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Jesus Asserts His Authority Mark 2:1-3:12 Message 3 in our 10-part series on The Gospel of Mark.

Jesus Asserts His Authority Mark 2:1-3:12 Message 3 in our 10-part series on The Gospel of Mark. Sunday, May 8, 2011 Speaker: Doug Virgint. Jesus asserts his authority. Introduction Jesus’ authority over: forgiveness of sin (2: 1–12) type of sinners Jesus forgives (2: 13–22)

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Jesus Asserts His Authority Mark 2:1-3:12 Message 3 in our 10-part series on The Gospel of Mark.

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  1. Jesus Asserts His AuthorityMark 2:1-3:12Message 3 in our 10-part series on The Gospel of Mark. Sunday, May 8, 2011 Speaker: Doug Virgint

  2. Jesus asserts his authority • Introduction • Jesus’ authority over: • forgiveness of sin (2: 1–12) • type of sinners Jesus forgives (2: 13–22) • laws and ceremonies (2: 23–3:6) • sickness and demonic forces (3: 7–12) • Conclusion

  3. Jesus asserts his authority • Introduction • Jesus’ authority over: • forgiveness of sin (2: 1–12) • type of sinners Jesus forgives (2: 13–22) • laws and ceremonies (2: 23–3:6) • sickness and demonic forces (3: 7–12) • Conclusion

  4. Introduction What is the most important contribution Christianity can make to human kind ? • Emergency disaster aid ? • Education ? • Social transformation ? The forgiveness of our sins !!

  5. Jesus asserts his authority • Introduction • Jesus’ authority over: • forgiveness of sin (2: 1–12) • type of sinners Jesus forgives (2: 13–22) • laws and ceremonies (2: 23–3:6) • sickness and demonic forces (3: 7–12) • Conclusion

  6. Authority to forgive sin • Jesus is at home in Capernaum • Preaching the Word - his greatest priority • Note that Jesus understands man’s hearts : • He sees the faith of the paralytic • He sees the questioning of the scribes • He meets the paralytic’s greatest need • Forgiveness is invisible • Healing proves his authority to forgive

  7. Authority to forgive sin The scribes ask a legitimate question : “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” They are right!!!! When Jesus asserts his authority to forgive sin, he is claiming he is God !

  8. Jesus asserts his authority • Introduction • Jesus’ authority over: • forgiveness of sin (2: 1–12) • type of sinners Jesus forgives (2: 13–22) • laws and ceremonies (2: 23–3:6) • sickness and demonic forces (3: 7–12) • Conclusion

  9. Type of sinners Jesus forgives • Difficult for us to understand how much tax collectors were hated by the Jews • Auctions held for the right to collect taxes in a Roman province • The highest bidder sold rights for cities / smaller areas to “publicans” • The publicans collected as much as possible - recoup investment + profit

  10. Type of sinners Jesus forgives • Levi was running a toll booth an the main road between interior and the sea • So much per person, per donkey’s leg, per weight of merchandise • Terrible abuse

  11. Type of sinners Jesus forgives • The Jewish people hated them • Publicans had sold their souls to the enemy – the hated Roman occupation • If a publican touched your house, your whole family was unclean • The Talmud taught meticulous honesty, but said it was OK to lie to a publican • And Jesus calls Levi as a disciple !!

  12. Type of sinners Jesus forgives • No godly Rabbi would associate with this type of person • The verb tenses used – “follow me”, “rose”, “followed” indicate immediate action • And worse still, Jesus eats with Levi and his publican friends! • Eating = acceptance to Jewish mind “eat with tax collectors /sinners”

  13. Type of sinners Jesus forgives Jesus’ answer - an analogy: • A doctor helps sick people, not the well • Jesus has come to call sinners – not the righteous • The clear message to the religious leaders : Your self-righteousness makes it impossible for you to receive forgiveness

  14. Jesus asserts his authority • Introduction • Jesus’ authority over: • forgiveness of sin (2: 1–12) • type of sinners Jesus forgives (2: 13–22) • laws and ceremonies (2: 23–3:6) • sickness and demonic forces (3: 7–12) • Conclusion

  15. Over laws and ceremonies • The religious leaders were constantly trying to assert their authority over Jesus • They wanted him to obey their laws • And here they want him to fast • They fasted two days a week – Monday and Thursday • This is their tradition – no such O.T. law

  16. Over laws and ceremonies Our Lord gives three analogies to destroy their criticism: • No fasting at a wedding feast • New cloth on an old garment • New wine in old wine-skins

  17. Over laws and ceremonies Jesus’ point with these 3 analogies: • You can’t mix my Gospel with your old traditions • If you want to follow me, there is no room for religious tradition • You must abandon your self-righteous traditions if you want to receive forgiveness for your sins

  18. Over laws and ceremonies Jesus then deliberately twice attacks their main religious tradition: The Sabbath • Sabbath trip - no more than 999 steps • Must not lift more than weight of a dry fig • Throw object in the air – catch same hand • 24 chapters on the Sabbath in Talmud • One Rabbi spent 3 years on 1 chapter

  19. Over laws and ceremonies The disciples pluck some grain in a field • Jesus refers them to David : If David in his need could violate a divine ordinance … … our Lord’s disciples in their need could violate human traditions • No ceremony persists before human needs • Mercy triumphs over ceremony and ritual

  20. Over laws and ceremonies Our Lord heals the withered hand Some principles : • Human needs are more important than ceremonial laws • Compassion is more important than ceremonial laws • The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath • Christ is Lord of the Sabbath

  21. Over laws and ceremonies Remark here : • The heart hardness of these religious people • They loved their religion more than the truth – more than God himself • The Lord was angry with their attitude • His heart was deeply grieved

  22. Over laws and ceremonies The clear demonstration of their hate and hardness : • They seek to make a coalition with the hated Herodians to destroy Jesus

  23. Jesus asserts his authority • Introduction • Jesus’ authority over: • forgiveness of sin (2: 1–12) • type of sinners Jesus forgives (2: 13–22) • laws and ceremonies (2: 23–3:6) • sickness and demonic forces (3: 7–12) • Conclusion

  24. Over sickness - demonic forces The two great human problems of that age: • Physical sickness • Spiritual bondage Our Lord demonstrates his authority over both these problems

  25. Over sickness - demonic forces Isn’t it sad : • The religious leaders did not recognize Jesus for who he is • The very demons from hell did recognize him!

  26. Jesus asserts his authority • Introduction • Jesus’ authority over: • forgiveness of sin (2: 1–12) • type of sinners Jesus forgives (2: 13–22) • laws and ceremonies (2: 23–3:6) • sickness and demonic forces (3: 7–12) • Conclusion

  27. Conclusion • Are we in, our church, allowing our great traditions to interfere with meeting human needs and demonstrating mercy? • Have you recognized who Jesus is? • Are you allowing your self-righteousness to prevent you from receiving forgiveness of your sins. • Are you allowing your religious traditions to prevent you form turning to Christ?

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