Repent, Believe, and Get to Work

Psalm 146 / Mark 7:24-37

We Are Needy

We All Have Needs

The woman was concerned for her daughter

The deaf man needed hearing

Our needs vary, but we are no less needy

We are owed nothing - v27

Eph 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Col 1:21 “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,”

isa 40:15 “Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.”

Chalres Wesley said it well when he penned the lyrics, “And can it be that I should gain An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?” There is no reason apart from God’s love and grace to us, thus he concludes in his hymn, “Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

And it is true that we are a needy people, but we need remember that God owes us nothing. If we got what we deserve, it would not be help, it would be Hell on Earth in this life, and true Hell in the next.

We Need Jesus

For Saving

Physical healing in the gospels always points to spiritual healing

We often look backwards from within our circumstance; our greatest need is (what seems to be) far off - we need to be right with God to escape Hell for eternity.

John 3:36 ESV

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Matthew 5:21–22 ESV

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Our various sufferings and needs are important and real, but with perspective we realize that they are not our greatest need.

Luke 10:20 ESV

20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

For Living

Everyone has the normal difficulties of this life

Everyone is distressed, if not depressed, and for good reason: our world often seems like a dumpster fire in the past year or two.

I can’t take one more thing

I can’t go on like this

I don’t understand why all this keeps happening

Everyone has our own specific circumstances - daughter / hearing

Hebrews 4:15 ESV

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

2 Corinthians 12:7–9 ESV

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Psalm 146:5 ESV

5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,

Whether for saving in the spiritual sense, or some other rescue is needed; in all things we look to Christ Jesus who compassionately saves, heals, rescues, and leads through the fire and the fight.

We Need to get to Work!

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

1 Kings 19:14–15 ESV

14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

James 2:14–15 ESV

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,

James 2:26 ESV

26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Motivated by His grace to us

1 John 4:10 ESV

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

We need to be looking to each other

Galatians 6:10 ESV

10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

We need to be reaching out

Isaiah 1:16–17 ESV

16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

Matthew 5:16 ESV

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

We, like generations before us, are a needy people. We need Jesus as Savior, as Friend, as Companion, but also as Lord. It is not only that the churches of God need to spread the gospel for the saving of our loved ones, but we also need to get busy living a consistent witness publicly; doing good and not evil, showing love and grace to others even when they don’t deserve it, because God rescued us when we were completely unworthy. We need to be salt and light in this broken and dying world for their sake as well as ours.