WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.799
 We are beginning today our study of the Gospel according to Mark.

00:00:04.900 --> 00:00:06.500
 So if you'll please turn there with me.

00:00:08.779 --> 00:00:14.560
 I don't know if you feel this or not, but whenever we begin something new and end something old,

00:00:14.599 --> 00:00:16.199
 that's a little bittersweet for me.

00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:20.539
 We've just completed our study of Nehemiah, which took us just a couple of months.

00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:23.100
 Prior to that, we studied through the book of Romans.

00:00:23.240 --> 00:00:28.900
 And each time, I take my little handy ribbon bookmark that came with my Bible here,

00:00:28.899 --> 00:00:31.519
 and I keep it right where we're at.

00:00:31.599 --> 00:00:34.799
 And that's kind of my go-to spot as I'm studying throughout the week.

00:00:34.920 --> 00:00:41.079
 And it's a little painful sometimes to move it from the end of a book to something new.

00:00:42.219 --> 00:00:46.239
 The case of Nehemiah really blessed my heart to get to study it,

00:00:46.259 --> 00:00:49.980
 and I hope it did yours as we learned from it together.

00:00:49.980 --> 00:00:53.280
 I always get to the end, and I wonder, did we wring it dry?

00:00:53.379 --> 00:00:55.519
 Did we get everything that it was to get out of it?

00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:59.420
 Sometimes I want to start back at the beginning because it's been such a blessing to us

00:00:59.420 --> 00:01:00.840
 and just say, this was too good.

00:01:00.859 --> 00:01:02.400
 We're going to start over, and we're just going to do it again

00:01:02.400 --> 00:01:06.159
 and see what else God would teach us from this book.

00:01:06.820 --> 00:01:09.960
 Nevertheless, I do think it's time to move on,

00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:11.659
 and we're going to begin our study of Mark.

00:01:11.800 --> 00:01:16.420
 And as excited as I am that we did Nehemiah and we're finishing it,

00:01:16.420 --> 00:01:21.659
 I'm as equally excited to begin to plow through Mark together.

00:01:21.659 --> 00:01:27.459
 To be totally honest with you, and just to show you how very base my mind can be sometimes

00:01:27.459 --> 00:01:30.500
 as I begin to ponder what should we do next

00:01:30.500 --> 00:01:34.079
 and had a desire to look at one of the Gospels together,

00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:37.539
 I started, I picked Mark because it was the shortest.

00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:42.739
 The 16 chapters versus Matthew's 28 chapters.

00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:46.519
 I just said, yeah, that would be good because, whew, 28 chapters, that's a lot of work.

00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:51.879
 Mark, that's how base my mind is, but I've come to see that this was a very particular reason

00:01:51.879 --> 00:01:57.319
 that we've come together to study Mark together in these coming months.

00:01:57.500 --> 00:02:03.379
 So, let's take a look together simply this morning at Mark 1.1.

00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:11.639
 The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:13.219
 Join me in prayer.

00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:22.060
 Father God, we praise You this morning for Your goodness to us in Christ,

00:02:22.200 --> 00:02:27.540
 the One who has taken this debt that we had, that we could not pay.

00:02:27.620 --> 00:02:32.879
 We could deposit into it all we wanted, and it would never have been filled,

00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:34.860
 would never have been satisfied.

00:02:35.760 --> 00:02:39.300
 But Christ has paid that debt on our behalf.

00:02:39.420 --> 00:02:43.320
 We praise You for that, that we now have life in Him.

00:02:43.319 --> 00:02:48.139
 And we praise You for the Gospel according to Mark, this inspired work,

00:02:48.900 --> 00:02:55.900
 written by Mark, moved along by Your Spirit, that testifies to this One, Jesus Christ.

00:02:57.479 --> 00:03:00.939
 Father, help this study to enrich our lives individually,

00:03:01.299 --> 00:03:05.299
 and to enrich our lives corporately, for Your glory.

00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:07.159
 We pray this in Christ's name.

00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:08.599
 Amen.

00:03:08.599 --> 00:03:11.639
 So, Mark 1.1.

00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:14.239
 I get to reread our text numerous times today, which is really wonderful,

00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:15.060
 because it's so short.

00:03:15.419 --> 00:03:20.819
 The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

00:03:20.859 --> 00:03:24.579
 But before we look carefully at this, I think it's important that we get a little bit of background.

00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:28.599
 We have some framework to move forward in together.

00:03:28.599 --> 00:03:32.539
 And I know that as I study that type of thing, it carries with me,

00:03:32.579 --> 00:03:37.919
 because I spend a lot of time each week looking at the Gospel of Mark.

00:03:38.060 --> 00:03:39.060
 But I know that you don't.

00:03:39.159 --> 00:03:44.400
 Like, you may not necessarily, like, spend a bunch of time each day reading and picking up commentaries

00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:46.479
 and studying and meditating on this.

00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:48.319
 And so I'll bring it back around.

00:03:48.439 --> 00:03:50.699
 We'll fill in some of the details of these things later.

00:03:50.759 --> 00:03:54.319
 I don't want to give you a perfect explanation of all of the framework

00:03:54.319 --> 00:04:00.479
 and then expect you to remember it in the coming 8 to 12 months, is my guess here.

00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:05.519
 So I just want to kind of get your mind going in the right direction as we look at Mark together this morning.

00:04:06.039 --> 00:04:09.159
 Mark is one of the three, what are called the synoptic Gospels,

00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:11.699
 which that word comes from the Greek word.

00:04:11.780 --> 00:04:14.699
 It simply means together seen.

00:04:15.219 --> 00:04:20.699
 They include many of the same stories, often in the same sequence, with similar wording.

00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:23.259
 This would be Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

00:04:23.339 --> 00:04:25.920
 These are the synoptic Gospels.

00:04:26.420 --> 00:04:31.279
 It is widely accepted, although we don't know for sure, this can't be factually stated,

00:04:31.379 --> 00:04:36.099
 but it is widely accepted that Mark was the earliest written of the Gospels.

00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:42.919
 More than likely in the mid to late 50s AD is when Mark penned this book.

00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:53.040
 We see evidences of that because Matthew and Luke both seem to borrow heavily from the Gospel of Mark in its structure.

00:04:54.080 --> 00:04:59.920
 95% of Matthew, for example, is borrowed from the Gospel of Mark.

00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:06.460
 Often the danger with Mark is that we see it simply as the comic book version.

00:05:06.700 --> 00:05:09.280
 Some of you I talked to this week, I actually made that comment about,

00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:14.239
 that we simply view it as the comic book version or the Reader's Digest,

00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:17.959
 for those of you who are older in the crowd, version of the Gospel.

00:05:18.339 --> 00:05:21.379
 That's very action-packed. It moves along very quickly.

00:05:21.559 --> 00:05:26.479
 There's not a great emphasis on Jesus' words, but rather his actions in the book.

00:05:27.039 --> 00:05:30.079
 The temptation with Mark is always to read a story here,

00:05:30.239 --> 00:05:35.319
 and then go to the corresponding story in Matthew and preach from that.

00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:40.420
 But I know that in this journey together, there's going to be many times I'm just going to want to flip to Matthew,

00:05:40.699 --> 00:05:45.540
 where there's a lot more detail and try to flesh it out for you in a greater degree there.

00:05:46.300 --> 00:05:50.279
 As such, Mark's often neglected. It's pushed off.

00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:54.480
 It's a lesser Gospel in some people's minds.

00:05:55.319 --> 00:06:00.860
 But this book is also part of the inspired Word of God.

00:06:00.860 --> 00:06:07.080
 This account of the Gospel was penned in this way for very specific reasons,

00:06:07.080 --> 00:06:10.520
 and so we must treat it with reverence, right?

00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:14.160
 We can't say, hey, Mark, kind of not a detailed guy.

00:06:14.379 --> 00:06:15.600
 Let's go read Matthew instead.

00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:20.040
 This book was given to us for our benefit together.

00:06:20.840 --> 00:06:24.319
 I found it fascinating, and I'm not dogging on MacArthur,

00:06:24.400 --> 00:06:26.460
 because this is not what he did or the point he was making,

00:06:26.459 --> 00:06:30.659
 but as I was listening to an introductory sermon he preached on Mark,

00:06:30.859 --> 00:06:35.519
 he brought to everyone's attention that this was the last book of the New Testament

00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:37.739
 he had preached at Grace Community Church.

00:06:37.799 --> 00:06:44.159
 Over a 20-year span, he came to Mark last and finally to complete that journey.

00:06:44.439 --> 00:06:45.979
 And boy, I hope someday I can say,

00:06:46.099 --> 00:06:50.899
 this is the last book of the New Testament that I haven't preached yet at Christ Family Church.

00:06:50.979 --> 00:06:52.639
 That'd be a real blessing.

00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:55.639
 I looked for, as I like to do, MacArthur's commentaries.

00:06:56.399 --> 00:07:00.399
 You know he has a commentary on every book of the New Testament except Mark?

00:07:02.419 --> 00:07:06.620
 Probably because he wrote a very wonderful one in multiple volumes on Matthew.

00:07:07.379 --> 00:07:10.379
 What would he have said that he would have said in a commentary setting?

00:07:10.459 --> 00:07:11.819
 That is totally fine, right?

00:07:11.860 --> 00:07:13.279
 So again, I'm not dogging on John MacArthur,

00:07:13.500 --> 00:07:17.879
 but it's appropriate that we would preach from the Gospel of Mark

00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:19.959
 and that we approach it together.

00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:25.279
 So as I said, probably, more than likely, the earliest written.

00:07:25.739 --> 00:07:27.579
 It's very simple in its format.

00:07:27.739 --> 00:07:32.299
 You won't see this so much in the English, but in the original language,

00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:34.899
 it's very, very simple in its format.

00:07:36.219 --> 00:07:40.219
 Possibly written entirely in Aramaic and later translated into Greek.

00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:44.639
 That's a distinct possibility because of some of the way the phrases are translated.

00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:49.879
 If not, it was at very least written in very rudimentary Greek.

00:07:50.579 --> 00:07:54.539
 It's what's called a socio-rhetorical gospel.

00:07:55.159 --> 00:07:58.560
 A better way of thinking of that would be a persuasive biography.

00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:02.800
 It contains a lot of the very basic elements of Greek biography,

00:08:03.019 --> 00:08:08.879
 as well as some of the very simplest versions of Greek logic.

00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:14.420
 So Mark wrote this as a fairly common man, as we'll see here soon,

00:08:15.319 --> 00:08:17.199
 for common men.

00:08:17.860 --> 00:08:20.920
 It wasn't necessarily meant for the high-minded.

00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:25.199
 A persuasive biography.

