WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.179 Let's read together Mark chapter 6. I'm going to read verses 1 through the first half of 6. 00:00:06.179 --> 00:00:11.980 So the text officially for today is 6, 1 through 6a, the first half of 6. 00:00:12.019 --> 00:00:16.379 I really don't appreciate the way they broke this up with their number headings, but that's okay. 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:18.300 So we're going to go through 6a. 00:00:19.820 --> 00:00:24.179 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 00:00:24.859 --> 00:00:29.179 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, 00:00:29.179 --> 00:00:33.060 Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? 00:00:33.380 --> 00:00:36.299 How are such mighty works done by his hands? 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:42.740 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? 00:00:43.019 --> 00:00:46.799 And are not his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him. 00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:54.480 And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his own household. 00:00:54.479 --> 00:01:00.299 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 00:01:00.699 --> 00:01:02.739 And he marveled because of their unbelief. 00:01:03.179 --> 00:01:03.879 Let's pray together. 00:01:06.759 --> 00:01:11.879 Father God, we thank you today for the person and the work of Jesus Christ. 00:01:12.019 --> 00:01:19.920 It is because of what you accomplished by him on our behalf that we have any desire even to come together today and to learn from your word. 00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:28.420 Lord, we thank you for your word. We thank you that it is the perfect instruction and guide for holiness, that it is sufficient and it is inerrant. 00:01:29.060 --> 00:01:39.260 And we thank you for the gospel of Mark, that it is an account of Jesus' life, and for the aim to which Mark wrote it, and that was to make us disciple-making disciples. 00:01:40.840 --> 00:01:46.920 Father, the things that can be learned from Scripture we know cannot be applied to our hearts unless this is a work done by your Spirit. 00:01:46.920 --> 00:01:54.500 And so we ask that that would be the case today, that you would make us keen to listen, to hear, to understand. 00:01:54.859 --> 00:02:02.240 But more than that, to have these truths pressed into the very being of who we are, that we might live accordingly in response to them. 00:02:03.379 --> 00:02:06.920 I pray, Father, for the ability to not be distracted today. 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:13.719 And I pray that you'll give us grace in helping the children to be quiet and to allow that for us. 00:02:13.980 --> 00:02:16.599 And we pray this in Christ's name. Amen. 00:02:16.919 --> 00:02:25.739 So, as we come to the beginning of chapter 6, we're coming off of a rather magnificent story. 00:02:25.839 --> 00:02:28.179 Really two stories that kind of reside together. 00:02:28.699 --> 00:02:32.899 A story within a story, or a story that interrupts another story that's happening. 00:02:33.019 --> 00:02:40.339 And that's the raising of Jairus' daughter, a daughter of 12 years old that died as Jesus was going to heal her. 00:02:40.340 --> 00:02:45.300 As well as the healing of a woman with a 12-year discharge of blood. 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:51.740 And both of these things are shown to us as great examples of faith and show to us the power of faith, 00:02:52.039 --> 00:02:56.920 or I think more accurately said, the power of the God of faith. 00:02:57.060 --> 00:03:05.319 We see these people believing and Jesus doing magnificent things on their behalf as a result of their faith. 00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:11.439 And now we see Jesus traveling back to his hometown, which would be Nazareth. 00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:18.479 And we see a great display of unbelief, which is also very powerful. 00:03:18.979 --> 00:03:23.959 In fact, unbelief is eternally powerful. 00:03:23.960 --> 00:03:30.260 A familiar text, John chapter 3, verse 16, and we're going to read through 18. 00:03:30.659 --> 00:03:36.900 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:42.819 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 00:03:42.860 --> 00:03:44.140 And here we are, verse 18. 00:03:44.139 --> 00:03:49.579 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, 00:03:49.899 --> 00:03:54.779 because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:56.699 Unbelief has great power. 00:03:56.859 --> 00:03:59.659 It brings upon us condemnation. 00:04:00.399 --> 00:04:01.939 This condemnation is spoken of. 00:04:02.739 --> 00:04:04.560 Matthew chapter 13, verse 41 and 42. 00:04:04.679 --> 00:04:10.819 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all lawbreakers, 00:04:10.819 --> 00:04:14.639 those who don't believe, and throw them into the fiery furnace. 00:04:14.780 --> 00:04:19.399 In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:27.139 So unbelief has great power, eternal power, that fixes for us a place of wrath. 00:04:27.740 --> 00:04:35.199 In fact, Jesus spoke of hell much more often than he spoke of heaven as a warning against unbelief. 00:04:35.560 --> 00:04:40.120 Now, we've seen up to this point in Mark, a mixed response to Jesus and his teaching. 00:04:40.819 --> 00:04:44.540 We've seen some wonderful, beautiful responses of faith. 00:04:44.839 --> 00:04:47.040 We've seen some unbelief already. 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:50.379 And we've seen a mix of that, maybe where we don't really know. 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:52.399 Like, is this faith or is this not? 00:04:52.459 --> 00:04:58.459 An example of that would be these great crowds that were following him, seemingly responding to who he is. 00:04:59.100 --> 00:05:03.800 But we've seen a bit over time, and we know historically that there were very few converts 00:05:03.800 --> 00:05:08.199 after Jesus' crucifixion and his subsequent resurrection. 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:11.279 So most of these people were following around to see the show. 00:05:11.719 --> 00:05:16.399 They just wanted to know what next magical thing this man was going to do. 00:05:16.479 --> 00:05:19.240 And there's these mixed responses that we see. 00:05:19.339 --> 00:05:23.339 Another account of that is John 12, verses 42 and 43. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:26.199 Many even of the authorities believed in him. 00:05:26.199 --> 00:05:32.620 But for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. 00:05:33.019 --> 00:05:38.560 For they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. 00:05:38.659 --> 00:05:42.439 So you see again this kind of mixed response of faith. 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:44.680 Both belief but unbelief as well. 00:05:45.099 --> 00:05:49.379 A non-devotion to who Jesus Christ is. 00:05:49.379 --> 00:05:56.319 In Romans 11, verse 20, Paul tells us that branches of Israel have been cut off because of their unbelief. 00:05:56.839 --> 00:06:03.019 And we then get the glorious truth that as Gentiles, we can now be grafted in as a result of their unbelief. 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:07.139 But nonetheless, they're cut off because of their unbelief. 00:06:07.139 --> 00:06:14.360 And then Paul tells us in Romans 10, verse 13, as Gentiles, we get to treasure this. 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:22.839 We get to wrap our arms around this great truth that for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:32.839 So you see all throughout the New Testament, particularly in the Gospel accounts, this juxtaposition of faith and unbelief. 00:06:32.839 --> 00:06:35.839 John's Gospel is particularly full of it. 00:06:35.879 --> 00:06:40.339 That we might believe that Jesus is who he says that he is. 00:06:40.479 --> 00:06:46.139 And that we may not just say, we're sure Jesus is the Son of God, but we might place saving faith in him. 00:06:46.459 --> 00:06:47.839 Regenerative faith in him. 00:06:48.039 --> 00:06:52.179 That we might see that he is the solution to our great problem. 00:06:52.299 --> 00:06:55.699 That we are damned and he is our salvation. 00:06:57.019 --> 00:07:01.939 This week I came across a wonderful quote from a man that may surprise you that it came from. 00:07:01.939 --> 00:07:08.160 From John Calvin, the reformer who many of us tack a belief system onto. 00:07:08.300 --> 00:07:09.040 Listen to what he said. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:11.899 No man is excluded from calling upon God. 00:07:12.579 --> 00:07:15.240 The gate of salvation is set open unto all men. 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:22.860 Neither is there any other thing which keeps us back from entering in, save only our unbelief. 00:07:22.860 --> 00:07:33.300 Those who are not found, who are not counted amongst the saints at the end of all things will have nothing to blame but their own unbelief. 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:37.800 And we see here this remarkable half of a verse. 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:39.680 The first half of verse 6. 00:07:40.300 --> 00:07:44.699 Jesus' response is that he marvels. 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:48.180 He wonders, some of your translations may say. 00:07:48.180 --> 00:07:52.519 He just can't believe their unbelief. 00:07:52.819 --> 00:07:56.680 He marveled because of their unbelief. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:08:10.259 This is the only place in the New Testament we see a record of Jesus marveling at anything except one other case where he marveled at the faith of the centurions in Matthew chapter 8, Luke chapter 7. 00:08:10.259 --> 00:08:13.399 We see lots of people marveling at him, right? 00:08:13.719 --> 00:08:19.159 Lots of marveling, lots of amazement, lots of astonishment as people observe Jesus Christ. 00:08:19.259 --> 00:08:26.620 This is the only other place besides the faith of the centurion that we see that he marvels as a result of their unbelief. 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:39.399 We can see chapter 5 verse 20 of Mark that the people, these Gentiles, marveled at what the man who had the legion cast out of him had to say about the work, the mercy that Christ had shown him. 