WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.260 Well, an interesting turn of events happens here in the next few verses, 00:00:03.439 --> 00:00:05.740 which is where we pick up our place today. 00:00:06.179 --> 00:00:10.240 The first heading last week was the man was cleansed. 00:00:10.519 --> 00:00:13.160 Here we see the man was charged. 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:17.640 Not charged as in, now that I have healed you, give me a hundred bucks. 00:00:17.740 --> 00:00:19.039 That's not what I mean by that. 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:22.420 That's what some people would mean by that today, right? 00:00:22.580 --> 00:00:23.879 But that's not Jesus. 00:00:24.219 --> 00:00:25.199 It just means a command. 00:00:25.339 --> 00:00:27.879 He charged and he commanded and gave him an instruction at this point. 00:00:28.379 --> 00:00:29.920 Verses 43 to 45. 00:00:30.140 --> 00:00:31.679 Let's read it again and then we'll make some notes. 00:00:32.539 --> 00:00:36.560 And he straightly charged him and forthwith sent him away. 00:00:37.460 --> 00:00:39.820 Which is always interesting when Jesus does that, right? 00:00:39.859 --> 00:00:40.719 And not just the command. 00:00:40.840 --> 00:00:41.500 We expect that. 00:00:41.579 --> 00:00:42.140 He's the Lord. 00:00:42.259 --> 00:00:44.140 We expect that he would have some instruction for us. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:45.299 But he sent him away. 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:49.799 We would think, well, surely the Lord would just want all of these people with him now. 00:00:49.900 --> 00:00:51.840 Everybody that was healed and everybody that was cleansed. 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:56.640 He would just want them in this great ginormous pack or a jumbus as Harper would say it. 00:00:57.060 --> 00:00:58.980 Jumbus pack that would just follow him through. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:02.000 But that's not what he did, right? 00:01:02.060 --> 00:01:03.340 You remember the demonic? 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:07.859 And as Jesus and the disciples cross the Sea of Galilee and they get off and they're met 00:01:07.859 --> 00:01:10.780 with the two men that were possessed with the legion of demons. 00:01:10.859 --> 00:01:11.340 You remember that? 00:01:12.420 --> 00:01:14.560 And the people of the city come out and they find the man. 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:17.299 He's clothed and in his right mind. 00:01:17.299 --> 00:01:19.640 And he begs Jesus, I just want to go with you. 00:01:19.659 --> 00:01:20.239 I want to be with you. 00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:21.879 And Jesus says, no, stay here. 00:01:22.420 --> 00:01:25.319 Stay here and tell everybody what Jesus, what the Lord has done for you. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:27.359 It's interesting how the Lord goes about that sometimes. 00:01:27.420 --> 00:01:30.319 But back to verse 43, he straightly charged him and he forthwith sent him away. 00:01:30.500 --> 00:01:33.280 And then Jesus gives him an instruction that's perplexing. 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:37.939 See that you say nothing to any man. 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:39.640 What? 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:41.840 What? 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:44.219 Say nothing? 00:01:45.560 --> 00:01:50.640 But go thy way, show thyself to the priest and offer for thy cleansing those things which 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:53.439 Moses commanded for a testimony unto them. 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:59.579 But the man went out and he began to publish it much and to blaze abroad the matter in so much 00:01:59.579 --> 00:02:05.039 that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:07.319 And they came to him from every quarter. 00:02:10.060 --> 00:02:12.199 This is an interesting turn of events. 00:02:12.379 --> 00:02:19.439 It's a perplexing instruction on the surface, at least, as to why Jesus would instruct the man 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:20.539 to do these things. 00:02:20.539 --> 00:02:26.000 It's especially confusing as to why he didn't want the man to say anything. 00:02:26.079 --> 00:02:27.120 And we're going to get into that. 00:02:27.379 --> 00:02:30.340 But before we do that, there's a couple of things that I want to note that I think is 00:02:30.340 --> 00:02:31.979 significant here for our understanding. 00:02:32.979 --> 00:02:40.340 Number one, the man was cleansed as a leper, but he was charged as a whole man. 00:02:41.780 --> 00:02:42.939 Did you notice that? 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:49.139 When he came to Jesus as a leper, there was no instruction given to the man. 00:02:49.139 --> 00:02:49.979 There was no command. 00:02:50.539 --> 00:02:52.919 He didn't say, if you will, you will make me clean. 00:02:53.019 --> 00:02:59.319 Jesus didn't say, well, if you do these things, if you go and show yourself to the priest and 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:04.259 if you follow Leviticus 13 and 14 and the laws that are there, if you will go maybe take 00:03:04.259 --> 00:03:08.979 a bath and kind of just back up a little bit, then I will. 00:03:09.060 --> 00:03:09.979 No, there's none of that. 00:03:10.060 --> 00:03:13.479 There's no instruction by Jesus in the man's cleansing. 00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:20.259 The instruction comes after his cleansing, which brings an important point for us. 00:03:21.259 --> 00:03:24.839 His cleansing wasn't contingent on his obedience to the law. 00:03:26.139 --> 00:03:33.959 He was totally healed, totally cleansed, irrespective of any obedience to any laws. 00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:38.040 There was nothing he had to do to receive this cleansing. 00:03:38.140 --> 00:03:40.960 There was nothing, no processes that he had to go through. 00:03:41.060 --> 00:03:44.420 There was no baptism of cleansing that he had to go through. 00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:47.480 There was no community elements that he had to go. 00:03:47.580 --> 00:03:49.640 There was nothing the man had to do to be cleansed. 00:03:49.740 --> 00:03:55.360 At the moment that he gets this charge, he is a whole man, not only in the physical sense, 00:03:55.360 --> 00:03:58.980 but we believe also in the spiritual sense. 00:03:59.960 --> 00:04:04.360 There's nothing here that is hanging his cleansing on. 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:05.420 He's already been cleansed. 00:04:05.500 --> 00:04:06.200 That's done. 00:04:06.480 --> 00:04:08.060 It's fully complete, right? 00:04:08.160 --> 00:04:09.620 That's important for us to understand here. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:17.060 The second thing here is while his cleansing wasn't contingent upon his obedience to the law, 00:04:17.720 --> 00:04:25.259 Jesus made it clear that the law was not irrelevant to his restored life. 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:30.560 His salvation was not contingent upon his obedience, 00:04:31.000 --> 00:04:37.699 but the Lord was very much concerned about his obedience following his cleansing. 00:04:39.379 --> 00:04:44.060 He doesn't desire for us to be indifferent to his law, 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:47.199 even though we've been made free from its judgment. 00:04:48.460 --> 00:04:52.680 There's a trend among some professing believers. 00:04:53.220 --> 00:04:54.120 It's not a new trend. 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:57.340 It's been around as long as the gospel has been around. 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:06.319 But the trend believes that the grace of God gives us a license to sin freely without consequence. 