00:08:25.259 --> 00:08:26.980
 When we use that term rhetorical,

00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:32.519
 now we mean lofty speech without much meaning behind it,

00:08:32.779 --> 00:08:35.720
 meant to convince you of something that you probably shouldn't believe in to begin with.

00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:40.160
 We see a lot of rhetoric come out of Washington, D.C., for example.

00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:42.279
 That's not the type of rhetoric we're talking about here.

00:08:42.379 --> 00:08:46.120
 So we'll use that term persuasive biography.

00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:49.519
 And the aim of that persuasion,

00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:52.779
 what he is ultimately driving us to, Mark is here,

00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:58.700
 was to persuade those who would read this book to become disciple-making disciples.

00:08:59.639 --> 00:09:03.920
 To serve the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ to the glory of God.

00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:05.699
 That's what he's trying to persuade.

00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:09.019
 I can think of nothing higher to persuade people of.

00:09:09.959 --> 00:09:15.519
 A good thesis statement for the gospel of Mark is found in Mark chapter 10,

00:09:16.339 --> 00:09:19.199
 the last half of verse 43 through 45,

00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:20.919
 which says,

00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:21.759
 Jesus' words,

00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:39.639
 We're going to see this kind of carry throughout the entire book as we study it together.

00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:43.819
 Now, how do we know that Mark wrote this?

00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:45.740
 As with the other synoptic gospels,

00:09:45.799 --> 00:09:47.379
 he doesn't name himself as the author.

00:09:47.379 --> 00:09:50.360
 Not like Paul's letters where he begins with a salutation,

00:09:50.580 --> 00:09:51.100
 I, Paul.

00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:53.220
 Here we don't see that being recorded.

00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:57.539
 And it's believed that they did that because they were trying to put themselves in proper position.

00:09:57.879 --> 00:09:59.460
 This is not a story about Mark.

00:09:59.980 --> 00:10:02.120
 This is a story about Jesus Christ.

00:10:02.700 --> 00:10:06.100
 No need for his name to be even included in this.

00:10:06.659 --> 00:10:10.679
 So it's been held in Christian tradition that Mark was the one that penned this letter.

00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:15.360
 He fits the model of the type of man that would have written in this way.

00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:17.639
 And there's some early church records,

00:10:17.860 --> 00:10:23.100
 some extra biblical sources that name Mark as the author of the gospel of Mark.

00:10:23.240 --> 00:10:25.379
 And therefore, we accept it as such.

00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:30.220
 This is a reliable reason to believe that Mark was, in fact, the writer.

00:10:30.779 --> 00:10:35.180
 Some of you may have heard this actually being referred to as the gospel of Peter.

00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:38.860
 Mark knew Peter very well, spent a lot of time with him.

00:10:38.919 --> 00:10:41.259
 Mark himself was not an apostle.

00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:43.740
 We're going to look at where we actually find him in the scriptures

00:10:43.740 --> 00:10:46.120
 and what we can know about Mark.

00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:47.639
 But Mark himself wasn't an apostle.

00:10:47.860 --> 00:10:50.860
 He didn't have a firsthand account of the gospel.

00:10:51.100 --> 00:10:53.580
 But he spent much time with Peter.

00:10:53.700 --> 00:10:55.940
 It's highly likely that this was going on.

00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:58.940
 And therefore, you could actually think of it in those terms.

00:10:59.820 --> 00:11:07.340
 Some of the evidence of that being the way that Peter's own sin is magnified in the gospel of Mark.

00:11:07.340 --> 00:11:10.259
 His failures, there's much made of it here.

00:11:10.560 --> 00:11:16.879
 And I believe that Peter wanted people to see how desperately he needed grace in his life.

00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:18.540
 So who was Mark?

00:11:18.759 --> 00:11:20.580
 Let's turn to Acts chapter 12.

00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:24.540
 We're going to step away from Mark for a little bit and we'll come back to it.

00:11:24.539 --> 00:11:27.419
 In case you haven't already memorized.

00:11:28.620 --> 00:11:29.740
 Chapter 1, verse 1.

00:11:29.740 --> 00:11:49.259
 For the sake of time, I'm not going to tell you all the events that have led up to where we are now,

00:11:49.379 --> 00:11:52.440
 but we know that the Christian church is now spreading rampantly.

00:11:52.440 --> 00:11:56.360
 Actually, the first 12 chapters of Acts could easily be looked at.

00:11:56.480 --> 00:11:59.780
 The work of the gospel advancing to Judea and Samaria.

00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:02.500
 It's kind of the story of Peter and the way he's doing that.

00:12:02.880 --> 00:12:09.840
 The last 16, so from chapter 12, about halfway through towards the end and then on through the end of the book,

00:12:09.940 --> 00:12:12.340
 is how the gospel advances to the utmost ends of the earth.

00:12:12.440 --> 00:12:16.080
 The way that Paul and these other missionaries begin to take the gospel out.

00:12:16.180 --> 00:12:19.220
 And here we see in chapter 12 a bit of a transition.

00:12:19.500 --> 00:12:21.620
 So look at verse 1 of chapter 12.

00:12:21.620 --> 00:12:22.980
 I'll set the stage for you.

00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:23.120
 It says,

00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:53.019
 So here we have Herod.

00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:57.580
 The king appointed by the Roman government, pleasing the Jews, not all of the Jews,

00:12:57.659 --> 00:13:02.279
 but those who were in leadership, by martyring the very first apostle killed.

00:13:02.379 --> 00:13:03.340
 That would be James here.

00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:08.879
 We've already seen Stephen killed, but this is the first apostle that's killed for his faith, being James.

00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:15.560
 And he saw that it made them happy that one of these Christians, one of these followers of the way, was put to death.

00:13:15.559 --> 00:13:19.619
 And so to continue to make them happy, he arrests Peter.

00:13:19.620 --> 00:13:27.860
 And boy, Peter must have been mighty by the Spirit because it gives him four squads of soldiers to guard him.

00:13:27.960 --> 00:13:33.179
 They worked in six hour shifts, which meant he would have been guarded around the clock.

00:13:33.580 --> 00:13:36.320
 And the intention was to kill him.

00:13:36.460 --> 00:13:38.980
 The very next day, they were going to kill him.

00:13:38.980 --> 00:13:43.720
 In verse 6, we see that there were two soldiers guarding him.

00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:45.800
 Again, what a dangerous man.

00:13:45.899 --> 00:13:47.980
 This man who was carrying the truth of God.

00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:51.759
 Two soldiers bound with chains on either side.

00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:54.960
 And we see this amazing work as the church is praying for him.

00:13:55.220 --> 00:14:00.399
 An angel is sent in, looses the chains, leads him out of the prison.

00:14:01.019 --> 00:14:02.120
 Guard's still sleeping.

00:14:02.519 --> 00:14:03.480
 Leads him out of the prison.

00:14:04.300 --> 00:14:05.539
 He thinks that it's a dream.

00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:07.800
 The gates are opening for him.

00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:09.879
 He just has no idea what's going on.

00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:11.139
 Thinks it's a total dream.

00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:13.659
 Verse 9 says he thought he was seeing a vision.

00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:15.620
 Verse 11 says,

00:14:15.700 --> 00:14:17.420
 But when Peter came to himself, he said,

00:14:17.820 --> 00:14:21.899
 Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod

00:14:21.899 --> 00:14:24.759
 and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.

00:14:25.340 --> 00:14:26.240
 Verse 12,

00:14:26.539 --> 00:14:30.220
 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John,

00:14:30.300 --> 00:14:32.060
 whose other name was Mark,

00:14:32.059 --> 00:14:34.939
 where many were gathered together and were praying.

00:14:35.719 --> 00:14:37.819
 So there's the very first mention.

00:14:38.579 --> 00:14:42.059
 A man known by the name of John Mark.

00:14:42.919 --> 00:14:45.599
 His Hebrew name was John.

00:14:45.859 --> 00:14:48.899
 His Greek name, his Roman name was Mark.

00:14:49.459 --> 00:14:52.919
 So you'll probably hear me refer to him often as John Mark today.

00:14:53.139 --> 00:14:54.500
 And then in the future, we'll just call him Mark.

00:14:54.839 --> 00:15:00.379
 But this is the very man that penned the gospel according to Mark.

00:15:00.379 --> 00:15:05.320
 Notice here, the only mention of him is to clarify who Mary is.

00:15:05.939 --> 00:15:10.240
 It seems like just about everybody, as part of the gospel account, was named Mary.

00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:13.679
 So here we have which Mary I don't really know,

00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:17.039
 but we do know that she's the mother of John Mark.

00:15:17.299 --> 00:15:21.220
 So Peter goes to a place that's familiar to him.

00:15:21.299 --> 00:15:24.279
 We're going to see in just a moment that this is the place that these people,

00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:28.100
 the church were gathered earnestly praying on his behalf.

00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:33.000
 So we know then, because he goes to this place, it's a familiar place to him,

00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:34.899
 it's where the church is meeting, that he knew John Mark.

00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:36.559
 Peter and John Mark knew one another.

00:15:36.839 --> 00:15:42.620
 At very least, that he was the kid sitting in the corner in Mary's house.

00:15:42.980 --> 00:15:45.679
 This is where we see him for the very, very first time.

00:15:46.139 --> 00:15:47.720
 The story gets so incredibly fascinating.

00:15:47.959 --> 00:15:50.379
 For the sake of time, I'm not going to read it all to you.

00:15:50.379 --> 00:15:51.679
 You may be familiar with it.

00:15:52.439 --> 00:15:54.600
 Peter knocks on the gate of the courtyard,

00:15:55.059 --> 00:15:56.980
 and a servant named Rhoda hears his voice,

00:15:57.059 --> 00:16:00.320
 and she's so excited, because they're inside praying for him.

00:16:00.539 --> 00:16:02.259
 She's so excited, she doesn't open the gate.

00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:03.879
 She goes running back in,

00:16:04.059 --> 00:16:07.980
 and here we see this incredibly faithless church call her insane,

00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:10.740
 tell her it's probably his angel,

00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:13.320
 and they don't go out to open the gate.

00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:16.559
 That really made me thankful as I was reading this this week

00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:22.099
 that God uses even our faithless prayers to accomplish things just the same,

00:16:22.239 --> 00:16:26.000
 because they didn't expect that God would actually do this work to deliver Peter.

00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:29.379
 So Peter goes in, he meets with them.

00:16:30.019 --> 00:16:31.379
 So there's the completion of that,

00:16:31.439 --> 00:16:33.859
 but this is the first place we see John Mark.

