Thinking Biblically

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Tag: Pharisees (Page 1 of 2)

Jesus has Authority as the Divine Messiah – Mark 12:35-40

February 20, 2024 /

Sermon Text: Mark 12:35-40

Sermon Video

Outline

Jesus is the Divine Messiah (vv. 35-37)

  • The Christ is David’s son and therefore human (v. 35).
  • The Christ is David’s Lord and therefore divine (vv. 36-37).

Jesus exercises his authority as the Divine Messiah by condemning false spirituality (vv. 38-40)

  • Beware of those who put on a show (vv. 39-40).
  • Beware of those to take advantage of others (v. 40).
  • Beware of those who flaunt their false piety (v. 40).

Verses Referenced (sermon order):

Matt 22:41-42; 2 Sam 7:12-16; Jer 23:5-6; Ps 110:1

Context

Mark 11-16 covers Jesus’ final week (Passion Week). We’re still in Tuesday of that week. On Tuesday, Jesus’ authority was challenged by the Sanhedrin. Jesus responded with the parable of the tenants condemning Israel’s religious leaders. Jesus then answered questions about taxes, the resurrection, and the greatest commandment.

Summary

This is only a summary. Watch the sermon video (linked above) for more.

The last few weeks we have seen the Jewish religious leaders question Jesus’ authority. We’ve seen them pelt him with questions in order to try to damage his credibility. Today, we see Jesus go on the offensive.

Mark tells us in v. 37 “a great throng” of people were listening to Jesus. Matthew’s account notes that the Pharisees were gathered (Matt 22:41-42). Jesus questions the Pharisees about the identity of the Messiah and the Pharisees answer that the Messiah will be a descendent of David. The Pharisees are correct (see 2 Sam 7:12-16; Jer 23:5-6).

Everyone agreed that the Messiah would indeed be a descendant from the line of David and therefore the Messiah would be human. However, Jesus was teaching those present in the temple that day something they had perhaps never considered – that the Messiah would be more than a man.

Jesus’ question in v. 37 poses a dilemma about the Messiah’s identity and person. Jesus points them to Psalm 110, a messianic Psalm that was was attributed to David. Psalm 110:1 is the most referred to Old Testament verse in the New Testament and a foundational verse for Christology (the doctrine of Christ). In Psalm 110, David writes about a conversation between God the Father and God the Son (“The Lord said to my Lord”).

So Jesus asks, why does David call the Messiah Lord if the Messiah is David’s son? In a patriarchal society, honor is extended to the elder, not the younger. So why would David give Him this honor? During David’s reign in Israel, there was no higher human being on earth than David. No one outranked him. So why would David call this person Lord?

Jesus was not denying that the Messiah would come from David, but rather stressed that the Messiah is “Lord.” Thus, Jesus is answering the earlier question posed to Him about where he gets his authority (Mark 11:28). He is the Messiah that possesses the authority that David acknowledged to belong to the Messiah as Lord. Jesus is both David’s son [as his descendant] and David’s Lord [as the Son of God].

In Psalm 110, God gave authority to this Lord to sit at His right hand, which is a picture of shared rule on a throne. Thus, Jesus’ authority is that of the Messiah, which He shares with God himself because of course Jesus is God.

In this passage, Jesus turned these theologians on their heads and argued that David, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, penned words showing that the Messiah (the Christ) was David’s Lord and thus must be divine.

We have seen the Christ is David’s son and therefore human (v. 35). Now, we have seen the Christ is David’s Lord and therefore divine (vv. 36-37). We see in vv. 35-37 that Jesus, as the divine Messiah, has authority. If Mark has shown us anything in his Gospel it’s that Jesus has authority. Jesus has authority in his teaching and he has authority over nature, disease, the demonic, and even death itself.

My question to you is this: have you submitted to the authority of Jesus?

The story of Scripture is really this – God created everything very good (Gen 1:31). Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s good authority (Gen 3:1-7). Ever since, man has been born into sin (Ps 51:5; Rom 3:23). In our flesh, we rebel against God’s authority and sin against him. The good news of the gospel is that even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). Jesus satisfied God’s wrath for our sin (2 Cor 5:21) and offers us eternal life if we will repent of our sin and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Someone who truly trusts in Jesus for salvation will live a life of obedience to Jesus and bow down to his authority. This is the problem of every lost person – they want to have authority over their own lives instead of bowing down to Jesus. I implore you, turn from your sin and follow Jesus today.

In vv. 35-37, Jesus proclaims himself to be the divine Messiah. In verses 38-40, Jesus exercises his authority as the divine Messiah. Jesus issues a scathing rebuke of the religious leaders and their hypocritical religion. Jesus’ message is more fully expressed in Matthew 23, where Jesus issues seven woes to the scribes and Pharisees. Here in Mark we only have three verses.

