Power, Fear, & Faith (Part II)
Mark 5:21-43
Power, Fear, & Faith (Part II)
Mark 5:21-43
Main Idea: We can have defiant faith in the face of fear because Jesus has power over suffering, shame, and death.
Setting the Stage (5:21-24a)
As Jesus is surrounded again by invasive crowds, he is approached by Jairus, one of the “rulers of the synagogue.” Though he was a lay leader, he had associations with the religious professionals who want to destroy Jesus (cf. 3:6). Though he probably preferred to keep his distance, an emergency has drawn him to Christ, begging for mercy.
I. Suffering & Shame (5:24b-34)
In the midst of the crowd following Jesus is a woman who has a chronic discharge of blood. Though she attempted to receive help from physicians, her condition has only grown worse, and has spent all her money with nothing to show for it all. Though her physical condition would have been chronically painful and uncomfortable, she was also full of shame as this made her continually “unclean” (cf. Lev. 15:19-27). She was excluded from worship and community in this state of uncleanness.
In faith, she makes her way through the crowd, touches Jesus, and immediately is healed. Though she desired a discreet interaction, Jesus wants more than just an exchange of “power.” He stops and calls for her to identify herself, so he might heal her not only of her physical ailment but also her shame.
“She wants a cure, a “something,” whereas Jesus desires a personal encounter with “someone.” He is not content to dispatch a miracle; he wants to encounter a person. In the kingdom of God, miracle leads to meeting. Discipleship is not simply getting our needs met; it is being in the presence of Jesus, being known by him, and following him.”
~ James Edwards
“The one who has numbered the hairs on our heads also knows every drop of blood in our bodies. Instead of humiliating this woman, Jesus validates her. She’s been excluded from the temple for 12 years, and now she’s welcomed by the one who is the temple where we meet with God (Jn. 2:18-22). If we come to Jesus with our need, our desperation, and our shame, we can know that he will receive us with tenderness too.”
~ Rebecca McLaughlin
II. Delay & Death (5:35-43)
While all of this is unfolding, Jairus is waiting. There is urgency to his situation with his daughter, and while Jesus is stopping to talk with this woman, the worst of his fears become reality. Jesus’ lack of hurry does not mean a lack of concern, however. He immediately addresses Jairus: “Do not fear, only believe.” Whatever faith Jairus had in coming to Jesus is waning or gone at this point.
“This is the challenge before Jairus, and before everyone who meets Jesus: to believe only in what circumstances allow, or to believe in the God who makes all things possible? One thing only is necessary — to believe... With respect to his daughter’s circumstances, Jairus’s future is closed; but with respect to Jesus, it is still open. Faith is not something Jairus has but something that has Jairus, carrying him from despair to hope.”
~ James Edwards
As Jesus arrives at his home, professional mourners have already arrived, as was customary. When Jesus hints at what he is about to do (‘The child is not dead but sleeping’), they mock and laugh at him in unbelief. Undeterred, Jesus gently takes this girl by the hand, stares down the great and horrible enemy of death, and “wakes” her into life, just as a parent would wake a child in the morning.
III. Fear & Faith
Mark is inviting the reader to compare and contrast the two stories in this “sandwich.” The only thing in common between Jairus and this woman are their desperate circumstances; he has a name, reputation, and social standing, but she has the one thing that matters: faith in Jesus Christ.
The faith that is commended here in this double account is faith that is not only desperate but broken. It’s not the faith of the strong; it’s the faith of the weak. It’s not the faith of the respected but the faith of the disgraced. It’s not the faith of the bold but the faith of the frightened.”
~ D.A. Carson
Both Jairus and this woman end up getting more from Jesus than they expected, while also giving more to Jesus than they expected. This is true for all of us who live a life of faith, and we shouldn't be surprised when Jesus leads us to similar places of desperation so we might trust him with a defiant, all-in faith. “You don’t know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.”
~ Tim Keller
Both of these stories tell us of the good news of the gospel. Jesus would soon bleed for this woman, die for this girl, and be raised back to life to show his power over it all. Both of these women experience exactly what we will one day experience in Christ. The invitation before us is the same: “Do not fear, only believe.”
Revelation 1:17–18: When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Power, Fear, & Faith (Part I)
Mark 4:35-5:20
Power, Fear, & Faith (Part I)
Mark 4:35-5:20
Main Idea: Jesus can turn our fear into faith because he has power over all the chaos of the world.
