Drew Boswell

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Christ’s Power Over Every Need The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series “The Equation of Trust” Mark 6:1-13, 30-52

https://youtu.be/zMCJsAxodks

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

The Equation of Trust

Mark 6:1-13, 30-52

Introduction

How well do we trust God’s saving power in our lives? Luke Aikins is a professional skydiver who jumped from twenty-five thousand feet without a parachute. He spent two years preparing to perform this stunt. He completely trusted the specially constructed net to catch him in a manner that would not cause injury. Dramatically, Aikins successfully landed in the net and walked away without a scratch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPC_h9Vmlxw.[1]

 Prayer

No Effort Minus Jesus Equals Nothing (vv. 1- 6a)

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue[2], and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.

We see Jesus’ family mentioned in Mark 3:20-21 “Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” and 3:31 “And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.” and now he leaves his established ministry home of Capernaum, and returns to his childhood home, his hometown of Nazareth.

This was probably the first time that the people of Jesus’ hometown had ever heard him preach and many of them were amazed.[3] “They do not deny the wisdom of his words, nor the wonder of his works, but the townspeople knew Jesus and they had never suspected that he possessed such gifts and graces.”[4]

Like the scribes and Pharisee we have seen before, they are asking the right questions, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?” The answer is that he is the Son of God, the Messiah, etc. But they couldn’t get past . . .

(v. 3) “Is not this the carpenter” – This phrase tells us that Jesus was the son of a carpenter (Matt. 13:55), and here we see that he carried on the carpentry family business. The word tekton means to beget, create, craft, art. “It was a very old word, from Homer down.”[5]

(v. 3) “And they took offense at him.” – The hometown was offended that someone like Jesus, Mary’s son, a mere carpenter would dare to make such claims. Familiarity breeds contempt. “The people of Nazareth were incapable of appreciating who Jesus was because, like Jesus’ own family, they identified him with themselves so closely.”[6] Some believers who try to share with their family and friends face something similar. They may say, “I grew up with you, I knew you when you were in high school, etc.”

They are convinced, “God is not going to do anything significant here, and especially with someone that we know.” Once a town full of people are convinced that no one of importance could here come from their ranks, nothing godly will ever happen here – they are not going to serve with any significance, or give with any weight, or sacrifice toward making something work. If there is no faith in God working, then not much will happen.

(vv. 5-6) “5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.” At this point Jesus has healed countless people, cast out countless demons, taught incredible teachings, and even raised the dead back to life – so, what is it that amazes Jesus? What does He marvel at? What does it take to push people over the line from unbelief to belief? What does it take a people who have an engrained way of thinking to change?

Jesus encounters the faith of the gentile Centurion in Matthew 8:10 “When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”

Mark is telling us the unbelief as the cause of non-performance of miracles. They simply didn’t give Jesus an opportunity. “The people of Nazareth were so consistently unbelieving that they would not even bring their sick to Him to be healed.” [7] Jesus also, is not going to go around healing them against their will.

Effort Plus Jesus Equals Results (vv. 6b- 13)

And he went about among the villages teaching. 7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.1 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

Earlier in Mark 3:14-15 “And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons.” The disciples have been with Jesus for some time now, and they have heard him preach, seen him perform miracles, and cast out demons. So, now they are sent two-by-two proclaiming that people should repent, and as proof of the one who sent them, they had the power over demons and to heal the sick. They cannot “preach the full gospel until after the passion and resurrection.”[8]

“The purpose of their going in pairs was so that the truthfulness of their testimony about Jesus might be established ‘on the testimony of two or three witnesses’ (Duet. 17:6.)”[9]

Jesus gives them instructions on what to take, and what not to take on this mission trip. Take a friend (two-by-two) and a staff, regular set of clothes. Do not take special traveling shoes, no extra clothes, no food, no money or a bag to put it all in. Just the bare essentials. Pick a place to stay, don’t float from house to house. They were to have absolute trust in God to supply all their needs.

God Will Provide What They Need!

The message of repentance is what John the Baptist preached (Matt. 3:2) and what Jesus has always preached (Mark 1:15), it’s what the disciples preached, but they don’t seem to understand why (repent)? You repent so that you can receive the Savior. You repent so that you can receive what you need – they don’t understand this yet.

