1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,120 There we go. Good morning. 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,360 Please turn with me in your Bibles to Mark chapter 1. 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:11,160 We'll be starting at verse 14 and continuing through verse 45. 4 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:14,480 So I'm going to be continuing the sermon series through the 5 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:16,560 book of Mark, which we started last week. 6 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:18,880 And at this point we're going to find Jesus beginning his 7 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:22,200 ministry and calling the first disciples to follow him. 8 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:26,640 As we have heard, Mark begins his book by quoting the prophecy 9 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:28,480 from Isaiah about John the Baptist. 10 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:30,720 A voice of one crying in the wilderness. 11 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:33,200 Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 12 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,000 Jesus then gets baptized by John and is immediately driven out 13 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,200 into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan for 40 days. 14 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:44,120 And after that, that's where we're going to pick up today. 15 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,400 Mark seems to jump right into the start of Jesus ministry. 16 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,320 Unlike the other gospel accounts that start with a theological 17 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:55,120 framework or a genealogy, Mark jumps right into the action. 18 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,720 Most scholars agree that the book of Mark was actually Mark 19 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,200 writing down the accounts that he received from the from Peter. 20 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:04,840 And so with that knowledge and what we read of Peter in the 21 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:08,000 Bible, it makes sense that this book is fast-paced and packed 22 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,960 with action. But as all the gospels, it shows 23 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:14,000 the incredible life of Jesus as he walked on this earth. 24 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:17,960 So let's with that, let's pick up reading in Mark chapter 1, 25 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:23,520 starting at verse 14. Now after John was arrested, 26 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,320 Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God 27 00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:29,200 and saying the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at 28 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:31,120 hand. Repent and believe in the 29 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:33,720 gospel. Passing alongside the Sea of 30 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,520 Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, 31 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,360 casting a net into the sea. For they were fishermen. 32 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:42,720 And Jesus said to them, follow me and I will make you become 33 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,280 fishers of men. And immediately they left their 34 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,560 Nets and followed him. And going on a little further, 35 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,440 he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were 36 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,120 in their boat mending the Nets. And immediately he called them, 37 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:57,200 and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the 38 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:58,960 hired servants, and followed him. 39 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,400 And they went into Capernaum. And immediately on the Sabbath 40 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,200 he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 41 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,880 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as 42 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,479 one who had authority and not as the scribes. 43 00:02:11,039 --> 00:02:13,960 And immediately there was in the synagogue a man with an unclean 44 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:16,880 spirit, and he cried out, What have you to do with us, Jesus of 45 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,120 Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? 46 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:21,880 I know who you are, the Holy One of God. 47 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,320 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be silent, and come out of him. 48 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:28,320 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out 49 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:30,040 with a loud voice, came out of him. 50 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:32,640 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among 51 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:34,200 themselves, saying, What is this? 52 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,440 A new teaching? With authority He commands even 53 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:39,320 the unclean spirits, and they obey Him. 54 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,600 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the 55 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,680 surrounding region of Galilee. And immediately he left the 56 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:49,080 synagogue and entered the house with Simon and Andrew, with 57 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,960 James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay 58 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,240 I'll with fever. And immediately they told him 59 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:56,280 about her. And he came and took her by the 60 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,640 hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to 61 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:02,040 serve them. That evening at sundown they 62 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,320 brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons, and the 63 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:07,440 whole city was gathered together at the door. 64 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,720 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast 65 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,120 out many demons. And he would not permit the 66 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,160 demons to speak, because they knew him. 67 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,080 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still 68 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,760 dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place. 69 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,360 And there he prayed, and Simon and those with who were with him 70 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:26,000 search for him. And they found him and said to 71 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,920 him, Everyone's looking for you. And he said to them, Let us go 72 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:32,000 to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is 73 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,040 why I came out. And he went through all Galilee, 74 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,560 preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. 75 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,400 And the leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling to 76 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,360 him, said to him, If you will, you can make me clean. 77 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,400 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, 78 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,760 and said, I will be clean. And the leprosy left him, and he 79 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,440 was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him 80 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:58,400 and sent him away at once, and said to him, See that you say 81 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,280 nothing to anyone, but go show yourself to the priest, and 82 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,160 offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded for a proof to 83 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:06,760 them. But when he went out and began 84 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,760 to talk freely about it, and to spread the news so that Jesus 85 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:13,160 could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate 86 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:16,720 places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. 