Who Is He?
Series: Mark
Speaker: Sam Low
Date: 8th March 2014
Passage: Mark 1:1-45
00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 Let me add my welcome to you.
00:00:01 --> 00:00:03 My name is Sam and I'm one of the pastors here.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:04 If I haven't met you yet,
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 hopefully I'll get the chance to
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 over the course of tonight's service or afterwards.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 And if you are our guest tonight
00:00:12 --> 00:00:13 or if you are here for the first time,
00:00:14 --> 00:00:15 you've timed your run well.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 We're starting a new series tonight.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 So you're on the same page as everyone else.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:21 So I'm going to pray for us
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 and then we're going to open that passage
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 from Mark that Ali read out.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 Father God, we thank you for bringing us here tonight.
00:00:29 --> 00:00:33 We thank you for this word that you have given to us.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 And we ask that as we look at it now,
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 that it would not be my words that are spoken,
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 but it would be you who speaks
00:00:40 --> 00:00:41 and you give us ears to hear.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 We pray that the result of tonight
00:00:45 --> 00:00:46 would not be that we know more information,
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 but that we see you more clearly
00:00:49 --> 00:00:50 and love you as you deserve.
00:00:51 --> 00:00:51 Amen.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 I have reached a really exciting milestone
00:00:55 --> 00:00:59 in terms of parenting over the last couple of weeks.
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 Those of you who know my son know he's very enthusiastic
00:01:02 --> 00:01:03 and he's very energetic,
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 but he's added to that repertoire
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 the ability to say a few words.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 So this week he welcomed me home with,
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 hey, buddy, when I walked through the door.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 That wasn't the milestone that I was aiming for,
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 but it was kind of exciting just the same.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:19 But the milestone in particular,
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 which for me was a really significant moment,
00:01:23 --> 00:01:24 was when I was,
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 I think I was putting him in the car.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 And I make a habit of telling him this as often as I can
00:01:29 --> 00:01:30 to the point where it will annoy him,
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 but it will be imprinted on his brain.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:33 And I did up his seatbelt,
00:01:34 --> 00:01:35 I tickled his leg,
00:01:35 --> 00:01:35 and I said,
00:01:35 --> 00:01:35 love you.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 And as I'm backing out of the car to close the door,
00:01:38 --> 00:01:38 I heard this,
00:01:38 --> 00:01:39 love you!
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 And I can't tell you
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 how much it warmed my heart.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 He still hasn't quite got the ver down,
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 but the sentiment is really significant
00:01:49 --> 00:01:50 that he,
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 even as a not quite two-year-old,
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 could express that emotion towards me
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 was something that was quite warming.
00:01:58 --> 00:02:01 But I noticed that just in passing,
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 every time he says it now,
00:02:03 --> 00:02:04 I get very excited,
00:02:04 --> 00:02:05 and I give him a big hug,
00:02:05 --> 00:02:06 and let him know how fantastic it is.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 But my wife tells me that she loves me all the time.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 And I've noticed that I don't give her
00:02:12 --> 00:02:13 the same amount of excitement
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 that I do when my son says it.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 And I was reflecting that
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 her love for me is just as significant,
00:02:20 --> 00:02:20 if not more.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 She's the one who has to look after me,
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 whereas Bailey, of course,
00:02:24 --> 00:02:24 is going to love me.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 All I do is feed the kid
00:02:26 --> 00:02:26 and play with him
00:02:26 --> 00:02:27 and do fun things.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:29 But it's amazing how
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 when we get familiar with something,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:33 we can empty it of its meaning.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:35 My wife still means,
00:02:35 --> 00:02:36 I love you.
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 I want to be with you.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:38 I want to serve you.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 I'm excited about our family.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:41 I'm excited about our future.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:42 She still means all those things
00:02:42 --> 00:02:43 when she says it,
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 just as much as Bailey means
00:02:45 --> 00:02:46 that he loves me when he says it.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 But for some reason,
00:02:49 --> 00:02:50 I've heard it so many times
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 that there's this desensitization for me.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 Today, we're going to open up
00:02:56 --> 00:02:57 the Gospel of Mark,
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 potentially a Gospel that we've heard before,
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 potentially words that we're familiar with,
00:03:03 --> 00:03:04 stories that we've heard before.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 And I wonder if we are in danger,
00:03:07 --> 00:03:08 if we're running the risk
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 of being over-familiar
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 with the things that we're about to read.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:15 This Gospel begins with a very basic
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 but very significant sentence.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:20 Mark 1.1 says,
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 The beginning of the Gospel
00:03:22 --> 00:03:23 about Jesus Christ,
00:03:24 --> 00:03:25 the Son of God.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 Now, it is really easy to read that
00:03:28 --> 00:03:29 and to move on,
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 to wait and see what comes afterwards.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:33 But you've got to actually sit here
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 and imagine what it would have been like
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 to read this when it was first written.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 Imagine what it would have been like
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 for the author as he wrote these words
00:03:42 --> 00:03:43 and the weight and force
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 and importance and gravity
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 that were wrapped up in these words.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 These words were written somewhere around 60 AD.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:53 And at the point where Mark was writing,
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 the Christian church was under fierce persecution.
