sacrifice
John: Arrested & Beheaded, 5 May 2019
John: Arrested & Beheaded
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:14-29
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: John sacrificed everything for Jesus…who sacrificed everything for John and us.
“Oh how I love Jesus/oh how I love Jesus/oh how I love Jesus/because he first loved me”
How much do you love Jesus?
It’s hard to quantify love. It’s challenging for most people to even define “love.” But how important is Jesus to you…really?
Today we are continuing our series Mark: The Real Jesus. I know, it’s been a while. September 3, 2017 was the last Sunday in this series! Sometimes you just need a break! We’ll have more breaks before we finish this, the shortest of the gospels or “good news,” biographies of Jesus. With the recent celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, we’re going back to look at his life, his ministry, the three years or so prior to Holy Week. And today’s text is about one of the most devoted followers of Jesus, John, who was arrested & beheaded.
“To live outside of God’s will puts us in danger; to live in his will makes us dangerous.” – Erwin McManus
Before we look at this dreadful event, I want to begin with some background information on John the Baptist.
At the beginning of the book of Mark, we are introduced to John the Baptist.
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:4-5)
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:6-8)
John’s father was a priest, usually a hereditary role which John chose not to accept, becoming a fiery preacher, paving the way for the Messiah.
He’s immersing people in the Jordan River, a process called baptism which symbolizes a death and resurrection, washing away that which is old and become a new creation.
We are planning a baptism on May 26. If you’ve never experienced baptism as a follower of Jesus—infant baptism is different—I’d love to invite you to be baptized, to publicly declare your faith, and to symbolically die in the water grave and come out as a forgiven, purified, resurrected follower of Jesus.
But back to John. The Judeans, crushed by Roman rule and the high priests, found John refreshing. He was not afraid of seemingly anyone. Some thought he was the Messiah. He was a revolutionary who prepared the people for another Revolutionary.
The following verses describe John the Baptist baptizing his cousin, Jesus. Why does Jesus need to be baptized? He is sinless and has no need of repentance, but perhaps it was a public way to begin his ministry.
Later John leaves the wilderness and takes on the political leaders of his time. He starts in Tiberias, the place of sin, one of the cities in Galilee. It’s ruled by Herod Antipas, the second son of Herod the Great, the tyrant who tried to kill baby Jesus (Matthew 2:7-16). Herod Antipas wanted to be the king of Judea but, instead, became the tetrarch of Galilee.
John decides to call Herod to repentance, a gutsy move. Can you imagine confronting a Roman ruler, calling them out over their sins. Keep in mind his sins were many. The Jews are struggling under the Roman Empire while Herod lives in luxury.
Of all of Herod Antipas’ sins, one is most notable. While visiting his half-brother Philip in Rome, he fell in love with Herodias, Philip’s wife. He married her after divorcing his first wife. To make things even more complicated, Herodias was the daughter of another half-brother, so Antipas marries the woman who is both his sister-in-law and niece! You thought your family tree was messed up!
In the politics of the day, Herod’s job is primary to keep peace in Galilee. If a rebellion breaks out, Herod loses his power. John calls for repentance and may have appeared to have been gathering a rebellion, so Herod has John imprisoned in the Fortress of Machaerus, 100 miles from Tiberias. It’s an awful place, distant from John’s followers. In the day, prison was barbaric. There was no rehabilitation, only punishment and breaking.
While John is in prison, Jesus’ ministry grows and it is his popularity and his followers are sent out to preach repentance, turning away from their sins and toward God. They are also driving out demons and healing the sick, which leads us to today’s text in Mark 6:14.
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Mark 6:14)
Herod Antipas wanted to be called king, though he was technically only a tetrarch, ruling a fourth part of the nation.
Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” (Mark 6:15)
Who is Jesus? How you answer this question is remarkably important.
Jesus was obviously special. He was a dynamic leader, a marvelous teacher, and a miraculous healer. He was quickly becoming an incredibly popular person among the crowds. Even John is unsure of the true identity of his cousin, Jesus. You may recall Elijah never really died, but was taken directly to heaven, so his return was plausible.
Herod gets into the discussion of Jesus’ identity, wondering if he wasn’t John raised from the dead.
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” (Mark 6:16)
Now Mark provides us a flashback.
For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” (Mark 6:17-18)
It’s hard to imagine the audacity of John calling out Herod. We don’t really know all of the context other than we know Herod liked to listen to John. Whatever the case, there was obviously tension between John, Herod, and Herodias.
So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. (Mark 6:19-20)
Herod was interested in hearing John, though it may have been a political maneuver. Remember, Herod’s chief responsibility was to keep the peace.
If you’ve been going through Mission 119 with us, you may recall recent Bible reading through several of the prophets. The role of prophet—proclaiming God’s truth, forthtelling—is no for the faint of heart. Sometimes God calls us to do difficult things, even confronting people in love over their sin. This is not judging or condemning, but rather pointing people to life, to truth.
How do you react when you’re confronted about something? We all hate criticism by strangers or venomous attacks by insecure people trying to tear us down. But what about when a loved one throws out a “help me understand?” For many years, my first instinct toward any constructive feedback was defensiveness. As I get older, I’m trying to listen first and then respond with grace. I can’t say I’m good at it. My pride gets in the way.
Some people can’t handle the truth. They want to follow their pleasures rather than God. They’ve been given the choice, that free will. Followers of Jesus, however, must be open to loving correction. But remember,
"God judges, the Holy Spirit convicts, we are to love." -Billy Graham
Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” (Mark 6:21-23)
This must’ve been some kind of dance…or Herod had been drinking some kind of booze…or both! Imagine offering up to half of your kingdom as thanks for a dance! And it’s Herod’s birthday! The only thing I can think of in the Bible as outrageous is Esau exchanging his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup…or Jesus offering us his very life on the cross!
Salome, Herodias’ dancing daughter, is already a married woman and Antipas’ stepdaughter. Herod makes an incredible offer to Salome—to impress his guests—and the response is equally shocking.
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” (Mark 6:24-25)
There was no argument or delay. At once she hurried to request John’s head…on a platter! What detail! What audacity!
The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:26-29)
What a way to go!
How much do you love Jesus? John was obedient, even unto death. He sacrificed everything to remain obedient to the call on his life, speaking the truth in love.
This story is hard to imagine—a man beheaded for obeying God—yet today in our modern, sophisticated world, many of our brothers and sisters face persecution every day. Two days ago, the BBC said, “Christian persecution ‘at near genocide levels’” in parts of the world. One in three people suffer from religious persecution and Christians were the most persecuted religious group, according to a report ordered by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The world saw the reports of more than 250 killed on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, just the latest of attacks upon Christians which includes church crackdowns in China, torture in North Korea, Indian Christians arrested for sharing their testimony with a small group, …and that’s just scratching the surface. On average, 11 of our brothers and sisters are killed every day for their faith. That would wipe out our church in a month! For more, visit Persecution.com.
What would cause someone—John the Baptist or anyone—to allow themselves to die for their faith, to be persecuted for their beliefs, to be tortured for their obedience to God? Love.
Here’s the thing:
Jesus sacrificed everything for you, including his life.
If you think it’s crazy for a human to die for God, how much more radical is it for God to die for a human? That’s what we remembered last month on Good Friday.
Jesus did so much more than save your life. He offers to save your eternity, and he exchanged his life for yours on the cross. What more do you want Jesus to do to prove his love for you? No, he’s not a cosmic genie who is going to instantly give you everything you pray for, because he knows what’s best. Sometimes a miracle is best, but in this life as we experience suffering, it is not without purpose. God uses trials to strengthen our faith, help us identify with and help others, and give us a yearning for the next life. I’m not saying it’s always fun or easy, but neither was the cross. Today we remember the extraordinary sacrifice of Jesus…not because we’re so great, but because our sin was so great…and his love is so great.
Honestly, I’m almost embarrassed to talk about giving God a tithe—10% of your income. It’s silly to think one hour out of 168 each week is a sacrifice. I scoff at the notion spending a little time overseas is super spiritual or noble.
Jesus died for us, family! That’s a really big deal! Who else has shown you that much love? Can we not reciprocate?
Following Jesus requires a sacrifice, including your life—dead or alive.
Jesus doesn’t want fans or part-time followers. He wants fully-devoted disciples, men and women and children who are willing to live and even die for the one who died for them. After describing God’s incredible love and sacrifice for us, the writer of Romans wrote:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)
How much do you love Jesus? This is what it means to love and follow Jesus. Become a living sacrifice—and maybe a martyr. Give it all! Die to yourself and surrender to God. I’m not just talking to spiritual seekers here, I’m talking to all of us. How committed are we to God? Really? John the Baptist was all in…and so was Jesus.
Persecution may come to Christians in this nation. We could use a wake-up call, actually, not that I want persecution, but the church in the west is nearly dead, friends. When we feel persecuted by someone saying, “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas,” we’re living way too comfortably! I know there are threats to certain freedoms we have enjoyed, but we are still a very blessed people. And let’s not forget what Paul wrote:
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)
We need to remember our brothers and sisters in prayer. I know Sri Lanka and China and the Middle East seem so far away, but they are family. Finally,
No sacrifice for Jesus will ever be too great…or regrettable.
Jim Elliot, before he was martyred in Ecuador, said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
This life is so short. I know it seems like…a lifetime. But imagine a timeline of eternity. How much of that timeline would represent the century or so we’re on this planet? You couldn’t even see it! As one song says, “It will be worth it all/when we see Jesus.” In two chapters, Jesus says,
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:35-36)
Jesus gave everything for us. God for humans. Can we not return the favor?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Mark: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:14-29
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: John sacrificed everything for Jesus…who sacrificed everything for John and us.
