WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.780 Well, and good morning to you, more officially. 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:09.120 Sometimes I hate that my introduction each morning of myself is being silly with the kids, 00:00:09.120 --> 00:00:18.460 ! but that's also okay. Please turn in your copy of God's Word to Mark chapter 3. We'll be looking together today at verses 7 through 19. 00:00:19.059 --> 00:00:25.320 And as you're getting there, I just wanted to publicly say that I'm really thankful for our musicians. 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:34.380 We have been just immensely blessed with musical talent in our little congregation, and I hope you can be as thankful for them as I am. 00:00:34.579 --> 00:00:43.960 They get together and put together the arrangements of all of these songs on Sunday morning, usually about 8 o'clock, 8.30 they show up. 00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:49.260 Get up a little bit earlier than the rest of you and get here and work really hard at making that happen. 00:00:49.260 --> 00:00:54.820 And I love Christmas songs here, and I don't normally like Christmas songs too much, and so I'm thankful for them. 00:00:55.320 --> 00:01:00.939 I'm also really thankful for Wes. I realized last night, Wes was telling me his little heads up on his voice failing him, 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:04.540 and he's been feeling really sick, and realized that Wes has a perfect attendance record. 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:09.079 He has never once called in sick on leading us in songs. 00:01:09.140 --> 00:01:12.840 Sometimes he stands off to the side and lets somebody else sing more, but he's never actually said, 00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:17.439 I cannot get on stage this Sunday, and I'm thankful for that as well. 00:01:17.740 --> 00:01:21.400 Let's read together in Mark chapter 3, beginning in verse 7. 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:27.420 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, 00:01:27.880 --> 00:01:35.180 from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Edumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. 00:01:35.580 --> 00:01:38.420 When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him, 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:42.560 and he told the disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him. 00:01:42.980 --> 00:01:47.340 For he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 00:01:47.340 --> 00:01:51.980 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, 00:01:52.420 --> 00:01:53.640 You are the Son of God. 00:01:53.880 --> 00:01:56.320 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. 00:01:56.859 --> 00:02:01.260 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 00:02:01.520 --> 00:02:04.240 And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, 00:02:04.700 --> 00:02:09.420 so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. 00:02:10.140 --> 00:02:13.400 He appointed the twelve, Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter, 00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:16.939 James, the son of Zebedee, and John, the brother of James, 00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:21.240 to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder, 00:02:21.920 --> 00:02:27.480 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James, the son of Alphaeus, 00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:32.840 and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanian, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 00:02:33.099 --> 00:02:33.980 Let's pray together. 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:42.360 Father, we pray this morning that you will bless the reading, the preaching, and the hearing of your word. 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:48.520 That you will find us humble, submitting to its authority over our lives, 00:02:48.580 --> 00:02:51.760 and finding it sufficient as a guide for holy living. 00:02:53.020 --> 00:02:56.260 Father, we cannot accomplish any of this on our own. 00:02:57.180 --> 00:03:00.300 We are not wise enough of ourselves to understand. 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:07.380 I am certainly not gifted enough of myself to properly speak what this has to mean for us today. 00:03:08.220 --> 00:03:11.540 So we pray, Father, you work by your Spirit in us, and we pray this in Christ's name. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:12.699 Amen. 00:03:13.699 --> 00:03:19.139 So we've come through a number of different accounts of events that have happened, 00:03:19.139 --> 00:03:21.060 and Mark, he moves. 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:22.620 Boy, does he scoot right along. 00:03:22.699 --> 00:03:24.699 And he does it again to us here in 7 through 12. 00:03:24.799 --> 00:03:27.479 Just really presses through stories quickly. 00:03:27.560 --> 00:03:29.899 And I've said to you before, I've struggled a bit knowing, 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:31.519 what do we preach about? 00:03:31.579 --> 00:03:32.379 What do we say? 00:03:32.379 --> 00:03:38.219 I often read at the beginning of each week, kind of the next text as we work through this. 00:03:38.419 --> 00:03:42.979 And I don't really know where to stop, because often I read, in this case, 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:45.199 I read all the way to the end of the chapter until I really felt like, 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:47.519 okay, that's enough to talk about on Sunday morning. 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:53.700 But then as I continue to meditate on it and re-read it and meditate on it some more 00:03:53.700 --> 00:03:58.620 and pray about what it means for us, I'm able to back up a little bit and see more of the value 00:03:58.620 --> 00:04:05.640 and see why it is that Mark's account is so punchy and he moves so quickly here through the text. 00:04:06.480 --> 00:04:11.000 Recall recently we've been talking about all of these encounters that he had with the religious culture, 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:13.599 namely the Pharisees and the scribes. 00:04:13.719 --> 00:04:18.079 And he gets us now here to verse 7, saying that Jesus withdrew, 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:21.579 which I think is rightly understood in light of verse 6. 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:27.060 That after all these encounters, the Pharisees went out immediately and held counsel with the Herodians, 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:31.899 or would have been a kind of a political party of the day, against him, how to destroy him. 00:04:31.899 --> 00:04:37.160 And so he withdraws again to the wilderness to be by the sea. 00:04:37.160 --> 00:04:41.160 And we see again a great crowd following him. 00:04:41.700 --> 00:04:48.660 And it seems that he always in his ministry was walking a fine line between making himself known, 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:51.340 preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 00:04:51.440 --> 00:04:56.140 and having people know that he was in fact the Son of God, and death. 00:04:56.879 --> 00:05:00.440 And he did so because his time had not yet come. 00:05:00.500 --> 00:05:01.640 It had not been fulfilled. 00:05:01.640 --> 00:05:06.379 He was trying to perfectly complete his ministry. 00:05:06.379 --> 00:05:09.759 John chapter 7, verse 30, we see he says, 00:05:10.259 --> 00:05:11.399 excuse me, that it says, 00:05:11.480 --> 00:05:14.139 they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, 00:05:14.420 --> 00:05:17.639 because his hour had not yet come. 00:05:18.279 --> 00:05:20.740 And we see in our text here, verse 11 and 12, 00:05:21.180 --> 00:05:24.159 this account of the unclean spirits, 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:26.579 or people who were possessed by demons, 00:05:26.740 --> 00:05:30.639 falling down in front of him and proclaiming who he is. 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:32.360 You are the Son of God. 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:37.080 And he gives to them a strict command not to let him be known. 00:05:37.939 --> 00:05:47.580 So it's interesting that we see this activity as it seems to be juxtaposed against the activity of all of those who were following him. 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:51.639 Notice these people are coming from all regions now. 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:55.579 It's an expanding area as he's been ministering in Galilee. 00:05:55.579 --> 00:06:00.259 We see them coming from Jerusalem, which would have been the center of life for them. 00:06:00.419 --> 00:06:04.539 From Edumea, which was south of Jerusalem, a whole region south of Jerusalem. 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:08.039 From beyond the Jordan, which would have been east of Jerusalem, 00:06:08.139 --> 00:06:11.419 as Jerusalem lied to the west of Jordan. 00:06:11.860 --> 00:06:17.120 And from Tyre and Sidon, which are far north, kind of northeast on the coast of the Mediterranean. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:20.280 So people are coming from all over. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:26.939 And I've said to you repeatedly that these people were not necessarily disciples of Christ. 00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:29.759 Notice in our text, it says, 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:34.019 because they heard all that he was doing. 00:06:35.019 --> 00:06:35.680 Verse 10, 00:06:35.740 --> 00:06:37.240 For he had healed many. 00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:45.120 So they came to press in around him to gain what they could from him for their benefit. 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:51.180 They were following him for what he could do for them, not for who he was. 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:57.500 So it's interesting that he records here that the demons, when they encounter him, recognize who he is. 00:06:58.160 --> 00:07:02.519 They lay prostrate before him and claim that he is the Son of God. 00:07:02.579 --> 00:07:07.899 But it's not proper to think that they worshipped him in spirit and truth as they should have. 00:07:07.899 --> 00:07:15.639 James 2.19, James is giving us a case for faith and works and how they function in together. 00:07:15.939 --> 00:07:17.899 And he says, even the demons believe in shudder. 00:07:17.979 --> 00:07:26.459 And he's setting that up against those who are of faith, who are disciples, who follow, are also obedient to his ways. 00:07:27.099 --> 00:07:29.459 So I found that to be quite fascinating. 