Bible Commentaries
Mark 2

Verses 1-12

TITLE: Who Can Forgive Sins TEXT: Mar_2:1-12 PROPOSITION: I must learn how to forgive. QUESTION: Who? KEY WORD: Types SCRIPTURE READING: Mar_2:1-7 INTRODUCTION:

1. Story of the faith of 4 friends of a paralyzed man.

2. Some were critical of Jesus offering forgiveness.

3. Who can forgive sins but God alone?

Define - Forgive - forgive vs. forget Word means = send away, let go, release from debt, turn loose, not hold on to Types of forgiveness Total - complete = Only Deity can erase the guilt of sin Jer_31:34 - Forgive AND forget Preacher, elders - cannot forgive sins, (priest and confessional) We pray for forgiveness from God - then inform the church of repentance I can forgive when someone asks We MUST forgive - Luk_17:3-5 Church, family, friends, non-Christians I can forgive when they do not ask My choice is to confront or forgive ( Mat_18:15-17 ) Big issue - can't ignore it - Confront Little thing - don't make a fuss - let go I can forgive when they will not ask Filled with resentment, anger, denial They feel they have done nothing wrong Reason for taking others with you ( Mat_18:15-17 ) I can forgive myself Psa_51:1-15 - my sin is ever before me Most difficult - let go, learn from

SERMON #2

TITLE: Jesus They Never Saw TEXT: Mar_2:1-12 PROPOSITION: While we see the physical, we often miss the spiritual truths before us. QUESTION: Which? KEY WORD: Truths READING: Same INTRODUCTION:

1. Review the story of our text.

2. Most sermons focus on the faith of the 4 friends.

3. Today I want to focus on the Jesus they never saw.

WHILE THEY WERE WATCHING A LAME MAN WALK - THEY NEVER SAW: They were in the presence of deity

1. Mat_1:23 - called Emmanuel - God with us

2. Joh_1:14 - word became flesh, dwelt among us

God's Love in Action

1. Joh_15:13 - Great love has not man than this

2. Joh_3:16 - for God so loved the world

The sacrifice of Jesus

1. 2Co_5:21 - became sin for us,

2. 1Jn_2:2 - He is propitiation for sins of the whole world

Hope of resurrection and eternal life

1. Joh_10:10 - come that they might have life, more abundantly

2. Joh_11:25 - I am the resurrection and the life

Forgiveness was offered

1. Before there was physical healing - there was forgiveness

2. The people did not feel the need for forgiveness

3. They argued the “right” to forgive

Grace made available

1. Tit_2:11 - Grace has appeared to all men

2. Eph_2:10 - Saved by grace

Compassion driving to action

1. They say the action - not the motivation behind it

2. Today - many see our actions - not our motives, feelings, emotions

Power of God

1. Reason for the healing - know the power to forgive sins

2. Miracles done - so that we might believe - Joh_20:30-31

3. Joh_10:18 - I have the power to give my life, no one takes it from me

The gospel demonstrated

1. The REAL good news was forgiveness

2. They focused on the temporary, visual, physical, material things

Verses 13-17

TITLE: Eating with sinners TEXT: Mar_2:13-17 PROPOSITION: As we try to reach the lost we face some real challenges. QUESTION: What? KEY WORD: Attitudes SCRIPTURE READING: Same INTRODUCTION:

1. We face a real challenge.

2. We must eat with sinners - friends, associate, encourage, minister

3. 19:10 - Seek and save the lost

4. We must NOT condone sin, support error, fellowship darkness

5. Eph_5:11 - Have no fellowship with works of darkness

6. Joh_1:10-11 - Do not bid him Godspeed

7. Corinthians 6:17-18 - Come out, be separate, touch not unclean thing

8. How can we fellowship with sinners and not fellowship their error?

9. How can we associate with them and not condone their life?

Matthew - tax collector - “Meet my friends”

1. Jesus called him - 14

2. Had a dinner with all his tax collector friends - 15

3. Cornelius - call friends and kinsmen - Act_10:1-48

4. Modern term = Web evangelism

Scribes and Pharisees - critical, drunk, glutton, low life

1. Eating with sinners - low life

2. Luk_7:34 - Wine bibber and glutton

Jesus Response

1. Text - Who needs a doctor, sick or well?

2. See Luk_14:12-15 - Invite the poor, lame, blind

3. Luk_19:9-10 - Zaccheus - Salvation has come to this house

4. Parable ( Luk_14:16-24 ) Excuses - go to handicapped, then hedges

5. Mat_21:31-32 - Harlots enter ahead of you

6. Joh_8:11 - woman taken in adultery - Go and sin no more

Missed opportunities

1. Right after conversion - they know more non-Christians

2. Longer in the church - fewer non-Christians we know

Our challenge

1. Not to associate with each other - only - Mat_5:47

2. To fish for men - Go where the fish are

3. Call sinners to repentance

Verses 18-20

TITLE: Why Fast TEXT: Mar_2:18-20 PROPOSITION: There are right and wrong reasons to fast. QUESTION: Why? KEY WORD: Reasons SCRIPTURE READING: Same INTRODUCTION:

