Omnipotent – Yet Prudent! Mark 3:9-12

Text: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30.

          “Behold (look, and fully understand), My servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.”

Isaiah 52:13. 

Good morning, prudent Christian!  You, like the author, when Spirit-empowered and used of the Lord God to do some service to King Jesus Christ – have learned the lesson well, that it is most prudent to give God the glory, and to acknowledge at all times, His power at work.  Praise God for prudent Christians who have served the Lord God without seeking to steal His glory for doing so!

“I am the Vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for (a conclusion) without Me ye can do nothing.”  (John 15:5)

In today’s selected verses of our Marching In Mark series, we find the Lord Jesus exercising Divine prudence instructing His disciples to procure a “…small ship…”, for them to escape from the multitude, “…lest they should thong Him.  For He had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon Him for to touch Him as many as had plagues.”  (V.9-10)

The Lord God is never the author of confusion, and instructs you and I and all His ‘church’ to perform our duties to Him in a manner that is at all times done, “…decently and in order…”

“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”   (1 Corinthians 14:33)

“Let all things be done decently (properly) and in order.”                           (1 Corinthians 14:40)

Dictionary Definition: Prudent – (adjective) cautious and wise in conduct; discreet; characterised by, behaving with, showing, having or dictated by forethought… (The Chambers Dictionary, page 1326)

Using what I have referred to as our ‘sanctified imagination’, we can paint a picture of what was taking place at that time.  Great crowds from Galilee, Judaea; from Jerusalem and Idumaea; beyond Jordan; and even from Tyre and Sidon had heard that Christ was come and was performing wondrous miracles of healing; and delivering many from demon possession.  Is it any wonder that these multitudes had sought to bring their sick, diseased, and demon-tormented family members and friends to Jesus to be healed? 

“For He had healed many (not all!); insomuch that they pressed upon Him for to touch Him, as many as had plagues.  And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell down before Him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.”  (V.10-11)

The Lord was, no doubt, swamped by this great thong of needy people, imagine the scene, people pleading, crying, screaming out to be healed; screaming out for the Lord to heal their loved ones and friends; even the very demons of Hell were falling down before the Lord of all life, for all Hell knew that Jesus was the Christ of God; God the Son, the Creator Lord of all things!  All had to yield before the Almighty Lord of all life.  Hallelujah!  Glory to the Lamb!  

The scene was a scene of pure mayhem and uproar, and amazement!  Therefore, the Lord Jesus sent His disciples to procure a vessel to take Him and his group out of the immediate area of confusion, and even charged the demons that they should not make Him known.

“And He straitly charged them (the unclean demons) that they should not make Him known.” (V.12)

The Lord Jesus, throughout His earthly ministry, never sought fame, or publicity, He always acted with great Divine dignity, prudence; and humility.  What a Saviour/Lord!

Look also at the enemies of Christ, what they were doing while observing all this miraculous activity; all this Divine healing and putting souls at peace by the Lord Jesus.  For in doing so, we who seek to follow and serve the risen Lord today shall be forewarned of similar danger, hindrance, and ill-will.

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“It is good for all Christians to keep this before their minds. Wherever we go, and whatever we do, let us remember that, like our Master, we are “watched.” The thought should make us exercise a holy jealousy over all our conduct, that we may do nothing to cause the enemy to blaspheme. It should make us diligent to avoid even the “appearance of evil.” Above all, it should make us pray much, to be kept in our tempers, tongues, and daily public demeanour. That Saviour who was “watched” Himself, knows how to sympathize with His people, and to supply grace to help in time of need.” (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

With all this opposition, Spiritual warfare, in mind therefore, we 21st Century Christians – Bible-believing and born again – should be mightily encouraged by the fact that even the “…unclean spirits…” knew exactly who the Lord Jesus Christ was at that time.  Not only did they know that Jesus was “…the Son of God…”; but because He was also God the Son, with a Name that is above all names; they had to also “…fall down before Him…” (V.11)

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name.  That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven…earth…things under the earth…to the glory of God the Father.”  (Phil. 2:9-11)

Thought:  Jesus Christ: Omnipotent, yet remaining prudent, Lord God Almighty.

Good Or Evil? Mark 3:1-8

Text: “And He (Jesus) saith unto them, ‘Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil...?'”

Mark 3:4.

