WILL THE REAL CHRISTIAN PLEASE STAND UP?
Mark 12:35-44
Please turn in your Bible to Mark 12. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 879 or 897.
To Tell the Truth was an American television game show produced by Goodson-Todman Productions and has been aired since 1956. It is one of two game shows in the United States to have aired at least one version every decade for the past six decades. The other is The Price is Right, which is currently America’s longest running daily game show.
The basic premise of To Tell the Truth was this: a panel of 4 celebrities were trying to identify a contestant from a choice of three possibilities. One of the contestants normally held an unusual occupation or had done something noteworthy, and it is this person whom the panel had to attempt to identify. Two of the people would tell lies, while the real person had sworn “to tell the truth.” Then once all the questioning and guessing was completed, the host would say: Now, would the real (the name of the person) please stand up. And the true character would then stand and the truth would be revealed to all.
In the final days of Jesus’ public ministry and life before the cross, burial and resurrection, that battle over the truth of who Jesus was came to a head. The religious leaders, who were trying to destroy Jesus, picked up the intensity of their attacks, trying to say that they were really the true spiritual leaders. Jesus was stating clearly who He was, the frauds that the religious leaders were; and what was going to happen to Him as a result. He was also trying to prepare His disciples for what they were going to face in the years to come.
They would have to carry on without the visible presence of Jesus; although He promised to “be with them to the end of the age” and would leave the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide them. Our focus this morning, in Mark 12, are three brief passages, where Jesus explains the difference between someone who is a real Christian and someone who is just playing a game and trying to deceive.
Let me challenge you, this morning, to consider yourself one of 3 possible contestants, which are being questioned as to whether or not you are living as the true Christian. The standard is what Jesus said to those who were listening to Him a few days before His death, in the final episodes of His public teaching ministry.
Last week, we heard Jesus give the greatest commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and with all your strength. Today, we find out 3 specific areas in which that is tested.
John was getting ready to travel overseas, and several people warned him to be on the lookout for pickpockets when he got to a particularly busy city. If he went down to the crowded subway, a pickpocket could grab his wallet and get on the train, the doors would shut, and the pickpocket would be gone. So John determined to be very careful.
One evening after arriving in the city he was dressed casually in a sport coat, and he came to the crowded subway. Sure enough, just about the time the door opened and people were pouring on, a fellow bumped up against him and he thought, That was strange. So he reached into this pocket and his wallet was gone! So, he grabbed this guy’s coat just as the door began to close and began to pull.
Finally he got the coat all the way off the man, even thought the guy was struggling, and the door closed, leaving the guy staring in amazement as the train sped away. Proud of himself, Jeff thought: I was ready and I showed him. But, when he looked through the coat to find his wallet, it wasn’t there. Now, he was more upset. This guy somehow got my wallet into his pocket or hand and let me have his empty coat!
As Jeff got back to his hotel room, ready to report this man to the police, his heart sank. There on his hotel room desk, was his wallet – just where he had left it – oops! Perhaps, you have been the culprit or victim in a case where someone knew a fact: the wallet is gone; and then assumed something completely untrue – this man had stolen my wallet.
This is what Jesus was experiencing with the religious leaders of His day. In this first passage, they accepted a fact: The coming Messiah was from the line of David. However, their assumptions about that fact, and their refusal to accept other important facts, led to dangerous and spiritually destructive conclusions. In your notes, on your outline, point one:
1. The religious leaders accepted some of what the Bible said about Jesus; but failed to apply the whole truth to their lives.
Mark 12:35 – “And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, how can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?”
Jesus is back in the temple courts and he is teaching. Jesus points out that the scribes wrongly emphasized only one aspect of the relationship between the Messiah and the line of David. Jesus was not saying that this was not true; but that they were saying one thing at the exclusion of something equally important. The scribes taught that the coming Messiah (the Christ), was a descendant of David.
This belief had caused people to mistakenly think that Jesus could not be the promised Messiah:
John 7:40-42 – “When they heard these words, some of the people said, This really is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
I guess they didn’t take into account that Jesus was, indeed, born in Bethlehem, as the Scriptures said; but they considered Him solely from Galilee. People saw what Jesus did and they heard what Jesus said, and they wondered: Could this be the Christ, the promised Messiah of the Old Testament? They knew the prophecy:
Isaiah 9:6,7 – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.”
The people were looking for a Messiah, from the line of David, that would come, take over, and rule. They emphasized the line of David part; but failed to recognize the subjection of David to the Messiah. Jesus wanted to make sure they knew that it is also true that the coming Messiah was the Lord (master) of David and all His descendants. This was an important point to make. Jesus continued:
Mark 12:36 – “David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.”
Jesus quoted from Psalm 110, which the people would have known well. He quotes David himself, since it was the relationship between David and the Messiah which was at question. Jesus points out that David spoke this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; so it carries the authority of God. Scholars Walvoord and Zuck walk us through this verse:
“Jesus said: The Lord (God the Father) said to my (David’s) Lord (the Messiah): Sit at My (the Father’s) right hand, the place of highest honor and authority, until (or ‘while’) I (the Father put Your (the Messiahs) enemies under Your (the Messiahs) feet, bringing about their subjugation (submission).”
The fact that Jesus was bringing out was this: that David called Him (the Messiah) Lord.
Mark 12:37 – “David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son? And the great throng heard him gladly.”
The question, a rhetorical one, is this: How can the Messiah be the descendant (son) of David (which is what they were emphasizing) when the Bible says that David said that the Messiah was his Lord, His master. The answer is obvious, which makes this question rhetorical.
The answer is this: He isn’t just the son of David. He isn’t just the Messiah. He is BOTH! That is what Jesus as getting at. You have got to accept Jesus for everything that He is. There is the implication, here, that the Messiah (Jesus) was both God (being David’s Lord) and man (being David’s Son).
The implication is also about Jesus Himself, who was claiming to be the Messiah. Yes, He was from the line of David and He would one day set up His Kingdom. But not yet; and not in the way the religious leaders were expecting. Plus, they did not accept that it was He, Jesus Christ, who was the fulfillment of this prophecy.
Consider what the main problem has been all along: the religious leaders were not willing to accept Jesus Christ for who He claimed to be: the Son of God, the promised Messiah. They knew a lot of the Old Testament prophecies, but they were not able or willing to make the real life connection between those prophecies and the reality of Jesus Christ, who was standing right in front of them. But, this type of religious pursuit did not stop 2,000 years ago. It continues today:
Woody Hochswender, in his book, The Buddha in Your Rearview Mirror, reasons that you may be a Buddhist and not even know it: “We all believe in the oneness of the world. We all believe there’s spiritual truth inside us, an indwelling kernel. We all seek the happiness of others as a gateway to our own, right?”
According to an article in USA TODAY, Woody believes the Buddhists of today need not master a strict discipline, renounce desire or retreat to the woods. No special clothes or postures are required. Yet, every day he participates in faithful, focused, rapid, rhythmic chants, while facing a scroll inscribed with Chinese symbols. He says that he concentrates on the benefits he seeks: “Try it, and you’ll see immediate benefits, produced by you, proof in your own life now. Buddhism doesn’t ask you to believe in God. Buddhism asks you to believe in yourself. No matter what your goal is in chanting, at the very least you will become a more disciplined person. All of us want to be more disciplined.” This type of Buddhism is practiced by 10,000,000 people in Japan and millions more worldwide.
There are many people, religious people today, that talk about faith in some God or higher power; but have not applied the teaching of the Bible about Jesus Christ to their life.
According to verse 37,the great throng heard him gladly. They loved hearing Jesus speak. There was great excitement at that Passover time. However, they were not necessarily understanding what He was saying. They liked hearing about the coming kingdom; but were not yet ready to fully accept Jesus as the promised Messiah.
Also, keep in mind that the verse divisions we have in our copies of the Scripture were not put there by the Holy Spirit or by the men who were guided by the Holy Spirit in their writings. The verse divisions, including making the last phrase here a part of verse 37, was first done by a man named Stephanus in the sixteenth century. According to commentator Barclay, he put them in while riding from his house to his printing factory. So, this commentator and others suggest the last phrase of verse 37 actually goes better with verse 38. If that is true, then what the crowd was really pleased to hear was the condemnation and confrontational style Jesus is now taking with the religious leaders. But before that, we ask the question:
Will the real Christian please stand up?
Christian #1 says that he believes in God and in His Son Jesus Christ. He believes that we are all God’s children because, as the Bible says: Jesus died for the sins of the world. A loving God would not send anyone to Hell.
Christian #2 says that believing in God is good; but he further believes that Jesus was God in the flesh, here to die for our sins. But, in order to receive the gift of eternal life, we need to believe on Him and live the right kind of life. Going to church, giving to the needy, taking care of the environment and being kind are ways to ensure, that when life is over, we will be with God.
Christian #3 admits that he is a sinner and does not deserve eternal life; even now. He has trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and sees good works as a demonstration of that relationship. He has fully accepted who Jesus Christ said he was, for his own personal life. He believes what the Bible says about his future; as well as the future judgment and reign of Christ. He lives each day, failing, but trusting in the saving grace of God.
Will the real Christian please stand up? And number 3 rises. It may have been easy for you to discern which the real Christian is from my description; but it is much more difficult in our world today, isn’t it? We hear athletes, actors, politicians, our neighbors, friends and family, talk about faith; but sometimes the faith they speak of is not the faith of the Bible – it is not saving faith.
SO WHAT?
Believe all the Bible says about Jesus, making Him your Savior and your leader.
Don’t deceive yourself like the spiritual leaders of Jesus’ day did. They knew the Bible, they had a huge list of rules which they thought would please God. But, they did not fully accept or apply to their lives the entire truth about who Jesus Christ was and who He needed to be for them. What can you do to keep learning more about Jesus Christ? Have you made Him your Savior yet, trusting in Him alone for salvation? Are you treating Him as your Lord, your master, allowing Him to have full control of every aspect of your life?
In the next few verses, Jesus deals with another aspect of true Christianity versus those who just look the part:
2. The religious leaders used religion for personal gain and would be judged for it.
Their worship was all about them. Jesus described them and gave this warning:
Mark 12:38 – “And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces.”
The scribes were the teachers of the law. The long robes were long white linen garments with fringes worn by priests, law teachers and Levites. This set them apart and made them look religious. If I wore a robe or collar, you might think I was more holy or was spiritually special. They loved hearing people call them by their formal title: Rabbi (teacher), master, father. Jesus had said elsewhere, in his condemnation of the Pharisees:
Matthew 23:8-10 – “But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.”
Jesus is not saying that you cannot call your dad father or talk about someone as your teacher. He is telling the spiritual leaders that they are not to seek the titles that make them sound more important or spiritual than they are. And they are not to take any positions that really belong only to God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
I told our Discovering Grace class last week what I would like them to call me. Every new person to our church wonders how they should address me. I tell them that when I first came here to Grace, I gave all of you two options, in one of my first messages: I said you could call me the most high and holy reverend Whiting; or you could call me Greg. I prefer Greg. It is the name my parents gave me. Only my dad still calls me Gregory.
For me, it is a safety measure, a protection against the seed of pride growing in my heart. When I hear the name Greg, it reminds me that I am like everyone else. I am a regular person, who is on the same spiritual journey, with its victories and failures. When I hear the name Greg, it makes me think that the person calling me that understands that I need other people to see me as one of them: in need of being challenged, accountable, in need of support and encouragement, just like everyone else.
When I earned my doctorate in ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary, I had a choice to make: do I hang up my degree; and if so, where should I hang it? My parents bought me a nice frame; and there seems to be a tradition and a little pressure to hang up your degrees, at least doctorates, somewhere. I finally decided I would hang it up – in my office - in my bathroom. So, if you want to see it, feel free to sit on the toilet and take a look. Having it in the bathroom reminds me that if I am not being faithful to God and His Word, in leading this church; then having a degree isn’t worth anything – in fact, it should be flushed down the toilet if I am not humbly leading our church to glorify God. I don’t criticize people who put up their degrees for all to see. They are great accomplishments. But I know my own heart; and it reminds me of the truth.
