Who is This Man? #2

Society of tolerance. It says all truth is equal there's multiple paths to God because everybody says something different.

Therefore, no one can know you know what that is the lie that's not true. And it does not excuse your soul from answering the question that's in front of you here today who is this man, we welcome you to the truth pulpit with the green founding pastor of truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.

I built right and Don is continuing a message titled, who is this man part of a series of four portraits of Christ as painted. If you will buy each of the Gospels.

Last time Don began Mark's account of our Lord and we saw the Christ commands spirits cancel sin and calm seas today will pick up with that third miraculous ability and explore yet another but before we begin, Don. Let me just ask you whether there are any prerequisites as we come to the word of God not only today but every day will friend I would want you to be like the Marines who heard the teaching of the apostle Paul, but still open the Scriptures and examine them daily to see what he was saying was so and you need to do that with not only my teaching, but any Bible teaching you here, you need to open the Scriptures and read them for yourselves and see if what the speaker is saying to you conforms with what God has made plain in his word. So open your Bible as you listen to the truth pulpit today. Follow along and find what God has in store for you from his word.

Thanks, Don. So friends with that in mind, let's go to today's lesson from the truth.

Who is this man he commands spirits cancel sin, you know what else he does this man, whoever he may be this man columns the sea. This man columns the sea look at Mark chapter 4 verse 35 on that day when evening came, he said to them let us go over to the other side and leaving the crowd. They took him along with them in the boat.

Just as he was, and other boats were with him and there arose a fierce gale of wind and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. I'm getting seasick just kind of reading this right now. Get the picture there in verse 37 this is a storm beyond human power to respond to. It's not just a wind it's a fierce gale. It's not just that there were rolling ways.

It's at. The waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was filling with water. This is a desperate situation of a severe storm on the sea. Verse 38 Jesus himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion and they woke him and said to him, teacher, do you not care that we are perishing, and got up and he rebuked the wind and said to the sea – be still in the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. I would often think about this passage when I stood on the beach of the ocean when we lived in California. The waves rolling in, as they do sometimes big, sometimes small, contemplating I don't think I ever actually did it. The contemplating how foolish it would be for me to look at those rolling ways and say stop. Okay you guys just knock it off because those ways are just going to continue to come. I don't have authority over nature like that I would have made an utter fool of myself to speak such words let alone let alone to speak them. When people's lives are in danger in the middle of the sea on a boat that is about to say Jesus, by contrast with utter self-control, with perfect knowledge of what was about to happen. With no doubt in his mind that there would be complete obedience from nature said to natural elements to a roaring see said that's enough stop.

Be still, and the result was instant calm from crashing waves to placid glass instantly at the boy's of a man who is this man. Verse 40 Jesus said to them, why are you afraid do you still have no faith.

Watch the response. Here in verse 41, the question is a literary intended device, not merely an isolated quotation read this question in connection with the others that have come before. And the ones that will come after they became very much afraid and said to one another, who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him.

This is incalculable. We have never seen anything like this. We've not seen this kind of authority and beloved understand something really important here. They had been frightened by the sea because they thought it was about to physically kill them there fear in the presence of Christ after he called the sea was even greater because it's one thing to be threatened by natural forces. All of a sudden, they realize that they are in the presence of a completely different realm.

Who is this the presence of omnipotence, frightened of them in the fact that omnipotence was held in the hand of a man, transcended any prior experience that they could possibly have had.

So what could you do what what what else could you say to one another. He raises his hand and the sea stops and you look at one another. You look at the men that you've worked with on the sea, over the years. He said once this is this heresy not seen anything like this.

This is something totally poor. This is something totally different. This is outside my realm of experience with this man and stop there.

He commands spirits cancel sin. He columns the sea but more he comprehends secrets he comprehends secrets he knows the inner workings of the human heart. Mark chapter 5 verse 21. This will be a more extended reading here, but I love the pure joy and simplicity of simply letting Scripture speak for itself. Mark chapter 5 verse 21. As you read this passage let's just introduce it with this little statement. Jesus is so great that he can discriminate between human touch based on the motivation of the one who touched him with verse 21 when Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side.

A large crowd gathered around him and so he stayed by the seashore. One of the synagogue officials name gyrus came up and on seeing and fell at his feet and implored him earnestly saying my little daughter is at the point of death.

Please come and lay your hands on her so that she will get well and live. God bless you parents that are dealing with that right now with daughter that you are concerned about. May Christ heal your daughter just like he did gyrus's daughter made the fear and the uncertainty that you feel may take that to Christ and may he give you the same kind of blessing that he gave the gyrus here today what we read about today gyrus is at the point of desperation.