“Oh how I love Jesus/oh how I love Jesus/oh how I love Jesus/because he first loved me”
How much do you love Jesus?
It’s hard to quantify love. It’s challenging for most people to even define “love.” But how important is Jesus to you…really?
Today we are continuing our series Mark: The Real Jesus. I know, it’s been a while. September 3, 2017 was the last Sunday in this series! Sometimes you just need a break! We’ll have more breaks before we finish this, the shortest of the gospels or “good news,” biographies of Jesus. With the recent celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, we’re going back to look at his life, his ministry, the three years or so prior to Holy Week. And today’s text is about one of the most devoted followers of Jesus, John, who was arrested & beheaded.
“To live outside of God’s will puts us in danger; to live in his will makes us dangerous.” – Erwin McManus
Before we look at this dreadful event, I want to begin with some background information on John the Baptist.
At the beginning of the book of Mark, we are introduced to John the Baptist.
And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:4-5)
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:6-8)
John’s father was a priest, usually a hereditary role which John chose not to accept, becoming a fiery preacher, paving the way for the Messiah.
He’s immersing people in the Jordan River, a process called baptism which symbolizes a death and resurrection, washing away that which is old and become a new creation.
We are planning a baptism on May 26. If you’ve never experienced baptism as a follower of Jesus—infant baptism is different—I’d love to invite you to be baptized, to publicly declare your faith, and to symbolically die in the water grave and come out as a forgiven, purified, resurrected follower of Jesus.
But back to John. The Judeans, crushed by Roman rule and the high priests, found John refreshing. He was not afraid of seemingly anyone. Some thought he was the Messiah. He was a revolutionary who prepared the people for another Revolutionary.
The following verses describe John the Baptist baptizing his cousin, Jesus. Why does Jesus need to be baptized? He is sinless and has no need of repentance, but perhaps it was a public way to begin his ministry.
Later John leaves the wilderness and takes on the political leaders of his time. He starts in Tiberias, the place of sin, one of the cities in Galilee. It’s ruled by Herod Antipas, the second son of Herod the Great, the tyrant who tried to kill baby Jesus (Matthew 2:7-16). Herod Antipas wanted to be the king of Judea but, instead, became the tetrarch of Galilee.
John decides to call Herod to repentance, a gutsy move. Can you imagine confronting a Roman ruler, calling them out over their sins. Keep in mind his sins were many. The Jews are struggling under the Roman Empire while Herod lives in luxury.
Of all of Herod Antipas’ sins, one is most notable. While visiting his half-brother Philip in Rome, he fell in love with Herodias, Philip’s wife. He married her after divorcing his first wife. To make things even more complicated, Herodias was the daughter of another half-brother, so Antipas marries the woman who is both his sister-in-law and niece! You thought your family tree was messed up!
In the politics of the day, Herod’s job is primary to keep peace in Galilee. If a rebellion breaks out, Herod loses his power. John calls for repentance and may have appeared to have been gathering a rebellion, so Herod has John imprisoned in the Fortress of Machaerus, 100 miles from Tiberias. It’s an awful place, distant from John’s followers. In the day, prison was barbaric. There was no rehabilitation, only punishment and breaking.
While John is in prison, Jesus’ ministry grows and it is his popularity and his followers are sent out to preach repentance, turning away from their sins and toward God. They are also driving out demons and healing the sick, which leads us to today’s text in Mark 6:14.
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Mark 6:14)
Herod Antipas wanted to be called king, though he was technically only a tetrarch, ruling a fourth part of the nation.
Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” (Mark 6:15)
Who is Jesus? How you answer this question is remarkably important.
Jesus was obviously special. He was a dynamic leader, a marvelous teacher, and a miraculous healer. He was quickly becoming an incredibly popular person among the crowds. Even John is unsure of the true identity of his cousin, Jesus. You may recall Elijah never really died, but was taken directly to heaven, so his return was plausible.
Herod gets into the discussion of Jesus’ identity, wondering if he wasn’t John raised from the dead.
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” (Mark 6:16)
Now Mark provides us a flashback.
For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” (Mark 6:17-18)
It’s hard to imagine the audacity of John calling out Herod. We don’t really know all of the context other than we know Herod liked to listen to John. Whatever the case, there was obviously tension between John, Herod, and Herodias.
So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. (Mark 6:19-20)
Herod was interested in hearing John, though it may have been a political maneuver. Remember, Herod’s chief responsibility was to keep the peace.
If you’ve been going through Mission 119 with us, you may recall recent Bible reading through several of the prophets. The role of prophet—proclaiming God’s truth, forthtelling—is no for the faint of heart. Sometimes God calls us to do difficult things, even confronting people in love over their sin. This is not judging or condemning, but rather pointing people to life, to truth.
How do you react when you’re confronted about something? We all hate criticism by strangers or venomous attacks by insecure people trying to tear us down. But what about when a loved one throws out a “help me understand?” For many years, my first instinct toward any constructive feedback was defensiveness. As I get older, I’m trying to listen first and then respond with grace. I can’t say I’m good at it. My pride gets in the way.
Some people can’t handle the truth. They want to follow their pleasures rather than God. They’ve been given the choice, that free will. Followers of Jesus, however, must be open to loving correction. But remember,
"God judges, the Holy Spirit convicts, we are to love." -Billy Graham
Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” (Mark 6:21-23)
This must’ve been some kind of dance…or Herod had been drinking some kind of booze…or both! Imagine offering up to half of your kingdom as thanks for a dance! And it’s Herod’s birthday! The only thing I can think of in the Bible as outrageous is Esau exchanging his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup…or Jesus offering us his very life on the cross!
Salome, Herodias’ dancing daughter, is already a married woman and Antipas’ stepdaughter. Herod makes an incredible offer to Salome—to impress his guests—and the response is equally shocking.
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” (Mark 6:24-25)
There was no argument or delay. At once she hurried to request John’s head…on a platter! What detail! What audacity!
The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:26-29)
What a way to go!
How much do you love Jesus? John was obedient, even unto death. He sacrificed everything to remain obedient to the call on his life, speaking the truth in love.
This story is hard to imagine—a man beheaded for obeying God—yet today in our modern, sophisticated world, many of our brothers and sisters face persecution every day. Two days ago, the BBC said, “Christian persecution ‘at near genocide levels’” in parts of the world. One in three people suffer from religious persecution and Christians were the most persecuted religious group, according to a report ordered by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The world saw the reports of more than 250 killed on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, just the latest of attacks upon Christians which includes church crackdowns in China, torture in North Korea, Indian Christians arrested for sharing their testimony with a small group, …and that’s just scratching the surface. On average, 11 of our brothers and sisters are killed every day for their faith. That would wipe out our church in a month! For more, visit Persecution.com.
What would cause someone—John the Baptist or anyone—to allow themselves to die for their faith, to be persecuted for their beliefs, to be tortured for their obedience to God? Love.
Here’s the thing:
Jesus sacrificed everything for you, including his life.
If you think it’s crazy for a human to die for God, how much more radical is it for God to die for a human? That’s what we remembered last month on Good Friday.
Jesus did so much more than save your life. He offers to save your eternity, and he exchanged his life for yours on the cross. What more do you want Jesus to do to prove his love for you? No, he’s not a cosmic genie who is going to instantly give you everything you pray for, because he knows what’s best. Sometimes a miracle is best, but in this life as we experience suffering, it is not without purpose. God uses trials to strengthen our faith, help us identify with and help others, and give us a yearning for the next life. I’m not saying it’s always fun or easy, but neither was the cross. Today we remember the extraordinary sacrifice of Jesus…not because we’re so great, but because our sin was so great…and his love is so great.
Honestly, I’m almost embarrassed to talk about giving God a tithe—10% of your income. It’s silly to think one hour out of 168 each week is a sacrifice. I scoff at the notion spending a little time overseas is super spiritual or noble.
Jesus died for us, family! That’s a really big deal! Who else has shown you that much love? Can we not reciprocate?
Following Jesus requires a sacrifice, including your life—dead or alive.
Jesus doesn’t want fans or part-time followers. He wants fully-devoted disciples, men and women and children who are willing to live and even die for the one who died for them. After describing God’s incredible love and sacrifice for us, the writer of Romans wrote:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)
How much do you love Jesus? This is what it means to love and follow Jesus. Become a living sacrifice—and maybe a martyr. Give it all! Die to yourself and surrender to God. I’m not just talking to spiritual seekers here, I’m talking to all of us. How committed are we to God? Really? John the Baptist was all in…and so was Jesus.
Persecution may come to Christians in this nation. We could use a wake-up call, actually, not that I want persecution, but the church in the west is nearly dead, friends. When we feel persecuted by someone saying, “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas,” we’re living way too comfortably! I know there are threats to certain freedoms we have enjoyed, but we are still a very blessed people. And let’s not forget what Paul wrote:
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)
We need to remember our brothers and sisters in prayer. I know Sri Lanka and China and the Middle East seem so far away, but they are family. Finally,
No sacrifice for Jesus will ever be too great…or regrettable.
Jim Elliot, before he was martyred in Ecuador, said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
This life is so short. I know it seems like…a lifetime. But imagine a timeline of eternity. How much of that timeline would represent the century or so we’re on this planet? You couldn’t even see it! As one song says, “It will be worth it all/when we see Jesus.” In two chapters, Jesus says,
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:35-36)
Jesus gave everything for us. God for humans. Can we not return the favor?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Sent: Preaching & Anointing
Sent: Preaching & Anointing
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:6-29
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Following Jesus is radical and dangerous…but worth it!
