Pay Close Attention to What You Hear

January 17, 2022 · Mark

Series · Mark · Week 1 of 26

Scripture referenced 5 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

Mark 6:1-29 main passage read aloud and discussed throughout the sermon

1 He went out from there. He came into his own country, and his disciples followed him.
2 When the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things?” and, “What is the wisdom that is given to this man, that such mighty works come about by his hands?
3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were offended at him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.”
5 He could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people, and healed them.
6 He marveled because of their unbelief. He went around the villages teaching.
7 He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
8 He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a staff only: no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse,
9 but to wear sandals, and not put on two tunics.
10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there.
11 Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”
12 They went out and preached that people should repent.
13 They cast out many demons, and anointed many with oil who were sick, and healed them.
14 King Herod heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, “John the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”
15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” Others said, “He is a prophet, or like one of the prophets.”
16 But Herod, when he heard this, said, “This is John, whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead.”
17 For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her.
18 For John said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
19 Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t,
20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly.
21 Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.
22 When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.”
23 He swore to her, “Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”
24 She went out, and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” She said, “The head of John the Baptizer.”
25 She came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.”
26 The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths, and of his dinner guests, he didn’t wish to refuse her.
27 Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring John’s head, and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother.
29 When his disciples heard this, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

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Hebrews 12

quoted to say we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken, so worship God with reverence and awe

1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

2 looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.

4 You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin;

5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him;

6 For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?

8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not children.

9 Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

11 All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby.

12 Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,

13 and make straight paths for your feet, so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

14 Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,

15 looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it;

16 lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.

17 For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.

18 For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,

19 the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them,

20 for they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”;

21 and so fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”

22 But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,

23 to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.

25 See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,

26 whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.”

27 This phrase, “Yet once more”, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

29 for our God is a consuming fire.

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Luke 7:9

cited as the other instance where Jesus marveled, this time at the Roman officer's faith

9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.”

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Matthew 5:10

quoted to say God blesses those persecuted for doing right, the kingdom of heaven is theirs

10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

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Mark 8

referenced as where Jesus warns disciples to beware the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod

1 In those days, when there was a very great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to himself, and said to them,

2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days, and have nothing to eat.

3 If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.”

4 His disciples answered him, “From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place?”

5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.”

6 He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves. Having given thanks, he broke them, and gave them to his disciples to serve, and they served the multitude.

7 They had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also.

8 They ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over.

9 Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away.

10 Immediately he entered into the boat with his disciples, and came into the region of Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and testing him.

12 He sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Most certainly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

13 He left them, and again entering into the boat, departed to the other side.

14 They forgot to take bread; and they didn’t have more than one loaf in the boat with them.

15 He warned them, saying, “Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”

16 They reasoned with one another, saying, “It’s because we have no bread.”

17 Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened?

18 Having eyes, don’t you see? Having ears, don’t you hear? Don’t you remember?

19 When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Twelve.”

20 “When the seven loaves fed the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Seven.”

21 He asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?”

22 He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him, and begged him to touch him.

23 He took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village. When he had spat on his eyes, and laid his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything.

24 He looked up, and said, “I see men; for I see them like trees walking.”

25 Then again he laid his hands on his eyes. He looked intently, and was restored, and saw everyone clearly.

26 He sent him away to his house, saying, “Don’t enter into the village, nor tell anyone in the village.”

27 Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”

28 They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others: one of the prophets.”

29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

30 He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.

31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

32 He spoke to them openly. Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

33 But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”

34 He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

36 For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?

37 For what will a man give in exchange for his life?

38 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Father’s glory, with the holy angels.”

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

This Monday night study worked through Mark 6:1-29, covering Jesus being rejected in Nazareth, the sending out of the twelve, and the death of John the Baptist. The thread running through all three sections was the relationship between belief and what people actually see and experience of God's power. The congregation read through the passage together and then shared their own reflections on it.

What was said

Jesus returned to Nazareth right after healing in response to faith, which made the contrast sharp from the opening verses. The people there knew his family, knew he had grown up among them, and that familiarity shut them down. They were deeply offended and refused to believe. Because of that unbelief, Pastor Mark noted, he could do very little among them.

That stood out more clearly when set against the Roman officer in Luke 7, one of only two places in the Gospels where Jesus is said to have marveled. In Nazareth he marveled at unbelief. With the officer he marveled at faith. The officer was convinced before anything happened that Jesus only had to say the word. The people of Nazareth had already made up their minds the other direction.

