In vv. 1-10, we read about Jesus’ second feeding miracle. He fed 4000 people, likely mostly Gentiles. He tested his disciples to see if they would trust him. Once again, they failed the test (see vv. 4, 17-21).
The Pharisees sought to destroy Jesus’ credibility among the people by demanding that he give them a sign from heaven (vv. 11-13). Jesus, knowing that they were hardened by unbelief, rejected them. Jesus was not an on-demand miracle worker but a preacher of the gospel. His miracles undergirded his message. He was a compassionate Savior who performed miracles on those who sought him in faith.
After the feeding of the 4000, the disciples somehow failed to secure any leftover bread or fish (v. 14). As they discussed this problem, Jesus warned them of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod (v. 15). Jesus points out their hardened hearts – they have ears but do not hear and eyes but do not see (vv. 17-18). Like the Pharisees, they are spiritually blind. The lesson is clear – if Jesus has fed the 5000 and the 4000, then why are the disciples worried about a lack of bread and provision (also see Matt 6:31-33).
To illustrate that the spiritual eyes of the disciples will be gradually opened, Mark records Jesus’ only two stage miracle (the only such miracle recorded in the Gospels). When Jesus touched this man the first time, his vision was restored but it was still blurry (v. 24). When Jesus touched him again, he saw clearly (v. 25). Similarly, the disciples knew that Jesus was from God but they still didn’t understand that his kingdom was not of this world and that he would be crucified for the sins of the world. Jesus was not coming to conquer the Romans — he was coming to conquer Satan. His substitutionary work on the cross would provide the way for mankind to be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:21) and his resurrection proved his deity (Rom 1:4).
Outline
We see the problem, but Jesus supplies the provision (vv. 1-10)
Unbelievers want to see signs but reject them anyway (vv. 11-13)
We have seen God work but still fail to fully understand and trust Him (vv. 14-21)
Jesus heals our blindness, but it may come gradually (vv. 22-26)
Last week, we read about Jesus sending out his disciples in order to advance the kingdom of God. The main idea from last week’s text was that:
Even in the face of rejection or death, disciples of Jesus are to advance God’s kingdom through word and deed.
One of the things we talked about last week was facing rejection for the sake of Christ. Today, we will see that being a faithful disciple of Christ leads to persecution and sometimes even to death.
In our text today, we learn the circumstances that led to the death of John the Baptist.
Who was John the Baptist?
If you remember from Mark 1, John the Baptist was the forerunner to Jesus. He prepared the way for Jesus and told people to repent, for the king was coming. John was the forerunner of Jesus’ message and ministry and he is also the forerunner of his death.[1]Daniel Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark, 129.
Jesus started his ministry after John was arrested (Mark 1:14). For some period of time during Jesus’ early ministry, John was in prison.
This morning, we see why John was in prison and what happened to him because of his faithfulness to Christ. If we want to hear the wonderful words of Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” then we need to learn from this text this morning.
Sermon text: Mark 6:14-29
As disciples of Christ, we must live righteously while calling sinners to repentance (14-20)
14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
In vv. 14-16, we see that Jesus’ popularity continued to spread.
Jesus and his disciples have caused quite a stir in the region because of his radical message and his signs and wonders.
The fame of Jesus had spread to the house of the local ruler. Mark calls him “King Herod” (14), but Herod was really a tetrarch, which is a governor of a territory. He was one of the sons of Herod the Great. Herod the Great, under Roman rule, ruled part of Palestine. Herod Antipas, the Herod mentioned here in Mark 6, ruled over the region of Galilee.
It’s probable that Jesus’ message troubled “King Herod” (6:14). What was Jesus message? Look at Mark 1:15. As Jesus and his disciples were proclaiming the kingdom of God, they were saying that God is king, which implied neither Herod nor Caesar was king.
The word on the street was that Jesus was some sort of prophet.
Some thought he was John the Baptist and had been raised from the dead (14)
Others thought that Jesus was Elijah (15)
Still others said he was like one of the prophets of old (15)
But notice what Herod said in response to the stories about Jesus: “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised” (16).
Herod was sure that John the Baptist had come back from the dead to condemn him. Herod’s conscience haunted him, for he had John the Baptist beheaded.
In vv. 17-18, Mark recounts the relationship between Herod and John the Baptist.
17-18
Herod had put John in prison because John was outspoken about Herod and Herodias’ adulterous and incestuous affair.
Notice that Herod had married Herodias, but Mark calls her “his brother Philip’s wife.” If you think you have a dysfunctional family, wait till you hear about the Herod Family.
Herodias was Herod’s niece, who was already married to his half-brother. So, Herodias was married to one of her uncles (Philip) and then left him for her uncle Herod. According to Josephus, who was an early church historian, Herod fell in love with Herodias and proposed to her. Herodias saw the marriage as an opportunity to climb the social ladder and agreed to marry Herod as long as he divorced his current wife. So, Herod divorced his wife, which eventually set off a border war a few years later. Herod had married his niece who used to be married to his half-brother.
So, Herod sinned by divorcing his wife, committing adultery, and being in an incestuous relationship with his niece (Exod 20:14; Lev 18:6, 20:21). Herod is nowhere close to a moral man. He’s a man that loves power, sex, riches, and fame and he will do whatever it takes to have those things.
And thus, v. 18 tells us that John the Baptist repeatedly told Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” The verb is in the imperfect tense, which means that this was not a one time event.
19-20
As John confronted the couple about their sin, Herodias wanted to get rid of him. People don’t like to be reminded of their sin. There are people that will leave a church that preaches the Bible because they don’t want to be told about their sin. They would rather have their ears tickled (2 Tim 4:3). These people love darkness more than light. Herodias wanted to remain in a position of power just as much as Herod. She valued status and power more than obeying God’s law. And thus, she held a grudge against John for his witness against her sin.
But notice that Herod had John put in prison. This was in a sense a compromise – it silenced John’s proclamation to the people, but protected John from Herodias. Herod was a weak man. He respected John enough to keep him alive, but he refused to turn from his sin.
Verse 20 is interesting to me. Herod respected John and he listened to John.
I think v. 20 reveals what we should learn from vv. 14-20:
As disciples of Christ, we must live righteously while calling sinners to repentance (14-20)
Even though John the Baptist was speaking against Herod and his sin, Herod “heard him gladly” and “feared” him, knowing that he was “holy” and “righteous.” The text also says that Herod “kept him safe.”
The message of the gospel is offensive to many. People don’t want to be told that they are sinners and that they are in danger of God’s wrath if they do not repent and trust in Christ. That is not a popular message.
Our message is hard for people to hear but it helps us if we live righteous and holy lives as we share the message.
One of the biggest barriers to the gospel for many people is their perception that many Christians are hypocrites. They claim to be Christians, but they live in unrepentant sin.
We must tell people the truth. We can never capitulate on the truth. We must warn sinners about the wrath to come. We must call them to repentance. John never wavered on the truth. John repeatedly called Herod and Herodias to repentance (v. 18). John was willing to speak up against sin – in this case, sexual sin more specifically.
Like John, even when we are the minority, we must speak against sexual sin. We must speak against homosexuality. We must speak against transgenderism. We must speak against body mutilation and puberty blockers. We must speak against pornography. We must speak against adultery. We must speak against fornication. We must speak against abortion. We must speak against sexual abuse.
