1 00:00:06,490 --> 00:00:10,100 Ohh Father God, we thank you once again for your incredible 2 00:00:10,110 --> 00:00:14,180 goodness to us, or we thank you for Bury and for the preparation 3 00:00:14,190 --> 00:00:17,310 that he's put in as he comes to share with us this morning. 4 00:00:18,130 --> 00:00:19,500 Lord, would you speak through him? 5 00:00:20,130 --> 00:00:24,240 Would you use Him to honour and glorify your name and to lead us 6 00:00:24,310 --> 00:00:28,210 to know you more? Father God, we pray as well for 7 00:00:28,220 --> 00:00:31,110 the kids as they head out to Sunday school and for all their 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:32,810 teachers. Thanks for the preparation that 9 00:00:32,820 --> 00:00:34,800 they've done as they look into your word. 10 00:00:35,260 --> 00:00:38,710 Would you bless them and and help them this morning as they 11 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,720 share your word and that the kids would have a depth and an 12 00:00:41,730 --> 00:00:44,600 understanding of what it is and what it means for them in Jesus 13 00:00:44,610 --> 00:00:47,410 name, Amen. Good morning. 14 00:00:47,620 --> 00:00:49,570 How are you? My name's Barry Stevenson. 15 00:00:49,620 --> 00:00:53,490 It's in case you don't know, I've got a couple of sons here 16 00:00:53,500 --> 00:00:56,670 and their families. Thank you for this opportunity 17 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:02,640 to share with you this morning. Today we are taking a look at 18 00:01:02,690 --> 00:01:10,340 Mark Chapter 8 verses 22 to 38 and in this passage we see Jesus 19 00:01:10,350 --> 00:01:15,160 takes two guys two goes to heal a blind man where normally his 20 00:01:15,170 --> 00:01:20,380 miracles work first time. Next we see Peter declare that 21 00:01:20,390 --> 00:01:25,010 Jesus is the Messiah. But soon after this Jesus says 22 00:01:25,020 --> 00:01:31,290 to Peter, Get behind me, Satan. And finally, Jesus says, if we 23 00:01:31,300 --> 00:01:35,670 want to be as follows followers, we must lose our lives, take up 24 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,890 our cross and follow Him. And these events seemed 25 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:45,660 unrelated, but actually Jesus connected these events to 26 00:01:45,670 --> 00:01:49,120 teachers, disciples, something, and to correct some faulty 27 00:01:49,130 --> 00:01:52,250 thinking that they'd grown up with from a child. 28 00:01:53,710 --> 00:01:57,000 So we're now going to read the first part of today's passage. 29 00:01:57,210 --> 00:02:03,260 Reading Mark chapter 822 to 26 and this is in the NLT version 30 00:02:03,270 --> 00:02:06,950 which I like. It's simpler for my small brain. 31 00:02:08,419 --> 00:02:11,950 Okay, verse 22 when they arrived and beside the some people 32 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:16,050 brought a blind man to Jesus and they begged him to touch the man 33 00:02:16,060 --> 00:02:19,990 and heal him. Jesus took the man blind man by 34 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,000 the hand and led him out of the village. 35 00:02:22,350 --> 00:02:25,600 Then, spitting on the blind man's eyes, he laid his hands on 36 00:02:25,610 --> 00:02:28,660 him and asked. Can you see anything now? 37 00:02:30,790 --> 00:02:32,780 The man looked around. Yes, he said. 38 00:02:32,790 --> 00:02:35,880 I see people, but I can't see them very clearly. 39 00:02:35,890 --> 00:02:37,800 They looked like trees walking around. 40 00:02:39,090 --> 00:02:43,240 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes again, and his 41 00:02:43,250 --> 00:02:45,870 eyes were opened. His sight was completely 42 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,950 restored and he could see everything clearly. 43 00:02:50,110 --> 00:02:54,300 Jesus sent him away saying don't go back into the village on your 44 00:02:54,310 --> 00:03:00,040 way home. Now Mark is the only writer to 45 00:03:00,050 --> 00:03:04,010 record this miracle. Plus it's the only miracle that 46 00:03:04,020 --> 00:03:08,210 took two goes. All of Jesus other miracles work 47 00:03:08,220 --> 00:03:12,540 first time. For example, cripples never 48 00:03:12,550 --> 00:03:16,040 limped away, but they walked away when Jesus healed them. 49 00:03:16,230 --> 00:03:20,700 And when Jesus fed the 5000, no one went hungry. 50 00:03:21,970 --> 00:03:25,580 So why did Jesus take 2 ghosts to heal the blind man? 51 00:03:26,790 --> 00:03:29,880 Some people suggest he lack faith. 52 00:03:30,750 --> 00:03:34,600 For example, in Mark chapter 10 when Jesus healed blind but 53 00:03:34,710 --> 00:03:38,970 blind Bartimaeus, Jesus said go, your faith has healed you. 54 00:03:39,230 --> 00:03:41,780 So clearly faith has something to do with it. 55 00:03:41,790 --> 00:03:45,930 It must be important. The blind man's friends 56 00:03:45,980 --> 00:03:49,750 certainly had faith because they had brought him to Jesus and 57 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,260 begged Jesus to touch him and heal his friend. 