Sermon Tone Analysis

In the late 1950s, the gas station Esso, trying to encourage people to buy their gasoline,

came up with the slogan, “Put a tiger in your tank.”

came up with the slogan, “Put a tiger in your tank.”

So they had posters all over with a tiger at the gas station, filling up your car, and the slogan

So they had all sort of posters with a tiger at the gas station,

filling up your car, and the slogan with bold letters, “Put a tiger in your tank.”

Well I’d like to let you know that the day Jesus was baptized, He received a tiger in his tank.

Go with me to .

Mark’s account of Jesus’ baptism is vastly different from Matthew and Luke.

Both Matthew and Luke choose the verb “open.”

Both Matthew and Luke choose the verb “open.”

Not Mark, this event is not a comforting moment between God and humanity.

Mark chooses the verb schizo, “tear,” “rip,” “rend.”

Not Mark, this event is not a comforting moment between God and humanity.

Mark chooses the verb schizo, which means to “tear,” “rip,” “rend.”

Mark on the other hand tells us that heaven was TORN open.

This was no quiet, gentle breeze experience.

You have clouds tearing, heavens ripping, divine voice booming, Spirit descending.

Sin cannot live in God’s presence, the sky, the firmament is a buffer zone between us and God.

We know what a buffer zone is: Every time you visit the Cincinnati Zoo, you run into buffer zones.

God.

We know what a buffer zone is: Zoo analogy.

Needed a buffer zone because of the power

They are fences and walls to protect us from wild animals.

of the animals.

Buffer zones are needed because of the power of the animals.

And so there was this buffer zone between us and God.

God’s presence was in the temple, in the Most Holy Place.

And there was this buffer zone between the sinner and God.

You were not allowed to come into the most holy place to talk to God and worship God.

And even the high priest entered on your behalf once a year.

This buffer zone was very important, to keep sinners safe in the presence of a Holy God.

Mark’s only other use of the verb schizo is at , , at the death of Jesus.

(Read)

Mark’s only other use of the verb schizo is at , , at the death of Jesus.

God again breaks through humanity’s buffer zone.

God again breaks through humanity’s buffer zone.

The veil was a buffer zone, God ripped through the buffer zone and into the lives of humanity is a powerful way.

The veil was a buffer zone, God ripped through the buffer zone and into the lives of humanity is a powerful way.

Through Jesus God was saying that you no longer have to put up a curtain, no longer have to seek out God once a year through the high priest.

The buffer is removed by God we could be filled with the Holy Spirit in a mighty way.

Through Jesus, God was saying that you no longer have to put up a curtain,

no longer have to seek out God once a year through the high priest.

The buffer is removed by God, we could be filled with the Holy Spirit in a mighty way.

And so at the baptism of Jesus, God was ripping apart the buffer zone,

and was loose in the world through Jesus Christ.

God was ripping apart the buffer zone and was loose in the world through Jesus Christ.

Scholar Don Juel, wrote the following regarding Jesus’ baptism, “Viewed from another perspective, the image may suggest that the protecting barriers are gone and that God, unwilling to be confined to sacred spaces, is on the loose in our own realm.

unwilling to be confined to sacred spaces, is on the loose in our own realm.

If characters in the story find Jesus’ ministry threatening, then they may have good reason.”

One time Professor Juel teaching on this subject in his classroom,

explained to his students that when God ripped the buffer zone at Jesus’ baptism, it opened up for us an access directly to God.

the student disagreed with the notion that we have access to God,

instead, the student challenged, God has access to us.

the student disagreed with the notion that we have access to God, instead, the student challenged, God has access to us.

The God who was trapped behind the veil is now on the loose.

The God who was trapped behind the veil is now on the loose.

God breaks through as Jesus’ ministry in inaugurated and answers the call of “Oh, that You would rend the heavens!

That You would come down!”

God breaks through as Jesus’ ministry is inaugurated and answers the call of (next slide verse)

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens!

That You would come down!”

Some scholars argue whether it was a real dove or was it imaginary,

Some scholars argue whether it was a dove or was it imaginary, the answer is who cares?

Mark doesn’t care, you miss the point if you get caught up with the dove imagery.

The point is that by the dove descending upon Him, Jesus is infiltrated, possessed by the Holy Spirit.

the answer is, who cares?

Mark doesn’t care, you miss the point if you get caught up with the dove imagery.

The point is that by the dove descending upon Him, Jesus is infiltrated, infused, possessed by the Holy Spirit.

The word could mean either “into” or “upon,” but there is another word for “upon” and Mark elsewhere uses that word, the point is, he probably meant “into” Jesus.

The word could mean either “into” or “upon,” but there is another word for “upon” and Mark elsewhere uses that word,

the point is, he probably meant “into” Jesus.

Even the skin and bones cannot be a buffer zone for Jesus, the Holy Spirit penetrates all that and moves into Jesus.

Even the skin and bones cannot be a buffer zone for Jesus,

the Holy Spirit penetrates all that and moves into Jesus.

And what does it look like when God is loose in the world through Jesus?

Look at .

Lepers were cut off from society, for health reasons, not to spread disease.

Lepers were cut off from society, for health reasons, not to spread disease.

Cut off from society, spiritually, a pure people could not be tainted by such an impure person.

They were also cut off spiritually, for a pure people could not be tainted by such an impure person.

Lepers had to yell unclean, unclean wherever they went so that nobody would accidentally touch them.

Jesus not only heals him but touches him.

And notice Jesus not only heals him but touches him.

I wonder when was the last time this leper felt a human touch, a caring touch, a loving touch?

When God is loose in the world, He touches lepers.

He touches those that society abandons.

But that’s not all, look at , some friends bring a paralyzed man to Jesus.

Hoping that Jesus could heal him.

And notice what Jesus does first. .

Jesus oversteps the bounds of the priestly infrastructure for they are the ones responsible for bringing the sin of the people before God and petitioning God for forgiveness.

Jesus oversteps the bounds of the priestly framework,

for they are the ones responsible for bringing the sin of the people before God and petitioning God for forgiveness.

And again, the first thing Jesus does is not heal this man but offer forgiveness.

Obviously this man had a really guilty conscience about something in his life.

He probably went to the priests and sought forgiveness for his sins, but was denied and rejected.

He was probably told that God is punishing you for your sins, that is why you are paralyzed.

So he was sent home rejected and abandoned by the religious leaders,

and he thought he was rejected by God.

But remember, God is loose now, on the move through Jesus Christ.