87 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,920 Before we go further, let's pray as we ask God to lead us. 88 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,520 Lord, we thank you for allowing us to gather here this morning. 89 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,520 Thank you for the inspired words that were written by Mark. 90 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,360 Lord, as we study your word, we pray for instruction and that 91 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,520 through endurance and through the encouragement of the 92 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:38,240 Scripture, we might have hope. In your name we pray. 93 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:43,360 Amen. I was 16 years old riding in a 94 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:45,760 on our in the car on the way home from a funeral. 95 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,680 My parents were close to the now widow and we're giving her a 96 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:51,840 ride home after the funeral was all over. 97 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,720 It had been a solemn and a sad day and it was a quiet ride. 98 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,400 The songs had been sung sung, the prayers had been said and it 99 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,560 was now time to go home. When we got to the woman's home, 100 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,920 I helped bring some things into the house and as we were getting 101 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,280 ready to leave, the grieving widow turned to my mom and said, 102 00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:12,440 well, what now? I've never forgotten those 103 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,800 profound words. For some reason they stuck with 104 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:16,920 me. I think it was the honesty and 105 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,520 the vulnerability with which that question was asked. 106 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,720 This grieving widow had just lost her husband, her best 107 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:26,080 friend and her provider. She was in a state of despair, 108 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,040 and she felt hopeless. And I think that question stuck 109 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,240 with me because I can't think of a better, more truthful question 110 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,320 to ask in a moment like that. We've all been there. 111 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:39,160 Maybe a death in the family, a job loss, or a tragic health 112 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:42,360 diagnosis. We've had those moments of 113 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:44,760 despair when hope seems to be distant. 114 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:46,960 Moments when all we can do is ask. 115 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,200 Well, what now? In those times of despair, 116 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:51,880 there's many coping strategies used. 117 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:54,840 Some people find their hope in drugs and alcohol to numb the 118 00:05:54,840 --> 00:05:56,920 pain. Others find their hope in their 119 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,080 work to avoid thinking about the problem at all. 120 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,560 And some turn to friends and family to find hope in them. 121 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,120 And in those times of need, it is so helpful to have friends 122 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:10,480 and family who are there beside us, people to lean on, people 123 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,920 that care for us and will walk the trenches with us. 124 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,040 But as we also know, those people aren't always around. 125 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,640 The friends that walk with us on the metaphorical mountaintops 126 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,720 don't always join us through the walks in the valleys, leaving us 127 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:29,880 to wonder, does anyone care? If we find our hope in anyone or 128 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,000 anything but Jesus, we will be disappointed. 129 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,280 So as we look deeper into the portion of into this portion of 130 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:40,080 Mark's writing, we will see that because Jesus cares for his 131 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,400 children, we should find our hope in him. 132 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,560 Jesus cares for his children like only he can. 133 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,240 Mark's writing is going to show just how Jesus cares for his 134 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,360 children and thus why we should find our hope in him. 135 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,800 We will see that Jesus cares through his action, through his 136 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,200 authority, and through his affection. 137 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:06,960 Let's take a look at the first of these examples. 138 00:07:07,280 --> 00:07:09,280 Jesus shows he cares through his action. 139 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:12,080 So what are the actions that Jesus does? 140 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,280 He calls you to repent and believe, He calls you to follow 141 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,880 him, and he calls you to leave behind the Nets that will tangle 142 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:22,120 you after returning from the temptation in the wilderness. 143 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:25,440 The first thing Mark records that Jesus does is to proclaim 144 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:27,760 the gospel, to repent and believe. 145 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,520 So not only was Jesus fulfilling the prophecies and bringing 146 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,760 about the gospel, but he was preaching about it as well. 147 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,120 Verses 14 to 15 read now. After John was arrested, Jesus 148 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:47,520 came into Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God and saying the 149 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,200 time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand. 150 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:52,040 Repent and believe in the Gospel. 151 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,240 When Jesus says that the time is fulfilled, he's speaking about 152 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,840 himself. He has come to earth as a baby, 153 00:07:57,840 --> 00:07:59,720 grown up and gone through the testing. 154 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,920 Pastor Jake talked about this last week, how he received his 155 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,800 training in the desert and now he's beginning his ministry. 156 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:10,240 He's fulfilling the prophecies that were told many years ago by 157 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:13,360 prophets like Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and more. 158 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,240 In Isaiah Chapter 9, verse one, Isaiah prophesied that the time 159 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,680 of darkness and despair will not go on forever, but there will be 160 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,400 a time when Galilee will be filled with glory. 161 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:26,920 And we see that Jesus starts his ministry in Galilee. 162 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:29,240 Isaiah goes on to write, the people who walked in the 163 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:31,000 darkness have seen a great light. 164 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:34,159 Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, On them a light 165 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:37,000 has shone. Jesus came to be that great 166 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,360 light to He came to take people out of the darkness. 167 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,200 And I think it's telling that the first thing Mark records as 168 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,960 Jesus begins his ministry is that Jesus goes right to 169 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:51,200 preaching the gospel. He calls people for repentance. 