Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.                   

John 19:1-3

Was it something that Roman soldiers commonly did?

They drew Jesus body into the holding cell. A blood stained line trailed where his feet dragged. His flesh was raw due to the horrific flogging he had just endured. Sweat covered his body. Tears rolled down his cheeks over the purple imprint that a fist had left.

He was broken.

But the soldiers weren’t done with him.

“This fella claimed to be the King of the Jews! Absurd, isn’t it? A carpenter becomes a king?”

Another soldier turned his attention to Jesus: “Well mister King sir. I didn’t realize we were in the presence of royalty. Allow me to get our things.”

They needed a crown. One fetched a  branch of a nearby thornbush. Using his hardened, strong hands he shaped it into a circle. Then, he pressed it firmly onto Jesus’ skull. The thorns acting as some sort of attachment to keep it from falling off. (Jn. 19:2a)

They needed a robe. One went to the nearby room and found a dirty outer cloak lying in the corner. It’s former royal red of the Roman army had faded to purple. Maybe it was the sweat. Maybe it was the dirt. Maybe it was the blood. The soldier came and threw it around Jesus’ shoulders.  (Jn. 19:2b)

They needed a rod. One grabbed an old walking stick from a nearby cripple. He laughed. “Here you go your majesty. May this rod serve you well as you dish out justice over the land.” (Mt. 27:29)

Then, two of them lifted him to his feet. The others stood in line to receive him. “Hail, King of the Jews!” they shouted. The first leaned in like he would kiss him. Instead, salive came out.

The rest followed suit. They laughed. They ridiculed. They mocked.

To them, he didn’t look like a king.

I. He Didn’t Look like Any Other King on Earth.

They were right. Jesus did not look like a king.

King come from royal families.  Jesus was a carpenter’s son. (Mk 6:3)        
Kings come from royal cities. Jesus came from lowly Bethlehem (Lk. 2:4) and grew up in the insignificant city of Nazareth. (Mt. 2:23)
Kings are wealthy. Jesus didn’t even keep the money bag for his rag tag group of followers. (Jn. 13:29)
Kings lived in palaces. Jesus walked around with “no place to lay his head.” (Mt. 8:20)
Kings surround themselves with warriors and nobles. Jesus angered the nobles – and his followers were fishermen (Mt. 4:18), tax collectors (Mt. 9:10), and political activists (Mt. 10:4)!

Besides that his own people didn’t respect him. The Jewish people were the ones who had arrested him. They were the ones who had accused him or crime. They were the ones who wanted to kill him. They were the ones who had rejected him.

He had let them. Usually kings stand up and fight. You are nervous around them. They are warriors.

Jesus? He had gone quietly. He hadn’t spoken at his trial. He quietly took the beating they had just given him.

 King of the Jews? Not at all. If he was a king, he was unlike any other king on earth.

They didn’t realize how right they were.

II. He Wasn’t Like Any Other King on Earth.

Countries are different. The rulers of these different countries have different things that they ‘in a sense’ rule over. Things their countries becomes known for. In the Middle East, they control oil. In China, they control the clothing trade. 

Jesus controlled things too. Things that were much different than any other king on earth.

·         He ruled over the wind and the waves commanding them to stand still at attention—which they did.
·         He ruled over the tiniest of germs ordering them to leave—which they did.
·         He ruled over palsied limbs and broken legs imposing on them that they return to doing their job—which they did.
·         He ruled over death demanding that it release those he had taken captive – a little girl, a young man, a dear friend –which death did…without so much as a defiant look.

Jesus had control unlike any other king on earth.

Earlier on that very day, the governing official of that Roman province had questioned Jesus. He had gotten to the point and asked, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

Jesus response was telling: “You are right in saying I am a king…but my kingdom is not of all this world.” (Jn. 18:36)

Jesus’ kingdom wasn’t a fortified city in the Roman Empire. It wasn’t as far as the eye could see from the palace. It wasn’t a tropical island paradise. It wasn’t a blizzard chilled icy empire.

Jesus ruled in hearts. He shared God’s law to cause people like you and me to cower at our sins. He then shared God’s Gospel to bring you and I to faith in his power to forgive.

It’s why he didn’t care about setting up a palace or gathering a political following. All he cared about what bringing people back to God.

III. Jesus had a kingdom unlike any other.
 
1,355, 692, 576 people live in China. 1,236, 334, 662 people lie in India. 318,892, 103 people live in the United States.

That’s a lot of people. The rulers of each of those countries cannot and will not ever possibly know everyone they rule over personally. That’s impossible. They might be able to get a good idea of you when needed to scour through internet collected data via the CIA, but still. They don’t know you.

Jesus has even more subjects than that, yet knows all of them on a personal level.

He knows you on a personal level.

He knows your struggles. He knows your fears. He knows your sin. He knows your guilt. He knows your shame. 

In fact, that’s the very reason he was standing, a bloody mess before those Roman soldiers. He knew your sin and he knew how to save you from it. He knew that his death would free you from the rule of sin. He knew that his death would free you from the consequences of having sin as your ruler. He knew that his death – would gain you access into his forever kingdom—a place not of this world—heaven. 

