Who is He?

Today we are continuing on in our series in the Gospel According to Mark.

And Mark's Gospel is primarily split into two sections.

And it's very neat at one level, it's 16 chapters in the whole Gospel.

And the first chapter, first section, ends in the eighth chapter, the chapter before us today,

and transitions into the second part of the Gospel.

And the first part of the Gospel is really Mark is concerned with showing us the authority of Jesus.

We see that when he first appears, he teaches with authority.

The people in the Capernaum synagogue, they said they'd never heard anything like this.

This man teaches not like the scribes or the teachers of the law, but he teaches with authority.

And so he had an authoritative word that he was bringing.

He would speak often through parables, and he would speak out truths of the kingdom of God.

He would speak about lampstands and mustard seeds, and he'd speak about lamps on tables.

He'd speak about sheeps and goats.

But all the time, speaking out truths of the kingdom of God in easy-to-understand language

that people would relate to for those who would hear.

He had authority to forgive sin.

You might remember when they lowered the lame man through the roof, Jesus said,

Son, your sins are forgiven.

And the Pharisees took issue with this and said, no one can forgive sin except God alone.

But Jesus said, well, so that you might know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sin,

he told the guy, get up, take your mat, and go home.

And so the Son of Man had authority to forgive sin.

He had authority over demons and unclean spirits,

so much so that often on many occasions, the people who were possessed by them,

when they were in his presence, they would fall down on their knees when they saw Jesus,

a little bit like someone would fall down on their knees when they were confronted with a king.

So he had authority over demons.

The demons knew who he was.

When they would see him, they would often exclaim,

we know who you are, you're the Son of God.

And Jesus would command them to be quiet.

So he had authority over unclean spirits,

even over the demoniac from Gethsemane,

when that man who could not be bound by chains or iron fetters,

whenever he was bound, he would just snap them.

He lived in the tombs.

He cried out night and day.

But when he was confronted by Jesus Christ,

even when he was still at a distance,

he fell on his knees.

And he said, I know who you are.

What do you want with me?

He knew straight away that this was the Son of God,

and he knew the authority that this man had,

and asked him not to torture him.

So he had authority over evil spirits.

He had authority over sicknesses, all manner of sicknesses.

He cured paralytics.

He made the lame person walk.

He, on one occasion, put his fingers in a deaf man's ears,

and he unblocked his ears,

and then fruits so he could hear,

and loosened his tongue so he could speak again.

He opened the eyes of the blind.

So he had authority over all different diseases and sicknesses.

He cured a woman who had an issue of blood since she was young.

He had authority over life and death.

And he raised in Mark,

in the lead up to chapter 8,

we see that he raises Jairus' daughter from the dead.

So Jesus had this incredible authority,

and Mark is really interested in helping us to understand

the authority that Jesus Christ has.

And so he has this authority.

He has authority to feed great crowds from small amounts of food.

He fed the 5,000,

and he only had five loaves,

and he had two fish.

And he fed a crowd of 5,000 men,

which would have been a lot more when you add women and children.

So he fed a large crowd.

He had authority to feed this crowd.

And he also had authority over the elements,

so much so that one time when he was asleep in the stern of the boat,

and the disciples were there,

and they were rowing away,

and the waves started to come up,

and the wind started to pick up,

and the waves came into the boat,

and they said,

Jesus, don't you care that we're all going to die in here?

And he said,

don't be afraid.

Where's your faith?

And he said,

quiet, be still,

and the storm was completely still,

and the water was absolutely placid.

And so all this is with a view.

Mark is showing us the authority of Jesus Christ in the first half.

He's really showing these things to us,

so it will draw the question from us,

who is this man?

Who is this man?

As the disciples said,

that the wind and the waves obey him.

Who is this man?

And so that's the first section of the Gospel of Mark,

and as we go through chapter 8 today,

we will see that there is the transition from the first section of the Gospel

into the second section of the Gospel.

And the passage before us today,

it starts out with an interesting story about another crowd,

a crowd of 4,000 this time.

And, you know,

some theologians have thought that it's not,

it's the same account as the other one,

of the feeding of the 5,000.

But that can't be so,

because it's in a different geographical location.

There's distinct differences in the details.

There's only 4,000 men in this one.

There's 5,000 in the other.

They're sitting on the ground and not the grass.

After he,

on this occasion,

the feeding of the 5,000,

it was five loaves

and two fish that he fed the crowd with.

On this occasion,

it's 12 loaves and a few small fish.

And so there's distinct differences.

When he has fed the crowd,

he picks up a different amount of baskets,

seven large baskets after this feeding

and 12 baskets after the feeding of the 5,000.

So there are these distinct differences

which show us

that this is definitely,

definitely a different occasion.

However,

there are also incredible similarities.

