The Gospel According to Mark (Part 46)

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The Gospel According to Mark

(Part 46)

Good morning and Happy New Year!

We are jumping into the new year… things I’m really looking forward to

• Doing everything we can to encourage community this year
  • We believe the core of the church has to be more than Sunday
  • The point of church was never a building… it was a gathering
  • This will be a year to gather & scatter
• WE GATHER
  • On Sunday mornings – Unified in one accord in word/worship
  • In friendships – Dinner/put put golf/hiking/bible studies
  • In Home groups – To hear from God’s word – Pray for eachother
• AND WE SCATTER
  • God has brought so many ministries to our church for a reason
  • Just like Jesus brought his followers together to send them out
  • We believe God has calls us to take our health from community
    • And give it to the worlds we live in

Matt. 28:19-20

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.

Also very excited to continue improving our property

• We have an amazing property that needs some creative beauty
  • I realized last week… I literally take offense from our fences
  • We’re excited to see this campus transformed
  • To become more welcoming and representative of who we are

Old saying: Only things assured are death & taxes (add this series)

• We are in part 46… now in the last hours of Jesus life
  • Two weeks ago looked at Jesus in the garden w/ closest friends
  • And we see the emotional struggle Jesus goes through
  • Knowing all he is about to be put through
• But when Jesus was faced with emotional health struggles
  • He first gathers people around him he trusts
  • He is completely honest with where he is at mentally
  • And lastly he gets on his face and prays to the father repeatedly
• Far too many of us don’t follow Jesus in how he handles emotions
  • We want to hide our emotions at all costs
  • Part of the reason… we are ashamed to be Xians that struggle
    • With depression… anxiety… anger
  • Exactly what the enemy wants u to do… not Jesus shows u to do

Today: What comes next – Jesus is betrayed… death set in motion

Mk 14:43-52

Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the 12 appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man, arrest him and lead him away under guard.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi” and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him. Then one of those standing near drew his word and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

Am I leading a rebellion, Jesus said, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts and you did not arrest me. But the scriptures must be fulfilled. Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.

[PRAY]

Story

Anyone here like running… as in for some reason you think its fun

• I am not one of those people
  • I don’t mind short distance sprints
  • Before soccer matches we did sprints to intimidate other teams
  • But that was over in like 60 seconds… that’s fine
• There are people out there who like to run for hours
  • And its probably more I’m just projecting my lack of discipline
  • People say you just have to push thru the pain – Runners High
  • But closest I’ll ever get to that is seeing a runner and saying “hi”

I did hear a couple of good running jokes though…

1: Why shouldn’t you run to chase down a car?

• Because you’ll get exhausted

2: Why was Kyler Murry frustrated after running a marathon during rehab

• His trainer told him he only moved 2 feet

Whether you like running or not…

The truth is we all find times we want to run – that’s not all bad

• Mom’s & Dad’s are running all the time
  • Trying to get kids to school / practice / games
  • Then work / dinner / find time for a date night
  • Business of life often has us running like we’re mad
• Today wanna talk on running we see in this story – unhealthy running
  • Sometimes we run for approval – Keep saying “yes”
    • Maybe it’s the need for affection / status
  • Sometimes we run because we don’t want to face something
    • Pain in our lives
    • Fear that we can’t face
  • But at some point… realize we really don’t want to keep running
    • But either we don’t know how to stop
    • Or we’re scared of what it will mean

Story starts with the mob coming for Jesus

Now the Romans allowed the Chief Priest to have a small militia

• So they could enforce Jewish law – That was the Roman way
  • They allowed self governing as long as you paid your taxes
  • Now that came with tons of oppression and injustice
  • And it was abused all the time

Josephus (example)

Such was the shamelessness which possessed the chief priest that he was so terrible that he would send slaves to the threshing floor of the lower priests to take the food offerings from synagogue leaving them with nothing to eat.

• So this story ends up being about a ton of people who are running
  • The priests… running from the truth of what Jesus is teaching
  • The mob… running around trying to get approval/status
  • The disciples… running for their lives out of confusion

But there is one person who isn’t running in the story – and that’s Jesus

• And just by what Jesus doesn’t do… shows us how we should live
  • From day 1 – Jesus preached a radical message
  • That his kingdom was completely different form the world’s
• Running… Natural thing 2 do – I’d argue not a spiritual thing 2 do
  • We have built into our brains the idea of fight or flight
  • And that’s what makes sense in THIS kingdom
  • But that’s not what Jesus calls us to in HIS kingdom

TAG: So how do we see our tendencies to run… and learn 2 be like Jesus

1: Are those who were running from Jesus teachings

The hardest thing to do – Accept Gods answer when u don’t agree

• These teachers of the law… the had it all figured out in their minds
  • They were the absolute final authority and voice of God
  • And b/c of that they had power over every Jew
• Jesus comes in teaching personal relationship with God
  • He’s teaching those who are great must be servant of all
  • He’s calling out their hypocrisy and abuse of power
• Even if they knew it was true – They’d reject the truth for comfort