IV. Jesus has a personal connection to his subjects unlike any other. 

Recently President Obama has issued a few executive orders. These orders change the laws of the land. They are commands that the whole country listen to. 

Jesus also has issued executive orders. But they have less to do with illegal immigration and health care. Jesus spoke about your spiritual health. He issued awesome truths about your soul: 

"My sacrifice works for the forgiveness of your sins." 
"Through faith in me you are forgiven." 
"Whoever believes in me will not perish, but have eternal life." 

The soldiers were right. They had a king standing before them. But if they didn’t know it then, one day they will realize it.  Philippians 2 tells us, “at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”

It is my prayer that you do not join these soldiers in rejecting Jesus. It is my prayer that you see him for who he truly is, a king unlike any other. The king of the Universe. Your king. Amen.

Do you remember the Presidential Physical Fitness test? It was a test for Middle schoolers to see how physically fit they were. You'd be tested on how many pushups you could do, how many situps you could do, and how fast you could run the mile. 

I thought I was going to get the highest level of fitness for sure. I was tall and good at basketball. No problem testing to the top, right? 

Then...the V-Sit and Reach. 

Basically you had to sit with your legs in a v shape (no more than a foot apart) and reach 6 inches past your toes. 

I couldn't even get to my knees. 

That's what tests do though. They measure where you are at. They tell you if you really are where you think you are. They let you know if you need to improve. 

Over the Lenten season there is alot of spiritual exercising going on. In confession we turn to the LORD for forgiveness and ask for strength to fight against sin. 

It's the perfect time for a test!  A faith test. 

Over the next weeks we will look at Old Testament believers whose faith was put to the test. As you hear about them, please consider your own life. How is your faith? Strong as it needs to be? Does it need to be stronger? How does God say that our faith is strengthened?


I.                  The Test for Abraham: “Give Up…

Take a look at the test God had for Abraham. This is from Genesis 22. God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

Sacrifices and burnt offerings might seem strange to 21st century America, but these were very common in that Ancient farming culture. Think of it like God asking you for money today. It’s why we call it an offering – it’s not easy to part with. Back then it wasn’t easy to part with an animal or the fresh crop of corn, but it wasn’t unheard of either.  Burning some of your food was a way of saying – “I am thankful God has provided this for me and I know He will provide more for me.”

God’s request of Abraham was not ordinary.  God’s Words to Abraham emphasize just how difficult this would be:

·         Your Son. It wasn’t his grain offering. It wasn’t some vegetables. It wasn’t a goat. It wasn’t a lamb. It wasn’t even the fattened calf. It was a person. His own son. His own flesh and blood. Abraham would be sacrificing his own DNA: his blue eyes, his jutted chin, his round nose! This was the one he was supposed to be protecting.

·         Your Only. Abraham and his wife Sarah had been waiting for children for years. Genesis 12 first records Abraham’s longing at 75 years old. That was when God first promised him and his wife a Son. It wasn’t until he was 100 years old when Isaac was finally born to Him. Can you imagine the joy Abraham felt?  Can you imagine what he felt when God asked him to give it all up?

·         Whom You Love. As you might expect, Abraham didn’t tolerate Isaac. He didn’t like him. He wasn’t simply ok with him. Abraham loved him.

·         Your Son --Isaac. When God said his name, it became very personal. God wasn’t asking for some nameless goat. He wasn’t asking for an inanimate bag of wheat. He was asking for Isaac – his personality, his voice, his being. God was asking him to give up his farming protege, his friend to play a game of catch with, and a pupil to lead through life.  

Over this past week there was a lot of Snow Days here in NC. That sounds like a lot of fun time with your kids. Time as a family. Time together.

Did you feel the same way when it was done? Waking up to the sounds of arguing over the iPad? The constant clanging of Superman action figures? The marathon of the Frozen soundtrack in the background?  

As trying as your kids can be on your patience, what would it be like if you lost them?

If you get that, then you get how hard this test was for Abraham.

II. Abraham’s Response

How do you think Abraham might react to God’s difficult request?

For starters, he could waste some time. He could put it at the end of his to do list and get to it when and if he ever has time. He could keep Isaac around until after the next harvest – get some final work out of him. He could even wait one more day just to spend some quality time with his son.

Would you fault him? Probably not. We have a hard time doing what God asks – and he hasn’t even asked us to do anything that difficult.  

·         “OK. I hear you God. You want me to join a church and get involved on a weekly basis. But I’m busy with my career now. I’ll have to t to it later on.”

·         “God, can you take a rain check on getting that sin out of my life? I’m just not feeling ready to live without it just yet.”

·         “God, I’ll get to working on my addiction. I promise! Just let me have one more puff, one more drink, one more scouring of the internet for pictures. When that’s done, then I’ll get rid of it.”  

We might expect Abraham to waste time, delay, and put off God’s request. It’s what we do on a daily basis with sin – things we should get rid of for our own good!

