Today we are continuing on in our series in the Gospel According to Mark.
And Mark's Gospel is primarily split into two sections.
And it's very neat at one level, it's 16 chapters in the whole Gospel.
And the first chapter, first section, ends in the eighth chapter, the chapter before us today,
and transitions into the second part of the Gospel.
And the first part of the Gospel is really Mark is concerned with showing us the authority of Jesus.
We see that when he first appears, he teaches with authority.
The people in the Capernaum synagogue, they said they'd never heard anything like this.
This man teaches not like the scribes or the teachers of the law, but he teaches with authority.
And so he had an authoritative word that he was bringing.
He would speak often through parables, and he would speak out truths of the kingdom of God.
He would speak about lampstands and mustard seeds, and he'd speak about lamps on tables.
He'd speak about sheeps and goats.
But all the time, speaking out truths of the kingdom of God in easy-to-understand language
that people would relate to for those who would hear.
He had authority to forgive sin.
You might remember when they lowered the lame man through the roof, Jesus said,
Son, your sins are forgiven.
And the Pharisees took issue with this and said, no one can forgive sin except God alone.
But Jesus said, well, so that you might know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sin,
he told the guy, get up, take your mat, and go home.
And so the Son of Man had authority to forgive sin.
He had authority over demons and unclean spirits,
so much so that often on many occasions, the people who were possessed by them,
when they were in his presence, they would fall down on their knees when they saw Jesus,
a little bit like someone would fall down on their knees when they were confronted with a king.
So he had authority over demons.
The demons knew who he was.
When they would see him, they would often exclaim,
we know who you are, you're the Son of God.
And Jesus would command them to be quiet.
So he had authority over unclean spirits,
even over the demoniac from Gethsemane,
when that man who could not be bound by chains or iron fetters,
whenever he was bound, he would just snap them.
He lived in the tombs.
He cried out night and day.
But when he was confronted by Jesus Christ,
even when he was still at a distance,
he fell on his knees.
And he said, I know who you are.
What do you want with me?
He knew straight away that this was the Son of God,
and he knew the authority that this man had,
and asked him not to torture him.
So he had authority over evil spirits.
He had authority over sicknesses, all manner of sicknesses.
He cured paralytics.
He made the lame person walk.
He, on one occasion, put his fingers in a deaf man's ears,
and he unblocked his ears,
and then fruits so he could hear,
and loosened his tongue so he could speak again.
He opened the eyes of the blind.
So he had authority over all different diseases and sicknesses.
He cured a woman who had an issue of blood since she was young.
He had authority over life and death.
And he raised in Mark,
in the lead up to chapter 8,
we see that he raises Jairus' daughter from the dead.
So Jesus had this incredible authority,
and Mark is really interested in helping us to understand
the authority that Jesus Christ has.
And so he has this authority.
He has authority to feed great crowds from small amounts of food.
He fed the 5,000,
and he only had five loaves,
and he had two fish.
And he fed a crowd of 5,000 men,
which would have been a lot more when you add women and children.
So he fed a large crowd.
He had authority to feed this crowd.
And he also had authority over the elements,
so much so that one time when he was asleep in the stern of the boat,
and the disciples were there,
and they were rowing away,
and the waves started to come up,
and the wind started to pick up,
and the waves came into the boat,
and they said,
Jesus, don't you care that we're all going to die in here?
And he said,
don't be afraid.
Where's your faith?
And he said,
quiet, be still,
and the storm was completely still,
and the water was absolutely placid.
And so all this is with a view.
Mark is showing us the authority of Jesus Christ in the first half.
He's really showing these things to us,
so it will draw the question from us,
who is this man?
Who is this man?
As the disciples said,
that the wind and the waves obey him.
Who is this man?
And so that's the first section of the Gospel of Mark,
and as we go through chapter 8 today,
we will see that there is the transition from the first section of the Gospel
into the second section of the Gospel.
And the passage before us today,
it starts out with an interesting story about another crowd,
a crowd of 4,000 this time.
And, you know,
some theologians have thought that it's not,
it's the same account as the other one,
of the feeding of the 5,000.
But that can't be so,
because it's in a different geographical location.
There's distinct differences in the details.
There's only 4,000 men in this one.
There's 5,000 in the other.
They're sitting on the ground and not the grass.
After he,
on this occasion,
the feeding of the 5,000,
it was five loaves
and two fish that he fed the crowd with.
On this occasion,
it's 12 loaves and a few small fish.
And so there's distinct differences.
When he has fed the crowd,
he picks up a different amount of baskets,
seven large baskets after this feeding
and 12 baskets after the feeding of the 5,000.
So there are these distinct differences
which show us
that this is definitely,
definitely a different occasion.
However,
there are also incredible similarities.
