WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.480 Bibles, it's on page 1011. So if you've got a church Bible that's looking really clean and fresh, 00:00:08.620 --> 00:00:13.679 then it's the new church Bible and that's on page 1011. If it's the old one, then I don't know what 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:23.480 page it's on. It's probably very similar, 1010 or 1012. So Mark chapter 8 verses 22. 00:00:23.480 --> 00:00:32.980 They came to Bethsaida and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 00:00:33.799 --> 00:00:39.060 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spat on the 00:00:39.060 --> 00:00:46.299 man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, do you see anything? He looked up and said, I see 00:00:46.299 --> 00:00:53.019 people. They look like trees walking around. Once more, Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. 00:00:53.479 --> 00:01:00.899 Then his eyes were opened. His sight was restored and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home 00:01:00.899 --> 00:01:07.640 saying, don't even go into the village. Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:16.079 Caesarea Philippi. On the way, he asked them, who do people say that I am? They replied, some say John 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:22.939 the Baptist, others say Elijah and still others, one of the prophets. But what about you? He asked, 00:01:22.939 --> 00:01:32.879 who do you say that I am? Peter answered, you are the Messiah. Jesus warned them not to tell anyone 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:39.859 about him. He then began to teach them that the son of man must suffer many things and be rejected 00:01:39.859 --> 00:01:45.379 by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after 00:01:45.379 --> 00:01:51.839 three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 00:01:52.859 --> 00:01:58.979 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. Get behind me, Satan, he said. 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:06.640 You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns. Then he called the crowd to him, 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:11.719 along with his disciples and said, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, 00:02:11.719 --> 00:02:18.639 take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it. But whoever 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:24.139 loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the 00:02:24.139 --> 00:02:30.680 whole world yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone 00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:37.060 is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the son of man will be ashamed 00:02:37.060 --> 00:02:44.300 of them when he comes in his father's glory with the holy angels. And he said to them, truly I tell you, 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:52.159 some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God has come with power. 00:02:53.180 --> 00:02:53.960 Thank you, Ken. 00:02:53.960 --> 00:03:03.040 Thank you, Alex. 00:03:07.780 --> 00:03:09.960 We'll just have a moment of prayer. 00:03:12.340 --> 00:03:15.300 Heavenly Father, thank you for your precious word. 00:03:15.300 --> 00:03:22.939 Thank you that through your word we can see and hear your precious son, Jesus. 00:03:23.760 --> 00:03:29.219 We ask you that you would bless your word to us this morning, that we may see and hear your 00:03:29.219 --> 00:03:34.780 blessed son ever more clearly and so form us to be ever more like him in his image. 00:03:35.740 --> 00:03:41.920 As for those who do not know your son, we pray that you would bless them with eyes to see and ears 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:46.479 to hear him this morning. In the name of your son, we pray. Amen. 00:03:48.179 --> 00:03:56.479 Well, for those of you who weren't here last week, I was. And unfortunately, I had a scheduling 00:03:56.479 --> 00:04:02.039 conflict and I didn't realize I was down to preach this week, not last week. So everybody 00:04:02.039 --> 00:04:06.619 made sure to say to me, make sure you come back now next week. So I understand it's a very rare 00:04:06.620 --> 00:04:12.439 privilege for a visiting speaker to be asked to speak again so quickly. So I'm glad that 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:16.920 you've honored me in this fashion. So here I am, I suppose, in my other good shirt. 00:04:18.019 --> 00:04:27.300 And anyway, so this passage of scripture is one that I suppose when I was young in the faith, 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:32.280 I didn't really, especially this opening section with the miracle, I just didn't get what was 00:04:32.279 --> 00:04:38.939 going on here. It's going to seem to be a bit of a strange one. So let's read through 00:04:38.939 --> 00:04:44.039 just those first few verses again. I'll read them through and we'll see what happens exactly. 00:04:44.139 --> 00:04:48.839 We'll just get a crisp grip on this scene again. So the disciples, they came to Bethsaida 00:04:48.839 --> 00:04:56.019 and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand 00:04:56.019 --> 00:05:00.119 and led him outside the village. When he spat on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:06.259 Jesus asked, do you see anything? He looked up and said, I see people and are they trees walking 00:05:06.259 --> 00:05:11.040 around? Once more, Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes and when his eyes were opened, 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:14.780 the sight was restored and he saw everything clearly. And Jesus sent him home saying, 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:26.819 don't even go into the village. Well, just to kind of give you a grip of where I'm coming from, 00:05:26.819 --> 00:05:33.540 Rachel and I actually were recently in Killarney and we stayed in a B&B that we like. It's kind 00:05:33.540 --> 00:05:37.759 of near the town centre and it's not the most glamorous place in the world, but it's clean 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:42.819 and pretty well appointed. And we enjoy chats with the hosts who are very nice people and very down 00:05:42.819 --> 00:05:49.459 to earth. And during our last visit, they told us an interesting story. And as you know, anyone who's 00:05:49.459 --> 00:05:52.060 been to Kerry knows that all the stories you hear down there are entirely true. 00:05:52.060 --> 00:06:00.680 So apparently, once upon a time, and the host swears by this, there was a church, a local church nearby 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:06.360 and they had this depiction of, a stained glass depiction of the Madonna and child. And we've all 00:06:06.360 --> 00:06:11.899 seen these, right? We're living in formerly Catholic Ireland. You could hardly throw a stone in any village 00:06:11.899 --> 00:06:19.040 in Ireland without hitting one. So this was a depiction of the Madonna and child, Mary and the infant Jesus. 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:28.760 But there was something different about this little baby Jesus. And specifically, the difference was 00:06:28.760 --> 00:06:40.240 that this little baby Jesus had a big, black, beautiful beard. So people were kind of amused and 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:46.040 confused by this. Nobody knows how this picture came to be there. Nobody knew what the origins of this 00:06:46.040 --> 00:06:51.160 particular artwork was. And, you know, they were thinking, of course, like this, the artist is 00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:54.960 clearly trying to say something. He's clearly trying to teach something through this depiction 00:06:54.960 --> 00:07:00.800 of a bearded infant. You know, people thought it was some sort of metaphor, perhaps. Maybe this was 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:07.040 supposed to kind of jar our minds into thinking of Jesus as the eternal Christ and that he was once a 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:10.960 baby. Now he's a man and all this kind of thing. There was all sorts of theories and speculations 00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:18.959 about this. And then one time, apparently, there was a man with some expertise in the area of stained 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:23.039 glass and churches and all that sort of a thing. And he decided to take a look for himself because 00:07:23.039 --> 00:07:30.199 this had become almost a minor draw all on its own. So he approached the image and he looked at it and 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:36.839 he considered it for a moment. And then he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and proceeded to wipe away 00:07:36.839 --> 00:07:40.199 the black marker that some joker could have put there 20 years previously. 00:07:42.519 --> 00:07:52.299 And I suppose, really, this, I suppose, is just to illustrate that our imaginations or depictions 00:07:52.299 --> 00:07:59.739 of Jesus are prone to error. They're so often wrong sometimes. And how we conceive of Jesus and how we 00:07:59.740 --> 00:08:07.220 think of him is perhaps even vulnerable to deliberate distortion by jokers and charlatans. 00:08:08.420 --> 00:08:11.840 Now, it's a silly story. And whether it's true or not, please be true. 00:08:14.139 --> 00:08:22.300 But questions over who Jesus was were rife at the time of this particular section of Mark's Gospel. 00:08:22.300 --> 00:08:28.620 Speculation as to who he was was something that people were engaged in. 00:08:30.740 --> 00:08:35.200 So, if we just go back to our text for a minute, we have this kind of strange miracle, 00:08:36.100 --> 00:08:39.080 this kind of strange two-stage healing that's taking place. 00:08:40.500 --> 00:08:45.580 We have this blind man. And how often do we read of blind people being healed and deaf people 00:08:45.580 --> 00:08:46.620 being given hearing? 00:08:46.620 --> 00:08:53.060 But people brought this blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch him, begged him to heal him. 00:08:54.220 --> 00:08:56.779 So, Jesus takes him away from the village, away from the crowds. 00:08:58.560 --> 00:09:02.200 And he touches him and he's given partial sight. 00:09:04.899 --> 00:09:08.620 And he asks him, do you see anything? And he said, I see people, but they're like trees walking. 00:09:09.179 --> 00:09:12.100 That's kind of strange, isn't it? I mean, that's not your typical kind of, 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:14.139 how you would conceive of a healing. 00:09:14.139 --> 00:09:18.759 Here's this blind man, being given partial sight. 00:09:19.240 --> 00:09:20.779 Then Jesus lays hands on him again. 00:09:21.740 --> 00:09:24.799 And this time he's healed completely. He can see perfectly. 