Good morning, Spirit-led Christian!  Being made free from the letter of the law by Christ Jesus, you walk at perfect liberty in the paths of the Holy Spirit - happy indeed are you!  Your own personal, Spiritually regenerated, conscience determines your actions, not some rigid list of dos and don’ts - and that’s how the Lord God always intended it to be.  Amen!  (2 Corinthians 3:3-6)

The letter of the Mosaic Law killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.  But what exactly does such a Scripture verse mean?  More precisely, what does it mean for your Christian life and for mine?  What understanding of God’s Way does such a statement impart?

Our Bible-reading for today furnishes us with the answer - learn the lesson and live at liberty in God the Holy Spirit.  (Romans 8:1-14) Amen.

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”  (Romans 8:2)

God gave the Law to Moses for one profound reason - to show His called-out people that they, by their own efforts, could not keep God’s Commandments; to reveal unto their rebellious hearts how short humankind has fallen, and will always fall, of God’s perfectly righteous standard, as manifested, exclusively, in the Person of His Son Jesus Christ.

Since Adam and Eve sinned through disobedience in Eden - all born in their fallen image have fallen short of God’s glory; fallen short of the original glory God gave His perfect human creation on the sixth day. 

“...There is none righteous, no not one...there is no difference; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God...”   (Romans 3:10;22-23) (Psalm 51:5) (Job 14:1-4)

If mankind were capable of keeping the Law of God, Christ would not have had to suffer for us on Calvary’s Cross.  It’s as profoundly simple as that.  (2 Corinthians 5:21) (John 3:16)

Once regenerated, or born again of God above, in Christ Jesus, and through faith in His Atonement at the Cross, we are indwelt by God the Holy Spirit, and He guides us into all truth.  (John 14:26) (John 16:7-15)

Therefore, we are no longer under bondage of the Law of Moses, we are led rather by the Spirit of God, to do what pleases God, in Christ, according to His Word revealed to us in our Bibles.  (Romans 6:6-18)

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)

By faith we enter into co-Crucifixion with Christ on the Cross, that is, our old sinful natures are nailed to Christ’s Cross by faith, and we seek to live in newness of life by the power of God’s Spirit contained in the new nature God gives us when we are saved.  (John 14:16-17)

This does not mean we never sin again.  But WHEN we do sin, we immediately discern the weight of sin’s conviction and turn from it to repentance and progressive sanctification.  Thus, we are indeed FREE!  Hallelujah!  We now know the Truth (Christ Jesus) and the Truth makes us free.  What a Saviour!   What grace indeed!  (John 8:32)

Our anti-Christian enemies will always seek to find fault in us, and there are plenty of faults to find in each of us.  But there is no fault to be found in Christ Jesus, our Saviour/Lord.

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“These verses show us our Lord again working a miracle. He heals a man in the synagogue, “which had a withered hand.” Always about His Father’s business, —always doing good, —doing it in the sight of enemies as well as of friends, —such was the daily tenor of our Lord’s earthly ministry. And He “left us an example that we should follow His steps.” (1 Peter 2: 21.) Blessed indeed are those Christians who strive, however feebly, to imitate their Master!

“Let us observe in these verses, how our Lord Jesus Christ was watched by His enemies. We read that “they watched Him, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath Day, that they might accuse Him.”

“What a melancholy proof we have here of the wicked­ness of human nature! It was the Sabbath Day, when these things happened. It was in the synagogue, where men were assembled to hear the word and worship God. Yet even on the day of God, and at the time of worshipping God, these wretched formalists were plotting mischief against our Lord. The very men who pre­tended to such strictness and sanctity in little things, were full of malicious and angry thoughts in the midst of the congregation. (Proverbs 5:14)

“Christ’s people must not expect to fare better than their master. They are always watched by an ill-natured and spiteful world. Their conduct is scanned with a keen and jealous eye. Their ways are noted and diligently observed. They are marked men. They can do nothing without the world noticing it. Their dress, their expenditure, their employment of time, their con­duct in all the relations of life, are all rigidly and closely remarked. Their adversaries wait for their halting, and if at any time they fall into an error, the ungodly rejoice.”  (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

Go to, then, Spirit-led Christian.  As the Lord leads, seek always to do good and not evil.

Thought: For Spirit-led believers – in a sense, there is no Law!  (1 Timothy 1:9-11)

Christ’s View of ‘Legalism’ Mark 2:18-28

Text: “…Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Thy disciples fast not?”

Mark 2:18.

          “And the Pharisees said unto Him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

Mark 2:24.

 Good morning, sinner saved by God’s Grace!  Unlike the legalists, concerned more with the do’s and don’ts of humanistic religion than being ‘born again’ of the Spirit of God,  you have been made Eternally FREE from all mere efforts of fallen flesh to obtain Eternal Salvation. 

