Sermon

He Has Done All Things Well | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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  1. So much to give Thanks to God for so much.

  2. What a good God we serve. I invite you to come with me to

  3. the Book of Books in Mark Chapter 7.

    Mark 7 chapter mention

  4. Please meet me in your Bibles. It's always an honor and a

  5. privilege to be in the House of God with you in Mark Chapter 7.

    Mark 7 chapter mention

  6. Please meet me in verse 31. I will wait for you.

  7. I will not rush ahead. Mark 7:30.

    Mark 7:30

  8. One and follow with me, not just with your eyes.

  9. But. With your heart, then he.

  10. Returned from the region of tire and went through.

  11. Side on to the sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapilis.

  12. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech

  13. impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.

  14. And taking him aside from the crowd, privately, he put his

  15. fingers. Into his ears.

  16. And after spitting. Touched his tongue, and looking

  17. up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, if a fafa that is be

  18. opened, and his ears were opened and his.

  19. Tongue was released and he spoke plainly, and Jesus charged.

  20. Them to tell no one. But the more he charged them,

  21. the more. Zealously, they proclaimed it.

  22. And they were astonished beyond. Measure saying he has done.

  23. All things well. He even makes the death here and

  24. the mute speak. Lord, give liberty to the

  25. delivery of this word. Let there be unction, let there

  26. be reverence, let there be freedom from any confusion or.

  27. Intrusion of thoughts. We pray, Lord, that this would

  28. be. A powerful time for your word is

  29. powerful. Or may it melt our hearts.

  30. May it sanctify our minds are. Every part of who we are, we.

  31. Pray would be in alignment with you according to this text.

  32. And Lord we realize that apart from the spirits grace this will

  33. be futile. But with him there can be life

  34. and we pray that life would be known in this time.

  35. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

  36. There is a remarkable statement in this short excerpt that I

  37. just read to you and I'm not sure if you caught it.

  38. Maybe you have. But I want you again to turn

  39. your. Eyes to the last part of verse.

  40. 37 And focus with me on the first few words that this crowd

  41. exclaimed in light of a miracle that Christ performed yet again,

  42. it says. Here and they were astonished.

  43. Beyond measure saying. He has done all things well, if

  44. there is anything that you take from this message.

  45. If there is only one. Thing that you can leave.

  46. This place with let it. Be this marvelous declaration.

  47. He has done all things well. He has done all things well.

  48. That was the response of. The people, when they learn of

  49. this glorious grace that Jesus bestowed upon this very poor

  50. man. But it wasn't just the immediate

  51. response, it was a unanimous conclusion that the.

  52. People have made about. The ministry of Jesus thus far.

  53. All the reports that they've heard, all the things that.

  54. They have witnessed. Brought them to.

  55. This moment where they said he has done all things well and we.

  56. Could take it further, can't we? We should take it further

  57. because all things means all things, not some things,

  58. everything. What has he done?

  59. Well, does any create has any created?

  60. He's done it. Well, his.

  61. Creation. Not just his creation of this

  62. world, I'm not sure how many of us would be confident enough to

  63. say that he has created. Me Well.

  64. He has done all things well. His creation.

  65. What about his? Provision.

  66. Has he not done it well? Has he not been sufficient?

  67. Has he not been? Faithful.

  68. What about his permission, what he has sovereignly?

  69. Allowed in your life what he has given to you, though in the

  70. package that seemed to be. Sorrowful and dark and

  71. questionable in. Hindsight, you look.

  72. Back. And you realize if it had not

  73. been for my affliction, I would not have kept his precepts.

  74. What about his direction in your life?

  75. Though not always clear. Though not always with an

  76. audible. Voice if at all.

  77. But here you are. God has brought you, and you see

  78. it exactly where you need to be. Through his direction, through

  79. his. Protection and how about his

  80. salvation? Everything that he has ever.

  81. Done. He has done well, he has.

  82. Never done anything halfheartedly, he has never

  83. been. Misdirected.

  84. He has never made a wrong calculation and.

  85. Certainly he has. Never, ever.

  86. Failed. He has done.

  87. All things. Well, remember that.

  88. Don't just. Remember the reference I?

  89. Encourage you to inscribe it. On the trophy case of all of

  90. God's past mercies in your life. More than that, would you please

  91. etch it on your heart? Would you etch those words?

  92. He has done all things well in order to prepare you for the

  93. times in which you will be. Challenged and your trust in the

  94. goodness of God he has. Done all things well.

  95. Would that be a statement prepared in your mouth?

  96. To share it with great conviction to those who might

  97. doubt or question the Lordship. Of Jesus Christ He has done all

  98. things well, and what we see here is an example of just that

  99. in this specific testimony of a blind and a mute man.

  100. Who received from the? Hands of this gracious God, and

  101. when you. Consider Matthew's account of

  102. this story. You will quickly.

  103. Learn that this story is important.

  104. That God had put. It in this gospel account for a

  105. specific reason, and I want you to see that with.