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:29.500 And, I mean, this is kind of odd. 00:09:29.860 --> 00:09:32.939 You know, this is kind of a strange, like, when I read this when I was young in the faith, 00:09:33.019 --> 00:09:34.620 I didn't have a clue what was going on. 00:09:34.939 --> 00:09:39.759 I mean, you know, your instinct, of course, is to kind of say, well, Jesus obviously meant to do this. 00:09:39.899 --> 00:09:42.700 He wasn't, like, distracted halfway through or anything like that. 00:09:44.139 --> 00:09:50.480 But Jesus' miracles were always meant to teach. 00:09:51.100 --> 00:09:53.259 There were never, there was nothing incidental about them. 00:09:54.299 --> 00:09:58.460 Jesus' miracles, and the New Testament words are actually signs and wonders, 00:09:59.480 --> 00:10:00.939 are very deliberately performed. 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:02.799 There was nothing accidental about them. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:04.980 They all revealed something very important. 00:10:06.120 --> 00:10:09.019 Jesus' miraculous signs, they point to something. 00:10:09.019 --> 00:10:13.019 I mean, these astonishing wonders are meant to teach us something. 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:16.279 And in this surrounding section of Mark's Gospel, 00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:21.059 something about Jesus himself, rather like the sight being given to this man, 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:22.980 has gradually been revealed to the people. 00:10:25.259 --> 00:10:27.960 But there's one other detail here at the end of this story. 00:10:28.919 --> 00:10:31.340 Once Jesus had healed this man, what did he command him to do? 00:10:31.340 --> 00:10:35.519 He sent him directly home. 00:10:36.680 --> 00:10:40.860 And he told him to keep quiet and to avoid the village. 00:10:41.460 --> 00:10:45.100 Jesus apparently wanted him to say nothing about this to anyone. 00:10:46.940 --> 00:10:48.100 At least for the time being. 00:10:49.560 --> 00:10:50.620 And there's a reason for this. 00:10:51.040 --> 00:10:53.200 But in a moment, he's actually going to do the same thing again. 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:57.160 So we'll take a look at this secret aspect to Jesus' work, 00:10:57.200 --> 00:10:58.840 and we'll get to the bottom of it in a little bit. 00:10:58.840 --> 00:11:00.980 But for the time being, let's just read the next few verses. 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:04.780 Verse 27. 00:11:06.920 --> 00:11:10.960 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. 00:11:11.860 --> 00:11:13.060 On the way he asked them, 00:11:13.480 --> 00:11:15.060 Who do people say that I am? 00:11:17.460 --> 00:11:18.220 They replied, 00:11:18.540 --> 00:11:19.899 Some say John the Baptist. 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:21.840 Others say Elijah. 00:11:22.420 --> 00:11:24.300 And still others, one of the prophets. 00:11:26.560 --> 00:11:27.780 But what about you? 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:29.639 Jesus asked, 00:11:30.220 --> 00:11:33.139 Who do you say that I am? 00:11:34.300 --> 00:11:35.180 Peter answered, 00:11:35.980 --> 00:11:37.500 You are the Messiah. 00:11:39.500 --> 00:11:43.300 And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. 00:11:43.299 --> 00:11:51.279 So, after this two-stage healing of the blind man, 00:11:52.659 --> 00:11:54.679 Jesus journeys on to Caesarea Philippi. 00:11:56.740 --> 00:11:57.839 And on the way he asks them, 00:11:58.139 --> 00:11:59.979 Who do people say that I am? 00:12:01.439 --> 00:12:01.839 And, 00:12:01.899 --> 00:12:05.459 if we actually had been reading through Mark's Gospel from the beginning, 00:12:06.459 --> 00:12:08.639 we would have seen that in chapter 6, 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:12.159 that there had been speculation about who Jesus was, 00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:14.240 and we would know what the disciples are about to tell him. 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:15.100 Spike, 00:12:15.179 --> 00:12:18.519 the speculation as to Jesus' true identity had been rife. 00:12:19.379 --> 00:12:19.639 I mean, 00:12:19.659 --> 00:12:22.340 it was obvious to everyone who had heard this man speak, 00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:23.899 or seen him do his works, 00:12:23.980 --> 00:12:25.639 that this was not your typical rabbi. 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:28.519 And here, 00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:32.480 Jesus' disciples pass on the gossip that we would have already read. 00:12:32.939 --> 00:12:33.939 They tell him that Herod, 00:12:34.059 --> 00:12:36.199 who had just executed John the Baptist, 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:40.259 believed that Jesus was somehow John the Baptist again, 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:41.179 kind of, 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:43.080 almost kind of come back from the dead to haunt him. 00:12:44.740 --> 00:12:47.360 Other people said that he was the returning Elijah, 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:49.899 as promised by the prophet Malachi, 00:12:50.319 --> 00:12:52.299 or perhaps one of the other prophets. 00:12:52.299 --> 00:12:53.799 In any case, 00:12:55.199 --> 00:12:58.299 Jesus doesn't let them run down these kind of rabbit trails for too long. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:01.979 He immediately makes it personal and pointed for each of them. 00:13:03.139 --> 00:13:04.240 He asks them again, 00:13:04.519 --> 00:13:07.740 but who do you say that I am? 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:11.299 And Peter's next few words, 00:13:11.459 --> 00:13:13.219 they immediately enter history, 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:13.639 don't they? 00:13:14.819 --> 00:13:16.799 You are the Christ. 00:13:17.539 --> 00:13:18.259 And he was right. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:21.219 So what was Jesus' response? 00:13:22.299 --> 00:13:23.659 Was it a congratulation? 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:28.299 A pat on the back and a little rolled up diploma from Munster Bible College? 00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:29.419 No. 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:31.759 Mark says, 00:13:32.539 --> 00:13:36.379 he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. 00:13:37.419 --> 00:13:38.120 And there it is again, 00:13:38.199 --> 00:13:40.740 this command to keep silent about who he was. 00:13:42.339 --> 00:13:43.199 It's kind of baffling. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:44.480 You know, 00:13:44.560 --> 00:13:46.200 as New Testament Christians, 00:13:46.340 --> 00:13:47.440 2,000 years on, 00:13:48.280 --> 00:13:49.600 in being, 00:13:49.860 --> 00:13:52.200 what I suppose could be categorized as evangelicals, 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:55.180 telling people about Jesus 00:13:55.180 --> 00:13:58.100 is or should be second nature to us. 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:01.160 But here we have Jesus giving explicit commands 00:14:01.160 --> 00:14:02.700 to keep quiet, 00:14:03.180 --> 00:14:03.680 keep stum. 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:07.759 But he won't keep us in suspense much longer 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:08.179 because 00:14:08.179 --> 00:14:10.359 he immediately starts to 00:14:10.359 --> 00:14:12.299 reveal something more about himself. 00:14:12.419 --> 00:14:14.199 So let's go back to verse 31. 00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:18.099 He then began to teach them 00:14:18.099 --> 00:14:20.459 that the Son of Man must suffer many things 00:14:20.459 --> 00:14:22.139 and be rejected by the elders, 00:14:22.479 --> 00:14:23.339 the chief priests, 00:14:23.699 --> 00:14:24.959 and the teachers of the law, 00:14:25.819 --> 00:14:26.979 and that he must be killed, 00:14:27.219 --> 00:14:28.219 and after three days, 00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:29.159 rise again. 00:14:29.159 --> 00:14:32.339 He spoke plainly about this 00:14:32.339 --> 00:14:34.439 and Peter took him aside 00:14:34.439 --> 00:14:36.019 and began to rebuke him. 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:39.100 But when Jesus turned 00:14:39.100 --> 00:14:40.299 and looked at his disciples, 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:42.219 he rebuked Peter. 00:14:43.139 --> 00:14:44.740 Get behind me, Satan, 00:14:45.199 --> 00:14:45.799 he said. 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:47.459 You do not have in mind 00:14:47.459 --> 00:14:48.500 the concerns of God, 00:14:48.839 --> 00:14:50.779 but merely human concerns. 00:14:54.379 --> 00:14:56.459 Now that Peter has identified him, 00:14:56.460 --> 00:14:59.180 Jesus begins to tell everything 00:14:59.180 --> 00:15:00.460 to his closest followers. 00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:01.300 He now tells them 00:15:01.300 --> 00:15:02.480 for the first time 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:05.800 of the grim fate 00:15:05.800 --> 00:15:07.080 that lay ahead of them 00:15:07.080 --> 00:15:08.680 as his, 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:10.440 or laid ahead of him 00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:11.220 as their Messiah. 00:15:12.420 --> 00:15:13.940 He gives them the awful news 00:15:13.940 --> 00:15:15.259 that he was to be rejected 00:15:15.259 --> 00:15:16.540 by the Jewish establishment 00:15:16.540 --> 00:15:17.879 and executed 00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:19.639 like a criminal. 00:15:21.400 --> 00:15:22.620 And this is too much for Peter. 00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:24.980 And now, 00:15:25.220 --> 00:15:26.179 we begin to see 00:15:26.179 --> 00:15:26.799 why Jesus 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:28.139 had been telling people 00:15:28.139 --> 00:15:30.279 to keep quiet about him. 00:15:32.019 --> 00:15:32.299 You see, 00:15:32.580 --> 00:15:32.960 Peter, 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:35.379 almost like our blind man earlier, 00:15:36.039 --> 00:15:37.220 was gradually beginning 00:15:37.220 --> 00:15:38.019 to see Jesus 00:15:38.019 --> 00:15:39.179 for who he really was. 00:15:40.340 --> 00:15:41.159 And it's almost as if 00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:42.100 you're looking up at the sky 00:15:42.100 --> 00:15:43.820 and it's kind of a 00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:45.259 partially clouded day 00:15:45.259 --> 00:15:46.120 and then the sun comes out 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:46.820 from behind the cloud 00:15:46.820 --> 00:15:48.039 and it's just too intense. 00:15:48.620 --> 00:15:49.759 That's where Peter was at. 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:52.480 Because Peter, 00:15:52.659 --> 00:15:54.480 like almost all of his fellow Jews, 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:55.879 had expected this 00:15:55.879 --> 00:15:57.500 all-conquering Messiah. 