Now, when Jesus performs miracles,

he,

I don't know,

and if I had Jesus' power,

I think I would go around

changing a Hyundai XL

into a Nissan GTR

or something like that.

But when Jesus performs miracles,

it's very, very different to our use

of how we would perform them.

So he's not just performing miracles,

but he's also teaching people

at the same time.

He's teaching people

and he's teaching his disciples

things they need to see.

And on this occasion,

the key to this passage,

so for instance,

sorry,

you know,

he says,

I am the light of the world

and then he opens a blind man's eyes

who has been living in the darkness

all his life.

He says in John's account

of the feeding of the 5,000,

he says

that he is the bread of God.

He's the manna from heaven.

And he says that he is the bread of life.

He says,

anyone who comes to me

will never hunger

and he who believes in me

will never thirst.

So there's always this thing

that Jesus is trying to show

something other

than just meeting some sort of need.

But no doubt,

as we look at the passage today,

there is a need of these people.

They've been traveling three days.

Jesus has compassion on them

and he wants to feed them.

But there's a deeper reason

that he wants to produce

such a similar miracle

to one he produced back in chapter six

very recently.

And that is,

if we look back at chapter six

and we have a look

at what happened after

Jesus fed the 5,000,

he sends the disciples ahead of him.

He sends them off to Bethsaida.

And so they're out on the lake

and they're rowing away on the lake.

And it's a different occasion

to the one where the wind

and the waves come in,

but the wind is against them.

And the wind is blowing

the other direction.

The disciples are rowing really hard

and Jesus can see them from the shore

that they're not really getting that far.

And he decides

in the fourth watch of the night,

he's going to walk out

on the lake to meet them.

And so Jesus walks out.

He walks out to see the disciples

in the middle of the lake

and they get a shock.

They're terrified.

They scream in terror

because they think they've seen a ghost.

And Jesus says,

well, take courage.

Don't be afraid.

It's just me.

And so the disciples are just stunned.

And Jesus gets in the boat.

The wind dies down.

And it says,

the disciples were utterly amazed.

And then the next verse

is what gives us the key

to the beginning of our chapter today.

It says,

the reason they were amazed

was for they did not understand

about the loaves

because their hearts were hardened.

They didn't understand the miracle

because their hearts were hardened.

So here Jesus is needing

to show them something.

He's needing to teach them a lesson

a second time,

which they haven't quite got right

the first time.

And as we follow the passage through,

you will see that that theme

is actually repeated

in the miracle he performs

with the blind man.

There's a blind man there

and they go to Bethsaida

and there's a blind man

and the people bring

this blind man to him.

The blind man,

Jesus takes him out of the village

and it looks like

that Jesus has performed a healing

which didn't actually quite work.

So he spits on the man's eyes.

He lays his hands on him.

But the guy,

he says,

look up,

what do you see?

And the guy says,

well, I see men

but they look like trees

walking around.

So it hasn't quite worked.

You see,

what's happening here

is that Jesus

is using this illustration

to show the disciples

something that has just happened

with them.

They needed to see

that miracle a second time

because Jesus was trying

to teach them

that he is all sufficient.

Now,

it doesn't quite pay off

because as we follow past

the miracle,

we have a look

and there's the Pharisees

and they're testing Jesus,

disputing with him,

demanding a sign.

I mean,

probably some of them were present

and saw the feeding of the 5,000

but they're demanding a sign.

They want to test him.

They're not wanting to use faith.

They just want to see

to believe.

And Jesus says,

a wicked and adulterous,

well,

he says,

this generation wants a sign

but none will be given to it.

It says in the Matthew version,

I think it is,

a wicked and adulterous generation

wants,

seeks a sign

but none will be given to it

except the sign of Jonah.

He also calls them,

in the other versions,

in Luke and Matthew,

he calls them hypocrites

and he says,

you know,

you see,

you see the sky

when it's red at night

and you instantly know

that it's going to be

a fine day the next day.

You see the sky

and it's red in the morning

and you know

that it's going to be,

that it's going to rain.

So you can interpret those signs

and yet,

how is it you can't interpret

the sign of the times?

And then he also,

in the other version,

says you can see

a cloud off in the distance

in the west

and you know

that rain's coming

when you see that

but if you see

a wind blowing

from the south,

you know that it's going

to be a hot day.

So you can interpret

these signs

but you cannot

interpret the sign

of the times.

So,

Jesus is quite disturbed

about this,

that the Pharisees

are asking for the sign,

he refuses to give it to them

and then he says

to the disciples

who happen to have

just had one loaf of bread

on them at the time,

watch out for the yeast

or the leaven

of the Pharisees

and that of Herod.

And so the disciples

sort of,

it's almost comical

in a way

when you look at it,

the disciples start

talking amongst themselves

and they say,

oh,

he's saying that

because we don't have

any bread,

we forgot to buy bread.