But we must never do so in a condescending way or from a position of pride. We must remember that we were all at one time dead in our sins. We are simply beggars telling other beggars where to find bread. We cannot give people eternal life, but in grace and truth, point people to Jesus, the Bread of Life, who can give eternal life!
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus was full of grace and truth and we as his followers should graciously speak the truth.
As disciples of Christ, we will be hated by the world for speaking against sin (21-29)
21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
In vv. 21-29, Mark recounts the circumstances surrounding the death of John the Baptist.
21-23
As we’ve seen, Herod had imprisoned John to shut him up and to keep him safe from Herodias. Mark tells us that “an opportunity came” on Herod’s birthday.
Herod was having a big birthday celebration with “his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee” (v. 21). These parties were often vulgar and obscene. You might think of a bad bachelor’s party or Mardi Gras. Notice what happens. Verse 22 says that Herodias’ daughter came in and danced and pleased Herod and his guests.
In Graeco-Roman culture, dancing at banquets was reserved for hired female entertainers to provide artistic and erotic dances for the male dinner guests. The dancing was certainly not seen as an appropriate activity for honorable women, especially the host’s own daughter. Here, we see Herodias prostituting her own daughter in order to get what she wants. She is hardened in her sin.
Remember, Herodias’ daughter is Herod’s great niece. This man is a pervert and a sexual predator. In his drunkenness, he offers to give her whatever she wants, up to half the kingdom. This was a figure of speech, as “his kingdom” belonged to Rome. The point is, he wanted to give her a gift for the dance that she just gave.
24-29
Notice in v. 24 that Herodias’ daughter “went out.” At the banquet, men and women would have dined separately. Thus, the daughter went out from among the men and went to her mother and asked what she should ask of Herod. Her mother says, “The head of John the Baptist.” The girl goes to Herod and asks for John’s head on a platter. Verse 26 tells us that Herod was “exceedingly sorry,” but he did not want to break his word, especially in front of his guests.
So, Herod gives in to peer pressure and orders that John be beheaded. Though Herod respected John’s integrity, in the end Herod had John killed because of pressure from his peers and family.
What we do under pressure reveals our faith.
What we do under pressure reveals our faith.
We see this in Mark 4:16-17 in the parable of the soils.
Mark 4:16-17
16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.
We see this sort of thing all the time in our world. Politicians that sell their souls to stay in office. Pastors compromise or even abandon their theological views for money and fame.
How many people have heard the gospel and begin to think about eternal things, only to give up on their budding faith because of what their friends or family think of them? We see people that claim to be Christians, yet now support homosexuality and transgenderism because their family or friends are practicing homosexuals or transgenders.
Pastor Tom Ascol says it like this: “If your commitment to the authority of Scripture is limited by cultural sensitivities then it’s not really Scripture’s authority to which you are committed.”
For instance, there are people who believed homosexuality was a sin for decades but then the law changed and so did their stance. Or their child or grandchild came out as gay and they changed their minds. That person is not committed to Scripture as their foundation but their feelings and cultural sensitivities.
We cannot bow to the culture. We must stand firm on the Word of God.
We cannot bow to the culture. We must stand firm on the Word of God.
You see, John the Baptist may have lost his head, but Herod and Herodias lost their souls.
This passage shows us that those who are faithful to Christ are not promised earthly comforts, no matter what Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, or Joyce Meyer says.
What is the bigger eternal risk? Is losing your relationship with your child or grandchild or them losing their soul because everyone ignored their sin and pretended it was okay? God calls us to lovingly confront people in their sin for the good of their eternal souls.
Conclusion
In closing, I want us to see how easy it is to reject Christ.
It all starts with sin. Herod divorced his first wife and married Herodias. By doing so, he committed adultery and incest. Despite John’s repeated warnings, Herod never repented and sought forgiveness from God.
Second, we see Herod’s pride. He is a proud, arrogant man. His oath in v. 23 reveals his pride. He is willing to give a great gift to his stepdaughter (and great niece) for a sensual dance.
Third, we see Herod lives for the approval of others. Once he realizes he is wrong (v. 26), he is unwilling to admit he was wrong. Rather, because he wanted to please his guests, he doubled down on his sin.
Fourth, we see the influence of his family and friends. Rather than leading his home, he was influenced by his wife and her daughter to put John to death. We must not allow family and friends to influence us to sin against God.
Finally, we see that Herod’s indecisiveness led to a hardened heart. Herod liked John (v. 20), but he never repented. He put off seeking forgiveness and eventually he suffered for his sins, and he will for eternity. Do not put off seeking God’s forgiveness, lest you find your heart hardened.
In summary, don’t live in sin. Do not sin to please others. Do not go to hell because of your sin. Repent and trust in Jesus.
With those warnings in mind, I want to pose a few questions and I will be done.
Are you willing to leave the love of the world behind and obey Christ even if it leads to death?
Will you love Jesus more than your own life?
Are you willing to speak against sin and call people to repentance like John the Baptist, and will you do this in a spirit of love and humility as you live a righteous and holy life?
Whose approval do you value more? Do you live for the approval of men or the approval of God? We cannot compromise God’s Word to accommodate sin. By doing so, we are condemning sinners to hell by not warning them of their sin against a righteous and holy God!
If you are living in sexual sin, will you forsake your sin this morning and for the sake of Christ and his Word?
Or, will you like Herod and Herodias, turn your back on those who are telling you the truth?
The Apostle John wrote, “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). John the Baptist knew that was true and he was willing to die for the cause of Christ rather than compromise.
Matthew 10:28
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
By living for Christ even in the face of death, like John the Baptist we will hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
We know that as disciples of Jesus we are to seek to advance the kingdom of God (Matt 6:9-10, 33). But how do we do that? So far in Mark, Jesus’ disciples have not had a lot of hands-on action. In today’s text, we see Jesus releasing his disciples for a time of ministry.
Last week, we saw Jesus rejected at Nazareth. The people of Nazareth took offense at Jesus, for they perceived him to be insignificant for God’s kingdom work. In today’s text, we see that Jesus’ disciples should expect rejection as well.
BIG IDEA: Even in the face of rejection or death, disciples of Jesus advance God’s kingdom through word and deed.
Sermon text: Mark 6:7-13
1. Disciples advance the kingdom under the authority of Jesus (v. 7)
7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
Jesus “gave them authority over the unclean spirits.” I’m going to talk about unclean spirits at the end, but for now I want to say that we go under the authority of Jesus (Matt 28:18). We are ambassadors for Jesus.
2 Cor 5:20
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Jesus was training these men for ministry and thus multiplying himself. In the same way that Jesus knew his earthly ministry would have an end, all our ministries will an end.
Knowing this, pastors should be raising up pastors (2 Tim 2:2). Mature men and women should be teaching the next generation how to live for Christ (Titus 2:1-10).
There are really four steps in discipling someone. For instance, consider Bible study.
You study your Bible; your disciple observes and asks questions.
You study your Bible; your disciple does as well.
Your disciple studies his Bible; you study as well.
Your disciple studies his Bible, you observe and give feedback.
2. Disciples advance the kingdom as a team (v. 7)
He sent out the twelve “two by two.”
Ministering as a pair was safer and wiser than going alone and it provided much needed fellowship.
Eccl 4:9-10
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
The law required two witnesses to verify a matter.
Deut 19:15
“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
We need others in the church! God saves people to gather them.
3. Disciples advance the kingdom by committing to the mission (vv. 8-9)
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.
