheartedly’? Wholehearted belief results from relational investment, trust & commitment. When you believe in something wholeheartedly you have OWNERSHIP. How does that happen? God ultimately makes it happen!
We have a role to play: The practices & attitude of Discipleship to Jesus Christ! Where do we start? How do we respond to God working in our lives? It is simple: We are to ask God to help us in our unbelief. The way HE does this is to 1st make us all FAT: Faithful / Available / Teachable. This is how we become wholehearted in our belief in Jesus. It is an intentional seeking of God to grow our faith by BEING A FAT Disciple. Who needs to grow like this? Who is less than wholehearted in their belief? Based on Scripture, it is Jesus Christ’s chosen Disciples [that means all members of His Body].
The Disciples couldn’t cast out the demon in the boy. They had done it before… The disciples lack of belief was their problem, they didn’t fully believe in Jesus. The disciples did not have the preparation in prayer that was necessary [Jesus did].
Today’s passage is a lesson for all those who call themselves Christ’s Disciples AND those who are to become Disciples of Christ. Let’s see what God’s Word Says!
Mark 9:14-29 [NLT]
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet Him.
The four of them return from the mountain [not sharing what happened]
A crowd had gathered to watch some Scribes argue with Jesus’ Disciples
When Jesus shows up people are drawn to Him like no one else
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” He asked. 17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
Jesus gets right into it: ‘What is the dispute’?
The father of the boy speaks up. This is not a hypothetical argument
The boy’s condition was diagnosed by his father: it was an evil spirit
And what the Disciples had done before didn’t work on this boy
19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
Who is Jesus calling an ‘Unbelieving Generation’ [You People]
Jesus is disappointed in the halfhearted faith of His disciples
The demon reacted to Christ’s presence [The demon knew fully who he was]
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
Why does Jesus ask about the duration of the issue?
He discerns that this is ‘Demonic Possession’ vs ‘Demon Activity’
Anyone can be the target of demon activity, only unbelievers can be possessed
His father believed the demon wanted to kill the boy, so he was desperate
He saw Jesus as a source of help but not as ‘God All Sovereign’
He, like the Disciples, did not fully believe in who Jesus was
23 “’If You can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
This is what you call ‘Half-Hearted Belief’ [‘If you can’]
Jesus is like; ‘Obviously you don’t know who I AM’
The problem is not with Jesus it is with US!
Jesus says: the only thing limiting the blessing of God in your life is your belief!
Jesus confronts him with truth: ‘You don’t fully believe who I am’
The response of this man is an example for us, all of us, Disciple or not:
He says: ‘I believe You [God] please help me believe whole heartedly!’
This is what Jesus wants from those who put their faith in Him: Ask for more!
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” ~ Matthew 7:7-8
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, He rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
It seems like He wants to minimize the commotion
He calls the demon by name and commands it specifically [All Sovereign]
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
During it’s forced exit, the spirit takes one last shot…
Jesus drove the demon out and then perhaps brought the boy back to life
It is the new life that occurs when someone is freed from demonic control
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
Why did they seek privacy before being debriefed?
They had driven out evil spirits before, why not this time
The entrenched nature of a demon possession call for high level warfare
This was the next level in their training and they needed a new kind of training
They needed more prayer training [As do we]
Prayer to prepare and prayer to fight
What do you believe Jesus can do? What can HE do on your behalf? What is possible for YOU as a wholehearted believer in Christ? Do you think Jesus wants His Disciples to believe in HIM wholeheartedly? We all have need to grow like this!
If you believe half-heartedly in Jesus Christ you will: Serve halfheartedly / Give halfheartedly / Worship halfheartedly / Study Scripture halfheartedly / Pray halfheartedly / Love halfheartedly
Do you want to believe wholeheartedly? If so God’s Word today is telling YOU how! Do what this man did: ask Jesus to help your unbelief. But you have to start with some faith. ‘I believe, help my unbelief’!
Have you ever asked God to cause you to believe more fully in Christ? Do you believe in Jesus enough to confront demonic forces? How is your prayer life preparing you to overcome evil?
APPLICATION: What to Believe & How to Prepare
OUR NEED: Wholehearted Belief In Christ
Midtown Church Statement of Faith [Compilation of ‘Creedal Statements’]
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.We believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father and the Spirit, by whom all things were made; who was conceived and incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified for us, died, and was buried; He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again according to the scriptures and ascended into heaven, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, our High Priest interceding on our behalf, and He will come again to judge the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son who with the Father and Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets; His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, and indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service.
We believe in one holy universal and apostolic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, one baptism for the remission of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation. We believe that the true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the Body of Christ of which He is the Head.
We believe in the God inspired original manuscripts that encompass the cannon of scripture as affirmed at the council at Carthage in 397 A.D. (except for the Old Testament Apocryphal Books). The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of men and the Divine and final authority for Christian faith and life.
We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is, therefore, lost, and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.
We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only those who have come to all encompassing faith in Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit and, thus become children of God.
We unite in inviting all men to confess the one and only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Perfect both in deity and in humanness; this selfsame one is also actually God and actually man, with a rational soul and a body. He is of the same reality as God as far as his deity is concerned and of the same reality as we ourselves as far as His humanness is concerned; thus like us in all respects, sin only excepted.
OUR NEED: Prayer Preparation
Pray The Armor of God
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ~ Ephesian 6:13-16