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 The Emperor Nero was known for
00:03:59 --> 00:04:03 basically skewering Christians on poles
00:04:03 --> 00:04:04 and setting them on fire
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 as torches for his garden parties.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 He set Rome on fire
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 and then blamed the Christians for it
00:04:10 --> 00:04:11 so that he had an excuse
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 to basically wholesale murder Christians
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 left, right and centre.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:17 And into that context
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 where the church and Christians
00:04:19 --> 00:04:20 fear for their life,
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 Mark pens this message
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 and begins it with the words,
00:04:25 --> 00:04:26 The beginning of the Gospel
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 about Jesus Christ,
00:04:28 --> 00:04:29 the Son of God.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 He calls this message
00:04:31 --> 00:04:32 in a time where he has seen
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 the great missionaries
00:04:34 --> 00:04:35 and the Apostle Peter
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 and the missionary Paul die.
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 He calls his message,
00:04:39 --> 00:04:40 he begins his message
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 with the good news,
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 it's what Gospel means,
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 the good news about Jesus Christ,
00:04:47 --> 00:04:47 the Son of God.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:50 Can you imagine the urgency
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 with which he wrote this message?
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 Having watched his mentors die,
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 probably fearing for his own life,
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 the pressure is on,
00:05:00 --> 00:05:01 people need to know
00:05:01 --> 00:05:02 what he knows,
00:05:03 --> 00:05:04 Mark has an agenda.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 He's a desperate man
00:05:06 --> 00:05:07 who wants to share
00:05:07 --> 00:05:08 the good news
00:05:08 --> 00:05:09 that have changed his life
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 to the point
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 where he will willingly die
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 for this man, Jesus Christ.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 So hear the words again.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:18 With that weight,
00:05:18 --> 00:05:19 with that context,
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 the beginning of the Gospel
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 about Jesus Christ,
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 the Son of God.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 Mark begins this Gospel
00:05:27 --> 00:05:28 at a rapid pace.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:29 We jump in,
00:05:29 --> 00:05:30 we read through just chapter one
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 and already we've seen
00:05:32 --> 00:05:33 a stack of stuff happen.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 So begin with a prophecy
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 from the Old Testament
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 and then John shows up
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 to prepare us for Jesus
00:05:38 --> 00:05:39 and then Jesus shows up
00:05:39 --> 00:05:40 and is baptised
00:05:40 --> 00:05:41 and then Jesus is tempted
00:05:41 --> 00:05:42 and then all of a sudden
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 Jesus is preaching
00:05:43 --> 00:05:43 and then he's driving out
00:05:43 --> 00:05:44 an evil spirit,
00:05:44 --> 00:05:45 then he's healing people,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:46 then he's praying,
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 then he's healing more people.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 It is just rapid fire
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 and there is hundreds of kilometres
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 covered in just these 28 verses.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 Jesus is journeying
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 all over the Middle East
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 to do his ministry
00:05:57 --> 00:05:58 and so you've got to ask
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 the question,
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 why is Mark in such a rush?
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 He keeps using words like,
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 immediately this happened
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 and then this happened
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 and he's skipping us through
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 all these really significant stories
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 and you've got to ask yourself
00:06:12 --> 00:06:13 the question,
00:06:13 --> 00:06:14 what's his agenda?
00:06:15 --> 00:06:16 Where's he trying to take us
00:06:16 --> 00:06:17 in such a rush
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 as we jump through
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 all these different events?
00:06:19 --> 00:06:20 And I want to take you to
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 the clue which I think
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 is found in Jesus' baptism.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 This week on Wednesday
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 I'll have the privilege
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 of officiating a wedding
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 for two friends of mine.
00:06:32 --> 00:06:33 These are friends
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 who don't come to church,
00:06:34 --> 00:06:35 who aren't Christians,
00:06:36 --> 00:06:37 but who because of my job
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 invited me to be a part
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 of their special day.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 And if you've ever been
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 to a wedding,
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 you'll know that
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 the most important words,
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 and they're not,
00:06:45 --> 00:06:45 you may kiss the bride,
00:06:46 --> 00:06:46 just to clarify,
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 the most important words
00:06:47 --> 00:06:48 that I say
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 in a wedding ceremony are,
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 I declare them
00:06:51 --> 00:06:52 to be husband and wife.
00:06:52 --> 00:06:53 That's the official point
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 where we have crossed a line
00:06:55 --> 00:06:56 and there is a new family
00:06:56 --> 00:06:57 now standing at the front
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 of the building.