Jesus exercises his authority as the Divine Messiah by condemning false spirituality (38-40)

Jesus tells those listening, “Beware of the scribes” (v. 38).

First, Jesus said to beware of those who put on a show (vv. 39-40) by walking around in long robes, inviting greetings in the marketplace, and enjoying the best seats in the synagogues and at feasts.

The scribes wanted to be seen as spiritual. They were more concerned with what people thought of them than pleasing God with their lives. They loved being called, “Rabbi” and the special recognition they received in the marketplace. Finally, they loved the attention from sitting in the best seats. By sitting in these seats, they faced the congregation, which forced people to look at them. This made the Pharisees feel distinguished.

Second, Jesus warned of those who take advantage of others by devouring widows’ houses (v. 40). Because the scribes were the experts in the law they often served as estate planners for widows. The Old Testament was clear that widows and the poor were to be granted mercy and to be treated fairly – “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18). Despite the clear teaching of the Old Testament, many of the scribes would use their position to convince poor widows to support the work of the temple or their own work rather than taking care of themselves.

Third, Jesus said to beware of those who flaunt their piety (v. 40). The Pharisees tried to flaunt their piety by praying long prayers. They didn’t love God, but desired to be seen as spiritual by the people.

Why should people beware of the scribes? Jesus says in v. 40 they will receive the greater condemnation. Jesus was telling the crowd if their religious practice and spirituality was like that of the scribes, then they would receive the same condemnation.

If your religious practice and your spirituality is like that of the scribes, then you will be condemned just like them.

Jesus knew that the Pharisees’ religious practice was hypocritical, insensitive to others, and self-seeking. Rather than devoting themselves to God, they were seeking the praise of men.

What about us? What motivates us?

  • Why do you come to church? Do you seek to praise God and encourage others or do you come to fulfill a religious duty and want to be seen by others?
  • Do you serve in the church out of a love for God or so that you will be praised by men?
  • Do you hope the preacher will be faithful to Scripture or that he will tell you how good of a person you are and that you deserve prosperity and material blessings?
  • When you attend church meals, do you seek to be an encouragement to others or do you only want to sit by the most important people?
  • When you pray with others, do you genuinely pray to seek God or do you use big words and long prayers so that you will be seen as spiritual?
  • When you post Bible verses to your social media, are you seeking to honor God and encourage others or are you wanting to be seen as spiritual?

The words of Jesus should challenge us this morning. We may have an impressive outward appearance, but nothing is hidden from Jesus (1 Sam 16:7). He knows the motives of our heart (Mark 2:8; John 2:24-25).

The choice is clear: you can put on a religious show, seek the applause of men, and be condemned to hell or you can submit to and worship Jesus, the divine Messiah who has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18) and spend eternity with him. Friends, there is no sitting on the fence with Jesus. You are either with him or against him.

The Christian and Government – Mark 12:13-17

January 15, 2024 /

Sermon Text: Mark 12:13-17

Sermon Video

Outline

BIG IDEA: As Christians, we are to render respect to God-ordained government, but we render worship to God alone.

Verses Referenced (sermon order):

Genesis 1:27

Context

Mark 11-16 covers Jesus’ final week. This is sometimes called Passion Week. Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and inspected the temple affairs. On Monday Jesus cursed the fig tree and cleaned house. On Tuesday Jesus’ authority was challenged by a delegation of the Sanhedrin, the powerful Jewish religious council consisting of Pharisees, Sadducees, and others. In our last post, we looked at Jesus’ parable of the tenants, which condemned Israel’s religious leaders.

Summary

Note that the following is only a summary. I encourage you to listen to the sermon linked above for a fuller explanation.

Since the Sanhedrin (the powerful Jewish religious council) couldn’t arrest Jesus (Mark 12:12), they decide to try to trap Jesus in his words (Mark 12:13). The Pharisees and Herodians (unlikely bedfellows) try to flatter Jesus and then ask him a question – should Jews pay taxes to Caesar (Mark 12:14)? The questioners are banking on Jesus making someone mad. If Jesus answered in the affirmative then the Pharisees and the common Jews would be angered. If Jesus answered negatively, the Herodians could report to the Roman authorities that Jesus was an insurrectionist.

The question before Jesus was this – can faithful Jews pay taxes to Caesar and still honor the God of Israel? For us today, the question could be, “Can we pay taxes to a corrupt government that spends our tax dollars in ungodly ways and still worship God?”

After looking at a denarius, Jesus makes perhaps the most profound political statement ever uttered – “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). In his statement, Jesus affirms the legitimacy of government (see Rom 13:1-7) but also commands his listeners to render to God the things that are God’s. Jesus is referring to our whole selves. Just as the coin has the image of Caesar, we bear the image of God (Gen 1:27). Therefore, we owe him our allegiance and devotion. Later in the same day, Jesus said that he greatest commandment is for us to love God with everything we have (Mark 12:30).

