Enter your e-mail address below to get Musing Upchurch sent directly to your in-box!

Past Ponderings

Monday, November 6, 2017

PONDERING... Why Do They Reject Him? (Mark 5-6:6)

Why Do They Reject Him? (AM Sermon Notes)
GIST: In this passage, we see people rejecting Jesus (and missing out on Him) because they’re terrified of His cost, skeptical of His power, and ignorant of His person. What’s our excuse?
SCRIPTURE: From Mark 5-6:6
Key Passage:
5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.
Last week, we looked at all of Mark chapter 5 and what it had to tell us about our own salvation. The gist was that in salvation, the hopeless come face-to-face with the Savior and are completely transformed by His compassionate Grace! We saw 3 individual examples of this. First, their was the man possessed by the legion of demons. He was a violent, chain-wrenching terror living in a graveyard, crying out night and day, and cutting himself with stones. His situation was desperate. But when Jesus spoke, the demons were cast out and the man was sitting clothed and in his right mind--and became a witness for Christ in his community. Then, we saw the woman who had been suffering from bleeding for 12 years. She was physically broken, financially destitute, and socially outcast, but when she touched Jesus, she was restored. And lastly, we were told about a dad desperate to save his dying daughter. As Jesus walked to his home, the girl died, but Jesus told the dad not to fear, but to believe. Then, He entered the house, touched the little girl and said, “Sweetie, it’s time to wake up”...and she got up!
These pictures of grace are awesome. Honestly, I kind of wish I could just preach that message again today! However, there are more than three people in this chapter. Set against these life transformations are large groups of people who remain completely unchanged. We have the general response we’ve seen throughout this account of the “amazed crowds”. They’re fascinated by Jesus, but we have no indication of it going beyond that. We’re also given several groups of people who just outright reject Jesus. This rejection didn’t come as a surprise to Him. In fact, He told us this would happen. Remember the soils? Nonetheless, their unbelief is devastating because they’re face-to-face with their only hope, and they don’t want Him. Gist? In this passage, we see people rejecting Jesus (and missing out on Him) because they’re terrified of His cost, skeptical of His power, and ignorant of His person. What’s our excuse?

I. TERRIFIED OF HIS COST
The Demons’ Request: Don’t mess up our life.
7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Mark 5:7-10
The first picture of rejection we see is from the demons who are possessing the man amongst the tombs. Jesus comes across the sea with His disciples, and this man runs at Him, falls prostrate, and starts begging to be left alone. I think that’s the intention behind the “What do you want with me?” question in verse 7. Now, we have to point this out. This man was untamable. Remember last week? The local townspeople were terrified of him and had even tried binding him with chains...which he broke! I have no way of comprehending this kind of oppressive demonic power. Yet, it is these same demons who fall face first before Jesus and start begging. Why? Because they know exactly who He is and why He came. He came to destroy sin, and they know, ultimately, this will result in them being cast into Hell. Demons have good theology. They just hate the truth. Look at the request here: don’t torment me, don’t send me out of this country. This is a gentile community steeped in paganism. They didn’t want to leave this place where they had so much influence. They have a good thing going, and they don’t want to give that up. And really, we see the same reaction from the locals.
The Gentile Townspeople: Same Request.
14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. Mark 5:14-17
Jesus comes to this shore, cast this legion of demons into a herd of pigs (that all then rush off of a cliff and die), and liberates this man. We are talking about an incredible display of power here. These people come face-to-face with this power and are terrified. This is very similar to the reaction of the disciples after Jesus calms the storm. They realize they’re in the presence of God’s power...and they’re terrified. This is a Gentile community. They’re not going to understand the full nature of this power like the demons did, but they weren’t able to deny it either.
Interestingly, of everything that happened here, what is cited as the source of their fear is the liberated man...not the dead pigs. Look at verse 15 again. The word there for “saw” means to observe closely. This wasn’t a casual glance. They took in the change wrought in this man’s life--and that terrified them. They had tried to control this man...and failed. Now, this man is not only successfully restrained, but calm and coherent. They realize whoever did this has to be more powerful than a legion of demons. Rather than running to Him and falling at His feet in praise, they beg Him to leave. The demon-possessed man has been transformed; these pigs have been destroyed. This Jesus is shaking things up. They see His power and what is will cost them, and they don’t want it.
What do you want with me?! I think the common denominator in both this scenarios is a desire to be left alone. Jesus doesn’t give you that option. When He comes into the world, He shakes things up...and it’s costly. It means you can’t just live life the way you, in your sinful nature, want.
I love Flannery O’Connor’s short stories. And in what is probably her most famous piece, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, she has her villain, The Misfit, express this. It’s a jarring scene. He’s a murderer and is actually in the process of killing a family, but stops to talk to the grandmother (a religious woman who shows no signs of actually being changed by Jesus, but has always been “the church going kind”). As they’re talking, The Misfit says this, “Jesus was the only One that ever raised the dead… and He shouldn't have done it. He shown everything off balance. If He did what He said, then it's nothing for you to do but thow away everything and follow Him, and if He didn't, then it's nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best way you can-by killing somebody or burning down his house or doing some other meanness to him.” If Jesus really came, and He did, then our lives can never be the same.