The sending out of the twelve carried the same theme forward. Jesus told them to take nothing for the journey, no food, no bag, no money, no change of clothes. Pastor Mark pointed out that they had no choice but to rely on God's provision entirely, and in doing so they saw and experienced more of God's power. What they carried was their faith and the message to repent and turn to God, and it was enough.

The death of John the Baptist pressed the teaching into harder territory. John did everything right. He announced the kingdom, prepared the way, decreased so that Jesus would increase, and it cost him his life. Pastor Mark was honest that this is a difficult teaching. But he pointed to what Jesus said in Matthew: God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. John's faithfulness was not for nothing.

The sadder figure in that story, Pastor Mark suggested, was actually Herod. Herod respected John, knew he was good and holy, felt conviction when they talked, and even liked to listen to him. But none of that moved him to act. The congregation connected this to the parable of the four soils that Jesus had taught just before this passage. Herod heard the word, had some response to it, and still killed the messenger rather than changing his heart.

Conversation after the reading brought out a few things. One person connected Mark 6:5 to the power of prayer and fellowship, noting how the distance created by COVID showed what is lost when people stop gathering and believing together. Another drew a parallel between this passage and the Sunday message on sending out the seventy-two, reflecting on how both point toward leaning on God's providence rather than personal planning. A third said verse 5 had always bothered her, but came to rest on the idea that the people of Nazareth simply were not coming to Jesus for anything, while a few sick people with nothing to lose did, and those were the ones he healed.

Pastor Mark closed by returning to a verse from Mark itself, the promise that the closer we listen the more understanding we will be given. He framed that as the underlying invitation of the whole gospel: pay close attention to what you hear, because those who listen to his teaching will receive more and more understanding.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

The pastor pointed to the contrast between Jesus' hometown and the Roman officer, one group writing Jesus off because they knew his family, the other approaching him with remarkable trust before any miracle happened. What do you think makes familiarity such a barrier to faith?
Because of the unbelief in Nazareth, Jesus could do very little there. Florine mentioned that the few who were healed were probably those who had nothing to lose and brought what little faith they had. Has there been a time when you came to God with only a small measure of faith and saw him work through it?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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Find in this transcript

Your team, the one with the stars on their helmet. You ready? Let's do God so loved, graves in the gardens, and I stand amazed, and then end with such an awesome God.

Hey,

everybody. Welcome to another Monday night. Good to see you. Good to see you. Before I forget, do you see the little dessert table back there?

Right next to the dessert table, are the cards for Paco and Didi. I don't maybe some of you have never met Paco and Didi before, but they're, missionaries in Spain. And so when you grab a treat, also grab a card, just to remember and pray for them. Love those two. In fact, I'd like to pray for them right now.

Lord, we pray for Paco and Didi as we think of them and little Elijah and their ministry there in Spain. God, that you would comfort them, that you would empower them, that you would make the connections, that, they would be a bright, bright light in that community. And just and in word and deed, that they would draw, people to your loving kindness, because they because people concede in them. God bless them today in Jesus' name. Amen.

A big thank you to, Domino's tonight, but also, Scotty. And, if you ever if if you would ever consider doing a meal on a Monday night, it doesn't have to be very difficult at all. It can be very, very simple, but please come and see me, and I'll we'll set you up to win. Always. We'll set you up to win.

Before we get into Mark tonight, shall we worship in song? Let's stand and sing. God so loved.

Come on, you weary. Come on, you thirsty. Come to the world that never runs dry. Drink of the water. Come near thirsty.

Come my sinners, come find his mercy. Come to the table, he will satisfy you. Taste all your good news. Find out what you're looking for. For God so loved, from God so loved, the world that he gave us his one man only.

Some do save us whoever believes in you will live forever. Bring your addictions, come lay them down at the foot of your promise. Jesus is waiting there. God so loved the world that he gave us his one and son to save us whoever believes in him will live forever. The power of hell forever defeated.

It is well. I'm walking in freedom for God's soul. God's soul. And a little doxology here. Praise God.

Praise God. Praise God. From whom all blessings flow. Praise him. Praise him for the wonders of his love.

Let's sing that again. Praise God. Praise God. From whom all walking in freedom for God so loved. God so loved.

And here's the invitation to us to bring on.

Bring all your failures. Bring your addictions, come lay them down at the foot of the cross. Jesus is waiting, God so love. I searched the world, but it couldn't fill me. Man's empty brains put me back together and every desire is now satisfied here in your love.