58 00:03:54,530 --> 00:03:58,640 Yeah, well, obviously the the blind man hadn't seen Jesus and 59 00:03:58,650 --> 00:04:02,630 hadn't seen any miracles. But maybe you've heard about 60 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:06,350 Jesus. So maybe, just perhaps it's 61 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,910 because of this, the blind man had kind of second hand faith. 62 00:04:11,020 --> 00:04:15,010 Here's say faith, and maybe this is the reason that Jesus took 2 63 00:04:15,020 --> 00:04:19,470 ghosts. Of course, I don't believe this 64 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:25,090 for a moment. I'm just having you on because 65 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:27,670 of March Chapter 9. We read about the Father who 66 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,110 brought his demon possessed boy to Jesus. 67 00:04:30,890 --> 00:04:34,800 The Father admitted admitted his lack of faith, yet Jesus still 68 00:04:34,810 --> 00:04:38,500 healed the boy. Jesus wasn't that callous not to 69 00:04:38,780 --> 00:04:43,240 heal those who lack faith. Actually, Jesus was constantly 70 00:04:43,250 --> 00:04:45,870 faced with people who didn't know what to believe about him, 71 00:04:46,970 --> 00:04:50,660 and we may be the same. Not sure what to believe. 72 00:04:51,580 --> 00:04:55,510 Our faith takes time and knowledge to grow. 73 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:57,970 Yeah. Jesus doesn't doesn't hold us at 74 00:04:57,980 --> 00:05:02,190 arm's length just because our faith isn't up to full strength. 75 00:05:02,460 --> 00:05:04,690 Some days it's nowhere near full strength. 76 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:12,150 God has quite the opposite to this idea of needing faith, 77 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:17,110 strong faith, for he cares for the weak and he desires to 78 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,660 nurture our faith. He wants it to grow as Matthew 79 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:26,540 Chapter 1220 says, a smouldering Wick He wills not snuff out. 80 00:05:29,990 --> 00:05:34,870 In verse 26 we see the blind man didn't live in the village of 81 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,320 Basada. This made the village was an 82 00:05:38,330 --> 00:05:41,760 unfamiliar place. We could easily bump into 83 00:05:41,770 --> 00:05:46,250 people, trip over sheep. Maybe this is the reason that 84 00:05:46,260 --> 00:05:50,400 Jesus led him out of town, away from those Richard sheep. 85 00:05:51,930 --> 00:05:55,180 Jesus then spat on the man's eyes, touched him with his hands 86 00:05:55,190 --> 00:05:59,040 and then asked if he could see anything and the man said yes, 87 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,850 he could see people, but they look like trees walking around 88 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,990 and I'm guessing that that man probably walked into a few trees 89 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:13,970 over his years. Couldn't see them of course and 90 00:06:13,980 --> 00:06:15,890 that probably explains his description. 91 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:20,000 And plus The Walking trees were probably his friends who had 92 00:06:20,010 --> 00:06:23,870 followed him out of town, or maybe Jesus disciples had also 93 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:31,470 followed along. When Jesus touched the blind man 94 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,030 a second time, his eyes were completely healed. 95 00:06:34,990 --> 00:06:37,330 So clearly Jesus hadn't lost his touch. 96 00:06:39,030 --> 00:06:42,130 But why did he take two guys to heal the blind man? 97 00:06:44,340 --> 00:06:48,690 Well, I believe Jesus deliberately took two guys to 98 00:06:48,700 --> 00:06:52,530 heal the blind man. I believe Jesus was using this 99 00:06:52,540 --> 00:06:56,430 miracle as an object lesson to teach his disciples. 100 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:59,250 And the lesson is this Listen clearly. 101 00:07:00,410 --> 00:07:05,140 Sometimes we don't see or understand things completely the 102 00:07:05,150 --> 00:07:11,610 first time and fake really do we fully understand things the 103 00:07:11,620 --> 00:07:17,030 first time we we hear ideas. Sometimes things don't seem to 104 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:21,870 be what they first seem to be. Our knowledge may in fact be 105 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:26,630 like walking trees and we don't actually see or know things 106 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:31,610 clearly. It's like when I was at school 107 00:07:34,850 --> 00:07:38,500 and the teacher says do you have any questions? 