Coeburn Presbyterian Church Sermons - Pastor James Ensley

Introduction:

· Jesus forgives sins

· Jesus reconciles & restores sinners to table fellowship

Today, this conflict over fasting with John’s disciples and Pharisees is the first of three incidents where Jesus’ identity is more fully revealed in order to address the conflict: He is the Physician, today he is the Bridegroom, and next week he is the Lord of the Sabbath.

Read: Mark 2:18–22 [18] Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” [19] And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. [20] The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. [21] No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. [22] And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” (ESV)

Prayer of Illumination

#1 The Accusation & Answer: Fasting cannot happen while the bridegroom is with the wedding guests, what does this reveal about Jesus and Us? (vv.18-20)

A Biblical theology of Covenant meals explains what Jesus’ answer.

#2 The Old Covenant, if clung to will be torn in division by Christ’s New Covenant, New Kingdom work. (v. 21-22).

Recognizing when something new has arrived can be exciting, it can also be distressing as we desire to preserve the old. Jesus shows this clash to us today.

ILL: In the movie Moneyball, they had a new approach, players overlooked and undervalued, who weren’t flashy but together statistically added up to a winning team on a budget…The new system though ran into the coach who refused to implement the new players, he clung to the old guard, to the point the team was losing…the problem wasn’t the new system but that the old guard couldn’t handle it, they were bursting, so the general manager sells off all the old players, he takes them off the table and away so that the manager was forced to play the new team…

SO too as Jesus sits down at table with Levi and his friends not only is he dining with sinners, but there is joy, a feast, as the new covenant breaks in with repentance and reconciliation given to sinners.

The conflict will be ongoing as Jesus reveals the fading of the ceremonial law as Jesus fulfills all it was meant to taught. It’s removal, is the beginning of the removal of the pharisees influence as those who invented the rules and regulations that wrongfully hedged the law.

Look again at vs. 18-19

#1 Fasting cannot happen while the bridegroom is with the wedding guests, what does this reveal about Jesus and Us? (vv.18-19)

18] Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

*Note they may be trying to drive a wedge between John’s disciples and Jesus’ disciples. Even the book of acts shows that not all who followed John transferred to Jesus’ ministry so easily.

[19] And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

* Jesus says the messiah is like a bridgegroom. There is a Joy of having the savior with them. In our passage there is Jesus calling himself the bridegroom and he likens his coming to new wine in new wineskins. Compared against ordinary days, and mixing the old with the new. First we’ll look at wedding imagery then Jesus’ example parables.

Jesus is the bridegroom: Jewish weddings were 7 days long filled with feasting, think of the wedding of Cana where Jesus is called upon to prevent the shame of running out of wine during the later days of the wedding. The Food and drink were not wedding festities only they were Symbols of God’s provision and blessing.

Table fellowship—being received at the Lord’s table—holds profound significance throughout the Old Testament. It represents a covenant relationship, divine presence, blessing, joy, and communion between God and His people. And it culminates in Revelation with the marriage supper of the Lamb.

A striking foreshadowing of this is the covenant meal shared by the seventy elders at Mount Sinai. After the people affirmed the covenant with the blood of sacrifices (Exodus 24:3-8), “Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel…This heavenly vision where they “beheld God, and ate and drank” (Exodus 24:9-11 ESV). This shared meal in God’s very presence ratified the covenant, the giving of the Word, and anticipated the heavenly banquet—an intimate foretaste of eternal fellowship with the Lord. But it also anticipated God dwelling with his people. In Christ, the disciples were dining with God.

Table fellowship also powerfully symbolizes the covenant blessings and curses. When Israel walked in obedience, the Lord promised His presence and lavish provision: Deut. 7:13 says, “He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock” (see also Dt. 28:1-14; 11:13-15; Lev. 26:3-13). These gifts of the table—grain for sustenance, new wine that gladdens the heart (Ps. 104:15)—represented the Lord’s joyful presence with His people in times of abundance and celebration.

In stark contrast, covenant unfaithfulness invited curses of famine and deprivation. The land’s produce, including grain, wine, and oil, would fail or be devoured by enemies, signifying the withdrawal of God’s sustaining presence and the visible mark of sin (Deut. 28:15-68, especially v. 51: “[enemy nations] shall eat the offspring of your cattle and the fruit of your ground… It also shall not leave you grain, wine, or oil”; see also Lev. 26:14-39; Hosea 2:9; Amos 4:6-8).

Thus, the table became a living barometer of the covenant relationship—feasting in joy or emptiness in judgment.

In the sacrificial system, which we often overlook in its communal dimension, worship frequently culminated in a shared meal of fellowship. The peace (or fellowship) offerings allowed the worshipers themselves to eat a portion of the meat in the Lord’s presence, reinforcing covenant communion and reconciliation (Leviticus 3:1-5; 7:11-21, especially 7:15: “the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering”). These meals were accompanied by grain offerings and drink offerings of wine poured out before the Lord as a pleasing aroma (Numbers 15:1-10: See also Exodus 29:40-41). Wine, a biblical symbol of joy and God’s good provision, elevated these meals to celebrations of restored relationship. I confess I missed this a kid, I thought the sacrifices were fully burned up but almost all of them involved in having your sins forgiven, dining in the presence of God. Really what we have been seeing in mark 2. Forgiven. A Physcians, a Bridgegroom, us his invited guests…not to the tabernacle or temple but to Jesus who has “tabernacled among us.” (John 1).

These Old Testament covenant meals ultimately point forward to the Lord’s Supper, where bread and wine seal the new covenant in Christ’s body and blood (Lk. 22:14-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26), and they anticipate the great eschatological feast: Isaiah 25:6 says, “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.” At the Lord’s table, past, present, and future converge in covenant joy.

Isaiah 25:8–9 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken [9] It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” (ESV)

At Jesus’ first coming, the bridegroom was with his wedding guests. We now live in the already and not yet. Christ is seated in heaven. But while physically away from his people he draws near his people by His Holy Spirit. We still get to gather around the Lord’s table as his people, we have fellowship with Jesus, table fellowship, psalm 23 fellowship, we come to know the father through Christ. But things are not yet consummated, he is absent from us now in a sense, while we wait asking “how long Lord Jeuss, until you return with trumpet sounds and usher in the great wedding supper of the Lamb.

Back to the immediate context and the reaction of the Pharisees: Once again Jesus has taken the Pharisees by surprise. The Messiah was more linked to the KING. TO deliverance. To warfare against unrighteousness and evil. All true things of Jesus, he delivers us from sin and sins bondage, but he is also our great high priest. His presence means a covenant meal; he ushers in the covenant blessings on his people because he is righteous. [see Ps. 110 Jesus as Melchizedek and Abraham’s feast with Melchizedek Gen. 14:18].

With these things in mind hear this again: Why do your disciples not fast?

Jesus replies, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

Christ is the bridegroom. And his disciples are the wedding guests. And we too one day will be the wedding guests.

Don’t miss it, Jesus is saying, no no, these are my friends, my guests. The incarnate son of God so delights in his disciples that he would not have the fast, the fast is pointless himself is with us. And this is true of us. …Though not face to face. But the relationship is just as joyful and close.

But What about us today in the Already/Not Yet? Well, we do not have Jesus with us, he is in heaven. We have the joy of the gospel our worship is filled with trembling Joy. Reverent Joy. But fasting itself does serve a purpose to help us focus on our prayers and in making important decisions. Fasting is valid; it can be good.

Look in verse 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.

We may fast today, because Fasting is seeking the presence of God and Jesus is once more in Heaven. vv. 20

The elders can call for a fast for a particular reason, but there is no conscience binding ceremonial fast for believers today. Jesus assumes we will fast with these words in Matthew 6:16–18 “And when [when its assumed we will] when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. [17] But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, [18] that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (ESV)

Only let our fasting not be

Isaiah 58:3–4 Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. (ESV)

- The Pharisees fasted twice a week (lk. 18:12). Yet Jesus sees hypocrisy and lack of love in them.

There are many practices which are good, which we ought not bind people’s consciences to. Or we ought not pridefully accuse people against. We must call sin sin, we must obey Christ where commanded, and we must with humility recognize when something is merely tradition, even if it’s a good tradition. Not worthy of separation and division over.

We mustn’t make, fixed hours of prayer, fixed cadence tone of voice, body posture in prayer.

The pharisees did not come to Jesus saying “dear brothers would you join us in a voluntary fast, or dear brothers you asked how to grow spiritually might I encourage you to fast…they said, AHA! Look he is dining with sinners, and see here they do not fast, You do not fast, like we do, why are we better and you the worse!

Remember context matters. And in chapter we are moving from “aha, you dine with sinners,” to “aha, you do not fast,” to “aha your have not observed the hedge we have placed around the sabbath law.”

Look at our Fine hedge around the law, why do you not have as magnificent a hedge around the law as we do!

ILL: I read recently that Jeff Bezos maintains a 30 foot tall hedge around his property. Which if it was enforced woult be a $12,000 a year fine for violating city coke. If Bezos was like these pharisees he would say, “aha why do you not maintain the hedge like I do that goes above and beyond the requirements of the law.”

But what we do have that isn’t a hedge? That is what has God instituted in simple beauty to us his people We have the Lord’s Supper, we have a covenant meal set before us by Jesus until he returns with all of its rich symbolism.

Jesus now points out to the Pharisees that what they want from their fasts is fundamentally different than the kingdom of God in the new covenant.

The Old Covenant, particularly the pharisees legalism is like an old garment it will not handle the transformative nature of the New Covenant Era in Christ Jesus.

#2 Christ’s Work and Kingdom requires the new Skins to handle the transformative nature of the greater era he is ushering in. Example 2: new wine in old wineskins, the need for new wineskins (v. 21-22)

Example 1: Unshrunk cloth on old garment [21] No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.

Very simple you know new fabric shrinks. You probably underestimate this because we only buy pre-shrunk fabric now. But two kinds of fabric will only lead to a worse tear. The more vivid illustration is the second one, look in v. 22.

[22] And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” (ESV)

The new wine is going to burst forth

1. Geographically: Jerusalem, judea, samaria the ends of the earth

2. Ethnically: No longer God’s constrained to the Hebrew nation but to the gentiles

3. Spiritually: BY New Birth (Ezekiel)

4. Because of Greater revelation: Knowledge by the word and spirit known (Jer. 31); not as contained to the priests and temple

5. It is going to go forth in simplicity

6. Knowing God directly in Christ Jesus and the finished word– vs. in part by the ceremonial law by the anticipatory shadows

We are No longer bound to the Ceremonial Law, Priesthood, and Temple

Now Christ is fulfilling and expanding that, the law will be written on our hearts, the reality is here. Both the wine and the wineskin must be new

Jesus’ illustration is this Old wineskins are already stretched, hardened, brittle, the hide, the skin is now lifeless and unable to expand further. It is dead.

The aged wine is good but its run its course….The new wine is teeming with life, it is expanding, transforming, ongoing, living and active, its need a new skin that can stretch with it from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the end of the earth.

With great Joy over sinners saved, with the blessings of the covenant secured by Jesus.

The Church has struggled through the ages to not return to the ceremonies and forms of the Old Covenant to mandatory fasting, to ceremonial laws that would recreate the church like a temple with priests.

J.C. Ryle asks, “How was it with the Galatian church? It is recorded in St Paul’s epistle. Men wished in that church to reconcile Judaism with Christianity, and to circumcise as well as baptize. They endeavoured to keep alive the law of ceremonies and ordinances, and to place it side by side with the gospel of Christ. In fact they would fain have put the ‘new wine into old bottles. And in so doing they greatly erred.

How was it with the early Christian church, after the apostles were dead? We have it recorded in the pages of church history. … Some laboured to recommend it to the heathen by borrowing forms, processions, and vestments from the temples of heathen gods. In short, they ‘sewed the new patch on the old garment.’ And in so doing they scattered broadcast the seeds of enormous evil. They paved the way for the whole Romish apostasy.

How is it with many professing Christians in the present day? We have only to look around us and see. There are thousands who are trying to reconcile the service of Christ and the service of the world, to have the name of Christian and yet live the life of the ungodly-to keep in with the servants of pleasure and sin, and yet be the followers of the crucified Jesus at the same time. In a word, they are trying to enjoy the ‘new wine, and yet to cling to the ‘old bottles.” They will find one day that they have attempted that which cannot be done.

Let us leave the passage in a spirit of serious self-inquiry. It is one that ought to raise great searchings of heart in the present day. Have we never read what the Scripture says? No man can serve two masters. “Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Let us place side by side with these texts the concluding words of our Lord in this passage, ‘New wine must be put into new bottles.” (Ryle, 28).

So as we approach the Lord’s table today. He is living and active in heaven. He is doing a new work in your heart by the Spirit. You are to grow in joyful and a transformed life. You are not in the house of mourning but anticipating the joys of heaven, the wedding supper of the Lamb.

Prayer

Benediction

Christ dines with us a meal. In it he is living and active in our by his Holy Spirit. We have not come to a house of mourning, but of Joy. Set free from bondage to sin, set free from the life by law keeping, instead we are alive by the invitation of Christ by his Spirit to dine at the table of the lamb slain that we might live and rejoice in that life.

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Introduction: Once again Jesus is calling a Disciple. Unlike his unopposed calling of the first 4 disciples, where Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John and then goes and dines in Peter’s Mother-in-law’s house…God-fearing honorable people…This time, there is opposition and dispute as Jesus calls an undesirable with undesirable friends to leave all and follow him. NOTE IT is the same call to discipleship, but only a more obvious need.

This passage further relates to last week, when we asked can JESUS forgive sins, this week can Jesus be a teacher, friend, and physician for SINNERS,

READ Mark 2:13–17 Jesus Calls Levi

[13] He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. [14] And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

[15] And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. [16] And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [17] And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (ESV)

Prayer of Illumination

#1 The Teacher of Sinners: Irony (vv.13-15)

#2 The Friend of Sinners: Inquisition (vv.15-17a)

#3 The Physician of Sinners: Iniquity (v. 17b).

#1 look in vv.13-15: Jesus the Teacher, who has called Fisherman, and now calls the Fisherman’s Tax Man (Irony)

[13] He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. [14] And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. [15] And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

A) Jesus’ focus remains “teaching” didactic preaching. And in fact as much as it is mocked it is a crowd: shoulder-to-shoulder speaker to crowd, teaching—followed up with conversations on the teaching around food.

A) Matthew Henry remarks that: “whither he went [to the seaside] for room, because he found…no house or street large enough to contain his [audience]; but upon the strand there might come as many as would. It should seem by this, that our Lord Jesus had a strong voice, and could and did speak loud; for wisdom crieth without in the places of concourse. Wherever he goes, though it be to the sea-side, multitudes resort to him. Wherever the doctrine of Christ is faithfully preached, though it be driven into corners or into deserts, we must follow it.”

i. Wisdom “cries out with a Loud voice proverbs says” Christ is our Wisdom. Let us follow Him. Christ call out, he doesn’t suggest, do not let scripture become a suggestion.

ii. And we need Christ’s wisdom today. Because this passage is going to, I believe, correct a reactionary instinct in many young zealous Christians right now. That is, Jesus is willing enter into the world of sinners without ever being of the world, without ever compromising, he’s not chasing relevance or giving approval of sinners in their sin [on the one hand], but he also is not chasing the pharisees and the righteous’ approval of how tough he and his online followers are in ever increasingly narrow infighting circles…Jesus was able to talk, teach, and call sinners to himself, without needing to virtue signal. Without ever increasingly emotional purity tests….Because he is willing to call Levi and Levi’s friends to go and dine with him. And social media and the town gossip will not like this…

iii. Equally, we can remember the pendulum is always swinging, maybe we love dining with sinners not to be salt and light, but the gospel and the call to discipleship, Christian morality goes first silent, and then compromised…

iv. We need Christ as an anchor, the gospel as transforming and saving sinners, and then giving confidence to us as an anchor. Good faith, clear convictions, kind yet unapologetic-apologetics, if you will.

v. We are helped to remember that it is never about us and our ability to change hearts and minds and sanctify others. It is the Effectual Call of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification, we are just called to faithfulness.

vi. And so with Christ he preaches and he issues this call to discipleship to Levi or Matthew

B) And what is notable?

A) As we said the Irony is He is a tax-collector not an honest fisherman. Fisherman…the irony is that Jesus is calling a group of disciples where Levi very likely had unfairly robbed and tax Peter, Andrew, James, and John…

i. So we have Levi the sinner, the tax-collector who could not be a witness in court who was likely excommunicated from the synagogue. He is a disgrace to Israel, a traitor and a cheat.

ii. But no more. He has been called by Christ and as we saw in Mark 1? The call is to Leave all behind and follow him. Then we mentioned family, community, that Jesus becomes the number 1 priority.

iii. But he does the same thing with our SIN! Family & Community is only a willingness to leave it behind in priority to Jesus. BUT sin? Sin MUST be left behind and put to death. It no longer names us, that man is dead, that sin is being put to death, and Christ and his kingdom, by his word and spirit, now is Levi’s new life.

iv. And he desires that for all his friends.

