He Does Everything Well

He Does Everything Well

Mark 7:31-37

I. Summarize the Gospel Event

A. Review the Story

1. Back in Decapolis

a. Jesus earlier was urged to leave after freeing the demoniac at the cost of a herd of pigs

b. Jesus sent the healed man as a herald to his neighbors

2. A crowd brings a deaf/mute man to Jesus

a. What Jesus makes of the moment

(1) Jesus makes it a private encounter (takes him aside)

(2) Jesus makes it a personal encounter (touches ear/tongue)

(3) Jesus makes it a pathos encounter (sighs)

(4) Jesus makes it a powerful encounter (speaks)

b. What the crowd makes of it

(1) Astonished

(2) Complimentary

B. Focus on the Compliment: “He does everything well!”

1. Reminder: A passing compliment is not a confession of faith.

a. People just like this will call for Jesus’ crucifixion

(1) Have benefitted from His compassion

(2) Have witnessed His power

(3) Have experienced His grace

b. I takes more than astonishment to transform a fickle, sinful heart.

(1) Acquiescence is not enough

(2) Wonder and amazement is not enough

2. The full benefit of divine mercy derives from faith in Jesus, love for Jesus, and obedience to Jesus.

II. He does everything well! Three Aspects of Christ’s call for genuine faith in Him

A. Three Aspects of Christ’s life that call for genuine faith in Him

1. Jesus obeyed the Father perfectly

a. 2 Co 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

b. Php 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

2. Jesus offered His life lovingly

a. John 15:13-14 (ESV) 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

b. By calling us friends, Jesus places us in the category of loved!

3. Jesus accepted justice selflessly

a. 1 Peter 2:24 (ESV) 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

b. He did not merely make arrangements for our redemption.

c. He offered Himself as the redeeming sacrifice

(1) The wages of sin is death

(2) Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin

(3) He became not only the author of our redemption from sin, but the instrument of our redemption as well.

B. The Likeness of Jesus

1. Christian, be reminded that the experiential purpose of salvation, of following Jesus is to become more like Him with every passing moment!

2. Increasingly more

a. Obedient to the Father’s will

b. Loving toward those the Father loves

c. Selfless under sanctifying grace

(1) Knowing the teachings of Jesus

(2) Claiming the company of Jesus

(3) But having little likeness to Jesus in our lives suggests there is something amiss in our relationship with Jesus!

III. Faith in the One Who Does Everything Well

A. Jesus accomplished what He alone could accomplish on our behalf

1. Many other

a. Teachers

b. Philanthropists

c. Healers

d. Champions

2. Jesus the one and only Savior!

a. Only Christ, through His death on the cross, satisfied the righteous requirements of our Creator for the entire human family

b. Only Christ, through His death on the cross, suffered the outpouring of divine wrath every sin and every sinner deserves

c. Only Christ, through His death on the cross, restores and reconciles corrupt humanity and a holy God in love

d. Only Christ, through His death on the cross, has done everything well that will save us from slavery to a lifelong fear of death, from slavery to sin, and to eternal subjection to divine justice.

e. Only Christ, by his death on the cross, deserves real faith and not just an occasional, astonished compliment.

B. Put Your Faith in Christ and Keep It There!

1. Confess your sins and repent

a. 1 John 1:9 (ESV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

b. Revelation 2:5 (ESV) Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

c. Repentance is the ongoing surrender to the life changing grace of God

2. Study God’s word for a firm base of thought and action

a. 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV) 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

b. This is no time for spiritual laziness

3. Learn to pray

a. Jesus gave His life for a relationship with you

b. It is nothing for you to give a little effort to having a relationship with Him!

4. Heed this warning: A dark day comes!

a. John 9:4 (ESV) 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

b. A day is coming when following Jesus in faith and obedience will come at great personal risk

c. Those whose faith is not genuine will quickly fall away.

5. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.

a. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV) 5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

b. Ask yourself some hard questions

(1) Do you really love Jesus or do you just like being in the club?

(2) Do you live to obey or do you pick and choose what is convenient and easy?

(3) Do you give your life for Him now so that you are ready if you must give your life for Him later?

C. He has done everything well!

1. Jesus has done everything necessary for the forgiveness of sin and a powerful new life and an eternal hope

2. He invites you

a. To enter that relationship with God through faith in Christ

b. Press on in your relationship with undiminished faith.