A sermon preached on February 21, 2010 at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana by Pastor Joe Alain.
Scripture Reading: Mark 2:1-12
Focal Verse: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5).
Capernaum was a coastal village on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, about two and a half miles from the mouth of the Jordan River. This was the center of Jesus’ great Galilean ministry. Our text tells us that Jesus was coming back into Capernaum (v.1). He had previously been in the surrounding wilderness areas (1:35). When in Capernaum, Jesus resided in the house of Simon Peter (Mk. 1:29). It is to this house that Mark says that Jesus “had come home” (v.1). This lets us know that Jesus is probably now living
in Capernaum.
“He Preached the Word to Them” (2:1-2)
If Jesus came back to rest, it didn’t work. “So many gathered that there was no room left” (v.2). At the most, the house held no more than around 50 people. The rest of the people would have to listen at the door. What did Jesus do when this crowd assembled? He could have turned them away. He could have left the house. Instead, “he preached the word to them” (v.2). What word did he preach? What was Jesus’ message? The heart of Jesus’ message was the kingdom (or rule) of God and that one comes under God’s rule through repentance (turning to God) and faith. We might say that Jesus brought to people an alternative kingdom, a kingdom of love, joy, peace, forgiveness, a kingdom contrary to what people in the world would have known.
Jesus seized the opportunity that was presented and preached the word. What opportunities present themselves to you to share God’s word? You and I are able to offer others another kingdom, God’s kingdom, another way, the way. God’s kingdom is a kingdom of joy and peace and love, a kingdom where life is lived with purpose, where people have the opportunity to live a full and meaningful life. This is our message! In this setting where a healing occurred, the most important healing that took place was the acceptance of the word that was shared by Jesus. People have many needs today and God call us to be active in meeting those needs, but the greatest need is for people to hear and respond to God’s good news.
When the Healthy Hinder the Sick (2:3-4a)
Mark tells us that some other folks tried to get in to the revival meeting (vv.3-4a) but they we’re too late and they didn’t have a gymnasium next door with a “jumbo tron” to watch Jesus. Now you have to believe that some of the good folks of Capernaum saw this man being carried to the house. Why didn’t somebody get up and let these folks in? They didn’t for the same reason people don’t today. Their focus on themselves blinded them to this man who had a need. He was the invisible man to them. This crowd was in the way, keeping this man from meeting Jesus. Self-seeking keeps us disengaged and destroys love. That’s why the Bible encourages us to develop the aspect of love that is “not self-seeking” (1 Cor. 13:5).
What hinders people from coming to Jesus? And how are you helping people to see and know Jesus? Don’t ever think that what you do does not matter or is not significant. It doesn’t take much to impact someone for Christ. It was just a little gesture from a fellow snow boarder that got Kelly Clark to thinking about God. Kelly, a 2002 Olympic gold medal winner and member of the 2010 U.S. Olympic snowboarding team in Vancouver, discovered that success does not bring lasting fulfillment. During a competition in 2004 she overheard a fellow competitor encouraging a person who failed to qualify say, “Hey, it’s all right. God still loves you.” In her hotel room, Kelly began to read the Bible but was not sure what she was reading. That’s when she walked down the hall and knocked on the girls door who had spoken earlier. Kelly introduced herself and said, “I think you might be a Christian, and I think you need to tell me about God.” Kelly Clark became a Christian. Your words and actions have the ability to speak hope into the lives of people.
Love Will Find a Way (2:4b)
They could not get in the door, but they knew that could get through the roof, so now it’s plan B! Their love for their friend motivated these four friends to not quit. Love will find a way and don’t you know that the one friend was so glad that his friends did not give up on him! Josef Guzy, a 76 year old Polish man was also glad that Darius Wysluchato did not give up on him. You see, Josef died on January 26, 2010, well so everyone thought. He had collapsed at his barn and when he was found, he was not breathing, there was no heartbeat and the body had cooled, all the characteristics of death. Josef Guzy was pronounced dead. Darius, a funeral director opened Josef’ coffin to retrieve a necklace for the man’s wife only to discover that Josef had a pulse! He was rushed to the hospital and released several weeks later.
These four friends would not give up because as long as there is a pulse of hope, love will find a way. We too should never become discouraged in our efforts to share with our family and friends. As long as there’s a pulse, there’s hope. And if we witness to our friends and things don’t work out as we would like, go to plan B. That what these four friends did. They went into the roofing business. They “made an opening in the roof” (v.4), literally, they dug through. The roof would have been flat. It was made out of a kind of plaster, mixed in with dirt, rock and laid over with branches for support. They didn’t have to bring a ladder because there would have been a stairwell that went up to the roof. The roof area was kind of like a screened porch without the screen.
For these friends to go to all this trouble tells us some things: (1) For one thing, they are concerned about their friend and they want more than anything for him to get healed. Where does love for others like that come from? It comes from the heart of God. “We love because he first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). When we grasp how much God loves us and what he’s done for us, we want others to know Him too. What would motivate you to go out of your way to bring someone to Jesus? God’s love for you! (2) These friends were concerned but we can also say that these four friends believed with all their heart that Jesus could heal their friend. Concern for others and a strong conviction that Jesus can help them leads us to act and love will find a way.
When that kind of compassion (love for people) meets that kind of conviction (that Christ is the answer) there’s going to be a move of God. They were going to do whatever it took to get their friend to Jesus. No matter the cost (roofs are expensive), no matter the ridicule (roof top evangelism is a little unorthodox), they did whatever it took. Love will find a way.
This was radical “roof raising” evangelism. I wonder, when is the last time you and I were accused of doing something radical, bold, daring for the Lord? The New Testament church lived on the cutting edge while the contemporary church today lives in the middle of the road. Am I willing to do whatever it takes to bring people to Jesus? What extra effort could you (I) make to bring a friend to Jesus? These friends cooperated together to bring their friend to Jesus. We too can do much more together than we can by ourselves.
“Your Sins Are Forgiven” (2:5)
In Mark 2:5, Jesus says that He “saw their [plural] faith.” What does it mean to see faith? How do you see someone’s faith? Jesus saw that these four friends had gone to great lengths to bring their friend to Jesus. He “saw their faith” through their actions. Faith always sees what it hopes for. The friends and the paralytic envisioned Jesus bringing His healing and they were not disappointed. Jesus saw their faith and when He did, “he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven” (v.5). This was a double miracle, a miracle of physical healing and even more importantly, a miracle of salvation. How tragic it would have been to only heal him temporarily! Jesus recognized that the greatest need that the man had was to be forgiven. The need to be forgiven is still the essential need that we have today, a need that only God can meet.
In verse 6 we are introduced to the fault-finding committee. They don’t appear to be too happy. This week research was published by Columbia University that suggests that happier people were less likely to have heart problems. So if you want to live longer, be happy. They also suggest that even if your grumpy by nature, just try acting like a cheerful person. Happiness (even if your pretending) may decrease heart attack risk. These critics were probably the same people who wouldn’t dare give up their pew to help somebody get to Jesus. How typical that these fault-finders “sitting . . . thinking to themselves” (v.6) as if there only job description is to make sure nothing spiritual happens and to find fault with every spiritual thing that does.
They were thinking in their hearts but what is in your heart is shouted in heaven. They accused Jesus of blasphemy (v.7). By forgiving sins Jesus is doing only what God could do and of course they do not believe for a moment that Jesus is God. Jesus posed a question to these men (v.9). Of course, the answer is obvious. It is one thing to say, “you’re sins are forgiven.” Anyone can do that, because forgiveness is invisible. You don’t need any proof to say, “your sins are forgiven.” So Jesus says, “I’ll show you that I am not just speaking words, this man who is a paralytic will walk.” Only God could physically heal the man which is the point. Since Jesus can do the visible miracle (heal the paralytic), this is evidence that he also has the power to do the invisible miracle (forgive sins). “Son of Man” is Jesus’ favorite way of referring to Himself in Mark’s gospel and highlights both His human and divine nature (see also Dan. 7:13-14; Mark 2:28; 8:38; 14:62).
The man who was paralyzed “got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all” (v.12). The paralyzed man who was dropped through the ceiling is now walking away forgiven! This is why we preach, this is why we care, this is why we bring our friends to Jesus, because only God can provide what we need – forgiveness! What was the response of the people to this miracle (v.12)? They were (1) “all amazed,” in awe, and (2) they “glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!” (ESV)
Jesus preached the healing word to the people. In spite of hindrances, the four men brought their friend to Jesus – love found a way. Their faith secured God’s forgiveness. They heard the words, “Your sins are forgiven.” Jesus could say that because He is God. He has the divine authority to forgive us and we receive His forgiveness by faith, simple trust. Jesus still forgives sin. Have you been forgiven by faith? If not, Jesus is willing.
If so, will you empowered by God share Jesus with others? The people said, “We never saw anything like this!” There are many people today in DS who really have never seen anything like what God can do in bringing them forgiveness. But they will when they see your faith!
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Solitude (Mark 1:35-45)
A sermon preached on February 7, 2010 at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana by Pastor Joe Alain.
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:35-45
Clint Eastwood epitomizes our idea of the solitary man. In the “Dollars” movie trilogy of the 60's, he was the iconic “Man with No Name.” As that character, he is portrayed as silent, distant, a loner. Jesus was a solitary man, but he was not a loner, he was not distant, he was not silent. Jesus was altogether different.
We often think of solitude in the sense of being lonely, but it is not the same. Paul Tillich notes, “Our language has wisely sensed the two sides of man’s being alone. It has created the word ‘loneliness’ to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word ‘solitude’ to express the glory of being alone.”
There is a glory to solitude. This glory is seen in the life of Jesus. Following is a description of solitude that captures the meaning and glory of the practice of solitude. “Solitude is the state of being alone without being lonely. Solitude suggests peacefulness stemming from a state of inner richness. It is a means of enjoying the quiet and whatever it brings that is satisfying and from which we draw sustenance. It is something we cultivate. Solitude is refreshing; an opportunity to renew ourselves. In other words, it replenishes us.” (Hara Estroff Marano)
We need what solitude brings – replenishing, a fresh touch from God – and we learn to cultivate solitude from following Jesus’ practice.
Solitude and Prayer (v.35)
Prior to this time of prayer, Jesus faced a very busy day (1:32-34). With the words, “all” and “whole town” you get the picture that Jesus was overwhelmed with needy people. As a result of a busy day of ministering, Jesus needed replenishing, fellowship with the Father. There are two things about this experience of prayer:
(1) It took place “Early in morning” (2) Jesus went to “A solitary place.” The biblical word (eremos) often translates as “desert,” or “wilderness.” The ESV, “desolate;” the NLT, “isolated;” and the
Msg., “secluded spot.”
Because of prayer, Jesus was always in the Father’s will (See Jn. 5:17, 19; 8:28-29). Of course, if Jesus prayed, how much more should I!
Several principles come out of this prayer experience that reveal the secret of effective prayer: (1) For prayer to be effective, you must pray! (Matt. 7:7-11; Jas. 4:2; 1 Th. 5:17).
(2) For prayer to be effective, you must make time to pray and have a place of prayer.
Solitude and Our Search for Spiritual Significance (v.37)
Jesus could not stay hidden for long (vv.36-37). Verse 36 reveals the statement of the ages, “Everyone is looking for you!” The truth is, everyone is looking for Jesus. Everyone is on a spiritual quest for meaning in life. We were created with eternity in our hearts.
Jesus was different, in large part because of the way he lived his solitary life. His life fully revealed the glory and grace of God which powerfully attracted people. “Solitary” is related to “solitaire,” “a diamond or other gem set by itself in a ring.” A solitaire needs nothing else. It is brilliant and precious by itself. The glory of God was fully revealed in and through Jesus (Jn. 1:14, 16-18; Heb. 1:3). Our search for spiritual significance is complete in Him! And the good news to those searching is that Jesus may indeed be found!
Solitude in Society (v.38)
Jesus modeled the perfect balance between solitude and society. Eight miles off coast of Ireland is a steep-cliffed island, a rocky sea-crag called Skellig Michael. At the top of this jagged isle are the ruins of an ancient Celtic monastery. Christian monasticism has its roots in the belief that union with God is best obtained by withdrawal from civilization into harsh and desolate regions.