As Christians, we have live within the tension of two realities. We have a responsibility to be good citizens and respect our government. We also are commanded to love God with everything we have. Taxes should be paid to governments but only God has authority over our souls.

In closing, how should we think about government as Christians?[1]Some of this section is from Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark, 278 by Daniel Akin.

  1. We should be good citizens and live in subjection to governmental authority and seek to influence government policies through our voice and our vote.
  2. We should, like Joseph and Daniel, obey the state, but only worship God.
  3. We should pray for those in authority (1 Tim 2:1-2).
  4. We should acknowledge that governmental authority is established by God (Romans 13:1-7).
  5. We should pay taxes (Mark 12:17; Rom 13:6-7).
  6. We should engage in civil disobedience only when the government prohibits me from doing what the Bible commands or when the government commands me to do something the Bible prohibits (Acts 4:19-20; 5:29).

In summary, let’s be good citizens. Let’s pay taxes. Let’s give respect to God-ordained government. But let us worship God alone.

References

References
↑1 Some of this section is from Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark, 278 by Daniel Akin.

Rejecting Christ Brings Judgment – Mark 12:1-12

January 10, 2024 /

Sermon Text: Mark 12:1-12

Sermon Video

Outline

BIG IDEA: Those that presume upon God’s patience by rejecting His Son will one day face His wrath.

God is patient with sinners (1-5)

God sent His beloved Son and we should honor Him (6-8)

God will judge those who refuse to honor His beloved Son (9-12)

Verses Referenced (sermon order):

Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 7:25-26; 25:4; 25:7; Matthew 21:43; Psalm 118:22-23

Context

Mark 11-16 covers Jesus’ final week. This is sometimes called Passion Week. Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and inspected the temple affairs. On Monday Jesus cursed the fig tree and cleaned house. On Tuesday Jesus’ authority was challenged by a delegation of the Sanhedrin, the powerful Jewish religious council consisting of Pharisees, Sadducees, and others.

Summary

We pick up again on Tuesday of Passion Week. In our sermon text (Mark 12:1-12) Jesus uses a parable to pronounce judgment on the Jewish religious leaders. The parable is rich with Old Testament imagery (see especially Isaiah 5:1-7).

In the parable, Jesus speaks of a landowner who planted a vineyard. The landowner planted the vineyard and leased it to tenants. When harvest came, the landowner sent many servants to collect his portion of the harvest. Shockingly, the tenants beat and killed the servants, refusing to render the landowner his fruit. Finally, the landowner sent his beloved son. The tenants killed the son, hoping to acquire the land and its profits for themselves. Jesus speaks of the wickedness of the tenants and the wrath that will be poured out on them by the landowner.

Contextually, the meaning of the parable becomes clear. The parable speaks of God’s (the landowner) provision for the nation of Israel (the vineyard), the wickedness of its religious leaders (the tenants), the prophets (the servants) who were mistreated despite speaking God’s words, and Jesus (God’s Beloved Son) who was sentenced to die three days later by the Sanhedrin. These wicked tenants will eventually experience God’s wrath for their rejection of his beloved son. In addition, God will give the vineyard to others that produce spiritual fruit (Matt 21:43; John 15:8). That is, God’s blessings will not longer flow through ethnic Israel but spiritual Israel – the church which consists of Jews and Gentiles who like Abraham believed the promise of God (see Galatians 3-4).

Thankfully, God’s shows us great patience and offers sinners a the wonderful salvation in the sending of his son Jesus Christ. To receive this gift, we must repent of our sins and trust in the person and work of Jesus.

Does Jesus Have Authority – Mark 11:27-33

January 10, 2024 /

Sermon Text: Mark 11:27-33

Sermon Video

Outline

BIG IDEA: Like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, many people refuse to acknowledge Jesus’ authority over their lives.

Summary

Keep the context in mind. Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and inspected the temple affairs. On Monday, Jesus cleaned house. Now on Tuesday Jesus’ authority is challenged by a delegation of the Sanhedrin, the powerful Jewish religious council consisting of Pharisees, Sadducees, and others.

Again, the key issue is authority. Notice v. 28: “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” The religious leaders are questioning Jesus’ authority to preach and teach in the temple (Luke 20:1) and to cleanse the temple (Mark 11:15-17). In their minds, he was the lowly son of a carpenter from Nazareth and they are the religious elites that have control over the temple and its affairs – not Jesus.