00:07:29.459 --> 00:07:38.959 So we see this juxtaposition going on here between the crowd and the demons, as well as great crowds and true disciples. 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:47.679 Remember in Luke chapter 10, Jesus sends out 72 disciples to begin advancing the kingdom work. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:53.319 We see here that he has 12 apostles, three of which were his close friends. 00:07:53.319 --> 00:08:02.439 And after his crucifixion and the beginning of Acts, we see that 120 are gathered, trying to figure out what they should do next. 00:08:02.620 --> 00:08:12.480 And so this seems to be the sum of the beginning of his ministry as he puts the wheels into motion for the gospel to advance amongst all peoples. 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:19.579 And that's where we find ourselves today, still in that process of preaching the gospel amongst all peoples everywhere. 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:22.360 So recognize that. 00:08:22.360 --> 00:08:26.620 That Jesus in many ways was very narrow. 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:31.480 We live in a day of acceptance of all things. 00:08:31.699 --> 00:08:38.480 And you seem to be a good person if you're open-minded and willing to wrap your arms around all things. 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:46.080 I have a very good friend that I kind of went through the college years with who was, by his own definition, very open-minded. 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:54.360 But if you weren't open-minded the same way he was, he didn't like you, which made him a very closed-minded, open-minded person, did it not? 00:08:54.920 --> 00:08:55.100 Right? 00:08:55.100 --> 00:09:02.960 But we see here that Jesus is very specific about who he comes to preach to and who he calls. 00:09:03.860 --> 00:09:07.420 Verse 9 says that he has the disciples prepare a boat for him. 00:09:08.120 --> 00:09:14.500 We can understand this, that what he was going to do was put some water between him and the crowd so they could no longer come to touch him, 00:09:14.940 --> 00:09:18.700 so they could no longer come to be healed, but so that he could preach. 00:09:18.700 --> 00:09:23.640 This is the primary thing that Jesus came to do. 00:09:24.040 --> 00:09:25.820 That was to preach. 00:09:26.400 --> 00:09:33.220 Remember that the signs that he was performing simply existed to validate the power of his message. 00:09:33.460 --> 00:09:35.200 That's why they existed. 00:09:35.680 --> 00:09:36.500 Remember the message. 00:09:36.620 --> 00:09:38.240 Chapter 1, verse 15. 00:09:38.340 --> 00:09:38.759 Jesus says, 00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:49.080 This is what he's driving at. 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:51.759 So we can see chapter 4, verse 1. 00:09:52.279 --> 00:09:54.620 He teaches behind the sea from a boat. 00:09:55.299 --> 00:09:58.539 So it's likely that this is why he would have had them prepared. 00:09:58.539 --> 00:09:59.019 Right? 00:09:59.500 --> 00:10:08.240 Both to spare his life, but to separate himself from what they were coming for and to rather give them what they needed. 00:10:09.459 --> 00:10:12.559 He steps away from this scene in verse 13. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.059 And in the ESV he says he went up on the mountain. 00:10:16.819 --> 00:10:20.360 And I spent some time this week trying to figure out what mountain this was. 00:10:20.539 --> 00:10:23.719 I thought there could be some significance and some weight to it. 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:28.279 And had quite a time until I thought, you know, I really probably ought to check the original text. 00:10:28.820 --> 00:10:30.820 Or to see what it really means. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:34.399 And in fact, you could easily render this and he went up on a mountain. 00:10:34.920 --> 00:10:36.920 There is no article in the Greek. 00:10:37.019 --> 00:10:39.019 So he just went up on a mountain. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:42.060 Likely to escape what was going on by the sea. 00:10:42.180 --> 00:10:43.100 To step away. 00:10:43.300 --> 00:10:46.519 To go to a place that was more reclusive. 00:10:46.700 --> 00:10:50.740 And he calls out of the group that is with him, that are his disciples, 00:10:50.740 --> 00:10:54.480 those whom he desired and they came to him. 00:10:55.700 --> 00:11:00.180 And we see here at work God's elective purposes. 00:11:01.080 --> 00:11:07.279 You notice that he does not go up on the mountain and post a job description and take applications 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:11.500 and choose amongst the applicants the best fitted for the job. 00:11:11.500 --> 00:11:16.259 But he rather calls those whom he desired. 00:11:16.940 --> 00:11:20.779 And then we see the poignant, short response of Mark. 00:11:21.080 --> 00:11:23.139 And they came to him. 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:25.720 John chapter 6, verse 44. 00:11:26.659 --> 00:11:27.240 Jesus says, 00:11:27.659 --> 00:11:32.360 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. 00:11:33.139 --> 00:11:35.940 And the Greek for draw here is not a nudging. 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:36.899 Right? 00:11:37.299 --> 00:11:39.019 Imagine a tug of war. 00:11:39.019 --> 00:11:42.299 I hope that none of you get into a tug of war. 00:11:42.439 --> 00:11:44.579 It's probably been years for most of you since that's happened. 00:11:45.019 --> 00:11:45.179 Right? 00:11:45.340 --> 00:11:49.220 And I hope that in your mind when you're drawing somebody in a tug of war, 00:11:49.319 --> 00:11:51.779 you're not gently coaxing them across the line. 00:11:52.139 --> 00:11:54.639 If you do that, I never want to be on a tug of war team with you. 00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:55.019 Right? 00:11:55.460 --> 00:11:56.720 You drag. 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:59.639 And the Greek word here means literally that. 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:00.480 To draw. 00:12:00.759 --> 00:12:01.860 To drag. 00:12:02.419 --> 00:12:02.600 Right? 00:12:02.600 --> 00:12:06.300 We find often in Greek literature this word used. 00:12:06.300 --> 00:12:09.259 The way water is pulled up out of a well. 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:10.080 Right? 00:12:10.340 --> 00:12:11.899 You don't beckon the water to come, 00:12:11.980 --> 00:12:15.680 but you rather put the bucket in and you bring it up by force. 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:18.519 And it comes out of the well. 00:12:18.980 --> 00:12:25.680 So here we see God's good purposes in electing men to be his apostles. 00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:29.019 These are no great men that he called. 00:12:29.019 --> 00:12:32.220 You remember that some of these men are tax collectors. 00:12:32.620 --> 00:12:36.699 They would have been viewed as the lowliest of individuals in the society. 00:12:36.840 --> 00:12:41.659 They would have been seen as betrayers of the nation of Israel. 00:12:41.939 --> 00:12:44.980 They were serving Rome by collecting taxes. 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:46.679 They were extortioners. 00:12:46.919 --> 00:12:48.600 In fact, the way they made their money, 00:12:48.699 --> 00:12:52.600 they were given permission to tax at whatever rate they wanted to, 00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:54.240 provided that Rome got theirs. 00:12:54.899 --> 00:12:55.079 Right? 00:12:55.299 --> 00:12:57.460 They were typically very evil men. 00:12:57.460 --> 00:12:59.160 They really weren't fair. 00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:04.900 And we see fishermen who were not wise men by any stretch of imagination. 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:07.940 In this region, this was the commons man job. 00:13:08.040 --> 00:13:12.060 The blue-collar work was to go and work on the fisher's boats. 00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:17.100 We see some rebels, quite possibly. 00:13:17.980 --> 00:13:21.740 Those who were of the nationalist party, so to speak. 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:24.920 I think they would have been tea party people in this day. 00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:28.659 Simon the Canaanite, which did not mean that he was from Canaan. 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:31.539 You'll see in other texts him called Simon the Zealot, 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:35.000 which likely means that he was part of this party. 00:13:35.839 --> 00:13:37.819 And there's some evidence, without getting into it, 00:13:37.899 --> 00:13:41.639 that Judas Iscariot was actually a mercenary, 00:13:42.179 --> 00:13:44.179 a hired gun for this party, 00:13:44.319 --> 00:13:48.539 that he would have actually carried out assassination attempts for money. 00:13:48.539 --> 00:13:53.599 And we see him later being tempted by money in the betrayal of Christ. 00:13:54.659 --> 00:13:56.240 All throughout the Gospel of Mark, 00:13:56.299 --> 00:14:00.099 we don't see the apostles presented as very holy men. 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:02.860 He's very clear to point out all of their faults, 00:14:02.919 --> 00:14:05.639 and he does that for us here in verse 19 with Judas, 00:14:05.980 --> 00:14:07.599 who betrayed him. 00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:10.120 Never building up the men themselves, 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:12.659 but the God of the men, rather. 00:14:12.659 --> 00:14:15.059 These men are called together, 00:14:15.339 --> 00:14:18.659 and they are men who would have been in great opposition to one another. 00:14:19.079 --> 00:14:22.519 Remember, fishermen were the ones being extorted by the tax collectors. 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:24.719 And those who were revolutionaries 00:14:24.719 --> 00:14:27.819 would have hated the tax collectors for being loyal to Rome. 00:14:28.299 --> 00:14:29.919 So, a hodgepodge of men, 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:32.139 all Jewish in descent to be sure, 00:14:32.459 --> 00:14:34.639 but calls together a group of individuals 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:36.240 who would have never associated 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:39.579 if it weren't for the calling of Christ. 