Mark Pt. 19: The Humble Messiah Approached With Humility

Mark 7:24-37

A Constant theme of Mark is that when faith abounds, healing abounds. And often it is the faith of someone other than the one healed. We are going to see more of that in this passage.

We learn a number of important things about God from the Scripture prior to Christ.His Power / His Holiness / His Love / His Mercy / His Justice. In Christ’s humanity we experience God’s humility. His Humility… Demonstrated as the Suffering Servant: Jesus the God-Man. It could be argued that HUMILITY is the unique trait of the Triune God. Ultimate humility was demonstrated by the only True God in His incarnation. How Jesus The Christ lived and died was the epitome of humility.

The apex of Christ’s humility was His death on a cross. The power of that act cannot be overlooked! I would argue the power to forgive sin is released from the depth of God’s humility.

The cross is also the apex of the servanthood of The Messiah.The Gospel of Mark constantly shows Jesus in the role of the active servant / healer. To describe Jesus in that role the Author uses the word ‘Immediately’. The Author / H.S. Uses it 35 times! Immediately is used 79 time in the whole new testament, all but one of those is in the Gospels and Acts. Jesus of nazareth described Himself as a servant… He said the greatest among His followers would be the servant / slave of all.

What servants do is act immediately. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is acting immediately, not after a day or two. God moving in active servanthood, servanthood is a demonstration of humility. The humble servant is active: ‘The Son of man came to serve, not be served.’ ~ J.C. The God of the universe condescending to servanthood of HIS creation? Yep!

What activates the humble servanthood of the Messiah is the humble faith of people. What seems to be most powerful is when people have humble faith in Jesus as God / Messiah on behalf of another!

Mark 7:24-27 [MOUNCE]

24 From there Jesus arose and went to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, yet He was not able to escape attention. 25 But immediately after hearing of Him a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit came and fell at His feet.

  • Some manuscripts include Sidon to describe the AREA [Costal Phoenicia]
  • Jesus puts Himself exactly where He want to be, to meet this woman
  • Once she heard about Jesus she came in desperate, humble faith (prostrate)
  • Her daughter was been possessed by a demon

26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth. She begged Jesus to drive out the demon from her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

  • The Phoenicians were the masters of the seas before other peoples
  • She could be considered a gentile, like the Roman Centurion in Matt 8
  • Most agree Jesus is referring to the Israelites as ‘the children’
  • He is saying the people that God has chosen to foster the Messiah get 1st shot
  • He is saying: ‘this is how my father says it is going to be done’

How will she respond?

28 But she answered Him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.”

  • She certainly could have been offended, she was given the place of a dog
  • Humbled before the God of all creation, she is good with the place of a dog
  • She calls Him ‘Lord’…and Jesus knows she means it!
  • That makes all the difference… Humble faith before Her Lord

29 And He said to her, “Because of this reply you may go, the demon has left your daughter.” And when she arrived at her house she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having departed.

  • Jesus, God is honored, pleased, blessed and glorified by her reply [a non-jew!]
  • The recognition of God in humility activates God’s power and BAM!
  • Perhaps the demon was gone once she humbly declared Jesus Christ Lord
  • The immediate action of a God who serves

31 Departing again from the region of Tyre, Jesus went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee in the midst of the region of the Decapolis.

  • This seems like a crazy route but it makes sense… water is important [SEE MAP BELOW]

“A topographical map will show that there is a mountain (Mt. Meron) 3/4 of a mile high [with no supply of water] directly between Tyre and the Sea of Galilee. But there is a pass from Sidon through the mountains to the Jordan river valley, where foot travelers to Galilee could have fresh water for the journey.” ~ Tim McGrew

32 And they brought to Him a deaf man who could hardly speak and they begged Him to lay His hand on him. 33 Taking him aside from the crowd privately, Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears, and after spitting He touched his tongue.

  • ‘They’ brought to Him…Once agin it is the faith of another or others
  • They begged, expressing humility born of faith, or is it faith born of humility?
  • In private, not seeking attention, He get pretty personal, kind of right in there
  • Not healing from afar [another healing of a non-jew]

34 Looking up to heaven, He gave a deep sigh and said to him, “Ephphatha!” That is “Be Opened!” 35 and immediately the man’s ear’s were opened, that which bound his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak clearly.

  • The look to heaven, to direct the glory
  • The sigh, to demonstrate association with the suffering
  • Why does He say ‘Be Opened!’ ?
  • He is connecting to Isiah 35, which tells of when the Messiah comes:

Then shall the eyes of the blind be lightened, and the ears of the deaf be opened. ~ Isiah 35:5

36 Jesus ordered them to tell no one, but the more He ordered them the more they spread the news. 37 They were absolutely astonished, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak!”

  • He told them not to but He knew they would
  • The crowd in general is coming to the place of seeing Jesus as the Messiah
  • In a way they are saying ‘He has passed all the tests’
  • How many O.T prophecies did Jesus of Nazareth fulfill? [ 570 / 300 ]

When Jesus read the beginning of Isaiah chapter 61 in the synagog [read] and then declared that He was fulfilling this prophecy, He was saying ‘I Am’.

The Spirit of The Lord God is upon me, because The Lord has anointed me to announce good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim freedom to the captives, to let out into light those bound in the dark; to proclaim the year of the favor of God. ~ Isaiah 61:1-2a

It is similar to what Jesus told John the Baptist when he asked from prison if Jesus was the Messiah:

Now when John heard in prison about the works of the Messiah, he sent word through his disciples, asking Him, “are you the one who is to come, or should we wait for someone else?” Jesus answered them saying, “Go and tell John what you have heard and seen: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the poor are being told the good news.” ~ Matthew 11:2-6
In His humility, The Servant / Healer Messiah changes lives! How will you approach Him for your self and on behalf of others? Humbly

IMPORTANT IDEAS:

The active nature of God in people’s lives is fully displayed in the Gospel of Mark: ‘Emmanuel’.

We see the biblical doctrine of The Messiah, Jesus, coming for all peoples!

The humility of the Syrophoenician Woman is an example for us when approaching God. Not just calling Him Lord, treating Him as Lord!

God responds to our humility before Him on behalf of others with healing.

People need help coming to Jesus to be healed, God honors your faith for others.

The Gospel of Mark constantly demonstrates how Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah.

The Messiah comes to serve and heal in humility; our response is to believe He is who He proves to be.

