CLS Mark 1_1-39 Avoid Sacred Substitutes...
Secular:
- The greatest enemy of GREAT is GOOD
- Good enough often stops us from achieving greatness…
- A great life, a great faith, a great Saviour, a great peace is what God has for us!
- Many of us have been distracted with the busyness of work or family or recreation and have become satisfied with GOOD
- Being satisfied with good (which is only temporary) means we miss out on great!
- No where is that more true than in the life of the believer!
- We can get so busy doing good things, ministry things, family things, spouse things, church things… that we can miss our very purpose for being! – that which will give us the most joy!
Biblical:
Mark 1:37b “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”
Personal:
- Jesus said “No”
- We will see that Jesus said…
- No to more teaching
- No to more healing
- No to more spirit cleansing
- Jesus said, NO
- hmmmmm
- Does your life ever feel too busy for God?
- Recreation
- Employment
- Friends
- Family
- Spouse
- Ministry
- Too busy to savour God…
- His World
- His Glory
- No time to pray, meditate, connect?
Bridge:
- Just as human beings were not meant to worry or fear – but TRUST
- Human beings were not created to be perpetual motion machines – but for REST (not sleep)
- Rest in God… revel in God… focus on God
- Today we want to walk through this text
- Smell the fish…
- Smell the small town, the dust, the foods…
- Feel the sun beating down….
- We want to know what these people felt…
- They hated the Romans and the Romans were their oppressors…
- Collect taxes…
- Follow their laws
- Hail their Caesar
- Repugnant!
- They were hungry for the Messiah!
- Mark…. The memoirs of Peter!
- Purposed Peter….
Body:
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 The beginning of the gospel Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. With God the Purpose is clear!
O/T Prophecy…. Right off God is linking 1) the past 2) what is being said and 3) the purpose….
2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“ Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’ ”
End O/T quote show link… Hungry Jews!... they are being feed a tempting morsel….
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming (messenger) a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
- The Isaiah passage was fulfilled in John the Baptist
- John the baptism preached repentance…. Turn… and align (baptism)… for forgiveness
- He was the herald for turning to God and declaring the Messiah…. (Important Isaiah and Messiah theme for Jews reading)
- Don’t follow my words…. Follow the one I point to…
- Lesson number one for parents, pastors, Sunday school teachers…
- Don’t follow my words…. Follow the one I point to…
- It talks about repentance…. Baptism is more than a symbol of a turning from it is a turning towards….
- Baptism by water is the sign of allegiance completely to the glory of God
- But incomplete in ourselves… completely to the glory of God in the messiah who is bringing the Holy Spirit that transforms the inner person…. From sinner to saint…. Baptism of the spirit…. Cleansing the soul/spirit
- John the Baptist prepared the way for the Gospel message and the gospel messenger in Christ.
- Jesus came to share the glory of God and to share the promise of the God news of the Gospel of God
The Baptism of Jesus
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
- John’s ministry confirmed by Jesus’ heavenly affirmations…. Repentance… turning to God’s glory confirmed!
- And Jesus ministry testified…
- Holy Spirit – Dove
- Father – Well Pleased
- Jesus was confirmed…
- Important validation of what is to come!
The Temptation of Jesus
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. è “well-pleased”… lesson
13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. è hook into history… the exodus was pivotal to the Jew… from Egypt to 40 years in the desert to the Jordan
- John (v.5) Judea and Jerusalem went to the Jordan
- Jesus ministry goes from the Jordan…. To 40 days in the desert…. “New Kind of Exodus”
John Prepares è OT Cov Link (prophecy è OT Cov Link Exodus è New Cov Ministry begins…. Continuity and connection
Jesus Begins His Ministry
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
- John came and ‘Prepared the way of the Lord, made his paths straight,’ ”
- Set the road…
- Declared his coming
- Jesus followed John who preached the message of repentance…
- Turn from…. End of your glory
- Repent…. From Self… (fuller) unto the Gospel of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
- Jesus ministry begins with the statement - “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
- They knew this meant something significant!
- Fulfilled – OT Prophecy - Messiah
- Kingdom Now! / Kingdom Present! /Kingdom in Christ
- Repent of Self
- Believe / Trust in the gift of God!
OT Cov / Prophets – New Cov Disciples
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
- Called to share the glory of Christ
- Remember the setting…
- Fishermen…
- Immediately left their nets
- Immediately left their families (father)
- Only security
- Only known skill
- And followed Jesus
- There is something about Jesus… All else pails…
- Eph 2:7 He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
- Seeking the Glory of God….
Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit
21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
- Glory, Power, Authority!!
- Jesus was not speaking someone else’s words
- Following… demonstration!
23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.
- Glory, Power, Authority!!
- New Covenant power displayed… and introduction
27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
- Someone has authority in their words
- Someone has authority over spirits
- What was Jesus purpose?
- Evil-spirit remover? Yes, but…
- As a Teacher? Yes, but…
- Glory, Power, Authority!!
Jesus Heals Many
29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew (fisherman), with James and John (other fisherman). 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
- Jesus purpose?
- Jesus as healer? Yes, but…
32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
- Jesus purpose?
- Jesus as healer? Yes, but…
- Evil-spirit remover? Yes, but…
- Teacher? Yes, but…
- Why?
- Fulfill the OT Prophecy
- Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
- and declare
- The Glory, Power, Authority!! Of God!
Jesus Preaches in Galilee
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
- Luke 4:43 Why did he come out?
- 43 But He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose." – declared the Glory, Power and Authority of God
- 1st - He stopped and prayed….
- He stopped and focused on God’s purpose…
- Healing good? Yes
- Teaching good? Yes
- Cast out demons good? Yes
- Luke 4:18 "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."
- Isaiah 61:1…. Fulfilled… the healings, the casing out of spirits… was to fulfill the OT promise of restoration to his hurting people!
- It was a sign of the Messiah… and the physical was testifying to the supernatural~!
- When Jesus was told… “Everyone is looking for you”…
- He answers… “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”
- What is your primary purpose in life?
- Is it family?
- Is it work?
- Is it spouse?
- Is it recreation?
- We have been called… purposed to give Glory to God… to share his glory to enjoy his glory!
- Our priority is our relationship to God
- 1st
- Disciplines
- Relationship
- Practice
- Everything else is a sacred substitute!
- Substitute Spouse
- Substitute Work
- Substitute Recreation
- Substitute Children
- Substitute ministry
- NOTHING is more important than FIRST seeing the glory of God!
- Jesus Remembered!
- Jesus stopped and prayed…. Focused…
- Are we running on empty when God promises abundance?
- We must remember!
Conclusion:
- It is time to take stock!
- If you charted your life….
- If you kept detailed track…
- If you examined your spending…
- Would your purpose be clear?
- Or would it look like a whirlwind of busyness
- Or self satisfying recreation
- Where is God?
- God was very intentional in bringing Christ into the world.
- Are we being intentional in bringing Christ into his rightful position in our world?
- King of King and Lord of Lords
- Or have we settled fro sacred substitutes?