00:15:57.960 --> 00:15:59.879 One who would appear in glory 00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:01.879 and swat Israel's enemies aside 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:03.799 in an overwhelming display of force. 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:06.159 But this 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:08.600 submission unto death thing 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:09.600 just 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:11.259 didn't compute. 00:16:11.939 --> 00:16:12.580 Didn't work. 00:16:14.419 --> 00:16:15.059 And Peter was 00:16:15.059 --> 00:16:16.299 capital O 00:16:16.299 --> 00:16:16.939 offended 00:16:16.939 --> 00:16:18.220 by this. 00:16:18.220 --> 00:16:20.300 and he takes Jesus aside 00:16:20.300 --> 00:16:22.120 and begins to tell him off. 00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:26.399 And Jesus' response 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:27.259 is very grave. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:30.680 Get behind me, 00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:31.279 Satan, 00:16:31.980 --> 00:16:32.460 he said. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:35.240 You do not have in mind 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:37.019 the concerns of God 00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:38.600 but merely 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:39.940 human concerns. 00:16:42.220 --> 00:16:42.660 Ouch. 00:16:42.660 --> 00:16:45.980 I mean, 00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:48.180 Peter had simply spoken rashly. 00:16:48.220 --> 00:16:48.620 hadn't he? 00:16:50.620 --> 00:16:52.580 Peter is famously impulsive. 00:16:52.920 --> 00:16:54.920 And he just couldn't contain 00:16:54.920 --> 00:16:55.820 his disbelief 00:16:55.820 --> 00:16:57.379 that Israel's Messiah 00:16:57.379 --> 00:16:58.960 could die 00:16:58.960 --> 00:16:59.680 such 00:16:59.680 --> 00:17:01.060 a shameful 00:17:01.060 --> 00:17:01.879 death. 00:17:02.379 --> 00:17:03.120 Cursed is anyone 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:04.059 who hangs on a tree. 00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:08.079 And with hindsight, 00:17:08.339 --> 00:17:08.640 we know, 00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:09.200 of course, 00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:10.980 that Jesus was right 00:17:10.980 --> 00:17:11.600 to rebuke him 00:17:11.600 --> 00:17:12.319 but to say this, 00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:13.180 to say, 00:17:13.500 --> 00:17:14.259 get behind me, 00:17:14.339 --> 00:17:14.640 Satan. 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:18.360 Why would he say that thing? 00:17:20.820 --> 00:17:21.259 Well, 00:17:22.340 --> 00:17:23.480 James says 00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:24.240 in the third chapter 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:24.759 of the epistle 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:25.080 that 00:17:25.080 --> 00:17:26.640 if you have 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:27.740 bitter jealousy 00:17:27.740 --> 00:17:28.840 and selfish ambition 00:17:28.840 --> 00:17:29.680 in your hearts, 00:17:30.280 --> 00:17:31.080 do not boast 00:17:31.080 --> 00:17:32.140 and be false 00:17:32.140 --> 00:17:32.700 to the truth. 00:17:32.800 --> 00:17:33.780 This is not the wisdom 00:17:33.780 --> 00:17:34.700 that comes from above 00:17:34.700 --> 00:17:35.840 but is earthly, 00:17:36.660 --> 00:17:37.240 unspiritual, 00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:39.020 demonic. 00:17:39.019 --> 00:17:44.859 And we also read 00:17:44.859 --> 00:17:46.180 in Luke chapter 4 00:17:46.180 --> 00:17:47.720 how when Satan 00:17:47.720 --> 00:17:49.079 had finished his temptations, 00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:50.039 he departed Jesus 00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:50.980 to return at a more 00:17:50.980 --> 00:17:51.819 opportune time. 00:17:52.579 --> 00:17:53.000 And you know, 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:54.759 truth be told, 00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:56.299 many of us, 00:17:56.619 --> 00:17:58.139 and I would count me 00:17:58.139 --> 00:17:58.960 as somebody 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:00.440 who would probably be 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:01.660 on the hot-headed side 00:18:01.660 --> 00:18:02.319 by nature, 00:18:03.420 --> 00:18:05.119 are probably more like Peter 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:06.119 than we would like to admit. 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:09.399 I mean, 00:18:09.479 --> 00:18:10.319 we would much rather 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:10.959 take part 00:18:10.959 --> 00:18:11.979 in an all-conquering 00:18:11.979 --> 00:18:12.619 Christianity 00:18:12.619 --> 00:18:14.059 that allowed all of us 00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:14.879 to look like 00:18:14.879 --> 00:18:15.799 spiritual heroes 00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:17.099 as we accomplished 00:18:17.099 --> 00:18:18.379 great feats for God 00:18:18.379 --> 00:18:19.599 in luxurious comfort 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:20.659 and, you know, 00:18:20.719 --> 00:18:21.519 while looking amazing 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:22.159 the whole time 00:18:22.159 --> 00:18:22.739 while doing it, 00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:23.000 you know, 00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:24.619 with the Instagram account 00:18:24.619 --> 00:18:25.899 and the Facebook followers 00:18:25.899 --> 00:18:26.719 and all the rest of it. 00:18:28.619 --> 00:18:30.519 But this is a self-exalting attitude 00:18:30.519 --> 00:18:32.679 and it does bear 00:18:32.679 --> 00:18:34.099 a dreadful resemblance 00:18:34.099 --> 00:18:35.059 to that of the 00:18:35.059 --> 00:18:35.679 Prince of Darkness. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:37.000 That particular attitude 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:38.400 is not healthy. 00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:39.200 It is not good. 00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:42.620 Now, I mean, 00:18:42.700 --> 00:18:43.299 while our impulses 00:18:43.299 --> 00:18:44.039 can be for good, 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:45.740 Jesus' rebuke of Peter 00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:46.440 is frightening. 00:18:49.900 --> 00:18:51.440 And it does show us 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.980 that our impulses 00:18:52.980 --> 00:18:53.940 and our instincts 00:18:53.940 --> 00:18:54.820 and our inclinations 00:18:54.820 --> 00:18:55.900 can also be 00:18:55.900 --> 00:18:57.640 much darker spiritually 00:18:57.640 --> 00:18:58.860 than perhaps we realize. 00:19:00.580 --> 00:19:01.799 And this is why 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:04.360 Jesus simply could not 00:19:04.360 --> 00:19:05.580 let people going around 00:19:05.579 --> 00:19:07.159 yapping excitedly 00:19:07.159 --> 00:19:07.759 about the arrival 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:08.399 of the Messiah. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:10.980 I mean, 00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:11.659 a little knowledge 00:19:11.659 --> 00:19:12.519 is a dangerous thing, 00:19:12.579 --> 00:19:12.879 isn't it? 00:19:13.859 --> 00:19:14.599 To have only 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:15.939 a partial picture 00:19:15.939 --> 00:19:16.539 is to have a 00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:17.799 distorted picture. 00:19:21.299 --> 00:19:22.500 And this is kind of 00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:23.079 what is behind 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:23.659 what is happening 00:19:23.659 --> 00:19:24.119 in our text. 00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:26.319 Jesus is always teaching 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:27.439 throughout his ministry 00:19:27.439 --> 00:19:28.960 with both words 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:29.500 and actions. 00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:30.720 He is both showing 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:31.720 and telling 00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:32.759 who he is. 00:19:33.539 --> 00:19:34.880 Unlike our blind man earlier, 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:36.220 Peter could see a little, 00:19:37.579 --> 00:19:38.299 but he couldn't 00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:39.240 really see clearly. 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:41.319 He understood 00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:42.339 who Jesus was, 00:19:42.900 --> 00:19:43.500 but he was 00:19:43.500 --> 00:19:44.660 utterly clueless 00:19:44.660 --> 00:19:46.799 as to Jesus' mission. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:49.559 And today, 00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:50.119 remembering 00:19:50.119 --> 00:19:51.779 our bearded baby 00:19:51.779 --> 00:19:52.299 from earlier, 00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:53.319 how many times 00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:53.819 do we see 00:19:53.819 --> 00:19:54.859 partial or distorted 00:19:54.859 --> 00:19:55.720 pictures of Christ 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:56.259 around us? 00:19:56.259 --> 00:19:59.960 Jesus as just 00:19:59.960 --> 00:20:00.940 a great teacher. 00:20:02.619 --> 00:20:04.160 Jesus as merely 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:05.339 a great moralist. 00:20:07.379 --> 00:20:08.440 Jesus as, 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:09.579 it would seem, 00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:11.000 exclusively only 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:12.079 our problem solver. 00:20:13.619 --> 00:20:14.680 A wise man, 00:20:15.140 --> 00:20:16.039 a political radical, 00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:18.319 a Jesus who will 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:19.640 heal every disease 00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:21.079 and solve any problem 00:20:21.079 --> 00:20:22.500 by spellcasting his name 00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:23.960 like some magical incantation. 