Abraham did none of that. 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.

Did you catch that? There were no delays. There was no distraction. There was no putting it off. Abraham got up, got ready, and got going on what God wanted him to do.

That’s trust. Trust with No Hesitations.

Even if Abraham was following God without hesitation, we still might expect him to complain about – to mutters they journeyed to the mountain, to have a mind racing with Hebrew expletives against God for making him do this, to tell his servants – “Don’t think bad of me, this is all God’s fault.”

Again – would you be upset with him if he did? This is another common human practice when God asks us to do something hard.

·         “The only reason I’m not joining you guys for way too many drinks is because of my religion. Jesus can  be kind of a bummer sometimes.”

·         “I stopped watching that TV-MA show because church keeps making me feel guilty about it. That’s what church does. Makes you feel guilty.”  

·         “Fine. I’ll go to church. I know that I’ll get my faith strengthened, I’ll be encouraged, and get to eat some donuts, but I won’t be happy about it. Even though it’s three hours later than when I have to wake up during the week – God I’m not happy about it. I could be sleeping!”

·         “Another email from Pastor about inviting people to church! He even quoted a Bible passage telling us to do it. Ugh! Put it in the SPAM folder.”

Abraham could have done that. That would be understandable. We complain about things God tells us are good for us: going to church and leaving sin.

But Abraham didn’t complain. Check out how he describes his task to the servants with him:  He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Amazing, right? Abraham doesn’t define this task as a joke, annoying, or worthless. He doesn’t even consider it a terrible task from a terrible God. He calls it worship.

That’s trust. Trust with No Complaints!

Then, as Abraham is getting closer to the mountaintop, Isaac speaks:  “Father?...The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Wow. That’s hard. Isaac’s voice is calling to him. What are you doing? What’s going on here?

Whether Isaac meant to or not –and who could blame him if he did mean to – Abraham’s actions are questioned.

Are you doing what’s right?

Are you sure you want to go on without Isaac?

Is this the God you really want to serve?

If there was ever a time for Abraham to turn, back now would be it!

That too is something that is common amongst humans. We make plans to follow God. We are excited to listen to him. Then, just when it’s about to happen – someone gets in our head. Another person. Our own desires. The devil himself. These voices get in our head and cause us to turn back:

·         “I was planning on moving out from my live in boyfriend and wait until marriage to have sex, but…he told me he really loves me. I trust him more than you God.”

·         “I was in the middle of installing the Internet filter on my computer, but then…I thought of all the fun that porn gives me. I don’t want to give that up.”

·         “I was planning on reading my Bible during Lent, but then I’d have to give up the marathon I set up on Netflix! I just can’t do it.”

Woe to us human. We love to turn back from our plans to TRUST and follow God.

But Abraham? Listen to his answer. “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Simply amazing. We struggle to say no to the sinful voices that sinfully tempt us to sin – which is bad. Abraham hears the innocent voice of his son – who maybe – just doesn’t want to die and Abraham trust God. There is NO TURNING BACK!

III. God Provided

Then, we reach the climax. It’s time to see if Abraham will go through with it. Time to see if he really trusts God. 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. Abraham was going to go through with it. 

But God wasn’t.

The angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham!...Do not lay a hand on the boy, do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

It doesn’t say it, but I bet Abraham sighed and then gave Isaac a big hug. He had passed the test.

But perhaps you are wondering about the how? How did Abraham pass the sacrifice his son test?

Hebrews 11:17-19: By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.”

Do you see how Abraham did it? He held to the promise that God provided. God had promised that Abraham would have grandkids through Isaac. Isaac hadn’t had any kids yet. Therefore, Abraham figured God couldn’t be done with him. He had promised otherwise. So…if Isaac died, then God would just bring him back to life.

That’s pretty amazing faith. But it only happened because God has provided the promise.

But God wasn’t done. Read verse 13. "13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.”

Can you imagine the rejoicing? Abraham because his son was alive. Isaac because he was alive. Both of them because God was good.

Do you want a faith like Abraham’s?

“I don’t see how I could do that pastor. That faith is just too incredible.”

But remember Abraham’s faith was only strong because of what God provided. God has provided for you too the exact same things he provided Abraham.

First of all, God provided a substitute for you in a very similar way to the way he provided a substitute to take Isaac’s place.

True, it wasn’t on Mt. Moriah, but on Mt. Calvary.
True, it wasn’t tangled up in thorns, only his head was covered in thorns.
True, your substitute wasn’t a ram; it was a close, domesticated cousin – a lamb – the Lamb of God.

Just as the ram in the bush was Isaac’s substitute so he wouldn’t die, so Jesus was your substitute so you wouldn’t die eternally for your sins.

For all the times you hesitated to trust God, you should have died – Jesus died in your place.
For all the times you complained while obeying his will—Jesus died in your place.

For all the times you have turned back from doing what God wants you to – Jesus died your place.

Jesus was your substitute.

Secondly, God also provided promises to you. The reason Abraham had such a strong faith was that he had such strong promises from God.