APPLICATION:

When was the last time you got on your face and begged your ‘Lord’ to do something for you or for someone else?

Do you get offended by God if He doesn’t treat you how you want to be treated? What is the cure for that?

What can you do to ‘bring people to Jesus’ like ‘they’ brought the deaf mute man?

Following Jesus example requires getting into the ‘Nitty Gritty’ with hurting people, how are you doing that?

/by

Mark Pt. 18 ‘The Devil Inside’

The problem of sin within

Religion that focuses on man made rules…is a crusher of true relationship with God. Seeking to appease God by means of following rules and behaving just so…While trying to conform to man made rules you end up being pushed away from the heart of God. What you are sold is that doing these things will bring you closer to God…The opposite happens AND THEN! You end up not even wanting the heart of God because YOU want the attention of men

There are overt and covert ways of getting caught up in rules, either way, that kind of focus takes you further and farther from the kind of relationship the God of Scripture wants. What all legalism seeks is to somehow be made ‘Clean’. But it is a con game you play on yourself. We have no way to make ourselves acceptable to God. Because we are the problem… the problem lives within us… The beginning of a relationship with Christ is understanding and admitting the deal with sin.

When we last saw Jesus and His disciples they’re in the middle of a healing spree…There seems to be a connection between the faith that is being displayed and the scope of the healing that was taking place:

And wherever He entered villages, towns, or rural areas, they would place the sick in the marketplaces and implore Him that they might touch just the fringe of His cloak. And as many as touched Him were made well. ~ Mark 6:56

It must have caused quite a commotion in that region…and word got back to Jerusalem, to the religious leaders…so they sent some ‘investigators’ / ‘accusers’

Mark 7:1-23 [NASB]

1 The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, 2 and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.)

  • This is the 2nd of 5 times in Mark the pharisees come to ‘accuse’ Jesus of things
  • The religion of: The Temple / The Sanhedrin / The Pharisees / The Sadducees
  • They were all obsessed with trying to make & keep themselves ‘Clean’
  • If they were around enough people (some could be ‘unclean’) they thought they could ‘Catch’ something… that other’s uncleanliness could rub off on them
  • It’s an old idea that a person can make themselves acceptable to God
  • The Law of Moses was to show God’s chosen people they could never make themselves ‘Clean’ enough, or acceptable to a perfect Holy God

5 The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” 6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. 7 But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ 8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” [Isaiah 29:13]

  • Their goal is to get Jesus to disrespect tradition / religious leaders
  • They’re so caught up in their rules they can’t see God standing in front of them!
  • Jesus responds to their question by quoting Scripture: As it is written…

Then the Lord said: ‘Because these people approach me with empty words, and the honor they bestow on me is mere lip-service; while in fact they have distanced their hearts from me, and their ‘fear of me’ is just a law of human origin’ ~ Isaiah 29:13 CJB

  • Speaking through Isaiah, the Holy Spirit is describing those opposed to God
  • God is consistent throughout His Word on if you follow men you neglect ME

9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’; WOW!!! 11 but you say, ‘If a person says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is ‘Corban’ (that is to say, given to God),’ 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

  • Jesus clarifies why Isiah was rebuking their type… [legalists / false religion]
  • Because they [and other legalists] put their tradition over God’s commands
  • They act and pressure others to act in ways that go against God’s Word
  • Their system ‘Invalidates’ God’s Word / Scripture [‘As it is Written’]
  • This is one example our Lord cites, they do many things such as that
  • He tells the pharisees that ‘you and your type are hypocrites, far from God’

14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the person which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the person are what defile the person.16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

  • Jesus wants everyone to listen and understand this important point
  • At our core, what is wrong with each & every one of us is not outside influence
  • Our problem is our fallen state of inborn sin…
  • We are all made in God’s image but it is a fallen, sin perverted image…
  • All of humankind is at some level painfully aware of this state
  • So our God given inclination is to be good enough for God
  • The pharisees & all legalists think if they do the right things they will be ‘clean’
  • They have come to believe (self convinced) that inside they are acceptable

17 When He had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. 18 And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the person from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.)

  • This one of Jesus’ ‘Discipleship Master Class’ debrief sessions
  • We might not think of this a s a parable, but scripture call it one
  • The definition of ‘Parable’

A short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson. A statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like.

  • He points out their shortcoming and then teaches them the truth
  • Point #1: What people consume is not what gets between them and God
  • Peter is going to get a very direct lesson in this in Acts 10

20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the person, that is what defiles the person. 21 For from within, out of the hearts of people, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and defile the person.”

  • Point #2: The problem is within us. Our hearts are fallen…sin riddled
  • The idea that we should trust our hearts is from the pit of hell, a demonic ploy!
  • Our heart is understood as the essence of our being, what we are at our core
  • All of these things are hardwired into our flesh, in-bedded in our being

WE HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM!!!

We are full of evil, it has separated us from our perfect & holy Creator. But God was not content to let that keep us apart. He came into our lives as one of us to full reveal himself. Christ’s Birth / Christ’s Life / Christ’s Death / Christ’s Resurrection. The surrender of our lives by faith and the Indwelling of The Holy Spirit. God does it all and it is important for us to fully acknowledge that (conviction)

If there is any part of us that thinks ‘I did something to get his deal’…THAT Is the infection that leads to the disease of Legalism! So how do we do it right, ie GOD’S WAY?

BIG IDEAS

God wants personal contact, not ritual & ceremony

Jesus wants to sit at the table with you, not witness you acts of appeasement

The Holy Spirit wants YOU to work in concert with Him, not watch your spiritual show

But it is far easier and much more comfortable to follow rules than to have an intimate, honest relationship with the perfect & holy ‘Self Existent God’.

Beware the spirit of judgement, if you harbor it, you make a place for legalism

For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. ~ Hosea 6:6

Let’s talk application! Application of this teaching of Jesus is SO important.

Application of Scripture: Asking God to build your belief in a principle by Spirit & Truth so you can make repeated choices, take concrete steps and establish lifestyle habits. Choices / Steps / Habits

APPLICATION:

Do you believe in any way that you had something to do with being chosen by God to live with Him eternally?

If so, DESTROY those beliefs and learn of God’s grace through study of Scripture.

How judgmental are you of fellow followers of Christ?

DESTROY those habits and seek God’s heart of forgiveness for yourself and others.

