The Gospel According to Mark (Part 12)

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The Gospel According to Mark

(Part 12)

Good morning and welcome to Jesus Church

We are back into our series on the life/ministry of Jesus

• Last week we dove into a story about Jesus & Food
  • Because to Jesus food is about far more than fuel for your body
  • To Jesus food is a means to welcome people to a meal with God
  • While Pharisees used it as a weapon to reject people from God
• Throughout the scriptures we see God’s kingdom described as a feast
  • In fact 1 of 4 pillars early church committed to: Eating together
  • And Jesus ate with disciples… but also tax collectors & sinners
  • Because he says “The healthy don’t need a doctor, the sick do”
• Which means God desires to invite everyone to his table
  • And of course we choose to accept that invitation or not
  • But regardless of where you are with God… he wants you there

Today we are gonna finish Mark Ch.2

Mk 2:23-28

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawfulonnly for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

• This is a story about the Sabbath (Jesus vs Pharisees take on Sabbath)
  • Easy to just skip this… Sabbath not part of American culture
  • Use to be that at least Sunday was a day of rest – LONG TIME AGO
    • Everything was closed
    • No Sports
    • Chick-fil-A is now the only thing closed on Sunday
  • There was 1 day/week that every shut down…
    • There was church
    • But that was about it
• Obviously that’s all changed – Sunday now is for shopping/instagram
  • But even 50 years ago what happened on Sunday
  • It wasn’t what Jesus’ time would consider a “SABBATH”

TAG: So before we start… we need some context on Sabbath

• Understanding that will help us to see what Jesus is up to in the story
  • So lets start where the Sabbath all began in creation

Gen. 1:31 – 2:3

God saw all that he had made and it was very good, and there was evening and there was morning on the sixth day. Thus the heavens are the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing. So on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he rested from the work of creation that he had done.

Notice 3 things about the SEVENTH day

1: Sabbath is written into the rhythm of creation

• God is a musician… creates sound/musical notes/time signatures
  • Everything with purposes… rhythm/alignment so important
  • And made creation with a rhythm – Work 6 – Rest 1
  • This is how God created the universe/body to thrive
• Makes sense because we’re made in God’s image/likeness…
  • And we are called to be disciples… follow in God’s footsteps
  • And God himself worked hard and then rested
• In the same way we are hardwired to rest one day per week
  • And to go against this is to go against the rhythm of creation
  • And why in the world would you want to do that

2: Sabbath isn’t the same thing as a day off

• God blesses the 7^th day – So interesting that God blesses a day
  • He made it HOLY… first time this word is used in scripture
  • When a word is introduced in scripture its very important
  • Because it sets the tone & foundation for that word in all of Bible
• Notice that what God made holy wasn’t space but time
  • Every major religion has sacred space (shrine, temple, mnt)
  • But the first thing God makes holy (set apart) is a time
  • Why the phrase “Time is Money” is so telling of our society
• Now there’s tons of freedom… What is rest/worship (ambiguous)
  • Because you might define rest different than I do
    • You might love running and find it peaceful and rejuvenating
    • Others find it as hell on earth
  • But that’s the point… do what’s life giving to you
    • Take a day out of the week that will be HOLY – TO GOD
    • Dedicated to rest and worship of God

3: Sabbath is wisdom not a command

• In this story there isn’t ONE command to take every 7^th day off 4 rest
  • Not to Adam/Even… Just says God rested and set aside the 7^th day
  • And that should be enough inventive for use to do the same
• Sadly we don’t take hints – So in 10 commandments it is commanded

Ex. 20:8-11

Remember (meaning they forgot) the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your sons or daughters, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefor the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

• So it is commanded… but in NT its actually never mentioned
  • Not a single command in all the NT to remember the Sabbath
  • Meaning its wisdom but not a command – Reflects Jesus’ take
• Scriptures are full of stuff that is wisdom but not a commanded
  • No verse that says “Thou shalt sleep 8 hours per night”
    • You can sleep 5 hours if you want
    • Average person needs 8… so its not wise – Not a sin
  • No command that says “Thou shalt not eat dirt”
    • You do have to ask for forgiveness if you do it
    • Your not in sin… your just sorta dumb
• Same way Sabbath isn’t a command… Not sinning if you work Sunday
  • But you will feel the affects eventually if you don’t walk in wisdom
  • Because to go against this is to go against created order
    • And we would be fools to go against God’s wisdom

What happened over time: Sabbath became list of rules

We have this bent… turn wisdom into rules

• Example: 613 commandments in the Torah (plenty)
  • Over time the Jewish decided they needed more than that
  • So they added 1500 more (Mishnah)
    • So 613 from God… 1500 from religious people
• So all the Torah says is “Don’t work”… remember it & keep it holy
  • Mishnah says there are 39 categories of actions considered work
  • So sure… no buying or selling or hunting or farming
  • But also no pressing buttons, tie a knot, sew a stich, write a letter
    • All of that form 1 command in the Torah