You have similar promises. And…better than Abraham…you don’t have to just remember them from way back when God spoke it. Someone wrote them down for you! In a book. A book that we have plenty of copies of. A book that we study every Sunday at church!

Think about some of these promises. They will help you do the tough things:

·         When your friends threaten to unfriend you won’t join them in their sinful activities, REMEMBER: God has promised he will never leave you.

·         When you are tempted to choose sin, REMEMBER: God has promised that His way is better.

·         When you are overwhelmed and feel like there is no time for God, REMEMBER: God has promised to bless all who spend time with him.

·         When you are tempted to stay away from church, because you did something bad and God couldn’t possibly love you REMEMBER God has promised that his love for you is eternal…a love he proved on the cross.

·         When something is hard or difficult REMEMBER: God is stronger. God is with you. God’s strength will not leave you.

CONCLUSION:

Before Abraham and Isaac left that mountain, Abraham gave it a new name. Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. Whenever he started to have doubts, he could remember that mountain. Remember that the Lord would provide…and do anything God asked.

May the same be true for you. When your faith is being attacked, when your trust is being tempted, when you have doubts –anytime you have doubts— head to the Mountain. Head to your mountain. See God provide a substitute. See God provde you promises. TRUST: The LORD will provide. Amen.

Tragic.

I don't know any other word. This past week in Chapel hill three young Muslim students were killed over a parking spot. 

This was tragic for so many people and so many reasons. 

Tragic for those students. They had so much promise and a full life ahead of them.
Tragic for their families. Their hearts will be broken and struggling to heal for years.
Tragic for our community. Fear, racism, and anger continue to divide us.
Tragic for our country. Politicians and the media will use this death to confuse issues, meet agendas, and make campaigns successful. 

But you know who this was most tragic for?  

God.  

Wait. What?  


Take a look at the following Bible passage:
 

Do you see what God did? God loved these three so much that he came to earth to live perfectly for them when they couldn’t. He died innocently for them the death they deserved. He rose triumphantly for them to proclaim that heaven is theirs as his gift. He has been calling out for them to believe that his Son did this!

They were Muslims. Their faith didn't believe this. 

And someone ripped them away from this world before they could.  

That’s an eternal tragedy. 

But there is more at stake than that.  

Our world was already filled with enough hatred, misunderstanding, racism, and mistrust. This tragedy will only heighten all of that ugliness. It will segregate, dissect, and separate our society even farther. Conversations will be harder. Dialogue will be tougher. Sharing the message of Jesus will be all that much more difficult. 

As God’s spokespeople – as Christians – we might be tempted to give up:

“It’s too dangerous out there.” 
“No one will trust me.” 
“I’m angry.”
“I’m confused.”
“I’m scared.” 
"I can't."

Our world is very dark right now. Bu do not hide in the darkness.

As God’s spokespeople – as Christians – we might be tempted to give in: 

“I’m angry.”
“I’m not responsible.” 
“I’m being blamed?”
“Who cares then!”
"I won't."

Our world is very dark right now. But do not become a part of the darkness. 

Jesus said this. I think it's as important now as it was when he spoke it: 

 “You are the light of the world…People do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:14-16)

As God's spokespeople --as Christians -- we might be tempted to give up or give in, but we must do neither. We must give out. 

The Bible records another dark time. 

It was evening. Jesus was in a lonely garden.  A band of men came to arrest him. Torches, swords, and anger surrounded him. He was handcuffed, slapped and arrested. 

Then it was night. He went to a dimly lit courtroom. Still dark. He was blindfolded. Even darker. He was punched. “Who hit you!?!” He was hated. 

Then it was morning. It was bright for a moment. Then, he was whipped. Then scourged. The pain from his back beckoned for him to black out. 

Then it was noon. He was nailed to a cross. The cross was jammed into the ground. The sky turned to darkness. Jesus’ eyelids grew heavy. The light was slipping.  

Then it was afternoon. He shouted. He sighed. Then….he was silent. 

The light was gone.  

But three days later, the light returned. Jesus burst forth from the tomb. He had conquered the darkness of death. He had defeated the darkness of sin. He had destroyed the sad darkness of this gloomy earth. 

He had a new message. A message centered in the light of forgiveness. A message surrounded in the love of God. A message promising the eternal light of God’s presence to all who believe!

Then he left.

But before he left he made this command and promise. “Go and make disciples of all nations…and surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” (Mt. 28) 

The point? The light never left. The light is in you. The light is with you. Let HIM shine!

Be kinder than you’ve ever been.
Care more than you've ever cared. 
Prayer more vigorously than you've ever prayed. 
Tell others about the hope you have in Jesus more confidently, more lovingly, and more often than you ever have before. 

Let your light shine brighter than ever!

*Over the past couple of months, we've seen some creative hash-tags used to draw attention to different struggles:

#BlackLivesMatter
#PoliceLivesMatter
#MuslimLivesMatter

God doesn't have a Twitter account. But if he did, I think he’d have his own spin on this: 

#EternalLivesMatter

May this heart of God be our heart as well. 

