Emory Baptist Church

Food Can't Do That!

The past two Sundays, we have looked at Jesus’ dialogue with the Pharisees and scribes regarding the traditions of men and the authority they hold compared to the commandments of God and the authority they hold.  Jesus’ point to them and my point to us was that traditions or preferences or opinions of men become sinful if and when we elevate them to having the same authority as God’s Word.

 

Jesus pointed out a specific example of how the Pharisees and scribes were faithful to the tradition of man called “Corban” but were guilty of not honoring their fathers and mothers, the fifth commandment.  Jesus said they were experts at rejecting the commandments of God in order to keep their traditions.  Ultimately, Jesus told them and us that legalism, adding to God’s Word, is sinful.

 

Today, we are still with Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes in Mark 7, and Jesus is going to give some further explanation regarding what defiles us.  The Pharisees and scribes believed that defilement comes from the outside.  Jesus is going to say otherwise.

 

 

 

Exposition

14 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: 15 There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” 

 

In verse 14, Jesus called the multitude of people together to hear His further explanation of defilement.  This included Pharisees and scribes and disciples and others.  In 7:15, we find His main point that all of them desperately needed to understand.

 

Here it is.  There is nothing outside a man that can defile him if it goes into him.  This is true for food or anything else that might be considered unclean. 

 

Was Jesus contradicting what Moses taught in the Law?  After all, Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 are all about not eating unclean foods.  Not at all.

 

Understand that no food could make you unclean in Moses’ day or Jesus’ day or in our day.  It was disobedience to the commandments of God that defiled someone then and now. 

 

Jesus went on to say something very similar.  The things which come out of a man, specifically his heart are what defile him.  However, the Twelve Disciples didn’t really understand because this contrary to what they thought and what were the traditions of men that had been handed down to them.  Therefore, they asked for further explanation.

 

 

17 When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.

 

Verse 17 probably took place at Peter’s house.  It was there that His disciples asked for further explanation of what He had said.

 

By the way, it is probably not inconsequential that Jesus further explained His teachings in a house.  That was probably a foreshadowing of the body of Christ gathering together in the Lord’s House, the Church, to hear and understand His Word. 

 

That is still true today.  Yes, we all have Bibles and the Spirit, if you’ve been born again, and you are to learn God’s Word on your own on a daily basis.  However, you should also make coming to the Lord’s House on the Lord’s Day a top priority in further understanding His Word.  You don’t get that the ballfields or golf course or lake or deer stand.   

 

 

18 So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him…

 

In verse 18, we see some of Jesus’ frustration.  He expected His disciples to know better, but like the Pharisees, they just don’t get it.  Again, He reminded them of what He said earlier.  Whatever goes into a man from the outside cannot defile him. 

 

 

19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?”

 

Verse 19 is His rationale.  The reason that nothing going in the body from the outside can defile a man is because food goes into the stomach as opposed to the heart and is eliminated or literally empties into the latrine or sewer.

 

Then Mark added to that with this thought.  Jesus was declaring all foods clean.  This was perfectly normal for Mark to do since he was following Peter’s eye-witness testimony, and in Acts 10, the Lord told this truth to Peter for the first time. 

 

Acts 10 is the vision of a sheet coming down out of heaven and the Lord speaking to Peter telling him to kill and eat whatever he so desired.  See Acts 10:9-16.

 

9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”  14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”  15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.

 

In verse 20, Jesus again told the disciples what He told the Pharisees back in 7:15.  It is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a man because what comes out of the mouth is really what comes out of the heart.

 

In other words, physical pollution cannot result in spiritual pollution.  Physical pollution can only pollute you physically but not spiritually.

 

And then in 7:21-22, Jesus gave twelve examples of what comes out of our hearts that defiles us.  The first seven are plural and mean these are repeated actions.  The last six are singular and are attitudes.

 

 

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.

 

1. Evil thoughts: self-explanatory;
2. Adulteries: sexual immorality between those who are married;
3. Fornications: sexual immorality with those who aren’t married;
4. Murders: self-explanatory;
5. Thefts: self-explanatory;
6. Covetousness: longing or lusting for what is not yours to have;
7. Wickedness-intentional evil;
8. Deceit-fraud;
9. Lewdness: lack of self-control specifically with sexuality;
10. An evil eye: stinginess;
11. Blasphemy: speaking evil of God or others;
12. Pride: arrogance;
13. Foolishness: moral and spiritual insensitivity.