108 00:07:38,770 --> 00:07:41,460 But of course not. None of us put our hand up first 109 00:07:41,470 --> 00:07:45,090 to show that we didn't understand that was you just 110 00:07:45,100 --> 00:07:49,000 didn't do that. Or it's like being given 111 00:07:49,090 --> 00:07:52,180 directions by your wife as you drive down the road. 112 00:07:52,430 --> 00:07:55,360 But halfway there you have to ask, Ohh, by the way, where are 113 00:07:55,370 --> 00:07:58,940 we going? We like to think we fully 114 00:07:58,950 --> 00:08:04,570 understand, but chances are we don't and even sometimes we may 115 00:08:04,580 --> 00:08:11,910 be completely wrong. In Philippians chapter 1-6 it 116 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:16,650 says God who began a good work in you will carry it on to 117 00:08:16,660 --> 00:08:20,160 completion until the day Jesus Christ returns. 118 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:24,770 And here we see the Christian life has a start date and a 119 00:08:24,780 --> 00:08:28,660 finish date. However, in between, our 120 00:08:28,670 --> 00:08:31,090 knowledge and understanding is not complete. 121 00:08:33,110 --> 00:08:36,340 Over time, God wants to transform us to become like 122 00:08:36,350 --> 00:08:38,570 Christ. But it's not instant. 123 00:08:39,350 --> 00:08:43,059 We're not instantly perfect, full of knowledge, perfect 124 00:08:43,070 --> 00:08:48,970 knowledge. The moment we receive Christ as 125 00:08:48,980 --> 00:08:52,700 we journey along, we may think we fully understand, but chances 126 00:08:52,710 --> 00:08:56,640 are we don't. We may think we have the whole 127 00:08:56,650 --> 00:09:00,460 picture, but really the painting is only half done and people 128 00:09:00,470 --> 00:09:05,730 still look like walking trees. Therefore, we need to be careful 129 00:09:06,020 --> 00:09:08,750 about what we think we know and understand. 130 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:14,850 We need to be careful about the ideas and opinions we hold and 131 00:09:14,860 --> 00:09:19,080 be open to change for us. Not until Christ's return that 132 00:09:19,090 --> 00:09:21,370 we will truly see the complete picture. 133 00:09:23,060 --> 00:09:27,700 Only then will we clearly see and know what God intended. 134 00:09:28,450 --> 00:09:31,980 Only then will we say ohh so that's what God was up to. 135 00:09:32,210 --> 00:09:38,440 Didn't see that coming. I'd now like to read our next 136 00:09:38,570 --> 00:09:43,170 few verses of this morning's message, verses 27 to 30. 137 00:09:45,820 --> 00:09:49,550 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went to the villages 138 00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:53,940 near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he 139 00:09:53,950 --> 00:09:56,900 asked them, Who do people say that I am? 140 00:09:58,510 --> 00:10:02,200 Well, they replied, some say John the Baptist, some say 141 00:10:02,210 --> 00:10:06,590 Elijah, and others say you're one of the other prophets didn't 142 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:08,620 asked them. But who do you say I am? 143 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,310 Peter replied. You are the Messiah, But Jesus 144 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,330 warned them not to tell anyone about them. 145 00:10:20,050 --> 00:10:25,480 The Caesarea Philippi was a town about 40 kilometres north of the 146 00:10:25,490 --> 00:10:29,730 Sea of Galilee. And as they walked along, Jesus 147 00:10:29,740 --> 00:10:34,820 asked them asked as the cycles what were people asking about 148 00:10:34,830 --> 00:10:36,750 and what was the word on the street. 149 00:10:37,540 --> 00:10:39,930 And they replied that people thought he was one of the 150 00:10:39,940 --> 00:10:44,330 prophets of old, like Elijah who had been who had returned as 151 00:10:44,340 --> 00:10:50,220 promised in Malachi chapter 4. Others, like King Herod, believe 152 00:10:50,230 --> 00:10:53,430 Jesus was John the Baptist raised back from life. 153 00:10:55,750 --> 00:11:00,880 And what this shows us is people hadn't worked out who Jesus was, 154 00:11:01,350 --> 00:11:04,780 and Jesus wasn't in a hurry to tell them either. 155 00:11:06,050 --> 00:11:09,350 He stopped demons from revealing he was the Son of God and asked 156 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,690 those he healed not to say what happened to him. 157 00:11:14,490 --> 00:11:17,360 That's why Jesus told the blind man not to go back into the 158 00:11:17,370 --> 00:11:19,770 village. On his way home, Jesus didn't 159 00:11:19,780 --> 00:11:23,940 want people to see him and started asking the blind man how 160 00:11:23,950 --> 00:11:27,530 he could now see. And when Jesus asked as a 161 00:11:27,540 --> 00:11:31,230 cyclist what they who they thought he was and people, Peter 162 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:35,770 declared you are the Messiah. Even then, Jesus warned them not 163 00:11:35,780 --> 00:11:41,760 to tell anyone about them. And so it seems, Jesus wants to 164 00:11:41,770 --> 00:11:45,800 keep a low profile. He hadn't come to earth to 165 00:11:45,810 --> 00:11:49,860 become the most popular boy on the block and ride a misguided 166 00:11:49,870 --> 00:11:54,400 wave of public support. Rather, He came to earth to 167 00:11:54,410 --> 00:11:59,350 teach us the way to God, and He provided that He achieved that 168 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:05,320 by dying on the cross for our sins only at the right time, 169 00:12:05,370 --> 00:12:09,880 close to the time of His death. This is death approach to Jesus. 