00:05:07.819 --> 00:05:12.740 And the notion is if I've come to Christ and I have received salvation from him, 00:05:12.819 --> 00:05:16.139 he's not only forgiven the sins that I've lived, that I've committed up to this point, 00:05:16.180 --> 00:05:17.720 but he's forgiven all my sins. 00:05:17.740 --> 00:05:18.340 And that's true. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:19.660 He has forgiven all of your sin. 00:05:19.660 --> 00:05:27.560 But it's a mistake to look at God's forgiveness and assume that you are now free to sin however you would like to sin 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:30.060 simply because they have been forgiven. 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:34.780 Paul confronts this in Romans chapter 6. 00:05:34.779 --> 00:05:35.959 In fact, I'd love for you to see it. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:39.399 Just flip with me over just quickly to Romans chapter 6. 00:05:40.659 --> 00:05:44.000 We may do a few flippings in our Bibles today. 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:46.759 So just keep them open and be prepared for that this morning. 00:05:48.539 --> 00:05:50.759 Romans chapter 6. 00:05:50.759 --> 00:05:54.819 Paul confronts this very question. 00:05:55.899 --> 00:05:59.039 He's just talked about the grace of God, how it's greater than our sin. 00:05:59.339 --> 00:06:02.079 And then he anticipates the question from the Romans, 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:08.939 no doubt that he had heard in most places at this point as he went about preaching and discipling new Christians. 00:06:09.659 --> 00:06:10.779 Look at verse 1. 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:12.719 Paul writes, Romans 6, verse 1. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:22.680 And here's the emphatic answer in verse 2. 00:06:23.460 --> 00:06:24.900 God forbid. 00:06:25.860 --> 00:06:27.880 Let it not be so. 00:06:28.620 --> 00:06:29.420 And then he says, 00:06:30.020 --> 00:06:35.600 How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:42.200 There's this notion that just because God has forgiven my sin means that I shouldn't care about sin any longer. 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:44.939 But Jesus is very much concerned about your sin. 00:06:45.039 --> 00:06:46.319 He doesn't want you to live that way. 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:51.139 He wants you to consider obedience to his law. 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:51.839 It's important. 00:06:52.360 --> 00:06:56.379 Not for your salvation, but because of your salvation. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:06:59.319 Think about the fruit of the Spirit. 00:07:00.620 --> 00:07:01.740 Paul writes about that. 00:07:02.500 --> 00:07:03.620 Maybe you've memorized them. 00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:10.199 Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:14.639 Sometimes we understand those things as the fruit of the person who has the Holy Spirit. 00:07:14.719 --> 00:07:15.659 But that's not what it is. 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:17.459 It's not the fruit of the person that has the Holy Spirit. 00:07:17.639 --> 00:07:21.899 It's the fruit of the Spirit that lives within the person. 00:07:23.019 --> 00:07:25.740 It's not that we contrive all of these things in our lives. 00:07:25.779 --> 00:07:29.759 It's not that we make ourselves better and that we all of a sudden can follow a formula. 00:07:29.899 --> 00:07:32.379 And then all of a sudden we have love and joy and peace and all those things. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:32.659 No. 00:07:32.660 --> 00:07:36.560 Those are things that the Holy Spirit gives to us after we come to Christ. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:46.580 In other words, the work of God after salvation is that he changes our life in order to conform us to the image of his son who was perfectly sinless. 00:07:47.520 --> 00:07:49.760 It's not that we become perfectly sinless. 00:07:50.820 --> 00:07:56.960 But someone who has truly come to know Christ will not desire to intentionally live a life of sin. 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:01.280 And so those are the prerequisites before we jump into these three notes now. 00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:04.559 Number one, let's see that his command was earnest. 00:08:05.639 --> 00:08:06.979 His command was earnest. 00:08:07.679 --> 00:08:08.699 Look at verse 43. 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:12.879 And he straightly charged him. 00:08:13.039 --> 00:08:14.259 He straightly charged him. 00:08:14.659 --> 00:08:19.199 Now if you're using a King James with me this morning that isn't incredibly emphatic. 00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:22.259 Some of you, if you're using those scripture journals, it probably says sternly. 00:08:22.359 --> 00:08:24.859 And he sternly charged him. 00:08:25.459 --> 00:08:27.599 The word literally means to snort. 00:08:28.099 --> 00:08:29.419 Not snort like a drug. 00:08:29.559 --> 00:08:30.459 Snort like a horse. 00:08:30.459 --> 00:08:33.179 It's the flaring of the nostrils. 00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:35.919 It's serious intent. 00:08:36.899 --> 00:08:41.139 It reminds me a little bit of how sometimes I'm addressed to girls. 00:08:41.259 --> 00:08:42.519 Come here for just a second, Ashley. 00:08:42.740 --> 00:08:43.259 Yeah, come here. 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:43.860 I'm not going to embarrass you. 00:08:44.079 --> 00:08:44.559 Come here. 00:08:45.179 --> 00:08:46.120 Harper, do you want to help me? 00:08:46.299 --> 00:08:47.360 Sissy's being disobedient. 00:08:47.439 --> 00:08:48.220 She's going to get... 00:08:48.220 --> 00:08:49.319 Do you want to help me, Clementine? 00:08:49.639 --> 00:08:49.919 Okay. 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:51.759 Clementine's... 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:53.100 She's going to be obedient to me. 00:08:54.360 --> 00:08:54.740 All right. 00:08:54.779 --> 00:08:56.500 We're going to pretend that Clementine's my daughter. 00:08:56.620 --> 00:08:57.299 She's not my daughter. 00:08:57.779 --> 00:08:58.399 We're going to pretend. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:08:59.159 All right. 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:02.779 Now, if she's anything like Ashlyn, Andy and Amy can attest to this. 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:05.360 I can be walking through the house, Ashlyn and Harper. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:08.799 And if I want them to do something, I'm just kind of walking through the house and they're 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:12.319 watching TV, they're playing a game or doing something down in the living room. 00:09:12.439 --> 00:09:15.539 I can kind of walk by them and say, hey, I want you to go clean your room when you get 00:09:15.539 --> 00:09:19.519 a chance and they may hear that and they may not hear that. 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:21.059 It's an instruction. 00:09:21.779 --> 00:09:22.699 I mean it. 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:24.139 That's what I want them to do. 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:28.679 But if I'm just casually approaching that and walking by, I know there's a pretty good 00:09:28.679 --> 00:09:31.019 chance that's going in one ear and going out the other, right? 00:09:31.079 --> 00:09:34.120 Depending on how involved they are with whatever they're doing in that moment. 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:39.980 But if there's something that I really care, like I'm intent, stern, what do we do, Andy? 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:41.480 We stop. 00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:43.720 Clementine, I want you to look at me. 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:45.600 Listen. 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:49.240 I want you to clean your room, okay? 00:09:49.639 --> 00:09:50.420 You see the difference? 