Oh, there's nothing better. Oh, there's nothing better. I'm not afraid. I'm you're my weakness. My failures and faults, lord, you've seen them all.

You still call me friend because the God of the mountain Better than you. There's nothing. I think he's better than you. When you turn, you turn on You turn grace into goddess. You turn bones into our maybe.

You turn seas into hybrids. Lord, as we sang that song, what I

keep continued to think is that there's really not a place that your mercy and grace won't find us, that you are the God truly of the mountain, our mountaintop experiences, but also our our valleys as well. And I just thank you, God, for your presence with us. And truly, truly, there there is nothing better than to be to know you and to be known by you, truly. There's a peace that passes understanding that I've never experienced ever in my entire life, like the peace that comes from you. And, I thank you, God, for being with us at all times in every situation.

Amen. Stay a while, Ray. Let's sing that chorus again. Is my savior's

So fun.

I just want let me just share this from Hebrews. You know, these songs come from somewhere. And, Hebrews 12 says, therefore, since we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let's be thankful and so worship God accept acceptably with reverence and fear or reverence and awe. And that's why we stand amazed. We're we're he's giving us the kingdom.

He says, little flock, your father loves to give you the kingdom. So I just wanted to share that. You can have a seat for a moment. We're we're gonna get into Mark. How are we doing, by the way?

Everybody doing okay on a Monday? I'm glad to be here. I'm really glad to be here, and I'm glad to be studying this. And I'm really looking forward to the conversation time afterwards and see what, what what struck you and and and what, you know, what spoke to you from this. We're, in chapter six verses one through 29.

This is where Jesus is rejected in his hometown. He sends out the 12, disciples. It also tells of the death of John the Baptist. And just as we've been doing, I wanna go ahead and read it. I'll share a few thoughts on my home my own.

I'd like to hear yours as well. With this being one of the goals, here's something that I just wanna put in front of us again. Why do we do what we do on Monday nights? It says, let the message about Christ and all its richness fill our lives. That's our goal here.

We're letting the message fill our lives about Jesus. And then it says to teach and counsel each other with the wisdom that he gives. We can do that as a body of Christ. That's part of the conversation time here. Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God, that's part of the reason why we sing with thankful hearts.

So let's go ahead and read this. Mark six one through 29, this is right after this is interesting. This is right after Jesus heals the bleeding woman. He restores the little girl to life in response to faith. So he's just do he's just done some miracles in response to faith.

Very interesting that at the beginning of this chapter, it's it's showing just about the opposite of that in Jesus' hometown. So here's what it says starting in verse one, chapter six. Jesus left that part of the country. That's, again, after healing in response to faith, And he returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. The next Sabbath, he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

And they asked, where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? Alright. So far so good. This sounds great. And then they scoffed.

Verse three. Ah, he's just a carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon, and his sisters. They live right here among us. They were deeply offended, and they refused to believe him. And then Jesus told them, a prophet is honored everywhere except in his hometown and among his relatives and his own family.

And because listen to this part. And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any miracles among them except to place on his his hands on a few sick people and heal them. In verse six, he was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people, and he called his 12 disciples together, and he began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits. And he told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick stick, no food, no traveler's bag, no money, and he allowed them to wear sandals.

I think yesterday, in in the passage that Ray covered, I don't even think that he allowed them to take sandals. Extra sandals. Extra sandals. Okay. So they got one pair.

I'm I'm imagining, like, these naked men just being sent out. They're not naked. They're not naked. Alright. They just didn't have extra clothes.

Alright. Verse 10. Let's get to let's get back to the scripture before I say something I shouldn't. And wherever you go, he said, stay in the homes, stay in the same house until you leave. But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.

Wow. Wow. So the disciples went out and telling everyone that, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. And they cast out many demons, and they healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil. Now here we get to the death of John the Baptist in this chapter.

Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying, this must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That's why he can do such miracles. Others said, he's the prophet Elijah. Still others said, he's a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.

When Herod heard this about Jesus, he said, John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead. For Herod had sent soldier soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip's wife, but Herod had married her. John had been telling Herod, it's against God's law for you to marry your brother's wife. So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him.

But without Herod's approval, she was powerless. For Herod respected John. Catch this. This is interesting. Herod respected John, and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him.

Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked to John, but even so, he liked to listen to him. Isn't that interesting? So he obviously had some conviction there, and he even liked to hear John. He agreed with what John was saying, but we're gonna find out later he didn't do anything with that. Verse 21.