Have you by faith fully surrendered your life to Jesus Christ?

If not DESTROY anything that is keeping you from doing that TODAY!

/by

Mark Pt. 17: Faithless Struggle VS Faith Filled Connection

Important Info 4 Christ’s Disciples

The Gospel of Mark: what a treasure for disciples of Christ. Jesus is leading a ‘Master Class’ on His 1st batch of Disciples.

Today we have the story we all know; Jesus walks on the water… That is what we remember from this story… But there are deep insights for the disciple who will look for them. There are foundational principles about walking with Christ and doing ministry in His name to be found in this story, and throughout the Book of Mark!

These applications of this Scripture are for Biblical disciples of Jesus Christ. If you haven’t surrendered your life to Christ you’re not indwelled W/ The Holy Spirit. If you are not empowered by God’s Spirit you have no shot at doing these things. Today is a good day, now is the time to repent and surrender your life fully to Christ!

Previously on The Gospel of Mark… what has transpired in the last few months? Jesus goes home, He is rejected & does few miracles because of a lack of faith. He sends out the disciples, two by two to preach the kingdom & demonstrate power. While this is going on John The Baptist is beheaded. When the disciples return Jesus takes them on a retreat only to be followed by thousands. He teaches and feeds them…

So they all ate and were filled. Then they picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and what was left of the fish. And those who had eaten the loaves were five thousand men. ~ Mark 6:42-44

Mark 6:45-56 (MOUNCE)

45 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, toward Bethesda, while He dispersed the crowd. 46 After He had taken leave of them, He went to the mountain to pray.

  • Immediately, Jesus is active yet never in a hurry!
  • He is giving them this night to retreat while He does the same
  • He sent them on with out Him, or so they thought
  • What is going through their minds at this point?

47 When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the lake and He was alone on the land. 48 He saw them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them.

  • Apart…physically, but there is not place we go apart from Him if we are HIS!
  • How did He see them? Because Christ is present with all is true disciples
  • It is a discouraging struggle… the text will reveal their heart condition soon

About the fourth watch of the night He came toward them, walking on the lake. He intended to pass by them, 49 but when they saw Him walking on the lake, they thought that He was a ghost. And they cried out, 50 for they all saw Him and were terrified.

  • 3am last watch
  • They had been striving in their own power for hours and had gone nowhere
  • So Christ sought to remind them of His presence
  • But instead of His presence reassuring them and empowering them…
  • THEY WERE TERRIFIED
  • They thought He was a ghost and they screamed like scared children
  • Why?

But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid!”

  • Did Christ wait for them to calm down? NO! Immediately He spoke:
  • A Word from Christ…
  • Have faith, I Am here! Don’t be afraid!
  • ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?’ ~ Ps.27:1
  • Do you need a Word from Jesus Christ today?

51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And they were absolutely amazed, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves; but their hearts were hardened.

  • He showed up and brought HIS peace ‘The Prince of Peace’
  • Why does it say they were absolutely amazed, they just saw Him feed 7000 +
  • They didn’t understand about the loaves, did they think it was some trick?
  • Why were there hearts hardened? [Doing ministry of their own strength]
  • They had yet to fully believe that Jesus was God & God is good, all the time…

But then there is the rest of the story… [Paul Harvey] The beauty of the four Gospels: They don’t all tell every part of any given scene. Mark & Matthew record the story the same up to where Jesus speaks but then Matthew adds this:

Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him,“You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!” ~Matthew 14:28-33

It is a story within a story to make the point about doing things in our own strength. Here in Matthew we see the faith of the disciples grow to where they worship Jesus as God. This growth of faith then has fantastic results. Both Gospels describe the scene when the land pretty much the same:

53 So when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret where they tied up the boat. 54 When they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized Jesus, 55 and ran throughout that whole area bringing those who were ill on their mats to wherever they heard He was.

  • The journey is suddenly easy…
  • It says they immediately recognized Jesus [recognized Him as the Messiah?]
  • Perhaps the faith of the disciples was contagious
  • The people all begin to act on faith that Jesus can cure any illness

56 And wherever He entered villages, towns, or rural areas, they would place the sick in the marketplaces and implore Him that they might touch just the fringe of His cloak. And as many as touched Him were made well.

  • So for a period of time there wherever Christ went there was faith
  • That faith was acted upon and God saw fit to reward every act of faith!
  • Now the disciples were walking in connected faith and the result was fruit!

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.” ~ John 15:5-8 [ESV]

Connection is the key! For a disciple of Jesus Christ, connection to HIM is a way of life. It is not natural so we have to be ‘discipled’ / disciplined to a different way of life. Part of that different way of life is trusting in His Presence and His Goodness. Serving and doing kingdom work empowered by the connection we have to Christ. He bought us, He lives in us and He wants us to grow and be part of His work.

Big Ideas

#1: As a disciple of Jesus there are times when Christ will seem distant, don’t lose faith in His presence or care.

#2: Doing the Lord’s work without trusting in His presence is a discouraging struggle. It will harden your heart and make you fearful.

#3: When you seek to hear from Christ and trust Him enough to act, you will see God’s power poured out!

Application Actions:

Schedule a daily time alone with Your Lord. Choose to make it an intentional habit.

Study the Bible with others regularly. Choose to make it a lifestyle!

Start everything you do with Connecting to Christ. Choose to act based on HIS presence.

/by

Mark Pt. 16: Hunger

Hunger For God Acted Upon

Hunger 4 God is Always Rewarded!

Loaves and Fish… A familiar story, where do you see yourself in it? Bumper Sticker: ‘Do you follow Jesus this close?’

In our passage today about 7000 people followed Jesus. Not figuratively but literally followed Him around a lake, for miles over rough terrain because they were spiritually hungry…and they found the bread of life!

We are going to see faith in action. What they believed about Jesus was drove their feet and calmed their doubts. We’re going to see honest, active faith rewarded; spiritually, physically & emotionally! We’re going to see how true pursuit of God, AKA Jesus Christ, puts you in places… (deserted places) where you will see God do miracles and it will grow your faith and your depth of relationship with Our Lord.