Introduction
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. According to the Declaration of Independence, these are our unalienable Rights endowed to us by our Creator. Despite its countless flaws, I love the United States, but Thomas Jefferson’s words are not taken from the Bible. In fact, following Jesus may result in the loss of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…but it will be worth it.
Today we continue our look at Jesus from Mark’s biography of him. Last week we saw Jesus’ amazement at the lack of faith among those in his hometown of Nazareth. The text continues…
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. (Mark 6:6)
I want to pause and analyze Jesus’ leadership. Contrary to popular belief, leadership is more than a title or position. At its core, leadership is influence. We all have some influence on others. The best leaders do not merely have followers, but rather they develop leaders. Perhaps my favorite verse describing this comes to Timothy from his mentor Paul:
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
Four generations are found in one verse: Paul, Timothy, reliable people who teach others.
Here’s Jesus’ model as outlined by Dave Ferguson in his book Exponential:
1. I do. You watch. Jesus was teaching and healing and the disciples observed.
2. I do. You help. At some point Jesus told them he had a purpose for them beyond companionship. He wanted them involved, helping.
3. You do. I help. We talk. This is the point of action. The baton is being passed; not thrown, but passed. Debriefing is important, too. Feedback can be so valuable, especially when we are doing something new.
4. You do. I watch. We talk. Not the leader does not assist except to coach afterward.
5. You do. Someone else watched. Now the student becomes the teacher, the apprentice is the leader. Things have come full circle.
This process works if you are teaching your kids how to load the dishwasher, training your apprentice small group leader, or equipping a new employee at the office.
John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus who is preparing his twelve disciples to transform the world…without cable tv, Twitter, or even the newspaper.
Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. (Mark 6:7)
It sounds like Noah’s ark, doesn’t it, two by two? It’s not good for man to be alone, God said after creating Adam. There’s strength in numbers. A partner helps protect against the dangers of temptation and attack. Who does two by two well? The Mormans and JW’s! They have it mastered, undoubtedly drawing their inspiration for this verse. If only the entire Bible was followed as carefully by them. Notice Jesus gave them authority. He equipped them. He didn’t shove them out the door and say, “Good luck!”
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. (Mark 6:8-9)
They are to travel light. They can’t even run to the ATM and get some cash! He wants them focused on the mission and dependent upon God for daily bread. Personal comforts are not a priority for Jesus. Now this is not meant to be a universal plan for missions work. Today we raise money to provide for ministries around the world, but this particular mission was dependent upon the hospitality of others.
Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. (Mark 6:10)
I want to suggest perhaps Jesus is saying, “Get to know the people. Build relationships. Don’t rush off. Preach repentance. Drive out demons. Heal the sick. You’ve seen me do it. Now it’s your turn.”
And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:11)
This is an odd instruction in our culture, but he’s saying if they ignore you, let them know the consequences. Let them know judgment would eventually fall on them…they’ve been warned. The disciples were commissioned to preach repentance, to urge people to turn from their selfish desires and follow God. Repent means to turn, to do a 180. Not everyone is eager stop what they’re doing and surrender to Jesus. This is obviously just as true today. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, but to make dead people come alive…but first they must die…to themselves. This is where I struggle with Thomas Jefferson. I’m not against life, liberty or happiness—nor is God—but those are not God’s highest values for us. Jesus calls us to die to ourselves, submit to Jesus as LORD, and pick up our cross and follow him. It is not always easy, fun, or comfortable.
I get worried when I see Christianity sold to USAmericans as just another self-help alternative. Pray this prayer and God will make you happy. Have enough faith and you’ll be rich. The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will. UGH! What garbage!
Jesus gave up everything—including his own life—and he asks us to do the same…because it will be worth it in the end. He doesn’t promise is safety and comfort and pleasure now. We have work to do. We are in the middle of a war…between good and evil. So many so-called Christians are lounging by the pool unaware there’s a battle on the other side of the gate. Look around, friends.
Heroin. Sex trafficking. Racism. Hunger. Homelessness. Violence. Hatred. Injustice.
Jesus didn’t come and die so we could sit in comfy seats for an hour a week with our nice leather-bound Bibles and fancy clothes…and I’m not against any of those things. But following Jesus must take precedent over life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Kingdoms collide.
One final thought on this verse: we are not to coerce, threaten, entice, or pressure people to follow Jesus. The command for the twelve was to preach repentance, to invite people to turn from their pleasure to seek God’s kingdom. And if they don’t listen, move on.
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:12-13)
They did it. They obeyed Jesus. The miracles authenticated their message. I wish I had a recording of their conversation with Jesus afterward. The stories must’ve been amazing! God obviously provided despite their lack of provisions. Ministry was accomplished. Lives were changed. The twelve began to get a glimpse of what it truly meant to proclaim truth and follow God.
And then Mark inserts a bizarre flashback, a story that reminds us the risks of obeying God.
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Mark 6:14)
Herod hears rumors about Jesus and begins to think perhaps John the Baptist was back, resurrected.
Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” (Mark 6:15-16)
Remember, the central question in our series is, “Who is Jesus?” Herod thinks the only one who can preach with authority and heal is John, whom he beheaded! He killed John but has enough faith to believe in the resurrection, even though John was still dead! Yet he does nothing to pursue Jesus.
For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. (Mark 6:17-20)
Herod liked John the Baptist even though John spoke out against the king’s marriage. He married Herodias, his niece, who is already the wife of his half brother, according to scholars. It’s rather confusing because Herod was a family name, not one man’s name. This was not Herod the Great. This was his son, Herod Antipas. He was banished to southern France by AD 39 and his kingdom was given to Herodias’ brother Agrippa. Mark calling him “King” Herod was ironic and sly.
Let me be radical and politically incorrect and say despite what some say, our culture does not believe any two people in love should be able to marry. What if one is a minor? What if one is a relative (eww!)? What about polygamy? Then again, it may just be a matter of time.
Herodias hates John because he criticized her marriage, likely a plot of hers to gain power by marrying Herod.
Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. (Mark 6:21-22a)
This was not some Chuck E. Cheese birthday party. Jews saw birthdays as pagan celebrations, and this occasion was filled with paganism: dancing girls at a stag party, a drunken king, …you get the idea. Most likely the amoral Herodias sent her teen daughter to perform erotically for her uncle and these other powerful men.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” (Mark 6:22b-23)
This must’ve been quite a dance! Herod actually can’t give half of the kingdom away because he’s merely a puppet of Rome. Jesus, however, gives his disciples the power of the kingdom of God which brings healing and salvation.
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. (Mark 6:24)
At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” (Mark 6:25)
I’ve played that genie game many times, the one where you ask, “If you could have three wishes, what would they be?” I’ve never heard someone mention a person’s head on a platter!
The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:26-29)
What an incredible story.
So What?
What do we do with it? Be careful what you ask for!
It might seem odd, but look what Mark says next.
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. (Mark 6:30)
This is the only time Mark calls the twelve “apostles.” They are sent ones who have completed a commission. It seems like Mark is connecting the dots between John, Jesus, and the disciples. Their mission to preach repentance is the same. Their fate as martyrs is the same. They are hated like the prophets of old. David Garland notes that “what happened to John the Baptizer presages what will also happen to any who preach the same message of repentance in a hostile world. They too will be handed over. They too will have to stand before kings. While Jesus’ ministry began after John’s imprisonment, the disciples’ preaching begins after John’s death.”
Paradoxically, this is how the kingdom of God has grown for thousands of years. Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Kierkegaard stated, “The tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins.” Mark shows us a cowardly man, Herod, with wealth and no character. He also shows us brave men with character and no wealth. One enjoys life now, the others for eternity.
A choice must be made. Following Jesus is risky business. Sure, we’re blessed with tremendous freedoms in this nation today, but tomorrow offers us no such guarantees. One report I read this past week said a Christian was killed every six minutes last year for their faith. Over 90,000 of our brothers and sisters, slaughtered for following Jesus. That doesn’t include those arrested, imprisoned, and tortured.
It’s a radical thought, but might God be preparing you for a life of suffering, of radical living, of dangerous adventure for the sake of eternity? Jesus never promised us a successful career, good health, or a stocked 401k. He never said obedience would result in popularity, comfort and pleasure. Jesus taught and modeled the denial of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the glory of God, for the kingdom of God.
Credits: some ideas from Stephen Leston, Mark Strauss, Ian Fair, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 6:6-29
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Following Jesus is radical and dangerous…but worth it!
Introduction
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. According to the Declaration of Independence, these are our unalienable Rights endowed to us by our Creator. Despite its countless flaws, I love the United States, but Thomas Jefferson’s words are not taken from the Bible. In fact, following Jesus may result in the loss of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…but it will be worth it.
Today we continue our look at Jesus from Mark’s biography of him. Last week we saw Jesus’ amazement at the lack of faith among those in his hometown of Nazareth. The text continues…
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. (Mark 6:6)
I want to pause and analyze Jesus’ leadership. Contrary to popular belief, leadership is more than a title or position. At its core, leadership is influence. We all have some influence on others. The best leaders do not merely have followers, but rather they develop leaders. Perhaps my favorite verse describing this comes to Timothy from his mentor Paul:
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
Four generations are found in one verse: Paul, Timothy, reliable people who teach others.
Here’s Jesus’ model as outlined by Dave Ferguson in his book Exponential:
1. I do. You watch. Jesus was teaching and healing and the disciples observed.
2. I do. You help. At some point Jesus told them he had a purpose for them beyond companionship. He wanted them involved, helping.
3. You do. I help. We talk. This is the point of action. The baton is being passed; not thrown, but passed. Debriefing is important, too. Feedback can be so valuable, especially when we are doing something new.
4. You do. I watch. We talk. Not the leader does not assist except to coach afterward.
5. You do. Someone else watched. Now the student becomes the teacher, the apprentice is the leader. Things have come full circle.