I. Power Over The Wind & Waves (4:35-41)
After a long day of teaching (cf. 4:1-34), Jesus and his disciples make their way across the sea of Galilee (13 miles). Storms were common over the sea of Galilee, and they encountered a great windstorm (‘hurricane’ in Gk.). These professional fishermen believe they are going to die, while Jesus is asleep on a cushion in the stern. The disciples accuse Jesus of not caring for them in the midst of the storm.
The “sea” in Biblical thought represented chaos, destruction, and death; only God could control the waters (cf. Ps. 89:8-9, 107:23-32). Jesus shows his divine power by simply speaking to the storm, rebuking it like a child, producing calm, peace, and quiet.
The irony and key to the story is that the disciples are even more fearful after the calming of the storm than when they nearly drowned (4:40-41). They realize that Jesus has an even greater power than the seas and they had even less control over him than they did the waters. The storm outside revealed that they had a storm inside related to their faith.
This account of Jesus calming the storm simultaneously echoes something behind (Jonah) and foreshadows something ahead (the cross).
“Jonah’s willingness to die for the sailors points us to an infinitely greater sacrificial love that brings infinitely greater salvation. Unlike Jonah, Jesus was not thrown into the waters, because Jesus came to save us from a far greater peril than drowning. Jesus was able to calm the storm on Galilee and save his disciples because later, on the cross, he was thrown into the ultimate storm of divine wrath so he could save us from sin and death itself.”
~ Tim Keller
II. Power Over The Demons & Despair (5:1-20)
As they continue to the other side of the sea of Galilee, Jesus and his disciples enter a region no Jewish person would dare to step foot. The “Decapolis” (5:20) was a Roman stronghold, full of things that would be “unclean” by Jewish standards.“Jesus meets a man with an unclean spirit living among unclean tombs surrounded by people employed in unclean occupations, all in unclean Gentile territory.” ~ James Edwards
This demonaic’s existence shows us the pattern of evil and it’s destructive reality in the life of an individual:
He gives himself over to evil / idolatry of some kind
He is empowered outwardly
He is enslaved inwardly
He loses his sense of self
He gradually disintegrates (‘legion’) into despair
“There is no such thing as not worshiping. Everybody worships. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, then you will never feel like you have enough. Worship your own body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally plant you…Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out.”
~ David Foster Wallace
The demoniac and “Legion” make a big, loud scene before Jesus, while Christ again simply speaks a word of rebuke, appealing to his own power, giving“permission” for the thousands of demons to run into the herd of pigs to destroy them (cf. John 8:44). Like the disciples on the boat, the people were more “afraid” after Jesus showcased his power then they were before.
The response of the people reveals their unbelief; faced with the economic loss of 2,000 pigs, they beg Jesus to leave. They would rather have the demons and the pigs in their midst than Jesus and this man who was in despair restored and healed. In their fear, they refused to relinquish control and embrace faith.
Jesus is the powerful one who has come to take the full force of evil upon himself and to let others go free, inviting us to a life of faith. When we realize that the evil that both impacts us and that we have participated in has been dealt with at the cross, we are invited to turn from our fears, trust in Jesus, and spread the good news of his mercy far and wide.
Ears to Hear
Mark 4:1-20
Ears to Hear
Mark 4:1-20
Main Idea: We must consider if we have rightly heard the gospel and are responding to Jesus accordingly.
A parable is when: ‘A metaphor or story connected with the affairs of daily life is used as an illustration of moral and spiritual truths, on the assumption that what applies in one sphere is relevant also in the others.’
~Vincent Taylor
“When Jesus teaches a parable, he is not opening up “Chicken Soup for the Soul” or a fortune cookie but a window to the hidden heavenlies. He is revealing a glimpse of eternity crashing into time, a flash photo of his own wisdom brought to bear. The parables give us a direct portal to the kingdom of God being done on earth as it is in heaven.”
~Jared Wilson, The Storytelling God
I. The Parable (v. 1-9)
Up to this point in Mark, and arguably the whole Gospel of Mark, Mark has been aiming to show the authority of Jesus as the Christ (Messiah). Whether through acts of miracles or teaching with true authority, all of Jesus’ life is pointing to the fact that He is Lord. But, it doesn’t look like how anyone expected.