The disciples were to be totally committed to their mission, not tied down with worldly concerns. We’re told in the text what Jesus permitted them to bring and what he forbade them to bring.
They were to take a staff. A staff was used for protection against robbers and wild animals and for maintaining balance while walking on rough terrain.
They were not to bring a bag. They were not to ask for money. In New Testament times, some Gentile philosophers would live on the streets and beg for money. The approach of the disciples is in stark contrast to the prosperity preachers of our day who beg you to send them money and to send it often.
Jesus wanted the disciples to see that God would provide for them (Phil 4:19). There would be those who were receptive to the message who would give them a place to stay (v. 10).
The disciples were to only bring one tunic. In the ancient world, travelers would often sleep outside and the purpose of the second tunic was to protect them from the weather. Jesus was telling his apostles that the need not worry, for they would be sleeping indoors in receptive homes.[1]R.C. Sproul, Mark, 115.
This seems to be a direct application of Jesus’ teaching in Matt 6:25-34. The disciples were not to worry about what they would eat, drink, or wear, but to seek his kingdom first as they trust God to meet their needs (Matt 6:33).
In summary, the disciples were to travel as light as possible. The minimal provisions were meant to bring about maximum faith.[2]R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior, 135.
Interestingly, the four items Jesus told the 12 to take (belt, sandals, staff, tunic) are identical to what God told the Hebrews to take on their flight to Egypt (Exo 12:11).
Like the disciples, we are to travel lightly in this world. The more stuff we own, the more time we spend managing it. The more time we spend on our stuff the less time we have to advance the kingdom of God.
4. Disciples advance the kingdom despite rejection (10-11)
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.”
If you have ever sought to share the message of Jesus, you know that the gospel will be received by some and rejected by others. This is exactly what we see in vv. 10-11.
As they ministered from place to place, they would encounter both hospitality and hostility.
As we minister for Jesus, we will encounter both hospitality and hostility.
In v. 10, Jesus tells the disciples to accept the hospitality that was offered and to stay there until they departed from the area. By doing this, the disciples would not dishonor the home by accepting more comfortable provisions.
What does Jesus mean when he tells the disciples to shake the dust off their feet as a testimony against those who reject the disciples (v. 11)?
In biblical times, proper hospitality included offering water for guests to wash their feet. Thus, the fact that the disciples have dust on their feet shows that they were rejected.
Additionally, sometimes pious Jews would shake the dust from their feet after passing through Gentile cities to show their separation from Gentile influences and practices. Basically, they were leaving the dirt behind as they entered a more holy place.
Jesus was telling his disciples that if they were faithful, there was no blood on their hands. Those who rejected the message made a choice to reject Jesus and the conscience of the disciple is clear. The removal of dust from the feet was an act that was meant to make those who rejected the message to reconsider their decision.
This command of Jesus should remind us as disciples to not be overly discouraged by rejection. We know that we will be rejected by the world (John 15:18).
John 15:18
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
Our job is not to convert people, but to be faithful to Jesus and what he has called us to do, which is to share the gospel with the lost and to baptize and disciple the saved.
When Jesus told the disciples to shake the dust off their feet, he was making it clear that the listeners were responsible for how they responded to the gospel.
Those that reject us, and our message of the gospel have really rejected Jesus.
5. Disciples advance the kingdom by preaching repentance (12)
12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.
When Jesus called the disciples, he told them that they would become fishers of men (Mark 1:17). In v. 12, Jesus told them to “proclaim that people should repent.”
That is what we are called to do as well. We are to proclaim the gospel, the message of the kingdom. We are to call people to repent of their sin—to repent from living their lives for self and apart from God’s authority. We call them to repent of trusting in their own righteousness and to embrace the righteousness of Christ. We call them to trust in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
If you’re here this morning and you have not trusted in Christ, then repent of your sinful way of living and embrace the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Our message is not simply “come to church” or “live your best life now.” Our message is the gospel of Jesus Christ!
6. Disciples advance the kingdom by meeting physical needs (13)
13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
In other words, we care about the whole person. We don’t just want to see someone saved. We want them to be made whole.
We want them to know Jesus and then we disciple them to follow Jesus. We have to disciple them in all of life so that they can be useful to Jesus. It is hard to advance the kingdom of God when you are worried about paying your bills. So, we may need to help people get their material, physical, and relational lives in order that they may spiritually advance the kingdom of God.
We see in v. 13 that the disciples “cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.”
Oil (usually olive oil) was often used in biblical times as a medicine (cf. Luke 10:34), but here the anointing probably serves as a symbol of the presence, grace, and power of God. Anointing the sick is elsewhere prescribed only in Jam 5:14.
Do we as modern-day disciples of Jesus have power to cast out demons and heal the sick? There is a lot of debate on this topic. There are people on both sides of the debate but the main question that is tossed around is this: are miraculous spiritual gifts (tongues, healing, prophecy) still active today?
I for one, as your pastor have never cast out a demon or healed anyone. Nor do I know anyone personally that has claimed to have performed exorcisms or healings.
Of course, charismatics (those in Pentecostals and Assembly of God churches) would argue yes. Most Baptists would say that the miraculous gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healing have ceased. I would put myself in this camp. I still believe that God can and does perform miracles, but I do not believe that anyone has the gift of tongues, prophecy, or healing and can summon them on command.
I don’t have time to exhaust the argument today, but the short version is that the primary purpose of signs and wonders was to give credibility to Jesus and his apostles (John 3:2). As you read Scripture, you’ll see that miracles are clustered at key points redemptive history (the Exodus, Jesus’ ministry, Pentecost). Now that the church has God’s authoritative words in the Scriptures (2 Tim 3:16-17), signs and wonders are no longer needed to build up the church.
Thus, there is no longer a need for apostles and prophets today since we have the apostles’ teaching written in God’s Word. Therefore, since there are no modern-day apostles or prophets, there are no people alive today who have God-given authority to perform miraculous gifts on command.[3]For more, see Spiritual Gifts: What They Are and Why They Matter by Thomas R. Schreiner.
I would argue that miracles are possible, but not normative. Remember, the primary reason that Jesus came was to preach the gospel (Mark 1:15, 38).
We want to see lives changed for eternity. We should be serving nonbelievers and sharing the gospel with them. Like these disciples, if we are ministering in the name of Jesus then we will see God at work.
If we as a church rarely see anyone come to faith to Christ, perhaps it is that we are not sowing broadly the seed of the gospel.
Friends, let’s follow Jesus’ instructions for advancing the kingdom of God!
Go in the authority of Jesus.
Minister with others.
Commit to the mission and trust him to provide for your needs.
Expect rejection but keep going.
Preach the gospel and call people to faith in Christ!
Care for the whole person.
Friends, the church is not a place to sit and learn about Jesus but a people who serve Jesus. As a church, we must raise up disciples who will advance the kingdom for the glory of King Jesus.
When a church loses this focus, and men quit leading, the church is on its way to death. I saw it in my last church and I am seeing it at my current church.
My church (and many others) have plenty of pew sitters and every once in a whilers. But what we really need is disciples who will advance the kingdom of God.
Who is going to help me to win this town for Christ? Who will lead their families?
Who are you this morning?
Are you like Jesus and pray and seek for God’s kingdom to come here on earth?
Are you a disciple who is advancing the kingdom or a religious person checking a religious box?
There is no one emptier than a Christian who is living for him or herself instead of Christ.