  106. Your own eyes in Matthew 15 go to Matthew 15 very.

  107. Quickly and come to verse 29 at this point Matthew is following

  108. with Mark here chronologically. So what we're going to see in

  109. Matthew is what we're seeing here at this point of Jesus

  110. ministry in Mark Chapter 7. But notice what Matthew does

    Mark 7 chapter mention

  111. with this season of Christ. Ministry by the Sea.

  112. Of Galilee, Matthew 15 verse 29. Jesus.

    Matthew 15:29

  113. Went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee.

  114. And he. Went up on the mountain.

  115. And sat. Down there, and great crowds

  116. came to him, bringing with him the lame, the blind, the

  117. crippled, the mute, and many others.

  118. And they put them at his feet, and he healed them so that the

  119. crowd wondered. When they saw the mute.

  120. Speaking the crippled healthy, the lame walking and the blind

  121. seeing. And they glorified the God of

  122. Israel. So Matthew's version is very

  123. general, and Matthew tells us that there are many more,

  124. possibly hundreds, thousands of people who are healed.

  125. But when you read Mark's. Version he hones in he.

  126. Zooms into one of those healings out of the many.

  127. Clearly there is something about this particular encounter that

  128. the Holy Spirit wants us to. Learn there are some gleanings.

  129. In here that are absolutely vital for our instruction and I

  130. believe the best way. Perfectly preparing this message

  131. is to divide our thoughts. Divide our thoughts as

  132. meticulously as possible. If we want to know what it is

  133. that the Lord has to say to us through this text, and consider

  134. with me #1 the. Region where the healing took.

  135. Place the. Region where the healing took.

  136. Place and from there look at the request.

  137. For the healing and. Then from there we would look at

  138. the method. Of the healing and then.

  139. From there, we would look at the instructions after the healing.

  140. And lastly, we will conclude. With the remarks about the

  141. healing the region of the. Healing Mark was more specific.

  142. He said that it was not just by the sea of Galley, it was in the

  143. region of the Decapilis. The capitalist is just a word

  144. that means 10 cities and it was heavily populated by gentiles.

  145. And there is more to that than just Jesus having extra crumbs

  146. in his pocket to give to. Gentiles concerning his.

  147. Power and mercy. Remember, right before this

  148. there was a Lebanese woman. Or one Syrian by birth.

  149. In the southern region of Lebanon, who received mercy from

  150. Jesus concerning her daughter. But that mercy now spills over

  151. into the Decapilis, and now these other Gentiles are

  152. receiving a touch from the Lord. But here's.

  153. What's so interesting is. This the first time that.

  154. We read of the Decapilis. In the book of Mark.

  155. If you've been with us, somebody nodded and said no, you're

  156. right, this. Isn't the first time.

  157. That the Decapilis has been made known to.

  158. Us and I want you to see where was first mentioned and you will

  159. see how this is so. Significant.

  160. Go to Mark chapter 5. This is where Jesus does.

    Mark 5 chapter mention

  161. Another powerful demonstration of His Grace, and it wasn't.

  162. For a blind man, it wasn't for a deaf man, it wasn't for a

  163. crippled man. It was for a man who had 10.

  164. Thousands of demons living inside of him, nobody knows the

  165. exact. Number It could have been two,

  166. could have been three, but there were thousands of demons living

  167. inside of this man. And Jesus delivered him.

  168. And this man was right in his own mind, and he was rightly

  169. clothed and we're told there. That after he was touched by

  170. Christ, he comes to Christ, He says, Would you let me travel

  171. with you? Please don't leave me here.

  172. I want to go with you where you go.

  173. I know there's some extra room on that boat.

  174. Please let me come. And in Matthew 519 you see

  175. Christ's response. And he did not permit him, but

  176. said to him, go home to your friends.

  177. And tell them how much the Lord has done for.

  178. You. And how he has had mercy on you.

  179. And he went away and began to proclaim into the capitalists

  180. how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone marveled, Lord

  181. says, you can't come with me. I need you to be an evangelist.

  182. And so go to the Decaplis. Go to those ten cities and

  183. proclaim to them what you just experienced.

  184. And here we. Are two chapters.

  185. Later, Jesus visited the capitalists and there are

  186. thousands of people waiting for him.

  187. I want you to think about that for a moment.

  188. One man's testimony stirred the hearts of 10 cities.

  189. One man's testimony. It was an undeniable testimony.

  190. It was a profound testimony. It was.

  191. It was incredible. But the the.

  192. Point is more than just the man's testimony, because we

  193. might not be that encouraged with that I wasn't filled.

  194. With 10 thousands of demons. That's not something that I can

  195. really share without lying. I grew up in the church and I

  196. love the Lord as early as I can imagine.

  197. What does this have to do with me in terms of inspiration?

  198. Well, it goes deeper than his testimony.

  199. It has. More to do with his.

  200. Submission to the wisdom of God than anything.

  201. Else, what was his initial desire after he was?

  202. Restored by Christ, Please let me go with you.

  203. That was his. Dream so to.

  204. Speak. That was his hope.

  205. That was his greatest desire. And what happened?

  206. Christ denied it. No, you can't come with me.

  207. And you know. What didn't happen?

  208. His zeal. Wasn't dampened.

  209. He wasn't offended. And began to question the.

  210. Kindness of God and his providential leading He didn't.

  211. Pull back from serving the. Lord, because he didn't really

  212. get what he wanted. He chose to obey regardless.