1. Soon he and all the other cheats and traitors in the region will all get together to eat with Jesus and hear what he has to say…

2. When Jesus calls the sinner, the sinner leaves all behind and is radically joined to a new community.

3. And in this new community, you have current followers of Jesus all those disciples at a table with sinners who desire to hear what Jesus has to say, to hear more about the Kingdom of God.

a. There are many in the Bible who, because of the grace of God, heard of the mercy of God: Rahab and the Spies, Ruth the Moabite woman, both in the lineage of Jesus; both, when first called, would have been listed with those of questionable morals, next to tax-collectors…

v. Jesus is dining with unclean sinners

vi. The question next becomes this: Does this make Jesus morally and ceremonially an unclean sinner?

vii. Well the pharisees and scribes are asking it…But we have already read Mark chapter one, Jesus is a baptized messiah prophet-king-priest, has taught with authority, cast out an unclean spirit, he has cleansed a leper, he has forgiven sins. He heals the body, he heals the soul…

Jesus forgave sins and a paralytic walks, but the pharisees would now like to know: Does the gospel save just the good sinners, the acceptable and respectable sinners, or also the bad sinners?

Who will follow Jesus, who will be transformed by him?

C) Jesus teaches the good and the bad sinner, the bad sinner is receptive to the message of Christ: Repent and turn to God for the Kingdom of God is here in Christ Jesus…You were under Judgment but here is forgiveness and grace

D) What do the pharisees miss? Their Need. They missed their own need, their own sin, and only felt the Fear of losing their place (More on that next week). This week their need. I’ve used good sinner and bad sinner tongue and cheek. All sin is an affront to a Holy God, but not all sin is equally heinous in the sight of God then others, so Jesus must show and assure his church that he can overcome all kinds of sins. If he did not we would quickly make Christianity a religion of self-salvation where God comes and makes the pretty ok, first round draft pick sinners a little better…

E) Here is where we get the rationale of why Jesus has picked fisherman and tax-collectors to be the 12 apostles. It is an indictment against the continuing hard-hearted, spiritual exile of Israel. G.K. Beale points out that “fisher’s of men” has a double meaning, it means rescue, but a fisherman is also a hunter, Jesus probablt draws the idea from Jer. 16:16 where God points out that he will fish, he will gather israel but he will also punish them for their spiritual hypocrisy and idolatry.

F) A large part of the mission of the twelve disciples, analogous to Jeremiah’s hunters, is to pronounce judgment on rebellious Israel.

G) Has Jesus come to rally those who are (thought to be) already spiritually well, righteous, and in right relationship with God. Or did Jesus come to heal spiritually unwell, sinners that they may “follow” him,

H) Jesus’ actions are going to increasingly expose the pharisees real problems answering, are the scribes and pharisees truly well?

I) Are the pharisees going to be called to repent or face judgment by a tax-collector, a sinner calling a pharisee to believe on Jesus?

J) Jesus’ actions so true salvation offered to sinners. And true judgment on the pharisees unwillingness to acknowledge their own need.

#2 Why? Why does Jesus eat with sinners and tax-collectors: The Friend of Sinners & the Inquisition (vv.15-17a)

[15] And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. [16] And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

A) The implied Accusation of the Pharisees and Scribes: Jesus by eating with unclean sinners is himself unclean.

a. For us we just see the phrase “there were many who followed him.” And from our side of evangelical doctrine say “praise God, ruined sinners to reclaim.” Levi is throwing a going-away party and ensuring all his friends get a chance to meet Jesus. Amazing witness.

B) But the pharisees SAID UNTO THE DISCIPLES!!! [And this is Attempted triangulation against Jesus and the Disciples. Going behind his back.

a. They don’t go to Jesus. They go to his disciples!

b. Are you really comfortable that Jesus wants you to eat with Levi? With those kinds of people?

i. Note: [Not breaking any laws, only “hedge laws”]

c. Ill: Now, I don’t think as some enthusiastic teachers have said before that Christ is calling Christians to night clubs at 2AM in order to be like Jesus.

d. [Better Rosario Butterfield’s Testimony [tell the story] of Ken & Floy Smith’s table hospitality all while teaching the gospel of Christ, the Bible, and answering questions

i. Levi has become Jesus’ disciple the meal is for the many people in Livi’s life to come and see their need of a savior, of his tender mercy towards sinners that they too can have what Levi has received. Forgiveness, cleaning, and healing, belonging to the Kingdom of God restored…While those who assumed they belonged (scribes and pharisees) can have their self-righteousness challenged.

SO let’s circle back ot the pharisees one last time…For the sermon Jesus will keep at them next week as well.

#3 The Actual Need of the Pharisees & Scribes and US: (v 17b).

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (ESV)

Jesus is simultaneously defending his interest in dining with Sinners and having the pharisees need to reflect…

A) Are They Righteous? (Yes & No)

a. Of a certain skin deep, externalism, that may produce a better life. Of the Liberal Protestant kind, is it “better” than the prodigal son’s living? Yes, but Does it stand up to the righteous standard of a perfectly Just, wise, and Holy God? By no means! J

b. esus has severe words to say for the Pharisees un-merciful hypocrisy!

i. Jesus frequently sides with the Pharisees as correct on matters,

ii. he also always dismantles extra-biblical rules and their disinterest in sinners being shown saving mercy.

iii. He also exposes their sins of the heart vs. external sins…Paul says, it was coveting, it was his heart that betrayed him over to sin, good on the outside a rebellious flesh on sin on the inside. And it drove paul to Christ and the Holy Spirit for forgiveness and transformation in a way the Law never could.

c. So: Are the sinners, sinners? Yes, of a damaging kind. They are unjust, unchaste, and probably run the table of the ten commandments regularly.

d. Neither group is righteous, read Romans 1-2. No one is righteous no not one. …That doesn’t flatten out or disregard real differences in sin’s severity and consequences in life…But it reminds us that Only one is truly righteous.

e. The Lord Jesus Christ, he is righteous, the Just and the Justifier. The group physician.

f. But here is the point. Will they be healed? Will they look to Jesus? Will they go to Jesus for forgiveness and then, like Jesus become compassionate and merciful?

B) The scribes and Pharisees, Are they compassionate and Merciful? (No)

a. Matthew’s gospel adds to this same account: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’”

i. God does not desire hypocritical forms of religion…sacrifices that show the forgiveness and mercy of God, but by a people who show no forgiveness or mercy…The Lord desires a forgiven and “mercied” people to forgive and show mercy.

b. Same story but in Luke Chapter 5, Luke notes Jesus also said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

c. Mercy AND Repentance, Repentance from the greatest to the least of sin. Repentance from Pharisee all the way to the tax-collector and back again.

Matthew Henry summarizes this exchange well: “Note, Those are too tender of their own good name, who, to preserve it with some nice people, will decline a good work. Christ would not do so. They thought the publicans were to be hated. “No,” saith Christ, “they are to be pitied, they are sick and need a physician; they are sinners, and need a Saviour.” They thought Christ’s character should separate him from them; “No,” saith Christ, “my commission directs me to them; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. If the world had been righteous, there had been no occasion for my coming, either to preach repentance, or to purchase remission. It is to a sinful world that I am sent, and therefore my business lies” – Matthew Henry

C) The pharisees crucial mistake…is not that they understand the severity of the sin of the sinners…they are indeed right. Sin is offensive to God. But they mistakenly underestimated the severity of the sinfulness of their so-called righteous. They saw no need, no spiritual sickness in themselves so they did not rejoice when the Doctor Came and healed others, saying I too am Sick, I AM NEXT.

D) They ought to have rejoiced, “he can save a sinner like that, then he can save a sinner like me.”

a. In the Lord of the Rings—Boromir is in conflict with Aragorn (who over the movies is supposed to take on the Kingship of the Great City of Gondor and defeat evil) But Boromir is the stewards son; he is threatened by the return of the King. And he is proud of his family and his families strength and he does not see that Gondor is crumbling, that his father is mentally sick, and so he says,“Gondor has no King, Gondor needs no King”

b. Israel has the Pharisees and the sacrificial system; they proudly think, they have no need of a messiah who will fulfill the law, be the temple, be the lamb, and take away their sin. What they want, what they desire is a removal of the Romans and join them in extra-biblical moralizing exactness! …They think they and the ceremonial law and the man-made laws built around the ceremonial laws are sufficient stewards to save their nation.

c. Not a merciful savior, not a lamb slain for sinners.

d. In today’s passage, Jesus has called a sinner to follow him because he can with mercy save sinners because he has fulfilled the actual law in exactness.

e. If you follow Christ then Rejoice he is merciful, sit at his table and dine with him, reject all trust in your own righteousness, reject all clinging to remaining sin, and arise and follow the Son.

f. Ryle says, “No sin-sick soul is too far gone for [Jesus]. It is his glory to heal and restore to life the most desperate cases.”

E) But do you believe Jesus is merely a nice idea, or do you desperately believe that he is your savior, your physician.

F) Have you gone to Christ for the healing of your heart?

G) Remember last week he can forgive your sins. Cancel the debt, remove the shame. Christ forgives sinners. This week. AND you are a sinner.

a. The pharisees have forgotten one of the purposes of Holiness. The goal of Holiness is First, to Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, the second is like it to Love your neighbors as yourself.

b. As Sinclair Ferguson says, “a Physician washes his hands clean, he is set apart in order to be able to perform the surgery to make the sick well.”

I will close with this, because I anticipate it to be an important but what about.

What about Us and our friends, who are various kinds of sinners, and you in various stages of your life?

Very briefly: It depends on your maturity, your stability, and your groundedness in the truth. But we must remember this call to mercy over against the Pharisees, who were exacting increasingly narrow terms of friendship.

C) This is best done in table conversation with people who know you and your situation,

D) A Few wisdom categories for you to discuss and apply

a. Close Confidants are those who we will be transformed to be like in our fellowship. These ought to be fellow believers.

i. In this category goes those we date and marry. Anyone we are yoked to ought to be following Christ as well.

b. Second, there are those friends whom we have a self-awareness of where they need Christ and understand our distinct calling and ethic. Measured not against our righteousness but the call to faithfully follow Christ and our desire that they follow Christ as well. That they would know and stand for truth, beauty, and goodness as we do.

i. Two places: people may be at here: Mockers, scoffers, and potentially even disdainers of our boundaries and stance.

ii. Or In Sin, even egregious sin, but open, hearers, willing to respect your boundaries and not call you into it.

1. Psalm 1 and Proverbs calls you to flee from scoffers, fools, and this kind of hardened wicked.

2. But Christ’s example here invites us to teach and maintain friendship with sinners as a mercy and witness.

· A Final principle is to be aware of your age and steadfastness, your maturity. Do not foolishly underestimate your peers’ pressure, your unsettledness.

o This means you may be able to be close friends with someone who is sinful in one area but not another area. In other words, if your great temptation is gambling your friends, who are sinners should not be at sports games where they are bidding you to just do some sports betting with them. But instead, you invite them into something better a family game night no betting relationships and fun away from their sin and into a new and better fellowship. …

o Seek out the counsel of parents, fellow believers, and accept a warning if another believer sees compromise in your life. Be willing to at the counsel of others to set up boundaries.

§ Jesus eating with sinners for dinner in a crowd is not 2 AM at a night club or being alone, the sole Christian at a party. He had the disciples with him; it was for a righteous purpose and not him finding “the line” and jumping back and forth over it.

§ This wisdom allows us to be courageously compassionate and to offer the gospel with the accompanying mercy call to repentance to others without falling into sin on the one hand or pharisaism on the other hand.

Prayer | Benediction

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Introduction: Recap ESTABLISHED power, authority, and his message, here Jesus faces opposition as his identity and authority are joined together as God incarnate, proclaiming forgiveness and reconciliation through Jesus himself.

Illustration: Forgiveness is a tricky thing? Kids “I’m sorry” “I forgive you.” …Not feeling it. Adults, “I forgive you…But I’m still mad at you, the friendship is over…” “or really and truly, I forgive you, come and eat, join me, let’s talk as we once did…no barriers, reconciliation.” But then the Forgiven, you may doubt…have they really? If only we could see the FORGIVER’S heart….We cannot. Jesus can see our hearts, he reveals his heart, and he is able to show that yes indeed, God forgives our sins through the authority and work of the Son of Man. God is reconciled to you in Christ Jesus and he gives us the demonstration of healing this paralytic even as he gives us the seal of the resurrection.

Our passage today has numerous proofs as to Jesus’ identity. It is also our first “Conflict passage” if you don’t count Peter’s (where are you everyone’s looking for you.” The scribes act as the foil. So you might ask: what makes Chapter 2 the next chapter: Conflict, one key is to ask Exactly what did Jesus do or say? Why did others object to it? How did Jesus respond to the objections or criticism?

We also return to Capernaum today and the popularity of Jesus once more has people crowding this little home. He is found PREACHING and, once again, is pressed into Healing, but in this case he speaks favorably of the faith of those seeking healing.

Read: Mark 2:1–12 [1] And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. [2] And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. [3] And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. [4] And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. [5] And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” [6] Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, [7] “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” [8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? [9] Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? [10] But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—[11] “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” [12] And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (ESV)

Prayer of Illumination

#1 The Drama of Faithful Friends v. 1-5

#2 The Dilemma of Identity v.6-8

#3 The Demonstration of Jesus: Proving the Invisible with the Visible v. 8-12

#4 Jesus Statement: Every Word Matters (v.9)

#5 Glorify God! (v. 12)

#1 The Drama of Faithful Friends v. 1-5

[Telling the story]

A) [Back to Capernaum….popularity…..what will he do this time. Why did he leave? The healing ministry had supplanted his ability to preach the kingdom of God that God was drawing near to dwell with his people] and to deal with sin that if we return to the Lord that he is faithful and will forgives us, gather, sustain, and restore us, reconciliation between God and Man and man and man.

B) Jesus must constantly balance his ability to preach with his compassion and pity to heal. And today he reaffirms both his compassion. And his priorities, that he has eternal priorities that cannot fade over a limb that though made whole for decades would one day decay again.

C) Jesus so far is preaching: they are spilling out the door, maybe 50 people can crowd in? And R. Kent Hughes points out who we know is there…their first appearance in Mark and of course, the beginning of CONFLICT. This section begins a series of conflicts and they are seated there. Verse 6: Some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their heart… So one group arms crossed, waiting for the first toe out of line. The other group was amazed at the authority of preaching but not converted in heart.

· J.C. Ryle says of The crowd “they were amazed, they were astonished, they were filled with wonder at his mighty works but they were unconverted…” Ryle, 21. This may seem a harsh indictment but in Matthew 11 this is Jesus’ assessment. Unbelief at his preaching.

But what may be true of the world, and the overall crowds, is not the case for all…Four friends filled with a belief in Jesus, in him doing for their friend what he cannot do for himself. These four friends bring him to Jesus. Maybe Jesus is preaching the content of the sermon on the mount, “blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God,” and the roof begins to shake and dirt and sticks are dug and pried up until a man is lowered down by his friends. Paralyzed in bed…

His need is apparent. We have come for Jesus the healer and Jesus sees the need. With keen insight of heart and mind, He sees the love of the friends, the faith and trust in him. We have brought him to you and to the clearly paralyzed man, Child, Son, your sins are Forgiven.

And immediately we say, Sin? He is paralyzed, what about his life-quality, his mental health, he is suffering, and you are talking Sin?

And commentators wonder, maybe the faith of the friends and this man recognize this. What sins, what thoughts, what guilt and shame has this man wrestled with as he has laid there?

We, the world, we are often offended when the spiritual, sin, eternity, and souls are addressed with the physical and immediate crying out for need in front of us. We need Jesus, we need the word of God to correct our priorities and to understand both our sin and the misery.

One commentator said, “Put differently, our greatest need is hidden from the human eye; it cannot be seen, except by God!”

ILL: John Newton was a man who was a slave trader, he was a healthy, powerful, and influential man…But he said he was a blind wretch, sinning against God and Man. And he was blind, but now he sees even as he gave up his wealth, power, and went blind in his old age! His inner self was renewed, his outer self-wasted away. Would he have preferred both? Certainly, but which one did he sing about about, what thrilled his heart?

Let’s continue, What is the problem?

Try to restrain how much you know about Jeuss for a minute: Pretend all you know is Mark 1 and your Old Testament for a bit: Not only do we now know: Jesus can heal the sick, sure he can preach a message, but can he actually forgive sins and make a sinful and wretched soul forgiven and whole?

The scribes are scribbling furiously; they are doing the theological calculations. Prophets may do miracles in God’s power, a prophet can preach God’s word, but he cannot forgive sins; God alone forgives sins. Look with me in v. 6-7.

#2 The Dilemma of Identity v.6-7

[6] Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, [7] “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” [8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?

· Two premises: First, Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7& Second, only God can forgive sins.

o The Scribes are limited to looking on appearances

§ Is. 53 specifically says, Jesus has no form that we may admire him. (transfiguration was a unique moment)

§ So the scribes see a mere man, they think they see a mere created being not their creator, all the while we see Jesus perceives the hearts of man.

§ Jesus as the Son of God, as divine pierces the hearts of man.

§ But they don’t know that…pretend we don’t know that…Just this sudden inward insight so far.

· Second: Only God can forgive sins.

o Is. 43:25 [God speaking] “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and I will not remember your sins.

o Ps. 103:3, 12 [2] Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, [3] who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

o A+ Absolutely, the scribes are correct. Only God can forgive sins. Only God knows, judges hearts, and is the ultimate party sinned against.

o David in Ps. 51 says, Against you and you only have I sinned, oh Lord.

§ Remember, forgiving sins is costly to the offended Party. God is always ultimately the only one who grants full forgiveness of sins.

§ Christ forgiving sin, proves He is God, HE IS the offended party.

§ He is the Son of Man, the Ancient of Days of Daniel 7.

o All of this is about what goes on invisibly in our hearts. All this is about what happens in our hearts in the quiet moments.

o Where is all this happening? Invisibly in their hearts.