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 But just because
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 that is the important bit,
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 just because that's the climax,
00:07:04 --> 00:07:04 just because that's
00:07:04 --> 00:07:05 what everything else
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 is leading up to,
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 doesn't mean that
00:07:07 --> 00:07:08 all the things before that
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 are unimportant.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 For me to say that,
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 we need the context
00:07:13 --> 00:07:14 of having talked about
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 what marriage is
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 at the beginning.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 We need the context
00:07:17 --> 00:07:18 of a husband and a wife
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 making promises to each other
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 so that when I announce it,
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 we know what we're announcing.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 I'm not just saying
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 some empty words.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 And so even though Mark
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 is obviously in a hurry
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 to get somewhere,
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 we do actually need to look
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31 at some of the details
00:07:31 --> 00:07:31 in these stories
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 if we're going to understand
00:07:33 --> 00:07:33 where it is
00:07:33 --> 00:07:34 that he's taking us.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 So look with me
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 at the baptism of Jesus.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:38 So let's start,
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 before we get to
00:07:39 --> 00:07:40 the baptism of Jesus,
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 by looking at John
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 in verse 4.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 So John came,
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 baptising in the desert region
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 and preaching a baptism
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 of repentance
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 for the forgiveness of sins.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 The whole Judean countryside
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 and all the people of Jerusalem
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 went out to him
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 confessing their sins.
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 They were baptised
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 in the Jordan River.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 Jesus' baptism
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 in this passage,
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 it happens so quickly
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 that you could miss it,
00:08:04 --> 00:08:05 but Jesus' baptism
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 is a response
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 to the ministry
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 that John is doing.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 You've got to understand
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 before John comes,
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 baptism is a foreign idea.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:14 It's not something
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 that people had been doing
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 and then Jesus just jumps in.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 John shows up
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 and is the one
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 who introduces baptism.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 But did you see
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 what his baptism is about?
00:08:25 --> 00:08:26 It's not just about
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 splashing water.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 John's baptism is,
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 verse 4,
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 a baptism of repentance
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 for the forgiveness
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 of sins.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 And the people come to him,
00:08:38 --> 00:08:39 confess their sins,
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 and are baptised.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 John's baptism,
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 while it's an invitation
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 to come back to God,
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 an invitation for forgiveness,
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 his ministry has to have started
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 by telling people
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 that they needed to be forgiven.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 John's message was,
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 God is not happy.
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 You do not deserve the love
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 that God has shown you.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 You are not entitled
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 to God's goodness
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 and God's promises.
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 You need to come back.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 You need to confess.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 You need to apologise.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 John's message
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 was a message of judgement.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 And the people
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 who heard his message
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 knew that he was
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 right on the mark,
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 and so they came out
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 in their droves
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 to be baptised
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 and seeking forgiveness.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 Jesus doesn't need
00:09:25 --> 00:09:25 a baptism
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 for forgiveness of sins.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 So you've got to stop
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 in these stories,
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 even though Mark
00:09:31 --> 00:09:31 skips through them.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 It doesn't make sense
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 that Jesus,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:34 who is perfect,
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 needs to be baptised
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 for forgiveness.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 That's why we get
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 a clue here
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 as to where Mark
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 is taking us
00:09:41 --> 00:09:41 in this gospel.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 If you look in Matthew's
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 account of the same thing,
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 John gets really uncomfortable
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 when Jesus shows up
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 to be baptised.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 John's kind of,
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 you know,
00:09:52 --> 00:09:52 standing on the spot
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 when Jesus comes
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 to the front of the queue
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 and is ready to be dipped.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 John's like,
00:09:56 --> 00:09:56 um,
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 I think you're supposed
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 to baptise me.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 I think that's how it works.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 I was just for a little while,
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 now Jesus,
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 it's up to you.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 But Jesus insists
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 that he be baptised
00:10:07 --> 00:10:07 by John.
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 And the reason is,
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 Jesus wants to identify
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 with sinful people.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 Jesus wants to take on
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 the identity
00:10:18 --> 00:10:19 and the place
00:10:19 --> 00:10:19 of people
00:10:19 --> 00:10:20 like you and me
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 who have spent our lives
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 treating God
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 like he doesn't matter.
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 Jesus doesn't need
00:10:25 --> 00:10:25 to be baptised
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 for his own sin.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 But what he does
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 in choosing to be baptised
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 even when he doesn't need to,
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 is shows that his agenda
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 is not to be some
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 person out there
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 who is just distant from us
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 and perfect
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 and beyond approach,
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 but to be the one
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 who comes down
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 and understands
00:10:44 --> 00:10:44 our struggle.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 To be the one
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 who takes on
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 the judgement
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 that we deserve
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 and stands before God
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 in our place.
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 Mark is showing us
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 right from the very beginning
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 of this gospel
00:10:57 --> 00:10:58 that Jesus' life
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 and Jesus' ministry
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 and everything
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 that he will do
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 is directly connected
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 to the hope
00:11:04 --> 00:11:04 that they had
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 all through the Old Testament
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 that one day
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 God would provide
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 a means for forgiveness.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 Permanent forgiveness.
