THE FAMOUS ONE

This was the 2nd message from the book of Mark, a part of our SHOW ME THE WAY message series. It is my desire, throughout this series, to keep the emphasis not on the scholastic journey, but on the process of application and life transformation. This book should have a great effect on or pursuit of becoming more fully devoted followers of Christ.

THE FAMOUS ONE
Mark 1:21-45

Please turn in your Bible to Mark 1. In the Bible in front of you, it is on page 865 or 882.

Last week, we learned that John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, had been raised up to prepare the way for the Messiah, for the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus called his first disciples, four fisherman, and they were the first to experience the kind of ministry that Jesus would have over the next 3 years. They entered Capernaum, which was on the North Eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and the home base for those disciples. It would also be the center of Jesus’ ministry in the region of Galilee.

My plan, as we work through Mark, is to take this journey with the disciples, as they experienced who Jesus Christ really was, and what He was here on Earth to accomplish. We want to learn about Christ and His disciples; but let me challenge you to make this very personal. Put yourself in the sandals of one of these first disciples, and consider what response to Jesus Christ God is asking you to make in your life today. The theme of our message series in Mark is: Show Me The Way. We are looking at the gospel of Jesus Christ, in order to become more fully devoted followers of His.

You may have heard of American idol, the show that caused other shows to be created, such as America’s Got Talent. I want to introduce you to a young man, on Britain’s version of this variety show, who doesn’t look or sound very impressive at first glance; but then amazes everyone listening to him:

Britain’s Got Talent Video – 2:49

When the audience looked at this guy and heard he was going to sing opera, they were not quite sure what they were going to hear; especially since people know that many who sing on shows like this are absolutely terrible. But, then, he began to sing and the audience couldn’t believe it. Even if they were not opera fans, they were amazed at the incredible voice from this mobile phone salesman. It is not what they expected. When I saw this for the first time, I was expecting maybe a high, squeaky voice that the judges would make fun of; and then I heard this strong voice that everyone cheered.

This morning, we are going to see that the people who first encountered Jesus in His public ministry were completely amazed at what they heard from Him. This is not what they expected. He didn’t look like anything special; and they certainly were not ready for the claims he was about to make; and the incredible authority by which he made those claims.

Mark 1:21,22 – “And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority and not as the scribes.”

As I mentioned last week, Mark will use the term “immediately” quite often in this book, and we are reminded that this is a book of action. Jesus and His disciples went into the synagogue – the place of Jewish worship, to attend the normal Sabbath gathering. And probably by invitation, Jesus began to teach. They were used to different religious leaders, travelling rabbis, different scribes speaking the Word of God. But, this was different. Who was this guy? He didn’t look like anything special. But when he spoke – it was clear – He was unique.

Becoming famous:
Jesus had authority in His teaching
v.22 – “they were astonished at his teaching” why? “he taught as one who had authority, not as the scribes.”

They had heard the religious scribes read Scripture. They had heard the religious scribes teach. They were put to sleep by many of them. They were just doing their duty, reading and teaching. But, this guy Jesus – there was something different about His teaching. This was coming from deep within His soul. And when He taught, you just knew – this is meaningful. I need to pay attention. This man has authority from God!

It is interesting that although Mark’s gospel mentions Jesus teaching often, he does not tell much about the specifics of Jesus’ teaching. You read more about that in the other gospels. But, our focus is on this gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded by Mark. Without knowing the details of the content, we are supposed to know that Jesus’ teaching had authority – more so than any of the others who had taught in that place of worship.

This was just the beginning of Jesus’ problems with the religious establishment and its leaders. Because Jesus was so different, people were going to listen to Him. And His message was going to have a completely different focus than that of the religious leaders. And they were not going to appreciate that - at all!

The scribes would read the Scriptures and quote the readings from those who had come before, stating tradition after tradition. Perhaps you have seen or heard teaching like that: just readings from the past – no personal interaction, no life, no transformational truth. But, Jesus was definitely different. He would not be quoting some other scribe. He would be reading the Old Testament and demonstrating how those prophecies were now being fulfilled. This was new. This was strange.

Becoming famous:
Jesus had authority over demons

Mark 1:23-26 – “And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be silent, and come out of him! And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

Jesus’ authoritative teaching brought out strong responses in those who were listening; and one of those who responded strongly had an unclean or evil spirit or demon in him. He knew, unlike many of the other listeners, who Jesus was. He knew Jesus had the power to destroy demons and he stated that concern, along with the declaration: “I know who you are – the Holy One of God.”

The demons knew the truth but obviously did not accept it. So, Jesus said: “Be silent”. This is not the librarian instructing “shhhh…please be quiet” but the forceful admonition: “shut up – come out of him!” And with terrible convulsions and loud cries, the demon came out.

I am sure that one of the questions that comes to our minds with stories such as these have to do with demon possession today. I don’t have all the answers. We know in that day demons possessed people, caused great destruction, and even spoke out loud. Jesus specifically addressed demons and cast them out. There is no doubt that demons still do this today, even if we do not recognize it as a society or come upon it clearly ourselves.

What is important to focus on here is that Jesus Christ, this person who has come on the scene claiming something absolutely incredible is now going to do some things to demonstrate that He is exactly who He said He was. And one of those things was the ability to have authority over the demonic world. Even though the demon spoke truth about who He was, they had no authority to speak such things, while doing their destruction in people’s lives. Here is the key question: How did the people of that day respond to this?

Mark 1:27 – “And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

Here is something new. They were amazed, astonished, surprised. Not only was His teaching completely different than the present religious leaders; but that teaching came with authority over demons, which they had never seen before. The scribes certainly didn’t have that. The Pharisees didn’t have it. Only this new teacher: Jesus Christ, from Nazareth.

SO WHAT?
Believing and speaking the gospel must include the truth about Christ

I think this is an important application because it was then, and is today, the point of contention. The Jewish people were fine with the scribes teaching tradition and even talking about a coming Messiah. But Jesus was teaching that He was the promised Messiah and the only way to God. Today, that is still the issue. People do not believe that is only through Jesus Christ that they get to the Father. But, it is the true message each of us must believe and speak to others. It is actually a very unique message in our day of pluralism and tolerance.

And, just in case, using the word famous bothers you, when referring to Jesus, look at the fact of:

Mark 1:28 – “And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.”

As you can imagine, it didn’t take long for people to spread the news: There is this carpenter’s son from Nazareth, of all places, who claims to be the Messiah, the Son of God. His teaching is like nothing we have ever heard, and He alone has the authority to cast out evil spirits. It is unbelievable!

I have heard people, who feel they have been healed of something, tell me and everyone else who will listen about the person or product that they now fully believe in. Word spreads fast when someone truly believes their life has been changed.

Now, one of the important things we are going to learn on this journey with Jesus, is that He doesn’t necessarily do the things that we would expect. He doesn’t remain there in the synagogue, waiting for large crowds to come gather. Instead, as Mark reports, there are other places to go and more action to come:

Becoming famous:
Jesus had authority over disease

Mark 1:29-31 – “And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.”

From the synagogue, it is time to eat lunch and they go to Peter’s house. When they arrive, they find Peter’s mother-in-law, who was going to do the cooking, sick with a high fever. Jesus simply touched her and the fever was gone. And her first response to her healing was to serve Jesus and her guests. This demonstrates that just by Jesus’ touch, she was completely healed, needed no recovery period, and was ready to immediately serve. But the authority over disease went much further than a high fever.

Mark 1:32-34 – “That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.”

Word got out – There is a guy here who can heal people. Now, we know there are people today who claim they can heal; but I don’t think anyone believes that a human has the authority to heal like Jesus did. God obviously still heals today; but not like He did with Jesus. There is a very pertinent reason, I believe, why Jesus was doing this back then. It was not to eradicate disease. That was not his purpose. It was not to become famous. He wasn’t about that. We will come back to this in a moment.

The people of the town waited until sundown to bring the sick to Jesus; probably because they wanted to obey the Sabbath laws and religious regulations. But, because Jesus was able to heal any disease at any moment, it is no surprise that people, who had sicknesses of all kinds or were struggling with demonic oppression, came to him.

In fact, it was one of the tasks of the early followers of Christ – to bring people to Jesus who were in need. Again, John Mark uses hyperbole (exaggeration for effect): “the whole city was gathered…” because it certainly seemed like everybody had come to Peter’s house to see the healings or be healed. When people today are struggling with some type of disease and they hear a story that someone has been healed, they are probably going to follow up on that news, even travelling or going to great expense; just with the possibility of being healed.

Did the last phrase of verse 34 catch your attention: “…and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.” If they were speaking truth, why wouldn’t Jesus allow them to speak? Keep in mind, that one of the things Jesus was trying to accomplish was not finding demons who would speak truth, but to demonstrate his complete authority over demons, which showed that he was who he said he was. They knew who Jesus was, they knew the battle they were engaged in; and they wanted the authority. Jesus would not allow it.