00:16:34.179 --> 00:16:37.819
 Now, down in verse 25 of chapter 12,

00:16:38.919 --> 00:16:39.919
 we see it recorded,

00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:42.959
 and Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem

00:16:42.959 --> 00:16:44.819
 when they had completed their service,

00:16:45.019 --> 00:16:46.639
 bringing with them John,

00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:49.000
 whose other name was Mark.

00:16:49.579 --> 00:16:51.839
 We're going to see some evidence later on

00:16:51.839 --> 00:16:56.199
 that John Mark is the cousin of Barnabas.

00:16:57.279 --> 00:16:58.299
 So here they go,

00:16:58.579 --> 00:16:59.579
 they're in Jerusalem,

00:16:59.899 --> 00:17:00.779
 they've met with the church,

00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:01.939
 the church is advancing everywhere,

00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:04.480
 and now they return from Jerusalem,

00:17:04.700 --> 00:17:06.339
 they're headed to Antioch,

00:17:06.399 --> 00:17:08.639
 and they take with them John Mark.

00:17:08.920 --> 00:17:09.680
 Here's our guy.

00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:11.440
 Now chapter 13.

00:17:12.700 --> 00:17:14.200
 Now there were in the church of Antioch

00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:15.220
 prophets and teachers,

00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:16.160
 Barnabas,

00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:18.060
 Simeon who was called Niger,

00:17:18.620 --> 00:17:19.700
 Lucius of Cyrene,

00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:23.019
 Menaon a member of the court of Herod the Tetrarch,

00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:23.660
 and Saul.

00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:25.259
 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting,

00:17:25.360 --> 00:17:26.180
 the Holy Spirit said,

00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:28.039
 Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul

00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:29.500
 for the work to which I have called them.

00:17:29.800 --> 00:17:31.100
 Then after fasting and praying,

00:17:31.180 --> 00:17:32.279
 they laid their hands on them

00:17:32.279 --> 00:17:33.240
 and sent them off.

00:17:33.259 --> 00:17:34.039
 Here's the commissioning

00:17:34.039 --> 00:17:35.640
 for the very first missionary journey

00:17:35.640 --> 00:17:38.360
 of Paul and Barnabas.

00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:39.740
 Verse 4.

00:17:39.740 --> 00:17:41.220
 So being sent out by the Holy Spirit,

00:17:41.299 --> 00:17:42.539
 they went down to Seleucia,

00:17:42.620 --> 00:17:44.000
 and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:45.720
 When they arrived at Salamis,

00:17:45.819 --> 00:17:47.099
 they proclaimed the word of God

00:17:47.099 --> 00:17:48.400
 in the synagogues of the Jews,

00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:51.259
 and they had John to assist them.

00:17:52.700 --> 00:17:53.920
 Now at this point,

00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:56.539
 we don't really know a whole lot about him.

00:17:56.539 --> 00:17:58.259
 But we see,

00:17:59.000 --> 00:17:59.639
 we'll see later,

00:18:00.099 --> 00:18:00.819
 cousin to Barnabas,

00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:02.019
 goes along with them.

00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:04.659
 He's the son of Mary,

00:18:05.079 --> 00:18:06.639
 the church meeting in their home.

00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:09.579
 And then we see that he goes along

00:18:09.579 --> 00:18:11.139
 on this trip to assist them,

00:18:11.299 --> 00:18:13.220
 which more than likely means

00:18:13.220 --> 00:18:15.180
 that he was a humble man,

00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:16.279
 he wasn't a teacher,

00:18:16.539 --> 00:18:17.720
 he wasn't being sent out

00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:18.619
 to proclaim the gospel,

00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:19.379
 he was being sent out

00:18:19.379 --> 00:18:20.399
 to serve alongside

00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:23.860
 and bring to deacon

00:18:23.860 --> 00:18:26.180
 these apostles that were going out,

00:18:26.600 --> 00:18:28.220
 to come alongside them

00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:29.640
 and provide for their need,

00:18:29.780 --> 00:18:30.820
 to track down the food,

00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:31.780
 to look for shelter

00:18:31.780 --> 00:18:34.100
 in this journey along with them.

00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:35.759
 So probably,

00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.720
 I'm conjecting at this point,

00:18:37.800 --> 00:18:39.440
 but probably a man

00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:40.940
 of very simple means,

00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:42.320
 which is an encouraging thing to me,

00:18:42.380 --> 00:18:44.060
 because I am no Paul

00:18:44.060 --> 00:18:45.900
 and I am no Barnabas.

00:18:46.280 --> 00:18:47.040
 So he goes with them.

00:18:47.120 --> 00:18:47.940
 Skip down to verse 13.

00:18:47.940 --> 00:18:49.980
 Now Paul and his companions

00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:51.779
 set sail from Paphos,

00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:53.200
 some really nutty things

00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:54.200
 happened in Paphos,

00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:56.660
 and came to Perga in Pamphylia,

00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:58.480
 and John left them

00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:00.940
 and returned to Jerusalem.

00:19:01.580 --> 00:19:03.360
 And John left them

00:19:03.360 --> 00:19:05.559
 and returned to Jerusalem.

00:19:05.840 --> 00:19:07.440
 So he doesn't go back to Antioch,

00:19:07.600 --> 00:19:09.320
 he's now bailed on the mission journey,

00:19:09.420 --> 00:19:10.420
 he doesn't go back to Antioch,

00:19:10.460 --> 00:19:11.380
 but instead goes back

00:19:11.380 --> 00:19:12.440
 to his original home,

00:19:12.779 --> 00:19:15.200
 back to Jerusalem.

00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:18.340
 He disappears for a little while.

00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:19.779
 He doesn't show up

00:19:19.779 --> 00:19:20.720
 in the record anywhere

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:22.220
 until we get to chapter 15.

00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:29.860
 A bunch of accounts,

00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:31.220
 Paul and Barnabas' travels,

00:19:31.340 --> 00:19:32.380
 the advancing of the Gospel.

00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:36.279
 They return to Jerusalem,

00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:39.000
 Paul and Barnabas do,

00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:41.240
 to participate in this council

00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:42.000
 that forms,

00:19:42.120 --> 00:19:42.920
 that meets together,

00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:44.660
 because the Judaizers

00:19:44.660 --> 00:19:45.640
 were coming in

00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:47.400
 to these Christian fellowships,

00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:48.500
 and they were saying to Greeks,

00:19:48.660 --> 00:19:50.480
 if you're to be found right with God,

00:19:50.560 --> 00:19:51.860
 this Jesus thing is great,

00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:52.980
 believe that,

00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:54.539
 but you also must be circumcised.

00:19:54.600 --> 00:19:56.820
 You also must keep the law

00:19:56.820 --> 00:19:58.060
 as a sign of the covenant

00:19:58.060 --> 00:19:58.880
 between God and you.

00:19:59.580 --> 00:20:00.620
 They met together

00:20:00.620 --> 00:20:01.740
 to set this straight.

00:20:02.200 --> 00:20:02.720
 Paul and Barnabas

00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:03.740
 go to be part of this

00:20:03.740 --> 00:20:07.480
 as missionaries to the Gentiles,

00:20:07.539 --> 00:20:08.500
 they wanted to be involved

00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:09.300
 in this activity.

00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:10.620
 And after this,

00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:12.220
 verse 36 of chapter 15,

00:20:12.220 --> 00:20:14.079
 and after some days,

00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:15.160
 Paul said to Barnabas,

00:20:15.319 --> 00:20:16.160
 let us return and visit

00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:17.380
 the brothers in every city

00:20:17.380 --> 00:20:18.160
 where we proclaimed

00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:19.360
 the word of the Lord

00:20:19.360 --> 00:20:20.440
 and see how they are.

00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:21.680
 Let's go back the route

00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:22.440
 we went before

00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:23.620
 and let's check in

00:20:23.620 --> 00:20:25.240
 on all of these churches,

00:20:25.360 --> 00:20:26.339
 all this Christian fellowship

00:20:26.339 --> 00:20:27.339
 that has begun to happen.

00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:28.579
 Verse 37,

00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:29.400
 now Barnabas wanted

00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:30.160
 to take with them

00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:31.900
 John called Mark.

00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:34.120
 But Paul thought it best

00:20:34.120 --> 00:20:35.019
 not to take with them

00:20:35.019 --> 00:20:36.220
 one who had withdrawn

00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:38.120
 from them in Pamphylia

00:20:38.120 --> 00:20:39.200
 and had not gone with them

00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:40.100
 to the work.

00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:41.059
 And there arose

00:20:41.059 --> 00:20:41.939
 a sharp disagreement

00:20:41.939 --> 00:20:42.959
 so that they separated

00:20:42.959 --> 00:20:43.799
 from each other.

00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:45.599
 Barnabas took Mark with him

00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:47.779
 and sailed away to Cyprus.

00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:49.439
 Now the language here

00:20:49.439 --> 00:20:50.259
 gives us key

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:51.919
 that Paul's feelings

00:20:51.919 --> 00:20:53.179
 about this man

00:20:53.179 --> 00:20:54.159
 as well as the Greek word

00:20:54.159 --> 00:20:54.599
 withdrawn

00:20:54.599 --> 00:20:56.899
 means that John Mark

00:20:56.899 --> 00:20:58.519
 bailed on the first missionary journey

00:20:58.519 --> 00:20:59.719
 because he was afraid.

00:21:01.679 --> 00:21:02.599
 He said,

00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:04.480
 I did not sign up for this.

00:21:04.899 --> 00:21:05.959
 I did not know

00:21:05.959 --> 00:21:06.939
 that this was where

00:21:06.939 --> 00:21:07.919
 you were going to lead me.

00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:09.140
 And he bailed.

00:21:09.880 --> 00:21:11.039
 He was a coward.

00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:12.860
 He jumped off.

00:21:13.100 --> 00:21:14.279
 He got out of the situation

00:21:14.279 --> 00:21:15.120
 altogether.

00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:16.220
 And here we see

00:21:16.220 --> 00:21:17.300
 that there's an argument

00:21:17.300 --> 00:21:17.980
 that arises.

00:21:18.460 --> 00:21:19.620
 Barnabas sticking up

00:21:19.620 --> 00:21:20.259
 for his cousin.

00:21:20.600 --> 00:21:21.840
 It's been a couple of years.

00:21:22.920 --> 00:21:23.960
 Maybe he's grown up.

00:21:24.180 --> 00:21:24.880
 Maybe he just needs

00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:25.720
 a second chance.

00:21:26.140 --> 00:21:26.800
 Paul who says,

00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:28.060
 I don't want people with me

00:21:28.060 --> 00:21:29.860
 who are going to be cowardly.

00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:31.279
 I don't want them with me.

00:21:31.620 --> 00:21:32.539
 And so they disagreed

00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:33.200
 and they went there

00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:34.620
 separate ways.