Herodias' chance finally came on Herod's birthday. He gave a party for his high government official army officers and leading citizens of Galilee. Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. Ask me for anything you'd like, the king said to the girl, and I'll give it to you. He even vowed, I will give you whatever you ask up to half my kingdom.

This is crazy. She went out and she asked her mother, mom, what should I ask for? And her mother told her, ask for the head of John the Baptist. Wow. So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, I want the head of John the Baptist right now on a tray.

The king deeply regretted what he said, but because of the vows he made in front of his guests, he couldn't refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John's head and bring it to them. The soldier beheaded John in prison, brought his head on a tray, gave it to the girl who took it to her mother. When John's disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb. So I'm gonna stop right there for now, but I would like to to pray first and just ask the Lord to show us what he will through the reading of the scripture tonight.

Lord, we pray that just just that, that you would impress on us what we need to see and what we need to hear from the scripture tonight. And that also that whatever measure of faith that you've given us, whatever measure we've you've given us, that we would put it into practice, trusting and believing, knowing, God, full well that you are working all things for your glory and for our good. But, God, may faith the faith that you've given us, may we put that into practice each and every day. And as we do, you will build, you will give more and more and more. Amen.

So if I may, I'd like to just comment briefly on each of these sections. K? Jesus rejected sending the 12, death of John the Baptist beginning with Jesus rejected in Nazareth. I find this to be so sad. Right?

It's his home tongue. It's his it's his own people. You know, think about where you grew up. You love the people. Right?

You know them. Sometimes you know them a little too well. But it says, they were deeply offended, they refused to believe. Ain't that heartbreaking? Like, you think of all the teaching and the miracles, all the life change that that could have happened in his hometown among his own people.

Man. But check this out. Because of their unbelief, he could not do any miracles among them except to place his his hands on a few sick people and heal them. There are two times two times where Jesus is said to have been amazed or marveled. Right here in verse six, he was amazed at their unbelief, but also in Luke seven verse nine, he was also amazed, but this time he was amazed at the Roman officers' faith.

Just the opposite. Amazed at unbelief. Here he's amazed at belief. Jesus says, I have not seen a faith like this in all of Israel. And you remember the story there?

The officer believed that all Jesus had to do was to say the word right where he stood, and the officer's servant would be healed. And that's exactly what Jesus did. He responded to the call of faith because that is what Jesus does. He answers the call of faith, and he healed that officer's servant. But what a contrast between the two.

That has just been something on my mind through throughout the week. What a contrast between the two. His hometown? Ah, he's just a carpenter. Just a carpenter, the son of Mary.

We know who he is. We know his brothers. We know his sister. We know his family. He grew up here.

He's whatever. Versus the Roman officer, I'm not even worthy to meet you, he said. Just say the word from right where you stand, and my servant will be healed. Isn't that incredible faith? The less they believe, the less they saw and experienced God's power.

The more they believed, the more they saw and experienced God's power. Same with the sending out of the 12. Belief played an important role in in that too. And what stood out to me is Jesus said, take nothing for your journey except a walking stick. No food, no bag, no money, no change of clothes.

How is that for faith? Really, though. They couldn't help. Listen. They could not help but rely on God's provision.

And in doing so, check this out, they saw and experienced more of God's power because they had to rely on him for everything. They cast out demons. They healed the sick. Interesting. Very interesting that all they really had like, let's just picture this for a moment.

These these disciples that are being sent out. All they really had was their faith, their trust in God. Right? And his message of repent of your sins and turn to God. That's what they had, and it was enough.

That has been sticking with me this whole week. I'm thinking, there was no there was no sound system. There was no meal to draw people in. There's no wonderful music that just kinda get people hopping and moving and stuff like that. They had their faith in Christ and the message of the gospel, and it was enough.

And, Lord, that it would be enough for us, really, that we would trust in your provision and the simple gospel message to turn from sin to turn to you for forgiveness and new life. And, Lord, that we would be seeking that full and abundant life in you and then sharing it in word and deed. In Jesus' name. Amen. And then last, I wanna make, just just a couple of comments on John the Baptist, the death of John the Baptist.

Something about John. John faithfully did everything that he was supposed to. He announced the kingdom. He prepared the way for Jesus. He's the one that said, I I've gotta I've gotta decrease.

He's gotta increase. Look, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. I mean, John did everything right, and it cost him his life. And that's a hard teaching, period. You can be following the Lord, doing everything that really, to the best of your ability, doing everything that you can, and it can cost it could cost our lives.