Now, when Jesus performs miracles,
he,
I don't know,
and if I had Jesus' power,
I think I would go around
changing a Hyundai XL
into a Nissan GTR
or something like that.
But when Jesus performs miracles,
it's very, very different to our use
of how we would perform them.
So he's not just performing miracles,
but he's also teaching people
at the same time.
He's teaching people
and he's teaching his disciples
things they need to see.
And on this occasion,
the key to this passage,
so for instance,
sorry,
you know,
he says,
I am the light of the world
and then he opens a blind man's eyes
who has been living in the darkness
all his life.
He says in John's account
of the feeding of the 5,000,
he says
that he is the bread of God.
He's the manna from heaven.
And he says that he is the bread of life.
He says,
anyone who comes to me
will never hunger
and he who believes in me
will never thirst.
So there's always this thing
that Jesus is trying to show
something other
than just meeting some sort of need.
But no doubt,
as we look at the passage today,
there is a need of these people.
They've been traveling three days.
Jesus has compassion on them
and he wants to feed them.
But there's a deeper reason
that he wants to produce
such a similar miracle
to one he produced back in chapter six
very recently.
And that is,
if we look back at chapter six
and we have a look
at what happened after
Jesus fed the 5,000,
he sends the disciples ahead of him.
He sends them off to Bethsaida.
And so they're out on the lake
and they're rowing away on the lake.
And it's a different occasion
to the one where the wind
and the waves come in,
but the wind is against them.
And the wind is blowing
the other direction.
The disciples are rowing really hard
and Jesus can see them from the shore
that they're not really getting that far.
And he decides
in the fourth watch of the night,
he's going to walk out
on the lake to meet them.
And so Jesus walks out.
He walks out to see the disciples
in the middle of the lake
and they get a shock.
They're terrified.
They scream in terror
because they think they've seen a ghost.
And Jesus says,
well, take courage.
Don't be afraid.
It's just me.
And so the disciples are just stunned.
And Jesus gets in the boat.
The wind dies down.
And it says,
the disciples were utterly amazed.
And then the next verse
is what gives us the key
to the beginning of our chapter today.
It says,
the reason they were amazed
was for they did not understand
about the loaves
because their hearts were hardened.
They didn't understand the miracle
because their hearts were hardened.
So here Jesus is needing
to show them something.
He's needing to teach them a lesson
a second time,
which they haven't quite got right
the first time.
And as we follow the passage through,
you will see that that theme
is actually repeated
in the miracle he performs
with the blind man.
There's a blind man there
and they go to Bethsaida
and there's a blind man
and the people bring
this blind man to him.
The blind man,
Jesus takes him out of the village
and it looks like
that Jesus has performed a healing
which didn't actually quite work.
So he spits on the man's eyes.
He lays his hands on him.
But the guy,
he says,
look up,
what do you see?
And the guy says,
well, I see men
but they look like trees
walking around.
So it hasn't quite worked.
You see,
what's happening here
is that Jesus
is using this illustration
to show the disciples
something that has just happened
with them.
They needed to see
that miracle a second time
because Jesus was trying
to teach them
that he is all sufficient.
Now,
it doesn't quite pay off
because as we follow past
the miracle,
we have a look
and there's the Pharisees
and they're testing Jesus,
disputing with him,
demanding a sign.
I mean,
probably some of them were present
and saw the feeding of the 5,000
but they're demanding a sign.
They want to test him.
They're not wanting to use faith.
They just want to see
to believe.
And Jesus says,
a wicked and adulterous,
well,
he says,
this generation wants a sign
but none will be given to it.
It says in the Matthew version,
I think it is,
a wicked and adulterous generation
wants,
seeks a sign
but none will be given to it
except the sign of Jonah.
He also calls them,
in the other versions,
in Luke and Matthew,
he calls them hypocrites
and he says,
you know,
you see,
you see the sky
when it's red at night
and you instantly know
that it's going to be
a fine day the next day.
You see the sky
and it's red in the morning
and you know
that it's going to be,
that it's going to rain.
So you can interpret those signs
and yet,
how is it you can't interpret
the sign of the times?
And then he also,
in the other version,
says you can see
a cloud off in the distance
in the west
and you know
that rain's coming
when you see that
but if you see
a wind blowing
from the south,
you know that it's going
to be a hot day.
So you can interpret
these signs
but you cannot
interpret the sign
of the times.
So,
Jesus is quite disturbed
about this,
that the Pharisees
are asking for the sign,
he refuses to give it to them
and then he says
to the disciples
who happen to have
just had one loaf of bread
on them at the time,
watch out for the yeast
or the leaven
of the Pharisees
and that of Herod.
And so the disciples
sort of,
it's almost comical
in a way
when you look at it,
the disciples start
talking amongst themselves
and they say,
oh,
he's saying that
because we don't have
any bread,
we forgot to buy bread.