170 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,800 The word repentance sometimes causes us to take a step back. 171 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:57,880 It's uncomfortable to admit that we've done something wrong. 172 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,640 And something that gets brought up a lot is, well doesn't God 173 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,160 say, come as you are, shouldn't he accept me for me? 174 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,880 The short answer is that we are only accepted through the blood 175 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:13,880 of Christ by ourselves. We have no merit and that's why 176 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:15,600 we can know that Jesus cares for us. 177 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,400 Jesus calls for me and for you to repent. 178 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,280 He does not wish that any should perish, but that all should 179 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,200 reach repentance. The only way to be accepted by 180 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,480 God is through genuine repentance and belief in Christ. 181 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,920 Calling for repentance isn't a hateful thing to do. 182 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:33,960 There are those that do it in that way, but that is wrong. 183 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,800 Calling for repentance is an act of love. 184 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,640 It's calling someone to come out of the darkness and into the 185 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:42,640 light, away from death and into life. 186 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,480 The next action that Jesus does is he calls you to follow him. 187 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:52,200 Picking up at verse 16, passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he 188 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,920 saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net 189 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:56,440 into the sea. For they were fishermen. 190 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:00,320 And Jesus said to them, follow me and I will make you fit. 191 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,720 Become fishers of men. These are the first disciples 192 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:07,560 that Jesus calls Simon, who's later also called Peter and 193 00:10:07,560 --> 00:10:08,800 Andrew. They were fishermen. 194 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,880 They weren't scholars. They were by all accounts 195 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:15,720 ordinary men, ordinary insofar as their occupation. 196 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,640 But how they stuck out compared to others was their obedience to 197 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,360 the call of Jesus. When Jesus called, they 198 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:23,440 responded and followed immediately. 199 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,960 Jesus was calling to for them to leave what they knew behind. 200 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,800 He was calling them to leave their security, to leave their 201 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:34,200 identity and to follow him. He was going to give them a new 202 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:38,280 identity and a new security. The new identity was fishers of 203 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,520 men. They were going to join Jesus 204 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:42,720 and calling for others to repent and believe. 205 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,840 Their new security wasn't going to be in a retirement savings 206 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,720 plan, but in an inheritance to a Kingdom that lasts forever. 207 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:52,720 And Luke's account of this event, when Jesus calls Peter, 208 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,800 Peter falls to his knees saying, depart from me, for I am a 209 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,720 sinful man, O Lord. Peter recognized Jesus as God 210 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:01,880 and did not feel worthy to be called by him. 211 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,520 But Jesus knew of Peter's sins, just as he knows of my sins and 212 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,520 he knows of your sins. He didn't call Peter to follow 213 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:12,880 him because he was good enough, but because he cared for him. 214 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:16,440 Jesus cares for his children not to leave them in their filth and 215 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,920 in their sin, but to say, follow me, my plan is better. 216 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,440 Another way that Jesus shows he cares is through the action to 217 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,320 call to leave behind the Nets that will tangle you. 218 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:30,840 Verses 18 to 20. And immediately they left their 219 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,720 Nets and followed him. And going on a little further, 220 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,600 he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who are in 221 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,960 the boat mending the Nets. And immediately he called them, 222 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,200 and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the 223 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:46,760 hired servants and followed him. When Peter and Andrew are 224 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,760 called, it says they immediately left their Nets and followed. 225 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:53,080 When James and John are called, it too says that they left their 226 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,440 Nets that they were mending and they left their father in the 227 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:59,200 boat and they followed Jesus. Like Peter and Andrew, James and 228 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,720 John also left behind what they knew and they followed the 229 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:04,800 person that they had hope in. They even left their father in 230 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,640 the boat and immediately answered the call to follow 231 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:10,280 Jesus. When Jesus calls them, he does 232 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:12,920 not tell them to bring their Nets with them in case it 233 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,160 doesn't work out. There was no backup plan to put 234 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,800 their hope in. Bringing their former life with 235 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:22,280 them was not an option. Again, Jesus is giving them a 236 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,960 new identity and a new purpose. Hanging on to their Nets would 237 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:27,960 have been a detriment to their new calling. 238 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:32,000 Jesus knows that there's a cost to pay to follow him, but he 239 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:33,560 knows that the reward is worth it. 240 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:36,760 Jesus cares for the souls of the apostles and of those that they 241 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:38,800 would reach with their words and with their writings. 242 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,600 Jesus plan is greater than our own. 243 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:44,960 There are times he calls us to leave behind the metaphorical 244 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:49,120 Nets that will tangle US, items that will be a detriment to our 245 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:52,120 walk with Christ. Maybe it's a toxic friend group, 246 00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:55,280 maybe it's the music we listen to or the movies we watch. 247 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:57,800 Whatever. The thing is, Jesus cares for 248 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:03,160 you enough to call you to leave it behind as well. 1st 249 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:06,720 Corinthians 13 is known as the love chapter in the Bible. 