170 00:12:10,650 --> 00:12:14,800 Confirm who he truly was, that he was the Messiah, the Son of 171 00:12:14,810 --> 00:12:20,950 God. I'd never like to explain this 172 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:22,210 word. Messiah. 173 00:12:23,430 --> 00:12:26,150 I'm sure you probably know, but be with me. 174 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:31,840 Messiah comes from the Hebrew language and means Anointed 1. 175 00:12:32,990 --> 00:12:35,760 In Greek crisis the name for anointed 1. 176 00:12:35,770 --> 00:12:40,590 So Christ and Messiah mean the same thing in Old Testament 177 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,700 times. Profits, priests and kings were 178 00:12:43,710 --> 00:12:47,680 anointed. Anointing was a ceremony where 179 00:12:47,690 --> 00:12:51,550 an individual was dedicated to a special position, just like 180 00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:55,450 Moses anointed Aaron as priest in Leviticus chapter 8. 181 00:12:57,330 --> 00:13:00,700 Now throughout the Old Testament times, throughout history, their 182 00:13:00,710 --> 00:13:06,200 bills and the nation of Israel and expectation of a unique 183 00:13:06,210 --> 00:13:10,460 individual who would bring deliverance and restoration. 184 00:13:11,210 --> 00:13:18,080 For example, Genesis chapter 49 speaks of the King whom all 185 00:13:18,090 --> 00:13:20,740 nations will honour true to your enemy. 186 00:13:20,750 --> 00:13:24,560 Chapter 18 speaks of a prophet like Moses who would speak the 187 00:13:24,570 --> 00:13:28,230 words of God. Jeremiah 23 speaks of a 188 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:32,490 righteous king who rule the rule with wisdom, who will do what is 189 00:13:32,500 --> 00:13:36,750 just and right, who will save Israel, whose name is the Lord, 190 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:40,910 is our righteousness. And finally, in Decorah chapter 191 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:44,890 3, the Lord says I'm going to bring my servant to branch and 192 00:13:44,900 --> 00:13:48,170 I'll remove the sin of this land in a single day. 193 00:13:48,930 --> 00:13:52,150 These are just a few references, but I trust you get the picture 194 00:13:52,910 --> 00:13:57,450 of this expectation that built built up within the nation of 195 00:13:57,460 --> 00:14:01,650 Israel of a remarkable individual and Messiah who would 196 00:14:01,660 --> 00:14:05,320 fulfil all roles of prophet, priest and king. 197 00:14:07,390 --> 00:14:10,140 That individual would bring God's word and would bring a 198 00:14:10,150 --> 00:14:14,360 sacrifice for sin and ultimately be the King of the Jews in all 199 00:14:14,370 --> 00:14:19,330 the world. Unfortunately, by the time Jesus 200 00:14:19,340 --> 00:14:25,000 came, the Jewish concept of Messiah focused only on a king, 201 00:14:25,070 --> 00:14:28,730 and the roles of a prophet and priest were largely forgotten. 202 00:14:29,570 --> 00:14:33,550 The Jews were only looking for a political and military ruler who 203 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:38,240 would free them from Roman rule and This is why they didn't 204 00:14:38,250 --> 00:14:40,420 recognise Jesus as their Messiah. 205 00:14:41,420 --> 00:14:46,620 Like the blind man, the people only partially understood and 206 00:14:46,630 --> 00:14:51,410 saw who their Messiah would be. They didn't understand their 207 00:14:51,420 --> 00:14:54,860 Messiah was coming to freedom from their sin and not from 208 00:14:54,870 --> 00:14:59,820 Roman rule. OK, and now I'd like to read the 209 00:14:59,830 --> 00:15:03,870 last part of today's passage. Okay, verse 31. 210 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:08,370 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer 211 00:15:08,380 --> 00:15:12,030 many terrible things and be rejected by the elders and the 212 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:16,000 leading priests and the teachers of religious law. 213 00:15:16,270 --> 00:15:20,000 He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from 214 00:15:20,010 --> 00:15:23,240 the dead. Has he talked about this openly 215 00:15:23,250 --> 00:15:26,860 with his disciples people? Peter took him aside and began 216 00:15:27,050 --> 00:15:29,430 to reprimand him for saying such things. 