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:55.439 In chapter 1 verse 27, we see people amazed, chapter 2 verse 12 as well, and then astonished in chapter 1 verse 22, as well as in our text today, chapter 6 verse 2, which I'll address a bit more momentarily. 00:08:55.879 --> 00:08:58.279 Astonished, marveled, amazed, astonished. 00:08:58.340 --> 00:09:04.319 But here that turns around and Jesus just cannot believe their unbelief. 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:13.020 Now, this return to Nazareth is not the first time he's gone back to his hometown since the beginning of his ministry. 00:09:13.260 --> 00:09:17.379 His ministry was located primarily in Capernaum. 00:09:17.460 --> 00:09:19.260 That was kind of his center of operation. 00:09:19.420 --> 00:09:22.480 We've seen him in Mark so far along the Sea of Galilee. 00:09:22.560 --> 00:09:23.640 We've seen him cross over it. 00:09:23.640 --> 00:09:24.620 He's going to do it again. 00:09:25.080 --> 00:09:30.960 He's kind of jumping around in this area, bringing about, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:33.320 But this is not the first time he goes back. 00:09:33.379 --> 00:09:38.720 It's the first account in the gospel of Mark, but we see it again, or we see it for the first time in Luke. 00:09:38.780 --> 00:09:42.200 So please turn to Luke chapter 4 verse 16 with me. 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:50.440 And let's look first at the first time he returned to help us kind of set the stage for his second return to Nazareth. 00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:55.400 Luke chapter 4 verse 16. 00:09:55.400 --> 00:09:55.400 00:09:55.400 --> 00:09:55.400 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:06.780 We'll do a little bit of jumping around here, but begin reading in verse 16. 00:10:06.900 --> 00:10:11.360 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and as he was his custom, went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:15.460 And he stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:18.460 He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written. 00:10:18.680 --> 00:10:22.600 And there's this prophecy that he reads that is the prophecy of the year of the Lord. 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:26.060 And he then sits down and says, in verse 21, 00:10:26.420 --> 00:10:29.740 Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. 00:10:30.440 --> 00:10:32.620 This is a shocking thing that he was saying. 00:10:32.700 --> 00:10:35.940 He was saying to these people, I am the Christ. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:38.139 I am the anointed one of God. 00:10:38.440 --> 00:10:38.980 Verse 22, 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:44.159 And all spoke well of him, and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. 00:10:44.259 --> 00:10:47.259 And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:49.420 They didn't know who he was. 00:10:49.419 --> 00:10:50.740 They marveled. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:52.719 They thought, This is very fascinating. 00:10:52.979 --> 00:10:54.959 He's saying this good stuff is coming. 00:10:55.199 --> 00:10:56.899 But they didn't believe. 00:10:57.679 --> 00:11:00.620 They didn't place saving faith in him. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:04.139 And we know this because, verse 23, he says, 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:05.620 Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 00:11:05.899 --> 00:11:07.639 Physician, heal yourself. 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:13.559 What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well. 00:11:13.699 --> 00:11:14.919 They looked for a sign. 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:17.980 They wanted him to do another thing, perform another miracle, 00:11:17.980 --> 00:11:19.480 to show that he was who he was. 00:11:19.539 --> 00:11:20.740 They did not believe. 00:11:21.180 --> 00:11:22.639 And then he goes on to make, 00:11:22.779 --> 00:11:25.159 and I wish we had more time to speak on it today. 00:11:25.560 --> 00:11:27.899 I spent a lot of time this week trying to fully understand this, 00:11:27.980 --> 00:11:33.779 but he makes a rather scathing accusation of them in the following verses. 00:11:34.740 --> 00:11:36.560 Without breaking down the history of that for you, 00:11:36.899 --> 00:11:38.580 scathing accusation that he makes of them. 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:39.300 He says to them, 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:40.580 You don't believe. 00:11:40.659 --> 00:11:42.080 The gospel will pass from here. 00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:44.399 You won't receive it, is essentially what he said. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:46.159 And look how they turn on him. 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:47.279 Verse 28, 00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:49.980 When they heard these things, 00:11:50.199 --> 00:11:52.980 all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 00:11:53.019 --> 00:11:54.719 A very strong Greek word. 00:11:55.439 --> 00:11:57.919 And they rose up and drove him out of the town 00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:01.000 and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, 00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:03.559 so that they could throw him down the cliff. 00:12:04.439 --> 00:12:06.240 But passing through their midst, he went away. 00:12:07.139 --> 00:12:08.480 What that looked like exactly. 00:12:08.620 --> 00:12:09.439 But somehow or another, 00:12:09.559 --> 00:12:13.500 Jesus gets away from them murdering him, right? 00:12:13.500 --> 00:12:17.740 Ready to kill him for the things that he said to them. 00:12:17.960 --> 00:12:21.759 This is his first visit back to his hometown, back to Nazareth. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:24.639 Now Nazareth, as you can see on a map, 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:26.179 if you kind of have this picture in your head, 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:30.320 Capernaum is on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:35.519 Nazareth is southwest, about 25 miles away from where he's been. 00:12:36.039 --> 00:12:37.559 So he leaves this place. 00:12:37.779 --> 00:12:39.700 He goes on to do many things. 00:12:39.700 --> 00:12:44.160 We find back in Mark chapter 6 that he returns. 00:12:44.460 --> 00:12:46.060 This time with the disciples. 00:12:46.220 --> 00:12:48.900 We see this in verse 1. 00:12:49.580 --> 00:12:50.900 About a year later. 00:12:50.980 --> 00:12:52.360 This is the approximate timeline. 00:12:52.640 --> 00:12:55.379 About a year later, he returns. 00:12:56.259 --> 00:12:58.480 Now Nazareth was a little town. 00:12:58.620 --> 00:13:00.940 A very insignificant town. 00:13:01.040 --> 00:13:04.480 There's no record of it anywhere in the Old Testament at all. 00:13:04.700 --> 00:13:05.920 We only see it. 00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:08.920 It only has any significance because it's Jesus' hometown. 00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:11.839 Otherwise, it wouldn't even exist in the history books. 00:13:12.139 --> 00:13:15.839 A town of about 500 people by scholars' best estimation. 00:13:16.199 --> 00:13:16.979 A little town. 00:13:18.059 --> 00:13:19.879 I don't know what a town of 500 people looks like. 00:13:19.959 --> 00:13:21.139 I can't even wrap my mind. 00:13:21.219 --> 00:13:24.279 I've lived in some small towns in my life, but 500 people is tiny. 00:13:24.620 --> 00:13:27.139 You know everybody in a 500-person town. 00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:28.620 There's no doubt about that. 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:30.279 I have no clue how many people are here this morning. 00:13:30.339 --> 00:13:32.099 I'm just going to guess a little over 100. 00:13:32.379 --> 00:13:34.980 So just put that picture in your mind, right? 00:13:35.259 --> 00:13:35.879 500 people. 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:40.360 We could all gather in the parking lot outside and mill around for a while and meet everybody. 00:13:40.939 --> 00:13:42.720 This few number of people. 00:13:43.659 --> 00:13:47.580 So here is the town who takes him out, wants to throw him down a cliff. 00:13:47.860 --> 00:13:49.600 About a year later, he returns. 00:13:50.439 --> 00:13:51.879 They would have known who he was. 00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:52.919 There would be no mistaking. 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:55.019 He wasn't wearing some kind of an elaborate disguise. 00:13:55.019 --> 00:14:00.980 He returns back to the town where he grew up, spent the first 30 years of his life, 00:14:01.059 --> 00:14:04.939 and where they had tried to kill him just a year prior to that. 00:14:05.220 --> 00:14:07.559 Notice that there are no great crowds gathered. 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:10.199 We don't know what day of the week he arrives, right? 00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:12.600 But he arrives, and then when the Sabbath comes. 00:14:12.679 --> 00:14:17.480 On the Sabbath, he goes to the synagogue, which is what you did in those days. 00:14:17.579 --> 00:14:20.939 You went to the synagogue, and he was given opportunity to teach. 00:14:20.980 --> 00:14:23.539 There's no crowds gathered in this town, right? 00:14:23.539 --> 00:14:27.819 And as was customary of a rabbi, of a teacher, right? 00:14:27.860 --> 00:14:29.259 He's given opportunity to teach. 00:14:29.579 --> 00:14:32.139 And I try to wrap my mind around why this may be the case. 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:34.559 They tried to kill him a year prior, why they would even let him. 00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:38.339 The two things I can come up with is that they had heard of all the things he had done. 00:14:39.019 --> 00:14:44.120 We know, we saw back in chapter 3, that his family has actually come to Capernaum 00:14:44.120 --> 00:14:45.939 to try to take him away because they think he's insane. 