Sermon Tone Analysis

Wonder how HE feels

Have you ever wondered how Jesus felt?

I know there are places in the scripture it tells us, but sometimes it is more than words, it is in a sigh.

So tonight consider a few things as we go along.

Consider how the Lord reacted to their behavior and people today too.

Think about it, when they refused to believe in Him

Or they know and do not obey Him or refuse to obediently follow as they should.

Think about how Jesus must have felt then, would feel now.

Think about how Christ feels when people put off obeying the gospel.

Or when people fail to trust Him and obey Him in their daily walk.

So, in reality, tonight we are going to look at how Jesus, in just a few verses, deals with those who come to test Him.

First we look at the narrative (Mk8:11-13; Mt16:1-4 a little later)

Then look at some application

Finally at the sigh

The Narrative

They demanded a sign, Jesus responds with a sigh and an assurance.

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They just came from the area of Decapolis (Mk7:31) to region of Dalmanutha (Mk8:10)

The Pharisee’s came out to argue, dispute with Him (Mk8:11)

The demand, the confrontation, was not anything new (Mk2:6-7; 3:22, 7:1-2)

Matthew accounts gives a little more information (Mt16:1-4)

They demand a sign, and not just any sign, but a sign from heaven (Mk8:11; Exo14; Jos6; Rom1:19-20)

Jesus response involved a sigh (Mk8:12)

Jesus had sighed before (Mk7:34; Jn11:33) and would again (Lk19:41-44)

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Just a little about a little known region called Dalmanutha.

You can look at maps and most will not show Dalmanutha it is believed that it was on the western shore of Sea of Galilee.

The people we see the Pharisee’s, that should not surprise you for when ever Jesus does a miracle they, the Pharisee’s or as one commentator puts it “the truth squad” shows up to dry to cast doubt that the miracles, the signs, the wonders are from God.

They cannot deny the proof of His power, he had just feed four thousand, opened the eyes of the blind, headed the leapers and provided for the masses in the feeding of the 5000 too.

They chose to challenge the legitimacy of His power, the trustworthiness of His character and the authority behind His acts.

They just came from the area of Decapolis (Mk7:31) to region of Dalmanutha (Mk8:10)

The Pharisee’s came out to argue, dispute with Him (Mk8:11)

The demand, the confrontation, was not anything new (Mk2:6-7; 3:22, 7:1-2)

and finally

Matthew accounts gives a little more information (Mt16:1-4)

What did you notice, what did you see, what sticks out to you that you did not see in the Mark passage?

They demand a sign, and not just any sign, but a sign from heaven (Mk8:11)

Jesus response involved a sigh (Mk8:12)

Jesus had sighed before (Mk7:34; Jn11:33) and would again (Lk19:41-44)

one more

Jesus felt, Jesus felt deeply, just as you would for a child, a grand child.

Jesus had compassion and gave us the ability to have a heart of compassion too.

Let me go back and expand on that they demanded a sign.

What kind of sign did they demand (v.11)?

Why did they demand the sign (v.11)?

Interesting they demanded a sign, had they not seen enough signs?

Had they not witnessed the other signs He had done and they questioned Him, challenged Him about them?

They were looking for, demanding specific signs, signs from heaven, like parting the Red Sea (Exo14), like walls falling down with a shout (Jos6), etc. Something dramatic that would be what they considered worthy of a Messiah.

To Jesus the whole world was a sign, was proof, and Paul elaborated on that too (Rom1:19-20)

Jesus denied giving a sign for several reasons

If He gives a sign, He denies the reason for His miracles

False prophets even did signs and He wants no part with them.

Doing a sign upon command would be an insult to His character, why you may ask?

If the integrity of Jesus life

The words of His truth

The hope of His acts

If none of those things prove His authority and who He is, nothing will.

so there was no sign to be given for it would have been futile.

If Jesus would have given a sign upon command he would align himself with the false prophets, destroyed the necessity of faith and opened Himself up to judgment according to the traditions of man vs. the commandment of God.

The Application

Jesus observed them and knew their intent, knew their heart.

Jesus observes us and knows our behavior.

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You know the example of Saul of Tarsus (Act9:3-5)

The 7 churches in Asia (Rev2:2, Rev2:9, Rev2:13, and Rev3:1, 8, 15) Jesus found fault where it was due (Rev2:4, 2:14, 2:20, and Rev3:2, 16)

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You know the example of Saul of Tarsus (Act9:3-5)

And even more alarming is what we find in book of Revelation

The 7 churches in Asia (Rev2:2, Rev2:9, Rev2:13, and Rev3:1, 8, 15) Jesus found fault where it was due (Rev2:4, 2:14, 2:20, and Rev3:2, 16)

And then Jesus went on to say

To the church at Ephesus

To the church at Smyrna

and the church at Pergamum

We know according to the scripture nothing hidden will stay that way, it will be revealed (Lk8:17) So think about it, do you think Jesus sigh’s when He looks, observes today?

The Sigh

Jesus who knows all things because He created all things and holds all things together see’s and feels and how could He not but sigh at times.

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When man refuses to obey His gospel (Mt11:28-30)

When our conduct as His children is not that different than that of the world (Mt5:44-48)

When the Kingdom is not a priority if our lives (Mt6:33)

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When man refuses to obey His gospel (Mt11:28-30)

Obey by coming to Him, this is beyond just the original obeying the gospel, isn’t it?

When man refuses to obey His gospel (Mt11:28-30)

When our conduct as His children is not that different than that of the world (Mt5:44-48)

May we not look like the world, but help transform the world to look like Jesus, but that starts with us looking like Jesus first.

When man refuses to obey His gospel (Mt11:28-30)

When our conduct as His children is not that different than that of the world (Mt5:44-48)

When the Kingdom is not a priority if our lives (Mt6:33)

So if we are to look like Jesus, we need to seek Jesus first, and I do think Jesus would sigh when we don’t

More reasons to sigh

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When tribulation/persecution causes us to stumble (Mt13:20-21)

When anxiety or materialism makes us unfruitful (Mt13:22)

When discouragement makes us abandon prayer (Lk18:1)

When the traditions of man replace commands of God (Mk7:7-9)

When denominationalism defeats His prayer for unity (Jn17:20-21; Act2:42; Eph4:3)

When the love of world replaces the love for the Father (1Jn2:15-17)

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When tribulation/persecution causes us to stumble (Mt13:20-21)

tribulation is unavoidable, we will have tribulation according to the Words of Christ (Jn16:33, ref only)

When tribulation/persecution causes us to stumble (Mt13:20-21)

When anxiety or materialism makes us unfruitful (Mt13:22)

When tribulation/persecution causes us to stumble (Mt13:20-21)

When anxiety or materialism makes us unfruitful (Mt13:22)

When discouragement makes us abandon prayer (Lk18:1)

When we give up on prayer in the hard times, when anxiety or the desires of the world make our life in the kingdom unfruitful and when the tribulations are upon us we stumble.

But yet we still are not done, a little more