The Servant King: Mark's Gospel on Fire

The Gospel of Mark. Who loves their Bible?

Yeah, I love my Bible. I've written down here that the Gospel of Mark,

then the title is The Servant King, The Gospel on Fire. The Gospel on Fire.

The whole Bible is on fire, but

I love the book of Mark. And there's a few reasons. I'm a simple person.

I'm a get to the point person.

When we used to have landlines at home and phones at home, I would make my phone calls,

righto, there's my phone call, goodbye, and straight to the point,

we go shopping, Angela and I go shopping, we went shopping yesterday, I bought a new shirt,

I go in, I get my clothes, I buy my shirt, and then I get out and I go,

I'm just to the point, yeah, you too, Vic, yeah, you and me, mate, Brad,

come on, guys, you're with me, aren't you, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

The gospel on fire, Mark, the gospel on fire, the servant king.

He's described as our servant king. He came to serve.

The king who came to serve, the servant king, the book of Mark is the gospel on fire.

So let's start with Matthew. Oh, sorry, Mark, as we're preaching from Mark.

So let's start with Mark.

Mark 10.45 says, and it's the servant king. for even the son of man did not

come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.

So we've come today and we're going to dive into the gospel of Mark.

The shortest gospel, who loves short gospel, who loves short books,

who's like me when they're reading a book, they flick ahead to see how much is left. Yeah, yeah.

That's why I hate Kindles and things like that.

It's very difficult to flick ahead and see how much, anyway,

the gospel of Mark is the shortest gospel, but I'm here to tell you this morning

and to encourage you, it's the gospel that burns the hottest.

It's the gospel that burns the hottest. No mucking around with Mark.

No mucking around. He doesn't waste his words.

There's no genealogies at the beginning of Mark. There's no long introductions.

He is straight to the point. Do you want to know what Mark chapter one and verse

one says, look how straight to the point this is.

It says the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

There you go. Straight to the point. No need to go through genealogies back

to David or further or anything like that.

It's just, this is Jesus. He is the son of God.

That's Mark. That's Mark. Love it.

Mark's favorite word in his gospel.

Anyone have a guess as to what his favorite word was in his gospel?

Very good. Have you read my notes?

Have you been reading my notes?

Mark's favorite word in the gospel of Mark is the word immediately.

Do you know how many times he uses it?

Forty. I've found 40. I've found 40 times, 40 times.

And the reason why he uses that word immediately is because he's declaring that

when Jesus shows up, things shift immediately.

That's why, as what Josh was saying, when we seek Jesus, he will show up and

he will change things immediately.

Over 40 times in the book of Mark, he uses that word immediately.

Turn to someone right now and say, things are about to change immediately. Immediately.

Okay, there we go. So the purpose of Jesus' mission. Yeah, come on. Come on, immediately.

Right there. There it is. I'll see you next time.

The purpose of Jesus' mission to come to this place was to declare the kingdom has come near.

To declare the kingdom has come near. Let's read that. Mark 1,

Mark 1:14–15

verses 14 to 15. I'm going to skim over Mark, give you an overview.

And as I said, we're studying that on a Wednesday night.

It's okay for us to copy, to photocopy the book because we are buying,

we're trying to get them. We're buying them.

Who's with me? who will give me some grace this morning, you know.

I even went to Officeworks the other day to buy printer cartridges so I could

print it and found these cheap ones.

And I thought, let's save the church some money, shall we? Let's save the church $10.

So it was $112 for printer cartridges instead of $122 for the Hewlett-Packard

original ones. But I thought, let's save the church $10.

And I went to the lady at the counter and I said, these are the cheaper ones.

She goes, yeah, yeah. And I said, will they work? And her response was, I hope so.

I should have picked up on that. I went home. I put them in the printer. How frustrated was I?

Three hours later, still couldn't

get them to print. It kept on coming up saying, it's not an HP chip.

So by that stage, it was about 5.30 in the afternoon.

The printer supplier was closed, so I worded a very lengthy email.

And he came back to me the next morning to his credit, and he said, normally they work.

Normally they work, but HP have changed the way they do things.

So have we. So we will send you new printer cartridges.

Who knows how long that will take. But anyway, don't skimp on $10 is the message there.

So, all right. The purpose of Jesus' mission, to declare the kingdom has come near.

Mark 1, verses 14 to 15 says, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of

Mark 1:14–15

the kingdom of God and saying, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand.

Repent and believe in the gospel.

Now that word time, that word there, time, the time is fulfilled.

It's a Greek word. It's a Greek word, but it's not the word, the Greek word chronos.

It's not chronos, is it? The Greek word it's referring to here is kairos.

Kairos, which means divine moment.

So the time, the divine moment is now, immediately.

Say immediately.

Not chronos as in your watch, not as in ordinary time, but kairos.

As in a divine, divine moment. Jesus is saying to us, this is the moment of visitation.

This is the moment of visitation.

When Jesus entered regions, when Jesus entered most regions,

I should say, the regions that wanted him there, demons screamed.

Storms calmed, Sick bodies were healed And broken hearts were restored Yep,

because where the king walks The kingdom invades,

Yeah, yeah, come on.