I encourage you to watch the sermon for more. Even though there is no temple today many religious people still struggle the same problem the religious leaders did. They refuse to give Jesus his rightful authority over their lives. They want the salvation and blessings of Jesus without the commitment of discipleship. But this is not the way of Jesus. Jesus has all authority (Matt 28:18; Col 1:15-20; Mark 8:34-35; Luke 6:46). Will you submit to the his authority in every area of your life?

Jesus on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage – Mark 10:1-12

October 23, 2023 /

Sermon text: Mark 10:1-12

Sermon Video

Outline

The Pharisees Question Jesus on Divorce (1-4)

Jesus Upholds God’s Design for Marriage (5-9)

Jesus Clarifies His Position on Divorce and Remarriage (10-12)

Summary

Having spoken of his impending death, Jesus and his disciples make their way towards Jerusalem. Mark can be divided geographically into three parts. In Mark 1-9, Jesus ministers in and around the region of Galilee. In Mark 10, Jesus ministers in the region of Judea on his way to Jerusalem. Finally, Mark 11-16 covers Jesus’ final week and passion.

While in the region of Judea, the Pharisees sought to test Jesus on the subject of divorce (v. 2). The Pharisees had justified divorce and remarriage based on Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Far from justifying divorce, this passage sought to regulate divorce that was already prevalent at the time of Moses’ writing. The word indecency in v. 1 could not have meant adultery, because adultery was punished by stoning (Deut 22:22).

In Jesus’ day, there were two different schools of thought among the Pharisees regarding divorce and remarriage. There was the school of Hillel and the school of Shammai. These two schools of thought disagreed about how the word indecency in Deut 24:1 should be interpreted. The School of Hillel taught that a man could divorce his wife for nearly anything, even something as trivial as burning supper. Alternatively, the School of Shammai took the word indecency to mean sexual indecency. This would of course include adultery but may have included other sexual acts.

Though adultery was punishable by death in the Old Testament, by this time, the Jews were under Roman authority. They were not as free to enact the death penalty as they were in the previous times. So, some sins that were punishable by death in Old Testament times were no longer being punished that way in Jesus’ day.

The Pharisees likely tested Jesus in order to get him in trouble with Herod. Remember, the Pharisees had sought to destroy Jesus for some time (Mark 3:6). Now, in the area of Herod’s jurisdiction, they hoped Jesus would repeat his earlier teaching (Matt 5:31-32) which would result in Jesus suffering a similar fate to John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29). Thus, the Pharisees tested Jesus.

Jesus responds by upholding God’s design for marriage (vv. 5-9). In v. 5, Jesus says that Moses wrote this commandment because of people’s hardness of heart. Jesus says that divorce happens because of the hardness of human hearts. At least one party in every divorce has to some degree a hard heart (a heart that has not been changed by the gospel). Jesus is in effect saying that, “It’s true that Moses had some words concerning divorce and remarriage. However, those words were to regulate divorces that were already happening, not to endorse or even permit divorce.”

Then in vv. 6-8 Jesus goes back to Genesis 1 and 2. Jesus says that God made them male and female. This goes back to Genesis 1:27. Then he quotes Genesis 2:24, which is the biblical teaching on marriage before the Fall. When asked about divorce and remarriage, Jesus goes back to the beginning, and He reminds them about God’s Word on marriage. I want us to see just a few things about marriage from Genesis 2:24, which Jesus quotes in vv. 7-8.

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.

God’s Design for Marriage

  • Marriage is between one man and one woman. (“a man…his wife”) – polygamy, polyandry, homosexuality forbidden
  • The man and woman are to be faithful to one another. (“hold fast”) – adultery forbidden
  • The man and woman are meant to stay together. (“hold fast”) – divorce forbidden
  • The man and woman are to complement one another. The man is the marriage leader, and the woman is a suitable helper (Gen 2:18).

Thus, from verses 5-8, we see that Jesus was not just settling the debate of the two sides. Instead, He rejected the Pharisaical opinions altogether and returned everyone to God’s standard for marriage as found in Genesis 2:24. Notice that Jesus not only goes back to Genesis 2:24. He also adds His own teaching in v. 9.

Jesus says that when a man and a woman marry, it is God who joins them together.

Thus, Jesus says, let no person separate what God has joined together. Notice that Jesus puts an emphasis on the one-flesh union rather than the people (What, not who God jointed together).

In Jesus’ day, the religious leaders permitted divorce for any indecency a man could find in a woman. Jesus raised the bar and said, “You’re wrong! Marriage is a holy covenant that was instituted by God in the beginning!” This teaching of Jesus was radical in the first century. This teaching of Jesus is completely counter-cultural today.

Many in our culture don’t value marriage. People are getting married less and less and if they do get married, they are waiting longer and longer (in 2021, average age = 29.2). Many cohabitate and fornicate as they delay marriage for more important things like education and a career.