00:20:26.259 --> 00:20:28.099 What does Jesus 00:20:28.099 --> 00:20:28.579 look like 00:20:28.579 --> 00:20:29.460 in the lives of people 00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:30.099 who profess him 00:20:30.099 --> 00:20:30.640 as saviour, 00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:32.960 but is not, 00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:34.160 as far as anyone can tell, 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:35.099 their Lord? 00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:38.519 Now, 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.539 I'm certain that 00:20:39.539 --> 00:20:41.379 Jesus was quite aware 00:20:41.379 --> 00:20:42.000 of the speculation 00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:42.900 surrounding him 00:20:42.900 --> 00:20:43.539 before he asked 00:20:43.539 --> 00:20:44.000 that question 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:44.740 of his disciples, 00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:46.359 and at that stage, 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:48.140 nobody had clear sight 00:20:48.140 --> 00:20:49.200 of who Jesus is. 00:20:50.779 --> 00:20:51.700 They could see 00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:52.440 partially, 00:20:52.900 --> 00:20:53.779 but they could not 00:20:53.779 --> 00:20:54.700 see clearly. 00:20:54.700 --> 00:20:56.180 this was all part 00:20:56.180 --> 00:20:56.620 of the plan. 00:20:58.460 --> 00:20:59.600 Jesus was granting 00:20:59.600 --> 00:21:01.000 Peter and the other 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:01.500 disciples 00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:03.539 spiritual sight 00:21:03.539 --> 00:21:04.420 in stages. 00:21:05.940 --> 00:21:06.319 And now, 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:07.039 in one of the most 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:07.840 famous passages 00:21:07.840 --> 00:21:08.759 in the New Testament, 00:21:09.580 --> 00:21:10.420 who he is 00:21:10.420 --> 00:21:12.039 and what this means 00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:12.700 for their lives 00:21:12.700 --> 00:21:13.640 and means for ours 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:15.019 is going to become 00:21:15.019 --> 00:21:16.480 crystal clear. 00:21:19.180 --> 00:21:19.700 So, 00:21:19.840 --> 00:21:20.620 following this rather 00:21:20.620 --> 00:21:21.819 pointed exchange 00:21:21.819 --> 00:21:22.259 with Peter, 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:23.819 Jesus doesn't waste 00:21:23.819 --> 00:21:24.500 an awkward moment. 00:21:25.619 --> 00:21:26.419 He uses it 00:21:26.419 --> 00:21:27.519 to teach his disciples 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:28.720 and press the truth 00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:28.960 home. 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:29.740 Let's just look 00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:30.639 at the next few verses. 00:21:31.139 --> 00:21:31.799 Verse 34. 00:21:35.799 --> 00:21:36.639 Then he called 00:21:36.639 --> 00:21:37.419 a crowd to him, 00:21:38.220 --> 00:21:39.319 along with his disciples, 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:39.819 and said, 00:21:41.299 --> 00:21:41.659 whoever 00:21:41.659 --> 00:21:43.019 wants to be 00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:43.639 my disciple 00:21:43.639 --> 00:21:45.200 must deny themselves 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:46.119 and take up 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:46.639 their cross 00:21:46.639 --> 00:21:48.099 and follow me. 00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:50.579 for whoever 00:21:50.579 --> 00:21:51.919 wants to save 00:21:51.919 --> 00:21:52.419 their life 00:21:52.419 --> 00:21:52.959 will lose it, 00:21:53.019 --> 00:21:53.559 but whoever 00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:54.419 loses their life 00:21:54.419 --> 00:21:54.879 for me 00:21:54.879 --> 00:21:56.199 and for the gospel 00:21:56.199 --> 00:21:57.599 will save it. 00:21:59.240 --> 00:22:00.399 What good is it 00:22:00.399 --> 00:22:02.199 for someone 00:22:02.199 --> 00:22:02.619 to gain 00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:03.519 the whole world 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:04.719 and yet 00:22:04.719 --> 00:22:05.579 forfeit 00:22:05.579 --> 00:22:06.379 their soul? 00:22:08.619 --> 00:22:09.579 Or what can 00:22:09.579 --> 00:22:10.379 anyone give 00:22:10.379 --> 00:22:11.639 in exchange 00:22:11.639 --> 00:22:12.980 for their soul? 00:22:12.980 --> 00:22:18.380 This is the 00:22:18.380 --> 00:22:18.960 crucial moment 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:19.579 for us here 00:22:19.579 --> 00:22:20.779 today, 00:22:21.099 --> 00:22:21.799 this afternoon, 00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:24.539 when we start 00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:25.059 to piece 00:22:25.059 --> 00:22:25.519 all of this 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:25.860 together, 00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:26.660 because it is 00:22:26.660 --> 00:22:27.059 here 00:22:27.059 --> 00:22:28.740 in our text 00:22:28.740 --> 00:22:30.019 with these words 00:22:30.019 --> 00:22:31.220 that Jesus 00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:32.079 starts to give 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:32.759 his followers 00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:33.599 a clearer 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:34.440 and clearer 00:22:34.440 --> 00:22:35.019 vision 00:22:35.019 --> 00:22:35.900 of who 00:22:35.900 --> 00:22:36.740 he really is. 00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:38.220 And not only 00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:38.440 that, 00:22:38.660 --> 00:22:39.039 he was now 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:39.599 making this 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:40.180 personal 00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:40.839 for each 00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:41.120 of them. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:44.099 describing 00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:44.579 to each 00:22:44.579 --> 00:22:44.859 one 00:22:44.859 --> 00:22:45.539 the true 00:22:45.539 --> 00:22:45.919 cost 00:22:45.919 --> 00:22:46.819 of following 00:22:46.819 --> 00:22:47.099 him. 00:22:48.659 --> 00:22:49.519 First of all, 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:50.319 he tells them 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:50.659 that his 00:22:50.659 --> 00:22:51.359 identity as 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:51.719 Christ, 00:22:52.199 --> 00:22:52.719 the Messiah, 00:22:54.339 --> 00:22:54.899 meant that 00:22:54.899 --> 00:22:55.559 following him 00:22:55.559 --> 00:22:56.439 was even 00:22:56.439 --> 00:22:57.059 more important 00:22:57.059 --> 00:22:57.419 than their 00:22:57.419 --> 00:22:57.959 own lives. 00:22:59.699 --> 00:22:59.939 I mean, 00:23:00.059 --> 00:23:01.199 whoever loses 00:23:01.199 --> 00:23:01.599 his life 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:02.199 for my sake 00:23:02.199 --> 00:23:02.439 and the 00:23:02.439 --> 00:23:02.879 gospels? 00:23:04.459 --> 00:23:04.979 Serious 00:23:04.979 --> 00:23:05.299 stuff. 00:23:08.199 --> 00:23:08.799 Then he goes 00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:09.379 beyond even 00:23:09.379 --> 00:23:09.719 this, 00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:11.039 to say 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:11.640 that even 00:23:11.640 --> 00:23:12.059 if one 00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:13.220 could acquire 00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:14.100 the whole 00:23:14.100 --> 00:23:14.480 world, 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:16.059 it would 00:23:16.059 --> 00:23:16.700 not compare 00:23:16.700 --> 00:23:17.180 to losing 00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:17.600 their own 00:23:17.600 --> 00:23:17.880 soul. 00:23:19.019 --> 00:23:19.680 Try and 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:19.980 comprehend 00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:20.380 that for a 00:23:20.380 --> 00:23:20.539 moment. 00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:21.799 Jesus is 00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:22.460 not merely 00:23:22.460 --> 00:23:23.120 talking about 00:23:23.120 --> 00:23:23.700 the globe 00:23:23.700 --> 00:23:24.059 that we're 00:23:24.059 --> 00:23:24.299 on, 00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:25.220 but the 00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:25.799 entire world 00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:26.380 has always 00:23:26.380 --> 00:23:27.079 existed from 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:27.519 his eternal 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:28.100 perspective. 00:23:28.420 --> 00:23:28.799 All its 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:29.339 creatures, 00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:30.079 all its 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:30.460 ages, 00:23:30.819 --> 00:23:31.420 its aeons, 00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:32.100 its history 00:23:32.100 --> 00:23:32.559 and its 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:32.980 future, 00:23:33.339 --> 00:23:34.200 vast as 00:23:34.200 --> 00:23:34.920 all that is 00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:35.480 in its 00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:36.259 breadth and 00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:36.799 its scale 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:37.319 and its 00:23:37.319 --> 00:23:37.660 scope, 00:23:37.880 --> 00:23:38.660 it is all 00:23:38.660 --> 00:23:39.579 as nothing. 00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:40.380 When compared 00:23:40.380 --> 00:23:40.740 to the 00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:41.240 fate of 00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:41.819 one human 00:23:41.819 --> 00:23:42.339 soul before 00:23:42.339 --> 00:23:42.660 God. 00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:45.920 That's 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:46.240 staggering. 00:23:49.299 --> 00:23:50.059 Like our 00:23:50.059 --> 00:23:50.620 stained glass 00:23:50.620 --> 00:23:51.240 image earlier, 00:23:51.339 --> 00:23:51.860 the distortion 00:23:51.860 --> 00:23:52.200 is being 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:52.700 wiped away. 00:23:56.339 --> 00:23:56.960 Like our 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:57.420 blind man 00:23:57.420 --> 00:23:57.759 earlier, 00:23:58.900 --> 00:23:59.160 Jesus' 00:23:59.400 --> 00:24:00.019 followers are 00:24:00.019 --> 00:24:00.819 finally starting 00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:01.440 to see him 00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:03.299 with unclouded 00:24:03.299 --> 00:24:03.600 eyes. 00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:05.460 In our text, 00:24:05.559 --> 00:24:06.039 it was Peter 00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:06.579 who saw him 00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:06.920 first, 00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:08.600 but even 00:24:08.600 --> 00:24:08.920 then, 00:24:09.620 --> 00:24:10.100 he couldn't 00:24:10.100 --> 00:24:10.380 make up 00:24:10.380 --> 00:24:10.600 the whole 00:24:10.600 --> 00:24:10.920 picture. 