Maybe you’ve heard someone say something like this: “We’re all God’s children.” Is this statement true? In out text today, Jesus helps us to answer that question.
Sermon Text: Mark 3:20-21, 31-35
The first thing we see is that the family of God is not defined by physical relationships.
The family of God is not defined by physical relationships (31-33)
31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”
Jesus’s family had come down to Capernaum to take him back with them to Nazareth, because they thought he was crazy (vv. 20-21). Jesus’ family had heard the reports about him and they were sure that he desperately needed help. He simply was not living a normal life, so they traveled some thirty miles from Nazareth to came to Capernaum to “seize him” (v. 21).
It certainly did not help that the scribes were going around calling Jesus demon-possessed (vv. 22, 30). If you had heard that one of your family members was demon-possessed, you would try to find him and take him home to get some help.
Notice that the text says that Jesus’ brothers came to get him. Perhaps you have heard of the Roman Catholic teaching that Mary remained a virgin after giving birth to Jesus. Well, this Scripture clearly refutes this teaching.
The word “brothers” that is used here is used throughout Mark to mean siblings from the same parents. Elsewhere, Scripture refers to Jesus’ four half-brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas as well as his sisters (Matthew 13:55-56).[1]R.C. Sproul, Mark, 59.
Notice how Jesus responds to the crowd after they tell them his mother and brothers are seeking him. Jesus says, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”
Jesus’ answer would have shocked those who were listening, because in biblical times a person’s family primarily determined identity and social standing. Here, Jesus teaches those gathered that a person’s commitment to God should take priority over every other relationship.
Jesus fleshes out this idea in other verses as well:
Matt 10:34-39
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Luke 14:25-26
25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
Jesus is not saying that we should not love our families, but he is saying that our love for him should be our number one priority. To give an illustration, consider marriage.
Genesis 2:24
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
I speak from experience – when a man gets married, he doesn’t cease to love his father and mother. But, his wife and subsequent children are his new priority.
Similarly, when you come to know Jesus, you don’t cease to love your family, but you should be committed to Jesus above any other relationship.
When you come to know Jesus, you don’t cease to love your family, but you should be committed to Jesus above any other relationship.
Below are some real-life examples of loving Jesus above your family:
Muslims or Hindus converting to Christ
Missionaries who serve on the field away from their families for the purpose of propagating the gospel to those who have never heard
Separating from a family business if your family members want to break the law and/or breach Scriptural ethics
Women who stay at home with their children despite criticism from loved ones who think they are “wasting” their college eduction
Calling your children and grandchildren to repentance when he or she is living in sexual immorality (fornication, adultery, homosexuality, transgenderism)
So, the family of God is not defined by physical relationships.
We should not assume that because we grew up in church and that some of our family is Christian that we are right with God.
During Jesus’s ministry, the Pharisees believed that they were right with God because of their family tree. They believed that because they had descended from Abraham that they were okay (Matt 3:8; John 8:33ff).
I want to offer you some warnings:
Do not assume you have peace with God because you grew up in church.
Do not assume you have peace with God because you come to church from time to time.
Do not assume you have peace with God because you have Christian parents.
The way that you have peace with God is to repent of your sins, trust in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and submit to his lordship.
Thus, the family of God is not defined by physical relationships or family lineage.
Second, the family of God is not made up of those who are merely acquainted with Jesus.
The family of God is not made up of those who are merely acquainted with Jesus (34)
34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
In v. 33, Jesus asked his audience, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” In v. 34, he answers his own question. He says, “Here are my mother and my brothers!”
The text seems to indicate that Jesus looked around at some in the room and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.”
I believe that Jesus pointed to his disciples. He pointed to those in the room whom he knew were truly His and he distinguished them from among the rest of the crowd, which probably consisted of scribes, Pharisees, and the crowds from earlier in Mark 3:7-12 and Mark 3:20 that were coming to him for healings and exorcisms.
In Jesus’s day, there were many that were interested in Jesus. Some truly wanted to follow him. Others sought Jesus for his miracles and what he could give them. The religious leaders, when they saw that they couldn’t contain him, sought to destroy him.
Today, there are many people who have heard of Jesus and are acquainted with him. They know he is the Son of God. They know he died on the cross for the sins of the world. They know that going to church is a good thing. They hope that they will avoid hell because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. They are acquainted with Jesus.
Let me give you a warning. It is not enough to be acquainted with Jesus. It is not enough to know some facts about Jesus. As I mentioned earlier, you must surrender your life to Him. If you are to spend eternity with God, Jesus cannot merely be your acquaintance; He must be your king!
If you are to spend eternity with God, Jesus cannot merely be your acquaintance; He must be your king!
Jesus, while pointing out those who were truly his, elaborates on his point for the audience.
Look at v. 35 – For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
So far we’ve seen that the family of God is not defined by physical relationships or family lineage.
We’ve seen that the family of God is not made up of those who are merely acquainted with Jesus.
In v. 35, we see who is in the family of God.
The family of God consists of those who do the will of God (35)
The family of God consists of those who do the will of God. To do the will of God is to obey God’s Word and to keep Jesus’ commandments.
Luke 6:46
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
John 14:15
If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
1 John 2:3-6
And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, warned that if we only hear the word and do not obey it, then we are deceived (Jam 1:22).
Let me be clear. I’m not advocating a works-based salvation. We know from Ephesians 2:8-9 that salvation is a gift of God.
Doing the will of God, or being obedient to God’s commands, is not what saves us. Rather, it is evidence that we have come to genuinely know Christ.
Doing the will of God, or being obedient to God’s commands, is not what saves us. Rather, it is evidence that we have come to genuinely know Christ.
Said another way, the fruit of good works has the roots of genuine conversion to Christ.
Conclusion
As I wrap up this morning I hope this message causes each one of us to pause and to consider the priority of family. You may have heard this saying – “Family is everything.” Biblically, this isn’t true. As Christians, we should say, “Jesus is everything.”
You probably love your family and want to give them a good life here on earth. This is a good thing. However, your main objective should be to point them to Christ.
We must love and obey Jesus first. If we are going to love our physical family well, then that starts by loving Christ and making the family of God a priority.
There are a lot of people who believe that they are a part of the family of God because of their parents and grandparents were Christians.
Today, there are many people who have heard of Jesus and are acquainted with him.
They know he is the Son of God.
They know he died on the cross for the sins of the world.
They know that going to church is a good thing.
They may even be more moral than they used to be.
Those who are truly part of the family of God have come to faith in Jesus Christ. This, in turn, leads to obedience to the will of God.
Is that you this morning?
Have you come to saving faith in Jesus Christ? Gospel.
Are you growing in affection and love for him?
Are you growing in obedience to God’s commands?
Are you seeking to point others to Christ?
Is your relationship with Christ the defining relationship in your life, above even family?
If so, then you can be confident that you are part of the family of God. If not, why don’t you turn from your sin and give your life to Christ?
First, we see that there are many who want to benefit from Jesus.
There are many who want to benefit from Jesus (7-10, 20)
7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him.
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat.
The text says, “Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea.” Jesus and his disciples needed a break from the crowds and the antagonistic Pharisees.
Unfortunately, a great crowd followed them. Mark tells us that they came from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from Tyre and Sidon.
The excitement about Jesus had spread in all directions. Because of this, great crowds were coming to him from all directions of Capernaum. The crowd that gathered consisted of both Jews and Gentiles.