As the crowds are gathering, Jesus begins to teach them with a parable (using story) that would have been familiar and relevant in their current context. He is describing a type of farming called broadcast farming. Seed is scattered somewhat randomly by hand and it lands in different places:
Some seeds fell “along the path” (4:4), and “the birds came and devoured it.” (4:4)
Some seeds fell “on rocky ground” (4:5), and it grew quickly, but then “withered” and was “scorched” since it had “no root” (4:6).
Some seeds fell “among thorns” (4:7) and they “choked” out the seed and it “yielded no grain” (4:7).
Some seeds fell “into good soil” (4:8), “produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” (4:8)
When we zoom out of the parable and look around our own world, the world does not seem to be flourishing in many ways, does it? We do not see complete peace and “Shalom” in every area of life, do we? All seeds are not accepted and all trees do not sprout forth a hundred fold. Jesus is hinting that there are in fact two ways to hear him, causing us to consider if we indeed are hearing him rightly.
“One aim in using this method is to encourage serious, persistent, perceptive faith. Each of those adjectives is important. The emphasis on seriousness was necessary because ‘hearing Jesus’ seems to have become ‘one of the things to do’ at the time. Crowds begat crowds, and there was enough excitement, in the healings, exorcisms and controversy, to keep them coming. The parable requires seriousness if we are to begin to grasp its meaning, hence, ‘Listen!’, in verse 3. Persistence was also important. There were plenty of wandering teachers and miracle workers around. The parabolic method of teaching did not pander to the casual, half-hearted listener. The hearer had to work at it and continue with it. Perception was needed, too, since at face value the stories were about things that just about everybody in the crowd knew already. Unless there was some veiled meaning, they were innocuous, even shallow tales. Yet the perceptive saw more than was obvious.”
~Donald English, The Message of Mark: The Mystery of Faith
II. The Purpose (v. 10-12)
Looking back at the parable, why would Jesus speak this way? His disciples don’t seem to understand it, at the end of chapter 3 his own family don’t seem to fully understand it either, and here Jesus responds with His purpose in v. 10-12.
The “Markan Sandwich” is used when Mark starts a story (v. 1-9) and then inserts something into the middle of it (v.10-12) and then continues on in the story (v. 13-20). The insertion in the middle explains or provides clarity for the rest of the story.
Ultimately, there are two kingdoms and two people in God’s world. God does reveal himself, and by His grace some are invited into His kingdom. Our ability to respond must be given (v. 11). We must be given eyes to see and ears to hear. God is completely sovereign over this act (Col. 1:27, Romans 16:25, Eph. 2:1-10). God is both simultaneously concealing and revealing this reality to the world.
1. Concealed to those “outside” (v. 11)
1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
“The day of the Lord’s favor is a new dawn to widows and lepers, but to the self-centered, self-righteous rabble, it’s just any old day. The parables are just any old stories to some, but they are smart bombs of glory to others.”
~Jared Wilson, The Storytelling God
2. Revealed to those “given” (v. 11)
Colossians 1:27 “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
“Parables alone will not produce faith, otherwise all who hear would believe. Parables are an invitation to faith as is the gospel itself. Neither parables in particular, nor the gospel in general, enforce or ensure faith. What is required is the secret of the kingdom of Jesus. Without that, the parables will simply go on frustrating the hearers, for they mistake the signpost for the destination, the shadow for the reality, the metaphor for the truth.
~Donald English, The Message of Mark: The Mystery of Faith
III. The Particulars (v. 13-20)
Simply, Jesus is the sower, the word is the seed, and the listener is the soil. Understanding that the only variable factor in the equation seems to be the soil is key. Examining this we see 4 types of soil or types of hearing at the heart level:
Soil of the heart that is hardened (v. 14-15)
Soil of the heart that is shallow (v. 16-17)
Soil of the heart that is distracted (v. 18-19)
Soil of the heart that is fruitful (v. 4:20)
"There is such a thing as being 'gospel-hardened': it is possible to sit under sermons till your heart becomes dead, and callous. ... never startled, never astonished. ... you come (to church) but yet the tear does not trickle down your cheek, your soul never seems to mount up to heaven on the wings of praise, nor deep mourning over sin. Your heart is iron…unless God himself shall be pleased to crack it in sunder with an earthquake, or with a heart-quake, there will never be room for the seed of heaven to lodge there."