00:14:39.580 --> 00:14:43.900 My mind was particularly drawn to the church in this day, 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:46.660 and that we should look this way. 00:14:47.220 --> 00:14:50.200 We should be of different background and affinity, 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:52.720 different ethnicities. 00:14:53.100 --> 00:14:54.440 We ought to be called together 00:14:54.440 --> 00:14:56.000 with the great commonality 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:59.280 of what God has done for us in Christ. 00:14:59.480 --> 00:15:01.080 I get a little bit burned up, 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:02.660 although it's in good motivation, 00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:04.879 and I don't fault men for doing it, 00:15:04.920 --> 00:15:06.060 but men who want to do things 00:15:06.060 --> 00:15:07.980 like start biker churches, 00:15:07.980 --> 00:15:12.159 who have a very narrow and specific group of people, 00:15:12.220 --> 00:15:14.039 and they're going to tailor everything that they do 00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:15.860 for that particular affinity. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:18.240 And the binding thing for them 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:22.039 begins to be more about loud pipes and chrome 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:23.240 than Jesus Christ. 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:25.120 So, these men, 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:26.920 who would have hated one another, 00:15:27.379 --> 00:15:29.080 go up on a mountain with Jesus, 00:15:29.480 --> 00:15:30.580 and they become apostles, 00:15:30.800 --> 00:15:33.180 and they spend the next three years together 00:15:33.180 --> 00:15:35.240 ministering with one another. 00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:38.779 And these ordinary men are called to do 00:15:38.779 --> 00:15:41.879 absolutely extraordinary things. 00:15:42.419 --> 00:15:46.220 We see two primary things that they are called to do. 00:15:46.680 --> 00:15:47.080 Firstly, 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:49.680 and it's easy to miss this, I think, 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:52.960 so that they might be with Him. 00:15:53.220 --> 00:15:54.240 See that in verse 14. 00:15:56.620 --> 00:15:59.019 So that they might be with Him. 00:15:59.019 --> 00:16:02.439 Jesus communed perfectly 00:16:02.439 --> 00:16:03.699 with the Father 00:16:03.699 --> 00:16:05.059 and the Spirit 00:16:05.059 --> 00:16:05.939 in His Spirit. 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:08.579 He had great communion with them. 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:09.939 This was not something that was broken 00:16:09.939 --> 00:16:12.139 when He came down from heaven 00:16:12.139 --> 00:16:14.019 and became a man. 00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:16.299 But He also communed 00:16:16.299 --> 00:16:18.240 with men in His flesh. 00:16:18.319 --> 00:16:19.259 He sets for us 00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:20.259 the example 00:16:20.259 --> 00:16:22.360 that while we need to commune 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:23.579 with the Trinity in our spirit, 00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:26.019 we also need to commune 00:16:26.019 --> 00:16:27.539 with the church 00:16:27.539 --> 00:16:28.679 in our flesh. 00:16:29.259 --> 00:16:31.360 We need one another. 00:16:31.819 --> 00:16:33.019 And this seems to be the case 00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:34.620 of Jesus Himself. 00:16:35.299 --> 00:16:36.460 Not that these men 00:16:36.460 --> 00:16:37.399 had particular gifts 00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:38.299 to offer to Him, 00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:39.980 but that He had a desire 00:16:39.980 --> 00:16:41.079 for community 00:16:41.079 --> 00:16:42.259 as a man. 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:44.779 Hebrews 10, 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:47.579 verse 23-25 00:16:47.579 --> 00:16:49.579 exhorts us to this. 00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:51.399 The writer says, 00:16:51.399 --> 00:16:52.600 Let us hold fast the confession 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:54.139 of our hope without wavering. 00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:55.620 For He who promised 00:16:55.620 --> 00:16:56.439 is faithful. 00:16:56.860 --> 00:16:57.679 And let us consider 00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:58.699 how to stir up one another 00:16:58.699 --> 00:17:00.500 to love and good works. 00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:01.759 So He's giving us 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:02.939 this exhortation 00:17:02.939 --> 00:17:04.740 to hold fast to our confession, 00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:06.259 to remain true 00:17:06.259 --> 00:17:07.180 in the faith 00:17:07.180 --> 00:17:08.220 because He who promised 00:17:08.220 --> 00:17:08.759 is faithful, 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:11.259 and to stir up one another 00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:12.599 to love and good works. 00:17:13.379 --> 00:17:15.359 To be operating 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:16.319 from faith 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:17.680 for faith. 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:19.859 Verse 25, 00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:21.200 not neglecting 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:22.200 to meet together. 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:23.160 They seem to be 00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:24.460 at odds with one another. 00:17:24.779 --> 00:17:25.820 If we're to do these things, 00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:27.860 we must meet together. 00:17:28.740 --> 00:17:29.140 He says, 00:17:29.360 --> 00:17:31.120 As is the habit of some, 00:17:31.259 --> 00:17:32.300 so it's no new thing 00:17:32.300 --> 00:17:33.600 that people don't meet together 00:17:33.600 --> 00:17:34.279 with the church, 00:17:34.600 --> 00:17:35.759 but encourage one another 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.680 and all the more 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:38.080 as you see the day 00:17:38.080 --> 00:17:39.140 drawing near. 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:41.100 So as Jesus sets for us 00:17:41.100 --> 00:17:41.779 an example, 00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:43.180 we can learn from this. 00:17:43.300 --> 00:17:44.840 Do we come together 00:17:44.840 --> 00:17:46.400 on Sunday mornings 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:48.100 and at various other times 00:17:48.100 --> 00:17:49.340 because it's the thing 00:17:49.340 --> 00:17:50.279 that Christians do? 00:17:51.019 --> 00:17:51.819 You're doing your 00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:52.680 proper duty 00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:53.359 if you show up 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:54.200 on a Sunday morning. 00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:55.680 You've paid your dues 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:56.379 and you can go on 00:17:56.379 --> 00:17:57.139 about your week. 00:17:57.480 --> 00:17:58.119 Or do you do it 00:17:58.119 --> 00:17:59.200 because you long 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:01.000 to be with God's people? 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:02.319 Because you know 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:03.079 that the mission 00:18:03.079 --> 00:18:04.319 that God has set us on 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:06.119 requires community. 00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:07.759 Because you have recognized 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:09.500 that true Christian ministry 00:18:09.500 --> 00:18:11.160 can never happen 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:12.700 apart from the context 00:18:12.700 --> 00:18:13.980 of the church. 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:15.200 That you have felt 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:16.319 your own weakness 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:17.339 and seen that you need 00:18:17.339 --> 00:18:18.319 to be built up 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:19.899 by the body of believers. 00:18:20.899 --> 00:18:22.279 I realize this 00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:23.639 more and more 00:18:23.639 --> 00:18:24.779 the more I mature 00:18:24.779 --> 00:18:25.460 in Christ. 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:27.700 I'm not outgrowing community, 00:18:27.899 --> 00:18:29.399 but I'm growing into it. 00:18:29.859 --> 00:18:32.039 I need you. 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:34.659 The praises that you guys sing 00:18:34.659 --> 00:18:35.480 on Sunday morning 00:18:35.480 --> 00:18:37.419 have immeasurable encouragement 00:18:37.419 --> 00:18:38.079 to my heart. 00:18:38.379 --> 00:18:38.899 You have to know 00:18:38.899 --> 00:18:40.059 I love that we do 00:18:40.059 --> 00:18:40.980 two songs before. 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:42.539 I usually don't sing. 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:43.399 I'm just quiet 00:18:43.399 --> 00:18:44.559 and listen to you guys 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:46.000 just belt it out. 00:18:46.119 --> 00:18:47.059 From the back of the room 00:18:47.059 --> 00:18:47.960 I can hear you. 00:18:48.399 --> 00:18:50.419 I need that kind 00:18:50.419 --> 00:18:51.440 of encouragement 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.220 to continue 00:18:52.220 --> 00:18:53.419 in the faith 00:18:53.419 --> 00:18:54.559 to love 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:56.259 and to good works. 00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:58.139 So he sets these 00:18:58.139 --> 00:18:59.339 men apart 00:18:59.339 --> 00:19:01.179 to be with him 00:19:01.179 --> 00:19:01.799 but also 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:03.799 to send them out. 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:04.379 In fact, 00:19:05.099 --> 00:19:06.480 this little parenthetical 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:07.339 that Mark adds 00:19:07.339 --> 00:19:08.759 whom he also named 00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:09.279 apostles 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:11.659 means sent out ones. 00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:12.859 That's what that word means. 