His daughter is at the point of death, and he appeals to Christ because he has nowhere else to turn. Jesus went off with him. Verse 24, and a large crowd was following him and pressing in on him. Okay so you get the picture. Jesus is being pressed upon by a large crowd it's you know it's like you're at a big stadium event in everybody's pressing toward the gate and it's just wall-to-wall shoulder to shoulder people.

Jesus is being touched repeatedly in all kinds of different incidental contact as he walks through this crowd bumping up against shoulders.

I watch this verse 25. A woman who had had a hemorrhage for 12 years and had endured much at the hands of many physicians and it's been all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind him notice his behind him it's outside the realm of his physical vision. It's outside his peripheral vision. It's behind him. She came up in the crowd behind him and touched his cloak for she thought.

See, here's her inner thought. She thought if I just touch his garments. I will get well. There was this tender strand of hopeful, optimistic faith that if I could I don't have to speak to him.

He doesn't need to see me if I could just touch the threads that are connected with him that will be enough for me to be healed, so she did. Verse 29. Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction 12 years of suffering was over in a moment because she had touched the cloak of Jesus from behind. Now watch what happens here verse 30 immediately Jesus perceiving in himself that the power proceeding from him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, who touched my garments verse 31. His disciples said to him you see the crowd pressing in on you and you say who touched me in a mob that is touching you while you asking such a question like that doesn't even matter all kinds of people are touching you. Why would you ask this question he asked the question to demonstrate the fact that not only does he have realm power over the spiritual realm. Not only does he have power over the area of sin. Not only does he have power over the natural realm. He has power over the mental realm as well. Verse 32. He looked around to see the womanhood in this he wasn't asking for information that he didn't already have.

When he said, who touched me. He knew to turn directly to the womanhood done it, even though she was outside the realm of his vision.

He knew her touch. By the reason for which she touched him so he looked around and looked right at the womanhood done it. Verse 33. Notice the fear and trembling again. We seen this before. Who is this who is this when Christ puts his true power on display. The real responses fear and trembling.

Verse 33. This woman, God bless her tender heart, fearing and trembling aware of what happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. We get the impression that she thought she was in trouble that she had done something bad and that she was about to be rebuked and so with fear and trembling. She comes and falls down and tells him the whole truth and Jesus in his great, merciful, loving, sympathetic heart looks at her. In verse 34 and says daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction who is who is it that when someone touches his garments with faith or healed of something that human physicians can treat them for who is it who is this man who understands the realm of the human heart. Who knows the thoughts of men and can identify them without any difficulty or prompting. Who is this man is unlike any other man, and as you keep reading the gospel of Mark. He starts to press this question home in a different way. Look at chapter 6, verse 14, you start to see that. Who is this is the theme of this gospel. You see, Mark wrote this gospel, to reveal Christ to you in chapter 6, verse 14. The question that you're supposed to be asking is OSS by getting caught up in every little curiosity that your mind might run into. Don't miss the big point here someone amazing is in front of us in this gospel. Verse 14, King Herod heard of it for his name meaning the name of Christ, the name of Jesus's name had become well known and people were saying see their trying to figure out who he is. Who is less well some people were saying John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and that's why these miraculous powers are at work in him. Others were saying he's Elijah. Others were saying he's a prophet like one of the prophets of old knighting get it, they weren't seeing that he was the son of God, as Mark said, at the very beginning. Blood what I want you to see in the whole context of the gospel is this.

At least they were asking the right question. At least they understood that something of profound significance was in front of them that demanded an answer and an explanation. They were wrong in their answer, but at least they were asking the right question and attributing miraculous powers to whatever Christ was doing.

Who is this man I think you might be one of the prophets of old point is at that stage of the narrative is that the question is brought back in front of you again as the reader the gospel of Mark question is brought back who is this well.

Mark builds to a crescendo toward the middle of his gospel and he lets the disciples give the answer Mark chapter 8 verse 27, at least from a human perspective, the disciples give the answer Mark 827 who is this man Mark is built up to this point in his narrative. So, now being confronted by all of the supernatural aspect of the authority of Christ teaching his authority over demons is authority over sin is authority over nature's authority over the realm of human thought. It's obvious were dealing with somebody unique right. This is no imposter.

This is not a charlatan. This is the real deal, right in front of us and so Mark eight verse 27 Jesus went out along with his disciples to the villages assessor I Philippi.