1. Difference noted - John fasts, you don't. How come?

2. Some fasts were required in Law of Moses.

3. Most fasts of Jesus time (every 2nd and 5th day of week) imposed fasts

4. The topic of discussion with Jesus centers on the purpose of fasting.

Valid Reasons people fasted

1. To get well - proper diet will help with stomach problems

2. When in distress, grief, loss - 1Sa_1:7 (Hannah)

3. Danger - Est_4:16 - Esther going before the king

Wrong Reasons people fasted

1. Anger - 1Sa_20:34 - Jonathan was angry

2. Sulking, pouting - 1Ki_21:4 - Ahab could not but Naboth's vineyard

3. To be seen of men - Mat_6:16 - Show everybody your dedication, humility

God's Reasons for people to fast

1. Humility - Psa_35:13 - Humbled my soul with fastings

2. Prayer - often connected with fasting

3. Spiritual renewal - Isa_58:1-8 - Study this text closely

Conclusion:

1. Fasting - purpose - withdraw, introspection, soul searching, seeking

2. Fasting is for times of separation, loss, grief - not for a party.

Verses 21-22

TITLE: New Wine in Old Skins TEXT: Mar_2:21-22 PROPOSITION: Christianity is a brand new religion. QUESTION: What? KEY WORD: Applications SCRIPTURE READING: Same INTRODUCTION:

1. Some think this passage approves drinking wine.

2. Some use this text to change the teachings of the NT.

3. Some see in this scripture a need to restructure the church, worship, etc.

Discuss how this verse is misused today

1. Change agents - accept the NEW we are preaching

2. You (religious conservatives) are the old skins and old shirts.

3. We (religious liberals) are the new skins, new shirts

4. Social drinkers - try to say Jesus approved drinking wine

What does the passage say?

1. New cloth (unwashed, not shrunk) on an old (washed and shrunk) garment.

2. Dye will bleed over, new cloth will shrink, the hole will be bigger than before.

3. New wine = fresh grape juice in an old skin (dregs inside, cracked, brittle)

4. Juice was not put in to ferment it, but to prevent fermentation. ( Luk_5:38 )

Show proper understanding of passage

1. Psa_119:83 - I am like a wineskin in the smoke. (Dried out, brittle, burned up)

2. Matthew Henry on Psa_119:83 - “He was become like a leathern bottle, which, if hung up in the smoke, is dried and shriveled up.”

Old Garments and New Patches

1. Baptism - not a new patch on circumcision

2. Communion - not a new patch on table of showbread

3. Church - not a new patch on Judaism

4. New Testament - not a new patch on Law of Moses

5. Law of Christ - not a new patch on the 10 Commandments

6. Sunday - not a new patch on Sabbath worship

Applications for today

1. You do not mourn (fast) at a wedding, but at a funeral.

2. Jesus did not come to patch up the old, worn out, religion of Judaism.

3. He did not come to preserve this old system with a new patch.

4. Jesus is teaching a new religion - laws, faith, doctrine, hope, salvation.

5. Christianity is not an old patched, fixed, repaired and re-conditioned faith.

6. The religion of Jesus Christ is BRAND NEW!!

7. We must avoid being - old, dry, worn out, shriveled up, burned up (or out)

Verses 23-28

TITLE: Jesus is Lord TEXT: Mar_2:23-28 PROPOSITION: Jesus must be Lord of All. QUESTION: Why? KEY WORD: Meanings SCRIPTURE READING: Same INTRODUCTION:

1. Many call him Lord - But he is not. Luk_6:46

2. God made him Lord. Act_2:36

3. He is Lord of heaven and earth. Mat_28:18

4. He is ALSO Lord of the Sabbath. Mar_2:23-28

5. Is Jesus your Lord?

6. Greek word "kurios" = Four definitions

Ownership A. Does Christ own you? B. "My body. I can do what I want." C. He bought us with his blood. Eph_1:7 1Pe_1:18-19 D. Are you bought with the blood of Jesus? Master A. We must choose a master. Mat_6:24 B. Christ should be only one. Mat_23:10 C. Obey the master's will. Luk_6:46 D. All property belongs to our Master. All we have belongs to God. Psa_24:1 (cattle); Hag_2:8 (gold & silver); 1Ti_6:8-19 King A. Jesus is the King of Kings. 1Ti_1:17 1Ti_6:15 Rev_17:14 B. For Jesus to be our King we must be in Kingdom. Church is the kingdom. Mat_16:18-19 Col_1:13 - translated into the kingdom C. Enter Kingdom (enter Christ) by baptism. D. We must obey the King. Reverence, Respect, Fear A. Gentiles did not fear God. Rom_3:18 Profanity, Immoral lives, Ignore the Bible B. Christians fear God. Act_9:31 - Church will grow. Php_2:12 - Motivates us to save ourselves. 2Co_5:17 ; 1Pe_3:15 - Try to save others. 2Co_7:1 - Urges us to be holy. Rev_19:5 - Cause us to worship God. C. Solomon summed it up. Ecc_12:13 Is Jesus your Lord? If not now - in eternity. Php_2:9-11