Our lesson this morning is gonna
be taken from Mark chapter three. We've been going verse by verse
through the book of Mark. And we're gonna be looking at
chapter three, verses seven through 12. So if you wanna put a marker
there in your Bible. The subject of these verses as I read through them, is talking
about a great savior. A great savior. He's not a savior. He's God's savior. God's in him. And he is God. God come into the flesh. Mark
chapter three beginning with verse seven. This is after his confrontation
with the Pharisees. And the Pharisees went to the
Herodians, you remember the lesson from last week, and they took
counsel together how they might destroy the Christ. And then in verse seven it said,
but Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea. He left that synagogue, he left
the company that he had there and the people that he gathered
there. He withdrew himself with his
disciples to the sea and a great multitude from Galilee followed
him. And from Judea. And from Jerusalem. and from
Idumea, and from beyond Jordan, and they about Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, he says, when they heard what great things
he did, came unto him. Now in our days, at least in
my lifetime, I've not seen any great multitudes seeking the
Lord. I've not been a witness to that.
I've not seen that. I've seen great multitudes flock
to churches and flock to hear famous evangelists and flock
to hear great music, but I've not seen any great multitudes
in my lifetime who came seeking the Lord. I've seen rather a few here and
a few there. And I don't suppose if we took
those coming to Christ around the world in any given day in
our generation that they would amount to even a portion of this
multitude that came out to hear Him and to see Him and to perhaps
even touch Him. This was a great multitude. Now I want you to notice this,
and maybe this is something that you've never even thought about
before, but there were synagogues in all of those places that he
just mentioned. He just left a synagogue when
he came to the sea. There were synagogues in all
of these places All of these cities, and there was rabbis
appointed over them, and people attended those places. Jerusalem,
which he mentions here, that people came from Jerusalem, that
was the place of the temple. That was the capital, so to speak,
of Jewish religion. That's where the Sanhedrin dwelt,
the high council and the high priest. They all lived in Jerusalem,
and that's where the temple of God was. But here on a lonely
stretch of beach is the son of a lowly carpenter with a handful
of fishermen as disciples, and untold thousands, thousands left
their daily routines and left their cities and left their synagogues,
left their families and came out to see this man. What was it that caused these
multitudes to seek this man Jesus? What brought them out to see
him? What was the draw? What caused the men and women
of that day to leave their homes and jobs and daily responsibilities
and come to see and hear and maybe even touch this man called
Jesus? Well, he tells us in our text,
they followed after him when they heard what great things
he did. I believe this is still true
today. I believe it's as true today as it was in that day. When a person hears in his heart
the great things that Christ has done, he'll get everybody
he knows to come with him and see this man, seek this man. Nobody's interested in religion
except as it's pressed upon them as a duty. I was talking to somebody, oh,
this has been years and years and years ago, about the difference
between grace and law and works. And they said, well, if you have
no law, if there's no teeth to the law, then what's going to
keep folks coming? What's going to keep them there? And that's what I'm saying. These
people came to these places. They weren't interested in religion
as such, but the fear had been pressed upon them. It's come
or else. Do this or else. Walk this aisle
or else. Christ didn't present that to
the people. He didn't present that to the people. They heard
what great things he had done. Nobody even sent them a personal
invitation, but they came because they heard. I believe that's just as true today
as it was then. Now here's a man who doesn't
even have the sanction of the Jewish hierarchy. He has no diploma,
no recommendation, no pharisaical dress. He didn't wear the broad
phylacteries and yet thousands had gathered around him and have
journeyed a long way and passed by all these synagogues and rabbis
and even the temple to hear this man. Why? They heard what great things
he had done. In Mark chapter 5 and verse 19,
having cast out the demons out of the Gadarene demoniac whose
name they called Legion. He was sitting there dressed
and in his right mind, and he sought the Lord that he might
go with him. He didn't want to return to the
caves, and he didn't want to return to the city. He wanted
to be with the Savior. And that, I believe, is the desire
of every man who's had that Demoniac rule of Satan overthrown and
put into his right mind and put into his proper dress He wants
to be with the Savior He desires to be in his presence But the Lord said to him go home
to your friends Now listen to this and tell them what great
things the Lord has done for you Huh? Why? Because when they hear about
those great things, they're gonna come to Him. They're gonna come
to Him. When will men and women ignore
their religious routines and worldly ties and begin to seek
the Lord? I believe when they hear what
great things the Savior has done. Everything He has done, is doing,
and shall yet do is great, because He is great. He is great. The light He brought into them
in darkness, who sat in darkness, it says was great light. Great
light. He's the light. He's the heavenly
light. He's the light of the world.
There's no light anywhere else except in Him. You want to know God, this is
the only place you can know him, in Christ. It's great light, great light. The reward given to us in heaven
because of his accomplishment is called a great reward. Great multitudes followed after
him. The calm he commanded on the
troubled sea, it said, was a great calm. And his coming again will be
with great glory. Everything he did was great because
he is great. He's the pearl of great price. Isn't that what it says? He's the great God. He's called
the great shepherd of his sheep. His voice, John said, when he
heard it on the isle was a great voice. His sword that he saw
in his hand was called a great sword. His throne is a great
white throne. And we overcome all of our enemies
because greater is he that's in you than he that's in the
world. He's a great savior. Everything
he does is great because he is great. There's nothing great
about the Jesus of religion. Listen to him describe him. Everything
he does is dependent on you. He can't do anything, his hands
is tied. He has no feet. I've heard preachers
say this, he has no feet but your feet. Has no hands but your
hands. Wasn't your hands nailed on that
cross, it was his. Wasn't your feet that carried
that cross, it was his. He's got hands, he's got feet.