“When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him.”
Jesus sensed that he and his disciples might actually be harmed by the crowd because of its size and the people’s desire to touch Jesus.
9
Jesus tells his disciples to have a boat ready. There were so many people trying to get to Jesus they were in danger of crushing him (v. 9).
Jesus was like a celebrity that was being interviewed and photographed on the way to get in his vehicle. The crowd would not leave him alone.
Jesus and his disciples eventually went up on the mountain (vv. 13-19). However, as soon Jesus returned home the relentless crowd once again swarmed his house (v. 20).
In vv. 7-10 and v. 20 we see the first response to Jesus. The people in the crowd wanted to benefit from Jesus, but they were not interested in following Jesus.
Many people want to benefit from Jesus but are not interested in following Jesus.
They didn’t care about Jesus, but only what they could get from him. The crowd didn’t care about his privacy or his need for food and rest. Verse 20 says that there were so many people coming to Jesus that he could not even eat.
The crowd did not understand Jesus or his mission.[1]William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, 129.
You see, the crowd was more concerned with their bodies than their souls. They did not long for Jesus’ message but rather his healing touch.
It is so easy for us to be just like the crowd. Our prayer requests tend to focus on our physical problems rather than our lost family and friends. We are often more concerned with physical needs than spiritual ones. R.C. Sproul notes that clergy often barely scrape by while physicians are usually paid very well. He says that this fact is a reflection of what we value as a culture. We value our bodies highly, but we value our souls very little.[2]R.C. Sproul, Mark, 58-59.
Today, there are many people that want to benefit from Jesus:
Kenneth Copeland says that having a 75 million private jet is necessary for ministry. Joel Osteen wants you to have Your Best Life Now and to Become a Better You. Steven Furtick twists biblical texts to exalt people and preach man-centered messages.
Many want Jesus to make them rich and to give them good health. They, like the people in these verses, want Jesus to exist for them rather than them submitting to Jesus’s lordship. It’s easy to dismiss the prosperity gospel, but this is a problem in many churches.
Many want Jesus to be their Savior but will not have him as their Lord. Some people have walked an aisle and think they’ve gotten fire insurance, but they have not submitted themselves to God’s refining work in their life. They go to church on Sunday but don’t live for Christ Monday through Saturday.
Ultimately, they want to get a benefit from Jesus without the cost of discipleship. However, this is a faith that does not save. Listen to Jesus’ words on what it costs to follow him.
Mark 8:34-36
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
There are many people who want to benefit from Jesus. Second, we see those who oppose Jesus.
There are those who oppose Jesus (11-12)
11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.
The demons hoped that naming Jesus and revealing his identity would somehow give them power over him. The concept of naming is very significant in the Bible. In Genesis 2-3 we see Adam naming the animals and Eve. Of course, no unclean spirit would have power over the Son of God, and thus their naming of Jesus turned out to be pointless.[3]Ibid., 60.
Jesus always rebuked demons for their testimonies about him. He did not want to be identified by the impure words of demons but wanted to be known by his teaching and actions.
Today, there are those who oppose Jesus. Our culture tolerates baby Jesus but hates the biblical Jesus. The real Jesus stands for objective truth and doesn’t tolerate sin. With Jesus, there are only two ways:
Those who are wise and those who are foolish (Matt 7:24-27)
Those who build their house on the rock and those who build it on the sand (Matt 7:24-27)
Those who enter the narrow gate that leads to life and those who enter the wide gate that leads to destruction (Matt 7:13-14)
Those who are saved and those who are lost (Mark 8:35)
Those who will have eternal life and those who will endure eternal punishment (Matt 25:46)
Sometimes opposition to Jesus comes from professing Christians. Many professing Christians and churches balk at church discipline even though it’s a clear teaching of Scripture (Matt 18:15-20; 1 Cor 5). That is only one example, though much more could be given.
The contrast Mark makes is fascinating:
The religious leaders refused to consider that Jesus was the Son of God. In contrast, the demons rightly declare that Jesus is the Son of God.
The crowd didn’t care that Jesus was the Son of God, they just wanted a miracle.
The disciples are willing to follow Jesus as the Son of God.
There are many who want to benefit from Jesus. There are those who oppose Jesus. Third, there are some who are true disciples of Jesus.
There are few who are true disciples of Jesus (13-18)
Our Lord has now reached a crisis in His ministry. Great crowds were following him, but their interest was not in spiritual things. The religious leaders wanted to destroy him (Mark 3:7). What does Jesus do? The scene shifts from the sea to a mountain. He spends an entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12) and then calls 12 disciples.
There is a lesson to be learned from Jesus here – to be effective in ministry, we must be fervent in prayer. If you are always pouring out, but never having your cup filled by time with the Father, then you will be spiritually dry and spiritually ineffective.
The multitude who wanted healing are thinned into the 12 that Jesus desired to follow him. You see, there is a difference between those who get caught up in spectacle of a crowd and those who are committed to Jesus’ mission. There are many who want to benefit from Jesus. There are few who live on mission for Jesus.
13-15
13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 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.
As you know, significant spiritual events happen on mountains. After God led his people out of Egypt, he revealed his glory to Moses on Mt. Sinai and made a covenant with his people giving them the law and the 10 commandments (Ex 19-20). Later, Jesus will take Peter, James, and John up a mountain to reveal his glory to them (Mark 9:1-13).[4]Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark, 170.
In Exodus 19:6 we read these words that God spoke to Moses:
6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
The people of Israel were to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Now look at Peter’s words in First Peter.
1 Pet 2:9
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
In choosing 12 men, Jesus was establishing a new, holy nation called the church (1 Pet 2:9). This new group, as we see in Eph 2:20, constituted the foundation of His church.
Jesus appointed these disciples to fulfill the ministry of preaching the gospel because he knew that he was going to die. These men would carry on his ministry after he returned to the Father after his resurrection.
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? (13-15)
True disciples of Jesus are called by Jesus. He “called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him.”
John 6:44, 65 – The Father draws people to Jesus.
John 16:8, 13 – The Holy spirit convicts of sin and guides us into the truth about who Jesus is.
True disciples of Jesus spend time with Jesus – “that they might be with him” (v. 14).
“Discipleship is a relationship before it is a task.” [5]James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, 113.
Disciples seek to know Jesus and learn from him.
True disciples speak of Jesus – “he might send them out to preach” (v. 14).
True disciples practice evangelism and tell others the truth about Jesus.
True disciples love others in the name of Jesus – “and have authority to cast out demons” (v. 15).
Preaching/speaking the message remains the church’s priority today. Driving out demons and performing other miracles is no longer required to establish authority. God’s authority is found in Scripture.
True disciples assemble in the name of Jesus. Every time Jesus saves someone, he places them into a group.
There is no such thing in the New Testament as a Christian who is not a committed member of a local church. An unchurched Christian is like Bigfoot or a UFO. There is a corporate dimension of the kingdom of God that we have lost in American Christianity. We have so emphasized a person’s personal relationship with Jesus that we have forgotten to emphasize the importance of the church.
The redeemed people of God have been called to assemble together, to learn together, to grow together, to serve together, to worship together, etc.
As disciples of Jesus, we need:
Assurance of salvation – we need to know we’ve been called and saved by Jesus.
To spend time with Jesus – we will not be effective if our souls are empty.
To speak of Jesus to others – the good news is meant to be shared.