Two weeks ago Jesus The Christ sent out the 12 ‘Disciples’ that He called to be His 1st :And He called to Himself the twelve and began to send them out two by two… ~ Mark 6:7a (MOUNCE)

While the disciples were sent to proclaim that people should repent (The message of John the Baptist) We have the story that was our text from last week… The story of a leader (Herod Antipas) who was so corrupted by the evil he surrounded himself with that on a vow he had someone killed… someone he ‘feared’ because he knew he was a holy and righteous man… John the Baptist was indeed what Herod Antipas believed he was: set apart for God and great in the Kingdom, as declared by our Lord Himself! And then the disciples return…

Mark 6:30-44 (MOUNCE)

30 The apostles rejoined Jesus and reported to Him all they had done and taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to some deserted place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they did not even have a time to eat.

  • Jesus knew what they did and knew they needed to be ‘refreshed’
  • Jesus models and recommends this approach to intense ministry
  • The idea of work then rest is behind creation & the sabbath
  • ‘Go to the Father for more bread to share’

32 So they left in a boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33 Many people saw them leaving recognized them, and hurried together on foot from all the towns and arrived there ahead of them.

  • It makes sense Jesus was near Capernaum waiting for the twelve to return
  • The closest ‘deserted place’ was due east across the sea of Galilee
  • People who wanted to follow Jesus trekked along the top part of the lake
  • Their faith was so intense they got to the deserted place before JC & the 12
  • Hunger!

34 When Jesus got out of the boat, He saw the large crowd, and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.

  • He didn’t see the crowd until He exited the boat, perhaps Jesus was napping..
  • Christ could sense their spiritual hunger, they were desperate for God
  • Christ knew they needed guidance to add to their desire
  • To guide them He teaches them how to think different (Romans 12:2)

35 As the hour grew late, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place and the hour is already late. 36 Send them away so they can go into the surrounding hamlets and villages and buy for themselves something to eat.”

  • The disciples say, since you went too long teaching, here is what you should do
  • It is crazy how the disciple are telling Jesus how it should go…
  • ‘Ok Jesus here is what we think you should do…’
  • Did they forget the demonstrations of power over the natural & spiritual realms?

37 But He answered them, saying, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to Him, “Should we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out they said, “Five and two fish.”

  • Jesus is like; ‘You want to be in charge, you give them something to eat’
  • Jesus had fed them what they really needed all afternoon: ‘The Bread of Life’
  • The Words of Christ are a precious gift, might we appreciate them!
  • He basically was challenging them to share what they had
  • Did they have bread to share? Didn’t they realize they were with the supply?
  • They asked it they should empty the treasury to feed everyone they could?
  • Jesus was like: What have you got? (they seem to have brought a meal for 12)

39 Then He ordered them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass . 40 So they sat down in orderly groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to His disciples so they could distribute them. And He divided the two fish among them all.

  • He gets the supply info and go right to organizing the meal
  • He takes what was shared and blessed it…and then He broke them
  • Miraculous things happen when Christ breaks bread!
    • Last Supper
    • Road to Emmaus
  • He was showing them the power was from above / heaven
  • The Disciples reward: They got to be the hands and feet of the miracle!

42 So they all ate and were filled. 43 Then they picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and what was left of the fish. 44 And those who had eaten the loaves were five thousand men.

  • They didn’t need a basket to carry what they started with…now they need 12!!!
  • The whole crowd that walked about 5 miles, everyone ate and was satisfied
  • It turned out that the Disciples had bread to share…even bread to spare!
  • They had the unlimited resources of the God of the Universe
  • Faith of thousands & faith of the 12 allowed them to experience God’s provision

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be fully satisfied.” ~ Jesus @ Matthew 5:6 (MOUNCE)

Have you ever experienced a miracle that was undisputedly the hand of God?

Have you ever tried telling God what to do, but then a Word from Him changed you?

Have you ever hungered to be in God’s presence like those people?

Have you recognized YOU need to get away with God regularly if you want to serve Him and see Him move?

How many of those people who were there that day were eternally changed?

5 NUGGETS:

Jesus Christ’s way of doing The Fathers will and work was to regularly get alone with Our Father. He needed to recharge, process, listen & rest (spiritually, physically & emotionally).

Hunger for God makes followers do things that are out of the ordinary. Faith that honors God results in action. True faith is action not words, this is a consistent theme of OT & NT Scriptures.

Those who hunger for God need the teaching of Jesus like sheep need a shepherd. We all need our daily bread. Christ provides in both ways.

Following Christ by faith, not sight, puts you in places where your spiritual, physical and emotional needs are met by Christ.

Mature disciples & apostles give what they have to Christ’s work and trust it will be more than enough. Having experienced Christ, they trust He knows how to use them.

APPLICATION TRUTH OR DARE

2 TRUTHS: Ask a person you trust to honestly evaluate your level of spiritual hunger.

Identify one thing you have been telling Jesus how things should go and instead listen to what He says.

2 DARES: Schedule an ‘A Time Away With Jesus’. Plan it before you go to bed tonight.

Go out of your way to listen to Jesus’ teachings this week: (past sermons / podcasts)

/by

Mark Pt. 15: A Role In HIStory

John The Baptist: A Role Model

Thanks to everyone who played a part in enabling me to take this break! I am humbled and blessed to be part of the team leading this church, Christ’s church!

My Sabbatical: Family / Rest / Travel / Connection with old friends / Listening to God. Laban has been doing a great job connecting Mark’s telling of the Good New about Christ to the Hebrew Scriptures. God’s Word tells us about Him and about us! Study Scripture for understanding…

John The Baptist: Jesus’ Redneck Cousin. John was the greatest of all humans according to Jesus of Nazareth. John’s role was foretold in Scripture (Isaiah 40:3) John played an amazing, one of a kind role in HIStory…but so can you!

If we are willing to face our natural tendency to be corrupt and evil (SIN) and fully submit to God’s plan, even when it confuses us and costs us things, we can fulfill our God given role in the story HE is telling…

Our Text this Week: Jesus is only briefly mentioned…But you and I are…

Last Week: Jesus is rejected in His hometown AGAIN!… His family the 1st time, now everyone…

And He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. ~ Mark 6:5-6 (ESV)

Then Jesus sends out the 12!

So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. ~ Mark 6:12-13 (EVS)

Now we get this story that Jesus is not really involved in…

Mark 6:14-29 (NLT)

14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about Him. Some were saying, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why He can do such miracles.” 15 Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.” 16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”

  • Spiritual state of the nation of Israel is al an all time low
  • Illegitimate priesthood, Illegitimate king / kings
  • So little Idea about God he thinks ridiculous things

17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.