· Jesus perceives all this, they believe he is a blasphemer, a megalomaniac, eventually needing to say his miracles are from Satan.

· So we are at an impasse as time slows down and all these things happen in the invisible realm of hearts, and Jesus moves the conversation forward by posing a solution…

#3 The Demonstration of Jesus: Making the Invisible Healing Visible v. 8-12

[8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? [9] Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? [10] But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—[11] “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”

[12] And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (ESV)

* Jesus is saying, “I am not just saying things.” Its easy to say things, man those 200 pushups were difficult this morning…No words are cheap: Jesus is creating a priority and a proof. What MUST happen is forgiveness of sins, the salvation of this man’s eternal soul is knowingly or unknowingly what these friends brought him here for. And in order to externally and visibly prove my words. I will give you a sign. Arise, pick up your bed, and walk. Go home!”

The man is immediately healed, he is not the baby deer with shaky legs. He is healed. And he is sent home. He doesn’t parade him through the people. He is not a grandstander, he isn’t about popularity, and glorying in the spectacle. He is sent home. Healed and Home.

Once again the implication…The priority was the first statement. Your sins are forgiven. That is the priority of grace. The priority of the HEART. The SOUL. Our relationship with God being restored so that no sin separates it is the immediate priority of every man, women, and child. Until that is restored, all else is secondary. We know this from the paralytic, and we know this from the thief on the cross (Saved!..Still on a Cross.) Repeatedly, Jesus prioritizes our hearts, the cross, the sending of the Holy Spirit, the word being preached over all else.

Furthermore, the man was obedient, unlike the Leper, he has prompt and immediate obedience to Jesus.

*As I studied this account this week, I was struck that the Evangelical priority of the gospel is biblical. Right, it gets asked, “did evangelicals get it wrong? Is the social, ethical, progressive gospel right?

No. Salvation by grace through faith, the gospel is the priority; Jesus clearly orders the priority here, while we also know salvation brings with it social implications of a saved, transformed people. A Loving—Charitable—People.

The gospel is the foundation for Christian love and charity to flow out of, downstream of, a restored relationship with God, to then go and love others. Never reverse the priority. Because such a priority is the faith that brings your friend to Jesus, do you bring others to Christ, do you move heaven and earth in order to invite, love, and point others to a need to be brought to Jesus?

The scribes would never have embarrassed themselves like these four friends. A Gospel driven zeal for the Lord is believing Jesus is the Son of God who can truly forgive sins is worth moving heaven and earth until you have resolved it in your heart.

Fight to get to Christ. TO Have Christ. Go to Jesus he knows your heart.

#4 Jesus Statement: Every Word Matters (v.9) v. 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?

I want to draw our attention to each word of Jesus here. Because Jesus’ is saying, the miracle confirms his words.

First, YOUR sins: Jesus doesn’t come to deal with sin abstractly; he looks at this man and says YOUR sins are forgiven.You have a need, I know your heart, YOU are set against God and neighbor, YOU need forgiveness. Sin is always relational, and faith is always personal: Against Christ and IN Jesus Christ.

Jesus doesn’t set up a new system of religion that the scribes can count and quantify, counting sins, counting righteous deeds on an abstract counter. It is personal, Son, YOU!

Have YOU personally dealt with Jesus and your sins? No one else can. It may be only in praying and crying out to Christ in need.

Second, your SINS: You have sins, they do separate, and it’s not just again, counting the number of sins, Jesus sees our hearts, we are Eph. 2 “dead in our trespasses and sins.” Jeremiah say, Jeremiah 17:9“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Not the scribes and pharisees. Genesis 6:5“Every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

So from Jesus’ perspective he sees people’s hearts; he looks at this paralyzed man and what shocks him is not (merely) the condition of his legs but the condition of his heart! A desperately sin-sick heart, that sins because of the corruption of his whole nature: thinking, loves, will, desires, reactions, emotions, the entire inner self the seat of self is in every facet darkened by the paralyzing grip of SIN…Such that God says we need a new heart, renewed heart, heart surgery to change our relationship to our sins, to free us from them.

Each heart’s own sins, in particular, are addressed only by the Son of Man who knows your sins and is the debt holder of those sins.

HE can forgive because Jesus is the God-Man and the proper representative on the Cross. He will die for this paralytic by name with full awareness of what he is really dying for.

Your SINS, yes, those sins, if the Spirit has called and you are trusting in Christ, then Jesus knows them; he died for them. And so believe in Jesus, boldly confess particular sins, particularly.

Last word, your particular sins, particularly Are FORGIVEN (The language and grammer means: Done once for all with abiding effect. Perfect.

It is a Passive verb meaning done to you and for you: dismissed, done away with, the guilt, the debt is forgiven, the debt is removed, the relationship barrier is dismissed.

o Remember God says in Is. 43:25 “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

o Ps. 103:3, 12 [2] Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, [3] who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

o Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (ESV)

To forgive is to dismiss, release, ransom, and cover the debt. The moment Jesus said those words was tied to the future reality of the cross and resurrection of Jesus. Every human being who has been declared Just! Justified by Faith alone, as a declaration, experiences it in a moment of pronouncement from Heaven. This man received it face to face with Jesus. And I want you to think of your sins this way, So when Satan accuses you, you have the same reality of Jesus by name looking at you and saying Forgiven. And this is by sheer grace.

#5 Glorify God! v. 12 They were amazed and glorified God

We owe God all glory and honor and thanksgiving for forgiving us. The man springs up, obeys Christ, and returns home. His friends have much to praise the Lord for.

They were amazed, This is no blasphemer, the man walks. God is at work! Bless the LORD O my soul, and forget not all his benefits! Do not forget the blessings, the benefits, the gift of the Lord to your life!

I wonder how many days before the man took walking for granted? I wonder how many days of our lives we take being Sons and Daughters bound for heaven and glory for granted?

Despite the perpetual reminder of our remaining sins…This is why when we read confessions of sin, scripture about our sins, it is not to perpetually weigh us down…No, that is Satan’s goals of accusations…Instead, our goal is the goal of HEART work, SOUL work. To be Amazed again, and again at new morning mercies and to BLESS the Lord, who is glorious, who is wondrous, who anchors our lives. He is the glorious center. He holds the throne. And every time you confess sin and read in the word, or hear pronounced, the answer “YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN.” Then it should re-anchor Jesus on that thrown and cast sin, your fleshes desires, and all competing idols off as worthless.

May we not be as the scribes who weigh the externals. May we by the Spirit meditate in our hearts on the reality of Salvation by Faith in Christ Alone. That the beleivers life is one of faith and repentance. Sons and Daughter. Prayer | Benediction

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Introduction: Turn to Mark 1, for the final time… Context, baptism, repent & believe, wilderness (#1 of 2?), Synagogue “unclean” in demonic sense; healings…Jesus’ statement to move on to preserve his preaching ministry…Next we have a situation not of demonic possession but of the misery of the fall, our inability to restore ourselves to the how things are meant to be…And a firm conclusion Christ has Pity on our Sin & Misery. This passage powerfully resonates with us today, Jesus healing the leper. There are just two cases of it in the gospels. But they stand out because in it we see mirrored in the physical condition of this man—our spiritual relationship to our sinful hearts—Will Christ make us whole? Does Christ pity us? Will we be made clean? Will we obey Christ once cleansed?

Read: Mark 1:40–45

[40] And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” [41] Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” [42] And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. [43] And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, [44] and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” [45] But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

Prayer of Illumination

#1 A Miserable Condition

#2 A Compassionate Savior

#3 A Complete Cleansing

#4 A Call to Silence

#1 A Miserable Condition “if you will, you can” v.40

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”

What is The Problem?

a. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and…misery…The misery of the leper

i. Various skin diseases

ii. Incurable certainly not immediately like Jesus does here

iii. Causes separation from

1. Family, community, Synagogue, and Temple

2. “shouting unclean, unclean”

iv. It is an effect of the fall…and more importantly it is a visible objective misery….So Jesus is showing his visible, verifiable, and objective power over what—the curse of the fall.

1. The fall brought us into an estate of sin and misery

2. Our spiritual condition means

a. This world is not how it ought to be

b. Death is not how things ought to be…disease either…

c. And in Israel they were set apart as a Holy Priesthood. IN fellowship with the Holy, Holy, Holy God and Israel in essence anticipated God present with his people on earth…it anticipates the New Heavens and the New Earth and in the new heavens and new earth where and when sin and the affects of the fall cannot dwell there.

d. The ceremonial clean and unclean laws taught Israel— 1) they were unable to cleanse themselves from their own sins… 2) They needed a priest to cleanse them and to declare them clean, and 3) that sin separates us from God and Man.

v. Sin separates…we cannot cleanse ourselves…we cannot save ourselves.

1. Prayers, Fastings, religious ceremonies, giving to charity, hrs of meditations, and working on yourself, improving your mental health, education, wealth, whatever you can name, will never penetrate to the depths of the need for a new heart, soul, mind, and complete restoration…Only the Holy Spirit causes us to be born again, a new creation, clean, forgiven, and restored as we already saw at Jesus’ baptism, and his cleansing the man with the unclean spirit.

b. The leper goes to Jesus because he sees that Jesus is ABLE. He knows he casts out unclean spirits and heals people of their disease…he falls down in reverence before him.

c. But note the worry: “If you will, you can make me clean.”

i. He is certain of the “can” Jesus is able!

ii. But there is the question—Am I so miserable that Christ will not heal me?

d. Two things here, once again the ability of Jesus reveals that he is the sinless savior, who is holy, clean, and righteous the God-Man.

i. Jesus is a fitting priest, and a pure sacrifice.

ii. He is able but is he willing?

1. We recoil from sin and misery, our instinct may be to leave people in their misery

2. …Sometimes because we have no solution,

a. And we don’t need to take on a savior complex. We recognize we are often not able…

3. But second…able but unwilling? sometimes because we are simply unwilling to bear the suffering or sacrifice necessary to fix it…the risk…either cross contamination of their situation

Illustration: This question is he willing goes to our greatest fear. I am unlovable, I know what I have down, I know how ugly my sin is…I deserve not only not to be loved by Jesus but pushed away, punished, to pay for the ugliness of my sin…We may fear others discovering the depths of our sins ugliness…and we know Jesus knows. Our Father knows, the Holy Spirit would never want to dwell in my heart.

i. Illustration: [“Edmund” … “Eustace” sin is lonely, people may put up with me, but no one wants me…I was beastly to people, I am a beast, I can always and only remain a pitiable unclean dragon.

ii. Eustace goes to clean himself up but he needed a Savior to do it for him…

iii. You can read the books for yourself.

He is able but is he willing?

We are like the husband or wife who has a long term illness…cancer, why would they stay with me? I am no longer beautiful, desirable, able bodied, and even my mind causes me to be miserable company…And we know sometimes in these situations the spouse stays sometimes they go….But what lies behind it—An oath, a covenant, a vow!

“I, take you, my beloved // to be my wedded wife // and I do promise and covenant // before God and these witnesses // to be your loving and faithful husband // for rich or for poor // in sickness and in health // in plenty and in want // in joy and in sorrow // as long as we both shall live.

Jesus is a compassionate savior because he has sworn a covenant vow motivated by love to come and rescue his bride the church. Jesus came to save sinners, to redeem us from our sin…So #1 Our Miserable condition but #2 A Compassionate Savior

#2 A Compassionate Savior: “Jesus is moved with pity, compassion” “he touched him” read v. 41 again Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”

· Jesus is the husband still willing to grasp the hand of his bedridden wife.

· Remember Jesus is holy and clean in his incarnation as our priest AND he is divinely God. He is not in danger of being unclean…This is the incredible part Jesus is going to lay down his life as the spotless lamb but his perfect righteousness enables him to have compassion on sinners…to dine with, to meet with the woman at the well, a sinful woman, to talk to tax-collectors, and yes to reach down with pity and touch a leper. And to say, Yes, I am willing. Jesus came into the world to break the curse of the fall both in sin and one day yes to destroy all the effects of the fall not just sin and death, but in fact, the entire creation will be restored by his hands.

· This moment is echoed in Revelation 1, where John sees the glorious vision of Jesus [expand]. He falls to his knees, and Jesus compassionately lays his hands on John.

· So with the leper, is he willing, is he able?

o Yes, he is willing he is full of compassion. And God’s word assures us of this over and over again. Jesus has compassion for sinners. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit each person of the Trinity shows compassion to sinners, to the unclean, to the miserable, to the outcast.

§ Eph. 1 tells us we have forgiveness, that before the foundation of the world, he loved us, that from eternity the plan was to send Christ forth, that what is unholy may be made holy and what is unclean may be made clean, united to Christ Jesus and indwelt with the Holy Spirit.

§ God demonstrated his love for us while we were still sinners…because of his great love for us, when we were dead in transgressions he saved us. It was of kindness and love, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy….a merciful and faithful high priest who lays his hands on use…who sympathizes with our weaknesses. Yet is without sin. He is holy and clean. (Rom. 5:8; Eph. 2:4-5; Ti. 3:4-5; Heb. 2:17, Heb. 4:15).

o So consider this, Jesus is willing because from Eternity he has made a covenant to in love redeem out of sinful humanity a bride for himself. He had compassion. Loved by the Lord when we were unlovable but betrothed to Christ that we might be his holy bride.

· Mark 1:41’s compassion is not a one-off emotion; it flows from the same eternal heart of love and pity that chose to show mercy to sinners in Christ before the world began.

o What do you feel in your heart would prevent Jesus from loving you? [pause] Know that he has loved you from eternity

o What do you feel makes you so unclean he would never be willing to lay his hands on your shoulder and say, “I will, be clean!” And indeed, you would be clean.

o It would be no legal fiction. It would be no get out of jail free card.

o You would be clean. You would be immediately and entirely clean.

§ J.C. Ryle says, “the morning sun rose upon [the leper], a miserable being, more dead than alive, his whole frame a mass of sores and corruption, his very existence a burden. Then the evening sun saw him full of hope and joy, free from pain, and fit for the society of his fellow men. Surely, the change must have been like life from the dead.” (Ryle, 19).

§ Dead to alive. Condemned to Forgiven. Enemy to Son & Daughter.

§ Belonging to the kingdom of Satan, to fully belonging to the bride, the Church of Christ.

So, #3 A Complete & Certified Cleansing vv. 42-44

[42] And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. [43] And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, [44] and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

I will. Be clean.

How should this reality change you?

First, it means you trust in Christ alone for salvation and cleansing. Not to religious rituals and ceremonies. Christ, his Cross, the Holy Spirit does these things and is received by faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone.

Jesus sends the man to the Priests to “confirm” to be a witness to the truths of these matters.

Two things here the Proof and the Difference

1. The proof is that over the coming years, these priests will have themselves certified the healing of this Leper. Jesus is amassing witnesses to his POWER. To his ability to touch this leper and him be cleansed and Jesus to be the true and spotless lamb, the true messiah.

So Jesus is creating a legal testimony against the priests because of this certified cleansing of this leper.

As I’ve said in previous sermons, never were the actual miracles of Jesus able to be truly opposed, but only the identity of Jesus. The source of power behind the miracles was questioned. Not the miracles themselves. So First proof/

2. And second, the difference. How does Jesus differ from the priests? They proclaim clean or unclean; Jesus makes clean! The priests are only certifying what Jesus accomplished. They have no power to cleanse in themselves. All the ceremonial law points to is what Jesus accomplishes. The ceremonial law always pointed beyond itself to the reality. Lepers were walking pictures of the reality of sin. And the priesthood and sacrificial system were pictures of what Jesus does.

Just as Water Baptism is God’s promise and pronouncement the reality is the Regenerating and cleansing work of the Holy Spirit.

I am not a priest, I do not absolve sin. I read you a scriptural assurance of pardon….All it does it state what already is….

Your sin is nailed to the Cross it is done. If you are trusting in Christ you are forgiven. What you are doing is growing in your confirmation of this reality.

· A receipt at a restaurant does not pay for the meal; it is just a record that the debt has been paid.

· A doctor does the surgery to remove the disease; the follow-up scans only certify the results.

This brings us to our final point.

#4 A Call to silence, Jesus “sternly” charged the leper to be silent. VV. 43-45

And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” …But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news….

But…He talked freely, everywhere! Why? Why would he do this?

Why? People wanted the miracles, the healing, they did not want Christ they did not want the message of repentance and believing on God to enter the kingdom of God.

This stern charge of Jesus is a charge to not only receive cleansing. But to be transformed in all your life, the man has his family, his community, his ability to worship restored. It ought to produce a transformation that makes him a disciple who loves Jesus enough to obey Him. Jesus says, if you love me, you will keep my commandments.

To be a disciple means to submit to the whole council of God. Jesus in the great commission says, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV)

That word observe is variously translated: “keep” (Matthew 19:17) “kept in custody” (Acts 24:23) “observe” (Matthew 23:3) “reserved” (2 Peter 2:17) “guarding” (Acts 12:6) “held” (Acts 25:21) “keeping watch over” (Matthew 27:54) “maintain” (Ephesians 4:3) “protects” (1 John 5:18) “refrain” (2 Corinthians 11:9) “stay within” (Jude 6)

He was clean. He had a command from Christ. He ought to have observed the teaching of Christ. And we laugh and say, it’s so simple just go to the priest and be quiet….Well how many times have we read an epistle, Ephesians, Colossians, and 1 Peter, or any passage of scripture read it, understood what a transformed life of following Jesus would mean, and go away and immediately forget the command, not obey it, and even do the opposite.