To love others in the name of Jeus – we must spend time with the lost.
To worship Jesus with other disciples – we are to encourage one another in the faith.
Mark 1:17 – “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
Jesus was multiplying himself. Ministry is to be shared. Jesus had help during his earthly ministry and Jesus was preparing these men for future ministry when he would be gone. If the Son of God had help in ministry, how much more does your pastor, who is a frail creature of dust?
I am going to keep banging this drum until we all understand it, but every Christian has been called to ministry (Eph 4:12). We have all been called to share the gospel and make disciples. As a church, we need to be discipling the next generation – not just teaching in classrooms, but life on life. Like Jesus, we are to spend time with those who need to be equipped for ministry.
It’s also worth noting that Jesus brought diverse people together and that he called everyday people to take his message to the lost.
16-19
16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot,19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
There was a remarkable diversity among Jesus’ disciples. At least four and possibly five of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen. Philip and Andrew had Greek names, which may indicate that their families were heavily influenced by Greek culture. Matthew was a tax collector that worked for the Roman government, while Simon the Zealot was a Jewish nationalist. Andrew had already been a disciple of John the Baptist (cf. John 1:40). Peter had a dominant, somewhat compulsive personality while Thomas was a bit of a doubter. Matthew and Judas Iscariot both seem to have been good with money.[6]ESV Archaeology Study Bible, 1385.
There are many who want to benefit from Jesus (vv. 7-10, 20). There are those who oppose Jesus (vv. 11-12). There are few who are true disciples of Jesus (vv. 13-18). And fourth, there are some who only appear to be disciples of Jesus.
There are some people who only appear to be disciples of Jesus (19)
v. 19 – and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Judas was the treasurer of the disciples and betrayed Jesus for some silver. Jesus knew that Judas was not a true believer. This is made explicit in John 6:64-65 and John 13:21-30.
Judas had the right teacher and the right friends but he had never been born again. This is why the Bible says to examine ourselves (2 Cor 13:5).
Judas had the right teacher and the right friends but he had never been born again. This is why the Bible says to examine ourselves (2 Cor 13:5).
Matt 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
You can fool everyone else, but if you have not turned from your sin and placed your faith in Christ, then you are headed for an eternal hell.
There are some people who only appear to be disciples of Jesus. And finally ,there are some who misunderstand Jesus.
There are some who misunderstand Jesus (20-21)
20 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.”
Again, we see the crowds in v. 20 did not care about Jesus, but only what they could get from him. The crowd didn’t care about his privacy or his need for food and rest. The text says that there were so many people coming to Jesus that he could not even eat.
But in v. 21, we see another group of people – Jesus’ family. The text says that “they went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind.’” Jesus family sought to take charge of him or more literally, to “arrest him.”
From his family’s perspective, Jesus was a religious fanatic who was hurting the family name and was a danger to himself. They thought Jesus was crazy! They had come from Nazareth to Capernaum to talk to him and take him back home.
Darrel Bock, commenting on this verse, writes the following:
“This statement is so surprising that it demands to be seen as historically authentic. The church never would make up such a statement.”[7]Darrel Bock, Jesus According to Scripture, 188.
In other words, if you’re trying to prove that Jesus is the Son of God you would never mention that his own family thought he was crazy. This only proves that the Bible is reliable and honest. Remember, Peter was likely Mark’s source material and he was an eyewitness to these events.
Just as Jesus’ family thought he was crazy, when you get serious about following Jesus, some of your friends and family may not support your conversion or your commitment to following Christ.
If you have become a Christian and no one notices a change in you, then there is definitely something wrong!
There are many people today that misunderstand Jesus. They think he was good man, a good teacher, but many reject that he was the Son of God.
C.S. Lewis addresses this:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”[8]C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 56.
In other words, Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or he is Lord.
Fortunately, Jesus’ family came to believe in him. After his death and resurrection, Jesus’ family realized that only God could rise from the dead. Jesus’ brother, James, became a leader in the early church. He wrote the book of James and died as a martyr in the early church. James was convinced that Jesus was indeed the Son of God in human flesh.
Like Jesus’ family, you must repent of your sins and trust in the person and work of Jesus. Learn more here.
Conclusion
This morning, we have seen five responses to Jesus.
There are those want to benefit from Jesus (7-10, 20).
There are those who oppose Jesus (11-12).
There are true disciples of Jesus (13-18).
There are those that only appear to be disciples of Jesus (19).
There are some that misunderstand Jesus (21).
How have you responded to Jesus?
Are you a person that only wants what Jesus can give you?
Do you oppose Jesus?
Maybe you’re like Judas. You have made a profession of faith and done some religious things, but in reality your heart is cold towards the things of God. You have never truly been born again.
Have you misunderstood Jesus?
Are you a committed follower of Jesus that seeks to obey Jesus in all of life for the rest of life?
Today’s text answers a question. Who can and who cannot be forgiven by Jesus? That is, who can receive the grace of Jesus? Contrary to popular opinion, there are some people that Jesus will not forgive.
We are in the second of five controversies between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders (Mark 2:1-3:6).
Last week, we saw that Jesus, as the son of God, has authority to forgive sins. As you recall, in Mark 2:1-12, a paralytic, carried by his four friends, approached Jesus in faith, hoping that Jesus would heal him. Indeed, Jesus healed the man physically, but he also forgave his sins. Jesus was teaching those present (and us) at least two things:
That we should approach Jesus in faith.
That spiritual healing is more important than physical healing.
We see both of these truths again in today’s text.
Sermon Text: Mark 2:13-17
13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus extends an invitation to sinners (13-15, 17)
In vv. 1-12, Jesus was teaching in a home. In v. 13, we see that Jesus was teaching the crowd by the sea. Jesus was just outside Capernaum along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The crowd was listening to Jesus because they believed they could learn from him. Remember, Jesus taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes (Mark 1:22).
14
As Jesus made his way back to the city, he saw Levi, a tax collector, sitting at his tax booth. To understand the significance of Jesus’ call to Matthew, you need to know some things about tax collectors.
Tax collectors were despised by Jews for two reasons. First, tax collectors worked for the Roman Empire. Second, they extorted their fellow Jews to pad their own pockets. They would often collect more taxes than were required and then skim some off the top. They were seen as traitors to their own people.
No one liked tax collectors. No one talked to him. No one named their kids after him. He was never invited to anyone’s wedding.
Jesus likened tax collectors to unbelievers:
Matt 5:46
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Matt 18:17
“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.“
Matt 21:31-32
Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.
Tax collectors were cast out from society. They were disqualified to serve as a judge or witness in court, were excommunicated from the synagogue, and were considered to be a disgrace to their families.[1]William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974), 101–102.
In spite of all this, Jesus’ extends an invitation to Levi: “Follow me.”
For the reasons I just mentioned, Jesus’ act of inviting a tax collector to follow him was as scandalous as touching a leper.[2]Daniel Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark, 48. In fact, the religious leaders taught that tax collectors were unclean.
What does it mean to follow Jesus?
Learn from his teaching (v. 13).
Acknowledge your sinfulness.
Repent of sin and self-righteousness.
Trust Jesus.
Obey Jesus’ commands.
Be willing to count the cost and forsake everything (Luke 5:28)
Levi (Matthew) counted the cost of following Jesus and turned his back on his former way of life.
Also notice that Jesus called Levi while he was sitting in the tax booth. Some people think you have to clean up before coming to Jesus. This passage shows us that instead you come to Jesus and he cleans you up.