Join me in saying prayers for the families of all involved with this tragedy. 
Join me in staying calm and patient in the midst of heated anger. 
Join me in bringing love to every person we encounter in the Triangle. 
Join me in shining brightly in the darkest of times. 

It was incredible. 

While Jesus was teaching, a man possessed by a demon had interrupted him. He had shouted at Jesus. He had challenged him to show his power. Jesus did just that. With mere words, he defeated he demon. The man was released by the demon. He was healed. 

As Peter watched this, something cliicked in his mind. A question. A thought. 

Could Jesus do the same thing with a fever? 

Granted a fever is not the same as a demon. A fever is an inanimate virus. You can’t just speak it away. You need medicine. But Jesus certainly had incredible power. His mother-in-law had been sick at home. Her fever was bad enough that she had missed today’s activities by being in bed. They could go the herbals and medicine route, fill her with water and wait. Or...since Jesus was powerful enough, maybe he'd be compassionate enough too...

“Hey Jesus! You busy tonight?”

I.  Compassionate…To Close Friends

29 As soon as they left the synagogue they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her.  

Jesus doesn’t make excuse. He doesn’t mention that he’s off the clock. He doesn’t say that he needs to get home. He doesn’t get annoyed that he’s been asked to do another miracle. He doesn’t refuse because there’s not a large crowd there to watch.

31 Jesus went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

Notice what he uses to heal her. It isn’t Nyquil, Dayquil, Robitussin, Theraflu, Tylenol Cold & Flu, Advil Cold & Flu, or even a bowl of good old fashioned chicken soup.

Jesus went to her, took her hand and helped her up.

This isn’t just coincidence. She had been in bed before this. She was tired. Her body was probably achy. Her knees shaking. Her hands were probably doing that things where they were sweating from within, but cold and clammy to the touch. She was in no condition to do much of anything.

But as soon as Jesus touched her that changed. She began doing things just like many other loving mother-in-lawn who expect company. She waited on them! Maybe she fixed her hair, cleaned up in the corner of the room, delivered everyone some appetizers, set the table, and put a pot on the stove for a meal.  

You know--things you don’t do, when you have a fever.

This is amazing. Another incredible miracle of Jesus. One that wasn’t so life or death. Yet – one that he performed. It shows his COMPASSION. Compassion for his friends.

What about you? If you are Jesus' friend there is reason to be encouraged. He is loving and compassionate to his friend.

But what if you aren’t sure if you are a friend of Jesus? What if you haven't treated him much like a friend lately? What if you barely spend any time with him (at church), never speak to him (in prayer), and list him at the bottom of your priority list (below work friends, Hulu friends, and just about anything else.)

Even if you think you have been a good friend, certainly you'd agree that you aren't at the same level as Jesus' disciples were. You weren’t in his inner circle. You weren’t invited to intimate meals with him. You didn’t stay up late telling stories with him. You weren’t one of Jesus’ closest friends. 

Why then would Jesus help you? Is he compassionate to those who aren't his friends? Or is he like other humans who kindly bring their friends a lemon tea when they are sick, but complain to the boss that your 'non-friend' co-worker is "pretending" to be sick!

Think Jesus is like that? 

Read on...

II. Compassionate…To All Who Seek Him

32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Can you imagine what that night was like? (Good thing Peter’s mother-in-law was up and ready to serve.) Disease after disease. Sickness after sickness was knocking at the door.

“Is Jesus here? I ran back to my house after what happened at the temple today because…well…here is my daughter. She isn’t feeling well. Can you help?"

“Hey Jesus, this is my grandma. She has cancer. Can you help?”

“Hi Jesus. My great uncle Mordecai is back there. He didn’t come to the door because he has leprosy. Can you help?”

“Hey Jesus. *Cough *Cough* I have a cold. Can you help?”

Some who came to that door were probably deathly sick. Others maybe not so much. But it didn’t matter. Jesus had compassion. He healed them. He had compassion and healed all who sought him.

He never stopped and said, “No not you. I don’t like you.” Or “I will heal you, you, and you…but not you because you like the Tarheels.” NEVER! Jesus had compassion on all who sought him. No matter who they were!

No matter who you are. No matter what is wrong. Jesus has compassion for you.

Keep that in mind. There is zero reason for any of you to feel like Jesus won’t help you! We just saw it. He listens to all who approach him. He has compassion for all! He has compassion for you. 

Maybe you know this, but do you practice it? When you are sick, what do you do? Look up your symptoms on WebMD? Head to Walgreens? Ask around for a good doctor? 

Those are all fine. But did you notice what was missing? Why not do what the crowd does first of all? Why not ask Jesus for compassion!?!

You don't even have to go to Simon Peter's house to find him. 

Feeling bad at work? Go to him in prayer.
Sneezing in the car? Go to him in prayer. 
Headache keeping you in bed? Go to him in prayer. 

He is compassionate to all who seek him!

