The Glory of Jesus
Mark 9:1-13
The Glory of Jesus
Mark 9:1-13
Main Idea: Jesus is the source of glory and the pinnacle of God’s revelation, who will share his glory with us.
I. The Source of Glory (9:1-8)
There are unmistakable parallels between this account and Mt. Sinai in the book of Exodus.
The timestamp of “6 days” (Ex. 24:16)
Traveling up a “high mountain” (Ex. 24:1)
Moses’ face “shining” after encountering God’s glory (Ex. 34:29)
The cloud of God’s presence and the voice of the Lord (Ex. 24:16)
Jesus was “transfigured” (to be ‘changed’ or ‘transformed’) before Peter, James, and John. The disciples are not seeing Jesus transform into something he wasn’t before, but rather seeing him as he truly is and how all will one day see him: glorious and “intensely white” (cf. Col. 2:9, John 1:14)
“Is this Mount Sinai all over again? No, because there is a head-snapping twist. Moses had reflected the glory of God. But Jesus produces the glory of God; it emanates from him. Jesus does not point to the glory of God as Elijah, Moses, and every other prophet has done; Jesus is the glory of God in human form.”
~ Tim Keller, Jesus the King
Hebrews 1:3: He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high
Moses and Elijah’s presence represent the Law and the Prophets in the Old Testament. They also had previous “mountain top” experiences on Sinai, and anticipated the coming of the Messiah (cf. Deut. 18:15, Mal. 4:4-6). Peter and the disciples' confusion is understandable, as an encounter like this would have been deadly in the Old Testament.
God’s presence then descends in a cloud, and the voice makes clear what Peter should have known: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him” (cf. 1:11) Then suddenly, everything else fades away “but Jesus only.” This is the point of the transfiguration: Jesus is not on the same level as Moses and Elijah. He is in a glorious class of his own, and therefore, we must listen to him.
II. The Surprise of Glory (9:9-13)
Coming down the mountain, Jesus commands his disciples one final time in Mark to remain “silent” about what they have seen. This time, however, he adds an “expiration” to his command: “until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” The resurrection is the key to everything, and until it has occurred, the disciples' vision will be blurred and partial.
The disciples reveal again their misunderstanding surrounding the suffering of Christ (cf. 8:31-33). The disciples assume the presence of Elijah means the “day of the Lord” must be imminent (Mal. 4:4-5). But they see no way that Jesus’ suffering is compatible with this vision. Jesus affirms that Elijah has indeed come in the ministry of John the Baptist, but he suffered and died, just as Jesus will.
Hebrews 2:9: But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
“The Transfiguration serves to confirm that the suffering Jesus will endure is not incompatible with his glory. The scene functions like a hologram. For a brief moment, the disciples glimpse the truth as divine glory shines through the veil of suffering. It foreshadows the time when God will gloriously enthrone Jesus after the degradation on the cross. This white flash of the splendor to come brightens the dark cloud of tribulation that presently hangs over Mark’s first readers and confirms Jesus’ promise that those who follow and suffer for him will not have done so in vain.”
~ David Garland
III. Our Future Glory
The word for ‘transfigured’ is only used two other times in the New Testament outside of this account:
Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
2 Corinthians 3:18a: And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.
We are right now being transformed into the glory of Jesus, though we do not always outwardly see it. And though our outer selves will “waste away” in this life (2 Cor. 4:16), we will one day be transformed into the same glory as Jesus, as we follow in his resurrection. Our future is truly “glorious” in Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:42–43, 49: “What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power… Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.”
“The New Testament writers speak as if Christ’s achievement in rising from the dead was the first event of its kind in the whole history of the universe. He is the ‘first fruits,’ the pioneer of life,’ He has forced open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. He has met, fought, and beaten the King of Death. Everything is different because He has done so. This is the beginning of the New Creation: a new chapter in cosmic history has opened.”
~ C.S. Lewis
The Christ & The Cross
Mark 8:22-38
The Christ & The Cross
Mark 8:22-38
Main Idea: Jesus is the King who must be crucified, calling us to a cruciform life of discipleship.
I. The Concern of Blindness (8:22-26)
This healing introduces the theme of “seeing” and “blindness” that runs throughout Mark 8:22-10:52. This healing is unique, as it takes part in two-stages. This has nothing to do with the power of Jesus, but instead as a representation of the “partial” understanding of the disciples.