Any time disciples of Christ go out to share His message, there will be those who reject it. He has already began preparing them with the parable of the four soils (Mark 4) where only 25% of the Word will come to fruition. So Jesus says, “And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”

The shaking off the dust from their feet was to make it clear that those who rejected the message must now answer for themselves. Their message brings salvation to those who believe, and judgement to those that do not. This always happens when the gospel is preached.[10] (v. 12-13) “So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.”

14-29 death of John the Baptist[11]

Expectation Plus Effort Plus Jesus Equals Solution (vv. 30-44)

Vintage still life of an old wine jug with bread loaves and fresh fish

30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

(v. 30) “The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.” As far as we can tell, they preached repentance, healed the sick, and cast out demons, i.e. they did what Jesus sent them out to do. In response to their tour and present condition Jesus says, “let’s take a vacation!” (v. 32) “And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.”

But recognizing Jesus and the disciples they run to catch up with them. One town would run through the next where others would join in, so that as this group of runners went around the lake it got bigger and bigger as they went through villages, until eventually the crowd equaled five thousand people. (v.33) “But a vigorous crowd of runners would not have many sick.”[12]

This crowd ran a considerable distance to see and experience Jesus. The Good Shepherd saw them as “sheep without a shepherd,” and he had compassion on them, and he taught them many things.

What a difference between the crowd of his hometown and the crowd that literally runs after him wherever Jesus goes. Do you think they were expecting Jesus to do something wonderful?

(vv. 35-36) “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” The disciples reaction to the crowd is not compassion, nor do they ask, “how can we teach them truth?” Their response is “send them away.” Shows over.

The disciples have just returned from performing miraculous healing, casting our demons, and preaching – They did not miss a meal, they had a place to stay, and they accomplished the mission. God provided what they needed (then).

But they don’t see themselves as being apart of the answer to the current situation. Jesus’ hometown could not see God working through someone they knew; here the disciples don’t see that they could be apart of the solution. They don’t think to ask, “How will God provide for this need?

If everyone is sitting around waiting for someone else to solve the problem nothing gets done. Both types of blindness lead to the same place (nothing gets done). Also, it’s way easier to just quit than to try and solve the problem. It’s easy to say “Send them home.”

So Jesus tells the disciples (v. 37) “You give them something to eat.” – Figure it out. Try. Look around, what do you have at your disposal to solve this problem? The disciple’s answer is for everything to end and let the people fend for themselves.

Jesus takes what they have, five loaves and two fish, and solves the problem. Effort plus Jesus equals problem solved.

The disciples have seen Jesus heal countless people at this point, cast out many demons, calm a storm with his words, and even raise a girl from the dead – and they have themselves cast out demons, healed the sick, and preached – but the disciples don’t say, “Jesus what would you recommend?” They try to figure it out in their own small minds, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” – we don’t have enough resources to take care of this problem.

God Will Provide What Is Needed!

They have the right message (repentance) but they don’t have the right heart yet (shepherd’s heart). When they see the crowd, they see a problem (too much money, creates problems, stress). When Jesus sees the crowd, he sees it through a shepherd’s lens (compassion, teaching opportunity, how can we stay together?)

(v. 40) “So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.” – The word for group here is the same as Palestinian flower garden plots or beds.[13]

 (v. 43) “And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.” – they took the twelve baskets full of bread and fish and loaded them into the boat. Next to each disciple was a basket full of bread and fish.

Experience Plus Jesus Equals Understanding (vv. 45-52)

45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch[14] of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.[15] He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

“Immediately” after the five thousand people were fed, he made his disciples get into the boat and sent them off. John’s gospel (6:15 ff.) tells us that there is the crowd is getting wound up, and that there is danger of a messianic uprising as a result of the miracle.[16] The crowd is recognizing Jesus as the promised prophet and wanted to proclaim him as king.[17]

He apparently does not want the disciples to get swept up into this ideology, and He will try to calm the crowd down and dismiss them. Jesus did not want zealots to steal the movement away and attach their agenda and message to the miracles that Jesus was doing.

(v. 46) In Mark there are three times where Jesus retreats to pray,[18] and in each incident there is a crisis, and there is a temptation not to carry out God’s mission for him – a mission that would ultimately bring suffering, rejection, and death.

“for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.” What was it that the disciples failed to understand? What is it that their hearts are hardened toward? All Powerful God will provide what is needed, “for those who are called according to his purpose.” Jesus as the Son of God is God in the flesh who has come to provide what the entire earth needs – salvation.