For Jesus, true solitude led one to be a true participant in society. The brilliance of the solitaire cannot be hidden. From solitude came the inner flow to (1) “preach” (v.38, kerusso, herald the good news). (2) From solitude came the inner flow to drive out evil (v.39). (3) And from solitude came the inner flow to touch and heal humanity (vv.40-42). When you and I spend time with our Father, we too will find that inner richness that is a source of mission motivation.
Jesus was willing to bring healing to the man, our we? Jesus was filled with compassion for the hurting, our we? Solitude is not isolation but immersion, touching people at their point of need. Touching our world needs to become intentional because of the fact that we live in an increasingly “touchless” society.
As I mentioned earlier, Jesus modeled the perfect balance between a life of solitude and a life of service. As one writer has mentioned, “If we look at Jesus’ life as depicted in the Gospels, we see that it echoes the flowing in and receding back of the ocean’s tides. Jesus would repeatedly flow out into society to teach, spread the Gospel, and share fellowship with his neighbors, only to recede back into lonely places to pray.”
Great writers and thinkers have written on the importance of solitude as it relates to our ability to problem-solve, to be creative, to be passionate. John Milton said, “Solitude sometimes is best society. And short retirement urges [compels] sweet return.” Think of Milton’s words as it relates to being a kingdom citizen. The best kind of kingdom citizen is the believer who practices the discipline of solitude, for from solitude flows a life of worship, service.
Likewise, Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, “Solitude is naught and society is naught. Alternate them [flow in and out] and the good of each is seen.”
As I close, there is a message both to the seeker and to the believer.
To the Seeker: (1) First, Jesus may be found (v.36), and (2) Jesus will meet you at your point of need (v.41). To the Christian: Cultivate the discipline of solitude (vv.35, 45) so that your life may diffuse the fragrance of Christ in society (2 Cor. 2:14).
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:35-45
Clint Eastwood epitomizes our idea of the solitary man. In the “Dollars” movie trilogy of the 60's, he was the iconic “Man with No Name.” As that character, he is portrayed as silent, distant, a loner. Jesus was a solitary man, but he was not a loner, he was not distant, he was not silent. Jesus was altogether different.
We often think of solitude in the sense of being lonely, but it is not the same. Paul Tillich notes, “Our language has wisely sensed the two sides of man’s being alone. It has created the word ‘loneliness’ to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word ‘solitude’ to express the glory of being alone.”
There is a glory to solitude. This glory is seen in the life of Jesus. Following is a description of solitude that captures the meaning and glory of the practice of solitude. “Solitude is the state of being alone without being lonely. Solitude suggests peacefulness stemming from a state of inner richness. It is a means of enjoying the quiet and whatever it brings that is satisfying and from which we draw sustenance. It is something we cultivate. Solitude is refreshing; an opportunity to renew ourselves. In other words, it replenishes us.” (Hara Estroff Marano)
We need what solitude brings – replenishing, a fresh touch from God – and we learn to cultivate solitude from following Jesus’ practice.
Solitude and Prayer (v.35)
Prior to this time of prayer, Jesus faced a very busy day (1:32-34). With the words, “all” and “whole town” you get the picture that Jesus was overwhelmed with needy people. As a result of a busy day of ministering, Jesus needed replenishing, fellowship with the Father. There are two things about this experience of prayer:
(1) It took place “Early in morning” (2) Jesus went to “A solitary place.” The biblical word (eremos) often translates as “desert,” or “wilderness.” The ESV, “desolate;” the NLT, “isolated;” and the
Msg., “secluded spot.”
Because of prayer, Jesus was always in the Father’s will (See Jn. 5:17, 19; 8:28-29). Of course, if Jesus prayed, how much more should I!
Several principles come out of this prayer experience that reveal the secret of effective prayer: (1) For prayer to be effective, you must pray! (Matt. 7:7-11; Jas. 4:2; 1 Th. 5:17).
(2) For prayer to be effective, you must make time to pray and have a place of prayer.
Solitude and Our Search for Spiritual Significance (v.37)
Jesus could not stay hidden for long (vv.36-37). Verse 36 reveals the statement of the ages, “Everyone is looking for you!” The truth is, everyone is looking for Jesus. Everyone is on a spiritual quest for meaning in life. We were created with eternity in our hearts.
Jesus was different, in large part because of the way he lived his solitary life. His life fully revealed the glory and grace of God which powerfully attracted people. “Solitary” is related to “solitaire,” “a diamond or other gem set by itself in a ring.” A solitaire needs nothing else. It is brilliant and precious by itself. The glory of God was fully revealed in and through Jesus (Jn. 1:14, 16-18; Heb. 1:3). Our search for spiritual significance is complete in Him! And the good news to those searching is that Jesus may indeed be found!
Solitude in Society (v.38)
Jesus modeled the perfect balance between solitude and society. Eight miles off coast of Ireland is a steep-cliffed island, a rocky sea-crag called Skellig Michael. At the top of this jagged isle are the ruins of an ancient Celtic monastery. Christian monasticism has its roots in the belief that union with God is best obtained by withdrawal from civilization into harsh and desolate regions.
For Jesus, true solitude led one to be a true participant in society. The brilliance of the solitaire cannot be hidden. From solitude came the inner flow to (1) “preach” (v.38, kerusso, herald the good news). (2) From solitude came the inner flow to drive out evil (v.39). (3) And from solitude came the inner flow to touch and heal humanity (vv.40-42). When you and I spend time with our Father, we too will find that inner richness that is a source of mission motivation.
Jesus was willing to bring healing to the man, our we? Jesus was filled with compassion for the hurting, our we? Solitude is not isolation but immersion, touching people at their point of need. Touching our world needs to become intentional because of the fact that we live in an increasingly “touchless” society.
As I mentioned earlier, Jesus modeled the perfect balance between a life of solitude and a life of service. As one writer has mentioned, “If we look at Jesus’ life as depicted in the Gospels, we see that it echoes the flowing in and receding back of the ocean’s tides. Jesus would repeatedly flow out into society to teach, spread the Gospel, and share fellowship with his neighbors, only to recede back into lonely places to pray.”
Great writers and thinkers have written on the importance of solitude as it relates to our ability to problem-solve, to be creative, to be passionate. John Milton said, “Solitude sometimes is best society. And short retirement urges [compels] sweet return.” Think of Milton’s words as it relates to being a kingdom citizen. The best kind of kingdom citizen is the believer who practices the discipline of solitude, for from solitude flows a life of worship, service.
Likewise, Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, “Solitude is naught and society is naught. Alternate them [flow in and out] and the good of each is seen.”
As I close, there is a message both to the seeker and to the believer.
To the Seeker: (1) First, Jesus may be found (v.36), and (2) Jesus will meet you at your point of need (v.41). To the Christian: Cultivate the discipline of solitude (vv.35, 45) so that your life may diffuse the fragrance of Christ in society (2 Cor. 2:14).
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Monday, January 25, 2010
When Jesus Comes to Church (Mark 1:21-28)
A sermon preached on January 24, 2010 at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana by Pastor Joe Alain.
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:21-28 (29-34)
Rismond Exantus is one of the lucky ones. He works as a cashier in a grocery hotel in Port Au Prince. Yesterday, he was rescued from the rubble of that hotel eleven days after a 7.0 earthquake devastated the island nation. We have been moved by the incredible devastation but also by the inspiring stories of miraculous rescues like Rismond’s. Many of the Haitians although devastated have even been gathering in groups to pray, to sing, and to praise God. Prayer, songs of praise, hope in the midst of tragedy, how could that be? Jesus changes everything.
In our text today, Jesus came to the synagogue in Capernaum. It was there that he confronted evil head-on. He took authority over the demonic spirit and the man who was once possessed, was made well. When Jesus comes everything changes.
I. Introduction (v.21) The Setting
* “To Capernaum” (the village of Nahum or Consolation) the center or headquarters of Jesus’ ministry. Located on the N.W. shore of the Sea (a lake) of Galilee. It is fitting that Jesus’ ministry of consolation would he head-quartered in the “Village of Consolation.”
* This event occurred on the Sabbath, the Jewish holy day.
* The Synagogue was the local gathering place for the Jewish people. Wherever there were ten families, there was a synagogue.
About the Synagogue:
1. A teaching institution. The temple was for worship and sacrifice, the synagogue was for teaching and instruction.
2. The synagogue provided an opportunity to deliver a message.
There were three offices in the Jewish synagogue.
– The ruler of the synagogue – In charge of administration, arrangements.
– The distributors of alms to the poor, the widows and those
in need.
– The minister – He handled scrolls and educated the community.
There was no permanent preacher. Instead, competent persons would share.
II. Jesus’ Ministry Priorities (vv.22-26)
From the outset, we see what Jesus’ ministry priorities were.
1. Jesus taught with authority in contrast to the teachers of the law, scribes (vv.21-22).
About the Scribes:
– To the scribes, the most sacred thing in the world was the Torah, the law. Because it is divine, it must first be studied carefully. Second, it must be expressed to the people for guidance in all of life.
– The scribes were the experts in the law. Ezra was the first scribe (Ez. 7:6, 11, 12, 21). The scribes duties were three-fold:
(1) They extracted rules and regulations for every possible situation in life. This led to an infinity of legalistic laws.
(2) They taught the law. Their interpretations and applications became the oral law which became more binding than the written.
(3) They gave judgements in individual cases. However, no scribe would ever give a decision on their own. They would cite numerous sources.
Amazement characterized the response to Jesus’ teaching. It wasn’t so much a new teaching as in the sense of brand new, never before seen. It was new (kainos) in the sense of quality. It was previously unknown, unprecedented. In Jesus’ day the people had lost a sense of the direct authority and the dynamic power of God. That is why they taught with no authority, no power. But Jesus came teaching with authority. He declared that God was alive and active and still working. He stated and applied God’s Word.
2. Jesus demonstrated authority over evil spirits.
Jesus’ first healing encounter involved the removal of
evil (vv.23-26).
* This miracle is obviously a sign of the advent of the kingdom (see John 12:31; 1 John 3:8). You and I are living in the aftershocks of what took place on Calvary on the cross (see Matt. 27:50-53). The fact that Jesus has power over demons is proof that the king of the kingdom is here!
* I’m intrigued by the fact that the demon recognized him before anyone else. A demon is sometimes referred to as an “unclean spirit (ritual impurity), evil spirit, or demon (satanic power).” They are used interchangeably. All references refer to an invisible spiritual being that is alienated from and hostile to God. It’s also significant that Jesus first confronted and defeated the powers of evil in the place of worship.
Evil knows when it is in the presence of that which is pure and holy. Here we have Jesus who is pure light coming into the synagogue that day. The darkness that is there in the presence of this evil spirit cannot take the light. Light always reveals darkness, but more importantly, light destroys the darkness! Christ in us is able to destroy the darkness in our lives. The light in us is able to shine and change a world that is too often structured upon patterns of darkness.
Even in his disturbed state, the man was obviously reaching out to Jesus. He was possessed and troubled. Reverend Samuel Candler calls people like this man, “The Crazies.” Jesus first attracted crazy people and He still does today. Of course, there’s a little bit of crazy in all of us. We may not be possessed by demons but we may be possessed by loneliness, bitterness and anger, addictions, attitudes and sinful habits. All of us come to Jesus with needs because we believe that Jesus is the one who can change us. We confess that Jesus changes everything and that is our hope.
* The question that the demon asked was never verbally answered by Jesus, but it was answered by Jesus commanding the demon spirit to leave the man. The truth is, Jesus did come to destroy the demonic evil in this man and in the world (v.24). Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. His work is to conquer evil in us and in our world.
* Jesus commanded the spirit to “Come out of him!” (v.25). When Jesus comes in, evil has to go. When Jesus comes into a life, He casts out, He drives out, He deals with evil and sin in our lives. When Jesus comes to church, we begin to deal with the corporate sins that grieve God and keep us in the darkness. When Jesus comes to society, He confronts injustice, greed, sin. Wherever Jesus comes there is change, change from darkness to light.
* Jesus commanded that the demon be quiet (v.25). Notice what characterizes the demon possessed man? He’s confrontational, calls attention to himself, he’s disruptive and controlling, he’s stirred up. He’s crazy! But when Jesus deals with him, calm is restored. When Jesus deals with the stuff in our lives, He brings His peace, His calm. He casts out the confusion, the craziness in our lives.