This process works if you are teaching your kids how to load the dishwasher, training your apprentice small group leader, or equipping a new employee at the office.
John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus who is preparing his twelve disciples to transform the world…without cable tv, Twitter, or even the newspaper.
Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. (Mark 6:7)
It sounds like Noah’s ark, doesn’t it, two by two? It’s not good for man to be alone, God said after creating Adam. There’s strength in numbers. A partner helps protect against the dangers of temptation and attack. Who does two by two well? The Mormans and JW’s! They have it mastered, undoubtedly drawing their inspiration for this verse. If only the entire Bible was followed as carefully by them. Notice Jesus gave them authority. He equipped them. He didn’t shove them out the door and say, “Good luck!”
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. (Mark 6:8-9)
They are to travel light. They can’t even run to the ATM and get some cash! He wants them focused on the mission and dependent upon God for daily bread. Personal comforts are not a priority for Jesus. Now this is not meant to be a universal plan for missions work. Today we raise money to provide for ministries around the world, but this particular mission was dependent upon the hospitality of others.
Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. (Mark 6:10)
I want to suggest perhaps Jesus is saying, “Get to know the people. Build relationships. Don’t rush off. Preach repentance. Drive out demons. Heal the sick. You’ve seen me do it. Now it’s your turn.”
And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:11)
This is an odd instruction in our culture, but he’s saying if they ignore you, let them know the consequences. Let them know judgment would eventually fall on them…they’ve been warned. The disciples were commissioned to preach repentance, to urge people to turn from their selfish desires and follow God. Repent means to turn, to do a 180. Not everyone is eager stop what they’re doing and surrender to Jesus. This is obviously just as true today. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, but to make dead people come alive…but first they must die…to themselves. This is where I struggle with Thomas Jefferson. I’m not against life, liberty or happiness—nor is God—but those are not God’s highest values for us. Jesus calls us to die to ourselves, submit to Jesus as LORD, and pick up our cross and follow him. It is not always easy, fun, or comfortable.
I get worried when I see Christianity sold to USAmericans as just another self-help alternative. Pray this prayer and God will make you happy. Have enough faith and you’ll be rich. The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will. UGH! What garbage!
Jesus gave up everything—including his own life—and he asks us to do the same…because it will be worth it in the end. He doesn’t promise is safety and comfort and pleasure now. We have work to do. We are in the middle of a war…between good and evil. So many so-called Christians are lounging by the pool unaware there’s a battle on the other side of the gate. Look around, friends.
Heroin. Sex trafficking. Racism. Hunger. Homelessness. Violence. Hatred. Injustice.
Jesus didn’t come and die so we could sit in comfy seats for an hour a week with our nice leather-bound Bibles and fancy clothes…and I’m not against any of those things. But following Jesus must take precedent over life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Kingdoms collide.
One final thought on this verse: we are not to coerce, threaten, entice, or pressure people to follow Jesus. The command for the twelve was to preach repentance, to invite people to turn from their pleasure to seek God’s kingdom. And if they don’t listen, move on.
They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:12-13)
They did it. They obeyed Jesus. The miracles authenticated their message. I wish I had a recording of their conversation with Jesus afterward. The stories must’ve been amazing! God obviously provided despite their lack of provisions. Ministry was accomplished. Lives were changed. The twelve began to get a glimpse of what it truly meant to proclaim truth and follow God.
And then Mark inserts a bizarre flashback, a story that reminds us the risks of obeying God.
King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Mark 6:14)
Herod hears rumors about Jesus and begins to think perhaps John the Baptist was back, resurrected.
Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” (Mark 6:15-16)
Remember, the central question in our series is, “Who is Jesus?” Herod thinks the only one who can preach with authority and heal is John, whom he beheaded! He killed John but has enough faith to believe in the resurrection, even though John was still dead! Yet he does nothing to pursue Jesus.
For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. (Mark 6:17-20)
Herod liked John the Baptist even though John spoke out against the king’s marriage. He married Herodias, his niece, who is already the wife of his half brother, according to scholars. It’s rather confusing because Herod was a family name, not one man’s name. This was not Herod the Great. This was his son, Herod Antipas. He was banished to southern France by AD 39 and his kingdom was given to Herodias’ brother Agrippa. Mark calling him “King” Herod was ironic and sly.
Let me be radical and politically incorrect and say despite what some say, our culture does not believe any two people in love should be able to marry. What if one is a minor? What if one is a relative (eww!)? What about polygamy? Then again, it may just be a matter of time.
Herodias hates John because he criticized her marriage, likely a plot of hers to gain power by marrying Herod.
Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. (Mark 6:21-22a)
This was not some Chuck E. Cheese birthday party. Jews saw birthdays as pagan celebrations, and this occasion was filled with paganism: dancing girls at a stag party, a drunken king, …you get the idea. Most likely the amoral Herodias sent her teen daughter to perform erotically for her uncle and these other powerful men.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” (Mark 6:22b-23)
This must’ve been quite a dance! Herod actually can’t give half of the kingdom away because he’s merely a puppet of Rome. Jesus, however, gives his disciples the power of the kingdom of God which brings healing and salvation.
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. (Mark 6:24)
At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” (Mark 6:25)
I’ve played that genie game many times, the one where you ask, “If you could have three wishes, what would they be?” I’ve never heard someone mention a person’s head on a platter!
The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:26-29)
What an incredible story.
So What?
What do we do with it? Be careful what you ask for!
It might seem odd, but look what Mark says next.
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. (Mark 6:30)
This is the only time Mark calls the twelve “apostles.” They are sent ones who have completed a commission. It seems like Mark is connecting the dots between John, Jesus, and the disciples. Their mission to preach repentance is the same. Their fate as martyrs is the same. They are hated like the prophets of old. David Garland notes that “what happened to John the Baptizer presages what will also happen to any who preach the same message of repentance in a hostile world. They too will be handed over. They too will have to stand before kings. While Jesus’ ministry began after John’s imprisonment, the disciples’ preaching begins after John’s death.”
Paradoxically, this is how the kingdom of God has grown for thousands of years. Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Kierkegaard stated, “The tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins.” Mark shows us a cowardly man, Herod, with wealth and no character. He also shows us brave men with character and no wealth. One enjoys life now, the others for eternity.
A choice must be made. Following Jesus is risky business. Sure, we’re blessed with tremendous freedoms in this nation today, but tomorrow offers us no such guarantees. One report I read this past week said a Christian was killed every six minutes last year for their faith. Over 90,000 of our brothers and sisters, slaughtered for following Jesus. That doesn’t include those arrested, imprisoned, and tortured.
It’s a radical thought, but might God be preparing you for a life of suffering, of radical living, of dangerous adventure for the sake of eternity? Jesus never promised us a successful career, good health, or a stocked 401k. He never said obedience would result in popularity, comfort and pleasure. Jesus taught and modeled the denial of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the glory of God, for the kingdom of God.
Credits: some ideas from Stephen Leston, Mark Strauss, Ian Fair, NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, Scott Pinzon, Richard Niell Donovan, and David Garland.
Ministry: Private & Public, 28 May 2017
Ministry: Private & Public
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:35-45
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus used his private time to prepare for his public ministry.
Today we’re continuing our series on The Real Jesus based upon Mark’s biography of the Messiah. His gospel—or good news—is short and sweet. In the final verses of chapter one, we see aspects of Jesus’ private and public life and ministry.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
Note this is the morning after a busy Sabbath! The day before he was healing, preaching, and exorcising demons.
Again, I love Mark’s details in the midst of his headlines. It wasn’t just morning, it wasn’t just early morning, it wasn’t just very early morning, it was very early in the morning while it was still dark! So Jesus seeks solitude before everyone awakes to pray. The Greek word for “solitary” (eremos) is used to speak of the wilderness, the place where the Jews wandered for forty years, where John the Baptist was calling people to repentance, and where Jesus was tempted.
God uses the wilderness. It’s not a comfortable place, but it is in those bleak and hopeless places in our lives that God does some of His best work.
This isn’t a desert, but it is deserted. It is a great place for Jesus to pray. Why did Jesus pray? The same reason we pray…to talk with the Father. To submit. To listen. To be filled with the Holy Spirit.
I believe Jesus sets an example for us to follow. Some of you saw the movie War Room. Jesus didn’t have a dedicated place, but he sacrificed sleep to surrender, to be with the Father.
Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” (Mark 1:36-37)
I’m guessing they did not get up early and look for Jesus in the dark. It’s even more unlikely that the crowds were looking for Jesus very early in the morning. Jesus devoted serious time to prayer, most likely several hours. Based upon the text, Jesus has four followers at this point. They aren’t even called disciples yet, but mere companions. They aren’t listening to Jesus, they frantically talking to him. The original Greek conveys the idea that they were hunting for Jesus. I can just hear them. “There you are! The crowds are looking for you! Come on! You can pray later!”
Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:38-39)
Jesus is a man on the run…or walk! He tells them he came to preach, which he does…and drives out demons. He didn’t come to heal, he came to preach. Healing gave him credibility and authority, but it wasn’t his primary purpose. He came to call people to repentance, to change, to follow him. He didn’t come to do magic tricks. He came to preach. This is the last time Jesus’ preaching is mentioned in the gospel of Mark. He will later send the twelve apostles to “proclaim” or “preach” the message.
What did he preach? We saw a few weeks ago in verse 15:
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Returning to verse 38…
Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:38-39)
Jesus has little success in his hometown of Nazareth or here in Capernaum. Later in Matthew’s gospel Jesus will denounce Capernaum.
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. (Matthew 11:23)
Yikes! So Jesus and the four fishermen travel, preach, and drive out demons.