Jesus has been revealed as a great teacher, a healer, raiser of the dead, one who can provide your every need – He is not just a miracle worker, He is the Son of God. If the disciples had understood this then when they saw Jesus walking on the water they would not have been terrified.

___________________________

[1] https://illustrationideas.bible/saving-power/

[2] This was the last time in the gospel of Mark that Jesus teaches at a synagogue.

[3] Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing House, 1984) 665.

[4] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1932) 305.

[5] Robertson, 306.

[6] Gaebelein, 665.

[7] Alexander Balman Bruce, The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Volume 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Grand Rapids Book Manufacturers, 1967) 378.

[8] James A. Brooks, The New American Commentary, Mark (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1991) 102.

[9] Gaebelein, 667.

[10] Ibid.

[11] I cover Mark 6:14-29 in the following sermon preached earlier in the year; https://drewboswell.com/how-do-i-please-god-with-my-life-by-persevering-in-the-face-of-difficulty-john-the-baptist-part-3-matthew-141-12/

[12] Robertson, 315.

[13] Bruce, 384.

[14] The night was divided into four watches: 6-9pm, 9-12pm, 12-3am, 3-6am.

[15] Job 9:8 and 38:16 discuss God walking upon the water.

[16] Gaebelein, 675. Hurtado also explains how the crowd would have easily seen parallels between the particular characteristics of the miracle and Moses in the wilderness, the feeding of manna, and how the tribes were arranged, etc.

[17] Brooks, 111.

[18] Mark 1:35 people not hearing the message of the gospel because they were focused on healing; Mark 6:46 overthrow of the government by uprising; Mark 14:32-36 the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus is facing the cross.

Christ’s Power Over Every Need The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series “Miracles Part 2: Power Over Sickness and Death” Mark 5:21-43

https://youtu.be/8beTtw9pIg4

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

Miracles Part 2: Power Over Sickness and Death

Mark 5:21-43

Introduction

“A pastor I know, Stephey Bilynskyj, starts each confirmation class with a jar full of beans. He asks his students to guess how many beans are in the jar, and on a big pad of paper writes down their estimates. Then, next to those estimates, he helps them make another list: Their favorite songs. When the lists are complete, he reveals the actual number of beans in the jar. The whole class looks over their guesses, to see which estimate was closest to being right. Bilynskyj then turns to the list of favorite songs. “And which one of these is closest to being right?” he asks. The students protest that there is no “right answer”; a person’s favorite song is purely a matter of taste. Bilynskyj, who holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Notre Dame asks, “When you decide what to believe in terms of your faith, is that more like guessing the number of beans, or more like choosing your favorite song?” Always, Bilynskyj says, from old as well as young, he gets the same answer: Choosing one’s faith is more like choosing a favorite song. When Bilynskyj told me this, it took my breath away. “After they say that, do you confirm them?” I asked him. “Well,” smiled Bilynskyj, “First I try to argue them out of it.”[1]

Prayer

My Little Daughter (vv. 21-24a)

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him.

Having healed the Gerasene Demoniac and sending 2,000 pigs into the sea, Jesus was asked to leave the village across the lake by a crowd, and now they land back on the shore, and crowds once again surround him.

As we know from previous chapters in Mark, Jesus would address the crowds at the seashore, or even in a boat pulled off the shore. This was another great opportunity to teach and preach to the “great crowd gathered about him.” But “one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus” came and fell at his feet, and earnestly asked for help for his little daughter, who is about to die.

“Rulers of the synagogue” were laymen whose responsibility were administrative, not priestly, and included such things as looking after the building and supervising the worship (such as inviting people to speak).

(v. 23) “My little daughter is at the point of death” – Jairus is doing what any desperate parent would do, he falls at Jesus’ feet, he uses the term little daughter to express how important she is to him.

It would seem that Jesus’ ministry impact would be with the great crowd, but he left them to minister to one family.

My Daughter’s Faith (vv. 24b-34)

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

The woman mentioned here had “a discharge of blood for twelve years” and in an effort to be healed she went to many physicians, who had her do all sorts of things that caused her to “suffer[ed] much under” their care. So not only does she suffer under the physicians, she has spent all the money she had, and the issue has grown worse, not better.