* This process of Jesus bringing His healing of evil in us and tranquility to our lives is sometimes messy. The demon possessed man was shaken violently (v.26). Evil does not give up without a fight. Some of you are fighting addictions, sins that have plagued you for years. They are deep rooted in you. In the healing of evil, there is often a shaking as there was here. Evil does not go quietly in us or in society, but it has to go and it will when Jesus comes in. The demon spoke, shook, and he shrieked. But he came out!
III. Conclusion (vv.27-28)
The people were amazed and news of Jesus obviously spread. Mark summarizes the account in verses 32-34 where he tells us that the people “kept on bringing” others to Jesus. Len Grengel is on a mission. His daughter Britany is still unaccounted for. She was staying at the Hotel Montana in Port Au Prince when the earthquake hit. She was there on a humanitarian mission from Lynn University in South Florida. Len has made it his mission to not give up finding his daughter. He is insisting that the United States Government account for every lost person. The search for those lost must continue, says Grengel.
Jesus Himself came to this world on a search and rescue mission. And if you were the only one under the rubble of sin, Jesus would not cease searching until He found you. Call out to Jesus from the midst of your life in the rubble, Jesus cares and He hears and He will rescue you!
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:21-28 (29-34)
Rismond Exantus is one of the lucky ones. He works as a cashier in a grocery hotel in Port Au Prince. Yesterday, he was rescued from the rubble of that hotel eleven days after a 7.0 earthquake devastated the island nation. We have been moved by the incredible devastation but also by the inspiring stories of miraculous rescues like Rismond’s. Many of the Haitians although devastated have even been gathering in groups to pray, to sing, and to praise God. Prayer, songs of praise, hope in the midst of tragedy, how could that be? Jesus changes everything.
In our text today, Jesus came to the synagogue in Capernaum. It was there that he confronted evil head-on. He took authority over the demonic spirit and the man who was once possessed, was made well. When Jesus comes everything changes.
I. Introduction (v.21) The Setting
* “To Capernaum” (the village of Nahum or Consolation) the center or headquarters of Jesus’ ministry. Located on the N.W. shore of the Sea (a lake) of Galilee. It is fitting that Jesus’ ministry of consolation would he head-quartered in the “Village of Consolation.”
* This event occurred on the Sabbath, the Jewish holy day.
* The Synagogue was the local gathering place for the Jewish people. Wherever there were ten families, there was a synagogue.
About the Synagogue:
1. A teaching institution. The temple was for worship and sacrifice, the synagogue was for teaching and instruction.
2. The synagogue provided an opportunity to deliver a message.
There were three offices in the Jewish synagogue.
– The ruler of the synagogue – In charge of administration, arrangements.
– The distributors of alms to the poor, the widows and those
in need.
– The minister – He handled scrolls and educated the community.
There was no permanent preacher. Instead, competent persons would share.
II. Jesus’ Ministry Priorities (vv.22-26)
From the outset, we see what Jesus’ ministry priorities were.
1. Jesus taught with authority in contrast to the teachers of the law, scribes (vv.21-22).
About the Scribes:
– To the scribes, the most sacred thing in the world was the Torah, the law. Because it is divine, it must first be studied carefully. Second, it must be expressed to the people for guidance in all of life.
– The scribes were the experts in the law. Ezra was the first scribe (Ez. 7:6, 11, 12, 21). The scribes duties were three-fold:
(1) They extracted rules and regulations for every possible situation in life. This led to an infinity of legalistic laws.
(2) They taught the law. Their interpretations and applications became the oral law which became more binding than the written.
(3) They gave judgements in individual cases. However, no scribe would ever give a decision on their own. They would cite numerous sources.
Amazement characterized the response to Jesus’ teaching. It wasn’t so much a new teaching as in the sense of brand new, never before seen. It was new (kainos) in the sense of quality. It was previously unknown, unprecedented. In Jesus’ day the people had lost a sense of the direct authority and the dynamic power of God. That is why they taught with no authority, no power. But Jesus came teaching with authority. He declared that God was alive and active and still working. He stated and applied God’s Word.
2. Jesus demonstrated authority over evil spirits.
Jesus’ first healing encounter involved the removal of
evil (vv.23-26).
* This miracle is obviously a sign of the advent of the kingdom (see John 12:31; 1 John 3:8). You and I are living in the aftershocks of what took place on Calvary on the cross (see Matt. 27:50-53). The fact that Jesus has power over demons is proof that the king of the kingdom is here!
* I’m intrigued by the fact that the demon recognized him before anyone else. A demon is sometimes referred to as an “unclean spirit (ritual impurity), evil spirit, or demon (satanic power).” They are used interchangeably. All references refer to an invisible spiritual being that is alienated from and hostile to God. It’s also significant that Jesus first confronted and defeated the powers of evil in the place of worship.
Evil knows when it is in the presence of that which is pure and holy. Here we have Jesus who is pure light coming into the synagogue that day. The darkness that is there in the presence of this evil spirit cannot take the light. Light always reveals darkness, but more importantly, light destroys the darkness! Christ in us is able to destroy the darkness in our lives. The light in us is able to shine and change a world that is too often structured upon patterns of darkness.
Even in his disturbed state, the man was obviously reaching out to Jesus. He was possessed and troubled. Reverend Samuel Candler calls people like this man, “The Crazies.” Jesus first attracted crazy people and He still does today. Of course, there’s a little bit of crazy in all of us. We may not be possessed by demons but we may be possessed by loneliness, bitterness and anger, addictions, attitudes and sinful habits. All of us come to Jesus with needs because we believe that Jesus is the one who can change us. We confess that Jesus changes everything and that is our hope.
* The question that the demon asked was never verbally answered by Jesus, but it was answered by Jesus commanding the demon spirit to leave the man. The truth is, Jesus did come to destroy the demonic evil in this man and in the world (v.24). Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. His work is to conquer evil in us and in our world.
* Jesus commanded the spirit to “Come out of him!” (v.25). When Jesus comes in, evil has to go. When Jesus comes into a life, He casts out, He drives out, He deals with evil and sin in our lives. When Jesus comes to church, we begin to deal with the corporate sins that grieve God and keep us in the darkness. When Jesus comes to society, He confronts injustice, greed, sin. Wherever Jesus comes there is change, change from darkness to light.
* Jesus commanded that the demon be quiet (v.25). Notice what characterizes the demon possessed man? He’s confrontational, calls attention to himself, he’s disruptive and controlling, he’s stirred up. He’s crazy! But when Jesus deals with him, calm is restored. When Jesus deals with the stuff in our lives, He brings His peace, His calm. He casts out the confusion, the craziness in our lives.
* This process of Jesus bringing His healing of evil in us and tranquility to our lives is sometimes messy. The demon possessed man was shaken violently (v.26). Evil does not give up without a fight. Some of you are fighting addictions, sins that have plagued you for years. They are deep rooted in you. In the healing of evil, there is often a shaking as there was here. Evil does not go quietly in us or in society, but it has to go and it will when Jesus comes in. The demon spoke, shook, and he shrieked. But he came out!
III. Conclusion (vv.27-28)
The people were amazed and news of Jesus obviously spread. Mark summarizes the account in verses 32-34 where he tells us that the people “kept on bringing” others to Jesus. Len Grengel is on a mission. His daughter Britany is still unaccounted for. She was staying at the Hotel Montana in Port Au Prince when the earthquake hit. She was there on a humanitarian mission from Lynn University in South Florida. Len has made it his mission to not give up finding his daughter. He is insisting that the United States Government account for every lost person. The search for those lost must continue, says Grengel.
Jesus Himself came to this world on a search and rescue mission. And if you were the only one under the rubble of sin, Jesus would not cease searching until He found you. Call out to Jesus from the midst of your life in the rubble, Jesus cares and He hears and He will rescue you!
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Following Jesus: How We Discover Our Life's Purpose (Mark 1:14-20)
A sermon preached at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana on January 17, 2010 by Pastor Joe Alain.
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:14-20
Jesus came “proclaiming the good news of God” (v.14). And that good news is that God’s kingdom is here in Jesus! “‘The time has come,’ he said, ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (v.15). The question is, “What kind of kingdom did Jesus say was near?” When we think of a kingdom, we think of a place on a map, an area that is controlled by a king, after all a kingdom must have a king. And we also think of the fact that a kingdom must have subjects. But we don’t like that picture because often a king takes advantage of his subjects. The subjects of the king are the “grunt workers,” the “have nots” of the kingdom, forever destined to be at the bottom of the food chain. Or perhaps we envision a kingdom with ourselves at the head table. In that case, we are the ones who are ruling, who are calling the shots over other poor unfortunate subjects.
Ideas about the Kingdom
When Jesus spoke of a kingdom, the people of his day
thought of . . .
– An Earthly Kingdom
Jesus’ audience imagined a kingdom where Israel was in charge, where Jerusalem would be the capital, and God’s Messiah (the anointed one by God) would extract complete revenge over Israel’s enemies. It would be a kingdom patterned after the kingdoms of David and Solomon only far greater, more spectacular. But that was not the kind of kingdom that Jesus said was “near.”
Another kingdom and hope that the people had in their minds then and now was . . .
– An Otherworldly Future Kingdom
There is a great amount of fascination in our day about the otherworldly future kingdom. Countless best selling books have been published that seek to understand or lay out this future kingdom for us. Amazon retrieves 47,156 hits alone for “The Book of Revelation” and 12,294 for “Bible Prophecy.” There are already 118 books related to the “Mayan Prophecies for 2012,” of which we have all heard about. That number is certain to rise. The “Left Behind” series sold millions. John Hagee has his end times charts. Tim Lahaye, Joel Rosenberg, Hank Hanegraaff are all best-selling authors and end times is their bread and butter.
With a few exceptions (Mark 14:25; 15:43), for Jesus the kingdom of God was . . .
– A Present Spiritual Kingdom, the Reign of God
We could translate the “kingdom of God” as the “kingly rule of God.” The kingdom is internal rather than external, over the hearts of people rather than the military powers of the day. This reign of God has begun in the person of Jesus. Jesus said that this kingdom “is near” (NIV, v.15) or “at hand” (NKJV, ESV). Mark intentionally does not say that it “has come” (Msg.) for the reason that he wants to emphasize both that the kingdom of God is present (now) and still future (then). The kingdom is now for those who accept the rule of the king (Jesus), but the kingdom will not be fully realized or manifested or revealed until the king Jesus returns again. So in a unique way, the kingdom is both present and yet to come.
What we are able to experience as believers now is a glimpse of what is to come. As the hymn states, “Oh what a foretaste of glory divine” (Blessed Assurance). We are able to experience God’s presence now, but then we will be face to face. We are able to have joy and peace now, but then we will have paradise restored. We are able to experience God’s abundant life now, but then we will enjoy life forever with God. We live in the now and the then.
What am I to do with this knowledge about the kingdom? Jesus not only preached that the kingdom of God was near, but He calls us to “Repent and believe the good news!” (v.15). Jesus calls us to enter the kingdom, to allow God’s rule over my life and . . .
– We Enter the Kingdom through Repentance
and Belief
If this sounds familiar it is because John the Baptist preached a similar message. But here’s the difference. Jesus said we are to turn away from our sins (that’s repentance) but we are also called to “believe the good news.” Only Mark highlights this truth which is not surprising because belief or trust is a major theme in Jesus’ message and in Mark’s Gospel. In Mark, faith is commanded, commended, and unbelief is rebuked.
We are commanded to believe, but what do we believe? The good news that God’s kingdom is here in Jesus Christ. Where Jesus Christ is, there the rule, power, and kingdom of God is actively at work. But for people hearing this then and now, this truth about Jesus is not self-evident. To be seen, it must be believed. And when you simply believe, your eyes will be opened to the reality of who Jesus is. However, believing in Jesus is not the end, it’s just the beginning of our new life.
– We Live a Life of Purpose through Following Jesus
This is the first time that we are introduced to the disciples in Mark, but many think that there was an earlier experience where they first believed in Jesus (see Jn. 1:35-42). But here the emphasis is on the call to continuous discipleship. It is one thing to believe in Jesus and receive forgiveness for sins, it is another to fully commit to a life of following Jesus and yet that is exactly what the disciples did and God calls us to a similar lifestyle.
Think of the subtle but important distinction between the call to salvation and the call to discipleship like this. Perhaps you’re invited to join a company. You examine and accept the offer. A little later on the owner calls you aside and says, “I am going to make you my partner. As my partner, you are going to follow me and learn everything there is about this company and how it operates. You will do this so that you can succeed and be prosperous in this company.” You accept this offer to go further in the company. You feel a great sense of joy and purpose because you are invested in the company. Literally, discipleship is partnering with Jesus, following Him and as we do, we discover purpose in life.