SO WHAT?
Take people to Jesus for physical and spiritual healing

Still today, Jesus is the name that can defeat the Devil and His demons. Still today, God heals, and in the name of Jesus, may choose to do so. Still today, it is only through Jesus Christ that someone can be spiritually healed and on their way to Heaven. Don’t forget that is what Jesus has called us to do, in terms of fishing for men; but it is still the unique work of God in someone’s heart.

You have probably heard the stories of people who have become famous, only to then lose everything that was once important to them. Many times, those who “make it big” end up struggling with the fame that it brings: relationships fall apart, people take advantage of them, they try to cope through drugs and alcohol, or they quickly lose their riches through bad decisions or wasteful living. Many people who have won the lottery or become famous for other reasons, will eventually say that the fame ruined them. Once they had priorities of life in line, strong relationships, and a purpose. Now, they have realized that money and fame do not satisfy; in fact, not handling it well can lead to living life without real purpose, except to remain rich and famous, or just to survive.

But, Jesus Christ, although becoming famous, proves that he knew exactly what he was here to do; and he also knew how temporal fame was, and how quickly people can turn on you. So, he did what was needed to stay in charge of the purpose for which he came.

Becoming famous:
Jesus had authority in purpose

Mark 1:35-37 – “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, Everyone is looking for you.”

Jesus had a very busy day of ministry. He was healing people well into the night. It was likely that the next day would hold the same; but probably all day long. Jesus needed a lot of rest and be ready for all the people that would be looking for him. But, instead, what does Jesus do first thing in the morning? He gets up before anyone else, goes to where no people are, and spends time in prayer. I mean, this is God in the flesh, and He took time out of his busy schedule, to be with God the Father.

This was hard for Peter to understand. Things are going well. All kinds of people are coming “out of the woodwork” to be healed by Jesus and find out who he was. So, when Peter finally gets out of bed, he sees all of the people waiting to be healed and see Jesus; and Jesus is nowhere to be found. How frustrating. Doesn’t Jesus know this is chance to be well known, since no one can do what he could do. Despite the demands of others on his time, Jesus took the time, even early in the morning, to spend time with the Father.

This pretty much takes away any of our excuses doesn’t it? We should take a moment here to consider this, because the Bible tells us we are to be like Jesus, and follow His example. Here is one key area that is a constant challenge for us. Are you or I more busy than Christ? We are busy, even in doing good things for Him; but certainly not more involved in ministry than Christ – especially since none of us have thousands of people knocking on our door wishing to be healed.

Jesus was without sin, but still needed to spend time before His full day of challenges and temptations. If anyone didn’t need time with God, you would think it would be God in the flesh, himself, Jesus! But, Jesus took the time, even in the midst of being the most sought after person ever, to prepare his heart for the day.

My excuses are gone: ministry, family, I’m tired, I have too much to do. Really? I was just sharing this past week, with a prayer partner of mine, that I have been struggling with this lately. For some reason, I have been sleeping more than I am used to; and that tempts me not to spend the time I need with my Father. I have got to prepare my heart each day, even in the midst of ministry. If Jesus needed to, than so do I; no matter how close I already feel to Him.
If you need help knowing what to do or read in your time with God, let me encourage you to begin simply. Take a few more minutes than you normally do, and pray about everything that is on your mind and heart. And, since God speaks to us through His Word, take some time to read the Bible. If you need suggestions, you can go to our website, listed in your bulletin, click on my blog and see a simple reading schedule for each day. Maybe just do part of it. But, whatever you do, be like Jesus in this way: take time in the business of life, and:

SO WHAT? In order to stay within God’s purpose:
Spend time each day with God.

I know that is simplistic and you have heard it a million times. But, I also know it is still a challenge for most of us to make it a top priority.
Back to our text. So, Peter finds Jesus and says: “Everyone has been looking for you.” Peter was probably thinking: Come on Jesus, we are on a roll here. People want to be healed, they want to hear what you have to say. You are famous now – isn’t this what you wanted? But Peter, and most of the people who lived in Jesus’ day, didn’t understand. Spending time with the Father was more important to Jesus than being available to people for their own purposes. And then, we are reminded of what Jesus’ purpose really was for all of these healings, in his response to Peter:

Mark 1:38,39 – “And he said to them, Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out. And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.”

There is a connection here, to Jesus’ purpose, which he proclaims, and the time of prayer he just had. Three times in Mark, we will read that Jesus went to a desolate place, the kind of place where he was first tempted by Satan, in order to pray. And in each of these cases, he is faced with the temptation to accomplish great things outside of the Father’s plan. Here, he could have set up his tent, performed all his miracles and drew the largest crowds ever. But, the healings and miracles were for a much greater purpose than notoriety.

And Jesus states it here: “Let’s go to the other villages. I need to preach there as well. This is why I am here.” In other words, Jesus was not going to just do what the people wanted; which in this case, was stay right there and keep healing people. He would heal, but for a much greater purpose than to get people physically well. In fact, he makes it clear, here, that he didn’t just go around healing people; but continued to preach. And you may ask, what was he preaching? We know his main message, from the context:

Mark 1:15 – “…The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus was going public and healing and casting out demons, in order to get His message out: “The time has come: I, the Son of the God, the promised Messiah, am here, to show you how to get to the Father, how to get to be a part of the Kingdom of God. And in order to get to God, you must repent (change your mind and turn from what you have been believing) and believe the good news: that I have come to save you from your sins.”

That is why Jesus was performing miraculous healings – to authenticate his message – this new message that the Messiah had come in the form of a Jewish carpenter’s son, from Nazareth. And so that is what he did – he went all throughout the region of Galilee, probably for several weeks, healing, casting out demons and preaching this truth.

You see: Jesus was not going to be derailed from what he was here to do. Satan could not derail him in the temptation described in verses 12,13; and Peter, along with all those who wanted his attention could not derail him from spending time with God and proclaiming the gospel he came to deliver. Most famous people get derailed from what God sent them to do; but not Christ.

Becoming famous:
Jesus had authority over the process

In the midst of more healing, we are going to see, for the first time, Jesus’ understanding, not only of the purpose for why he was here, but the timing of this plan. And this is one of the reasons why, out of all the healings going on, the focus is on the healing of a leper:

Mark 1:40-42 – “And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, If you will, you can make me clean. Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, I will; be clean. And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.”

We still have Jesus demonstrating authority over sickness, in this case, a leper. Are you familiar with what this man was going through? According to commentator Jerry Vines: “…it would start with his beginning to feel a little tired. For no reason he would have a feeling of fatigue. Then his joints would begin to get sore. One day he would notice little white spots all over his skin. Later those white spots would begin to harden into nodules. They would turn from white to pink to brown, and then become scaly. Soon nodules would spread all over his body.

The appearance of his face would change until he began to resemble a lion. The nodules would ulcerate all over his body, producing a foul odor. They would cover his vocal chords so that when he breathed there would be a wheezing sound. When he talked, his voice would be raspy. His eyebrows would fall out. His hair would turn white. Inch by inch this man’s body would begin to rot. As he walked he would leave putrid spots where the pus oozed out of his feet. His fingers and toes would begin to fall off.” This is not pleasant to think about, is it? But, it may have been this man’s reality.

“Leprosy attacks the nervous system in such a way that a person loses all sensation of pain. A man in the grips of leprosy might accidently put his hand in the fire and feel no pain. He would burn himself severely. He would step on a thorn in the path and feel nothing as the thorn ran through his foot. A leper was a walking death that lasted an average of nine years until its victim finally collapsed in a pile of corruption.

Not only would a person suffer unbelievable horror physically, but there was also social rejection. When it was determined that a man had leprosy, he would be banished from the village. He was no longer allowed to have communion with other people. He had to leave family, friends, and tear his garments so people would recognize he was a leper. Over his upper lip he had to wear a cloth so he wouldn’t spread contamination. Every time he saw people coming, the leper was required to cry, unclean. It would warn them that a leper was nearby. They would sometimes pick up stones to throw at him.”

This man was desperate, falling on his knees, and demonstrating faith: “I know you can heal me of this terrible disease, if you choose to”. “Please heal me”, is what he was saying. And Jesus did something against the religious law in that day. He touched the leper in order to heal him. That is not always how Jesus healed people. But, he was in control of this process; and I believe he was showing his kind of compassion as he touched this man no one would consider even being near.
And , Mark writes: “immediately, the leprosy left him, and he was clean.” Wow!
Once again, Jesus had this authority. It was Jesus’ choice, and he chose to heal him. The question has arisen: When Jesus healed someone, does that mean that they were automatically saved, and now going to Heaven; or was it just a physical healing? We don’t know for sure. But, there are a couple things we do know.