 

 

23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

 

Now for the third time and in a summary statement, Jesus declared all of these things evil as they come from man’s heart and defile him.

 

 

 

Conclusion

First, as a follower of Christ, we must guard our hearts.  A computer science acronym that can be traced all the way back to the 1950’s and 1960’s is GIGO.  It means garbage in, garbage out.  Computers don’t produce garbage or errors unless there is an error or garbage in the programming or what is put in them.  

 

The same is true for us.  When take in what is unholy from the internet and social media and television and the company we keep, we can expect unholy to come out in our personal behavior.  That’s what Jesus said in Matthew 12:34.

 

Matthew 12:34, For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

 

Therefore, we must guard our hearts.  See Proverbs 4:23.

 

Proverbs 4:23, Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

 

Secondly, if you’re here this morning and evil is constantly coming out of your heart, you need to know that your heart is evil according to Jeremiah 17:9.

 

Jeremiah 17:9, 9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”

 

The solution to your problem is not trying harder.  The solution to your problem is a spiritual heart transplant.  See 2 Corinthians 5:17.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17, 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

 

That can happen for you today by admitting that you’re a sinner.  Believing that Jesus died on the cross and in your place for your sins, and calling on Him to save you.

 

Traditions are Sinful! Part 2

Last Sunday morning, I shared a message with you entitled, “Traditions are Sinful.”  We continue with that same idea or theme in today’s text.

 

Jesus condemned the traditions of men last week because the Pharisees and scribes were elevating their traditions to the same level of authority as God’s Word.  They honored Jesus with their lips, but their hearts did not worship Him.

 

Unfortunately, we are prone to do the same.  We have traditions and preferences and opinions, and that is fine and normal.  However, we are also prone to elevate our traditions or our preferences or our opinions to the same level of authority as God’s Word.  When we do that, our traditions are sinful, and I gave you some examples of our traditions or preferences that we elevate regarding dress and worship songs and recreation. 

 

Again, traditions and preferences and opinions are fine, but when we say they are biblical when they’re not, our traditions have become sinful, and we are hypocrites. 

 

This morning, we look at another example of the Pharisees and the scribes demonstrating their own hypocrisy.  I want to make three observations with you as we rejoin Jesus and the Pharisees and the scribes in this courtroom setting.

 

 

1. The Indictment from the Lord, Mark 7:9

9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

 

Jesus continued addressing the Pharisees and scribes after they had questioned Him about His disciples eating with unclean or unwashed hands.

 

He sarcastically noted that they were good at rejecting God’s Word.  In the NASB, He called them “experts” at ignoring the Bible.  They were experts in setting aside the commandments of God in order to keep their own traditions. 

 

Jesus’ indictment of them was that held the traditions of men as having the same authority as God’s Word, and that is sinful.

 

These men should have known better.  See Deuteronomy 4:2.

 

Deuteronomy 4:2, “2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

 

 

2. The Evidence from the Law, Mark 7:10-12

10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother…

 

After Jesus’ indictment of the Pharisees and scribes elevating the traditions of men to the same level as God’s Word, Jesus gave them proof by turning to the Bible.

 

In verse 10, He quoted the fifth of the ten commandments to honor father and mother.  However, He went a step further and presented evidence in the positive and the negative. 

 

Exodus 20:12, 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

 

Deuteronomy 5:16, 16 ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

 

Exodus 21:17, 17 “And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

 

Leviticus 20:9, 9 ‘For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him.

 

In verses 11-12, He said something that deserves some further explanation as He reminded the Pharisees and scribes of what they had said and practiced. 

 

They understood the command to honor and take care of father and mother, but they practiced greed.  Saying something was Corban was to commit one’s possessions or financial resources to God as a gift or offering.  Sounds good doesn’t it?  However, you will never find this tradition or commandment in God’s Word.

 

Once this vow was taken, it could not be broken.  See Numbers 30:2.

 

Numbers 30:2, 2 If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

 

Rabbis and Priests loved this because the temple profited even though fathers and mothers were going uncared for.

 

Just to be clear, they were giving every indication they were practicing godliness by committing their financial resources to the Lord.  However, at the same time, they weren’t doing it out a pure heart, and they were ignoring and in effect rejecting the fifth commandment. 

 

In a similar way, I have heard Christians say, “I’m sharing the gospel in the deer stand or on the lake or at the golf course on Sunday mornings.”  It is great to share the gospel, but don’t ignore or reject God’s Word regarding being with your church when they gather.  See Hebrews 10:24-25.