And on the way he questioned his disciples, saying to them who do people say that I am see is written all through the gospel, and it who is this who is this… Now Jesus makes the point and Jesus presses it upon his disciples. In this passage, the sense of context is who do people say that I am. Let's talk about my identity. Verse 28. They told him, saying John the Baptist others say Elijah, but others, one of the prophets, the responding nurse and Jesus. There is a conflict of opinion about you but doesn't seem to be a consensus there's differing opinion. Some men say a some men say be some men say see and so as you continue on Jesus that will therefore it's obvious that no one could ever know, and it doesn't really matter what says, do you realize the context of what the disciples were saying how that applies directly to you today in a pluralistic society of tolerance and says all truth is equal there's multiple paths to God because everybody says something different. Therefore, no one can know you know what that is. July that's not true. And it does not excuse your soul from answering the question that's in front of you here today who is this man because Jesus goes on and then look at verse 29 Jesus continued by questioning them but who do you say that I am see the fact that a lot of people are confused and lying in the world around you doesn't excuse you from coming to the correct answer.

You have to answer for your own soul you have to answer for yourself and you don't get to blow it off by saying while everybody else is confused. That matter, that's absolutely irrelevant what do you say about this man, who do you say that he is you have to answer for yourself. You have to answer for yourself. Now today you have to answer in this life.

While there is time, I'll say it again. The people who create the confusion, the architects of our postmodern world are not going to stand us beside you a judgment and help you when you are face-to-face with your judge, you don't want to rely on them is to be anywhere to be found.

Susan be you and a holy God.

And at that moment, you had better have gotten the answer to this question right and you had better have dealt with this question honestly and sincerely and not play a game of sale. I prayed a prayer you know 30 years ago in my life never change. But you know everything is cool with me and God.

You mean to tell me that you claim that you met the living son of God. 30 years ago and you Living the same way and it made no difference in your life whatsoever.

You mean to tell me that you met the one who were amazed at the teaching of this man who trembled in his presence who were afraid when they saw him display his power. You mean that you could meet and come into personal relationship with the man who has authority over nature over demons over human thought didn't make any difference in the way that you lived sense Christian at all. What is this idea that we could play that kind of superficial game with the living son of God is foolishness that is a trivialization of the majesty of the glory of the son of God to reduce it to something like that to say I know him, but it doesn't change the way that I live. I know him, but his word is not important to me. I know him and I'm going to heaven but I live any way that I please you better repent. So I got to say to those of you that feel that way about the truth of the gospel, you better repent and really humble yourself and come to Christ in true humble saving faith because that charade that you're playing with life with the gospel with the son of God, that charade will be called to account, and it's an act of mercy, the gods giving you one more opportunity put all that aside verse 29 go back to Mark 829.

He continued by questioning them but who do you say that I am my disciples. He says you're personally responsible.

You have to make your own judgment. Verse 29 Peter answered and said to him you are the Christ. You are the anointed one, of God, you are the son of God, there is no one else like you. You are no ordinary man. You are the Messiah, you are the one promised long ago you were the king of creation. Verse 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. They weren't ready yet to go out with that message they needed time to learn and to understand more what I want you to see as we look at the gospel of Mark is that that's the whole point. Who is this Christ, who is this man who does all of these things start to answer it by saying this is no ordinary man at all. He's the very son of God. This is God in human flesh in front of me. This is God in human flesh.

I read he has authority over all of these rounds, and therefore he must have and well on my sin stricken soul. I have not bowed the knee to him well on my sin stricken soul treated him lightly. The weight of these questions should press upon your heart, as you've been reminded today. It does not matter what other people say about Jesus Christ, who do you say he is and that answer must only come from Scripture. He is the rock of our salvation. All other sources are sinking sand pastor Don Greene will conclude his lesson and Mark called who is this man next time you're on the truth pulpit but right now Don's here with another word of encouragement for you my brother or sister in Christ, thank you so much for listening and supporting the truth pulpit. I just want to encourage you to read and study the Bible for yourself. Scripture says that God blesses the man who delights in the law of the Lord, don't you want that blessing. I know I do.

If you're looking for answers for your souls look to the Bible.

That is where God makes himself known and friend. We hope you'll also visit us at the truth. Pulpit.com you can hear today's program again at your convenience will also find Don's Facebook link.

That's the truth.

Pulpit.com hi Bill, right inviting you back next time. When Don Greene presents more from the truth