00:09:51.220 --> 00:09:54.060 I can walk by her and just say, Clementine, go clean your room. 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:56.379 And she may do it, she may not do it, right? 00:09:56.860 --> 00:09:59.259 I could even do it sternly and she may do it or may not do it. 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:01.540 But at least there's no mistaking in this moment. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:04.220 Clementine, don't say anything. 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:06.060 It's serious. 00:10:06.899 --> 00:10:07.560 It's stern. 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:11.560 I want her to understand that I care about this instruction. 00:10:12.420 --> 00:10:14.920 I want to be clear in what I'm instructing her. 00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:16.099 I'm going to say it one more time. 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:16.719 I'm going to say it slowly. 00:10:17.479 --> 00:10:19.439 Don't say anything. 00:10:20.479 --> 00:10:23.559 Just go do the work in your room, okay? 00:10:23.839 --> 00:10:24.379 Thanks, Clementine. 00:10:24.419 --> 00:10:24.839 You can go sit. 00:10:26.539 --> 00:10:28.740 This is what Jesus is doing with this man. 00:10:30.500 --> 00:10:32.059 He says, I will be clean. 00:10:32.459 --> 00:10:34.240 And immediately, he's clean. 00:10:35.659 --> 00:10:39.459 And then he stops, snort, flaring in the nostrils. 00:10:39.779 --> 00:10:41.480 This is the picture of Jesus now. 00:10:42.659 --> 00:10:44.659 And it's almost like he's getting done with a child. 00:10:44.919 --> 00:10:46.519 And he's looking at the man and he's saying, listen. 00:10:48.179 --> 00:10:49.059 Don't say anything. 00:10:50.419 --> 00:10:51.339 Go to the priest. 00:10:52.719 --> 00:10:53.500 It was clear. 00:10:54.759 --> 00:10:55.639 It was stern. 00:10:56.479 --> 00:10:57.419 It was serious. 00:10:58.240 --> 00:10:59.779 Hey, can I tell you what Jesus does with us? 00:10:59.839 --> 00:11:00.419 Through his word. 00:11:01.259 --> 00:11:02.259 After our salvation. 00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:03.000 You know what he does? 00:11:03.699 --> 00:11:05.139 His word speaks to us in that way. 00:11:05.579 --> 00:11:06.819 He says, listen, listen. 00:11:07.820 --> 00:11:09.320 There's some things I want you to do. 00:11:09.580 --> 00:11:11.340 And there's some things I don't want you to do. 00:11:12.100 --> 00:11:13.440 And it matters to me. 00:11:14.740 --> 00:11:17.720 That's exactly what Jesus is trying to communicate to this man. 00:11:17.940 --> 00:11:19.620 So we see that the command was earnest. 00:11:19.879 --> 00:11:21.840 Number two, the command was explicit. 00:11:22.740 --> 00:11:23.780 It was explicit. 00:11:24.040 --> 00:11:24.960 Look at verse 44. 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:28.160 He very clearly tells him what he wants him to do. 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:29.540 Say nothing to any man. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:30.780 Go thy way. 00:11:31.220 --> 00:11:32.540 Show thyself to the priest. 00:11:33.040 --> 00:11:35.660 Offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded. 00:11:36.180 --> 00:11:37.960 For a testimony unto them. 00:11:38.500 --> 00:11:39.740 He was absolutely clear. 00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:41.639 Not only stern. 00:11:42.220 --> 00:11:42.560 Clear. 00:11:42.780 --> 00:11:43.920 There's nothing confusing here. 00:11:44.400 --> 00:11:47.240 None of us can confuse what Jesus wants this man to do. 00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:48.980 And what he doesn't want this man to do. 00:11:48.980 --> 00:11:51.500 In fact, there's two dimensions to this command. 00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:54.340 One is negative and one is positive. 00:11:54.500 --> 00:11:55.700 Let's first look at the negative. 00:11:55.980 --> 00:11:57.580 The very first thing Jesus tells him. 00:11:58.139 --> 00:12:00.059 See thou say nothing to any man. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:04.659 Say nothing to any man. 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:07.059 This is incredible. 00:12:10.700 --> 00:12:14.080 This was in one ear and out the other as we're going to see in just a moment. 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:15.500 But can you really blame him? 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:19.539 This man for however long we don't really know. 00:12:19.639 --> 00:12:20.740 It could have been for a long time. 00:12:20.740 --> 00:12:23.340 This disease didn't kill you quickly. 00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:26.139 This was slow, long, painful. 00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:28.700 He could have been on the outside of the city for years. 00:12:29.860 --> 00:12:31.840 With no companionship. 00:12:32.740 --> 00:12:33.919 No hope. 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:36.799 And now everything about that has changed. 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:40.060 And the first thing Jesus says to him is don't tell anybody. 00:12:40.560 --> 00:12:40.919 What? 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.879 Let me first explain what Jesus is not saying here. 00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:53.240 Jesus is not contradicting what would later become an explicit command to evangelize. 00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:55.299 That's not what Jesus is getting at. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:56.259 We're confused by that. 00:12:56.340 --> 00:13:03.399 If we have read the Bible very much and if we've been around church very long, we've heard share the gospel, share the gospel, share the gospel. 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:06.379 Enough that when we come to a command like this, it confuses us. 00:13:06.379 --> 00:13:09.460 Why would Jesus not want him to say anything about this? 00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:11.659 Jesus isn't telling him not to evangelize. 00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:12.639 That's not what he's saying. 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:17.139 The whole concept of Christian evangelism wasn't even in place yet. 00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:19.720 Jesus had not yet died on the cross. 00:13:20.220 --> 00:13:22.279 Jesus had not yet risen from the dead. 00:13:22.419 --> 00:13:24.379 Jesus had not yet ascended into heaven. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:26.620 People are still trying to figure all this out. 00:13:26.779 --> 00:13:29.439 Jesus' own disciples didn't even understand all of that. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:33.160 These commands for evangelism, it wasn't even in place yet. 00:13:33.560 --> 00:13:35.680 So he's not saying that you shouldn't evangelize. 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:38.440 He's not saying that you shouldn't tell people about me. 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:39.380 That's not what he's saying. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:46.180 Neither was Jesus preventing the man from bringing others to hear his message. 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:48.340 Look with me up at verse 38. 00:13:48.940 --> 00:13:52.100 Remember in Capernaum, what did Jesus tell his disciples? 00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:56.380 Let us go into the next towns that I may preach there also. 00:13:56.940 --> 00:13:57.900 What's the next phrase? 00:13:57.899 --> 00:14:00.360 Jesus, that is why I came. 00:14:01.539 --> 00:14:02.840 Therefore came I forth. 00:14:04.620 --> 00:14:09.419 Jesus would have been perfectly fine for this man to bring others to hear the message. 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:10.919 That's why he was there. 00:14:11.500 --> 00:14:13.299 So Jesus isn't saying don't evangelize. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:16.600 He's not telling the man don't bring people to hear my message. 