  • Herodias was said to be exceptionally beautiful…and entitled
  • Herodias was a social climber, Antipas had a better kingdom than Phillip
  • Herod Antipas found a way to make his wife happy (kinda) and not kill John
  • While John was imprisoned he asked Jesus if He was the Messiah

21 Herodias’ chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” 23 He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”

  • Herod Antipas is trying to impress
  • Herodias the daughter, was originally named Salome
  • She was not Herod Antipas’ daughter, she was Phillip’s daughter he adopted

24 She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!” 25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!”

  • Her loyalty was to her Mother…blind loyalty
  • Herodias (Mother) was a opportunist!
  • Both women were incited to evil because they gave it place (corrupt lives)
  • The daughter, having been raised in the corruption was fine asking for murder

26 Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb.

  • He is regretful…but it is more important to save face in front of his guests
  • Herod was more fearful of man than he was of God
  • He was so desensitized to evil, he kills someone on a bet…

In 39 AD Herod Antipas was betrayed by his brother in law / nephew, Herod Agrippa, to the Roman Emperor Caligula, which resulted in Antipas & Herodias being exiled to Gaul (Southern France).

TAKEAWAYS:

Don’t be surprised when corrupt leadership is manipulated by satanic influences to enact evil that was not necessarily intended.

John The Baptist is an example for all who follow Christ. We can imitate his speaking out against corrupt leadership, his courage and trust in God.

God’s sovereign design for events is not in any way effected by demonic interference. John had completed his mission in life and death. He decreased that Christ would increase (John 3:30)

If you live trying to please other people you will not be able to focus on pleasing God. If you focus on pleasing God (like JTB), you will not please most people.

APPLICATION:

Do YOU believe that by giving evil a place in any part of your life you then open yourself up to be manipulated by it?

Do YOU believe Jesus’ followers should speak up against corrupt leadership and then trust God for what happens?

Do YOU believe Christ has given each member of His body a mission for this life?

Where are you with discovering and enacting that mission?

As we continue to read the Gospel of Mark, see yourself in the characters…

And be honest about who you can be and what you are capable of (we all are)

And see Jesus for who He is: God among US!

Ask Him to give you total submission to His will

Then you can say: ‘The Lord gives and takes away…blessed be the Name of the Lord’!

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Mark Pt. 14: Something Greater is Here Pt. IV

Something Greater is Here Part IV
Jesus Rejected
Mark 6:1-13 (ESV)

After two weeks of long cuts of text, we get to a shorter passage this week. Still just as dense though, very rich. We are looking at Mark 6, verses 1 to 13.

We can split our text in to two parts this morning. The first part is Jesus being rejected in Nazareth, and the second is Jesus sending out his disciples to evangelize.

Jesus leads the group back home. I am sure Jesus was excited to take his disciples to his home town

But it is weird to see how people change over time. Sometimes it is for the better. Sometimes worse

The first story we’ll read this morning is about how the people of Nazareth didn’t recognize Jesus. Not physically, but his spirit.
Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

we are going to compare this story of Jesus to someone in the Old Testament. This morning I want us to look at Joseph, the favorite son of Israel.

Joseph was the son of Jacob and Rachel. He was beloved by his father, but his brothers, his own kinsmen, hated him. They attempted to murder him and leave him for dead. They ended up selling him into slavery. In Egypt Joseph was wrongfully accused, but remained faithful and God went on to place him in a position of power, at the right hand of Pharoah.

It’s an amazing passage that shows how God uses even terrible situations like his brother’s hatred to display his mighty power.

6 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

•       As was his custom, Jesus heads to the synagogue and starts teaching on the Sabbath.
•       Immediately we hear from people who knew Jesus before he started his ministry, and the text tells us they are astonished at what they see.
•       they think they know the real Jesus.
•       Have you ever met someone who doesn’t really take us seriously as new creations? Maybe someone from our past who knew us before the holy spirit began its good work in us.
•        They might think that our old selves are our real selves, more authentic.
•       That’s the trick sin plays

4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

•       Seems like Jesus intellectually expected this. He could be thinking of any number of God’s messengers that came before him who were ignored, maybe even Josephs dreams ignored and ridiculed. He understands this was going to happen.
•       This is the puzzle of Jesus being man and God. It must have hurt a little bit to have people that he grew up with scoffing at him, dismissing him. It could have been old friends.

Joseph is one of the best Old Testament examples we could look at. He was faithful to the Lord, and did what was asked of him. Our last few Jesus comparisons have showcased how the human nature made our heroes flawed, but with Joseph the task is harder. He is one of a few people in the bible that sin is not recorded. We know he sinned because he was human.

Romans 3:23-24
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

God used this hatred. Because of the persecution of Joseph by his own brothers, God used Joseph to store up food in Egypt and provide an escape from famine for the whole region. He used the hatred of Joseph to save his special family, the people who would become the nation of Israel.

As righteous as Joseph was, Jesus is greater. The hatred that Jesus’ own brothers had for his righteousness was greater. We get a taste of it here in Nazareth, but this is only a preview of how much his brothers hated him. That great hatred would eventually bring about a greater deliverance than that of Joseph. This time salvation would be for the entire world, not just from physical famine, but from spiritual death.

Now we’ll look at the next section of text, where Jesus sends out his disciples to preach and evangelize.

7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.

•       He sends out his disciples. They have been with him for some time now, and he empowers them, gives them authority.
•       The point of his instructions for this mission is for them to put trust in God. They aren’t able to lean on their own earthly possessions or provisions.
•       A as far as I can tell Jesus is telling them not to go out and buy things to get ready for this trip. Just go.

10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”

•       Jesus says there will be people that will not listen, and it’s an uncomfortable fact sometimes
•       We want people to like us, and it’s a challenging aspect of ministry that not everyone is going to listen to Gods message. A dangerous result occurs when we aren’t OK with that truth.
•       We start trying to entice people with things that are not the gospel. We think, maybe if we have great kid’s programs, great cookouts, etc…
o       Matthew 9:37 “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few”
•       On a practical level, it’s hard to tell who those people are. The ones that won’t ever listen, versus the ones that need to be hit by a bus, maybe metaphorically.  Some people need time, the seed needs to grow.