II. SKEPTICAL OF HIS POWER
So the first rejection is one of terror. They caught of glimpse of what Jesus could do, and they didn’t want that in their lives because they were afraid of what it would cost them. The next scenario is fueled by a similar selfishness, but expresses itself in a different reaction. Look at what happens when Jesus comes to the house of the little girl who had died.
The Mourners Laugh
38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Mark 5:38-40
It was customary at this time to hire people to mourn after someone passed away. Likely, it is such a crowd that has gathered outside this man’s house. Being a prominent community member, these would have been quite the display. When Jesus tells them they have no reason to cry, they laugh at Him. Now, these people should have known better. They’d seen Jesus’ miracles and heard His teaching. He was no fool. Like the previous group, they thought they understood what Jesus was capable of...only they didn’t think it was very much. They scoffed at Him, and He left them outside.
Man, we have to let that one sink in for a second. Here Jesus comes and tells them not to cry, and they laugh at Him...and miss the miracle. By dying on the cross for your sins, Jesus provided you with hope. And the promise for those who trust in Him, those who give Him their lives, is that one day “4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Nonetheless, a common response to Jesus today is laughter and ridicule. Though He can wipe away every tear, He has become the butt end of jokes for many and nothing more than a curse word for others. His followers are considered foolish at best, if not dangerous, close-minded fanatics. Why? Because the lost world doesn’t believe Him. This passage is a warning. Those who laughed were left outside while Jesus goes into the house and brings a dead girl to life! In the same way, many will laugh until Judgement Day and find themselves outside of eternal life. Oh, how we need to tell the scoffers about Jesus’ love!

III. IGNORANT OF HIS PERSON
The last passage I want to consider today is actually from chapter 6. We didn’t look at this passage last week, but it fits right in with this pattern. The Holy Spirit was very intentional in His inspiration! After these encounters, Jesus goes back home to Nazareth where He’d grown up and likely worked alongside His earthly father, Joseph, as a carpenter. He preaches in the synagogue there. Look at what happens.
The Hometown Crowd: The Proximity of Offense
He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.
And he went about among the villages teaching. Mark 6:1-6
They thought they knew Him...but didn’t understand who He was at all. Alistair Begg said their familiarity was like an inoculation. They had gotten little glimpses of Jesus, so when they came face-to-face with who He really was they were immune. They thought they knew who He was, but when they saw that He was actually more, it offended them. And they did see it. It isn’t like they couldn’t tell God was working here. They were astonished by the wisdom of His teaching and knew about His miracles. Still, this isn’t who they wanted to think He was, so they rejected Him. They thought they knew Him, but they didn’t.
As a result, He did “no mighty work there”. This doesn’t mean Jesus is like a fairy who requires belief to have power. He still healed people. But was that the mighty work He came to perform? No. We’ve hit this several times, but it bares repeating. He came to save us. He came to destroy sin. Their lack of faith made them, too, miss out on His purpose, so He just kept going and teaching elsewhere.
I believe it was Begg who also pointed out the solemn warning this presents to professing Christians. We need to make sure we show true faith, the the real Jesus. This is especially true for Christian parents. Otherwise, our kids and those around us are likely to become satisfied with the substitute and offended by the Truth! If you claim to be a Christian, people are looking to you to see what this Jesus is all about. And if you’re presenting them with a cold, mechanical Christianity void of the costly, life altering love, you’re giving them an excuse to believe that’s all there is to Jesus. I see this all the time, and it’s sad. People think they’re good with Jesus. They’ve heard about Him their entire life. They know what “that church stuff” is about, so they don’t need to hear anymore. Now, their lives aren’t changed, and they’re not walking with Jesus. In fact, they’re still completely lost and going to Hell, but since they think they know Him, they don’t want to hear anything different!

TAKEAWAYS
So, this is why they rejected Jesus. How about you?
1. Are you terrified of His cost? Have you ever prayed something like, ‘Jesus, I’ll follow you, but don’t send me to Africa.’ Or thought something like, “Well, I’ll go to church, but I’m not going to get too involved. That’s ok for some people, but that’s not for me.” Are you interested in His miracles, but not in Him getting involved in and changing your life? Do you sometimes just want Him to leave you alone?

2. Are you skeptical of His power? Or, do you just simply not believe at all. And guys, lets just be honest here, being in a church on Sunday morning is not the same thing as believing Jesus. When you’re faced with calamity, when your world starts crumbling, and you hear Jesus say ‘Why are you weeping and making a commotion? I’ve come to bring life.’ how do you respond? Do you believe, or do you say, ‘Let’s not hyper-spiritualize this. I go to church, but I need something more practical right now.’ If you’re looking for something to change your life that is more practical than God’s Word, then there is a pretty solid chance...you do not believe God’s Word. We live in a world that laughs at Jesus. We’re bombarded with this message every day. It’s easy to start drinking that Kool-Aide. Don’t.

3. Do you believe He’s the one, true God and your Savior? If you do, you’ll be living for Him. Your life will circulate around Him--and it will show.

4. Are you missing out on His salvation? Everyone of these stories is so sad because at the end of the day be it fear or doubt, they wanted themselves more than Jesus...and they missed Him. Are you? How about those around you?

No comments:

Post a Comment