The same Jesus who walked through Galilee 2,000 odd years ago is walking through

this room right now, right now.

When Jesus steps in, depression lifts up, lifts off.

When the king steps in, chains fall.

When the king steps in, hope comes alive again.

Who knows as we step into this week, Every step we take, hope will be getting

closer and closer and closer, and we will have positive expectations.

Come on. Lord, we worship you this morning.

Lord, come immediately, Lord. Let your kingdom invade my life and our lives

right now in Jesus' name, right now.

When the king enters, things change. When the king enters, your kingdom invades, Lord.

So we receive that in Jesus' name. In Jesus' name.

So what was the pattern of Jesus' life? Let me, that's the next thing I want

to talk about in the book of Mark.

The pattern of Jesus' life was prayer and power in that order.

Prayer and power. Mark 1.35 says, before daybreak the next morning,

Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray, to pray.

Even after miracles had happened, Jesus generally withdrew to pray.

He healed the multitudes, but before dawn, he'd be on his knees praying.

He carried power in public because he carried prayer in private.

Prayer and power. You want authority in the spirit? you've got to find that

secret place and get into prayer because you can't have power without surrender first.

Slow the rhythm right now. Come on, let's slow this rhythm down.

Let's let God just talk to us right now. As we reach out to him, Lord, come on.

Come into our lives. Come into our hearts.

Speak to us, Lord. What would you have us hear this morning, Lord God?

Some of you have been busy doing things for God, but haven't necessarily been still with God.

We need to spend that time being still with God.

And today the Holy Spirit is saying to each and every one of you,

come back to that secret place.

That's where the fire falls, in the secret place. That's where clarity comes.

That's where power is born, in the secret place.

Come on, lift your hands with me. Thank you, Lord. If you can, lift your hands with me.

Let's take a moment and just whisper his name, Jesus.

Jesus. Come on, whisper his name, Jesus.

Thank you, Lord. Father, reignite our private altars this morning. Reignite them, Jesus.

Breathe on our prayer lives again, Jesus.

Let fresh fire fall on those hidden places right now, Jesus.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus.

Touch this place, Lord. Touch our lives. Touch the people here,

Lord God. Touch the people listening in right now.

Reignite the quiet times like God, reignite the secret places,

invade those secret places with your Holy Spirit and fill us with power. Hallelujah.

So again, Mark 10, 45 says, for even the son of man did not come to serve or

to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

So the purpose of Jesus' ministry, to serve and to sacrifice.

The King of Glory wrapped himself in humility when he came to serve.

He didn't come demanding honour, he came displaying honour.

He didn't come to sit on a throne of gold, he came to hang on a cross of timber.

He didn't wear a crown of jewels, he wore a crown of thorns just for us. Why?

Because true greatness isn't measured by how many serve you,

but how many you serve. That's true greatness.

He is the servant king. He is the one who reigns by washing feet,

who wins by loving his enemies. Did you hear that?

Who wins by loving his enemies and who conquers by dying for sinners.

That's how he conquered.

Conquered by dying for us.

You know what? Greatness looks like serving.

Serving is greatness. If the Son of Man could kneel and wash your feet today,

if he came in through this door this morning with his bowl,

water, and a towel around his shoulder, and he could kneel and wash your feet,

what would you do? What would you do?

You know what? When you love somebody who can't repay you for your love, you look like Jesus.

You look like Jesus. When you serve in secret, heaven notices.

That's revival love right there. That's kingdom greatness right there.

When we serve in secret, when we love knowing we can't get anything in return

for it, heaven notices, and that is kingdom greatness.

So the price of Jesus' call from Mark 8, 34 and 35 is to take up our cross.

Take up our cross. Mark 8, 34 and 35 says, if anyone desires to come after me,

let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.

You notice Jesus didn't say, come and be comfortable.

Be nice, but he doesn't say, come and be comfortable. He said,

come and be crucified with me.

Wow. Come and be crucified. The cross isn't jewelry.

The cross isn't jewelry that many of us wear Or many of you wear around your

neck It's an altar It's an altar To follow Jesus means something must die Pride

must die Control must die Fear and sin must die,

But what you gain, though, is massive. What you gain is infinitely greater.

When you lose your life for Jesus, you find true life.

That's what you find. You find true life.

I hear the Spirit saying this morning, I hear the Spirit saying,

I'm raising up a generation that won't bow down to fear, won't settle for lukewarm

faith, won't trade fire for popularity.

God is looking for those of you who will say, I'll carry the cross.

I'll walk through the fire. I'll stand for truth and I'll follow the servant king.

That's what the Holy Spirit is saying this morning. He's looking around saying,

who will take up their cross?

Who will take up their cross? Who will walk through fire with me?

Who will stand for truth and follow the servant king?

He is risen. He is risen. Mark 16, verses 6 and 7.

Mark 16:6

And he said to them, do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth,

who was crucified. He has risen.

He is not here. See the place where they laid him?

But go tell the disciples and Peter that he's going before you to Galilee.

There you will see him just as he told you. The story doesn't end with the grave. Hallelujah.