00:14:46.079 --> 00:14:49.719 So certainly the news of what he was doing had reached Nazareth. 00:14:51.939 --> 00:14:53.279 Maybe they had heard all the stuff. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:54.939 They just thought it might be worth hearing him out. 00:14:55.199 --> 00:14:57.379 They knew he was doing some miraculous things. 00:14:57.480 --> 00:14:58.259 They might want to hear him. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:01.079 The other possibility is that he just stood up and started teaching. 00:15:01.199 --> 00:15:02.159 And I like that one best. 00:15:02.379 --> 00:15:07.179 I like that Jesus just stood up and took charge and started teaching. 00:15:08.019 --> 00:15:10.319 We don't know exactly what he was teaching, right? 00:15:10.699 --> 00:15:16.459 We see a response to the teaching, but we don't know exactly what it was that he stood up to say. 00:15:16.460 --> 00:15:24.120 And here's where we see this shocking response, this response of unbelief that causes Jesus to marvel. 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:32.400 And today I want to look, as we're looking at this response, I want to pull three observations from this text about unbelief. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:40.100 Now, for us this morning, if you have placed saving faith in Christ, wonderful. 00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:41.539 Good. 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:42.340 Right? 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:43.959 You have faith. 00:15:44.039 --> 00:15:44.959 You don't have unbelief. 00:15:45.179 --> 00:15:46.459 You have faith. 00:15:46.460 --> 00:15:53.019 But now, as a disciple-making disciple, you have become the propagator of truth. 00:15:53.139 --> 00:15:56.500 You are now the one that's going to make other disciples of Christ. 00:15:56.620 --> 00:16:02.300 And so it's important for us to see what unbelief looks like and what unbelief does, to understand it better. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:08.980 If you've not placed saving faith in Christ, you need to see yourself in this text. 00:16:08.980 --> 00:16:14.860 You need to see how it is that you respond to the truth of the personal work of Jesus Christ. 00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:20.200 And I pray that you will believe today that your unbelief will turn to faith in Christ. 00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:24.600 So firstly, unbelief clouds the mind. 00:16:25.820 --> 00:16:27.200 Unbelief clouds the mind. 00:16:30.180 --> 00:16:34.620 Who Jesus was had been made plain to them. 00:16:35.300 --> 00:16:38.580 Who he was had been made plain to them. 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:44.500 Jesus was the perfect fulfillment of all of the prophecies of who the Christ was to be. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:49.740 He had performed many, many miracles leading up to this time. 00:16:50.580 --> 00:16:51.259 Countless miracles. 00:16:51.400 --> 00:16:54.320 We see record here in Mark of him healing everyone. 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:59.580 At the end of John, John says if you were to fill books with all of the works that have been done, you couldn't. 00:16:59.740 --> 00:17:02.960 There aren't enough books in the world to fill all of the works that have been done. 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:08.019 People have said that Jesus drove sickness out of Israel. 00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:11.240 Like it no longer existed at the end of his time. 00:17:11.579 --> 00:17:14.240 He worked many, many miracles. 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:20.619 And the options on the table for you to say that he does the work by Beelzebub as he was accused of doing back in chapter 3. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:21.400 Get that. 00:17:21.539 --> 00:17:22.180 I'm sure I'm getting that right. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:22.379 Yep. 00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:22.940 Chapter 3. 00:17:23.420 --> 00:17:23.639 Right. 00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:26.099 That possibility exists for you. 00:17:26.099 --> 00:17:29.319 But he very clearly states that Satan can't cast out Satan. 00:17:29.919 --> 00:17:30.079 Right. 00:17:30.179 --> 00:17:31.339 He's clearly taught this. 00:17:31.779 --> 00:17:31.919 Right. 00:17:32.119 --> 00:17:34.339 So it had been made plain to them. 00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:37.740 John chapter 5 verse 36 says, 00:17:37.740 --> 00:17:40.279 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. 00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:48.500 For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:56.299 By Jesus' own proclamation, the fact that he was doing the works is proof that God had given him the works to do. 00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:58.839 Again, John chapter 10 verse 37. 00:17:59.299 --> 00:18:02.859 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. 00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:07.180 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works. 00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:12.440 That you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father. 00:18:12.539 --> 00:18:19.799 The works were meant to give validation to who he was, to the gospel, to the message that he was preaching. 00:18:19.919 --> 00:18:22.220 He had made it abundantly plain. 00:18:22.539 --> 00:18:25.539 It wasn't that he walked around and did a little miracle now and then. 00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:29.599 People were gathering around him just to touch him and they were healed. 00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:33.839 He was, I mean, just proliferated miracles. 00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:37.159 He had made it abundantly clear. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:39.859 But unbelief clouds the mind. 00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:43.159 Again, the gospel of John chapter 8 verse 45. 00:18:43.500 --> 00:18:43.899 Jesus says, 00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:48.960 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 00:18:50.259 --> 00:18:53.139 Those who don't believe, those who have clouded minds, 00:18:53.140 --> 00:18:56.160 because he speaks the truth, they don't believe. 00:18:58.100 --> 00:19:03.620 We see the response here, which helps us understand how it is that unbelief clouds the mind. 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:04.500 Verse 2, 00:19:04.600 --> 00:19:06.280 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue. 00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:07.500 We're back in Mark chapter 6. 00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:09.780 And many who heard him were astonished, saying, 00:19:10.100 --> 00:19:11.580 Where did this man get these things? 00:19:11.660 --> 00:19:12.820 What is the wisdom given to him? 00:19:12.900 --> 00:19:14.640 How are such mighty works done by his hands? 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:18.000 Now you can very quickly read past the tone, 00:19:18.320 --> 00:19:22.520 but when you understand a little bit better the questions that they're asking, 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:26.500 you would read it with a different tone, which I'll read to you this way in a moment. 00:19:26.600 --> 00:19:29.060 But an example of this, when you see in verse 2, 00:19:29.160 --> 00:19:29.320 they said, 00:19:29.420 --> 00:19:31.120 Where did this man get these things? 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:33.740 What is the wisdom given to him? 00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:37.160 The Greek word here is a derogatory word. 00:19:37.259 --> 00:19:39.440 It's an expression of disdain. 00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:40.640 It'd be like saying, 00:19:41.580 --> 00:19:42.920 This fella, who's that guy? 00:19:43.660 --> 00:19:46.220 How did this guy get these teachings? 00:19:46.779 --> 00:19:48.400 That's the way they're saying this. 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:54.500 We get some further evidence of that with the way they qualify him as a teacher. 00:19:55.080 --> 00:19:56.340 But we could read this better. 00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:59.140 Where did this man get these things? 00:19:59.940 --> 00:20:01.559 What is the wisdom given to him? 00:20:02.380 --> 00:20:05.259 How are such mighty works done by his hands? 00:20:05.860 --> 00:20:07.400 This would be the tone. 00:20:07.400 --> 00:20:10.300 This was the questions that were running through their minds 00:20:10.300 --> 00:20:14.140 and the way in which the questions were running through their minds. 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:17.160 They did not believe in the teaching. 00:20:18.440 --> 00:20:22.340 Unbelief clouds the mind by distracting with the irrelevant. 00:20:22.900 --> 00:20:24.440 By distracting with the irrelevant. 00:20:24.540 --> 00:20:26.620 Look at the questions they ask in verse 3. 00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:30.200 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joseph, and Judas, and Simon? 00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:31.880 Are not these his sisters here with us? 00:20:32.300 --> 00:20:33.180 And they took offense at him. 00:20:33.300 --> 00:20:34.500 Why does any of that matter? 00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:41.019 You've got a man that exists amongst you that has sailed across the Sea of Galilee 00:20:41.019 --> 00:20:43.660 and has spoken to the wind and the waves. 00:20:43.720 --> 00:20:45.400 He said, peace, be still. 00:20:45.579 --> 00:20:46.799 And they obeyed him. 00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:49.380 Who cares who his dad was? 00:20:49.500 --> 00:20:50.680 Or who his mom was? 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:52.299 Or who his brothers and sisters are? 00:20:52.500 --> 00:20:53.900 Why would it have mattered? 