217 00:15:30,430 --> 00:15:32,570 Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples. 218 00:15:32,580 --> 00:15:36,720 Then he reprimanded Peter. Get away from me, Satan, he 219 00:15:36,730 --> 00:15:39,390 said. You are seeing things merely 220 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,450 from a human point of view, not from gods. 221 00:15:43,950 --> 00:15:47,180 Then calling the crowd to join as disciples, he said. 222 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,330 If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your 223 00:15:51,340 --> 00:15:54,170 own way. Take up your cross and follow 224 00:15:54,180 --> 00:15:57,260 me. If you try to hang on to your 225 00:15:57,270 --> 00:16:02,090 life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for 226 00:16:02,100 --> 00:16:05,810 my sake and the sake of the good news, you will save it. 227 00:16:06,870 --> 00:16:09,830 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose 228 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:12,810 your sign soul? Is there anything worth more 229 00:16:12,820 --> 00:16:16,190 than yours? Ohh, if anyone is ashamed of 230 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:19,810 Maine and my message and these adulterous and sinful days, the 231 00:16:19,820 --> 00:16:22,770 Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in 232 00:16:22,780 --> 00:16:26,530 his glory of His Father and with His holy angels. 233 00:16:28,420 --> 00:16:34,440 Please note that Jesus didn't refer to himself as Messiah but 234 00:16:34,450 --> 00:16:38,300 as the Son of Man, so I'd also like to explain this to him. 235 00:16:38,350 --> 00:16:43,590 Son of Man Firstly Son of Man reveals Jesus human side. 236 00:16:44,590 --> 00:16:47,080 Jesus is God, but he's also human. 237 00:16:47,470 --> 00:16:51,990 The Son of Man. Dislike the story The Lion, the 238 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:57,070 Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis Dear Mr. Tumnus the Fawn 239 00:16:58,110 --> 00:17:01,700 asked Lucy Pevensey whether she was the daughter of Eve. 240 00:17:01,810 --> 00:17:07,730 Was she in fact human? Jesus called himself Son of Man 241 00:17:07,740 --> 00:17:11,650 because it was a less political name compared to Messiah. 242 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:17,410 Son of Man is less clear cut, yet it's still an Old Testament 243 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:20,380 name that indicates someone with God's authority. 244 00:17:22,010 --> 00:17:25,819 In the book of Ezekiel, God referred to the prophet Ezekiel 245 00:17:25,829 --> 00:17:31,130 as Son of Man 92 times. This name came to symbolise 246 00:17:31,140 --> 00:17:35,030 someone chosen by God, as Ezekiel was someone with God's 247 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:39,100 Spirit and someone delegated to speak on God's behalf. 248 00:17:40,100 --> 00:17:44,880 In Daniel Chapter 7, Daniel also talks about a Son of Man 249 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:48,930 approaching God in heaven and giving, being given authority, 250 00:17:48,940 --> 00:17:52,760 honour and sovereignty over all the nations of the world and 251 00:17:52,770 --> 00:17:57,130 that one day everyone will obey the Son of Man and his rule will 252 00:17:57,140 --> 00:18:03,250 will be eternal. So we see that when Jesus used 253 00:18:03,260 --> 00:18:08,470 the name Son of Man, it carried great significance and I believe 254 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:12,670 people in the know like the High priest knew exactly who Jesus 255 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:15,990 was claiming to be. He was claiming to be the 256 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:20,280 eternal world ruler sent by God with God's message. 257 00:18:20,470 --> 00:18:26,300 I believe the Jewish Council knew exactly who Jesus was, yet 258 00:18:26,530 --> 00:18:30,390 they still send them to the his death because they were 259 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,470 unwilling to bow to his authority and accept Him as 260 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:37,310 their Lord. They had too much going for them 261 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:42,050 to lose it all. In verse 31, we see Jesus raised 262 00:18:42,100 --> 00:18:45,920 a new topic with his disciples. He speaks plainly. 263 00:18:45,930 --> 00:18:49,870 No parables this time. He told them he would suffer 264 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:53,250 terrible things, be rejected by members of the Jewish Council, 265 00:18:53,360 --> 00:18:57,210 would be killed in three days later, he would be right. 266 00:18:57,270 --> 00:19:01,450 He would rise from the dead and when Peter challenged Jesus love 267 00:19:01,460 --> 00:19:04,790 for talking like this, it shows that Peter and the other 268 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,850 disciples were no different from the average Jew. 269 00:19:08,850 --> 00:19:11,860 They too had been raised to expect a Messiah who would 270 00:19:11,870 --> 00:19:16,470 overthrow Roman rule and reestablish the Jewish nation. 