I don’t share these stories with you to tell you that I am a humble person. I don’t see myself that way. I struggle with pride like everyone else. And it because of my constant struggle, that I must deal with issues of my name and degrees in these ways: to help remind myself of who I really am in Christ; and that all titles and glory go to him.
Now, some people choose to call me Pastor Whiting or Pastor Greg or other things of their choosing; and that is o.k. I know some people really struggle with calling me Greg. It doesn’t bother me; but at least you have a little better idea as to why I prefer my name without titles. Jesus explained that instead of titles, this was to be the focus of spiritual leaders:
Matthew 23:11,12 – “The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Jesus, here in Mark 12, continues describing what the religious leaders were seeking:
Mark 12:39 – “and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,”
The best seats in the synagogue were those up front, reserved for the dignitaries, in front of the ark that housed the scrolls of Scripture; and these seats would face the congregation. They sat on their thrones, if you will, and everyone could look at them.
At the feasts, the banquets, they would have the seats of honor, next to the host and would receive special treatment. Jesus keeps going:
Mark 12:40 – “who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
According to the First Century historian Josephus, the Pharisees had managed to convey to people that there was no higher duty and privilege than to support a rabbi in comfort, that, in fact such support would undoubtedly entitle him or her who gave it to a high place in the heavenly academy.”
These teachers of the law (Scriptures) did not receive pay, so they were the benefactors of hospitality from the Jewish people. The accusation from Jesus that they “devoured widows’ houses” was a verbal picture of how these teachers would take advantage of people’s generosity.
I remember hearing a report some years ago about how some older women, widows in particular, would watch religious programming and an impressive religious speaker would plead for money. Many people would then send in amazing amounts of money, sometimes money they could not afford, simply because the man with the rolex watch convinced her that she would be blessed if she sent him more; or God would take his life if people didn’t give 4 million more dollars in the next couple of days. It has happened; and it has had a negative impact on people’s lives. Even religious leaders can take advantage of people; and that is what these teachers of God’s law were doing.
Jesus also said they “made long prayers” for what He described as “pretense”. That is, they gave lengthy prayers in public so that people would be impressed by their spirituality and would trust in their spiritual leadership. They must be close to God if they pray that long, right?
But Jesus condemned their pretend spirituality and said: “they will receive the greater condemnation.” Perhaps you have read in the Bible this warning:
James 3:1 – “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”
Those who teach God’s Word have a greater responsibility for how they handle the Word of God. Because these teachers of the law were using it to wield their own power and greed, without the truth of a godly life, they would be judged for that. They were more concerned about their religious position than they were about the spiritual well being of the people.
Will the real Christian please stand up?
Christian #1 is dressed up every Sunday. He always looks good, stating that He dresses His best for God. He has a big Bible and he is not afraid to use it. He always, and I mean always wears his “I love Jesus” pin, wherever He goes. He sits in the front row of the church, attends every service available and always has a smile on his face.
Christian #2 dresses appropriately, but comfortably, and is sometimes criticized for being too casual in the house of the Lord. He sometimes gets his facts of Scripture mixed up and gets embarrassed when answering incorrectly in Sunday school. When asked to pray, he struggles with the right words, as he just pours out his heart to God; and is sometimes criticized here as well, for sounding too familiar with God in his prayers. He also gets some strange looks as he worships God freely with bodily expression. He talks often about his sin struggles and failures as He attempts to walk with God. That makes some people uncomfortable.
Christian #3 is looked up to by everyone at church. He holds several leadership positions in the church and community. He knows the right answers, and is often approached by people who have a biblical question. He is the most sought after teacher in church; and people absolutely love to hear him pray. He can go on for 10 minutes, remembering all the sick people of the church, listing several of the biblical names for God; and is able to quote Scripture with his eyes closed! He seems to live right all the time; and he is willing to talk about it.
Will the real Christian please stand up?
Christian #2 hesitates but then stands up. This doesn’t mean that a real Christian won’t dress up or know biblical things or be able to pray in public. But, the person Jesus would say is the real thing is the person who has the right heart attitude. He understands what a sinner he really is. He is not trying to play pretend Christianity. He is going to be real about his struggles and pursuit of God. In the end, he knows it is about the internal heart, not the external appearances.
This is a struggle for me. For most Christians I know, we are fighting our natural tendencies to look the part of the real Christian, but at times not being intimate with Christ or pursuing him in a real way. We want it in our hearts, but sometimes fall back into the “just say the right things and look the right way” religious, church mode. We also tend to look at other people with the same, critical view.
SO WHAT? Pursue God in a real, honest way, caring only what He sees in you.
Is there an area of your spiritual pursuit that has become all about the externals? Have you made the externals your focus in criticizing others? Is there something you need to do to get back to pursuing God in a real, intimate way? What is one thing you can do to get back on the right track?
There is one more area Jesus addressed that we will look at in Mark 12 this morning. Jesus uses a common issue of worship in the church to discuss what full commitment, loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength really means. Jesus knew that the issue of money and giving would touch a cord with all of them.
You may have seen this before…consider the attitude VIDEO: The Offering Plate
You see: this isn’t just about giving money. This is about the temptation to divide the resources of our life and give them to what makes us comfortable, what seems to be most pressing; what brings us the greatest pleasure. And then, basically, we leave God out of what He deserves – everything we have. Jesus observations about the giving box in the temple court makes this point.
Mark 12:41 – “And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.”
Those who were wealthy were putting in all kinds of coins: gold, silver, copper and bronze. In contrast to the large amounts the rich were putting in:
Mark 12:42 – “And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.”
These small copper coins didn’t even make up 3% of a day’s wages. Mark used the Roman term penny, to explain how little this amount was. If we stop there, based on a common spiritual measurement, we would say that those putting in the large amounts of money are the spiritual ones. They are giving huge amounts, which can then be used for the church’s ministry. This older woman hardly put in anything. Of course, these people over here are more honoring to God then, right?
Then, Jesus sets the record straight:
Mark 12;43 – “And he called his disciples to him and said to them, Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.”
Jesus revealed that God’s measuring stick is different than ours. He said: this poor woman has given more than all of these who have poured money into the offering plate. WHAT? Jesus: did you see what we saw? How can you say that? Jesus saw what the casual observer could not see.
Here was a woman in widow’s, poor, clothing; as opposed to the wealthy who looked it. She was probably ignored by everyone; whereas the spiritual leaders loved for people to notice them in public. She would not have even been invited or considered at parties; but the religious teachers were the VIPS and loved to have the seats of honor. But she received praise from Jesus and the religious leaders received judgment.
Mark 12:44 – “for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
3. The religious leaders gave for show while the woman gave everything, with great sacrifice.
The wealthy had given a little bit of what they had. She had given everything. Perhaps they gave 5% and she gave 100% of what she had at that time. For these guys, it was a show with the extra change they had. For her, it was a sacrifice: like giving of your food money, your vacation money, your mortgage money. This was sacrificial giving.
Remember, Jesus is not saying that those who have more money than others are automatically ungodly. Having money is not evil, but:
I Timothy 6:10 – “For the love of money is a root for all kinds of evil.”
Those who have a lot of money should give a lot; but it is not about show or just giving some to look good. It is remembering this truth:
Deuteronomy 8:18 – “You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth…”
In relation to the rest of the world, we are all wealthy. God has given us many blessings. And if we remember that He is the one who gave us everything we have, we should be able to give of our lives back to Him. Jesus Christ, Himself, was going to give the greatest example of total commitment, just a few days from then. He would voluntarily give up His own life and die a cruel death, so that others could be saved eternally.
The disciples were experiencing all of this; and they were going to have to make a decision. It wasn’t about money per se. It was about a full commitment to give of themselves to Jesus and the truth they were given the responsibility to spread. The fact is: they would fail – a lot; and so do we. But, the challenge still remains: to give of ourselves: completely, sacrificially to God for His glory.
Will the real Christian please stand up?
Christian #1 is often looked down upon by others in her social circle and even in her family. When she could be spending her money on the newest comforts or buying things they want, she gives sacrificially to God through the church and freely gives to others in need. She goes without a lot of the extras her money could provide. She also gives of her time and energies, more than her friends would like, to give to the church ministries. Compared to others, she doesn’t give much at all and would not be considered as one who contributes a lot in any area to the kingdom of God.
Christian #2 gives a lot of herself to good causes. If the church doors are open, she is there. She is early to Sunday school and church and would win the perfect church attendance award. She is constantly helping in activities and programs, many times leading them. She is very vocal about her faith. Everyone who knows her, including her family, would say that she is completely dedicated to God and the Church, even at the expense of her family and other responsibilities. She believes that if she gives more of her time, energies and money than the regular church goer, God will bless her with heaven and many eternal rewards. Plus, everyone thinks she is a great Christian, although she is not so sure she believes everything the Bible teaches.
Christian #3 is a church treasurer’s dream. She gives large amounts of money; although if truth be told, it is extra change for her; having inherited a fortune from her father. It is an easy way for her to feel good about her faith and important contributions. She even donated all the money needed to build a playground, only insisting that her name be engraved on every piece of playground equipment. She says that the large bills she drops into the offering plate for everyone to see is so that she can set a good example for everyone else in their giving. The church is afraid to ever lose her money – that is, of course, afraid to lose her faithfulness to God and to the church!
Will the real Christian please stand up?
Christian #1 rises. Why? Because according to Jesus, it is not about the amount of money, time or energy that you give; but the true commitment and sacrifice with which you give it. It is not about what other people know or think. But, between you and God, it is about what you have determined in your heart to give: joyfully, voluntarily, sacrificially.
SO WHAT?
Give all of who you are and what you have for the service and glory of God.
He may not ask you to do what He asked the rich young ruler to do: sell all you have and give it to the poor. But, He is asking you to be a good steward of the finances, time and talents God has given you. 100% of all you have comes from Him. He is asking for you to set aside some of your own plans and desires and give your life back to Him. He asks that you set out to live for Him and His approval each day. He asks you to take a sacrificial percentage of what you earn or are given and give it back to His service through your local church. He asks for a total commitment of your life, dedicated to glorifying Him.
Is there some area of your life, in which you would have to admit, you are holding back? I’m not asking if you are perfect. I am asking if you are fully committed to give God all you have, which He has given you? Is your life dedicated to Him? Is there one thing in your life that needs to be given back to Him? Are you willing to do it?
Will you stand to pray with me please?As we sang earlier, it should be our commitment to be a generation of people who seek God’s face with commitment and humility. Our prayer is that we would humbly pursue Him, giving Him our life commitment.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
My LIfe Story
I just realized that I did not post the blog entry below when I first wrote this out. So, as you read it, know that I wrote this on Monday, September 15th.
Last night, I shared my life story with my life group. Life group is what we call our small group ministry at Grace Baptist Church in Westlake, OH. This is the 3rd season for them, and we added an extra night a month (previously twice a month) to go a little deeper. The groups are not designed for adding Bible knowlege; but for putting the knowlege we already have into practical, real life action. We use the small group setting (12 people or less) so that every person, who chooses, can have some people to share the reality of life with. They can share what life is really like, including their greatest victories and hardest challenges. The goal is positive life change, as we "rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep"; and support one another in this life's journey.
One night a month (last night) was set aside for life stories. The idea is fairly simple: On the life story night, one person shares their life story. Isn't that simple? The goal is to share how God has used circumstances and people in our personal journies. The idea is to share highlights, which might include some very difficult events in life. Whatever God has used to shape an individual's life can be shared to give the group a better picture of their life journey. In many cases, what one person shares ends up being an incredible challenge or encouragement to others in the group. It is uplifting to listen to someone's story, and then come around that person with encouragement, support and prayer. These are the experiences my wife and I have had in other life group settings in a previous church.
But, when it came time for me to be the first person to share a life story in this group, in this church, I admit I was a little nervous. You never know how people will respond to a pastor sharing about his failures as well as victories. I think most people, deep down, want to know their pastors, and want to be able to be a support and encouragement to him; even in the midst of his weaknesses. However, many people woudl rather live with the illusion that the pastor has everything together and is a spiritual leader becasue he never really falls to temptation. Deep down, they know it is not true; but living in their fantasy is more comfortable for them.