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” (Mark 1:40)
He doesn’t ask to be physically healed, but rather to be made clean, a spiritual and social change. This word “leprosy” was used for as many as 72 different skin conditions. I made the mistake—or not—of doing a Google Image search for “leper.” It was so shocking and tragic. Here’s what the law prescribed for lepers:
“Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp. (Leviticus 13:45-46)
In several Old Testament stories, people were punished by God with leprosy, so imagine what people thought of lepers.
- They were physically sick
- They were considered unclean, unholy
- They had to live alone and stay 50 paces away from others
Both the medical disease and the spiritual impurity were considered contagious. Lepers couldn’t work so they had to beg. It was catastrophic in many ways—physical, spiritual, social, financial. The man asks to be clean rather than healed because social and spiritual restoration mattered more than his physical body.
Lepers were untouchables…literally. Can you image never being touched by another human?
Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:41-42)
Obviously, the man got within 50 paces of Jesus since Jesus touched him. That touch must have been incredible! Anyone in sight would’ve thought Jesus was crazy to contaminate himself with a leper. Instead, Jesus transmits wholeness and holiness to the leper. He has authority. He has power. And he has given it to us through the Holy Spirit.
Why was Jesus indignant and angry? Some translations say he was moved with compassion, others that he was filled with pity. Compassion makes the most logical sense, but if he was actually angry, it probably wasn’t because the man broke the 50-pace barrier. Anger doesn’t seem to fit the interruption. Most scholars suggest he was angry at the evil forces who claimed the leper as their victim. That would be holy, righteous anger. We need to be angry at sin, at injustice, at evil.
Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” (Mark 1:43-44)
Jesus sends the leper away. The word to describe Jesus’ strong warning is used to describe a horse snorting! He is serious! Perhaps he risked attracting people who only wanted to see magic tricks rather than listen to his preaching.
Was this reverse psychology on the part of Jesus? Keep your healing a secret. Is that even fair?! People aren’t going to notice the leper is healed? But Jesus seems to be saying to the man, “Don’t blow my cover!”
The priest was to determine whether or not a person had leprosy and whether they were cured. I’m grateful that’s not in my job description! You can read more about the treatment of lepers in Leviticus 13 and 14. The cleaning is an eight-day process with sacrifices. Of course, without the priest’s approval, the man cannot re-enter society.
Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. (Mark 1:45)
He disobeyed Jesus’ strong warning! He proclaims the news. The publicity leads to audiences rather than congregations, fans rather than followers. Donovan notes four ironies:
1) A disobedient man is one of the first to preach the good news about Jesus
2) Jesus’ popular hurts rather than helps his ministry
3) The leper begins outside of society and is restored to it. Jesus begins in public and has to live outside. The two men trade places!
4) Jesus’ power to heal becomes the reason he cannot move about
But he didn’t have to move. The people came to him!
So What?
I want to end by going back to the beginning. Before Jesus heals the leper, he spent time alone with God.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
This is where he sacrificed. This is where he prepared. This is where he worked.
This week is the beginning of the NBA Finals. For the first time in NBA history, the same teams—Cleveland and Golden State—will face each other for the third year in a row. Millions will watch the marquis matchups including LeBron James and Stephen Curry. The players will give their all for 60 minutes. But the real work is done before the games. In the weight room. During practice. Making good choices at mealtime. In mental preparation.
NBA players don’t spend every day lounging around watching Netflix, drive to the arena, play for an hour, and then go to bed and do it all the next day. They train. Most of the work is done off the court.
This is true for Jesus. He didn’t just show up for work, preach and heal. He prepared when no one was looking. His private life made his public life possible.
Many want to play in the NBA, but few are willing to do the hard work off the court to be ready at game time.
Many want to do miracles, but few are willing to do the hard work on their knees to be ready.
What about you? How committed are you to following Jesus? What have you sacrificed? Sleep? Time? Money? Energy? Dreams?
Are you willing to pay the price to radically follow Jesus…or are you just a fan?
N.T. Wright writes,
As we Christians pray today, especially when this prayer is costly and sacrificial, not merely a perfunctory few minutes now and then, the presence of this same Jesus is promised, by his Spirit, to guide and encourage us. Part of this guidance will be the discernment to know when to speak and when to be silent, when what we are called to do should be kept secret and when it should be celebrated publicly. Sometimes, in some countries and in certain situations, some Christians will know, in prayer, that it is better not to attract too much attention to themselves. This isn’t cowardice; it’s wisdom. But if, as in Jesus’ case, word leaks out anyway, we can remain confident, especially through prayer, that this same Jesus is with us as we face the cost of being kingdom-people, bringing the news and power of Jesus’ healing love to the world.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is our country’s most hallowed and somber holiday. It’s not a day to honor our military—that’s veteran’s day—but to remember those who paid the ultimate price to defend our freedom. I’m grateful for their sacrifice and would like to pause for a moment of silence to remember them.
I’m also grateful for the true heroes of the faith—men, women and children who paid the ultimate price to follow Jesus. History is filled with martyrs. You can learn about them at www.persecution.com.
The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimates 90,000 Christians were murdered for their faith last year. That’s like filling 5/3 Field nine times! At least 29 died Friday in Egypt, including children.
What would possess a person to die for their faith? Passion, commitment, and quality time with God in prayer. I freely admit I’m a spiritual wimp. I need more quality time with the LORD…not because I’m a pastor, but because I claim to follow Jesus. That requires action. It involves preparation. It necessitates sacrifice.
Conclusion
As we continue to look at the life of Jesus, it’s easy to be awed by his miracles and teachings. But his public ministry was only possible because of his private preparation. He invites us to follow his example.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and Richard Niell Donovan.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series— Mark’s Gospel: The Real Jesus
Mark 1:35-45
Series Big Idea: The shortest gospel is filled with good news about Jesus!
Big Idea: Jesus used his private time to prepare for his public ministry.
Today we’re continuing our series on The Real Jesus based upon Mark’s biography of the Messiah. His gospel—or good news—is short and sweet. In the final verses of chapter one, we see aspects of Jesus’ private and public life and ministry.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
Note this is the morning after a busy Sabbath! The day before he was healing, preaching, and exorcising demons.
Again, I love Mark’s details in the midst of his headlines. It wasn’t just morning, it wasn’t just early morning, it wasn’t just very early morning, it was very early in the morning while it was still dark! So Jesus seeks solitude before everyone awakes to pray. The Greek word for “solitary” (eremos) is used to speak of the wilderness, the place where the Jews wandered for forty years, where John the Baptist was calling people to repentance, and where Jesus was tempted.
God uses the wilderness. It’s not a comfortable place, but it is in those bleak and hopeless places in our lives that God does some of His best work.
This isn’t a desert, but it is deserted. It is a great place for Jesus to pray. Why did Jesus pray? The same reason we pray…to talk with the Father. To submit. To listen. To be filled with the Holy Spirit.
I believe Jesus sets an example for us to follow. Some of you saw the movie War Room. Jesus didn’t have a dedicated place, but he sacrificed sleep to surrender, to be with the Father.
Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” (Mark 1:36-37)
I’m guessing they did not get up early and look for Jesus in the dark. It’s even more unlikely that the crowds were looking for Jesus very early in the morning. Jesus devoted serious time to prayer, most likely several hours. Based upon the text, Jesus has four followers at this point. They aren’t even called disciples yet, but mere companions. They aren’t listening to Jesus, they frantically talking to him. The original Greek conveys the idea that they were hunting for Jesus. I can just hear them. “There you are! The crowds are looking for you! Come on! You can pray later!”
Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:38-39)
Jesus is a man on the run…or walk! He tells them he came to preach, which he does…and drives out demons. He didn’t come to heal, he came to preach. Healing gave him credibility and authority, but it wasn’t his primary purpose. He came to call people to repentance, to change, to follow him. He didn’t come to do magic tricks. He came to preach. This is the last time Jesus’ preaching is mentioned in the gospel of Mark. He will later send the twelve apostles to “proclaim” or “preach” the message.
What did he preach? We saw a few weeks ago in verse 15:
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Returning to verse 38…
Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:38-39)
Jesus has little success in his hometown of Nazareth or here in Capernaum. Later in Matthew’s gospel Jesus will denounce Capernaum.
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. (Matthew 11:23)
Yikes! So Jesus and the four fishermen travel, preach, and drive out demons.
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” (Mark 1:40)
He doesn’t ask to be physically healed, but rather to be made clean, a spiritual and social change. This word “leprosy” was used for as many as 72 different skin conditions. I made the mistake—or not—of doing a Google Image search for “leper.” It was so shocking and tragic. Here’s what the law prescribed for lepers:
“Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp. (Leviticus 13:45-46)
In several Old Testament stories, people were punished by God with leprosy, so imagine what people thought of lepers.
- They were physically sick
- They were considered unclean, unholy
- They had to live alone and stay 50 paces away from others
Both the medical disease and the spiritual impurity were considered contagious. Lepers couldn’t work so they had to beg. It was catastrophic in many ways—physical, spiritual, social, financial. The man asks to be clean rather than healed because social and spiritual restoration mattered more than his physical body.
Lepers were untouchables…literally. Can you image never being touched by another human?
Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:41-42)
Obviously, the man got within 50 paces of Jesus since Jesus touched him. That touch must have been incredible! Anyone in sight would’ve thought Jesus was crazy to contaminate himself with a leper. Instead, Jesus transmits wholeness and holiness to the leper. He has authority. He has power. And he has given it to us through the Holy Spirit.
Why was Jesus indignant and angry? Some translations say he was moved with compassion, others that he was filled with pity. Compassion makes the most logical sense, but if he was actually angry, it probably wasn’t because the man broke the 50-pace barrier. Anger doesn’t seem to fit the interruption. Most scholars suggest he was angry at the evil forces who claimed the leper as their victim. That would be holy, righteous anger. We need to be angry at sin, at injustice, at evil.
Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” (Mark 1:43-44)
Jesus sends the leper away. The word to describe Jesus’ strong warning is used to describe a horse snorting! He is serious! Perhaps he risked attracting people who only wanted to see magic tricks rather than listen to his preaching.
Was this reverse psychology on the part of Jesus? Keep your healing a secret. Is that even fair?! People aren’t going to notice the leper is healed? But Jesus seems to be saying to the man, “Don’t blow my cover!”
The priest was to determine whether or not a person had leprosy and whether they were cured. I’m grateful that’s not in my job description! You can read more about the treatment of lepers in Leviticus 13 and 14. The cleaning is an eight-day process with sacrifices. Of course, without the priest’s approval, the man cannot re-enter society.
Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. (Mark 1:45)
He disobeyed Jesus’ strong warning! He proclaims the news. The publicity leads to audiences rather than congregations, fans rather than followers. Donovan notes four ironies:
1) A disobedient man is one of the first to preach the good news about Jesus
2) Jesus’ popular hurts rather than helps his ministry
3) The leper begins outside of society and is restored to it. Jesus begins in public and has to live outside. The two men trade places!
4) Jesus’ power to heal becomes the reason he cannot move about
But he didn’t have to move. The people came to him!
So What?
I want to end by going back to the beginning. Before Jesus heals the leper, he spent time alone with God.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)
This is where he sacrificed. This is where he prepared. This is where he worked.
This week is the beginning of the NBA Finals. For the first time in NBA history, the same teams—Cleveland and Golden State—will face each other for the third year in a row. Millions will watch the marquis matchups including LeBron James and Stephen Curry. The players will give their all for 60 minutes. But the real work is done before the games. In the weight room. During practice. Making good choices at mealtime. In mental preparation.
NBA players don’t spend every day lounging around watching Netflix, drive to the arena, play for an hour, and then go to bed and do it all the next day. They train. Most of the work is done off the court.
This is true for Jesus. He didn’t just show up for work, preach and heal. He prepared when no one was looking. His private life made his public life possible.
Many want to play in the NBA, but few are willing to do the hard work off the court to be ready at game time.
Many want to do miracles, but few are willing to do the hard work on their knees to be ready.
What about you? How committed are you to following Jesus? What have you sacrificed? Sleep? Time? Money? Energy? Dreams?
Are you willing to pay the price to radically follow Jesus…or are you just a fan?
N.T. Wright writes,
As we Christians pray today, especially when this prayer is costly and sacrificial, not merely a perfunctory few minutes now and then, the presence of this same Jesus is promised, by his Spirit, to guide and encourage us. Part of this guidance will be the discernment to know when to speak and when to be silent, when what we are called to do should be kept secret and when it should be celebrated publicly. Sometimes, in some countries and in certain situations, some Christians will know, in prayer, that it is better not to attract too much attention to themselves. This isn’t cowardice; it’s wisdom. But if, as in Jesus’ case, word leaks out anyway, we can remain confident, especially through prayer, that this same Jesus is with us as we face the cost of being kingdom-people, bringing the news and power of Jesus’ healing love to the world.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is our country’s most hallowed and somber holiday. It’s not a day to honor our military—that’s veteran’s day—but to remember those who paid the ultimate price to defend our freedom. I’m grateful for their sacrifice and would like to pause for a moment of silence to remember them.
I’m also grateful for the true heroes of the faith—men, women and children who paid the ultimate price to follow Jesus. History is filled with martyrs. You can learn about them at www.persecution.com.
The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimates 90,000 Christians were murdered for their faith last year. That’s like filling 5/3 Field nine times! At least 29 died Friday in Egypt, including children.
What would possess a person to die for their faith? Passion, commitment, and quality time with God in prayer. I freely admit I’m a spiritual wimp. I need more quality time with the LORD…not because I’m a pastor, but because I claim to follow Jesus. That requires action. It involves preparation. It necessitates sacrifice.
Conclusion
As we continue to look at the life of Jesus, it’s easy to be awed by his miracles and teachings. But his public ministry was only possible because of his private preparation. He invites us to follow his example.
Credits: some ideas from NT Wright, J. Vernon McGee, and Richard Niell Donovan.
Love and Hate, 1 John 2:7-11, 26 April 2015
Big Idea: Followers of Jesus are to love one another, and this requires sacrificial action, not mere tolerance.
Scripture: 1 John 2:7-11
Autenticity
Two weeks ago while visiting our daughter in New York City I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I love the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Art Institute of Chicago but this was my first visit to The Met. It is a fantastic home to priceless sculptures, pottery, musical instruments, and, of course, paintings.
Heather and I recently saw a powerful film, The Woman in Gold, an historical movie about a painting captured by the Nazis and the quest by the rightful owner to have it returned. Spoiler alert: it was eventually returned…and sold in 2006 for over $130 million!
That’s pocket change, though, compared to the February sale of Paul Gauguin’s “Nafea Faa Ipoipo? (When Will You Marry?) for $300 million!
Which begs three questions:
Can you imagine spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a painting and discovering it to be a fake?
There’s an old expression that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Things are not always as they appear, and our world is filled with counterfeits, be they paintings, money, or even people.
In our series “Love Illuminated” we’re looking at the book of 1 John, a letter from one of Jesus’ best friends to early believers of the movement we know as Christianity. The early church was threatened by outsiders who wanted to dismiss, disrupt, or even destroy this new religion. An even greater threat, however, came from within, those who claimed to follow Jesus but failed to do so.
One of John’s goals in this letter is to test the authenticity of their spiritual vigor. Last week we saw two of those tests:
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. (1 John 2:4)
I suggested God’s love language is probably obedience. Knowing God involves action. It’s not simply going to church or reading the Bible or even memorizing scriptures, but rather it is responding to the commands of God. It is obeying god.
Two verses later John wrote
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:6)
This phrase “to live in Him” is the Greek term “meno” which John used forty times in his gospel and 27 times in this epistle. It speaks of the indwelling of the Christian in God or even possibly of God indwelling us. It is to abide or remain, to truly know God. Jesus did not come to begin a new religion, but rather He showed us what it means to be human and He invites us to follow Him, His teachings, and His example.
1 John 2:7-11
Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. (1 John 2:7)
What’s the old command? Love God and love you neighbor. It was presented generations earlier.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
One way we love God is by loving our neighbor.
“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)
John’s audience had been told love God. They had been told to love their neighbor.
Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. (1 John 2:8)
Jesus not only taught commands, He followed them. He said
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:43-45)
Those are strong and difficult words! Jesus demonstrated them, however, even praying for those who crucified Him.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)
The center of God’s will is to love one another, and what made it new was Jesus. He showed us what it truly means to love—not tolerate, not co-exist, but love.
What’s so exciting to me is the Holy Spirit filled Jesus with unconditional love and offers it to us, too, if we are willing to ask and receive.
How crazy would it be for Jesus to just say, “Love” and walk away? The first part of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 is love. We are to receive God’s love from the Holy Spirit and let it overflow in our lives to others.
This is not about trying harder. It’s about aligning ourselves with the Light.
The moon has no internal light. It cannot be brighter for us by trying harder. In fact, it can’t shine at all…unless it is aligned with the sun.
We, also, must be aligned with the Son, S-o-n. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, letting go and letting God. We are to die and surrender our lives daily to God if we hope to experience His presence and power in our lives and be a blessing to others. We need to grow daily and we grow by feeding upon bread, the Word.
John’s first test of authentic believers was obedience. The second was love that looks like Christ’s love.
Here’s the third:
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. (1 John 2:9)
None of us hate, right?! This is church, after all!
Hate is the absence of the deeds of love. That could include indifference! We often think hate is only expressed in violence or harm, but passivity or inaction could be hateful. Love unexpressed is not love at all. It is not neutral.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. contrasted hate and love beautifully when he said,
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” - Strength to Love
He’s undoubtedly reflecting John’s words, which continue…
Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. (1 John 2:10-11)
Haters are in darkness. Lovers are in the light.
Love
Loving others—especially other believers—is the test of genuine faith. We’re family. Family loves through thick and thin.
Have you ever noticed the power of love in a family? Some families say and do terrible things to one another, yet there is an understanding of love, a lifelong commitment to the other person. The real test of one’s love is not found in the good times, but in the midst of suffering. You see who your true friends and family are when things get hard.
Increasingly in our culture family is not merely people with the same last name, but those with whom we do life. This was, perhaps, even more true in the early church where believers were persecuted, resources were often scarce, and the movement of Jesus was spreading virally—without social media!
God’s redemptive plan was never to get people saved or get people to an altar…the plan of God was to reconcile people to His family. Jesus came to rebuild God’s family.
Let’s face it, love is hard! It sounds easy, but it’s not. By love I don’t mean nice or tolerant. I mean looking out for the best interest of the other person. Love involves action. It involves sacrifice. It involves!
C.S. Lewis said
“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”
An Example: Reconciliation in Armenia
Although many are aware of my German roots, I’m also one quarter Armenian. This past week marked the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the slaughter of up to 1.5 million of the 2 million Armenians by Turks. Needless to say, for a century there has been tremendous animosity between Armenians and Turks.
How do you tell an Armenian Christian to just love Turks, knowing your ancestors were destroyed by their ancestors? It’s certainly akin to asking Jews to forgive Germans.
My great grandfather was a victim of the Genocide. Though not killed, he hid in a ditch filled with dead bodies, eventually able to escape to the United States.
