Old Town Christian Fellowship
Mark 9
This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!
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  • Mark 9

    Good morning church! Awesome to be back with you this morning to worship our King.
    Couple of weeks ago I did a topical message on what it meant to be a disciple of Christ. The text was based on a passage of Luke, that corresponds with the end of chapter 8 that nick shared with you guys last week.
    Let me read it to you again beginning with verse 34
    Mark 8:34 LSB
    34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
    Those are the words of Jesus describing what it is to be His disciple. What it is to be a Christian, what that it is supposed to look like in our lives. I’ll read it again...
    Mark 8:34 LSB
    34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
    This has been a point of emphasis in my heart lately concerning the Great commission of the church. To make disciples.
    There is no more powerful message of the Gospel, no louder sermon spoken than a life that has been completely transformed by Jesus. Going from being spiritually dead, literally dead in our transgressions and sins, in bondage to sin, and then being set free. Forgiven, redeemed, transformed by the blood of the Lamb, evidenced by a life that proves it.
    And there is no weaker message than a profession of faith followed by an anemic life, and a testimony of constant crying, cussing and complaint. Remember Jesus said follow Me and I will make you. Far too many that claim the name of Christ, claim Him only like a new addition to their stamp collection. Maybe something else to talk about from time to time, but no evidence of a transformed life. But Jesus says a transformed life, is the evidence of salvation.
    Chapter 8 verse 35
    Mark 8:35 LSB
    35 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
    Jump back to our place in chapter 9, verse 1....
    Mark 9:1 LSB
    1 And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God having come in power.”
    As we transition into Chapter 9 I want to point something regarding the placement of verse one and the event that follows it.
    Verse one says Jesus was saying to them truly I say to you there are some of you who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God having come in power.
    Now Nick mentioned his thoughts on this passage actually belonging in the end of chapter 8 as opposed to Chapter 9 and I just want to acknowledge from that, that there is some controversy among Bible teachers on this... but when we look at the culture and writing of the New Testament, in fact even the Old Testament, you and I are very much used to a timeline but they weren’t.
    Some of you have asked how our vacation was. To some of you I started with well our flight was supposed to take off at 7:pm on Monday, and then it got delayed to 8:20, and then we finally boarded the plain at 8:50 and they started the first de-icing. And somewhere before picking up the rental car and arriving at our rental place after 3am. You were thinking...I could have just used a good or bad.
    If this is a play by play and you were gone a week, how many stops are on this train.
    In fact in Nick's growth group questions for last week he encouraged you to do a timeline of your life and generally when we look at a timeline we think this was the beginning followed by this event followed by that event followed by this event and finally the end. When it comes to the writings of the Bible particularly in the New Testament writings their timelines are different than our timelines. They don’t do timelines. They will start out with the biggest event, or the main point of an event, and then continue on with this thing happened and that thing happened and this is all of what added up to that major point rather than saying seven o'clock 8:00 nine o'clock 10:00.
    So when we come across something like we see in the beginning of verse two and six days later we... understand that there is a chronology there so when we see that they go out of their normal culture and their normal style of writing there's always a reason why.
    So when we see a time marker, in fact both here and in the Old Testament, you always want to look back and see what that is connected to. Now Matthew, Mark, and Luke all connect this statement of Jesus with a timeline statement immediately following the transfiguration so they do go together, they do belong together culturally. As Bible students we can never fully understand application or what a passage means now, until we dig into and understand what it meant then.
    But there is another reason why this is so important in this particular passage.
    We read... “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God having come in power.” And then you go to Israel with us and we talk about the coming Jesus will set his foot upon the Mount of Olives and it will split.
    Zechariah 14:4 LSB
    4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.
    Ezekiel 47 the book we are studying on Wednesday evenings tells us that a river of living water will flow down from the temple mount area and it will flow through this split in the Mt. of Olives and will actually flow down into the dead sea and bring those dead waters to life. The prophecy's tell us that the temple will be restored, that Jesus will reign from the Throne of David in Jerusalem...only all of those things have not yet happened.