271 00:19:17,290 --> 00:19:21,920 They had just recognised Jesus to be the promised Messiah, but 272 00:19:21,930 --> 00:19:25,680 they were still thinking Jesus would soon be king and they 273 00:19:25,690 --> 00:19:29,010 would be part of his government. But they were wrong. 274 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,260 They were totally misguided in their thinking. 275 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:38,110 The disciples were just like the blind man who didn't see 276 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:41,420 clearly. They didn't understand. 277 00:19:41,770 --> 00:19:44,600 They didn't have a clear picture of God's plan. 278 00:19:45,030 --> 00:19:49,700 As Jesus says in verse 33, they were looking at things from a 279 00:19:49,710 --> 00:19:53,830 human point of view. They wanted a Messiah to free 280 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,610 them from Roman rule. Their God knew their real need, 281 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:02,000 and our real need is to be freed from sin by way of the cross. 282 00:20:03,910 --> 00:20:07,840 When Jesus rebuked Peter and said get away from me Satan, he 283 00:20:07,850 --> 00:20:11,150 was saying Satan was behind Peter's thinking. 284 00:20:12,220 --> 00:20:16,170 Peter didn't understand why Jesus must die, and Satan 285 00:20:16,180 --> 00:20:20,710 happily used his ignorance to try and divert Jesus away from 286 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:27,810 needing to die on the cross. Remember, Satan had tried this 287 00:20:27,820 --> 00:20:30,120 before when he tempted Jesus in the desert. 288 00:20:31,190 --> 00:20:33,280 They are. Satan offered Jesus authority 289 00:20:33,290 --> 00:20:37,020 over all the kingdoms of the world without the pain of dying. 290 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:42,950 Sounds a great idea. Save New Jesus would one day be 291 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:46,590 king over all the world and willingly offer Jesus an 292 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,930 alternative strategy. However, Jesus knew it was God's 293 00:20:50,940 --> 00:20:52,800 plan for him to die in the cross. 294 00:20:54,470 --> 00:20:58,220 Jesus didn't want to suffer and die and even prayed in the 295 00:20:58,230 --> 00:21:01,410 garden of Ghasemi asking God for another way. 296 00:21:02,220 --> 00:21:06,190 But ultimately, Jesus was obedient to God's plan and 297 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:10,190 suffered and died on the cross to free us from our sin and free 298 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:21,010 us from Satan's control over us. These are the These verses are 299 00:21:21,020 --> 00:21:25,290 the first of three in Mark's gospel where Jesus explained 300 00:21:25,300 --> 00:21:28,420 that he must die. This was new stuff for his 301 00:21:28,430 --> 00:21:33,520 disciples and Jesus needed to change the disciples thinking 302 00:21:33,530 --> 00:21:36,220 about the type of Messiah they were following. 303 00:21:37,770 --> 00:21:40,550 They needed to see clearly, like the blind man. 304 00:21:41,940 --> 00:21:44,570 They weren't going to become members in a government. 305 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,710 Rather, Jesus was going to suffer and die. 306 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:50,280 And there was a really good chance that they would too. 307 00:21:52,140 --> 00:21:56,570 And this 34 Jesus caused the crowd to join him in the 308 00:21:56,580 --> 00:21:59,980 disciples. And then he says, if you, if we 309 00:21:59,990 --> 00:22:04,410 want to follow him, we must turn from our selfish ways, take up 310 00:22:04,420 --> 00:22:08,220 our cross and follow Him. And this reminds me of the 311 00:22:08,230 --> 00:22:10,070 children's game. Follow the leader. 312 00:22:10,730 --> 00:22:14,470 This game was fun, but only if you're happy. 313 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:16,310 Where the leader was leading you. 314 00:22:16,360 --> 00:22:20,230 Where the leader was taking you. That seems to recall being laid 315 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:26,610 down a thorn Bush one time. So just imagine the shock on the 316 00:22:26,620 --> 00:22:31,410 disciples faces as they realise that Jesus was leading them in a 317 00:22:31,420 --> 00:22:36,150 totally different direction. An unexpected future, A scary 318 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:42,760 future. The future is the issue here, 319 00:22:44,140 --> 00:22:49,530 Jesus presenting us with two lifestyles, two different 320 00:22:49,540 --> 00:22:55,280 lifestyles or outcomes. As verse 33 says, Do we want to 321 00:22:55,290 --> 00:22:59,900 live life from a human point of view or God's point of view? 322 00:23:01,660 --> 00:23:08,430 The human view on life is self centred, looking after #1A life 323 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:12,370 of physical comfort, pleasures, assets and security, even to the 324 00:23:12,380 --> 00:23:17,460 point of gaining the whole world. 