From the Crowd to the Called

Mark 3:7-19

Introduction

3 types of groups represented in this passage with 3 different responses…

The Crowd: Seeking a miracle! (v7-10)

(7-8) Massive crowd from all over…

are they there to follow Him or to just get something from Him?

(9-10) Jesus knew their intentions and set a plan in motion to leave.

They sought healing, not transformation!

They knew Jesus was good, but they were not yet willing to know Him as Lord!

They sought the benefits of Jesus apart from surrendering fully to Him as Lord!

John 6:26–33 “26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.””

The crowd is a fan of Jesus but they are not a follower of Jesus

Im not a good fan… I am a really good armchair quarterback

Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman

“The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ.” – Kyle Idleman

Fan: A fan is an enthusiastic admirer.

They are interested in Jesus, often moved by His teachings or personality, but keep a safe distance.

They want the benefits of Christianity (forgiveness, comfort, community) without the sacrifice or transformation

The crowd came to Jesus to receive but they were not willing to give everything up to follow HIm. Or follow Him without their conditions being met…

The Demons: Right theology with no submission! (v11-12)

Accurate, but not worshipful!

The demons always get it right about who Jesus is!

They know the correct things about Jesus but refused to submit to Him as Lord!

Jesus silents them authenticating His authority as the Son of God!

Knowing about Jesus intellectually is not the same as submitting to Him as Lord!

Testimony… All my life I knew Jesus was Lord… I believed in the God of the Bible, the Trinity, I knew that “Jesus loved me for the Bible tells me so” But Jesus was not my Lord! There was not submission to Him as King…

Explain what Lordship means

To call Jesus Lord is to call Him master… It calls for complete submission and obedience…

Luke 6:46 “46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

Do not fall into the trap of thinking that all you have to do is to just affirm the truths of the Bible…

Real Faith is revealed in a transformed life!

James 2:17–20 “17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?”

for the 1 century Jew… when they believed something to be true they knew that it must produce some action… The truth that they believed brought some type of change to their lives!

Acts 2:37–38 “37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

The demons believe the right things about Jesus but refuse to bow the knee to Him as Lord….

The Called: submissive and transformed! (v13-19)

Jesus initiated the call! (v13)

John 6:44 “44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 7:37–38 “37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ””

This means that the one who comes to Jesus… God is working in their life to draw them to Jesus!

The reason? (v14) Mark 3:14 “14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach”

so that they might be with Him (difference between a fan and follower!

intimacy

identity

transformation

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

He might send them out!

Acts 4:13 “13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

Flawed family of faith! (v16-19)

Being called is a call to come and be with Jesus. And when you are with Jesus, the natural reaction is to tell others about this Savior.

Invitation. What group best represents your life?

Crowd? a Fan? you dont want to get too close… youll have to make sacrifices… you may have to give some things up…