If you’re you’re waiting until you can quit watching porn, quit sleeping with your girlfriend, or quit cheating on your husband before you can come to Jesus, then you’re wrong. Come to Jesus and follow him and he will make you clean (1 Cor 6:9-11).
15
Luke 5:29
And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.
It seems that Levi was ready to begin a new life with Jesus. He called all his friends and had a party at his house. This was no average dinner. It was a feast, probably even a celebration. The guests were not just sitting, but reclining at the table. Levi was the host and Jesus was the guest of honor.
There are three things for us to note here. First, Jesus spent time with tax collectors and sinners. Second, a shared meal is a great way to introduce people to Jesus. Third, following Jesus will make you want to reconcile with those who have wronged you.
The company that Jesus kept often drew the ire of the religious leaders, but Jesus knew that it was the spiritually sick who needed to be tended to (v. 17). As Christians, our main friends should be other believers, but we should also seek to spend time with lost people in order to share Christ with them.
One great way to do this is by having a meal with someone. I think the very best way to get to know someone is by having them into your home. If you would rather start with a meal a neutral location, that is fine, too. Jesus often had meals with people in order to spend time with them and teach them. We should do the same.
One more thing. Did you notice the location of Levi’s tax booth? Levi was sitting at a tax booth that was somewhat close to the sea. Some of Levi’s tax revenue came from fishermen. Remember, Jesus’ first four disciples (Simon, Andrew, James, and John) were all fishermen (Mark 1:16-20). That means that it’s likely that Levi had extorted and wronged these men. I’m quite sure that these four fishermen were not thrilled with Jesus’ choice of Levi. However, when you follow Jesus, you are to seek to be reconciled with those who have wronged you.
Jesus loved sinners. Jesus loved them where they were, but he also loved them too much to let them continue to live in their sin (John 8:1-11).
You may remember Zacchaeus, who was more than a wee little man. He was not just a tax collector but a chief tax collector. Zacchaeus encountered Jesus and from that day forward was never the same (Luke 19:1-10). After meeting Jesus, Zacchaeus decided to give half of his money to the poor and to make amends to anyone he had defrauded.
In vv. 13-15, we see that Jesus extends an invitation to sinners. In vv. 16-17, we see that Jesus rejects the self-righteous.
Jesus rejects the self-righteous (16-17)
The scribes of the Pharisees were most likely outside the home, possibly looking through the windows. The religious leaders questioned Jesus’ credentials. In their minds, surely Jesus couldn’t have any religious authority, for he eats with sinners and tax collectors. Doesn’t he know what kind of people they were?
How could Jesus eat and fellowship with tax collectors? Jesus was eating with people whom the Jews considered political and economic traitors.
Sometimes that’s how church people can be as well. We might think, that person doesn’t look like us, dress like us, and uses colorful language. That person uses words that we don’t use.
All too often like these religious leaders, we can be self-righteous. At times, we lose our wonder at God’s grace towards us. The more we realize how indebted to Jesus we are for his grace, the more we will be able to extend grace to others.
We forget that God’s amazing grace has saved wretches like us.
We forget that God’s amazing grace has saved wretches like us.
Jesus rejected the Pharisees because they were trusting in their own righteousness. They trusted in their obedience to the law, their circumcision, and their Abrahamic lineage instead of trusting in him to save them.
What does this look like for us? At times, we think that God loves us or impressed by us because:
we faithfully attend church
we faithfully give to the church
we read out of a certain translation of the Bible
we abstain from alcohol
we have shared the gospel with this many people
we are better than the sinners down the street and don’t struggle with the same sins they do.
Self-righteous people desire other people’s praise more than holiness before God. They see the sins of others, but never their own. They judge others more harshly than they judge themselves. They trust in themselves and their behavior and look down on others.
Friends, the reality is that were it not for the grace of Christ we would be in hell with tax collectors, prostitutes, homosexuals, adulterers, terrorists, and any other sinner you can think of. We all deserve God’s wrath but there is grace. Look at v. 17.
17
You must know you are spiritually sick before you can be spiritually healed.
Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Have you ever been around someone that refuses to go to the doctor even when it’s obvious that they’re very sick? Unfortunately, I have a personal reminder of this. My grandpa had chest pain and didn’t go to the doctor. He eventually had a stroke in his early fifties and suffered for about 30 years before his death. It’s awful for someone to have a premature death or to suffer for many years because he or she refused to get help. Friends, it’s infinitely worse to refuse to seek spiritual healing and to be healed by Jesus.
Consider that when a person goes to the doctor, he is acknowledging that he has a disease that someone else must treat. In the same way, we can only be cured of the disease of sin when we go to the Great Physician.
Conclusion
As I come to a close, I want to ask you some questions.
Are you depending on your good works to save you like the self-righteous Pharisees?
Or, are you like Levi, well aware that you cannot be saved from your sin without Jesus?
When you consider your sinfulness, are you comparing yourself with other sinners or a perfectly holy God? It’s easy to measure up with your sinful friends and neighbors, but God is perfect (Matt 5:48).
Is there someone you know that needs Jesus but you have not shared the gospel with them because you thought they were too far gone? Remember, Jesus calling a tax collector was scandalous.
And finally, are you willing to eat with sinners so that you can bring them to Jesus’ table?
In today’s culture, relationships are so important in evangelism. I would encourage you to be hospitable and have people into your home. I would say shoot for at least once a month. Maybe, you could have a church family into your home one month and an unchurched family the next.
We must seek to introduce people to Jesus. We must speak of Jesus. We need to quit being so self-absorbed. We need to create some time in our schedules. The only way that we can change Harrisburg (my town) and the world is to introduce people to Jesus and that takes time and sacrifice.
Are you willing to introduce sinners to Jesus?
Are you willing to associate with people that don’t look like you, talk like you, or shop in the same places you do?
BIG IDEA: Jesus calls sinners to follow him but he rejects the self-righteous.
William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974), 101–102.
Unfortunately, there is no sermon video due to technical problems.
So far in Mark, we’ve looked at Mark’s introduction to Jesus. Mark introduced us to John the Baptist, who himself pointed to Jesus. Where John baptized with water, Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8).
Jesus was baptized by John. Jesus’ baptism was a kind of commissioning service. The Spirit descended on Jesus, a sign that the Spirit would empower Jesus during his ministry. The Father declared his approval of the Son.
Immediately after Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to do battle with Satan. While in the wilderness for 40 days, Jesus overcame Satan where those before him had failed. Jesus proved to be the new and better Adam – the true Son of God (see Rom 5:12-21).
In our text today, Mark tells us that John has been arrested (Mark 1:14). We know from Matthew 4:13 that Jesus is living in Capernaum.
Jesus’ Early Ministry – from the ESV Study Bible
Sermon Text: Mark 1:14-20
Mark 1:14-15
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
These verses are a summary of Jesus’ ministry. Verse 15 is the core message that Jesus preached during his earthly ministry; that the kingdom of God is at hand and to repent and believe in the gospel.
The kingdom of God is the new age that began when Jesus came. While the Jews were expecting a Messiah who would liberate them from the rule of the Romans, Jesus came as a preacher. Later in his ministry, Jesus would say that his kingdom was not of this world.
The kingdom of God represents God’s rule on earth. It was started when Jesus came, and it will be consummated when he returns. Jesus gave us a glimpse of what the kingdom of God looks like during his ministry. He healed the sick, delivered the demonized, and brought the dead back to life.