 

Hebrews 10:24-25, 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

Let me give you an another example.  I love singing hymns.  If you were to look at my Pandora Stations or Spotify Preferences, you could affirm that is true.  However, if you refuse to sing any songs that aren’t in a hymnal, you have ignored and rejected God’s Word.  See Colossians 3:16.

 

Colossians 3:16, 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

 

 

3. The Verdict on Legalism, Mark 7:13

13 …making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

 

What is legalism?  It is treating the traditions of men as if they are the same as the commandments of God or God’s Word. 

 

The Pharisees were invalidating or canceling out the word of God or the Scriptures for the sake of their traditions.  They were not breaking their vows, but they were neglecting the command to take care of their parents.

 

Therefore, again like last week, traditions of men and legalism are sinful when we treat them as if they are the same as the Bible. 

 

 

Conclusions

First, as followers of Christ, we are obligated to honor, respect, and take care of our families, especially our parents.

 

Ephesians 6:1-3, Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

 

1 Timothy 5:4, 8, 4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God.  8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

 

Second, as followers of Christ, we are obligated to keep our word.

Matthew 5:37, 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

 

This verse has application in telling the truth, being on time, and writing checks.

 

Third, as followers of Christ, we are obligated to make Scripture, not traditions of men or preferences or our own opinion the highest authority in our lives.

 

1 Timothy 3:16, 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…

 

Revelation 22:18-19, 18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

 

Finally, the world will tell you that you can earn your way to heaven and forgiveness from God. However, the Jesus in the Bible says otherwise.

 

John 14:6, 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

 

Acts 4:12, 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Traditions are Sinful! Part 1

If you have your Bibles this morning, I want you to find Mark 7:1, and I want to share a message with you entitled, “Traditions are Sinful!”  Hopefully, my sermon title got your attention.  I wanted that to happen.  However, I hope you will also allow me to explain my statement regarding traditions.

 

I am traditional person.  What I mean by that is that I like and enjoy many traditions.  We have family traditions, and I enjoy holiday traditions. 

 

If you know me well, you know that I am a proud graduate of a university that is known for their many traditions.  Many of their traditions are weird, hokey, and even cult-like.

 

However, I want you to understand this morning and see from God’s Word that when the traditions of men get elevated to the Word of God or put on the same level as God’s Word and become authoritative, we have crossed a line into legalism.

 

Notice several times in today’s text this phrase: the tradition of the elders or the tradition of men.  We see it in verse 3, 5, and 8.

 

What do I mean when I say legalism?  Legalism is adding to God’s Word and elevating traditions or preferences or practices or opinions to the same level of authority as the Bible, and when that happens, traditions become sinful.

 

On multiple occasions in the Gospels, we see Jesus conversing with the Pharisees on the subject of legalism.  In Paul’s letters, he often wrote about legalism and legalists known as the Judaizes.

 

Legalism often has two common applications.  First, we can add to the Bible regarding the truth of salvation.  The Bible teaches that the gospel is Jesus plus nothing.  Therefore, when circumcision is added to the gospel, that is legalism and is not salvation.  The same could be said for baptism.  The good news is that Jesus plus nothing saves.

 

Second, we can add to the Bible regarding the truth of sanctification.  Sanctification is the ongoing process in the life of the Believer becoming more like Jesus or becoming more sanctified or holy.  We become more sanctified when we are obedient to the Bible.  However, when we add requirements to the Bible that are really just traditions of men or preferences or opinions, we have crossed the line into legalism, and our tradition has become sinful.

 

Allow me to give some easy examples, and I’ll give some more recent examples in a few minutes.  In our not so distant past, many Baptists have been guilty of legalism when we said that a Christian who danced or played cards was sinning and not living a holy life.  This same legalism also said a good Christian woman should not wear make-up or pants.  To say such is sinful.  Brothers and sisters, that is legalism, and it is that same legalism that says the only accurate Bible translation is the KJV.

 

Do you see what is happening?  We are putting traditions of men or personal preferences on the same level as the Bible.  The Bible nowhere prohibits dancing or playing cards or wearing make-up or wearing pants or that the KJV is the only inspired translation.  Those are all personal preferences and legalism when we give them the same authority as the Bible.  Therefore, traditions are sinful when we elevate them to Scripture.

 

Jesus felt the same way as He dealt with the Pharisees in Mark 7:1-8.