00:14:16.779 --> 00:14:18.079 That's not what this is about. 00:14:19.019 --> 00:14:26.019 On the most basic level, Jesus was reminding the man that there was a law in place 00:14:26.019 --> 00:14:31.819 that dictated how he was to be reintroduced to the community of God's people. 00:14:32.659 --> 00:14:35.519 It was a law that had been there for a very, very long time. 00:14:36.519 --> 00:14:39.919 A law that as we understand the Bible, Jesus himself wrote. 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:47.500 On the most basic level, that's what Jesus wants this man to first do. 00:14:48.500 --> 00:14:49.439 Obey the law. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:55.099 Think of it kind of like the protocols that are set in place for us now with COVID-19. 00:14:55.100 --> 00:15:01.680 For some of us, based on our place of work or maybe other things that you're involved with in your life, 00:15:01.680 --> 00:15:07.060 if you get the virus, you have the mandatory 10 or 14 days, whatever it is, of quarantine, 00:15:07.060 --> 00:15:12.700 and then you have to have at least one negative test before you can be reintroduced back into your work community. 00:15:12.700 --> 00:15:16.800 Most likely, your bosses have that set in place if you're actually going to a place of work. 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:18.460 Lots of places do at this point. 00:15:18.780 --> 00:15:20.700 You have to have a negative test first. 00:15:20.920 --> 00:15:21.780 What's that all about? 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:25.540 It's to make sure that you're not going to spread the infection still. 00:15:26.520 --> 00:15:29.600 It's to make sure that the people you work with are comfortable enough 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:31.820 that you're not going to share the infection with them. 00:15:33.040 --> 00:15:34.259 It's for the benefit of everyone. 00:15:34.400 --> 00:15:35.020 It's for your benefit. 00:15:35.140 --> 00:15:36.560 It's for the benefit of the people you work with. 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:38.860 It's for the benefit of the people you go to church with. 00:15:38.900 --> 00:15:40.660 It's for the benefit of the people you go to the gym with. 00:15:40.660 --> 00:15:42.040 It's for everybody's benefit. 00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:42.480 Right? 00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:46.299 Now, I want you to consider what this would have been like for lepers. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:48.620 This was a big deal. 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:52.319 COVID-19, everybody's got a different opinion. 00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:56.299 Everybody's got a different opinion on how it should be treated and what we should go about it. 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:57.240 There's probably division. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:15:59.139 There's no division with leprosy. 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:03.039 Everybody wants the lepers on the outside of the city. 00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:06.679 Nobody wants them inside because nobody wants that death sentence. 00:16:06.679 --> 00:16:12.439 Everybody wants the lepers to go through the process that God had set forth 00:16:12.439 --> 00:16:16.679 because that was their way of knowing that the man was truly clean 00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:19.579 and that it was truly safe for them to welcome him in. 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:22.159 And on top of that, in their viewpoint, 00:16:22.419 --> 00:16:27.839 it was the only way that they knew that God had removed the curse from the man. 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:34.200 It gave assurance to he and his community. 00:16:35.300 --> 00:16:36.660 Do you see the connection there? 00:16:37.540 --> 00:16:40.980 Obedience provides assurance. 00:16:40.980 --> 00:16:46.740 His obedience to the law wouldn't have made him clean. 00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:50.300 And his disobedience didn't make him unclean. 00:16:51.379 --> 00:16:52.580 He's already been healed. 00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:56.420 But it did provide assurance. 00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:00.340 As he would have gone through this process, 00:17:00.940 --> 00:17:04.220 he would have known because God had set up a process 00:17:04.220 --> 00:17:06.940 for him to recognize what this was. 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:08.940 Others would have known as well. 00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:12.039 But I do think that there's a deeper level of instruction 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:13.500 that Jesus is giving the man. 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:17.480 Like the other recipients of Jesus' miracles, 00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:22.080 the tendency would be for the man to make his story about Jesus 00:17:22.080 --> 00:17:26.620 solely about the physical need that Jesus met. 00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:33.340 And there would be a tendency to perhaps neglect the greater spiritual need. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:37.519 Jesus is constantly trying to fight against that. 00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:42.320 He's constantly trying to fight against the crowds that were coming to him 00:17:42.320 --> 00:17:44.600 just for a sign as the Pharisees were coming to him. 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:47.759 The crowds that were coming to him merely for his miracles. 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:49.180 He's trying to fight against that. 00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:53.000 There's a lot of practical reasons he was fighting against that. 00:17:53.620 --> 00:17:56.340 He's being mobbed by people everywhere that he went 00:17:56.340 --> 00:17:57.920 because of the word that was getting out 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:00.500 and the way that his message was being told. 00:18:00.500 --> 00:18:04.680 His desire is the same for us in our evangelism. 00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:10.680 God's not interested in us only proclaiming the physical and material needs 00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:11.839 that he's met for us. 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:15.759 But his greatest desire is that we tell others 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:20.000 about the great spiritual need he has met for us. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:25.619 Our witness is deceiving. 00:18:27.619 --> 00:18:30.559 Deceiving is as careful of a word as I could come up with here. 00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:35.740 When all we talk about is temporal and material gain. 00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:42.779 When every post of praise on Facebook is always related 00:18:42.779 --> 00:18:44.720 to some type of physical blessing 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:48.519 or it's always related to some type of material gain 00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:51.660 or it's always when something good has happened 00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:53.980 in a physical sense and in a temporal sense, 00:18:54.140 --> 00:18:56.079 our witness for Christ is deceiving. 00:18:56.339 --> 00:18:57.500 Here's what we're telling people. 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:01.440 Come to Jesus because he will fix your problems. 00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:05.440 Come to Jesus because he will heal your sickness. 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:05.720 Come to Jesus because he will heal your sickness. 