00:24:12.560 --> 00:24:13.320 Now Jesus 00:24:13.320 --> 00:24:14.019 is revealing 00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:14.779 himself to 00:24:14.779 --> 00:24:15.460 all his 00:24:15.460 --> 00:24:15.900 followers 00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:17.100 explicitly, 00:24:18.800 --> 00:24:19.539 whereas before 00:24:19.539 --> 00:24:20.200 he had been 00:24:20.200 --> 00:24:21.140 actively hiding 00:24:21.140 --> 00:24:21.680 his true 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:22.140 identity, 00:24:23.140 --> 00:24:24.120 and his 00:24:24.120 --> 00:24:24.860 identity had 00:24:24.860 --> 00:24:25.860 real consequences 00:24:25.860 --> 00:24:26.300 for them, 00:24:27.360 --> 00:24:28.220 and has 00:24:28.220 --> 00:24:29.039 consequences for 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:29.420 us too. 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:31.980 But this 00:24:31.980 --> 00:24:32.300 begs the 00:24:32.300 --> 00:24:32.820 question though, 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:33.980 why not 00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:34.480 simply just 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:35.019 tell them all 00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:35.440 this right 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:35.720 from the 00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:35.980 start? 00:24:37.420 --> 00:24:37.680 I mean, 00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:38.000 all this 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:38.380 speculation 00:24:38.380 --> 00:24:38.980 about who 00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:39.480 Jesus is, 00:24:39.820 --> 00:24:40.180 all this 00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:40.380 kind of 00:24:40.380 --> 00:24:40.880 hiding of 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:41.420 identities, 00:24:41.700 --> 00:24:42.120 and gradual 00:24:42.120 --> 00:24:42.799 revelations, 00:24:43.140 --> 00:24:44.620 and moving 00:24:44.620 --> 00:24:45.279 in the shadows, 00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:46.620 the astonishing 00:24:46.620 --> 00:24:47.160 miracles, 00:24:47.380 --> 00:24:47.720 and then the 00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:48.340 secrecy that 00:24:48.340 --> 00:24:48.960 came after it. 00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:51.960 No wonder 00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:52.400 people were 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:53.059 confused about 00:24:53.059 --> 00:24:53.259 him. 00:24:54.460 --> 00:24:54.640 I mean, 00:24:54.660 --> 00:24:55.080 perhaps you're 00:24:55.080 --> 00:24:55.519 maybe a bit 00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:56.279 confused yourself, 00:24:56.400 --> 00:24:56.559 right? 00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:57.779 But if you 00:24:57.779 --> 00:24:57.960 are, 00:24:58.059 --> 00:24:58.700 your mind 00:24:58.700 --> 00:24:59.019 has actually 00:24:59.019 --> 00:24:59.360 been opened 00:24:59.360 --> 00:24:59.720 up to my 00:24:59.720 --> 00:24:59.960 point, 00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:00.700 or rather 00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:01.680 a subtext 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:02.160 of Mark's 00:25:02.160 --> 00:25:02.779 gospel up to 00:25:02.779 --> 00:25:02.980 now. 00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:04.960 that when 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:05.420 people are 00:25:05.420 --> 00:25:06.019 unable to 00:25:06.019 --> 00:25:06.799 see Jesus 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:07.539 for who 00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:07.839 he is, 00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:08.460 they're also 00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:09.120 unable to 00:25:09.120 --> 00:25:10.120 hear him 00:25:10.120 --> 00:25:11.019 clearly. 00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:13.380 I mean, 00:25:13.460 --> 00:25:14.120 how many of 00:25:14.120 --> 00:25:14.839 Jesus' miracles 00:25:14.839 --> 00:25:15.319 are ones 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:15.680 where he 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:17.180 grants sight 00:25:17.180 --> 00:25:17.799 to blind 00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:18.160 people, 00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:19.839 hearing to 00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:20.400 deaf people? 00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:22.480 How many 00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:22.980 times has he 00:25:22.980 --> 00:25:23.519 raised the 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:23.720 dead? 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:27.720 His works 00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:28.660 set the 00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:30.059 stage for 00:25:30.059 --> 00:25:30.559 his words. 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:32.599 Jesus had 00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:33.099 to show 00:25:33.099 --> 00:25:34.720 before he 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.259 could tell. 00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:36.559 And now 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:37.039 he has just 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:37.559 told them 00:25:37.559 --> 00:25:39.399 that following 00:25:39.399 --> 00:25:40.419 an apparently 00:25:40.419 --> 00:25:41.299 doomed Messiah 00:25:41.299 --> 00:25:42.519 was more 00:25:42.519 --> 00:25:43.720 important than 00:25:43.720 --> 00:25:44.119 even their 00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:44.599 own lives. 00:25:46.500 --> 00:25:47.179 And this 00:25:47.179 --> 00:25:48.279 is why he 00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:48.679 didn't lay 00:25:48.679 --> 00:25:48.980 the whole 00:25:48.980 --> 00:25:49.339 truth on 00:25:49.339 --> 00:25:49.639 them right 00:25:49.639 --> 00:25:49.919 away. 00:25:51.899 --> 00:25:52.379 The 00:25:52.379 --> 00:25:52.960 consequences 00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:53.379 for their 00:25:53.379 --> 00:25:54.379 lives would 00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:54.559 have been 00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:55.099 too crushing 00:25:55.099 --> 00:25:55.559 to bear. 00:25:56.679 --> 00:25:57.480 Only once 00:25:57.480 --> 00:25:58.019 they had 00:25:58.019 --> 00:25:58.899 caught enough 00:25:58.899 --> 00:25:59.500 glimpses of 00:25:59.500 --> 00:25:59.639 him, 00:25:59.859 --> 00:26:00.279 of who he 00:26:00.279 --> 00:26:00.879 really was, 00:26:01.200 --> 00:26:01.519 could they 00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:02.740 then have 00:26:02.740 --> 00:26:03.379 the confidence 00:26:03.379 --> 00:26:03.859 in him 00:26:03.859 --> 00:26:04.180 that was 00:26:04.180 --> 00:26:05.980 necessary to 00:26:05.980 --> 00:26:06.480 each bear 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:07.099 the individual 00:26:07.099 --> 00:26:08.059 consequences for 00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:08.619 following him. 00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:10.379 And let's 00:26:10.379 --> 00:26:11.279 only know in 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:11.700 our passage 00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:12.720 for today that 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:13.519 Jesus doesn't 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:14.480 just reveal who 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:15.500 he is, but 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:16.559 also what he 00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:17.039 had come to 00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:17.259 do. 00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:18.279 He was to 00:26:18.279 --> 00:26:18.899 be the 00:26:18.899 --> 00:26:19.680 crucified and 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:20.279 risen Christ 00:26:20.279 --> 00:26:21.759 who raises 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:22.200 the dead, 00:26:23.099 --> 00:26:23.579 opens the 00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:24.059 eyes of the 00:26:24.059 --> 00:26:24.740 spiritually blind, 00:26:25.059 --> 00:26:25.500 gives those 00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:26.059 who are deaf 00:26:26.059 --> 00:26:27.559 the ability 00:26:27.559 --> 00:26:28.500 to hear God. 00:26:28.500 --> 00:26:31.099 and calls 00:26:31.099 --> 00:26:31.559 those who 00:26:31.559 --> 00:26:32.200 confess him 00:26:32.200 --> 00:26:33.500 as Lord 00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:34.420 and profess 00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:35.140 him as 00:26:35.140 --> 00:26:36.220 saviour to 00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:36.900 follow him 00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:38.220 down that 00:26:38.220 --> 00:26:38.799 same road 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:39.779 of cross 00:26:39.779 --> 00:26:40.079 bearing. 00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:43.259 I mean, 00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:44.019 that's a 00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:44.779 glorious truth, 00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:46.099 but it's a 00:26:46.099 --> 00:26:46.519 heavy one. 00:26:49.420 --> 00:26:50.099 But to 00:26:50.099 --> 00:26:50.619 return to our 00:26:50.619 --> 00:26:51.079 text for a 00:26:51.079 --> 00:26:51.299 moment, 00:26:51.700 --> 00:26:52.119 back to 00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:52.880 verse 37, 00:26:53.880 --> 00:26:54.779 he now makes 00:26:54.779 --> 00:26:55.259 those words 00:26:55.259 --> 00:26:56.660 bind on all 00:26:56.660 --> 00:26:57.220 those who 00:26:57.220 --> 00:26:57.619 would follow 00:26:57.619 --> 00:26:59.479 him, not 00:26:59.479 --> 00:26:59.839 just the 00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:00.179 disciples 00:27:00.179 --> 00:27:00.759 present in 00:27:00.759 --> 00:27:01.219 that moment. 