Earlier this month, a group of Turkish Christians stood before TV cameras at the Armenian Genocide Memorial and said, “We came to share your pain. We have come here to apologize for what our ancestors did, to ask for your forgiveness.” The new report said
Gathered around the monument’s eternal flame, the more than twenty Turkish citizens spoke out simply, and repeatedly: “We plead with you, if you can, to forgive us and the crimes of our forefathers.”
Significantly, the Turks were joined by a number of local Armenian Christians who formed a huge circle, holding hands together around the memorial as they prayed aloud in Turkish and Armenian for their nations and peoples.
One Western observer of the Yerevan gathering confessed, “I may never see something like this ever again in my life. I was a spectator, watching the walls of division and hostility come down. It’s what the gospel of Christ should be doing all over the world, bringing true reconciliation.”
This is what love for one’s brother looks like. This is what it means to walk in the light.
The Bible is filled with descriptions of light and darkness. Few things contrast greater.
We’ve all been born into sin, into darkness, but we’ve been given an invitation to the Light, an invitation we can accept or reject.
Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.
So What?
Love, don’t hate. If only it were that simple!
You may be saying, “I don’t hate anybody. Haters gonna hate.” This isn’t about how you react to someone who cuts you off on the expressway, a momentary action. Hate in this context is a state of being, a habit of failing to love someone.
If we love, we’re in the light. If we’re in the light, we can love, we can shine. But it won’t happen if we merely try harder. We must abide. We must remain. We must be with God through prayer, worship, study of scripture, and fellowship.
Conclusion
If I were to purchase a million dollar painting I’d hire an expert to authenticate the work of art. They would surely have a variety of tests to determine whether it is a fake or the genuine article.
Likewise, John had tests to determine authentic followers of Jesus from fakers who talk the talk but fail to walk the walk.
Do you obey? Even when it’s inconvenient? Even when it’s costly?
Do you live as Jesus lived? Are you a “little Christ,” imitating His words and deeds?
Do you love? Your friends? Your family? Your neighbors? Your enemies? Not love in your head, but love in action?
Jesus did. He set the bar high, but He gives us the Holy Spirit to enable us to live like Christ.
AMEN!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Scripture: 1 John 2:7-11
Autenticity
Two weeks ago while visiting our daughter in New York City I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I love the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Art Institute of Chicago but this was my first visit to The Met. It is a fantastic home to priceless sculptures, pottery, musical instruments, and, of course, paintings.
Heather and I recently saw a powerful film, The Woman in Gold, an historical movie about a painting captured by the Nazis and the quest by the rightful owner to have it returned. Spoiler alert: it was eventually returned…and sold in 2006 for over $130 million!
That’s pocket change, though, compared to the February sale of Paul Gauguin’s “Nafea Faa Ipoipo? (When Will You Marry?) for $300 million!
Which begs three questions:
- Who has that kind of money?
- Why would you choose to spend that much on that painting?
- How do you know it’s real?
Can you imagine spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a painting and discovering it to be a fake?
There’s an old expression that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Things are not always as they appear, and our world is filled with counterfeits, be they paintings, money, or even people.
In our series “Love Illuminated” we’re looking at the book of 1 John, a letter from one of Jesus’ best friends to early believers of the movement we know as Christianity. The early church was threatened by outsiders who wanted to dismiss, disrupt, or even destroy this new religion. An even greater threat, however, came from within, those who claimed to follow Jesus but failed to do so.
One of John’s goals in this letter is to test the authenticity of their spiritual vigor. Last week we saw two of those tests:
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. (1 John 2:4)
I suggested God’s love language is probably obedience. Knowing God involves action. It’s not simply going to church or reading the Bible or even memorizing scriptures, but rather it is responding to the commands of God. It is obeying god.
Two verses later John wrote
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:6)
This phrase “to live in Him” is the Greek term “meno” which John used forty times in his gospel and 27 times in this epistle. It speaks of the indwelling of the Christian in God or even possibly of God indwelling us. It is to abide or remain, to truly know God. Jesus did not come to begin a new religion, but rather He showed us what it means to be human and He invites us to follow Him, His teachings, and His example.
1 John 2:7-11
Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. (1 John 2:7)
What’s the old command? Love God and love you neighbor. It was presented generations earlier.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
One way we love God is by loving our neighbor.
“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18)
John’s audience had been told love God. They had been told to love their neighbor.
Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. (1 John 2:8)
Jesus not only taught commands, He followed them. He said
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:43-45)
Those are strong and difficult words! Jesus demonstrated them, however, even praying for those who crucified Him.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)
The center of God’s will is to love one another, and what made it new was Jesus. He showed us what it truly means to love—not tolerate, not co-exist, but love.
What’s so exciting to me is the Holy Spirit filled Jesus with unconditional love and offers it to us, too, if we are willing to ask and receive.
How crazy would it be for Jesus to just say, “Love” and walk away? The first part of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 is love. We are to receive God’s love from the Holy Spirit and let it overflow in our lives to others.
This is not about trying harder. It’s about aligning ourselves with the Light.
The moon has no internal light. It cannot be brighter for us by trying harder. In fact, it can’t shine at all…unless it is aligned with the sun.
We, also, must be aligned with the Son, S-o-n. We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, letting go and letting God. We are to die and surrender our lives daily to God if we hope to experience His presence and power in our lives and be a blessing to others. We need to grow daily and we grow by feeding upon bread, the Word.
John’s first test of authentic believers was obedience. The second was love that looks like Christ’s love.
Here’s the third:
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. (1 John 2:9)
None of us hate, right?! This is church, after all!
Hate is the absence of the deeds of love. That could include indifference! We often think hate is only expressed in violence or harm, but passivity or inaction could be hateful. Love unexpressed is not love at all. It is not neutral.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. contrasted hate and love beautifully when he said,
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” - Strength to Love
He’s undoubtedly reflecting John’s words, which continue…
Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. (1 John 2:10-11)
Haters are in darkness. Lovers are in the light.
Love
Loving others—especially other believers—is the test of genuine faith. We’re family. Family loves through thick and thin.
Have you ever noticed the power of love in a family? Some families say and do terrible things to one another, yet there is an understanding of love, a lifelong commitment to the other person. The real test of one’s love is not found in the good times, but in the midst of suffering. You see who your true friends and family are when things get hard.
Increasingly in our culture family is not merely people with the same last name, but those with whom we do life. This was, perhaps, even more true in the early church where believers were persecuted, resources were often scarce, and the movement of Jesus was spreading virally—without social media!
God’s redemptive plan was never to get people saved or get people to an altar…the plan of God was to reconcile people to His family. Jesus came to rebuild God’s family.
Let’s face it, love is hard! It sounds easy, but it’s not. By love I don’t mean nice or tolerant. I mean looking out for the best interest of the other person. Love involves action. It involves sacrifice. It involves!
C.S. Lewis said
“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”
An Example: Reconciliation in Armenia
Although many are aware of my German roots, I’m also one quarter Armenian. This past week marked the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the slaughter of up to 1.5 million of the 2 million Armenians by Turks. Needless to say, for a century there has been tremendous animosity between Armenians and Turks.
How do you tell an Armenian Christian to just love Turks, knowing your ancestors were destroyed by their ancestors? It’s certainly akin to asking Jews to forgive Germans.
My great grandfather was a victim of the Genocide. Though not killed, he hid in a ditch filled with dead bodies, eventually able to escape to the United States.
Earlier this month, a group of Turkish Christians stood before TV cameras at the Armenian Genocide Memorial and said, “We came to share your pain. We have come here to apologize for what our ancestors did, to ask for your forgiveness.” The new report said
Gathered around the monument’s eternal flame, the more than twenty Turkish citizens spoke out simply, and repeatedly: “We plead with you, if you can, to forgive us and the crimes of our forefathers.”
Significantly, the Turks were joined by a number of local Armenian Christians who formed a huge circle, holding hands together around the memorial as they prayed aloud in Turkish and Armenian for their nations and peoples.
One Western observer of the Yerevan gathering confessed, “I may never see something like this ever again in my life. I was a spectator, watching the walls of division and hostility come down. It’s what the gospel of Christ should be doing all over the world, bringing true reconciliation.”
This is what love for one’s brother looks like. This is what it means to walk in the light.
The Bible is filled with descriptions of light and darkness. Few things contrast greater.
We’ve all been born into sin, into darkness, but we’ve been given an invitation to the Light, an invitation we can accept or reject.
Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.
So What?
Love, don’t hate. If only it were that simple!
You may be saying, “I don’t hate anybody. Haters gonna hate.” This isn’t about how you react to someone who cuts you off on the expressway, a momentary action. Hate in this context is a state of being, a habit of failing to love someone.
If we love, we’re in the light. If we’re in the light, we can love, we can shine. But it won’t happen if we merely try harder. We must abide. We must remain. We must be with God through prayer, worship, study of scripture, and fellowship.
Conclusion
If I were to purchase a million dollar painting I’d hire an expert to authenticate the work of art. They would surely have a variety of tests to determine whether it is a fake or the genuine article.
Likewise, John had tests to determine authentic followers of Jesus from fakers who talk the talk but fail to walk the walk.
Do you obey? Even when it’s inconvenient? Even when it’s costly?
Do you live as Jesus lived? Are you a “little Christ,” imitating His words and deeds?
Do you love? Your friends? Your family? Your neighbors? Your enemies? Not love in your head, but love in action?
Jesus did. He set the bar high, but He gives us the Holy Spirit to enable us to live like Christ.
AMEN!
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Radical Experiment, 6 November 2011
Big Idea: the conclusion of our Radical series offers five next-steps for knowing Jesus more deeply.
Opening Video
We are concluding our series Radical based somewhat on the book of the same name by David Platt.