00:19:12.980 --> 00:19:13.700 And certainly 00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:14.339 these were 00:19:14.339 --> 00:19:16.059 specific apostles. 00:19:16.059 --> 00:19:16.259 apostles. 00:19:16.919 --> 00:19:18.240 These twelve 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:18.919 later, 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:19.619 some were added 00:19:19.619 --> 00:19:20.179 to that number. 00:19:20.279 --> 00:19:20.819 We know Judas 00:19:20.819 --> 00:19:22.179 actually was not. 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:23.460 We added later 00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:25.859 Matthias and Paul 00:19:25.859 --> 00:19:26.679 get added to that 00:19:26.679 --> 00:19:28.039 number of apostles. 00:19:29.539 --> 00:19:30.440 But it means 00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:31.460 to us 00:19:31.460 --> 00:19:32.379 sent out ones. 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:33.619 We all have 00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:35.319 an apostolic 00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:35.940 calling. 00:19:36.619 --> 00:19:37.480 It would be wrong 00:19:37.480 --> 00:19:38.339 to call any of us 00:19:38.339 --> 00:19:38.799 apostles 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:40.159 for our understanding 00:19:40.159 --> 00:19:41.079 to properly give 00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:41.579 these men 00:19:41.579 --> 00:19:42.200 their specific 00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:42.940 time, 00:19:43.339 --> 00:19:43.960 their specific 00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:45.519 authority that they had 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:46.680 to author 00:19:46.680 --> 00:19:47.740 the word of God, 00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:49.180 some other things. 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:50.500 But we must recognize 00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:52.059 that as these men 00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:52.759 were sent out 00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:53.519 to preach, 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:55.839 so are we. 00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:57.299 Listen to Paul 00:19:57.299 --> 00:19:58.740 in 2 Corinthians 5 00:19:58.740 --> 00:20:00.299 beginning in verse 17. 00:20:00.379 --> 00:20:01.680 If anyone is in Christ, 00:20:01.779 --> 00:20:02.460 he is a new creation. 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:02.960 If anyone. 00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:04.079 So catch that. 00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:05.019 That includes all of you 00:20:05.019 --> 00:20:06.139 who are found in Christ. 00:20:06.139 --> 00:20:07.519 If anyone is in Christ, 00:20:07.879 --> 00:20:08.619 he is a new creation. 00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:09.819 The old has passed away. 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:10.339 Behold, 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:11.920 the new has come. 00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:13.759 All this is from God 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:14.799 who through Christ 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:16.180 reconciled us to himself 00:20:16.180 --> 00:20:17.279 and gave us 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:18.019 the ministry 00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:19.079 of reconciliation. 00:20:19.460 --> 00:20:20.839 Notice that inclusive language. 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:21.819 He gave it to us. 00:20:22.180 --> 00:20:22.759 That is, 00:20:22.819 --> 00:20:23.379 verse 19, 00:20:23.660 --> 00:20:24.440 in Christ, 00:20:24.859 --> 00:20:25.920 God was reconciling 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:26.980 the world to himself, 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:28.619 not counting their trespasses 00:20:28.619 --> 00:20:29.220 against them, 00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:30.619 and entrusting to us 00:20:30.619 --> 00:20:31.619 the message 00:20:31.619 --> 00:20:32.339 of reconciliation. 00:20:33.339 --> 00:20:33.720 Therefore, 00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:34.819 we are ambassadors 00:20:34.819 --> 00:20:35.500 for Christ. 00:20:35.740 --> 00:20:36.839 God making his appeal 00:20:36.839 --> 00:20:38.359 through us. 00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:39.200 We've been given 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:40.359 this message 00:20:40.359 --> 00:20:41.279 of reconciliation. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:42.740 And it is therefore 00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:44.779 now our responsibility 00:20:44.779 --> 00:20:45.759 as ambassadors 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:46.399 for Christ 00:20:46.399 --> 00:20:48.279 to make God's appeal 00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:49.599 through us. 00:20:50.940 --> 00:20:51.579 And to be clear, 00:20:51.660 --> 00:20:52.799 he doesn't need us 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:53.799 to accomplish that. 00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:55.839 Sit on your hands. 00:20:56.099 --> 00:20:56.660 Go right ahead. 00:20:56.759 --> 00:20:57.539 God will raise up 00:20:57.539 --> 00:20:58.160 new people 00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:59.339 to carry that message. 00:21:00.059 --> 00:21:01.359 He does this 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:03.119 because he loves us. 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:04.799 The greatest thing 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:05.720 that God could possibly 00:21:05.720 --> 00:21:06.359 give to us 00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:07.259 is himself. 00:21:08.220 --> 00:21:09.299 He has a mission 00:21:09.299 --> 00:21:09.720 in this world, 00:21:09.799 --> 00:21:10.559 and that is to redeem 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:11.180 his church. 00:21:11.619 --> 00:21:13.220 To make all things new. 00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:14.059 To restore things 00:21:14.059 --> 00:21:14.740 back to the way 00:21:14.740 --> 00:21:15.399 they should be. 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:17.259 And because he loves us, 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:18.480 he has decided 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.299 to use us 00:21:19.299 --> 00:21:20.119 as the means 00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:21.859 to that end. 00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:22.740 He's given us 00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:24.299 this message 00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:25.200 of reconciliation. 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:26.200 Which is what? 00:21:26.259 --> 00:21:27.420 The last half of verse 20 00:21:27.420 --> 00:21:28.119 says, 00:21:28.259 --> 00:21:29.099 We implore you 00:21:29.099 --> 00:21:30.579 on behalf of Christ 00:21:30.579 --> 00:21:32.579 be reconciled to God. 00:21:32.619 --> 00:21:33.240 And here it is. 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:33.859 Verse 21. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:35.059 For our sake 00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:36.180 he made him to be sin 00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:37.579 who knew no sin 00:21:37.579 --> 00:21:38.960 so that in him 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:40.279 we might become 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:41.279 the righteousness 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:42.740 of God. 00:21:45.059 --> 00:21:46.279 It's that simple. 00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:48.200 He made him 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:49.519 who knew no sin 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:51.299 to be sin 00:21:51.299 --> 00:21:52.299 so that in him 00:21:52.299 --> 00:21:53.720 we might become 00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:54.500 the righteousness 00:21:54.500 --> 00:21:55.720 of God. 00:21:56.059 --> 00:21:57.519 God owes 00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:58.160 sin 00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.660 eternal punishment. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.220 And he therefore 00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:02.940 had to punish it. 00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:04.240 He had to pour 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:05.039 his wrath out 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:05.819 on it. 00:22:05.819 --> 00:22:06.579 And he had to do 00:22:06.579 --> 00:22:07.339 so eternally. 00:22:07.419 --> 00:22:08.740 So only an eternally 00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:10.779 perfect sacrifice 00:22:10.779 --> 00:22:12.200 could die in our stead 00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:13.179 for our sin. 00:22:13.299 --> 00:22:14.839 This is the gospel message. 00:22:15.259 --> 00:22:16.259 And this is the message 00:22:16.259 --> 00:22:17.379 that these men 00:22:17.379 --> 00:22:18.179 were sent out 00:22:18.179 --> 00:22:18.720 to preach 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:20.159 the good news 00:22:20.159 --> 00:22:20.939 of the kingdom 00:22:20.939 --> 00:22:21.779 of God. 00:22:21.879 --> 00:22:22.599 Don't let that be 00:22:22.599 --> 00:22:23.799 too complex in your mind. 00:22:23.899 --> 00:22:24.639 This is the thing 00:22:24.639 --> 00:22:25.519 that they were meant 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.519 to go out 00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:27.720 and to preach. 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:29.980 At the end of Mark 00:22:29.980 --> 00:22:30.779 chapter 16 00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:31.360 verse 15 00:22:31.360 --> 00:22:32.380 we see Mark's account 00:22:32.380 --> 00:22:34.120 of the Great Commission 00:22:34.120 --> 00:22:35.200 recorded this way 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:35.860 and he said to them 00:22:35.860 --> 00:22:36.980 go into all the world 00:22:36.980 --> 00:22:37.920 and proclaim the gospel 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:38.900 to the whole creation. 