00:21:35.360 --> 00:21:36.300
 I'm not here to give you

00:21:36.300 --> 00:21:37.000
 commentary on that.

00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:37.640
 I don't really know

00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:38.579
 what was right and proper.

00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:39.359
 But here we have

00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:40.440
 Barnabas and Paul

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:41.720
 split directions.

00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:43.660
 Barnabas takes Mark with him.

00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:45.240
 Paul takes Silas.

00:21:45.740 --> 00:21:47.140
 And the gospel continues

00:21:47.140 --> 00:21:48.819
 to advance in this way.

00:21:49.700 --> 00:21:50.539
 Now at this point

00:21:50.539 --> 00:21:51.660
 we don't see any record

00:21:51.660 --> 00:21:53.500
 in the New Testament narrative

00:21:53.500 --> 00:21:54.259
 about Barnabas

00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:54.960
 for two years.

00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:56.420
 It doesn't show back up.

00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:57.299
 We don't know exactly.

00:21:57.380 --> 00:21:58.259
 We know they went to Cyprus.

00:21:58.339 --> 00:21:58.900
 We don't know exactly

00:21:58.900 --> 00:21:59.400
 what happens.

00:22:00.140 --> 00:22:00.779
 John Mark

00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:02.119
 disappears from the narrative

00:22:02.119 --> 00:22:03.559
 for ten years.

00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:05.660
 No clue what happens

00:22:05.660 --> 00:22:06.759
 to our little John Mark.

00:22:06.880 --> 00:22:08.680
 What he's out there doing.

00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:10.560
 What's going on with him.

00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:12.480
 Now in the meantime

00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:13.880
 I think you're familiar

00:22:13.880 --> 00:22:14.960
 with much of the story.

00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:16.840
 A lot of the further advancing

00:22:16.840 --> 00:22:17.519
 of the gospel.

00:22:18.800 --> 00:22:20.420
 Paul is thrown in prison.

00:22:20.820 --> 00:22:21.340
 In Rome.

00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:22.660
 There's a first imprisonment

00:22:22.660 --> 00:22:23.580
 he's thrown in Rome.

00:22:23.660 --> 00:22:24.180
 This is the place

00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:25.640
 that he wrote the letters.

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:27.140
 The books we now call

00:22:27.140 --> 00:22:28.420
 Ephesians, Colossians,

00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:28.980
 Philemon,

00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:30.380
 and Philippians.

00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:32.480
 And guess where

00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:34.299
 John Mark shows up.

00:22:34.860 --> 00:22:36.779
 Turn to Colossians 4.10.

00:22:44.380 --> 00:22:45.400
 I love this.

00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:46.339
 Ten years he's gone.

00:22:46.420 --> 00:22:47.000
 What is he doing

00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:48.339
 in this ten year period of time?

00:22:49.019 --> 00:22:49.960
 We know he went with Barnabas

00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:50.460
 to Cyprus.

00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:52.079
 What next?

00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:52.819
 What happened?

00:22:55.120 --> 00:22:56.299
 Philemon verse 20.

00:22:56.360 --> 00:22:56.700
 Oh excuse me.

00:22:56.700 --> 00:22:57.380
 Colossians 4.10.

00:22:57.380 --> 00:23:00.460
 There's Paul writing

00:23:00.460 --> 00:23:01.160
 to the church.

00:23:02.760 --> 00:23:03.420
 Aristarchus,

00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:04.280
 my fellow prisoner,

00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:05.000
 greets you.

00:23:05.280 --> 00:23:06.080
 And who?

00:23:06.800 --> 00:23:07.360
 Mark,

00:23:07.800 --> 00:23:09.140
 the cousin of Barnabas.

00:23:09.160 --> 00:23:09.680
 This is where we learn

00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:10.720
 that it's Barnabas' cousin.

00:23:11.340 --> 00:23:12.180
 Concerning whom

00:23:12.180 --> 00:23:13.600
 you have received instruction,

00:23:13.800 --> 00:23:15.220
 if he comes to you,

00:23:15.960 --> 00:23:17.100
 welcome him.

00:23:18.620 --> 00:23:20.400
 If I get the opportunity

00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:21.840
 to send to you

00:23:21.840 --> 00:23:23.720
 John Mark,

00:23:24.560 --> 00:23:26.140
 welcome him.

00:23:26.140 --> 00:23:27.980
 They had endeared

00:23:27.980 --> 00:23:29.220
 themselves to one another

00:23:29.220 --> 00:23:29.800
 once again.

00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:30.920
 There had been some

00:23:30.920 --> 00:23:32.640
 reconciliation on their part.

00:23:33.000 --> 00:23:33.840
 And in fact,

00:23:34.840 --> 00:23:35.840
 the evidence that

00:23:35.840 --> 00:23:37.200
 John Mark was growing

00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:37.860
 in faith,

00:23:38.280 --> 00:23:39.140
 he would have not been

00:23:39.140 --> 00:23:39.860
 in a Roman prison

00:23:39.860 --> 00:23:40.580
 had he not been

00:23:40.580 --> 00:23:42.160
 bold for Christ.

00:23:42.759 --> 00:23:42.940
 So,

00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:44.120
 how did he get?

00:23:44.360 --> 00:23:45.420
 He went from Jerusalem

00:23:45.420 --> 00:23:46.100
 off to Cyprus

00:23:46.100 --> 00:23:46.660
 with Barnabas.

00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:47.460
 How did he get to Rome?

00:23:47.520 --> 00:23:48.120
 We don't know.

00:23:48.540 --> 00:23:49.300
 But somehow,

00:23:49.620 --> 00:23:50.880
 he was enough of a threat

00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:51.820
 to the empire

00:23:51.820 --> 00:23:52.660
 as he was advancing

00:23:52.660 --> 00:23:53.160
 the gospel

00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:53.900
 that he gets thrown

00:23:53.900 --> 00:23:54.560
 in prison

00:23:54.560 --> 00:23:56.400
 with Paul,

00:23:56.500 --> 00:23:56.660
 right?

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:57.560
 The apostle of apostles.

00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:59.220
 Here's little John Mark

00:23:59.220 --> 00:24:00.340
 sitting next to him

00:24:00.340 --> 00:24:01.640
 in prison.

00:24:01.840 --> 00:24:02.259
 And they have

00:24:02.259 --> 00:24:04.080
 apparently reconciled

00:24:04.080 --> 00:24:05.060
 to a great degree.

00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:06.700
 Philemon,

00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:07.400
 verse 23.

00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:08.720
 Let me just read

00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:09.279
 this one to you.

00:24:09.640 --> 00:24:10.019
 He says,

00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:10.820
 Epaphras,

00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:11.540
 my fellow prisoner

00:24:11.540 --> 00:24:12.220
 in Christ Jesus,

00:24:12.320 --> 00:24:13.040
 sends greeting to you

00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:14.680
 and so do Mark,

00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:15.579
 Aristarchus,

00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:16.099
 Demas,

00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:16.579
 and Luke,

00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:18.659
 my fellow workers.

00:24:19.619 --> 00:24:20.460
 Paul had now

00:24:20.460 --> 00:24:21.420
 linked arms

00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:22.500
 with Mark

00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:23.339
 for the sake

00:24:23.339 --> 00:24:24.180
 of the gospel.

00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:25.639
 Isn't that precious?

00:24:25.779 --> 00:24:26.659
 He shows back up

00:24:26.659 --> 00:24:27.740
 in this way.

00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:28.579
 And then again,

00:24:28.779 --> 00:24:29.879
 in Paul's

00:24:29.879 --> 00:24:31.059
 second imprisonment,

00:24:31.159 --> 00:24:32.200
 the very last letter

00:24:32.200 --> 00:24:33.000
 that he ever wrote

00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:33.720
 to Timothy,

00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:34.659
 2 Timothy,

00:24:35.319 --> 00:24:36.059
 chapter 4,

00:24:36.139 --> 00:24:36.680
 verse 11,

00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:38.359
 the very end

00:24:38.359 --> 00:24:39.159
 of his life here,

00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:40.220
 he writes to Timothy,

00:24:40.339 --> 00:24:40.819
 Do your best

00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:41.899
 to come to me soon,

00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:43.160
 for Demas,

00:24:43.280 --> 00:24:43.940
 in love with this

00:24:43.940 --> 00:24:44.500
 present world,

00:24:44.580 --> 00:24:45.360
 has deserted me

00:24:45.360 --> 00:24:46.500
 and gone to Thessalonica.

00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:48.100
 Crescens has gone

00:24:48.100 --> 00:24:48.740
 to Galatia,

00:24:49.160 --> 00:24:50.380
 Titus to Dalmatia,

00:24:50.940 --> 00:24:52.180
 Luke alone is with me.

00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:53.440
 Get Mark

00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:54.440
 and bring him with you

00:24:54.440 --> 00:24:55.700
 for he is very useful

00:24:55.700 --> 00:24:56.300
 to me

00:24:56.300 --> 00:24:57.080
 for ministry.

00:24:58.759 --> 00:24:59.940
 So here's this worker

00:24:59.940 --> 00:25:01.840
 who's come alongside Paul

00:25:01.840 --> 00:25:03.200
 and has given him

00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:04.440
 the service.

00:25:05.140 --> 00:25:06.880
 Do him for the work

00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:07.900
 of ministry.

00:25:08.120 --> 00:25:09.259
 Isn't that precious

00:25:09.259 --> 00:25:10.259
 to see the reconciliation

00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:11.700
 taking place there?

00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:13.300
 I long

00:25:13.300 --> 00:25:14.040
 to be

00:25:14.040 --> 00:25:15.100
 with Mark,

00:25:15.340 --> 00:25:16.220
 the one that he

00:25:16.220 --> 00:25:16.980
 would want nothing

00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:17.480
 to do with

00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:18.240
 on the second journey.

00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:18.920
 No!

00:25:19.220 --> 00:25:20.000
 He's a coward.

00:25:20.200 --> 00:25:21.060
 Leave him behind.

00:25:21.580 --> 00:25:22.640
 I'm taking Silas.

00:25:23.580 --> 00:25:24.740
 It's the very one

00:25:24.740 --> 00:25:26.040
 that he asked Timothy

00:25:26.040 --> 00:25:27.240
 to bring along

00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:28.280
 with him

00:25:28.280 --> 00:25:29.860
 for this work.