When Jesus was healing, he was also preaching the truth about repenting and believing the gospel (vs. 14,15,39). Also, we know how people are saved in any generation, whether it was before Christ came or after: we are saved by grace through faith. In this case, the man demonstrated faith in Jesus, in what He could do, which was connected to who he was. We are not told in most instances whether or not a healed person was also saved; but we know that physical healing is not what Jesus was there for – it was to bring salvation. Physical healing alone, just like baptism, would not have saved them. But, if they had faith, even if it was not demonstrated in a sinner’s prayer, then they could have been saved right then.

And then we have another very strange comment that was hard for them to understand, and we’re not sure we understand it still today. This is what Jesus said to the man after he healed him of leprosy:

Mark 1:43,44 – “And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

Don’t tell anyone, Jesus said. Instead, go do what you know is your duty. Show yourself to the priest, so he can see you are healed, and then declare you ceremonially clean. Some believe Jesus just didn’t want him saying anything until he went to the priest and then he could talk about it. But, it seems more likely, based on what we will read in the next verses, that Jesus knew what would happen if he did go tell everyone; just as already had been happening as people found out about the healings.

Jesus was becoming famous, but he, following the plan of His Father, had authority over the timing of his popularity. Here is what happened, after the man had been healed of leprosy:

Mark 1:45 – “But he went out and began to talk freely about it and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.”
The healed leper couldn’t help it and I guess I can understand. He began telling everyone what happened to him, and that news spread so far and wide, that Jesus was not able to just go into a town and preach because it would be overcrowded. So, he has to go out to the desolate places, probably like where John the Baptist used to do ministry, and handled the numbers of people coming to him.

You see: our perspective is not the same as God’s. Jesus commanded the man not to speak and he shouldn’t have. Just having crowds, healing every person there is to heal, was not Jesus’ purpose. But, we don’t have to worry. God’s purpose was not thwarted because this man didn’t obey. Jesus had authority over the plan, even when the humans involved “blew it”. That can be an encouraging reminder for us today, as well.
Last week, we pointed out that Jesus has called each of us to follow him and to learn to bring others to him. We blow it all the time; and yet somehow, God still saves every person that is going to be saved – amazing! Jesus as God and Jesus as fully man are balanced in these stories.

SO WHAT?
Trust in God’s plan and process

Like the first disciples, we do not always understand what God is doing or why he is doing it. We kind of know God’s overall plan, but there are many things we do not understand. Let us learn from Jesus and those first disciples: All we are responsible for is to trust Him and to obey what He asks of us. And when we fail, as we do each day, we can still trust that God will accomplish what He is going to do; and no one, not even us, can derail Him from it. Thank God for that!

Yes, Jesus was becoming famous, in terms of how the humans of that day were responding. It is not what they expected; but it did not take long to find that most of them did not fully appreciate what Jesus had to say. But, one thing was for sure: Jesus was here to give the truth that would save, and nothing would stop Him.

WHY IS GREG SINGING - IS THIS A JOKE?

This was the question a teenager in our church recently asked her mom during our worship service. I went up front with the worship team, grabbed a microphone and prepared to sing with them, when this teen asked her question. Maybe I should have been offended, but I wasn't. I can understand her question. I had not sung on the worship team before and there were already some voices on the team, including a male. So, it couldn't have been because they were desperate. I did like to do the unexpected, using creative ways to communicate truth (even though most of my creative ideas were actually someone else's creative ideas). So, someone could have thought I was up there to make some type of point that I would bring out later. Plus, it is possible that our people had heard me make disparaging comments about my own singing in the past. This question was not really surprising.

Hopefully, after we sang, she still didn't think it was a joke! Let me share with you why I joined the worship team:

1. I love to sing. I really do love it. I love singing when I am alone in the car or worshipping in a congregation. Singing on the worship team means that I get to sing even more often; and I have no choice but to sing if I am up front!

2. I love to lead people; and although I speak every week, this is leading with my heart, in expressive worship to our great God.

3. I can be a part of a team that is serving. When I preach and even when I prepare for messages, I am pretty much on my own. But, going to practices, following another leader, and participating with a group is a real joy. With this particular music team, it is fun to be together and serve together. Relationships make any sacrifice more than worth it!

4. Music is one of the most powerful tools God has given us, in which to worship Him. He also chooses to use it often to change our minds and heart attitudes. I want to be a part of seeing God work through this incredible medium.

5. It takes pressure off of me and I can just enjoy this ministry. I am not leading, so I do not have to worry about alot of the details of it. But, I can just show up to practices and our times of leading worship. I can just sing. It is actually a release of pressure and stress for me, not the other way around.

6. People close to me encouraged me to join the team. I don't believe I would seriously considered it if it hadn't been for my family and friends. It is a good reminder for me that God many times uses others to help us get involved in serving Him in ways we would not consider on our own.

7. I want to be an encouragement to those who are leading and participating in our worship music. I want them to know that I believe in what they are doing; and that I am willing to support them even with my own participation. We are in this together.

8. I truly believe that God is pleased with my joining the worship team. I am not just looking for something else to do. I already am very busy. But, after receiving encouragement from others to consider it, I spent much time praying for God's leading and for His will to be done. I sensed God's leading to be on the team. It was a desire on my heart that I believe He placed there. If God is leading, then I believe He will allow me to get everything done that needs to be done, including my participation on the worhsip team.

So, these are my reasons for being on the worship team. I know it may not last a long time; but while I am doing it, I am going to thank God for it, and enjoy serving Him in this way!

IN THE BEGINNING

This is the first message in our Mark series and the first time I have preached through the book. I am excited about how it will change my life.

All of our messages, including this one, can be listened to online by going to the church website:
www.gbcwestlake.org

The video mentioned in the message can be viewed for free at bluefishtv.com The name of it is A Man Fell Into a Hole

IN THE BEGINNING…
Mark 1:1-20

Please turn in your Bibles to Mark 1. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 864 or 881.

“In the beginning” is the Bible’s version of the classic line: “Once upon a time”. When you hear that line, you know you are going to hear a story; and in the Bible’s case, a unique story of something at the very start…something new…something fresh. The first words of the Bible are “In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth.”

This morning, we are at the beginning of a new message series. We are going to walk our way through the book of Mark. Over the next several weeks, I will share with you some more of the background of this great book; but today, I wanted to jump right into its message. We are going to take some larger portions of this story, so that it doesn’t take us years to finish; but it is my hope that you will not only learn from this story of Jesus Christ; but that it will make a difference in your life – now, on a daily basis, and for eternity.

Mark 1:1 – “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

This is something new. It is the beginning of something. It is not the beginning of the world, as God created it. But, it is, as Mark writes it, the “beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ…” This is the gospel according to Mark. There are four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each of these books is God-breathed, inspired by God the Holy Spirit.

Each of these books has the same theme: the gospel, or, the good news about Jesus Christ. But, what is different about each of these is that although they are each God-breathed writings, God used a different human author to write according to his particular perspective and personality, as they each wrote about some of the same stories concerning the same person: Jesus Christ. Many scholars believe Mark was the first gospel written. This is a unique gospel, for another reason besides authorship, because it emphasizes Jesus’ actions more than His teaching. Mark uses words like “immediately” often in his book, to emphasize the action taking place. Mark includes 18 of Jesus’miracles but only 4 of His parables. Over a third of this book is dedicated to the final 8 days or so of Jesus’ life, from His entry into Jerusalem (celebrated on Palm Sunday) to His crucifixion, and His resurrection (celebrated on Easter Sunday).

Mark was a close associate of the Apostle Peter; and since Peter calls him his “son” (I Peter 5:13), he may have been led to the Lord by Peter. We are going to focus on how Mark presented the good news story of Jesus Christ. He is referred to several times in the Scriptures as John Mark: John (the Hebrew name), also called Mark (his Latin name). It will be tempting to think about Matthew’s, Luke’s and John’s perspectives; but I truly believe that God gave us this book of Mark; and within its writings, we have truth that can transform our lives. So, the very first words from the hand of Mark are: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

IN THE BEGINNING…
Jesus, the Son of God, was to be the Savior of the world.

The gospel here is not referring to the message about Mark, but it is referring to the message about Jesus Christ: the gospel of Jesus Christ. The simple definition of gospel is “good news”. This is the good news about Jesus Christ. Historians tell us that by the time Mark wrote this book, the term gospel was being used to describe the communication of the truth that Jesus Christ was on Earth to save people from their sins. That is the ultimate good news. In this first verse of Mark, we are introduced to the main topic: This is about Jesus (Savior), who is the Christ (the promised Messiah from the Old Testament) and is also the Son of God. He is uniquely THE SON OF GOD. He was fully man. He was fully God. This is the good news story of the most unique person who has ever lived. And He can change your life.

IN THE BEGINNING…
John the Baptist prepared people for the ministry of Jesus.

Mark 1:2-4 – “As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Mark didn’t begin this good news with the birth of Jesus, but instead goes right to the introduction of His public ministry. And he starts by referring to the prophecy of Isaiah (given about 800 years before the birth of Jesus), that mentions that someone would come to prepare everyone for the message and ministry of the Messiah. We now find out who that prophecy was about. It was someone who would prepare the way. It was someone who, in a desert region, would immerse in water, people who believed in God.