But I wanna share this. I I it's it's not all gloom and doom. This is from Matthew, but Jesus has said this because John's faithfulness, it's not for nothing. Our faith in Christ, it's not for nothing. Jesus said, God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right.

The kingdom of heaven is theirs. Wow. Be assured be assured that John and anyone else who trusts in Jesus and is persecuted for doing right. The the kingdom of heaven is theirs. That's the good news.

The bad news that I see in here. You know, you think, oh, man. Poor, poor John. Poor, poor Herod and Herodias. I think that's the real that's the real sad part here.

We know that John is with the Lord. The kingdom of heaven is his. Right? But that response from Herod and Herodias so, yes, Herod respected John. Yes.

He knew that John was a good and holy man. Yes. He he was even disturbed when he talked to John because he probably felt conviction. Yes. He even liked to listen to John, but that wasn't enough to change his heart around.

Like, I think about the four soils that Jesus shared just before this And the receiving with joy, but then worry or whatever comes and is choked out, or the seed is planted and it just gets plucked outright away. I mean, this is this is right like, the real life example right after Jesus had taught it. And because of his hard heart and unrepentance, he and Herodias, they killed the messenger. That's a hard teaching. That's a very, very difficult teaching.

They heard God's word. They knew what they should have done, but they ignored the message, and they killed the messenger. And and I found this to be very interesting. Jesus even warns his disciples in chapter eight. So when we read ahead here, Jesus calls Herod out by name, by name even.

And I'll end with this. I'll end here. He says, watch out. Beware of the yeast of the pharisees and of Herod. He even throws his name in there because of their hard heart, that unbelief, that unrepentance.

So here they are again. Jesus is rejected in his hometown. He sends out the 12 and the death of John the Baptist. The theme of belief is what is really sticking with me right now in the study of Mark, especially in these last two chapters. The more that it's put into practice, the more that faith is put into practice, the more God is seen and and and experienced.

There's no doubt about it. Like the disciples being sent out, the more they relied on Jesus and and just acted in obedience, the more power they they saw and experienced. They just did. That's how faith works. But also, conversely, the less that faith is put into practice.

So examples, doubt, skepticism, and resistance. The less that faith is put into practice, the less God is seen and experienced, like in Jesus' hometown and with Herod and Herodias. So those are the things that spoke to me. I'm really I think that John that Mark is painting this this this very real picture of faith. The more that it's put into practice, the more God has seen and experienced, the less that faith is put into practice, the less that God has seen and experienced in his hometown.

He couldn't do much but place his hands on a few sick people. Otherwise, they said, enough. And and they missed out, and they forfeited. May we not forfeit what God has to show us because of skepticism, doubt, resistance in particular. We all have doubts.

I get that. Right? We have doubts. Of course. But to move and to act in obedience too, even when we're not sure, I think that's part of faith.

So I would love to hear what spoke to you in in this this reading tonight too. But before you do, can I can I just pray one more time? Lord, I thank you again for for tonight's reading. And as we plot along chapter by chapter, verse by verse, may your words stick with us. Let this be sticky.

May they challenge us. May they comfort us. And may it move us toward faith, toward you to see and experience more of you because we are putting that faith that you've given us into practice. In Jesus' name, amen. Alright.

So any thoughts? Any thoughts on here? Jesus being rejected in his hometown, sending out the 12. They weren't naked, by the way. They had clothes.

And then the death of John the Baptist. Any thoughts? Have you got one? We have Mark six five.

Mark six five. We're just talked about where he couldn't do his work.

Yeah.

Like he normally would because of the unbelief. And I think about that in today's world. Right? And the the power of prayer and the power of fellowship and how even after COVID, right, we we got so distant from that and the and the power of it all coming back of us coming back together. I think the power of prayer and the power of belief Mhmm.

Just allows God to work.

It does.

Something that stood out to me.

Yep. It absolutely does. Thank you, Mary Beth. I that is such a strong point, and we are seeing that, though, throughout the book of of of Mark. The more, belief, faith, and even beforehand, that's the part that's catching me is these people like the Roman officer, it's even before the miracle happens, they're going, if they're going, all you have to do is say the word, or you can make her well.

Jesus hasn't even done that yet. Or the bleeding woman, if I just touch his robe, like, it's all predetermined. God can do this. I'm going to see God do this, And he answers that call of faith. But some have already predetermined long before going, nope.