 

 

1. An Investigation by the Haughty, Mark 7:1-2a

1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands,

 

Who were the Pharisees?  They were the religion experts of the first century, and they were paired with the legal experts of the first century, the scribes.  They considered themselves to be better than the rest, holier than thou, haughty. 

 

Where did they come from?  Notice that they came from Jerusalem.  Maybe they came from Jerusalem because they had gotten a negative report about Jesus’ disciples.

 

What were they investigating?  They came and saw the Twelve Disciples eating bread without washing their hands.

 

 

2. An Accusation about Holiness, Mark 7:2b-5

they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.  5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” 

 

Why did this matter?  It was not an issue of personal hygiene.  It was an issue of ceremonial cleanliness. 

 

The sin of the Twelve Disciples was about holiness.  These Pharisees believed that certain things or certain persons were unclean and touching them made you unclean.  Therefore, there was a constant need to wash and be made clean. 

 

In verses three and four, Mark shared his own comments in order to explain to his Gentile audience what the Pharisees found offensive.  Notice that hand washing for the purpose of ceremonial cleanliness was widespread among first century Jews. 

 

Notice also that the standard of holiness had become the tradition of the elders and passed down orally for many generations. 

 

Understand again that this particular tradition was not a part of the OT Law.  It was an oral tradition that began with an individual and was passed on to successive generations.

 

In verse four, Mark further explained what I mentioned a moment ago of uncleanness being transferred from things to people or from people to people.  If a Jew went to the market place and in some way came in contact with pork, he had to wash his hands because the pork was unclean and he was then unclean.  The same would be true for touching a leper or touching anything or anyone deemed unclean.

 

Mark went on to say that the Jews participated in many other traditions of the elders for the sake of ceremonial cleanliness such as the washing of cups and the washing of pitchers and the washing of pots. 

 

In verse 5, we see the Pharisees scrutinizing the leader of the Twelve Disciples.  Instead of asking the disciples personally, the Pharisees questioned Jesus. 

 

Rightly or wrongly, people are often judged by the company they keep.  Whether adult or student, if you socialize with those who drink alcohol, you will be seen as one of them.  If you socialize with those who gossip, you will be seen as one of them.  If students socialize with those who disrupt class and cheat on tests, you will be seen as one of them.

 

They asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t follow or keep the tradition of the elders of washing their hands before they ate.  Jesus and His disciples were considered to be rebels.  They were rule breakers.  They were mavericks and cavaliers.  They were the furthest thing from holy in the eyes of the Pharisees. 

 

How did Jesus respond to these Pharisees and their legalism?  Jesus put the Pharisees and their legalism on trial, and we get to see that courtroom action. 

 

 

3. A Condemnation of Hypocrisy, Mark 7:6-8

6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.  7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’  8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

Jesus’ condemnation was personal.  He answered to them verse 6 says.  He applied Isaiah 29:13 to them (you), and called them “this people.”

 

Jesus’ condemnation was also scriptural.  He challenged them with God’s Word.  He said the Pharisees looked good on the outside with their words, but their hearts were wrong. 

 

Jesus’ condemnation was practical.  Look at verse 8.  They were putting their traditions and their preferences on the same level as the Bible, and that is wrong.  It was wrong then, and it is wrong today.

 

Very plainly put, the Pharisees were hypocrites.  They talked a good game, but their hearts were evil because they elevated the traditions of men or personal preferences to place of Scripture.  Jesus called that vain worship.  In other words, it was legalism and sinful.  Their traditions were sinful.

 

 

Conclusion

So the question we constantly have to ask ourselves is “What is the priority of our hearts?  Is it the Word of God or the Traditions of Men?”

 

So what does all this mean for us today?  We all have personal preferences and that is fine, but make sure you don’t elevate your personal preferences to authoritative as the Bible. 

 

For example, you may not like tattoos, but what is on the outside doesn’t defile the body. 

 

You may not like piercings, but what is on the outside doesn’t defile the body. 

 

You may not like preachers without a coat and tie on Sunday mornings or preachers with facial hair, but make sure you don’t elevate your personal preferences of appearance or dress or music or whatever to the level of Scripture because that is legalism, and legalism is sin.  Rather than being concerned with what is on the outside, let’s follow the Lord and be more concerned about what is in a person’s heart so that we don’t make our traditions sinful.

 

One last thing before I close…as I said previously, adding anything to Jesus for salvation is legalism.  All you need is Jesus, and Jesus doesn’t need any help.  Come to Jesus today to be saved.

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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