    So when you read a statement like this... and it says those that are here those that are here will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God having come in power, only the disciples are all in Heaven and it hasn’t yet come... you think well Jesus was wrong. Only he wasn't wrong it's connected to the scene that we're about to see here called the transfiguration
    Mark 9:2–7 LSB
    2 And six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain alone by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; 3 and His garments were shining intensely white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses and they were conversing with Jesus. 5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three booths, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. 7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!”
    Let's pray father in heaven we believe that it is good for us to be here this morning. Good for us to be in Your presence. Good for us to be in fellowship with one another. Good for us to be in a position of having hearts of worship. But now Lord, we come as students, we come as disciples, we come as those desiring to hear and learn from You. So Lord would You open up our eyes, help us to see. Open our ears and cause us to hear what it is that You have for us this morning... we pray all of this in Jesus name Amen.
    There's much to say about the verses that we've read so far. Jesus takes Peter James and John many say that's because they were the inner circle. Those that Jesus was closest to. Others convinced by the things that we read about them... believe it's more likely that those were the ones that Jesus wanted to keep the closest eye upon.
    The ones most likely to cause disturbance, or to get into trouble. That too is believable as we read their stories and discover more about the men that they were, and the men that they became.
    Particularly when we read this account in the other gospels and we see that when they got up there Jesus went to pray and these guys once again fell asleep and were awakened by this scene. The fact of the matter is that the Bible doesn't tell us why, just that this is what Jesus did.
    Verse 2 tells us that Jesus was transfigured before them... most count this as yet another miracle. I think it's more profitable for us to think of it as the cessation of an ongoing miracle. Jesus is God. Jesus’ glorification is concealed in the incarnation and here before Peter, James, and John, His glory is revealed and along with Jesus here we see Elijah and we see Moses representing the law and the prophets. Moses representing the law and Elijah the prophets. Moses representing those who had lived before and died in Faith with the Lord accounting it as righteousness... and Elijah, as those who were taken up to heaven and represents those that are of the church age will someday be raptured taken to heaven. But now here is where Peter often gets mocked.
    For his response to this event as we see in verse 5
    Mark 9:5 LSB
    5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three booths, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
    we're told in verse 6 he he said this because he didn't know what to say. He was scared, he was terrified, didn't know what to say and words just popped out of his mouth.
    I guess one thing we can learn from this is when we don't know what to say it may be wise to say nothing. I say that however with full acknowledgement that I am so grateful for the times that Peter does verbally vomit out his thoughts because oftentimes as we read in the scriptures Jesus answers, or responds, and it gives us greater understanding ourselves.
    But I want to point out something else. I actually I think the heart behind Peter's statement and desire to Tabernacle up there, it pretty cool. Sweet and pure. I think behind it all his heart was to stay on the mountaintop.
    Many of you have experienced what we call mountaintop experiences with the Lord. For some of you it was yesterday at the men's conference and worshipping together with hundreds and hundreds of your brothers from all around the state with other men that love Jesus. How could you not desire to be a part of that?
    John 13:35 “35 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””
    It was one of those unique opportunities when we can set aside time to just focus on growing in the Lord and fellowship with our brothers.
    Not broken pipes, plowing snow, working a double, worrying about finances going out faster than they're coming in, drama and trauma of life.
    I’ll tell you what Peter was trying to avoid what many of you are living in right now. The valley. Most of us in this room can probably look back in our past to a mountaintop experience with God. A time when we knew we were blessed! A time when we experienced A closeness with God or an experience with God, a time we shared with brothers or sisters of incredible worship when you heard God speak, when you saw God move, you were hungry for more and you didn't want it to ever end.