00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:57.160 And on one level, we can certainly say, yeah, why? 00:20:57.259 --> 00:20:59.140 Why would it have mattered even a little bit? 00:20:59.140 --> 00:21:03.720 But for them, the importance of lineage was massive for them. 00:21:03.800 --> 00:21:06.800 Jewish culture, it really mattered where it was that you came from. 00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:12.640 And so, we see that the fact that Jesus is of the lineage of David is part of that. 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:15.180 To help them to believe and help them to understand. 00:21:15.660 --> 00:21:17.040 But he wasn't clergy elite. 00:21:17.460 --> 00:21:19.580 He didn't fall into that category. 00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:23.740 In fact, them calling him a carpenter here would have been to demean him. 00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:28.720 This is a term that applied to all types of tradesmen of the day. 00:21:29.220 --> 00:21:32.759 We assume that as he was a growing man, that he did work. 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:35.859 And he worked under his father and for his father. 00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:38.740 It's believed by this time that Joseph was no longer alive. 00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:42.680 But certainly, Jesus worked with his hands as a carpenter. 00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:47.440 There's some church history that suggests that he made plows and yokes. 00:21:47.500 --> 00:21:50.960 It was his major production that he did. 00:21:51.299 --> 00:21:52.880 We don't know that to be sure. 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:55.700 But this would have been a low position in culture. 00:21:56.600 --> 00:21:57.880 Nothing special. 00:21:58.340 --> 00:21:59.060 Nothing fancy. 00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:00.520 Nothing to be esteemed. 00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:03.620 So, they're calling him a carpenter to demean him. 00:22:04.280 --> 00:22:08.860 How can this man get up and teach in this way when he's just a carpenter? 00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:12.920 And then they go on to call him the son of Mary. 00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:19.220 And this may not seem strange to you, but culturally, you called people by their father. 00:22:19.420 --> 00:22:22.740 It would have been proper to say the son of Joseph. 00:22:23.620 --> 00:22:27.660 And some people have said, well, that may be the evidence that Joseph is no longer alive 00:22:27.660 --> 00:22:28.560 at this point. 00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:32.220 And would draw some connection between then his first visit. 00:22:32.220 --> 00:22:34.900 As I read to you in Luke, they said, isn't this the son of Joseph? 00:22:35.040 --> 00:22:37.040 And then the connection here, isn't this the son of Mary? 00:22:37.080 --> 00:22:40.340 And that Joseph would have passed some time during that year. 00:22:40.339 --> 00:22:43.039 But, it still was customary. 00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:46.399 Even when your father was dead to call you the son of your father's name. 00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:47.259 This was the custom. 00:22:47.399 --> 00:22:48.740 This was, it's known. 00:22:48.879 --> 00:22:49.879 It's historically recorded. 00:22:50.259 --> 00:22:56.119 So, to call him the son of Mary was likely another slanderous phrase. 00:22:56.119 --> 00:23:01.859 And it was very likely that in this little town of Nazareth, that the rumor had gone around 00:23:01.859 --> 00:23:05.079 and that everybody believed that Jesus was an illegitimate child. 00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:10.399 This is why they would have said, son of Mary. 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:12.360 Who is this man? 00:23:12.500 --> 00:23:13.340 This carpenter. 00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:14.780 Son of Mary. 00:23:15.380 --> 00:23:16.620 Illegitimate child. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:20.240 You guys all know the word that our culture uses for that. 00:23:20.320 --> 00:23:22.940 This is what they were calling him as they said this. 00:23:22.940 --> 00:23:26.180 John chapter 8, verse 41. 00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:31.759 Jesus is speaking to a group of scribes. 00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:33.519 Maybe the Sadducees. 00:23:33.580 --> 00:23:34.299 I can't remember for sure. 00:23:34.660 --> 00:23:35.120 Verse 41. 00:23:35.539 --> 00:23:37.380 He says, you were doing the works your father did. 00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:40.600 They said to him, this accusation. 00:23:40.920 --> 00:23:44.799 They said to him, we were not born of sexual immorality. 00:23:45.840 --> 00:23:50.600 So, it would seem that this rumor had actually gone out from beyond Nazareth as well. 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:52.880 And this is what was being said of Jesus. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:54.720 To relegate him. 00:23:54.860 --> 00:23:55.940 To knock him down. 00:23:56.059 --> 00:23:57.620 We were not born of sexual immorality. 00:23:57.680 --> 00:24:00.279 Which is to say, you were. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:07.519 And we believe, Christ's family church believes, that Jesus was in fact born of a virgin. 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:10.120 That Mary was impregnated by God. 00:24:11.080 --> 00:24:13.140 However, this is a bit of an aside. 00:24:13.420 --> 00:24:16.680 I want to step over just a little bit away from our text. 00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:21.960 I do want to say to you that I do not believe that Mary was a perpetual virgin. 00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:26.920 And I was shocked how many people throughout history have believed that. 00:24:27.059 --> 00:24:29.019 I just couldn't believe it. 00:24:29.620 --> 00:24:30.779 It's a Catholic belief. 00:24:30.900 --> 00:24:34.840 It's a way in which they deify Mary in a sense. 00:24:34.839 --> 00:24:42.139 To say that she never did have any form of sex with Joseph. 00:24:42.659 --> 00:24:43.639 Other children. 00:24:44.220 --> 00:24:51.679 The possible translation here, the Greek word for brother and the Greek word for sister, could mean cousin. 00:24:52.220 --> 00:24:57.379 And it has been used in that way, although very rarely in any Greek literature at all. 00:24:57.380 --> 00:25:01.720 It's much more poignantly used to mean brother and sister. 00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:09.280 It would seem, I think from a plain reading of the text, that Jesus in fact had at least these four brothers. 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:13.700 And the Greek word here in the plural for sisters means more than two. 00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:16.060 So probably seven at least. 00:25:16.760 --> 00:25:20.620 So, if you're wondering whether or not you should have a good family, a big family. 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:22.400 Let's take an example from the scriptures. 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:25.940 Here's, way to go, Belinda and Brooke Solars. 00:25:28.840 --> 00:25:29.220 Right? 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:31.660 So, this belief is fascinating. 00:25:31.800 --> 00:25:32.980 And here's what I want to say to you about this. 00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:33.920 This is the aside to that. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:39.720 That we should be careful who we tie ourselves to in belief systems. 00:25:40.100 --> 00:25:40.259 Right? 00:25:40.360 --> 00:25:43.560 Like, we're a big fan of theology here. 00:25:43.660 --> 00:25:45.500 We're a fan of historical theology. 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:50.320 We think it's valuable and important to look at what the church has believed through the ages. 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:52.099 There's a great weight in that. 00:25:52.379 --> 00:25:57.799 If you believe something different than the majority of Christians throughout the ages, you really should question that belief. 00:25:58.299 --> 00:26:04.339 However, a lot of men that we really respect here believed in Mary's perpetual virginity. 00:26:04.500 --> 00:26:06.960 Martin Luther called her the ever virgin. 00:26:08.399 --> 00:26:09.200 John Wesley said, 00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:26.799 And John Calvin cautioned against impious speculation to wonder if she had ever had children in any other way. 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:29.079 So, we have to be cautious about that. 00:26:29.159 --> 00:26:30.579 We have to look at the scriptures. 00:26:30.759 --> 00:26:32.319 And we have to read them plainly. 00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:33.819 And look at the original text. 00:26:33.899 --> 00:26:40.879 And not hang our hat too often or too high on some of these men's theological pegs. 00:26:40.879 --> 00:26:41.980 If you will allow. 00:26:42.759 --> 00:26:42.919 Right? 00:26:44.819 --> 00:26:48.799 So, they make this continued accusation. 00:26:49.180 --> 00:26:49.399 Right? 00:26:49.400 --> 00:26:49.440 Right? 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:51.400 This illegitimate child. 00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:52.040 This carpenter. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:53.000 This lowly job. 00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:54.860 This illegitimate child. 00:26:55.740 --> 00:26:56.640 We know his brothers. 00:26:57.040 --> 00:26:57.420 James. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:57.940 Joseph. 00:26:58.300 --> 00:26:58.600 Judas. 00:26:58.900 --> 00:26:59.240 Simon. 00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:00.580 Aren't these his sisters? 00:27:00.680 --> 00:27:01.940 The sisters were probably present. 00:27:02.120 --> 00:27:02.980 The seams in the language. 00:27:03.280 --> 00:27:04.140 That are here with us. 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:06.780 How can this man be who he says he is? 00:27:06.780 --> 00:27:10.460 This man who a year ago came and claimed that he was the Christ. 