250 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,280 It's often used at weddings as a way for the betrothed to express 251 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:13,640 their love for one another. But it's also so much more than 252 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:15,400 a love between a husband and a wife. 253 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,200 Paul was writing to a church that was dividing, a church 254 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,600 filled with pride, where people were putting their focus on 255 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,200 spiritual gifts rather than loving one another to the point 256 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:29,040 where it became a competition. Paul points out that while 257 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,120 spiritual gifts are important, love is of the utmost 258 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:34,760 importance. He goes as far as to say that if 259 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:37,960 he had all knowledge and all faith to move mountains, but he 260 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,320 did not love others, he would be nothing. 261 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,400 He then describes this love in verses 4 to 7. 262 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,640 Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast. 263 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,240 It is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own 264 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,240 way. It is not irritable or 265 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,440 resentful. It does not rejoice at 266 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,440 wrongdoing, but it rejoices with the truth. 267 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:05,520 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, 268 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:10,440 endures all things. Love is not a passive thing. 269 00:14:10,680 --> 00:14:14,640 Love is an action word. Do we love like this? 270 00:14:15,680 --> 00:14:18,640 I was sent a video a couple years ago of a man who was 271 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:20,600 interviewing for a pastoral position. 272 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,520 It's been mentioned here before, but it's still relevant. 273 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:26,600 And at the end of this interview, the man was asked two 274 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,480 final questions. Do you love people? 275 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:33,080 And how do they know? The world would have us believe 276 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:36,480 that love means unconditional acceptance, but love is not 277 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,200 passive. Or love is no more than a nice 278 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:41,480 feeling, a warm feeling that we get inside. 279 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:46,080 But feelings can fade. Love is to act, to care for 280 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:47,960 someone and call them to a better life. 281 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:51,640 The call to follow Jesus didn't just stop at the 12 apostles. 282 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:55,400 If we've been called and are following Jesus, it is our duty 283 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:59,360 to call others. A care for the lost should spurn 284 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,360 us to action. Do we care enough to tell others 285 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:05,720 about Jesus? If we do, we should follow Jesus 286 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:10,200 example and call them to repent and believe, to follow Jesus and 287 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,720 to leave behind the Nets of their former life. 288 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,720 Another way that Jesus shows that he cares for his children 289 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:23,600 is through his authority. As Jesus continues into his 290 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:26,800 ministry, he demonstrates his identity by displaying his 291 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,040 authority. He does not do this in a top 292 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:32,920 down oppressive way, but in a firm and caring way that shows 293 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:35,680 nothing is outside his dominion or protection. 294 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,200 Jesus does this in this passage of Mark by showing His authority 295 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:42,320 over rulers, over demons, and over sickness. 296 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,080 Going to the first one, Jesus has authority over rulers, 297 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:49,680 picking up at verse 21. And they went into Capernaum and 298 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,640 immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was 299 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:54,760 teaching. And they were astonished at His 300 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,840 teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority and not as 301 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:01,560 the scribes. So Jesus begins preaching, He 302 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,480 enters the synagogue and he begins preaching to those in His 303 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:06,600 presence. The teaching at that point in 304 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:08,600 the synagogue was a bit different than what we would see 305 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:11,000 today. For example, most churches now 306 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,280 they have planned who's going to speak on the Sunday well in 307 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:15,520 advance. But from what I read on and 308 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,720 studied online, they had this thing called the custom of the 309 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:22,120 freedom of the synagogue. So they had experienced or 310 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,880 esteemed guests speak on the Scripture reading for that day. 311 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:29,000 And so that was the reason for the opportunity that Jesus had 312 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:31,720 to preach in the synagogue. And Mark says that they were 313 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:33,280 astonished. They were shocked at his 314 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:35,360 teaching. He doesn't say what he taught, 315 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:38,720 but he describes their reaction. They were astonished because he 316 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,720 wasn't teaching like the scribes or the other teachers, but 317 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:43,680 instead he taught with authority. 318 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,720 He taught with authority because, well, the obvious 319 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,560 answer is because he was Jesus. He was teaching about himself. 320 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:52,960 He knew the subject material. He demonstrated that he wasn't 321 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,320 concerned about the religious leaders opinions or their piety, 322 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,840 but he cared for the people by teaching him, teaching them in a 323 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:01,400 way that they hadn't heard before. 324 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:03,920 He cared like the religious leaders hadn't. 325 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:06,720 The religious leaders were more concerned with their outward 326 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,480 appearance and their legalism rather than the message that 327 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,800 they that the message that they were saying being understood and 328 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,440 valued. Jesus also shows that he cares 329 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,200 through his authority over demons. 330 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:25,440 Verses 23 to 28 And immediately there was a man in their there 331 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:27,960 was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he 332 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:29,640 cried out, What have you to do with us? 333 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:32,440 Jesus of Nazareth, have you come to destroy us? 334 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:34,720 I know who you are, the Holy one of God. 335 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,800 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be silent and come out of him. 336 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:41,880 And the unclean spirit convulsing him and crying out 337 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:43,440 with a loud voice came out of him. 338 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,600 And they were all amazed that they questioned among themselves 339 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,640 saying, What is this? A new teaching with authority. 