00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:05.459 Sorry, 00:27:05.559 --> 00:27:06.079 verse 38, 00:27:06.179 --> 00:27:06.579 excuse me. 00:27:06.939 --> 00:27:07.379 If anyone 00:27:07.379 --> 00:27:07.919 is ashamed 00:27:07.919 --> 00:27:08.839 of me and 00:27:08.839 --> 00:27:09.259 of my 00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:09.699 words and 00:27:09.699 --> 00:27:09.839 this 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:10.339 adulterous 00:27:10.339 --> 00:27:10.739 and sinful 00:27:10.739 --> 00:27:11.299 generation, 00:27:11.739 --> 00:27:12.079 the Son 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:12.539 of Man 00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:13.839 will be 00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:14.259 ashamed of 00:27:14.259 --> 00:27:15.579 them when 00:27:15.579 --> 00:27:16.079 he comes in 00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:16.659 his Father's 00:27:16.659 --> 00:27:17.500 glory with 00:27:17.500 --> 00:27:17.819 the holy 00:27:17.819 --> 00:27:18.279 angels. 00:27:20.019 --> 00:27:20.839 Jesus knows 00:27:20.839 --> 00:27:21.079 that we're 00:27:21.079 --> 00:27:21.599 tempted to be 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:21.939 ashamed of 00:27:21.939 --> 00:27:22.319 his words. 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:27.500 he knows 00:27:27.500 --> 00:27:29.599 that many 00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:30.079 of us, 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:31.759 me 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:32.139 included, 00:27:32.379 --> 00:27:32.759 especially 00:27:32.759 --> 00:27:33.119 me, 00:27:33.579 --> 00:27:34.579 I find 00:27:34.579 --> 00:27:34.879 it's hard 00:27:34.879 --> 00:27:35.200 to read 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:35.700 even as I 00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:36.079 speak it, 00:27:36.339 --> 00:27:36.779 have that 00:27:36.779 --> 00:27:37.839 tendency to 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:38.319 be a little 00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:38.879 gun shy 00:27:38.879 --> 00:27:41.039 when an 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:41.679 opportunity to 00:27:41.679 --> 00:27:41.939 share the 00:27:41.939 --> 00:27:42.579 gospel presents 00:27:42.579 --> 00:27:42.960 itself. 00:27:45.700 --> 00:27:46.299 What sort 00:27:46.299 --> 00:27:46.759 of feelings 00:27:46.759 --> 00:27:46.980 do we 00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:47.599 experience in 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:47.839 some of 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:48.279 those moments? 00:27:48.279 --> 00:27:52.359 some people 00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:52.859 are gifted 00:27:52.859 --> 00:27:53.500 evangelists, 00:27:53.819 --> 00:27:54.420 I'm not 00:27:54.420 --> 00:27:54.700 one of 00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:54.859 them. 00:27:56.379 --> 00:27:57.220 I feel the 00:27:57.220 --> 00:27:57.660 way of this 00:27:57.660 --> 00:27:58.139 even as I 00:27:58.139 --> 00:27:58.480 speak to 00:27:58.480 --> 00:27:58.599 you. 00:27:58.920 --> 00:28:01.279 The urge 00:28:01.279 --> 00:28:01.740 to gloss 00:28:01.740 --> 00:28:02.639 over the 00:28:02.639 --> 00:28:03.539 confrontational 00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:04.119 aspects of 00:28:04.119 --> 00:28:04.599 the gospel, 00:28:05.319 --> 00:28:05.980 it can be 00:28:05.980 --> 00:28:06.440 overwhelming. 00:28:08.639 --> 00:28:09.339 The urge 00:28:09.339 --> 00:28:10.119 to skate 00:28:10.119 --> 00:28:11.759 around the 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:12.099 number of 00:28:12.099 --> 00:28:14.359 issues is 00:28:14.359 --> 00:28:14.660 very, 00:28:14.879 --> 00:28:15.259 very powerful. 00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:16.480 I feel it. 00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:18.339 I'm sure 00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:18.799 that on some 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:19.240 level we 00:28:19.240 --> 00:28:19.839 all feel it, 00:28:20.039 --> 00:28:20.299 but we 00:28:20.299 --> 00:28:21.640 cannot yield 00:28:21.640 --> 00:28:22.019 to it. 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:25.059 You know, 00:28:25.099 --> 00:28:25.360 I'm not 00:28:25.360 --> 00:28:25.599 trying to 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:25.860 offend, 00:28:26.059 --> 00:28:26.440 I'm just 00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:27.240 simply pointing 00:28:27.240 --> 00:28:27.640 to what 00:28:27.640 --> 00:28:28.059 Jesus is 00:28:28.059 --> 00:28:28.299 saying, 00:28:28.500 --> 00:28:28.779 or else 00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:29.079 why would 00:28:29.079 --> 00:28:29.279 he have 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:29.599 said it? 00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:32.660 Jesus 00:28:32.660 --> 00:28:33.160 makes it 00:28:33.160 --> 00:28:34.640 clear that 00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:35.279 submission to 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:35.980 him will 00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:36.740 mean that 00:28:36.740 --> 00:28:37.160 we will 00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:37.940 endure some 00:28:37.940 --> 00:28:38.500 degree of 00:28:38.500 --> 00:28:39.059 disgrace for 00:28:39.059 --> 00:28:39.240 him. 00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:41.980 This is 00:28:41.980 --> 00:28:42.160 where I'm 00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:42.620 grateful for 00:28:42.620 --> 00:28:43.079 Connor last 00:28:43.079 --> 00:28:43.319 week. 00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:46.419 that was 00:28:46.419 --> 00:28:46.779 his first 00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:47.079 sermon, 00:28:49.019 --> 00:28:49.359 preaching 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:49.679 about 00:28:49.679 --> 00:28:51.299 wives 00:28:51.299 --> 00:28:51.740 submitting to 00:28:51.740 --> 00:28:52.200 husbands and 00:28:52.200 --> 00:28:52.679 husbands laying 00:28:52.679 --> 00:28:53.099 down lives 00:28:53.099 --> 00:28:53.460 for wives. 00:28:54.460 --> 00:28:55.299 Not okay in 00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:55.759 our cultural 00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:56.439 context. 00:29:00.619 --> 00:29:01.240 But what 00:29:01.240 --> 00:29:02.379 is it that 00:29:02.379 --> 00:29:02.659 is so 00:29:02.659 --> 00:29:03.899 offensive about 00:29:03.899 --> 00:29:04.220 Jesus' 00:29:04.460 --> 00:29:04.819 message? 00:29:06.619 --> 00:29:07.059 Well, 00:29:07.179 --> 00:29:07.639 back in the 00:29:07.639 --> 00:29:08.139 first chapter 00:29:08.139 --> 00:29:08.579 of Mark, 00:29:08.779 --> 00:29:09.259 for one 00:29:09.259 --> 00:29:09.679 example, 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:11.559 what is the 00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:11.980 message that 00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:12.399 opens his 00:29:12.399 --> 00:29:12.700 ministry? 00:29:12.700 --> 00:29:13.080 There's no 00:29:13.080 --> 00:29:13.319 need to 00:29:13.319 --> 00:29:13.640 go there. 00:29:13.840 --> 00:29:14.100 I'll read 00:29:14.100 --> 00:29:14.299 it to 00:29:14.299 --> 00:29:14.460 you. 00:29:14.980 --> 00:29:15.319 The time 00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:15.920 is fulfilled. 00:29:16.259 --> 00:29:16.620 The kingdom 00:29:16.620 --> 00:29:17.019 of God 00:29:17.019 --> 00:29:17.299 is at 00:29:17.299 --> 00:29:17.580 hand. 00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:18.299 Repent 00:29:18.299 --> 00:29:18.819 and believe 00:29:18.819 --> 00:29:19.259 the gospel. 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:19.660 There it 00:29:19.660 --> 00:29:19.799 is, 00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:20.240 repentance. 00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:23.600 That's 00:29:23.600 --> 00:29:24.000 the problem. 00:29:26.180 --> 00:29:26.920 As fallen 00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:27.340 creatures, 00:29:27.460 --> 00:29:27.920 apart from 00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:28.319 Christ, 00:29:28.920 --> 00:29:29.559 as sinful 00:29:29.559 --> 00:29:30.519 and rebellious 00:29:30.519 --> 00:29:31.039 humanity, 00:29:31.640 --> 00:29:32.259 we love 00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:33.200 our sin. 00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:35.860 We, 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:36.319 nowadays, 00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:37.299 identify 00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:38.039 ourselves by 00:29:38.039 --> 00:29:38.460 our sin. 00:29:39.019 --> 00:29:39.779 We don't 00:29:39.779 --> 00:29:40.380 want to 00:29:40.380 --> 00:29:41.120 change our 00:29:41.120 --> 00:29:42.039 minds about 00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:42.720 sin. 00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:45.460 Because that's 00:29:45.460 --> 00:29:45.879 what repentance 00:29:45.879 --> 00:29:46.299 means. 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:49.519 We want to 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:50.879 live apart 00:29:50.879 --> 00:29:51.420 from Christ, 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:52.119 as fallen 00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:52.480 people, 00:29:52.639 --> 00:29:53.240 our lives 00:29:53.240 --> 00:29:53.720 on our 00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:54.059 terms, 00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:54.839 deciding for 00:29:54.839 --> 00:29:55.420 ourselves, 00:29:56.159 --> 00:29:56.639 our own 00:29:56.639 --> 00:29:57.079 level of 00:29:57.079 --> 00:29:58.740 commitment and 00:29:58.740 --> 00:29:59.279 comfort and 00:29:59.279 --> 00:29:59.599 so on. 00:30:00.420 --> 00:30:00.940 At least that's 00:30:00.940 --> 00:30:01.399 who I was 00:30:01.399 --> 00:30:02.000 before I became 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:02.379 a Christian. 00:30:06.379 --> 00:30:06.940 We want to 00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:07.420 set aside 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:07.920 God's law 00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:08.460 and decide 00:30:08.460 --> 00:30:09.100 for ourselves 00:30:09.100 --> 00:30:09.880 what right 00:30:09.880 --> 00:30:10.300 and wrong 00:30:10.300 --> 00:30:10.600 are. 00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:13.100 And this 00:30:13.100 --> 00:30:13.320 was the 00:30:13.320 --> 00:30:13.700 problem in 00:30:13.700 --> 00:30:14.080 the garden, 00:30:14.180 --> 00:30:14.539 wasn't it? 00:30:16.320 --> 00:30:16.840 When you 00:30:16.840 --> 00:30:17.140 eat that 00:30:17.140 --> 00:30:17.400 fruit, 00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:17.840 your eyes 00:30:17.840 --> 00:30:18.200 shall be 00:30:18.200 --> 00:30:18.519 opened. 