00:27:10.560 --> 00:27:12.040 The anointed one of God. 00:27:12.120 --> 00:27:14.100 The one who would come and be Israel's salvation. 00:27:15.019 --> 00:27:16.740 He probably made the same claim again. 00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:21.980 I would not assume that Jesus got up and spoke and caught anything mamby-pamby. 00:27:22.099 --> 00:27:24.160 He didn't do three steps to a better life. 00:27:24.380 --> 00:27:25.920 He got up and said, I am the Christ. 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:27.859 I have come and brought the kingdom of God. 00:27:28.099 --> 00:27:33.380 And here they are making this attack against him because of their clouded minds. 00:27:33.539 --> 00:27:34.420 Their unbelief. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:37.460 They just couldn't see clearly. 00:27:38.839 --> 00:27:40.279 1 Corinthians 2.14. 00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:43.779 Paul gives us an expression of this. 00:27:43.779 --> 00:27:50.220 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God for they are folly to him. 00:27:51.319 --> 00:27:55.740 And he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 00:27:56.700 --> 00:27:58.259 They are spiritually discerned. 00:27:58.399 --> 00:28:00.779 So unbelief clouds the mind. 00:28:00.779 --> 00:28:10.539 It should be no surprise to us, beloved, when we share the gospel with our friends and our coworkers and our neighbors. 00:28:11.259 --> 00:28:16.700 And it's hard to get them just to stop and even be a little logical sometimes. 00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:17.460 Right? 00:28:17.460 --> 00:28:22.960 Even just to spend a little bit of time considering the claims. 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:25.019 We shouldn't be surprised. 00:28:26.120 --> 00:28:27.120 Number one, unbelief clouds the mind. 00:28:27.220 --> 00:28:30.660 Number two, unbelief attacks the messenger. 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:34.680 Unbelief attacks the messenger. 00:28:35.900 --> 00:28:37.299 Verse 4 of chapter 6. 00:28:37.299 --> 00:28:50.720 Now Jesus here recognizes himself as a prophet, which is one who speaks on behalf of God. 00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:53.940 In this day, a prophet was one who was given words. 00:28:54.379 --> 00:28:57.059 New revelation was given to this man. 00:28:57.119 --> 00:29:00.599 We don't believe that prophets exist in this way any longer in this day. 00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:03.099 But new revelation was given to a man. 00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:06.059 And that man came and spoke on behalf of God. 00:29:06.199 --> 00:29:08.039 Jesus here recognizes himself as a prophet. 00:29:08.159 --> 00:29:09.139 A prophet is not without honor. 00:29:09.219 --> 00:29:11.359 He's speaking of himself in that way. 00:29:11.879 --> 00:29:14.639 Others also recognize him as a prophet. 00:29:15.299 --> 00:29:18.619 Shortly after his account in Mark chapter 6 verse 15, 00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:22.079 we see conjecture about who Jesus is. 00:29:22.139 --> 00:29:23.259 Verse 15 of chapter 6. 00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:25.259 But others said, he is Elijah. 00:29:25.399 --> 00:29:27.219 And others said, he is a prophet. 00:29:27.219 --> 00:29:29.740 Like one of the prophets of old. 00:29:30.660 --> 00:29:32.120 In Luke chapter 7 verse 16. 00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:35.039 After healing a widow's son in a town called Nain. 00:29:35.240 --> 00:29:36.319 That's my best guess at that. 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:38.200 Fear seized them all. 00:29:38.660 --> 00:29:40.140 And they glorified God saying, 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:42.940 A great prophet has risen among us. 00:29:43.180 --> 00:29:46.079 And God has visited his people. 00:29:46.920 --> 00:29:49.279 Luke chapter 24 verse 19. 00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:52.420 Jesus speaks to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. 00:29:53.400 --> 00:29:54.359 And he said to them, 00:29:54.359 --> 00:29:55.240 What things? 00:29:55.299 --> 00:29:56.299 They were speaking of things. 00:29:56.440 --> 00:29:56.880 What things? 00:29:56.920 --> 00:29:57.599 And they said to him, 00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:00.119 Concerning Jesus of Nazareth. 00:30:00.539 --> 00:30:06.159 A man who was a prophet mighty indeed and word before God and all the people. 00:30:06.259 --> 00:30:08.399 People were recognizing him as a prophet. 00:30:08.459 --> 00:30:10.240 As he recognized himself. 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:13.759 And he is, we know now, of course, 00:30:14.259 --> 00:30:18.240 so much more than just a prophet. 00:30:18.379 --> 00:30:20.759 In fact, a little theology 101 for you. 00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:25.779 The offices that Christ fills are those of prophet, priest, and king. 00:30:25.779 --> 00:30:29.359 But the most beautiful way of summing that up, 00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:32.639 the most beautiful way of saying that he is prophet, priest, and king, 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:34.779 is to say that he is the Christ. 00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:36.879 He is the Christ. 00:30:36.980 --> 00:30:39.859 The anointed one of God. 00:30:40.339 --> 00:30:43.379 Mark chapter 8 verse 27 through 29. 00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:47.139 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. 00:30:47.140 --> 00:30:49.060 And on the way he asked the disciples, 00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:50.860 Who do people say that I am? 00:30:51.720 --> 00:30:53.960 And they told him, John the Baptist. 00:30:54.200 --> 00:30:56.040 And others say, Elijah. 00:30:56.440 --> 00:30:58.700 And others, one of the prophets. 00:30:59.520 --> 00:31:00.060 Verse 29. 00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:01.040 And he asked them, 00:31:01.420 --> 00:31:03.320 But who do you say that I am? 00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:06.720 This is Peter's classic, wonderful response. 00:31:06.860 --> 00:31:07.780 Peter answered him, 00:31:08.320 --> 00:31:10.900 You are the Christ. 00:31:10.900 --> 00:31:16.740 And so Jesus makes this axiom statement here. 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:20.100 This truism, if you'll allow such a word. 00:31:21.060 --> 00:31:24.080 A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his relatives 00:31:24.080 --> 00:31:26.840 and in his own household. 00:31:26.940 --> 00:31:30.620 He speaks in these concentric circles of rejection 00:31:30.620 --> 00:31:33.800 from the wider to the narrower. 00:31:33.800 --> 00:31:38.580 And this was largely true of the prophets that had preceded Jesus in this day. 00:31:38.579 --> 00:31:40.259 And so he's just stating, 00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:42.460 It's almost as if he's saying, 00:31:42.659 --> 00:31:43.279 But of course. 00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:45.519 We see that he marvels at it, but he's saying, 00:31:45.740 --> 00:31:46.339 But of course. 00:31:46.859 --> 00:31:47.859 Why should I be surprised? 00:31:47.939 --> 00:31:49.799 This was true of the prophets of old. 00:31:49.879 --> 00:31:52.960 And here I am now being rejected in my hometown 00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:55.960 and among my relatives and in my own household. 00:31:56.980 --> 00:32:00.919 His own brothers and sisters do not believe that he is who he says he is. 00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:02.559 And that's so hard for me. 00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:04.119 You have to have your judgment. 00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:05.419 Your mind has got to be in a cloud 00:32:05.420 --> 00:32:09.220 if you don't see that your perfect brother is not the Christ. 00:32:09.500 --> 00:32:10.560 I can't even imagine. 00:32:10.580 --> 00:32:13.640 I can't imagine what it would have been like to grow up with a perfect sibling, 00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:16.640 to live under that kind of a shadow. 00:32:16.800 --> 00:32:18.120 They must have known, right? 00:32:18.539 --> 00:32:22.039 Their mother and their father would have told them about the amazing way 00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:23.420 that Jesus came into the world. 00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:25.039 That would have been a family story. 00:32:25.120 --> 00:32:27.160 They certainly would have been clear on that. 00:32:27.220 --> 00:32:29.519 And we see back in chapter 3 that they thought he was crazy. 00:32:29.900 --> 00:32:30.680 Praise God. 00:32:30.680 --> 00:32:33.900 In Acts, we see that his family is gathered together 00:32:33.900 --> 00:32:37.940 and they are in fact counted amongst the disciples in that day. 00:32:38.019 --> 00:32:40.980 But at this time, they did not believe. 00:32:41.820 --> 00:32:43.799 Prophet is not without honor. 00:32:43.860 --> 00:32:47.720 It means he's with honor except in his own town. 00:32:48.460 --> 00:32:52.920 Now, interestingly, this second time he goes back, 00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:54.160 you might say, why? 00:32:54.380 --> 00:32:55.240 Why did he go back? 00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:57.019 The first time he was there, they tried to kill him. 00:32:57.019 --> 00:33:01.720 Like, why did he even go back and give them some second shot? 00:33:01.980 --> 00:33:05.039 Did Jesus really think that having been rejected the first time, 00:33:05.059 --> 00:33:06.759 that he would be received the second time? 00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:07.720 Was he not omniscient? 00:33:07.799 --> 00:33:08.839 Did he not know all things? 00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:10.579 Did he not know that this would be the encounter? 00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:12.599 And I would say to you, yes, he did. 00:33:12.660 --> 00:33:13.460 But there's a difference. 