Why Do We Need This Reminder? (PM Lesson Outline)
GIST: We need to see Jesus’ faithful compassion in the face of selfish motives (which later lead to rejection).
SCRIPTURE: Mark 6:53-56
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Tonight, we’re going to take a quick look at a tiny passage. I went back and forth all week on whether or not to include this passage in the Sunday morning text, or discuss it separately tonight. Again, this could be like my oatmeal analogy for you again (I guess it’s an oatmeal kind of Sunday!). Nonetheless, it’s God’s Word, so it’s never old!
What we have here reads like a reminder of sorts. This isn’t anything completely new, but it is significant. Why do we need this reminder? Because we need to see Jesus’ faithful compassion in the face of selfish motives (which later lead to rejection).
1. COMMON GRACE FROM OUR COMPASSIONATE CHRIST
The most important point to note here is the compassion of Jesus. These people came from everywhere. They were pressing Him because they saw in Him a worker of the impossible. He had power, and they wanted to use it. We’ll hit this in a second, but it’s important to note: their motives were not pure. Nonetheless, how does Jesus respond? He doesn’t turn them away. He heals them.
Now, it’s reasonable to assume He teaches them here too, because He’s always teaching. Yet, Mark doesn’t mention that. He’s drawing our attention specifically to Jesus’ acts of compassion. We don’t see any of these people being changed by the truth of who He is (in fact, many of them leave when they start getting a glimpse of it). Still, He’s good. This is what we call common grace. Check out two verses on this:
James 1:16-17 “16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
Matthew 5:43-48 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day. Lost and saved sinners alike experienced that same blessing. When I was out, I didn’t notice storm clouds around only certain people’s heads. Jesus knew many of these people would reject Him, but He loved them anyway. When you see people who you “just know” won’t treat you right, or you “just know” won’t ever get saved (which you can’t know!), how do you treat them?
2. COMMONPLACE FOR OUR CONCEITED COMMUNITY
The second note is really more of a reiteration of sorts. These people came to Jesus because they wanted something from Him. They didn’t really want Him. Eventually, when they saw what He was offering, they left Him. And ultimately, either condemned Him to die, or did nothing to prevent it.
We looked at this passage this morning, but it’s worth reading again:
John 6:53-60, 66-67 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread[c] the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. 60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” ...66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”
And then ultimately:
Mark 15:6-15 6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
And this is our natural state. We want whatever seems to benefit us most, and miss out on our greatest need because it comes at the price laying down our selfish desires.
TAKEAWAYS
1. Remember His Grace! Praise Him for it, and be gracious to others.
2. Examine your motives. Especially this time of year. Why are you here? Of course, I’m glad you are ☺, but why do we do all of this “Church stuff”. Are we coming to Jesus because He’s got what we want, or are we coming to Jesus because He is who we want?
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