Jesus of Nazareth (Part B)

The father is not left me alone, for I always do those things that please him.

I read that I say she has Lord you you can always do those things that please him. I can even do all those things that please my own mom is my driving demonstrated how do you answer that. So if I don't do the things that please use the father not with me anymore. Jesus said I will never leave you nor forsake you. You talking about as I have this relationship with the father you are going to have this relationship with the father. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the gospel of Mark.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will continue teaching through the gospel of Mark chapter 1 in his message called Jesus of Nazareth told the story before when I was in the military I came home on leave once and I'm driving and my mom's in the backseat and I was not a Christian then I was totally into the world and the world was totally into me and somebody did something on the roads are so surprising that that cause me to let out an expletive that I mean I would never talk that way around. My mother around the guise of problem mom never ever ever and it was just silence and I knew it was a mistake and I could not appeal what they had just been on ship with a bunch of and then after long pause she said you have a disgusting mouth hold me to this more as I'm standing here it's her. I want to duck down, and I why am I confessing you this is terrible is distant just so you know this is. She never brought up again, this is still my mom and nothing changed contacts enough love that face but anyway, the Holy Spirit is so gentle and kind and if I have learned. Jesus said my sheep know my voice if you want to know the voice of God.

You'll find out is never rude stands at the door and he knocks as he is a gentleman kick the big blow the house up but doesn't do that you learn afterwhile when the voice of God is speaking to you. If it is in it can damning tone.

It's not if it's in a constructive truthful tone. It's him now.

What you may be very heavy on you, but that is it. Well of the eyewitnesses here at this moment. They didn't catch the distinction automatically. In other words, when Jesus walked out of the water. They didn't say variance attempt is Jesus of Nazareth took this kind of thing to to change to begin to change to work on them so blended was he with humanity was ordinary and at the Jordan.

They didn't catch another places they didn't catch it. Isaiah writes about it he says he has no form of comeliness and when we see him no beauty that we should desire him something special visibly about him regardless of what those who paint pictures of him try to do.

He was just an ordinary person.

According to the writings of the prophets wife and ordinary person and of course John saw one right. Recognize the distinction because God pointed out to him. John doesn't take credit for this. John's gospel chapter 1 verse 33. John speaking is as I did not know him but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on him. This is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

This is out Jesus.

This is the one we love this Jesus of Nazareth.

We do not get tired of this story because we read it 100 times and yet with this great Revelation of John Coutu, John, what's going to happen is going to help still going to doubt how much like us God does something miraculous is no way we could say anybody else did this put God, and that in time because of life. Just pushing on us pushing on us. We begin to doubt. John is a doubting Castle Castle. Nonetheless, come to the adverse 11 then a voice from heaven than a voice came from heaven, you are my beloved son in whom I am well please so the voice comes along with the dove in the presence of Christ and this is the father saying let us be clear about this. This one's not like anyone else.

This is my beloved son, the only begotten of the father. The only one that is come from the father.

The self existent one each member of the Godhead is showing themselves actively involved at the beginning of Christ's public ministry, for the salvation of mankind. Not all of mankind will benefit from the salvation of all mankind is redeemed or just not saved you have to come you have to come and and Janet, if you win the lottery if you play lottery and you win.

Remember me, but if you you have to go take a ticket there, you've got a review you'll collect it and Christ died for mankind. If you don't come and receive it.

You don't benefit from the redemption and and so on a large scale, all mankind is redeemed in that sense, an individual scale know you, you've got to receive it. He says you are my beloved son. Now this is interesting because on the silver dinar is the money of that day calling of that time of Rome, the Emperor Tiberius was called the son of the divine well because they you know they wanted to tie everything into their God's that's in aid in people.

It is goods built into us, but once God which God will it be the right one on the wrong one way to find out.

So Jesus being called God's son is marking the political world is rocking the boat and he is the son of God here.

This is defiance that well you know she's going do it.

He's going to do with the facts are what the facts are in.

The facts don't really care about your politics, or anything else they are what they are. Mark's gospel chapter 1 verse one where we are. Look at the first verse.

If you still have your Bibles open the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God in your face Emperor up. You're not the one, the son of God Jesus of lowly Nazareth. He's the one. Again, John's gospel chapter 8 live so many references to John because John his ministry in latter years it felt to him to make sure the church understood that Jesus Christ is God the son in the face of Gnosticism which was coming out and saying no is not and so John loads up his gospel in his letters with insisting on these facts. So in John chapter 8 we read Jesus speaking, and he who sent me is with me. The father has not left me alone, for I always do those things that please him. So you are my beloved son and then verse 11 of Mark chapter 1 in whom I am well pleased. That's direct from the throne of God in the presence of everyone and so John again writes about it. The father has not left me alone, for I always do those things that please him.

