Sermon Tone Analysis

TEXT

“Hard to Watch”

Some things are difficult to view.

I don’t like seeing people bullied.

I don’t like seeing people mistreated.

Especially when you know the protagonist is completely “in the right.”

This passage to me is “hard to believe”.

How could the folks from Nazareth be so derisive toward Christ.

They knew about the immaculate conception, they knew about the virgin birth, they had surely gotten word of his ministry and dealings in the temple.

Yet, I’m sure you’ve been equally puzzled by something in your lifetime that looked so right going so wrong because of a vocal few.

“You still singing?”

“Where are you now?”

TEXT NOTES

mark 6.

“There” = Capernaum

1. JESUS LED WELL

DISCIPLES FOLLOWING HIM

He didn’t lead well because he was trying to model Leadership 101.

He led well because He was Christ!

After....

2. JESUS TAUGHT WELL

(before) “No one ever spoke like this man!”

(after)

3. PEOPLE WERE AMAZED, BUT GOT HUNG UP

Schooling - Where did get/learn these things?

Where did get/learn these things?

Experience - What is the wisdom given to him?

Authority/Power - How are such might works done by his hands?

“Out of His League” - Isn’t he a carpenter?

People froze him the “past” that they wanted to remember him by

“No family name / Not in his lineage” - we know his family, they’re still here.

4. PEOPLE WERE OFFENDED

(v3 continued) “and they took offense”

Notice the Digression:

ASTONISHED.

They HEARD and were amazed

CRITICAL.

They got HUNG UP

OFFENDED.

They felt HARASSED instead of helped!

Mark 6.

5. JESUS MINISTERED WELL

He properly addresses the reality

He notably marvels at the faith - lack of

He notably marvels at the faith - lack of

We never read that either science or art, nature or providence, excited his wonder.

We do not find that he marvelled at the grandeur of the temple, although his disciples were evidently wonder-struck, for they said, “Master, see what manner of stones and buildings are here!”

Little did his mind dwell upon the gigantic size of the stones, or the antiquity of the pile, or the grandeur of the architecture, but his sympathetic soul mourned as it foresaw the destruction of the whole, and of those who dwelt around it, and he uttered the prophetic words, “There shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

I do not find the Redeemer marvelled at the force and majesty of the Roman empire, and yet it wielded a very remarkable power, an all-pervading and irresistible influence.

Out of utter insignificance the Roman empire had developed itself into a universal monarchy which locked the entire world in its embrace of iron.

Scarce a dog dared move his tongue without the leave of Cæsar.

In every place, whether sacred or profane, the insignia of the empire were conspicuous; in every nation, whether polite or barbarous, the tramp of the imperial legionaries was heard; and the eagles of Rome were fluttering on every hill and in every dale; and yet I do not find that Jesus ever marvelled at all the pomp and energy of the rule of the Cæsars.

Neither do I find that he was ever struck with any wonder by the knowledge of the sages and rabbis of his time, or of any other.

There were in his days rabbis who, according to the opinion of their fellow countrymen, were renowned beyond all others; so far as rabbinical literature was concerned, our Saviour may be said to have lived in an Augustan period, and yet, however profound the doctors of the law might be, they were very shallow as compared with the Christ of God, and he never saw any cause in all their wisdom to marvel.

There were but two occasions when our Lord Jesus is recorded to have marvelled at all, and both of these were concerning faith.

First, he marvelled at the centurion: “I have not found so great faith; no, not in Israel.”

And on the second occasion, he marvelled at the absence of faith where it might have been expected to be found namely, in his own fellow townsmen: “He marvelled because of their unbelief.”

He adjusts the strategy to stay on mission

Kept on being who He was

Kept on doing what He came to do

Sets him up easily to send out disciples on a specific mission

------

Authentic Leadership

Authentic Leadership

Authoritative Teaching

Astonished Hearers

Attitude of Criticism

Anger & Offense

Approach to the hostility

Recognize Challenge

Marvel at lack of faith

Ministered with integrity

Sets stage for disciples to minister - sowing the seeds for the church.

[[[[[[[

6. JESUS EQUIPPED OTHERS TO MINISTER WELL

MARK 6.7

The assignment was not in perpetuity, it was specific.

This was not the launch of the church - it was the assignment of these 12 for this moment.

MARK 6.8-11

Given specific authority a specific task

Given specific instructions on how to go

…where to stay

…how to deal with rejection

SO THEY WENT AND DID...

SO THEY WENT AND DID...

MARK 6.

APPLICATION -

We are tempted to look at this text and place ourselves in 1 of 2 positions

1.

We want to identify with Jesus who is “wronged” and see the people who are calling into question all of his credentials for the sake of rejecting him.

“They’re rejecting me because something is wrong with them.”

WE MUST REMBER THOUGH THAT JESUS WAS WITHOUT SIN.

AND THE MESSAGE WAS ONE CALLING PEOPLE TO HIS AUTHORITY.

This is not about the fact that they just didn’t like him or there was a character flaw or personality conflict.

2. We want to immediately identify with the sensational assignment of the 12 Apostles.

“If I’m doing it right, then this is MY TEXT!”

BUT THIS MESSAGE WAS NOT THE “GOSPEL” FOR CHRIST HADN’T BEEN CRUCIFIED AND RESURRECTED.

This was a specific assignment for a specific group to a specific region.

There are principles to learn…but isn’t it funny how our culture pushes us to always identify with the heroes!

THIS PASSAGE IS NOT ABOUT YOU

BEING MISUNDERSTOOD

BEING VALIDATED ON IGNORING DIFFICULT PEOPLE

BEING VINDICATED IN YOUR “RIGHTNESS”