1st 38 says this life 325 00:23:17,470 --> 00:23:21,750 also is ashamed of Jesus and his teaching. 326 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:28,010 In other words, the human view of life rejects Jesus Christ as 327 00:23:28,020 --> 00:23:31,510 Saviour and has no interest in his teachings. 328 00:23:32,020 --> 00:23:36,250 This lifestyle is like what Jesus described as adulteress 329 00:23:36,260 --> 00:23:41,770 and sinful days. Now, the human view of life can 330 00:23:41,820 --> 00:23:48,970 appear attractive at times. However, Proverbs chapter 1412 331 00:23:48,980 --> 00:23:53,340 says there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end 332 00:23:53,350 --> 00:23:56,970 it leads to death. And The thing is this, if we 333 00:23:56,980 --> 00:24:02,070 hang on to our life, we lose it. We will lose our very soul. 334 00:24:03,500 --> 00:24:08,030 Our soul is our own distinct being, different from anybody 335 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:11,080 else. El Soul is who we are. 336 00:24:12,360 --> 00:24:15,690 Our unique personalities, our feelings, our thoughts, our 337 00:24:15,700 --> 00:24:20,210 aspirations, our souls are what make me, me and you, you. 338 00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:26,520 But if we reject Jesus Christ 1st 36 says our souls are lost. 339 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:31,110 Jesus will be ashamed of us. He will reject us and have no 340 00:24:31,120 --> 00:24:35,080 interest in us. When He returns, we will no 341 00:24:35,090 --> 00:24:39,480 longer have the option of living in heaven for all eternity, but 342 00:24:39,490 --> 00:24:43,620 we will spend eternity in hell. So what's the alternative? 343 00:24:45,020 --> 00:24:47,910 Well, the attendance at the alternative is to give up our 344 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:51,070 lives for Jesus sake and the sake of His gospel. 345 00:24:51,420 --> 00:24:53,490 Take up our cross and follow Him. 346 00:24:56,140 --> 00:25:00,840 Now the word sake carries the idea of living for the benefit 347 00:25:01,850 --> 00:25:06,920 or interest of somebody else oo instead of living for 348 00:25:06,930 --> 00:25:12,400 self-interest and our own advantage, now we are to live 349 00:25:12,410 --> 00:25:14,860 for the benefit and interest of Jesus. 350 00:25:15,310 --> 00:25:19,460 Our prime interest is serving Jesus in whatever way we can 351 00:25:19,470 --> 00:25:22,430 find and ever way we are skilled. 352 00:25:23,500 --> 00:25:28,510 And sharing is good news. Like in the children's game, our 353 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:32,670 purpose in life is to stay focused on the leader who is 354 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:38,210 Jesus and keep following. And this is seen in Second 355 00:25:38,220 --> 00:25:44,120 Corinthians chapter 515 and it says Christ died for us. 356 00:25:44,390 --> 00:25:48,020 So we who live no longer live for ourselves, but for Christ 357 00:25:48,030 --> 00:25:49,970 who died for us and was raised again. 358 00:25:50,780 --> 00:25:54,790 And the interesting thing is when we give UR living for our 359 00:25:54,800 --> 00:26:00,510 own benefit, we find purpose. Purpose and satisfaction in life 360 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:04,570 is found and dying to self and living to help and support other 361 00:26:04,580 --> 00:26:08,360 people. In particular, purpose is found 362 00:26:08,370 --> 00:26:12,350 on serving Jesus Christ and sharing the story of the cross. 363 00:26:13,530 --> 00:26:16,460 I'd like to finish this talk with the elephant in the room. 364 00:26:18,330 --> 00:26:22,540 When Jesus calls us to follow. He said we must take up our 365 00:26:22,550 --> 00:26:26,960 cross when we follow him and there is no getting away from 366 00:26:26,970 --> 00:26:31,150 the fact that the the cross represents suffering and pain. 367 00:26:33,070 --> 00:26:37,220 In Roman times, crucifixion was used as a public form of 368 00:26:37,230 --> 00:26:41,180 punishment. Crucifixion was terribly painful 369 00:26:41,250 --> 00:26:45,440 and human and a humiliating death where victims were put on 370 00:26:45,450 --> 00:26:49,120 public display as examples of Roman dominance. 371 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:54,770 Victims were made to publicly submit to Roman power and 372 00:26:54,780 --> 00:26:58,560 authority, submission to the will of Rome. 373 00:27:00,580 --> 00:27:04,350 Therefore, when Jesus calls us to take up our cross, he's 374 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:09,170 calling for submission. He's calling for total 375 00:27:09,180 --> 00:27:13,730 commitment and dedication to Him because he died and bought us 376 00:27:13,740 --> 00:27:17,640 with his blood. He owns us. 377 00:27:20,380 --> 00:27:24,230 So to take up our cross and follow Christ is to fully submit 378 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:28,710 our will to Jesus Christ, even to even to the point of being 379 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:31,540 willing to suffer and die for our faith. 