  213. He chose to serve him. Regardless.

  214. He chose to go where he told him to go.

  215. Though he may not have understood it immediately.

  216. And so it's more than just a man's.

  217. Testimony. It was his.

  218. Willingness to trust. In God's leading and here's the

  219. point for you and I. What will you do?

  220. When the Lord does not. Give you what you want, as holy

  221. as it might seem, as great. As it might seem as.

  222. Good as it might seem, will you in some form of payback become

  223. bitter and say, well, Lord, if you're not going to answer my.

  224. Cry after I've been faithful. For this long, then, I'm not

  225. going to give you what you want. You may not say it out rightly,

  226. but maybe in your. Actions maybe in your devotion.

  227. And what you have to understand is that on the other side of you

  228. willing to say, OK, Lord, if this is where you want me to be,

  229. if this is who you've called me to be, if this is where I'm

  230. supposed to be an endure. Then I will do it.

  231. Maybe on the other side of. That there are blessings that

  232. you can't even. Imagine.

  233. Take that from this truth. Here's a man who thought the

  234. best thing was for him to be with Jesus and Jesus.

  235. I know better than you. Going to the.

  236. Decapolis And he goes. And revival breaks out.

  237. What if he had said no, But he said I thought you were.

  238. Kind and merciful. What's this?

  239. Well, thanks for the healing, but I'm going to go my way.

  240. What if? What if?

  241. And it's so sad. Over the years, I've seen

  242. Christian. Shrivel up and become sour.

  243. Because they've made desperate pleas to God, and God hasn't

  244. realized it for them, and they're nowhere to be found.

  245. Who knows? What God could have done through

  246. them, they said. Well Lord, if you don't give me

  247. what I think is best for me, I will still serve you regardless

  248. and or what blessings he has in mind for those who trust and

  249. obey the region of the healing. This man prepared others to meet

  250. Christ. But now?

  251. We come to the request of the healing mark zooms in.

  252. And verse 32. And we see here that.

  253. They brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech

  254. impediment. And they begged him.

  255. Here's more begging. They begged him to lay his hand

  256. on him. Who are the they?

  257. We don't know. But whoever they are clearly are

  258. people who love this man. They love this man enough to

  259. take the time out of their day. To make the effort to cross.

  260. Through the chaotic crowd. And to present to Jesus someone

  261. who is in a desperate condition, they brought him to Christ.

  262. You know when it comes. To bringing people to Christ,

  263. there is energy involved. There's sacrifice involved.

  264. There is effort involved, and sometimes it may seem demanding.

  265. But no matter how demanding it is, it is our primary calling

  266. among many other callings. And it's amazing how so many

  267. temptations flood our hearts in the pursuit of witnessing to the

  268. loss, right. It's incredible how much?

  269. Encourages us to do just the opposite, and I'm one of them.

  270. I can attest to those temptations.

  271. For some, it's fear. We're just terrified of the idea

  272. of confronting or. Communicating or sharing others

  273. it's it's a sense of. Unworthiness I I just don't feel

  274. like my life is. Holy enough in order.

  275. To be a representative Christ. And then there are others.

  276. If the honest St. is honest, that the thing that tempts them

  277. the most to reserve their witness is their schedule, their

  278. schedule. And I want to.

  279. Re encourage you here right I want to realign.

  280. This is the point of coming to church, we we remind.

  281. Ourselves through singing and preaching.

  282. Why I'm here? Why it is that I?

  283. Have been left here on earth and not rapture the moment I confess

  284. Christ. No matter what our personal

  285. projects are, no matter how ambitious they are.

  286. No matter how. Much they promise.

  287. You know it, don't you? Nothing is more rewarding than

  288. knowing you planted the seed of the gospel in the heart of a

  289. receptive person. Nothing.

  290. Nothing. And here are these friends.

  291. Who willingly, intentionally took this man?

  292. Who? Who was probably very.

  293. Disoriented, being deaf, who had no.

  294. Ability to share what he. Desired at least with his

  295. tongue. And they said we're bringing you

  296. to Christ. They loved him by bringing him

  297. to Christ. And more than that, then they

  298. begged Christ that that's a picture of intercession.

  299. We're going to ask Christ on your behalf to do something in

  300. your life. But there's more than just the

  301. bringing. There's more than just the

  302. begging. There is the specific request.

  303. That they made that is worthy of our meditation.

  304. What did they ask Jesus to do for the man?

  305. Put your hands on him. Christ, lay your hands on him.

  306. That that doesn't seem like an outlandish thing, That that's

  307. something that they probably witnessed with their own eyes.

  308. Maybe they saw Christ, according to Matthew, do it with hundreds

  309. of others. And so they just knew what they

  310. saw. They just.