00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:16.480 The first time he went, he was by himself. 00:33:16.579 --> 00:33:18.180 We see no record that anybody was with him. 00:33:18.379 --> 00:33:19.779 He hasn't called the disciples yet, 00:33:19.900 --> 00:33:22.500 but there's a very key thing going on here in verse 1. 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:24.559 And his disciples followed him. 00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:26.400 So now the twelve are with him. 00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:31.460 And they go with him now back to receive a lesson in rejection. 00:33:32.140 --> 00:33:36.640 They go back to see exactly what that is going to look like. 00:33:37.500 --> 00:33:38.840 Why would he have done it otherwise? 00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:42.220 Why would he have done it if not to show them a lesson? 00:33:42.580 --> 00:33:43.480 Look at what he does. 00:33:43.780 --> 00:33:46.100 The very next thing that's happening here 00:33:46.100 --> 00:33:49.380 is that he commissions them and sends them out 00:33:49.380 --> 00:33:51.720 to go propagate the truth, 00:33:51.820 --> 00:33:53.880 to go preach the good news of the coming kingdom. 00:33:53.880 --> 00:33:56.940 Right after this is when they split up and divide. 00:33:57.220 --> 00:33:59.180 He was preparing them for that. 00:34:00.020 --> 00:34:01.800 We get other accounts of that. 00:34:02.260 --> 00:34:05.260 John chapter 15, verse 18 through 20. 00:34:05.259 --> 00:34:07.500 If the world hates you, 00:34:07.859 --> 00:34:09.579 know that it has hated me before it hated you. 00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:10.960 If you were of the world, 00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:12.900 the word would love you as its own. 00:34:12.980 --> 00:34:14.239 But because you were not of the world, 00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:15.820 but I chose you out of the world, 00:34:16.039 --> 00:34:17.920 therefore the world hates you. 00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:19.860 Remember the word that I said to you. 00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:21.360 A servant is not greater than his master. 00:34:21.420 --> 00:34:22.519 If they persecuted me, 00:34:22.940 --> 00:34:24.219 they will also persecute you. 00:34:24.219 --> 00:34:25.659 If they kept my word, 00:34:25.819 --> 00:34:27.059 they will also keep yours. 00:34:27.419 --> 00:34:30.799 Jesus was the greatest example of this, 00:34:30.839 --> 00:34:32.459 of this type of rejection. 00:34:32.939 --> 00:34:35.799 He pursued it all the way to the cross, 00:34:36.099 --> 00:34:37.739 to the most horrific of deaths. 00:34:38.000 --> 00:34:40.099 He displayed this for us. 00:34:40.899 --> 00:34:42.599 Why would we think we're better than our master? 00:34:42.779 --> 00:34:44.459 Why would we think that we won't be rejected 00:34:44.459 --> 00:34:46.480 when we go and speak the truth? 00:34:46.679 --> 00:34:48.399 That people will just not believe us 00:34:48.399 --> 00:34:50.299 because we're telling the truth? 00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:52.199 I don't know why we would ever think that. 00:34:52.199 --> 00:34:55.179 The following account we see 00:34:55.179 --> 00:34:57.000 as a short, as Mark does, 00:34:57.239 --> 00:34:59.199 punchy account of sending out the twelve, 00:34:59.419 --> 00:35:01.460 we get a longer record 00:35:01.460 --> 00:35:02.819 of that same commissioning 00:35:02.819 --> 00:35:03.839 in Matthew chapter 10, 00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:05.719 verse 16 through 25. 00:35:05.819 --> 00:35:06.679 Why don't you turn there with me 00:35:06.679 --> 00:35:08.779 while I try not to choke. 00:35:14.379 --> 00:35:16.099 I'm so ready to not be sick anymore. 00:35:16.399 --> 00:35:18.159 Matthew chapter 10, verse 16. 00:35:18.159 --> 00:35:22.739 We're going to read through verse 25. 00:35:24.659 --> 00:35:27.139 I want you to see this as a consistent teaching. 00:35:27.259 --> 00:35:29.299 Jesus took them and showed them 00:35:29.299 --> 00:35:30.339 what it was going to look like 00:35:30.339 --> 00:35:32.619 and he also taught them on regular occasion. 00:35:33.299 --> 00:35:34.960 Behold, I'm sending you out as sheep 00:35:34.960 --> 00:35:36.259 in the midst of wolves. 00:35:36.739 --> 00:35:39.039 So be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:41.460 Beware of men for they will deliver you over to courts 00:35:41.460 --> 00:35:43.159 and flog you in their synagogues 00:35:43.159 --> 00:35:45.259 and you will be dragged before governors and kings 00:35:45.260 --> 00:35:48.040 for my sake to bear witness before them 00:35:48.040 --> 00:35:48.960 and the Gentiles. 00:35:49.420 --> 00:35:50.600 When they deliver you over, 00:35:50.720 --> 00:35:52.400 do not be anxious how you are to speak 00:35:52.400 --> 00:35:53.280 or what you are to say 00:35:53.280 --> 00:35:54.060 for what you are to say 00:35:54.060 --> 00:35:55.620 will be given to you in that hour. 00:35:56.200 --> 00:35:58.520 For it is not you who speak 00:35:58.520 --> 00:36:00.860 but the spirit of your father speaking through you. 00:36:01.500 --> 00:36:03.020 Brother will deliver brother over to death 00:36:03.020 --> 00:36:04.260 and the father his child 00:36:04.260 --> 00:36:05.940 and children will rise against parents 00:36:05.940 --> 00:36:06.980 and have them put to death. 00:36:07.340 --> 00:36:09.740 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. 00:36:10.080 --> 00:36:12.720 But the one who endures the end will be saved. 00:36:13.180 --> 00:36:14.860 When they persecute you in one town, 00:36:14.860 --> 00:36:15.700 flee to the next. 00:36:15.780 --> 00:36:16.920 For truly I say to you, 00:36:17.200 --> 00:36:19.160 you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel 00:36:19.160 --> 00:36:20.519 before the Son of Man comes. 00:36:21.099 --> 00:36:23.260 A disciple is not above his teacher 00:36:23.260 --> 00:36:25.280 nor a servant above his master. 00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:27.880 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher 00:36:27.880 --> 00:36:29.840 and the servant like his master. 00:36:30.380 --> 00:36:32.880 If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, 00:36:33.200 --> 00:36:36.240 how much more will they malign those of his household? 00:36:36.559 --> 00:36:37.539 You see, he's telling them 00:36:37.539 --> 00:36:38.760 all these things are going to happen to you 00:36:38.760 --> 00:36:39.780 but for my name's sake, 00:36:39.940 --> 00:36:41.099 you're going to go before kings, 00:36:41.140 --> 00:36:41.960 you're going to go before governors, 00:36:41.960 --> 00:36:44.159 I'm going to give you words to speak to them 00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:45.599 for my glory. 00:36:46.240 --> 00:36:49.260 And then we see this important reality 00:36:49.260 --> 00:36:52.559 that for those of us who are in fact believers, 00:36:52.780 --> 00:36:54.599 those of us who endure to the end, 00:36:54.920 --> 00:36:56.079 we're going to be persecuted 00:36:56.079 --> 00:36:57.619 and we're going to stand up under it 00:36:57.619 --> 00:36:58.699 and we're going to keep going 00:36:58.699 --> 00:36:59.659 and we're going to keep pushing 00:36:59.659 --> 00:37:00.659 and we're going to keep preaching 00:37:00.659 --> 00:37:03.300 because we want to be like our master. 00:37:03.860 --> 00:37:06.360 Because we want to look like him. 00:37:06.659 --> 00:37:07.860 You remember the parable of the sowers 00:37:07.860 --> 00:37:09.380 back in chapter 2? 00:37:09.760 --> 00:37:10.420 Nope, 4. 00:37:12.220 --> 00:37:13.360 You remember the parable of the sower? 00:37:13.500 --> 00:37:16.480 The rocky ground where the sprout comes up? 00:37:16.660 --> 00:37:17.840 It sprouts up quickly 00:37:17.840 --> 00:37:19.019 but the roots aren't deep 00:37:19.019 --> 00:37:21.260 and when the sun of persecution comes out, 00:37:21.340 --> 00:37:22.260 it withers and dies. 00:37:23.380 --> 00:37:25.200 The one who doesn't endure to the end? 00:37:26.059 --> 00:37:27.660 The one who isn't willing to go 00:37:27.660 --> 00:37:29.039 and preach the truth 00:37:29.039 --> 00:37:30.660 and be rejected for it? 00:37:31.720 --> 00:37:34.720 Very likely is that type of person, 00:37:34.820 --> 00:37:36.360 that type of receiver of seed, 00:37:36.420 --> 00:37:37.480 is not a believer at all. 00:37:38.460 --> 00:37:40.320 We must ask ourselves that question. 00:37:41.000 --> 00:37:42.480 You need to ask yourself that question 00:37:42.480 --> 00:37:43.480 in the situation. 00:37:43.940 --> 00:37:44.900 I am scared. 00:37:45.059 --> 00:37:46.320 I do not want to be rejected. 00:37:46.460 --> 00:37:47.420 Oh, I just got rejected 00:37:47.420 --> 00:37:48.440 and it's uncomfortable 00:37:48.440 --> 00:37:49.400 and I don't like it. 00:37:49.420 --> 00:37:51.980 I feel like such a dweeb right now. 00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:54.400 It's a strange word that popped into my head. 00:37:56.760 --> 00:37:58.420 Am I truly a believer? 00:37:59.079 --> 00:38:00.660 You should ask yourself that question 00:38:00.660 --> 00:38:01.539 and I hope that you come out 00:38:01.539 --> 00:38:03.099 the other side of it with an emphatic yes. 00:38:03.099 --> 00:38:05.420 But if not, just repent and believe. 00:38:06.420 --> 00:38:09.300 Don't be surprised if you're not well received. 00:38:10.240 --> 00:38:11.680 In fact, expect it 00:38:11.680 --> 00:38:14.920 and rejoice when it happens. 00:38:15.740 --> 00:38:16.900 Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, 00:38:17.019 --> 00:38:18.539 Matthew 5, verse 10, 00:38:18.619 --> 00:38:18.720 said, 00:38:18.719 --> 00:38:19.839 Blessed are those who are persecuted 00:38:19.839 --> 00:38:21.319 for righteousness' sake, 00:38:21.379 --> 00:38:22.519 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:38:22.859 --> 00:38:24.799 Blessed, happy, joyful. 00:38:25.759 --> 00:38:26.279 Verse 11, 00:38:26.439 --> 00:38:27.980 Blessed are you when others revile you 00:38:27.980 --> 00:38:28.859 and persecute you 00:38:28.859 --> 00:38:30.139 and utter all kinds of evil 00:38:30.139 --> 00:38:32.039 against you falsely on my account. 