That person, according to verse 4, was John; and because his main ministry before Christ was to baptize, he was known as John the Baptizer or John the Baptist. And this name helps us keep him straight in our minds, different than John Mark, who wrote this book and The Apostle John, whom we will be introduced to in a few verses.

Verse 4 says John the Baptist was “proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” At first reading, you might wonder if he is saying that you have to be baptized to be saved from your sins; but that is not what he communicated. The people already knew about baptism because Jews required Gentiles who converted to Judaism, to be baptized. But, John was saying that those who turned from their sins were then baptized to demonstrate their forgiveness. This phrase could be translated: baptism of repentance “with reference to” the forgiveness of sins; or “because of” the forgiveness of sins. The baptism was a sign of a commitment on the person’s part to identify with God and His coming Messiah.

Commentators Walvoord and Zuck: “Forgiveness was not conveyed by the outward rite of baptism, but baptism was a visible witness that one had repented and as a result had received God’s gracious forgiveness of sins.” This is supported by the rest of Scripture, which teach that baptism comes after salvation, not before; and is a demonstration that a person has been already saved, and wants to publicly identify with Jesus Christ. He was baptizing people who were repenting; that is, they were turning their lives around, in order to follow God and accept whomever He would send. Mark then tells us a little more about John the Baptist:

Mark 1:5-8 – “And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Mark uses hyperbole (exaggeration for effect), saying all Judea and all Jerusalem – meaning - that a great group of people from all over the area was going out to hear John speak. And, as he pointed ahead to the coming Messiah, he was baptizing those who believed; those who were willing to confess (agree with God about) their sins. Someone estimated that John baptized as many as 300,000 people. John was described as wearing the clothing and eating the food associated with someone living in the desert. This was the prophet God chose to get people ready for the Messiah. There were similarities between this man John and a prophet who had come before: Elijah.

God didn’t choose someone to go into the middle of the capital city, well respected, scholarly, looking the part of a Scribe or Pharisee. He chose someone who would be out in the desert, not necessarily the person you would expect to prepare the way for the Messiah. But, John the Baptist was the one chosen by God, who fulfilled the prophecy and got people ready for the most unique person to ever walk the Earth: The Son of God.

And in verses 7,8, we have a summary of John’s preparatory message: Someone much greater than me is about to come. I am lowlier than a household servant, when it comes to this particular person. And although I am immersing you in water, those of you who have confessed your sins…this man will immerse you in the Holy Spirit.

The prophecies of Isaiah, Ezekiel and Joel, all pointed ahead to a time when the coming Messiah would give the power of the Holy Spirit to God’s people. It would only be a few years before the followers of Jesus Christ would experience the power of God the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

The baptism Jesus would give would not be a physical one, but a spiritual one. Although those who chose to follow Christ would be baptized, the baptism Christ offered was to immerse them into a spiritual organism: the Body of Christ. The Bible tells us, in I Corinthians 12:13, that every true believer has been baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. This was unique. This is something no one else could do.Yes, this was going to be a unique minister with a unique ministry…greater than any other. And John was preparing the way.

IN THE BEGINNING…
Jesus was baptized by John and affirmed by His Father

Mark 1:9-11 – “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

During the days that John the Baptist was preaching repentance and baptizing those who believed, here comes Jesus, from the obscure, belittled, town of Nazareth. And what is the very first thing Jesus does? He gets baptized. We know he wasn’t getting saved. There did not need to be confession of sins, because he had none. But certainly, being baptized was going to give those who would follow a very clear picture of identifying with Him. Jesus set the standard; and being baptized by John not only showed his support of the ministry of John the Baptist; but He was identifying with the sinners He came to save.

This was the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. What a start! And, just after he comes up out of the water, who shows up but God the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, and God the Father, whose voice comes from Heaven, affirming: “You are my beloved Son; and I am very pleased with you.” There was to be no doubt. The entire Godhead (the Trinity): Father, Son and Holy Spirit, were involved in the beginning of this ministry, which would save those who believed.

God was leaving no doubt: This is my Son, I love Him, and He has my full support. It is interesting that this would be a key issue of contention with the religious leaders of that day. They did not believe Jesus was from God; but those who witnessed His baptism, knew what they saw and what they heard. And as you will see in the book of Mark, those who experienced Jesus, and the change He brings, were the ones who believed.

Napolean Bonarparte said this, "You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power.I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.I search history in vain to find anyone similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel. Neither history nor humanity, nor ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary.”

And, of course, he was right. There has never been a man like Jesus Christ, who was also God. And there has never been a gospel like the good news about Jesus, which could forever change lives.

IN THE BEGINNING…
Jesus was tempted by Satan

Mark 1:12,13 – “The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.”

There is more information about this temptation in the other gospels, but our focus is on what God wanted to communicate through Mark. And it is communicated in a straightforward and simple way here: God the Holy Spirit led God the Son into the wilderness for many days; and during that time, he was tempted to sin by Satan Himself. The very picture of the enemy of God personally showed up to try and lure Jesus, here at the beginning of His public ministry, into sin.

We are also told, here, that Jesus was with the wild animals, to further the dangerous picture of the wilderness as Satan’s domain. But, God protected him, in the midst of the danger and temptation, with His angels. It says here that they were ministering to Him. They were serving Him all throughout this battle. His Father had not left Him to struggle alone. His messengers were there to strengthen Him.

He battles Satan at the beginning of His ministry, and wins the victory. He will battle Satan at the end of His public ministry, and win again, as He dies on the cross and then rises from the dead. This was all foretold in the first book of the Bible, that tells the beginning of all things. In Genesis 3:15, God foretold of a time when the serpent, Satan, would bruise the heal of the ONE who would come from a woman; but that same man would crush Satan. This was the prophecy looking ahead to the coming Messiah: Jesus Christ.
At the very beginning of His ministry, Satan attempts to derail Him from what He had come to do. And what was that?

IN THE BEGINNING…
Jesus proclaimed the good news of God

Mark 1:14,15 – “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Near the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, John the Baptist was taken off the scene by ruler Herod Antipas, because John had publicly criticized Herod for divorcing his own wife so he could marry his brother’s. Mark tells us that after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, and it was now his time to proclaim the message he had come to proclaim. John had prepared the way, and now it was Jesus’ time.

Sadly, it had already been prophesied what the majority of the people would do with the good news Jesus was preaching:

Isaiah 53:1-3 – “Who has believed what they heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, And no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

But that did not stop Jesus from coming to proclaim the message He was sent to proclaim. Mark 1:14 says that Jesus was “proclaiming the gospel” (good news) of God; and here is what He was saying: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand…”

The first part of His good news (gospel) is: The time is fulfilled. With Jesus’ arrival on the scene, the time of preparation had been complete; and it was now time for Jesus to show people the way to God. In fact, the second part of the good news (gospel) is: “The kingdom of God is [near].”

Commentators Walvoord and Zuck wrote: “This presents a key feature of Jesus’ message. Kingdom means kingship or royal rule. Involved in the term is the sovereign authority of a ruler, the activity of ruling, and the realm of rule including its benefits…Thus the kingdom of God is a dynamic concept that refers to God’s sovereign activity of ruling over His Creation.”

The Kingdom of God is one of those potentially confusing themes in the Scriptures. It is one of those things that has the already, but not yet features. The Bible tells us that when we become a Christian, we have eternal life. We have it, already, but we have not experienced it yet. That is for when this life is over. The Kingdom of God is similar. We are to be preparing for it, by living for the Kingdom and abiding by Kingdom principles. But, the Kingdom of God will be experienced in the future. However, when Jesus came, the Kingdom of God came near.

What did Jesus mean: The Kingdom of God is near? I thought the Kingdom was still in the future. The people of Jesus’ day were familiar with the Kingdom concept from the Old Testament. They expected a Messiah would come to establish the Kingdom from the line of David here on Earth. Many of those who heard Jesus thought this is what he was talking about; and thought maybe Jesus would overthrow the Roman government and set up that Kingdom.

But, when Jesus said the Kingdom of God was near, as usual, the people did not understand what he was saying. He was not suggesting he would set up the kingdom right then; but that He, being sent by God the Father, was the good news of the Kingdom. The sovereign ruler had sent His Son to be the good news message. This is how you make it to the Kingdom. And in this sense, the Kingdom of God was truly near.

But, there was a response to the arrival of this good news, to the fact that the Messiah had now come. If you will, this was the SO WHAT? for the people of that day, who heard this message from Jesus Christ Himself. It is the last phrase of verse 15: “Repent and believe in the gospel.”

Although Jesus had just been baptized and certainly supported the prior ministry of John the Baptist, who had baptized those who believed, He made it clear – this is what you must do to be a part of the future Kingdom of God: “Repent and believe in the gospel.”