III. Compassionate…By Doing Nothing!?!

Now. Perhaps you are thinking. "Fine. But why doesn’t he help me? Why doesn’t he listen to my prayers? Why hasn’t my financial situation gotten easier? I've had arthritis for years. I"ve prayed for it to get better. It hasn't. It has gotten worse!?! Why hasn’t my friend gotten better? Why aren’t I in better health? Why did my dear friend have to die? Why does Jesus continue to help me by doing nothing!?!"

"Maybe he's uncompassionate after all."

The mood has changed. So has the narrative: 

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" 

It’s easy to understand why Jesus went off by himself. He needed a little bit of a break. He needed a rest. A time to reflect on yesterday and a time to get guidance for the coming day. He needed some quiet time with God. (Something that…if you don’t take time to do, I highly recommend it. God loves to hear from you and speak to you in his Word. Grab a bible. Grab a coffee. Start off your day with God.)

But then the disciples come after him. A little groggy-eyed, but moving quickly. As soon as light had hit people started showing up at the house. Peter’s mother-in-law was entertaining again. The disciples were saying things like “I’m sure he’ll be back any moment.” Maybe – Matthew had stayed back at the house to entertain the visitors with the best Tax Collector jokes that he knew. But these people needed Jesus. They wanted his compassion.

We’d expect Jesus to give it to them. He is compassionate after all. In fact, there’s another instance in the Bible when a very similar situation happens and Jesus goes out to the people out of compassion.

This is why his response is so surprising.

38 Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." 

Does that seem unfair to you? Does that seem like Jesus doesn't have any compassion?  Maybe he's tired. Maybe he's selfish. Maybe he's annoyed. But not compassionate. 

Are you sure? Listen to him explain himself: “Let us go…so I can preach. That is why I have come.”

A couple of weeks back we heard a sermon that said JESUS IS URGENT. In that sermon Scripture recorded that Jesus began his ministry by preaching. He preached, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near."

This is what Jesus came to do. 

In our text, Jesus could have returned. He could have healed people. He could have helped them all day long with their physical desires an their physical health. Once he got rid of all the serious stuff he could have moved on to less serious stuff. He could have helped people lose weight. He could have given people 20/20 vision. He could have made money appear magicaly in people’s pockets.

But he didn’t. He didn't because there was a much more serious matter to address. 

Sin.

If all he did was play pro bono doctor all day long, then he wouldn’t have gotten around to preaching God’s Word. He never would have gotten around to healing what really mattered. The sin sick heart. A problem that results in guilt, shame, death, and eternity in hell!
 
If Jesus would have ignored this problem, then he’d be like the doctor who sees the cancer on the MRI, but only prescribes a Band Aid and some Neosporin to get rid of the hangnail. 

Jesus knew better. It’s why he said no. It’s why he moved on. It’s why he had to preach. It’s why He was compassionate by doing nothing!

Maybe that’s the answer. Maybe that’s the answer for you.

Are you sick? Do you hurt? Have you been going to Jesus in prayer because of arthritis? Have you been calling on him to heal your terminally ill relative? Have you been praying every morning, afternoon, and evening for his compassion and help?

Good. Keep doing that. He hears you.

But perhaps he won’t respond as you like. This isn’t because he isn’t compassionate. It isn’t because he isn’t compassionate for you. We just saw that in today’s lesson.

But perhaps it is because He is compassionate. Because he does love you. Because he loves you more than you can imagine.

Thinks of what happens during sickness. You are more connected to Him than ever. It’s the sad truth of the human spirit. God wants that for you. God wants you connected to Him. He wants you to believe in Him, to trust in Him, to grow in his Word, to come and hear the Gospel about Him, because Jesus is the only one who can save you from an eternity in hell. He is the only one who can save you from your sins!

So understand this: Jesus has compassion for you. This is truth! Even when he does nothing, he has compassion for you. He has compassion for your body, yes. But he is most passionate about showing compassion for your souls.

                He died to heal you from the guilt of your terrible sins with God’s forgiveness.
                He longs to heal you from the shame of your past actions with God’s love.
                He desires to heal your nervousness of God's approvals with the promise of His peace.
                He wants so very badly to heal your loneliness with his eternal presence.

In Jesus he does just that.

More than preach about it, Jesus accomplished the message of his preaching. He lived perfectly, died innocently, and rose triumphantly for the forgiveness of your sins and the salvation of your soul. This isn’t something you deserve. This isn’t something you could do on your own. This is something he did out of his compassion for you.

I was having a spiritual conversation with a fried recently. She was very sad. She had a lot of guilt on her shoulders. She had lost her job. She admitted it was mostly her fault. Her child had suffered because of it. There wasn’t enough clothing. There wasn’t enough food. There wasn’t always a good place to live.

Now she realized it. It ate away at her. She was heartbroken.

But then…God. Colossians 2:13 is what did it.

“When you were dead in your sins…God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.”

Now the tears were different.
Now they were tears of thanksgiving. 
Now they were tears that had experienced compassion. 
An otherworldly compassion. Jesus’ incredible compassion.

May his healing compassion be with you always! Amen. 