00:25:31.019 --> 00:25:32.160
 This ministered to me

00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:32.759
 to see

00:25:32.759 --> 00:25:34.360
 that God used

00:25:34.360 --> 00:25:35.720
 a man

00:25:35.720 --> 00:25:37.040
 who bailed

00:25:37.040 --> 00:25:37.620
 on the mission

00:25:37.619 --> 00:25:39.439
 to pen

00:25:39.439 --> 00:25:39.439


00:25:39.439 --> 00:25:41.079
 one of the four

00:25:41.079 --> 00:25:41.659
 gospels,

00:25:41.719 --> 00:25:42.339
 one of the four

00:25:42.339 --> 00:25:43.579
 accounts of the life

00:25:43.579 --> 00:25:45.359
 of Jesus Christ.

00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:47.119
 There's hope for us yet,

00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:48.219
 isn't there?

00:25:48.599 --> 00:25:49.759
 In all of our failure

00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:50.879
 that God would work

00:25:50.879 --> 00:25:51.679
 and move

00:25:51.679 --> 00:25:52.439
 in us.

00:25:52.859 --> 00:25:53.479
 Because you know

00:25:53.479 --> 00:25:54.699
 that recovering sinners

00:25:54.699 --> 00:25:55.719
 are the only type

00:25:55.719 --> 00:25:56.599
 of people there are?

00:25:57.599 --> 00:25:58.500
 People who have

00:25:58.500 --> 00:25:59.199
 failed

00:25:59.199 --> 00:26:00.659
 and made mistakes.

00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:01.779
 It's the only type

00:26:01.779 --> 00:26:02.559
 of people

00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:03.179
 that there are.

00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:04.799
 Mark turned

00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:05.880
 from his cowardice

00:26:05.880 --> 00:26:06.840
 to boldness.

00:26:07.259 --> 00:26:07.620
 Otherwise,

00:26:07.799 --> 00:26:08.440
 he wouldn't have been

00:26:08.440 --> 00:26:09.200
 in this prison.

00:26:09.299 --> 00:26:09.720
 He wouldn't have

00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:10.900
 worked alongside

00:26:10.900 --> 00:26:11.799
 Paul.

00:26:13.320 --> 00:26:14.759
 We are recovering

00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:15.640
 liars.

00:26:15.900 --> 00:26:16.400
 I hope,

00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:17.259
 turning to truth.

00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:18.340
 We're recovering

00:26:18.340 --> 00:26:19.340
 thieves,

00:26:19.460 --> 00:26:20.880
 becoming honest.

00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:22.620
 We're recovering

00:26:22.620 --> 00:26:23.720
 murderers.

00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:24.560
 The case of Paul.

00:26:24.900 --> 00:26:25.519
 Paul himself

00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:26.320
 is recovering

00:26:26.320 --> 00:26:27.259
 murder.

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:28.080
 We're recovering

00:26:28.080 --> 00:26:28.840
 idolaters,

00:26:29.080 --> 00:26:29.759
 turning from worship

00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:30.400
 of ourselves

00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:31.360
 and turning to the worship

00:26:31.359 --> 00:26:33.259
 of God.

00:26:34.859 --> 00:26:35.679
 So this is the

00:26:35.679 --> 00:26:37.659
 background of Mark.

00:26:38.099 --> 00:26:39.199
 It's likely,

00:26:39.679 --> 00:26:40.979
 I worked really hard

00:26:40.979 --> 00:26:41.599
 on trying to make

00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:42.479
 this a fact for you,

00:26:42.539 --> 00:26:43.419
 I just couldn't

00:26:43.419 --> 00:26:44.039
 quite do it.

00:26:44.099 --> 00:26:44.839
 There's too much

00:26:44.839 --> 00:26:46.879
 maybe in the equation.

00:26:47.399 --> 00:26:48.419
 But it's likely

00:26:48.419 --> 00:26:49.419
 that Mark

00:26:49.419 --> 00:26:50.740
 penned this gospel

00:26:50.740 --> 00:26:51.799
 while he was sitting

00:26:51.799 --> 00:26:53.119
 in the Roman prison

00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:54.559
 alongside Paul.

00:26:55.500 --> 00:26:56.259
 An interesting thought

00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:56.679
 to have,

00:26:56.779 --> 00:26:57.859
 that he sits in prison

00:26:57.859 --> 00:26:58.240
 and he thinks,

00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:59.099
 what can I do

00:26:59.099 --> 00:27:00.279
 for the sake of the kingdom

00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:01.259
 and the Spirit

00:27:01.259 --> 00:27:02.119
 impresses upon him

00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:03.379
 to write down

00:27:03.379 --> 00:27:04.079
 the gospel.

00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:05.619
 And I like to think

00:27:05.619 --> 00:27:06.980
 that he was checking

00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:07.279
 with,

00:27:07.819 --> 00:27:08.259
 that's right,

00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:08.680
 isn't it?

00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:08.940
 Like,

00:27:09.139 --> 00:27:10.220
 can you confirm this?

00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:10.480
 Yeah,

00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:11.379
 we're doing this well.

00:27:11.539 --> 00:27:12.319
 We're moving along.

00:27:12.379 --> 00:27:13.500
 We're getting this down right.

00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:15.220
 This may have been happening

00:27:15.220 --> 00:27:16.899
 at the very same time.

00:27:17.379 --> 00:27:18.599
 And so Mark starts

00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:19.960
 his gospel account

00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:21.059
 with the beginning

00:27:21.059 --> 00:27:22.339
 of the gospel.

00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:23.599
 The good news

00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:24.879
 of Jesus Christ,

00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:26.279
 the Son

00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:27.559
 of God.

00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:28.119
 Right?

00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:29.240
 This one,

00:27:29.379 --> 00:27:30.359
 this person

00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:31.899
 who had delivered him

00:27:31.899 --> 00:27:32.919
 from his sin,

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:34.279
 even this sin

00:27:34.279 --> 00:27:35.119
 of cowardice,

00:27:35.179 --> 00:27:36.319
 of bailing out

00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:37.159
 on the mission

00:27:37.159 --> 00:27:37.740
 that was set

00:27:37.740 --> 00:27:38.740
 before them.

00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:40.419
 So why do we

00:27:40.419 --> 00:27:42.019
 study the gospel accounts?

00:27:42.139 --> 00:27:42.759
 Why do we

00:27:42.759 --> 00:27:44.119
 continue to preach

00:27:44.119 --> 00:27:44.720
 to one another

00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:45.339
 the gospel?

00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:46.980
 It's because we need

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:47.559
 to hear it.

00:27:47.879 --> 00:27:48.319
 Why are we going

00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:48.799
 to look at this?

00:27:48.839 --> 00:27:49.419
 I think most of you

00:27:49.419 --> 00:27:50.359
 are probably pretty familiar

00:27:50.359 --> 00:27:51.740
 with the life of Jesus.

00:27:52.139 --> 00:27:53.539
 Why should we take time

00:27:53.539 --> 00:27:55.460
 and work hard,

00:27:55.799 --> 00:27:56.179
 labor,

00:27:56.180 --> 00:27:57.560
 some of us more

00:27:57.560 --> 00:27:57.960
 than others,

00:27:58.039 --> 00:27:58.799
 but to labor

00:27:58.799 --> 00:27:59.860
 to really understand

00:27:59.860 --> 00:28:00.960
 what this book

00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:02.279
 means for us.

00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:04.740
 I like the C.S. Lewis quote

00:28:04.740 --> 00:28:06.279
 I came across this week.

00:28:06.680 --> 00:28:07.240
 He said,

00:28:07.360 --> 00:28:08.480
 we have to continually

00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:09.220
 be reminded

00:28:09.220 --> 00:28:10.220
 of what we believe.

00:28:10.940 --> 00:28:11.880
 We have to continually

00:28:11.880 --> 00:28:12.560
 be reminded

00:28:12.560 --> 00:28:13.259
 of what we believe.

00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:14.440
 No belief

00:28:14.440 --> 00:28:15.340
 will automatically

00:28:15.340 --> 00:28:16.539
 remain alive

00:28:16.539 --> 00:28:17.140
 in the mind.

00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:18.880
 It must be fed.

00:28:20.299 --> 00:28:21.140
 No belief just

00:28:21.140 --> 00:28:22.299
 pops up

00:28:22.299 --> 00:28:23.160
 and stays there.

00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:24.160
 You have to feed it.

00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:25.120
 We have to continue

00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:26.859
 to preach the gospel

00:28:26.859 --> 00:28:27.939
 to ourselves.

00:28:28.059 --> 00:28:28.579
 We have to keep

00:28:28.579 --> 00:28:29.419
 pumping it in

00:28:29.419 --> 00:28:30.539
 to our very living

00:28:30.539 --> 00:28:31.679
 so that we will

00:28:31.679 --> 00:28:32.579
 respond appropriately,

00:28:32.739 --> 00:28:33.500
 so that we will

00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:34.819
 worship God rightly

00:28:34.819 --> 00:28:35.759
 in this world.

00:28:36.699 --> 00:28:37.619
 That's the value

00:28:37.619 --> 00:28:39.379
 of coming to this book.

00:28:39.819 --> 00:28:41.779
 To peer in 16 chapters

00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:43.479
 at the life of Jesus Christ

00:28:43.479 --> 00:28:44.519
 and the way He came

00:28:44.519 --> 00:28:45.319
 as a servant

00:28:45.319 --> 00:28:46.859
 and poured Himself out

00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:48.019
 for the church.

00:28:49.339 --> 00:28:50.259
 Because we're meant

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:52.000
 to model this very activity.

00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:54.519
 Christ is our high standard,

00:28:54.819 --> 00:28:55.559
 our high goal.

00:28:55.900 --> 00:28:56.700
 He is the one

00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:57.420
 that we're driving

00:28:57.420 --> 00:28:58.279
 to be like.

00:28:58.880 --> 00:28:59.559
 In Sunday school

00:28:59.559 --> 00:28:59.960
 this morning

00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:00.680
 we talked a little bit

00:29:00.680 --> 00:29:01.099
 about this

00:29:01.099 --> 00:29:01.619
 as we're studying

00:29:01.619 --> 00:29:03.079
 the attributes of God.

00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:05.920
 Don't try to be like me.

00:29:07.380 --> 00:29:08.319
 I hope to set

00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:09.319
 some example for you

00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:10.720
 in trying to be like Christ.

00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:13.039
 But if you try

00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:13.700
 to be like me,

00:29:14.180 --> 00:29:15.700
 you can accomplish that.

00:29:16.220 --> 00:29:17.220
 You can get

00:29:17.220 --> 00:29:18.460
 to this stature.

00:29:19.059 --> 00:29:19.660
 Because it's not

00:29:19.660 --> 00:29:20.460
 much of a stature.

00:29:20.779 --> 00:29:21.779
 Try to be like Christ.

00:29:21.779 --> 00:29:23.119
 And spend your life

00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:24.019
 doing that.

00:29:24.480 --> 00:29:25.980
 I am far from perfect.