There were two aspects to this application:
First, they must Repent: It means to turn around and go the other direction. In this case, it meant to turn from what they were believing in to believe in this message. It means to have a change of mind. The message Jesus preached to all those who lived back then is the same good news message He proclaims and we proclaim today:

SO WHAT? [what does this have to do with you?]

Repent and Believe the Gospel
What might it mean for you to repent? Let’s say you are a very religious person and it is your desire to make it to Heaven by being good and religious enough. Jesus would say to you: You must repent – turn from that belief. You must start thinking differently. You cannot trust in yourself.

Ephesians 2:8,9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

If you are trusting in your good works to get you to Heaven, to get you to God, Jesus would tell you that you must turn around: Repent.

Maybe you are living a certain lifestyle. You are addicted to pornography; or you are living in adultery; or you are a continual liar; or you steal on a regular basis; or you are addicted to greed; or you are spiritually arrogant. Whatever sin struggles you have. You can fill in the blank. And Jesus comes to you and says: You must repent. You must turn from whatever it is you are addicted to, living for, can’t seem to turn away from. You must turn away from that and turn to me, giving your life to me, be willing to walk away from what has controlled you.

Can you see why this is so difficult for people? Most people are content with their religion, their morals, their lifestyle, their addictions. They may not like everything about their life, but they have found a comfort level, and they are not convinced that anything else is better than what they have right now; or that anything is worth the risk of life change. So, the majority of people in Jesus’ day, and the majority of people today remain religious to some extent, but will not turn from their present life to Jesus Christ. What about you?

In that day, just as today, there are many voices, religious voices, that offer a solution to our sin problem; and a way to get to God for eternity. But, in our day, just as in that day, there is only one voice, one way, one truth that leads to eternal life. And Jesus came proclaiming that He was the only way – the solution to their sin problem. Let’s take a look at a story that illustrates this truth.

VIDEO: A Man Fell Into A Hole

Not only must you repent, but Jesus said, you must believe in the gospel. You repent by turning away from whatever or whomever you have trusted in and turning toward Jesus Christ, the good news.

Believe in the gospel: They were to turn from believing in their religion to believing in the Messiah who has come: Jesus Christ. They needed to believe that He was, in person, the good news they had been waiting for…for centuries. They needed to commit fully to this message. This was a turning from their sinful lifestyle to following the ways of Christ. This was not going to be easy.

This was not the message they were expecting. This was not the Messiah they were expecting. But, this good news message, this person, who claimed to be the very Son of God, the promised Messiah, is exactly the message they needed to commit to. This was different. This was unique. They had to believe that this was now God in the flesh, in the form of a carpenter’s son from Nazareth. Could this be true?

Jesus would return one day and set up His Kingdom, and we are still waiting for that. But, when Jesus spoke these words, the Kingdom was near because Jesus, the future King had come to Earth, to bring salvation to those who believe. And again, let me reiterate that Jesus was not just looking for people to say a prayer of belief. He was looking for people to demonstrate their belief by life change. He was looking for people who would step forward and say: I believe in Jesus Christ and I am giving my life to Him. I will obey.

The people of Jesus’ day were in the same hole all of us start in. And only Jesus Christ, because of what He would do on the cross, could save us out of that hole and bring us to live for God. Our responsibility is to repent and believe. He will not save us if we want to continually try to save ourselves. And finally,

IN THE BEGINNING…
Jesus called His first disciples
Mark 1:16,17 – “Passing alongside the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

According to scholars: “The Sea of Galilee, a warm-water lake about 7 miles wide, 13miles long, and 685 feet below sea level, was the scene of a thriving fishing industry. It was geographically central to Jesus’ Galilean ministry.”

Jesus is walking along the shore and he sees Simon (surnamed Peter) and his brother Andrew casting a net (probably a circular fishing net about 10-15 feet in diameter). And the text tells us that they were doing this because this is who they were: they were fisherman. This defined them. This was their job…their livelihood. They were fisherman. And listen to Jesus’ words to them…
“Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” How strange this must have been. But, apparently the Holy Spirit had been working on Simon and Andrew; because after Jesus made this challenge, this call to them to follow Him as disciples, they didn’t hesitate:

Mark 1:18 – “And immediately they left their nets and followed him.”

They were fisherman. Now, they were, at once, going to walk away and follow this Jesus, who claimed he would make them into something completely different. I don’t think they had any idea what being a fisher of people was going to be like; but they made the commitment to leave their old life and start a new one.

Mark 1:19,20 – “And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.”

Jesus keeps walking, and sees a couple other fishermen. They were fixing their nets. He also called them; and they also left immediately to follow Him. In this case, it mentions they left their father and the men who worked for their father in the fishing business; and they became followers of Christ.

It is hard for us to imagine. You are working the family business. Your father is hoping you will take it over one day when he retires. In walks this stranger, who tells you that if you will follow him now and in the future, he will change your life and cause you to find other followers as well. And you tell your dad: see you dad…got to go with this strange man. All I can say is that when Jesus called these men, the Spirit must have prepared their hearts, and they were ready to leave everything and follow Him.

SO WHAT? [what about us…today?]

It is almost unbelievable; but do you know the truth? It is the same call Jesus still gives today; and He has given that call to you. Some of you in the past, responded to that call. You left whatever belief system you had in the past and you put all of your faith in this God whom you cannot see. Some of you, still today, are holding on to your belief system and Jesus is giving you the challenge: Come follow me.

I listened to Andy Stanley, pastor of North Pointe Community Church talk about this in our Sunday school class video series. Jesus said, Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men. He did not say, Come follow me and I will make you rich or happy or safe or comfortable or faithful or a better person or sinless. He specifically told them that if they followed him, his main goal was to turn them into those who would fish for people instead of fish. It is no different today:

SO WHAT?
Follow Me and Fish for the Hearts of People

That is His challenge and call to you. It is not just following Christ to church. It is following Christ, which means leaving things, even relationships that are very important to you. And it means learning to reach out to other people who are not yet followers of Christ. This call to fish for people is not just for pastors or missionaries or evangelists. This call to fish for the hearts of people and direct them to the good news of Jesus Christ is for EVERY PERSON who follows Him. Do you believe that?

The story is told that Mark Twain loved to go fishing, but he hated to catch fish. The problem was he went fishing to relax, and catching fish ruined his relaxation, since he had to take the fish off the hook and do something with it. When he wanted to relax by doing nothing, people thought he was lazy, but if he went fishing he could relax all he wanted. People would see him sitting by the river bank and they would say, “Look, he’s fishing, don’t bother him.”

So Mark Twain had the perfect solution: he would take a fishing pole, line, and a bobber, but he wouldn’t put a hook on the end. He would cast the bobber in the water and lay back on the bank. That way he could relax all he wanted and he would be bothered neither by man nor fish. Mark Twain is like a lot of Christians I know. They have their pole in the water, but there is no hook on the end. They are not fishing; they are relaxing. Do you think this is what Jesus had in mind when he said: follow me and I will make you fish for men? Of course not. But it is true for me, and many other followers of Christ: we have our pole in the water so people think we are fishing; but many times, we are just relaxing, enjoying the benefits of the Christian life without the risks of fishing for the hearts of people.

Let me put this in the context of your life. Not too many of you spend your days fishing for your livelihood. Some of you might do it as a hobby on the weekends. What is your job? What defines you?

For some of you who are housewives or husbands. You love your family and spend most of your time caring for your children and home. Family is your life. Jesus comes to you and says: Come, follow me, and I will not only make you a part of my family; but I will make you into someone who brings others into my family.

He comes to you, the salesman, and says: Come follow me, and I will turn you into someone who convinces people to invest their life in eternity.

To the mechanic, to the construction worker, he says: Come follow me, and I will teach you to build something that last forever – build into other people’s lives for the Kingdom of God.

Take whatever defines you, like fishing defined these men; and listen to Jesus’ words: Be willing to leave what you know and are comfortable with, but is temporal; and be willing to be trained to give your life in order to share the good news with others – for eternal value.

I realize that some of us read this and listen to this, and we think: that’s alright for the disciples. They were special men. But, I can’t do that. But, I think one of the reasons we have recorded in Scripture what we do, is to remind us of this truth: Jesus called normal guys. He called men and women with real sin issues. He called men and women who would fail Him miserable…and often.

He has called every one of you who has trusted in Him alone for salvation. And if that is true of you, then it is also true that he has called you to be used in someone else’s life, to bring them the good news of salvation. Jesus has called you to it, and promised that he will do the work.

Philippians 1:6 – “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

HAND OUT THE CARDS

You are being handed out, right now, a card, that will help you remember what we have talked about today. Would you please consider the 2 key applications for today? These are the 2 things Jesus told those who experienced him for the first time 2,000 years ago; and it is the same things he tells you and I today:

Repent and Believe: If you have been trusting in a church, in a religion; or in your own good works, this is the first decision you must make: Turn from whatever you have been trusting and place your complete faith and trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation. If you want to do that, you can make that decision in your heart and mind when we pray. Just let us know you have made that decision so we can rejoice with you and help you take the next steps of growth.