He's just Mary's kid or the brother of or the sister of, that kind of thing. Yeah. Makes a difference.

You talk about God's response to that faith. Here at First Beat, it's like we do expository. You go through and you look at what it says and then talk and talk about it and a lot like this Sunday and today. You're talking about today is sending out the 12, Sunday is sending out the 72. And it is expository, but it almost is like life application today too.

Like listening on Sunday and today about how you can just go out not as a missionary per se, but just go out and love and go out and live your life in that. And not just how to go out and act, but to lean on God's providence rather than our own understanding, and lean on God's providence rather than our own planning. And as a, you know, a head of a household or you have children, want to take care of them. And plan accordingly and make sure you know that you have a retirement or that they can go to school. But it's a very fine line of walking out your faith and leaning on God's providence rather than my understanding, you know, lean not on your own understanding and my planning through this world and this realm.

So that's something that's stuck out to me between this tonight, sending out the 12, and then on Sunday sending out the 72 is just, it's almost like life application of leaning on God's providence and knowing that he's gonna take care of you. And hasn't he always taken care of you? Here we are, right? Hasn't he always taken care of all of us to get to this point? And another point that stood out to me in the beginning is when they're just kinda like, oh yeah, he's just like, what did he say, Elijah?

Or just like that one prophet, or he's just another prophet. It's like, and we have the benefit of hindsight, it's like, no, he's not really just like that one prophet, or just like, he's like the one that kind of sticks around throughout all of the ages, which is interesting to me. And then, a much less sage or anything like that, I wonder what the heck that dancer's mom was thinking. She must have been pretty wicked. Like, there's no motivation or context, just like, let me go ask my mom.

She's like, go put his head on the plate. Again, weirder point, but if anybody else wants to take this away from me, I didn't end in such an awkward spot.

Any anyone else? Any

You can force Florine to say something too.

So the six five was the one that I was looking at too. And I've always seen that. I just it it makes me bristle a little bit when I know that God is almighty. I know Jesus emptied himself and took on our nature and all understand the fully God, fully human as much as we can. As much as we as we can, I think?

I I kind of get the idea. But it bothers me when it says he can't do something. That really, really bothers me. But I saw it a little different, maybe perhaps an NLT version or just thinking through it is their unbelief would not bring them to him. A few sick people were like, what do I have to lose?

I don't know who Mary is. I don't know these people anyway. I'm I'm I'm gonna go for it. And they put the little measure of faith that they had in him and he healed a few of them. But other there was no line forming around his hometown.

It's like, ah, it's just Jesus. You know? That that's I think that it it's easier for me to hear that he couldn't do anything because they weren't coming to him for anything. That's terrible. It's really, really sad.

The other thing is that death of John the Baptist that the measure of understanding that Herod did have, he did not act on. And that's that's I I think you hit that nail on the head too that it's it is really sad when somebody's got the idea that this guy deserve respect. He deserves to be listened to.

I'm even convicted by what he's saying, but I still like the guy too.

Yeah. And he protected him. He protected him from his wife, by the way. Yeah. But that that for me, that was that's a little bit like, how sad when we know the right way and we still choose to walk away from for whatever.

Looks like selfish reason. So it's pretty convicting because we tend to I mean, we're here together, gathered, right? And we tend to listen, pay attention, but God help me see where I'm selfishly kind of sticking with something and saying I know the right way, but I'm going to do this anyway. Anybody else? Else?

Anybody?

Other thoughts? Great. Thank you so much for sharing. That's one of my favorite parts about doing what we do is to be able to hear from you and to bounce this off one another, to teach and counsel with the wisdom that he gives. I think that's such an important part.

So thank you. Should we close in one last song? Such an awesome God.

You lay it down to rest. You hold this hard of mine. You hold my gathering bread. Such an awesome God, so mighty, so holy, so wonderful. Such an awesome God.

So selfless, so generous, so faithful you are. And nothing comes close to the door

Usually, I like to pick just one verse to kinda send us out to. And, here's one from from Mark. I know I chose this one. Pay close attention to what you hear. I believe that that is what Mark is telling us.

That's what Jesus is telling us. As we read through this gospel, pay close attention to what we hear because the closer that we listen, the more understanding we will be given. That is a promise from Jesus. And we will receive even more understanding. If we're paying attention to those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given.

What I didn't write on here is that when we're not paying attention, what little understanding will be it'll be taken away. But let's let's focus on this right here. Let's focus on the good news that the closer we listen, the more understanding will be given. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding. Amen.

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