And Jesus is just amazed,
he's like,
guys,
don't you get it yet?
Do you not understand?
Do you have eyes
but don't see?
Do you have ears
but don't hear?
Don't you remember?
And he talks about,
he brings to memory
the two miracles
that have taken place
and he brings them
back to memory
and it's then
that all of a sudden
after performing
the miracle
on the blind man
that the disciples
have now finally got it.
They've finally learnt
the lesson.
And so as we come down
the passage,
he's talking just quickly
back there,
he talks about
the yeast of the Pharisees
and the yeast of Herod,
the yeast of the Pharisees.
Well,
that's the yeast of,
we learn in Matthew's version
that that is their doctrine.
The yeast of the Pharisees
is their doctrine.
Yeast was often spoken about
in the scriptures
as something which goes in
and then works its way
through the whole batch of dough.
And so he's saying,
beware of this doctrine
of the Pharisees.
The doctrine of the Pharisees
is of course
that they want to see signs,
they want proof,
they don't want to use faith
and they don't want a righteousness
which is by faith,
they want a righteousness
by what they do.
And so this is the yeast
of the Pharisees.
The yeast of Herod
is slightly different.
You might remember that Herod,
he arrests John the Baptist
because John the Baptist
had been telling him
it was unlawful
for him to marry
his brother's wife.
And because he was saying
it's unlawful for you
to marry your brother's wife
and Herod went ahead
and married his brother's wife
anyway, Herodias.
Herodias was out to get
John the Baptist from then on
when John the Baptist
was in prison.
Herodias wanted him killed.
But Herod protected
John the Baptist
and it says that he
liked to listen to him
although when he listened
to him he was greatly puzzled.
So here's a man,
it says Herod knew
John was a holy man
and so Herod knows
that John the Baptist
he's a holy man,
he knows he's bringing
the word of God
but he's not listening
to the word of God.
He's somebody who just
hears the word of God
but it just goes
straight over their head
and he's got no interest
in that word
actually impacting his life
or his actions.
So that's the yeast
yeast of the Pharisees
and the yeast of Herod
slight detour there
sorry
but now going back
to the passage here
Jesus now has got
the disciples
into the place
he wants them to be in
he says to them
who do people
after he's healed
the blind man
he says who do people
say that I am
and they say
well some say
that you're John the Baptist
others say Elijah
still others say
you're one of the prophets
and he says
but who do you say I am
and Peter says
well you're the Christ
bingo
they've finally got it
they can finally see
who Jesus is
they finally understand
who this man is
and this is how
we conclude
the first section
of the Gospel of Mark
is with the disciples
at last
understanding
and seeing clearly
who Jesus is
but
it doesn't last long
that moment of glory
because straight after
Jesus begins to tell them
all that he must suffer
he says that he will be
rejected by the elders
and the chief priests
and the teachers of the law
and that he will be killed
and that he will be raised
on the third day
and Peter takes him aside
and he says
Lord
far be it from you
he rebukes him
it says in Mark
but in Matthew
it says
he says
far be it from you
Lord
this shall never happen to you
and
Jesus
immediately
sees
what is going on
and
we might
hear what Jesus
says
as get behind me
Satan
as a
as a harsh
comment
but when we think
it through
that is exactly
exactly
where those words
have come from
because what Peter
is suggesting
is that Jesus
will never have to suffer
that Jesus
will never have to go
to the cross
and if Jesus
never goes to the cross
then humanity
is all
every single one of us
are on our way
to hell
so what Peter
is suggesting
is contrary
to the plan
of God
for saving
humanity
and so of course
Jesus response
to that
is to say
get behind me
Satan
because that
that comment
is from the pit
of hell
he says
you don't have
your heart
on the things
of God
you've got your
heart on the things
of man
there's no neutral
zone
you're either
set on God
or you're not
we've either got to be
people of the word
or we will be
people of the world
we have to make
a choice there
and we have to keep
on reminding
ourselves
of who this man
is
this Jesus
and what he
has done
for us
so the disciples
hadn't quite
got that
and so the rest
of the gospel
of Mark
is about
why Jesus
came
and that's
what the other
guys will be
following up
on
but Jesus
says if anyone
wants to follow
me he has to
carry he has to
deny himself
and carry his
cross daily
and that means
that we have
to be people
who are willing
to suffer
in Romans
chapter 8
it says
we will be
glorified with him
it says that
we will share
in his inheritance
if we live by the
spirit then we are
sons
and it says
if sons
then co-heirs
and if co-heirs
then we will share
in his glory
so long as
we share
in his sufferings
and so this
is the walk
of a Christian
the more we want
to serve God
the more we want
to stand in the
truth
the more we want
to live for Jesus
and the more we want
to live by the
spirit
the more the world