I was also sharing in a mixed group of men and women (married couples). Some of what I had to share entered into the sexual area; and I was a little concerned how they might all process this information. I was careful to only share what I thought was pertinent to my life story; but in doing so, Idid share quite a bit of personal information, that the church at large, has not heard (in this detail), as of yet. It was taking a risk; but I felt it was well worth it.
Over the past few years, I have learned the incredible benefits of taking risks such as this. When someone steps forward to share the reality of life with a small group of caring people, they almost always respond with love and support. And then, in most cases, they respond in kind. They begin to share the reality of their lives as well. And once people are sharing the reality of life and not a made up spiritual fantasy, God seems to respond by helping people grow toward Him and together, in ways that seemed "far off" before.
My prayer is that will happen in our group. Even if it does not, I am thankful for the love and support that was shown me; and the encouragement I sensed from the Spirit of God, that, in sharing my life, I had done what was pleasing to Him. As always, I want to be:
Growing in Grace
Last night, I shared my life story with my life group. Life group is what we call our small group ministry at Grace Baptist Church in Westlake, OH. This is the 3rd season for them, and we added an extra night a month (previously twice a month) to go a little deeper. The groups are not designed for adding Bible knowlege; but for putting the knowlege we already have into practical, real life action. We use the small group setting (12 people or less) so that every person, who chooses, can have some people to share the reality of life with. They can share what life is really like, including their greatest victories and hardest challenges. The goal is positive life change, as we "rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep"; and support one another in this life's journey.
One night a month (last night) was set aside for life stories. The idea is fairly simple: On the life story night, one person shares their life story. Isn't that simple? The goal is to share how God has used circumstances and people in our personal journies. The idea is to share highlights, which might include some very difficult events in life. Whatever God has used to shape an individual's life can be shared to give the group a better picture of their life journey. In many cases, what one person shares ends up being an incredible challenge or encouragement to others in the group. It is uplifting to listen to someone's story, and then come around that person with encouragement, support and prayer. These are the experiences my wife and I have had in other life group settings in a previous church.
But, when it came time for me to be the first person to share a life story in this group, in this church, I admit I was a little nervous. You never know how people will respond to a pastor sharing about his failures as well as victories. I think most people, deep down, want to know their pastors, and want to be able to be a support and encouragement to him; even in the midst of his weaknesses. However, many people woudl rather live with the illusion that the pastor has everything together and is a spiritual leader becasue he never really falls to temptation. Deep down, they know it is not true; but living in their fantasy is more comfortable for them.
I was also sharing in a mixed group of men and women (married couples). Some of what I had to share entered into the sexual area; and I was a little concerned how they might all process this information. I was careful to only share what I thought was pertinent to my life story; but in doing so, Idid share quite a bit of personal information, that the church at large, has not heard (in this detail), as of yet. It was taking a risk; but I felt it was well worth it.
Over the past few years, I have learned the incredible benefits of taking risks such as this. When someone steps forward to share the reality of life with a small group of caring people, they almost always respond with love and support. And then, in most cases, they respond in kind. They begin to share the reality of their lives as well. And once people are sharing the reality of life and not a made up spiritual fantasy, God seems to respond by helping people grow toward Him and together, in ways that seemed "far off" before.
My prayer is that will happen in our group. Even if it does not, I am thankful for the love and support that was shown me; and the encouragement I sensed from the Spirit of God, that, in sharing my life, I had done what was pleasing to Him. As always, I want to be:
Growing in Grace
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
SHOW ME THE WAY: A MESSAGE
SHOW ME THE WAY
Mark 11:27-12:17
Please turn in your Bible to Mark 11. In the Bible in front of you, it page 877 or 895.
This article appeared in the USA TODAY on March 6, 2008: “Thousands may be infected by Vegas clinic. In a type of scandal more often associated with Third World countries, a Las Vegas clinic was found to be reusing syringes and vials of medication for nearly four years. The shoddy practices may have led to an outbreak of the potentially fatal hepatitis C virus and exposed patients to HIV, too.
The discovery led to the biggest public health notification operation in U.S. history, brought demands for investigations and caused scores of lawyers to seek out patients at risk for infections. Thousands of patients are being urged to be tested for the viruses. Six acute cases of hepatitis C have been confirmed. The surgical center and five affiliated clinics have been closed.
One of the infected patients is retired airplane mechanic Michael Washington, 67, who was the first to report his infection. Washington describes his virus as a “creeping death sentence” and worries that others will hear his story and think twice before getting preventive care they need.”
When I first read this story, I thought: how can this be true? The hospital is supposed to be the place that cares for sick people and helps them heal. In this case, it actually caused life threatening infections to occur because they cut corners and cared more about themselves than the people who came for medical treatment.
Unfortunately, this is what Jesus was dealing with in a far more life-threatening way: in spiritual life and death matters.
The religious leaders had set themselves up as the spiritual health authorities; but they were actually causing more damage to those who came to them for guidance. In fact, Jesus summed up the devastating affect they were having when He said:
Matthew 23:15 – “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.”
Wow! The so-called spiritual authorities were actually leading people away from the God who could save them; and away from Jesus Christ, the One who was going to die for them very soon. Now, near the end of His earthly life, Jesus is re-claiming the authority on spiritual matters; and He is confronting the imposters with their deadly practices.
You actually have a decision to make as it relates to the authority for your spiritual life. You can trust in the religious tradition passed down over centuries, which includes trust in yourself; or you can trust in the person of Jesus Christ. This morning’s passages of Scripture challenge us to consider our real authority.
Follow God’s authority over man’s – every time
Mark 11:27, 28 – “And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?"
We need to remember what had just taken place before this. Jesus had come into Jerusalem and noted the religious façade and spiritual death that was all around Him. Worship had become about the worshipper, not about God; and the religious leaders were taking advantage of their spiritual positions. Jesus came into the temple courts, overturned the tables of those who had been extorting people in order to sell them things for sacrifice. He also turned over the benches of those selling the birds for sacrifice. Jesus had assumed the authority for how people were to be worshipping.
The next day, Jesus and His disciples were back in Jerusalem, back in the temple courts, and back in controversy. The religious leaders posed another question, in order to get Jesus in trouble, and to trap Him. There was no question that Jesus was being seen as one who had authority. From the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, people recognized that Jesus was the one speaking with God’s authority:
Mark 1:22 – “And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.”
The religious leaders felt they were the only authorized ones to speak God’s Word. They had the religious authority. Some people and churches still believe that today: that only certain men in certain positions have the authority to interpret God’s Word. So, the religious leaders decided to call Jesus out and question His authority for everything he was doing (including coming into the temple courts and throwing over tables and kicking everyone out) But, as usual, Jesus responds to criticism and traps with a question and trap of His own:
Mark 11:29-32 – “Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me. And they discussed it with one another, saying, If we say, From heaven, he will say, Why then did you not believe him? But shall we say, From man? They were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.”
They were trapped. If they admitted John had authority from God, they would be admitting that they opposed God and His servant. If they said it was from man, they would be denying that John was sent from God. And this fact they knew: The people believed John was a prophet from God. They weren’t about to cause them to be upset. So:
Mark 11:33 – “So they answered Jesus, We do not know. And Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
Jesus asked: Was John’s baptism, his entire ministry, from God, being given His authority, or not? The religious leaders were in a bind, as they explained. The point was that Jesus already had the authority. He didn’t need a license. He didn’t need permission; especially permission from the religious leaders. This incident would just raise the hostility level of the religious leaders and bring to a head what would result in Jesus’ trials and death a few days later. Don’t forget that the disciples were watching all of this take place.
The disciples were going to need this kind of confidence, this type of thinking. The real authority was God, not man. In the end, they would answer to God, not man, for how they lived their lives. They would need this example, for many situation s they would face in the future, once Jesus left. One example of this is when The Apostles were arrested for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were then released and re-arrested after they preached the same gospel. When asked why they continued to preach even though they had been threatened and commanded not to, Peter said:
Acts 5:29 – “…We must obey God rather than men. The God of our father raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Jesus was getting His disciples ready to face the challenge of living out the gospel and sharing the good news of Christ without His visible presence. Today, we face the same challenge: without the visible presence of Jesus, we are to live out the gospel message and share the good news of Christ with others.
The authority of God is challenged everywhere. It is challenged in the political arena, the courts of justice and in the classroom. It is challenged in the media, in our own families, and in our own hearts. Every day, you make decisions based on the authority that you are going to follow; and following God’s authority every time is not easy – but it is the challenge God has given you.
Is there some challenge in your life right now, that falls into this area of deciding whether or not you will follow the authority of God? What are you going to do?
The authority of God continued to be challenged; and Jesus tells a story that illustrates this important point:
Trust in Jesus Christ as your leader and Savior
Mark 12:1,2 – “And he began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower; and leased it to tenants and went into another country. When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.”
He began to speak to “them” in parables. Who are the “them” that He is speaking to? Jesus is now in the mode of direct confrontation. And in this case, He uses a parable to confront the religious leaders for questioning His authority from God; confronting those who were strategizing to destroy Him. This story would illustrate what was about to happen in real life.
The situation Jesus chose in his story was a common arrangement in First Century Palestine, so Jesus’ this rang true with His audience. Those who were wealthy would hire people to stay on their farms and cultivate the crops (or vineyards) while they were away. At harvest time, they would send a representative to collect “rent”, so to speak – some of the fruit of the harvest. However, this would often times bring strife between the landlords that were never there and those who took care of the property. This strife led to the ultimate human tragedy in Jesus’ story:
Mark 12:3-5 – “And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed.”
This is a judgment against these religious leaders. The Bible describes God’s people Israel as His vineyard. God had left His vineyard in the care of these religious leaders. They were to cultivate it with God’s Word, care for His people, and help them grow to bear fruit in God. But, instead, the religious leaders used God’s vineyard for their own purposes, and neglected the real reason for the vineyard.
And when God sent people (prophets) to challenge the renegade shepherds of Israel, these tenant religious leaders abused the prophets, rejected them, and in some cases killed them (John the Baptist). John the Baptist had been sent by God to see fruit produced. John had said this to the crowds listening to Him:
Luke 3:8 – “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance…”
This is not what had taken place under the care of the religious leaders. So Jesus had some harsh words for them:
Matthew 23:29,33,34 – “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you kill and crucify, and some you flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.”
In Jesus’ story, the owner had one more messenger he could send:
Mark 12:6-8 – “He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, They will respect my son. But those tenants said to one another, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours. And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.”
Let’s see: who else had been called a “beloved son” by God?
Mark 1:11 – “And a voice came from heaven, You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
They were looking at the one whom God, the vineyard owner, had sent: His beloved Son. And in just a few days from the time that Jesus told that story, they would take Jesus, try Him, flog Him, and put Him to death.
In that day, if there was no right-ful heir, those who cared for the property could receive it once the owner was dead. In Jesus’ story, the tenants kill the son, perhaps the only heir, claiming that this property and its fruit is all theirs. This is what the religious leaders were doing, as they questioned the authority of Jesus. Jesus was claiming the vineyard for God, and the religious leaders needed to destroy Him, so that they could have full control over God’s people; and reap the material benefits of such control.
Jesus then gives the consequences for what the religious leaders have done, in the climax of his story.
Mark 12:9 – “What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
Very soon, the rejection by Israel and its leaders, of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, would bring the consequence of having the gospel given to the Gentiles, and Israel being set aside for a time of judgment. And those religious leaders would eventually answer for their sins against God and his people as well.
Jesus then makes the connection to Himself and the religious leaders listening to Him. He changes the illustration to fit the ongoing impact Jesus would have, even after He was killed:
Mark 12:10,11 – “Have you not read this Scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22,23, a text that the Bible recognizes as an allusion to the coming Messiah. Jesus was the stone that the builders (the Jewish religious leaders) rejected. This stone, Jesus, has become the cornerstone, the most important part of the building. The building, that would become the people of God: the church, was begun and would be forever held together by the one who was rejected by the people and religious leaders He came to save!