00:22:39.539 --> 00:22:40.180 Whoever believes 00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:40.700 and is baptized 00:22:40.700 --> 00:22:41.480 will be saved 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:42.380 but whoever does not 00:22:42.380 --> 00:22:43.460 believe will be condemned. 00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:44.600 And these signs 00:22:44.600 --> 00:22:45.059 will accompany 00:22:45.059 --> 00:22:45.680 those who believe. 00:22:45.740 --> 00:22:46.120 In my name 00:22:46.120 --> 00:22:47.059 they will cast out demons. 00:22:47.500 --> 00:22:48.059 They will speak 00:22:48.059 --> 00:22:48.839 in new tongues. 00:22:49.160 --> 00:22:49.759 They will pick up 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:50.680 serpents with their hands 00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:51.299 and if they drink 00:22:51.299 --> 00:22:52.039 any deadly poison 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:52.960 it will not hurt them. 00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:54.079 They will lay their hands 00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:54.620 on the sick 00:22:54.620 --> 00:22:55.980 and they will recover. 00:22:55.980 --> 00:22:57.220 And here you see this 00:22:57.220 --> 00:22:59.079 prediction of the things 00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:00.000 that will happen 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:01.400 as he has said 00:23:01.400 --> 00:23:03.319 he's going to send them 00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:04.380 to go do this work. 00:23:04.579 --> 00:23:04.680 Right? 00:23:04.860 --> 00:23:05.519 For now 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:06.960 they were with him 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:07.799 later 00:23:07.799 --> 00:23:09.519 he sends them out 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:10.279 to preach 00:23:10.279 --> 00:23:11.579 in this way. 00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:13.819 Now we're going to deal with 00:23:13.819 --> 00:23:14.720 I believe 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:15.380 next week 00:23:15.380 --> 00:23:15.920 the authority 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:16.819 to cast out demons 00:23:16.819 --> 00:23:18.480 and everything I just read 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:19.240 at the end of Mark 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:21.700 that seemed fantastical 00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:22.259 to you. 00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:23.759 I think that's a made up word. 00:23:23.880 --> 00:23:24.339 I just made up. 00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:25.160 Right? 00:23:25.680 --> 00:23:25.880 Well 00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:27.080 we'll address these things. 00:23:27.280 --> 00:23:28.180 There are whole 00:23:28.180 --> 00:23:30.000 sects of our religion 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:31.080 that bank 00:23:31.080 --> 00:23:31.920 on some of these 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:32.680 verses 00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:33.640 at the end of Mark 00:23:33.640 --> 00:23:34.700 chapter 16. 00:23:35.600 --> 00:23:36.260 I wonder if any of you 00:23:36.260 --> 00:23:36.640 have ever been 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:37.140 in the hills 00:23:37.140 --> 00:23:37.940 of Appalachia 00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:38.620 and seen people 00:23:38.620 --> 00:23:39.300 handle serpents 00:23:39.300 --> 00:23:39.920 as a result 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:41.520 of these verses. 00:23:42.320 --> 00:23:43.020 But primarily 00:23:43.020 --> 00:23:43.800 I want to focus 00:23:43.800 --> 00:23:44.380 on the fact 00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:45.340 that they were meant 00:23:45.340 --> 00:23:45.980 to preach. 00:23:46.080 --> 00:23:47.060 Notice it's 00:23:47.060 --> 00:23:48.680 ordered in that way. 00:23:49.240 --> 00:23:49.260 Right? 00:23:49.360 --> 00:23:49.960 And in Greek 00:23:49.960 --> 00:23:50.660 things were always 00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:51.660 ordered in that function. 00:23:52.120 --> 00:23:53.060 Greatest to least. 00:23:53.300 --> 00:23:53.460 Right? 00:23:53.520 --> 00:23:54.100 So this is the 00:23:54.100 --> 00:23:55.700 more important thing. 00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:56.080 Right? 00:23:56.120 --> 00:23:56.740 We've seen already 00:23:56.740 --> 00:23:57.400 that this was the 00:23:57.400 --> 00:23:58.140 major thrust 00:23:58.140 --> 00:23:58.799 of Jesus' 00:23:59.120 --> 00:23:59.779 ministry. 00:24:00.039 --> 00:24:00.220 Right? 00:24:00.360 --> 00:24:01.100 Was to preach 00:24:01.100 --> 00:24:01.759 the kingdom. 00:24:02.180 --> 00:24:02.840 The works just 00:24:02.840 --> 00:24:03.460 accompanied it 00:24:03.460 --> 00:24:04.039 to give validity 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:04.440 to it. 00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:04.920 We've got to keep 00:24:04.920 --> 00:24:05.539 that straight 00:24:05.539 --> 00:24:06.640 in our minds. 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:07.680 Paul said in 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:08.420 Romans chapter 1 00:24:08.420 --> 00:24:09.480 verse 16 and 17 00:24:09.480 --> 00:24:11.860 the thesis statement 00:24:11.860 --> 00:24:13.700 of the book of Romans. 00:24:13.700 --> 00:24:14.660 For I am not ashamed 00:24:14.660 --> 00:24:15.240 of the gospel 00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:16.660 for it is the power 00:24:16.660 --> 00:24:17.920 of God for salvation 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:18.940 to everyone who believes 00:24:18.940 --> 00:24:19.779 the Jew first 00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:21.059 and also to the Greek. 00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:22.319 For in it the righteousness 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:23.279 of God is revealed 00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:24.880 from faith for faith. 00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:26.160 As it is written 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:26.660 the righteous 00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:27.900 shall live 00:24:27.900 --> 00:24:29.200 by faith. 00:24:29.720 --> 00:24:30.259 Paul says 00:24:30.259 --> 00:24:31.440 I'm not ashamed 00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:32.559 of the gospel. 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:33.380 And I would ask you 00:24:33.380 --> 00:24:33.819 this morning 00:24:33.819 --> 00:24:34.640 how many of you 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:35.460 are ashamed 00:24:35.460 --> 00:24:36.519 of the gospel. 00:24:37.220 --> 00:24:38.000 You're sitting in your seat 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:38.779 you may not say that 00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.480 but how boldly 00:24:39.480 --> 00:24:40.420 do you proclaim it? 00:24:41.460 --> 00:24:42.359 Given a situation 00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:43.359 to speak 00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:44.900 of the good news 00:24:44.900 --> 00:24:45.680 of Jesus Christ 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:46.759 do you press into it 00:24:46.759 --> 00:24:48.279 or do you shrink back? 00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:50.480 The gospel itself 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:51.720 is the power 00:24:51.720 --> 00:24:52.880 of God 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:54.119 for salvation. 00:24:54.940 --> 00:24:55.980 You see that our religion 00:24:55.980 --> 00:24:56.660 is a religion 00:24:56.660 --> 00:24:57.880 of words. 00:24:58.380 --> 00:24:58.779 Romans 10 00:24:58.779 --> 00:24:59.460 17 says 00:24:59.460 --> 00:25:00.339 so faith comes from hearing 00:25:00.339 --> 00:25:00.839 and hearing 00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:02.079 through the word 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:03.180 of Christ. 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:04.660 It was through God's word 00:25:04.660 --> 00:25:05.759 that he created the world. 00:25:06.059 --> 00:25:06.920 It is through God's word 00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:07.900 that he sustained 00:25:07.900 --> 00:25:08.460 the world 00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:09.440 and it is through 00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:10.220 his word 00:25:10.220 --> 00:25:11.580 that he regenerates 00:25:11.580 --> 00:25:12.400 souls. 00:25:13.360 --> 00:25:14.580 This is an amazing 00:25:14.580 --> 00:25:15.460 thing. 00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:17.060 The power of words 00:25:17.060 --> 00:25:19.120 is phenomenal 00:25:19.120 --> 00:25:20.220 in this way. 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:22.259 The readers here 00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:23.060 of Romans 00:25:23.060 --> 00:25:23.480 would have had 00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:24.700 their minds drawn back 00:25:24.700 --> 00:25:25.980 as Paul talks about 00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:26.440 this being 00:25:26.440 --> 00:25:27.940 the power of God 00:25:27.940 --> 00:25:28.560 for salvation 00:25:28.560 --> 00:25:29.860 to all of the things 00:25:29.860 --> 00:25:30.680 that God had done 00:25:30.680 --> 00:25:31.640 on behalf 00:25:31.640 --> 00:25:32.620 of his people. 00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:34.259 Think of all the 00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.600 wonderful things 00:25:35.600 --> 00:25:36.460 that God has done. 00:25:36.460 --> 00:25:38.600 magnificent things. 00:25:39.019 --> 00:25:40.079 Splitting red seas 00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:41.160 leading by pillars 00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:41.819 of smoke 00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:42.620 and fire 00:25:42.620 --> 00:25:44.140 defeating armies. 00:25:44.519 --> 00:25:45.480 Walls of Jericho 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:46.819 coming crashing down. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:49.039 And certainly 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:50.079 the hearts of men 00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:51.120 have great 00:25:51.120 --> 00:25:52.779 stronghold walls 00:25:52.779 --> 00:25:53.440 around them 00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:54.200 of sin 00:25:54.200 --> 00:25:55.220 but it is the power 00:25:55.220 --> 00:25:55.860 of God 00:25:55.860 --> 00:25:56.880 to break those walls 00:25:56.880 --> 00:25:57.779 down and change 00:25:57.779 --> 00:25:59.160 men's hearts. 