340 00:17:50,360 --> 00:17:52,960 He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him. 341 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:55,640 And that once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the 342 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:59,600 surrounding region of Galilee. This passage tells it. 343 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,280 The tells us that there was an unclean or evil spirit 344 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,040 possessing a man in the synagogue where Jesus was 345 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:07,920 teaching. The spirit asked Jesus, have you 346 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:11,720 come to destroy us? The demon is fearful of Jesus. 347 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,920 He recognizes the power and the authority of Jesus. 348 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,080 And the demon states this too. He sees the power of God with 349 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:22,280 Jesus, yet even though the evil spirit calls Jesus the Holy One 350 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:24,840 of God, he does not put his trust in him. 351 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:28,800 But Jesus didn't let the demon keep speaking as he commands the 352 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:32,520 demon to come out and the demon does so The evil spirit was no 353 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:36,160 match for Jesus authority. Mark doesn't go into detail 354 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:39,240 about why the Spirit had gone into this man, but Jesus still 355 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,880 shows his care to this man by casting out the demon and 356 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:46,080 freeing him from it. Jesus shows care for the man by 357 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:49,160 not making a big commotion about casting out the demon or by 358 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,160 communicating with the demon. He simply tells the demon to be 359 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:55,880 quiet and to leave. The thought came into my head as 360 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,480 I was writing this about the fake healers and the false 361 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,320 teachers that like to make a big show of their healing whether 362 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,440 it's on YouTube or in front of large crowds. 363 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:07,280 I can almost imagine them saying after they supposedly cast out 364 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:09,920 this demon, they just spin an iPad around and say it's just 365 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:11,400 going to ask you a couple questions. 366 00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:16,560 But obviously Jesus didn't do this to gain status or to to 367 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:20,200 gain clout with the people or to get any kind of monetary gain. 368 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:24,400 It came from a place of passion, care and real authority. 369 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:28,880 And to that point, Jesus shows he cares by his authority over 370 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:32,480 sickness. Jesus leaves the synagogue and 371 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,240 goes to the House of Simon and Andrew. 372 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:38,240 Jesus finds Simon, Simon's mother-in-law, sick in bed, and 373 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:41,040 he heals her, picking up at verse 29. 374 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:43,600 And immediately they left the synagogue and entered the House 375 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,080 of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 376 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,000 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay I'll with a fever, and 377 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,040 immediately they told him about her, and he came and took her by 378 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,880 the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she 379 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,680 began to serve them. That evening at sundown they 380 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,800 brought to him all who are sick or oppressed by demons, and the 381 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:02,880 whole city was gathered together at the door. 382 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,320 And he healed many who are sick with various diseases and cast 383 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,560 out many demons. And he would not permit the 384 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:10,280 demons to speak because they knew him. 385 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,320 I wonder if Simon saw what Jesus did at the synagogue and knew 386 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,160 that he could do the same for his mother-in-law. 387 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:20,600 The passage doesn't say that, but regardless, Jesus cares for 388 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,320 Simon and his family by showing his authority over sickness. 389 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,640 And the word must have travelled fast because as we read, by 390 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:29,960 sundown the whole city was gathered at the door. 391 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,200 Jesus could have ignored them or told him to go away, but it says 392 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,680 he healed many and cast out many demons. 393 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:39,640 The point here isn't that if we believe in Jesus he will heal 394 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:43,640 every ailment we have, but rather Jesus did these things to 395 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:47,400 prove he was who he said he was and to show that there is 396 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:51,200 nothing on earth or in the spiritual realm that has power 397 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:55,640 over Jesus. This last week there was a 398 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:59,360 federal election here in Canada and as a country we voted in the 399 00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:03,200 next ruler of our of Canada. And as these things go, when 400 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,200 someone gets voted in, regardless of the party, 401 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:08,600 regardless of the person, it leaves about half the country 402 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:13,080 feeling mad and hopeless. Talk about a dismal situation. 403 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:15,440 And I don't want to over trivialize it. 404 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,240 I know it's a big responsibility and whoever claims that office 405 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:20,760 can affect a lot of change one way or the other. 406 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:24,280 And so it is normal that we are hoping for a certain outcome. 407 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,560 But how much hope are we putting into one leader? 408 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:32,120 We have hope. We have we hope for a good 409 00:21:32,120 --> 00:21:34,920 leader that leads with wisdom, integrity and honesty. 410 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:37,320 And that is good. But what happens when they don't 411 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,840 get it? What happens when the person of 412 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:43,040 authority that you put your hope in lets you down? 413 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,640 Maybe it's a politician, but maybe it's a little more 414 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,760 personal. Maybe it's someone who has 415 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:52,560 authority to speak into your life, a close friend, a family 416 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:56,320 member, a pastor. You never expect those people to 417 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:59,160 let you down, right? But the truth of the matter is, 418 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:01,520 is that so long as you put your hope and the authority of 419 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:04,560 someone other than Jesus, they will let you down. 420 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:07,640 We know this in our heads, but when it happens, we're 421 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:11,160 astonished that it does. But in those times, it's helpful 422 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:13,440 to be reminded that we too are not perfect. 