Peter would later preach:
Acts 4:11,12 – “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation is no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
This is a question of authority. Jesus was sent to set men free; and they killed Him. They were set in their religious ways; and even when the truth was embodied in a person, they could not see it; they could not accept it.
In 1996, more people died on Mount Everest than any year before or since. It could have been a lot worse. A Russian climber named Anatoli Boukereev was working as a guide on a commercial expedition. On May 10th, he helped prepare the final stretch of trail to the summit. He reached the top ahead of his clients, and noticed that the weather was getting bad. He wanted to tell them to turn around, but he didn’t have the authority—the expedition was led by Scott Fischer.
Anatoli raced down to camp, hurrying past clients that were still on their way up the mountain. He reached the camp ahead of the storm; he climbed into his sleeping bag and starting drinking lots of hot tea. By that time, everybody saw the weather was about to get bad, and some people accused Anatoli of abandoning his clients to save himself. Anatoli knew what he was doing, even though nobody else in the camp did. He was recharging so that he could respond to the inevitable tragedy.
Anatoli didn’t care about the critics; he cared about his clients. The weather got terrible; it closed in on many climbers who were coming down the mountain, stranding them far away from the safety of their camp. Soon it was night, the wind was deafening, and the blowing snow made flashlights useless. That’s when Anatoli went into action. He hiked up and down the mountain—by himself—searching for lost climbers. He found every lost climber that belonged to his team—and even saved some from other expeditions. Scott Fischer, the team leader, was still high on the mountain. By the time Anatoli reached him, the sun was coming up—and Scott was dead.
Anatoli’s effort has been called the most amazing high-altitude rescue in the history of Himalayan climbing. He knew the alpine rules, and he followed them perfectly. When he saw tragedy approaching, he got himself into condition so that he could respond effectively.
This is the owner of all things (God) – His Son (Jesus Christ), who knew our situation; and unlike the religious leaders of His day, was able and willing to come and do something about it: He died for us and became the cornerstone that holds our faith together. Unlike the majority of people 2,000 years ago; and unlike the majority of people today, we must decide to respond by trusting in Him for salvation and making Him the leader of our lives today.
Where are you with this? Have you made the commitment of your heart and life to the one who made the commitment to you? Have you trusted in Jesus Christ for your salvation? Have you turned over the leadership of your life to Him?
Testimony: Brian Malion
Well, how did the religious leaders respond to this story about God’s authority?
Mark 12:12 – “And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.”
They wanted to arrest Him, and destroy Him as soon as possible. But, they couldn’t do that yet, as Jesus’ story was obviously about them. They feared an uprising of the people who were listening to Jesus and who lauded Him as the one who had the real religious authority.
But, this didn’t stop these that were wanting to rid themselves of Jesus. They continued the pursuit of trapping Him, turning people against Him, and hopefully doing away with Him - just like Jesus had warned in His story.
Mark 12:13- “And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk.”
Let’s be reminded here who we are talking about. The Pharisees were the most influential religious party of Jesus’ day, there in Palestine. They were devoted to the Law of Moses, laying down extra rules and laws, passed down by the traditions of religious leaders who had come before. They believed they were the righteous ones before God, because of all the extra rules they kept and made binding for everyone else as well.
The Herodians were the political supports of Herod Antipas. They were also seeking to destroy Jesus, because just like John the Baptist, who needed to be done away with, Jesus claimed authority over people’s lives; and the Herodians believed the authority rested with their government official: Herod Antipas. According to them, Jesus was a trouble-maker and had to be dealt with – severely.
These two groups actually hated one another with a passion; but they hated Jesus more; and so they became strange allies in this war to destroy Jesus Christ.
Mark 12:14- “And they came and said to him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar; or not? Should we pay them, or should we not’?”
These deceivers freely spilled out flattery and said things they didn’t mean, in order to set the trap. If you have ever had someone who obviously hates you talk to you like this, then you know how deceptive and evil it is. These guys called Jesus teacher and addressed him as though they believed that He taught with wisdom and knowledge (even though they actually opposed most of what Jesus said). They pour out the flattery and then follow up with the trap question:
Is it right, or not, to pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay them, or not? According to Josephus, the First Century historian, the taxes referred to here was the annual poll tax demanded by the Roman emperor from all Jews, ever since Judea became a Roman province. The tax money went right into the treasury of the Emperor, and was a continual reminder of the Jewish people’s submission to Roman rule.
The Herodians were huge political supporters of the tax. The Pharisees were opposed to the tax, believing it demonstrated unfaithfulness to God. The people, of course, hated it. This question was to put Jesus in a no-win situation. If he opposed the tax, then hopefully Rome would get upset and retaliate against him. If he supported the tax, then hopefully the general populace would rebel against him. Not only did they hate the tax, but how could a so-called Messiah agree with the forced submission to these pagan rulers? He couldn’t!
Mark 12:15-17 – “But, knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it. And they brought one. And he said to them, Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to him, Caesar’s . Jesus said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marveled at him.”
Jesus knew exactly what they were doing; so he did not fall into the trap. Instead, he used it as a teaching opportunity. He calls them on it: Why put me to the test?, and then asks for a visual teaching aid: bring me a denarius. This small silver coin was the only coin accepted for the taxes.
On the coin was the portrait of Caesar and the inscription, in Latin, which read: “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of the Divine Augustus”, and on the reverse side: “Chief Priest.” These words came from the worship of the Emperor as though he were a god. And this really upset the Jewish people.
But, to use the coins showed that you were under the authority of that ruler; and part of that authority included receiving taxes for the “benefits” received from having rulers in government. Jesus said they were to “give” or really “give back” to Caesar what belonged to him. Yes, he said: you should pay your taxes. It is your obligation, regardless of how you feel about Roman rule.
Commentator Jerry Vines wrote: “It is the right of government to impose certain requirements on its citizens. The Bible makes clear that Christians are to be good citizens. We are to pay our bills. We are to obey the laws of the land. We are to pay a stipulated portion of taxes. The word of God recognizes that Government has certain authorities over life. If we didn’t have the state, if we didn’t have government, society would be chaotic. Some guidelines are necessary for a society to function the way it ought to function. You and I cannot provide our own water supply, our own road system, our own police protection. We do receive certain privileges, certain benefits, from government. So our Lord said, if you are going to receive the benefits, you must assume certain responsibilities.”
But, Jesus’ main point was not about paying the toll tax. It was revealed, when he added: “And give back to God the things that are God’s.” Jesus was not talking, necessarily, about paying the temple tax or giving more in the offering. Instead, He was referring to the fact that true honor and worship belong only to God: that is what is due him for who He is and what He has done. His image, the Bible says, is stamped on us. We were all made in His (God’s) image:
Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
And since we bear the image of God, we owe Him our lives – that is what is due Him – our continual, daily worship.
Give God what is due Him – your continual life worship
The year was 1928 and a would-be mechanic was working on his Ford automobile.He couldn’t get it to run. About then a new Ford pulled up, and out stepped a well-dressed gentleman in a derby hat with a cane. He looked at the engine and confidently suggested, "If you’ll adjust this screw here, your car will run."Well, the would-be mechanic stared at the stranger and thought, "he doesn’t look like a mechanic!"
B
ut then he’d already tried everything he knew to do. So he adjusted that screw, kicked the starter, and lo and behold, his car sprang to life. In amazement the man turned to the helpful stranger and said, "Just who are you anyway?" And the man stuck out his hand and said, "The name’s Ford, my boy. Henry Ford! I made that car! I ought to know what makes it run."
And so it is with each of our lives. Your maker, your creator, God, knows what this life and eternal life are all about. He knows what is best for you. He is THE AUTHORITY on life; and you have the opportunity to learn of Him and follow Him. He will show you the way. And by the way, this is a daily choice.
Will you re-commit yourself, today, to give to Him what He is due? Will you give Him EVERY AREA of your life? Take a moment and tell Him what it is you are willing to do, in response to His Word this morning.
Prayer
“Show Me The Way”
Mark 11:27-12:17
Please turn in your Bible to Mark 11. In the Bible in front of you, it page 877 or 895.
This article appeared in the USA TODAY on March 6, 2008: “Thousands may be infected by Vegas clinic. In a type of scandal more often associated with Third World countries, a Las Vegas clinic was found to be reusing syringes and vials of medication for nearly four years. The shoddy practices may have led to an outbreak of the potentially fatal hepatitis C virus and exposed patients to HIV, too.
The discovery led to the biggest public health notification operation in U.S. history, brought demands for investigations and caused scores of lawyers to seek out patients at risk for infections. Thousands of patients are being urged to be tested for the viruses. Six acute cases of hepatitis C have been confirmed. The surgical center and five affiliated clinics have been closed.
One of the infected patients is retired airplane mechanic Michael Washington, 67, who was the first to report his infection. Washington describes his virus as a “creeping death sentence” and worries that others will hear his story and think twice before getting preventive care they need.”
When I first read this story, I thought: how can this be true? The hospital is supposed to be the place that cares for sick people and helps them heal. In this case, it actually caused life threatening infections to occur because they cut corners and cared more about themselves than the people who came for medical treatment.
Unfortunately, this is what Jesus was dealing with in a far more life-threatening way: in spiritual life and death matters.
The religious leaders had set themselves up as the spiritual health authorities; but they were actually causing more damage to those who came to them for guidance. In fact, Jesus summed up the devastating affect they were having when He said:
Matthew 23:15 – “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.”
Wow! The so-called spiritual authorities were actually leading people away from the God who could save them; and away from Jesus Christ, the One who was going to die for them very soon. Now, near the end of His earthly life, Jesus is re-claiming the authority on spiritual matters; and He is confronting the imposters with their deadly practices.
You actually have a decision to make as it relates to the authority for your spiritual life. You can trust in the religious tradition passed down over centuries, which includes trust in yourself; or you can trust in the person of Jesus Christ. This morning’s passages of Scripture challenge us to consider our real authority.
Follow God’s authority over man’s – every time
Mark 11:27, 28 – “And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?"
We need to remember what had just taken place before this. Jesus had come into Jerusalem and noted the religious façade and spiritual death that was all around Him. Worship had become about the worshipper, not about God; and the religious leaders were taking advantage of their spiritual positions. Jesus came into the temple courts, overturned the tables of those who had been extorting people in order to sell them things for sacrifice. He also turned over the benches of those selling the birds for sacrifice. Jesus had assumed the authority for how people were to be worshipping.
The next day, Jesus and His disciples were back in Jerusalem, back in the temple courts, and back in controversy. The religious leaders posed another question, in order to get Jesus in trouble, and to trap Him. There was no question that Jesus was being seen as one who had authority. From the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, people recognized that Jesus was the one speaking with God’s authority:
Mark 1:22 – “And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.”
The religious leaders felt they were the only authorized ones to speak God’s Word. They had the religious authority. Some people and churches still believe that today: that only certain men in certain positions have the authority to interpret God’s Word. So, the religious leaders decided to call Jesus out and question His authority for everything he was doing (including coming into the temple courts and throwing over tables and kicking everyone out) But, as usual, Jesus responds to criticism and traps with a question and trap of His own:
Mark 11:29-32 – “Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me. And they discussed it with one another, saying, If we say, From heaven, he will say, Why then did you not believe him? But shall we say, From man? They were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.”
They were trapped. If they admitted John had authority from God, they would be admitting that they opposed God and His servant. If they said it was from man, they would be denying that John was sent from God. And this fact they knew: The people believed John was a prophet from God. They weren’t about to cause them to be upset. So:
Mark 11:33 – “So they answered Jesus, We do not know. And Jesus said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
Jesus asked: Was John’s baptism, his entire ministry, from God, being given His authority, or not? The religious leaders were in a bind, as they explained. The point was that Jesus already had the authority. He didn’t need a license. He didn’t need permission; especially permission from the religious leaders. This incident would just raise the hostility level of the religious leaders and bring to a head what would result in Jesus’ trials and death a few days later. Don’t forget that the disciples were watching all of this take place.