00:25:59.420 --> 00:25:59.819 This 00:25:59.819 --> 00:26:01.319 is the gospel 00:26:01.319 --> 00:26:02.360 that we have been 00:26:02.360 --> 00:26:03.500 entrusted with. 00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:04.720 the message 00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:05.880 of reconciliation. 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:08.640 And it is a 00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:09.599 simple message. 00:26:10.039 --> 00:26:10.859 A powerful 00:26:10.859 --> 00:26:12.299 but simple 00:26:12.299 --> 00:26:13.140 message. 00:26:13.539 --> 00:26:14.480 Jesus sums it up 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:15.880 here in one verse. 00:26:15.980 --> 00:26:16.599 The time is fulfilled 00:26:16.599 --> 00:26:17.140 in the kingdom of God 00:26:17.140 --> 00:26:17.480 as a hand. 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:18.839 Repent and believe 00:26:18.839 --> 00:26:20.799 in the gospel. 00:26:22.460 --> 00:26:23.400 Charles Spurgeon 00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:24.720 once said, 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:25.720 never lose heart 00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:26.440 in the power 00:26:26.440 --> 00:26:27.019 of the gospel. 00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:28.119 Do not believe 00:26:28.119 --> 00:26:28.839 that there exists 00:26:28.839 --> 00:26:29.619 any man 00:26:29.619 --> 00:26:30.660 much less 00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:31.799 any race of men 00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:33.019 for whom the gospel 00:26:33.019 --> 00:26:34.899 is not fitted. 00:26:35.779 --> 00:26:36.480 We have been 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:37.440 entrusted with this 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:38.119 and I know 00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:38.779 many of you 00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:39.819 don't feel adequate 00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:40.759 for that task. 00:26:41.339 --> 00:26:41.619 Good. 00:26:42.279 --> 00:26:43.220 But the spirit 00:26:43.220 --> 00:26:44.000 that dwells within you 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:44.919 is fully adequate. 00:26:45.379 --> 00:26:46.339 Completely sufficient 00:26:46.339 --> 00:26:47.259 to accomplish 00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:48.259 that task. 00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:48.899 Many of you 00:26:48.899 --> 00:26:49.440 may not feel 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:50.259 smart enough 00:26:50.259 --> 00:26:51.220 to take on 00:26:51.220 --> 00:26:52.099 the debates 00:26:52.099 --> 00:26:53.079 of this day. 00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:54.359 You're probably not. 00:26:54.819 --> 00:26:55.680 And that's okay. 00:26:56.220 --> 00:26:57.839 Just preach 00:26:57.839 --> 00:26:58.759 the gospel. 00:26:59.419 --> 00:27:00.159 Let God 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:00.880 be powerful 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:01.840 in it. 00:27:03.400 --> 00:27:04.680 You can trust 00:27:04.680 --> 00:27:05.560 that he will be. 00:27:05.700 --> 00:27:06.440 That he will accomplish 00:27:06.440 --> 00:27:07.300 his good purchase. 00:27:07.560 --> 00:27:08.180 That he will draw 00:27:08.180 --> 00:27:08.680 to himself 00:27:08.680 --> 00:27:09.960 those whom he 00:27:09.960 --> 00:27:10.680 desires 00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:11.660 as you go 00:27:11.660 --> 00:27:12.740 and you speak 00:27:12.740 --> 00:27:14.060 and you preach. 00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:16.040 In Paul's first letter 00:27:16.040 --> 00:27:17.040 to the Corinthian church 00:27:17.040 --> 00:27:18.140 turn here with me 00:27:18.140 --> 00:27:18.740 chapter 2 00:27:18.740 --> 00:27:19.640 verse 1 00:27:19.640 --> 00:27:21.519 of 1 Corinthians. 00:27:26.320 --> 00:27:27.180 Paul helps drive 00:27:27.180 --> 00:27:27.840 this point for us. 00:27:28.540 --> 00:27:29.120 And I am amazed 00:27:29.120 --> 00:27:30.000 that numerous times 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:31.099 in Paul's writing 00:27:31.099 --> 00:27:32.599 he claims to be 00:27:32.599 --> 00:27:33.160 a man of 00:27:33.160 --> 00:27:34.500 simple speech 00:27:34.500 --> 00:27:36.299 and low understanding 00:27:36.299 --> 00:27:37.259 and his writing 00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:38.500 is so phenomenally 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:39.140 complex. 00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:41.140 Maybe in the 00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:41.539 Greek day 00:27:41.539 --> 00:27:42.339 it was actually 00:27:42.339 --> 00:27:42.900 simple. 00:27:44.279 --> 00:27:45.019 To kind of 00:27:45.019 --> 00:27:45.539 set the stage 00:27:45.539 --> 00:27:45.940 for you 00:27:45.940 --> 00:27:47.240 Paul arrived 00:27:47.240 --> 00:27:47.599 in Corinth 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:48.200 for the first time 00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:48.920 in AD 50. 00:27:50.380 --> 00:27:51.059 Corinth was a 00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:52.000 highly cultured 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:52.400 town. 00:27:53.440 --> 00:27:53.960 Possessed 00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:54.619 the best 00:27:54.619 --> 00:27:55.599 of Greek culture. 00:27:56.019 --> 00:27:56.420 And the Greeks 00:27:56.420 --> 00:27:57.519 really valued 00:27:57.519 --> 00:27:58.299 high learning. 00:27:58.539 --> 00:27:59.400 It was incredibly 00:27:59.400 --> 00:27:59.860 important 00:27:59.860 --> 00:28:00.860 thing to them. 00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:02.060 And in fact 00:28:02.060 --> 00:28:03.360 Corinth possessed 00:28:03.360 --> 00:28:04.200 a really famous 00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:04.880 outdoor theater 00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:05.480 that could seat 00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:07.660 20,000 people. 00:28:08.620 --> 00:28:09.300 One of the things 00:28:09.300 --> 00:28:09.920 they possessed 00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:10.540 that they 00:28:10.540 --> 00:28:11.660 honored 00:28:11.660 --> 00:28:12.420 higher than other 00:28:12.420 --> 00:28:12.880 things 00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:14.320 was lofty speech. 00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:15.660 It was an incredibly 00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:16.540 important thing 00:28:16.540 --> 00:28:16.900 to them. 00:28:17.460 --> 00:28:17.860 In fact 00:28:17.860 --> 00:28:20.200 here from 00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:21.060 I just lost 00:28:21.060 --> 00:28:21.340 the spot. 00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:21.740 Here we go. 00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:22.740 From Stephen J. 00:28:22.820 --> 00:28:23.340 Lawson's book 00:28:23.340 --> 00:28:24.160 The Kind of Preaching 00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:25.040 God Blesses 00:28:25.040 --> 00:28:26.000 for the citizens 00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:26.500 in Corinth 00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:27.500 public rhetoric 00:28:27.500 --> 00:28:28.019 was something 00:28:28.019 --> 00:28:29.240 lofty and noble. 00:28:29.660 --> 00:28:30.420 Something almost 00:28:30.420 --> 00:28:31.200 godlike. 00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:32.460 It was a refined 00:28:32.460 --> 00:28:33.480 form of artistic 00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:34.640 expression that 00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:35.600 replaced the 00:28:35.600 --> 00:28:36.460 savage violence 00:28:36.460 --> 00:28:37.400 of gladiatorial 00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:38.360 fights and 00:28:38.360 --> 00:28:39.400 barbaric sports. 00:28:39.720 --> 00:28:40.500 It was worshiped. 00:28:40.500 --> 00:28:41.120 Imagine in your 00:28:41.120 --> 00:28:41.820 own mind we have 00:28:41.820 --> 00:28:42.540 lots of different 00:28:42.540 --> 00:28:43.220 things that we 00:28:43.220 --> 00:28:43.740 as a culture 00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:44.120 worship. 00:28:44.300 --> 00:28:45.100 But what is most 00:28:45.100 --> 00:28:45.800 highly worshipped 00:28:45.800 --> 00:28:46.420 in our culture? 00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:48.180 Football players, 00:28:48.620 --> 00:28:49.460 baseball players, 00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:50.800 celebrity, 00:28:51.619 --> 00:28:52.619 things that we 00:28:52.619 --> 00:28:53.480 highly, highly 00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:54.079 worship those 00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:54.339 things. 00:28:54.579 --> 00:28:55.440 These men that 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:56.139 were these fine 00:28:56.139 --> 00:28:56.799 orders that would 00:28:56.799 --> 00:28:57.500 deliver these 00:28:57.500 --> 00:28:59.159 rhetorical speeches 00:28:59.159 --> 00:29:00.139 to drive somebody 00:29:00.139 --> 00:29:00.799 to think a certain 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:02.019 way were the 00:29:02.019 --> 00:29:03.319 great men that 00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:03.940 were praised 00:29:03.940 --> 00:29:04.559 in this day. 00:29:04.680 --> 00:29:05.019 And this is 00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:05.680 Corinth that he 00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:06.659 goes and visits. 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:07.680 He had encountered 00:29:07.680 --> 00:29:08.799 many troubles 00:29:08.799 --> 00:29:09.720 up to this point. 00:29:10.059 --> 00:29:10.759 Both physical 00:29:10.759 --> 00:29:11.299 things and 00:29:11.299 --> 00:29:12.000 spiritual things. 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:12.859 There were a lot 00:29:12.859 --> 00:29:13.839 of closed doors 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:14.539 to him as he 00:29:14.539 --> 00:29:15.440 had entered into 00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:16.819 Greek cultures 00:29:16.819 --> 00:29:17.599 before he gets 00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:18.200 to Corinth. 