Usually when people do marry, they treat marriage like a contract:

“As long as you meet my needs and wants, I will stick with you.” The wife will remain with her husband as long as he makes enough money. Similarly, the husband will stick by his wife as long as she cooks well and meets his physical needs.

In Scripture, marriage is a covenant:

“I’m committing to you for life. For better or worse, I am holding fast to you as my husband or wife as we seek to glorify God together.”

Consider our marriage vows – “I, _____, take thee, _____, to be my wedded wife (husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”

Finally, Jesus clarifies his views regarding divorce and remarriage (vv. 10-12). In case there was any confusion, Jesus makes it clear to His disciples what He meant. Look again at v. 9. When Jesus says, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” What are the implications of that verse? Well look at Mark 9:11-12.

Jesus’ words are clear: Every person who divorces a spouse and marries someone else while their spouse is still living commits adultery (v. 11). In v. 11, Jesus elevates the status of women. The Jewish courts of the day always sided with men, which made it very hard on women. When Jesus says that “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her,” Jesus is really raising the bar of what is required of husbands.

Also remember from Matt 5:32 that every person who marries a divorced person also commits adultery.

Why does Jesus say that remarriage after divorce is adultery? It’s because marriage is a permanent union between a man and a woman. This union, in God’s eyes, is only dissolved at death (Rom 7:2-3; 1 Cor 7:39).

Rom 7:2-3

For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

1 Cor 7:39

A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

People can go back on their vows, marriage can be ended in civil and legal ways, but these things do not and cannot destroy the morally binding one-flesh union that is created by God. If those things destroyed the marriage, then why would Jesus consider remarriage to be an act of adultery?

Since Jesus says that remarriage after divorce is called adultery (vv. 11-12), it is evident that the one-flesh union with the former spouse is not un-created by the act of divorce (Rom 7:3; 1 Cor 7:39).

Upon hearing Jesus’ teaching on this subject, the disciples respond this way:

Matthew 19:10

The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”

Right in front of their eyes, Jesus had raised the standard of righteousness regarding marriage and divorce. The disciples reacted accordingly, as they realized that marriage was to be a permanent union and that if they were to divorce their wives, they would need to remain single for the rest of their lives.

CONCLUSION

As I wrap up this morning, I know that probably everyone in this room has been negatively affected by divorce. For those of you that have divorced or those that have married someone who has been divorced, my goal is not to shame you or guilt you this morning. I simply want to explain and apply the truth of God’s Word on this subject.

I want to say just a few more things and I’ll be done.

(1) We must pursue holiness in marriage.

The Pharisees asked if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife. We shouldn’t ask that question. The Pharisees were asking, “Is this okay?” Remember, Jesus said that Moses law on divorce was because of people’s “hardness of heart.” We as disciples of Jesus should not have hard hearts. Instead, we should ask, “How can I best love and glorify God within marriage?” The weightiness of marriage is why I always require extensive premarital counseling before I perform a wedding ceremony.

(2) We must obey God’s Word regarding marriage.

Marriage was instituted by God (Gen 2:24). Marriage was the first institution of God – before government, before the church. Jesus said, “What God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mark 19:9). We should hold to the biblical standard on marriage: one man and one woman who are faithful and committed to one another for life who are willing to forgive one another when they have been sinned against.

(3) We must obey God’s Word regarding divorce and remarriage.

Christians should always seek reconciliation rather than initiating a divorce (1 Cor 7:10-15). There are times when couples need to separate due to physical abuse. This is not the same as pursuing a divorce. If a Christian is married to an unbelieving spouse, he or she may allow the unbelieving spouse to leave the marriage (1 Cor 7:15).

If you are divorced and single, I want to encourage you, based on 1 Cor 7:11, to seek reconciliation with your spouse if he or she has not remarried or to remain single if your former spouse is still living and has remarried. In 1 Cor 7, Paul talks about the benefits of singleness for Christian ministry.

If you have been divorced and you have remarried, seek forgiveness for the sin of adultery and then glorify God in your current marriage. Repentance in this situation does not mean divorcing your current spouse – it means that you acknowledge you were wrong the first time and are now committed to your new spouse.

I know these words are hard words, but obedience to God’s Word is more important than self-fulfillment, or even our own happiness.

(4) We should be thankful for God’s grace.

Even while we proclaim and stand upon God’s Word for marriage, we must also proclaim God’s forgiveness of sin and acceptance of sinners who confess and repent of their sin.

As a church, let’s emphasize the value of marriage and at the same time be careful not to stigmatize and shame those who have divorced and/or committed adultery. Those who have divorced and/or been remarried are not second class citizens in the kingdom of God. Divorce and adultery are not unforgivable sins (1 John 1:9).