The disciples were going to need this kind of confidence, this type of thinking. The real authority was God, not man. In the end, they would answer to God, not man, for how they lived their lives. They would need this example, for many situation s they would face in the future, once Jesus left. One example of this is when The Apostles were arrested for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were then released and re-arrested after they preached the same gospel. When asked why they continued to preach even though they had been threatened and commanded not to, Peter said:
Acts 5:29 – “…We must obey God rather than men. The God of our father raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Jesus was getting His disciples ready to face the challenge of living out the gospel and sharing the good news of Christ without His visible presence. Today, we face the same challenge: without the visible presence of Jesus, we are to live out the gospel message and share the good news of Christ with others.
The authority of God is challenged everywhere. It is challenged in the political arena, the courts of justice and in the classroom. It is challenged in the media, in our own families, and in our own hearts. Every day, you make decisions based on the authority that you are going to follow; and following God’s authority every time is not easy – but it is the challenge God has given you.
Is there some challenge in your life right now, that falls into this area of deciding whether or not you will follow the authority of God? What are you going to do?
The authority of God continued to be challenged; and Jesus tells a story that illustrates this important point:
Trust in Jesus Christ as your leader and Savior
Mark 12:1,2 – “And he began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower; and leased it to tenants and went into another country. When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.”
He began to speak to “them” in parables. Who are the “them” that He is speaking to? Jesus is now in the mode of direct confrontation. And in this case, He uses a parable to confront the religious leaders for questioning His authority from God; confronting those who were strategizing to destroy Him. This story would illustrate what was about to happen in real life.
The situation Jesus chose in his story was a common arrangement in First Century Palestine, so Jesus’ this rang true with His audience. Those who were wealthy would hire people to stay on their farms and cultivate the crops (or vineyards) while they were away. At harvest time, they would send a representative to collect “rent”, so to speak – some of the fruit of the harvest. However, this would often times bring strife between the landlords that were never there and those who took care of the property. This strife led to the ultimate human tragedy in Jesus’ story:
Mark 12:3-5 – “And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed.”
This is a judgment against these religious leaders. The Bible describes God’s people Israel as His vineyard. God had left His vineyard in the care of these religious leaders. They were to cultivate it with God’s Word, care for His people, and help them grow to bear fruit in God. But, instead, the religious leaders used God’s vineyard for their own purposes, and neglected the real reason for the vineyard.
And when God sent people (prophets) to challenge the renegade shepherds of Israel, these tenant religious leaders abused the prophets, rejected them, and in some cases killed them (John the Baptist). John the Baptist had been sent by God to see fruit produced. John had said this to the crowds listening to Him:
Luke 3:8 – “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance…”
This is not what had taken place under the care of the religious leaders. So Jesus had some harsh words for them:
Matthew 23:29,33,34 – “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you kill and crucify, and some you flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.”
In Jesus’ story, the owner had one more messenger he could send:
Mark 12:6-8 – “He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, They will respect my son. But those tenants said to one another, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours. And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.”
Let’s see: who else had been called a “beloved son” by God?
Mark 1:11 – “And a voice came from heaven, You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
They were looking at the one whom God, the vineyard owner, had sent: His beloved Son. And in just a few days from the time that Jesus told that story, they would take Jesus, try Him, flog Him, and put Him to death.
In that day, if there was no right-ful heir, those who cared for the property could receive it once the owner was dead. In Jesus’ story, the tenants kill the son, perhaps the only heir, claiming that this property and its fruit is all theirs. This is what the religious leaders were doing, as they questioned the authority of Jesus. Jesus was claiming the vineyard for God, and the religious leaders needed to destroy Him, so that they could have full control over God’s people; and reap the material benefits of such control.
Jesus then gives the consequences for what the religious leaders have done, in the climax of his story.
Mark 12:9 – “What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
Very soon, the rejection by Israel and its leaders, of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, would bring the consequence of having the gospel given to the Gentiles, and Israel being set aside for a time of judgment. And those religious leaders would eventually answer for their sins against God and his people as well.
Jesus then makes the connection to Himself and the religious leaders listening to Him. He changes the illustration to fit the ongoing impact Jesus would have, even after He was killed:
Mark 12:10,11 – “Have you not read this Scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22,23, a text that the Bible recognizes as an allusion to the coming Messiah. Jesus was the stone that the builders (the Jewish religious leaders) rejected. This stone, Jesus, has become the cornerstone, the most important part of the building. The building, that would become the people of God: the church, was begun and would be forever held together by the one who was rejected by the people and religious leaders He came to save!
Peter would later preach:
Acts 4:11,12 – “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation is no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
This is a question of authority. Jesus was sent to set men free; and they killed Him. They were set in their religious ways; and even when the truth was embodied in a person, they could not see it; they could not accept it.
In 1996, more people died on Mount Everest than any year before or since. It could have been a lot worse. A Russian climber named Anatoli Boukereev was working as a guide on a commercial expedition. On May 10th, he helped prepare the final stretch of trail to the summit. He reached the top ahead of his clients, and noticed that the weather was getting bad. He wanted to tell them to turn around, but he didn’t have the authority—the expedition was led by Scott Fischer.
Anatoli raced down to camp, hurrying past clients that were still on their way up the mountain. He reached the camp ahead of the storm; he climbed into his sleeping bag and starting drinking lots of hot tea. By that time, everybody saw the weather was about to get bad, and some people accused Anatoli of abandoning his clients to save himself. Anatoli knew what he was doing, even though nobody else in the camp did. He was recharging so that he could respond to the inevitable tragedy.
Anatoli didn’t care about the critics; he cared about his clients. The weather got terrible; it closed in on many climbers who were coming down the mountain, stranding them far away from the safety of their camp. Soon it was night, the wind was deafening, and the blowing snow made flashlights useless. That’s when Anatoli went into action. He hiked up and down the mountain—by himself—searching for lost climbers. He found every lost climber that belonged to his team—and even saved some from other expeditions. Scott Fischer, the team leader, was still high on the mountain. By the time Anatoli reached him, the sun was coming up—and Scott was dead.
Anatoli’s effort has been called the most amazing high-altitude rescue in the history of Himalayan climbing. He knew the alpine rules, and he followed them perfectly. When he saw tragedy approaching, he got himself into condition so that he could respond effectively.
This is the owner of all things (God) – His Son (Jesus Christ), who knew our situation; and unlike the religious leaders of His day, was able and willing to come and do something about it: He died for us and became the cornerstone that holds our faith together. Unlike the majority of people 2,000 years ago; and unlike the majority of people today, we must decide to respond by trusting in Him for salvation and making Him the leader of our lives today.
Where are you with this? Have you made the commitment of your heart and life to the one who made the commitment to you? Have you trusted in Jesus Christ for your salvation? Have you turned over the leadership of your life to Him?
Testimony: Brian Malion
Well, how did the religious leaders respond to this story about God’s authority?
Mark 12:12 – “And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.”
They wanted to arrest Him, and destroy Him as soon as possible. But, they couldn’t do that yet, as Jesus’ story was obviously about them. They feared an uprising of the people who were listening to Jesus and who lauded Him as the one who had the real religious authority.
But, this didn’t stop these that were wanting to rid themselves of Jesus. They continued the pursuit of trapping Him, turning people against Him, and hopefully doing away with Him - just like Jesus had warned in His story.
Mark 12:13- “And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk.”
Let’s be reminded here who we are talking about. The Pharisees were the most influential religious party of Jesus’ day, there in Palestine. They were devoted to the Law of Moses, laying down extra rules and laws, passed down by the traditions of religious leaders who had come before. They believed they were the righteous ones before God, because of all the extra rules they kept and made binding for everyone else as well.
The Herodians were the political supports of Herod Antipas. They were also seeking to destroy Jesus, because just like John the Baptist, who needed to be done away with, Jesus claimed authority over people’s lives; and the Herodians believed the authority rested with their government official: Herod Antipas. According to them, Jesus was a trouble-maker and had to be dealt with – severely.
These two groups actually hated one another with a passion; but they hated Jesus more; and so they became strange allies in this war to destroy Jesus Christ.
Mark 12:14- “And they came and said to him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar; or not? Should we pay them, or should we not’?”
These deceivers freely spilled out flattery and said things they didn’t mean, in order to set the trap. If you have ever had someone who obviously hates you talk to you like this, then you know how deceptive and evil it is. These guys called Jesus teacher and addressed him as though they believed that He taught with wisdom and knowledge (even though they actually opposed most of what Jesus said). They pour out the flattery and then follow up with the trap question:
Is it right, or not, to pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay them, or not? According to Josephus, the First Century historian, the taxes referred to here was the annual poll tax demanded by the Roman emperor from all Jews, ever since Judea became a Roman province. The tax money went right into the treasury of the Emperor, and was a continual reminder of the Jewish people’s submission to Roman rule.
The Herodians were huge political supporters of the tax. The Pharisees were opposed to the tax, believing it demonstrated unfaithfulness to God. The people, of course, hated it. This question was to put Jesus in a no-win situation. If he opposed the tax, then hopefully Rome would get upset and retaliate against him. If he supported the tax, then hopefully the general populace would rebel against him. Not only did they hate the tax, but how could a so-called Messiah agree with the forced submission to these pagan rulers? He couldn’t!
Mark 12:15-17 – “But, knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it. And they brought one. And he said to them, Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to him, Caesar’s . Jesus said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marveled at him.”
Jesus knew exactly what they were doing; so he did not fall into the trap. Instead, he used it as a teaching opportunity. He calls them on it: Why put me to the test?, and then asks for a visual teaching aid: bring me a denarius. This small silver coin was the only coin accepted for the taxes.
On the coin was the portrait of Caesar and the inscription, in Latin, which read: “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of the Divine Augustus”, and on the reverse side: “Chief Priest.” These words came from the worship of the Emperor as though he were a god. And this really upset the Jewish people.
But, to use the coins showed that you were under the authority of that ruler; and part of that authority included receiving taxes for the “benefits” received from having rulers in government. Jesus said they were to “give” or really “give back” to Caesar what belonged to him. Yes, he said: you should pay your taxes. It is your obligation, regardless of how you feel about Roman rule.
Commentator Jerry Vines wrote: “It is the right of government to impose certain requirements on its citizens. The Bible makes clear that Christians are to be good citizens. We are to pay our bills. We are to obey the laws of the land. We are to pay a stipulated portion of taxes. The word of God recognizes that Government has certain authorities over life. If we didn’t have the state, if we didn’t have government, society would be chaotic. Some guidelines are necessary for a society to function the way it ought to function. You and I cannot provide our own water supply, our own road system, our own police protection. We do receive certain privileges, certain benefits, from government. So our Lord said, if you are going to receive the benefits, you must assume certain responsibilities.”
But, Jesus’ main point was not about paying the toll tax. It was revealed, when he added: “And give back to God the things that are God’s.” Jesus was not talking, necessarily, about paying the temple tax or giving more in the offering. Instead, He was referring to the fact that true honor and worship belong only to God: that is what is due him for who He is and what He has done. His image, the Bible says, is stamped on us. We were all made in His (God’s) image:
Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
And since we bear the image of God, we owe Him our lives – that is what is due Him – our continual, daily worship.
Give God what is due Him – your continual life worship
The year was 1928 and a would-be mechanic was working on his Ford automobile.He couldn’t get it to run. About then a new Ford pulled up, and out stepped a well-dressed gentleman in a derby hat with a cane. He looked at the engine and confidently suggested, "If you’ll adjust this screw here, your car will run."Well, the would-be mechanic stared at the stranger and thought, "he doesn’t look like a mechanic!"
B
ut then he’d already tried everything he knew to do. So he adjusted that screw, kicked the starter, and lo and behold, his car sprang to life. In amazement the man turned to the helpful stranger and said, "Just who are you anyway?" And the man stuck out his hand and said, "The name’s Ford, my boy. Henry Ford! I made that car! I ought to know what makes it run."
And so it is with each of our lives. Your maker, your creator, God, knows what this life and eternal life are all about. He knows what is best for you. He is THE AUTHORITY on life; and you have the opportunity to learn of Him and follow Him. He will show you the way. And by the way, this is a daily choice.