00:38:32.759 --> 00:38:34.259 Rejoice and be glad, 00:38:34.459 --> 00:38:36.039 for your reward is great in heaven, 00:38:36.119 --> 00:38:37.879 for so they persecuted the prophets 00:38:37.879 --> 00:38:39.879 who were before you. 00:38:40.379 --> 00:38:41.899 This is the great value of church. 00:38:41.959 --> 00:38:43.259 If we're out living this way, 00:38:43.259 --> 00:38:44.279 if we're being missional, 00:38:44.360 --> 00:38:46.100 if we're on task for God, 00:38:46.340 --> 00:38:48.040 people are going to be rejecting us. 00:38:48.820 --> 00:38:50.120 Praise God, by His work, 00:38:50.180 --> 00:38:51.480 people will also be receiving us. 00:38:51.540 --> 00:38:52.820 But they're going to be rejecting us. 00:38:53.060 --> 00:38:53.980 One of the great things about church 00:38:53.980 --> 00:38:55.280 is that we get to get back together 00:38:55.280 --> 00:38:56.680 and not be crazy together. 00:38:57.180 --> 00:38:58.280 We get to get back together 00:38:58.280 --> 00:38:58.700 and say, 00:38:58.920 --> 00:38:59.720 this is true. 00:38:59.980 --> 00:39:00.780 Let's open it up 00:39:00.780 --> 00:39:01.840 and let's receive it 00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:02.860 and let's relish it 00:39:02.860 --> 00:39:03.860 and let's sing songs 00:39:03.860 --> 00:39:04.840 at the top of our lungs 00:39:04.840 --> 00:39:06.500 proclaiming these truths together. 00:39:06.620 --> 00:39:07.640 Okay, I can go back out 00:39:07.640 --> 00:39:08.220 and I can do it again. 00:39:08.700 --> 00:39:09.800 I'm encouraged now. 00:39:09.800 --> 00:39:11.360 I know that I'm not nuts. 00:39:11.560 --> 00:39:12.380 I know that you believe it 00:39:12.380 --> 00:39:13.000 and you believe it 00:39:13.000 --> 00:39:13.639 and you believe it. 00:39:13.639 --> 00:39:14.260 I can go back out 00:39:14.260 --> 00:39:14.940 and I can tell it again 00:39:14.940 --> 00:39:16.219 because I've been rejected all week. 00:39:16.500 --> 00:39:17.219 Here I'm accepted 00:39:17.219 --> 00:39:18.239 in the Beloved. 00:39:19.400 --> 00:39:20.820 The apostles got the message. 00:39:21.500 --> 00:39:22.199 Acts chapter 5, 00:39:22.260 --> 00:39:23.159 verse 40 and 42. 00:39:24.199 --> 00:39:25.079 Being led by Peter, 00:39:25.159 --> 00:39:26.019 but the apostles here 00:39:26.019 --> 00:39:28.380 says when they had called in the apostles, 00:39:28.500 --> 00:39:30.659 they've already preached to them, 00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:32.539 really upset, 00:39:32.780 --> 00:39:33.780 the scribes and the Pharisees. 00:39:34.179 --> 00:39:34.980 They sent them out. 00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:36.099 When they called in the apostles, 00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:37.300 they beat them 00:39:37.300 --> 00:39:37.920 and charged them 00:39:37.920 --> 00:39:39.139 not to speak in the name of Jesus 00:39:39.139 --> 00:39:40.039 and let them go. 00:39:40.739 --> 00:39:42.280 Then they left the presence of the council, 00:39:42.280 --> 00:39:44.120 rejoicing that they were counted worthy 00:39:44.120 --> 00:39:46.420 to suffer dishonor for the name. 00:39:47.220 --> 00:39:48.800 Now look at their continued response. 00:39:49.019 --> 00:39:49.940 So first of all, 00:39:50.840 --> 00:39:51.500 they're brought in 00:39:51.500 --> 00:39:53.019 and they're beat, right? 00:39:53.140 --> 00:39:55.740 They give a loving presentation 00:39:55.740 --> 00:39:57.840 of the gospel to these men. 00:39:58.140 --> 00:39:58.820 They send them out. 00:39:58.920 --> 00:39:59.380 They have a little, 00:39:59.720 --> 00:40:01.460 Gamaliel basically saves their life 00:40:01.460 --> 00:40:02.400 but they have this little conversation. 00:40:02.760 --> 00:40:03.400 Bring them back in. 00:40:03.560 --> 00:40:04.180 They beat them, 00:40:04.380 --> 00:40:05.040 charge them strictly 00:40:05.040 --> 00:40:06.800 to not speak in the name of Jesus 00:40:06.800 --> 00:40:07.400 any longer. 00:40:08.440 --> 00:40:09.680 They leave rejoicing 00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:10.419 they were counted worthy 00:40:10.419 --> 00:40:11.339 to suffer dishonor for the name. 00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:12.919 And then verse 42, 00:40:13.059 --> 00:40:13.839 and every day 00:40:13.839 --> 00:40:14.899 in the temple 00:40:14.899 --> 00:40:16.259 and from the house to house, 00:40:16.519 --> 00:40:17.839 they did not cease teaching 00:40:17.839 --> 00:40:18.719 and preaching 00:40:18.719 --> 00:40:20.059 that the Christ 00:40:20.059 --> 00:40:21.599 is Jesus. 00:40:22.259 --> 00:40:22.359 Right? 00:40:23.299 --> 00:40:24.319 They rejoiced 00:40:24.319 --> 00:40:25.199 to suffer 00:40:25.199 --> 00:40:26.799 and they went to go suffer some more 00:40:26.799 --> 00:40:27.839 and they kept on going 00:40:27.839 --> 00:40:28.919 and they kept on preaching. 00:40:29.579 --> 00:40:29.799 Beloved, 00:40:29.859 --> 00:40:30.980 it shouldn't be a surprise to us 00:40:30.980 --> 00:40:32.279 in this culture that we live in 00:40:32.279 --> 00:40:34.259 that we will be reviled. 00:40:34.819 --> 00:40:35.039 Right? 00:40:35.079 --> 00:40:35.940 That we will be hated 00:40:35.940 --> 00:40:36.940 just like Jesus 00:40:36.940 --> 00:40:37.800 was hated. 00:40:38.440 --> 00:40:40.079 And do you want the joy? 00:40:40.519 --> 00:40:41.720 Do you want the kind of joy 00:40:41.720 --> 00:40:43.599 that comes from serving Him 00:40:43.599 --> 00:40:45.240 and being like Him? 00:40:45.280 --> 00:40:45.880 I hope you do. 00:40:46.300 --> 00:40:47.039 I hope that you do. 00:40:47.639 --> 00:40:49.059 So unbelief clouds the mind. 00:40:49.400 --> 00:40:51.260 Unbelief attacks the messenger. 00:40:51.820 --> 00:40:52.420 And thirdly, 00:40:53.460 --> 00:40:56.179 unbelief limits the supernatural. 00:40:56.559 --> 00:40:58.420 And we'll close with this in brief. 00:40:58.500 --> 00:41:00.480 Unbelief limits the supernatural. 00:41:00.480 --> 00:41:01.280 Verse 5, 00:41:01.340 --> 00:41:03.200 And He could do no mighty work there 00:41:03.200 --> 00:41:04.860 except that He laid His hands 00:41:04.860 --> 00:41:06.360 on a few sick people 00:41:06.360 --> 00:41:07.700 and healed them. 00:41:07.980 --> 00:41:09.160 It's interesting language, isn't it? 00:41:09.180 --> 00:41:12.200 And He could do no mighty work there. 00:41:12.280 --> 00:41:12.920 And it would seem 00:41:12.920 --> 00:41:15.420 that their lack of faith, 00:41:15.539 --> 00:41:16.640 their unbelief, 00:41:17.240 --> 00:41:17.460 right, 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:20.079 somehow stopped His power. 00:41:20.180 --> 00:41:21.579 That He ceased being powerful 00:41:21.579 --> 00:41:22.260 as a result. 00:41:22.660 --> 00:41:22.780 Right? 00:41:22.920 --> 00:41:23.680 Not the case. 00:41:24.240 --> 00:41:24.440 Right? 00:41:24.660 --> 00:41:25.539 The God of the universe 00:41:25.539 --> 00:41:27.059 that speaks things into existence 00:41:27.059 --> 00:41:27.880 by the power of His Word 00:41:27.880 --> 00:41:28.680 and holds them in their sway 00:41:28.680 --> 00:41:29.900 cannot be limited 00:41:29.900 --> 00:41:31.579 by man in that way. 00:41:31.660 --> 00:41:32.960 And I like how John MacArthur put it. 00:41:33.000 --> 00:41:33.220 He said, 00:41:33.300 --> 00:41:34.620 It wasn't a power problem, 00:41:34.760 --> 00:41:35.900 but a purpose problem. 00:41:36.360 --> 00:41:37.420 It wasn't a power problem. 00:41:37.579 --> 00:41:38.240 It wasn't that He didn't have 00:41:38.240 --> 00:41:40.200 enough power to overcome unbelief. 00:41:40.380 --> 00:41:40.760 Praise God, 00:41:40.800 --> 00:41:41.860 He does that every day. 00:41:42.240 --> 00:41:42.460 Right? 00:41:42.620 --> 00:41:43.820 I didn't believe in Him. 00:41:43.920 --> 00:41:45.300 He overcame my unbelief 00:41:45.300 --> 00:41:46.220 that I might believe in Him. 00:41:46.780 --> 00:41:46.980 Right? 00:41:47.360 --> 00:41:48.740 But it was a purpose problem. 00:41:49.120 --> 00:41:49.300 Right? 00:41:49.480 --> 00:41:50.559 Remember that the purpose 00:41:50.559 --> 00:41:51.460 of His miracles 00:41:51.460 --> 00:41:53.519 was to validate His message. 00:41:53.519 --> 00:41:54.360 And they had already 00:41:54.360 --> 00:41:55.440 rejected the message. 00:41:55.940 --> 00:41:56.059 Right? 00:41:56.099 --> 00:41:57.220 They had already rejected it. 00:41:57.280 --> 00:41:58.260 Not just once, 00:41:58.340 --> 00:41:59.180 but twice now, 00:41:59.420 --> 00:41:59.820 again. 00:42:00.160 --> 00:42:01.660 They not only didn't believe 00:42:01.660 --> 00:42:02.680 that He is who He says He is, 00:42:02.679 --> 00:42:03.440 but they were putting Him 00:42:03.440 --> 00:42:04.899 in a very low spot. 00:42:06.139 --> 00:42:06.319 Right? 00:42:06.940 --> 00:42:08.319 So the purpose no longer 00:42:08.319 --> 00:42:09.859 was there for Him. 00:42:09.960 --> 00:42:12.159 They had already shown 00:42:12.159 --> 00:42:13.980 such a degree of unbelief 00:42:13.980 --> 00:42:16.419 that He marveled at it. 00:42:17.039 --> 00:42:18.159 The record of Matthew, 00:42:18.460 --> 00:42:20.480 chapter 13, verse 58, 00:42:20.739 --> 00:42:20.960 says, 00:42:21.119 --> 00:42:22.259 And He did not do 00:42:22.259 --> 00:42:23.379 many mighty works there 00:42:23.379 --> 00:42:25.960 because of their unbelief. 00:42:25.960 --> 00:42:29.260 Mark, chapter 6, 00:42:30.119 --> 00:42:31.099 verse 10 and 11. 00:42:31.240 --> 00:42:33.300 It's our following text. 00:42:33.400 --> 00:42:34.059 And He said to them, 00:42:34.960 --> 00:42:36.159 Whenever you enter a house, 00:42:36.400 --> 00:42:37.480 stay there until you 00:42:37.480 --> 00:42:38.179 depart from there. 00:42:38.940 --> 00:42:39.659 And if any place, 00:42:39.679 --> 00:42:40.320 which just means 00:42:40.320 --> 00:42:41.920 live in the house 00:42:41.920 --> 00:42:42.920 until you leave the city. 00:42:43.699 --> 00:42:44.740 And if any place 00:42:44.740 --> 00:42:45.980 will not receive you, 00:42:46.179 --> 00:42:47.740 and they will not listen to you, 00:42:48.019 --> 00:42:49.039 when you leave, 00:42:49.639 --> 00:42:50.780 shake off the dust 00:42:50.780 --> 00:42:51.659 that is on your feet 00:42:51.659 --> 00:42:53.380 as a testimony against them. 00:42:53.960 --> 00:42:54.059 Right? 00:42:54.199 --> 00:42:55.119 What He's saying to them 00:42:55.119 --> 00:42:56.139 is teaching them to do 00:42:56.139 --> 00:42:56.659 the very thing 00:42:56.659 --> 00:42:57.519 that He has done here. 00:42:57.639 --> 00:42:57.759 Right? 00:42:57.779 --> 00:42:58.579 He didn't go in there 00:42:58.579 --> 00:42:59.739 and perform a bunch of miracles. 