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 Not the kind of forgiveness
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 where you come back
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 every week
00:11:14 --> 00:11:14 with a new apology
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 and a new sacrifice
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 because you've done
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 more things wrong.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 All through that history
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 they were hoping
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 that one day
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 God would give them
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 a way to be
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 completely clean,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 completely forgiven,
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 forever forgiven.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 they hoped
00:11:30 --> 00:11:30 that one day
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 God would provide
00:11:32 --> 00:11:32 a substitute
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 to take the judgement
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 that they deserved.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 Right here
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 in chapter 1
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 of Mark's gospel
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 Mark is pointing us
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 to the cross.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 This is the beginning
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 even from verse 1
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 his agenda
00:11:46 --> 00:11:46 is for us
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 to be looking
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 to the end
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 to the climax
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 to the finish.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 Mark is rushing us
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 through his gospel
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 to Jesus' destination
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 which is the cross
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 where he will
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 give up his life.
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 Mark is telling us
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 these first bits
00:12:02 --> 00:12:02 of the gospel
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 and all the bits
00:12:03 --> 00:12:03 that we're going to cover
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 for the next few weeks
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 he's telling us
00:12:07 --> 00:12:07 these bits
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 with the cross
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 in view.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 And so we need
00:12:11 --> 00:12:11 to look at all
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 these little stories
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 that Ali just read
00:12:13 --> 00:12:13 out for us
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 all these little episodes
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 from Jesus' life
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 and ministry
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 conscious
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 that the cross
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 casts a shadow
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 over all of it.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 That that's always
00:12:23 --> 00:12:23 the agenda.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 that Jesus
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 turned up
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 to offer forgiveness.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 This gospel
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 is a proclamation.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 Gospel is good news.
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 The word gospel
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 isn't necessarily
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 a Bible word
00:12:38 --> 00:12:38 it's just a word
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 to describe
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 an exciting announcement
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 a significant announcement
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 something that you need
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 to share and pass on
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 and so right from the beginning
00:12:46 --> 00:12:46 Mark says
00:12:46 --> 00:12:48 this is important
00:12:48 --> 00:12:51 and this is good news.
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 But there's a bit
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 of a tension
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 I don't know
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 if you picked it up
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 as we were reading
00:12:56 --> 00:12:56 through there
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 you've got this emphasis
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 on focus on Jesus
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 Jesus is important
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 from the first verse
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 Jesus is the Christ
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 we go to Old Testament
00:13:05 --> 00:13:05 telling us about
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 Jesus being the Lord
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 we've got this amazing
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 scene in the baptism
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 but there's this
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 tension going on
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 I mean four times
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 we get an announcement
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 about Jesus
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 in verse one
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 Mark the author
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 says Jesus is the Christ
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 and then immediately
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 following that
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 in verse two
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 we have a quote
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 from two Old Testament
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 prophets
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 explaining that
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 Jesus is the Lord
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 who was promised
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 Jesus is the one
00:13:31 --> 00:13:31 who they've been waiting
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 for who will come
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 and he will bring
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 judgment
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 but he will also
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 bring grace
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 then we get an announcement
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 from John
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 in verse eight
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 sorry in verse seven
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 this was his message
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 after me will come
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 one more powerful
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 than I
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 the thongs of whose
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 sandals I am not worthy
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 to stoop down
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 and untie
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 I baptize you with water
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 but he will baptize you
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 with the Holy Spirit
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 so Mark says Jesus
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 is significant
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 Isaiah says Jesus
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 is significant
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 John says Jesus
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 is more significant
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 than he is
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 and then perhaps
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 the most significant
00:14:05 --> 00:14:05 voice
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 in verse eleven
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 as Jesus is baptized
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 the heavens open
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 and the voice
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 of God in heaven
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 speaks
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 you are my son
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 whom I love
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 with you
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 I am well pleased
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 this is all
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 in the first eleven
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 verses of this gospel
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 Jesus matters
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 Jesus is important
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 Jesus is significant
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 Jesus is divine
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 Jesus is from heaven
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 but then at the same time
00:14:33 --> 00:14:36 three times in this chapter
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 Jesus tells people
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 who know who he is
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 to be quiet
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 did you see that
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 verse twenty five
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 Jesus is doing ministry
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 he cast the demon
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 out of someone
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 and the demon says
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 in verse twenty four
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50 sorry
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 what do you want
00:14:51 --> 00:14:51 with us
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 Jesus of Nazareth
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 have you come
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 to destroy us
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 I know who you are
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 the holy one of God
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 be quiet
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 Jesus said sternly
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 and he wouldn't
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 allow this demon
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 to proclaim
00:15:03 --> 00:15:03 or announce
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 who he was
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 verse thirty four
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 again
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 he is casting out demons
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 but he will not
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 let them speak
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 because they know
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 who he is
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 verse forty four
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 he heals a man
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 with leprosy
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 and he says this
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 see that you don't
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 tell this to anyone
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 but go show yourself
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 to the priest
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 and offer the sacrifices
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 that Moses commanded
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 for your cleansing
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 as a testimony
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 to them
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 four announcements
00:15:29 --> 00:15:32 and three commands
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 to silence
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 what's Mark
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 trying to do
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 announce Jesus
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 or keep a secret
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 or at least
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 why is Jesus
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 not happy
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 for everybody
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 to stand on the rooftops
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 and shout out
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 who he is
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 if that's Mark's agenda
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 why wasn't it
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 Jesus' agenda
00:15:47 --> 00:15:47 as well