~ Charles Spurgeon
A key phrase to this whole parable is found in verse 20 when it says “Hear the word and accept it” (v. 20). This is the only response to the gospel that leads to life and life abundant. This response unites us and secures us firmly in Christ. As we abide in Christ, we abide in life. He went into the ground, overcame death, and brought forward eternal life for all who “accept” him (John 12:24).
John 12:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
The gospel alone is the power to save, transform, and bring forth life from death. It alone can produce the lasting fruit of change that we all desperately desire. The beautiful part is it applies to all people, in all places, at all times. So, the question this morning I'll leave you with is: How are you hearing this today? How is the gospel speaking to you? And how might the Holy Spirit in fact be stirring you to respond to that reality?
*BONUS CONTENT (MARK 4:21-34)
Pastor Ian and Pastor Andrew recorded a podcast discussion surrounding chapter 4 verses 21 through 34 which were not covered during the sermon on Sunday morning. You see both the video and audio recordings of this bonus content below.
The Scandal of Jesus
Mark 2:13-3:6
The Scandal of Jesus
Mark 2:13-3:6
Main Idea: Jesus is scandalous to those who care more about religious self-righteousness than humbly receiving the gospel.
I. The Scandal of Grace (2:13-17)
As Jesus continues to call disciples to follow him, he controversially calls Levi (Matthew), a tax-collector. In this time period, tax-collectors were despised because they were paid by exploiting and extorting, and they were viewed as traitors who ensured Roman occupation continued over the Jewish people.
Jesus, dignifying Levi, goes to his home, shares a meal with him (signifying friendship, acceptance, and intimacy), and throws a party with more “sinners” and tax-collectors joining in. The Pharisees are threatened by this activity of Jesus. Their concern over strict observance of the Torah and public morality had created a rigid “exterior” focused religious practice that began to overvalue tradition to the neglect of the intent of the Law and love of others (cf. Lk. 18:9).
“The scandal of this story is that Jesus does not make moral repentance a precondition of his love and acceptance. Rather, Jesus loves and accepts tax collectors and sinners as they are. If they forsake their evil and amend their lives, they do so not in order to gain Jesus’ favor but because Jesus has loved them as sinners.” ~ James Edwards
Jesus’ calling of Levi as a disciple does not deny the reality or the seriousness of sin (cf 1:14-15); it is, however, a reminder that we are not excluded from following Jesus because of our sin. We are all “sick” and in need of a Savior. The question is: do you realize you are a sinner? Or are you “righteous” with no need for Jesus?
Matthew 21:31b: Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.
“Churches should be more like a waiting room for a doctor than the waiting room for a job interview.” ~ Tim Keller
II. The Scandal of Feasting (2:18-22)
Another conflict arises with Jesus related to fasting, one of the main pillars of Judaism (along with almsgiving and prayer). The Pharisees normally fasted twice a week, even though the OT only required one day of fasting a year (on the Day of Atonement). It was a sign of religious commitment and a seriousness toward the things of God.
Jesus’ followers, however, do not fast, because the “bridegroom” is with them. The whole point of fasting is to draw near to God, and Jesus is telling them that God has come to them and is in their midst. As long as Jesus is with them, it is not a time for mourning or fasting, but feasting and joyful celebration, just like a wedding celebration (cf. Amos 9:13).
The Pharisees do not rejoice, however, because they do not acknowledge who Jesus is. Matthew 11:19: The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
Jesus gives two parables common to everyday life in this time period, each one teaching that combining something new with something old will destroy both. Jesus is saying that he is something new. He has come not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill the Law and show the point of all religious observance is to receive the bridegroom.
“The question posed by the image of the wedding feast and the two parables is not whether disciples will, like sewing a new patch on an old garment or refilling an old container, make room for Jesus in their already full agendas and lives. The question is whether they will forsake business as usual and join the wedding celebration; whether they will become entirely new receptacles for the expanding fermentation of Jesus and the gospel in their lives.” ~ James Edwards
III. The Scandal of True Religion (2:23-3:6)
Two final conflicts with the Pharisees deal with issues related to Sabbath-observance, one of the key markers of Jewish identity in the Greco-Roman world. Typically, Jesus intensifies the Law (cf. Sermon on the Mount), but he takes a different approach with the Sabbath for a few reasons:
The Sabbath was being twisted & misused (2:23-27)
The Pharisees' theology communicated that “man was made for the Sabbath” rather than the “Sabbath was made for man.” The Law of God was not to restrict and burden, but to lead to life and flourishing.The Sabbath was being weaponized (3:1-6)
The Pharisees were so concerned about their religious “correctness” and their authority in interpreting the Law that they were willing to use this man and his suffering for their evil schemes. Jesus is angered by their “hardness of heart” and silence to his simple question.The Sabbath was ultimately about Jesus (2:28)
Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath and the point of it all. We are designed to find “rest for our souls” (Mt. 11:28-30) not in our own religious observance, but in Jesus alone.
