Sermon Central
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Authority Of The Servant King
Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 2, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: The Gospel of Mark presents Jesus as the Greatest Servant. This servant has the authority to forgive sin, free people of disease, force demon to flee. Most of us have some type of reistance to authority. Jesus made it clear the real and eternal life is
Intro: Illustration about “God is watching you.”
My first thought was an old angry man in the sky pointing His finger at me saying look out I’m going to get you. My second thought was of the heavenly father I know. Jesus is the only one capable of watching over me, you, every one of his creations.
• Mark wrote to gentile readers
• Mark presents Jesus as the ultimate servant
• Mark emphasizes what Jesus did over what he said. The word immediately is used over forty times. This emphasizes the activity of Jesus in the lives of people both lost and saved.
• Eighteen miracles are recorded in Marks gospel that is over half of the 35 recorded in the Gospels.
• Mark is the earliest and shortest of the gospels.
• Chapters 1-8 focus on Jesus’ ministry to the masses. Chapter’s 8-10 ministry to his disciples. Chapters 11-16 focus on his passion saving the lost.
Matthew presents Jesus as King of the Jews, Luke presents Jesus as the compassionate savior of all people, John presents Jesus as God, Mark presents Jesus as the suffering servant rejected by the religious serving and suffering for the lost.
Matthew 28.19 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” It was as the Servant that His authority is seen.
I. Jesus has authority over death
Genesis 1.17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Sin and the separation it causes between God and man are the only clear and complete explanation of death for us as human beings.
God spoke with authority about mans rebellion before it ever happened. God speaks as a loving father if you disobey my authority it will result in a separation between us.
The soul that sins shall surely die. Read Ezekiel 18.19-31. (pay close attention to what God wants.)
He takes pleasure when people repent. When you repent you turn away from things that cause separation from God.
Jesus shows us in the Gospel of Mark that He has authority over death, demons, disease.
Mark 1.23-26
When you see the recognition of this authority by those he taught in the synagogue and the demons he expelled from those they possessed what do you think?
There is amazement and argument about him but not belief in Him. The demon declared Jesus Humanity Jesus of Nazareth and His deity, the Holy One of God. Yet it did not result in the belief of the people. It caused Him to be famous but not followed. The people were interested in His power not His presence, His fame as a healer, exorcist, miracle worker.
No matter what form of death that shadows your life Jesus has authority over it.
Remember the demons stated that Jesus was the Christ, the Holy One of God but that does not mean they were morally or spiritually transformed. We move from death to life by agreeing with and surrendering to our need for the saving, finished work of Jesus on the cross.
II. Jesus has authority over life
John 10.10 “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”
In this wonderful Gospel of mark Jesus shows us a picture of the real and eternal life. We so often look to church, family, and even God for the things we can get. What is in it for me? What can I get out of this? But Jesus is saying in our family, job, church, and the kingdom of God it is what we give that shows that we have responded to Jesus authority with obedience.
Listen to the powerful truth found in 1 Peter 2:11-19, 3.1 (read)
Submission applies to every point of life. Real and eternal life is found in our response to the authority of Jesus and the authorities He places over us. To governments Peter tells us to fear God honor the emperor (king) (1 Peter 2.17). In our jobs he tells us “Household slaves, submit with all fear to your masters, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel.” (1 Peter 2.18) In the home, wives are to, “In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the Christian message, they may be won over without a message by the way their wives live.” (1 Peter 3.1)
1 Peter 2.15 says, “15 For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.” How do we silence foolish people that reject Jesus? Submission.
The Greek word here means to muzzle like you would an annoying dog who barks at night.