She had paid money to receive instructions like, “carrying the ashes of an ostrich egg in a cloth.”[2] Another instruction given would have been, “Set the woman in a place where. Two ways meet, and let her hold a cup of wine in her right hand, and let someone come from behind and frighten her, and say, ‘arise from thy flux.’”[3] So, she hears about Jesus, and thinks “if I can just touch his clothes, then I may be healed.”

In the New Testament there were miracles resulting from having Peter’s shadow pass over you (Acts 5:15-16) or coming into contact with Paul’s handkerchief (Acts 19:12), and later it was a common practice to touch Jesus’ clothes to be healed (Mark 6:56).[4] So almost from the beginning there is a need to clarify the difference between faith and relics (superstition).

Leviticus 15:25 “If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness. As in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean. 26 Every bed on which she lies, all the days of her discharge, shall be to her as the bed of her impurity. And everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her menstrual impurity. 27 And whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening.” Uncleanliness was transferable – the “unclean” were not to touch the “clean (Lev. 5:3).”[5]

(v. 25) This woman has been ceremonially unclean for over twelve years. An outcast, and alone, untouchable, for twelve years. “She was just as much an outcast as the demon-possessed man had been.”[6] She would not be allowed to approach Jesus, to talk to Him was unthinkable.

“Uncleanness in Israel causes Yahweh to turn away his face, and without the saving presence the nation is doomed to exile and destruction (Ezek. 39:24).”[7] So the leaders and the people as a whole think it is very important to keep the law, and to remain “clean.”

“And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” – We have already seen in Mark 4:12 Jesus’ explanation of the different soils and why He taught in parables, “they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand,” and here in chapter 5 we see them touching but not receive healing. The disciples are saying “many are pressed up against you,” many have touched him but this woman stands out.

The disciples reproached Jesus in the boat during the storm, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” and here again, “You see the crowd . . .” Why is Jesus concerned about one person among all these people? Jesus’ response “reveals the glory of the gospel . . . “Behold what manner of love . . . , that we should be called the sons of God (1 John 3:1).”[8]

The disciples are focused on trying to get Jesus to Jairus’ daughter where the real emergency existed, but Jesus is slowing them down by worrying about someone in a dense crowd that touched him. This apparent silly question would only cause a delay. Jesus’ question was not to rebuke her, but to make personal contact with her. “She needed to know that it was not her superstition (touching objects or clothes) that saved her, but her faith that caused God to heal her.”[9]

This woman has tried everything she can possibly do, in her own effort to be healed, and be ceremonially “clean” with God. It was her faith in Jesus that allowed her to be healed, and have the ability to enter into God’s presence. Jesus stops everything to make sure she understands that.

She is anticipating rebuke, chastisement, so she “came in fear and trembling and fell down before him . . .” “She knew Jesus’ power, but she did not yet know His heart.”[10] This all-powerful Son of God, what is He like?

(v. 34) “Daughter[11], your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” Jesus is claiming the same special relationship with her that Jairus had with his little daughter.[12] Jairus does not want to lose his daughter to death, Jesus does not want to lose His daughter to her not understanding what truly healed her. No matter the pressures of the crowd/world you stop everything when your kids are hurting.

 John 6:37 “. . . whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

“The word translated healed is sesoken (“saved”). Here both physical and theological salvation are in mind. “Go in peace” is a traditional Jewish formula for leaving-taking “shalom” but it is not just peace, as in peace from inward anxiety, but also in the sense of wholeness or completeness that comes from being brought into a right relationship with God.”[13] Go knowing that you are right with God.

 Little Girl Arise (vv. 35-43)

35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,”[14] which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age),[15] and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Jairus knows that his daughter is about to die, and he has two options. Stay and be with her when she dies (which is imminent) or go find Jesus – so he has found Jesus, but she dies before they can get back to the bedside.

Jesus overhears the conversation between Jairus and someone from his household, and says, “Do not fear, only believe.” Jairus has a choice of voices to listen to – someone from his household, or Jesus. It is always better to listen to hear what Jesus has to say about our situation, than anyone else.

Also, there is a finality on the friend’s remarks, “Why bother the teacher any further?” as if to say, “there is nothing that Jesus can do, now.” It’s too late. If Jesus decides to lay His hands upon something, then it is never too late. “Do not fear, only believe.”