Jesus comes as our bridegroom forgiving, befriending, and feasting with sinners, inviting us to true rest and restoration in him. Have you humbly received his offer, seeing yourself as a sinner in need of grace, or are you “righteous” on your own with no need for him?
*Bonus Content (MArk 3:7-35)
Pastor Ian and Pastor Andrew recorded a podcast discussion surrounding the remaining portions of Chapter 3 which were not covered during the sermon on Sunday morning. You see both the video and audio recordings of this bonus content below.
The Word at Work
Mark 2:1-12
The Word at Work
Mark 2:1-12
Main Idea: Jesus Alone, the Word made flesh, has the authority to forgive sins.
The Word Preached (v1-2)
The Word Forgives (v3-5)
“The presence of the kingdom of God, which Jesus has been speaking about (2:2; cf. 1:14–15), must usher in the forgiveness of sins” David Garland.
The Word Questioned (v6-7)
The Scribes, those who should have recognized the signs of the messiah, demean and accuse God of doing what he must do, primarily forgiving the sins of his people.
The Word Responds to Doubt (v8-9)
The Word Heals (v10-11)
Christ’s primary purpose is to redeem his people from their greatest ailment, their greatest paralysis, sin.
Galatians 4:4–5: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
The Word Gets Glory (v12)
Because Jesus rose from the dead, everything he said was true. And since Jesus rose from the grave, we can trust and believe that He has the authority to forgive our sins. All of them. And that identifies us with Jesus; we are his, and he is ours.
The Authority of the King
Mark 1:16-45
The Authority of the King
Mark 1:16-45
Main Idea: Jesus has divine authority as King to restore all that is broken in our lives and the world.
Authority as Rabbi (1:16-22)
On the heels of Jesus’ announcement that the Kingdom of God was at hand and the invitation to repentance and faith, he begins his work by calling disciples to follow him. There are three distinct aspects to his calling:
Jesus initiates the call, reversing the usual Rabbi - pupil selection process.
Jesus calls them to himself, asking these disciples to redefine their inheritance and their identity in light of him.
Jesus calls them into a greater mission, taking their ordinary vocations and giving them new meaning and purpose as they follow Christ. He calls them from the place of chaos (the waters) and shows his mastery over everything in creation.
Jesus spent considerable time teaching in synagogues, and the people were ‘astonished’ with his authority. Unlike the Scribes, he was teaching without formal training and was appealing to his own authority, not some other school of thought or Rabbi.
“The word ‘authority’ literally means ‘out of the original stuff.’ It comes from the same root as the word author. Mark means that Jesus taught about life with original rather than derived authority. He didn’t just clarify something that they already knew, or simply interpret the Scriptures in the way the teachers of the law did. His listeners sensed somehow that he was explaining the story of their lives as the author, and it left them dumbfounded.” ~ Tim Keller
Luke 24:32: They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he [Jesus] talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
II. Authority as Restorer (1:23ff)
Jesus’ ministry of restoration is two-fold:
1. Redeeming (1:23-27, 1:34)
Early in the gospel of Mark, Jesus encounters many demons or “unclean” spirits. They know who Jesus is and what he came to do as he brings his kingdom of light and life to push back the darkness. Jesus simply speaks an authoritative word of rebuke and the unclean spirits flee.
“The voice of Jesus is not like any other voice ever heard. There is a note of command over all that is, or was, or is to come. It’s a voice of authority, cosmic, universal authority, proclaiming the destiny of the world… This is the voice that has given confidence, courage, and hope to oppressed and subjugated peoples all over the world, and that reaches into the depths of every single human heart afflicted with anxiety, or pain, or confusion, or hopelessness.” ~ Fleming Rutledge
Though we might be skeptical of demon possessions, in the Scriptures they are an extreme picture of a condition that we all find ourselves in. Without the redeeming work of Christ, all of us are possessed, enslaved, and controlled by something (cf. John 8:34-36). Jesus has come to set the captives free from the schemes of the evil one and the sin that enslaves and traps us.