423 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:15,920 We too are sinners that let people down. 424 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,120 And we are told in the Bible to honor those in positions of 425 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:21,480 authority. So as Christians, we should do 426 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:24,000 just that. But more importantly, we should 427 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:26,280 honor and put our hope in the one that gave them that 428 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:28,680 authority. Jesus speaking to the 11 429 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:32,200 disciples after the resurrection says all authority in heaven and 430 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:36,200 on earth has been given to me. Jesus is the supreme authority. 431 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:39,800 There is none greater. We need to place our hope in 432 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:44,120 Him. Not only does he does Jesus show 433 00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:47,320 that He cares through his action and His authority, but He shows 434 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:56,600 He cares through His affection. Verses 35 to 39 show we'll see 435 00:22:56,600 --> 00:23:00,040 how Jesus cares for both the masses and He cares for the 436 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:03,560 individual. Starting at verse 35 and rising 437 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:06,640 very early in the morning while it was still dark, he departed 438 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:08,200 and went out to a desolate place. 439 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,040 And there he prayed. And Simon and those who were 440 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:13,120 with him search for him. And they found him and said to 441 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:14,600 him, everyone is looking for you. 442 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,600 And he said to them, let us go on to the next towns that I may 443 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:20,360 preach there also, for that is why I came out. 444 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:22,880 And he went through all of Galilee preaching in their 445 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:24,840 synagogues and casting out demons. 446 00:23:26,360 --> 00:23:28,840 The morning after Jesus healed Simon's mother-in-law, we read 447 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,280 that he goes out to an isolated place to pray. 448 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:34,080 What a great example set here by Jesus. 449 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,440 Although he has all power and all authority, he still goes out 450 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:40,000 to pray and says he rose very early. 451 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:41,760 It was the first thing he wanted to do. 452 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,640 Regardless of the busy day that he had had before, He still rose 453 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,680 early to make sure he got he got in time to speak to his Father. 454 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:52,600 It was important enough to make sure it was the first thing he 455 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,800 did. On the topic of prayers, Charles 456 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:59,520 Spurgeon wrote Look no man in the face till thou has seen the 457 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:03,520 face of God, Speak thou with none until thou has had speech 458 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:07,080 with the Most High. As a father, this is something 459 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,600 that I want to demonstrate for my son because of the impact it 460 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:13,200 had for me. I remember when I was a boy my 461 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:15,000 dad would leave really early for work. 462 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,760 Most of the times it was before I even woke up, but every time I 463 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:21,560 did manage to wake up before he left, I would find him sitting 464 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:24,880 at the kitchen table doing three things, eating cornflakes, 465 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:29,440 reading his Bible, and praying. The cornflakes thing didn't 466 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:31,880 really affect me, but the other two things did. 467 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:35,440 Though I couldn't put it into words at that age, I know now 468 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:38,440 that my dad was modeling what it meant to be a godly man. 469 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,680 He didn't do it as a show for me, but he did it because he 470 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,280 believed in it. He prayed to his Father in 471 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:46,880 heaven and then he went to work to support and care for his 472 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:51,120 family. He exemplified what Jesus did 473 00:24:51,120 --> 00:24:54,280 time and time again in the Bible by starting the day with prayer. 474 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:57,800 Jesus showed that prayer was of greatest importance received The 475 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,320 next verse, Simon come searching for him and says that everyone 476 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:03,280 is looking for him. After just performing many 477 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:06,400 miraculous signs, everyone wanted to get close to Jesus. 478 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:11,280 Jesus says Jesus days were no doubt very busy and chaotic, but 479 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:14,440 Even so he doesn't let that be an excuse for avoiding prayer. 480 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:17,000 Even though everyone's looking for him and his presence is 481 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:20,680 wanted by many people, he takes time to grow in his relationship 482 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:24,240 with his Father. Then in verse 38 he says let us 483 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:27,840 go on to the next towns that I may preach there also, for that 484 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:31,280 is why I have come out. Jesus wasn't content with 485 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,160 staying in one place to soak up the admiration of the people 486 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,160 there. He cared for all the groups of 487 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:40,640 people, not just a select few. Jesus says that his reason for 488 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,280 coming is to preach. That is his focus. 489 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,880 The healings of miraculous works are present, but they are signs 490 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:49,920 that point to something greater. Jesus cares for the groups of 491 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:52,680 people too much to only heal them temporarily. 492 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,560 Not that the healing that he performed had an expiration 493 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:58,480 date, but rather the people who he healed with various 494 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:01,760 sicknesses and diseases, they would one day die. 495 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,600 The people who had evil spirits that he cast out, they would one 496 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,720 day die as well. Jesus came to preach the good 497 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:11,960 news of salvation, first and foremost, the news that there's 498 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:15,880 life to be had in following him. That is what it means to care 499 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:17,720 for people. He didn't care about the 500 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,120 popularity. He didn't care to be a celebrity 501 00:26:20,120 --> 00:26:22,920 or to be liked by all. He cared for the people by 502 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:27,040 telling them the truth. In addition for caring for the 503 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:30,240 masses and the groups of people, Jesus also cared for the 504 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:33,440 individual. We'll see this in verses 40 to 505 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:37,120 45 as a man with leprosy approaches Jesus by himself and 506 00:26:37,120 --> 00:26:39,640 out of desperation begs to be cleansed. 507 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:42,360 Let's read that encounter starting at verse 40. 508 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:45,800 And the leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling, 509 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:48,960 said to him, if you will, you can make me clean. 