9/28/25 Sermon

Shhhh its a secret…

Answering the question, Why did Jesus want his miracles kept a secret?

Mark 8:22–30 NIV

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.” Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Mark 1:40–45 NIV

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Jesus began with the end in mind…

He wasn’t about the spectacle or the fame but about the transformation of lives

transformation happens in the quiet, in the still times, not in the big moments

True transformation is lasting change not a temporary fix

If we only recognize Jesus in the miracles and in the big times how will we know him in the still and the quiet.

(People don’t recognize you out of context)

Jesus wanted his miracles hidden so people could see him in his totality not just as a healer, or teacher, or friend, or son, or carpenter, but as our everything.

Jesus’ “identities”

—> Healer

—> Jesus heals to restore the whole person

—> body, mind, soul

—> Jesus doesn’t heal to gain power, fame, those things limit his access to people, and Jesus wants to be with the people

—> Prophet

—> Mark 8:27-28

Mark 8:27–28 NIV

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

—> the Jews believed that the old Prophets were still alive and could come back to earth in times of need to hep the people.

—> Jesus wasn’t someone else, He was different. He brought with Himself more authority and power than the prophet’s of old.

—> Messiah

Mark 8:29–30 NIV

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

The Message of Mark 1. Peter’s Confession about Christ (8:27–9:1)

however, he instructs them not to spread this news abroad (30). We may guess that his reason is twofold: (i) that his contemporaries had a fixed and political view of how the Messiah would set them free, and (ii) because he wished to shape the Messiahship according to his Father’s will in ways which they could not yet properly understand.