00:19:05.740 --> 00:19:08.700 Come to Jesus because he will give you a better job. 00:19:08.920 --> 00:19:11.539 Come to Jesus because he will give you all these things. 00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:14.460 And nobody's coming to Jesus because he will save their soul. 00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:16.579 They're coming to Jesus because they think their life 00:19:16.579 --> 00:19:18.839 is just gonna be made better magically, just like that. 00:19:21.259 --> 00:19:24.720 Jesus came to forgive our sins, not make us rich 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:29.839 and wealthy and healthy and successful. 00:19:31.380 --> 00:19:33.099 Our witness should reflect that. 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:35.359 That's not to say, please don't misunderstand me. 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:39.159 That's not to say we shouldn't praise the Lord 00:19:39.159 --> 00:19:40.039 when those things happen. 00:19:40.139 --> 00:19:42.339 Of course, praise the Lord when those things happen. 00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:45.179 But let's point people to the gospel. 00:19:46.219 --> 00:19:48.559 Let's make sure the gospel we're proclaiming 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:50.699 is the gospel of salvation, 00:19:50.699 --> 00:19:54.019 not the gospel of health and wealth and prosperity. 00:19:54.019 --> 00:19:57.319 And so I think when Jesus is telling this man, 00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:59.539 say nothing to any man, it's first and foremost, 00:19:59.539 --> 00:20:02.200 it's just do what the law has said. 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:03.220 This is gonna be good for you 00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:04.940 and it's gonna be good for the community as well. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:07.379 But then I think it goes just a little bit deeper. 00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:10.420 Jesus wasn't interested in this man's story 00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:13.980 to be merely about his physical healing. 00:20:13.980 --> 00:20:16.440 There was something greater that he wanted the man to share. 00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:18.320 And then there's a second dimension. 00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:20.320 Look at the verse 44 again. 00:20:21.299 --> 00:20:24.160 Go thy way, show thyself to the priest, 00:20:25.100 --> 00:20:28.519 offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded. 00:20:29.080 --> 00:20:31.200 The second dimension of this command 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:34.320 was that the man simply be obedient 00:20:34.320 --> 00:20:37.380 to the process that the law had set forth. 00:20:38.539 --> 00:20:41.900 It was just to be obedient to Leviticus 13 and 14, 00:20:41.900 --> 00:20:46.240 which said that there was a really stringent process for this. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:49.460 They would present themselves in front of the priest. 00:20:50.040 --> 00:20:51.500 The priest would examine them. 00:20:52.380 --> 00:20:54.560 There were sacrifices that were involved. 00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:56.860 They would be put away for a number of days 00:20:56.860 --> 00:20:59.300 and then they would be brought back to the priest 00:20:59.300 --> 00:21:00.900 to re-examine them again. 00:21:01.540 --> 00:21:02.840 And in the re-examination, 00:21:02.980 --> 00:21:04.880 there were other offerings and gifts that were given. 00:21:05.040 --> 00:21:06.580 And finally, when all of that was done 00:21:06.580 --> 00:21:08.540 and the priest could officially determine 00:21:08.539 --> 00:21:12.059 when this person is genuinely healed and clean, 00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:15.980 they would give them a literal certificate of cleanliness. 00:21:16.920 --> 00:21:19.339 It was a certificate that proved that, 00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:22.019 yes, I was a leper, but I'm a leper no more. 00:21:22.500 --> 00:21:24.920 That was the process that God had set up. 00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:28.460 And it was the process that Jesus wanted this man to go through. 00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:31.779 His presentation to the priest was not what made him clean, 00:21:31.940 --> 00:21:34.680 but it was still a matter of obedience for him to follow. 00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:35.399 Why? 00:21:35.779 --> 00:21:37.339 Because God said to do it. 00:21:37.339 --> 00:21:39.939 Jesus said to do it. 00:21:40.879 --> 00:21:43.879 There's lots of things that we can point to 00:21:43.879 --> 00:21:45.019 that this applies to. 00:21:45.619 --> 00:21:47.720 What about baptism and church membership? 00:21:48.879 --> 00:21:51.159 Your baptism isn't what makes you clean. 00:21:51.959 --> 00:21:54.199 Your baptism isn't what makes you saved. 00:21:54.980 --> 00:21:56.639 It's just a matter of obedience. 00:21:58.059 --> 00:22:00.279 What did Jesus and the apostles say? 00:22:00.639 --> 00:22:02.079 Believe and be baptized. 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:05.459 What about church membership? 00:22:05.460 --> 00:22:10.680 Covenanting with a specific group is not what makes you saved. 00:22:11.400 --> 00:22:14.700 The church has no power to determine whether or not you're a Christian 00:22:14.700 --> 00:22:17.440 or at least give you salvation or take away salvation. 00:22:17.579 --> 00:22:18.600 That's not what the church is. 00:22:19.380 --> 00:22:23.620 It's a matter of commitment and covenant that Jesus has said he desires for us to do. 00:22:23.620 --> 00:22:24.940 It's just a matter of Christian obedience. 00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:26.579 What about other things? 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:27.360 What about purity? 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:30.819 2 Thessalonians 4. 00:22:30.899 --> 00:22:33.079 This is the will of God. 00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:34.259 Your sanctification. 00:22:34.679 --> 00:22:36.539 That you abstain from fornication. 00:22:37.639 --> 00:22:44.740 Your ability to remain pure as a single adult or as a married adult is not what makes you saved. 00:22:44.740 --> 00:22:47.420 But it is a matter of obedience. 00:22:48.920 --> 00:22:52.799 A matter of obedience that Jesus cares deeply about in your life. 00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:57.740 About our speech and our spirit toward others. 00:22:58.299 --> 00:22:59.640 Flip with me to Ephesians 4. 00:22:59.740 --> 00:23:00.880 This is a good place for us to turn. 00:23:01.319 --> 00:23:02.180 Ephesians 4. 00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:05.380 And look what Paul wrote here. 00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:14.820 Ephesians 4. 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:17.420 Look with me at verse 29. 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:20.140 This is very practical. 00:23:21.760 --> 00:23:25.040 Holy Spirit is writing this through Paul. 00:23:25.660 --> 00:23:26.420 And he says, 00:23:26.740 --> 00:23:29.420 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. 00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:31.340 Watch your words. 00:23:31.339 --> 00:23:36.699 But that which is good to the use of edifying. 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:39.519 That it may minister grace unto the hearers. 00:23:39.539 --> 00:23:40.500 Now that's hard to do. 00:23:41.879 --> 00:23:43.759 My speech is always to minister grace. 00:23:43.879 --> 00:23:44.019 Yeah. 00:23:45.579 --> 00:23:46.939 Jesus cares about that. 00:23:47.679 --> 00:23:50.139 And grieve not the Holy Spirit, Paul goes on to say. 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:52.720 Whereby you are sealed into the day of redemption. 00:23:53.159 --> 00:23:54.139 And then he goes further. 