Will you re-commit yourself, today, to give to Him what He is due? Will you give Him EVERY AREA of your life? Take a moment and tell Him what it is you are willing to do, in response to His Word this morning.
Prayer
“Show Me The Way”
Thursday, September 4, 2008
CHILD - LIKE FAITH: A message
This message was preached at Grace Baptist church in Westlake, OH on August 31, 2008. An audio version can be heard at: www.gbcwestlake.org and click on Listen now. Every time I preach on the issue of faith (and that has seemed to come up a lot in the book of Mark), I am challenged with my own lack of it. The encouraging thing is that the faith we need to have is accessible at all times: it is the faith of a child. It is not easy to have; but simple in its practice. It is believing everything God has said to be true; and following Him with all my heart.
CHILD-LIKE FAITH
Mark 10:13-16, 32-52
Please open your Bible to Mark 10. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 875 or 893.
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher explained it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah. The teacher asked, What if Jonah went to hell? The little girl replied, Then you ask him.”
Don’t you love the faith and honesty of children?
This morning’s passages are about faith and serving in humility. And the greatest examples Jesus could find of these crucial qualities were children. First:
Child-Like Faith is the only way to God
Mark 10:13 – “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them.”
[All the children who are willing come running down the aisles to Greg]
People were bringing young children to Jesus so that He would have personal contact with them: a touch. They felt that would give their children a special blessing for their futures. Of course, the disciples have to try and screw it up by telling the people: “Hey, what do you think you’re doing. Jesus is trying to teach here. Why are you bringing all these messy, snotty nosed brats to bother Him? Take them somewhere else.” They probably thought they were protecting Jesus in some way; but they had it all wrong. Once again they blew it! They didn’t understand what Jesus was all about.
Many people, unfortunately, see children like this as a nuisance. They think that if you take time out of other important things, that you are wasting your time. Some people might have been thinking, while the kids were coming down: “Hey, kids shouldn’t be running in church. They shouldn’t be loud. Where are there parents? But, that is not what Jesus thought of them. That is not what Jesus thinks of these children.
Mark 10:14 – “But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
Jesus was ticked off at the disciples’ reaction. Let them come to me, He said, and stop keeping them from me. What are you doing? They represent what the Kingdom of God is all about. He was not pronouncing, here, that all children are automatically saved and going to Heaven.
But, he was using these children to say how valuable they were. This is what the kingdom of God is all about. Do they something do things they shouldn’t do, and say things they shouldn’t say? Do they sometimes cause us a little stress? Yes. But, there is no greater example of faith and humility than a child; and there is no way you are getting to Heaven unless you become like one of these!
Before you go kids – will you come around me a little closer; and I would like to pray for you:
Prayer
Thanks kids – you are welcome to go. 4 and 5 year olds, follow Miss Renee out the side door; and then 1-3rd graders – you can follow them out as well.
In fact, what He says next is to show how these children are a great example to all of us.
Mark 10:15 – “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Here is His main point, as He accepted the children to come and said that it is children like this that receive the Kingdom of God. He is using the children as an example to say this: Do you want to go Heaven? Do you want to be with God someday, for eternity? There is one thing you must obtain in order to have eternal life.
You must have child-like faith in order to have eternal life.
It takes child like faith to believe in a God you cannot see. It takes child like faith to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, when the world around you doubts that message and says there is more than one way to Heaven. It takes child like faith to simply believe what the Bible says and then to apply it.
SO WHAT? Place your faith in Jesus Christ
There is a time in a child’s life, very early on, where he accepts what dad or mom has to say, without question. He may complain; but as far as the truth of the statement and fully believing that mom and dad know everything, there is no question. Once we grow up, we start to question everything, including our parents.
You cannot come to Christ unless you become, in faith, like a young child. Complete faith is believing that everything the Bible says about Jesus is true, even though you have not seen it with your own eyes. No matter how old you are, Jesus said you must come to Him like a child, in this way.
And just like those children, who freely received the blessing that Jesus was about to give them; so every person, in order to be saved, must receive the free gift of eternal life, offered by God, through Jesus Christ. You have to humble yourself. It is the person full of pride that thinks he can make it to Heaven on his own merit. It is the pride of the Pharisees to think you can get to God on by your good works. It is a child like faith that places all trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
And this continues for those of us who already have placed our faith in Christ. We must continually have faith that He knows what is best; even though our adult minds argue that point, and even though we cannot see how it will all work out.
Mark 10:16 – “And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.”
This was not a rented Santa Claus putting the child on the lap and asking for the list of presents that the pretend Santa Claus couldn’t provide. This is Jesus taking these children into His arms, loving them, touching them and blessing them. I don’t think it is just a coincidence that this passage about Jesus and children comes in Mark, just after the passage on divorce. Who is hurt more in split families than the children. And the Holy Spirit made sure that the very next thing we read about in the word of God, is how valued children are to God, even when we adults forget that sometimes.
Since James preached the next passage 2 weeks ago, we will skip ahead to very 32. There is another thing to recognize about child-like faith.
Child-Like Faith follows Christ, even through painful times.
If His disciples were going to follow Christ, they would have to do it with the attitude of a child, who trusts her parents enough to follow them wherever they go. Even if that means pain, discomfort and sorrow. Jesus was about to lead them into some difficult times of suffering; and they would need child-like faith to get them through.
Mark 10:32 – “And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, …”
They are on their way to Jerusalem, which is going to play a key role in Jesus’ final days. He is walking ahead of them, as was the custom for a Rabbi, leading his students along the way. Mark mentions it here, giving this decision by Jesus some significance. We don’t have record other places that Jesus did this. In fact, He seemed to make it a point of not being considered above His followers. However, because of their response: amazement and fear – we can assume they knew something was up.
Jesus was taking the position of leadership, and was going to lead them into some dangerous territory. I think this would be like a field general who announces to his troops where they are headed and he leads the way into battle. And the men following are amazed and scared out of their minds: “What is he doing? What is going to happen to me?” The followers of Christ were about to find out what God’s plan was for Jesus; and they were going to be first hand witnesses of that plan being carried out. Jesus speaks about Himself in:
Mark 10:33, 34 – “saying, See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”
Does this sound at all familiar to you? It was not long ago, back in chapter 8, that Jesus began to reveal to his disciples, what God’s plan was for Him - that this plan included suffering and dying and rising again.Mark 8:31-33 – “And he began to teach them that the son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
When Jesus originally gave this plan, the disciples hated it, and the vocal leader of the group, Peter, took Jesus aside and actually rebuked the God-man for His plan. Their plan was that Jesus would set up His Kingdom right then and there. They would be a part of this glorious triumph over the Roman Government and they would reign with Him victoriously. This whole plan of suffering and dying did not sound like a good one to them.
Jesus rebuked Peter by saying that to oppose God’s plan and try to replace it with man’s plan is actually the voice of Satan: “Get behind me Satan!” So, here Jesus is, sometime later, rehearsing this plan again. And this time, we have no response from the disciples – probably a good idea!
Jesus said, again using the title Son of Man, to refer to Himself, here is what will take place: We are going to all go to Jerusalem and this is what will happen to me:
· I will be betrayed (into the hands of the Jewish leaders)
· I will be condemned to die (at the hands of the Romans)
· Before being killed, I will be mocked, spat on and flogged
· I will rise again!
What should have been their response, do you think?
SO WHAT? Accept God’s plan and follow Christ wherever He leads
One Sunday in March, a Sunday school teacher decided she would find out what her class knew about Easter, which was coming up soon. She was a little saddened when she heard the first boy say: “Easter is when all the family comes to the house, we eat a big turkey and then watch football.” The teacher suggested he might be thinking of Thanksgiving.
Then a little girl took her turn: Easter is the day when you come down the stairs in the morning and see the beautiful presents under the tree. Now, the teacher was getting discouraged. After explaining that the little girl was thinking about Christmas, she chanced it by calling on one more little boy. She was then encouraged when he said:
“Easter is the time when Jesus was crucified and buried.” The teacher was now getting excited, until the boy continued: “And then He comes out of the grave, and if He sees His shadow we have six more weeks of winter.”
So much for that excitement! Kids are great. No, they don’t always understand the finer details of theology and the Bible. They sometimes get mixed up when they are trying to explain things they learned in class. But, what is admirable about children; and one reason Jesus used them as a great example is that they are willing to believe what they are told.Yes, there comes a time when they start to question. But, there is that great age of the younger children, when they believe what their parents tell them. They accept it as fact and they accept it as what life must be.
That is how the disciples were to respond. They were to listen to Jesus explain the plan, and then prepare themselves, not only to see it happen, but to be players in it. The indication was that the disciples were to walk through this with Him. Child like faith says: Ok – that is how it is going to be? Then, let’s go.
The fact is, that God has called many of us to suffer in different ways. Some of you are suffering through an incredible physical crisis; even the prospect of coming death. Some of you are going through pain and suffering in relationships or finances or some other key area of life. Following Christ is not easy; and part of following Him is knowing that He will lead you through some rough waters, in order to glorify Himself and make you what you need to be for Him. Accept that in child-like faith. Jesus is sharing with His followers that this is not about personal comfort and glory.
So, it is very interesting, then, to note the very next thing Mark includes in the text:
Mark 10:35,36 – “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. And he said to them, What do you want me to do for you?”
Now, keep in mind what we just read: Jesus shared with His followers where they were going and what was going to happen to Him. So, at some point, two of His closest disciples come up to Him and asked for a favor. Notice, they called him teacher. They recognized he was the one in charge and had the authority. They wanted Him to use His authority on their behalf. I wonder what they are going to ask for? After Jesus told them His plan and what was coming, I’m sure they were going to be sensitive to that; and see how they could serve Him, right? WRONG!
Mark 10:37 – “And they said to him, Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
They simply could not shake this idea from their minds. They didn’t want to think about the suffering and dying part. They wanted to think about the glory part. And hopefully, that kingdom glory would happen sooner than later. And instead of focusing on Christ, the focus became about them.
They knew the idea of a kingdom. The king would sit on the royal throne, with the highest seats of honor on his right and left. That is the favor they wanted. That is what their hearts and minds were set on.
Jesus reminds them that the glory comes after the suffering; just as he told them would happen to Him:
Mark 10:38 – “Jesus said to them, You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
What in the world is He talking about? He asked them if they were able to drink the cup He would drink. Traditionally, as a royal banquet custom, the king would hand a cup to his guests. This would serve as a metaphor for life and experience. Jesus was asking them if they could go through the same experiences he will go through: the suffering He has already mentioned.
He asked them if they were able to be baptized with the same baptism He was baptized with. And He wasn’t talking about His water baptism. The word used for baptism here means to be fully submerged. In this case, being fully submerged in suffering. Notice their answer in verse 39:
Mark 10:39 – “And they said to him, We are able. And Jesus said to them, The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized”
Jesus knew what would take place in their futures. There would be suffering and physical death. We know from Acts 12:2 that James suffered as the first apostle to be martyred. Later, in Revelation 1:9, we know the John went through much suffering and persecution in His service for the Lord. But, it would not happen as they originally thought. Jesus continued:
Mark 10:40 – “But to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
Jesus is going to focus them on what they should be thinking about, instead of personal glory. The seats of the kingdom will be taken care of by God. They needed to be concerned about their own heart attitudes and have child-like faith as it related to the future kingdom and God’s control over it.
Well, at least it was only 2 of the disciples that were struggling with self-importance, right? WRONG! The other ten were thinking the same exact thing:
Mark 10:41 – “And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.”
Who do James and John think they are? We are just as or more deserving than they are – of the two highest seats of the kingdom. Yeah – we have served Jesus just as much as they have. They were not upset with James and John because they were confronting them with pride. They were upset because they had not thought of it first. They acted offended, but they were ticked off because James and John asked for the greatest seats; and they felt it should be them.
Mark 10:42 - “And Jesus called them to him and said to them, you know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.”