  311. Interpret it as out. Christ does things.

  312. What would you lay your hands on him Now we might just read pass

  313. through that say well that. That just something that's

  314. obvious. Right until you look at verse

  315. 30. Three, and see how Christ

  316. answers their plea. Does he lay hands on him, and

  317. taking him aside from the crowd, privately he put his fingers

  318. into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue and.

  319. Looking up to heaven, he sighed. That's not the same of laying

  320. hands on him. That's not.

  321. That's very elaborate. Very different.

  322. Might be even very curious. And so these men.

  323. Came to Jesus. Asking for a specific.

  324. Method and Christ had another method in mind.

  325. And I think this is important for us to consider.

  326. You saying why? Because if we're not.

  327. Careful and our. Petitioning to Christ, and our

  328. seeking of Christ and our waiting of Christ.

  329. We might have. A list of things that we believe

  330. Christ should do and how he should do it, and when he

  331. doesn't, if you're not prepared to realize that he's sovereign.

  332. You might set. Yourself up for disappointment?

  333. Do you remember naming the Syrian?

  334. Maybe you don't naming the Syrian was.

  335. Littered with leprosy, he hears of a man in Israel who can heal

  336. the sick who is in tune with God, Elijah the prophet.

  337. So he comes to Elijah's house after he was directed by the

  338. government. And when he arrives there,

  339. Elijah doesn't even come out to say hi to the guy he sends a

  340. messenger out the front door to. Give him instructions.

  341. Like, talk about disrespect. At least in the eyes of a man

  342. who deserved who thought he deserved.

  343. Respect. He sends a message.

  344. That's like a politician coming over to your house, knocking on

  345. your door, asking for your attendance and you.

  346. Send out somebody else to deal with them.

  347. That's what, Elijah. Does.

  348. Why? Is he rude?

  349. No, he he's trying to highlight his pride.

  350. And it was highlighted because the instruction that Elijah gave

  351. to this man, you know it well, OK, if you want to be healed.

  352. And verse ten of Second Kings 5 going washing the Jordan 7

  353. times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.

  354. Simple, straightforward, just like the gospel.

  355. Repent and believe. Nothing complicated, nothing

  356. philosophical, nothing sophisticated, Just go to the

  357. foot of the cross, repent and believe.

  358. And what happened to this man? Name it he.

  359. Was offended. Let me read to you his response

  360. in verse 11 and 2nd Kings 5 But Naman was angry and went away,

  361. saying, Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me

  362. and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave

  363. his hand over the place and cure the leper.

  364. I I wanted something more honorable than this, more showy

  365. than this. More sophisticated in this I had

  366. an expectation and it wasn't realized.

  367. And he became angry and he almost missed out on the

  368. blessing. If it wasn't for.

  369. A servant who reminded him. And how does that work for us?

  370. I think it works in many ways. Lord, I want to serve you.

  371. I want to serve you in this way, and I want to serve you at this

  372. time, and I want to serve you with this kind of an influence,

  373. and I want to serve you with this kind of people, and I want

  374. to serve you at this capacity, with these kind of giftings and

  375. the Lord. Is pleased to use.

  376. You and I. But then he gives you a ministry

  377. that he wants you to have. Will you be like naming?

  378. Behold, I thought. Lord, at this point of my life,

  379. let me just check. Here my blueprint for my

  380. existence at this point I would like to have this kind of a

  381. spouse, this kind of a house, this amount of.

  382. Kids, this kind of. Region this kind of property

  383. taxes. This kind of church, a church

  384. that preaches. Well, and does things well.

  385. Doesn't get involved in my business and.

  386. I have all these things, Lord, that I have in mind.

  387. Here you go and the. Lord is pleased to provide for

  388. you. But then in his.

  389. Providence, When he brings you where you're at, does it meet

  390. your expectations? And if it doesn't, will you be

  391. like naming? Behold, I thought.

  392. Here are these men, they said. Lord, would you place your hands

  393. on him? And he honored their faith.

  394. You see the point that I'm trying to drive into your soul?

  395. Is not that. Trusting in God means that you

  396. should expect less. Than what you hope for.

  397. It's to believe that he is better than what you prayed for.

  398. It's to realize that he will honor your faith and he will do

  399. above and beyond what you. Expected or imagined?

  400. No matter. How much you think that?

  401. It is the way it should be. Christ comes and.

  402. He brings this man privately. He honored their faith.

  403. He didn't. Scold them.

  404. Notice that because. We should be specific.

  405. In our request. We should seek, we should ask,

  406. we should knock, but we should also have the faith enough to.

  407. Believe that if it does not come in the specific way that we had

  408. imagined, that His sovereignty is greater than mine.

  409. And so this man comes. Helplessly, Jesus brings him

  410. privately, which transitions us perfectly into the next thought.

  411. Not just the region of the healing, not just the request

  412. for the healing, but the method of the healing.

  413. You read it. Jesus takes him.

  414. He doesn't want to make this show in front of people.

  415. He doesn't want to advertise this man.

  416. He has enough attention. And so he pulls him.

  417. Aside, he looks at him. And maybe the the friends that

  418. came with the man. Look from a distance and they

  419. said OK, it shouldn't take too long.