TAG: And then Jesus comes along – Whole different take on Sabbath

Mk 2:23-28

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

• Now this wasn’t unlawful in Torah… nothing against picking grain
  • Closest is Deut it says not to harvest food
  • And Jesus is all about the Torah and keeping the Sabbath holy
  • But he isn’t a fan of all these extra man made laws

He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? (Amazing sarcastic dig on the Pharisees) In the days of Ab-ith-ar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath…

• Jesus is telling them that everything they know is backwards
  • The Sabbath is made as a gift for man from our creator to enjoy
  • Not an oppressive, legalistic, stuffy rule that we have to follow

…So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Mark 3:1-2

Another time Jesus went into the Synagogue (now dangerous) in Capernaum. And a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.

And that is the religious spirit right there… look for a reason to accuse

• Something we see in our world all the time
  • Judging others lives by the snippet we see or hear about
  • Critical and sinical about those we are jealous/envious of
    • That is the heart of the Pharisees
• And they are watching to see if he would dare to heal someone
  • Now is healing someone a good thing – YES!!!
  • And what better day to heal on than the SABBATH!!!
  • A day set aside to see what God will do… restoration… renewal
    • But the Pharisees are just waiting for Jesus to step out of line

Mark 3:3 (And watch what happens)

Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, stand up in front of everyone. (Jesus is about to pick a fight)

• Pick someone to stand up
  • Can you imagine standing up in front of entire synagogue
    • And lets say you have a deformed hand (insecure about)
    • Made it illegal for you to enter the temple
  • This Rabbi Jesus has nerve to make you get up in front of everyone
    • And then you are stuck there standing… KEEP READING

Then Jesus asked them, which is lawful to do on the Sabbath? To do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill? (who’s gonna say EVIL – KILL) So he looked around at them in ANGER and deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts.

• I want you to understand the concept of HEART from 1^st century view
  • We see heart as where you get your emotions/feelings from
  • What heart meant to Mark: FEELINGS but more so your MIND
  • This could be translated… Close Minded
• Jesus angry b/c Pharisees think they know everything about the Bible
  • Unwilling to even consider they don’t know everything
  • This is what the pride of rules over wisdom does to us

… and he said to (name) stretch out your hand. He stretched it out and his hand was completely restored.

• Imagine in front of everyone…
  • What you’re the most embarrassed about
  • Jesus says – Yep put that out in the open for everyone to see
  • And right there Jesus changes his life forever
• Now is Jesus gonna make you put your insecurity out for all to see
  • Probably not… maybe… but the point is to trust him
  • And whatever you are dealing with – He will take care of

Now you would think there would be a party – Celebration

• But instead it says the Pharisees start plotting how to kill Jesus
  • Crazy… after a healing by God they want to kill the one God uses

Story of Sabbath – More a story about human nature

Because the Pharisees (again not the bad guys then) are the example

• What does this mean… Mark is saying that if this can happen to them
  • The Bible believing/well respected teachers of God’s word
  • The most serious about God – Truth – Holiness – Righteousness
  • Then it can happen to ANYONE
• And for us… the way our sinful nature comes out
  • Now we see it as Pharisees… but don’t think of it as them
  • We need to think of it as us
  • B/C what Mark is saying: This happens to the most devoted to God
    • In fact its probably the thing we are most susceptible to

So here are 10 things that might mean you have some Pharisee in you

1 – You like rules. A lot!

2 – You think of yourself as guardian of right and wrong (YT full of these)

3 – You are quick to criticize and slow to complement

4 – You see bad/negative/ugly in situations & miss the beauty around you

5 – You just wish everyone was more like you

6 – You don’t eat/drink with people far from God

7 – Every new reading of the Bible is “guilty until proven innocent”

• That’s not the way I heard it before… maybe right or wrong
• HERE’S THE QUESTION: Is your authority the TEXT or TRADITION

8 – The rule is more important than the reality

• Think of text… the rule (don’t work) was more important than healing

9 – Its about the issue more than the person

• That doesn’t mean don’t fight for the issue
• But Jesus never allowed someone to be dehumanized for a stance

10 – You see yourself as held to a higher standard than Jesus in the Bible

And if you want to know where this list comes from… this is my life

• Because I am a recovering Pharisee
  • And what I’ve seen is that Phariseeism kills
  • Not a coincidence that closing line in story is they plot to kill Jesus
    • Wherever it sees life/joy/freedom/inclusion… snuff it out
• Why Jesus says in another place – Watch out for yeast of Pharisees
  • Yeast only needs a tiny bit… and it spreads and puffs up
  • You put a tiny bit of this thinking in your heart/family/church
    • It will spread and kill life wherever it goes
• STORY AS A KID – PASSION NOT TO SIN – JORDY