will come at us
the more the devil
will come at us
the more everything
will come at us
to stop us
and we will
suffer
there is no question
if you give your
life to Jesus
and you are determined
to live for him
and live in the truth
you will
suffer
Jesus learnt
obedience it says
in Hebrews
through what he
suffered
and of course
that doesn't mean
that Jesus learnt
how to be obedient
it doesn't mean
he didn't know
how to be obedient
he was perfectly
obedient
but what it says
is he learnt
the content
of what it was
to be obedient
through the things
that he suffered
he saw that
to be obedient
to the father
he had to go
to the cross
he had to give
his life
he had to be
beaten and spat on
that's what
obedience cost
and
so this is
what the disciples
hadn't seen
but we also
can be
in a position
on this side
of the cross
it would be
true to say
that the disciples
never really
saw it
until Pentecost
you might remember
in Acts chapter 1
verse 6
when Jesus
is about to ascend
he says
to the disciples
say to him
at this point
Lord are you going
to restore the kingdom
to Israel
they're still
looking for
this earthly
victory
they are still
looking for
a kingdom
of this world
and that Jesus
will overthrow
the Roman army
and that Israel
will be restored
and Jesus
says well it's
not for you
to know the
times and places
that the father
has put in place
times and seasons
that the father
has put in place
and he says
but you'll be
given power
when the Holy
Spirit comes
on you
and so it's
not until they
receive the Holy
Spirit
but when they
receive the Holy
Spirit
there's Peter
and he's telling
out the great
things of God
he can't hold
it in
the Holy Spirit
comes upon him
and all of a
sudden
everything makes
sense
all of a sudden
he's given a
revelation of the
cross
he's given a
revelation
of how that
fits in with
his understanding
of the Old
Testament
and his eyes
are fully opened
to the realities
of the kingdom
of God
and we can
even though we
are Christians
and we have
the Holy Spirit
we can quench
the Spirit
we can grieve
the Spirit
we have to keep
reminding ourselves
of the great truths
that we are in
the eternities
that we are in
we have to keep
reminding ourselves
that we worship
a risen man
we worship
a risen Christ
we do not worship
a dead Messiah
and we don't worship
somebody who's way
off in the ether
we worship somebody
who is alive
and present to us
and the fact
that he is risen
means that we too
will rise from the dead
the fact that we have
his Holy Spirit
guarantees us
of the resurrection
we have
and we have to be
focused on that
we have to keep
refreshing ourselves
with who we already are
not with what we have
to do in the future
but with what God
has already done
for us
in Christ
that's what we have
to refresh ourselves
with
and in so doing
we will live
accordingly
to what we believe
because our faith
is inseparable
from our works
Peter puts it this way
he says in his first epistle
in 2 Peter
sorry in his second epistle
2 Peter chapter 1
he says
for this reason
make every effort
to add to your faith
goodness
to goodness
knowledge
to knowledge
self-control
to self-control
perseverance
to perseverance
godliness
to godliness
brotherly kindness
to brotherly kindness
love
he says
for if these are with you
in increasing measure
you will neither be unproductive
or ineffective
in your knowledge
of Jesus Christ
and he says
but anyone who lacks
these qualities
anyone who lacks
these qualities
is nearsighted
to the point
of blindness
and has forgotten
they have been cleansed
from their past sins
you see
it is the grace
of God
and being refreshed
in the grace
of God
and being reminded
of the cross
being reminded
of the great eternities
that gives us
a dynamic power
from within
to live
according to those
things that we've
been brought into
Colossians 3
Paul says
you know
set your mind
on things above
where your life
is hidden with Christ
not on things below
he says
for your life
sorry
for your life
is hidden
with Christ
in God
so set your mind
on those things
that are above
because that is
where the reality
is
our eternal reality
is
in the heavenly realms
we've been raised
with Christ
we will be raised
with Christ
but we've been raised
with Christ
and seated with him
in the heavenly realms
so that is where we are
that is who we are
that needs to be
our focus
that needs to be
what we keep
in our sight
and
I think
let me pray
I'll leave it at that
God bless you
Father
thank you for what
you have done
for us
in Christ
thank you
that
you are so patient
with us
thank you
that
with the disciples
you even perform
the miracle
a second time
just so they would
understand
what they needed
to learn
Lord
so often
we need to learn
things a second
and third
and fourth time
but you bear
with us
Father
and we are
just so grateful
we ask Lord
as we go into
the week ahead
that Lord
you will just
give us
just eyes
to see what
you brought us
into already
help us to keep
focused on things
which are going to
remind us of the
reality of who
we are in you
and we ask this
in Jesus precious
name
Amen
in Jesus
and we are in you
that
to do
love we are in you
wise to
vent
God
love we are in you
and you are my
Lord
and you politically