Emory Baptist Church

Touching the Hem...

This morning, we come to the end of Mark 6 with this four verse summary.  These four verses are a summary of the Lord Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. 

 

In the recent Sundays, we have seen Him cast out demons.  We have seen Him heal the sick and raise the dead.  We have seen Him feed the thousands.  We have seen Him walk on water.  We have seen Him calm the storm.

 

Now chapter 6 ends with a summary of all that had happened. In this summary, we find four groups of people: the Disciples, the People, the Lord, and the Sick.  I want to focus our attention on two: the People and the Sick.

 

 

Exposition

53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.

 

Verse 53 tells us that Jesus and the Disciples made it across the Sea of Galilee after He calmed the storm.  They anchored at Gennesaret.

 

That really is all that is said in this text about the Twelve.

 

 

The People

54 And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him

 

Verses 54 says they got out of the boat and were met by a large crowd of people.  The “they” pronoun is now going to refer to the people for the rest of this text.

 

This large crowd of people recognized Jesus, and the word here literally means they knew Jesus.   However, it means more than that.  It means they knew Jesus completely and fully based on their previous experience with Him.  They had probably been part of the thousands who ate from the five loaves and two fish.

 

Notice that they recognized Him immediately.  Again, this happened because they not only knew about Him, but they knew Him personally.

 

I know about Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett.  I know personally Rains Head Coach Randy Barnes. 

 

Because the people knew Jesus completely and personally, I want you to see what they did in response. 

 

First, the people ran to the sick in verse 55.  They ran around with excitement and enthusiasm.  They ran around everywhere, the whole country.  They ran to the sick because they wanted to see the sick get well.

 

Brothers and sisters, why don’t we run to the spiritually sick more often?  Is it that we don’t believe that people are really sick?  See Romans 3:23.

 

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

 

Is it that we don’t believe that sick people die?  See Romans 6:23.

 

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Is it that we don’t believe that death is hell?

 

Is it that we don’t believe that hell is real? 

 

These people ran to the sick.

 

Secondly, notice that the people relied on The Solution.  Look at verses 55-56.

 

They carried the sick and lame on their pallets to Jesus wherever He was.  They went to villages, cities, and the countryside laying them at Jesus’ feet.  They really believed that Jesus could not only solve their problems.  They believed that Jesus was the ONLY solution to their problems.

 

Thirdly, notice that the people requested salvation.  Look at verse 56 again.  They begged Him or requested Him to allow the sick to touch the hem of His garment. 

 

 

The Sick

56 Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

 

Jesus’ robe wasn’t magical.  However, touching it was a sign of faith.  Faith honored Him, and He honored faith.

 

When the sick touched His robe, they were cured, made whole, healed, and saved.  Jesus is the solution to life’s greatest problems regarding peace, satisfaction, marriage, children, and finances. 

 

 

Invitation

Keep with the theme of getting back in the game, the body of Christ must see this text as a challenge to get back in the game of bringing people to Jesus and begging Jesus to save.  Rains County is full of lost people that don’t need moralism and they don’t need a denomination and they don’t need a quick fix.  They need Jesus. 

 

If you’re here this morning, and you understand that you are lost and separated from Jesus, you need Jesus today!  You need to accept Jesus’ invitation to touch the hem of His garment and be made well.

Straining at Rowing...

The last time, we were in Mark’s Gospel, Bro. Ronnie led us in seeing Jesus feed 5,000 plus individuals with five loaves and two fish. 

 

The week before that, Tom Witt led us in looking at the death of John the Baptist and the Herod’s response.  Thank you to both of those brothers for faithfully filling the is pulpit.

 

This morning, we move on.  We know come to Mark 6:45 and a message I have entitled, “Straining at the Oars.”

 

In today’s text, we find the twelve disciples in the middle of an actual, literal storm on the Sea of Galilee, and we will see them in the midst of tiredness, in the midst of trouble, facing temptation. 

 

However, before we see this literal storm, we need to think for a moment about spiritual storms of life or emotional or relational storms of life. I have learned that most people can sympathize for the following reason.  The storms of life are not partial. 