Some may ask, “Can you be saved and not be a disciple?” But I would say, “Why would you want to be?” You discover purpose in life only as you follow Jesus. You will never be satisfied on the sideline because God didn’t create you to do that. You were created for so much more. The disciples were created for more than fishing and repairing nets and so are you.
“What if I don’t have that holy ambition? That passion to follow Jesus? After all, it’s pretty comfortable down here where I am.” If that’s you, just begin where you are, tell God how you feel, get close to Him, ask Him to give you a holy ambition, a desire to follow Him. Then before long, you’ll be saying, “put me in coach, I’m ready to play.”
So what is involved in this call to discipleship that Jesus extended to the first disciples and that He is extending to us this morning? What does Jesus mean when He says, “Follow me . . . and I will make you fishers of men” (v.17)? Following Jesus is a major theme in Mark and it is expressed in several different ways, but when you put all the biblical language together you have a fuller picture of what it means to follow Jesus.
Following Jesus involves . . .
1. Response to His Call
Here, the word “Follow” is not a suggestion, it is an imperative, a command and it comes to us in a personal way. Jesus is calling you to salvation and to discipleship. Have you personally responded? I find Jesus’ choice of His first disciples interesting. The first disciples were twelve ordinary men. They were common people, working people, fisherman. Why fisherman? To show us that He wants to do something with us. God chooses ordinary people, common people. It was Lincoln who said, “God must love the common people – He made so many of them.”
It’s also significant that Jesus called these men at work. Their fishing and repairing their equipment. Their in the shop and in the field. The call of God does not have to always come in a stained glass sanctuary, it comes to a man or woman at work or in the home. In the shop, in the field, in the home, in the school, in the store, God wants men and women everywhere to follow Him.
We need to rediscover the truth that we find in the New Testament. That is, there is no sacred and secular as if there are two worlds in which we live. We think that being a committed disciple means enduring many Bible studies at church or holding some kind of position at church. But being a disciple is following Jesus in every area of your life – at home, at work, at the park, wherever and whenever. Think of it like this. Your occupation (i.e., what you do, what occupies your time) may be a school teacher, bank teller, engineer, plant worker, etc., but your vocation (i.e., what you are, what drives you) is to follow Jesus.
2. Attachment to His Person
We follow a person – Jesus! Discipleship is following a person, not a program or institution, or other man. We attach ourselves to Jesus. We encounter problems when we attach ourselves to people or institutions. Eventually our wife, husband, job, church, etc, will disappoint us, we will become disillusioned, burned out. If you try to find your life’s fulfillment in a person or some other thing, you will be unfulfilled and empty. But if you will attach yourself to Jesus, He will never fail, He will never disappoint!
3. Acceptance of His Authority
Following Jesus means that we accept His authority over our lives. Jesus becomes your guide, your mentor, your way, your teacher, your leader. God is not looking for perfect people, he’s not looking for people with leadership abilities, He’s looking for people with the ability to follow. God is not looking for leaders, He has one – Jesus. We don’t need more leaders, we need more followers. The world is looking for leaders, God is looking for followers of Him. The world is looking for better methods, God is looking for better men.
4. Imitation of His Example
We tend to imitate the people that influence us. To follow Jesus is to naturally lead us to imitate His example. What did Jesus say? “Follow me, follow me by responding to me, by attaching yourself to me, by accepting my authority in your life, then I will make you fishers of men.” If we are following Jesus, then we also will be imitating Him by fishing for men. Our heart and actions will be focused on reaching men and women who are lost. Our passion will be to imitate Jesus by extending His grace to our world. Our holy ambition will be to see others enter the kingdom of God. Our efforts will be focused on doing what Jesus did.
To be honest, many of our efforts are not focused on what really matters – bringing people to Jesus and teaching them. What are we doing that is leading others to Jesus? Who are we imitating? Who are we trying to please? God? Or men? If we’re not fishing for men, are we really following Jesus? We need to ask ourselves that question.
5. Continuation and Pursuing His Goal
This means that we’re in it for the long haul. We keep on following Jesus, we keep attaching ourselves to Him (which means if we fall away, we get back at it), we keep on accepting His authority in our lives, we keep on pursuing the goal – His goal which is to become like Him. We keep at our fishing so that others will hear and believe. In following Jesus, we are offered a life long task. The early disciples were not program directors or leaders, they were followers on a mission with a task to be fishers of men. As they followed Jesus, He would make them fishers of men. They would find a life filled with purpose.
The first disciples responded with a sense of urgency. “At once they left their nets and followed him” (v.18). “Without delay . . . they left their father . . . and followed him” (v.20). Why does a man leave something? He does so only if he thinks there is something of greater value and purpose. Men pursue things in life from various motivations. Some pursue things out of a sense of adventure. Some for money. Some for glory and honor. The kingdom of God is of such great value and purpose that all else pales in comparison. Jesus is calling men and women today. He’s calling people to a great work, a work that He will empower you to do, a work that will change history, a work that begins with a decision of the heart and will, a decision to follow Jesus.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:14-20
Jesus came “proclaiming the good news of God” (v.14). And that good news is that God’s kingdom is here in Jesus! “‘The time has come,’ he said, ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (v.15). The question is, “What kind of kingdom did Jesus say was near?” When we think of a kingdom, we think of a place on a map, an area that is controlled by a king, after all a kingdom must have a king. And we also think of the fact that a kingdom must have subjects. But we don’t like that picture because often a king takes advantage of his subjects. The subjects of the king are the “grunt workers,” the “have nots” of the kingdom, forever destined to be at the bottom of the food chain. Or perhaps we envision a kingdom with ourselves at the head table. In that case, we are the ones who are ruling, who are calling the shots over other poor unfortunate subjects.
Ideas about the Kingdom
When Jesus spoke of a kingdom, the people of his day
thought of . . .
– An Earthly Kingdom
Jesus’ audience imagined a kingdom where Israel was in charge, where Jerusalem would be the capital, and God’s Messiah (the anointed one by God) would extract complete revenge over Israel’s enemies. It would be a kingdom patterned after the kingdoms of David and Solomon only far greater, more spectacular. But that was not the kind of kingdom that Jesus said was “near.”
Another kingdom and hope that the people had in their minds then and now was . . .
– An Otherworldly Future Kingdom
There is a great amount of fascination in our day about the otherworldly future kingdom. Countless best selling books have been published that seek to understand or lay out this future kingdom for us. Amazon retrieves 47,156 hits alone for “The Book of Revelation” and 12,294 for “Bible Prophecy.” There are already 118 books related to the “Mayan Prophecies for 2012,” of which we have all heard about. That number is certain to rise. The “Left Behind” series sold millions. John Hagee has his end times charts. Tim Lahaye, Joel Rosenberg, Hank Hanegraaff are all best-selling authors and end times is their bread and butter.
With a few exceptions (Mark 14:25; 15:43), for Jesus the kingdom of God was . . .
– A Present Spiritual Kingdom, the Reign of God
We could translate the “kingdom of God” as the “kingly rule of God.” The kingdom is internal rather than external, over the hearts of people rather than the military powers of the day. This reign of God has begun in the person of Jesus. Jesus said that this kingdom “is near” (NIV, v.15) or “at hand” (NKJV, ESV). Mark intentionally does not say that it “has come” (Msg.) for the reason that he wants to emphasize both that the kingdom of God is present (now) and still future (then). The kingdom is now for those who accept the rule of the king (Jesus), but the kingdom will not be fully realized or manifested or revealed until the king Jesus returns again. So in a unique way, the kingdom is both present and yet to come.
What we are able to experience as believers now is a glimpse of what is to come. As the hymn states, “Oh what a foretaste of glory divine” (Blessed Assurance). We are able to experience God’s presence now, but then we will be face to face. We are able to have joy and peace now, but then we will have paradise restored. We are able to experience God’s abundant life now, but then we will enjoy life forever with God. We live in the now and the then.
What am I to do with this knowledge about the kingdom? Jesus not only preached that the kingdom of God was near, but He calls us to “Repent and believe the good news!” (v.15). Jesus calls us to enter the kingdom, to allow God’s rule over my life and . . .
– We Enter the Kingdom through Repentance
and Belief
If this sounds familiar it is because John the Baptist preached a similar message. But here’s the difference. Jesus said we are to turn away from our sins (that’s repentance) but we are also called to “believe the good news.” Only Mark highlights this truth which is not surprising because belief or trust is a major theme in Jesus’ message and in Mark’s Gospel. In Mark, faith is commanded, commended, and unbelief is rebuked.
We are commanded to believe, but what do we believe? The good news that God’s kingdom is here in Jesus Christ. Where Jesus Christ is, there the rule, power, and kingdom of God is actively at work. But for people hearing this then and now, this truth about Jesus is not self-evident. To be seen, it must be believed. And when you simply believe, your eyes will be opened to the reality of who Jesus is. However, believing in Jesus is not the end, it’s just the beginning of our new life.
– We Live a Life of Purpose through Following Jesus
This is the first time that we are introduced to the disciples in Mark, but many think that there was an earlier experience where they first believed in Jesus (see Jn. 1:35-42). But here the emphasis is on the call to continuous discipleship. It is one thing to believe in Jesus and receive forgiveness for sins, it is another to fully commit to a life of following Jesus and yet that is exactly what the disciples did and God calls us to a similar lifestyle.
Think of the subtle but important distinction between the call to salvation and the call to discipleship like this. Perhaps you’re invited to join a company. You examine and accept the offer. A little later on the owner calls you aside and says, “I am going to make you my partner. As my partner, you are going to follow me and learn everything there is about this company and how it operates. You will do this so that you can succeed and be prosperous in this company.” You accept this offer to go further in the company. You feel a great sense of joy and purpose because you are invested in the company. Literally, discipleship is partnering with Jesus, following Him and as we do, we discover purpose in life.
Some may ask, “Can you be saved and not be a disciple?” But I would say, “Why would you want to be?” You discover purpose in life only as you follow Jesus. You will never be satisfied on the sideline because God didn’t create you to do that. You were created for so much more. The disciples were created for more than fishing and repairing nets and so are you.
“What if I don’t have that holy ambition? That passion to follow Jesus? After all, it’s pretty comfortable down here where I am.” If that’s you, just begin where you are, tell God how you feel, get close to Him, ask Him to give you a holy ambition, a desire to follow Him. Then before long, you’ll be saying, “put me in coach, I’m ready to play.”
So what is involved in this call to discipleship that Jesus extended to the first disciples and that He is extending to us this morning? What does Jesus mean when He says, “Follow me . . . and I will make you fishers of men” (v.17)? Following Jesus is a major theme in Mark and it is expressed in several different ways, but when you put all the biblical language together you have a fuller picture of what it means to follow Jesus.
Following Jesus involves . . .
1. Response to His Call
Here, the word “Follow” is not a suggestion, it is an imperative, a command and it comes to us in a personal way. Jesus is calling you to salvation and to discipleship. Have you personally responded? I find Jesus’ choice of His first disciples interesting. The first disciples were twelve ordinary men. They were common people, working people, fisherman. Why fisherman? To show us that He wants to do something with us. God chooses ordinary people, common people. It was Lincoln who said, “God must love the common people – He made so many of them.”
It’s also significant that Jesus called these men at work. Their fishing and repairing their equipment. Their in the shop and in the field. The call of God does not have to always come in a stained glass sanctuary, it comes to a man or woman at work or in the home. In the shop, in the field, in the home, in the school, in the store, God wants men and women everywhere to follow Him.
We need to rediscover the truth that we find in the New Testament. That is, there is no sacred and secular as if there are two worlds in which we live. We think that being a committed disciple means enduring many Bible studies at church or holding some kind of position at church. But being a disciple is following Jesus in every area of your life – at home, at work, at the park, wherever and whenever. Think of it like this. Your occupation (i.e., what you do, what occupies your time) may be a school teacher, bank teller, engineer, plant worker, etc., but your vocation (i.e., what you are, what drives you) is to follow Jesus.