This is the way of the world, Jesus said. Those with authority use it to show power over their subordinates. They are in charge and everybody knows it. The most important thing is to be known as the greatest and to have power over other people – status, position, and power. Jesus had something very different in mind.
Child-Like Faith serves
A child is not there to rule his parents, but to serve the family as directed by his parents. Those living in child-like faith are not looking to be in control of everyone and served by everyone; but to serve others – humbly. Jesus contrasts that worldly view of authority with Christ’s view of servanthood:
Mark 10:43,44 – “But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.”
Wow – this is different thinking! This is not the way the world thinks. It is not even the way churches normally see things. Did you hear what Jesus just said? I’m sure the disciples were cleaning the wax out of their ears. Were they hearing Jesus correctly? Did He just say that if they wanted to be great, they had to become a servant? And did he say, that if you wanted to be first, you had to become a slave?
Yep. That’s exactly what He said. You must become a house servant. You become a bond-slave. James and John had wanted to be the greatest. So did the other ten. Jesus said: O.k – be the greatest – in my kingdom. My kingdom, however, looks different than any other you have ever seen. In my kingdom, the way you become the greatest is to serve others. And then Jesus uses Himself as the greatest example of that:
Mark 10:45 – “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
From the moment that Jesus took the lead in walking ahead of them to Jerusalem, He was going to teach them what it means to humbly submit to the will of God, even when that will includes incredible suffering and pain. Jesus said: I am here, not to be served by others, but to serve others. Not only that, I will serve them in the greatest possible way: I will give my life. He keeps reminding them: this is why I am here. This is what I am going to do.
SO WHAT? Humbly give of yourself for the benefit of others.
This is connected to child-like faith in that humility is a must. A young child humbly submits to authority (at least they are supposed to!) If you want to be what God has called you to be, you must have that same humility. That allows you to serve, demonstrating child-like faith – humbly submitting to Jesus’ example of serving others. What might this look like in the everyday opportunities for humility and service?
Kim – [holds up remote control] “I want to be the greatest. I’m giving up the remote control to Tim for tonight!” [take the remote and go sit down]
Isabella – [carrying laundry basket] “I want to be the greatest. I’m going to help mom with the laundry.” [take the laundry basket out the side door by the organ and piano, take it to dad’s office, and then return to your seat in the worship center]
Andy – [hold up the duster] “I want to be the greatest; so I’m going to do a little dusting.” [ dust off the pulpit, piano and organ – just a little on the top of each on your way out – you can place the duster in the hallway for me to get later]
Steve – [hold up a bottle of water] “I want to be the greatest; so I will give water to those who are thirsty” [hand out water to a few people on your way back to your seat]
Do you want to be the greatest – in God’s eyes? Then humbly serve for the benefit of others – just like Jesus Christ.
There is one more event we need to take notice of this morning, and consider one more thing about the faith of a child:
Child-Like Faith believes that Jesus changes lives completely
This kind of faith is not just about small, incidental things. It is about major things. It includes the physical issues, emotional and spiritual. The man we are about to meet in this passage had to have this child-like faith to believe he could be healed.
Mark 10:46 – “And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.”
This was a common sight near Jericho, the residents of which were considered fairly wealthy in that day. As Jesus and a large crowd were going out of the city, a blind man, who was begging for money, was there on the side of the road.
Mark 10:47,48 – “And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
It was the disciples who rebuked the parents for bringing all the little children to Jesus. Now, the crowd rebukes the blind man for crying out for mercy. He had heard that Jesus was there; and it is evident that he had heard what kind of healing power Jesus had. In fact, by what the blind man said, he knew some other important things about Jesus Christ.
He cried out: “Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me!” The people around Him said: “Shut up! Jesus has more important things to do than to pay attention to you.” Or, they may have even opposed the very words he was saying. But that didn’t stop him: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” His persistence and his words say a lot about this man: Bartimaeus.
Commentators Walvoord and Zuck write that when Bartimaeus used the phrase “Son of David” for Jesus, “it designated the Messiah as David’s Descendant and became a recognized title of the Messiah-King.”
Although blind, his spiritual eyes were wide open, as he recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. This blind man demonstrated child-like faith.
Mark 10:49,50 – “And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, saying to him, Take heart. Get up; he is calling you. And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.”
Jesus used this opportunity to teach the crowd and His disciples, that just like the children, this man as not to be ignored, but encouraged to come to Jesus. This blind beggar was worth Jesus’ time. Yes, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to accomplish God’s will; but this pause in His journey was also an important part of the plan.
The crowd encouraged Bartimaeus to get up- Jesus was calling for Him. He didn’t have to hear that a second time. He threw of his outer cloak, sprang to his feet and found his way to Jesus. This was the moment he had been waiting for – hoping for – praying for.
Mark 10:51 – “And Jesus said to him, What do you want me to do for you? And the blind man said to him, Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”
Jesus wanted him to voice, out loud, a demonstration of his faith in what Jesus could do. Bartimaeus called Him Rabbi, meaning My Lord, My Master. This was another demonstration of his faith. He said: I want you to restore my sight.
Mark 10:52 – “And Jesus said to him, Go your way; your faith has made you well. And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.”
Jesus made it clear – that by what this man said and did, he had demonstrated faith in who Jesus was and in what He could do. Because of that, Jesus said: Your faith has made you well. And as Mark likes to write: Immediately, he recovered his sight and began to follow Jesus.
What a great picture of what happens spiritually! You may be around church, you may be around Jesus. You may even talk about believing. But, until you place your faith solely on Christ for salvation, you are still spiritually blind. And once He gives you spiritual sight, you are to immediately follow His ways.
A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child’s work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, “I’m drawing God.” The teacher paused and said, “but no one knows what God looks like.” Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, “They will in a minute!”
We love the faith of children. This is what our lives are to be like. You may not be able to see God; but as I live out selfless, humble, Child-like faith through service, you get a pretty good picture of who Christ is.
Mark 10:13-16, 32-52
Please open your Bible to Mark 10. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 875 or 893.
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher explained it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah. The teacher asked, What if Jonah went to hell? The little girl replied, Then you ask him.”
Don’t you love the faith and honesty of children?
This morning’s passages are about faith and serving in humility. And the greatest examples Jesus could find of these crucial qualities were children. First:
Child-Like Faith is the only way to God
Mark 10:13 – “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them.”
[All the children who are willing come running down the aisles to Greg]
People were bringing young children to Jesus so that He would have personal contact with them: a touch. They felt that would give their children a special blessing for their futures. Of course, the disciples have to try and screw it up by telling the people: “Hey, what do you think you’re doing. Jesus is trying to teach here. Why are you bringing all these messy, snotty nosed brats to bother Him? Take them somewhere else.” They probably thought they were protecting Jesus in some way; but they had it all wrong. Once again they blew it! They didn’t understand what Jesus was all about.
Many people, unfortunately, see children like this as a nuisance. They think that if you take time out of other important things, that you are wasting your time. Some people might have been thinking, while the kids were coming down: “Hey, kids shouldn’t be running in church. They shouldn’t be loud. Where are there parents? But, that is not what Jesus thought of them. That is not what Jesus thinks of these children.
Mark 10:14 – “But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
Jesus was ticked off at the disciples’ reaction. Let them come to me, He said, and stop keeping them from me. What are you doing? They represent what the Kingdom of God is all about. He was not pronouncing, here, that all children are automatically saved and going to Heaven.
But, he was using these children to say how valuable they were. This is what the kingdom of God is all about. Do they something do things they shouldn’t do, and say things they shouldn’t say? Do they sometimes cause us a little stress? Yes. But, there is no greater example of faith and humility than a child; and there is no way you are getting to Heaven unless you become like one of these!
Before you go kids – will you come around me a little closer; and I would like to pray for you:
Prayer
Thanks kids – you are welcome to go. 4 and 5 year olds, follow Miss Renee out the side door; and then 1-3rd graders – you can follow them out as well.
In fact, what He says next is to show how these children are a great example to all of us.
Mark 10:15 – “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Here is His main point, as He accepted the children to come and said that it is children like this that receive the Kingdom of God. He is using the children as an example to say this: Do you want to go Heaven? Do you want to be with God someday, for eternity? There is one thing you must obtain in order to have eternal life.
You must have child-like faith in order to have eternal life.
It takes child like faith to believe in a God you cannot see. It takes child like faith to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, when the world around you doubts that message and says there is more than one way to Heaven. It takes child like faith to simply believe what the Bible says and then to apply it.
SO WHAT? Place your faith in Jesus Christ
There is a time in a child’s life, very early on, where he accepts what dad or mom has to say, without question. He may complain; but as far as the truth of the statement and fully believing that mom and dad know everything, there is no question. Once we grow up, we start to question everything, including our parents.
You cannot come to Christ unless you become, in faith, like a young child. Complete faith is believing that everything the Bible says about Jesus is true, even though you have not seen it with your own eyes. No matter how old you are, Jesus said you must come to Him like a child, in this way.
And just like those children, who freely received the blessing that Jesus was about to give them; so every person, in order to be saved, must receive the free gift of eternal life, offered by God, through Jesus Christ. You have to humble yourself. It is the person full of pride that thinks he can make it to Heaven on his own merit. It is the pride of the Pharisees to think you can get to God on by your good works. It is a child like faith that places all trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
And this continues for those of us who already have placed our faith in Christ. We must continually have faith that He knows what is best; even though our adult minds argue that point, and even though we cannot see how it will all work out.
Mark 10:16 – “And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.”
This was not a rented Santa Claus putting the child on the lap and asking for the list of presents that the pretend Santa Claus couldn’t provide. This is Jesus taking these children into His arms, loving them, touching them and blessing them. I don’t think it is just a coincidence that this passage about Jesus and children comes in Mark, just after the passage on divorce. Who is hurt more in split families than the children. And the Holy Spirit made sure that the very next thing we read about in the word of God, is how valued children are to God, even when we adults forget that sometimes.
Since James preached the next passage 2 weeks ago, we will skip ahead to very 32. There is another thing to recognize about child-like faith.
Child-Like Faith follows Christ, even through painful times.
If His disciples were going to follow Christ, they would have to do it with the attitude of a child, who trusts her parents enough to follow them wherever they go. Even if that means pain, discomfort and sorrow. Jesus was about to lead them into some difficult times of suffering; and they would need child-like faith to get them through.
Mark 10:32 – “And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, …”
They are on their way to Jerusalem, which is going to play a key role in Jesus’ final days. He is walking ahead of them, as was the custom for a Rabbi, leading his students along the way. Mark mentions it here, giving this decision by Jesus some significance. We don’t have record other places that Jesus did this. In fact, He seemed to make it a point of not being considered above His followers. However, because of their response: amazement and fear – we can assume they knew something was up.
Jesus was taking the position of leadership, and was going to lead them into some dangerous territory. I think this would be like a field general who announces to his troops where they are headed and he leads the way into battle. And the men following are amazed and scared out of their minds: “What is he doing? What is going to happen to me?” The followers of Christ were about to find out what God’s plan was for Jesus; and they were going to be first hand witnesses of that plan being carried out. Jesus speaks about Himself in:
Mark 10:33, 34 – “saying, See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”
Does this sound at all familiar to you? It was not long ago, back in chapter 8, that Jesus began to reveal to his disciples, what God’s plan was for Him - that this plan included suffering and dying and rising again.Mark 8:31-33 – “And he began to teach them that the son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
When Jesus originally gave this plan, the disciples hated it, and the vocal leader of the group, Peter, took Jesus aside and actually rebuked the God-man for His plan. Their plan was that Jesus would set up His Kingdom right then and there. They would be a part of this glorious triumph over the Roman Government and they would reign with Him victoriously. This whole plan of suffering and dying did not sound like a good one to them.
Jesus rebuked Peter by saying that to oppose God’s plan and try to replace it with man’s plan is actually the voice of Satan: “Get behind me Satan!” So, here Jesus is, sometime later, rehearsing this plan again. And this time, we have no response from the disciples – probably a good idea!
Jesus said, again using the title Son of Man, to refer to Himself, here is what will take place: We are going to all go to Jerusalem and this is what will happen to me:
· I will be betrayed (into the hands of the Jewish leaders)
· I will be condemned to die (at the hands of the Romans)
· Before being killed, I will be mocked, spat on and flogged
· I will rise again!