 

 

Everybody in the room is either in a storm, just out of a storm, or about to enter a storm.  It doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are or even your own spiritual maturity.  No one is immune to the storms of life.  At some point or another, we all are or have been straining at rowing.

 

6:45, 45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.

 

We immediately move into this next scene of Jesus making His disciples get into a boat to travel to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.  Why did He do this?  See John 6:15. 

 

John 6:15, 15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

 

Jesus wanted to deal with the crowds by Himself.  He didn’t want the disciples to get caught up in the euphoria like the multitudes.

 

6:46, 46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.

 

So after sending the disciples on their way and the crowd on their way, Jesus left the scene also to go up on a near-by mountain to pray.

 

6:47, 47 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.

It is now evening, sometime between 6 and 9 PM.  The Romans divided the night into four watches: first-6-9 PM; second-9-12 AM; third-12-3 AM; and fourth-3-6 AM.  The disciples were now in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was still alone on the land now.

 

6:48, 48 Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.

 

We now fast-forward some 6 to 9 hours.  Jesus is watching His disciples.  They are in the middle of a storm with very strong winds, and they are straining at rowing.  It is about 3 AM, and they have now rowed some three or four miles according to John’s gospel. 

 

Their rowing is extremely difficult and perhaps futile considering the strength of the winds.  Where the Sea of Galilee is located, it is not uncommon for gale force winds to come out of nowhere.  That is what happened here.

 

For these disciples, don’t you know that after a few hours of waiting, they were wondering where Jesus was.  When things are going bad for you, do you ever wonder where Jesus is?  Does your Christ ever seem to be distant?  However, be of good cheer.  Perhaps He is praying for you.

 

After seeing them struggling, Jesus decided to come to them.  He then walked on the sea or walked on the water.  He was walking on the water and yet not sinking. 

 

The end of 6:48 tells us that His intent was to pass by to their side.  Note there is a difference between pass by and bypass.  He wasn’t trying to elude them.  He was coming to their side or coming to their aide.

 

6:49, 49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out.

 

Once they saw Him, the Twelve were terrified.  They thought He was a ghost or water phantom.  They were so scared, they cried out or shrieked in horror. 

 

By the way, let’s consider the context or the situation of the disciples.  Yes, they were fishermen.  However, remember the storm.  The boat was up and down.  The waves were over the bow.  The spray was in their faces and on their clothes.  Remember the shadows.  It was dark because it was between three and six in the morning. 

 

Remember also they had to be exhausted.  They had traveled a long distance on foot to Bethsaida.  They spent the entire day dealing with the people and their sicknesses.  They then worked hard in picking up the bread and fish leftovers from twenty thousand plus people.  Now they had been rowing for several hours and had only made it about half way across the Sea of Galilee because of the weather. 

 

Then they looked up and according to verse 49, thought they saw a ghost.  Needless to say, they were frightened.  However, in reality, it wasn’t a ghost but Jesus, and He was walking on the water towards them.  He spoke to them and said, “It is I; do not be afraid.”  He literally said, “I AM is here.” 

 

Some would like to explain away this miracle of walking on the water as Jesus actually walking on the shore, and the disciples misjudged His location.  Others have said He was on a sandbar.  Still others have claimed He was standing on a floating log.  None of these explanations possess any credence in dismissing this supernatural experience.  The text says He walked on the sea. 

 

However, can you understand how the disciples’ context could have become distorted with the storm, the shadows, and being sleepy? 

Haven’t there been times when your context or perspective became distorted especially in the middle of a storm?  Have there been times when you thought the end of the world was here? Yet, the sun came up the next day. 

 

In the storms of life, what we see, what we say, and what seems may not make sense. 

 

6:50, 50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

 

But Jesus calmed them immediately.  He spoke to them and said, “Be of good cheer, it is I, do not be afraid.”  Literally, He said, “I AM is here.”  Undoubtedly, this is an OT reference to Yahweh and Exodus 3:14, I AM who I AM. 

 

6:51, 51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.