The principle is this—yes we often want forgiveness of sins—acceptance, the removal of guilt, the removal of shame—but we so often want his things—the improved circumstances—to be clean, but we do not want to be transformed, growing, and maturing disciples; Diligent to out of gratitude and love to obey all that Christ commands us.

I don’t want to start listing sin lists or holiness lists of commands of Jesus and the apostles. But I do want the principle…cleansed and restored sinners are called to listen to the voice of the savior. If you love me you will keep my commandments.

What’s the damage? What’s the result of this disobedience? It doesn’t say the Leper gets cursed and loses his salvation…It’s sad, but what happens isn’t fire zapping him…but it harms the church. It harms the ministry of Jesus to proclaim salvation and to grow mature disciples. [it’s ironic because it really is a matter of timing. 3 years from then, this leper is doing the right thing.]

The man had an excitement, a zeal, and did in his own eyes what his emotions for being healed called for. He was to be anachronistic: an emotions-driven Christian before he was a Word-driven Christian.

There is a zeal without knowledge but equally we do not desire knowledge without zeal. Knowledge free courage or courageless knowledge both can be damaging.

How should we be warned by this account?

1. So excited by the improvement of his life was the Leper that he did not fully submit his heart to every word of Jesus nor did he obey how Jesus would have him respond.

2. Verse 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town

3. How many times in church history and in our lives does God give us an instruction we may not fully understand, but it is for the good of others?

a. Jesus desired to preach in the synagogues and the towns, but he was hindered by no longer being able to openly minister there…instead, he was driven to the desolate places.

4. ILLUSTRATION, This reminds me of the effects of the Second Great Awakening or what I like to call the “not so-great awakening,” for you see in the First Great Awakening the gospel was powerfully preached by men like George Whitfield and John Wesley, and Jonathan Edwards. AND Edwards wrote a book called “religious affections” where he seeks to ask, what is true conversion?, and in it he says, yes, it may produce great emotion and excitement, but true revival has lasting repentance and faith. It bears the fruit of obedience in people’s lives. Transformed lives. So, this is a true Revival that brings about Reformation of Life in the individual and a Reformed Church: And many in the first great awakening, were enfolded into the church for a lifetime of growth, the first great awakening made the churches healthier they were saved from dead orthodoxy and also ultimately being made immature and compromisers, downgraders of biblical doctrine, worship, and church life.

a. But the second great awakening in its desires for numbers and excitements switched to entertainment more and more, to not just revival, but revivalism, the anxious bench, emotionalism, the preacher put pressure on the will and emotions of men and used music and the cadence of the preacher as a manipulative to drive people to be caught up more with the human movement itself rather thanwith the supernatural work of God in Christ, by the Gospel, and “making disciples” in gathering people into the bride of Christ the Church.

b. And so, the regions of the country that men like Charles Finney served in became known as the burned-over regions…The Congregationalist churches are now Unitarians who deny the trinity, even that Christ is God, the bible is inerrant, and they have turned the supernatural gospel into the social gospel.

c. The thrill of the spectacle drives Christ and Christ’s church to desolation. To ignorance of the word of God, the Christian life lived in community. The empty sensationalism lead To fragility between the generations.

d. Just as Mark chapter 1 shows the hunger was for the miracle-working of Christ over his preaching, so too the second great awakening led to this.

5. And here is what we can say about it, Christ is compassionate, indeed, in the 2nd great awakening many were saved. God sometimes blesses despite the ignoring of his chosen means. The leper was healed, he was restored, despite his ignoring Jesus’ directions in this area….But he still acted in Disobedience. God can salvage souls through disobedience of his methodology.

a. In this case, Christ has compassion, he heals, but he directs how to respond.

b. Jesus has a consistent mission in Mark chapter 1. Whenever people go for the spectacle and the spectacular over what Jesus says he responds consistently, v. 38 “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

c. What did he come to preach? Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

d. This will be reinforced by the flow of Mark’s gospel in chapter 2, as he heals the paralytic but pronounces before healing him “Your Sins are forgiven.”

e. The wages of death or removed, the wrath of God covered, and your relationship with your Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus is reconciled—Son and Daughter of the Creator—In Christ Jesus the King of Kings.

f. TO the spiritual Leper, who says “will he cleanse even me? Surely, no my heart is to ugly”

i. you can be forgiven, cleansed, and restored to Fellowship with God and God’s people.

ii. Go to Christ in prayer, sayin “Lord, have mercy on me a sinner…” Christ loves; He has compassion on sinners.

g. And then hear the voice of Christ: live as a follower of Jesus who says, “If you love me you will keep my commandments…” Abide in me and I in you….Be careful: He does not say, “if you want me to love you, you will keep enough rules.” No, He has loved you now in grateful response, as a redeemed sinner respond in loving obedience.

i. Do not get swept up with the world and the world’s methods and priorities

ii. Loyally listen to Jesus’ voice.

Prayer

Benediction

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

This morning we’re going to talk about a Christian Perspective on Art & Beauty. This is a school so I will accept the fact that you can wrestle with difficult concept.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. (ESV)

As you can see from Eccl. 3:11, we are thinking about Beauty, Eternity, the human heart, and God’s Creation. And maybe we have limits? We are finite… maybe we need to think a bit more about what Beauty is? And what this means for what we usually call beautiful – Artwork and creativity.

Intro: Art, Beauty, and A Christian Worldview

You probably encounter hundreds of types of creativity & artwork every week. You probably encounter hundreds of things everyday you find beautiful or ugly. But is this just preferences?.. like you like some music and your friends like others, you think a movie was really good, but your friend didn’t like it? How should you as a Christian enjoy creativity, beauty, and art.

To answer this we are going to ask, What IS Beauty? What is the Standard of Beauty? And from there say--how should a Christian think about Art. To Answer this I will frequently cite Paul Munson’s Chapters in Art & Music A Student’s Guide.

First, What is Beauty? Munson says that “the beauty of any object is its capacity to proclaim truth and to realize goodness.” [2x] (Munson, 28)

But What is Art? Throughout this talk when I say “Art” I mean a fitting or appropriate form in order to convey Beauty. – And this can be music, painting, sculpture, it can be a child’s painting that is fitting and good for the context, it can be a master painter’s painting which serves a different fitting good. Art can be, Poetry, Novels… Architecture, the way an athlete plays a sport, even. Art can be pop art, folk art, Fine Art, each has strengths and weaknesses depending on the goal. But the goal is to convey goodness, truth, and beauty in a fitting and appropriate way.

As a Christian I am going to argue that: Art and creativity are good. Because we are made in the image of God. We are, by definition, creative beings. Art can magnify and display in beautiful and fitting ways a message, a worldview. However, art can display not just the Christian worldview, but any worldview, so it can also be a magnifying glass to display falsehood and ugliness in a fallen and broken world. Therefore, we must seek God as the standard of the good, the true, and the beautiful to inform our use and consumption of Art.

#1 What is Beauty?

· Who has heard the phrase, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?”

· Do we believe that as Christians? As with many things, the answer is No in some ways but also “yes” in some ways. But really there is an important “No” here.

o Is something beautiful because that is what it IS? Or is something beautiful because you find it beautiful?

§ Is there some external standard for beauty and judging art or is it not really in the art or the beautiful thing but only in your eyes seeing it and finding enjoyment in it.

§ Well this is actually a really hard question to answer. – Munson helps us think through these questions in his book called Art & Music. He argues

· On the one hand you have Classical Greek artwork and Modernists, people who value Objectivity. Let’s think about modernism for a second: They Desire to find mathematical rules and order and forms for what makes beautiful music or statues or the perfect building.

o And right away part of us say, yes, good music does have order to it.

o There is such a thing as Color Theory. Complementary colors, split complementaries, analogous colors... There is real math behind musical chords and harmonies…to rhythm.

o There are rules for perspective and balance, compositions, and symmetry can look beautiful.

o But symmetry and balance and order while often beautiful doesn’t account for all beauty. Impersonal rules are not a complete picture. Jazz music, impressionistic paintings, and sometimes quirky architecture can be beautiful and accomplish good things.

o There is much good here but it is not a complete view of Beauty. This next view also fails.

· Post-modernists, that is those who embrace a more subjective individualist view of truth and reject a transcendant, external, and objective standard of beauty they tend to to think beauty is all a matter of taste and preference.

· They might say, You are just culturally conditioned to like some things and not others.

· This can make us susceptible to others pressuring us to conform to their tastes and preferences or…. everything is always about whether you are a conformist (conformist BAD!) or a rebel (Rebel GOOD!) in post-modernism you are defined by your response to your given culture’s beauty preferences. Beauty is only in the eye of the beholder.

o This leaves us chaotic, and open to absurd and foolish things being called artwork. It means not celebrating someone’s art as good is no longer judging the artwork but is felt to be a judgement against the person.

o If beauty is ONLY in the eye of the beholder then we can no longer objectively ask is this Art Good? Is it True? Is it Beautiful in itself…No its two people’s Wills…two people’s opinions locked in battle.

· The Post-modern view fails…And is especially dangerous as many people’s worldview is not just non-Christian but anti-christian.

o Some people find drug use appealing and even beautiful.

o But objectively. IN Reality. it is destructive to the mind, the heart, the body, and does damage to the dignity of human beings made, what? made in the image of God.

o A True Standard for beauty, allows us to call an appetite for a bad thing wrong-headed.

§ Paul Munson Says, “It’s precisely because we are so prone to deceive ourselves about pleasure that we need the concept of beauty. It enables us to think critically about pleasure, which, by the way, is why postmoderns hate beauty so much and want to conflate it with preference. They don’t want to have to think critically about pleasure. They don’t want any reminders that their joys aren’t solid, that their treasures won’t last. (Munson, 25-6)

· SO you don’t want to be arrogant and call your preferences for some art over others objectively good, but you also want to be serious about the fact that some creativity and artwork just plain stinks. And is even harmful.

· You need a standard for why some things really are Beautiful in themselves. Not just the eye of the beholder. For example.

· In Mark Chapter 14 Jesus is eating in a home and a woman he had shown some grace and mercy to enters the house during dinner and anoints Jesus with perfumes and oils and uses her tears to wipe his feet.. Some were indignant (and maybe we find this a little odd and yucky) but Jesus defends her as having done what?? Havin done something beautiful. “leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.”

· Why was it good and beautiful? Jesus says, “she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.”

o She through a fitting symbol of burial perfumes was driving home to people’s hearts that Jesus was going to die!

§ Jesus has said this several times. I will die. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He has said it plainly. He has given word pictures saying he is the shepherd who dies, but she does it in a way people could see and smell, and with the same smells, they had memories of from the many funeral they had attended.

· It was beautiful because it was the truth displayed in an understandable and fitting way using fitting means, oil and tears people would understand.

· The performance was artistically just the right vehicle to display Goodness & Truth about Jesus’ sacrificial death to save us.

o Ok this is where “Beauty” and “Art” come back together for us. Paul Munson says quite plainly “Form matters to God.”

§ Creation is beautiful according Eccl. 3:11 “God has made everything beautiful in its time”

§ Form Matters to God.

· God did not have to make hummingbirds, humans with different eye colors. God didn’t have to make us able to sing beautiful hymns of praise. Have you ever watched the beauty of a sunrise. But he did make all these things.

· Guys you know the beauty of a campfire watching the light flicker, the flames dance and how much better it makes our conversations.

· God’s creation is beautiful. Because it creatively reflects his Beauty and Majesty. This brings us to our second Point. God is the Standard of Beauty.

[#2 The Bible teaches that for Beauty and Art: God is the Standard]

Psalm 8

[1] O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.

[3] When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

[4] what is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?

[5] Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned him with glory and honor.

[6] You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;

you have put all things under his feet,

Romans 1:19–20 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.

All creation, shows the majesty of God. His goodness is the standard that overflows and ought to satisfy of our hearts. All goodness and beauty we find in our creation is by definition good and true NOT because it meets our fallen human preferences or gives enjoyment, but because it is a witness a sign pointing to the standard God himself. Because you have a mind, a heart, and a soul that is designed to enjoy God and his beautiful creation. Your heart longs for the transcendant majestic God creation points to. You look at the art but the artist is what your soul was meant to truly find satisfaction in.

· From these Passages Paul Munson says, creation is beautiful in order to “reflect [God’s] own beauty. And if God is beautiful, and if his creation is beautiful, then there is an objective measure for beauty, and we can think critically about it.”

· In other words we shouldn’t just consume artwork and assume everything you desire and like is beautiful. You need to compare it to the standard. And for the Christian and the non-Christian [even if they deny it] the standard is the same. The Universal Creator, the Architect and designer of the entirety of Creation.

· Beauty is “the forms through which we recognize the nature and ways of God.”

o So Art isn’t very beautiful just if it tells the Truth. We can tell the truth in blunt and clumsy ways.

o Art isn’t beautiful if its just good. We have a lot of good things in our lives that aren’t particularly beautiful. I am thankful for Toothbrushes and toothpaste but it aint art.

o Art uses a fitting form to reflect the nature and ways of God. So that some aspect of HIM is revealed. Something about the goodness of Creation is Told. Something about Salvation and Redemption is told. Something about Light defeating dark. This is why we love stories and music that reflect God’s greater story and reflect the great themes of the bible and salvation.

§ This means yes, art can be beautiful in conveying to us difficult truths about sin and shame and suffering. But Christian art doesn’t glory and dwell on the darkness it uses that truth to show us that darkness loses that the nature of God is indignant against the darkness and knows of its defeat.

o So beauty makes goodness and truth visible and compelling it is the magnifying glass for a worldview that has a right understanding of God and his creation.

Point #3 We as the Image of God get to reflect that standard and so enjoy and create beauty and art.

In Genesis The Holy Spirit is the life-giver and seems especially to give us spiritual life and even creativity. We see this throughout the bible he gives gifts and makes kings kings and prophets prophets and priests priests. But did you know he makes Artists Artists?

The Holy Spirit working in us gives gifts and skill to do work. In Fact the very Tabernacle which is a wonderful work of Art is commissioned and approved by God to teach Israel how to worship him is the work of the Holy Spirit through Craftsman & Artists. We see this in newly rescued Israel in Exodus 31.

Exodus 31:1–11 Bezalel

[1] The LORD said to Moses, [2] “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, [3] and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, [4] to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, [5] in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. [6] And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: [7] the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, [8] the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, [9] and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, [10] and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, [11] and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.” (ESV)

· God commissioned and approved not just what the priests would say, but how they would look [as a kid I stared all the time in my bible atlas at the intricate details of the tabernacle, beautiful full color illustrations…the bible is filled with beauty], God cared how the tabernacle would look. With beauty. It looked like a garden filled with carved pomegranates and trees, and gold, and lampstands to remind us that God is present…just as he was in the Garden of Eden, but we live in a fallen world removed from EDEN, but even redemption can be beautiful… beautiful basins where the priests washed, the Tabernacle becomes a picture of God’s presence, salvation, and cleansing from sin as well as his holiness and separateness. The veil that separate the Holy of Holies and the various sections.

o The Artists acted to make the Tabernacle a Magnifying glass highlighting truths about God who he was, how he saves us in ways that are Beautiful and Creative.

o [Transition] The Holy Spirit also is still at work giving life and beauty. The Holy Spirit is an artist working in hearts and souls to direct our gaze to Christ.

· The Holy Spirit Is the one who causes us to be born again, one who gives new birth and new life to hearts that are dead in sin. The Apostle Paul uses the beautiful metaphor of Our hearts as pottery on the wheel of the Holy Spirit. He renews and shapes us after the image of God and in that renewal our personal relationship with God restored.

· Not just individually but as a Beautiful bride the Church. We are united to The True One. We are United to the Good one. We are united to the gloriously and unfadingly Beautiful one the Savior of our souls, Jesus.

This should compel us to live a thankful life. To live a Beautiful Life not an ugly & foolish life… Why should our language and imaginations be shaped by the ugliest and most evil entertainment and images our culture offers us? It should not be.

This brings us to our Final Point.

#4. ART is a Magnifying Glass

· As Christians, we recognize the goodness of creation. We recognize God is the standard of the good, true, and beautiful. So we love art and creativity.

· But we also always remember that, due to remaining sin in our hearts that we still struggle to hate sin as ugly and to love what God defines as beautiful.

§ So we may be attracted to and fascinated by DARKNESS. By LIES and DECEPTION.

o The Means there exists false and deceiving artwork.

o Some Art tells the truth. Some Art tells lies. And we want the art we use and consume to be for Good. Truth. And True Beauty.

o This doesn’t mean all our artwork has to be happy.

o You may use your artwork to expose darkness.

§ Paul Munson again says, “in a movie about the Holocaust—if the ugliness and the evil are depicted accurately. If we learn from it anew how vile sin is, how real judgement is, and how near grace is, then a depiction of ugliness can be very beautiful indeed. And only the Christian view of beauty can account for this.

§ Art is a magnifying glass for reinforcing a worldview’s persuasiveness of what is good and true and beautiful, but more than just worldview it magnifies your moral imagination. What I mean by that your moral imagination includes your worldview, but also things like your loves your affections what you reflect on and reflexively respond to as compellingly good or instinctively wrong or evil in someway

§ It takes a fitting medium, like musical instruments, the human voice, clay, paint, architecture, a film to tell a message over and over again to everyone who looks at it.