510 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:51,480 Move with pity. He stretched out his hand and 511 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:54,360 touched him, and said, I will be clean. 512 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:58,120 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 513 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,240 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once and 514 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:04,560 said to him, See that you say nothing to anyone, but go show 515 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:07,720 yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses 516 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:11,440 commanded for a proof to them. But he went out and began to 517 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:14,440 talk freely about it and to spread the news so that Jesus 518 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,680 could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate 519 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,600 places and people were coming to him from every quarter. 520 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:25,600 Leprosy was no joke. Leprosy is a skin disease that 521 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,400 made the affected person ceremonially unclean. 522 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:33,200 Under the Mosaic Law, a person with this, with this disease had 523 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:36,120 to live outside of the city or the camp where the rest of the 524 00:27:36,120 --> 00:27:38,880 people resided. They had to wear torn clothes 525 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,600 and cover their mouth. They had to cry out unclean, 526 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:45,120 unclean to warn others off. A person with leprosy was 527 00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:47,640 forbidden from the temple worship and interaction with 528 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,160 others. It was seen as a mark of sin and 529 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:52,800 shame in the eyes of most people. 530 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:56,280 These people were just outcasts essentially. 531 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,320 Someone with leprosy would live in complete isolation from 532 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:02,760 others, no friends, no family until the day they died. 533 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:06,120 It was, by all accounts, a horrible disease. 534 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:08,520 And that's where Jesus meets this man. 535 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:11,520 The leper had likely no hope left. 536 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:15,040 Everyone had abandoned him. But the leper fell to his knees 537 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:17,840 before Jesus, saying, if you are willing, you can make me clean. 538 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:20,760 Then Jesus, moved by compassion, touches him. 539 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:23,600 The leper probably hadn't experienced human touch in a 540 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:26,360 long time. But Jesus, with authority over 541 00:28:26,360 --> 00:28:30,600 all sickness, touches this man and says, I am willing be clean. 542 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:34,360 And immediately the leprosy disappeared and he was healed. 543 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:39,440 Jesus cared for the individual. The leper was one man alone, 544 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:43,240 left and forgotten by everyone. But Jesus still cared for him. 545 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:47,600 Jesus then tells him to tell no one, but to show himself to the 546 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:50,760 priest, not only to keep in accordance with the Jewish laws, 547 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:53,760 but also as a proof to the priest that what they thought 548 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:55,600 had been impossible had happened. 549 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,200 This was going to be another sign to them that pointed that 550 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:01,960 Jesus was the Son of God. Unfortunately, the man went out 551 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:05,160 and told everyone what happened, but I find it hard to imagine 552 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:07,120 that if anyone else was in that spot, they wouldn't have done 553 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:10,200 the very same thing. He must have been experiencing 554 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,120 so much joy that he felt he just couldn't keep it to himself. 555 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:16,000 He wanted everyone to know, and I'm sure he wanted to be 556 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,360 included in society again. But even though we probably 557 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,360 sympathize with him, we can see a result of his actions. 558 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:25,400 It caused such crowds together that Jesus could no longer go 559 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:27,880 into the towns. Instead, he had to go to a 560 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:30,880 secluded place. And yet still people kept coming 561 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:34,160 to him. People went to see Jesus even 562 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:36,480 though they had to go to desolate places to do so. 563 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:38,840 For what reason they went, it doesn't say. 564 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:42,320 Was it because they wanted to see, to know more about Jesus, 565 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:44,640 Jesus's teaching? Or were they? 566 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:47,920 Or were they more interested in the healing rather than in the 567 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:50,200 healer? Notice how when the leper 568 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:53,880 approaches Jesus, he begs to be cleansed, to be made clean. 569 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:56,800 He needed much more than physical healing. 570 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:01,840 He needed to be cleansed from sin, and like the leper, we too 571 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:06,160 need to be cleansed from sin. So are you going to Jesus in 572 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:08,880 hopes of getting a more easier, comfortable life? 573 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:12,040 Are you hoping for miracles and missing the Messiah? 574 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:15,360 Or are we coming earnestly to Jesus with all our filth in our 575 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:18,040 sin and saying, Lord, if you will make me clean? 576 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:23,000 Jesus showed he cared for the masses, but he also cared for 577 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:25,440 the individual. And like Jesus cared for the 578 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:29,920 leper, he cares for us too. Peter, writing in first Peter 5 579 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:33,920 through 6, says Humble yourselves, therefore under the 580 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:37,600 mighty hand of God, so at the proper time He will exalt you, 581 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:41,840 casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. 582 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:47,000 We can't come demanding miracles, but humbly we can 583 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:50,520 approach Jesus and give all our worries and cares to Him. 584 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:54,200 He wants us to do that. When we prepare to tell friends 585 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,120 some big news, we often wonder, Will I scare them off? 586 00:30:57,440 --> 00:30:59,720 What will they think of me? Will they think differently of 587 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:02,080 me now? What will their reaction be to 588 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:04,960 me? But when we go to Jesus with our 589 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:07,840 cares, He isn't scared of them. He already knows what we're 590 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,840 going to say before we say it. Therefore, when we're anxious 591 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:15,080 and scared, we should go to Jesus and cast our cares on Him. 592 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,440 In the 1960s there was a man named John Bunyan. 