Or, perhaps you have already repented and believed in the past, but you have not publicly identified with Jesus Christ, following His example through baptism following your conversion. If that is something you are interested in doing, please let me or Pastor Steve know.

Secondly, Jesus says to you what He said to them: Follow Me and I will make you become fishers of men.

The Sunday school elective I am teaching right now deals with this issue: How can we learn to share the good news of Jesus Christ, when it doesn’t seem to come naturally? If you are not attending another class already, I invite you to come for the next several Sunday school classes.
Maybe for you the decision is to truly follow Christ with all you have, leaving some addiction or sin struggle or idol behind. Perhaps, for you, it is about your willingness to share the good news of Jesus with others, rather than justifying the fact that your pole has been in the water, with no hook on it.

WE HAVE FAMILY IN IDAHO?

It was 10 years ago that Teresa and I received one of the most unexpected phone calls ever: we were told that there were 2 year old twins (a brother and sister) waiting in New Jersey, who came from Romania 6 months earlier. We were told that if we wanted to adopt them (even though we had not filled out any paperwork or sent any money), that we could come to New Jersey and go through the process to adopt them. That was an unbelievable phone call. A couple months later, we brought them home to Florida as our own children.

Last week, we received another phone call, which was also very unexpected and almost as surprising. Friends of ours who are planning to move to Romania to minister to street children, called to give us the news: We have family we didn't know existed, living in Idaho! And yesterday, we met them face to face for the first time. How did this all come about?

When we adopted Alex and Isabella, we knew there was a birth father, and some brothers and sisters living in Romania. Our understanding was that most of them were much older than our two, and were married with their own children. We have come to find out that Alex and Isabella are the 2 youngest out of 9 children, ranging from age 13 (that is what they turn on Sunday) to age 37!

One of our friends going to Romania grew up in Romania, still has family and contacts there. It "just so happens" (by God's providence, we believe) that contact was able to be made with the father and brothers and sisters there. So, we sent pictures of Alex and Isabella, intending to wait and see if the family there would respond in any way. But, that is not what the phone call was about.

The phone call was to inform us that Alex and Isabella have a brother (1 of the 9) who was adopted by a family who lived in California, and have since moved to Idaho! We had no idea. Their brother, Michael, was adopted by Dennis and Sammy, a very loving couple, soon after he was born in Romania. One of the interesting facts is that Michael is just 17, a little over 4 years older than Alex and Isabella. We really didn't know Michael existed, and were overwhelmed to find out that he was close to their age and living in the States!

The news got better. When we received the phone call, the family from Idaho, including Michael, was over in Romania, visiting the birth father and all the brothers and sisters. They saw the pictures we sent, and the Michael and his parents found out for the first time where Alex and Isabella where. They knew they were born 12 years ago, but did not know who had adopted them or where they lived. There was now this incredible connection, for them, with the entire family.

Dennis and Sammy were soon on the phone with us, telling us what they were finding out about Alex and Isabella's birth family and the place they were from. They were also able, after our invitation, to change their flight plans, and fly into Cleveland late Tuesday night. On Wednesday, Alex and Isabella were finally able to meet one of their brothers, the one they never even knew about. It was awesome.

The family brought us a ton of pictures and lots of good stories that helped us connect some dots from our children's past. We can see God's hand in how everything has worked out, from before Alex and Isabella were born and up until today. We know God has been at work since before the foundation of the world, but it is pretty cool once we mere mortals get a little view of what He has been doing!

We always wondered what Alex and Isabella's lives would have been like if we had not adopted them. We now know even more of how God has protected them and the incredible miracle He has performed in bringing them safely to us. We are also very excited to not only have Michael in Idaho but more opportunities to communicate with Alex and Isabella's birth father and brothers and sisters still in Romania.

And today, the new family from Idaho shared a wonderful blessing with us. As God provided financially for them to travel last week to Romania, they would like to financially provide for our family to go over to Romania to meet the remainder of the family. Isn't God awesome! We are humbled and grateful for our new additional family members, and looking forward to future opportunities God may give us to be together.

Take a hard look around you and see the wonderful things God is doing in your life today.

Don't Sweat the Secret Things (Bible Reading)

Deuteronomy 29:29 - "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."


This is in the context of the nation of Israel being prepared by God to enter the promised land that they have been looking forward to for many years. A generation has died off because of sin, and now this new generation is being reminded of what God expects of them in the new land. Beside the 10 commandments that were rehearsed earlier in the law, here in these chapters, there are added laws that would assist everyone in their society. They were laws that showed respect for life and for possessions - respect for others and worship toward God alone.


The people of that day must have struggled greatly with trying to figure out this God, whom although they could not see, they had certainly seen evidence of Him, and knew what He could do - both in His mercy and in His judgment. I know they had many unanswered questions for God and about God. They probably did not fully understand why God had chosen to do certain things in the past with their parents and grandparents; and now what He was telling them in preparation for the promised land.


I find myself in the same situation today; and I honestly don't know of anyone not in this situation. We just cannot fully understand God: what He does, or why He does it. There are some things that make sense to us and are plain. But, there is quite a bit that I put in the "secret things" category. And one of the harder things to do is to let those things stay secret. Instead, we want answers for everything, and even sometimes make up one just to feel better. But, the fact is that God keeps those things His secrets for good reasons (I just don't know what they are) and to bring Himself glory (I just don't know how).

My responsibility, your responsibility is this: to give ourselves to those things that are not secret. Just as with the plain commands of God to the people of Israel, who were entering the promised land, so we have some very "black and white" things written in God's Word which should be our focus. No, we may not be able to cleary understand or explain predestination or election; but we can continually thank God for His salvation; and look for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others (Ephesians 1,2).

No, we may not be able to understand why certain "bad" things have happened; but we can trust in the biblical truth that God takes those "bad" things (from our perspective) and turns them into our spiritual good (Romans 8:28). We may not be able to figure out why we are so worried and full of anxiety; but we can do what God has asked: give our anxieties to Him, and through prayer, with thanksgiving, realize the peace of God. And then we can follow that up with the right kind of focused thinking (Philippians 4:6-8).

No, these things and the other commands of God are not easy; but they are the things we are to focus on. The "secret things" that we just cannot understand have to be entrusted to God. What is clearly given for us to obey is our daily challenge, as we seek to demonstrate our love for God through obedience, for His glory.

Don't sweat the secret things - God can handle them!

HOW

Please turn in your Bible to Habakkuk 3.

This morning, we conclude our journey through the book of Habakkuk. It is the first time I have preached all the way through the book; but it has been a great encouragement and challenge to my own life. My prayer, is that as we conclude this book today, that God’s Spirit would challenge you or encourage you some way in your life.

At the beginning of this book, Habakkuk the prophet was greatly discouraged. He was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom of Israel, known as Judah. Judah had greatly sinned against God, and Habakkuk was frustrated that God had not yet judged their sin.

After God revealed that He would judge their sin (that’s the good news), He revealed that He would use the more wicked Chaldeans (Babylonians) to do so (the bad news). That frustrated the prophet even more. How could God use a more wicked people to judge His people, and why wasn’t He going to do something about the seemingly invincible Chaldeans?

The Northern kingdom (Israel) had already been taken into captivity and it would not be too long before Judah would follow. Habakkuk was discouraged and questioned God about these things. But, later in the book, the questions stop and the affirmation of who God is, what He has done and what He will do comes into focus.

I would like to begin with the last phrase of the last verse of Habakkuk. Look at the very last phrase of chapter 3, verse 19:

Habakkuk 3:19b – “…To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.”

The words here , taken with the beginning words in 3:1 and the uses of Selah (a musical notation), remind us that the content of chapter 3 is a song of worship. This song of praise was to be used in public worship accompanied by stringed instruments. It is good to keep this in mind as we look at the final phrases of this song today.

I like how commentators Walvoord and Zuck describe chapter 3: “The prophet’s complaints were swallowed up by confidence. His fear turned to faith. Habakkuk was transformed from a sour, jittery prophet weighed down with burdens to a secure, joyous preacher [lifted] up with blessing. The just, the upright, the happy, the contented, the victorious live by their faith.”

We were introduced to the theme of faith in 2:4; and now Habakkuk is finishing his prophecy with praise to God, regardless of the circumstances he would face.

Some of the questions for today are: How will God respond? How will He respond to those who oppose Him; and how will He respond to His own people?
The way Habakkuk answers those questions is by answering this one: HOW HAS GOD RESPONDED IN THE PAST? The answers to that question will also answer the questions Habakkuk and God’s people had about the future.

