Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRO- How many of you have enjoy the popular long-form documentary?

Either video or podcast, give me some examples?

Rise and Fall of Mars Hill…30 for 30…The Last Dance

Apologies to my Thursday night folks…you saw this intro coming...

Anyone who followed sports in the 1990s knew Michael Jordan was something special..

It didn’t matter what adversary, MJ and the Bulls went up against, they would find a way to win.

I can still remember listening to the broadcast of games at my parent’s house while shooting pool at our pool table…and watching them win title after title after title.

And MJ as a player was just so fun to watch.

He was just on another level than anyone playing the game.

He is still the standard to which every superstar basketball player is measured.

The Last Dance chronicled the rise of the Chicago Bulls through their final season together.

The common thing about these stories is that the characters often don’t realize how significant a thing is happening until they’re right in the middle of it or even in some cases not until after some conflict or resolution has come to pass and they have a chance to look back on it.

One thing is clear as we work through Mark and as you read any of the Gospel accounts.

The Disciples are very willing to admit that while they were walking side-by-side with Jesus…they did not understand the fullness of what was happening until he died on the Cross and rose the Third Day.

As they write their accounts they are trying to get across to their audiences the implications of the life of Jesus and how their hearers ought to respond.

1-9 - Feeding the 4000

1-3 - Jesus has compassion on the great crowd that has been with them three days

4 - Disciples ask where they’re to get food

5 - Jesus: How many loaves you got? Disciples: Seven

6-8 Jesus feeds

6 - Has them sit on the ground

breaks bread and gives to disciples to give to the people

7 - Blessed a few small fish

has disciples give them to the people

8 - They (all) ate and were satisfied

Took up SEVEN baskets full of leftovers

9 - There were ~4000 people.

After this Jesus sent them away.

It is really important to Mark to get across that the Good News of Jesus was received by and also meant for the Gentiles

We have just seen a Gentile woman hear Jesus’ parable and rightly respond in faith to it

And now we have a predominately Gentile crowd remaining with Jesus for three days…not to make him a KING over Israel but just to HEAR what He is saying.

10-12 - Pharisees in Dalmuntha demand a sign

10 - They got in a boat and went to Dalmanutha

11 - The Pharisees ask for a sign

12 - Jesus SIGHED: Why does this generation seek a sign!

In the eyes of the Pharisees, Jesus healings aren’t enough to back up his teaching

13-21 - Disciples miss the boat

13 - They left and got back in the boat

14 - Disciples had forgot bread

15 - Jesus says: Watch out for the leaven: Pharisees & Herod

16 - Disciples think he’s talking about food

17-21 - Jesus annoyed w Disciples!

What is leaven?

Chemical - Baking Soda / Powder

Biological - Yeast

Mechanical - Air is whipped up in the mixture

Physical - liquid in the dough is steamed out through high heat in the cooking process

What is the Leaven of the Pharisees (Religious)

The religious would be so committed to tradition that they would violate the commandments of God

They justify their actions to protect their tradition and authority

Jesus says of them, “they honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me.”

What is the Leaven of Herod (Man)

Herod is so committed to saving face and indulging his flesh that he is willing to kill John the Baptist even though he knows he shouldn’t

He justifies his actions to serve his flesh

Go with this...

The Gospel is for all nations

The sign from Heaven is Jesus dying on the Cross

Beware the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod

Jesus puts this challenge to his very own disciples!

Even those who watch it unfold have to be challenged to believe rightly what they see unfold before them.

Leaven & Kingdom of God - Luke 12:30-31