· This can be as simple as a painting of a loaf of bread on a table – that refreshes your heart to love the simple things in life. This could be complicated like The Lord of The Rings, which teaches us that light must fight and defeat darkness and the good wins in the end and evil loses through friendship, courage, and beautiful cinematography…And one or two good speeches from Samwise Gamgee.

· This can be as complex as Handel’s Messiah directly worshipping Jesus. Or a Child’s simple drawing of his mom.

· Truly Good art magnifies our sensitivity to the sinfulness of sin. Our understanding that darkness loses to the light. That we can enjoy God’s simple creation and beauty and also have a future hope of heaven, that this life isn’t all there is.

· SO you can ask yourself before you consume art: what does this TV Show, Singer, or any kind of artist want me to believe about God? Creation? Myself? Sin & Darkness? What do they want me to believe about My Family? Work? The Church?

· This means there are times where you will look at, listen to, or interact with art based on an ungodly worldview.

§ Munson - “The ugliness of any object is the sum of all the ways in which it obscures truth and impedes goodness, which means that everything in this cursed [fallen] world is both beautiful and ugly.”

§ Ungodly art is ugly. But it can hide itself as beautiful if we are not wise.

· What does magnifying this worldview do?

o If we consume or use or passively conform ourselves to any art we find pleasing or entertaining or desirable inevitably we are consuming artistic endeavors that magnify a false-worldview. Magnify Idols.

o This will shape and desensitize us to true spirituality, and increases and magnifies our love for sin.

o Our love of simple Christian living, of being the sweet aroma of Christ will be diminished. We will instead grow tastes and preferences that find sin and false spirituality desirable and mistakenly say this IDOL is good and true and beautiful. When in fact it is evil, false, and ugly,

Three Takeaways:

#1 Enjoy with an active mind any art that succeeds in displaying beauty, goodness, and truth as defined by God in his Word—the bible!

#2 Remember—Beware – Sin is deceitful and our hearts are deceptive, ugly & false things can be dressed up by music, TV Shows, and seek to make us call evil good and good evil. The ugly beautiful and the beautiful ugly. …On this point trust and listen to wise people in your church and family when they warn you about something as inappropriate it is probably because of wise discernment.

#3 Most of All: Praise be to God: In a fallen world, He is renewing our hearts and minds after the image of Christ Jesus so that we once more can have our moral imagination be a Holy imagination. There is great joy in enjoying truly beautiful things. Ultimately, the standard of this is encountered in Christ Jesus, loving us while we were enemies and bringing us into the family of God. God is Good. God is Truth. God is Beautiful.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

Introduction: What will hold the center of our lives? Something will be and must be the center. We may be self-centered and the center is us, our strength, our abilities…Maybe you think it would be more selfless to live for another person: a spouse, a politician, a celebrity, or even a group of people, to live your life for a social or political movement.

But we often find that as we pursue self-sufficiency or human sufficiency, creaturely sufficiency, we discover that we are insufficient. Mired in Sin, sickness, and broken relationships…Our insufficiency, our lack of self-sufficiency, is because we have no life in ourselves; we have no solution in ourselves.

In a fallen world, Christ must supply. God must be the center, the supply, fountain that then allows us to serve others. Otherwise, our service depends on ours or others strength. We make ourselves idols. Little relationship-gods. Little world-changing-gods. Little deciders and arbiters of right vs. wrong, little-insufficient-fixers.

In our passage today, Jesus continues his ministry, but now on a more intensive scale. We see after he has preached in the synagogue that very same day he heals Simon Peter’s mother-in-law…She, with renewed strength, shows life-giving hospitality to the disciples, & and through her Christ-strengthened hospitality she supports and enables Jesus’ intensive ministry.

Lastly, We see when Jesus has physically exhausted himself, He still turns to the Lord for strength & communion in Prayer.

The gospel is good news because even though we are insufficient to take on godlike roles, we are water-less foundation—God himself, supplies us by his by Christ’s life-giving role. Being united to Christ Jesus’ death, sufferings, life, and resurrection changes our service from self—to Supernatural Service.

Read: Mark 1:29–39

Prayer of Illumination

#1 Restored to Serve vv. 29-31

#2 Sickness & Satan Cast Out vv. 32-34

#3 Prayer the Fuel of Ministry that stays Focused vv. 35-39

#1 Restored in Order to Serve

[29] And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. [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.

· Verse 29 shows we are following Jesus straight from the synagogue…

· They Come back from spiritual food. Hearing authoritative teaching.

· That Jesus can make us holy. Forgiven. And Defeat the world and all spiritually forces arrayed against our soul…So exhausted from the morning, they return to Peter’s house for physical rest…for food.

· Enter Simon & Andrew’s House with the other two James & John

· Simon Peter’s Mother-in-law is very sick with a fever.

o She us Unable to serve…Things are not the way they ought to be in creation where we are Healthy and strong

· Jesus compassionately takes her by the hand and lifts her up, and She is healed, and she is instantly strengthened to service.

· Jesus does no half measures with people.

o I’ve been battling being sick, and even as I got better. I felt weak.

· When Peter’s mother-in-law’s restored, she is restored to service which does seem to flow into the ability of Jesus and the disciples to carry on their ministry work (vv. 32-39).

· She was not restored in order to serve herself to go to Greece and have a Mamma Mia moment…

o that would’ve harmed the ability of Jesus and the disciples to persevere in ministry, both Jesus’ preaching ministry and the miraculous ministry of Jesus.

· So the principle found here is that Christ heals, he restores in order that we might in love and gratitude, serve our savior & serve others.

o This is a foundational principle for all believers. In whatever calling God has placed on our lives.

o Mark 9:35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (ESV)

§ The 12 apostles…though leaders of the church…are called in order to serve others, in their calling as apostles.

o Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (ESV)

§ Christ’s death, is a humble service as he left heaven and give up his life for us.

· Jesus is able to return home, be refreshed after his morning preaching, and be served because of the ministry of this godly woman.

· However, ironically, his healing means he now has the whole town coming to him for healing and for demons to be cast out.

o But at least he is now once again active after having received hospitality from this godly mother-in-law.

#2 Ministry at a Grand Scale

[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.

· After Sundown, in other words when the sabbath was over. And every is allowed to travel about again.

· Note the phrasing carefully all who were Sick OR Oppresseed by demons.

o Mark clearly Distinguished demonic activity from illness.

o He heals the sick. He casts out demons.

o Demons are not just mental illness, and sickness is not just demon-possessed people. (Right, you can’t just say, Satan made me sick…) But the good news is being sick isn’t just because of Sin or Satan.

o All these things are brought about because of the Fall into Sin the curse of a fallen world. What the catechism calls the “misery” of the fall.

o Jesus’ ministry shows that if he can reverse the effects of the fall, demonic activity, and physical sickness, then he can address the weighty eternal problem of sin sick hearts and souls separated from God and each other.

o If he can give a foretaste of heaven in his first coming he can bring the fullness of heaven in his second coming. Physical healing points to spiritual removal of sin: Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (ESV)

· This is not a guarantee of physical healing here on earth today…Instead Jesus’ healing ministry shows he would be able to deal with sin by his death on the Cross.

· And Jesus today would have us not go to faith healers but look forward to heaven, where there will be no more sickness or sin in our glorification.

· A couple more observations

o The “whole city” at this little home…Is a reminder of The great depths and extensiveness of the miseries of the fall

o And the fact that he is in the Holy Land of Israel and having to Cast out MANY demons shows how terribly wrong things are with God’s covenant people in the holy Land. But God is on the Move. The Day of the Lord is there and Jesus was beginning to bring the about the binding of satan that he could deceive the nations no more. Satan’s activity is weaker now…Not gone, not inactive, but weaker…unable to stop the advance of the gospel around the world, unable to stop God from restoring people to service to the Kingdom of God. “

Look at the end of v. 34 again, And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

· This is called the Messianic Secret: Jesus early in his ministry did not desire these crowds, the title of Messiah too early on. The demons would stir up Misdirected adoration…think of the example of every time a celebrity of some stripe says, “they are now a Christian” or support “X” political cause. Everyone goes crazy in support OR opposition, but often they don’t allow time for the person to develop or to set actual expectations…so you impute all your thoughts and opinions onto that person…The messiah has connotations of throwing off political powers, not nearly enough Spiritual Freedom and not the Humble death upon a Cross he is actually headed towards.

· …To stir up a celebrity craze and ownership of Jesus as the messiah now would be to cause confusion… Confusing the kingdom of God with the throwing off of the Roman Empire. Political Rule.

· Note this from William Lane: “The people come to Jesus, not because they recognized his dignity and function but because it is rumored that a miracle worker has come in their midst. Jesus had come to preach repentance and the nearness of the kingdom but the people think only of relief from pain and affliction. They fail to perceive the significance of Jesus’ conflict with demonic power.

· In compassion and grace Jesus extends to them authentic healing, but it is not primarily for this purpose that he has come. In the morning he withdraws from the village and the clamoring crowds. (Lane, 80).

Look in verse 35…

#3 Early Morning Prayer and Avoiding Mission Drift in the face of demonic opposition..

[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.”

· Very early, while its still dark, Jesus goes, Up on the Hillside overlooking Galilee, a barren place…either he is intentionally isolated,

o Departed, away, intentionally isolated, reminding of his victory over satan’s temptations,

o Heb. 5:7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears.”

o Unpack the trinity and incarnation and prayer.

· The reproach, comes from Peter, “everyone is looking for you”

§ They need you! While certainly God uses people to tell us to wake up and do our duty. Peter misunderstands jesus’ mission. And is attempting to pull Jesus’ mission in a direction he does not intent.

§ The world wants us reactive to the next need. So we stop looking at the big picture.

§ Satan can use this. How?

· Jesus, everyone wants you to heal their sickness and cast out the oppressive effects of their sin.

· But as William Lane says, “[Jesus’] purpose is not to heal as many people as possible…but to confront men with the demand for decision in the perspective of God’s absolute claim upon their person.”

· Do you recognize God’s absolute claim on you?

· Or will you allow the world to have a claim on you? Your flesh? Your sin to claim you? Or even just doing a lot of nice polite things? What claims your heart & time?

· Jesus is about to say, faithfulness to his calling means leaving a healing ministry in Capernaum in order to go on a preaching ministry.

· It cannot be about popularity, protecting appearances….Can you imagine the The newspaper “Jesus local healer abandons town to sickness and societal problems like demons…In order to talk religion. In order to speak about hell and sin and salvation.”

· Jesus—in his incarnation—his earthly ministry models for us Faith—by praying, seeking, strength to resist abandoning ultimate things for important things.

· Look in verse 38 again, and Jesus 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.

· First, Jesus prays, for strength to stay on mission and fulfill the will of God.

o His isolation allows him to Say, God what would you have me do? So too stay in scripture believer, pray over the WORD, “God, how would you have me live?”

· If Jesus needs to pray for strength so do we…

o You too, cry out to the Lord both alone and throughout your day, Lord help me: to not be anxious, help me to do the right thing, help me in my next conversation, help me as I walk in the door to see my family.

o Jesus here needs help. Help to not be overwhelmed with the volume of needs brought about by sin. He could have become trapped for three years being a Healer. A Miracle worker who was beloved and acclaimed as he dealt with all the problems downstream.

o The temptation for us is to be like a person downstream of a dump to pick trash out of the river…But Jesus and we know we must venture up stream to the source. And the heart of the Issue—the mission! Proclaiming the Kingdom of God is here, that He is the messiah, and he will gather DISCIPLES, train DISCIPLES, who will follow him, and after he accomplishes salvation on the cross and is raised again that will not Fear but Stay on Mission and do the work of WORD & PRAYER in a fellowshipping, worshipping community.

· The ministry of Word and Prayer book ends Mark Here

o Acts 6 [restate]

o Acts 6:2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

o Acts 6:7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (ESV)Prays, we need to move on so I can preach

· Yes he will heal and cast out demons as a sign wherever he goes

· But his mission…What he is calling people to is the gospel, to a humble, serving kingdom.

o One of repentance, trust in salvation being found in Christ, being found in God’s kingdom, drawing near spiritually in our hearts in Jesus.

o Jesus is calling us to a kingdom of Forgiveness, reconciliation of relationships between God and man, service, humble service towards others, and the defeat of darkness of Satan.

o And Jesus plans to do this with the Scripture preached: The Scriptures are a living and active spiritual sword that when they break through, they sever sins powerful cords over a person’s mind and heart.

o The Spirit breaks the bonds of deception, of Pride, of living for yourself, and forever raises you to new strength to serve

o Sin makes us servants of sin. Sin makes us servants of our flesh’s next desire. This destroys our love for one another.

§ But He saves us so that The First shall be last and the last shall be first.

· Do you wish to be made strong in service to Christ, who has loved you and given his life for you?

o Pray and ask the Lord to use you in service to the Kingdom, your family, community, wherever he calls.

o Whenever I think of being strengthened and restored, refocused to serve the Lord I think of Joshua, “be strong and courageous.”

o Joshua 1:6–9 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. [7] Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. [8] This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. [9] Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

o How has God strengthened you to serve? What does your freedom from sin? Free you to do? What does your ability to know Truth, right from wrong, and the ability to love sacrificially, even enemies do for your Classmates, your co-workers, your relationship to your siblings, the way you approach dating and marriage, and the way you serve within your marriage?

J.C. Ryle makes these remarks though I’ve switched his “They” to “you”, “[do you] fear that [you] shall not be able to persevere, and shall bring discredit on [your] profession…fear no longer…know that Jesus is an almighty Saviour, who never forsakes those who once commit themselves to him. Once raised by his mighty hand from the death of sin, and washed in his precious blood, [you] shall go on ‘ministering to him’ to [your] life’s end. [You] shall have power to overcome the world, and crucify the flesh, and resist the devil. Only…begin, and [you] shall go on. Jesus knows nothing of half-cured cases and half-finished work…trust in Jesus and go forward. The pardoned soul shall always be enabled to serve Christ. - Ryle, 12

· Let us go back to the beginning: Without Christ you are weak and bedridden—when Christ comes by the Holy Spirit and raises you to new strength, what is he calling you to do?

· Faith does not look within, does not find strength, identity, purpose, belonging, and a life mission from within or from social media, but from Christ Jesus!

o Then yes your heart healed and built up by the H.S. will become a partnership as your encourage your soul, your meditations, you begin to bleed gospel, bible, and the mind of Christ. But never confuse the source of this life and strength this identity and purpose.

o Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

o Remember the words of the Heidelberg Catechism question 1, I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, 2 to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. 3 He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, 4 and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. 8 Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Prayer

Benediction

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

Introduction: He is Risen!

That is the foundation of our joy and faith this Sunday morning, the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day. That Jesus is Alive. That he has Ascended to the right hand of the Father and that he builds his church through the call of the Word and Spirit. This morning, if you could turn to Luke 24:13-25, vv. 25-27 is our focus but 13-25 gives us the whole story.

This Account is an Easter teaching by Jesus himself on Easter, or Resurrection Sunday if you will, to two disciples after his resurrection that same day.

Read Luke 24:13-35 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, [14] and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. [15] While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. [16] But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. [17] And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. [18] Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” [19] And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, [20] and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. [21] But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. [22] Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, [23] and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. [24] Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” [25] And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26] Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” [27] And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. [28] So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, [29] but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. [30] When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. [31] And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. [32] They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” [33] And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, [34] saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” [35] Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (ESV)

Prayer of Illumination

Our Focus is v. 25-27 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26] Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” [27] And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted [he expounded] to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

· Were you there? We are not yet even for these disciples they were slow to believe? Believe what? Their eyes? No, the scripture. We too can be slow to believe “all that the prophets have spoken!” That is to say Faith comes by hearing….

· When Jesus encounters, after his resurrection, two disciples who were sorrowful, who did not yet know that they were living that glorious first Resurrection Sunday, that first Lord’s Day, they did not yet know that they have the Hope of a Living Savior.

· Yet, Jesus does not immediately turn to signs and wonders….No what does he say?

· “You are being slow of heart to believe what? What the Prophets have spoken? Which prophets…. “And Jesus beginning with moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to the the things concerning himself.”

a. Were you there, Jesus himself says, So what? Let me open for you The written word of God.

b. He interpreted. He expounded. He taught them what was really there, he showed them that the things concerning himself.

Three things briefly this morning

#1 First, Believing on Jesus comes from hearing the word of God (v. 25 & 27)

#2 Second, The The Necessity of his death: The necessity of The Sufferings of Christ

#3 Third, The Significance of the Resurrection: The subsequent glories

#1 First, Believing on Jesus comes from hearing the word of God (v. 25 & 27)

· And so Jesus who has this great good news. Jesus who was physically before these disciples has this good news and what does he do?

· He gives them the worlds best bible study. The most amazing of bible studies, interestingly an Old Testament only bible study about the Messiah, the Cross, the resurrection of Christ, the Gospel message. I am so thankful that since we were not THERE. That he Still prepares us for the FAITH that comes from HEARING.

Romans 10:8–10 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); [9] because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (ESV)

Romans 10:14–15 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? [15] And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (ESV)

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (ESV)

· Jesus gives us supreme confidence in the Whole bible being the very word of God.

· And Christ gives his word; From Genesis-Revelation this is the very word of Christ that he gives them to understand the gospel…

· And you must remember the new testament is not finished. And while the apostles are still coming to grips with the resurrection what does Jesus say? Be live what is written of me in the scriptures.

Remember this: Jesus is alive, he has the seal and approval of the heavenly Father on his life, ministry, sufferings, and sinlessness, because He is alive. He is proven accepted as the unique son of God. And he, repeatedly endorsed the scriptures.