Moving into verse 12-19 today, we need to remember what we read coming into this context a couple weeks ago:

To know what God will do to those who oppose Him, this question was answered:
WHO is the One we are to worship? And part of that answer was found in verses 8-11: It is:The God who controls nature. He controls the waters, the mountains, even the sun and moon. He uses them to destroy those who oppose Him; and He uses them for the benefit of those who love Him. He uses them, regardless of the benefits or consequences to humans, to bring glory to Himself. That is what God is about.

For our passage today, it is a good thing for us to consider the field of battle:

DRAMA: Commander and his captain – scene 1 [see end of this manuscript for the script]

Can you imagine the frustration a captain would have with his commander, if he felt his commander didn’t care? If he felt his commander was too far away from the battle to understand the pain and frustration that he and the soldiers were feeling? If you can relate to that at all, then you can relate to what Habakkuk was going through. He had been a loyal soldier, a captain, if you will, in the Lord’s army. But, he was completed frustrated with what seemed to be inaction on God’s part.

First, he was frustrated that God didn’t seem to care that his own people were sinning. When God revealed He did care and He was going to use the wicked Chaldeans to bring judgment, Habakkuk wondered if God knew what He was doing? He felt defeated, sapped of strength, losing hope. Would God’s people ever be restored? Would the enemies of God ever be judged? Like the officer in this drama, Habakkuk didn’t understand.

But, the commander, in our passage, it is God, had to remind Habakkuk of what He had done in the past, how powerful He was, and what kind of devastation He would bring on His enemies, in time. And that brings us to chapter 3, verse 12:

How has God demonstrated His control over the nations?
With Judgment:

Habakkuk 3:12 – “You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger.”

God is pictured as an undefeatable, military commander, taking out His judgment and crushing the nations. Like someone crushing the chaff of a grainfield under his feet, He crushes those opposed to Him; and He does it in His anger.

Remember, in Habakkuk 2:18, that the Chaldeans had made idols for themselves and worshiped other gods. The people of God, also, at times, had worshiped false idols instead of the true God. God was angry any time something or someone else was worshiped; because He deserves all the worship. It goes back to the passage where we find the 10 commandments:

Exodus 20:5,6 – “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

God’s anger toward those who oppose Him had been seen in history. It would be seen in the future against those who opposed Him; and Habakkuk was counting on it, as it related to the judgment of the wicked Chaldeans.

How has God demonstrated His control over the nations? Not only with judgment, but:
With deliverance:
This also is related to the deliverance Habakkuk was counting on for God’s people:
Habakkuk 3:13 – “You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah.”

God’s purpose in His judgment is not to destroy nature, although He has complete control over it (3:3-7). He does what He does to punish wickedness and to deliver His own.

The musical notation of Selah is probably there to remind us to take pause and consider what was just sung or spoken. Take a moment, he says, and think about the destruction God will bring on His enemies and the deliverance He will bring to you.

Salvation means deliverance. The “salvation” for his people was the deliverance he would give them out of captivity. God had delivered them with a mighty hand out of Egypt and He would graciously deliver them out of the coming Babylonian captivity. All of this was a forerunner for the deliverance that would come someday for the people of God and all those who trusted in His Son. The “salvation” for the anointed was probably not referring to Israel, since that term is never used for them in the Old Testament. But, it may be looking ahead to THE ANOINTED ONE, the coming Messiah that would bring deliverance in a much greater way. The Psalmist talks about nations that oppose God as those who are also opposed to the coming Anointed One:

Psalm 2:1,2 – “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed…”

How does God provide deliverance for the Anointed One, the Messiah? Because, through His judgment of the wicked and through His deliverance of His people, the way of the Messiah will be preserved. The lineage of the Messiah will be delivered, in a sense, along with His people.

“The anointed one” could also refer to the king that trusts in God. Perhaps, it is referring to David, the line where the Messiah comes from. Verse 13 states that God had crushed the “head of the house” or the leader of the wicked; and the picture of laying him bare from thigh to neck is to picture a complete dominance that God has on His enemies, exposing them for who they are, and how they have opposed God. He had done it before with Pharoah and the leaders of Egypt. He had done it with other leaders of Israel’s enemies. And the prophet was confident that God would also do this with Babylon. In fact, in the future, the leader of the house of the wicked would be the Babylonian King: Belshazzar; and he would be stripped of His power (Daniel 5:26-31).

Habakkuk 3:14 – “You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.”

I mentioned that “the anointed one” in verse 13 could refer to Israel’s kings; and maybe even to the one from whose line the Messiah would eventually come: King David. Verse 14 which has to do with the piercing could hint back to the story of David and Goliath – the enemies scattering when the future king, David, cuts off the head of the enemy.

Habakkuk places Himself, personally, as representing the people of God, whom the Chaldeans came to destroy “in a whirlwind”, storming into battle. God turns the enemy against themselves so that they pierce themselves. They would destroy themselves. All of this happens in the context of them taking great pleasure (rejoicing), arrogantly pursuing the weak, taking everything they desired from others for their own satisfaction. This has been described in earlier passages.

Habakkuk 3:15 – “You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters.”

Considering God’s control over the nations, one of the greatest historical illustrations in Israel’s history was used by Habakkuk. This story also had to do with the deliverance of God’s people and it serves as the foundational illustration for any future deliverance. What is He referring to? They all knew the story:

The people of Israel had come out of Egypt only to be trapped between the raging waters of the Red Sea and the raging army of Pharoah pursuing them. God miraculously opened the Red Sea, parting her waters, and allowing all of His people to cross on dry ground, delivering them from the Egyptians. Here, the prophet gives a figurative picture as though God did the trampling with His horses on the sea, controlling the waters. God had used the waters to bring great victory.

Yes, God had controlled the nations in the past; and yes, He would continue to do so in the future. He had brought judgment in the past and He would do so on the Chaldeans (Babylonians) in the future. He had delivered His people in the past; and they could be assured that God would do so again; even though, at present, they were facing a Babylonian captivity coming soon.

The end of Habakkuk’s song puts everything into perspective. Although the prophet had begun with complaints, he now closes with some commitments. And I would like for us to view these commitments personally, and ask ourselves if we are willing to do the same, when under difficult, confusing circumstances.

SO WHAT?
How should we respond?

Habakkuk 3:16 – “I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.”

Habakkuk had begun his prophecy by asking God to show Himself. Now, in light of God’s presence and power, Habakkuk is reacting physically to who God is and what He will do. His heart is pounding, body shaking. He cannot speak clearly and it is as though his inside was rotting away. His knees were knocking at the report of the awesome judgment of God.

The best way I can appreciate what Habakkuk was feeling is to remember an experience Teresa and I had with invaders into our home. It was while we were living in Connecticut in an apartment, before children, and it was in the middle of the night. We heard something knocked over downstairs and we woke up. A window had been left unlocked, and because we had parked in a different parking spot, the person thought we were not home. We found out later, from police, that people had been checking parking spots, then looking for open windows to go in and steal whatever they could, with waiting accomplices to drive away afterward.

We had gone to bed late, it was the middle of the night, and so we were a little dazed. I heard the noise and, I’ll speak for myself, I started to tremble. I heard someone walking up our hallway steps and my heart began to pound. My mind was trying to grasp what was happening and who this might be. Did I forget that we invited someone to come in the middle of the night and forgot to lock the door? Was this person walking up our stairs going to come around the corner with a gun and start shooting?

We saw someone look around the corner, surprised that we were home, and my lips were quivering, unable to speak. That person ran down the stairs and out the door into the night; and my legs felt a little wobbly as I got up to get my glasses and try to identify the would be thief. That was probably the most terrifying experience I have ever had.

If you ever thought you heard an intruder or can remember hearing some terrible news, then perhaps you can relate to the response Habakkuk had at the report of God’s terrible justice, the report of what He does to those who oppose Him. He also knew that the nation of Judah was about to enter a time of captivity at the hands of the cruel and wicked Chaldeans. He was shaken. He was disturbed. He was upset.

But he had a choice to make. And in the midst of his song of praise, He makes some final commitments. I want to encourage you to make these same commitments today. And I want to challenge you to make these commitments for the days of frustration or discouragement or fear, that will surely come, if you are not experiencing those types of days presently.

The first one is at the end of verse 16: “yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.”

How should we respond?
With a commitment:
· To wait for God’s justice

The incredible reports of what God had done in Egypt, at the Red Sea, at Mount Sinai, at the Jordan River, and in the conquest of Jericho allowed Him to wait, with confidence, for God to bring justice on the Chaldeans and to deliver His people once again.

Yes, the people of Judah would be taken captive. But, eventually, God would bring them out of captivity once again, and restore them unto Himself. Based on what God had done before, and in the midst of his own physical response to God’s judgment, He is able to wait patiently for what He knows will take place.

For those of you who are having a hard time waiting for the justice of God against those who have hurt you or those you love, this is your commitment: to wait for the justice of God, that he promises will come:
Romans 12:19 – “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Yes, Habakkuk was physically weak, in light of the revelation of God’s justice. But, spiritually, he demonstrated great strength as he closes His praise song.