2. Healing (1:40-45)
Jesus’ encounter with a leper shows his total concern for sinners and sufferers. Leprosy was a horrible reality that included suffering:
Physically: Leprosy had no known cures or treatments, and severe cases (cf. Lk. 5:12) resulted in your body literally deteriorating and falling apart.
Socially: Lepers were not allowed to be near other human beings or inhabited places because they were contagious; they were forced to live in isolation without human contact
Spiritually: They were viewed as being “cursed” by God and had to declare their status of “unclean” to anyone who they saw coming near them
This leper breaks all social and religious expectations as he approaches Jesus. Rather than recoiling or scolding the man, Jesus has “pity” (lit. ‘anger’), and he touches him. Rather than the leprosy making Jesus unclean, Jesus’ holiness is contagious and he heals this man holistically.
By the end of the encounter, Jesus and the leper have exchanged places (Isa. 53:11); the leper is now on the “inside” and Jesus is on the “outside,” foreshadowing what will happen at the end of Jesus’ life as he is crucified outside the gates of Jerusalem, giving his life as a “ransom for many” (10:45).
The Son of God
Mark 1:1-15
The Son of God
Mark 1:1-15
Main Idea: God’s plan of salvation culminates in the coming of Christ, inviting us to repentance and faith.
I. The Forerunner (1:2-8)
Mark begins his gospel account with the figure of John the Baptist, who is the fulfillment of a number of promises made in the OT:
John is the “messenger” promised in Mal. 3:1 who will prepare the way of the Lord. This messenger in Malachi is one who will come like Elijah (Mal. 4:5-6) who will turn hearts back to the Lord in repentance
Isaiah 40:3 is a word of comfort from God to his people in Babylonian exile, hearing a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord himself, who is coming to his people
At the time of John’s coming, there had been 400 years of silence from God to his people. Israel was fractured, divided, and under harsh Roman occupation. John’s message and baptism all revolve around one issue: repentance. The only way to “clear a path” and to “make straight” the way of our own hearts for the coming of God is to take up the posture of humble repentance.
“The word translated “prepare” means to clear out, like spring-cleaning… Glory and clutter don’t go together. So Isaiah [and John the Baptist] are saying, “The King is coming with blessing in his hands for you. So, empty your hands. Clear away the obstacles to his glory entering your world.” God is not calling us to pedal faster; he is calling us to open up. He is calling us to repentance.”
~ Ray Ortlund
II. The Son (1:9-13)
Mark tells us three things about Jesus as the Son of God:
1. The Son is Divine
Three “signs” occur at the baptism of Jesus to confirm his divine identity:
The heavens are “torn” open (cf. Isa. 64:1; Rev. 19:11), signifying a divine, heavenly intervention into earthly affairs
The spirit “descended on him like a dove,” echoing Genesis 1:2
The voice of the Father from heaven declares Jesus is his “Beloved Son” (cf. Ps. 2:7), coming with the full pleasure and authority of God.
Just as creation itself was the product and accomplishment of the Triune God (Gen. 1:1-2, Col. 1:16), so too is the new creation and redemption in Christ.
2. The Son will Suffer
The Spirit immediately “drove” Jesus out into the wilderness (desert) to face temptation, following the same pattern as Adam and the same story as Israel. The “wilderness” is the place of testing, training, and emptiness, but it is also the place where God meets his people.
The wilderness is not a detour or an accidental stop on the way; Jesus is entering into the story of God’s people and succeeding where Adam and Israel failed. Jesus will win the cosmic conflict through suffering and hardship, not in spite of it.
3. The Son Identifies with His People
In both his baptism and his temptation, Jesus is profoundly identifying with sinners and sufferers.
“Mockery of every sort was added to their [Christian’s] deaths. Covered with the skins of wild beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.”
~ Tacitus (Roman Historian, 64AD)
Hebrews 4:15–16: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
III. The King (1:14-15)
Jesus begins announcing the good news that the “time is fulfilled” and the “kingdom of God is at hand.” The rest of Mark’s Gospel will tell us that the Kingdom of God is an upside-down Kingdom to the world, and Jesus the King is an unlikely King. He comes not to ascend a throne but to be enthroned on a cross.
Since the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand, Jesus invites us to the “twin responses” of the gospel: repentance and faith. Repentance and faith are both the entrance to the “way” of Jesus, and the road we must continually walk with him day by day as disciples.