Now we hear that & can’t believe these religious people would do that

• But what about when we get called out… life gets uncomfortable
  • First line of defense… we just call them judgmental
  • And sometimes they are – but sometimes we know its truth
  • Question becomes… would you rather have comfort or truth
    • But living with your boy/girl friend is wrong
    • Cheating on your taxes is wrong
    • Getting drunk is wrong
• And when someone calls us out… threatens our position/comfort
  • Someone call the mob – because its time to arrest Jesus
  • Lets go to a new church b/c I don’t like what this one says
    • B/C we don’t really want to live in kingdom Jesus preached
    • We like 2 talk about it… but that kingdom isn’t comfortable

TAG: And we run from the truth… cling to a lie

2: Those who run to compromise and be accepted

Peer pressure is a very real thing at any stage of life

• The mob who arrested Jesus… really just did what they were told
  • No questions asked – If this is gonna advance me… its worth it
  • If this is what everyone else is doing… I need to do it too
• It is far too easy to just go with what society says is the right way
  • The problem is we do it b/c we don’t think we have a choice
  • Or this is the only way to get to where I want to be
  • Or we think that my stance can’t make a difference
• Listen – We are coming into a season where we gotta stop running
  • And its time to take a stance and stick with it
  • I know the next 10 months is going to be crazy
  • But we can’t be in the crowd because the chief priest said to go

There are things society pushes that are not ok…

• And we can’t just stand by… go with the flow… and let it happen
  • You have a voice
  • You have a vote

TAG: We and can’t compromise because it’s the easy thing to do

3: Those who run because they are scared & confused

What do you do when you don’t understanding the “why”

• Think about Peter in this story… just told he would desert Jesus
  • He wants to prove that he is loyal – Ready to fight and die
  • Pulls out his sword… ready to fight for Jesus
  • And Jesus tells him “NO”
• And what happens… no one understands the WHY
  • And because of that – Everyone just panic runs
  • They run out of fear… lose sight of the goal
  • And forget everything Jesus said on how this was gonna happen
• And with us just like them… things can quickly spiral

Had lunch with Rich who was at the MRC center this week

• There was a guy at the end sitting with his face in his hands
  • He had been with this woman for a while
  • Asked God to show him if she was a right decision (open/close)
  • The next day… she called and said she was leaving him
• What he did next – What many of us do… First he said “WHY GOD”
  • Then He got mad… God how could you let this happen
  • Then He got depressed… God do you even care
• And then he prayed not for understanding… but for peace
  • He didn’t ask God to explain himself… as if we could understand
  • He asked for peace… And he said that’s exactly what God did

Problem: Most people don’t pray for an answer… pray for agreement

• So when things don’t turn out… we get confused
  • We start to run… why… because we realize we aren’t in control
  • Peter tried to be in control
  • Quickly realized it wasn’t going the way he thought
    • And he lost sight of his savor

TAG: Kingdom of this world is all about running… and we need to stop it

Because Jesus only one who should have run… didn’t

Why didn’t Jesus run when everyone else did

Jn 18:11

… Put your swords away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?

• Jesus never lost focus on why he was there
  • Even prayed “Take this cup”… didn’t get the answer he wanted
    • But he did something that will always keep u from running
    • He trusted God
  • If you find yourself running… you know who you are
    • You need to stop… and make a decision to trust God
    • Because until you stop running – never find peace
• And if you are running – There is no shame… in good company
  • Abraham ran from the land God was giving him
  • Moses ran from the calling to free God’s people
  • Elijah ran from the victory God was giving him over false profits
  • David ran from becoming king
  • Peter ran from his savior in his darkest moment

But at some point… They all came to the same place (man at MRC did)

• They gained focus – They trusted God – They found peace

Close w/ story I’ve told before… but been a few years

Horatio Spafford was a successful lawyer, businessman, and devout Christian who lived in Chicago in the late 19th century. However, his life was marked by tragedy and loss, including the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed much of his real estate holdings, and the death of his only son shortly thereafter. Despite these setbacks, Horatio remained committed to his faith and continued to work tirelessly to help others, including those affected by the fire and those in need of spiritual guidance.

In 1873, Horatio decided to take his family on a trip to Europe, hoping that the change of scenery and the opportunity to meet with fellow Christians would lift their spirits. His wife Anna and their four daughters boarded a ship and set sail for Europe. However, tragedy struck once again when their ship collided with another ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and sank, killing 226 passengers, including Horatio’s four daughters, the youngest ripped from her mothers arms by the waves.

His wife Anna made it to Europe and sent him a telegram, with only two words. “Safe Alone”. Upon receiving news of the tragedy, Horatio broke down in tears and set out for Europe to be with his grieving wife. Riddled with pain and sorrow on the journey, the ship came to the place where his daughters had died. The captain approached to and gave him time alone in his personal quarters. It was there Horatio prayed for peace and then wrote a poem that would later be set to music and become one of the most beloved hymns of all time: “It is Well with My Soul.”

The words he wrote above the oceans the took his daughters from him were these: “When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

Realign your focus > Trust in God > Find your peace… PRAY