See Christ’s Power: Power Over Wisdom

Pentecost 7, 2000

Mark 6:1-6

Goal: That the hearers may accept God’s wisdom in Jesus Christ.

          Most of you have seen the logo for RCA. It pictures a small black and white dog, head cocked quizzically, looking into the horn of an old Victrola record player. Does anyone know the name of that picture—“His Master’s Voice.” But have you ever noticed how the dog seems confused about his master’s voice? You see, the Victrola and the dog are sitting on a casket. The dog’s master is dead, but his voice lives on through the Victrola. It never ceases to amaze me how a dog can so easily recognize its master’s voice, but we cannot. And because we cannot, we miss His Almighty power to forgive, cleanse, and heal.

          That’s nothing new. Centuries before this God came to the prophet Ezekiel with this instruction: “Listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you.” That’s what God wanted all His people to do; “Listen carefully,” and “Take to heart all the words I speak to you.” The prophet’s task would be hampered and unheeded because, The people … are obstinate and stubborn.” (Ezek 2:3-4). And here I thought there were not any Germans or Fins at that time. It’s a joke, okay. But the point is this: We are no different. And the one who fails to realize this in themselves is still obstinate and stubborn.

The Choice of Worldly Wisdom

          Mark takes us to Nazareth, Jesus’ home town, and look what happens. Because people thought they knew all about Jesus and his family, “They took offense at him.” A similar thing happens today. When the word of God is taught in its simple truth and purity, people still take offense at the one who brings it.

          But, the citizens of Nazareth only reacted in a predictable way. They were guided by a mind set on worldly matters and the product of the flesh. Such wisdom ignores Christ’s power. Their rejection of the Lord and their powerful desire to silence him lead them to commit murder in their hearts. In fact, they would have killed him right then and there except for one thing, Christ’s power over everything. That shouldn’t surprise us, because murdering prophets is a tradition among the hard hearted.

          It is now some 20 centuries later, and although physically murdering a resurrected Savior is out of the question, many people still desire to embrace worldly wisdom, which has the same effect. It says, “Everybody else does it. I might as well too. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get caught.” It also says things like this: “If you want God to bless you, then you must do this, this, and this, and not do that.” That, my friends, is the basic teaching of every false religion in the world. Such teaching completely destroys any sense of grace and places a terrible burden upon the hearts and shoulders of people that God did not give. Let me give you an example of how this happens. The sinful human nature, in inexorable pride, always wants a shopping list of things that will render itself righteous before God. And that completely rejects the wisdom of the cross of Jesus Christ. It disallows Christ’s words to the Pharisees, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.” (Matthew 21:31-32).

Rejecting True Wisdom—God’s Power

          Can no one see that without Christ we are , in many ways, like the Titanic—steaming headlong into disaster, oblivious of the warnings given to us. Preoccupied with trivia, the Titanic responded to radio warnings with this: “Shut up. You are jamming my signal.” Two thousand years ago that was the response of Nazareth to the Savior. “Shut up, Jesus. You are upsetting our plans, our ways.” It is also the response of this modern age as it seeks to force God to accept its wisdom.

          When God’s Old Testament people shut their ears to the prophets who spoke God’s message, the Lord did not force them to hear. He allowed them to follow their own path, worship their self-made god, and steam headlong into disaster. In other words, He let their own judgments from human wisdom lead them.

          When Jesus’ neighbors in Nazareth shut their ears to his message of salvation, he did not demand that they hear him. He did not call down legions of angels to strike down the doubters. He did not perform one miracle after another until they were forced to admit he was God’s Son. Jesus allowed them to reject him. Certainly, it is not because Christ wanted it that way. No, He desires that all come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved. But He will not force His way on anyone. He simply implants His Word in the hearts and mouths of sinners who are then enabled to confess “Jesus is Lord” and believe in their hearts that “God raised him from the dead.” This is the wisdom of God that bestows his own mighty power in us. That power leads us out of sin and death, and eternal damnation.

Make the Hard Choice

          Saving us from sin, death, and Satan was the Savior’s first priority. Saving people was more important than showing his might by right to his hometown people. Saving people was more important than having the crowds mimic his good works. Saving people was more important than saving himself from death on the cross. What should our first priority be under such power, if not to honor and thank the Lord?

          You see, when His Word is not rejected and lost through obduracy, it has a tremendous effect on us, from the inside out. His mission then becomes our mission. His desire to make us holy people becomes our desire.

          The choice to follow Jesus is a very difficult one. In fact, it is impossible for human flesh to do so, except for the power of God’s wisdom with which He makes us wise unto salvation. Paul writes to the youthful pastor Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

          My dear friends in Christ Jesus, may it never be said of us as it was of the people of Nazareth, “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.” Amen.