Be Strong and Courageous
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Mark 8- The Sign From Heaven
And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. Mark 8:10-11
I want a sign from God! This is what most of the world decrees, they claim if only God would send them a sign, then they would believe, is that really true? From a naturalist perspective we see signs and wonders all around us on a daily basis, the universe, the sun, the moon, the stars, these are all realities that can’t be explained without God, however they are not good enough
People want miracles, they want cures, they want revelation! Can you honestly say in your lifetime, you have never seen a miracle? Have you never experienced or witnessed anything that was beyond the naturalistic explanation? Of course you have, however we like to dismiss these events, further testing God
If someone did witness a miracle, would that automatically convert them to Christianity? Probably not, when you look at the ocean or stand on a giant mountain, does that lead you to repentance of your sin and then have faith in Christ? Of course not, so why are you using signs and wonders as an excuse to reject God? I heard a popular atheist say “Even if he witnessed God parting the Red Sea in Jesus name, he would still not believe” Case and point, salvation is not about signs and wonders
And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. Mark 8:12-13
The religious leaders were doing the same thing back in Jesus day, they really didn’t care if he was the Messiah or if he was the Son of God, they were playing games, challenging him to show them a sign. Jesus knew their deceitfulness and hardness of hearts, and he rejected them. Jesus said “There will be no sign given to this generation” why? Because they were not sincerely seeking God
Now we know there were many healings and miracles performed by Christ during his ministry, most importantly his resurrection, so why would they need more signs and wonders? Because the truth is they didn’t really care about God , they cared more about feeding their egos and justifying themselves
Romans 1 tells us that God has provided enough evidence with his creation, that we are without excuse! Don’t let signs and wonders be your crutch because it won’t save you from Hell, seek Christ with all your heart, knock on the door and he will answer you Amen!
The Hour Has Come Sermon
Lying Vanities
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. Jonah 2:8
God had a mission for Jonah, to save the city of Nineveh, but originally he refused and decided to go his own way. But God works in mysterious ways and used a Whale to change Jonah’s mind. How many of us try to create our own destiny, only to be thrown overboard like Jonah was? But if we put our trust in God and not “lying vanities” we won’t be forsaken, we will be fulfilled by completing our destiny
(Ecclesiastes 1:2-4) “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.”
We go about our daily lives in the “Rat Race” running around trying to complete this and complete that, but when you take step back what is it all for? Don’t waste your life following “Lying Vanities” follow God and his plan for your life.
Our goal here in life should be to prepare people for eternity in Heaven. The only way to get there is thru Jesus. If we waste our time chasing after objects, there useless, and won’t save your life.
(Job 15:31) “Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.”
Trust not in “Lying Vanities” but trust in God, your creator. Many people believe “vanities” such as money have power, security, and freedom. But money will not save your soul only lose it. Don’t be deceived by the world, you need God.
(Psalm 31:6) “I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.”
How much does God hate idolatry? Very much because our God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14) Think of it this way, you’re a parent, your child who you love, decided to ignore you and follow someone else. Doesn’t that make you feel good as a parent? This is the same way God feels toward you, he wants you to love him because he loved you enough to give you life.
Its easy to get caught up in following “Lying Vanities” of this world, but don’t risk forsaking your own mercy, we worship an awesome God and he loves you. Follow him and fulfill your destiny in Jesus name Amen
Mark 7-Blind and Deaf
And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. Mark 7:32-35
When we look at the healing of a blind and deaf man, this healing is more than just a physical healing, this healing is a confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah (Christ) As it is prophesied by Isaiah “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped” (Isaiah 35:5)
Jesus was demonstrating that He is the Messiah, Jesus was demonstrating that the New Covenant is a Better and more powerful Covenant! Jesus is demonstrating his Deity, that He is God in the flesh and can not only heal , forgive sin, and has authority over the natural and supernatural.
And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. Mark 7:36-37
Jesus asked everyone not to talk about his healing and miracles yet, why? Because the hour has not yet come, for Christ to be glorified (John 12) The hour had not yet come for Jesus to go to the cross and pay the debt for our sins, the hour did not yet come for Christ to be risen , defeating sin and death forever!
However people were so astonished but his power and authority, that his fame spread throughout the regions. Jesus has not yet professed himself to be Christ, why? Because he wanted people to realize it for themselves. He wanted them to witness what he was doing and compare it to the scriptures of Isaiah, Daniel, Psalms, ect and say “Yes Jesus is the Messiah”
But we know, the world hates the light and loves the darkness, and Christ will be crucified because of the sin of the world, because of that loving sacrifice we can become Children of God Amen!