  420. And Jesus sticks his fingers in his ears and he spits and takes

  421. some of his saliva and he places it on his tongue.

  422. And then more than that, we're told by Mark, very

  423. descriptively, that he looks up to heaven.

  424. He sighs. He uses an Aramaic word that

  425. simply says it means be opened and the man was healed.

  426. That's not the method that they had thought.

  427. Christ has different methods. Be careful of comparing.

  428. Your life. Because the way he provides for.

  429. You the way he uses, you the way he leads.

  430. You may have some overlap with other people, but it is often

  431. very. Unique.

  432. It's very unique. I mean, just think about the way

  433. people were saved in this very room.

  434. Some of you heard a preacher in person.

  435. And that's how God got your attention.

  436. Some of you receive a tract while you went to the mall.

  437. Some of you read your Bible privately.

  438. In your own room. Some of you got saved through a

  439. podcast, others through miraculously.

  440. TikTok, TikTok. I've been hearing that TikTok,

  441. TikTok, TikTok, TikTok of all places.

  442. Some of you through Divine. Healing God has different ways

  443. of working and we see here that he proves that and in the case

  444. of this. Healing.

  445. It was very unique. And for a glorious reason, why

  446. couldn't he have just said a word I.

  447. Would have saved a lot more time.

  448. Why didn't he do? What Naman would have imagined.

  449. Just waved his hand and this man's ears could have popped

  450. open and his tongue could have been loosened.

  451. Why this complicated and technical procedure?

  452. It's no accident. You should know that by now.

  453. I think that what Christ is doing at this time with this

  454. specific man is. Showcasing what we've seen in.

  455. Christ and many of his healings. A deep personal concern and care

  456. oozing. Out of a place of compassion,

  457. here's this man again, Death unable.

  458. To speak, unable to really. Speak for himself and in the

  459. natural. Sense, not really knowing

  460. what's. Happening.

  461. We don't know how long he was deaf for.

  462. And so you can just imagine these friends.

  463. Trying to communicate with him, We're taking you.

  464. And here he is just going along with them.

  465. And they come before this. Jesus, did he see it?

  466. Did he himself see him perform miracles?

  467. We don't know. But here he is before Christ,

  468. not knowing what is about to take place.

  469. And it could be that when Christ comes to this man and using his

  470. hands and signaling to him in this way, he is in essence

  471. communicating to him. In other words.

  472. This is Jesus using sign language to meet this man where

  473. he was at. This is Jesus coming to this man

  474. and placing his fingers in his. Ears to say, I know where the

  475. problem. Is placing his finger with.

  476. His saliva on his tongue to say I know that you cannot speak.

  477. Looking up to heaven right before him to show I I'm showing

  478. you where the. Source of this power comes from.

  479. And even Mark giving us the exact.

  480. Words of Jesus at this time. We have reason to believe that

  481. this man could read lips. And so, as Jesus says, be.

  482. Opened, this man would also see the authority of Jesus.

  483. Christ. And so you have these friends

  484. begging Jesus, would you lay your hands on him?

  485. And here's Christ in his mercy and grace, going above and

  486. beyond what they've even asked? I will heal him, but I want to

  487. show him that I am deeply. Concerned for him, and I care

  488. for him as an individual, as a person.

  489. I realize his condition at this time.

  490. And so let me take him away from the crowd and give him my full

  491. undivided attention. And let me place my hands in

  492. these ways and perform these gestures so he knows what is

  493. about to take place. So his faith can be encouraged,

  494. so he is aware of why he is here and why I am here.

  495. This is Christ showing that he cares.

  496. And would you know it, this is Christ performing this.

  497. Kind of a miracle. Of all the Gospels in the Gospel

  498. of Mark. I hope you didn't.

  499. Forget what the theme of Mark is concerning Jesus, the perfect

  500. servant of God, the perfect minister.

  501. And here's Jesus ministering to this man.

  502. And it's no. Wonder why this account is?

  503. Provided under Mark's authorship.

  504. It's for our instruction as well.

  505. Yeah, this is unique to Christ's authority anointing in power.

  506. But his model as a as a servant serving people, you know what

  507. Jesus is doing here. He's meeting this man at his

  508. level of understanding. He's willing to take the time to

  509. convey in the language that he might have understood the most,

  510. because Jesus doesn't see ministry as some drivethru

  511. experience. Jesus doesn't minister here out

  512. of compulsion, and he never does.

  513. Jesus' heart is in what he does. No matter how weary his bones

  514. were, no matter how much the demands were on his flesh at

  515. this time, he gives his full attention, and he speaks to a

  516. man in the language that he would have known most.

  517. I was reading this thinking about this laying in bed last

  518. night, and I and I said, Lord, give me the wisdom, please.

  519. And give me the. Grace and the patience to know

  520. how to convey your truth. Help me be mindful.

  521. Help me be patient. And understanding that every

  522. single. Person has a different condition

  523. and not one method works the same for all.