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 I remember
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 a couple of years ago
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 the first time I met
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 Steve
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 our senior minister
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 was when I had the chance
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 to be a part
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 of a committee
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 that organises
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 a youth convention
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 it's a fairly
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 significant convention
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 it's about
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 six thousand teenagers
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 we'll be taking
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 our youth ministry
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 there in a couple
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 of weeks time
00:16:05 --> 00:16:07 and I'm walking
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 into this room
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 with these people
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 and being really excited
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 that I had the opportunity
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 to be a part of this
00:16:11 --> 00:16:11 I was maybe
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 twenty-one
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 twenty-two
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 and so I thought
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 you know
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 I've got something to offer
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 I'll be the most
00:16:17 --> 00:16:17 significant member
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 of this team
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 but it was really quick
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 that I noticed
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 in the room
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 that there was
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 a pecking order
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 Steve was the chairman
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 as you might guess
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 when Steve's in a room
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 Steve's the boss
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 that's because
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 that's how Steve works
00:16:30 --> 00:16:32 and because he was
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 given that title
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 as well of course
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 but as well as Steve
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 being the chairman
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 there was somebody
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 allocated as the vice chair
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 which I found
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 a little bit comical
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 because I figured
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 it was Steve
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 and the rest of us
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 but in order to ensure
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 my position on the team
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 I appointed myself
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 as the vice vice chair
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 it was a self-appointment
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 and it remained
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 a self-appointment
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 for the amount of time
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 that I served
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 on that committee
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 it was light-hearted
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 most of the time
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 but every now and then
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 I would pull rank
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 and go hey
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 I'm the vice vice chair
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 but the funny thing is
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 when you give
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 a vague title
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 like vice vice chair
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 or even vice chair
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 or even chairman
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 for that matter
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 what we do
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 is we import
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 our definition
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 of what that means
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 and so for me
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 vice vice chair
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 meant that I didn't
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 have to do any extra work
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 I could basically
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 put the kibosh
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 on anyone else's idea
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 and I got all the perks
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 of being on the committee
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 like not having
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 to put chairs out anymore
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 or getting to the front
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 of the morning tea line
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 those sorts of things
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 vice vice chair
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 was an important task
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 and I set out
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 to make it
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 very beneficial
00:17:31 --> 00:17:31 for myself
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 when you have
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 a vague title
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 you just import
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 and you add things
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 to it
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 and there is this
00:17:38 --> 00:17:40 risk for us
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 as we read this gospel
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 and there was this risk
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 for people
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 as they met Jesus
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 in his ministry
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 that they would hear
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 his title
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 they would hear
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 that he was the Christ
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 the saviour
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 they would hear
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 that he was the Lord
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 they would hear
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 that he was the son of God
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 and they would begin
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 to shape their own picture
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 of what that meant
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 they would begin
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 to join the dots
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 for themselves
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 and decide
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 what they thought
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 the Christ should be
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 in fact
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 that's exactly
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 what happens
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 and that's exactly
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 what happens
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 even now
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 so often you talk
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 to people
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 and they have
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 their version
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 of what Jesus
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 should be
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 if Jesus
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 is the son of God
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 he should love
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 everyone
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 I have spent time
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 in a previous church
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 sitting with
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 someone who I consider
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 to be a close friend
00:18:25 --> 00:18:28 and basically
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 wrestling
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 with this issue
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 they deeply
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 struggle
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 with the possibility
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 that God
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 would condemn
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 someone
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 who struggles
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 with something
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 like homosexuality
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 they have
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 a family member
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 who is a practicing
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 homosexual
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46 and so for them
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 they've adjusted
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 their picture
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 of Jesus
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 to suit themselves
00:18:52 --> 00:18:55 they hear
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 certain bits
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 of the title
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 Christ
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 or the title
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 saviour
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 or the title
00:18:59 --> 00:18:59 lord
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 and they adjust
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 it to be
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 the kind
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 of saviour
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 they want
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 the kind
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 of lord
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 they want
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 the kind
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 of king
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 they want
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 and so
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 when they come
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 to bits
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 in the bible
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 where Jesus
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 might say
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 certain things
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 are wrong
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 or certain
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 things are
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 unhelpful
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 what they do
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 is they just
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 adjust
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 their picture
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 of Jesus
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 so they don't
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 have to
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 include that
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 but before
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 we point
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 the finger
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 too much
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 we all
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 do it
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 when we
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 are called
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 to sacrifice
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 and treasure
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 Jesus
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28 above all
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 else
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 above things
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 that matter
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 in our life