    Maybe it was a retreat. Or man camp or you youth camp. Just a glorious time set apart with you and brothers and sisters and the Lord. But then it somehow it ended. And now you're continuously looking back on what once was, but no longer is. Peter wanted to stay on the mountaintop, can you blame him? We all have more mountains to climb.
    And then in verse 7 we see a cloud formed overshadowing them and a voice came out of the cloud. This cloud is the shekinah glory of God. God the Father speaks from heaven. “This is my beloved son, listen to him.
    Tell you what if you want the world's greatest... how to live your best life now Christian GPS, and I don't mean global positioning satellite.
    If you want the answers to all of life's hardest questions if you want to know what God would have you do in this circumstance, or that circumstance, go back to verse 34 in chapter 8.
    Mark 8:34 LSB
    34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
    and then obey what God the father says in Chapter 9 verse 7 this is my beloved son listen to Him. Your Christian GPS gods pointing son, positioning sun, proclaiming sun. This is my beloved son listen to him!
    100% of our problems in this life begin right here, when we fail to obey this. When we listen to the voices around us, when we listen to our own heart, when we listen to the condemnation of the enemy that only wants to steal kill and destroy.
    None of those things give direction they all give distraction, disorientation, usually leading to devastation.
    You want to find lasting joy lasting peace in this life? Figure out how to apply this verse to every area of your life! Following this booming voice from heaven coming from the shekinah glory cloud verse 8 says...
    Mark 9:8–9 LSB
    8 And all at once when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone. 9 And as they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to recount to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the dead.
    Now this is the last time that we see Jesus say, hey don't say nothing. And it's the only time that we hear Jesus say hey don't say nothing with an until attached to it. With a timeline attached to that instruction... and we see that once the Son of Man rises from the dead it's all about proclaiming these things and they do!
    Mark 9:10 LSB
    10 And they seized upon that statement, arguing with one another what rising from the dead meant.
    For those of us that love the timeline... if you go back to chapter 8 Jesus asking them who do people say that I am and peter's response you are the Christ! From that moment on, He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed... and after three days rise again.
    And he continued to talk about these things from here until the resurrection but they didn't get it. They couldn't connect in their own minds how how Jesus would become king, but Jesus would suffer and die, that was the struggle. How could he go into his Kingdom if he was going to suffer many things, be rejected and be killed? It's interesting to me the thief on the cross the one that asked Jesus Remember Me when you come into his Kingdom was being crucified right next to Him, saw death was imminent and he had no problem reconciling the truth. But those that were with Jesus, and training with Jesus, and living with Jesus, being discipled by Jesus, didn't see it.
    So again verse 10 they didn't understand what rising from the dead meant.
    Mark 9:11–13 LSB
    11 And they began asking Him, saying, “Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 And He said to them, “Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 “But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him.”
    So Jesus ties this to their question about Elijah coming first and He presents them with another question. Going back to that conflict within their minds of Jesus being king the Kingdom of heaven being at hand... and Him suffering and dying.
    But Elijah does come first, and restore all things He says verifying A prophecy from the book of Malachi chapter 4 that says this very thing.
    And Elijah will come I believe he'll be one of the two witnesses that are written of in the Book of Revelation during the great tribulation.
    But then his question yet how was it written of the Son of Man that He was suffer many things and be treated with contempt directing them back to many of the prophecies in the psalms or directly to Isaiah 53 this speaks of the suffering Savior.
    And then in verse 13 but I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, here referring to John the Baptist. Who it was prophesied of prior to his birth that he would come in the spirit and the power of Elijah.
    In fact if you remember from our study in Matthew Jesus said this
    Matthew 11:11–14 LSB
    11 “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. 13 “For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 “And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.
    Not risen from the dead or somehow reincarnated, but as was prophesied of him in the spirit and power of...an Elijah type of ministry.
     And now coming down the mountain verse 14
    Mark 9:14–16 LSB
    14 And when they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed. And as they ran up, they were greeting Him. 16 And He asked them, “What are you arguing with them?”
    I love this Jesus taking up for his guys.
    And one of the crowd answered him verse 17
    Mark 9:17 LSB