00:43:00.019 --> 00:43:01.539 He didn't try to twist 00:43:01.539 --> 00:43:02.179 and convince. 00:43:02.279 --> 00:43:03.259 They had already rejected Him. 00:43:03.299 --> 00:43:03.940 So He just said, 00:43:04.059 --> 00:43:04.279 Okay. 00:43:04.519 --> 00:43:05.199 And He didn't perform 00:43:05.199 --> 00:43:06.019 miracles there. 00:43:06.159 --> 00:43:06.719 He's telling them 00:43:06.719 --> 00:43:07.539 to do the very same thing. 00:43:07.579 --> 00:43:08.480 If people won't receive you, 00:43:08.599 --> 00:43:09.500 they won't listen to you, 00:43:09.579 --> 00:43:10.619 when you walk out of the town, 00:43:10.920 --> 00:43:12.199 knock the dust off your sandals 00:43:12.199 --> 00:43:12.940 and move on. 00:43:13.380 --> 00:43:13.579 Right? 00:43:14.239 --> 00:43:15.359 Their unbelief 00:43:15.359 --> 00:43:16.759 has already condemned them. 00:43:16.880 --> 00:43:17.500 Move on. 00:43:17.719 --> 00:43:18.679 Go to other listeners. 00:43:19.099 --> 00:43:19.259 Right? 00:43:19.420 --> 00:43:20.460 And we wrestle with that. 00:43:20.539 --> 00:43:21.239 I know that those of us 00:43:21.239 --> 00:43:22.199 who do ministry 00:43:22.199 --> 00:43:22.920 more full-time, 00:43:23.019 --> 00:43:24.039 Clay and I speak all the time 00:43:24.039 --> 00:43:25.000 about people 00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:26.440 that we may should cut loose 00:43:26.440 --> 00:43:26.980 and we're spending 00:43:26.980 --> 00:43:28.320 all this energy and time on 00:43:28.320 --> 00:43:30.300 and they just won't change 00:43:30.300 --> 00:43:31.079 and we're always in this 00:43:31.079 --> 00:43:32.320 sticking. 00:43:32.480 --> 00:43:33.579 Do we stick it out? 00:43:33.639 --> 00:43:34.380 Do we keep pressing? 00:43:34.500 --> 00:43:35.420 Do we keep loving on them 00:43:35.420 --> 00:43:36.239 or do we shake the dust 00:43:36.239 --> 00:43:37.059 off our sandals 00:43:37.059 --> 00:43:37.880 and move on 00:43:37.880 --> 00:43:38.659 to people who will 00:43:38.659 --> 00:43:40.300 listen to the truth? 00:43:40.579 --> 00:43:40.699 Right? 00:43:40.780 --> 00:43:42.039 It's a great challenge here 00:43:42.039 --> 00:43:43.179 and what we're being taught 00:43:43.179 --> 00:43:44.159 is that as we're going 00:43:44.159 --> 00:43:45.480 to the ends of the earth 00:43:45.480 --> 00:43:46.599 and preaching the gospel, 00:43:46.820 --> 00:43:48.059 we've got a task ahead of us 00:43:48.059 --> 00:43:48.780 and we need to move 00:43:48.780 --> 00:43:49.539 and we need to go 00:43:49.539 --> 00:43:51.480 and Jesus felt that urgency here 00:43:51.480 --> 00:43:53.619 as He didn't continue 00:43:53.619 --> 00:43:54.300 to perform miracles. 00:43:54.300 --> 00:43:55.460 Matthew 7, 6, 00:43:55.519 --> 00:43:56.140 He says it this way, 00:43:56.200 --> 00:43:57.019 Do not give dogs 00:43:57.019 --> 00:43:57.539 what is holy 00:43:57.539 --> 00:43:58.940 and do not throw your pearls 00:43:58.940 --> 00:43:59.720 before pigs 00:43:59.720 --> 00:44:00.820 lest they trample them 00:44:00.820 --> 00:44:01.260 underfoot 00:44:01.260 --> 00:44:01.920 and turn 00:44:01.920 --> 00:44:03.460 and attack you. 00:44:05.000 --> 00:44:05.860 So unbelief 00:44:05.860 --> 00:44:06.820 clouds the mind, 00:44:08.160 --> 00:44:09.100 unbelief attacks 00:44:09.100 --> 00:44:09.680 the messenger, 00:44:10.220 --> 00:44:11.500 and unbelief limits 00:44:11.500 --> 00:44:12.960 the supernatural. 00:44:14.320 --> 00:44:15.420 Get that unbelief 00:44:15.420 --> 00:44:16.000 chooses 00:44:16.000 --> 00:44:17.360 death and destruction, 00:44:18.720 --> 00:44:19.519 chooses sin, 00:44:20.160 --> 00:44:21.320 chooses the very denial 00:44:21.320 --> 00:44:22.240 of who we were 00:44:22.239 --> 00:44:23.559 created to be. 00:44:23.639 --> 00:44:24.559 It chooses Satan, 00:44:25.339 --> 00:44:26.019 chooses to be 00:44:26.019 --> 00:44:26.959 underneath him, 00:44:27.219 --> 00:44:27.939 chooses eternal 00:44:27.939 --> 00:44:28.859 and absolute 00:44:28.859 --> 00:44:30.579 separation from God. 00:44:30.659 --> 00:44:31.579 John 3, 36 says, 00:44:31.659 --> 00:44:32.379 Whoever believes in the Son 00:44:32.379 --> 00:44:33.099 has eternal life. 00:44:33.399 --> 00:44:34.679 Whoever does not obey the Son 00:44:34.679 --> 00:44:35.639 shall not see life, 00:44:35.699 --> 00:44:36.339 but the wrath 00:44:36.339 --> 00:44:37.239 of God 00:44:37.239 --> 00:44:38.039 remains 00:44:38.039 --> 00:44:39.179 on him. 00:44:39.379 --> 00:44:39.859 This 00:44:39.859 --> 00:44:40.879 is miserable. 00:44:41.579 --> 00:44:42.559 If you do not 00:44:42.559 --> 00:44:43.779 believe today, 00:44:43.879 --> 00:44:45.239 if you do not have faith 00:44:45.239 --> 00:44:46.179 in Christ, 00:44:46.279 --> 00:44:46.839 the wrath 00:44:46.839 --> 00:44:47.719 of God 00:44:47.719 --> 00:44:48.839 remains on you. 00:44:48.840 --> 00:44:50.240 You might enjoy 00:44:50.240 --> 00:44:51.440 some temporary pleasure 00:44:51.440 --> 00:44:52.120 of this world, 00:44:52.200 --> 00:44:52.720 but your end 00:44:52.720 --> 00:44:53.400 is destruction, 00:44:53.660 --> 00:44:54.519 and it is final, 00:44:54.700 --> 00:44:55.539 and it is absolute, 00:44:55.780 --> 00:44:56.800 and it is eternal. 00:44:56.980 --> 00:44:58.160 Try to wrap your mind 00:44:58.160 --> 00:44:58.900 around that. 00:44:59.420 --> 00:45:00.780 Nothing in this world 00:45:00.780 --> 00:45:01.340 is worth 00:45:01.340 --> 00:45:02.640 eternal destruction 00:45:02.640 --> 00:45:03.440 and eternal 00:45:03.440 --> 00:45:04.160 separation 00:45:04.160 --> 00:45:04.980 from God. 00:45:05.559 --> 00:45:06.300 Faith, rather, 00:45:06.700 --> 00:45:08.000 chooses life 00:45:08.000 --> 00:45:09.019 and life everlasting. 00:45:09.559 --> 00:45:09.940 Victory 00:45:09.940 --> 00:45:10.980 over death. 00:45:11.880 --> 00:45:12.559 The sovereign 00:45:12.559 --> 00:45:13.600 of the universe 00:45:13.600 --> 00:45:15.300 working all things 00:45:15.300 --> 00:45:16.500 for our good. 00:45:16.500 --> 00:45:18.280 It chooses joy 00:45:18.280 --> 00:45:19.179 and peace 00:45:19.179 --> 00:45:20.079 and comfort. 00:45:21.079 --> 00:45:21.480 It chooses 00:45:21.480 --> 00:45:22.059 eternal 00:45:22.059 --> 00:45:23.179 and absolute 00:45:23.179 --> 00:45:24.079 joy 00:45:24.079 --> 00:45:25.260 in God's 00:45:25.260 --> 00:45:26.079 presence. 00:45:27.340 --> 00:45:28.280 Romans 5.2 00:45:28.280 --> 00:45:29.000 Paul writes, 00:45:29.079 --> 00:45:29.599 Through him 00:45:29.599 --> 00:45:30.619 we have also obtained 00:45:30.619 --> 00:45:31.780 access by faith 00:45:31.780 --> 00:45:32.940 into this grace 00:45:32.940 --> 00:45:34.019 in which we stand, 00:45:34.480 --> 00:45:35.420 and we rejoice 00:45:35.420 --> 00:45:36.199 in hope 00:45:36.199 --> 00:45:37.480 of the glory 00:45:37.480 --> 00:45:38.679 of God. 00:45:39.559 --> 00:45:40.880 That is what 00:45:40.880 --> 00:45:42.239 faith chooses. 00:45:42.780 --> 00:45:43.599 Faith chooses 00:45:43.599 --> 00:45:45.239 abundant, 00:45:45.519 --> 00:45:46.059 everlasting 00:45:46.059 --> 00:45:47.159 life now 00:45:47.159 --> 00:45:48.199 and forever. 00:45:48.679 --> 00:45:49.159 Believe, 00:45:49.539 --> 00:45:49.820 repent 00:45:49.820 --> 00:45:51.099 of your sin, 00:45:51.400 --> 00:45:52.179 and believe 00:45:52.179 --> 00:45:53.039 that Jesus 00:45:53.039 --> 00:45:54.360 is the Christ. 00:45:54.900 --> 00:45:55.400 If you have 00:45:55.400 --> 00:45:56.159 done that 00:45:56.159 --> 00:45:56.779 today, 00:45:58.559 --> 00:45:58.940 you can with 00:45:58.940 --> 00:45:59.519 confidence 00:45:59.519 --> 00:46:00.360 know that when 00:46:00.360 --> 00:46:00.980 you stand before 00:46:00.980 --> 00:46:01.239 him, 00:46:01.860 --> 00:46:02.759 God asks 00:46:02.759 --> 00:46:03.960 why it is 00:46:03.960 --> 00:46:04.279 he ought to 00:46:04.279 --> 00:46:04.639 allow you 00:46:04.639 --> 00:46:05.259 into his presence. 00:46:05.340 --> 00:46:05.699 You can say 00:46:05.699 --> 00:46:06.219 because of the 00:46:06.219 --> 00:46:06.679 person and the 00:46:06.679 --> 00:46:07.360 work of Christ. 00:46:07.840 --> 00:46:08.500 Nothing of my 00:46:08.500 --> 00:46:08.860 own doing, 00:46:08.940 --> 00:46:09.299 but I have 00:46:09.299 --> 00:46:10.259 believed in 00:46:10.259 --> 00:46:10.659 the person 00:46:10.659 --> 00:46:11.480 and the work 00:46:11.480 --> 00:46:11.840 of Christ. 00:46:11.920 --> 00:46:12.239 If you can 00:46:12.239 --> 00:46:12.860 say that 00:46:12.860 --> 00:46:13.460 confidently, 00:46:14.039 --> 00:46:14.699 then the lesson 00:46:14.699 --> 00:46:15.239 for you today 00:46:15.239 --> 00:46:15.659 is to not 00:46:15.659 --> 00:46:16.279 be surprised 00:46:16.279 --> 00:46:16.659 when people 00:46:16.659 --> 00:46:17.119 unbelieve, 00:46:17.199 --> 00:46:17.519 the way 00:46:17.519 --> 00:46:18.479 they respond, 00:46:18.639 --> 00:46:19.179 but yet, 00:46:19.559 --> 00:46:21.119 we are to 00:46:21.119 --> 00:46:21.619 preach the 00:46:21.619 --> 00:46:21.959 gospel. 00:46:22.439 --> 00:46:22.939 We are to 00:46:22.939 --> 00:46:23.419 preach it 00:46:23.419 --> 00:46:25.279 far and 00:46:25.279 --> 00:46:25.719 wide. 00:46:26.179 --> 00:46:27.039 There is no 00:46:27.039 --> 00:46:28.279 other task 00:46:28.279 --> 00:46:29.699 given to us, 00:46:30.179 --> 00:46:30.419 beloved, 00:46:30.759 --> 00:46:32.079 that matters 00:46:32.079 --> 00:46:33.059 if we're not 00:46:33.059 --> 00:46:33.659 doing this. 00:46:35.019 --> 00:46:35.619 Hear me. 00:46:36.019 --> 00:46:37.000 We all know, 00:46:37.419 --> 00:46:38.859 we're all good 00:46:38.859 --> 00:46:39.279 in our 00:46:39.279 --> 00:46:40.179 sociological 00:46:40.179 --> 00:46:40.799 systems. 00:46:40.959 --> 00:46:41.399 We all know 00:46:41.399 --> 00:46:41.979 that the chief 00:46:41.979 --> 00:46:42.519 end of man 00:46:42.519 --> 00:46:43.139 is to glorify 00:46:43.139 --> 00:46:43.579 God and 00:46:43.579 --> 00:46:43.980 enjoy him 00:46:43.980 --> 00:46:44.239 forever. 00:46:44.360 --> 00:46:44.559 You want 00:46:44.559 --> 00:46:44.719 to know 00:46:44.719 --> 00:46:45.259 the primary 00:46:45.259 --> 00:46:45.840 way we do 00:46:45.840 --> 00:46:46.159 that? 00:46:46.679 --> 00:46:47.259 We make 00:46:47.259 --> 00:46:47.699 disciples. 00:46:48.539 --> 00:46:49.099 We make 00:46:49.099 --> 00:46:49.539 disciples. 00:46:49.840 --> 00:46:50.179 It is the 00:46:50.179 --> 00:46:51.139 great commission. 00:46:52.139 --> 00:46:52.539 Let's pray 00:46:52.539 --> 00:46:52.820 together.