Down to the last jot and tittle, the little iota, the ‘I’. Once He argued the resurrection from the dead must be true based on the verb tense God says, I AM the God of Abraham not I WAS. I AM. If Jesus is alive, and he is, then we must take his view of the Word that it is all true, and that ultimately it teaches us to trust in Jesus!

As the disciples responded: v. 32 “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

#2 Second, The Necessity of his death: The necessity of the Sufferings of Christ

v. 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things… or KJV is there not an Oughtness, ought not Christ to have suffered these things?

Jesus accomplishing our salvation in his sufferings and glory is the center and focal point of the bible. He is the center of history. And he will be the center of eternity seated on the throne.

· This is what Peter is saying in 1 Peter 1:10-12, saying that the Holy Spirit was indicating and “signifying” Christ to us. – Breaking news! Salvation will come by suffering and not glory! Except Peter didn’t break that news according to Jesus, the disciples on the road to Emmaus just needed a bible study.

· Jesus could have gone numerous places in the Psalms and Prophets but in particular Isaiah 53 helps us...

· Isaiah 53 says, “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

o In other words, the Messiah is coming but it may be in a manger…to a poor carpenter…not in a palace! He will be opposed by the scribes and pharisees, suffer opposition, slander, betrayal, and death on a cross. In our place the humble atoning lamb,

· Isaiah 53:4–6 Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (ESV)

· Christ’s righteous soul, his sinless life, his perfect righteousness, of infinite value as both God and Man atones for, covers, ransoms, redeems us from the just condemnation of sin. And Jesus left HEAVEN down, down, down in humility in order to accomplish what we could not when we were dead in our trespasses and sins.

· But in this wonderful bible study to Emmaus, if our Lord did take our disciples to Isaiah 53, he would get to Isaiah 53 verse 10, saying when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. [11] Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. (ESV)

o Jesus by his death causes, makes many to be accounted, reckons many RIGHTEOUS. JUSTIFIED. FORGIVEN. RENEWED. NOT GUILTY!

o Instead of us paying the wages of sin death, Jesus clothes us in his righteous robes

o Christ has cast off darkness, death is defeated, the penalty of sin is paid and the power of sin is broken, and he clothes us by the spirit poured out in our hearts new hearts, new robes of light, and holiness.

o Because Jesus did not stay dead, the Father places his seal of approval on the work of Christ on the cross and raises him to life.

Look in verse at the end of v. 26 again, “and enter into his glory?”

o That is Christ is risen, He is gloried, He has resurrection life in himself that is poured out, through the Holy Spirit.

o The Word of Christ goes forth, in Power by the Holy Spirit, to gloriously bring us from the kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light…

o That is the subsequent glory that is begun on that easter day, as it continues on the Sunday morning, some 40 days later when the Spirit fall upon the Church.

o SO let us close by just reflecting on some of these subsequent glories of our risen savior the implications of it.

#3 Third, The Significance of the Resurrection: The subsequent glories

Credit to Pastor O Palmer Robertson’s reflection here, he says,

1. “The Resurrection of Christ is as significant as the Creation of the world.”

a. You can see this that the entire work-rest week has shifted from working Sunday-Friday and resting on Saturday to Resting on Sunday because Christ finished his work and sat down at the right hand of the father and to out of that rest we receive on Sunday, The Lord’s Day to work Monday-Saturday.

b. Remember what day Luke 24 is, Jesus appears to the disciples in Luke 24 on the first day of the week.

c. V. 1 On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they [. Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James]went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared...An empty tomb, on a that first Lord’s Day that Sunday morning with spices for a dead man’s burial who was alive…V. 13, That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus

i. We could consider Rev. 1:10 the Apostle John, the Lord’s Day, Jesus’ breakfast by the sea where he restores Peter, ON the Lord’s Day.

d. Jesus resurrection is a Re-creation that shifts the entire 7 days week into a new era.

e. Creation is recreated spiritually in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, resurrecting us to newness of life in Christ Jesus.

f. He is Alive! Today is His Day 52 weeks a year.

i. For the next few Sundays, you can begin worship with “He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Because that is the reality that gathers and enables us to worship.

2. The resurrection of Jesus is Glorious because it is: the defeat of death

a. Death could not hold him.

b. It is the glory Job saw long before Christ when he says, “I know that My Redeemer lives, Glory, Hallelujah!

c. The Messiah is the conquering king who does not conquer with the Sword but by the Spirit.

d. When you trust in the risen Savior, it is because Resurrection life is being worked in you by the Holy Spirit poured out by Christ.

e. BY the Holy Spirit, we are united to a risen Savior; He has conquered death. Jesus says, I Am the Resurrection and the Life, though you die, yet you will live….Though we still live in a fallen world death does not have power over us. We have a soul that will last forever and though our body

i. 2 Corinthians 4:8–11 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [10] always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. [11] For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. (ESV)

ii. 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. [17] For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, [18] as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (ESV)

f. He is Risen, so we will Rise on that last day

This morning I would invite you to either, remember and worship God for the forgiveness of sins and the joy you have in the resurrection of Jesus.

Or for the first time say, “I am perishing in sin, Lord Jesus, you are alive on the Throne in Heaven, forgive me my sins, clothe me in your righteousness, take the throne of my heart, and grant me Resurrection life here and now. Then as one trusting in Christ by faith, Your life is freed from the guilt and power of sin, and one day you will have a heavenly life free from sorrow, tears, and the presence of sin forever. That is our certain hope this morning | Prayer

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Intro: It is our habit to preach through books of the bible, and to once a quarter preach the topic of a chapter of the confession, the Insert you have is a copy of the WCF and we won’t be able to to address everything. Marriage is a complex topic and the bible has a lot to say, for the sake of brevity, you have the insert and scriptures there. If you want more frank discussions, let’s talk, but I am seeking to be prudent in a large group setting…

Marriage is a theme that runs throughout the entire bible. It is created by God to ultimately teach us about Christ and the church.

This is very similar two Calvin’s two knowledge, knowledge of God, and knowledge of Man [expand]

And so as we understand Christ and the Church we understand marriage better, and as we know marriage better, we understand Christ and the Church. Similarly as we understand the gospel, the problem of sin and the renewal of grace and forgiveness in Christ we understand how much has both gone wrong in human relationships while maintaining hope for restoration in our relationships…

Read: Revelation 19:6-9

[6] Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. [7] Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; [8] it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

[9] And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Prayer of Illumination

#1 Marriage: The Picture becomes the Reality in Jesus

#2 Marriage as Created, Broken, Restored

#3 Marriage, Divorce, and the Westminster Confession

#4 Marriage Displayed Richly in Protestant Weddings

#1 Revelation vividly shows the fulfillment of what Marriage was created to be: A picture of Christ and his redeemed, his restored bride, the Church.

· God in creation ordains marriage for our joy, for our good, but it has an aim, a final purpose: Glorifying God, for Christ being the Bridegroom, who lays down his very life in order to redeem us to himself to be his bride. Christ, the bridegroom who left heaven to reclaim us when we were wandering…

· Revelation 19 is the culmination of the theme of Hosea where we are faithless we were unworthy but Jesus pursues us, he loves us, he brings us back, and restores us.

· He makes us ready by the work of the Holy Spirit symbolized in baptism in renewing and cleansing us as we have been hearing about in Mark. And in Heaven Jesus says, we neither marry nor are given in marriage instead the type the shadow of marriage gives way to a glorious and joyful reality that Jesus has made us whole again, he has removed the stains, the falling short of sin, and HE has made his Bride—Holy, clothed in bright , fine, and pure linens when She once was not.

· He has by his grace justified, sanctified, made her ready to indeed have done well, been the excellent bride with righteous deeds…But this is not always the case, this is by grace, by restoration.

Today I will speak plainly and fairly rapidly on the nature of marriage, how it goes wrong, but in your life if you have fallen short as we all do in many ways, remember Revelation 19. The end of the story about marriage: Christ and the Church, ruined sinners reclaimed, and made whole.

So, the end of history is a wedding feast. What about the beginning?

#2 Marriage as Created: God’s Creational Order & Good Design for Marriage - Gen. 1:26-28, 2:19, and 2:21-24, Heb. 13:4, and some Eph. 5.

Genesis 1 Teaches Our Unique value as humans beings made in God’s image

Verse 27 says, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

There is [slowly] a singular humankind with two sexes: male and female. And God blesses them with the creation mandate verse 28 - We are created with dominion over creation with stewardship and care overthe creatures, not equal ontologically to them. We were created for fellowship with God, a thinking, moral reasoning, and purposeful relationship of our bodies, mind, heart, soul, loves to be in harmony with our God creation as the image of God male and female.

And God created marriage uniquely for God imaging human beings he created male and female.

Further, Gen. 2:18, “It is not good that the man should be alone; God will make him a helper fit for him.”

So God creates Eve from Adam – bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh.

a. Adam and Eve were fitting complements, counterparts, and matches both physically and spiritually.

b. They are the same as humans and wonderfully different as male and female. This is the first marriage – Whose design is blessed by our Lord Jesus. In Matt. 19 v. 24.

Verse 24 says, Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast, hold fast[clinging, both by oaths and forming a new and distinct household] and so hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Hebrews 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all!

Chad Van Dixhoorn Helpfully reminds us that “Marriage is not invented by culture; it is established by creation…Marriage is a lifelong commitment… Marriage is for one man and one woman... Marriage should be public with Oaths.

What is the goal of marriage? [2x] The goal of something helps us know when something has happened that harms the definition and goal, Chad VanDixhoorn again helpfully says, Marriage is for mutual support, companionship, reproduction of the human race, church growth, and the promotion of sexual purity.

· Our culture understands mutual support and companionship (perhaps childishly “in sickness & in health for rich and for poor]

· But our culture challenges the third…Reproduction of the Human Race, marriage is not just for Disney romance & friendship – marriage is to form a growing family unit. 28And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth …” TO Adam & Eve, to Noah as well. We can both say this is good…

· …While recognizing we live in a fallen world and biblical stories such as Abraham and Sarah, Rachel, Hannah, and others shows the Lord still loves & cares for us when the fall impacts us here.

· And yet Mal. 2:15 says marriage is for Godly offspring, both physical descendants, and by God’s grace, in the church as a covenant community, we have spiritual offspring, extended family. The passing on of the faith ordinarily happens through Mothers & Fathers raising their children in the covenant community, where we have spiritual Mothers & Fathers.

· Last Marriage is for the Promotion of Purity– Christians have a very high view of the goodness of marriage and a sober view of the body & heart temptations of singleness for most people.

· But Some are gifted in this area for greater labor to the Lord with a lifelong calling to singleness. Some only a season of singleness.

One additional reason for marriage is relational safety

· Marriage is like a fence, that when leapt over or removed, makes men, women, and children more vulnerable in their homes and society.

· Do not leap the fence and ignore biblical wisdom, the warning signs, when you don’t know why they are there. A Christian society knows marriage protects men, women, and children from the effects of the fall.

· And has greatly promoted women’s and children’s safety compared to pagan societies and our post-sexual revolution society.

· With Marriage defined and these goals stated, we can more easily see how sinful choices distort marriage.

I am going to use the word “disordered” to mean NOT “according to God’s good creational design and order” against God’s designs and goals for marriage.

1) First, a Disordered Time – that is 1 man and 1 woman, but prior to public oaths of commitment and fidelity, without the necessary safeguards for the husband and wife and the possibly resulting children.

a. It is unwise, not how God intended us to create a new home or household because it is without the vows that would guard that new home, that new family unit.

b. God’s design is for a new couple, a new home, and a new family to all follow after the security of the marriage covenant, after these vows have been taken in the presence of the community.

c. We’ll hear those vows later

2) Second, A Disordered Number – such as in polygamy, simply does not match Genesis or Jesus’ statements for God’s design.

3) Third, A Disordered Sameness

a. That is failure to find a God-designed complementary pair, male and female

b. This unnaturally rejects the possibility of being fruitful and multiplying, of being a fit helper, rejects God’s good design, and is inherently physically harmful.

4) Fourth, a disordered faith

a. The bible is quite clear that believers should only marry in the Lord, 1 Cor. 7:39, and 2 Cor. 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers for what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness or what fellowship has light with darkness….Romance can exist with an unbeliever…But living, walking, and raising children for 30 years in a healthy community is destroyed by mismatched marriages…

b. Do not sacrifice for the sake of infatuation, a crush, a cute boy or girl, 30 years of a partner who will walk with you through joy and hardship, with the help of Jesus, Holy Spirit, and the Church community. Marriage is hard enough—Marry a churchman or churchwoman. Christ’s bride is the church, your spouse should love Christ’s bride.

Let us with Jesus and the entire witness of scripture commit ourselves to God’s good creational design that “marriage is a lifelong, exclusive, publicly recognized, and [intimate] bond between a man and a woman.” And. As a society resist any departure whether small or large, from this design.

Let us do this knowing that God can redeem our lives and situations when are relationships are broken and fallen. That is the promise of the gospel.

Remember Rev. 19, ultimately, marriage points to our savior Jesus who came for his bride the church, while we were enemies trapped in sin and darkness, the church is redeemed by Christ not…in a beautiful white dress….but tattered garments, that he exchanges for his righteous garments “he lays down his life for his bride the church” and clothes her, makes her holy, and brings her to a heavenly Home.

#3 Marriage, Divorce, and the Westminster Confession

The bible and our confession upholds a high view of the sacredness of marriage.

You’ll notice we have already covered paragraphs 1-3, paragraph 5 was for a day when breaking off an engagement was a more serious, even legal matter…And further gives permission for remarriage of the innocent party if there are biblical grounds for divorce which paragraph 6 defines as: adultery or willful desertion quote, “as can no way be remedied by the church, or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage: wherein, a public and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed; and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills, and discretion, in their own case.”

Why? The beginning of paragraph 6 warns that we are good at coming up with excuses. Especially in a no-fault divorce society.

· There are many caveats that can be made here, if you are ever in danger, in physical danger the police and the officers of the church are meant to be protectors of the abused.

· In non-abusive situations, but still struggling marriages counseling, and attempts to restore the health of a marriage need to be pursued…

· And the church is what? A place of shame for past failures? No! The place of sewing on the scarlet A, scarlet D. By No Means! The Church is a hospital for sinners.

There may be earthly consequences there may be ramifications for our past. But for those who name their sins, repent of their sins, there is restoration and freedom from the power of guilt and shame.

Revelation 19:6 again, says “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. [7] Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

No matter our past, we know our future!

…These things being true, we should cherish, guard, and apply every form of biblical wisdom, to guard, support, and sustain healthy marriages in our churches. But we are in need of Christ to do this.

One way for this is quite simply for marriage to be celebrated as a wondrous and beautiful thing for our families and us. [rejecting poor statistics…]

So we are going to remember….Together by seeing the beauty of the traditional protestant church wedding ceremony.

So This Is my abbreviated wedding ceremony.

#4 Marriage Displayed Richly in Protestant Weddings

In a traditional confessional protestant wedding after the guests have arrived, we frame it with prayer, we call upon witnesses, we ask about the intention of the couple, we are instructed by scripture, the couple is charged with what they are doing, and vows are exchanged… Here is an abbreviated version of a wedding service…it teaches so much about marriage…no volunteers from the congregation to pretend to be the couple getting married….Unless we are doing a spontaneous wedding this morning?

Weddings are done in the presence of God it is why gathering in the church is so good, we thank God as our Heavenly Father our creator who is the most holy, most wise architect of the universe and indeed of holy matrimony, we ask him in Christ’s name as a Christian wedding to bless of our worship and the covenant vows made before witnesses.

Christian weddings are between believers; they are trinitarian in their prayer.

The Purpose should be clear to all the witnesses, not just “guests” “witnesses”: Dearly beloved, we are assembled here in the presence of God, to join this man and this woman in holy marriage, which is instituted of God, regulated by His commandments, blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ, and to be held in honor among all men. Let us therefore reverently remember that God has established and sanctified marriage for the welfare and happiness of mankind… these vows ultimately are made here today in the sight of our creator God, who instituted marriage from the very beginning.

Our Saviour has declared that a man shall forsake his father and mother and cleave unto his wife. By his apostles, He has instructed those who enter into this relation to cherish a mutual esteem and love; to bear with each other’s infirmities and weaknesses; to comfort each other in sickness, trouble, and sorrow; in honesty and industry to provide for each other and for their household in temporal things; to pray for and encourage each other in the things which pertain to God; and to live together as heirs of the grace of life.

[Weddings next have a question of intention] The question of intent before we get to vows we need to be clear what we are doing. Do you understand To be married is to live with her after God’s commandments in the holy estate of marriage? And do you promise to love her, honour and cherish her, so long as you both shall live?

The same asked of the bride but to love, cherish, and obey him, so long as you both shall live?

Traditionally there is The Giving Away of the Bride.

Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

(generally “her mother and I”) …This is fitting, and appropriate to the family order, even if there are exceptions certainly.

We won’t redo all of 1 Peter’s teaching on Husbands and Wives, but I recommend the two books one on dating and one on marriage in the table in the back for just wisdom and advice for how to date and do marriage well. With clear expectations.

Next there is a wedding homily. This can be on many texts but very fitting is Ephesians 5, the section that tells us the picture of Husbands in marriage that corresponds to the Church…Here is part of what I say…skipping the wives part. You have Eph. 5 in your bulletin…

Ephesians 5:22-33. is God’s universal and for all ages beautiful explanation of husbands and wives duties to each other and how it fulfills marriage as created, overcomes marriage as fallen, and gets us to a restored and consummated picture of Christ and the Church in Revelation 19.