593 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:24,520 He was not a very educated nor a very rich man, but yet John 594 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:26,680 became a powerful preacher in England. 595 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:30,160 Due to the fear of what non state church sanctioned 596 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:33,800 preaching could lead to, it was outlawed and forbidden in 597 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:35,960 England. Because of this John was 598 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:39,440 arrested and thrown into prison. At the time he was thrown in 599 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:42,120 prison he was the sole provider for his wife and his young 600 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:44,760 children. While he was in prison he faced 601 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:46,920 many pressures from the governing authorities. 602 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:50,640 Just promise to stop preaching and you can go free was the 603 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,600 opportunity given to him. But he refused. 604 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:57,240 He chose chains over compromise because he had a hope in Jesus 605 00:31:57,480 --> 00:31:59,480 and he knew that he was called to preach. 606 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:03,240 John ended up spending 12 years in prison, but he refused to 607 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:06,000 recant. When John sat in prison, knowing 608 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,960 his family was suffering without him, he must have wondered, 609 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:11,480 well, what now? Is there still hope? 610 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,360 But still, even though imprisoned after a lot, after he 611 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:18,960 lost his freedom, his comfort and his future, he didn't lose 612 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:20,400 hope in Jesus. Lose hope. 613 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:23,240 Prison might be one of the easiest to do so, and you would 614 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:25,840 think that 12 years in prison would suffocate any idea of 615 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:28,000 hope. But instead of succumbing to the 616 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:30,880 desires of those who put him in there, he wrote the book The 617 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:33,800 Pilgrim's Progress, which has become one of the highest 618 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:36,480 selling books in the English language after the Bible. 619 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:39,840 The story is about a man burdened by guilt and despair 620 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:42,440 who finds hope and salvation at the cross. 621 00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:45,760 John. 'S life is an example that even 622 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:48,680 in the darkest and loneliest times, when it seems like 623 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:51,440 everything is taken away, hope remains. 624 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:55,520 This isn't a naive hope or a fake optimism, and you can't 625 00:32:55,520 --> 00:32:59,240 fake it until you make it. If we find, if we strive to find 626 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:02,120 our hope and our own strength and our own abilities, we will 627 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:05,040 come up short by ourselves. We are without hope. 628 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:08,000 We're lost. We have all sinned and fallen 629 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:11,000 short of the standard set by God, and because of our sin and 630 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:14,080 disobedience, we deserve death. We deserve hell. 631 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:18,960 A life without Christ is a life without hope, but thanks be to 632 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:20,480 God that he didn't leave us there. 633 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:23,840 Instead of a false hope, we have a hope that comes from trusting 634 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:27,200 and a loving and caring Savior. A Savior that loved his children 635 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:29,400 so much that he died for them in their place. 636 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:32,200 And that is the ultimate way that Jesus showed that he cared 637 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:35,600 for his children. Romans 58 But God shows his love 638 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:39,640 for us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died 639 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:41,920 for us. If you. 640 00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:44,000 Have put your trust. In Jesus, then you have a hope 641 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:48,920 that cannot be taken away. When everything feels broken. 642 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:53,560 And you feel lost and abandoned. And the only. 643 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:55,440 Question that comes to mind is what now? 644 00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:05,070 Is there still hope Jesus answers that call? 645 00:34:05,070 --> 00:34:14,600 With a resounding yes. That hope is found at the. 646 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:17,199 Cross, we've heard. It since we were. 647 00:34:17,199 --> 00:34:19,760 Children. For God so loved the world that 648 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:22,960 he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should 649 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:24,840 not perish, but have eternal life. 650 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:27,639 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the 651 00:34:27,639 --> 00:34:30,639 world, but in order that the world might be saved through 652 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:35,760 him. If you're listening today and. 653 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:37,600 Have not put your hope and trust in Jesus. 654 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:41,000 I would encourage you to do so. If you've thought about it but 655 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:43,440 pushed it off, don't delay it anymore. 656 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:48,159 Paul says the right time is now. Today is the day of salvation. 657 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:51,080 You don't need to be perfect. You don't need to have it all 658 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:53,239 figured out. You don't need to fix yourself 659 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:55,320 1st, and if you've tried that you realize you probably can't 660 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:58,360 do it anyway. Jesus grace is. 661 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:02,160 Sufficient for you? By repenting of your sins. 662 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:05,960 And turning to Christ, you will share in the hope that Jesus 663 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:09,080 provides, not a hope of health, wealth and prosperity. 664 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:10,840 Those things may come, and that's not wrong. 665 00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:15,400 But we are not. Promised an easy life on Earth. 666 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:19,400 Instead, you will share in the hope that though we die, we 667 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:21,160 serve a God that raises the dead. 668 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:27,000 Our God is a God. Of restoration. 669 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:31,160 To that end, let us serve Him faithfully and obediently. 670 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:35,600 Let's pray. Lord. 671 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:38,760 You are a Good Shepherd. We have all that we need. 672 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:42,320 You renew our strength. You restore our souls. 673 00:35:45,240 --> 00:35:46,520 Even. Though we walk through dark 674 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:49,960 valleys, we need not be afraid because you are close beside us. 675 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:52,760 Your rod and your staff, they comfort us. 676 00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:56,360 Lord, I confess, I don't. Always find my hope in you. 677 00:35:56,840 --> 00:35:58,720 I seek comfort in the things of this world. 678 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:01,720 But I thank you for your grace and for your mercy. 679 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:05,680 I pray that as a church, as a body of believers, we will seek 680 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:08,800 you first, and that we will find our hope in you alone. 681 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:10,480 It's in your name, we pray.