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 how quickly
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 we adjust
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 our version
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 of Jesus
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36 he doesn't
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 want me to
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 sacrifice
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 that area
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 because it's
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 harmless
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 he doesn't
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 want me to
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 give up
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 that hobby
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 that I've
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 got
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 which takes
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 me away
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 from time
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 with important
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 relationships
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 takes me
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 away from
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 ministry
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 takes me
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 away
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49 from spending
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 time in
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 the word
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 because it's
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 harmless
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 but actually
00:19:54 --> 00:19:57 Jesus
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 demands
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 everything
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 demands
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 our whole
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 life
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 there is a
00:20:03 --> 00:20:03 tension in
00:20:03 --> 00:20:03 this beginning
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 of Mark's
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 gospel because
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 Mark wants
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 us to know
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 Jesus
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 he wants us
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 to know
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 who he is
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 but he is
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 protecting us
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 from making
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 up our own
00:20:12 --> 00:20:12 version of
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 the truth
00:20:13 --> 00:20:15 see when we
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 make Jesus
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 who we want
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 him to be
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 we reduce
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 him
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21 at best
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 he becomes
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 a better
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 version of
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 us
00:20:24 --> 00:20:27 our goodness
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 plus some
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 our love
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 plus some
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 our forgiveness
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 plus some
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 our servant
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 heart
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 plus some
00:20:34 --> 00:20:36 but when you
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 see him
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 for who he
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 is
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 when you
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 see him
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 as he is
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 revealed in
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 his word
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 in the
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 gospel
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 his majesty
00:20:43 --> 00:20:45 his goodness
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 his holiness
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 his justice
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 his love
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 and his
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 authority
00:20:49 --> 00:20:51 far exceed
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 even your
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 wildest
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 imagination
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 or dreaming
00:20:54 --> 00:20:57 when it
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 comes to
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 Jesus the
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 truth is
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 better than
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 your inventions
00:21:00 --> 00:21:02 and Mark
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 is trying to
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 spare us
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 even at the
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 beginning
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 false dreams
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 and false
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 ideas about
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 who Jesus
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 is
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 he wants us
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 to have
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 the blessing
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 of seeing
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 him in
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 his fullness
00:21:12 --> 00:21:15 and his
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 fullness
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 is seen
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 in the
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 cross
00:21:18 --> 00:21:21 that's why
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 even from
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 verse 1
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 chapter 1
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 Mark
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 wants us
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 to see
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 the cross
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 we need
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 the cross
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 to understand
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 what Jesus
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 is doing
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 we need
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 the cross
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 to understand
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 what it
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 means for
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 him to be
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 Christ
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 we need
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 the cross
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 to understand
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 what it
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 means for
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 him to
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 be Lord
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 that's why
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 this opens
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 up in
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 verse 1
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 this is
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 the beginning
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 of the
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 gospel
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 about
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 Jesus
00:21:42 --> 00:21:42 Christ
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 there's
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 more for
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 us to
00:21:44 --> 00:21:44 know
00:21:44 --> 00:21:44 but we
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 need
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 to use
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 the cross
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 as our
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 starting
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 point
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 you'll find
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 in a couple
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 of weeks
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 when we
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 look at
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 chapter 8
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 of Mark's
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 gospel
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 that even
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 when Jesus
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 gets explicit
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 and says to
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 his disciples
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 me being
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 Christ
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 me being
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 saviour
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 means I
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 have to
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 die
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 the first
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 thing his
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 disciples do
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 are
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 Jesus
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 I think
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 you've
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 got it a
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 bit wrong
00:22:05 --> 00:22:08 if you
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 don't talk
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 like that
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 it's probably
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 going to make
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 more people
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 want to
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 follow you
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 Jesus
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 if you're
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 going to be
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 Christ
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 if you're
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 going to be
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 saviour
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 you win
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 you don't
00:22:15 --> 00:22:15 die
00:22:15 --> 00:22:15 you win
00:22:15 --> 00:22:17 and Jesus
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 response
00:22:17 --> 00:22:19 is the
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 scary
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 rebuke to
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 Peter
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 get behind
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 me
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 Satan
00:22:23 --> 00:22:26 even as
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 Jesus says
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 to Peter
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 I must
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 die
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 to be
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 your
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 saviour
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 Peter
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 has his
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 own vision
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 of what
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 a saviour
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 will do
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 for him
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 even
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 as we
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 get to
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 the end
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 of Mark's
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 gospel
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 the disciple
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 Peter
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 still
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 doesn't
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 get it