David had written a song to remind God’s people what to do in all circumstances:

Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”

He suggests possible difficulties that could come, which the people of that day could relate to. Here was the worst case scenario – the worst circumstances that could take place:
· All the crops could fail

Habakkuk 3:17 – “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food…”

The figs, the grapes, the olives and the grain, all on which the nation depended for food – these had been symbols of blessing - what if it was all gone? And what else?

· All the sheep and cattle could be lost (end of verse 17)

Habakkuk 3:17 – “…the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,”

This was their source for wealth, their livelihood. These had been objects of God’s blessing. What if it was all gone?

Well, it wouldn’t be long before that is exactly what would happen. When the Chaldeans captured their capital city, Jerusalem, they experienced these conditions, as described in Lamentations . This was a book written by the prophet Jeremiah, who prophesied at the time of the captivity.

Lamentations 2:12 – “They cry…where is the bread and wine?”

Lamentations 4:4 – “The tongue of the nursing infant sticks to the roof of its mouth for thirst; the children beg for food, but no one gives to them.”

Lamentations 4:9 – “Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field.”

“Max Lucado tells the story of a woman who had a parakeet named Chippie. She loved Chippie because he was such a happy little song bird. Chippie’s constant chirping just seemed to brighten her day. One day, the woman was cleaning the bottom of Chippie’s cage with a vacuum cleaner when the telephone rang. She reached for the telephone without removing the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner form the cage, which was a mistake. The vacuum cleaner nozzle got pointed in the direction of poor little Chippie, and he was suddenly sucked up into the machine.

When the woman looked back at the cage and realized what had happened, she was horrified. She dropped the telephone, turned off the vacuum cleaner and ripped open the dust bag to get to her little bird. Chippie was a real mess, but he was still alive. She raced to the kitchen sink and turned the water on full force on Chippie. The more she tried to wash him, the worse he looked, so she took him to the bathroom and started trying to dry Chippie with her hair dryer – full force and high heat. Finally, she got the bird dry and put him back in his cage.

Several days later, a friend called and asked how Chippie was doing. He’s alive, she said, but he just sits in his cage and stares out into space. And, she added thoughtfully, Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore.”

That is what Habakkuk was struggling with. This is what the people of Judah would struggle with during the captivity. The songs in their heart would be drowned out by the terrible circumstances they found themselves in. But, Habakkuk is trying to restore that song, the song of praise, that lasts even during the most difficult trials of life.

They would experience these things described in chapter 3 of Habakkuk and in Lamentations during the Babylonian captivity. So, Habakkuk makes another commitment:

Habakkuk 3:17,18 – “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”

Respond with a commitment:
· To praise God

Habakkuk is able to rejoice in the LORD, the covenant keeping God that loves His people, that faithful, God that always keeps His promises. Habakkuk is able to praise Him, even though he and the nation may have nothing they normally depend on. His praise has to do, not with the circumstances, but with the person who keeps the promises. That is why he can rejoice.

It is why you can praise God even when things are not at all the way you prayed. You can make the commitment to praise no matter what has happened in your past, what is going on right now, or your fears of the future. Will you choose to praise Him? Another commitment comes with the last phrase of verse 18: “I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”

Respond with a commitment:
· To have joy in God

Again, the joy is not a happiness based on external circumstances. The joy here is deep down, it is based on the confidence of who God is. He is the God of my salvation, my deliverance. Since He knows of God’s deliverance in the past and the future, he can have a joy in His soul that just won’t make sense to the average citizen of Judah.
You also, can make the commitment to joy. I know this is not an easy thing to feel or understand. But when your confidence is securely in God, you can probably relate to the joy that rests below the surface. You don’t like the present circumstances, but because you know God is the deliverer and because you believe what His Word says about trials:

James 1:2-4 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Knowing that trials of all kinds brings spiritual maturity will allow you to have this joy that rests in the future deliverance of God. One more thing Habakkuk mentions:

Habakkuk 3:19 – “GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.

How should we respond?
Respond with a commitment:
· To trust in God’s strength

He uses the term Lord, not Jehovah, but this time the term for the sovereignty of God. He says the Lord, who is in complete control of my confusing circumstances… is my strength.

Commentators Walvoord and Zuck wrote: “The strength He gives is like the power found in the feet of a deer, a gazelle, or any active, swift-footed animal. Much as a deer can quickly bound through a dark forest, so the prophet said he could move joyfully through difficult circumstances.

Yes, God’s people would go into captivity to Babylon. But, 70 years later, they would be released and begin to sing songs again. And one song they would sing would have these words:

Psalm 118:14 – “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”

God enabled the prophet to walk on the heights. Not only would he bound through trials; he would also climb to the mountaintops of victory and triumph. A deer or gazelle pictures strength, surefootedness, beauty, and speed.”

Here, at the end of our study of Habakkuk, there are verses that come to mind that I have been meditating on. As I mentioned, the prophet Jeremiah watched all of these things happening that Habakkuk was speaking of; and here is what He wrote that rests in my heart:

Lamentations 3:22-23 - “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
When you face another day, full of challenges, full of trials…as you go through life that is full of uncertainty and disappointments…you can focus on the one thing…no, the one person, who can give you joy, who can give encouragement, who can give you perspective…
God can be trusted. God is faithful. Praise Him!

Habakkuk is like the captain we met at the beginning of the message. He was frustrated with God, his commander. He didn’t understand what was going on. But, in time, he was encouraged with what he knew to be true of God; and then was able to pass that on to the soldiers, the people of God. We can do the same thing. We can take what we know about our commander God, apply that truth to our circumstances; and then pass it on to others who need to know about Him.

DRAMA: Scene 2 [look below for script]

Closing song: I will praise Him
Drama: written by Chris Roth

Scene 1


Captain: (with air of urgency but respectful) Commander, may I have a word with you?

Commander: (calm, relaxed) Of course, come in. Sit down. What have you come to see me about?

Captain: Well sir, the battle of course.

Commander: Ah yes, the battle. What about it?

Captain: (shocked at the commander’s nonchalance) What about it? What about it?! Have you not seen the battle front?!? Our troops are being devastated!

Commander: (calmly) Are they?

Captain: YES, THEY ARE! (losing composure) We’ve been doing battle from sun up to sun down for months on end now…and despite all of our efforts the enemy is advancing. Surely you’ve heard, even though you’re nowhere near the battle!

Commander: (calm but more serious) I have heard.

Captain: Then why don’t you DO something about it?! The troops – your soldiers – have asked me to come speak with you – plead with you – to do something!

Commander: (echoing Captain’s words) To do something!

Captain: Yes, something. Something to give your soldiers some hope…and at least a chance to win the battle!

Commander: Give them a chance? Give them a chance to win the battle? For a young man you certainly have a short memory.

Captain: (impatiently) What do you mean?

Commander: Have I not proven myself in the past that you should doubt me now? Have I not vanquished every enemy? Has any foe ever imprisoned me?! Have I ever tasted defeat even once?

Captain: (somewhat unsure) No, of course not, but sir your soldiers…

Commander: (interrupting, speech becoming more forceful) My soldiers should know by now that I will not allow even one that opposes me to stand! My enemies will tremble at the sound of my charging fury. They will be trampled under my horses, and their bones will be crushed to mingle with the dust of the battlefield! Vengeance against the enemy will be mine, at the time that I have preordained!

Captain: (now awestruck) Yes, Commander.

Commander: You wish to give hope to your troops, Captain? Tell them I said to wait.
Wait on the Lord. My victory is at hand.

(both exit stage)


Scene 2


(Captain enters but is quiet)

Soldier 1: Did you speak with him?!?!

Captain: Yes, I spoke with him.

Soldier 2: What did he say!?!

Captain: He said…to wait.

Soldier 3: Wait?! Wait for what?

Soldier 4: For defeat? For death?!?

Captain: I suppose it may look that way. The enemy has surrounded us with darkness and separated us from the light. Our hands tremble due to hunger and our mouths are parched with an unquenchable thirst! There is no shelter to hide us from the enemy’s torrential volleys, AND YET we will not yield!

Because HE will not yield. He has never relented, he has always stood firm. Have we forgotten what he has done? He has trampled the enemy, time and time again; piercing them with their own swords and scattering their bones. He has laid waste to the unrighteous and removed them from His sight. And because He is righteous we do not fear defeat, because HE will never falter! For us there is no death…only victory. His victory.

Soldier 1: But, what about our victory?

Captain: Our victory is found in Him. Those who oppose Him will surely succumb. But as for us --- we share in His victory…when we surrender to Him…surrender to Him… I surrender to Him. (lays down his weapon)

Soldier 2: I will surrender to Him

Soldier 3: I will praise Him

Soldier 4: I will rest easy in Him.

Soldier 1: I will worship Him.