In the present dimension of God’s kingdom, we are called to repent of sin and believe in the person and work of Jesus. In the future dimension of God’s kingdom, we will live with Jesus in the New Creation after he comes again.[1]Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark: From Text to Message, 145-46.
In my first sermon in Mark, I said that Mark wants us to know who Jesus is, why he came, and what that means for us. Today’s message focuses on who Jesus is and what that means for us.
Mark 1:16-20
16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
I live in the southern part of the United States. If I was to talk to someone in my community that professed to be a Christian and ask them how they know that they are a Christian, I might get answers like this:
I have been baptized.
I am a member of a church.
I regularly attend church and faithfully give.
I believe in God.
I believe in Jesus.
Of course, all Christians should be able to affirm those statements. I will argue later that if belief merely constitutes intellectual assent (believing a fact to be true) then that does not constitute saving faith. In America, we usually use the words Christian or believer to describe a Christ follower. Those are okay words to use, but by far the most popular word in the New Testament to describe a follower of Christ is the word disciple.
In his book Spiritual Discipleship, J. Oswald Sanders notes that the New Testament knows nothing of a Christian that is not a disciple. The word disciple is used 269 times while the word Christian is only used three times, and the word believer only twice![2]J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Discipleship, 8.
What is a disciple? A disciple is a learner, follower, or apprentice. In our culture, we think of prospective doctors working a residency, a student teacher spending time with a veteran teacher, or an aspiring plumber working under a master plumber.
Something that is interesting about Jesus’ call to these first disciples is that he called them. In biblical times, it was normally the students that would choose a rabbi to follow. Instead, Jesus called his disciples. Notice that he does not call them to a vocation or a particular teaching. Rather, the disciples were called them to model themselves after Jesus himself. It should be noted that this was not the first time that these men had encountered Jesus (see John 1:35-51).
In today’s post, I want to talk about what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus. The bottom line is this: true disciples follow Jesus!
Disciples of Jesus recognize the true king (15)
The first mark of a disciple is that they recognize the true king. They recognize Jesus as the true Son of God. Sure, at this time these early disciples didn’t fully understand who Jesus was. But by the end of their time spent with him, they knew that Jesus was truly God in the flesh. A true disciple of Jesus must recognize him for who he is – the perfect Son of God who became a man in order to save his people (John 1:14; Matt 1:21).
Disciples of Jesus practice repentance (15)
What is repentance? Repentance is not just feeling bad or guilty about our behavior. Rather, repentance is a reorientation of worship from our idols to God. An idol is something you cannot be fulfilled without. It could be money, other’s opinions, security, comfort, children, sports, or many other things.
1 Thess 1:9
For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.
That’s what repentance looks like. Disciples turn from worshiping themselves and idols to worshiping God. God gives us a new heart, resulting in a transformed life. Paul Washer says it this way: when you become a Christian, you hate the sin you once loved and love the righteousness you once hated.
Disciples of Jesus believe the gospel (15)
What is belief or faith? Biblical faith is not just intellectual assent to facts. For example, there are many people that would affirm that Jesus is the Son of God and he has died for their sins. Biblical faith doesn’t just mean knowing something with your head. It means that you know it in your heart – so much so that you’re willing to build your life upon the words of Jesus (Matt 7:24-25).
By way of example, if I asked you to go skydiving with me, you can say all day long that you believe in parachutes. But the moment that you truly show your belief to be true is when you jump out of the plane! At that moment, you are trusting in that parachute to keep you alive. It’s the same with biblical faith. When Jesus says that we must believe in the gospel, he means that we are trusting in his life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:3-4) rather than our good works.
True faith will be evidenced by a continuing obedience to the words of Jesus (John 8:31-32; Jam 1:22; 1 John 2:3-6). Jesus doesn’t say that we should trust a prayer, a baptism, or church membership as evidence of true faith. Rather, true faith is evidenced by a life of obedience (Jam 2:14-17).
Disciples of Jesus are from every walk of life (16, 19)
Jesus was living in Capernaum (Matt 4:13). In verses 16 and 19, Jesus calls his first disciples. These disciples were fishermen. But Jesus also called a tax collector (Mark 2:13-14) and a zealot (Luke 6:15). Tax collectors were seen as traitors to their own people while zealots were Israelite patriots who resented the Romans. However, Jesus brings them together. You see, Jesus calls rich people and poor people to follow him. He calls the blue collar and the white collar. He calls people from cities and the hills. He calls black people, white people, Hispanics, and Asian people. He calls people from every tribe, nation, and tongue to follow him (Rev 5:9; 7:9).
Disciples of Jesus count the cost of following Jesus (14, 18, 20)
Disciples realize that they must count the cost to follow Christ. Jesus only began his ministry after John was arrested (v. 14). Simon and Andrew “left their nets and followed him” (v. 18). James and John “left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.” James and John left a profitable business (they had hired servants) that they stood to inherit from their father. And yet, these disciples recognized that following Jesus was ultimate.
This text and other texts such as Luke 9:57-62 and Luke 14:25-33 indicate that Christ demands that being his disciple is the primary commitment in one’s life. Following Christ is more important than our family and our vocations. This doesn’t mean that our families or jobs are unimportant. It means that we must be loyal to Christ even if our families reject us. We are to be loyal to Christ even if means that we are persecuted for our beliefs (for instance, read this article about Jack Phillips, a Colorado cake baker).
Several years ago there was a study done to see what Christians in America believed. The findings were summarized in a term called moralistic therapeutic deism. In short, most people believe that (1) God exists, (2) God wants me to be a good person, (3) God makes me feel good about myself, (4) God is not really involved in my life.
This is not biblical Christianity. Christianity is not something we just tack on to our lives. Jesus demands that we follow him with everything (Mark 8:34-36). We worship Him above all else. We are given a new identity (2 Cor 5:17). Jesus doesn’t just make us nice people. He makes us new people! We abandon our life without Jesus for a life with Jesus.[3]Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark, 146.
Jesus doesn’t just make us nice people. He makes us new people!
Disciples of Jesus make disciples (17)
From the beginning of his call, Jesus intended to mold his disciples for the mission. Notice, he says to his first disciples: “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Jesus called these men for a purpose – to follow him and to make more followers.
Jesus made this even more explicit in the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20). Jesus told his followers to go with the gospel, baptize those who respond, and teach them to obey him in all of life for the rest of life.
The message has not changed in 2000 years. We preach Christ and him crucified (1 Cor 2:1-2). When we fish, it kills the fish. When we fish for men, we are seeking to hook them with the gospel. We want to see people die to their sins and become alive to Christ and his mission.
This passage describes Christianity in a nutshell – King Jesus has come, and he demands that we turn from our sin and believe in him, and follow him. But it doesn’t stop there – we are also to help others know and follow King Jesus.
As you read this post, I want you to consider – are you living as a disciple of Jesus?
Have you recognized Jesus as your true king? Is he the lord of your life?
Do you practice repentance? Do you hate your sin?
Do you believe the gospel – not just with your mind but your heart?
Are you dying to yourself and following Jesus?
Are you seeking to make disciples and to fulfill the great commission?
Being a Christian is not just attending a service and believing the right facts about God. Being a Christian means that I am a slave to Christ that seeks to honor him with my whole life (1 Cor 6:19-20).
