In 2008 the Lord made it clear to us, in various ways, that he wanted us to move to Norway. Being strong, mature Christians, trusting in the Word of God, the Power of God, rejoicing in our life with him, and having seen the blessings that come from obeying him – we promptly went in the opposite direction, bought a house in a nice suburb in Cape Town, began to make plans for long-term ministry in the local churches, and gave a vague affirmation to God’s command “we’ll go in a few years, 5, maybe 6. Definitely before the kids have left home....”
Needless to say, less than 12 months later we were standing in the snow outside my parents house.
Our faithless actions were, by His grace, overridden. And they were faithless – we did not obey God’s obvious and clear command.
A couple I once knew had been dating for a few months. They claimed to be Christians, and so knew that sex was out of the question. But they wanted to have sex, but didn’t yet want to get married. What to do? They decided to pray, and “seek the Lord’s face” in this matter. They prayed and prayed, and amazingly God said “sure, no problem, have sex. You clearly love each other, so go for it”. Yes, God overrode his written, infallible word, with a message to two hormone-filled “pray-ers”.
Yes, we laugh, but how often do we pray similar prayers? They ignored God’s clear teaching in his word – in fact, simply avoided reading it or hearing it so they could delude themselves and disobey God – because they wanted to sin.In this section of Mark from 4:35 to 6:30 there’s a growing strong emphasis on faith and obedience. In fact, we see that obedience is the evidence of faith.
In the first story (that we looked at last week) we have the disciples facing a storm – and instead of trusting in Jesus (that is, faith) – they are afraid. The disciples are afraid of the storm – terrified that they are going to die! 4:38 “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Jesus saves them, and then rebukes them for their lack of faith “Why are you so afraid [of the storm]? Have you still no faith?”. They should not have been afraid of the storm at all – Jesus was in the boat.
The funny thing is, they are then even more afraid of Jesus! 4:41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
And in one sense that fear is right. A respect or awe of God is not wrong when he clearly is awesomely powerful!
Then in the next story, that of the demon-possessed man “Legion”. The demons are afraid of Jesus, and beg him to send them away, and not to “torment” them. 5:7 “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”
The people (Gentiles) in Garasenes are afraid of Jesus, and respond without faith. 5:15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. ...17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.
The formerly demon-possessed man, by contrast, responds in faith. He desperately wants to be with Jesus. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.
But Jesus says no, and instead gives him a task to do: “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
This unclean, demon-possessed man, the dregs of society, is commissioned as the first Christian missionary! (The disciples are only sent out in the next chapter!)
And he immediately obeys Jesus. 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marvelled.
Then we have a bleeding woman who has faith, faith that Jesus can make her clean (as her flow of blood would have made her religiously and in society “unclean”). Perhaps she’d heard of the leper – the unclean that Jesus touched and made clean. Faith that even a touch of his cloak would make her clean. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” But then FEAR as Jesus calls her forth – only to be commended for her faith. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith [in Me] has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
And, of course, Jairus, who is called on to not fear, but have faith in Jesus even in the face of death (36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” Have faith!), vs the crowd who laugh at Jesus (39 he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him.) So she was definitely dead – the mocking laugh tells us that.
Jesus sends them away, enters the room where the little girl lies dead, and taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl (or Daughter or “Lamb” or Dear One – Talitha was a term of endearment), I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. Who is this man, that even has power over death!
Jairus sees his daughter raised to life – the crowd are sent away, and see nothing – as do the people in his hometown, who take offense at him, and therefore see no miracles, receive no salvation, and Jesus leaves them.
Faith – faith in Jesus.
Without faith, we are lost.
But what is faith? Faith simply means “trust”, to depend on, to act on the basis of a belief. Faith is active – it changes how you live. Faith is not some mysterious spiritual exercise – we all have faith everyday in everyday things. For example, I have faith in this chair to support me. I put my full weight on it when I sit down, trusting that it won’t collapse! I believe that the chair will support me, then I exercise that belief in faith (active belief) by sitting on the chair.
But a chair is passive – it makes no demands on you, it just...is. It waits for you to sit on it. Jesus is different. Jesus demands your allegiance, because he made you. You belong to him. He calls you to listen to him and obey him. The essence of faith in Jesus is obedience.
Obedience is the evidence of faith. Look at King Herod and John the Baptist. Although Herod knows what’s right (he protects John from his wife, Herodias), he delays because he does not want to obey, repent. He fears men instead of God.
And eventually kills God’s prophet – and we find the result is that he is afraid and thinks Jesus is John come back to life and misses out on Jesus!
If you listen to Jesus and obey him, trusting that his words are true – you see the unclean become clean, you see dead girls raised to life, you see a legion of demons cast out at a word, you see storms stilled, demons silenced, paralytics walk, sins forgiven and you know the truth about the kingdom of God. And it is good.
But if you lack faith, or believe but don’t obey, you miss out. Jesus leaves. Jesus left them. Jesus went to the other side. Jesus went to the (other) villages teaching.
So, what about you? Do you trust Jesus? Do you obey his word, the Bible? Do you love listening to him? (It’s helpful to block off church and Bible study in your calendars – they should be immovable dates, the most important events in your weekly schedule.)
Because his words are the words of life.
Do you avoid his word?
Or run to hear his voice?
What do you find difficult to obey?
Where do you find you lack faith – the willingness to trust God’s Good Word?
Maybe it’s his claim that he is the ONLY way to God. There is no other way to be saved. It’s easier to ignore that, since then we don’t have to evangelise (tell others about him). But what do you think people would rather hear? The truth which leads to life or a lie which leads to death?
What about his views on human sexuality? He made us, so he knows what’s good for us. Sex is for marriage, a husband and a wife, and nowhere else. It’s designed to bind the husband and wife together – it’s their private love language, a true unity. Jesus has a high view of sex, a high view of the value of our bodies, the value of our sexuality. It is not to be trampled underfoot in pornography, adultery, pre-marital sex, or homosexual encounters.
What about his claim on ALL of life? That you are not your own, not the captain of your destiny? That you belong to HIM, and exist to please him and not yourself. Oooh, that hurts doesn’t it – hits right at our pride.
Whatever it is – kill it. Whatever or wherever you are refusing to obey Jesus (and avoiding the truth is also disobedience – we often avoid reading the Bible to avoid obeying!) – kill it.
Put your pride and foolishness to death and obey Jesus.
Because faith without obedience is no faith at all.
Inside with Jairus seeing the miracle of life and the power of God? Or shut outside with the mocking crowd?
Now you might be sitting there thinking – I’ve blown it. I’m no good. My faith is worthless. Jesus will leave me.
I know, because I was thinking that when preparing this.
And it’s wrong!
Remember what Jesus said in chapter 4 “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Hey, I’m a sinner! Woohoo. Jesus has come to call me!
So, confess your disobedience with a joyful heart because Jesus has already paid the penalty for your disobedience, and accepts you with open arms. Confess your sin, and turn away from it, and turn toward obedience, because obedience is the mark of true faith.
And faith, in Jesus, leads to life, and life in abundance!
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