2. Attachment to His Person
We follow a person – Jesus! Discipleship is following a person, not a program or institution, or other man. We attach ourselves to Jesus. We encounter problems when we attach ourselves to people or institutions. Eventually our wife, husband, job, church, etc, will disappoint us, we will become disillusioned, burned out. If you try to find your life’s fulfillment in a person or some other thing, you will be unfulfilled and empty. But if you will attach yourself to Jesus, He will never fail, He will never disappoint!
3. Acceptance of His Authority
Following Jesus means that we accept His authority over our lives. Jesus becomes your guide, your mentor, your way, your teacher, your leader. God is not looking for perfect people, he’s not looking for people with leadership abilities, He’s looking for people with the ability to follow. God is not looking for leaders, He has one – Jesus. We don’t need more leaders, we need more followers. The world is looking for leaders, God is looking for followers of Him. The world is looking for better methods, God is looking for better men.
4. Imitation of His Example
We tend to imitate the people that influence us. To follow Jesus is to naturally lead us to imitate His example. What did Jesus say? “Follow me, follow me by responding to me, by attaching yourself to me, by accepting my authority in your life, then I will make you fishers of men.” If we are following Jesus, then we also will be imitating Him by fishing for men. Our heart and actions will be focused on reaching men and women who are lost. Our passion will be to imitate Jesus by extending His grace to our world. Our holy ambition will be to see others enter the kingdom of God. Our efforts will be focused on doing what Jesus did.
To be honest, many of our efforts are not focused on what really matters – bringing people to Jesus and teaching them. What are we doing that is leading others to Jesus? Who are we imitating? Who are we trying to please? God? Or men? If we’re not fishing for men, are we really following Jesus? We need to ask ourselves that question.
5. Continuation and Pursuing His Goal
This means that we’re in it for the long haul. We keep on following Jesus, we keep attaching ourselves to Him (which means if we fall away, we get back at it), we keep on accepting His authority in our lives, we keep on pursuing the goal – His goal which is to become like Him. We keep at our fishing so that others will hear and believe. In following Jesus, we are offered a life long task. The early disciples were not program directors or leaders, they were followers on a mission with a task to be fishers of men. As they followed Jesus, He would make them fishers of men. They would find a life filled with purpose.
The first disciples responded with a sense of urgency. “At once they left their nets and followed him” (v.18). “Without delay . . . they left their father . . . and followed him” (v.20). Why does a man leave something? He does so only if he thinks there is something of greater value and purpose. Men pursue things in life from various motivations. Some pursue things out of a sense of adventure. Some for money. Some for glory and honor. The kingdom of God is of such great value and purpose that all else pales in comparison. Jesus is calling men and women today. He’s calling people to a great work, a work that He will empower you to do, a work that will change history, a work that begins with a decision of the heart and will, a decision to follow Jesus.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Journey Begins (Mark 1:1-13)
A sermon preached on Sunday, January 10, 2010 at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana by Pastor Joe Alain.
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:1-13
Today, we’re going to begin looking at the Gospel of Mark. In your bulletin there is a brief overview of Mark’s Gospel (see related article online). The opening verse sets forth the theme of the book. For Mark, the “gospel” (Literally, “Good News”) is all about a person, described in verse one with the three-fold title, “Jesus” (“the Lord Saves”), “Christ” (“Anointed One” by God) and “the Son of God” (i.e., Jesus is divine). Mark is the Gospel of action and he presents the historical facts about Jesus in a brief way. He give us the facts so that we will commit ourselves to following Jesus without reservation. Mark’s Gospel also has a discipleship focus, to follow Him.
What evidence is there that Jesus is the Son of God and that this truth is able to change my life?
I. Evidence that Jesus Is the Son of God
In the opening verses, Mark presents various testimony to show that Jesus is the “Son of God.” There is the testimony of . . .
1. John the Baptist (v.8)
John was called by God to prepare people for the coming Messiah. He preached that “people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to Gd to be forgiven” (v.4, NLT). But John was a man who knew what his mission was and what it was not. John always deflected praise and attention away from himself to the only one who could save, God’s Messiah who he would clearly identify as Jesus (see v.8).
2. The Old Testament
Because John is writing to a non-Jewish audience, He does not go to great lengths to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament; however, he does give us some evidence that what is taking place is in line with what was expected long ago in the OT.
About John (See Is. 40:3; Mal. 3:1). The OT predicts John’s ministry prior to the coming of the Messiah.
About the Holy Spirit (See Is. 59:20-21; Ezek. 36:26-27; Joel 2:28-32). What does the entrance of the Holy Spirit mean? Why is this significant?
– The Holy Spirit here means that God is with us in a more intimate way than He was before. God is personal.
– The coming of the Holy Spirit means that the kingdom is now here, the kingdom looked for in the Old Testament.
– The coming of the Holy Spirit means that there is a new power for living that is available to us. The Holy Spirit will enable us to be changed on the inside so that we are able to follow God.
The Holy Spirit’s coming is now a reality with the coming of Jesus. This is why John would say what he does in verse 8.
Further evidence is found from . . .
3. God the Father Himself (1:11; 9:7)
The heaven “torn open” points to the reality that a new revelation is being given by God in Jesus. Furthermore, access to God is now open through Jesus.
Here the Father puts His stamp of approval on Jesus. The language here is reminiscent of Psalm 2, a coronation psalm. The baptism of Jesus is the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, it is His coronation. The Father is saying, “He’s the One!” The baptism of Jesus signifies the beginning of His public ministry, it shows that He is identifying with those He came to save, and it serves as a model for us His disciples to follow. In baptism we are openly declaring that Jesus is the “Son of God.” We are pledging our allegiance to Him.
4. Demons and Angels (See 1:12-13; 3:11; 5:7)
Satan and the demons certainly believed that Jesus was the Messiah and they came against Him because they knew who He was. The Jews came to believe that the desert was the haunt of demons. We have here pictured an epic battle going on in the desert between the forces of good and the forces of evil. The Bible says that the angels were there and they ministered to Him.
5. Believers (1:1; 15:39)
By addressing Jesus as the “Son of God,” Mark is making a statement that only came to be fully understood later on – that Jesus was fully God. So Mark is making a statement that came to be believed and a confessed by the early church. This was also the confession of the Centurion who was at the crucifixion of Jesus (15:39). He too came to realize that Jesus was the “Son of God.” The changed lives of believers then and now who have confessed Jesus as the “Son of God” stands as powerful evidence that Jesus is the “Son of God.”
II. Evidence that Demands a Verdict
If what Mark says is true in these opening verses and in his Gospel, what should be my response? What is the purpose of me knowing this information? How does this information change me? With this overwhelming testimony that Jesus is the “Son of God,” . . .
1. I Should Turn to God and Receive His Forgiveness and His Spirit
If forgiveness is available, if access to God is now opened through my turning to God, then I should do so immediately and without reservation. His Spirit is able to bring incredible change in my life that only He can do. However, having only information without application will not change my life. You have the information, now will you make the application?
2. I Should Openly Confess Jesus As My Lord
The practice of the early church was that those who followed Jesus openly confessed their allegiance, their participation with Him. Baptism is the way that we openly confess Jesus as our Lord. We should not be ashamed to do that, it’s a simple act of obedience. Baptism shows that we have turned to God, it shows that we are identifying with Jesus, that we belong to Him. We should not fear that, but openly declare that Jesus is my Lord.
3. As a Disciple, I Should Endure Testing with Joy
In this chapter you get the sense that following Jesus involves spending some time in the desert, meaning withdraw but also testing. Mark was in part written to encourage disciples who were beginning to experience persecution. We are able to endure testing times with inner joy knowing that Christ Himself faced times of testing and He walks with us through our testing as well.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:1-13
Today, we’re going to begin looking at the Gospel of Mark. In your bulletin there is a brief overview of Mark’s Gospel (see related article online). The opening verse sets forth the theme of the book. For Mark, the “gospel” (Literally, “Good News”) is all about a person, described in verse one with the three-fold title, “Jesus” (“the Lord Saves”), “Christ” (“Anointed One” by God) and “the Son of God” (i.e., Jesus is divine). Mark is the Gospel of action and he presents the historical facts about Jesus in a brief way. He give us the facts so that we will commit ourselves to following Jesus without reservation. Mark’s Gospel also has a discipleship focus, to follow Him.
What evidence is there that Jesus is the Son of God and that this truth is able to change my life?
I. Evidence that Jesus Is the Son of God
In the opening verses, Mark presents various testimony to show that Jesus is the “Son of God.” There is the testimony of . . .
1. John the Baptist (v.8)
John was called by God to prepare people for the coming Messiah. He preached that “people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to Gd to be forgiven” (v.4, NLT). But John was a man who knew what his mission was and what it was not. John always deflected praise and attention away from himself to the only one who could save, God’s Messiah who he would clearly identify as Jesus (see v.8).
2. The Old Testament
Because John is writing to a non-Jewish audience, He does not go to great lengths to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament; however, he does give us some evidence that what is taking place is in line with what was expected long ago in the OT.
About John (See Is. 40:3; Mal. 3:1). The OT predicts John’s ministry prior to the coming of the Messiah.
About the Holy Spirit (See Is. 59:20-21; Ezek. 36:26-27; Joel 2:28-32). What does the entrance of the Holy Spirit mean? Why is this significant?
– The Holy Spirit here means that God is with us in a more intimate way than He was before. God is personal.
– The coming of the Holy Spirit means that the kingdom is now here, the kingdom looked for in the Old Testament.
– The coming of the Holy Spirit means that there is a new power for living that is available to us. The Holy Spirit will enable us to be changed on the inside so that we are able to follow God.
The Holy Spirit’s coming is now a reality with the coming of Jesus. This is why John would say what he does in verse 8.
Further evidence is found from . . .
3. God the Father Himself (1:11; 9:7)
The heaven “torn open” points to the reality that a new revelation is being given by God in Jesus. Furthermore, access to God is now open through Jesus.
Here the Father puts His stamp of approval on Jesus. The language here is reminiscent of Psalm 2, a coronation psalm. The baptism of Jesus is the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, it is His coronation. The Father is saying, “He’s the One!” The baptism of Jesus signifies the beginning of His public ministry, it shows that He is identifying with those He came to save, and it serves as a model for us His disciples to follow. In baptism we are openly declaring that Jesus is the “Son of God.” We are pledging our allegiance to Him.
4. Demons and Angels (See 1:12-13; 3:11; 5:7)
Satan and the demons certainly believed that Jesus was the Messiah and they came against Him because they knew who He was. The Jews came to believe that the desert was the haunt of demons. We have here pictured an epic battle going on in the desert between the forces of good and the forces of evil. The Bible says that the angels were there and they ministered to Him.
5. Believers (1:1; 15:39)
By addressing Jesus as the “Son of God,” Mark is making a statement that only came to be fully understood later on – that Jesus was fully God. So Mark is making a statement that came to be believed and a confessed by the early church. This was also the confession of the Centurion who was at the crucifixion of Jesus (15:39). He too came to realize that Jesus was the “Son of God.” The changed lives of believers then and now who have confessed Jesus as the “Son of God” stands as powerful evidence that Jesus is the “Son of God.”
II. Evidence that Demands a Verdict
If what Mark says is true in these opening verses and in his Gospel, what should be my response? What is the purpose of me knowing this information? How does this information change me? With this overwhelming testimony that Jesus is the “Son of God,” . . .
1. I Should Turn to God and Receive His Forgiveness and His Spirit
If forgiveness is available, if access to God is now opened through my turning to God, then I should do so immediately and without reservation. His Spirit is able to bring incredible change in my life that only He can do. However, having only information without application will not change my life. You have the information, now will you make the application?
2. I Should Openly Confess Jesus As My Lord
The practice of the early church was that those who followed Jesus openly confessed their allegiance, their participation with Him. Baptism is the way that we openly confess Jesus as our Lord. We should not be ashamed to do that, it’s a simple act of obedience. Baptism shows that we have turned to God, it shows that we are identifying with Jesus, that we belong to Him. We should not fear that, but openly declare that Jesus is my Lord.
3. As a Disciple, I Should Endure Testing with Joy
In this chapter you get the sense that following Jesus involves spending some time in the desert, meaning withdraw but also testing. Mark was in part written to encourage disciples who were beginning to experience persecution. We are able to endure testing times with inner joy knowing that Christ Himself faced times of testing and He walks with us through our testing as well.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Beginning Again in 2010 -- New Year's Sermon January 3, 2010
A Sermon Preached on January 3, 2009 at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana by Pastor Joe Alain.
“Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
2 Timothy 4:11
You have an opportunity to begin again in 2010. Today, you can make choices that will ensure that these are the best days of your life. With a new year comes new possibilities, new adventures, new opportunities to live up to your God-given potential. Sometimes it’s our past that keeps us from moving forward. We spend too much time focusing on our imperfections, our failures, our sins. Because of that, we feel that we don’t measure up, that God cannot use us, that a full and meaningful life is for someone else, not me.
At the outset of a new year, we need to remind ourselves that God is not looking for perfect people. He’s only looking for people who are willing, who are moldable in His hands, He’s looking for the broken and scarred and He wants to do something amazing in your life. As Natalie Grant sings,
“There’s no such thing as perfect people
There’s no such thing as a perfect life
So come as you are, broken and scarred
Life up your heart and be amazed
And be changed by a perfect God.”
If you feel that you’re not good enough or have made too many mistakes in life, you need only to look at the Bible to see the kind of people God used and uses. John Mark, or simply Mark as we know him, was one of those imperfect people who God used in a great way. Mark, the believer who defected had an opportunity to begin again. The one who ran away was restored. You too can begin again in 2010. That new beginning can begin right here, right now.
As we look at Mark’s story, we see how we too can begin again. Mark’s beginning might best be described as one of . . .
I. Faithfulness: A Promising Start
The first mention of Mark in the Bible is in Acts 12:12.
– It was a time of intensifying persecution. Herod had James the brother of John executed (12:2). This was probably around A.D. 44, 14 years after the death of Jesus.
– Peter was imprisoned (12:3).
– The church was praying for Peter’s release (12:5).
– Miraculously, Peter was set free. Afterwards, he went to the home of “Mary the mother of John, also called Mark” (12:12).
– Paul and Barnabas were also in Jerusalem on a relief mission from Antioch. Their mission completed, they returned to Antioch and they took with them “John, also called Mark” (12:25).
– From these early references, we can imply several things about Mark: (1) Mark grew up among the early Christians, he had a godly environment. (2) Early on we see him associated with Peter. This will play out more importantly later one. (3) He’s obviously helpful in ministry. He’s not an apostle, or evangelist, or pastor, he’s simply a faithful believer in Jerusalem. God uses people like Mark, like us, people who desire to be used by the Lord and are moldable in His hands.
– Faithfulness characterized Mark’s early life because when Paul and Barnabas were commissioned by the church in Antioch to go on their first missionary journey, they chose Mark to with them “as their helper” (13:5).
– Why take Mark to Antioch? Why on the 1st missionary journey? We do know that Mark was a cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10). So Barnabas knew Mark, he trusted him, he knew something about his gifts and usefulness in ministry. It’s also possible that Mark had a connection with the priesthood. Barnabas was a Levite and it’s possible that Mark was too. He might have even served in the Temple. Regardless, Mark had the heart of a servant, a helper. He was faithful and in that sense, Mark had a promising start.
But something happened to Mark. Because Mark fell away from the faith for a time. He went through a period of decline.
II. Falling Away: A Period of Decline
– That 1st missionary journey was difficult from the very beginning as they faced opposition from “Elymas the sorcerer” (13:8) and other difficulties as well.
– 13:13 tells us that “From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.” 15:38 is more specific when it says that Mark had “deserted them.”
– This is a sad moment. Mark deserted the missionary party and returned to Jerusalem. But why did Mark fall away and literally disappear from the NT for a few years? Was the work too hard? Was it too costly? Too much sacrifice required? Did the cross become too heavy to bear? Did he become disillusioned? Did he feel as if he wasn’t making a difference? Did he get discouraged? Burnt out? Was the persecution too much? Was the appeal of the world too much? Did Mark lose his faith along the way? Was he homesick? Did the separation from his family get to him? We don’t really know why Mark left but we know that he did and did so for apparently some years.
Fortunately, Mark’s story does not end at Acts 13:13. Mark, the man who had such a promising start and who had such a public falling away, finished well!
III. Finishing Well: A Profitable Restoration
– The next time we see Mark is in Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas are discussing a 2nd journey to strengthen the disciples in the areas that they had previously gone to (15:36).
– 15:37 tells us that “Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark with them.”
– But Paul has not forgotten Mark’s defection, his cowardice, his weakness (15:38).
– There was such a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas that they parted company. On the 2nd journey, Paul took Silas while Barnabas chose Mark (15:39-40). This obviously says a lot about Barnabas who was willing to give Mark another chance. You may be exactly where God wants you to be, but you might know a Mark or two. I believe there are many Mark’s in the body of Christ, people who once walked fervently with God but who have now defected. Maybe this year you could be a Barnabas to a Mark, you could come alongside someone who has fallen away and restore them to usefulness in the kingdom.
– We don’t hear anything about Mark until 10 years later where he shows up in Colossians 4:10 and in Philemon 23. Paul is in Rome as a prisoner. This is Paul’s first imprisonment. It is there that he writes three letters: Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon.
– 10 years later Paul is a prisoner in Rome and who is his companion? The deserter Mark! Something dramatic has happened. He’s back in the good graces of Paul.
– How long did this restored relationship last? Paul wrote 2 Timothy from his second imprisonment. It is his last letter written around A.D. 66-67. It has been 22-23 years since the incident when Peter was released from prison. Paul knows that his death (his departure) is soon. It’s the end for Paul. Who does Paul desire to see? Paul tells Timothy to “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). From the time of his 1st imprisonment, he had Mark at his side. A few years later in his 2nd imprisonment facing death, he wants Mark by his side. What a testimony of a man who has been restored, who is finishing well.
– We should not be surprised at this. The Lord uses imperfect broken people all the time. God uses recovering sinners, deserters, recovered defectors.
– Mark finished well. Not only did Mark have this special relationship with the apostle Paul, but he also was very close to the apostle Peter. Peter calls Mark “my son” (1 Pet. 5:13). And most scholars believe that the Gospel of Mark accurately records the apostle Peter’s words. It is the memoirs of Peter.
Mark finished well because he began again. He did not let his failure be final. He did not let his past define his future. What about you? How will you finish? Perhaps you had a good start, a good home, a good environment. But somewhere along the way you defected, you dropped out. Maybe you didn’t cease doing the things you’ve always done, but you’re heart is not in it. You’re just going through the motions, you’ve lost your passion. You can begin again! It’s a choice that you have to make to get back in the race, to get back on the path. Where do I start? How do I begin?
1. Come to terms with your desertion.
Maybe you’re angry with God. Or someone has hurt you. Maybe it’s fear that has sidelined you. Maybe the appeal of the world has ensnared you. Maybe it’s a sinful action or attitude that is continually bringing you down. Whatever it is, it’s keeping you from finishing well. You need to see it as the barrier that is keeping you from experiencing God’s best. You don’t have to wander for years in the desert. You don’t have to waste your life. You were meant for better things. Somewhere along Mark’s journey, he came to terms with his defection. He didn’t want to stay a deserter forever. We too must come to terms with our desertion and desire God’s better life.
2. Start rebuilding your relationship with God.
Desertion is a heart issue, a relationship issue. Ask God to forgive you, He will! Forgive yourself and stop believing the lie that you cannot change, you cannot start over. Don’t listen to the unspiritual people in your life who only bring you down, who have no hope, who only bring condemnation. Begin daily walking with the Lord. Talk to Him, read His love letter to you, follow what He tells you to do. Worship Him regularly for worship feeds our soul. Connect with other believers in a small group where you can grow deeper in your walk with God. Develop your relationship with God. It’s that simple.
To begin again implies that there has first been a beginning. For some today, you need to have a beginning. Maybe I’ve described you today. Empty, lost, in search of something but you’re not sure what. If you’re willing, you can begin a personal relationship with the Lord your creator today. Will you give Jesus your sins, your life, and trust Him to save you today?
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
“Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
2 Timothy 4:11
You have an opportunity to begin again in 2010. Today, you can make choices that will ensure that these are the best days of your life. With a new year comes new possibilities, new adventures, new opportunities to live up to your God-given potential. Sometimes it’s our past that keeps us from moving forward. We spend too much time focusing on our imperfections, our failures, our sins. Because of that, we feel that we don’t measure up, that God cannot use us, that a full and meaningful life is for someone else, not me.
At the outset of a new year, we need to remind ourselves that God is not looking for perfect people. He’s only looking for people who are willing, who are moldable in His hands, He’s looking for the broken and scarred and He wants to do something amazing in your life. As Natalie Grant sings,
“There’s no such thing as perfect people
There’s no such thing as a perfect life
So come as you are, broken and scarred
Life up your heart and be amazed
And be changed by a perfect God.”
If you feel that you’re not good enough or have made too many mistakes in life, you need only to look at the Bible to see the kind of people God used and uses. John Mark, or simply Mark as we know him, was one of those imperfect people who God used in a great way. Mark, the believer who defected had an opportunity to begin again. The one who ran away was restored. You too can begin again in 2010. That new beginning can begin right here, right now.
As we look at Mark’s story, we see how we too can begin again. Mark’s beginning might best be described as one of . . .
I. Faithfulness: A Promising Start
The first mention of Mark in the Bible is in Acts 12:12.
– It was a time of intensifying persecution. Herod had James the brother of John executed (12:2). This was probably around A.D. 44, 14 years after the death of Jesus.
– Peter was imprisoned (12:3).
– The church was praying for Peter’s release (12:5).
– Miraculously, Peter was set free. Afterwards, he went to the home of “Mary the mother of John, also called Mark” (12:12).
– Paul and Barnabas were also in Jerusalem on a relief mission from Antioch. Their mission completed, they returned to Antioch and they took with them “John, also called Mark” (12:25).
– From these early references, we can imply several things about Mark: (1) Mark grew up among the early Christians, he had a godly environment. (2) Early on we see him associated with Peter. This will play out more importantly later one. (3) He’s obviously helpful in ministry. He’s not an apostle, or evangelist, or pastor, he’s simply a faithful believer in Jerusalem. God uses people like Mark, like us, people who desire to be used by the Lord and are moldable in His hands.
– Faithfulness characterized Mark’s early life because when Paul and Barnabas were commissioned by the church in Antioch to go on their first missionary journey, they chose Mark to with them “as their helper” (13:5).
– Why take Mark to Antioch? Why on the 1st missionary journey? We do know that Mark was a cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10). So Barnabas knew Mark, he trusted him, he knew something about his gifts and usefulness in ministry. It’s also possible that Mark had a connection with the priesthood. Barnabas was a Levite and it’s possible that Mark was too. He might have even served in the Temple. Regardless, Mark had the heart of a servant, a helper. He was faithful and in that sense, Mark had a promising start.
But something happened to Mark. Because Mark fell away from the faith for a time. He went through a period of decline.
II. Falling Away: A Period of Decline
– That 1st missionary journey was difficult from the very beginning as they faced opposition from “Elymas the sorcerer” (13:8) and other difficulties as well.
– 13:13 tells us that “From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.” 15:38 is more specific when it says that Mark had “deserted them.”
– This is a sad moment. Mark deserted the missionary party and returned to Jerusalem. But why did Mark fall away and literally disappear from the NT for a few years? Was the work too hard? Was it too costly? Too much sacrifice required? Did the cross become too heavy to bear? Did he become disillusioned? Did he feel as if he wasn’t making a difference? Did he get discouraged? Burnt out? Was the persecution too much? Was the appeal of the world too much? Did Mark lose his faith along the way? Was he homesick? Did the separation from his family get to him? We don’t really know why Mark left but we know that he did and did so for apparently some years.
Fortunately, Mark’s story does not end at Acts 13:13. Mark, the man who had such a promising start and who had such a public falling away, finished well!
III. Finishing Well: A Profitable Restoration
– The next time we see Mark is in Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas are discussing a 2nd journey to strengthen the disciples in the areas that they had previously gone to (15:36).
– 15:37 tells us that “Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark with them.”
– But Paul has not forgotten Mark’s defection, his cowardice, his weakness (15:38).
– There was such a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas that they parted company. On the 2nd journey, Paul took Silas while Barnabas chose Mark (15:39-40). This obviously says a lot about Barnabas who was willing to give Mark another chance. You may be exactly where God wants you to be, but you might know a Mark or two. I believe there are many Mark’s in the body of Christ, people who once walked fervently with God but who have now defected. Maybe this year you could be a Barnabas to a Mark, you could come alongside someone who has fallen away and restore them to usefulness in the kingdom.