  524. Help me understand. That if I'm going to.

  525. Reach people. There's a grace that I need to

  526. exercise an awareness that needs to be implemented in order to be

  527. most effective. I hope you leave with that truth

  528. in your. Heart.

  529. There are people. Who are broken in different

  530. ways. And it's not that we compromise

  531. in order to minister and disciple them, but it does

  532. require an attentiveness and A and a willingness to be able to

  533. meet them at their level, meet them at their level, and help

  534. them to grow in the revelation of the goodness of God.

  535. So here's Christ, fingers in his ears, touching his tongue.

  536. Looking up to heaven wording with his mouth so that this man

  537. could see and understand what was about to take place.

  538. That his heart would be comforted, that his faith would

  539. arise, and Christ would be glorified.

  540. The method of the healing. What a wonderful master we

  541. serve. But notice now after the method,

  542. the instructions. Verse 35.

  543. And his ears were open, his tongue was released, and he

  544. spoke plainly. You know what's so significant

  545. about speaking plainly? The word they're.

  546. Plainly is that he became fluent in the language.

  547. It could be that this the man didn't even know how he he

  548. didn't know anything, right? People debate whether he was

  549. born deaf or not, but he. Couldn't speak.

  550. And the miracle? Is that it?

  551. Passed through all the need for therapy, all the need for

  552. sitting in a room with a tutor to learn how to speak and he was

  553. able to communicate right away. It was a complete restoration.

  554. And so this man was able to put sentences together, to

  555. understand verbs, to to give speech right in that moment.

  556. And then Jesus does something. Remarkable verse 36, he charged

  557. them. To tell no one, Lord, the guy.

  558. The guy just started to speak and you're telling him not to

  559. speak. We feel the same way sometimes.

  560. Don't worry about the commands of Christ and our natural

  561. thinking. It doesn't make sense.

  562. He charged them, not just. The men, but his friends, I'm

  563. sure they. Were fully aware of what?

  564. Just happened. Don't say anything to anybody.

  565. Not one. Soul charge is a very.

  566. Strong word sternly commanded them.

  567. Now one person should hear about this.

  568. And hear what we see in the second part of.

  569. Verse 36 the. More zealously, they proclaimed

  570. it. The more he charged them.

  571. The more zealously they proclaimed it.

  572. Can you imagine that? The Lord more than once telling.

  573. Don't say a word. And the more he said no, the

  574. more they were. Wanting to do, it does.

  575. That sound familiar to a specific.

  576. Demographic in life, yeah. We get facial hair, we get

  577. taller, we. Get wrinkles and some of us

  578. still act like children don't okay.

  579. And the moment he turned his back.

  580. Go, go, go, go, go. Tell as many people as you can.

  581. Why? Is the Lord asking not Lord?

  582. Don't you want people to be exposed to your power, Your

  583. unmatched mercy? And we've explored this, haven't

  584. we before? But it's here again, And it's

  585. here again to remind us and to teach us and to because we're

  586. creatures of. Repetition to solidify this

  587. truth. Why is Jesus saying no?

  588. And we've touched on this, so let me remind you 2.

  589. Reasons at least. From the human standpoint of why

  590. they. Would do it though.

  591. He said no. The first one is something that

  592. we kind of see plainly. They were excited.

  593. How can you hold it in? This man couldn't hear, he

  594. couldn't speak, and now he can formulate sentences.

  595. You're asking us not to say anything, Lord, we love you, but

  596. come on. And so here they are, exploding

  597. with exuberance and. They go to the streets and they

  598. proclaim this good news at the expense of obedience, and it's a

  599. lesson for us to remember that. Often times you were here Friday

  600. and some of. You were here Friday.

  601. That emotions can often lead us into disobedience.

  602. That we can be emotionally invested in something to the

  603. degree. That it steers us away.

  604. From Christ's clear commands and we looked.

  605. At that this Friday with Saul, Saul slaughtered.

  606. The Gibianites and the Gibianites.

  607. Were protected people among the Israelites through a covenant.

  608. They were to never be harmed for the rest of their.

  609. Days and yet. Saul It says there in Second

  610. Samuel 21 verse two that out of his zeal for the.

  611. People of Israel and Judah. He slayed them.

  612. His zeal, he felt very. Strongly about this cause, even

  613. at the expense of. A covenant that was made.

  614. And so let me repeat what I said.

  615. Friday that there is a. Culture now.

  616. That we're in, that is more and more.

  617. Permitting absolutely, almost everything.

  618. As long as you feel strongly about it.

  619. You'd be made to know what you do in counseling sessions.

  620. And all you're trying to deal with, really, is people who feel

  621. strongly. About something, though, it is

  622. plainly wrong. And so these.

  623. People felt very strongly about telling others of what Jesus

  624. did, though. Jesus command was as plain as

  625. can be don't do it. But we were excited about it.

  626. And that. Excitement can lead us.

  627. Into sin and sometimes lack of excitement can lead us into.

  628. Sin, the presence of certain. Feelings.

  629. The absence of certain. Feelings should never determine.

  630. The driving seat of your devotion to the Lord.

  631. Or maybe it's something else. Maybe it wasn't the.

  632. Sheer emotion of it, maybe. It was the human wisdom element

  633. of it and. So here's Jesus, who just does

  634. this awesome thing. And the people hear.