The one who was crushed has now conquered. Death couldn't hold him.

The grave couldn't stop him.

Hell couldn't silence him. I want you to see this.

The stone was rolled away, not to let Jesus out, but to let us in.

To let us in. To see that the resurrection is real.

And the power that raised him is available right now.

Romans 8 verse 11 says, the spirit of God, see, I am going to another book here. It's not Mark.

Romans 8:11

Romans 8, 11 says, the spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.

And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your

mortal bodies by the same spirit living within you.

Go this week with a positive expectation, a positive expectation.

Why? Because the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.

That means resurrection power is in your spirit.

It's not coming. It's already there. It's already there.

Let's seize that power right now, shall we? If anyone's sick,

if you're sick in your body, lay hands where that sickness is, if you can.

If there's any sickness in your body, lay hands where you need healing.

If there's a broken situation in your life, lift it before God right now.

Let resurrection power move

right now Let that resurrection power Right

where that sickness is Right where that

situation is Where that broken situation is Lift it up to Jesus In the name

of Jesus We command sickness to leave We speak life into bones Into organs And

to hearts We release the healing power of the risen Christ.

Holy Spirit, move now.

Move now in this place.

He's healing right now. He's healing right now. Somebody's pain is leaving right now, immediately.

Someone's mind is being restored right now by the power of the Holy Spirit and

the authority of Jesus Christ.

Somebody's heart is being set free right now In Jesus'

name Give him praise The servant king is alive in our lives Hallelujah We bless

you, Lord God We praise your name Thank you for moving in this place,

Lord God Thank you for setting hearts free,

Lord God Thank you for raising the sick to full strength, Lord God Thank you

for taking away pain We worship you, Jesus Hallelujah Hallelujah.

The exciting thing is this, with the presence of Jesus' spirit,

which we all agree is here right now, the presence of Jesus' spirit is right here now.

The really good thing to know, though, is if his spirit's moving,

it means that Jesus is here right now as well. Jesus still moves.

Mark 16 and verse 20, Mark ends his gospel saying, and they went out and preached

everywhere while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word with signs following.

The story didn't end just with the disciples. It continues through you.

It continues through us. The same Jesus who cast out demons in Capernaum,

who raised Jairus' daughter, who opened blind eyes, still walks in this place through his spirit.

Praise him. When you open your mouth as believers, as Christians,

When you open your mouth, he speaks through you.

When you stretch out your hand to somebody, he touches through you.

When you love the broken, he loves the broken through you. That's who you are.

So declare this with me. Declare these words. Say it. Jesus still moves.

Jesus still saves. And Jesus still reigns. Hallelujah. Josh, come on up for me.

So the king through us is still on the move. The king is still on the move.

Mark's gospel begins with a cry from John the Baptist saying,

prepare the way of the Lord.

And it ends with the commission, go into all the world.

From start to finish, it's motion, it's movement, and it's miracles. That's the book of Mark.

Motion, mission, and miracles.

Jesus came to serve and now he calls us to serve.

He carried the cross and now he calls us to carry his fire.

He conquered death and now he calls us to walk in victory.

We don't serve a dead king, which is awesome. We serve a risen servant king.

That's the king who we serve.

And that's the king who is coming again in glory.

The king, the servant king still reigns. Say that with me. The servant king still reigns.

Who's ready to do some surrendering here to our servant king? Who's ready? Okay.

If you've grown cold, if you've grown cold, if you've been distant,

if you've been weary and the flame has dimmed, today the servant king is calling you back.

He says, come and follow me. That's what he's saying.

So if you can, again, lift your hands with me. Lift your hands with me.

And from your heart, pray this prayer with me.

Repeat after me. Lord Jesus, I surrender.

You gave everything for me. And now I give everything to you.

Forgive me. Cleanse me. Fill me with your Holy Spirit.

Set my heart on fire again.

Teach me to serve as you served,

to love as you loved,

to walk in your power and to live for your glory.

In Jesus' name, amen.

1 Corinthians 4 and verse 20 says, the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power, in power.

So I'm going to send you out to go now.

I'm going to send you out to go, to go out with that power, with that power,

to serve with love, to walk in boldness.

Go this week with that positive expectation and walk in boldness.

Preach with fire. We can all do it. If I can do it, we can all do it. Preach with fire.

And let your life declare that the servant king still reigns.

Jesus still reigns. He's our servant king. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Lord, we thank you. We thank you for this day.

Lord, this day is a day of the immediate. Lord, we recognize the servant king, Jesus Christ.

The King who came to serve, the King who came to heal, the King who came to

set free, the King who came with a mission to overcome,

a King who came to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is now.

The kingdom of heaven is now. We declare that this morning in Jesus' name.

We receive that this morning in Jesus' name.

And we declare that our servant King, Jesus Christ, still lives.

And Lord, in declaring that, we are in fact saying that, Lord,

we will be your lips and mouth.

We will be your words. We will be your touch, your hand.

Lord, we will be your passion in this place, Lord.

The servant king still reigns, reigns through us.

So go this morning, church, with the power and the authority of Jesus Christ,

who lives within you. Amen.