Eph. 5:22-33

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for herAnd verse 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Husbands, you are called to Love your beloved, as Christ loved the Church. How? By giving himself up for her. This is not merely Hollywood romantic love, this is Biblical, Resolute love that seeks her good. That is, it is an unconditional love.

This means, As you wake up each day, your decision to love has already been steadfastly fixed and declared in your marriage vows, and they ought to be daily renewed in acts of love that flow from a steadfast foundation of freely- entered commitments. How wonderful that your love given in marriage is NOT conditioned on performance. Instead, Christ’s love for his bride the Church is freely given and shown in dying for you – dying for you when you were a spiritually impoverished, poor, and needy sinner. Therefore their will never be a day when Christ decides that you are no longer worthy of his love.

i. …And I unpack that some more…

Further, This is the mystery that marriage signified from creation itself: Husbands leave and forsake all and are physically united and given only to their bride, even as Christ spiritually unites us to himself and to none other.

May it be said that the different households and extended families of our church are a refuge of life & love in this world….I do have instructions for the bride….But I close with these words for the witnesses of a wedding

– in verse 32 Paul says he speaks concerning Christ and the church

2. Attending a wedding Witnessing s marriage is a wonderful reminder of what Christ has done for his bride, the Church:

3. He left heaven on a mission to a people dead in sin, enslaved in the kingdom of darkness. – And apart from faith in Jesus – That is, all of us.

4. But while each of us was unlovely, unlovable, enemies, in love with sin and darkness, He died in order to redeem us.

5. He brought us into the family of God and made us clean in Him, we have a seat reserved for us the great wedding feast of the Lamb where God’s people as a whole are the bride and Christ the Husband.

6. Praise God that every marriage is a reflection of the gospel’s good news; Even if that image is held up for us in fallen and fallible human beings. That is why weddings are fittingly a worship service. While we rejoice with the bride and groom for their marriage, we rejoice most of all that their marriage gets to reflect, in small shadow, – Christ and the Church.

And the very wedding vows we take the traditional ones, not the modern ones whose promises don’t follow the meaning and weight of marriage.

these vows fit the definition and gravity of marriage. Vows that last through the storms and doldrums of life.

Here is what I say as we approach the Exchange of Marriage Vows.

Marriage is a covenant, and thus it involves public vows, promises before God and these witnesses. Vows are not to be entered into lightly, but with gravity and dependence on the Lord in the fulfillment of them.

The Husband promises: I, take you, my beloved // to be my wedded wife // and I do promise and covenant // before God and these witnesses // to be your loving and faithful husband // for rich or for poor // in sickness and in health // in plenty and in want // in joy and in sorrow // as long as we both shall live.

And the bride exchanges the same vow,

Because the vows are before God we go straight to God in prayer asking for his blessing upon the marriage.

It is fitting that a minister of the gospel pronounces the marriage…the new husband and wife are publicly pronounced that is definitely and distinctly and publicly marked out. And before all it is declared: “Whom, therefore, God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.”

And they are presented as a new family unit. And even some of the silly things like the kiss are not so silly, as it is a token of God’s blessing of the goodness of the joys of marriage a celebration of it. As the husband is invited to kiss his bride,

And that brings us back to what all this represents, the bride and bridegroom at their the wedding party, the wedding feast….Which our closing hymn speaks of

The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord; she is his new creation by water and the Word: from heav’n he came and sought her to be his holy bride; with his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.

Prayer

Benediction

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Recap: Temptations were a defeat of Satan,

So continues to proclaim, gather, and demonstrate his authority and power..

Today: Jesus demonstrates his authoritative teaching and we see the first example of his defeat of spiritual forces publicly, having conquered Satan in his temptations as victorious in the way that Israel never was he now demonstrates it to the people.

Read Mark 1:21-28 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. [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. [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. (ESV)

Prayer of Illumination

A. As we move into the main body more and more of Mark, let’s pause and remember an important reading principle.

One things to do is ask, are there repeat key words helping me see the main idea? In OT Hebrew narrative and in the gospels you do get new sections signalled with a who, what , and when. (your bibles do most the heavy lifting with paragraphing and paragraph titles. If you took all that out you would use new pleace, time marker, and who

second you get Repeat words: What did you notice as we read: probably the word Immediately (this is action-packed and signals that this all fits together. Because Mark uses Action to teach not so many words you need to compare what comes before and what comes after, which we said were temptations, the summary first teaching ‘preaching the gospel, and the call FOLLOW me, leave all behind the authoritative call.” AND then IMMEDIATELY next, Mark expands on that this week with these key words: authority/command, teaching/taught, unclean, unclean, unclean; Unclean spiritual opposition, and you get a couple contrasts: silence vs. loud voice.

You get Jesus’ first opposition which will happen repeatedly: Jesus vs. the Scribes. He is NOT like them but how?

So we start to see Jesus’ Teachings + Power over evil, against the unclean, is more powerful and effective than the Scribes (and eventually the Pharisees). Whereas one has external ceremonialism, Jesus is directly authoritative and able to make holy and clean what the flesh, the law, and the land of Israel, the temple has been unable to truly do.

#1 Christ is our Authoritative Teacher vv. 21-22

#2 The Unclean Challenge to the Word vv. 23-26

#3 Be Astonished at your Freedom! Vv. 27-28

First, (v.21-22– Christ is our authoritative, Sovereign Teacher (Prophet, T – truth); Not derivative, This authority to teach will slowly extend to show the authority to forgive sins…

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.

B. Jesus is on the northwest shore of the sea of galilee in the north of Israel. Remember that as we move all around the sea of galilee up on to mountain tops around the sea.

C. Mark keeps things moving “they” “immediately” …temptation, proclaim the gospel, gather four disciples, they go into Capernaum in the north by the sea of Galilee.

a. When? On the Sabbath day, Saturday into a Synagogue and Jesus was teaching.

i. There would have been the singing of psalms, various prayers, and depending on who you ask two to three lengthy scripture readings and Jesus gets up and begins to teach on Isaiah, or Ezekiel….

ii. So first, there is a normal Synagogue service that in many ways Jesus blesses (and protestants emulate mores so than the temple), Paul & Peter do as they continue to participate in synagogue worship well into the book of Acts….But then things get different. Verse 22: they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

D. This is Authoritative teaching vs. man-made Tradition

a. We encounter this contrast in the sermon on the mount “you have heard it said” you have your collection of rabbinical quotes and you don’t ever speak or take a stance for yourself you appeal to secondary human authority [my “quote heavy papers].

b. Jesus is Different: Truly truly, I Jesus Christ the Son of God, the word may Flesh “say unto you.” - ever notice this…He is a prophet who does say all the time “thus sayeth the Lord” quiet often simply truly, truly I say unto you…that is what his listeners are starting to notice…

c. Jesus both in who he is as the Son of God and Jesus anointed as messiah in the flesh indwelt by the Holy Spirit speaks differently.

i. It is like this the Synagogue was like a Spiritual hospital that had lost its to be anachronistic, belief in “sola scriptura.”

ii. I think they simultaneously saw Jesus’ mastery of scripture, his proclamation of the word as a good prophet does…But then the hints past it this teacher is himself the Word of God. HE speaks of the kingdom, or repentance & faith, HE gives the assurances of the promises of God because he speaks on behalf of God.

iii. [In God’s providence this was today,] Q. 24. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet? A. Christ executes the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.

1. He is not speculating, he is not quoting as the scribes do theories, he speaks and it is true.

iv. If this man says – though you are a sinner, you are forgiven, then it is true.

v. If this man says God is like the Father in the prodigal son, it is true.

vi. When Jesus says from Isaiah 61:1-3, The Messiah is anointed “to bring good news to the poor... to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives... to comfort all who mourn; to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit.”

vii. It. Is. True.

Imagine the opposite what this synagogue had been sitting under for so long…

d. [Illustration] If you go to the hospital and the doctor says, well I took some x-rays and I looked it up and one doctor says it may be severe cancer, another doctor says, its benign and don’t bother them with any more tests, another says that X-rays themselves are unreliable…And I sent a picture of it to a buddy who reads x-rays well he’s not a doctor, but he says we should start treatment….

i. That is not an assuring and authoritative doctor.

ii. I enjoy quoting, John Calvin, Matthew Henry, and people like J.C. Ryle. Douglad O’Donnell for this series, But I hope that what I’m really quoting is them when they particularly capture the strength, vitality, and authority of the WORD of God and Christ himself FOR US….Not the dead letter and certainly not they themselves as the source of wisdom…

iii. We need the certainty of the word of God when comes to matters of life and death; right and wrong; paradise & hell; knowing God as our Father and our spiritual joys and benefits, our assurance as his people…

iv. We mustn’t depend on quoting spiritual gurus, but the very words of God are sufficient, authoritative, and clear for life & godliness…Jesus had that and what is more Jesus IS that. [Pause………..]

The content of Jesus’ teaching was already summarized for us in verses 14-15: Jesus said, 1) the Kingdom of God IS here, 2) you must repent & believe in me, and (for his disciples he is going to increasingly say, 3) I AM going to the cross to deal with sin so you may be forgiven sons and daughters of God. That is the plan, Follow me.

E. The second problem, Israel is in spiritual trouble. The land of Israel under covenant blessings is supposed to be the holy dwelling place of God, God dwells in the Holy temple; he lives with his Holy & ritually clean people.

F. Question –Are unclean things, particularly wicked demons, supposed to be able to walk into a Holy Service in Israel?

a. And if they do, is their spiritual authority to deal with the problem when they do?

Transition: Jesus teaching disturbs the people, shakes them from spiritual apathy, and what is more his presence provokes Satan to—like goliath shout at the Israelites; Jesus is now being called out by Satan’s forces—look in v.23-26

#2 (v.23-26) The Unclean Challenge to the Word

Verse 23, IMMEDIATELY: Key word, right remember this keeps the action going, and it also means “immediately after we have learned and been impressed with the authority of Jesus’ teaching, his word, his voice….

G. Immediately, there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, [another voice].

· [Tell the story of being called out “say my name one more time and I’ll punch you---unpleasantries---your face.]

o Well, I froze for a second, my pastor said…Keep reading…And by the power of former SWAT officer deacons the conversation was moved to the Lobby and the Police…How that story ends is for another day.

· Well, it was awkward, everyone froze, there were tears…

· Why? In the midst of worship—an unclean man has cried out in challenge …

—verse 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.”

· Note, This is a man. Likely an Israelite.

o He is unclean because he is possessed by an unclean spirit, a demon

o Consider this the opposite of the Holy Spirit….consider this the opposite of the symbolism of baptism which represents what? Cleansing? Cleansing from sin and placing the Holy Name of God on his people.

§ Every Israelite ought to be Holy & Clean, bearing the name of YHWH on them as a covenant people who have the word of God.

§ Psalm 19:8–9 Say, the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; [9] the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. (ESV)

§ And yet here is someone influenced not by the Spirit of God and the Word of God, but the throne of his heart is captive by an impure Spirit.

o Jesus’ words provokes this man, provokes the unclean spirit IN a way the scribes and pharisees hadn’t but they ought to have…

§ Some interpreters even take the man to at least feel HE is speaking for the congregation. The synagogue. Everyone is “astonished” by Jesus’ authoritative call to repent, to believe, and the need for cleansing. And so this main whose heart is dominated by darkness and uncleanness cries out the challenge

§ Look in your bible at verse 24, You have come to destroy me—No—US us who? All the synagogue? Or Satan and his demons?

· Jesus is most certainly dangerous to Evil, to spiritual darkness frequently causes discomfort in people trapped in their sin & shame…

· And also yes, Jesus is a discomforting challenge to all those around this man. Who marched into the synagogue? Or who had been allowed to be there the whole time, undisturbed until Jesus was threatening a complete defeat of sin, darkness, and and everything unclean…

A. This man needs Jesus. He needs the Spirit of God to expel the unclean spirit, by the pure Word of God spoken by Christ to Him. Verse 24 saying, I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” The divine Son of God.

B. The demons have a superior knowledge in the gospels. Jesus is the Holy one of God, and later in mark, the Son of God, and the Son of the Most High God….

C. The demon knew this, there is no redemption for him only a challenge that is FEARFUL. “Have you come to destroy me.”

D. A couple things here

a. First the demon cannot be redeemed…But the man can he is a Man with an unclean Spirit and for this man…

b. It is not enough for him to merely Know WHO Jesus is, he knew who Jesus was….

c. It is not enough for him to understand that he was unclean…We feel our uncleanness all the time, we feel our sin and misery, even as believers, we so often feel our sin. We are sorrowful for it…

· The bad news is necessary but it is not enough…

· Every week in our service we try to include both a reading of the law, or provide a scriptural confession of sin, or a prayer that confesses sin…But that is insufficient if you think it is the scripture or part of the service where we just feel bad and guilty for sin…

· We must remember WHO we are confessing to Our Father in Heaven, In the name of Christ Jesus…

· We confess knowing we have an assurance of Pardon. That is the good news the authoritative word of Jesus – forgiven – cleansed – justified.

David in Psalm 51 says, Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spiritwithin me….Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

How will a heart be made clean, by Christ

1 John 1:7, the blood of Jesus, cleanses us from all sin. (ESV)

This man is unclean in his heart…Before Jesus heals any physical ailments, any disease, he first establishes that he has the power to deal with the Spiritual, the heart, because he is Divine.

And Jesus rebukes the man for crying out, and tells the Spirit to come out! Look in verse 25

E. 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.

Jesus commands, and it is done.

· But note the Fear, have you come to destroy me?

· To understand this let us remember our spiritual rock paper, scissors the OT ceremonial law teaches about clean vs. unclean, holy vs. profane.

· The old testament rituals and laws were meant to make a spiritual reality visible. Physical reminders of spiritual realities.

Gordon Wenham in his book on Leviticus summarizes helpfully what is going on with this Unclean Spriit encountering the Holy one of Israel with the cry are you going to destroy me. Now? Pulled from Keith Mathison’s article on Ligonier Ministries[1]

“The terms “holy,” “clean,” “unclean,” and related words are very common throughout the book. He provides a very helpful summary of the meaning and relationship between these terms in Leviticus:

Everything that is not holy is common. Common things divide into two groups, the clean and the unclean. Clean things become holy, when they are sanctified. But unclean objects cannot be sanctified. Clean things can be made unclean, if they are polluted. Finally, holy items may be defiled and become common, even polluted, and therefore unclean. . . . cleanness is a state intermediate between holiness and uncleanness. Cleanness is the normal condition of most things and persons. Sanctification can elevate the clean into the holy, while pollution degrades the clean into the unclean. The unclean and the holy are two states which must never come in contact with each other (pp. 19-20).”

· This is an unclean (an evil spirit) what happens? Would Christ be made unclean and profane by contact with him?

· Maybe if he was simply a human priest who was made ceremonially clean, ceremonially holy by the blood of some animals….

· But Jesus is not ceremonially clean he is in his ESSENCE, his BEING the thrice Holy God, impeccable, unable to sin, unable to be defiled, he already went three rounds with Satan in the wilderness and defeated him.

· He already as a HOLY Lord, identified himself as the clean and Holy Priest in the waters of baptism, and he announces the Kingdom of God is here, and the FIRE of the Holy Spirit will be poured out in his people.

Do you believe this is your relationship to sin?

Satan flees before Christ? He 1 Peter sees he flees before you when you resist him with the authoritative promises of God. Forgiven. Cleansed. Holy.

· Do you view yourself as merely ceremonially and performatively clean, like its all an act…

· If you think you are merely ceremonially (religiously) clean… You have to stay clean, apart from a Holy Savior you will always live in fear that you will become polluted and unworthy….

· But are you merely ceremonially clean? OR are you both Objectively Sanctified, “Holified”- and being sanctified, being increasingly holified by the Holy Spirit himself poured out by Christ the Holy one of God…. In which case, you are holy, you have the righteousness of Christ, the believer shall not live in fear of the unclean and profane, nor be afraid to approach our Holy God.

· We are summoned every week into the holy presence of God as those who are united to Christ, who has conquered death, defilement, and unclean, wicked, spiritual darkness for you.

· The coming kingdom of God is being inaugurated by the Holy Priest, the Prophet who speaks authoritatively, and Christ will on the other side of the Cross receive his crown and having crushed sin and death sin.

· And now it is simply by a WORD by the WORD of our savior that He defeats this demon, it is loud & decisive.

Christ has defeated Evil and as the Holy Anointed Messiah – he can by his speech make Clean & Holy what is Unclean & Unholy, profane. – He declares clean by an “authoritive word” “come out”

Let us close with this question: How will you respond to Jesus?

Verse 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. (ESV)

Briefly #3 (v. 27-28) How do we respond?

Are you astonished with Christ? [It’s hard sometimes because we are so familiar.]

· Do you still hear the word as authoritative, living & active?

· Do you believe there is a spiritual reality, true spiritual light, and true spiritual darkness. That you are children of the day, and that Satan truly does desire to trap people in the bondage of sin and darkness?

o We can recognize that Jesus’ life probably represented a “surge” of satan’s activity…See the screwtape letters for the fact that Satan is perfectly willing to sit back and let materialism and human sin do the job for him.

o Its not that everything must be blamed on Demons. There is your own sinful flesh, “the devil made me do it” cannot be an excuse…But certainly we must affirm all three options: This fallen world, our sinfulness, and Satan’s activity

· Do you must have a savior who is good, true, beautiful and HOLY able to cleanse and forgive you?