 

He got into the boat with them.  Notice, He didn’t take them out of the boat, but He got in the boat with them, and immediately, the wind stopped.  The wind stopped or the storm stilled when Jesus got in the boat.  They disciples were astonished and amazed at Jesus’ power

 

6:52, 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

 

However, they shouldn’t have been surprised.  They had just seen Him feed 15,000-20,000 individuals with five loaves and two fish, but sometimes, we need to be told again and again and again. 

 

Interestingly enough, even though Mark and John do not include this event, between 6:51 and 6:52 is where Peter walked on the water for a time before seeing the wind and the waves and then sinking.

 

 

Big Idea/Explanation

So what is the big idea of this text?  Jesus is in control of the storms of life.  He is in control of the physical storms of life like rain and floods and ice and thunderstorms and tornados and hurricanes. 

 

However, He is also in control of the storms of life like disease and death and disasters like financial setbacks and firings and divorce and rebellious children.

 

 

Applications

This text is overflowing with applications related to the storms of life.  In the storms of life, sometimes Jesus sends us there, 6:45.  In the storms of life, Jesus prays for us, 6:46.  In the storms of life, Jesus is watching close by, 6:48.  He hasn’t left the scene to be alone.  In the storms of life, sometimes Jesus allows us to struggle for a time so that we realize that we desperately need Him, 6:48.  In the storms of life, Jesus can cause the storms to cease at any time, 6:51.

 

Conclusion

However, here is what I want you to remember the most.  When you find yourself straining at rowing, making no progress because of the wind and the waves, first remember that no darkness is so dark that Jesus can’t see.

 

Second, remember that no distance is so distant, that Jesus can’t come. 

 

Third, remember that no depth is so deep that Jesus can’t rescue. 

 

I wonder who would be honest this morning and admit that they are straining at rowing against the storms of this life?  Perhaps you are trying your best to do right and get things in order, but the winds are beating against your boat, and you’re not going anywhere. 

 

Can I give you some encouragement?  Let Jesus get in your boat.  Let Jesus get in your boat, and see if winds won’t stop, and see if you get where you’re going. 

 

Today’s invitation is for those who need to be saved and for those who need to surrender.  Let Jesus get in your boat and watch your life be radically changed!

 

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Lunchable Leftovers

The Beheading of John the Baptist...

A Picture of the People of God...

From June 24-28, EBC preteens participated in the third week of Preteen Camp at Mt. Lebanon in Cedar Hill with a total of 1,200 campers for the week.  Our group was made up of 37 campers and 8 adult chaperones. 

 

The camp preacher was an evangelist from Lawton, OK named Keith Coast, and the theme for the week was “Identity” based on 1 Peter 2:9-10.  That will also be our text for this morning.

 

Earlier this month, our country celebrated Independence Day or the Fourth of July.  If you are an American Citizen, that day means something very significant for us.  We celebrate our independence or a freedom as a nation, and it is very special to be an American Citizen as there is no other country like it in the world. 

 

Being a United States Citizen is part of our identity.  However, if you are follower of Christ, the Bible speaks of another citizenship.  For the believer, we have citizenship in heaven in addition to our earthly citizenship.

 

Ephesians 2:19, 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

 

Philippians 3:20, 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Again, our heavenly citizenship is due to our identity in Christ. 

 

This morning, I want us to see from 1 Peter 2 this picture of God’s People...our identity.  We will see who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

 

 

1. Who Are We? 1 Peter 2:9-10

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

 

In verses 9 and 10, Peter does something very interesting in that he used language that previously was used to describe Israel, God’s people in the Old Testament.  However, he wasn’t writing to Israel.  He was writing to the Church. 

 

That doesn’t mean the Church had replaced Israel, but it does mean that the Church has joined Israel as the people of God, God’s own special people.

 

We are chosen generation.  That highlights that God has chosen us as followers of Christ. 

 

We are royal priesthood.  Royal means that we belong to the king.  That is King Jesus. 

 

In the OT, there were few priests.  Every follower of Christ is a priest meaning we have full access to God, and our role is to be a bridge-builder between Christ and the world.

 

We are holy nation meaning that God has set us apart to be distinct from the world.  However, on many fronts, the church isn’t doing our best. 