Last week I issued two cautions. One was that we would not take Jesus’ hard teaching seriously, rationalizing them away. The other is that we turn them into a legalistic to-do list that will get us to heaven or make God love us more.
Nothing you can do can make God love you more. Nothing you can do can make God love you less.
What I’m about to share with you has an additional caution—apathy. Jesus’ brother said simply...
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. – James 1:22
It’s easy to hear challenging teachings and nod our head or even compliment the preacher at the end, but what matters is not merely what we know but how we respond. Jesus was not merely a good teacher, He came to be LORD. Action is a natural response to love.
We have celebrated communion together, remembering all that Jesus has done for us. Anything that we do in obedience to Him is nothing more than a response, a privilege! The amazing thing is that when we obey Jesus, we are blessed. We experience what it means to be fully human. We encounter a depth in our relationship with our Creator that we can discover no other way. We are filled with joy and peace and satisfaction found nowhere else.
Today I want to invite you to The Radical Experiment. There are five parts to the Radical Experiment and they are just that, an experiment. These are five things that I believe will draw you closer to Jesus. They reflect His heart, His passion, and His commands. These five things are not magic, but I believe they can change your life, our church, and ultimately our world.
Pray for the entire world
This week the 7 billionth person entered our world. Billions have never even heard of Jesus. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, Jesus said in Luke 10:2. “Ask the LORD of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field.”
We can join God in His mission on our knees. Our denomination, the Christian & Missionary Alliance, states in its Core Values
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. (Philippians 4:6-7)
OperationWorld.org will be our main tool for praying for the entire world. They have a book, a website, and other resources where you can learn about a different nation each day and pray for them.
We want God to bless America, but also all of the nations of the world. John 3:16 says that God so loved the...world! The first step in being a blessing to the nations is to pray for them.
Read through the entire Word
This relates to another value of the Christian & Missionary Alliance:
Knowing and obeying God’s Word is fundamental to all true success. (Joshua 1:8)
We can’t know it if we haven’t read it. Spiritual warfare is real. We need to know the Truth of God’s Word. The purpose, again, is not to perform a task but to know our Father.
Steve Jobs asked Walter Isaacson to write a biography of his life so that his children could know their dad. That makes me so sad, yet it would be even more tragic if his kids had no interest in reading it!
Our Father has given us not only information about Himself, but also wisdom for living, exciting stories, history, poetry, prophecy, and so much more. I want to challenge you to read through the Bible in 2012.
You may be saying, “2012? It’s not even December 2011!” You can use the next several weeks to practice or get a head start. We have a tool for this, too.
Dr. George Guthrie (www.readthebibleforlife.com) developed the Chronological Bible Reading Plan.
This plan takes the material of the Bible and organizes it to flow in chronological order. Since exact dating of some materials or events is not possible, the chronology simply represents an attempt to give you the reader the general flow and development of the Bible's grand story. Some passages are placed according to topic (e.g., John 1:1–3 in Week 1, Day 2; and many of the psalms). There are six readings for each week to give you space for catching up when needed.
In addition to the website and book, free apps are available for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch and it is fully compatible with the YouVersion website and apps. You can listen to the audio, read the book, visit online, or view the app. However you do it, we want to read through the entire Bible...together.
Imagine what it would be like if you told a friend about what you read that morning and they said, “Hey, I read that, too!” As a church family, we will all be able to read the same chapters each day and grow together. We’ll even build some of our Sunday morning texts from the reading plan.
In addition to the verses, ReadTheBibleForLife.com offers podcasts and videos with Michael Card and others that will help you read, understand, and apply God’s Word.
Sacrifice our money for a specific purpose
Everything that we have belongs to God—not 10%, not 50%, but 100%. As we have noted, every person in this room is financially rich compared to the other 7 billion people on the planet. What would happen if we committed to free up resources for urgent spiritual and physical needs around the world? Do you think God would honor our generosity if we take what is from Him and sacrificially use it for His purposes?
Instead of asking how much we can spare, what if we asked, “What will it take?”
The needs of our world are so overwhelming. Bob Pierce, the former president of World Vision said,
"Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything."
Each of us can do something, whether it is to skip a meal, cancel cable, increase the percentage of our giving, sponsor a child with Compassion International, or even make a micro-finance loan through Kiva.org.
It has been said that Christians spend more money on dog food than missions! Seriously?
Everything we have belongs to God; we are His stewards. (1 Chronicles 29:14)
The world is not our home. Let’s stop living like it is.
Give our time in another context
I challenge you—and myself—to spend 2% of your time—or one week—in another context. This could be a missions trip to Africa or a week next summer in Detroit. We’ll be presenting opportunities in the coming days for youth, individuals, and families or you can create your own.
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. (Luke 19:10)
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. (Matthew 28:19)
That means you!
Commit our lives to a multiplying community
Be a committed member of a local church, here or elsewhere.
Following Jesus is a team sport. We need each other. God created us to be interdependent. Just as the Father, Son and Spirit exist in community so we are to, also.
In 2012 we are going to pray for the world together, read the Word together, give together, and serve together.
The point is not to follow Christ but to follow Him together.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
- Acts 2:42-47
Do you see it?
They were radically committed to the Word of God and the apostle’s teaching.
They were radically committed to fellowship together, in public and in homes. They were radically committed to prayer, experiencing miracles. They were radically generous, giving to anyone as he had need. They were radically committed to one another, meeting together daily.
This was not a perfect church, but it was a radical one. I cannot imagine a more compelling vision for Scio—a group of normal but radical people, passionately committed to loving Jesus, one another, and their neighbors.
It doesn’t just happen, though. We can’t wish it into reality. It requires total surrender, but it’s worth it.
You might ask why we’re talking about 2012 in November of 2011. As I said with the Bible reading, this will give you some time to experiment. I urge you to prayerfully consider the challenge, especially as we head into the crazy holidays.
Finally, let me say once more that we must avoid legalism, thinking we need to follow man-made rules or even God-given commands in order to earn salvation or approval before God. Nothing you can do can make God love your more/less. God’s favor in your life is not based on your performance but on Jesus Christ and what He did for you. That’s what we celebrated earlier with communion. That’s also why do serve Him. We love and serve Him because He first loved and served us. This is our response.
Concluding Video
You can listen to the podcast here.
Opening Video
We are concluding our series Radical based somewhat on the book of the same name by David Platt.
This plan takes the material of the Bible and organizes it to flow in chronological order. Since exact dating of some materials or events is not possible, the chronology simply represents an attempt to give you the reader the general flow and development of the Bible's grand story. Some passages are placed according to topic (e.g., John 1:1–3 in Week 1, Day 2; and many of the psalms). There are six readings for each week to give you space for catching up when needed.
In addition to the website and book, free apps are available for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch and it is fully compatible with the YouVersion website and apps. You can listen to the audio, read the book, visit online, or view the app. However you do it, we want to read through the entire Bible...together.
Imagine what it would be like if you told a friend about what you read that morning and they said, “Hey, I read that, too!” As a church family, we will all be able to read the same chapters each day and grow together. We’ll even build some of our Sunday morning texts from the reading plan.
In addition to the verses, ReadTheBibleForLife.com offers podcasts and videos with Michael Card and others that will help you read, understand, and apply God’s Word.
Sacrifice our money for a specific purpose
Everything that we have belongs to God—not 10%, not 50%, but 100%. As we have noted, every person in this room is financially rich compared to the other 7 billion people on the planet. What would happen if we committed to free up resources for urgent spiritual and physical needs around the world? Do you think God would honor our generosity if we take what is from Him and sacrificially use it for His purposes?
Instead of asking how much we can spare, what if we asked, “What will it take?”
The needs of our world are so overwhelming. Bob Pierce, the former president of World Vision said,
"Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything."
Each of us can do something, whether it is to skip a meal, cancel cable, increase the percentage of our giving, sponsor a child with Compassion International, or even make a micro-finance loan through Kiva.org.
It has been said that Christians spend more money on dog food than missions! Seriously?
Everything we have belongs to God; we are His stewards. (1 Chronicles 29:14)
The world is not our home. Let’s stop living like it is.
Give our time in another context
I challenge you—and myself—to spend 2% of your time—or one week—in another context. This could be a missions trip to Africa or a week next summer in Detroit. We’ll be presenting opportunities in the coming days for youth, individuals, and families or you can create your own.
Lost people matter to God. He wants them found. (Luke 19:10)
Completing the Great Commission will require the mobilization of every fully-devoted disciple. (Matthew 28:19)
That means you!
Commit our lives to a multiplying community
Be a committed member of a local church, here or elsewhere.
Following Jesus is a team sport. We need each other. God created us to be interdependent. Just as the Father, Son and Spirit exist in community so we are to, also.
In 2012 we are going to pray for the world together, read the Word together, give together, and serve together.
The point is not to follow Christ but to follow Him together.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Do you see it?
They were radically committed to the Word of God and the apostle’s teaching.
Concluding Video
Radical Abandonment, 30 October 2011
You can listen to the podcast here.
Not A Fan, 25 September 2011
We do not have time to waste our lives living out a Christian spin on the American Dream. – David Platt
Surrender!
Note: David Platt quotes are from his book Radical.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Here’s a bonus:
Follower vs. Fan.Is there a difference?
1. Followers are committed. Fans can be fickle.
2. Followers trust their leader. Fans trust in their leader only when it benefits them.
3. Followers want a vision. Fans want a show.
4. Followers ask “what have i done for you?” lately. Fans ask “what have you done for me lately?”
5. Followers are in for the long term. Fans are in for the short term.
6. Followers have an intrinsic connection; it’s not about wearing a t-shirt. Fans have an extrinsic connection; it’s ALL about wearing a t-shirt.
Are you a follower or a fan?