“This is how true Christians live; they repent as bitterly for sin as if they knew they should be condemned for it; but they rejoice as much in Christ as if sin were nothing at all. Oh, how blessed it is to know where these two lines meet, the stripping of repentance, and the clothing of faith! The repentance that ejects sin as an evil tenant, and the faith which admits Christ to be the sole master of the heart; the repentance which purges the soul from dead works, and the faith that fills the soul with living works; the repentance which pulls down, and the faith which builds up… the repentance which ordains a time to weep, and the faith that gives a time to dance—these two things together make up the work of grace within.”
~ Charles Spurgeon
The End of the Matter
Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14
The End of the Matter
Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14
Main Idea: We wisely live in light of our death by rejoicing in the gift of life and remembering God.
I. Rejoice in the Gift of Life (11:7-9, 12:1-8)
As we consider our own death, the Preacher urges and commands us to rejoice in the life we have been given. Despite the Preacher’s often bleak assessment of life under the sun, this is a consistent refrain throughout the book (cf. Ecc. 3:12-13, 22, 5:18-20, 9:9).
“The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord” ~ George Mueller
The sin of pride causes us to miss out on this rejoicing; when we treat life as “gain” or something to be mastered, we miss that it is a gift to be enjoyed. We are following in the footsteps of the first sin of Genesis 3:
“This was the nerve the serpent had touched in Eden, to make even Paradise appear an insult” (Derek Kidner).
Despite the hardships of life, there is joy to be found in the midst of the pain. The incarnation of Christ reminds us that although death and vanity mark our lives here under the sun, God himself is with us - even in the mundane, the disappointments, and the ordinary.
The Preacher urges us to rejoice in the gift of life while we still can:
For those who are “young” (11:9, 12:1), we must not look ahead to some uncertain time in the future to find joy. If we do, we will run out of time as the dark clouds of death gather (12:2-7).
For those who lived “many years” (11:8), we are to rejoice in them all, not looking back with nostalgia (cf. 7:10). Those who are old are to look forward to their “eternal home” (12:5) which draws close, remembering that the enemy of death cannot defeat those in Christ (cf. Isa. 40:28-31).
II. Remove Vain Pursuits (11:10, 12:9-12)
The Preacher urges us to “remove vexation from your heart.” This does not mean we must remove the feeling of vexation and frustration, but instead set aside the impossible and futile pursuit of trying to make sense of every detail of our lives of “smoke.”
We practically “remove” this kind of vexation by:
Listening to the Word of God (12:9-11)
God’s Word reminds us of what is true, good, and beautiful. It guides us through the “narrow gate” and the “hard way” of discipleship that leads to life (Mt. 7:13-14), like goads that keep animals moving in the proper direction. We must locate and prioritize the voice of our “Shepherd” amidst all the other voices in our lives.Humbly embracing the limitations of life (12:12)
The Preacher warns us of the temptation to go “beyond” what God has given us to understand (cf. 2 Pet. 1:3, 2 Tim. 3:7). This quest will lead to vexation and weariness and we will never find what we are looking for.
“You will be tempted to think that you must move beyond the wisdom words of God in order to make a difference and find your purpose. His words will at times seem too small and quiet a thing amid the clamor and importance of the world. You will be tempted to think that you need something more than your relationship with God in order to prove worthy and credible under the sun. But I tell you, after everything is said and done, the end of the matter, the grand purpose for which we live, the ‘whole duty’ of your life is this: trust God, follow what he says, and this, right where you are.” ~ Zack Eswine
III. Remember Your Creator (12:1, 13-14)
As we contemplate our own death, the brevity of life, and all that the Preacher has said in Ecclesiastes, we are to remember our Creator. We do this by:
Fearing God
Keeping his commandments
Remembering our life beyond the sun
“If there is no God, and therefore no final judgment, then it is hard to see how anything we do really matters. But if there is a God who will judge the world, then everything matters. This is not all there is. There is a God in heaven who rules the world. There is a life to come. One day the dead will be raised and every person who has ever lived will stand before God. And when that day comes, it will become clear that there is eternal significance in everything that anyone ever thought, said or did.” ~ Philip Ryken
Philippians 1:21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
The Vanity of Wealth
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
The Vanity of Wealth
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
Main Idea: Joy and satisfaction are not found in money but in our contentment in God.