    17 And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute;
    so it wasn't one of the scribes that answered it was this boy's father teacher I brought you my son possessed with a spirit which makes him mute. You guys know what mute is, it's one of the the buttons on your remote control that makes it so you can't hear your TV right? Sound doesn't come out.
    Mark 9:18–19 LSB
    18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” 19 And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”
    Some speculate the statement of Jesus was directed to the father, others to the scribes, most attribute it to His disciples come and I get that. The frustration that Jesus must have experienced as He told these guys, and told these guys, and showed these guys and they still didn't get it. Like today and when we in the church profess to be followers of Jesus, to profess that we believe the promises in this book, but then don't live like it, don't reflect it in our lives.
    Nevertheless Jesus takes immediate action and instructs them to bring the boy to Him... and they do.
    Mark 9:20–21 LSB
    20 And they brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around, foaming at the mouth. 21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.
    The demon inside the boy is desperate at this point. He knows his time is short so he's trying to cause as much destruction as he can with the limited time that he has left. The father goes on to describe it further in verse 22...
    Mark 9:22 LSB
    22 “And it has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”
    Can you imagine having a child in such a case?
    Children are a lot of work. Children are dependent upon us for everything. But not every child has to be watched for every moment. Can you imagine anytime you're around fire not taking your eyes off that child. Or as you're walking by water not allowing your child to go too far behind or too far ahead because your enemy is constantly trying to destroy your child.
    And the father says if you can do anything if you can, take pity on us and help us. And I don't know if this is... Auh if you have the ability, or if you're willing to do anything for u,s but it's interesting Jesus uses that same language in his response to him in verse 23.
    Mark 9:23–24 LSB
    23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and was saying, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”
    and then the most honest prayer in all of the scriptures... help my unbelief. All isn't that a perfect picture of us far too often of the time I have faith but I doubt. I have faith but is it enough? I believe He can, I just don't know if He will. Notice this prayer is not condemned by our Lord, but it's a prayer that's answered.
    Mark 9:25 LSB
    25 Now when Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.”
    Word to the wise... if you're not saved, because you can't be possessed and be saved where the Holy Spirit doesn't share His dwelling place. And at the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit of God enters you and seals you. But if you're not saved and you've allowed things to come into your life that are evil, and spirits have possessed your very soul, and in His grace the Lord delivers you from that... receive Him as your Lord and Savior immediately because as you see here Jesus says come out of him and do not enter him again! You can cast him out but if he's not replaced with the Holy Spirit it is a empty habitation waiting for more to return.
    Mark 9:26–29 LSB
    26 And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he stood up. 28 And when He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”
    your translation might say prayer and fasting.
    I don't want you to miss what's going on here though verse 28 let me summarize that... Lord why couldn't we do it? You gave us the power to do these things, we've done it before,... we did what we've always done,... we said what we've always said, I even tried putting my hands on them, or we saw you spit on the ground first so we did that. Or we saw you do this or we did this or we did that why couldn't we do it and disappointment in themselves because they couldn't… that disappointment indicate some reliance on themselves that they could it.
    And our Lord is trying to teach them, and it has been recorded here to teach us, that to be used by Him requires total dependence upon him. I mean what does prayer do? IT brings us closer to God, relies on His strength relies on His power aligns our hearts with His heart Lord why couldn't we do i...t this kind only comes out through Me you have to rely on Me. Jesus continues to speak of His own death again
    Mark 9:30–32 LSB
    30 From there they went out and were going through Galilee, and He was not wanting anyone to know about it. 31 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise again three days later.” 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.
    It's really too bad because it's when they ask Him that we learn so much more.
    Mark 9:33–38 LSB
    33 And they came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. 35 And sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And taking a child, He set him before them. And taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.” 38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to hinder him because he was not following us.”