00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:54.740 And he says, 00:23:54.839 --> 00:23:55.740 Kind of as a, 00:23:55.899 --> 00:23:56.220 As a, 00:23:56.399 --> 00:23:58.539 In partnership with our speech is our spirit. 00:23:58.539 --> 00:24:07.420 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. 00:24:07.700 --> 00:24:09.799 And be kind one to another. 00:24:10.460 --> 00:24:11.579 Tender hearted, 00:24:12.099 --> 00:24:13.119 Forgiving one another. 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:16.539 Even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 00:24:17.539 --> 00:24:18.480 Well, what's that all about? 00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:19.700 Paul's writing to believers. 00:24:19.700 --> 00:24:23.660 Their obedience to this command of speech. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:26.100 Their obedience to this command of having a right spirit. 00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:28.960 Is not what their salvation was based on. 00:24:29.059 --> 00:24:30.819 But it matters to God. 00:24:31.740 --> 00:24:33.240 It's a matter of obedience. 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:35.100 How about love? 00:24:35.779 --> 00:24:36.960 1 John 3.11. 00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:38.640 John writes, 00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.039 This is, 00:24:39.180 --> 00:24:40.920 This is the commandment you've heard from the beginning. 00:24:41.080 --> 00:24:42.640 That we love one another. 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:45.720 And we could go on and on and on. 00:24:46.220 --> 00:24:48.060 God's given us a whole book full of these things. 00:24:48.780 --> 00:24:49.700 A whole book that says, 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:50.080 This is, 00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:51.540 This is what I want from your life. 00:24:51.560 --> 00:24:53.140 And this is what I don't want for your life. 00:24:53.180 --> 00:24:55.080 And none of those things are continuing on your salvation. 00:24:55.320 --> 00:24:56.759 But if you're going to be obedient to me, 00:24:56.840 --> 00:24:57.580 Go to your word. 00:24:57.700 --> 00:24:58.300 Go to the word. 00:24:58.440 --> 00:24:59.080 Go to the Bible. 00:24:59.240 --> 00:25:00.480 See what I want for your life. 00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:01.720 And sternly, 00:25:01.800 --> 00:25:04.720 Jesus is looking at all of us through the window of his word. 00:25:04.840 --> 00:25:05.460 And he's saying, 00:25:05.540 --> 00:25:06.120 Look at me. 00:25:06.460 --> 00:25:07.380 Listen to me. 00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:08.520 Do this. 00:25:08.940 --> 00:25:10.080 Don't do this. 00:25:10.700 --> 00:25:11.700 It's a matter of obedience. 00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:13.559 That he cares deeply about. 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:17.880 And then he says in the last part of this verse, 00:25:18.180 --> 00:25:18.740 Verse 44. 00:25:19.900 --> 00:25:22.200 That all of this is for a testimony unto them. 00:25:22.940 --> 00:25:23.580 Unto who? 00:25:24.259 --> 00:25:25.440 Probably the priest. 00:25:26.539 --> 00:25:28.180 Probably also the community. 00:25:29.620 --> 00:25:31.240 Probably also the other lepers. 00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:33.259 Testimony to everyone. 00:25:35.140 --> 00:25:37.160 The healing of a leper was unheard of. 00:25:37.220 --> 00:25:38.259 This just didn't happen. 00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:42.180 If it was going to happen, 00:25:42.700 --> 00:25:44.660 It had to be something that God did. 00:25:45.420 --> 00:25:47.759 There was no other way for this man to be healed. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:49.740 There was no other way for this man to be clean. 00:25:49.879 --> 00:25:51.599 When he presented himself to the priest, 00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:53.480 Who would have already known who Jesus was. 00:25:54.920 --> 00:25:57.799 We're in year two of Jesus' ministry at this point in Mark. 00:25:58.000 --> 00:25:58.619 Year one, 00:25:58.740 --> 00:26:00.599 Jesus has already gone to the temple at a feast, 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:01.920 And he's already cleansed the temple. 00:26:02.019 --> 00:26:02.819 He's turned over the tables, 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:06.680 And he's chased people out that were disobeying the Lord's use of the temple. 00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:08.360 They know who he is. 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:12.160 Word has gotten around well enough that they know who Jesus is. 00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:14.060 When this man goes and presents himself, 00:26:14.140 --> 00:26:15.460 And they begin to interrogate him. 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:16.360 You mean you were a leper? 00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:17.519 Okay, I see I've got you here. 00:26:17.600 --> 00:26:18.320 This is on my list. 00:26:18.360 --> 00:26:18.940 You were a leper. 00:26:19.140 --> 00:26:20.620 How in the world did you get clean? 00:26:20.940 --> 00:26:21.240 And they said, 00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:22.860 Well, there is this man, Jesus of Nazareth, 00:26:22.920 --> 00:26:24.299 That came by and it was unbelievable. 00:26:24.940 --> 00:26:26.120 It was unbelievable what he did. 00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:28.120 That's a testimony unto those men. 00:26:28.900 --> 00:26:30.720 They can't deny the fact that he's clean. 00:26:31.240 --> 00:26:33.920 They can't deny the fact that it was Jesus that did it. 00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:36.920 Either they're going to accept him now as Lord and Savior, 00:26:37.100 --> 00:26:39.539 Or they're going to deny him now as Lord and Savior. 00:26:39.660 --> 00:26:40.940 And most of them denied him. 00:26:41.160 --> 00:26:43.539 This was important for this man to do. 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:46.060 If he would have just done what Christ said, 00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:47.759 All the things that he wanted to do, 00:26:47.800 --> 00:26:49.580 And telling everybody about it would have happened 00:26:49.580 --> 00:26:51.480 In just the way that it should have happened. 00:26:53.160 --> 00:26:54.060 It was important. 00:26:55.340 --> 00:26:57.039 Jesus made this instruction clear. 00:26:57.039 --> 00:27:01.659 There was no way for him to mistake it. 00:27:02.200 --> 00:27:03.980 But that brings us to the final point. 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:06.960 Number three, the command was ignored. 00:27:07.940 --> 00:27:08.480 It was ignored. 00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:10.480 Verse 45. 00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:15.299 He went out and he published it much 00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:16.940 And he blazed it abroad. 00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:21.059 Notice the language that Mark is using here. 00:27:21.059 --> 00:27:24.779 This is not that the man left the place 00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:26.799 And just somebody ran up to him 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:28.259 And was like, whoa, what happened? 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:29.179 And he's like, you know what? 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:30.619 I'd love to tell you, but I can't. 00:27:31.319 --> 00:27:32.000 Well, let me just tell you. 00:27:32.139 --> 00:27:33.159 That's not what's happening here. 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:34.940 That's not the picture, at least, that I get from this. 00:27:36.139 --> 00:27:37.440 He walks away from Jesus 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:39.599 And finds everybody he can find. 00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:41.759 And says, you're not going to believe what happened to me. 00:27:43.099 --> 00:27:44.159 Can we really blame him? 00:27:45.639 --> 00:27:47.440 Before we come down too hard on the guy, 00:27:48.059 --> 00:27:49.079 What would you do? 00:27:49.079 --> 00:27:53.720 I can't say that I would have been the most obedient person. 