  635. From him, right after tell. No one.

  636. And I'm sure some of them thought really no one.

  637. Lord, we love you. We're so grateful for what you

  638. just did here. But telling no one doesn't.

  639. Really help your cause. We heard some of your teaching.

  640. We heard. Some of your claims and there

  641. are other people who are a little.

  642. Confused about who you are? Wouldn't this help?

  643. You wouldn't. This give less ammunition to the

  644. spiritual leaders. Who try to?

  645. Accuse you of such. And such let us.

  646. Assist you in this. You're great in so many ways,

  647. but in this area, Lord, I think you need a little help.

  648. We'll go and do it anyway. And again, this is a reflection

  649. of human nature. You have people who love.

  650. Christ, you have people who who who love components of who he.

  651. Is and what he has done. But there are some parts in his

  652. word that don't seem to. Help his cause in this day of

  653. age. And so it's clear, it's playing,

  654. It's obvious, but this might push people away.

  655. From Jesus and so let's. Tweak it a little bit.

  656. Let's skip over it. Let's reinterpret it.

  657. Christ means well, and maybe this meant something at some

  658. time, but for now this doesn't apply.

  659. So, Lord, we know what you're saying, but we're here to.

  660. Help. This is why we're seeing the

  661. nominations fall apart. This is why we're seeing

  662. different churches invite things because their intentions might

  663. be just like these. People we're trying to aid,

  664. we're we're trying to assist. When in reality, in Christ's

  665. wisdom, he knew that this was going to bring more harm than

  666. anything. Else.

  667. So what's the take away from this?

  668. With these instructions, it's very simple.

  669. Whatever, he says, just trust it.

  670. Okay. Just trust it, no matter what,

  671. he says. No matter how your feelings

  672. attest to it, no matter how much you think that it is

  673. counterintuitive. Just trust his word.

  674. You'll never go wrong and more importantly, your honor the one

  675. that matters most. They don't.

  676. They were zealously running in the other direction, and with

  677. that, quick. Disappointment, we said.

  678. We see some. Kind of light.

  679. At verse 37 with the remarks. About the healing.

  680. They were. Astonished beyond measure,

  681. saying he has done all things well.

  682. If you don't believe that now, precious St. if you're attempted

  683. to doubt that, there is a day coming where you will be

  684. glorified and you will look back, and despite all the pain

  685. and all the strange providential leadings, you can look back and

  686. you'll say he's done all things well.

  687. That day's coming. I'm encouraging you.

  688. I'm encouraging your little faith today.

  689. That they will come. He's done all things well.

  690. He even makes the death here and the mute speak.

  691. Now here's what's fascinating. The word mute here is not the

  692. same word that Mark uses when he narrates the request for the

  693. healing. What was the specific request

  694. and what was the? Diagnosis according to Mark,

  695. verse 32. Again, look with your Bibles.

  696. And they brought to him a man who was deaf.

  697. And had a speech impediment. Do you see those collection of

  698. words there had a speech impediment in the.

  699. Greek. That's one word.

  700. It's one word in the Greek. And this one word in the Greek

  701. is actually only found. Here in this place, in all of

  702. the New Testament, mute is a different.

  703. Word the word in the Greek here. Which is Mogo lalos is actually.

  704. A very simple definition, very difficult to speak.

  705. That's all it means. But it's a rare word, and Mark

  706. chooses to use it to describe this man's ailment.

  707. And you think, well, why? Why didn't you just go with what

  708. the word? The people used and here's

  709. what's so fascinating it is. The only word that is.

  710. Found in the New Testament in the Greek language.

  711. But there is one other. Place in all of the Bible that

  712. this word is used. It's actually in the Old

  713. Testament. You think?

  714. Hold on. The Old Testament was written

  715. in. Hebrew, you're right.

  716. But there was a Greek version written of the Hebrew scripture.

  717. It's called the Septugent that was compiled 2 to 300 years

  718. before. Christ and it was a.

  719. Translation of the Hebrew scriptures that was very

  720. available at this time in history with Jesus and the

  721. disciples and so in all of the Bible if you go with the Greek

  722. version of the Hebrew scriptures.

  723. You would realize that this Greek word that Mark uses is not

  724. just found here, it's actually found somewhere else, a total of

  725. two times that it is mentioned. And when you realize where it is

  726. mentioned, that you also realize why.

  727. Mark used it. Do you know where it was used?

  728. I'll tell you where it's used in the book of Isaiah.

  729. Go to Isaiah with me very quickly and go to chapter 35 and

  730. allow. Me to read a few.

  731. Verses. Isaiah 35 will begin in verse 3.

  732. This is a prophecy. And it's a.

  733. Prophecy of a specific era. And here's what the prophecy

  734. says. Strengthen the weak hands and

  735. make. Firm the.