    Do you get it? Teacher we saw someone casting out demons in your name... people were being set free , in the name of Jesus they were being delivered by demons, but they weren't one of us... so we put a stop to that Lord we tried to end it.
    We laugh at that guys but isn't that also sometimes us. Well those guys over there they they worship God or they say they do but they don't do this like we do and they don't do that like we do or they're not Calvary Chapel like us, they're not as close to perfect as us. But guess what! they're of Him.
    Mark 9:39–42 LSB
    39 But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40 “For he who is not against us is for us. 41 “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name because you are of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward. 42 “And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.
    now that's actually a little bit gangster of Jesus isn't it?
    And he's not talking about specifically little children here but little ones... little literally it's translated humble ones. Young new fresh disciples who believe in Him whoever's going to cause one of them to stumble maybe by their superiority, or their condemnation, it'd be better for him to wear concrete boots! right? To have a heavy millstone hung around his neck be cast into the sea. And look at this verse 43...
    Mark 9:43–48 LSB
    43 “And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, 44 [and where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] 45 “And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, 46 [and where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] 47 “And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
    Let me just to address this quickly. Because recently there has been some debate, some may call it controversy, both descriptions are very wrong it is only insanity. Deception and false teaching about whether or not a literal hell exists. God in the flesh, the Word of Truth Himself seems pretty convinced here. I want you to understand the picture here as well.
    In verse 43 the word hell there is literally GEHENNA. That Greek word gehanna comes from the Hebrew word ge-hinnom or the valley of hinnom when you go to Israel with us you'll be able to see there is a valley on the South side of Jerusalem where King's Ahaz and King Manasseh, you can see this in second chronicles 28 and 33 they actually offered child sacrifices to the Pagan God molech there. People would take their unwanted children, babies and burn them as an offering to this pagan god of pleasure.
    I know it is disgusting. They didn’t have modern clinics or planned parenthood like we do today. We are so much more civilized today in our worship of Molech and the way in which we kill our children. It should be looked at the same today as it was then, and until it is, it is going to continue to happen and be an accepted part of our culture.
    This practice was later declared unclean by King Josiah and it ultimately it becomes a place of continuous burning of trash and the disposal of corpses. Carcasses of animals. A place of continuous burning trash and worm infested carcasses as a condemnation as to what it once was.
    Matthew and Mark describe hell as a place of unquenchable fire, revelation describes it as a lake of fire and brimstone. Matthew calls it eternal fire, a furnace of fire, outer darkness and a place of eternal punishment.
    The point Jesus is making is be extreme in your fight against sin, be radical in your pursuit of holiness. Now this is not an instruction to literally delimb ourselves, or blind ourselves, because if purity and sinfulness was just in the physical ability, then the whole sermon on the Mt was a waste of time. Jesus says it originates in the heart. Purify our hearts.
    Two more verses that are only contained in the Gospel of Mark, so I assume they had significance to both Peter and Mark.
    Mark 9:49–50 LSB
    49 “For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 “Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
    There are a bunch of attempts to explain this in the commentaries, and to me they all seem to be speculation. So I close with I don’t know for sure, but Jesus just spent a bunch of time talking about fire for the unbeliever. Well all of us too will be seasoned with fire, purified and refined by the fiery trials of life. Not pleasant, but profitable.
    Salt is a preservative. It decontaminates. It adds good flavor. Have salt in yourselves. Stay salty and be at peace with one another.
    Grace and Peace

        • Mark 8:34NKJV

        • Mark 8:34NKJV

        • Mark 8:35NKJV

        • Mark 9:1NKJV

        • Zechariah 14:4NKJV

        • Mark 9:2–7NKJV

        • Mark 9:5NKJV

        • Mark 8:34NKJV

        • Mark 9:8–9NKJV

        • Mark 9:10NKJV

        • Mark 9:11–13NKJV

        • Matthew 11:11–14NKJV

        • Mark 9:14–16NKJV

        • Mark 9:17NKJV

        • Mark 9:18–19NKJV

        • Mark 9:20–21NKJV

        • Mark 9:22NKJV

        • Mark 9:23–24NKJV

        • Mark 9:25NKJV

        • Mark 9:26–29NKJV

        • Mark 9:30–32NKJV

        • Mark 9:33–38NKJV

        • Mark 9:39–42NKJV

        • Mark 9:43–48NKJV

        • Mark 9:49–50NKJV

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