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:18.839 And I would 00:29:18.839 --> 00:29:19.919 imagine for him 00:29:19.919 --> 00:29:20.680 there would have 00:29:20.680 --> 00:29:21.060 been some 00:29:21.060 --> 00:29:22.000 temptation to 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:22.420 change the 00:29:22.420 --> 00:29:22.880 methodology. 00:29:23.820 --> 00:29:24.400 To in some 00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:24.779 way think, 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:25.960 okay, I've 00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:26.460 entered into 00:29:26.460 --> 00:29:26.860 now these 00:29:26.860 --> 00:29:28.019 arenas of 00:29:28.019 --> 00:29:28.620 these highly 00:29:28.620 --> 00:29:29.400 educated people 00:29:29.400 --> 00:29:30.160 who really 00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:30.880 desire this 00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:31.799 high and lofty 00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:32.920 speech and 00:29:32.920 --> 00:29:33.700 have not gained 00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:34.340 any ground. 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:35.100 What could I 00:29:35.100 --> 00:29:36.980 do to better 00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:38.279 reach people? 00:29:38.539 --> 00:29:39.200 Oh, good 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:40.019 motivation in 00:29:40.019 --> 00:29:40.200 that. 00:29:40.279 --> 00:29:40.820 We see people 00:29:40.820 --> 00:29:42.259 all over this 00:29:42.259 --> 00:29:43.080 day doing that 00:29:43.080 --> 00:29:44.080 very same thing. 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:45.840 Many slick 00:29:45.840 --> 00:29:46.799 tongues watering 00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:47.900 down the gospel 00:29:47.900 --> 00:29:49.259 in the desire to 00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:49.980 introduce people 00:29:49.980 --> 00:29:50.799 to Christ, 00:29:50.920 --> 00:29:51.220 but they 00:29:51.220 --> 00:29:53.000 therefore forsake 00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:53.579 the gospel 00:29:53.579 --> 00:29:54.460 altogether. 00:29:55.360 --> 00:29:56.059 Spurgeon also 00:29:56.059 --> 00:29:56.720 said, I'm going 00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:57.000 to see if I can 00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:57.480 get this right 00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:57.819 in my own 00:29:57.819 --> 00:29:59.160 head, that if 00:29:59.160 --> 00:30:00.200 God does not 00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:00.920 save people with 00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:01.339 the truth, he 00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:01.860 will certainly 00:30:01.860 --> 00:30:02.660 not save them 00:30:02.660 --> 00:30:03.440 with a lie. 00:30:06.339 --> 00:30:06.940 Isn't that 00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:07.140 true? 00:30:07.220 --> 00:30:07.559 Listen to what 00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:08.500 Paul says to 00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:09.059 the Corinthian 00:30:09.059 --> 00:30:09.420 church. 00:30:10.420 --> 00:30:11.440 1 Corinthians 2 00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:11.940 verse 1, 00:30:11.940 --> 00:30:13.100 And I, when I 00:30:13.100 --> 00:30:13.460 came to you 00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:14.059 brothers, did 00:30:14.059 --> 00:30:14.600 not come 00:30:14.600 --> 00:30:15.299 proclaiming to 00:30:15.299 --> 00:30:15.880 you the 00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:16.420 testimony of 00:30:16.420 --> 00:30:16.940 God with 00:30:16.940 --> 00:30:17.840 lofty speech 00:30:17.840 --> 00:30:18.360 or wisdom. 00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:19.880 That's the 00:30:19.880 --> 00:30:20.680 cultural context 00:30:20.680 --> 00:30:21.019 for you to 00:30:21.019 --> 00:30:21.759 understand what 00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:22.180 he's saying. 00:30:22.820 --> 00:30:23.480 For I decided 00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:24.100 to know nothing 00:30:24.100 --> 00:30:24.920 among you except 00:30:24.920 --> 00:30:26.160 Jesus Christ and 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:27.080 him crucified. 00:30:27.620 --> 00:30:28.279 And I was with 00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:28.900 you in weakness 00:30:28.900 --> 00:30:30.320 and in fear and 00:30:30.320 --> 00:30:31.019 much trembling. 00:30:31.320 --> 00:30:32.220 And my speech 00:30:32.220 --> 00:30:33.100 and my message 00:30:33.100 --> 00:30:33.900 were not in 00:30:33.900 --> 00:30:35.200 plausible words of 00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:36.340 wisdom, but in 00:30:36.340 --> 00:30:37.180 demonstration of the 00:30:37.180 --> 00:30:37.820 spirit and of 00:30:37.820 --> 00:30:38.880 power, so that your 00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:40.100 faith may not rest in 00:30:40.099 --> 00:30:41.000 the wisdom of men, 00:30:41.299 --> 00:30:42.199 but in the power 00:30:42.199 --> 00:30:43.219 of God. 00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:44.879 You hear him 00:30:44.879 --> 00:30:45.699 driving that very 00:30:45.699 --> 00:30:46.339 point that I've been 00:30:46.339 --> 00:30:46.980 making to you, 00:30:47.459 --> 00:30:47.719 right? 00:30:47.839 --> 00:30:49.259 The message that 00:30:49.259 --> 00:30:50.599 Paul brought was 00:30:50.599 --> 00:30:52.000 Jesus Christ and 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:53.099 him crucified. 00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:54.959 Nothing more and 00:30:54.959 --> 00:30:56.599 certainly nothing 00:30:56.599 --> 00:30:57.019 less. 00:30:57.980 --> 00:30:59.500 This is the power 00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:00.579 of God to 00:31:00.579 --> 00:31:00.980 salvation. 00:31:01.299 --> 00:31:02.459 The gospel of 00:31:02.459 --> 00:31:03.299 the coming kingdom 00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:04.179 of God. 00:31:04.939 --> 00:31:05.899 We live in a 00:31:05.899 --> 00:31:06.639 culture that's 00:31:06.639 --> 00:31:07.759 really has a 00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:08.539 great deal of 00:31:08.539 --> 00:31:09.419 aversion to 00:31:09.419 --> 00:31:09.779 this. 00:31:09.779 --> 00:31:10.379 type of 00:31:10.379 --> 00:31:10.680 teaching. 00:31:11.480 --> 00:31:11.799 And I think 00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:12.619 possibly because 00:31:12.619 --> 00:31:13.160 we're the Bible 00:31:13.160 --> 00:31:13.839 Belt, I saw a 00:31:13.839 --> 00:31:15.740 map yesterday of 00:31:15.740 --> 00:31:16.819 all the counties 00:31:16.819 --> 00:31:17.259 of the United 00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:18.200 States and the 00:31:18.200 --> 00:31:19.920 predominant, at 00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:20.639 least claimed 00:31:20.639 --> 00:31:21.440 religion in each 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:21.859 of those. 00:31:22.399 --> 00:31:23.379 I was blown 00:31:23.379 --> 00:31:25.160 away that the 00:31:25.160 --> 00:31:26.240 entire southeast 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:27.720 was solid red, 00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:28.440 which was 00:31:28.440 --> 00:31:29.399 Southern Baptist. 00:31:30.119 --> 00:31:30.920 Not evangelical 00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:31.539 Christian, but 00:31:31.539 --> 00:31:33.319 Southern Baptist. 00:31:34.279 --> 00:31:34.720 We've seen 00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:35.940 people reject 00:31:35.940 --> 00:31:36.559 the church for 00:31:36.559 --> 00:31:37.359 all kinds of 00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:37.700 reasons. 00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:38.200 And I think 00:31:38.200 --> 00:31:39.180 in that 00:31:39.180 --> 00:31:40.259 process, 00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:41.180 well-intentioned 00:31:41.180 --> 00:31:42.000 people have 00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:42.380 begun to 00:31:42.380 --> 00:31:43.480 portray the 00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.380 gospel of 00:31:44.380 --> 00:31:44.660 Christ. 00:31:44.840 --> 00:31:45.279 In Paul 00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:45.840 Washer's book, 00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:46.539 The Gospel's 00:31:46.539 --> 00:31:46.980 Power and 00:31:46.980 --> 00:31:48.500 Message, he 00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:48.940 wrote this. 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:49.960 Listen carefully. 00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:51.640 Lamentably, in 00:31:51.640 --> 00:31:53.100 recent decades, it 00:31:53.100 --> 00:31:54.200 seems that salvation 00:31:54.200 --> 00:31:55.340 has lost something 00:31:55.340 --> 00:31:56.120 of its value. 00:31:56.259 --> 00:31:56.680 This is in 00:31:56.680 --> 00:31:57.279 people's 00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:57.740 perception. 00:31:57.740 --> 00:31:59.400 In the opinion 00:31:59.400 --> 00:32:00.360 of many, the 00:32:00.360 --> 00:32:01.299 promise of salvation 00:32:01.299 --> 00:32:02.100 is no longer a 00:32:02.100 --> 00:32:02.620 strong enough 00:32:02.620 --> 00:32:03.380 motivation to 00:32:03.380 --> 00:32:04.080 move the sinner 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:04.699 to repentance 00:32:04.699 --> 00:32:05.939 or the saint 00:32:05.939 --> 00:32:06.460 to true 00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:06.899 devotion. 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:08.059 So we must 00:32:08.059 --> 00:32:08.879 add many other 00:32:08.879 --> 00:32:09.439 promises to 00:32:09.439 --> 00:32:10.059 make the gospel 00:32:10.059 --> 00:32:10.859 call appealing. 00:32:11.460 --> 00:32:11.859 Health and 00:32:11.859 --> 00:32:13.039 wealth, purpose 00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:14.279 and power, and 00:32:14.279 --> 00:32:15.099 getting the most 00:32:15.099 --> 00:32:15.519 out of this 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:16.399 present life are 00:32:16.399 --> 00:32:17.359 the real drawing 00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:17.980 cards of 00:32:17.980 --> 00:32:18.559 contemporary 00:32:18.559 --> 00:32:19.319 Christianity. 