00:30:19.580 --> 00:30:19.900 You should 00:30:19.900 --> 00:30:20.240 be like 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:20.539 God, 00:30:21.300 --> 00:30:22.039 knowing good 00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:22.500 and evil, 00:30:22.900 --> 00:30:23.320 or in other 00:30:23.320 --> 00:30:23.500 words, 00:30:23.759 --> 00:30:24.279 deciding for 00:30:24.279 --> 00:30:25.100 yourself what 00:30:25.100 --> 00:30:25.380 good and 00:30:25.380 --> 00:30:25.820 evil are. 00:30:29.820 --> 00:30:30.220 And, 00:30:30.460 --> 00:30:31.140 friends, 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:31.880 I don't know 00:30:31.880 --> 00:30:32.460 everybody here. 00:30:32.460 --> 00:30:35.759 and if you 00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:36.299 haven't heard 00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:36.740 this message 00:30:36.740 --> 00:30:37.180 of repentance 00:30:37.180 --> 00:30:37.720 before, 00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:38.680 we pray 00:30:38.680 --> 00:30:39.900 you would 00:30:39.900 --> 00:30:40.140 hear it 00:30:40.140 --> 00:30:40.340 now. 00:30:41.299 --> 00:30:41.920 We pray 00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:42.480 that you 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:42.660 would be 00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:43.140 given ears 00:30:43.140 --> 00:30:43.480 to hear 00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:43.680 it, 00:30:44.980 --> 00:30:45.460 eyes to 00:30:45.460 --> 00:30:45.900 see Christ 00:30:45.900 --> 00:30:46.180 for who 00:30:46.180 --> 00:30:46.559 he is 00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:48.759 and where 00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.360 he stands 00:30:49.360 --> 00:30:50.079 in history 00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:51.620 as Lord 00:30:51.620 --> 00:30:52.160 of everything, 00:30:53.120 --> 00:30:53.620 everything. 00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:57.460 Not 00:30:57.460 --> 00:30:57.900 merely as a 00:30:57.900 --> 00:30:58.380 wise man, 00:30:58.880 --> 00:30:59.600 or as we 00:30:59.600 --> 00:31:00.059 see in so 00:31:00.059 --> 00:31:00.480 many church 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:00.860 buildings, 00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:01.779 kind of 00:31:01.779 --> 00:31:02.440 frozen and 00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:02.980 time as 00:31:02.980 --> 00:31:03.539 some mutant 00:31:03.539 --> 00:31:03.980 powerless 00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:04.519 child on 00:31:04.519 --> 00:31:04.940 his mother's 00:31:04.940 --> 00:31:05.140 lap, 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:07.360 but as 00:31:07.360 --> 00:31:07.840 the creator, 00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:08.620 the king, 00:31:08.980 --> 00:31:09.519 the messiah, 00:31:09.779 --> 00:31:10.160 the one 00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:10.680 who in 00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:11.500 love and 00:31:11.500 --> 00:31:12.080 in perfect 00:31:12.080 --> 00:31:12.779 obedience to 00:31:12.779 --> 00:31:13.259 his father 00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:14.799 sought to 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:15.680 rescue us 00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:17.000 from eternal 00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:17.900 separation from 00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:18.660 God because 00:31:18.660 --> 00:31:19.720 of our sin, 00:31:20.840 --> 00:31:21.380 took the 00:31:21.380 --> 00:31:21.840 criminal's 00:31:21.840 --> 00:31:22.220 punishment, 00:31:22.720 --> 00:31:22.940 which is 00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:23.240 death, 00:31:24.320 --> 00:31:24.980 that we 00:31:24.980 --> 00:31:25.600 all deserve 00:31:25.600 --> 00:31:26.100 for a 00:31:26.100 --> 00:31:26.380 rebellion 00:31:26.380 --> 00:31:27.180 against God. 00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:29.200 Jesus is 00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:29.740 the one who 00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:30.299 lived a 00:31:30.299 --> 00:31:31.059 sinless life 00:31:31.059 --> 00:31:31.960 on our 00:31:31.960 --> 00:31:33.340 behalf so 00:31:33.340 --> 00:31:33.740 that he 00:31:33.740 --> 00:31:34.319 could give 00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:36.120 us his 00:31:36.120 --> 00:31:36.700 righteousness. 00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:37.740 If we 00:31:37.740 --> 00:31:38.059 would only 00:31:38.059 --> 00:31:38.579 believe that 00:31:38.579 --> 00:31:38.920 this was 00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:39.200 so, 00:31:40.380 --> 00:31:40.920 see our 00:31:40.920 --> 00:31:41.259 desperate 00:31:41.259 --> 00:31:41.660 need, 00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:43.920 confess our 00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:44.880 sinfulness and 00:31:44.880 --> 00:31:45.559 our helplessness 00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:46.500 before him and 00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:47.440 submit to him as 00:31:47.440 --> 00:31:48.079 lord of our 00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:48.420 lives. 00:31:48.420 --> 00:31:49.420 We pray that 00:31:49.420 --> 00:31:50.279 Jesus opens your 00:31:50.279 --> 00:31:51.079 ears to hear his 00:31:51.079 --> 00:31:51.539 word to you 00:31:51.539 --> 00:31:51.840 today. 00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:53.740 Dear friend, 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:54.980 you need to 00:31:54.980 --> 00:31:55.660 change your mind 00:31:55.660 --> 00:31:56.440 about who is 00:31:56.440 --> 00:31:57.319 right and who 00:31:57.319 --> 00:31:57.740 is wrong. 00:31:58.019 --> 00:31:58.539 You need to 00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:59.259 change your mind 00:31:59.259 --> 00:32:00.079 about your 00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:00.339 sin. 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:02.099 And that's 00:32:02.099 --> 00:32:02.299 where the 00:32:02.299 --> 00:32:02.779 rest of us, 00:32:02.920 --> 00:32:03.539 the professing 00:32:03.539 --> 00:32:04.140 believers here, 00:32:04.980 --> 00:32:05.259 you know, 00:32:05.299 --> 00:32:05.680 it would be 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:06.279 much easier 00:32:06.279 --> 00:32:08.559 to, you 00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:08.680 know, 00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:09.460 to achieve 00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:10.099 great things 00:32:10.099 --> 00:32:10.519 for God 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:10.819 and have 00:32:10.819 --> 00:32:11.200 the world 00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:11.460 on a 00:32:11.460 --> 00:32:11.839 string as 00:32:11.839 --> 00:32:12.019 well. 00:32:12.359 --> 00:32:12.740 But that's 00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:12.940 not how 00:32:12.940 --> 00:32:13.339 it works. 00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:17.039 And I'm 00:32:17.039 --> 00:32:17.220 sure, 00:32:17.379 --> 00:32:17.900 even for 00:32:17.900 --> 00:32:18.519 those disciples 00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:18.859 who were 00:32:18.859 --> 00:32:19.519 there with 00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:19.839 Jesus, 00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:20.859 as he said 00:32:20.859 --> 00:32:21.440 those words, 00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:22.440 these truths 00:32:22.440 --> 00:32:23.019 landed on 00:32:23.019 --> 00:32:23.400 them like a 00:32:23.400 --> 00:32:23.640 ton of 00:32:23.640 --> 00:32:23.879 bricks. 00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:27.860 But Jesus, 00:32:28.180 --> 00:32:28.540 however, 00:32:28.840 --> 00:32:29.580 reminds them 00:32:29.580 --> 00:32:30.240 and us, 00:32:31.780 --> 00:32:32.140 it doesn't 00:32:32.140 --> 00:32:32.560 end there. 00:32:35.160 --> 00:32:36.160 The ultimate 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:37.060 glory is yet 00:32:37.060 --> 00:32:37.720 to come. 00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:39.360 First verse 00:32:39.360 --> 00:32:39.760 of chapter 00:32:39.760 --> 00:32:40.080 nine. 00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:43.100 Truly I 00:32:43.100 --> 00:32:43.560 tell you, 00:32:44.320 --> 00:32:45.080 some who are 00:32:45.080 --> 00:32:45.860 standing here 00:32:45.860 --> 00:32:46.720 will not 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:47.400 taste death 00:32:47.400 --> 00:32:48.660 before they 00:32:48.660 --> 00:32:49.300 see that the 00:32:49.300 --> 00:32:49.820 kingdom of 00:32:49.820 --> 00:32:50.300 God has 00:32:50.300 --> 00:32:51.260 come with 00:32:51.260 --> 00:32:51.580 power. 00:32:51.700 --> 00:32:52.140 Will not 00:32:52.140 --> 00:32:52.820 taste death 00:32:52.819 --> 00:32:54.039 before they 00:32:54.039 --> 00:32:54.619 see that 00:32:54.619 --> 00:32:55.059 the kingdom 00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:55.700 of God 00:32:55.700 --> 00:32:56.359 has come 00:32:56.359 --> 00:32:57.419 with power. 00:32:58.919 --> 00:32:59.559 Jesus is 00:32:59.559 --> 00:33:00.519 coming back. 00:33:03.700 --> 00:33:04.379 Next time 00:33:04.379 --> 00:33:04.599 though, 00:33:05.099 --> 00:33:05.480 he won't 00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:05.740 be the 00:33:05.740 --> 00:33:06.139 submissive 00:33:06.139 --> 00:33:06.480 servant. 00:33:08.019 --> 00:33:08.720 Next time 00:33:08.720 --> 00:33:08.899 though, 00:33:08.939 --> 00:33:09.139 it won't 00:33:09.139 --> 00:33:09.539 be a game 00:33:09.539 --> 00:33:10.039 of shadows. 00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:11.899 He will 00:33:11.899 --> 00:33:12.139 be the 00:33:12.139 --> 00:33:12.559 crowned 00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:13.359 king of 00:33:13.359 --> 00:33:13.779 heaven and 00:33:13.779 --> 00:33:13.960 earth, 00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:15.179 coming to 00:33:15.179 --> 00:33:15.859 bring his 00:33:15.859 --> 00:33:16.759 people to 00:33:16.759 --> 00:33:18.000 glory and 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:18.359 to judge 00:33:18.359 --> 00:33:18.759 the world. 00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:20.899 Next time 00:33:20.899 --> 00:33:21.299 he won't 00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:21.819 be merely 00:33:21.819 --> 00:33:22.799 before me, 00:33:22.819 --> 00:33:23.179 healing 00:33:23.179 --> 00:33:23.659 miracles, 00:33:24.119 --> 00:33:24.460 he will 00:33:24.460 --> 00:33:24.980 bring about 00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:25.980 a universal 00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:27.200 resurrection. 