00:27:54.599 --> 00:27:56.460 I would have been pretty excited about 00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:58.879 Sharing this miracle with others. 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:03.240 If I had made any friends in the leper community, 00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:05.659 I would have wanted them to know. 00:28:06.919 --> 00:28:08.039 Hey, there's this guy. 00:28:08.179 --> 00:28:09.939 He can change your life. 00:28:12.059 --> 00:28:13.839 I would have wanted to find Julie 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:15.460 And Ashlyn and Harper 00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:18.299 And say, you can, you can, 00:28:18.299 --> 00:28:20.099 You can be with me now. 00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:24.019 I would have wanted to go to my old boss and say, 00:28:24.259 --> 00:28:26.139 I'd love to have my old job back. 00:28:28.720 --> 00:28:30.099 Let's not be too hard on him yet. 00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:31.919 Because the truth is, 00:28:31.980 --> 00:28:33.259 We disobey the Lord all the time. 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:38.240 But it was still disobedience. 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:43.420 The net result of this man's disobedience too, 00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:46.579 Was that Jesus' ministry was hindered. 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:48.960 Again at the verse, verse 45. 00:28:50.220 --> 00:28:50.960 In so much, 00:28:51.700 --> 00:28:54.700 That Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, 00:28:55.079 --> 00:28:57.460 But was without in desert places. 00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:00.740 It wasn't the man, 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:01.440 At least that we're told, 00:29:01.519 --> 00:29:04.620 It wasn't that the man's life was impacted by this disobedience. 00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:05.700 Who was impacted? 00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:07.440 Christ was. 00:29:08.299 --> 00:29:09.080 His healer. 00:29:09.980 --> 00:29:10.799 His savior. 00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:12.920 The ministry of the Lord. 00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:18.059 Jesus was no longer able to go in the cities without being mobbed. 00:29:18.100 --> 00:29:19.000 And this was important. 00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:21.319 The Romans hated these mobs. 00:29:22.600 --> 00:29:24.420 As these crowds gathered around Jesus, 00:29:24.539 --> 00:29:25.259 It made them nervous. 00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:27.279 The thing that they hated the most was insurrection. 00:29:28.279 --> 00:29:30.220 Just a few years prior to Jesus, 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:33.420 There was an insurrection in the Galilee region. 00:29:33.420 --> 00:29:35.480 And it was dealt with severely. 00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:39.019 The Romans lined up crosses from, 00:29:39.140 --> 00:29:40.779 On the road from one side of Galilee, 00:29:40.820 --> 00:29:42.000 To the other side of Galilee. 00:29:42.140 --> 00:29:44.060 Some 2,000 people were crucified. 00:29:44.740 --> 00:29:46.920 This is real history just before Jesus' time. 00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:49.640 They didn't like that very much. 00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:52.560 Jesus is just thinking with prudence here. 00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:55.740 If this crowd grows so big, 00:29:55.919 --> 00:29:59.619 If this crowd takes on the wrong motivation for following me, 00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:01.599 It's going to be problematic for everybody. 00:30:01.819 --> 00:30:03.839 It wasn't just the Romans. 00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:07.119 It was the misunderstanding of Jesus' messianic mission. 00:30:07.379 --> 00:30:09.440 Even the disciples misunderstood it at this point. 00:30:10.259 --> 00:30:13.839 If this crowd continues to grow merely because of the miracles and the signs, 00:30:14.019 --> 00:30:15.000 What were they expecting? 00:30:15.099 --> 00:30:17.039 They weren't expecting a Messiah that would die. 00:30:17.039 --> 00:30:20.159 They were expecting a Messiah that would rule. 00:30:20.859 --> 00:30:22.680 That would deliver them from Rome. 00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:24.980 There was a danger in this crowd, 00:30:25.159 --> 00:30:26.480 Forcing, trying at least, 00:30:26.599 --> 00:30:30.039 To force Jesus into a place of ruling in Jerusalem, 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:32.420 And creating this insurrection against Rome. 00:30:32.500 --> 00:30:34.639 There's a lot of really practical reasons for this. 00:30:34.700 --> 00:30:38.759 There was a lot of reasons that this could have hindered the Lord's work. 00:30:38.759 --> 00:30:41.940 And it was just disobedience. 00:30:42.920 --> 00:30:49.379 We're immediately reminded that zeal is never an excuse for disobedience. 00:30:50.599 --> 00:30:53.099 Our actions, no matter how noble they are, 00:30:53.220 --> 00:30:54.740 Always have consequences. 00:30:56.519 --> 00:30:58.420 And you say, I don't know how to apply this. 00:30:59.379 --> 00:31:01.599 And there's a couple ways we can apply this as the church. 00:31:02.700 --> 00:31:05.480 Remember, the ends don't always justify the means. 00:31:05.480 --> 00:31:12.599 How many churches with a good zeal for growth, 00:31:13.420 --> 00:31:15.960 Maybe starts in a really healthy place, 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:18.559 Because growth typically means that the Lord is working. 00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:21.120 It typically means that people are coming to know Christ. 00:31:21.220 --> 00:31:23.259 It typically means that people are being baptized, 00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:24.380 And added to the church, 00:31:24.380 --> 00:31:25.039 And they're growing, 00:31:25.140 --> 00:31:25.839 And they're discipling, 00:31:25.860 --> 00:31:26.720 And they're being matured. 00:31:26.819 --> 00:31:27.860 When we think of growth, 00:31:27.900 --> 00:31:28.960 It's not always a bad thing. 00:31:29.019 --> 00:31:31.220 It's something that is representative of God's work. 00:31:31.319 --> 00:31:32.200 We want that, right? 00:31:32.220 --> 00:31:34.039 We want to see the evidence of God's work. 00:31:34.039 --> 00:31:37.099 How many churches, out of a zeal for that, 00:31:38.200 --> 00:31:40.819 Have ultimately led themselves to compromise? 00:31:41.839 --> 00:31:43.059 Compromise on doctrine? 00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:47.139 Compromise on healthy church practice? 00:31:48.659 --> 00:31:49.980 It started zealous. 00:31:50.119 --> 00:31:52.180 It started as a good thing, something that we'd want. 00:31:53.159 --> 00:31:57.980 But ultimately, it became a disobedient hindrance. 00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.920 We're going to talk about this next week. 00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:02.700 Do you know how many mainstream, 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:05.600 Evangelical preachers and teachers, 00:32:05.980 --> 00:32:10.279 Do not believe in the essential truth of the virgin birth? 00:32:12.920 --> 00:32:14.080 What is that all about? 00:32:15.380 --> 00:32:17.420 When you get pinned on things that are hard to explain, 00:32:18.060 --> 00:32:20.320 Sometimes, our zeal leads to compromise. 00:32:22.279 --> 00:32:23.200 How about in our lives? 00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:27.580 Involvement in parachurch organizations? 