Ever notice how children’s books always paint Jesus with a smile?
 
He holds the kids. He smiles at the kids. He feeds them Gogurts. He’s always happy.

Jesus certainly is kind like that. There are plenty of occasions that is true. But is Jesus always like that? Is he just an ancient Mr. Rogers?

I don't know. You tell me:

• Would Mr. Rogers stand on the temple steps screaming at a group of people, "Woe! You Blind Guys. You Brood of Vipers!"
• Would Mr. Rogers head to the temple and turn over tables while rushing people out of the way? 
• Would Mr. Rogers turn to all the other people in his "neighborhood" and say to them, "You wicked generation!” 

No? Not even if Trolley the Train called him a bad name?

These are things that Jesus did. He isn't always so warm and fuzzy. He isn't a pushover.

Jesus is COMBATIVE.

*******************************************************************************************************

I.                    Whose Side Does He Fight On?

Take our text for this morning from Mark 1 to see Jesus show his combative side: 

Jesus went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-- the Holy One of God!"

Notice what it says in our text. Jesus was in the temple preaching. Things were going well. People were impressed by the authority with which he preached. When along comes a man who was possessed by an evil spirit!

What do we know about evil spirits? To put it simply: Evil spirits are evil. This isn’t just because they have the word “evil” in their name either. A few Scripture sections describe to us how evil spirits came to be:

• 1 Peter 2:9 “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell.” This is a passage focusing us on the seriousness of sins – but we learn something about evil spirits in it. They were angels. They sinned. Sin is opposition to God. Therefore – evil spirits are angels that rebelled against God. 
• Luke 10:18 “I saw Satan fall like lightning.” Jesus described what that event was like. It seems that Satan himself – also an angel – led the rebellion. He was cast out with his army of evil spirits – those opposed to God. 
• 1 Peter 5:8 "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion waiting to devour you.” He’s not only against God. The devil is against you. God’s goal is to save you. The devil’s is to destroy you. 

Evil spirits are evil! ‘Nuff said!?!

Now look at the words of the evil spirit when he sees Jesus. He doesn’t give Jesus a high five. He doesn’t say, “Long time no see bud.” He doesn’t offer to buy Jesus a drink.

He’s terrified. He knows what it means to see Jesus – and Jesus is not one of his buds. Look at verse 24. “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?” The evil spirit sees Jesus and assumes – a fight is coming. They are not on the same side.

So what does all of this mean when it comes to determining whose side Jesus is on? Think about it: If evil spirits are evil and Jesus is against evil spirit, then Jesus is good.

That’s exactly what the evil spirit calls him, “the Holy One of God!”

Now don’t misinterpret that phrase. I fear that the definition has been lost and changed in Modern Society. Kinda like how the Word “organic.” It used to mean “absolutely zero chemicals or pesticides of any kind in use.” Now it means “we paid a fee to tell people that we don’t’ use a lot of pesticides.” Holy, in God’s Word” means “zero bad.” It doesn’t mean “relatively good in comparison to others.” It doesn’t mean “a smidgens of evil.” It doesn’t mean “99.9% good.”

Holy means completely, utterly, 100%, certified, grade A good! That’s Jesus. Completely, utterly, 100%, certified, grade A good!

II.    Which Side is More Powerful?

Jesus and this demon are on opposite sides then. It sounds kind of scary too. There’s bound to be a fight. Because this demon was powerful. Look at what it says about the man, “the man was possessed by an evil spirit.” Possession means that the spirit had taken over. He took over his body. He took over his intellect. This evil spirit was in complete control of this man.

Think of how scary that is. The man had no control over what he said. The man couldn’t feed himself when he wanted. In extreme Biblical cases, the demon would cause the man to harm himself without any provocation or convincing. If you’ve ever seen a demon possession movie, know this: the real thing is REAL and twice as scary.  If you haven’t seen those movies, don’t go watching them. There’s no reason for you to be influenced by such powerfully evil stuff.

Demons are obviously more powerful than humans. Even in today’s society – when possession is thankfully less common – demons work to tempt us into sin after sin.

Jesus is more powerful than your average human. But as this demon possessed man approaches, one might expect a UFC like showdown. Punches. Swords. Divine headlocks!

Not so much.

“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” (v.25)

The demon? He doesn’t have a snappy comeback.  The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. (v.26)

Did you see how amazing that was? Jesus didn’t pull out a sword. He didn’t shoot fireballs at the demon. He didn’t evil call on any of his disciples for help. He simply spoke and the demon was defeated. The crowd is impressed too. The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.” (v.27)

This whole approach of mere words winning a fight probably won’t work later today at the Super Bowl. As impressive as Tom Brady can be, if all he did was step out on the field and say, “Leave you Seahawks,” I’m thinking it doesn’t’ have the same effect. Same thing in boxing. Imagine the great Muhammad Ali, who had a lot to say, stepping into a boxing ring, taking off his gloves, not throwing a punch, and simply saying, “KNOCKOUT!” It probably wouldn’t be long before he was on the floor.