12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

•       Repentance is the major theme in the last several passages. And the disciples pick up the mantle. They go out to preach the need to change directions.
•       There is no reason to repent if we like the direction we are going. But Jesus came to tell the world that we need to.
•       He came to face us with our brokenness and sin.
•       Amazingly, the disciples are full of power, able to heal supernaturally, restore. This is an incredible testament to the power of Christ.

So why are these passages right next to each other? How are they connected? The first story is of Jesus being spurned by his home town, and he uses that rejection to explain how we will face the same thing, for His sake. He shows his disciples that not everyone will take them in.

How can we apply this?

are you sharing the good news?

what does ministry look like in my life right now?

are you afraid of the rejection of men?
•       Don’t be surprised if we are rejected. The people who are dying will NOT like it
2 Corinthians 2:15-16
“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life.”

Josephs response to his brothers, after God has revealed his plan.

Genesis 45:5
“And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.”

God’s plan is seriously incredible. Josephs brothers rejected him, their own flesh and blood. But being God’s plan, their hatred ended up being their salvation. His brothers eventually did bow down to Joseph. And because Jesus is greater, salvation will come to the entire world, and one day all of creation will bow down to him.

Acts 7:51-52
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered”

But praise God for that betrayal, and for that murder. Through it we all have been saved. Because Jesus was rejected at Nazareth, and eventually in Jerusalem, we can have life.

The cross is offensive to this world. and it doesn’t make any sense that the cross would cause such a change in anyone’s life.

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Mark Pt. 13: Something Greater is Here Pt. III

Something Greater is Here part III

Jesus Gives Life

Mark 5:21-43 (ESV)

Today’s passage focuses on Jesus a healer and more importantly as a giver of life.

when Jesus arrives back in Galilee the crowds are right back surrounding him. They cannot get enough

Our theme the last few weeks has been “something greater is here”. I want to take a minute to talk about why this theme is important.

Jesus was a fulfillment of a plan that had been set in motion long ago

It connects us Christian believers to Gods overarching story. The jewish history and our old testament

Jesus has to be greater than everyone else otherwise he wouldn’t have been needed.

Today we are going to look at the ways that Jesus exceeds a man who came before him named Elijah.

1 Kings gives us the first recorded instance of someone being raised from the dead. Elijah asks God to restore life to a widow’s dead son. It is that miracle where our main parallel lies today.

Elijah was and is to the Jewish people a very big deal. He was a prophet who was around for a particularly low point of Israels history. They were dealing with a king who did more evil than all who were before him.

He was tasked with reminding Gods people who gives life. Each miracle he performed displayed that only the LORD God himself could bring rain or restore breath to the dead. 

If there is any doubt remaining about the dominion Jesus has over nature, let it be removed this morning. We’ve seen weather, demons, disease and now death itself all subverted! Lets see how Jesus is greater than Elijah.

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him.

  • it was likely bold for Jairus to ask Jesus for help. It says something about his belief. 

When we go to God with things, it’s easy to think of it as an insurance policy. But for this man, he might have been risking quite a bit to show his faith in someone the Jewish leaders didnt like

24b And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 

    • All these years, she would have been ceremonially unclean, and never would have participated with her community in worship. She is an outsider, unable to approach God (in the temple). She was a social outcast.

    • The woman is at the end of her rope. She has spent her money and exhausted her options to find a cure for her physical ailment.

27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 

  • So she touches him and for the third time in as many weeks, we see that Jesus immediately and completely remedies the situation. She is “healed of her disease”. 

30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 

  • As big and grand as he is, this small act does not go unnoticed. 

33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

    • Her faith has made her well. Begs the question, where does faith come from? 

    • Romans 10:7 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ”

    • So her God given faith allows her to be restored, both physically and in society.

35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 

    • Things have taken a turn for the worse, the daughter has died.

    • Jesus knows all things, and he knew exactly how much time the girl had left but he didn’t rush. 

  • they are being silly, making some inane distinction between being sick and being dead. I think of Jesus as capable of doing anything. But in the same breath, I can doubt Gods power. I think there is no way God is capable of giving me wisdom, providing me opportunities, of healing people in my life. Of bringing certain people to himself. 

38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40a And they laughed at him. 

  • Death is particularly difficult when it’s someone we think of as too young, or it wasn’t their time, or the circumstances we feel are unjust.

40b But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

  • I read these stories and it sometimes fails to excite me in the way it should. The girl is actually dead. She has stopped breathing. But Jesus does something beyond belief.
    • He uses the Aramaic word “cumi” or κοῦμ.
      • We see the word translated as “arise” all over the bible. In the new testament its used every time someone raises someone from the dead. But the old testament it is almost always a command from god to get to your feet and get to work. Go!
  • Even if people intellectually know that God CAN give life, the fact that he DOES shows how much he cares and the great mercy he has for us.

Jesus raising the little girl overcomes the people with amazement. Something that had not been seen since the time of Elijah and Elisha is happening before them. 

Elijah ask God to intervene and raise the widow’s son. The resurrection of her child leads her, a gentile, to declare Elijah was from god.

1 Kings 17:23b 

“‘See, your son lives.’ 24 And the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.’”

1 King 18:37

“Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

Elijah had been sent to refocus the nation of Israel on their creator. He performed many miracles of healing and signs of Gods power. Incredibly he even raised a man back to life. But he was human, weak and imperfect. His witness was insufficient in turning the hearts of Gods people back to him. 

His flawed witness was not enough. The Israelites did not turn back to the God who brought them out of Egypt. They continued to disobey his laws, blatantly worship false idols and descend into darkness and evil. 

James 5:16

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours”

Someone greater than Elijah had to come. Israel could not be convinced to give up their false gods and turn back to the true living God, even after he used Elijah to display supernatural miracles.

It can be easy to think that sin is winning. With the pain we experience every day as collateral damage, the constant barrage of bad news and hurt. But we as Christians should take heart, that over the three thousand years since Elijah raised the widows daughter, billions more have been raised to life in Christ. Since that first gentile widow professed faith by the raising of her son, Jesus’ power over death itself  has been causing new believers to profess Jesus is Lord ever since.

So how do we apply this?

Be like Jesus, don’t be in a hurry

  • We should emulate this man. Not just in personality traits or characteristics. But in the way he lived and went about his business.

We’ve been made alive. Arise

  • Take up the call to get up and go! There is work to be done

Don’t limit Jesus’ power

Be desperate for Jesus

  • Jairus knew that asking Jesus to save his daughters life was well worth the hit to his reputation. He was desperate. 
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Mark Pt. 12: Something Greater is Here Pt. II

Something Greater is Here pt II

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

This morning we’ll continue in Mark.