 

Brothers and sisters, our marriages should be holy.  Our businesses should be holy.  Our language should be holy.  Our recreation should be holy.  Our spending should be holy.  That is who we were made to be in front of a watching world. 

 

We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. 

 

 

2. What Do We Do? 1 Peter 2:1-2, 4-5, 9

1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby…4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

 

As the people of God, this text says we are to demonstrate certain behaviors.  We are to long for God’s Word.  We are to live in God’s community, and we are to laud God’s mercy.

 

First, in verse 2, God’s people are to long for or desire the pure milk of the word, and we are to this so will grow.  Peter is invoking the image of a newborn baby crying and crying and crying because he or she is hungry for mother’s milk, and newborn babies need their milk so that they will grow. 

 

Some of you as the people of God are not growing, and the reason that you aren’t growing is because you aren’t longing for and getting God’s Word.  And the reason you aren’t getting God’s Word is because you aren’t laying aside malice and deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all evil speech. 

The people of God must lay aside or take off the ways of the world.  Malice is pure evil or the absence of good.  Deceit is intentional deception or dishonesty.  Hypocrisy is living your life as two different persons.  Envy is wanting what is not yours to have, and slander to criticize and malign. 

 

God’s plan and desire is for His people to grow, but our growth is stunted when we don’t long for His word, and if you aren’t longing for His word in your daily life, it may be because you haven’t laid aside the behavior of a lost world.

 

Second, we are to live in God’s community.  In verse 4, God’s people are to come to Him.  That isn’t a reference to salvation but to daily living, and we come to Him as living stones. 

 

This “stone” language that Peter used takes us back to his own confession in Matthew 16.  The Lord Jesus told Peter that He was going to build His Church or community on the rock. 

 

That Rock is Jesus, but also includes us a living stones. 

 

The people of God were never meant to live in isolation.  We are meant to live in community with one another so that we can be built up into a spiritual house. One rock doesn’t make a house.  Many rocks are needed to build a house.

 

And we are built up as a spiritual house when we offer spiritual sacrifices.   Again, we sacrifice or offer our marriage and our business and our language and our recreation and our finances.  We offer our entire being as we love the Lord our God with all that we have and all that we are in heart, soul, mind and strength. 

 

Third, we are to laud or praise God’s mercy.  That should be part of our identity.  Look at verse 9. 

 

Because of who we are, we are to proclaim or laud the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 

 

Let me let you in on something.  God doesn’t owe us ANYTHING.  We owe Him EVERYTHING.  Therefore, we should be about proclaim His mercy every day to anyone and everyone who will listen.

 

The people of God ought to be known for longing for God’s word and living in God’s community and lauding God’s mercy. 

 

3. Why Do We Do What We Do? 1 Peter 2:3, 6-8, 10

3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious…6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“Behold, I lay in Zion

A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,

“The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone,”

8 and

“A stone of stumbling

And a rock of offense.”

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed…10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

 

So why do we do what we do?  Why do we long for God’s word?  Why do we live in God’s community?  Why do we laud God’s mercy?

 

We long for God’s word because we have tasted and seen that Lord is gracious according to verse 3.  If you have been born-again after hearing and understanding God’s word, you know that the message of this book is grace.  Read it again and again and again because of what you know to be true.

 

We live in God’s community because we believe in Jesus as the only Savior of the world.  Verse 6 says He is the chief cornerstone. 

 

When we believe in Him, we are made part of God’s community of faith, the Church. 

 

We laud God’s mercy because Gentiles, like us, have accepted into God’s people as we have received His mercy according to verse 10. 

 

As a lost person, we are not God’s people.  His mercy allows us to be part of the people of God. 

 

 

Conclusion

So here is my invitation this morning.  If you are part of God’s people, remember who you and what behavior should characterize your life: long for His word, live in His community, and laud His mercy.

 

If you’re not part of God’s people, I invite you to answer that call today.  Look at verse 7.  If you haven’t answered God’s call to salvation, you are being disobedient.  You are rejecting Jesus as the your only hope for forgiveness of sin, eternal life in heaven, and peace with God. 

 

Consequently, you are appointed to God’s judgement if you continue to live in disobedience.  However, you can be saved today.  Will you?