Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

Someone said, "The most significant contribution we make in life, is the passing of our faith to the next generation."

A disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ whose mission is making new disciples.

In this morning’s message from Mark 3, there are two clear groups of people: the Crowd and the Crew.

The crowd is there to see and hear something amazing from Jesus.

They want to be healed.

They want free food.

They are drawn by his popularity and the crowds.

Then there are those who become part of the crew.

They are the inner circle of friends called by Jesus to be his followers.

As you hear God’s Word this morning I want you to be asking yourself the question: Am I still in the crowd or part of the crew?

We are continuing our sermon series from the Gospel of Mark titled The Crown & The Cross.

Jesus is presented as a man of decisive action with a clear message and mission, and the reader is called to actively response to the message.

Mark divides Jesus’ life into two parts: his identity as Messiah and King over all things in chapters 1-8a (the crown) and then we see His purpose in suffering and dying on the cross in chapters 8b-16.

Pray

READ Mark 3:7-12

Map

People were coming from everywhere to hear Jesus and hoping to be healed.

There were many with physical illnesses and there were also those possessed by demons.

Back in Mark chapter 1, we read thousands of people came to hear John the Baptist from Judea and Jerusalem and now people are coming out from even farther and wider to hear Jesus.

“A large crowd” possibly tens of thousands gathered from all over - not only from Galilee but from Judea (including Jerusalem), from Idumea 120 miles due south, from points east of the Jordan, and from Tyre and Sidon fifty miles to the north.

People were traveling for days to see and hear Jesus.

This wasn't just a Jewish crowd there were many gentiles too.

Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem were principally Jewish territories; Idumea and Transjordan were mixed Jewish-Gentile regions; and Tyre and Sidon were mostly Gentile regions.

Like Isaiah’s portrayal of the Servant of the Lord, Mark’s description of Jesus’ wide circle of influence names him as a “light for the Gentiles” (Isa 49:6).

The Crowd

Jesus was being pressured by the huge volume of people so he told his disciples to have a boat ready just in case he needed to make a quick escape.

This is like saying leave the motor running!

He was physically in danger of being mobbed.

The sick were trying to touch him and be healed and the demon possessed were falling at his feet screaming out “You are the Son of God.”

There was an ancient belief that naming and stating the name of a spiritual being out loud made that spirit obey you.

Of course we know the demons were powerless in the presence of Jesus and he ordered them to stop shouting.

It’s also likely that he wanted his miracles and his message of the Gospel to proclaim his mission as Messiah and Son of God - not the screaming of evil spirits.

Do you ever feel pressured by the people around you?

By the things they want you to do for them?

By all the things you think you have to do?

By the things you want to do but don’t seem able to accomplish?

Jesus knows and understands your pressure.

He cares about what you are doing and how you respond to the pressure?

Are you choosing to glorify God?

That doesn’t always mean giving everything what they ask for.

So under this enormous physical, emotional, and spiritual pressure, what does Jesus do?

READ

Jesus did three important things.

If you are his disciple and want to learn from Him and live as he did they are three things that are important for you too.

1.

He got away from it all

He went up to the mountain.

He left the crowds.

The people clamoring for him.

The people who wanted something from him.

Even though his mission included preaching and caring for the people, Jesus made time to be alone with God, His father.

We will see that many times in the Gospels.

Do you make time to be alone with God? Without the TV on or music or other people.

Just you and God.

In doesn’t have to be hours, but it’s an important part of the Christian’s life.

Listening to God involves reading His word.

That’s how he talks to us.

When life is a deafening roar around you, you need to get away to hear His quiet voice.

2.

He prayed.

Luke 6:12 a parallel passage that tells of this same account, says “He went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.”

If you care about the people around you, you will spend time praying for them.

You will spend time praying for God’s wisdom, strength, and courage to love them and serve them.

One of our church core values is the power of prayer.

We have a weekly prayer meeting.

We pray together at growth groups.

And we encourage everyone to spend time alone in prayer too.

If you are a newer believer or if you are not sure what prayer is supposed to look like, come join us or pick up the brochure about prayer at the Welcome Center.

There is also a weekly prayer sheet with specific people to pray for.

3.

He shared the ministry.

Even though he was the Son of God, he needed to spend time alone with God and he needed to spend time in prayer with God.

He also needed the fellowship and friendship of others.

Jesus called twelve men to be his close friends, his disciples, so they could share in ministry with Jesus.

He needed others to accomplish his mission.

Pastor’s can easily become isolated by trying to be lone rangers and doing ministry all by themselves.

That’s a sure way to become burned out and ineffective.

The passage Bradley read for us early in Ephesians 4:10-12 says the pastors and teachers are meant to equip the saints for the work of the ministry to build up the body of Christ.

If you are part of this church, you should be doing some part of the work of the church.

Period.

Every member is like a part of the body doing its own task.

Where are you serving?

How are you sharing your spiritual gifts and talents?

If you don’t know what to do or where to serve - please fill out the Share insert in your bulletin.

TAKE IT OUT and FILL IT OUT!

Crew

Jesus “called to him those he wanted.”

Jesus determines the call.

Disciples do not decide to follow Jesus and do him a favor; rather, his call goes above our own wills or plans.

The society into which he calls them is determined not by their preferences but by his call.

Its members have nothing in common except his sovereign call, apart from that - the community cannot exist.

As we noted at 1:16–20, the start of the church is already beginning in the call of apprentice followers - to form a new community around Jesus.

That’s us the church!

A crew called to work together serving the same Lord and Savior.

A family to belong to.

The simple phrase “to be with him” in verse 14 has huge significance in the Gospel of Mark.

Discipleship is a relationship before it is a task, a “who” before a “what.”

If, as Gen 3:4–5 indicates, the essence of sin is substituting a false god for the true God, being with Jesus becomes the way of forsaking human idols and honoring the true God, thus recovering the image of God (Gen 1:26–27).

To be with Jesus is the most profound mystery of discipleship.

From now on his person and his work shape the very existence of the Twelve.

The second purpose of the call is to be “sent.”

In Greek the verbal form of the word for “apostle” (apostolos) means “commissioned” or “sent with a specific purpose.”