As your pastor, I will always encourage you to stay married. As a church, we will always walk with you during difficult situations in marriage with a view towards repentance and reconciliation.

This morning, I’ve done my very best to be faithful to Scripture and the words of Jesus. I know I haven’t exhausted the biblical texts on the topic of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. If you want to read more about divorce and remarriage in Scripture, I encourage you to read the verses I’ve listed on the back of your bulletin as well as the book I mentioned.

Verses Referenced or on Bulletin

  • OT – Genesis 2:24; Deuteronomy 24:1-4
  • NT – Matthew 5:31-32, 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-12; Luke 16:18; Romans 7:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, 39

Suggested Book

Divorce & Remarriage: A Permanence View by Wingerd, Elliff, Chrisman, and Burchett (Available for free here)

Straight to the Heart – Mark 7:1-23

August 25, 2023 /

I’m going to try something new this week on the blog. Normally, I post full manuscripts of my sermon notes. This week, I’m only posting a quick summary, outline, Bible references, and the link to the sermon video.

Sermon text: Mark 7:1-23

Summary

In vv. 1-13, Jesus clashes with the Jewish religious over standards of ritual cleanness. The religious leaders question Jesus’ leadership of his disciples in this area because they were not washing their hands before eating. This had nothing to do with hygiene, but was a matter of ritual cleansing. The religious leaders care more about Jesus affirming their standards than God’s Law itself. Jesus rebukes them for this attitude.

In vv. 14-23, Jesus teaches the crowd and his disciples that cleansing rituals don’t make you clean because they only address the external. The problem is much deeper. The problem is that our hearts are sick and they need to be made new.

Outline

True Christianity is based on God’s Word, not religious traditions (vv. 1-13)

True Christianity addresses humanity’s greatest need – our sin sick hearts (vv. 14-23)

Verses Referenced

Jeremiah 17:9; Genesis 6:5; 1 Samuel 16:7

Sermon Video

The Unforgivable Sin – Mark 3:22-30

May 22, 2023 /

Sermon Video

Is there an unforgivable sin?

Various sins have been put forward throughout the years. Three sins that people sometimes reference are adultery, murder, and suicide.

Maybe you’ve heard of the sin of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. It’s sometimes called the unpardonable sin or the unforgivable sin.

Perhaps you’ve wondered, can a Christian commit this sin? Or, more personally, maybe you’re asking, have I committed this sin?

This is one example of the importance of preaching through books of the Bible. This is a typical text a pastor would pick out and preach. However, we want to understand all of God’s Word. We need to understand the hard passages.

Some Context from Mark 2-3:

  • Jesus’ conflict with the religious leaders is growing but the crowd loves him (Mark 2:1-3:12, 20).
  • Jesus has just called 12 disciples to be with him, that he might train them to be sent out for ministry (Mark 3:13-19).
  • Jesus’ family thinks he’s crazy and they have come to take him back to Nazareth before he shames the family name (Mark 3:20-21).

Sermon Text: Mark 3:22-30

When we read this text, the verse that probably jumps out to you is v. 29, which says, “Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.”

So, what is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and who is guilty of it? If there is a sin that cannot be forgiven, then we need to identify it and avoid it.

What is blasphemy? Blasphemy is defiant irreverence toward God. It is a desecration of God’s character. Jesus said in Matt 6:9, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Blasphemy is the opposite. Blasphemy may involve insulting God, mocking him, or dishonoring him.[1]R.C. Sproul, Mark, 62.

If this is what is meant by blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, then we are all guilty. However, the unforgivable sin is not just any kind of blasphemy, as we will see.

There are three turns in the text. In v. 22, we see the scribes’ accusation against Jesus. In vv. 23-27, we see Jesus’ answer. And finally, in vv. 28-30 we see Jesus’ warning to the scribes and others who are listening.

First, we see the scribes’ accusation against Jesus.

The scribes make an accusation against Jesus (22)

And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”

As we’ve seen so far in Mark, Jesus has been proclaiming the gospel, teaching with authority, healing the sick, and casting out demons. In this story, we’re not given much context. Fortunately, Matthew’s account helps us with the historical context:

Matt 12:22-23

22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”

So, there was a man who was oppressed. He was blind and mute. Jesus healed him, and “all the people were amazed, and said, ‘Can this be the Son of David?’”

The fame of Jesus has grown and people are beginning to wonder if he could be the Messiah.

So, what happens? Mark says in v. 22 that scribes came from Jerusalem to investigate Jesus. Upon arriving, they declare that Jesus “is possessed by Beelzebul, and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”

Their verdict is that Jesus was demon-possessed and must be silenced.

The scribes did not deny that Jesus was able to perform miracles. They had just witnessed one. However, instead of glorifying God, they attributed his power to Satan.