When they arrive to Jairus’ home there were people, “weeping and wailing loudly.” The word for wailing is an onomatopoetic word, Alala – soldiers would yell this word when entering into battle, it is used for clanging symbols (1 Cor. 13:1), and it is used here to “refer to the sound of the monotonous wail of the hired mourners.”[16]

These are paid mourners, who are yelling out this alala “The lamentations consisted of choral song, or antiphony, accompanied with hand clapping.”[17] And flute and instrument playing, and people tearing their clothes.[18]

The paid mourner’s reaction to Jesus saying, “The child is not dead but sleeping” is to laugh at him. To ridicule Him. Jesus asks the paid mourners to leave and only the parents, Jesus, Peter, James and John are there when she is healed – Why?

 Some are entrusted with who Jesus is, the Messiah, the Savior of the World, and others are not. If Jesus knows you are not serious, but only pretending (like the paid mourners) then you will be sent away and will never experience the true miracle. The crowd who was looking on in curiosity were sent away, the paid mourners who lacked the faith that the father showed were sent away, even the other new disciples were sent out (leaving the inner three Peter, James, and John).

All three gospels mention that Jesus took her by the hand. He touches her. The father in v. 23 says, “Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” believing that it was his touch, but Jesus says, v. 36 “But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”

(v. 42) “the girl got up and began walking” Walking (aorist tense) here means, she kept on walking around. “She kept on walking about, first possibly to her mother, then to her father, and then finding out what had happened to Jesus who had restored her to life.”[19]

The healed woman with the blood discharge touched Jesus’ clothes. Jesus stops the woman and explains that it was the woman’s faith that saved her. Both of these stories are grounded on the word faith, believe.

Jesus does not care if the unclean touch him (blood issues or death), because He is the source of holiness. With His touch, all that defiles is gone. Nothing unclean can make him unclean by it’s touch. But Jesus can make clean anything that is unclean, “do not fear, only believe.”

There is nothing that is too far gone, that finding Jesus and asking Him to help will not make it better. In all three stories (the Gerasene Demoniac – unclean spirit, The woman with the blood discharge – bodily discharges, and the Jairus’ daughter – contact with the dead) all of these people were ceremonially unclean; but Jesus made them clean again, whole again, able to enter God’s presence again.

____________________________

[1] Tim Stafford, Christianity Today, September 14, 1992, p. 36.

[2] Max Anders, General Editor, Holman New Testament Commentary, Mark (Nashville, Tennessee; Holman Reference, 2000) 87.

[3] W. N. Clarke, Commentary on the Gospel of Mark (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; Judson Press, 1950) 77.

[4] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1930) 300.

[5] Unclean could make something unclean, but clean could not make something unclean, clean.

[6] Anders, 87.

[7] L.E. Tombs, The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1980) 647.

[8] George Arthur Buttrick, Commentary Editor, The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume 7 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1980) 723.

[9] Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing House, 1984) 660.

[10] Clarke, 77.

[11] This is the only time Jesus was recorded calling a woman, “daughter.”

[12] Anders, 88.

[13] Gaebelein, 662.

[14] First mention of Jesus speaking Aramaic in the Gospel of Mark.

[15] The woman healed from bleeding and discharge suffered for 12 years, and the little girl raised from the dead was 12 years old. Is there a connection?

[16] Robertson, 302.

[17] Gaebelein, 662.

[18] “A vivid description of the tumult is provided by L. Bauer, Volksleben im Lande der Bibel (Leipzig, 1903), pp. 211 ff. The woman form a circle around the leader of the dance of death, and dance rhythmically from left to right with their hair hanging down, Gradually they increase their mournful lament and the wild movements of hands and feet until their faces become flushed to a high degree and appear especially excited as the time of burial draws near.” William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1993) 196.

[19] Herchel H. Hobbs, An Exposition of the Four Gospels, Mark (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1978) 88.

Christ’s Power Over Every Need The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series “Miracles Part 1: Power Over Nature and Demons” Mark 4:35-5:20

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

Miracles Part 1: Power Over Nature and Demons

Mark 4:35-5:20

Introduction

An Indian fable talks about a mouse that was constantly in fear of cat. So one day, a magician changed the mouse into a cat. But then the cat was afraid of a dog. So the magician changed the cat into a dog. But the dog was afraid of a tiger. So the magician changed the dog into a tiger. But then the tiger was afraid of a hunter. Finally, in exasperation, the magician said, “Be a mouse again, you have only the heart of a mouse and I cannot help you.”

