Mark: It's not good enough to know Jesus is Lord

If Jesus was Messiah why didn’t the Jews know? To answer we look in the book of Mark.

Introduction: Themes in Mark

Mark is divided into 3 sections. Do we need to look at them in those categories or is are there themes that run through out. The good news is, there are, the bad news is - what they have to do with one another is not immediately obvious.

Demons, belief, knowledge, Religious leaders

After reading Mark several times I had an epiphany, everyone knows. There are people who know Jesus is from Heaven and they seek him for healing, but the people who refuse to see that are all doing it despite their knowledge.

The Demons knew

Mark 1:21–24 (NIV) Don’t miss it - A demon cried out in the midst of the synagogue

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

Mark 5:1–7 (NIV) A demon cried to the top of his voice - this time in gentile land

1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!”

The Religious leaders knew

Mark 12:28–34 (NIV) The religious leaders did question Jesus, but all but once he answered them - with answers that they accepted

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Mark 12:1–12 (NIV) Jesus did speak to the leaders in parables, but there was a very important one that they actually understood

1 Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. 6 “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ((Remember Jesus Baptism: this is my son, Jesus transfiguration: this is my son, the demons screaming to the top of their voice: Jesus the Son of the most high God))7 “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

“ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 11 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” 12 Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them.

Application:

Israel was not confused about who Jesus was:

In Mark Ch. 3 The pharisees and Herodians plot to kill Jesus BECAUSE he healed

In Mark Ch. 5 the people hear that Jesus healed a man with a legion of demons and BECAUSE of it begged him to leave

In Mark CH. 6 people in Jesus’ home town take offence BECAUSE of his wisdom and miracles

They knew Jesus was the Messiah, just like they knew John the Baptist came from God. BUT...

It’s not good enough to know that Jesus is the Son of God.

You have to believe it.

Belief is knowledge tested by action. Guess what we have a lot of in Mark?

Belief:

Mark ch 1: A man with leprosy believes Jesus can heal if He only wills, and he’s healed

Mark ch 2: four men are so sure Jesus is from God they dig a hole through a roof and lower their friend down with a rope Mark 2:5 “ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.””

Mark ch 5 a woman is healed from a disease that’s plagued her for years Mark 5:34 “34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.””

Mark ch 5 a man asks Jesus to heal his daughter. On the way back someone from his house meets him along the way and says it’s too late! Mark 5:36 “36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.””

Unbelief:

In Mark ch 4, 6, and 9 Jesus rebukes people for their unbelief. But not an unbelief based on misunderstanding but based on their actions.

At the same time in Mark ch 10 he tells a blind man “your faith has healed you”

What is strong faith?

A lot of times people think that the strength of their faith is determined by their resolve, it isn’t. The strength of faith can only be seen, at least by us, by the courage of our actions

The widow’s mite

Mark 12:41–44 (NIV)

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

It’s when we act out our faith despite our fear that makes our faith strong. It’s when we act out what we say is true despite our doubt that shows knowledge to belief.

Example:

Praying for a man in the hospital who was dying from overdose

John Lightfoot, a English Scholar from the 1600s wrote

“Rest not in a historical knowledge or faith. If you do, it will not save you; for if it would it would save the devils: for they have their literal knowledge and general belief of the word. Do you think it enough to know that Christ lived and died for sinners? The devil and his angels know as much. Then work out a better faith in you than is in them.”

The common thread that binds the themes repeated in Mark is, It’s NOT enough to KNOW that Jesus is the Son of God.

Vision:

Your Christianity would not merely be a worldview but a life of belief followed by a river of power.

That’s the contrast in Mark. It’s not between those who know and those who don’t. It’s everyone knows. Those who act on that knowledge are freed, healed, given wisdom, and enter into the kingdom. Everyone else is stopped by something. Some people are stopped because of greed, fear, pride, doubt, hate, a multitude of reasons.

If you don’t want to give, do it anyway. If you hate that person but you have an opportunity to bless them, do it anyway. If you think it’s going to humiliate you, do it anyway. It’s ok if you’re scared, do it anyway.

Meagan and I are going to Burundi in just over a year to get our kids. Part of the adoption is to look up the travel warnings for the country you’re going into. Burundi is in the second most dangerous category. One of the warnings, along with kidnapping and rampant crime is GRENADE ATTACKS. On the government website for Burundi it says, “Watch out for GRENADE attacks”.