I. The Problem Outside (8-9)
Genesis 2:5,7 “When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground… then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”
II. The Problem Inside (10-11, 13-17)
“You can love money and have a lot, and you can love money and have a little. The issue is not how much you have; the issue is the heart. The issue is failure to be content with what you have. There was a time in your life when you would have jumped at the opportunity to have the income, family, and house that you presently have, but now it is not enough.”
-Jonathan Akin
Job 1:21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
III. The Solution Above (12, 18-20)
Universal
Narrow
Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Reverent Religion
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
Reverent Religion
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
Main Idea: Proper fear of God causes us to rightly relate to Him, guard our hearts, and in all of life worship Jesus as Lord.
As you look at our text today, you will see both paragraphs mirror each other. You will see a positive exhortation (v. 1; 4-5), negative exhortation (v. 2; 6), and a parable (v. 3; 7). Verse 1 and 7 frame up our whole passage and everything in the middle and help us answer the question, how do you approach God?
I. Religious Ritual (v. 1-3)
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3: “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.”
Understanding Our Identity (v. 1)
Understanding our identity in light of God’s identity calls us to listen first by the very nature of our relationship. This is a call for us to both think about what we are doing, and who we are doing it to. This type of listening is active. It implies hearing and obeying.
Our listening, how well we listen, and who we listen to as authority will directly impact our spiritual lives. Listening leads to understanding. Truly understanding leads to transformation. For God’s word to change you you need to understand it. Which means we need to listen.
“The ear is the Christian's primary sense organ. Listening to what God has said is our main spiritual discipline. […] When it comes to relating to God, we are out of order as far as using our sense organs goes. The things we see and the things we can touch dominate the way we perceive reality: We are fundamentally active creatures. We are what we do. But Ecclesiastes says that we become more human when we are what we receive. Life is a gift, and God's Word is the most precious of gifts, to be honored and loved and treasured above all others. Ecclesiastes is one long meditation on the need to use our ears for God's Word alongside our eyes in God's world.”
~David Gibson, Living Life Backwards
This is also why the church in the protestant tradition has centered corporate worship on the preaching of the word of God. Although other elements such as singing, praying, and taking communion are vital as well, listening is at the heart and center of our worship.
Understanding Our Actions (v. 2)
While the overarching theme may be to listen. This does not imply that we are to sit and do nothing either. If this was even possible. The preacher says “When” and not “if” you go to the house of God. There is a right assumption that all people must do something, the question for us is what, or better still who, are our actions our actions rooted in? Are they in ourselves, our peers, our cultural, political figures, media, or God.
“The sacrifice of fools indicates those who take part in religious ceremony and observances and who look to that participation in order to justify themselves as being close to God and good among people. But it isn’t sacrifice but mercy that God calls us to (Ps. 51:16-17)”
~Zack Eswine, Recovering Eden
Understanding Our “Dreams” (v. 3)
If you follow the preacher’s logic he creates a broad and all encompassing picture of human life. He is saying who you are (identity) affects who you listen to, who you listen to affects what you do, and what you do affects what you “dream” about or love. This circular pattern does seem accurate as we look at our own lives, doesn’t it?
II. Reverent Approach (v. 4-6)
Ecclesiastes 5:4-6: “When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?”
We live in a world filled with lies, broken promises, and unkept vows. For the Christian, this ought to both grieve and challenge us. We ought to be a people slow to make promises as if we have ultimate authority, and quick to fulfill the ones we do make. As we worship God for who he is, we can practice restraint while we practice reverence.
Matthew 5:37: “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”
III. Considering Christ (v. 7)
Ecclesiastes 5:7: “For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.”
Circling back to our initial question: How do you approach God? In what seems like an unlikely possibility Jesus gives us an option to consider: Himself.
John 10:30 “I and the Father are one.”
John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:10–11: “I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”
John 14:26: “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
John 19:30: “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
John 21:19 “Follow me”
“The fear of the Lord is the only fear that imparts strength [...] Those who fear God are simultaneously humbled and strengthened before his beauty and magnificence. [...] All of us are temperamentally inclined to lean one way or another. Some are natural rhinos: strong and thick-skinned, but not gentle. Others are more like deer:sweet and gentle, to be sure, but nervous and flighty. The fear of the Lord corrects and beautifies both temperaments, giving believers a gentle strength. It makes them – like Christ – simultaneously lamblike and lionlike.”
~Michael Reeves, Rejoice & Tremble
Psalm 130:3-4 “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.”