Prayer

“Even the Wind and Sea Obey Him” (4:35-41)

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.[1] 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

“It had been a very busy day. The blasphemous accusation, the visit to the mother and brothers and possibly sisters, to take him home, leaving the crowded house for the sea, the first parables by the sea, then more in the house, and now out of the house and over the sea, “Let us go across to the other side.” It was the only way to escape from the crowds, but even there, “And other boats were with him,” So that there was a crowd even on the lake.[2]

Jesus says, “Let us go” and they went, “just as he was” – Jesus was exhausted, the disciples were untrained and naive, the crowd was pressing and encroaching. Jesus never says, wait until the time is perfect and then we will go, Jesus was going and the disciples were going just as they were.

If Jesus is with you, the time is always perfect (His timing is perfect), and you have all you need to complete the task (because He is all sufficient). So when Jesus says, Let us go, you go. There will be times when Jesus says, “let us go” and you will say to yourself, I am not ready, but he wants you to go with him, “just as you are.”

“And a great windstorm arose” – “The word occurs in the LXX of the whirlwind out of which God answered Job (Job 38:1) and in Jonah 1:4, “and the waves were breaking into the boat” The waves were rolling across the boat and filling it with water.

(v. 38) “But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion” – Jesus was in the back of the boat, he found a cushion (because they left “just as he was”) and was asleep.

The disciples rebuked Jesus, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” They are not expecting Jesus to stop the storm, but just to show some concern for the fact that they thought they were about to die. “Moffatt’s rendering, ‘Teacher, are we to drown, for all you care?’

The verse contains the first of twelve times Jesus is addressed or described as Teacher.”[3] But the disciples, even though they are calling Him Teacher, are not following His example. “We do ill to try to communicate our panic to him, we should allow him to communicate his calm to us.”[4]

Jesus then rebuked the storm, and then turns and rebukes the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Jesus expected them to have more faith in His saving ability. He also asks the question before he calms the tempest. Even then, Jesus is teaching them.

(v. 41) The disciples dropped their nets to follow this man they believed to be the Messiah, they have seen him perform countless miracles, cast out demons, have heard him teach powerfully and in parables, and felt the crush of the crowds. But here as they stand in this boat, probably up to their waste in water, there was a great calm, then “they were filled with great”

The disciples were fearful of the storm – now they are fearful of the one who was over the storm. The growth we experience as believers is where we exchange one fear for another. All the things in this life that cause us to fear, should be exchanged for the fear of the Lord. Jesus is the one we should fear the most, and He is above everything else.

“They were growing in their apprehension and comprehension of Jesus Christ. They still had much to learn,”[5] but it starting to sink in that this is no ordinary man. They ask “one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

“He is the Christ, the Son of God.”

Jesus is not just demonstrating power, “it is an epiphany through which Jesus was unveiled to his disciples as the Savior in the midst of intense peril.”[6]

Colossians 1:16-17 “For by him [Jesus] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” The Creator-Lord controls what he has created.[7]

Even though there was fear amongst the disciples, they continued with Jesus. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

One other thing before we move to the next miracles, remember in verse 36, “And other boats were with him.” Where are they at the end of the storm? Who knows, but the boat that had Jesus in it is still around to make the next adventure, the boats without Jesus in them are gone. Make sure you are in the right boat. Following close to Jesus is not good enough, you have to be in the boat.

 “He lived Among the Tombs” (5:1-20)

5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

Immediately, as Jesus gets out of the boat he is greeted by a man “with an unclean spirit.” Mark tells us that he was incredibly strong, that no one could hold him, and if chained he would break any chain that tried to hold him. He was known for screaming (night and day) and “cutting himself with stones.” “It means to cut down, we say cut up, gash, hack to pieces.” He would have been scarred all over with such recent and old gashes.”[8]

“Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones” – There is no sleep for this man, screaming and running around, night and day. His time was spent in constant crying out in pain and suffering, and hurting himself. There two tired men meet eachother – one from saving and healing and teaching, and one from self-harm, isolation, screaming, and possession.