380 00:27:33,130 --> 00:27:36,660 Do you know that even today Christians are making it 381 00:27:36,670 --> 00:27:39,980 ultimate commitment to Christ and dying for what they believe 382 00:27:40,250 --> 00:27:43,530 is in terrible things happening throughout Africa in particular? 383 00:27:43,830 --> 00:27:47,960 At this moment? If it came to our turn, would 384 00:27:47,970 --> 00:27:52,600 would we be willing to stay true to faith in Christ and face 385 00:27:52,610 --> 00:27:55,420 death from those who hate Christianity? 386 00:27:55,850 --> 00:27:59,940 Because that hate is growing rapidly in our world and many 387 00:27:59,950 --> 00:28:01,740 Christians are bearing the brunt of it. 388 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:08,570 Now, maybe we in New Zealand may never die for our faith, but are 389 00:28:08,580 --> 00:28:12,720 we prepared to suffer? Are we willing to lose contact 390 00:28:12,730 --> 00:28:15,910 with friends and family who don't believe in Jesus? 391 00:28:17,250 --> 00:28:20,980 Are we willing to lose job and business opportunities because 392 00:28:20,990 --> 00:28:25,250 we are open to our faith? Are we willing to suffer 393 00:28:25,260 --> 00:28:28,400 ridicule and abuse from those who are anti Christian? 394 00:28:29,130 --> 00:28:32,360 Are we willing to be misunderstood and now have our 395 00:28:32,370 --> 00:28:36,400 reputations maligned by those who disagree with us? 396 00:28:36,970 --> 00:28:40,820 This is reality. When the writer two of the 397 00:28:40,830 --> 00:28:45,610 Hebrews wrote to his friends in chapter 1032, he said, Remember 398 00:28:45,620 --> 00:28:48,810 how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible 399 00:28:48,820 --> 00:28:52,270 suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to 400 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:56,290 public ridicule and beaten. You suffered with those thrown 401 00:28:56,300 --> 00:29:00,710 into prison, and when all that you own was taken from, you 402 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:03,160 accepted to it with joy. Are they crazy? 403 00:29:04,870 --> 00:29:08,890 You knew there were better things waiting for you, so do 404 00:29:08,900 --> 00:29:12,010 not throw away your confident trust in the Lord. 405 00:29:14,210 --> 00:29:17,800 I guess the point is there are better things waiting for us who 406 00:29:17,810 --> 00:29:22,070 trust in Jesus Christ as Lord. What does it matter if we lose 407 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:25,850 in this life compared to the rewards of the next? 408 00:29:27,230 --> 00:29:30,650 We need to remain focused on the salvation and hope we have in 409 00:29:30,660 --> 00:29:34,330 Jesus Christ. Remember, He is the Son of Man, 410 00:29:34,660 --> 00:29:38,330 the man sent from heaven, the man who ruled over all the 411 00:29:38,340 --> 00:29:42,380 world, and he is also the promised Messiah who sacrificed 412 00:29:42,390 --> 00:29:49,250 himself to save us from our sin. We may still feel like the blind 413 00:29:49,260 --> 00:29:53,810 man who couldn't see clearly. We may feel this big gaps in our 414 00:29:53,820 --> 00:29:55,970 understanding, or we might be the other way. 415 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:57,830 We may think we have it all together. 416 00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:03,240 But I can assure you, you don't. We need to be constantly 417 00:30:03,250 --> 00:30:06,800 learning and don't be. I'm not knocking you back. 418 00:30:06,850 --> 00:30:10,210 I want you to take heart because this is the human condition. 419 00:30:10,220 --> 00:30:14,060 This is okay, Bob. My encouragement is you keep 420 00:30:14,070 --> 00:30:17,940 working at growing in your understanding and we've grown 421 00:30:17,950 --> 00:30:19,880 this morning. We know a little bit more about 422 00:30:19,890 --> 00:30:23,420 Messiah and Son of God. We know a little bit about the 423 00:30:23,610 --> 00:30:26,280 the disciples who didn't see clearly. 424 00:30:26,290 --> 00:30:29,300 They didn't understand the Messiah they were following. 425 00:30:29,310 --> 00:30:34,320 But we know more than they do. We understand more than they did 426 00:30:34,630 --> 00:30:38,960 of the Messiah we are following and we need to be confident in 427 00:30:38,970 --> 00:30:42,430 that even if it means a hard time ahead for us. 428 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:50,140 The great thing is that one day we are going to meet Jesus face 429 00:30:50,150 --> 00:30:55,640 to face and then our faith and our our understanding will be 430 00:30:55,650 --> 00:30:58,180 complete. What a wonderful day that will 431 00:30:58,190 --> 00:31:01,410 be. Thank you for your time, it's 432 00:31:01,420 --> 00:31:02,810 been a pleasure to see you.