“In a single event Jesus is giving the blind man mercy and giving his disciples a mirror. Halfway through his healing, the blind man did not yet have 20/20 vision; halfway through Mark’s Gospel, the disciples do not yet have 20/20 vision. They understand Jesus’ mission, but only fuzzily.”
~ Dane Ortlund, Surprised by Jesus
II. The Confession of Christ (8:27-33)
These verses serve as the center point of the Gospel of Mark and the ‘hinge’ of the book. All of Mark has been building to the question: Who do you say that I am? Everything that comes after this moment will be a consequence of this interaction with the disciples.
While Peter rightly identifies that Jesus is indeed ‘the Christ’ (cf. 1:1), it was unthinkable in this context that the Christ would suffer and be crucified. Peter has supplied the proper title but has the wrong understanding of what this means. They did not realize that the glorious ‘Son of Man’ of Daniel 7 was also the suffering servant of Isaiah (Isa. 52-53).
Peter ‘rebukes’ Jesus (the language of exorcism), standing against him in the strongest possible terms. Peter calls him ‘Satan’ because this is precisely the thinking that Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness, offering the crown without the cross (cf. Mt. 4:8-10). Jesus emphasizes that the Christ must go through all of these events (suffering, death, and resurrection); while Peter finds the cross inexplicable, Jesus teaches it is inevitable.
“One common reason we fail to leave sin behind is that we have a domesticated view of Jesus… Have we unintentionally reduced him to manageable predictable proportions? Have we been looking at a junior varsity, decaffeinated, one-dimensional Jesus of our own making, thinking we’re looking at the real Jesus? Have we snorkeled in the shallows thinking we’ve now hit bottom on the Pacific?”
~ Dane Ortlund, Deeper
III. The Cost of Discipleship (8:34-38)
Jesus will predict his suffering, death, and resurrection three times in Mark (8:31, 9:31, 10:32-34). After each of these predictions, he then immediately talks about the demands of discipleship. In our passage, Jesus outlines three components to discipleship:
Deny Yourself
Take Up Your Cross
Follow Me
“The cross is not only the source but also the shape of our salvation, and cross-shaped living means that all Christian virtues and practices are cruciform.”
~ Michael Gorman
In the “upside-down” life of the Kingdom of God, death is the way to life, loss is the way to gain, and humility is the way to glory. Following Jesus is an invitation to pick up our cross now while awaiting in faith a promised future glory (8:38), seeing that joy and satisfaction are found only in Jesus.
“The principle runs through all life from top to bottom. Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save It. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favorite wishes every day and death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fiber of your being, and you will find eternal life. Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in.”~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Approaching Jesus
Mark 7:24-30
Approaching Jesus
Mark 7:24-30
Main Idea: Through bold faith Jesus receives and feeds the unworthy.
I. The Problem (7:24-26)
Relational/Cultural Strife
Jews and Gentiles
Men and Women
II. The Parable (7:27-28)
“In Jesus’s day the Jews often called the Gentiles dogs because they were ‘unclean’. Is what Jesus says to her just an insult, then? No it’s a parable. The word parable means ‘metaphor’ or ‘likeness,’ and that’s what this is. One key to understanding it is the very usual word Jesus uses for ‘dogs’ here. He uses a diminutive form, a word that really means ‘puppies’… Jesus is saying to her, ‘You know how families eat: First the children eat at the table, and then afterward their pets eat too. It is not right to violate that order. The puppies must not eat food from the table before the children do.’”
-Tim Keller
Acts 10:25-35 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.” And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Luke 18:13-14 “…‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
“We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” -Tim Keller
III. The Product (7:29-30)
This account impacts three different audiences: The woman, the child, and the disciples
The Woman
The Child
The Disciples
The Heart of the Matter
Mark 7:1-23
The Heart of the Matter
Mark 7:1-23
Main Idea: Jesus diagnoses the source of our sin and provides the solution to our uncleanness.
I. Outside-In Traditions (7:1-13)
The Pharisees and Scribes (cf. 3:6, 22) accuse Jesus’ disciples of “defiling” themselves by not washing their hands before eating. This is not an argument over hygiene but over ritual purity and how one can be clean before God.