Yours is a Gospel of DONE, rather than a list of rites that must be strictly performed before Salvation is humanly achieved.  You actually believe the cry of triumph from the Cross of Christ – “It is FINISHED!”  Hallelujah!  All necessary for the Salvation of sinner’s souls was once-for-all-time FINISHED, COMPLETED, by Christ at Calvary’s Cross.  Hallelujah!  What a Saviour!

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration (being born again), and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of Eternal life.”   (Titus 3:5-7)

Sinners – you and I – are saved by God’s Sovereign grace, or we are not saved at all.  Fact!  We cannot convince ourselves of our own sin, for we are born naturally selfish, proud, and self-righteous in sin; nor can we obtain, seek, or possess the faith and repentance from sin necessary, in order to even think of ourselves as sinners against God, or needing His Eternal Salvation. 

The Salvation of sinners like we, Spiritually dead in sin and trespasses, comes to us exclusively by God’s working in us, ‘His people’, granting us His gifts of faith and repentance, and calling us with His effectual calling to Salvation in Christ alone.

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual.  BUT the natural man (unsaved) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are Spiritually discerned.”     (1 Corinthians 2:13-14)

Faith in Christ and repentance from sin are both gifts of God – given only to those whom He has elected to save, from before the foundation of the world.  If we are not blessed with those two gifts from our Sovereign Lord God – we can never be saved by humanistic works.

“For by grace (unmerited favour from our Sovereign Lord God) are ye saved though faith; and that not of yourselves (we cannot earn it, work towards it, our inherit it by human will): it is the gift of God: not of works (human deeds, human will), lest any man should boast.  For we are His workmanship, CREATED in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained (preordained) that we should walk in them.”  (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Legalism Defined: “Legalism: strict adherence to law; the doctrine that Salvation depends on strict adherence to the law, as distinguished from the doctrine of Salvation by grace (theology); the tendency to observe letter or form rather than spirit, or to regard things from the point of view of law. Legalist (noun): someone inclined to legalism; someone knowledgeable about the law.”  (The Chambers Dictionary, page 919)

The late Free Presbyterian Pastor, Alan Cairns, defines legalism as: “The dogma of Salvation by works, the heresy that man must earn a place in Heaven by his personal righteousness…Neonomianism: the theory that woks of obedience are a constituent part of saving faith, rather than its natural fruit…As is often popularly expressed, ‘God has done His part, now it is up to you to do your part.’  In the scheme of the Neonomian, ‘…this doing is the condition of Salvation; it is not the fruit of the free gift of saving faith, Sovereignly imparted by God to His elect.’” (Dictionary of Theological Terms, by Alan Cairns, page 211) 

From verse 18, through to verse 28 of our selected Scripture from Mark’s Gospel, the Scribes and Pharisees revealed their total reliance on such legalism as strict conditions for Salvation: Fasting, Do and Don’t Works; Sabbath Observance – are all set forth in faithless opposition to the freedom of God’s grace being offered sinners by the Lord Jesus Christ.

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“How was it with the Galatian Church? It is recorded in St. Paul’s epistle. Men wished in that Church to re­concile Judaism with Christianity, and to circumcise as well as baptize. They endeavoured to keep alive the law of ceremonies and ordinances, and to place it side by side with the Gospel of Christ. In fact, they would fain have put the “new wine into old bottles.” And in so doing they greatly erred.

“How was it with the early Christian Church, after the apostles were dead? We have it recorded in the pages of Church history. Some tried to make the Gospel more acceptable by mingling it with Platonic philosophy. Some laboured to recommend it to the heathen by bor­rowing forms, processions, and vestments from the tem­ples of heathen gods. In short, they “sewed the new patch on the old garment.” And in so doing they scattered and broadcast the seeds of enormous evil. They paved the way for the whole Romish apostasy.

“How is it with many professing Christians in the pre­sent day? We have only to look around us and see. There are thousands who are trying to reconcile the service of Christ and the service of the world, to have the name of Christian and yet live the life of the ungodly, —to keep in with the servants of pleasure and sin, and yet be the followers of the crucified Jesus at the same time. In a word, they are trying to enjoy the “new wine,” and yet to cling to the “old bottles.” They will find one day that they have attempted that which cannot be done.” (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

Thought:  Christ came to set us free from sin by His free grace – let us not seek to drink His new wine from the old bottles of humanistic legalism.  The Truth has set us free!