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 and as
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 Jesus
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 is arrested
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 Peter
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 denies
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 that he
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 even
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 follows
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 him
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 we
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 need
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 the
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 cross
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 to make
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 sense
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 of what
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 Jesus
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 is doing
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 in his
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 life
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 we need
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 the cross
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 to understand
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 his
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 preaching
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 when he
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 says
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 the time
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 has come
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 the kingdom
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 of God
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 is near
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 repent
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 and believe
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 the good
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 news
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 the good
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 news
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 is that
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 in the
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 cross
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 we can
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 be welcomed
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 into the
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 kingdom
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 of God
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 this
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 gospel
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 this
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 message
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 of Jesus
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 is the
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 proof
00:23:11 --> 00:23:13 that it
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 was the
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 cross
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 the death
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 and resurrection
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 of Jesus
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 that enabled
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 Peter to
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 understand
00:23:18 --> 00:23:18 everything
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 that he
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 had experienced
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 while spending
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 time with
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 Jesus
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 this gospel
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 is written
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 by Mark
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 but Mark
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 probably
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 was writing
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 what Peter
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 told him
00:23:26 --> 00:23:28 writing
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 what Peter
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 experienced
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 as he
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 spent time
00:23:30 --> 00:23:30 with Jesus
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 doing
00:23:31 --> 00:23:31 ministry
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 with him
00:23:32 --> 00:23:34 and it
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 appears
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 that Peter
00:23:35 --> 00:23:35 goes from
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 telling Jesus
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 to rethink
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 his idea
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 of what it
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 means to
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 be the
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 saviour
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 Peter goes
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 from denying
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 that he
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 even knows
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 Jesus
00:23:42 --> 00:23:44 to rejoicing
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 in him
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 following him
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 serving him
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 preaching
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 about him
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 and dying
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 for him
00:23:50 --> 00:23:52 and the
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 difference
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 between the
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 Peter that
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 we read
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 about here
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 and the
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 Peter who
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 told this
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 stuff to
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 Mark
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 is that
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 Jesus had
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 died
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 and Jesus
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 had risen
00:24:01 --> 00:24:03 we need
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 the cross
00:24:03 --> 00:24:05 for us
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 as we
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 read Mark's
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 gospel
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08 the cross
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 is a past
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 reality
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 Jesus is
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 risen
00:24:11 --> 00:24:13 for Mark's
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 readers as
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 they open
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 this up
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 around 60
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 AD
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 they would
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 have been
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 alive for
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 some of
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 them when
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 this all
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 happened
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 some of
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 them may
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 have even
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 seen Jesus
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 hanging on
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 that cross
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 for the
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 first time
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 and so
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 now as
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 they read
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 these words
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 there is new
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 meaning as
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 they hear about
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 their saviour
00:24:29 --> 00:24:31 new meaning
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 as they hear
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 about the
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 one who
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 claims to
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 be their
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 lord and
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 king
00:24:34 --> 00:24:37 this message
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 of Jesus
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 gives hope
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 to Christians
00:24:40 --> 00:24:43 facing persecution
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 and death
00:24:43 --> 00:24:45 at the hands
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 of the Roman
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 emperor
00:24:46 --> 00:24:48 this message
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 of Jesus
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 gives hope
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 to people
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 who are
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 lost
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 and need
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 forgiveness
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 this message
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 of Jesus
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 calls people
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 to trust
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 Jesus
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 so that
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 they can
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 be forgiven
00:24:59 --> 00:25:03 hear verse
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 one again
00:25:03 --> 00:25:06 the gospel
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 about Jesus
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 Christ
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 the son
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 of God
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 the message
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 of Mark's
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 gospel
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 is that
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 Jesus
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16 the Christ
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 our saviour
00:25:17 --> 00:25:19 was the
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 divine
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 son of
00:25:20 --> 00:25:20 God
00:25:20 --> 00:25:23 who came
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 to earth
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 to bear
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 our sin
00:25:24 --> 00:25:27 to take
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 our punishment
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 to take
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 our judgment
00:25:28 --> 00:25:31 and who
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 has died
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 and risen
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 as our
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 saviour
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 and king
00:25:34 --> 00:25:38 this gospel
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 and these
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 words
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 contained here
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 in this book
00:25:41 --> 00:25:43 are used
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 by God
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 to bring
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 people to
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 trust him
00:25:46 --> 00:25:48 to bring
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 people to
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 have faith
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 in him
00:25:49 --> 00:25:51 if you
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 are somebody
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 who is a
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 Christian
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 who follows
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 Jesus
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 then God
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 used
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 this gospel
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 maybe not
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 Mark's
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 gospel
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 but the
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 message
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 of Jesus
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 contained in
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 Mark's
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 gospel