  736. Feeble knees, say to those who have an anxious heart.

  737. Be strong. Fear not.

  738. Behold your God will. Come with vengeance with the.

  739. Recompass of God he will. Come and save you.

  740. Verse five, then the. Eyes of the blind.

  741. Shall be opened and the. Ears of the deaf unstopped, then

  742. shall the layman leap like a deer.

  743. And the tongue of the mute sing for.

  744. Joy for waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in

  745. the desert for the. Tongue of the mute sing for joy.

  746. And so if you had a Greek version of the Hebrew

  747. scriptures. And you saw Mark's letter.

  748. And you? Read that word there.

  749. For speech impediment. You would look back at Isaiah

  750. and realize. That he uses the very same word

  751. that the prophet used. So you see.

  752. Why Mark used it now, right? To show that Jesus is the

  753. fulfillment of what is being said here, though partially.

  754. Why do I say partially? Because what Isaiah is depicting

  755. and describing here concerns the millennial reign of Christ.

  756. He describes what will happen to the.

  757. Universe itself, namely what will happen with.

  758. Us who are creating in the image of God and what we see here with

  759. Mark and Jesus miracle being performed is a preview of what's

  760. going to happen when he does rule and reign on the earth

  761. forever. And so Jesus here gives us a

  762. taste of what the world. Will be like.

  763. When he exercises his governance in the nations.

  764. When he comes to rule from that throne in Jerusalem, what will

  765. take? Place in the lives of so many,

  766. not just one or two. It will be even greater.

  767. Than his days here on earth 2000 years ago and Mark wants you to

  768. get a sample of it. And Mark wants you to realize

  769. that this Jesus is who Isaiah spoke about.

  770. And this Jesus. Will.

  771. Fully realize all that Isaiah spoke about in this text when he

  772. comes again. When he comes again be opened.

  773. And it was opened. And they said he has done great

  774. things, He has done all things well, I want to let you know I'm

  775. closing as we prefer prepare to partake in the table that yet

  776. again we have another testimony that Christ can do the

  777. impossible. And if you just come, if you, if

  778. you just let go and allow yourself to come to the foot of

  779. the cross, wonders can take place in your life.

  780. I want to speak to the person here who does not know Jesus

  781. Christ. You have not opened your life to

  782. him yet. You haven't.

  783. You've heard about him, but you're spiritually deaf.

  784. And your mouth. You can't find yourself.

  785. With your mouth to proclaim the glories of God.

  786. You Can't Sing about it. You can't testify about it.

  787. You haven't tasted it in one moment.

  788. Christ can change it. He can.

  789. He can actually change you in this very setting, right here,

  790. right now. And maybe one or two friends

  791. have brought you in love. And though they might have.

  792. Been nervous because they understand that.

  793. Sometimes from this pulpit, things can get a little intense.

  794. But they brought you in love. Not to meet with a preacher, not

  795. to meet with some musicians, but to meet with the living Christ.

  796. Do you? Realize that that person.

  797. Loves you. More importantly, do you realize

  798. the love of Christ to bring you at this moment and to receive

  799. him? And maybe you're in this place

  800. and you're a believer already, but you're a disappointed

  801. Christian. You had expectations.

  802. Before you even dare to question, please take the time

  803. to ask yourself, Am I here because of my own sin and

  804. foolishness? If you are, if you are, Christ

  805. is still willing to forgive you and still willing to restore you

  806. and do incredible things in you and through you.

  807. But if you believe wholeheartedly, well, I've tried

  808. to walk in as much obedience as I can, and yet still here I am

  809. with a mess. With an absolute mess, I've made

  810. these specific prayer requests and they have not come.

  811. In fact, it seems like the opposite is experienced.

  812. Realize that if you are honest before the Lord, if you're

  813. broken before the Lord, he has something in mind for you.

  814. Through this, it may not make sense.

  815. The method may not make sense, just like the ear thing and the

  816. tongue thing and all of that. You may not understand it, but

  817. he's doing something you don't get.

  818. You just want him to lay hands, but he has something more

  819. because he knows more. Trust in him today.

  820. Let your heart be renewed and trust in him today.

  821. I want you to leave this place for you to be able to say he has

  822. done all things well. He will do all things well.

  823. And that's what we pray. Lord, in this time of

  824. meditation, we trust in you. And the feebleness of our faith.

  825. We trust in you and the strength of our devotion.

  826. We rehearse our trust in you and Lord.

  827. As we come to this table. We reflect upon what really

  828. matters the most, the salvation of our souls, that despite the

  829. temporal trials and pain, we have eternal life.

  830. And there is a time coming, like Isaiah foretold, Where there.

  831. Will be no more tears. There will be no more handicap.

  832. There'll be no more sorrow. There'll be no more.

  833. Fear looking over our shoulder. To see who will fail us next.

  834. There is a time coming where all of that will be removed and you

  835. will be the object of our desire, our love and our joy.

  836. And we come to this table to remember that you will feast

  837. with us one day. And so, Lord, please help us

  838. reflect, selfexamine to repent, to be cleanse of all

  839. unrighteousness, so that we may come in a worthy manner in your

  840. presence. In Jesus name we pray.

  841. Amen.