There are two problems with the approach of the religious leaders:
They elevated the traditions of men with the word of God (7:1-5)
The Pharisees used the Mishnah (“the tradition of the elders”) to develop elaborate cleansing regulations. None of the ‘washing’ in these verses are actually prescribed in the Old Testament, however. The Mishnah was intended to be a “fence” around the Torah, but it led to the people treating the letter of the law as more important than the spirit of the law (cf. Mt. 23:27-28).They encouraged hypocrisy and vain worship (7:6-13)
Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 to show that the issue is not defiled hands but defiled hearts. The Pharisees and Scribes were engaged in practices (like “Corban”) to find loopholes to avoid obeying God’s Word, baptizing their disobedience in spiritual language.
“The Pharisees are described as hypocrites, but not in the sense that we usually use that term, meaning someone who says one thing but lives in a different way… they are hypocrites because they are not unified in heart and action; they actually do the right things, but they are not the right kind of people because their hearts are wrong… Because righteousness is whole-person virtuous living, for a religious community the most serious potential opposite to this is not blatant immorality but a skin-deep righteousness.”
~ Jonathan Pennington
Matthew 5:20: For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
II. Inside-Out Transformation (7:14-23)
Jesus and religious leaders agree on the problem of uncleanness, but they disagree on both the source and the solution.
1. The Source of Our Problem
Jesus graphically explains with an illustration/parable that it is not what is “out there” that defiles us, but what is “in here.” Sinful actions and attitudes come from within, not from the outside (cf. Sermon on the Mount, John 3)
“The heart is the center of life, the core of being, the place where manhood maintains its throne; and what a terrible statement this is, that out of the very center of life there proceed from man “evil thoughts, wickedness, blasphemy,” and the like! ... By the heart is meant mainly the affections, but it often includes the understanding and the will; it is, in fact, the man’s vital self. Sin is not a thing ‘ad extra’ that comes to us and afflicts us like robbers breaking into our house at night; but it is a tenant of the soul, dwelling within us as in its own house. This evil worm has penetrated into the kernel of our being, and there it abides. Sin has intertwisted itself with the warp and woof of our nature; and none can remove it but the Lord God himself. As long as the heart remains unchanged, out of it will proceed that which is sinful. “Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil continually. (Gen. 6:5)” ~ Charles Spurgeon
Hebrews 4:12–13: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
2. The Solution to Our Problem (7:19)
Mark’s editorial note that Jesus “declared all foods clean” points to a far greater reality. Jesus has been breaking all sorts of ceremonial cleanliness regulations in the gospel of Mark, not because he disregards these laws, but because he has come to fulfill what they were pointing to all along (cf. Mt. 5:17).
Jesus touches unclean things and makes them clean, rather than becoming unclean himself. The ceremonial laws anticipated a complete and total cleansing that comes through the blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:18-19, 1 Jn. 1:7)
Hebrews 9:13–14: For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
The Greater Moses
Mark 6:45-52
The Good Shepherd
Mark 6:45-52
Main Idea: Jesus increases our faith by showing himself to be the greater Moses, who leads his people into a greater exodus.
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Luke 24:44-49
I. The Greater Moses
Jesus miraculously feeds the people (Mark 6:30-44)
Jesus teaches authoritatively and does miraculous works (Mark 6:2)
Jesus leaves the people to go meet with God on a mountain (Mark 6: 45-46)
Jesus comes to the rescue of his followers (Mark 6:48, 51)
Jesus meets with God and shines radiantly (Mark 9:2-13)
Moses miraculously feeds the people (Exodus 16)
Moses teaches authoritatively and does miraculous works (Exodus 20 - Ten Commandments, Majority of the Pentateuch)
Moses leaves the people to go meet with God on a mountain (Exodus 19)
Jesus comes to the rescue of his followers (Exodus 14)
Moses meets with God and shines radiantly (Exodus 34:29-35)
And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” Exodus 33:17-23
The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. Exodus 34:5-8
Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend… Exodus 33:11
II. The Greater Exodus
Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses. Exodus 14:30-31
but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” [51] And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. Mark 6:49-51a
“The first time Jesus calmed the sea in Mark, the account ends with the disciples asking, ‘Who then is this’ (Mark 4:41). In Mark’s second account of Jesus calming the sea, two chapters later, this question is answered.”
-Dane Ortlund
And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Exodus 14:13-14
“And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.” Mark6:51b-52
What are you thinking?
What are you feeling?
What are you believing?
“I’ve learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the rock of ages.”
Charles Spurgeon
The Good Shepherd
Mark 6:30-44
The Good Shepherd (Mark 6:30–44)
MIT: Jesus is the Good Shepherd who satisfies us with rest, truth, and provision.