00:29:26.299 --> 00:29:27.460
 I need grace.

00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:29.839
 Christ perfect,

00:29:30.079 --> 00:29:30.399
 holy,

00:29:30.700 --> 00:29:31.180
 set apart.

00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:32.339
 He walked this earth

00:29:32.339 --> 00:29:33.259
 to show us

00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:35.000
 how we ought to live.

00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:36.220
 He is the high mark,

00:29:36.539 --> 00:29:37.240
 the high goal.

00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:38.099
 We have to be

00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:39.019
 continually reminded

00:29:39.019 --> 00:29:40.039
 of what we believe.

00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:41.139
 Because no belief

00:29:41.139 --> 00:29:42.000
 will remain alive

00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:43.240
 in the mind.

00:29:43.379 --> 00:29:45.339
 It must be fed.

00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:47.539
 So He tells us here,

00:29:47.579 --> 00:29:48.240
 this is the beginning.

00:29:49.079 --> 00:29:49.579
 The sentence,

00:29:49.740 --> 00:29:50.259
 the beginning

00:29:50.259 --> 00:29:51.539
 of the gospel,

00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:53.980
 the good news.

00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:55.799
 I'm sure he had

00:29:55.799 --> 00:29:56.420
 in his mind

00:29:56.420 --> 00:29:57.599
 Old Testament Scriptures.

00:29:57.779 --> 00:29:59.019
 He saw that Jesus Christ

00:29:59.019 --> 00:30:00.019
 was the fulfillment

00:30:00.019 --> 00:30:02.480
 of so much promise.

00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:04.059
 He was the reality

00:30:04.059 --> 00:30:06.660
 of so much shadow.

00:30:07.660 --> 00:30:08.180
 Finally,

00:30:08.599 --> 00:30:08.960
 fully,

00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:10.319
 the kingdom of God

00:30:10.319 --> 00:30:11.400
 has arrived.

00:30:12.460 --> 00:30:14.079
 Isaiah 49

00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:14.839
 says,

00:30:15.019 --> 00:30:15.980
 Go on up

00:30:15.980 --> 00:30:17.019
 to a high mountain,

00:30:17.159 --> 00:30:17.599
 O Zion,

00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.339
 herald of good news.

00:30:19.679 --> 00:30:20.559
 Lift up your voice

00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:21.240
 with strength,

00:30:21.339 --> 00:30:21.859
 O Jerusalem,

00:30:22.399 --> 00:30:23.419
 herald of good news.

00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:24.500
 Lift it up,

00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:25.480
 fear not.

00:30:25.919 --> 00:30:26.659
 Say to the cities

00:30:26.659 --> 00:30:27.139
 of Judah,

00:30:27.579 --> 00:30:28.179
 behold,

00:30:28.399 --> 00:30:29.199
 your God.

00:30:29.500 --> 00:30:30.339
 This is what Mark

00:30:30.339 --> 00:30:30.879
 is saying.

00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:32.279
 Mark is this

00:30:32.279 --> 00:30:33.960
 herald of good news

00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:34.619
 and he's saying

00:30:34.619 --> 00:30:35.319
 to us,

00:30:35.419 --> 00:30:36.019
 behold,

00:30:36.619 --> 00:30:37.299
 your God.

00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:39.059
 Isaiah 52,

00:30:39.220 --> 00:30:39.579
 7,

00:30:39.960 --> 00:30:40.720
 How beautiful

00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:41.519
 upon the mountains

00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:42.039
 are the feet

00:30:42.039 --> 00:30:43.039
 of him who brings

00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:43.879
 good news,

00:30:44.039 --> 00:30:45.440
 who publishes peace,

00:30:45.819 --> 00:30:46.960
 who brings good news

00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:47.619
 of happiness,

00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:49.460
 who publishes salvation,

00:30:49.659 --> 00:30:50.680
 who says to Zion,

00:30:50.920 --> 00:30:52.859
 your God reigns.

00:30:52.859 --> 00:30:54.099
 This is what he's coming

00:30:54.099 --> 00:30:55.000
 to tell us about.

00:30:55.159 --> 00:30:56.859
 The good news

00:30:56.859 --> 00:30:58.399
 of Jesus Christ.

00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:01.000
 That we were once dead

00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:02.480
 but we now have life

00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:03.619
 in him.

00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:05.559
 This is what he's coming.

00:31:05.700 --> 00:31:07.519
 This debt that we could not pay

00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:08.299
 has been paid

00:31:08.299 --> 00:31:09.379
 on our behalf.

00:31:10.059 --> 00:31:11.460
 We have been ransomed.

00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:12.980
 We have been adopted.

00:31:13.360 --> 00:31:14.579
 We have been delivered.

00:31:14.940 --> 00:31:15.640
 We're justified

00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:16.759
 in God's sight.

00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:17.480
 We're clothed

00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:18.279
 in Christ's righteousness.

00:31:18.539 --> 00:31:19.819
 This is the good news.

00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:22.279
 That eternal damnation

00:31:22.279 --> 00:31:23.259
 was ours

00:31:23.259 --> 00:31:24.920
 and now eternal glory

00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:25.840
 belongs to us

00:31:25.840 --> 00:31:26.600
 because of Christ.

00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:28.279
 The good news.

00:31:28.340 --> 00:31:28.940
 I hope it's good

00:31:28.940 --> 00:31:30.620
 to you this morning.

00:31:31.700 --> 00:31:32.559
 The good news

00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:34.160
 of Jesus Christ,

00:31:34.340 --> 00:31:34.579
 right?

00:31:35.059 --> 00:31:35.620
 Jesus,

00:31:35.840 --> 00:31:36.539
 the Hebrew name

00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:37.319
 Yeshua,

00:31:37.880 --> 00:31:38.840
 was a very modern,

00:31:39.340 --> 00:31:39.980
 excuse me,

00:31:39.980 --> 00:31:41.099
 a very common name

00:31:41.099 --> 00:31:41.660
 in this day.

00:31:41.779 --> 00:31:43.140
 Lots of Joshua's

00:31:43.140 --> 00:31:44.160
 out there,

00:31:44.460 --> 00:31:44.700
 right?

00:31:45.220 --> 00:31:46.099
 It means though

00:31:46.099 --> 00:31:47.740
 God is salvation.

00:31:48.059 --> 00:31:49.059
 What a fitting name

00:31:49.059 --> 00:31:49.880
 for our Lord.

00:31:50.440 --> 00:31:52.220
 God is salvation.

00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:54.079
 And we attach so often

00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:55.299
 this Greek word

00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:56.480
 Christos,

00:31:56.920 --> 00:31:57.640
 Christ,

00:31:57.900 --> 00:31:58.299
 to it

00:31:58.299 --> 00:31:58.940
 because it means

00:31:58.940 --> 00:32:00.039
 he is the

00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:01.339
 anointed one.

00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:02.819
 So Jesus,

00:32:03.299 --> 00:32:04.460
 the anointed one.

00:32:04.460 --> 00:32:05.799
 Not your buddy

00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:06.319
 down the street,

00:32:06.420 --> 00:32:06.759
 Joshua,

00:32:07.200 --> 00:32:07.460
 right?

00:32:07.579 --> 00:32:09.160
 But Jesus Christ,

00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:10.720
 the anointed one.

00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:12.360
 We have since,

00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:13.259
 because of some

00:32:13.259 --> 00:32:15.759
 Greek linguistic versions,

00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:17.079
 we can rightly say

00:32:17.079 --> 00:32:17.819
 and pronounce

00:32:17.819 --> 00:32:19.319
 this word

00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:19.860
 Jesus.

00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:21.319
 And we have,

00:32:21.380 --> 00:32:22.059
 as the Christian church,

00:32:22.180 --> 00:32:22.840
 given that name

00:32:22.840 --> 00:32:23.340
 to him.

00:32:24.220 --> 00:32:24.460
 Right?

00:32:24.519 --> 00:32:24.880
 We have said,

00:32:24.940 --> 00:32:25.380
 this is Jesus.

00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:26.200
 We name our kids

00:32:26.200 --> 00:32:26.620
 Joshua,

00:32:27.259 --> 00:32:27.460
 right?

00:32:27.500 --> 00:32:28.200
 With the same root.

00:32:28.340 --> 00:32:28.900
 We don't call him

00:32:28.900 --> 00:32:29.319
 Jesus.

00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:30.360
 Some cultures do,

00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:30.720
 right?

00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:33.160
 But we tend to do that

00:32:33.160 --> 00:32:33.840
 because this is the name

00:32:33.840 --> 00:32:34.400
 that we've reserved

00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:36.019
 for him alone.

00:32:36.420 --> 00:32:37.940
 God is salvation.

00:32:38.220 --> 00:32:39.200
 This is the one

00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:39.900
 by which

00:32:39.900 --> 00:32:42.080
 that salvation comes.

00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:43.259
 And then he calls him

00:32:43.259 --> 00:32:45.620
 the Son of God.

00:32:46.880 --> 00:32:47.400
 Now,

00:32:47.500 --> 00:32:48.060
 it's a doctrine

00:32:48.060 --> 00:32:49.220
 that we won't get into

00:32:49.220 --> 00:32:49.759
 this morning

00:32:49.759 --> 00:32:51.000
 in its entirety.

00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:52.540
 But if you remember

00:32:52.540 --> 00:32:54.180
 from our study of Nehemiah,

00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:55.320
 we saw a very interesting

00:32:55.320 --> 00:32:56.640
 use of language

00:32:56.640 --> 00:32:57.500
 as the people

00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:58.240
 came together

00:32:58.240 --> 00:32:58.860
 to worship,

00:32:59.240 --> 00:33:00.000
 that they went out

00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:01.080
 and they called together

00:33:01.080 --> 00:33:02.560
 the sons of the singers.

00:33:03.160 --> 00:33:03.600
 Do you remember

00:33:03.600 --> 00:33:04.540
 us talking about that?

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:05.540
 We talked about

00:33:05.540 --> 00:33:06.400
 how this language

00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:07.120
 was a common

00:33:07.120 --> 00:33:08.440
 Hebrew way

00:33:08.440 --> 00:33:09.340
 of stating

00:33:09.340 --> 00:33:09.840
 that someone

00:33:09.840 --> 00:33:10.779
 was in the same

00:33:10.779 --> 00:33:12.080
 order as.

00:33:12.840 --> 00:33:14.220
 So in Nehemiah's day,

00:33:14.279 --> 00:33:15.000
 they weren't going out

00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:15.759
 and looking for

00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:17.500
 the offspring

00:33:17.500 --> 00:33:18.580
 of the singers,

00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:20.440
 the kids

00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:21.160
 of the singers,

00:33:21.560 --> 00:33:22.279
 but they were looking

00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:23.420
 to those who belonged

00:33:23.420 --> 00:33:24.560
 to the order of

00:33:24.560 --> 00:33:25.200
 the singers

00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:26.380
 to come together.