I read that and I say had Lord you you can always do those things that please him.

I can even do all those things that please my own mom is my driving demonstrated how do you answer that. So if I don't do the things that please use the father not with me anymore.

Jesus and I will never leave you nor forsake you what you talking about as I have this relationship with the father you are going to have this relationship with the father looked at the 17th chapter of John is all about that we are strengthened as we are encourage encouragement for us in Christ in the spirit is not only something that makes us feel better, but it makes us something that stronger it makes us stronger against the enemy and what he is up to. So, may we not waste our encouragements. You may see but I'm weary.

I'm up and look at been encouraged countless times in the situation doesn't change what you may, you may go to your grave with the situation unchanged. However, you will go to that grave, victorious because you student Christ no matter what you did not make that a condition Lord if you don't deliver me from the sickness or whatever else is going on my leg. You can be my Lord will not do you know were not trying to obey to get something from Jesus other than Jesus were not spiritual capitalists leave that for the prosperity movement as they are crooked in every way, so moving on to verse 12. Is it all comes together to the followers.

Immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. There's that word immediately. John Mark against signaling that this is another dramatic event facility is public as soon as he publicly and miraculously revealed declared to be God's beloved son disappears doesn't go out to ministry goes to the wilderness the worst neighborhood on earth this the food chain. If there was a jungle around.

That's where he would've gone. Mark uses stronger language then Luke and Matthew in their account have wrestled with this over the years.

Think of got the answer because my Matthew and Luke say the spirit led him again that's in line with my theology. The spirit lead to just drive us like cattle where she believes us. Mark knows who he's writing to and Mark is saying he was thrust into the conflict. This was unavoidable. This had to happen and this is why he chooses this language he had to engage Satan on territory that Satan felt was his turn to God, Satan has no turf, so he meets him out in the wilderness any masters him there beats him down there. This had to happen so he's cast into the situation fact that Greek word for drove the Spirit drove him is what's used in other places of demons being driven out of someone cast out so very strong Greek word now. I love it is okay I got it I understand why Luke Mark is using this word in Matthew and Luke choose a different approach not contradictory at all this with the emphasis lies for the audience that is being spoken to verse to an end. So if you use this language with the Greek's degree for that 20 questions when he was driven as a son of God to his old instances of this, a beauty to all of this. Mark says no, these these road makers. They understand this hard drive.

Verse 13 now, and he was there in the wilderness 40 days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beast and the angels ministered to him what doesn't give us a lot about this, but this is a lonely battlefield, any of you ever fought on a lonely battlefield.

Maybe you're fighting it now feels nobody with you. In fact, you sometimes doubt that the Lord is with you. He's been there before and he's recorded the event for us so that we don't feel so alone anymore isolated. There he was isolated to meet the devil one-on-one in Satan's going to lose what's going to hurt you cost him Satan supposed to have the advantage and he does over the flesh, just an advantage, not a guaranteed win with a mere flinch of his will. Satan could have been cast into the abyss, but he doesn't do it.

Not now that does not happen, but it's on the to do list is going to happen for sure Robinson Crusoe and when Robinson is trying to minister to Friday.

He's telling him about his God. He asked him yes Rob is said to him, why doesn't God kill the devil which I think I'm not is a good idea and I don't know that it's really answered in the story, but it's answered in the Scripture because God uses Satan as an alternate choice because God is going to get to the bottom of who is going to willfully come to him. This is why I'm so at odds with the Calvinist to be no purpose for all of these things if there were this you know God arbitrarily play any meaning my Nemo you get to heaven you go. This doesn't happen that way.

Here we have a devil that is out there causing mayhem in the world and God is saying those who love me will cut through this no matter what is an alternate choice and it will filter out from those who go to heaven. Of those who go to heaven, from the reef users. Those who refuse to submit those who refuse to admit that Jesus Christ is Lord, and work to line their lives up with him. So for 40 days on our behalf is subjecting himself to this for us and they for him not directly as I'm standing him saying to myself, Rick. Remember this with the hope of times you grow so impatient with God's time to update your God causes all things to work together for the God audio that I want relief 40 days Matthew and Luke add without food so about five weeks. It's a long time to go without food.

Try to go a commercial success's in all halftime is for gluttony. Anyway and in the Holy Spirit, you know, I know why I'm just beginning to get this you know he doesn't talk harshly to us because he has pastors to do what so 40 days he was tempted to doubt the love of God. That's how I would see it if I'm out there 40 days struggling like I mean Elijah and Moses you know they went fast and long peers of time like this also. But they borne out in the wilderness with Satan. It says here tempted by Satan.

Of course, wondering in this hunger does God care. That's what the flesh would say how do they get here.

Why am I here is this the you know what bugs me about things that are just really kicked me is when they make no sense.

We have a single Greek English and Chinese word for that.