Last week we saw that Jesus demonstrated his incredible power over nature

I referenced it last week, but when Jesus explained the sign of Jonah to the pharisees he gave this answer

Matthew 12:40

“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth

…for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.”

This story does not have a direct one for one, chronological pairing with the Exodus

Jesus has come to free the world, much like Moses had freed the Israelites.

If you only hear two things today, let it be this. 

First, we human beings are insane in our sin. Sin has a large impact on our world.

The second point this text makes it that Jesus is the only way to be free.

5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

– Right away, we are introduced to a man with an “impure spirit”.

– Their goal was to destroy the man who was made in the image of God. 

– The man is an example of all human kind. He is uncontrollable.

-I think this maps well to the Israelites enslaved in Egypt. This man was a slave to the demons. He was held captive by a mighty power. And unable to liberate himself. 

– Jesus taking them here is a preview of what was to come once Jesus left

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

– The demons immediately recognize his presence

– no sense of submission or worship.

– Compare this to the disciples who call him “Lord”. Similarly it is a declaration of power, but also a surrender. Recognizing not just power but authority too. 

9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

– They beg to be shown mercy

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

– A wild image to picture

– If Jesus will no longer allow these demons to destroy the man, they beg to destroy the pigs. All they want to do is destroy Gods creation.

– This is reminiscent of God no longer allowing his people to be held captive by the Egyptians, and he frees them by running their captors in to the red sea to drown.

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 

– Every part of this man had been restored. 

– how can we be lukewarm about Jesus? There are two reactions, terror and amazement. 

16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

– There are repercussions if Jesus is God. And they do not want to deal with it.

– This resonates with what Pharaoh tells Moses. Once God has struck down all the Egyptian firstborns, Pharaoh says he has had enough.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

– It’s AFTER he’s saved he’s begging to walk with Jesus. Only after he is clothed and in his right mind that he is able to desire Godly things.

– By no actions of his own was the man healed. In fact it was in the face of his opposition to healing!

– Jesus did not liberate him so the man could continue living in the tombs. 

Mark 16:15

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Our salvation story is a tool that God has given us, we need to be prepared to use it.

Moses was called by God to free their ancestors from their captors. But it didn’t come to fruition, both physically and spiritually. 

But Jesus has come here to bring about a new exodus for mankind, ultimately defeat satan at the end of all days. 

Jesus has liberated us from our sin, we are no longer in Egypt. But we remain in the wilderness.

Something greater than the exodus has happened. God himself came down to free us, let us celebrate it. 

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Mark Pt. 11: Something Greater is Here

Something Greater Is Here


Jesus Calms the Storm

Have you ever watched a movie or been reading a book and thought, I know this story! I’ve seen this play out before. I’m not talking about the severe lack of creativity plaguing our culture now. What I am talking about is often a good thing. There is a fine line between copying and retelling. But some of the best movies are retellings of classic literature. “Oh brother where art thou” is a fun twist on Homers Odyssey. The Lion King is a modern Hamlet. When it is done right, it’s not lazy, it is an homage. 

We are going to see something like that through the next chapter of Mark. Gods story is intricate and detailed. His plan to rescue his creation from sin and darkness started long before Man ever left the garden. God orchestrated it together with perfect and purposeful. There was set-up that needed to happen in order to pave the way for Jesus. God prepared the world in specific ways by giving hints about his Character, and how he would never give up on his creation. God used a nation, of cowards, failures and idol worshipers mind you, to tell the world about him. He used kings, prophets and emancipators who loved him, but who were flawed. And then Jesus came to set things right at the exact right time. We are blessed to know that part of the story.

-Mark will show us through a series of stories that Jesus uses his life to retell some of the stories we’re familiar with in the old testament. 
-We will see parallels that show how Jesus is a fulfillment of the things God promised to his people. All the things he asked us to do, knowing that we would fall short, Jesus has come to complete. 
-Jesus is here to show that he is a better version than everyone who has come before him.

Mark written very fast paced. My study bible calls Mark a “docudrama”. It is a collection of tidbits of the life of Jesus. The tidbit we will read about today is Jesus calming the storm. 

Our text is Mark 4:35-41 

We only get 7 verses describing it in this account. We get a version of the story in all three synoptic gospels, and surprisingly this is the longest most detailed version! 

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 

    • Jesus is traveling with his disciples through the region, and they have spent a full day in the hot sun keeping the crowds at bay as Jesus taught. He would teach the crowds with parables, and then the disciples privately. 
    • So they decide to get away
    • it would have looked as archaic as you are thinking.   
    • The boat would have been made of wood, about 25 feet long, and fit 15 or so people. 

37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

    • A “squall” means a sudden and violent gust of wind. 
    • The sea of Galilee is hundreds of feet below sea level, so apparently it was and still is prone to sudden and violent storms.
    • Danger comes out of the blue. Imagine not being able to swim. Do you know what happens when you wear loose fitting clothes in the water? Have you been on a boat when you are not in control? 
    • There is fear of death mostly, fear of losing the boat. No coast guard, no life jackets. 
    • Do not let the fact that Jesus is sleeping through this whole ordeal convince you otherwise: this was an intense moment.
    • Jesus was tired, a reminder of his humanity. He is not straight out of an action film where the characters have a seemingly superhuman source of energy.
    • They wake him up. Unclear why. Do they think he can calm the storm? From their reactions it sure doesn’t seem that way. Are they handing him a bucket to bail water out?

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

    • As quickly as the storm was upon them, it’s over. 
    • This should immediately make clear that Jesus is no regular man or prophet
    • Throughout the scripture there is only one entity who has control over nature itself 

Job 38
8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors
    when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 when I fixed limits for it
    and set its doors and bars in place,
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
    here is where your proud waves halt’? 

    • There is no shortage of examples where God and God alone demonstrates power over nature
    • King David writes…

Psalm 29
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters…

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
god controls even the flood, the uncontrollable. 

    • Jonah also found himself on a boat, for a very different reason, sleeping when they were caught in a deadly storm. 
    • When the crew realizes Jonah is the cause, he is thrown overboard, and God stills the storm

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

    • He rebukes the storm, and quickly turns to rebuke the disciples. They are chastised for their lack of faith. 
    • “why are you so afraid”
    • there is an expectation that they have a certain level of faith at this point. 
    • Fear and faithlessness are connected. Fear is what manifests when we do not have faith.