Mark 7- Crumbs From The Table
For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. Mark 7:25-27
Here we see a Gentile Woman coming to Christ for healing, this is significant as the New Covenant hasn’t been instituted yet, therefore this is a foreshadow of the New Covenant to come (Jeremiah 31) Jesus said “Let the Children (Israel) be filled first” Jesus was explaining to the Gentile Woman that he came to save the Jew first then the Gentile
Notice the language Jesus uses to describe Gentiles, “cast it unto the dogs” This was the view of the Gentile world in Israel at the time. It’s another demonstration of how amazing the New Covenant is, where Jew and Gentile are united together by the blood of Christ!
And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. Mark 7:28-29
Notice the humility of the woman, her response “The dogs under the table eat the crumbs” He faith in Christ was so strong that she was willing to humble herself, this is what true repentance looks like. Jesus was impressed by her response and demonstration of faith he said “For saying this I cast out the demon in your daughter”
Because of this great faith of the Gentile Woman, Jesus healed her daughter. Also notice the great demonstration of the New Covenant, as Christ has authority over the demon. Jesus is Lord over the supernatural and natural world
And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. Mark 7:31
The Gentile Woman went home and found her daughter free from the demon. Her faith in Christ has made her well. This is a demonstration of the New Covenant, the woman received Christ because of her faith not because of her nationality.
Are you willing to eat the crumbs from The Lord’s table? God draws near to the humble and resists the proud Amen!
Mark 7- What Defiles Us
There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. Mark 7:15-17
Jesus made the statement “You are defiled by what’s within You” The Religious leaders were very careful to make sure they didn’t defile themselves from the outside by washing their hands, staying away from outsiders or lepers, ect, However Jesus is talking about a heart issue, not a cleanliness issue.
As Jesus taught in Matthew 5 “Anyone who has already lusted after a woman has committed adultery in their heart” (Matthew 5:28) or “Anyone who hates his brother has already committed murder in their hearts “ (Matthew 5:22) Sin is a heart issue, its not a ritual issue. This is why Jesus stated we defile ourselves from within, Sin begins in our hearts. This is why we need to become Born Again, and have a clean heart and mind
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. Mark 7:18-20
The disciples didn’t understand what Jesus was teaching them, remember they were raised in the Mosaic Law, therefore their mindsets were focused on the food laws and the customs. However Jesus is demonstrating the New Covenant here, by declaring that all foods are clean. Who else could do this but God alone?
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Mark 7:21-23
Jesus revealed to his disciples what he was talking about, its the evil from within that defiles us. Our thoughts, lust, blasphemy, pride, ect. These things contaminate our hearts and make us perform evil deeds, this again is why we need to become Born Again (John 3)
The religious leaders thought they were righteous based on their outside works, but as Jesus stated they were “Whitewashed Tombs”, nice looking on the outside but dead on the inside, why? Because their hearts and minds were filled with evilness, they were defiled from within!
3 16 Day
Mark 7- Traditions vs. God
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Mark 7:5-7
One of the great debates in Christianity, even today is the traditions of Man vs the commandments of God. The religious leaders truly believed that they were righteous men, over the years they created many man-made traditions and expected the people to keep them or they would be punished. Jesus was eating with “unwashed hands” , the religious leaders felt this was a good time to publicly scold Jesus for not keeping one of their traditions
Now the ironic thing is these men felt they were righteous because they washed their hands before they ate, yet they are also the ones who killed the Messiah. Now which offense is greater? Pretty common sense, Jesus was using the moment to exploit the religious leaders as being hypocritical in their teachings and judgement, as the prophet Isaiah foretold about them.
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. Mark 7:8-11
Now are all traditions bad? No of course not, for example most of the Christian Church today still celebrates Christmas for the birth of Christ. Was they ever commanded by Jesus to do? No, is it a harmful thing to do? No, actually a lot of good things come out of focusing on the virgin birth and the gospel of Christ. The only time when tradition becomes bad is when it is in opposition of God’s Law and when its used hypocritically
Jesus brought up the example of Corban, the religious leaders failed to take care of their elderly parents , breaking the commandment to honor your father and mother, instead gave their money to the temple as “Corban”. Jesus showed how hypocritical the religious leaders were, and they loved their religion more than they truly loved God
And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. Mark 7:13-14
Jesus explained, the traditions of the religious leaders were actually overriding The Law of God, the religious leaders basically we’re creating their own religion. We see this alot today, many groups just keep adding their own traditions and eliminating The Bible.
We need to make sure everything we do and everything we say, is for the true love of God and not for our own hypocritical ways, Amen!
Unashamed of Jesus 