It's called stupid when something is really stupid, it just our business made sense. I wouldn't mind screaming so much but when it's done, but that's life that isn't it sad that seems work in there. He is continuously harassment daily battling this beast. The word for tempted is put to the test. And of course Satan tested him in every area he could test him in Hebrews chapter 4 the writer says for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin. So he face the music and he did not stumble. He understands what we go through. He was not drawn into sin by this temptation and lure and his response to it all was to break its power and front of everyone's face and the devil said to himself.

I lost you – the only human human at that point that Satan could say I could not defeat. Of course Christ was more than human and so when we begin to pray and that we have our needs that seem not to be met would grow doubtful of his and inability to understand just how painful this is. We default to Scripture in Scripture tells us he is not unmindful.

He sympathizes with us he's there and then we say will be so powerful and he sympathizes. Why does he do something so God sent Jeremiah the prophet my favorite. I'm just finally getting it being the courage to admit Jeremiah is my favorite. Not for so much witty prophesies about the future just what he endures for God and just soak down and bombed our being arrested and hounded anyway. God says Jeremiah go down to the potter's house will show you something and so he goes down to the potter's house and Jeremiah Wright's there in that 17th, 18th chapter of Jeremiah in the 18th chapter he writes this.

There he was at the wheel, making something and it was marred in his hand so he remade it, and what this is a picture of his God is doing something and if this damage and the missing will prepare it, but he's doing something is not wasting his time. He knows what he's doing. Just submit to that.

And of course the prophet was strengthened by this vision or this not a vision with experience and went on to give us the rest of the book of Jeremiah and so for us. We often come to that realization that when we are suffering and he appears to not be active on our behalf. He knows what he's doing.

He's doing something women are not all know all the details but he is doing something and at the climax of this assault that Matthew and Luke give us more Mark leaves out was that what we read and of course the gospel of Matthew chapter 4 of what he was tempted with the climax of it all. Not all of it is given to us. Satan always works to make God irrelevant.

He works to make your study and desire for God irrelevant. If the word of God was so special, then how come it's not getting you out of trouble.

That's what Satan is doing so well there in the wilderness. He tempted him to turn the rocks the stones into bread, but he was there to fast and Satan is appealing to his physical appetite to get him away from his spiritual appetite to obey the father. This is what he did to Eve in Genesis chapter 3 verse one there.

The devil said, you may not eat of any tree in the face of God thing. You can eat of any tree except one which is a fair deal.

And so he commands them to makes stone and of course Jesus is no, then he appeals to in consequence, but there's no problem got to take care of you could do whatever you want your gonna be okay. You will not die. He said to Eve, if doing Avista did God indeed say that you will diabetes the seal and die.

So he tells Jesus in the wilderness cast yourself down from the pinnacle because it is written, he will give his angels charge over the sum consequence. The word is a relevant Jesus. You don't have to listen to what it says. Then he appeal to self exaltation just so easy to do, or to fall for. He told Eve, you will be like God and God is holding this from you.

There's more in you sister them what God is telling you listen to me. I can help get out. Got five steps for you to be a better you will what he said to Jesus, I'll give you all the kingdoms of the world. I'll make you better. You will be Jesus of Nazareth out of the wilderness. You left kingdoms galore. Of course, the hitch was if you bow down and worship me. Which is what he was after the whole time because he was going to make himself like God course Jesus rebuked that and so that's what's left out of Mark but that's what was going on in which to learn lessons from these things and appeal to them when we are in trouble.

He continues here in verse 13, and was with the wild beasts while they want while to him the tame them, but it's a graphic touch for us because there's a lot of devouring going on out there. It is the food chain and everything gets eaten and some for you. Remember years ago the Lions and in the Serengeti would they were just being hounded by flies. Your life is rock paper scissors and I'm sorry if this really is a Miata you tell the king of the jungle being beaten by flies. Then something else comes along these flies so the Venus fly trap anyway. Okay back to in the angels minister to him. I know in my joke start flooding. It's time to read Scripture. It's a biblical approach and the angels minister to him and that that touches to say this is deep, his body when pro it when I'm gonna leave out what happened. You just need to know the essentials, the climax of the temptation because within that are the great lessons for us.

But understand this 40 days without food and Satan's territory is intense even for the Son of Man is humanity in his human others deity against deity could just that you know what you're in the best the angels minister to him.

This information could only come from Christ were no spectators here to come say they saw this, Luke, chapter 4 verse one then Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness and so there the filling of the spirit for this confrontation and now he's going to come out.

Verse 14 now after John was put in prison.

Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom. Okay were almost out of time and I encourage you all bring more time with you when you come Sunday mornings and just start obstinate bunch. There is so much here. It really is pains me stop we have to stop move thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com what you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio you could search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast app that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time. As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark Rocky on cross reference radio