00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:27.980
 And as an aside,

00:33:28.080 --> 00:33:28.480
 I said,

00:33:28.540 --> 00:33:29.259
 have you ever considered

00:33:29.259 --> 00:33:30.440
 Jesus being called

00:33:30.440 --> 00:33:31.360
 the Son of God

00:33:31.360 --> 00:33:32.580
 in that regard?

00:33:33.160 --> 00:33:34.700
 We don't

00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:35.620
 because we don't

00:33:35.620 --> 00:33:36.380
 really understand that.

00:33:36.420 --> 00:33:36.880
 This is not our

00:33:36.880 --> 00:33:38.080
 cultural context.

00:33:38.279 --> 00:33:38.980
 But they would have

00:33:38.980 --> 00:33:39.940
 fully understood.

00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:41.940
 Both the Hebrew

00:33:41.940 --> 00:33:42.680
 and Greek mind

00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:43.259
 would have seen

00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:44.019
 this thing,

00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:45.620
 the Son of God,

00:33:45.660 --> 00:33:46.700
 and seen that Jesus

00:33:46.700 --> 00:33:47.400
 is in the same

00:33:47.400 --> 00:33:48.480
 order of God.

00:33:48.660 --> 00:33:49.540
 This title would have

00:33:49.540 --> 00:33:50.800
 meant that he possesses

00:33:50.800 --> 00:33:52.360
 equality with God,

00:33:52.400 --> 00:33:53.660
 that he is God

00:33:53.660 --> 00:33:54.460
 himself.

00:33:54.460 --> 00:33:56.160
 This is a great

00:33:56.160 --> 00:33:57.140
 declaration of

00:33:57.140 --> 00:33:58.980
 Jesus Christ's deity.

00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:03.079
 God sent in man's form

00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:04.720
 to minister to us.

00:34:06.180 --> 00:34:06.740
 Phenomenal.

00:34:07.299 --> 00:34:09.059
 Absolutely phenomenal.

00:34:09.800 --> 00:34:11.500
 And the insane thing to me

00:34:11.500 --> 00:34:12.400
 beyond that

00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:13.300
 is that we are now

00:34:13.300 --> 00:34:14.240
 called in Christ

00:34:14.240 --> 00:34:15.740
 sons and daughters

00:34:15.740 --> 00:34:16.800
 of God.

00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:18.440
 Which is not to say

00:34:18.440 --> 00:34:19.559
 that we have equality

00:34:19.559 --> 00:34:20.500
 with God,

00:34:20.500 --> 00:34:21.579
 but we are now

00:34:21.579 --> 00:34:22.820
 created in the

00:34:22.820 --> 00:34:24.119
 order of.

00:34:24.739 --> 00:34:24.840
 Right?

00:34:24.960 --> 00:34:26.639
 Made in his image.

00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:28.099
 Destroyed by sin

00:34:28.099 --> 00:34:29.559
 but now restored

00:34:29.559 --> 00:34:31.079
 in Christ.

00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:31.960
 Our hearts

00:34:31.960 --> 00:34:32.900
 turned back

00:34:32.900 --> 00:34:34.280
 towards him.

00:34:36.179 --> 00:34:36.880
 Martin Luther,

00:34:36.980 --> 00:34:37.619
 the great reformer,

00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:37.900
 said,

00:34:37.960 --> 00:34:38.519
 it is not

00:34:38.519 --> 00:34:39.780
 imitation that makes

00:34:39.780 --> 00:34:40.139
 sons.

00:34:40.679 --> 00:34:41.860
 Going through the motions.

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:42.900
 Doing the religious

00:34:42.900 --> 00:34:43.739
 thing.

00:34:43.820 --> 00:34:44.619
 It is not imitation

00:34:44.619 --> 00:34:45.300
 that makes sons.

00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:46.519
 It is adoption

00:34:46.519 --> 00:34:48.240
 that makes us

00:34:48.240 --> 00:34:49.400
 imitators.

00:34:50.680 --> 00:34:51.900
 The preciousness

00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:52.920
 of that truth

00:34:52.920 --> 00:34:53.840
 because our hearts

00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:54.680
 have been

00:34:54.680 --> 00:34:55.600
 regenerate.

00:34:55.680 --> 00:34:56.280
 We have now been

00:34:56.280 --> 00:34:57.620
 made in the order

00:34:57.620 --> 00:34:59.080
 of God.

00:34:59.720 --> 00:35:01.080
 And this is Mark

00:35:01.080 --> 00:35:03.060
 coming to us

00:35:03.060 --> 00:35:04.160
 to pen this

00:35:04.160 --> 00:35:04.920
 gospel.

00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:06.680
 I don't know

00:35:06.680 --> 00:35:07.120
 if any of you

00:35:07.120 --> 00:35:07.860
 felt kind of the

00:35:07.860 --> 00:35:08.160
 shock,

00:35:08.200 --> 00:35:08.780
 and I did,

00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:09.080
 when I,

00:35:09.260 --> 00:35:09.500
 like,

00:35:09.740 --> 00:35:10.620
 this is Mark,

00:35:10.620 --> 00:35:11.360
 the guy that

00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:12.300
 bailed on Paul,

00:35:12.320 --> 00:35:13.200
 I forgot his name.

00:35:13.480 --> 00:35:13.580
 Right?

00:35:13.640 --> 00:35:14.580
 I knew a guy bailed

00:35:14.579 --> 00:35:15.719
 on Paul and Barnabas

00:35:15.719 --> 00:35:16.840
 for cowardice.

00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:17.599
 I remember that.

00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:18.380
 I remember the story.

00:35:18.460 --> 00:35:19.019
 I remember they got

00:35:19.019 --> 00:35:19.980
 an argument about it.

00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:21.559
 But it was Mark,

00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:22.940
 the guy that got

00:35:22.940 --> 00:35:24.360
 to write the gospel

00:35:24.360 --> 00:35:25.819
 according to Mark.

00:35:26.519 --> 00:35:28.179
 Look at the grace

00:35:28.179 --> 00:35:29.519
 in his life.

00:35:29.840 --> 00:35:30.819
 The outworking

00:35:30.819 --> 00:35:32.159
 of the gospel.

00:35:32.420 --> 00:35:32.759
 Beloved,

00:35:32.860 --> 00:35:34.340
 that is the same

00:35:34.340 --> 00:35:35.779
 grace that we have.

00:35:36.519 --> 00:35:37.400
 And take people

00:35:37.400 --> 00:35:38.739
 who are not worthy

00:35:38.739 --> 00:35:40.199
 of God's favor.

00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:41.380
 That we can do

00:35:41.380 --> 00:35:43.039
 nothing to earn it.

00:35:43.099 --> 00:35:43.940
 You may have some

00:35:43.940 --> 00:35:45.059
 weight and burden

00:35:45.059 --> 00:35:46.039
 on your back.

00:35:46.260 --> 00:35:47.119
 Some thing that you

00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:48.780
 have done or not done

00:35:48.780 --> 00:35:49.820
 that you should be doing

00:35:49.820 --> 00:35:51.099
 that is weighing you

00:35:51.099 --> 00:35:51.880
 down this morning.

00:35:52.139 --> 00:35:53.519
 Take a note

00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:54.320
 from the book

00:35:54.320 --> 00:35:55.300
 of Mark.

00:35:55.880 --> 00:35:56.820
 Look at who he

00:35:56.820 --> 00:35:57.559
 was,

00:35:57.599 --> 00:35:58.440
 and then who he

00:35:58.440 --> 00:35:59.139
 became

00:35:59.139 --> 00:36:00.400
 by the grace of God.

00:36:00.659 --> 00:36:00.840
 Right?

00:36:00.880 --> 00:36:01.500
 A coward

00:36:01.500 --> 00:36:02.619
 who bailed on the mission.

00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:03.460
 And actually,

00:36:03.800 --> 00:36:04.400
 up to this point,

00:36:04.460 --> 00:36:05.119
 the mission hadn't even

00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:06.019
 been that bad.

00:36:06.360 --> 00:36:06.980
 There was a guy

00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:07.820
 that was possessed.

00:36:08.820 --> 00:36:10.000
 Paul let him have it.

00:36:10.500 --> 00:36:11.579
 Drove out some demons.

00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:12.799
 And that's when

00:36:12.799 --> 00:36:14.360
 John Mark bailed.

00:36:14.759 --> 00:36:14.880
 Right?

00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:15.699
 They had yet to be

00:36:15.699 --> 00:36:17.119
 shipwrecked and beaten

00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:17.860
 and stoned

00:36:17.860 --> 00:36:18.779
 and all those things.

00:36:19.059 --> 00:36:19.179
 Right?

00:36:19.199 --> 00:36:19.559
 That hadn't even

00:36:19.559 --> 00:36:20.179
 happened yet.

00:36:20.480 --> 00:36:21.159
 And he bailed.

00:36:21.400 --> 00:36:22.400
 And here he is

00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:23.840
 in a Roman prison

00:36:23.840 --> 00:36:25.739
 likely writing down

00:36:25.739 --> 00:36:26.519
 the account

00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:27.639
 of the life

00:36:27.639 --> 00:36:28.840
 of Jesus Christ.

00:36:29.880 --> 00:36:30.559
 Do you think Mark

00:36:30.559 --> 00:36:30.980
 would have had

00:36:30.980 --> 00:36:32.179
 any notion

00:36:32.179 --> 00:36:34.299
 when he bailed,

00:36:34.739 --> 00:36:35.659
 walked himself

00:36:35.659 --> 00:36:37.019
 back to Jerusalem

00:36:37.019 --> 00:36:37.840
 in shame

00:36:37.840 --> 00:36:39.640
 that he would affect

00:36:39.640 --> 00:36:41.640
 countless millions

00:36:41.640 --> 00:36:42.400
 of believers

00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:43.820
 with his gospel account.

00:36:44.900 --> 00:36:45.660
 A phenomenal,

00:36:45.920 --> 00:36:46.980
 phenomenal way

00:36:46.980 --> 00:36:48.320
 that God used him.

00:36:48.760 --> 00:36:49.960
 God uses us all

00:36:49.960 --> 00:36:50.960
 in phenomenal ways.

00:36:51.019 --> 00:36:51.579
 Whether it's

00:36:51.579 --> 00:36:52.680
 quite like

00:36:52.680 --> 00:36:53.620
 writing a gospel.

00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:56.220
 But he uses us all

00:36:56.220 --> 00:36:56.880
 to be sure.