· Do you believe Jesus has conquered evil, sin, and death? That he has in fact in a very real way “destroyed satan” “bound satan”

o This should lead you to pray for those people most hopeless and seemingly out of reach of salvation. Even if you feel that person is you this morning.

· Do you believe you are not just forgiven, but unashamed, clean, and Holy…

o We are no longer named by being unclean, we are no longer under the guilt & power of sin, we are no longer named but it…the lepers, the ritually unclean in the OT had to cry out “unclean, unclean” and bear that mark…But not us, we are Sons & Daughters of Christ

o 1 Corinthians 6:11 says, you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

· This is where we live in the tension: We are objectively clean, Holy, and forgiven in Christ….yet this side of heaven we are still waging war against sin, the flesh, and the devil, increasingly putting sin to death and putting on the mind of Christ, being renewed after the image of Christ.

Let us close with this great hope as we leave Mark’s gospel with the fame of Christ spreading everywhere…His day is over…

J.C. Ryle says, “Let us not only know Christ but love him, from a sense of actual benefit received from him. Let us not only believe that he is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, but rejoice in him, and cleave to him with purpose of heart…the blessed Saviour not only gives mercy and forgiveness—he gives renewing grace besides…He cleanses [us] by his Spirit, when he washed them in his precious blood.”

Prayer

Benediction

[1] https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/the-book-of-leviticus

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com

Recap: Tell me if this sounds familiar…1 Cor. 10

1 Corinthians 10:1–5 [1] For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, [2] and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, [3] and all ate the same spiritual food, [4] and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. [5] Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Israel was baptized in the red sea and immediately were in the wilderness…Where they received manna (bread), depended on the word of God, and encountered spiritual training to resist, grumbling against God, against the authority of God’s word & Moses as God’s mediator…They then go to Mount Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments the moral law of God to show them how to live as God’s people, how a redeemed people are to live, ultimately this needed to be written on their hearts…

Rescue from Sin & Death, Baptism through the red sea, trials & temptations in the wilderness, and a call to live as righteous lives as a kingdom of priests who follow & Worship God…. Israel however, with bellies full of God’s gracious provision, fails over and over again…What about our savior?

READ: Mark 1:12-20

Prayer of Illumination

#1 Jesus overcomes the Trials (12-13)

#2 The Gospel Preached is Primary (14-15)

#3 Leave all behind & Follow Jesus (16-20)

#1 Jesus overcomes the trials…temptations on our behalf.

#1 [12] The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. [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.

a. Temptations as Sufferings/humility & Theological significance of his temptations is that he is doing it as our representative true Adam & true Israel. He is like the two generals saying, instead our armies clashing, let us do 1v1 combat to decide the battle.

b. See my sermon for his use of SCRIPTURE against Satan.

c. And here for Jesus’ triumph over all that satan could throw at him.

d. Notice how brief it is compared to Matthew? So I will be brief compared to matthew.

e. Spirit – Peace with God Douglas O’Donnell leads to a “shove” from the Spirit. God initiates this wilderness testing as he did with Israel & permitted with Adam & Eve.

f. Two Events in the bible should come to mind

a. Adam & Eve

i. Result? Failure

b. Israel & Wilderness wanderings

i. 40 Days. 40 years? But Failure.

g. Tempted by Satan – answered in humility, WORD dependent

h. The Wild Animals (Garden or Beasts of the Wild) & Angels (we wrestle not against flesh & blood but against spiritual forces.).

Conclusion: Christ has overcome! so take comfort, when Satan accuses and tempts you, assailing your trust & reliance on your Faither Know that you have a Savior not like Adam. He fell not like Israel that grumble wilderness, but who stood fast, strong, courageous, abiding by every word that is written as he himself is the word so take heart Christ has sent his Spirit. Christ has overcome for you, and he is calling us as one who has conquered Satan, sin, and death to follow him as he preaches his first sermon, which is a call to repent and believe in him, and so enter into the kingdom of God.

#2 The Gospel says, Repent & Believe (14-15)

#2 [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.”

a. John’s Preparation ministry is done. John is arrested, there he will die…Jesus starts not with John parading him around to the crowds to give him a ministry boost, but with 40 days of wilderness, and soon after John is arrested and leading to death…

a. The time is fulfilled in the fullness of time God sent forth his son….born of woman made under the law….Retracing the humble spiritual steps of Israel in our place.

b. So how should he start his ministry, Somewhere that doesn’t even appear on Google maps, Galilee, A humble beginnings that slowly marches and spirals into Jerusalem and the cross with every passing year.

b. Jesus begins a – proclaiming ministry – the gospel is a declaration of Good news that God kingdom has arrived in Christ Jesus. As we work through the gospel of Mark, we will see that it is a proclamation of good news of what Jesus would do in his life, death, resurrection, and in his ascension to heaven pour out the Spirit on the church.

a. This helps us because it clarifies what Jesus was about, his miracles were proof of his identity, his healings were compassionate, driven by love, but ultimately they are designed to show EXTERNAL power and healing that reveals the ultimate INTERNAL need for forgiveness of sin, the need to repent and believe the good news of Jesus as our savior.

(1) OC externalized the reality of sin so we could “see it” It is a PICTURE book for children…NC is simpler

b. So the good news proclaimed is primary, it is central, it is what we do week in and week out we point to Jesus.

c. And we point to full forgiveness of sins….the joy of life and freedom and forgiveness in Jesus. Did you stumble and fell this week? Are you aware of your sin and your need? Remember, if you are looking to Jesus, you are a member of the Kingdom of Jesus – your king has forgiven you because he is the lamb slain, the priest sprinkling cleansing blood on your heart, your conscience, and life, if you have repented and believed the good news of Jesus you are free from the guilt, shame, penalty, and power of sin. Look away from that sin and look to Christ.

d. V. 15 again, Repent & Trust –

(1) The gospel is not about 5 steps to a better life. It is about a savior who forgives sinners all of their sins, declares us just is if a never sinned before the Lord, and transformed to daily put off the old self on put on the new.

(2) Remember the Pharisee & the Tax Collector, God have mercy on me a sinner.

(3) The Christian life is one of daily repentance, and renewal in Christ. [PAUSE]

(4) Who can belong to the kingdom of God? A Certain language, people, kind of person. No EVERYONE from every tribe tongue & nation who bows the knee, I am lost, I am perishing. Save me.

e. Remembering that Jesus always keeps proclamation central, “repent & believe is central” what errors does this help us reject???

(1) The error that the gospel is activism

1. Do not confuse the many good things produced by Jesus, as “The gospel” instead remember it may be the fruit of the gospel or sanctification. OR it may be an error. Be careful if someone call something a “gospel issue” you are allowed to ask, Is it though?

(2) The gospel is primarily about miracles & healings, displays of power.

1. Signs the spirit always pointed to Christ and what he was going to do. [Road Signs are not the destination]

(3) Jesus is about doing, not dogmatics

1. No every word “man shall not live by bread alone but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God.

2. Jesus lived by the Word, the Truth, the teaching & doctrine of every word of the Father entrusted to him

3. His miracles authenticate his compassion for lost and dying sinners but the solution is the gospel. They are the seal of his Prophetic Preaching.

[transition] Now What Jesus begins to do is gather the 12 followers who will accompany him for the next 3yrs.

#3 We leave all behind and Follow Jesus. (16-20) (This is the main point).

[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 [my namesake] 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.

Some Thoughts on Following Jesus

A. The Disciples in the gospel of Mark

o The Story

§ Along the sea of galilee two brothers are fishing, Simon-Peter & Andrew…The less famous brother.

· [Flesh out the humanity of them. Fisherman. Sons. Multi-generational homes. Mending nets. Devout]

§ Is this the all-star CEO board? They’ll get dinged over and over again as Galileens, ruffians, uneducated, unqualified, but every country in the empire all the way to India credits the 12 apostles with bringing the gospel to them…

§ Jesus could just as well has called shepherds, or carpenters, or any number of ordinary men.

B. Jesus Speaks – “Follow, me and I will make you fishers of men.”

o What does it mean to follow Jesus?

o What does it mean to become fishers of men? [take in reverse order]

§ Snatching out of the waters, dragging out from the nets of their preaching, rescued from perishing, saving from judgement waters. A complete change of life and location. Being born again. From Darkness to light.

§ They did not become TED talkers or life coaches. They swept people from dead spiritual lives, to follow Jesus as they did.

o What was their response?

o IMMEDIATELY. IMMEDIATELY.

§ [Authoritative Call] No fence sitting with Jesus.

§ What did the for men immediately leave in order to follow: The four men Left: Jobs, Family, and Left Community.[repeat[

o

o When Jesus calls priorities change

C. What can we learn about discipleship for ourselves?

o You follow Jesus [Jesus is your Savior & God]. He issues a sovereign and kingly call to follow. Follow. Believe. Trust.

o If you are trusting in Jesus, what would you do if your family members stopped following Jesus? Stopped worshipping?

§ They declared to you a drastic and unbiblical change in morality?

§ They pressed you with a job that you know would hinder your relationship with Jesus, your ability to worship and fellowship with God’s people?

D. Now I think there aren’t really any hints here that the disciples families are upset at them for following who may be the Messiah….We do,however, hear how Jesus’ family at one point try to bring him back home, to hit pause on his whole ministry… Not because they have left the faith, but they just don’t understand what Jesus is doing.

E. The bible is pro family, the commandment to honor your father & mother remains…But v. 16-20 shows that if Man’s Chief End is to glorify & Enjoy God, then when the incarnate son of God says, arise, take up your cross and follow me, then your chief your primary, your highest calling, is to die to self be willing to leave all behind and follow him, to worship him, to learn from him above the world.

o Jesus will become their teacher over the next three years.

§ The Word of God’s Word his teaching, Over the World and its wisdom.

§ [Trump Cards, in card games.]

o They are now, disciples, followers…What difficulties do they and we encounter if we stand by Jesus & every word of the bible?

o DO you think the disciples were tempted to when the scribes, the pharisees were questioning and attacking Jesus to say, well, well, well…Jesus says, the bible says, this, but the pharisees….they did a study and actually did God really say?…

§ Think of that Jesus is going to face opposition…there is a turning point of the disciples dedication ‘you are the Christ in Chapter 8’ …But Jesus was opposed by Religious & Civil authorities during this time…

· Should the disciples listen to Jesus? Or should they listen the religious & civil authorities of their day? We are raised to mistrust the pharisees but they were influential they were Hollywood, the New York Times, Harvard, and the Cultural authority of their day.

· Jesus or the entire society I grew up in?

· Jesus or being cancelled? Jesus or being called not a real Patriot if Twitter is having a weird day…

o So when other voices say, follow ME not Jesus.

§ We are bound by the voice of Jesus, the voice of Jesus for you is by the Spirit working in his word—Jesus is our shepherd--Follow---and know a disciple follows the whole teaching & counsel of their teacher….In this case Jesus is the Word made flesh he has ultimate calling authority.

· To pick and choose some philosophy, morality, or spirituality combined with Jesus is to make a new God. Is Jesus God or not? He is either your chief end or an idol? There is not acceptable in between. That is why jesus immediately teaches us we must be willing to leave job, family, and community for him. [pause].

§ So note anytime someone seeks to—stop or shame you for--you being a disciple of Jesus.

§ And this can be done a sneaky way, many seek to carve up Jesus’ teaching into “red letter Christianity” they isolate Jesus from the rest of scripture, they twist part of Jesus’ words against himself.

o No, the disciples as well as we are bound to not just the Sermon on the Mount, not just Jesus’ summarizing teachings throughout the gospels but to his view of scripture – “it is written” man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God.

§ We follow Jesus as he speaks to us from Genesis to Revelation.

§ We follow his teaching in every single facet of our life. Discipleship is not just a narrow Sunday morning thing…they left behind jobs, family, community, and sat at the feet of their savior.

o Remember the temptations and Jesus’ view of scripture? We allow the word of God to shape us, our loves, our habits, our beliefs, our priorities for our marriages, families, work, human sexuality according to God’s good creation & nature, God’s word demands our generosity, time, our tongues to be wise, the very words & language we use, God’s word decides the people we forgive not your emotions or therapist…

F. Jesus decides, The enemies we pray for, turning the other cheek,

G. Not just the examples of Jesus that match the vibes and virtue of the day

H. But the whole word of God, the teachings of Jesus that will get your called whatever thought terminating insult of the day is out there.

o You, if you are trusting Jesus, for forgiveness of sins, for new life, if you have died to self then you cannot in fear cling to your life’s autonomy apart from Christ.

You are now attached to the name of Jesus is by faith he is your savior. The world hated Christ you must be willing for it to denigrate and hate you. Here are some of the name these new disciples will hear Jesus and Jesus’ followers called.

I. The Pharisees said Jesus had a demon, that he was a drunkard, that he: This was the Pharisees’ direct response to Jesus casting out demons and healing the blind/mute. It dismissed His power as satanic rather than divine. Matthew 9:34

J. They called him A drunkard and a glutton friend of tax collectors and sinners) (Matthew 11:19)

K. They called him A blasphemer , triggered especially when He forgave sins or claimed divine authority, and showed mercy on the sabbath (moments where Jesus said, “I and the Father are one”).Or Mark 2:7 (“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”)

 A deceiver or impostor / one who leads people astray

 A Samaritan and demon-possessed This is a double whammy A racial slur religious condemnation of “demonic”

They failed to interact with hisclaims and his miracles and his authority, they gave the insult. They NEVER contested the miracles or that his teachings were strangely full of authority and power. That he was a Prophet. They refused to deal with the weightiest of matters. Jesus was proclaimed the messiah, the Father’s voice from heaven, the OT prophesies attested to him…But Jesus doesn’t play for partial followers. He acted as the authoritative Son of God who came to save sinners.

You cannot be a partial follower of Jesus if you only talk half of him…Arise take up your cross & Follow him!

For follower of Jesus, you are baptized into his name, you have the sign of being set apart as holy and clean.

You have a savior who suffered temptation, and humiliation in this world broken by sin and misery, you have the holy spirit, the renewing of your mind, the word of God which is living-active and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of your heart. So, you, from a firm foundation, from every holy, inerrant, and inspired word of God must say – I follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

…..I dearly hope most your life you will be able to receive from others commendation, praise from unbelieving neighbors for the fruit of the spirit in your life…commendations for being like Jesus—loving and sacrificial, compassionate and humble, merciful and kind, truthful and forgiving. These qualities shape lives that draw others to the Savior. Yet…After his temptations, Satan didn’t have anything nice to say about Jesus….Because of the offense of his authority and for the pharisees the gospel, the offense of pointing out sin, the offense of saying they needed saving.

I know naturally in my own flesh, I would love to be able to say, that I have my own life handled, and that nothing anyone else does would ever need an uncomfortable confrontation with truth…Yet What will the fate of these 12 apostles, these disciples be?

· First, they will follow Jesus and not get for the longest time who he is.

· Second, fleeing from Christ in his greatest moment of suffering in the garden of gethsemane and his trial & crucifixion

· Third, Betrayal and apostasy by one of their number

· Lastly, Being scared…hiding….

But then being comforted. Seeing the resurrected Christ! Their faith restored, leaving all behind once more and going into all the world with…What? The Gospel…verse 14-16 right… 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.”

· And they received what? Yes, much joy and church families gathered and planted,

· But they were beaten, reviled, and killed…

· You live in a context where you are not going to be likely killed for your faith…Though in some cities today I’ve started to see people beaten for being identified as a Christian…

· Yet our world today, often is quick-fire labels: bigot, phobic, intolerant, backwards, hateful, judgmental, narrow-minded, and oppressive.

o Those are thought terminating slogans.

§ They do not want you to remember you follow Jesus, a king who loved you and died for you.

Remember the words of Polycarp, from the 2nd century facing death & ridicule “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”

§ The world does not want you to remember that God is a good and wise creator who made us, who cares for us, who reveals in NATURE & his word how we should then live….Because that would mean pausing – and seeing the darkness of this world, the need of a Savior….

§ If you currently are not sure you are a disciple of Jesus – I beg you the next time you feel that the world is not the way it is meant to be, when your heart, feels guilt and shame, and you want to throw up a shield of moral relativism, and cling to yourself as the final decider of who you are, who you are meant to follow, your heart, your life, your truth…

§ Know, you are not your own savior and God, you have a savior, who created you, made you, who loves broken sinners, while they were his enemy

§ Jesus would have you leave your very self-sufficient life self-ruled life behind, it does not work, it all falls apart, you are not GOD, you do not decide what is right, you need to flee the darkness, and follow the light of your savior.

§ He is the only one that can free you from yourself.

· He can free you from the bondage that satan has you in.

· He passed the test he overcame the temptations, he overcame the darkness of this world…Satan lost!

· Instead regard Jesus this way,

1 Peter 3:15

In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, [16] having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. [17] For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. (ESV)

Will you in your hearts…leave and forsake all and Honor Christ as Holy?

· In your heart there is only one throne. Sin must be repented of. The Lord Jesus placed on that throne, and you will have peace with God. You will never fail to have brothers and sisters in Christ,an eternal home, and Christ’s body the church, here on earth.

Prayer

“Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow Thee; Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shalt be. Perish, every fond ambition, All I’ve sought or hoped or known; Yet how rich is my condition— God and heaven are still my own!”

Amen!

Benediction

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com