“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God” – “This name for God is very ancient (Gen.14:18), . . . it appears in connection with Mechizedek, with Balaam (Num. 24:16), and in the song of Moses (Duet. 32:8).”[9]

“I adjure you by God, do not torment” – “The word of adjuration (orkizo) is the word from which our word “exorcise” is derived. The evil spirit, in its fear is trying to match the command of Jesus by a counter-command in the name that it dreads.”[10]

Torment – The word means to test metals and then to test by torture (cf. our “third degree”).[11] The demons did not want to return to the place of torment, the abyss[12], their real home. The ones who tormented, did not want to be in torment.

(v. 9) “My name is Legion” – A full Roman legion had between 4 and 6 thousand men. We are told the demons name, but we are never given the man’s name. Revelation 2:17 says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’” We don’t need to know the man’s name, He knows the Lord and that man has been given a new name. What do you think Jesus calls him?

Characteristics of what Satan desires to do with humans:

    • Bondage/Chained
    • Surrounded by Death and Darkness
    • Control – No Decisions
    • Not take care of yourself
    • Madness/chaos
    • Self-harm
    • No Sleep/Rest
    • Pain and suffering
    • Isolation
    • Shame – nakedness

Demon possession and Jesus casting out the demons has been mentioned before, but this account in Mark gives us some insight into why demons even want to possess humans. “The function of demonic possession is to distort and destroy the image of God in man.”[13]

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Satan wants to rob us, corrupt us, and crush as much as possible the image of God in all people.

14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

“and they were afraid” – They had all been afraid of the demon possessed man, but there he was, “sitting there, clothed and in his right mind.” “Apparently, they feared sanity more than insanity.”[14] Was there fear of things getting better? We would rather keep the demoniac we know, then the sane healed man we don’t know. They couldn’t fix the problem (chaining the man up, he broke free), but Jesus with a conversation has completely healed him. Jesus was stronger than they were.

Giving up the substandard riches of this world, for the eternal riches of the next. Illus. of the dad asking for the plastic necklace.

These people were more concerned about their business interests than the healed demoniac sitting before them – what was the cost of one man being healed/saved from Satan’s control? Two thousand pigs. They were afraid of the future cost to their business. Their way of life was more important to them than the giver of eternal life.

If Jesus stays, there may more of these healings, and well we just can’t afford that – “they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.” In order for Jesus to be present with them, they would have to give something up. They didn’t want Him there. “Ironically they feared Jesus more than they did the demoniac and cared more for their pigs than for a fellow human being.”[15]

Jesus knows that these people need to saved, so He tells the healed man to go and tell the people what had happened. They knew this man and what he was like, now they can see with their own eyes the power of Jesus’ influence in a person’s life. What a powerful testimony, the text says, “and everyone marveled.” (kept on marveling, imperfect tense).[16]

The man, “went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. . .” – “The Decapolis was a loosely connected group of ten Gentile cities that had been set free from Jewish domination by the Roman general Pompey when he occupied Palestine in 63BC.”[17] A man who was enslaved was now free and was telling his story to a city recently freed from control.

Characteristics of What Jesus desires to do with humans:

    • Freedom
    • Surrounded by life and choices
    • Healed
    • Sound mind/Calm Spirit/Peace/Rest
    • Clothed/dignity
    • Given a calling and sent out to do good

__________________________

[1] v. 39, “observe the poetic parallelism in the verse: wind and sea separately addressed, and the corresponding effects separately specified: lullied wind, calmed sea.” W. Robertson Niccoll, The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Volume 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; W.M. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967) 370.

[2] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1932) 291.

[3] James Brooks, The New American Commentary, Volume 23 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1991) 88.

[4] George Arthur Buttrick, The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume 7 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1980) 710.

[5] Robertson, 293.

[6] William Lane, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids, Michigan; W. B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1974) 178.

[7] Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1984) 654.

[8] Robertson, 295.

[9] W. N. Clarke, An American Commentary on the New Testament, Volume 2, Mark & Luke (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; Judson Press, 1950) 72.

[10] Clarke, 72.

[11] Robertson, 295.

[12] What they request is that they not be sent “out of the area.” In Luke (8:31) the request is that they not be sent into the Abyss (Rev. 20:1-3), the place of confinement before judgement (Gaebelein, 658).

[13] Lane, 184.

[14] Buttrick, 716.

[15] Brooks, 91.

[16] https://drewboswell.com/podcast/6-2-2022-podcast/

[17] Brooks, 91.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith." Ephesians 2:8

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