I. Jesus provides rest (30–33)
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. Mark 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. (Mark 6:30–33)
II. Jesus proclaims truth (34)
When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. (Mark 6:34)
III. Jesus produces provision (35–44)
Even though the place is desolate, yet the one who feeds the world is present. And even though the hour is late, yet the one who is not subject to the hour is conversing with you. John Chrysostom
21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. (Matthew 11:21)
The Cost of Discipleship
Mark 6:1-30
The Cost of Discipleship
Mark 6:1-30
“If you read the Bible, you’ll see that nobody who ever met Jesus Christ ever had a moderate reaction to him. There are only three reactions to Jesus: they either hated him and wanted to kill him, they were afraid of him and wanted to run away, or they were absolutely smitten with him, and they tried to give their whole lives to him.” ~ John Stott, Basic Christianity
Main Idea: As we are sent by Jesus on mission, we must expect opposition and count the cost of discipleship.
I. Disciples Are Sent on Mission
Despite the disciples' questionable track record, Jesus sends them out on mission (cf. 1:17). This scene reminds us that the mission of God is not dependent upon the worthiness of the messengers but on the authority and commissioning of Jesus himself. The disciples are not to start a new mission; they are to carry on the mission of Jesus.
From Jesus’ instructions we learn:
The Christian mission is to be done together, as the disciples are sent in pairs to declare and display the gospel.
The Christian mission is to be done in dependence upon the Lord; the disciples must pack lightly and travel simply, only bringing a staff, sandals, one tunic, and a belt (cf. Ex. 12:11).
The Christian mission trusts God with the results. The disciples are to spread the seed of the gospel (cf Mk. 4) and trust God to bring growth. The “shaking off the dust” on their feet is a way of placing the responsibility on the hearers of the gospel to respond appropriately.
II. Disciples Should Expect Opposition
There are 3 kinds of opposition and rejection of Jesus and the gospel in this passage:
1. Opposition to the Ordinary (6:1-6)
Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth was extremely small and unremarkable (cf. Jn. 1:46). Upon his return, the people who would have grown up with Jesus “took offense” at him, unable to discern “the veil of ordinariness that surrounded Jesus” (William Lane).
“The people of Nazareth see only a carpenter, only a son of Mary, only another one of the village children who has grown up and returned for a visit. If only God were less ordinary and more unique, then they would believe... The greatest obstacle to faith is not the failure of God to act but the unwillingness of the human heart to accept the God who condescends to us in only a carpenter, the son of Mary.” ~ James Edwards
2. Resistance to Repentance (6:12)
The early Christians were perceived as simultaneously the most exclusive and the most inclusive group their culture had ever encountered. The call to repentance and faith was the great “equalizer” of all people, and this message was met with a mix of attraction and opposition. The natural disposition of the human heart is to continue in our own way, rather than the way of faith and repentance.
3. Fascination without Following (6:16-29)
As Jesus’ fame spreads through the mission of his disciples, Herod has a haunting sense that John the Baptist has been resurrected. He was wrong in one sense and right in another.
Herod’s opposition and rejection is complicated multi-faceted:
John openly opposed his marriage to Herodias (who was his brother’s wife), drawing the ire of Herodias (6:19)
Herod, however, “feared” John because he was a righteous and holy man; even though John confronted Herod, he “heard him gladly” and was perplexed and intrigued by his preaching. He seemed to be entertained by John, but never repents.
Herod traps himself in his sin, as he is intoxicated with his own lusts and his own importance (“King” Herod). Though he was “exceedingly sorry,” Herod fails to embrace the cost of following Jesus. He beheads John to save face with his guests and preserve his reputation.
III. Disciples Must Embrace Affliction
John is a model of embracing the cost of discipleship; if he would have refused to speak the truth, he would have remained alive. However, his courage to follow Jesus and to bear witness to the truth of the gospel, even when it was unpopular, cost him his life.
Mark 8:34–37: And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?
The suffering and death of John the Baptist foreshadows the suffering, opposition, and death of Jesus and for all who might follow him in faith (cf. Heb. 2:10, Jn. 15:18, 2 Tim. 3:12). The call to follow Jesus is the call to embrace opposition and suffering, knowing that it is a crucible of Christ-likeness and sanctification in us.
“The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death—we give over our lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die… In fact, every command of Jesus is a call to die. Suffering, then, is the badge of true discipleship.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of DIscipleship
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.