– We don’t hear anything about Mark until 10 years later where he shows up in Colossians 4:10 and in Philemon 23. Paul is in Rome as a prisoner. This is Paul’s first imprisonment. It is there that he writes three letters: Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon.
– 10 years later Paul is a prisoner in Rome and who is his companion? The deserter Mark! Something dramatic has happened. He’s back in the good graces of Paul.
– How long did this restored relationship last? Paul wrote 2 Timothy from his second imprisonment. It is his last letter written around A.D. 66-67. It has been 22-23 years since the incident when Peter was released from prison. Paul knows that his death (his departure) is soon. It’s the end for Paul. Who does Paul desire to see? Paul tells Timothy to “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). From the time of his 1st imprisonment, he had Mark at his side. A few years later in his 2nd imprisonment facing death, he wants Mark by his side. What a testimony of a man who has been restored, who is finishing well.
– We should not be surprised at this. The Lord uses imperfect broken people all the time. God uses recovering sinners, deserters, recovered defectors.
– Mark finished well. Not only did Mark have this special relationship with the apostle Paul, but he also was very close to the apostle Peter. Peter calls Mark “my son” (1 Pet. 5:13). And most scholars believe that the Gospel of Mark accurately records the apostle Peter’s words. It is the memoirs of Peter.
Mark finished well because he began again. He did not let his failure be final. He did not let his past define his future. What about you? How will you finish? Perhaps you had a good start, a good home, a good environment. But somewhere along the way you defected, you dropped out. Maybe you didn’t cease doing the things you’ve always done, but you’re heart is not in it. You’re just going through the motions, you’ve lost your passion. You can begin again! It’s a choice that you have to make to get back in the race, to get back on the path. Where do I start? How do I begin?
1. Come to terms with your desertion.
Maybe you’re angry with God. Or someone has hurt you. Maybe it’s fear that has sidelined you. Maybe the appeal of the world has ensnared you. Maybe it’s a sinful action or attitude that is continually bringing you down. Whatever it is, it’s keeping you from finishing well. You need to see it as the barrier that is keeping you from experiencing God’s best. You don’t have to wander for years in the desert. You don’t have to waste your life. You were meant for better things. Somewhere along Mark’s journey, he came to terms with his defection. He didn’t want to stay a deserter forever. We too must come to terms with our desertion and desire God’s better life.
2. Start rebuilding your relationship with God.
Desertion is a heart issue, a relationship issue. Ask God to forgive you, He will! Forgive yourself and stop believing the lie that you cannot change, you cannot start over. Don’t listen to the unspiritual people in your life who only bring you down, who have no hope, who only bring condemnation. Begin daily walking with the Lord. Talk to Him, read His love letter to you, follow what He tells you to do. Worship Him regularly for worship feeds our soul. Connect with other believers in a small group where you can grow deeper in your walk with God. Develop your relationship with God. It’s that simple.
To begin again implies that there has first been a beginning. For some today, you need to have a beginning. Maybe I’ve described you today. Empty, lost, in search of something but you’re not sure what. If you’re willing, you can begin a personal relationship with the Lord your creator today. Will you give Jesus your sins, your life, and trust Him to save you today?
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Monday, December 21, 2009
An Uncluttered Christmas, Luke 3:1-6 (7-14)
A sermon preached on Sunday, December 20, 2009 at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana by pastor Joe Alain.
Scripture Reading: Luke 3:1-6 (7-14)
Background Scripture: Isaiah 40:3-5
John the Baptist’s ministry was one of removing the clutter so that people could prepare for the coming of the Lord and in that respect his message has a lot to say to us about how we can experience an uncluttered Christmas.
John the Baptist certainly is one of the most colorful and unlikely characters in the story of Jesus. Apart from sermons that deal with Zechariah and Elizabeth, we don’t usually invite the adult John to our Christmas celebrations. He seems too serious, too rugged, to harsh, to forceful with his message of repentance. John was a man who wore a camel hair coat before camel hair coats were cool and he lived on a lean diet of locusts and wild honey (how’s that for your new year’s resolution diet!). John never took a class on how to win friends and influence people and his marketing techniques would be considered all wrong today, but the power of God was upon John and the Word of God was in him. And even though he went into the wilderness of obscurity, he attracted great crowds.
I. CLUTTER
Our lives and hearts are often cluttered.
We can learn a lot from John’s ministry of uncluttering the message of Christmas because the Christmas season is often a very cluttered time. Our calendars are jam packed, the stores are crowded, the traffic is worse than usual, we’re busy gathering up gifts to give and receiving gifts that often end up in our garages or closets. On top of all that, it sure is hard to be good with all of the holiday foods and goodies around. The waistline gets a little cluttered around this time of the year. The truth is, our lives are cluttered but so are our hearts. The heart clutter threatens to crowd Jesus out. What we need in these few days leading up to Christmas day is to see beyond the clutter of living to the hope that was born many years ago in Bethlehem.
The challenge in John’s word in the wilderness came from the prophet Isaiah spoken at the time Israel was in exile in Babylon. Separating God’s people from their home was a wilderness, a barrier that seemed impossible for them to overcome. In their mind, the path back home was just too cluttered, cluttered with broken promises and broken idols. The way back seemed so rough, so insurmountable. The people of God had lost all hope of scaling the spiritual mountains to come back to God. We too sense that hopelessness at times. We look across the spiritual wasteland of broken relationships, broken promises, unfulfilled dreams, and we wonder, “is there any way back? Is there hope for my marriage? Can the clutter be removed so that we can restore what we once had? Can my relationship with my child be restored?” It seems that there is just too much clutter in our hearts, it’s too hard, it’s a barrier that seems impassable.
The promise in Isaiah 40:3-5, where we find the words John quotes, is that comfort will come to God’s people, that in the wilderness a way will be prepared for the Lord, much like the way was prepared for ancient kings to visit the remote parts of their kingdoms. A king would send out a party to go before him. They would prepare the way, even repairing roads if necessary, for the king’s arrival. John is saying that the way to the King of Kings (the Messiah) is being cleared! The ditches are being filled in, the clutter is being removed, the crooked paths are being straightened, and the potholes are being patched. So John’s messages was a message of incredible hope. God would make a way where there seemed to be no way. That way, John came to announce not only to Israel, but to us too. We too who feel hopeless and who have lost courage, who cannot get beyond the brokenness, we too can find the way home.
As we begin to look at this passage, the context is seen in 3:1-2a.
II. CONTEXT (3:1-2a)
Luke, being a careful historian gives us a wealth of information in his Gospel that helps us set forth the historical setting and accuracy of the New Testament. Here, the information dates John’s ministry and gives us information about the time in which he ministered.
Luke first gives us the political situation of the day.
1. Political Context (3:1)
John’s ministry occurred during “The reign of Tiberius Caesar.” Tiberias was the successor of Augustus and the second of the Roman Emperors. As early as A.D. 11 or 12 Augustus had made him his colleague in the imperial power but he did not become sole emperor until A.D. 14. The fifteenth year of his reign would therefore be around A.D. 28-29.
The next three people mentioned along with dates are connected with the political organization of Palestine. The title tetrarch literally means governor of a fourth part, but later on came to mean governor of any part. When Herod the Great who ruled Palestine from 37-4 B.C. (1:5; see Matt. 2) died, his kingdom was divided between three of his sons. Herod was the ruler during the time of Zechariah and Elizabeth and the birth of John.
Luke dates John’s ministry during the time of “Herod tetrarch of Galilee.” Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great) ruled Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39. Jesus’ life was lived in Herod’s reign and mostly in the areas that he controlled.
“His brother Philip” (another son of Herod the Great) was “tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis.” He ruled from 4 B.C. to A.D. 33. Philip built Caesarea Philippi which was named after him.
Luke also dates John’s ministry during the time of “Pontius Pilate . . . governor of Judea.” Herod Archelaus (another son of Herod the Great) ruled over Judea, Samaria, and Edom from 4 B.C. to A.D. 6 but he was such a bad king that the citizens petitioned Rome for his removal. Rome impatient with all of the trouble that was in the area installed Pontius Pilate who ruled from A.D. 25-37.
“Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene.” He ruled in the region northwest of Damascus. We know practically nothing about him.
2. The Religious Context (3:2a)
Next Luke provides the religious context. “During the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas.” Annas was the high priest from A.D. 7-14. The office had been hereditary and for life. When Rome came to power the office became political. From 37 B.C. to A.D. 26 there were no fewer than 28 high priests. Four sons succeeded Annas and Caiaphas (18-36 A.D.) was his son-in-law. Annas though was the power behind the throne (See John 18:13). For all practical purposes, the High Priest was the ruling power in Jerusalem. Along with the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Supreme Council, they controlled the daily life of the Jewish people.
Why does Luke spend so much time giving us these historical details? All of Luke’s careful historical analysis points out that The story of Jesus is firmly rooted in history. When some knew theory arises that challenges the historical accuracy of the story of Jesus, and they will continue to do so, always know that you have a reliable text in the Bible that you have. Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:16, NIV, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” See also vv.20-21.
Paul warns believers to not be caught up in what he calls “myths” that “promote controversies rather than God’s work – which is by faith” (1 Tim. 1:4). Instead of following “godless myths,” “train yourself to be godly” (1 Tim. 4:7). There’s another new year resolution. Train yourself to be godly.
III. COMFORT (3:2b)
It is in this context that the Word of God comes to John.
1. The Person: “to John the son of Zechariah”
Luke tells us that the “word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.” John lived an uncluttered life – a life of focus. Luke seems to contrast the powerful political and religious rulers over against the humble man who is the “son of Zechariah.” The word of God comes not to the worldly and powerful, but to the lowly and humble, like John.
2. The Place: “in the desert”
John has been in the wilderness for many years. The last time you see John is in Luke 1:80. Several reasons have been suggested why John was in the desert. (1) Some of suggested that John’s parents, being old, died while he was young. It’s possible the Essenes, a Jewish group living by the Dead Sea, may have taken him in. (2) As a son of a priest, he would have taken up training for the priesthood. Perhaps he left to prepare for His priestly work. It’s obvious that John’s desert experiences are tied with his training. He was there to prepare for his mission. A great work is always preceded by grave (serious) preparation. The desert is symbolic of testing and preparation. All great men and women have been to the school of the desert. God has been preparing John for his ministry.
Before God can use you, He wants to know if you’re willing to serve in obscurity.
3. The Proclamation: “the word of God”
The word used here for “word” is not the “logos” but it is the “Rhema.” This word denotes a particular word or message that is spoken or proclaimed. This speaks to the fact that John’s message was sharply focused, clear, uncluttered. John had a focused message. Point 1 – Repent! Point 2 – Repent! Point 3 – Repent! Each of us seeks meaning in life. Each of us want direction, focus, a word from God for the particular situations that we face in life. That word of God that speaks to the particulars of our lives is what we receive from Him, when we listen and hear. The Word of God speaks to the particulars of our lives.
The word “came to John.” The force of the (language) preposition is that of pressure from above. It came upon John. It inspired him, burdened him, spoke clearly to him, effected him. The “rhema” will do the same for us.
There is much that John has to say concerning how we can experience an uncluttered life and an uncluttered Christmas. So what does it mean to have an uncluttered heart?
The Uncluttered Heart . . .
1. Hears God’s Word
John was able to hear God’s Word. God’s word comes to the uncluttered heart. Is our life cluttered? Do we try to focus on too many things? Do we make wise choices so we are able to focus? Clutter in our lives and hearts keeps us from hearing God’s Word. Determine that in the new year you are going to make a conscious effort to spend some quiet time with God so that you can hear His Word and His voice.
2. Receives God’s Forgiveness
After the Word of God pressed upon John, he went to the area surrounding the Jordan and he preached “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” The NKJV has “remission” which means “forgiveness.” The NLT says it best when it reads that John preached “that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.” John was saying, “get ready, and to show that you are ready, change the direction of your life. Show that you’re making a break with your past and you are going in God’s direction.” John made it clear that the day of obstacles was over. No more excuses could be made. Every obstacle had been demolished between sinful man and a holy God. The highway to heaven had been cleared, John says – get ready!
Forgiveness by its nature is the divine action that unclutters our lives and opens the way for a new kind of life. Forgiveness opens the way to God. Forgiveness is the act of removing the sin, taking it away never to return. Forgiveness is a new start. Repentance, turning to God, prepares our heart for the Lord to come and bring his forgiveness. Daily, we need the clutter removed from our lives.