This is evidence that faith and unbelief are not the result of miracles and proofs. The Pharisees had all the proof you could want and yet they did not have saving faith in Jesus.

The verb in vv. 22 and 30 translated “were saying” is in the imperfect tense. This means that the scribes were consistently trying to destroy Jesus’ reputation. This was not a one-time event.

It is one thing to turn away from Jesus. It is even worse to try to turn others away from him.

These Jewish leaders understood Beelzebul (or Beelzebub) to be the prince of the demons (v. 22). Beelzebul is another name for Satan and Jesus makes this clear in v. 23.

So, the scribes declare that Jesus is demon-possessed and that he is working by the power of the prince of demons. Of course, this was the exact opposite of reality. We know from Scripture that Jesus, rather than being demon-possessed, was Holy Spirit-empowered.

Matt 4:1 – Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit…

Luke 4:1 – And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit…

Luke 4:14 – And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit…

Luke 4:18 – Jesus declared, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me…”

In Acts 10:38, Peter said “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”

The scribes had rejected Jesus as the Messiah despite his gracious and loving works that he poured out onto those who needed his healing touch.

The scribes had rejected Jesus and the works that he had accomplished.

The key takeaway for us is this – you will not be forgiven if you reject Jesus and his gracious works (v. 22).

You will not be forgiven if you reject Jesus and his gracious works.

Jesus answers the scribes (23-27)

23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

In v. 23, Jesus gathers the scribes and speaks a parable to them. He asks them a question – “How can Satan cast out Satan?”

Aside from God himself, Satan is likely the most intelligent being in the universe. Satan is too smart to allow division or civil war among his demons. Satan will not do anything that would threaten his power. Satan would never allow any demon to undermine his efforts. Quite simply, Jesus says, “Satan does not cast out Satan.”

Jesus then provides two examples to illustrate his point – a kingdom and a house.

v. 24 – a divided kingdom

We know that Satan is trying to build a kingdom. Satan was not content being an angel in God’s kingdom, so he rebelled and was cast out. Since then, Satan has been attempting to undermine God’s authority and trying to build his own kingdom. For the scribes to suggest that Jesus was fighting on the side of Satan by healing people and releasing those who were demon-possessed was beyond ridiculous. In reality, Jesus was doing just the opposite by releasing people from their demon possession.

1 John 3:8b

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Jesus taught that a divided kingdom cannot stand.

25-27 – a divided house

Just as a divided kingdom cannot stand, a house divided against itself will not stand. Experience tells us this is true. A home where husband and wife are divided on essential issues will not stand. A country with completely opposite political views will not stand. A church that is not unified around biblical truth will not stand.

Jesus says in v. 26 that if Satan is divided, then he is coming to an end.

In v. 27, Jesus likens Satan to a strong man. In the parable, Jesus says that in order to plunder a house, you must first bind the strong man. By way of example, if you come into my house to steal from me or harm my family, you’re not going to deal with Bethany or the kids. You are going to have to go through me.

In the parable, Satan is the strong man, and Jesus is saying that in order to cast out Satan’s demons, one must be stronger than the strong man. Jesus, because he is stronger than Satan, is able to cast out demons and set people free from their possession. This is the point that Jesus is making.

Jesus has come to plunder Satan’s kingdom by rescuing men and women who have been held captive to do his will. Jesus wins the ultimate victory for us by going to the cross and dying for our sins in our place so that we can have peace with God.

The scribes have heard Jesus preach with authority, heal the sick, cleanse the leper, and cast out demons. They have seen Jesus’ miracles. Yet, they, like the people Paul talks about in Romans 1:18, “who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth”. The scribes had suppressed the truth about Jesus and His works.

And if you are like these scribes, you will not be forgiven – you will not be forgiven if you willfully suppress the truth about Jesus (vv. 23-27).

You will not be forgiven if you willfully suppress the truth about Jesus.

Jesus issues a warning to those listening (28-30)

28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter,

By using the word “Truly,” Jesus was announcing that he was about to say something very important. He was giving great emphasis to what he was about to say.[2]R.C. Sproul, Mark, 62

And notice what Jesus says in v. 28. He makes an amazing promise to those listening in v. 28. He says, “Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter.”

Verse 28 proves that blasphemy is not a onetime sin or a misuse of God’s name. He says that “whatever blasphemies they utter” will be forgiven.

If you want to repent, Jesus will always receive you. Whenever you turn to Christ in repentance, there is always forgiveness. There is no account in Scripture of any who repented and believed and was not forgiven. Not one.

1 John 1:9

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

John 6:37

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

Just as Satan doesn’t cast out his demons, God does not cast out his children who have come to him through Jesus and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

29-30

29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

As I mentioned earlier, the scribes were accusing Jesus of being demon-possessed instead of Spirit-filled.