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:20.960 In fact, the 00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:21.699 very things the 00:32:21.699 --> 00:32:22.559 pulpit now promises 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:23.199 and people in the 00:32:23.199 --> 00:32:23.980 pews seek the 00:32:23.980 --> 00:32:25.159 most are often 00:32:25.159 --> 00:32:26.079 the very things 00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:27.419 that Jesus warned 00:32:27.419 --> 00:32:28.619 could be lost in 00:32:28.619 --> 00:32:29.419 the course of 00:32:29.419 --> 00:32:30.619 true discipleship. 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:31.379 See Matthew 00:32:31.379 --> 00:32:32.779 chapter 16 on 00:32:32.779 --> 00:32:33.059 that. 00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:34.039 According to 00:32:34.039 --> 00:32:35.099 him being 00:32:35.099 --> 00:32:36.099 Jesus, a man 00:32:36.099 --> 00:32:36.539 may have to 00:32:36.539 --> 00:32:36.960 lose the 00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:37.759 whole world 00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:38.279 in order to 00:32:38.279 --> 00:32:38.839 be saved. 00:32:39.379 --> 00:32:40.059 And yet, in 00:32:40.059 --> 00:32:41.039 Jesus' estimation, 00:32:41.660 --> 00:32:42.200 it was a 00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:43.160 bargain to 00:32:43.160 --> 00:32:43.799 get salvation 00:32:43.799 --> 00:32:44.399 at such a 00:32:44.399 --> 00:32:45.139 small cost. 00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:47.899 It seems that 00:32:47.899 --> 00:32:48.519 we this day 00:32:48.519 --> 00:32:49.460 don't really 00:32:49.460 --> 00:32:51.779 understand sin 00:32:51.779 --> 00:32:52.960 and the great 00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:54.240 atrocity it is 00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:55.000 against a 00:32:55.000 --> 00:32:55.700 holy God. 00:32:56.119 --> 00:32:57.139 So grown up 00:32:57.139 --> 00:32:57.940 in this culture 00:32:57.940 --> 00:32:59.099 of morality that 00:32:59.099 --> 00:32:59.779 just seems a 00:32:59.779 --> 00:33:00.859 little thing to 00:33:00.859 --> 00:33:01.859 sin, when it 00:33:01.859 --> 00:33:02.599 is a vast 00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:03.000 thing. 00:33:03.679 --> 00:33:04.719 Your one 00:33:04.719 --> 00:33:05.639 objection to 00:33:05.639 --> 00:33:06.099 the law of 00:33:06.099 --> 00:33:06.939 God sets you 00:33:06.939 --> 00:33:07.379 up as a 00:33:07.379 --> 00:33:08.179 God yourself 00:33:08.179 --> 00:33:08.879 and an enemy 00:33:08.879 --> 00:33:09.799 of the Most 00:33:09.799 --> 00:33:10.179 High. 00:33:10.779 --> 00:33:11.259 And it is 00:33:11.259 --> 00:33:11.619 through this 00:33:11.619 --> 00:33:12.339 gospel message 00:33:12.339 --> 00:33:13.059 that we don't 00:33:13.059 --> 00:33:13.980 have eternal 00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:14.879 punishment. 00:33:15.619 --> 00:33:16.259 You can wrap 00:33:16.259 --> 00:33:16.959 your mind around 00:33:16.959 --> 00:33:18.459 eternal punishment, 00:33:18.980 --> 00:33:20.179 misery, forever 00:33:20.179 --> 00:33:21.579 and ever and 00:33:21.579 --> 00:33:21.919 ever. 00:33:22.039 --> 00:33:22.519 Take the most 00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:23.500 miserable moment 00:33:23.500 --> 00:33:24.279 of your life. 00:33:24.379 --> 00:33:24.899 Oh, I've had 00:33:24.899 --> 00:33:25.679 some miserable 00:33:25.679 --> 00:33:26.319 moments in my 00:33:26.319 --> 00:33:26.699 life. 00:33:27.159 --> 00:33:27.859 Times when you're 00:33:27.859 --> 00:33:28.819 frustrated beyond 00:33:28.819 --> 00:33:29.919 belief, when you're 00:33:29.919 --> 00:33:31.139 in extreme pain, 00:33:31.140 --> 00:33:31.920 when the kids 00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:32.580 are driving you 00:33:32.580 --> 00:33:33.280 nuts. 00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:35.420 And magnify that 00:33:35.420 --> 00:33:36.440 and do it for 00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:36.900 eternity. 00:33:37.800 --> 00:33:38.740 We are saved 00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:39.280 from this and we 00:33:39.280 --> 00:33:39.920 are saved in the 00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:40.840 presence of the 00:33:40.840 --> 00:33:41.360 Most High. 00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:43.040 The one in whom 00:33:43.040 --> 00:33:44.300 we can find joy 00:33:44.300 --> 00:33:45.340 and blessing 00:33:45.340 --> 00:33:46.660 forever and 00:33:46.660 --> 00:33:47.540 ever and 00:33:47.540 --> 00:33:47.860 ever. 00:33:47.960 --> 00:33:48.780 And this is the 00:33:48.780 --> 00:33:49.800 gospel message. 00:33:50.040 --> 00:33:50.820 This is it at its 00:33:50.820 --> 00:33:52.020 core and this is 00:33:52.020 --> 00:33:52.540 what we have been 00:33:52.540 --> 00:33:54.180 called to preach. 00:33:54.900 --> 00:33:56.480 We must preach 00:33:56.480 --> 00:33:57.280 a pure gospel. 00:33:57.279 --> 00:33:58.619 And when I say 00:33:58.619 --> 00:34:00.460 we, I mean every 00:34:00.460 --> 00:34:02.579 single one of us. 00:34:03.059 --> 00:34:04.420 We all are 00:34:04.420 --> 00:34:05.399 ambassadors of 00:34:05.399 --> 00:34:05.720 Christ. 00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:07.200 We have all been 00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:08.039 given this message 00:34:08.039 --> 00:34:08.960 of reconciliation. 00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:10.159 Here we speak 00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:11.460 specifically of the 00:34:11.460 --> 00:34:12.360 apostles, these 00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:13.659 ordinary men called 00:34:13.659 --> 00:34:14.420 to do these 00:34:14.420 --> 00:34:15.579 extraordinary things, 00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:17.039 but in the same 00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:18.500 way we are sent. 00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:21.980 We must preach 00:34:21.980 --> 00:34:23.279 a pure gospel. 00:34:23.559 --> 00:34:24.679 I pray for us as 00:34:24.679 --> 00:34:25.519 individuals in this 00:34:25.519 --> 00:34:26.460 church that we 00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:27.099 would be like 00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:27.760 Ezra. 00:34:28.500 --> 00:34:29.159 In Ezra chapter 00:34:29.159 --> 00:34:30.840 7 verse 10 we 00:34:30.840 --> 00:34:31.420 see the record. 00:34:31.579 --> 00:34:32.639 Ezra had set his 00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:34.519 heart to study the 00:34:34.519 --> 00:34:35.260 law of the Lord 00:34:35.260 --> 00:34:36.800 and to do it 00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:38.340 and to teach his 00:34:38.340 --> 00:34:39.400 statutes and rules 00:34:39.400 --> 00:34:40.840 in Israel. 00:34:41.579 --> 00:34:42.159 You see that he 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:42.980 had set his heart 00:34:42.980 --> 00:34:44.300 to be a disciple, 00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:46.199 to study the law 00:34:46.199 --> 00:34:47.900 and actually do it, 00:34:47.960 --> 00:34:49.360 to actually follow 00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:51.740 God in his law 00:34:51.740 --> 00:34:53.539 and to teach it, 00:34:53.940 --> 00:34:55.139 to make disciples. 00:34:55.320 --> 00:34:55.800 And this is how 00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:56.560 we are all called 00:34:56.560 --> 00:34:57.900 to be disciple-making 00:34:57.900 --> 00:34:58.940 disciples. 00:34:59.100 --> 00:34:59.780 And understand that 00:34:59.780 --> 00:35:01.680 the two cannot exist 00:35:01.680 --> 00:35:02.400 apart from one 00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:02.640 another. 00:35:02.720 --> 00:35:03.180 If you are a 00:35:03.180 --> 00:35:03.940 disciple of Christ, 00:35:04.060 --> 00:35:05.300 you will necessarily 00:35:05.300 --> 00:35:06.820 make disciples of 00:35:06.820 --> 00:35:07.160 Christ. 00:35:08.280 --> 00:35:09.940 But to clarify for 00:35:09.940 --> 00:35:11.100 you, we are all 00:35:11.100 --> 00:35:12.220 called to be 00:35:12.220 --> 00:35:13.860 disciple-making 00:35:13.860 --> 00:35:14.740 disciples. 00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:15.760 That is the great 00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:16.640 point of Mark's 00:35:16.640 --> 00:35:16.960 book. 00:35:17.640 --> 00:35:18.380 He's trying to 00:35:18.380 --> 00:35:19.280 drive his readers 00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:20.800 to that, to see 00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:21.980 that those who are 00:35:21.980 --> 00:35:22.460 going to follow 00:35:22.460 --> 00:35:23.460 Christ will also 00:35:23.460 --> 00:35:24.580 bring along others 00:35:24.579 --> 00:35:25.219 who will follow 00:35:25.219 --> 00:35:25.579 Christ. 00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:26.460 And he does that 00:35:26.460 --> 00:35:27.539 in his very punchy 00:35:27.539 --> 00:35:27.759 way. 00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:28.539 He keeps driving 00:35:28.539 --> 00:35:29.480 at that point. 00:35:29.559 --> 00:35:30.299 And I find here 00:35:30.299 --> 00:35:31.679 for us again today, 00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:33.179 he does the very 00:35:33.179 --> 00:35:34.579 same thing. 00:35:35.460 --> 00:35:36.840 We are ordinary 00:35:36.840 --> 00:35:38.319 men and women. 00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:39.380 And I would say, 00:35:39.480 --> 00:35:40.119 in fact, in a lot 00:35:40.119 --> 00:35:40.799 of ways, we are 00:35:40.799 --> 00:35:42.199 less than ordinary 00:35:42.199 --> 00:35:43.380 men and women. 00:35:43.440 --> 00:35:44.360 I know that's true 00:35:44.360 --> 00:35:45.619 of myself, but we 00:35:45.619 --> 00:35:47.099 are called to do 00:35:47.099 --> 00:35:49.059 extraordinary things. 00:35:49.059 --> 00:35:51.179 That is why 00:35:51.179 --> 00:35:52.059 Christ's family 00:35:52.059 --> 00:35:52.880 church exists. 00:35:53.579 --> 00:35:54.699 To experience, 00:35:55.099 --> 00:35:55.840 to proclaim, 00:35:56.579 --> 00:35:57.239 and display 00:35:57.239 --> 00:35:58.079 the supremacy 00:35:58.079 --> 00:35:58.900 of Jesus Christ 00:35:58.900 --> 00:36:00.219 in all things, 00:36:00.759 --> 00:36:01.719 to all peoples. 00:36:02.139 --> 00:36:03.199 And one day, 00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:04.739 Christ will 00:36:04.739 --> 00:36:06.199 return when 00:36:06.199 --> 00:36:06.739 that work is 00:36:06.739 --> 00:36:07.099 finished. 00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:07.900 Let's pray 00:36:07.900 --> 00:36:08.179 together.