00:33:30.099 --> 00:33:30.480 And having 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:31.299 reminded his 00:33:31.299 --> 00:33:31.980 disciples of 00:33:31.980 --> 00:33:32.779 this future 00:33:32.779 --> 00:33:33.159 event, 00:33:33.639 --> 00:33:33.939 which is 00:33:33.939 --> 00:33:34.139 coming, 00:33:35.460 --> 00:33:36.319 he simply 00:33:36.319 --> 00:33:36.839 didn't leave 00:33:36.839 --> 00:33:37.299 them hanging 00:33:37.299 --> 00:33:37.679 at this 00:33:37.679 --> 00:33:37.980 point. 00:33:38.679 --> 00:33:39.200 The next 00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:39.819 event immediately 00:33:39.819 --> 00:33:40.379 after our 00:33:40.379 --> 00:33:41.200 text is 00:33:41.200 --> 00:33:41.539 his 00:33:41.539 --> 00:33:42.539 transfiguration. 00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:45.099 And he 00:33:45.099 --> 00:33:45.919 reveals himself 00:33:45.919 --> 00:33:46.439 in his 00:33:46.439 --> 00:33:47.259 full glory 00:33:47.259 --> 00:33:47.899 to his 00:33:47.899 --> 00:33:48.279 closest 00:33:48.279 --> 00:33:49.099 followers. 00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:49.960 They are 00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:50.720 given eyes 00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:51.539 to see 00:33:51.539 --> 00:33:51.839 him. 00:33:52.819 --> 00:33:54.519 and given 00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:55.539 ears to 00:33:55.539 --> 00:33:56.519 hear the 00:33:56.519 --> 00:33:57.200 father saying, 00:33:58.419 --> 00:33:59.299 this is my 00:33:59.299 --> 00:34:00.159 beloved son. 00:34:01.220 --> 00:34:02.079 Listen to 00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:02.339 him. 00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:04.279 They 00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:05.319 miraculously 00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:07.399 see and 00:34:07.399 --> 00:34:08.279 hear who 00:34:08.279 --> 00:34:09.079 Jesus is, 00:34:09.799 --> 00:34:10.619 perfectly in 00:34:10.619 --> 00:34:11.420 line with the 00:34:11.420 --> 00:34:12.480 teaching signs he 00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:12.799 has been 00:34:12.799 --> 00:34:13.219 performing 00:34:13.219 --> 00:34:13.840 throughout his 00:34:13.840 --> 00:34:15.099 ministry and 00:34:15.099 --> 00:34:15.319 with the 00:34:15.319 --> 00:34:15.679 healing of 00:34:15.679 --> 00:34:16.000 our blind 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:16.460 man today. 00:34:16.460 --> 00:34:20.059 So, 00:34:20.740 --> 00:34:22.780 how do we 00:34:22.780 --> 00:34:23.139 hear from 00:34:23.139 --> 00:34:23.699 Christ today? 00:34:26.019 --> 00:34:26.840 How do we 00:34:26.840 --> 00:34:27.460 see him 00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:28.840 perform his 00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:29.159 works? 00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:30.380 Well, 00:34:31.720 --> 00:34:32.079 Peter 00:34:32.079 --> 00:34:33.460 tells us 00:34:33.460 --> 00:34:33.679 how. 00:34:35.099 --> 00:34:35.579 Peter, 00:34:35.720 --> 00:34:36.079 who was 00:34:36.079 --> 00:34:36.639 sorely 00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:37.480 rebuked in 00:34:37.480 --> 00:34:38.019 our passage, 00:34:39.340 --> 00:34:40.360 tells us 00:34:40.360 --> 00:34:41.760 how we can 00:34:41.760 --> 00:34:42.220 do this. 00:34:42.460 --> 00:34:42.679 And if you 00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:43.039 want to turn 00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:43.440 to 2 00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:44.079 Peter 1 00:34:44.079 --> 00:34:44.599 16. 00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:53.079 That's 00:34:53.079 --> 00:34:53.579 page 00:34:53.579 --> 00:34:56.119 12222 00:34:56.119 --> 00:34:57.460 in the 00:34:57.460 --> 00:34:58.059 New 00:34:58.059 --> 00:34:58.340 Bible. 00:34:59.340 --> 00:34:59.759 2 00:34:59.759 --> 00:35:00.019 Peter 00:35:00.019 --> 00:35:00.300 1 00:35:00.300 --> 00:35:00.619 16. 00:35:00.619 --> 00:35:12.859 For we 00:35:12.859 --> 00:35:13.179 did not 00:35:13.179 --> 00:35:13.480 follow 00:35:13.480 --> 00:35:14.000 cleverly 00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:14.400 devised 00:35:14.400 --> 00:35:14.920 stories, 00:35:15.659 --> 00:35:16.299 only told 00:35:16.299 --> 00:35:16.599 you about 00:35:16.599 --> 00:35:16.960 the coming 00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:17.299 of our 00:35:17.299 --> 00:35:17.759 Lord Jesus 00:35:17.759 --> 00:35:18.319 Christ in 00:35:18.319 --> 00:35:18.599 power, 00:35:19.480 --> 00:35:20.319 but we 00:35:20.319 --> 00:35:21.759 were eyewitnesses 00:35:21.759 --> 00:35:22.639 of his 00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:23.019 majesty. 00:35:24.599 --> 00:35:25.099 He 00:35:25.099 --> 00:35:25.599 received 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:26.019 honour 00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:27.279 and glory 00:35:27.279 --> 00:35:28.039 from God 00:35:28.039 --> 00:35:28.539 the Father 00:35:28.539 --> 00:35:29.179 when the 00:35:29.179 --> 00:35:29.779 voice came 00:35:29.779 --> 00:35:30.179 to him 00:35:30.179 --> 00:35:30.799 from the 00:35:30.799 --> 00:35:31.199 majestic 00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:31.659 glory, 00:35:32.019 --> 00:35:32.319 saying, 00:35:32.619 --> 00:35:33.199 this is 00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:33.819 my son 00:35:33.819 --> 00:35:34.379 whom I 00:35:34.379 --> 00:35:34.699 love, 00:35:35.279 --> 00:35:35.879 with him 00:35:35.879 --> 00:35:36.339 I am 00:35:36.339 --> 00:35:36.940 well pleased. 00:35:37.239 --> 00:35:37.659 We 00:35:37.659 --> 00:35:38.539 ourselves 00:35:38.539 --> 00:35:40.119 heard this 00:35:40.119 --> 00:35:41.199 voice that 00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:41.719 came from 00:35:41.719 --> 00:35:42.679 heaven when 00:35:42.679 --> 00:35:43.059 we were 00:35:43.059 --> 00:35:43.480 with him 00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:44.639 on that 00:35:44.639 --> 00:35:44.980 sacred 00:35:44.980 --> 00:35:45.319 mountain. 00:35:46.519 --> 00:35:47.099 We 00:35:47.099 --> 00:35:47.559 also 00:35:47.559 --> 00:35:49.419 have the 00:35:49.419 --> 00:35:49.799 prophetic 00:35:49.799 --> 00:35:50.919 message as 00:35:50.919 --> 00:35:51.259 something 00:35:51.259 --> 00:35:51.879 completely 00:35:51.879 --> 00:35:52.679 reliable, 00:35:53.299 --> 00:35:53.699 and you 00:35:53.699 --> 00:35:54.039 will do 00:35:54.039 --> 00:35:54.500 well to 00:35:54.500 --> 00:35:55.119 pay attention 00:35:55.119 --> 00:35:55.539 to it, 00:35:55.899 --> 00:35:56.819 as to a 00:35:56.819 --> 00:35:57.319 light shining 00:35:57.319 --> 00:35:57.559 in a 00:35:57.559 --> 00:35:58.159 dark place 00:35:58.159 --> 00:35:59.119 until the 00:35:59.119 --> 00:35:59.859 day dawns, 00:36:00.179 --> 00:36:00.539 and the 00:36:00.539 --> 00:36:01.199 morning star 00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:03.219 rises in 00:36:03.219 --> 00:36:03.639 your hearts. 00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:04.199 Above all, 00:36:04.259 --> 00:36:04.519 you must 00:36:04.519 --> 00:36:05.199 understand that 00:36:05.199 --> 00:36:05.779 no prophecy 00:36:05.779 --> 00:36:06.239 of scripture 00:36:06.239 --> 00:36:06.879 came above 00:36:06.879 --> 00:36:07.539 by a prophet's 00:36:07.539 --> 00:36:08.259 own interpretation, 00:36:09.000 --> 00:36:09.559 for prophecy 00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:10.279 never had its 00:36:10.279 --> 00:36:10.699 origin in 00:36:10.699 --> 00:36:11.219 human will, 00:36:11.759 --> 00:36:12.399 but prophets 00:36:12.399 --> 00:36:13.019 through human, 00:36:13.199 --> 00:36:13.659 though human, 00:36:13.799 --> 00:36:14.899 spoke from God 00:36:14.899 --> 00:36:15.259 as they were 00:36:15.259 --> 00:36:15.759 carried along 00:36:15.759 --> 00:36:16.219 by the Holy 00:36:16.219 --> 00:36:16.619 Spirit. 00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:18.879 Peter is 00:36:18.879 --> 00:36:19.159 saying, 00:36:19.239 --> 00:36:19.539 and don't 00:36:19.539 --> 00:36:20.079 miss this, 00:36:21.739 --> 00:36:23.419 that we 00:36:23.419 --> 00:36:24.119 see and hear 00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:24.559 his works 00:36:24.559 --> 00:36:25.399 today in 00:36:25.400 --> 00:36:26.400 in this 00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:26.599 book, 00:36:26.639 --> 00:36:26.960 your Bible, 00:36:27.079 --> 00:36:27.480 which Peter 00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:28.420 says is 00:36:28.420 --> 00:36:29.280 something even 00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:30.099 more certain 00:36:30.099 --> 00:36:31.639 than seeing 00:36:31.639 --> 00:36:32.599 the transfiguration 00:36:32.599 --> 00:36:33.660 occur before 00:36:33.660 --> 00:36:34.340 your own 00:36:34.340 --> 00:36:34.800 eyes. 00:36:36.019 --> 00:36:36.579 That's 00:36:36.579 --> 00:36:37.000 astonishing. 00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:40.099 What a 00:36:40.099 --> 00:36:40.680 blessing God's 00:36:40.680 --> 00:36:41.139 word is to 00:36:41.139 --> 00:36:41.559 us today. 00:36:43.320 --> 00:36:44.280 We understand 00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:44.780 that these are 00:36:44.780 --> 00:36:45.300 heavy truths, 00:36:45.800 --> 00:36:46.160 but at the 00:36:46.160 --> 00:36:46.680 same time, 00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:47.320 our ultimate 00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:48.039 hope is not 00:36:48.039 --> 00:36:48.800 just in Christ 00:36:48.800 --> 00:36:49.619 who was 00:36:49.619 --> 00:36:50.680 2,000 years 00:36:50.680 --> 00:36:50.960 ago. 00:36:51.400 --> 00:36:52.039 Our ultimate 00:36:52.039 --> 00:36:53.079 hope is Christ 00:36:53.079 --> 00:36:53.860 as he is 00:36:53.860 --> 00:36:54.539 now, 00:36:54.819 --> 00:36:55.500 Christ as 00:36:55.500 --> 00:36:55.799 he will 00:36:55.799 --> 00:36:56.179 return. 00:36:58.920 --> 00:36:59.619 We pray 00:36:59.619 --> 00:37:00.500 that this 00:37:00.500 --> 00:37:00.940 portion of 00:37:00.940 --> 00:37:01.400 scripture is a 00:37:01.400 --> 00:37:01.920 blessing to us 00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:02.239 today. 00:37:03.500 --> 00:37:03.719 Amen. 00:37:04.799 --> 00:37:05.079 Amen. 00:37:07.940 --> 00:37:08.659 Our closing 00:37:08.659 --> 00:37:09.199 hymn, I think, 00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:09.940 is In Christ 00:37:09.940 --> 00:37:10.259 Alone. 00:37:12.759 --> 00:37:13.480 In Christ 00:37:13.480 --> 00:37:13.739 Alone. 00:37:13.940 --> 00:37:14.380 So we'll sing 00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:14.799 this together.