These men are in a state of willful opposition to the power of the Holy Spirit. They had seen what Jesus did and were unwilling to accept that Jesus was God’s Son and empowered and anointed by the Holy Spirit.

So, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit or the unforgivable sin, in its most narrow sense, is attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. We clearly see this in v. 30 – “for they [the scribes] were saying, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’” Again, when the text says, “they were saying,” this is an ongoing , persistent attitude towards Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They were so hardened that they continually associated Jesus with Satan.

Scholars are divided on whether or not someone can commit the unforgivable sin in its more narrow sense. I tend to agree that no one can commit this sin today in its more narrow sense.

However, when we examine the motivation behind the actions of the scribe, we see a remarkable display of the hardness of their hearts. They had suppressed the truth about Jesus and his works. They had refused to even consider the possibility of him being the Messiah. These men were so proud that they didn’t think that they needed the forgiveness and grace that Jesus came to offer.

Consider Pharaoh in the book of Exodus. He wanted to rule and enslave the people of Israel and hardened his heart time after time. Eventually, God brought terrible judgment on him and the Egyptians. Pharaoh witnessed God’s power time after time in plague after plague and he still would not repent. The scribes and the Pharisees are like Pharaoh. Jesus gives ample evidence of God’s work through his miracles, but they refuse to believe in and submit to Him.

This is what happens when people willfully suppress the truth about Jesus, reject Jesus, and reject the work of the Holy Spirit. Over time, they become so hardened that they can no longer repent.

When people willfully suppress the truth about Jesus, reject Jesus, and reject the work of the Holy Spirit, over a period of time, they become so hardened that they can no longer repent.

Thus, in the more broad sense, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, or unforgivable sin is having a heart that is so hard that you refuse to let God forgive you. The only unpardonable sin is that you refuse to humble yourself before God and let him pardon you.

I worry that there are many people in churches today that have been in church for years, have heard the gospel, have heard hundreds of sermons, but they continue to reject Jesus. They refuse to submit to his rule and reign in their lives. I’m not saying that these people have committed the unforgivable sin, but if they die without repenting of their sin and trusting in Christ they will not be forgiven.

In vv. 28-30, we see a third truth – You will not be forgiven if you continually reject the work of the Holy Spirit.

You will not be forgiven if you continually reject the work of the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

Before I conclude, I want to summarize what I’ve said today.

The unforgivable sin is not a one-time action. Paul called himself a former blasphemer (1 Tim 1:13) and clearly Paul had come to know Christ. He was not beyond Christ’s saving power.

The unforgivable sin in a narrow sense is to attribute Jesus’ work that was empowered by Holy Spirit to that of demons.

In a more general sense, the unforgivable sin is to knowingly, willingly, and persistently reject the truth about Jesus and the grace that he offers even when you are convicted by the Holy Spirit.

You will not be forgiven if you reject Jesus and his gracious works (22).

You will not be forgiven if you willfully suppress the truth about Jesus (23-27).

You will not be forgiven if you continually reject the work of the Holy Spirit (28-30).

Christians cannot commit this sin because a Christian, by definition, has come to a saving knowledge of Jesus and Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. If you are worried that you have committed the unforgivable sin, this is evidence that you have not committed it. People that have committed this sin are hardened in their unbelief.

In today’s text, we have seen Jesus give a great warning, but also a great promise.

Remember v. 28 – “Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter.”

Have you had your sins forgiven by Christ?

Have you repented of your sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ, or have you suppressed the truth about Jesus and who he is?

Have you suppressed the truth that you need him?

Do you realize that you are dead in your sins without Christ?

Have you resisted the work of the Holy Spirit?

Have you been convicted of sin but still refused to humble yourself before Jesus?

Run to Christ, confess your sin, and remember that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

If you still struggle with the fear that you have committed the unforgivable sin, consider this – we should not base our assurance on how we feel. Rather, we are commanded confess our sins to God and let him cleanse us.

One commentator said it this way – “Jesus came to forgive our sins, not leave us in the fear of unforgiven sin.”[3]Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark: From Text to Message, 183.

Jesus always receive those who come to him in repentance and faith.

Romans 5:1

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

This morning, we’ve seen a weighty, weighty text about the unforgivable sin. We’ve also seen a beautiful promise – we can be forgiven of all of our sins if we will turn from our sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today, if you hear God’s voice, do not harden your heart.

Do not ignore the clear teachings of Scripture.

Do not ignore wise, godly counsel from other believers.

Do not ignore the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Instead respond in joyful obedience to Christ.

References

References
↑1 R.C. Sproul, Mark, 62.
↑2 R.C. Sproul, Mark, 62
↑3 Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark: From Text to Message, 183.
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