What should have been their response, do you think?
SO WHAT? Accept God’s plan and follow Christ wherever He leads
One Sunday in March, a Sunday school teacher decided she would find out what her class knew about Easter, which was coming up soon. She was a little saddened when she heard the first boy say: “Easter is when all the family comes to the house, we eat a big turkey and then watch football.” The teacher suggested he might be thinking of Thanksgiving.
Then a little girl took her turn: Easter is the day when you come down the stairs in the morning and see the beautiful presents under the tree. Now, the teacher was getting discouraged. After explaining that the little girl was thinking about Christmas, she chanced it by calling on one more little boy. She was then encouraged when he said:
“Easter is the time when Jesus was crucified and buried.” The teacher was now getting excited, until the boy continued: “And then He comes out of the grave, and if He sees His shadow we have six more weeks of winter.”
So much for that excitement! Kids are great. No, they don’t always understand the finer details of theology and the Bible. They sometimes get mixed up when they are trying to explain things they learned in class. But, what is admirable about children; and one reason Jesus used them as a great example is that they are willing to believe what they are told.Yes, there comes a time when they start to question. But, there is that great age of the younger children, when they believe what their parents tell them. They accept it as fact and they accept it as what life must be.
That is how the disciples were to respond. They were to listen to Jesus explain the plan, and then prepare themselves, not only to see it happen, but to be players in it. The indication was that the disciples were to walk through this with Him. Child like faith says: Ok – that is how it is going to be? Then, let’s go.
The fact is, that God has called many of us to suffer in different ways. Some of you are suffering through an incredible physical crisis; even the prospect of coming death. Some of you are going through pain and suffering in relationships or finances or some other key area of life. Following Christ is not easy; and part of following Him is knowing that He will lead you through some rough waters, in order to glorify Himself and make you what you need to be for Him. Accept that in child-like faith. Jesus is sharing with His followers that this is not about personal comfort and glory.
So, it is very interesting, then, to note the very next thing Mark includes in the text:
Mark 10:35,36 – “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. And he said to them, What do you want me to do for you?”
Now, keep in mind what we just read: Jesus shared with His followers where they were going and what was going to happen to Him. So, at some point, two of His closest disciples come up to Him and asked for a favor. Notice, they called him teacher. They recognized he was the one in charge and had the authority. They wanted Him to use His authority on their behalf. I wonder what they are going to ask for? After Jesus told them His plan and what was coming, I’m sure they were going to be sensitive to that; and see how they could serve Him, right? WRONG!
Mark 10:37 – “And they said to him, Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
They simply could not shake this idea from their minds. They didn’t want to think about the suffering and dying part. They wanted to think about the glory part. And hopefully, that kingdom glory would happen sooner than later. And instead of focusing on Christ, the focus became about them.
They knew the idea of a kingdom. The king would sit on the royal throne, with the highest seats of honor on his right and left. That is the favor they wanted. That is what their hearts and minds were set on.
Jesus reminds them that the glory comes after the suffering; just as he told them would happen to Him:
Mark 10:38 – “Jesus said to them, You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
What in the world is He talking about? He asked them if they were able to drink the cup He would drink. Traditionally, as a royal banquet custom, the king would hand a cup to his guests. This would serve as a metaphor for life and experience. Jesus was asking them if they could go through the same experiences he will go through: the suffering He has already mentioned.
He asked them if they were able to be baptized with the same baptism He was baptized with. And He wasn’t talking about His water baptism. The word used for baptism here means to be fully submerged. In this case, being fully submerged in suffering. Notice their answer in verse 39:
Mark 10:39 – “And they said to him, We are able. And Jesus said to them, The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized”
Jesus knew what would take place in their futures. There would be suffering and physical death. We know from Acts 12:2 that James suffered as the first apostle to be martyred. Later, in Revelation 1:9, we know the John went through much suffering and persecution in His service for the Lord. But, it would not happen as they originally thought. Jesus continued:
Mark 10:40 – “But to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
Jesus is going to focus them on what they should be thinking about, instead of personal glory. The seats of the kingdom will be taken care of by God. They needed to be concerned about their own heart attitudes and have child-like faith as it related to the future kingdom and God’s control over it.
Well, at least it was only 2 of the disciples that were struggling with self-importance, right? WRONG! The other ten were thinking the same exact thing:
Mark 10:41 – “And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.”
Who do James and John think they are? We are just as or more deserving than they are – of the two highest seats of the kingdom. Yeah – we have served Jesus just as much as they have. They were not upset with James and John because they were confronting them with pride. They were upset because they had not thought of it first. They acted offended, but they were ticked off because James and John asked for the greatest seats; and they felt it should be them.
Mark 10:42 - “And Jesus called them to him and said to them, you know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.”
This is the way of the world, Jesus said. Those with authority use it to show power over their subordinates. They are in charge and everybody knows it. The most important thing is to be known as the greatest and to have power over other people – status, position, and power. Jesus had something very different in mind.
Child-Like Faith serves
A child is not there to rule his parents, but to serve the family as directed by his parents. Those living in child-like faith are not looking to be in control of everyone and served by everyone; but to serve others – humbly. Jesus contrasts that worldly view of authority with Christ’s view of servanthood:
Mark 10:43,44 – “But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.”
Wow – this is different thinking! This is not the way the world thinks. It is not even the way churches normally see things. Did you hear what Jesus just said? I’m sure the disciples were cleaning the wax out of their ears. Were they hearing Jesus correctly? Did He just say that if they wanted to be great, they had to become a servant? And did he say, that if you wanted to be first, you had to become a slave?
Yep. That’s exactly what He said. You must become a house servant. You become a bond-slave. James and John had wanted to be the greatest. So did the other ten. Jesus said: O.k – be the greatest – in my kingdom. My kingdom, however, looks different than any other you have ever seen. In my kingdom, the way you become the greatest is to serve others. And then Jesus uses Himself as the greatest example of that:
Mark 10:45 – “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
From the moment that Jesus took the lead in walking ahead of them to Jerusalem, He was going to teach them what it means to humbly submit to the will of God, even when that will includes incredible suffering and pain. Jesus said: I am here, not to be served by others, but to serve others. Not only that, I will serve them in the greatest possible way: I will give my life. He keeps reminding them: this is why I am here. This is what I am going to do.
SO WHAT? Humbly give of yourself for the benefit of others.
This is connected to child-like faith in that humility is a must. A young child humbly submits to authority (at least they are supposed to!) If you want to be what God has called you to be, you must have that same humility. That allows you to serve, demonstrating child-like faith – humbly submitting to Jesus’ example of serving others. What might this look like in the everyday opportunities for humility and service?
Kim – [holds up remote control] “I want to be the greatest. I’m giving up the remote control to Tim for tonight!” [take the remote and go sit down]
Isabella – [carrying laundry basket] “I want to be the greatest. I’m going to help mom with the laundry.” [take the laundry basket out the side door by the organ and piano, take it to dad’s office, and then return to your seat in the worship center]
Andy – [hold up the duster] “I want to be the greatest; so I’m going to do a little dusting.” [ dust off the pulpit, piano and organ – just a little on the top of each on your way out – you can place the duster in the hallway for me to get later]
Steve – [hold up a bottle of water] “I want to be the greatest; so I will give water to those who are thirsty” [hand out water to a few people on your way back to your seat]
Do you want to be the greatest – in God’s eyes? Then humbly serve for the benefit of others – just like Jesus Christ.
There is one more event we need to take notice of this morning, and consider one more thing about the faith of a child:
Child-Like Faith believes that Jesus changes lives completely
This kind of faith is not just about small, incidental things. It is about major things. It includes the physical issues, emotional and spiritual. The man we are about to meet in this passage had to have this child-like faith to believe he could be healed.
Mark 10:46 – “And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.”
This was a common sight near Jericho, the residents of which were considered fairly wealthy in that day. As Jesus and a large crowd were going out of the city, a blind man, who was begging for money, was there on the side of the road.
Mark 10:47,48 – “And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
It was the disciples who rebuked the parents for bringing all the little children to Jesus. Now, the crowd rebukes the blind man for crying out for mercy. He had heard that Jesus was there; and it is evident that he had heard what kind of healing power Jesus had. In fact, by what the blind man said, he knew some other important things about Jesus Christ.
He cried out: “Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me!” The people around Him said: “Shut up! Jesus has more important things to do than to pay attention to you.” Or, they may have even opposed the very words he was saying. But that didn’t stop him: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” His persistence and his words say a lot about this man: Bartimaeus.
Commentators Walvoord and Zuck write that when Bartimaeus used the phrase “Son of David” for Jesus, “it designated the Messiah as David’s Descendant and became a recognized title of the Messiah-King.”
Although blind, his spiritual eyes were wide open, as he recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. This blind man demonstrated child-like faith.
Mark 10:49,50 – “And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, saying to him, Take heart. Get up; he is calling you. And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.”
Jesus used this opportunity to teach the crowd and His disciples, that just like the children, this man as not to be ignored, but encouraged to come to Jesus. This blind beggar was worth Jesus’ time. Yes, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to accomplish God’s will; but this pause in His journey was also an important part of the plan.
The crowd encouraged Bartimaeus to get up- Jesus was calling for Him. He didn’t have to hear that a second time. He threw of his outer cloak, sprang to his feet and found his way to Jesus. This was the moment he had been waiting for – hoping for – praying for.
Mark 10:51 – “And Jesus said to him, What do you want me to do for you? And the blind man said to him, Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”
Jesus wanted him to voice, out loud, a demonstration of his faith in what Jesus could do. Bartimaeus called Him Rabbi, meaning My Lord, My Master. This was another demonstration of his faith. He said: I want you to restore my sight.
Mark 10:52 – “And Jesus said to him, Go your way; your faith has made you well. And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.”
Jesus made it clear – that by what this man said and did, he had demonstrated faith in who Jesus was and in what He could do. Because of that, Jesus said: Your faith has made you well. And as Mark likes to write: Immediately, he recovered his sight and began to follow Jesus.
What a great picture of what happens spiritually! You may be around church, you may be around Jesus. You may even talk about believing. But, until you place your faith solely on Christ for salvation, you are still spiritually blind. And once He gives you spiritual sight, you are to immediately follow His ways.
A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child’s work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, “I’m drawing God.” The teacher paused and said, “but no one knows what God looks like.” Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, “They will in a minute!”
We love the faith of children. This is what our lives are to be like. You may not be able to see God; but as I live out selfless, humble, Child-like faith through service, you get a pretty good picture of who Christ is.
SO WHAT? Believe that God can change you
Please note I did not say: Believe that God will change your circumstances. He might; but He might not. That is not his goal – to make your life more comfortable. God is about changing you – to make your more like Him. Whether you have a physical blindness or a spiritual blindness, He is out to make sure that your weakness becomes a spiritual strength, bringing you closer to Him and bringing Him all the glory.
Please note I did not say: Believe that God will change your circumstances. He might; but He might not. That is not his goal – to make your life more comfortable. God is about changing you – to make your more like Him. Whether you have a physical blindness or a spiritual blindness, He is out to make sure that your weakness becomes a spiritual strength, bringing you closer to Him and bringing Him all the glory.
He may choose to change your tough circumstances and take away your pain; but He may choose to transform you through the suffering. Child-like faith can accept that the pain you are going through, in any area of life, is there for God’s purposes; and you can trust Him.
I struggle with this kind of faith on a daily basis. Perhaps you do too. I must continually, daily, hourly, give my circumstances to God, re-commit my faith and trust in what He is doing; and ask Him to do what He needs to do. I don’t want to be a hindrance to that work. I want to be a humble, willing participant.
I struggle with this kind of faith on a daily basis. Perhaps you do too. I must continually, daily, hourly, give my circumstances to God, re-commit my faith and trust in what He is doing; and ask Him to do what He needs to do. I don’t want to be a hindrance to that work. I want to be a humble, willing participant.
Let me just encourage you to silently pray that way right now.
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