This is the awesome power of Jesus. Jesus is all powerful. He is more powerful than any evil spirit. He defeats them with mere words.

What Does this Mean for you?

You might be thinking. This is nice. It sounds kinda like my son’s Spiderman comic book. Good beats evil. Great. But what does this have to do with my everyday life.

More than you think.

Here are three take home points to remember from this lesson:

1. What Jesus says is GOOD.

It is so very common in our American society to call Jesus out and label him evil because some of Jesus’ ideas don’t fit into today’s society. I was reading an article on the Huffington Post the other day. It was all about how to spot subliminal hate speech. The claim was that saying “homosexuality is sinful” is downright evil. But even using phrases such as “traditional marriage” is hateful. It implies that homosexual marriage isn’t real marriage. The article was purporting that such kind of speech not be tolerated and stopped because it was so evil.

Hmmm. Churches didn’t get this from themselves. Jesus himself was a proponent of marriage. He said, “For this reason a man leaves his father and mothers and is united to his wife, and the two become one flesh.” (Mt. 19:5-6)

IS that hate speech? IS that evil?

This isn’t the only accusation against Jesus. The world will claim:

• Jesus spoke of sexual immorality as wrong. He endorsed being completely pure and saving yourself as a virgin until marriage. Society says “That’s preposterous” and if you bug someone about it being sinful, you should butt out of their life because you’re making them feel guilty. You and this Jesus are evil.
• Jesus endorsed the Old Testament in which God repeatedly caused harm to people. How awful! Is Jesus condoning the violence of God against the Old Testament Israelites? Evil. 
• Jesus said, “I am the Way – no one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn. 14:6) If such an idea were posted on a blog – wait to see how long it takes to get that thought flagged and taken down by the moderators who are getting rid of ‘evil language’ - -Jesus’ language.

Do you see why this lesson is important? There’s no doubt that Jesus and modern society clash. That’s not in question. The big question is who is right? Who is on the side of good and who is on the side of evil?

Let’s talk elementary for a moment:

What sound does a cow make? A cow moos. It makes cow sounds. How about a dog? A dog barks. Simple enough. Dogs say dog things and cows say cow things. A cat cannot not cluck and a chicken cannot meow. That’s not who they are.

Jesus is Good. Holy. 100% all the time good. What he says is good. 100% all the time good.

Therefore, when it comes to the case of Jesus versus modern society who’s right? Who’s good and who’s evil? Scripture says this in 2 Corinthians 11:14 “Satan masquerades as an angel of light,” which means that sometimes things that look good, nice, and not very harmful – are terrible wrong and harmful.

Who do you trust? The ones who follow demons or the one who drives them out?

This leads to an important question. Why is there such a disconnect? Why do Jesus and society not mesh? Why are there passages in the Bible that you read and disagree with? Whose fault is it?

Remember: It can’t be Jesus. He is always good. Therefore, if you disagree…if you think differently…if you do differently,…if you say differently than Jesus, who’s wrong? (CLUE: It’s not Jesus.)

BOTTOM LINE:  If You are Doing, Saying or Thinking Something that’s against what Jesus says – You’re Wrong! It can’t be Jesus. It must be you!

Do you realize the plight of our situation? Do you realize the sad state that our sin filled souls are in? Join me in pleading with the apostle Paul: “Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ Our Lord.”

Hear Jesus’ call in these words: “Repent. Turn from evil. Turn back to God.” 

3. Jesus is Your Help against Evil.

Evil is the very reason Jesus came to earth in the first place. He came down to earth to eradicate the world of the evil that the devil had brought into it back at the garden of Eden. There wasn’t a day of Jesus’ life that there wasn’t a battle. Demons, temptations, and the devil were surrounding him. But Jesus never fell. He never lost. He was undefeated in every temptation battle he entered. He’s the undisputed champion of eternity.

Even when it looked like he lost as he hung on the cross, things weren’t as they seemed. On that cross, Jesus won the final victory. He defeated the devil. He crushed evil. Three days later, he demolished death.

Then, with the same powerful voice that he used to run the demon out of the temple, Jesus speaks: “You are forgiven. You are my brother. You are a soldier in the army of the LORD! Come and fight with me.”

So…fight! Fight evil. Fight temptation. Fight your demons.

Thankfully demons aren’t manifesting like they did back at Jesus’ time, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t demons you have to face. Alcohol. Drug addiction. Pornography. Sexual temptation with your girlfriend. Going too far with your boyfriend. Hatred and anger all over social media. The temptation to be cool and abandon God.

There’s so many temptation demons around it’s scary!

But you aren’t alone. Jesus – the One who hates evil and who is vehemently stronger than it – is with you. Call on him. Pray for his blessing. Use his Word to banish temptation. Call on a Christian friend for support. Head to church to strengthen your spiritual fighting muscles.

And look forward to The Day—the day when all this fighting is over, the day when weary spiritual soldiers rest their feet, the day where you stop fighting, the day when God takes you home to be with Him and celebrate his Gospel victory party. Amen.