00:32:28.779 --> 00:32:29.960 Charitable organizations? 00:32:30.920 --> 00:32:34.759 We spend all of our life, all of our time, all of our energy, 00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:36.200 Doing things that are good. 00:32:38.340 --> 00:32:41.880 Sometimes, the cost is our commitment to the church, 00:32:42.360 --> 00:32:44.759 Which is where our priorities should be. 00:32:45.420 --> 00:32:47.140 There's a lot of ways we can apply this. 00:32:47.140 --> 00:32:49.700 The bottom line is the man disobeyed, 00:32:50.020 --> 00:32:50.880 And it had a consequence. 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:53.460 But we need to conclude. 00:32:55.560 --> 00:32:56.900 But we can't leave off 00:32:56.900 --> 00:32:59.360 With just talking about this man's disobedience. 00:32:59.400 --> 00:33:00.340 That would be terrible. 00:33:01.380 --> 00:33:02.759 It's not the way Mark leaves it off. 00:33:04.040 --> 00:33:06.560 The greatest takeaway here is the grace of the Lord. 00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:08.860 Look with me at the last phrase. 00:33:10.300 --> 00:33:12.060 And they came to him from every quarter. 00:33:13.300 --> 00:33:14.520 That didn't seem like much. 00:33:14.860 --> 00:33:15.640 I think it's important. 00:33:15.640 --> 00:33:18.860 Mark's giving us a hope here. 00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:21.740 That just because the men disobeyed, 00:33:22.120 --> 00:33:25.140 And Christ's ministry was in, a sense, hindered, 00:33:25.660 --> 00:33:28.140 His purpose wasn't stopped. 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:29.840 Continue. 00:33:30.080 --> 00:33:31.580 That's what's so amazing about his grace. 00:33:31.660 --> 00:33:32.620 Think about this for a moment. 00:33:33.640 --> 00:33:35.220 This man comes to Jesus. 00:33:35.660 --> 00:33:37.840 Jesus knows exactly what he's going to do. 00:33:39.040 --> 00:33:40.960 He knows he's going to disobey. 00:33:41.520 --> 00:33:44.480 And he knows his disobedience is going to hinder the work 00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:46.160 That Jesus is trying to accomplish. 00:33:46.940 --> 00:33:48.000 He knows it. 00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:49.660 But what does he do? 00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:51.140 He reaches out. 00:33:51.259 --> 00:33:52.259 And he touches him. 00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:55.200 And he says, I will be clean anyway. 00:33:57.120 --> 00:33:58.759 What amazing grace is that? 00:33:59.339 --> 00:34:00.860 What kind of savior is that? 00:34:01.700 --> 00:34:03.200 We're trained to think different than that. 00:34:03.500 --> 00:34:04.579 If we're going to help somebody, 00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:05.980 We have to think through all the process. 00:34:06.240 --> 00:34:08.840 Well, is this just going to become a habit? 00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:10.300 If I help this person now, 00:34:10.380 --> 00:34:13.500 Is this going to be something that they're just going to count on that helpfulness? 00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:15.079 And they're going to go off and they're going to do the same thing. 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:16.320 They're going to do a whole mess again. 00:34:16.360 --> 00:34:17.079 They're going to come back to me. 00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:17.780 They're going to expect it again. 00:34:18.179 --> 00:34:22.360 We've trained ourselves to not actually be gracious, merciful people. 00:34:22.619 --> 00:34:25.619 We've trained ourselves to have grace and mercy conditionally. 00:34:26.519 --> 00:34:27.800 Jesus' was unconditional. 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:30.260 He knew exactly what this man would do. 00:34:30.380 --> 00:34:31.480 And he healed him anyways. 00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:32.840 He cleansed him anyways. 00:34:33.219 --> 00:34:34.260 What a savior. 00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:39.260 Knowing that he was going to be the one 00:34:39.260 --> 00:34:42.380 That was going to end up having to be in desert places now. 00:34:42.500 --> 00:34:45.580 While the man was living his life like normal in the city. 00:34:46.020 --> 00:34:47.280 Knowing that that would happen. 00:34:47.420 --> 00:34:50.760 Jesus still showed his grace. 00:34:51.540 --> 00:34:53.580 And what's amazing about the ministry dynamic. 00:34:55.020 --> 00:34:55.440 Yeah. 00:34:56.180 --> 00:34:57.600 In a sense it was hindered. 00:34:58.380 --> 00:35:00.960 But there is no hindrance on this planet. 00:35:01.420 --> 00:35:05.300 That could possibly stop Jesus from doing what Jesus is determined to do. 00:35:05.300 --> 00:35:08.760 He is the greatest power. 00:35:11.400 --> 00:35:15.740 The gates of hell cannot prevail against him and his church. 00:35:17.160 --> 00:35:19.340 So what does Mark leave us with at the end of this phrase? 00:35:20.980 --> 00:35:22.780 He says that people just came to him in the desert. 00:35:23.980 --> 00:35:24.880 He couldn't go in the city. 00:35:25.440 --> 00:35:27.940 But there wasn't one person that he had determined to save. 00:35:28.060 --> 00:35:31.280 There wasn't one person that he had determined to heal that didn't receive it. 00:35:32.600 --> 00:35:32.980 Why? 00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:38.820 Because Jesus' grace is greater than this man's disobedience. 00:35:39.119 --> 00:35:42.219 And his grace today is greater than your disobedience. 00:35:43.280 --> 00:35:44.880 You say I'm guilty of doing a lot of that. 00:35:45.340 --> 00:35:46.059 I'm a believer. 00:35:46.179 --> 00:35:46.980 I know I'm cleansed. 00:35:47.719 --> 00:35:49.719 But man I don't know how I've hindered the ministry. 00:35:49.860 --> 00:35:51.760 I don't know how I've hindered the Lord's work. 00:35:53.219 --> 00:35:55.000 You can't stop Jesus. 00:35:56.340 --> 00:35:57.960 But you should want to obey him. 00:35:59.000 --> 00:36:01.880 And how much better it is to obey him. 00:36:01.880 --> 00:36:06.700 Many have noted that in this analogy of the gospel with this leper. 00:36:07.720 --> 00:36:12.480 That it's brought to completion in the fact that Jesus and the leper traded places. 00:36:13.680 --> 00:36:15.940 Let me read to you what MacArthur wrote about this. 00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:17.160 This is wonderful. 00:36:17.159 --> 00:36:23.199 On the one hand the leper was an outcast who was forced to stay in isolated places. 00:36:23.899 --> 00:36:28.379 But he ventured into the city, met Jesus, and was miraculously healed. 00:36:29.440 --> 00:36:37.940 On the other hand, Jesus who was initially in the city, after healing the leper, relocated to isolated places. 00:36:37.940 --> 00:36:44.740 In order to heal this man of his leprosy, the Lord had to trade places with him. 00:36:45.780 --> 00:36:56.400 The Savior was willing to become an outsider so that an untouchable leper, the ultimate outsider, could be rescued and restored. 00:36:56.400 --> 00:37:01.500 Therein is pictured the reality of the gospel. 00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:09.800 Jesus traded places with sinners in order to deliver them from sin. 00:37:10.860 --> 00:37:12.000 That's amazing. 00:37:13.099 --> 00:37:14.180 That's amazing. 00:37:14.179 --> 00:37:19.879 When we talk about the atonement, it was substitutionary. 00:37:19.940 --> 00:37:21.779 That means he took our place. 00:37:24.039 --> 00:37:26.480 He traded places with us. 00:37:27.059 --> 00:37:28.659 And it wasn't just about a cross. 00:37:29.199 --> 00:37:30.980 It was about the wrath of the Father. 00:37:31.919 --> 00:37:36.819 We can escape that wrath because he has taken our place. 00:37:38.199 --> 00:37:39.739 And I'm reminded of that hymn. 00:37:39.739 --> 00:37:43.939 Bearing shame and scoffing rude. 00:37:44.819 --> 00:37:48.139 In my place, condemned he stood. 00:37:49.479 --> 00:37:51.539 Sealed my pardon with his blood. 00:37:52.759 --> 00:37:53.199 Hallelujah. 00:37:54.359 --> 00:37:55.059 What a Savior.