Amazing Unbelief
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Mark 6:1-6
Introduction:
- “Who/whom do you trust? Whom do you believe?
A TV quiz showed aired between 1957 to 1963 - emceed by Johnny Carson, eventually announced by Ed McMahon.
Initial title, “Do you trust your wife”
Suggested title - “Whom do you trust?”
Johnny Carson spent the majority of the time interviewing the husband and his wife - always 3 couples
After the interviews, the women women would be taken individual sound proof rooms. The men would each be told a category for questions would be announced. The men would then decide to answer the question or trust his wife. The couples with the closest to three correct answers were the winners. The dollars involved were comparatively minimal by today’s standards - $25, $50 & $75.
- Another version of those questions would be, when someone suggests carefully considering something new to me, what is my first reaction?
Thursday Night - Good Friday service
Sushi - osashimi
Dawn - Bon Voyage celebration of life
Time of evening or morning service
- How we answer these questions and questions like them probably tells us as much or more about ourselves than it does about the person whom we decide to trust or not to trust.
While it is important to consider whom we trust, it is imperative, a matter of spiritual life and death, whether we believe and trust Jesus and the Bible. Even though people in Nazareth, Jesus’ home town were astonished at His teaching, they collectively chose not to believe Him. Their unbelief amazed Jesus.
Unbelief is a powerful force. The ramifications can be devestating.
Satan’s aim in the Garden of Eden was don’t believe God.
The people of Noah’s day chose not to believe Noah, the preacher of righteousness.
For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.
Faithless Aaron led the children of Israel into unbelief and bowing before a golden calf.
10 spies who did not believe could give them the land as He had promised led the people into unbelief and 40 years in the wilderness.
For the religious leaders in Jesus’ day, it did not change after His death, burial and resurrection. Stephen summarized their unbelief.
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
Those die in their unbelief die in their sins and forfeit heaven
I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
In Mark’s account we see that:
1. Unbelief Obscures the Obvious – 6:1-2
Jesus ministry in Nazareth was preceded by many significant miracles, some of them in a synagogue - interspersed with teaching.
Capernaum - healing of paralytic - Mk 2:1-12-
Capernaum synagogue - healed man with withered hand - Mk 3:1-6-
Calmed great storm on Sea of Galilee - Mk 4:35-41-
On east side of the Sea - cast out a legion of demons and allowed them to enter a herd of pigs - Mk 5:1-13-
Capernaum - healed a woman who had been ill for 12 years - Mk 5:24-34-
Capernaum - raised the daughter of Jairus back to life - Mk 5: 21-24, 35-43
Went away to His hometown of Nazareth - not a private family visit - disciple with him - cc earlier family rejection of ministry and unbelief - Mk 3:31-35-
Jesus’ teaching was unique in that it was authoritative, knowledgeable, powerful and unmatched. His works were noted as mighty.
Climate of distrust cultivated by the Pharisees. If something taught did not come from good theology seal of approval, it was to be rejected. They went so far as to say Jesus was possessed by Beelzebub and cast out demons by the power of the prince of demons - Mk 3:22-27-
While many heard were astonished at His teaching, there were obviously enough people who refused to believe and swayed all to unbelief.
Because of their close-knit community, they knew that Jesus had not been trained/ educated by a Rabbi.
Rather than believe the truths that Jesus taught, they allowed questions re the source of His teaching to eclipse Jesus and faith in Him.
Where did this man get these things?
What is the wisdom given to Him?
It can’t be his own? Who taught him?
How are such mighty works done by His hands?
Church was not new to my family and me. When we first attended an evangelical church, we could have had similar questions.
It wasn’t about attending church, confirmation and joining the church, it was about confessing our sins, repenting and believing in Jesus.
It wasn’t about doing good things and obeying the law, it was about what Jesus did.
It wasn’t being respectable and the family to which I was born, it was being born again, becoming a child of God.
It wasn’t about reading a few Bible verses and a few stories, instead we were directed to a specific portion after which the Pastor explained what the word said comparing that portion to other parallel portions. We were not to believe/obey what he said but what the Scriptures/God was commanding us.
2. Unbelief Emphasizes the Irrelevant – 6:3a
Until now, with the exception of the religious leaders, Jesus was generally well received. In fact, people crowded around him to hear Him teach. When Jesus visited His hometown the tide changed.
There was no reason for the tide to change. They knew Him and with that should have trusted him. He was known.
Jesus first visited Nazareth after His temptations in the wilderness. Luke records that visit and Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue. He taught from Is 61:1-2; 49:8-
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.
When Jesus them that day that the Scripture was fulfilled, He was the Messiah, their initial response was positive. But they also questioned how Joseph’s son could be saying these words. With the crowds reference to Mary on the second visit, perhaps Joseph had died.
And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”
- Jesus was a carpenter, the son of Mary, brother/half-brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon. Jesus also had sister/half-sisters.
- Those things were true but irrelevant compared to who Jesus was and what He taught.
What they did was comparable to inferring that because the Bible is printed on manmade paper and covered with leather, the truths contained therein are not the word of God.
3. Unbelief Attacks the Messenger – 6:3b -4
- Unbelief is seldom content with questioning the source of truth and that someone from their midst can grasp and communicate astonishing truth that is new to them.
- When truth cannot be denied, unbelief is often offended by and attacks the messenger.
4. Unbelief Snuffs the Supernatural – 6:5-6a
- Jesus does not force anyone to believe.
- Those whose unbelief had obscured the obvious, emphasized the irrelevant and attacked the messenger, should not be surprised when God answers their selfish “prayer” and leaves them to their own devices.
What lessons should we take to heart from this astonishing example of unbelief?
1. Sincere religious people, even those who are astonished at Jesus’ teaching, can be unbelievers.
2. Ask ourselves if at times our responses are more akin to unbelievers than believers.
3. Even when we prayerfully, accurately and selflessly share the Gospel some will choose not to believe.
4. Even when we hiding behind the cross and Jesus, personal attacks should not surprise us.
5. When unbelief seems to be endemic serving our Lord faithfully might well mean moving on.
AWV/Apr 23/23Amazing Unbelief