And Jesus is just amazed,

he's like,

he's like,

guys,

don't you get it yet?

Do you not understand?

Do you have eyes

but don't see?

Do you have ears

but don't hear?

Don't you remember?

And he talks about,

he brings to memory

the two miracles

that have taken place

and he brings them

back to memory

and it's then

that all of a sudden

after performing

the miracle

on the blind man

that the disciples

have now finally got it.

They've finally learnt

the lesson.

And so as we come down

the passage,

he's talking just quickly

back there,

he talks about

the yeast of the Pharisees

and the yeast of Herod,

the yeast of the Pharisees.

Well,

that's the yeast of,

we learn in Matthew's version

that that is their doctrine.

The yeast of the Pharisees

is their doctrine.

Yeast was often spoken about

in the scriptures

as something which goes in

and then works its way

through the whole batch of dough.

And so he's saying,

beware of this doctrine

of the Pharisees.

The doctrine of the Pharisees

is of course

that they want to see signs,

they want proof,

they don't want to use faith

and they don't want a righteousness

which is by faith,

they want a righteousness

by what they do.

And so this is the yeast

of the Pharisees.

The yeast of Herod

is slightly different.

You might remember that Herod,

he arrests John the Baptist

because John the Baptist

had been telling him

it was unlawful

for him to marry

his brother's wife.

And because he was saying

it's unlawful for you

to marry your brother's wife

and Herod went ahead

and married his brother's wife

anyway, Herodias.

Herodias was out to get

John the Baptist from then on

when John the Baptist

was in prison.

Herodias wanted him killed.

But Herod protected

John the Baptist

and it says that he

liked to listen to him

although when he listened

to him he was greatly puzzled.

So here's a man,

it says Herod knew

John was a holy man

and so Herod knows

that John the Baptist

he's a holy man,

he knows he's bringing

the word of God

but he's not listening

to the word of God.

He's somebody who just

hears the word of God

but it just goes

straight over their head

and he's got no interest

in that word

actually impacting his life

or his actions.