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

    • The disciples are talking amongst each other about what they just saw. 
    • Previously, when Jesus performed miracles the people around him were in awe or disbelief.
    • But this scene gives us a different reaction from the disciples than a lot of the other miracles. It says “they were terrified”. The danger is gone, usually fear is replaced by relief or shock. But their terror transfers from the storm to Jesus. 
    • They were afraid of the storm because of its power. It clicks for them here that the storm is powerless over them. But the master over the storm is still in the boat.
    • “Who is this?” Do you think it’s a real question? 

A person could not be God. Only God has dominion over nature in that way. Yet it was a man, a tuckered out, sleep deprived man, who calmed the storm. The disciples did not know how to make sense of this.

Humans are not supposed to do what Jesus did. Even the ones that want to do good, can’t get it right. From Moses to David, they all got it wrong.
From the beginning, God knew he had to do it himself. He planned to take on flesh, and come down to show how it really should be done. 
When God called Jonah, he got up and left… in the opposite direction he was told to go. He didn’t want to go to Nineveh, it was a foreign land. It was beneath him. And after a bit of arm twisting and stomach churning, Jonah did as he was told. 
By comparison, Jesus listened. He didn’t need to be thrown overboard for God to calm the storm.

Jesus is a better Jonah in more ways than that. A little later in his ministry, the Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign. Jesus says they will only get one, and he calls it the Sign of Jonah. 

The crux is this: Jonah, after initial reluctance, preached repentance to the gentiles, and thousands listened. Jesus is greater than Jonah. He preached the same message, and it has lead to billions of gentiles around the world laying down their lives and following him. Praise God

What do we do about this? We follow suit

Jonah 3:10
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

    • Where have I fallen short? What do I need to repent of right now?

Secondly, the disciples were afraid because they lacked faith

    • What do you not trust God with?
    • Do you know Gods character well enough to trust him?
    • Is your fear in the right place?

Matt 10
28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

I want to leave you this morning with verse 38. “don’t you care if we die”? Imagine looking Jesus in the face and asking him this question. How might he respond? As the disciples will find out soon enough, it turns out he does care if they die. He cares so much about them dying that he came to die in their place. He took on flesh to live a perfect life, that only he could live, and give his life for us. 

Jesus did not come to erase Jonah, he came to complete the mission
Jesus is a better Jonah. And because we aren’t stuck with the old version, we are able to know God, and repent. Thats just what we get to do together as we celebrate communion.

/by

Mark Pt. 10: Big Picture Parables

Pt. 10: Big Picture Parables

4:21-34 [NASB 1995]

Four Parables about Big Picture Principles

2 about God’s Word, 2 about The Kingdom of God

As disciples of Jesus Christ we do well to grasp and live by these principles

As context we keep in mind what Christ said about the 1st parable He told

Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? ~  Mark 4:13

That was regarding the way God’s Word works in different people’s lives

These parables continue to teach us about who God is and How He operates…

God wants to transform us by the renewing of our minds

In order for us to walk closely with Him we need to understand Him

If you are a disciple of Christ, ask God’s Spirt in you for insight into His meaning

21 And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? 22 For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

  • This parable come right after the previous on the nature of God’s Word
  • This is a continuation of teaching about ‘God’s Word’
  • The purpose of light: make things more visible; light enables us to see better
  • God’s Word, [His revealed will & ways] gives us the ability to see more clearly
  • God’s Word combined the The Holy Spirit’s Illumination reveals all truth
  • If God enables you to understand this then ACT ON IT!

24 And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. 25 For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

  • The difference between the idea of hearing and the idea of listening
  • Again this parable has an understood context that it is about God’s Word
  • The more you live based on God’s Word the more it will be revealed to you
  • There is no middle ground here, seek and get more or don’t and get ZERO!

26 And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; 27 and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. 28 The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. 29 But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

  • God’s Kingdom operates on principals that can’t be explained by our senses
  • We have learn a lot about our natural world, yet we don’t know everything
  • The farmer doesn’t understand it all but he trusts it
  • But when we do know from experience it is time to act, we should not hesitate
  • He knows his role in the process and he plays that role

30 And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, 32 yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.”

  • ‘How might I describe the Kingdom of God?’
  • The mustard seed appears to be part of something small, based on our senses
  • Yet in ways we can’t comprehend it becomes part of something massive
  • It grows to become support for other things; an unlikely foundation 

33 With many such parables He was speaking ‘The Word’ to them, so far as they were able to hear it; 34 and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

  • The Word, God’s Word is communicated by Christ through examples / parables
  • The crowd understood them to varying degrees…[w/ Holy Spirit Illumination]
  • To the Disciples: Personal Jesus Illumination! [this is what it means to ‘walk’]
  • Christ reveals things to His disciples that not everyone gets to understand 
  • This right here, right now is that sort of debrief, as we gather, HE is among us!

SUMMARY:

Parable #1: A lamp is ‘God’s Word’ being revealed / illuminated to people, explaining reality about God or to show what the truth is about something. 

God’s influence in our lives is light: There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.  ~  John 1:9

Parable #2: What you listen to is a reflection of what you value. The way you value God’s Word is proportional to how much understanding of it will be given to you. Abundance will be multiplied and lack of will become total.

“For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.”  ~  Matthew 25:29

Parable #3: A foundational principle of God’s Kingdom is that HE makes all the growth happen that is necessary to enter into the Kingdom and harvests [saves] those who become ready. WE get to participate in the harvest: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”  ~  Matthew 9:37&38

Parable #4: The mustard seed represents the otherworldly nature of the Kingdom of God. What can seem insignificant to our senses can be used by God to become so important it supports other things.  ~  And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  ~  Matthew 19:26

Jesus’ words to the general population are unexplained parables, to many they are without meaning. God allows Christ’s disciples to understand the spiritual significance of His parables. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”   ~  Matthew 11:15

APPLICATION:

What specific parts of YOUR LIFE could use some of God’s light shined on them?

What actions can YOU take to honor God’s Word and treat it as more valuable than you currently do?

What are some ways YOU can make yourself more available to join God in His work going on around you?

What resources can YOU use to evaluate what is valuable based on God’s point of view?

What are some ways YOU can be actively grateful for the spiritual understanding God has given you?

/by