The uncluttered heart hears God’s word, receives God’s forgiveness, and . . .
3. Embraces God’s Mission
John’s life was changed by the Word of God and in response to that change and in obedience to the Lord, he embraced his task of sharing the “Good News.” Repentance means that we now have a new purpose and a new power to break down the barriers that keep others from coming to the Lord. We too are able to help others see God’s salvation. But to embrace God’s mission is costly for it requires that we be . . .
– Undivided in our loyalty to Christ. John’s loyalty was undivided – it was uncluttered. What about my loyalty to Jesus? If we are to embrace God’s mission, we must live uncluttered lives before God, we must be loyal to Him.
– To embrace God’s mission is costly because it requires that we be undivided in our commitment to breaking down every barrier, every hindrance to the Gospel. Embracing God’s mission means living a changed life. Every response that John gave to the people he shared with who wanted to know, “how shall we live?” was centered on living a new ethical life (see vv.7-14). John was saying, “live a life that shows you have turned to God.” And so as I embrace God’s mission, I commit to embrace a new kind of life. My pride, my prejudices, my unforgiveness, my unloving and hurtful words, all of the clutter must be removed from my heart and life. We must seek to live uncluttered lives so that we can unclutter the pathway for others to journey on. We must in the language of the Msg paraphrase spiritually,
“Make the road smooth and straight!
Every ditch will be filled in,
Every bump smoothed out,
The detours straightened out,
All the ruts paved over.”
Why do all this? We must prepare the way of the Lord. The king is coming, He’s on His way. Are you ready? The clutter has been removed – it’s time to trust Him and for us to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Scripture Reading: Luke 3:1-6 (7-14)
Background Scripture: Isaiah 40:3-5
John the Baptist’s ministry was one of removing the clutter so that people could prepare for the coming of the Lord and in that respect his message has a lot to say to us about how we can experience an uncluttered Christmas.
John the Baptist certainly is one of the most colorful and unlikely characters in the story of Jesus. Apart from sermons that deal with Zechariah and Elizabeth, we don’t usually invite the adult John to our Christmas celebrations. He seems too serious, too rugged, to harsh, to forceful with his message of repentance. John was a man who wore a camel hair coat before camel hair coats were cool and he lived on a lean diet of locusts and wild honey (how’s that for your new year’s resolution diet!). John never took a class on how to win friends and influence people and his marketing techniques would be considered all wrong today, but the power of God was upon John and the Word of God was in him. And even though he went into the wilderness of obscurity, he attracted great crowds.
I. CLUTTER
Our lives and hearts are often cluttered.
We can learn a lot from John’s ministry of uncluttering the message of Christmas because the Christmas season is often a very cluttered time. Our calendars are jam packed, the stores are crowded, the traffic is worse than usual, we’re busy gathering up gifts to give and receiving gifts that often end up in our garages or closets. On top of all that, it sure is hard to be good with all of the holiday foods and goodies around. The waistline gets a little cluttered around this time of the year. The truth is, our lives are cluttered but so are our hearts. The heart clutter threatens to crowd Jesus out. What we need in these few days leading up to Christmas day is to see beyond the clutter of living to the hope that was born many years ago in Bethlehem.
The challenge in John’s word in the wilderness came from the prophet Isaiah spoken at the time Israel was in exile in Babylon. Separating God’s people from their home was a wilderness, a barrier that seemed impossible for them to overcome. In their mind, the path back home was just too cluttered, cluttered with broken promises and broken idols. The way back seemed so rough, so insurmountable. The people of God had lost all hope of scaling the spiritual mountains to come back to God. We too sense that hopelessness at times. We look across the spiritual wasteland of broken relationships, broken promises, unfulfilled dreams, and we wonder, “is there any way back? Is there hope for my marriage? Can the clutter be removed so that we can restore what we once had? Can my relationship with my child be restored?” It seems that there is just too much clutter in our hearts, it’s too hard, it’s a barrier that seems impassable.
The promise in Isaiah 40:3-5, where we find the words John quotes, is that comfort will come to God’s people, that in the wilderness a way will be prepared for the Lord, much like the way was prepared for ancient kings to visit the remote parts of their kingdoms. A king would send out a party to go before him. They would prepare the way, even repairing roads if necessary, for the king’s arrival. John is saying that the way to the King of Kings (the Messiah) is being cleared! The ditches are being filled in, the clutter is being removed, the crooked paths are being straightened, and the potholes are being patched. So John’s messages was a message of incredible hope. God would make a way where there seemed to be no way. That way, John came to announce not only to Israel, but to us too. We too who feel hopeless and who have lost courage, who cannot get beyond the brokenness, we too can find the way home.
As we begin to look at this passage, the context is seen in 3:1-2a.
II. CONTEXT (3:1-2a)
Luke, being a careful historian gives us a wealth of information in his Gospel that helps us set forth the historical setting and accuracy of the New Testament. Here, the information dates John’s ministry and gives us information about the time in which he ministered.
Luke first gives us the political situation of the day.
1. Political Context (3:1)
John’s ministry occurred during “The reign of Tiberius Caesar.” Tiberias was the successor of Augustus and the second of the Roman Emperors. As early as A.D. 11 or 12 Augustus had made him his colleague in the imperial power but he did not become sole emperor until A.D. 14. The fifteenth year of his reign would therefore be around A.D. 28-29.
The next three people mentioned along with dates are connected with the political organization of Palestine. The title tetrarch literally means governor of a fourth part, but later on came to mean governor of any part. When Herod the Great who ruled Palestine from 37-4 B.C. (1:5; see Matt. 2) died, his kingdom was divided between three of his sons. Herod was the ruler during the time of Zechariah and Elizabeth and the birth of John.
Luke dates John’s ministry during the time of “Herod tetrarch of Galilee.” Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great) ruled Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39. Jesus’ life was lived in Herod’s reign and mostly in the areas that he controlled.
“His brother Philip” (another son of Herod the Great) was “tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis.” He ruled from 4 B.C. to A.D. 33. Philip built Caesarea Philippi which was named after him.
Luke also dates John’s ministry during the time of “Pontius Pilate . . . governor of Judea.” Herod Archelaus (another son of Herod the Great) ruled over Judea, Samaria, and Edom from 4 B.C. to A.D. 6 but he was such a bad king that the citizens petitioned Rome for his removal. Rome impatient with all of the trouble that was in the area installed Pontius Pilate who ruled from A.D. 25-37.
“Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene.” He ruled in the region northwest of Damascus. We know practically nothing about him.
2. The Religious Context (3:2a)
Next Luke provides the religious context. “During the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas.” Annas was the high priest from A.D. 7-14. The office had been hereditary and for life. When Rome came to power the office became political. From 37 B.C. to A.D. 26 there were no fewer than 28 high priests. Four sons succeeded Annas and Caiaphas (18-36 A.D.) was his son-in-law. Annas though was the power behind the throne (See John 18:13). For all practical purposes, the High Priest was the ruling power in Jerusalem. Along with the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Supreme Council, they controlled the daily life of the Jewish people.
Why does Luke spend so much time giving us these historical details? All of Luke’s careful historical analysis points out that The story of Jesus is firmly rooted in history. When some knew theory arises that challenges the historical accuracy of the story of Jesus, and they will continue to do so, always know that you have a reliable text in the Bible that you have. Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:16, NIV, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” See also vv.20-21.
Paul warns believers to not be caught up in what he calls “myths” that “promote controversies rather than God’s work – which is by faith” (1 Tim. 1:4). Instead of following “godless myths,” “train yourself to be godly” (1 Tim. 4:7). There’s another new year resolution. Train yourself to be godly.
III. COMFORT (3:2b)
It is in this context that the Word of God comes to John.
1. The Person: “to John the son of Zechariah”
Luke tells us that the “word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.” John lived an uncluttered life – a life of focus. Luke seems to contrast the powerful political and religious rulers over against the humble man who is the “son of Zechariah.” The word of God comes not to the worldly and powerful, but to the lowly and humble, like John.
2. The Place: “in the desert”
John has been in the wilderness for many years. The last time you see John is in Luke 1:80. Several reasons have been suggested why John was in the desert. (1) Some of suggested that John’s parents, being old, died while he was young. It’s possible the Essenes, a Jewish group living by the Dead Sea, may have taken him in. (2) As a son of a priest, he would have taken up training for the priesthood. Perhaps he left to prepare for His priestly work. It’s obvious that John’s desert experiences are tied with his training. He was there to prepare for his mission. A great work is always preceded by grave (serious) preparation. The desert is symbolic of testing and preparation. All great men and women have been to the school of the desert. God has been preparing John for his ministry.
Before God can use you, He wants to know if you’re willing to serve in obscurity.
3. The Proclamation: “the word of God”
The word used here for “word” is not the “logos” but it is the “Rhema.” This word denotes a particular word or message that is spoken or proclaimed. This speaks to the fact that John’s message was sharply focused, clear, uncluttered. John had a focused message. Point 1 – Repent! Point 2 – Repent! Point 3 – Repent! Each of us seeks meaning in life. Each of us want direction, focus, a word from God for the particular situations that we face in life. That word of God that speaks to the particulars of our lives is what we receive from Him, when we listen and hear. The Word of God speaks to the particulars of our lives.
The word “came to John.” The force of the (language) preposition is that of pressure from above. It came upon John. It inspired him, burdened him, spoke clearly to him, effected him. The “rhema” will do the same for us.
There is much that John has to say concerning how we can experience an uncluttered life and an uncluttered Christmas. So what does it mean to have an uncluttered heart?
The Uncluttered Heart . . .
1. Hears God’s Word
John was able to hear God’s Word. God’s word comes to the uncluttered heart. Is our life cluttered? Do we try to focus on too many things? Do we make wise choices so we are able to focus? Clutter in our lives and hearts keeps us from hearing God’s Word. Determine that in the new year you are going to make a conscious effort to spend some quiet time with God so that you can hear His Word and His voice.
2. Receives God’s Forgiveness
After the Word of God pressed upon John, he went to the area surrounding the Jordan and he preached “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” The NKJV has “remission” which means “forgiveness.” The NLT says it best when it reads that John preached “that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.” John was saying, “get ready, and to show that you are ready, change the direction of your life. Show that you’re making a break with your past and you are going in God’s direction.” John made it clear that the day of obstacles was over. No more excuses could be made. Every obstacle had been demolished between sinful man and a holy God. The highway to heaven had been cleared, John says – get ready!
Forgiveness by its nature is the divine action that unclutters our lives and opens the way for a new kind of life. Forgiveness opens the way to God. Forgiveness is the act of removing the sin, taking it away never to return. Forgiveness is a new start. Repentance, turning to God, prepares our heart for the Lord to come and bring his forgiveness. Daily, we need the clutter removed from our lives.
The uncluttered heart hears God’s word, receives God’s forgiveness, and . . .
3. Embraces God’s Mission
John’s life was changed by the Word of God and in response to that change and in obedience to the Lord, he embraced his task of sharing the “Good News.” Repentance means that we now have a new purpose and a new power to break down the barriers that keep others from coming to the Lord. We too are able to help others see God’s salvation. But to embrace God’s mission is costly for it requires that we be . . .
– Undivided in our loyalty to Christ. John’s loyalty was undivided – it was uncluttered. What about my loyalty to Jesus? If we are to embrace God’s mission, we must live uncluttered lives before God, we must be loyal to Him.
– To embrace God’s mission is costly because it requires that we be undivided in our commitment to breaking down every barrier, every hindrance to the Gospel. Embracing God’s mission means living a changed life. Every response that John gave to the people he shared with who wanted to know, “how shall we live?” was centered on living a new ethical life (see vv.7-14). John was saying, “live a life that shows you have turned to God.” And so as I embrace God’s mission, I commit to embrace a new kind of life. My pride, my prejudices, my unforgiveness, my unloving and hurtful words, all of the clutter must be removed from my heart and life. We must seek to live uncluttered lives so that we can unclutter the pathway for others to journey on. We must in the language of the Msg paraphrase spiritually,
“Make the road smooth and straight!
Every ditch will be filled in,
Every bump smoothed out,
The detours straightened out,
All the ruts paved over.”
Why do all this? We must prepare the way of the Lord. The king is coming, He’s on His way. Are you ready? The clutter has been removed – it’s time to trust Him and for us to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
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