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 to invite
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 you to
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 trust him
00:26:04 --> 00:26:06 and so
00:26:06 --> 00:26:06 if you
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 are somebody
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 who like
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 Mark
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 feels the
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 urgency
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 to share
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 this with
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 your family
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 with your
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 friends
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 with your
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 neighbours
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 with your
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 work colleague
00:26:13 --> 00:26:15 you don't
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 need to
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 find something
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 fancy
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 or clever
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 or more
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 exciting
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 or modern
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 you need
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 the gospel
00:26:22 --> 00:26:24 you need
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 the message
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 of Jesus
00:26:26 --> 00:26:29 this is
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 the good
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 news
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 about our
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 saviour
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 Jesus Christ
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 and good
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 news
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 needs to
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 be shared
00:26:36 --> 00:26:38 good news
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 is not to
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 be kept
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 to ourselves
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 we're beginning
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 tonight a
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 series in
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 Mark that
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 will take
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 us through
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 our focus
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 time of
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 mission in
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 a few
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 weeks that
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 will take
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 us through
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 Easter
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 and I
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 want to
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 challenge
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 you
00:26:49 --> 00:26:51 as you
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 look again
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 at the
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 gospel
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 by which
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 God called
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 you to
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 know him
00:26:56 --> 00:26:58 who can
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 you share
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 this gospel
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 with
00:27:00 --> 00:27:02 who can
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 you put
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 these words
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 into the
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 hand of
00:27:04 --> 00:27:08 maybe it's
00:27:08 --> 00:27:08 the person
00:27:08 --> 00:27:08 that you've
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 been praying
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 for in
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 your one
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 plus one
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 plus one
00:27:11 --> 00:27:13 Chris
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 challenged
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 us this
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 morning
00:27:14 --> 00:27:16 that we
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 as individuals
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 could read
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 the entirety
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 of Mark's
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 gospel in
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 an hour
00:27:19 --> 00:27:21 it's not
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 huge
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 you could
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 sit down
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 and knock
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 it over
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 without too
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 much trouble
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 but the
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 other thing
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 that means
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 is you
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 could quite
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 easily hand
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 a copy
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 of Mark's
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 gospel to
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 your friend
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 and say
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 just have a
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 go at
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 reading it
00:27:32 --> 00:27:34 just scribble
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 questions in
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 it
00:27:35 --> 00:27:37 underline things
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 that confuse
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 you or excite
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 you and then
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 let's talk
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 about it
00:27:40 --> 00:27:42 because this
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 gospel is
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 what God
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 uses to call
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 people to place
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 their trust
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 in him
00:27:46 --> 00:27:48 not your
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 fancy
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 presentation
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 or your
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 amazing
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 stories
00:27:51 --> 00:27:53 it's the
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 good news
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 that Jesus
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 has come
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 to earth
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 and died
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 to take
00:27:57 --> 00:27:57 your sin
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 and is
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 now risen
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 as king
00:28:00 --> 00:28:04 personally I
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 want to ask
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 you are you
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 at risk
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 of being
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 too familiar
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 with the
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 gospel
00:28:08 --> 00:28:12 do you
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 read verse
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 one of
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 Mark's
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 gospel
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 and shrug
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 your shoulders
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 and wait
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 for what's
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 next
00:28:16 --> 00:28:19 or do you
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 feel the
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 weight
00:28:19 --> 00:28:21 of God's
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 son coming
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 to earth
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 and dying
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 for you
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 because that's
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 what Mark
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 says in
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 verse one
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 Jesus the
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 Christ
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 Jesus your
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 savior
00:28:31 --> 00:28:35 let's pray
00:28:35 --> 00:28:46 father God we
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 want to thank
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 you that you
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 give us your
00:28:48 --> 00:28:50 word we want
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 to thank you
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 that you use
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 Mark to record
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 the life of
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 Jesus so that
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 we could read
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 and see him in
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 his majesty and
00:28:57 --> 00:28:59 fullness God we
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 want to ask that
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 you would protect
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 us from painting
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 our own picture of
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 what we think
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 Jesus should be
00:29:04 --> 00:29:06 and instead you
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 would exceed our
00:29:07 --> 00:29:09 vision exceed our
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 dreams and show us
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 who Jesus really
00:29:10 --> 00:29:13 is show him in
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 his majesty and
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 power his power
00:29:15 --> 00:29:17 over sickness and
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 demons and
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 nature and sin
00:29:19 --> 00:29:22 and death and
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 as we see him
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 may we find the
00:29:24 --> 00:29:26 unshakable hope that
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 can only be found
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 in him
00:29:27 --> 00:29:30 father if there
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 are people in
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 this room who
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 don't yet know
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 your son Jesus
00:29:33 --> 00:29:35 who don't yet know
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 the forgiveness that
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 is found in him
00:29:37 --> 00:29:40 I pray that you
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 would show yourself
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 through these
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 words
00:29:42 --> 00:29:45 I pray that you
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 would show them
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 that you can and
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 will forgive them
00:29:47 --> 00:29:49 if they would trust
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 you and the work
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 you have done
00:29:50 --> 00:29:53 father please use
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 us to share this
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 good news with
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 people who don't
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 know you yet
00:29:56 --> 00:29:58 light a fire in
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 us that we would
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 need to share the
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 hope that we have
00:30:01 --> 00:30:04 and use us to bring
00:30:04 --> 00:30:06 joy and peace to
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 our families and
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 friends
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 amen
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 you