00:36:58.100 --> 00:36:58.960
 I'll say to you again,

00:36:59.039 --> 00:37:00.400
 Mark's aim was to persuade

00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:01.860
 those who would read

00:37:01.860 --> 00:37:02.300
 this book

00:37:02.300 --> 00:37:02.740
 to become

00:37:02.740 --> 00:37:04.260
 disciple-making disciples.

00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:05.019
 Right?

00:37:05.440 --> 00:37:06.519
 He was a patron

00:37:06.519 --> 00:37:07.140
 of Christ.

00:37:07.139 --> 00:37:08.679
 A follower of his way.

00:37:08.879 --> 00:37:09.739
 Devoted to him

00:37:09.739 --> 00:37:10.879
 in every regard.

00:37:11.960 --> 00:37:12.639
 And he wants that

00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:13.339
 to be the reality

00:37:13.339 --> 00:37:14.980
 for us as well.

00:37:15.299 --> 00:37:16.359
 He wants us to serve

00:37:16.359 --> 00:37:16.759
 the world

00:37:16.759 --> 00:37:17.259
 with the gospel

00:37:17.259 --> 00:37:18.000
 of Jesus Christ

00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:19.000
 to the glory of God.

00:37:19.059 --> 00:37:20.179
 This is the thing

00:37:20.179 --> 00:37:21.440
 in which he's trying

00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:21.980
 to accomplish.

00:37:22.539 --> 00:37:23.359
 Now as I kind of

00:37:23.359 --> 00:37:24.279
 mused over

00:37:24.279 --> 00:37:25.599
 the possibility

00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:27.139
 that John Mark

00:37:27.139 --> 00:37:28.199
 was sitting in a Roman prison

00:37:28.199 --> 00:37:29.239
 with Paul,

00:37:30.500 --> 00:37:31.139
 that he's writing

00:37:31.139 --> 00:37:32.059
 down these words

00:37:32.059 --> 00:37:33.039
 led by the Spirit,

00:37:33.339 --> 00:37:34.659
 Peter's giving to him,

00:37:34.659 --> 00:37:37.379
 that we could possibly

00:37:37.379 --> 00:37:38.119
 see some parallel.

00:37:38.319 --> 00:37:39.739
 It's possible, right?

00:37:39.839 --> 00:37:40.480
 That they may have been

00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:41.179
 desk buddies

00:37:41.179 --> 00:37:42.379
 writing

00:37:42.379 --> 00:37:45.559
 conjecture

00:37:45.559 --> 00:37:46.399
 entirely.

00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:47.159
 But turn to Philippians

00:37:47.159 --> 00:37:48.379
 chapter 2.

00:37:48.500 --> 00:37:49.339
 I just want to show you

00:37:49.339 --> 00:37:51.699
 some similarity

00:37:51.699 --> 00:37:52.239
 here.

00:37:52.239 --> 00:37:58.779
 This is not meant

00:37:58.779 --> 00:37:59.599
 to blow your mind

00:37:59.599 --> 00:38:00.899
 just to be an encouragement.

00:38:01.179 --> 00:38:01.719
 It's just another

00:38:01.719 --> 00:38:02.959
 good presentation

00:38:02.959 --> 00:38:04.099
 of the gospel truth.

00:38:04.099 --> 00:38:09.519
 We could very simply

00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:10.699
 outline the gospel

00:38:10.699 --> 00:38:11.219
 of Mark.

00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:11.839
 This is probably

00:38:11.839 --> 00:38:12.819
 the simplest outline

00:38:12.819 --> 00:38:13.500
 that could possibly

00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:15.219
 be put on it.

00:38:15.259 --> 00:38:15.739
 But we could see

00:38:15.739 --> 00:38:16.500
 Jesus came

00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:17.799
 as a servant

00:38:17.799 --> 00:38:19.219
 chapters 1-13.

00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:22.000
 Jesus died on a cross

00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:23.380
 chapters 14-15

00:38:23.380 --> 00:38:25.299
 and Jesus was exalted

00:38:25.299 --> 00:38:25.779
 to glory

00:38:25.779 --> 00:38:26.599
 chapter 16.

00:38:27.279 --> 00:38:28.539
 There is much more

00:38:28.539 --> 00:38:29.440
 complexity to the book

00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:29.799
 itself.

00:38:29.920 --> 00:38:30.539
 But if you want to look

00:38:30.539 --> 00:38:31.599
 at it in its simplest form

00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:32.739
 Jesus came as a servant

00:38:32.739 --> 00:38:33.599
 chapters 1-13

00:38:33.599 --> 00:38:35.219
 Jesus died on a cross

00:38:35.219 --> 00:38:36.000
 14-15

00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:37.460
 and Jesus was exalted

00:38:37.460 --> 00:38:38.159
 to glory

00:38:38.159 --> 00:38:39.179
 chapter 16.

00:38:39.480 --> 00:38:40.339
 Let's look at

00:38:40.339 --> 00:38:42.079
 Philippians chapter 2.

00:38:44.259 --> 00:38:44.779
 So,

00:38:45.019 --> 00:38:45.599
 if there is any

00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:46.739
 encouragement in Christ,

00:38:46.880 --> 00:38:48.139
 any comfort from love,

00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:49.299
 any participation

00:38:49.299 --> 00:38:50.059
 in the Spirit,

00:38:50.179 --> 00:38:50.799
 any affection

00:38:50.799 --> 00:38:51.579
 and sympathy,

00:38:52.159 --> 00:38:52.920
 complete my joy

00:38:52.920 --> 00:38:54.460
 by being of the same mind,

00:38:54.860 --> 00:38:55.940
 having the same love,

00:38:56.279 --> 00:38:57.279
 being in full accord

00:38:57.279 --> 00:38:58.199
 and of one mind.

00:38:58.900 --> 00:39:00.099
 Do nothing from rivalry

00:39:00.099 --> 00:39:01.139
 or conceit,

00:39:01.239 --> 00:39:02.019
 but in humility

00:39:02.019 --> 00:39:02.880
 count others more

00:39:02.880 --> 00:39:03.420
 significant,

00:39:03.599 --> 00:39:04.339
 than yourselves.

00:39:04.900 --> 00:39:05.500
 Let each of you

00:39:05.500 --> 00:39:06.039
 look not only

00:39:06.039 --> 00:39:07.000
 to his own interests,

00:39:07.099 --> 00:39:08.299
 but also to the interests

00:39:08.299 --> 00:39:08.819
 of others.

00:39:09.319 --> 00:39:10.019
 Have this mind

00:39:10.019 --> 00:39:10.739
 among yourselves

00:39:10.739 --> 00:39:11.599
 which is yours

00:39:11.599 --> 00:39:12.639
 in Christ Jesus,

00:39:13.239 --> 00:39:13.559
 who,

00:39:13.960 --> 00:39:14.500
 though he was in the

00:39:14.500 --> 00:39:15.199
 form of God,

00:39:15.559 --> 00:39:16.279
 did not count

00:39:16.279 --> 00:39:17.360
 equality with God

00:39:17.360 --> 00:39:19.179
 as a thing to be grasped,

00:39:19.279 --> 00:39:20.199
 but made himself

00:39:20.199 --> 00:39:20.779
 nothing,

00:39:21.079 --> 00:39:21.739
 taking the form

00:39:21.739 --> 00:39:22.299
 of a servant,

00:39:22.839 --> 00:39:23.480
 being born

00:39:23.480 --> 00:39:24.339
 in the likeness

00:39:24.339 --> 00:39:24.860
 of men.

00:39:25.860 --> 00:39:26.860
 Chapters 1-13.

00:39:27.079 --> 00:39:27.759
 Jesus came

00:39:27.759 --> 00:39:29.219
 as a servant.

00:39:29.219 --> 00:39:31.219
 verse 8,

00:39:31.219 --> 00:39:32.359
 and being found

00:39:32.359 --> 00:39:33.000
 in human form,

00:39:33.059 --> 00:39:33.859
 he humbled himself

00:39:33.859 --> 00:39:34.839
 by becoming obedient

00:39:34.839 --> 00:39:36.099
 to the point of death,

00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:37.319
 even death

00:39:37.319 --> 00:39:38.500
 on a cross.

00:39:38.639 --> 00:39:39.679
 Chapters 14-15,

00:39:39.939 --> 00:39:40.619
 Jesus died

00:39:40.619 --> 00:39:42.099
 on a cross.

00:39:42.179 --> 00:39:42.859
 He was cursed

00:39:42.859 --> 00:39:43.759
 to hang on a tree.

00:39:43.760 --> 00:39:45.820
 Therefore,

00:39:46.400 --> 00:39:47.300
 God has highly

00:39:47.300 --> 00:39:48.020
 exalted him

00:39:48.020 --> 00:39:48.960
 and bestowed on him

00:39:48.960 --> 00:39:49.400
 the name

00:39:49.400 --> 00:39:50.220
 that is above

00:39:50.220 --> 00:39:50.920
 every name,

00:39:51.260 --> 00:39:52.100
 so that the name

00:39:52.100 --> 00:39:52.540
 of Jesus

00:39:52.540 --> 00:39:53.320
 every knee

00:39:53.320 --> 00:39:53.860
 should bow

00:39:53.860 --> 00:39:54.500
 in heaven

00:39:54.500 --> 00:39:55.200
 and on earth

00:39:55.200 --> 00:39:56.080
 and under the earth,

00:39:56.360 --> 00:39:57.060
 and every tongue

00:39:57.060 --> 00:39:58.100
 confess that Jesus

00:39:58.100 --> 00:39:59.260
 Christ is Lord

00:39:59.260 --> 00:40:00.140
 to the glory

00:40:00.140 --> 00:40:00.640
 of God,

00:40:01.080 --> 00:40:01.560
 the Father.

00:40:01.640 --> 00:40:02.320
 And there we see

00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:03.300
 Jesus Christ

00:40:03.300 --> 00:40:04.320
 being exalted

00:40:04.320 --> 00:40:04.820
 to glory

00:40:04.820 --> 00:40:05.660
 as it's recorded

00:40:05.660 --> 00:40:07.060
 in chapter 16.

00:40:07.480 --> 00:40:07.760
 So,

00:40:07.940 --> 00:40:08.760
 a way of seeing

00:40:08.760 --> 00:40:09.580
 and outlining

00:40:09.580 --> 00:40:11.140
 the content

00:40:11.140 --> 00:40:12.160
 that we get to

00:40:12.160 --> 00:40:12.880
 move through together

00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:14.140
 as we look together

00:40:14.140 --> 00:40:15.420
 at the gospel

00:40:15.420 --> 00:40:17.420
 according to Mark.

00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:18.240
 Let's pray.