So that's the yeast

yeast of the Pharisees

and the yeast of Herod

slight detour there

sorry

but now going back

to the passage here

Jesus now has got

the disciples

into the place

he wants them to be in

he says to them

who do people

after he's healed

the blind man

he says who do people

say that I am

and they say

well some say

that you're John the Baptist

others say Elijah

still others say

you're one of the prophets

and he says

but who do you say I am

and Peter says

well you're the Christ

bingo

they've finally got it

they can finally see

who Jesus is

they finally understand

who this man is

and this is how

we conclude

the first section

of the Gospel of Mark

is with the disciples

at last

understanding

and seeing clearly

who Jesus is

but

it doesn't last long

that moment of glory

because straight after

Jesus begins to tell them

all that he must suffer

he says that he will be

rejected by the elders

and the chief priests

and the teachers of the law

and that he will be killed

and that he will be raised

on the third day

and Peter takes him aside

and he says

Lord

far be it from you

he rebukes him

it says in Mark

but in Matthew

it says

he says

far be it from you

Lord

this shall never happen to you

and

Jesus

immediately

sees

what is going on

and

we might

hear what Jesus

says

as get behind me

Satan

as a

as a harsh

comment

but when we think

it through

that is exactly

exactly

where those words

have come from

because what Peter

is suggesting

is that Jesus

will never have to suffer

that Jesus

will never have to go

to the cross

and if Jesus

never goes to the cross

then humanity

is all

every single one of us

are on our way

to hell

so what Peter

is suggesting

is contrary

to the plan

of God

for saving

humanity

and so of course

Jesus response

to that

is to say

get behind me

Satan

because that

that comment

is from the pit

of hell

he says

you don't have

your heart

on the things

of God

you've got your

heart on the things

of man

there's no neutral

zone

you're either

set on God

or you're not

we've either got to be

people of the word

or we will be

people of the world

we have to make

a choice there

and we have to keep

on reminding

ourselves

of who this man

is

this Jesus

and what he

has done

for us

so the disciples

hadn't quite

got that

and so the rest

of the gospel

of Mark

is about

why Jesus

came

and that's

what the other

guys will be

following up

on

but Jesus

says if anyone

wants to follow

me he has to

carry he has to

deny himself

and carry his

cross daily

and that means

that we have

to be people

who are willing

to suffer

in Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

it says

we will be

glorified with him

it says that

we will share

in his inheritance

if we live by the

spirit then we are

sons

and it says

if sons

then co-heirs

and if co-heirs

then we will share

in his glory

so long as

we share

in his sufferings

and so this

is the walk

of a Christian

the more we want

to serve God

the more we want

to stand in the

truth

the more we want

to live for Jesus

and the more we want

to live by the

spirit

the more the world

will come at us

the more the devil

will come at us

the more everything

will come at us

to stop us

and we will

suffer

there is no question

if you give your

life to Jesus

and you are determined

to live for him

and live in the truth

you will

suffer

Jesus learnt

obedience it says

in Hebrews

through what he

suffered

and of course

that doesn't mean

that Jesus learnt

how to be obedient

it doesn't mean

he didn't know

how to be obedient

he was perfectly

obedient

but what it says

is he learnt

the content

of what it was

to be obedient

through the things

that he suffered

he saw that

to be obedient

to the father

he had to go

to the cross

he had to give

his life

he had to be

beaten and spat on

that's what

obedience cost

and

so this is

what the disciples

hadn't seen

but we also

can be

in a position

on this side

of the cross

it would be

true to say

that the disciples

never really

saw it

until Pentecost

you might remember

in Acts chapter 1

Acts 1:6

verse 6

when Jesus

is about to ascend

he says

to the disciples

say to him

at this point

Lord are you going

to restore the kingdom

to Israel

they're still

looking for

this earthly

victory

they are still

looking for

a kingdom

of this world

and that Jesus

will overthrow

the Roman army

and that Israel

will be restored

and Jesus

says well it's

not for you

to know the

times and places

that the father

has put in place

times and seasons

that the father

has put in place

and he says

but you'll be

given power

when the Holy

Spirit comes

on you

and so it's

not until they

receive the Holy

Spirit

but when they

receive the Holy

Spirit

there's Peter

and he's telling

out the great

things of God

he can't hold

it in

the Holy Spirit

comes upon him

and all of a

sudden

everything makes

sense

all of a sudden

he's given a

revelation of the

cross

he's given a

revelation

of how that

fits in with

his understanding

of the Old

Testament

and his eyes

are fully opened

to the realities

of the kingdom

of God

and we can

even though we

are Christians

and we have

the Holy Spirit

we can quench

the Spirit

we can grieve

the Spirit

we have to keep

reminding ourselves

of the great truths

that we are in

the eternities

that we are in

we have to keep

reminding ourselves

that we worship

a risen man

we worship

a risen Christ

we do not worship

a dead Messiah

and we don't worship

somebody who's way

off in the ether

we worship somebody

who is alive

and present to us

and the fact

that he is risen

means that we too

will rise from the dead

the fact that we have

his Holy Spirit

guarantees us

of the resurrection

we have

and we have to be

focused on that

we have to keep

refreshing ourselves

with who we already are

not with what we have

to do in the future

but with what God

has already done

for us

in Christ

that's what we have

to refresh ourselves

with

and in so doing

we will live

accordingly

to what we believe

because our faith

is inseparable

from our works

Peter puts it this way

he says in his first epistle

in 2 Peter

sorry in his second epistle

2 Peter chapter 1

2 Peter 1 · chapter mention

he says

for this reason

make every effort

to add to your faith

goodness

to goodness

knowledge

to knowledge

self-control

to self-control

perseverance

to perseverance

godliness

to godliness

brotherly kindness

to brotherly kindness

love

he says

for if these are with you

in increasing measure

you will neither be unproductive

or ineffective

in your knowledge

of Jesus Christ

and he says

but anyone who lacks

these qualities

anyone who lacks

these qualities

is nearsighted

to the point

of blindness

and has forgotten

they have been cleansed

from their past sins

you see

it is the grace

of God

and being refreshed

in the grace

of God

and being reminded

of the cross

being reminded

of the great eternities

that gives us

a dynamic power

from within

to live

according to those

things that we've

been brought into

Colossians 3

Paul says

you know

set your mind

on things above

where your life

is hidden with Christ

not on things below

he says

for your life

sorry

for your life

is hidden

with Christ

in God

so set your mind

on those things

that are above

because that is

where the reality

is

our eternal reality

is

in the heavenly realms

we've been raised

with Christ

we will be raised

with Christ

but we've been raised

with Christ

and seated with him

in the heavenly realms

so that is where we are

that is who we are

that needs to be

our focus

that needs to be

what we keep

in our sight

and

I think

let me pray

I'll leave it at that

God bless you

Father

thank you for what

you have done

for us

in Christ

thank you

that

you are so patient

with us

thank you

that

with the disciples

you even perform

the miracle

a second time

just so they would

understand

what they needed

to learn

Lord

so often

we need to learn

things a second

and third

and fourth time

but you bear

with us

Father

and we are

just so grateful

we ask Lord

as we go into

the week ahead

that Lord

you will just

give us

just eyes

to see what

you brought us

into already

help us to keep

focused on things

which are going to

remind us of the

reality of who

we are in you

and we ask this

in Jesus precious

name

Amen

in Jesus

and we are in you

and we are in you

that

to do

love we are in you

wise to

vent

God

love we are in you

and you are my

Lord

and you politically