My hand's not shortened that I cannot save. You see what I'm
saying? He's a great savior. And everything
he does is great because he is great. And what brought this
multitude out of the woodwork was hearing what great things
that the Lord had done. And my friend, people seek the
God-man mediator or the savior of sinners and reconciler of
men when they hear how great things he has done. All right,
preacher, what great things has he done? What has he done? Well, he's volunteered and struck
hands with the Father, so to speak, making himself the surety
of his people. When did he do that? Before the
foundation of the world. He agreed of his own will. He agreed to satisfy God on their
behalf. He agreed to provide for them all that God demanded. What does
God command? He demands perfection. He's God. Christ is the standard. He set
a day in which he'll judge this world in righteousness by that
man. What kind of righteousness did
he brought out? What kind of righteousness describes
his walk? Perfect righteousness. He exalted
the law and made it honorable. Religion had dishonored the law.
You that say thou shalt not kill, do you kill? Isn't that what
Paul asked those Pharisees? Do you commit adultery? Our Lord
said to look on a woman in lust after her is to commit adultery
already in your heart. And I'll tell you what the law
says, cursed is everyone who continueth not in all things
written in the book of the law to do them. Well, who did them? I can't do them. Who did? He
did. He did. He agreed to provide
for them everything that God demands from them. He agreed
to represent them in a divine union. What does that mean? That
means God chose us and put us in Him, in Him, before the foundation
of the world. Why did he put us in him? That
we might be holy. Isn't that what scripture said? That we might be holy. I'm not
holy outside of him, but in him I'm holy. Without blame. Where is the man who can hold
his hand up and say I'm without blame? You can't, but you can
in Christ. You see what I'm saying? There
was a divine union. what the old writers called a
covenant union, whereby God put us in union with his son. He
made his son the surety of that everlasting covenant of grace. He volunteered as a man to be
made under the law, volunteering to satisfy divine justice by
taking our place before God. When God smote him, he smote
us. The chastisement of our peace
was laid on him. He bore our iniquities. He bore
our sin in his own body on the tree. He agreed in this everlasting
covenant to reign over all things and arrange all things for the
good of our souls and the glory of his name. And therefore we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called, according to his purpose. What has he done? Well, when
the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made
of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under
the law. That's why he had to become a man. He become one with
us. He took our place before that
holy law of God and he obeyed that law in every jot and tittle.
He said not one jot or tittle is gonna be removed from this
law until the whole law is fulfilled. When he cried on the cross, it's
finished, that's what he was talking about. It's finished.
Every precept was kept. Every demand was fulfilled. It's finished. The man-child was born of the
seed of David, whose name was called Jesus. Why did they call
him Jesus? For he shall save, now listen,
his people from their sins. Why? Because that's what he agreed
to do. That's what he volunteered to do. And redeem them he did. Made them righteous he did. Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone to believe in. Reconcile them to God, he did. Ascend unto heaven for them,
he did. He sat down at the right hand
of the Father to make intercession for us. We live daily because
he's at the right hand of God making intercession for us. At the Father's right hand sits
a man given all power over all things in heaven and earth. And
there he watches over us and arranges things for us, provides
for us, gives us all things necessary for our salvation. What's necessary
for our salvation? Local churches. Huh? They're the pillar and ground
of the truth, that's what Paul said. Not gonna be any truth
proclaimed outside of the church of the living God. They have
the truth, they have the light. He organizes them here and there
and wherever he will, he raises them up. Raised up seven of them
in Asia. Talks about them in the book
of Revelations. Sends his preachers. How you
gonna hear without a preacher? And how's he gonna preach except
he be sent? Sends his spirit. I can preach
all day long if his spirit doesn't attend the message, he's not
gonna do a thing for you. Just like water off a duck's
back. And when it's all over and the
last of his elect is gathered in, then shall he suddenly appear
in the clouds with great glory and all the glory of his father's
house. I know that Mark chapter 3 is
not talking about the mystery of godliness, God coming into
the flesh and so on. I know that these great things
that were told these men were great things as to his casting
out demons and cleansing the lepers and healing the sick,
restoring the lame. That's what, those were the great
things, but those things were pictures of what we are spiritually. And so I'm not defrauding the
scriptures a bit when I talk about his accomplished salvation.
In fact, our Lord said one time when he was healing a man, he
said, they said, now wait a minute,
you can't talk like that. You should have said, Be healed, not thy sins be forgiven
thee. Why did he say, he said, which
is easier to say, be healed or thy sins be forgiven thee? Because
it's talking about the same thing. That's why he said it. And so
I'm not defrauding the scriptures when I use these truths. These same miracles all testify
of his salvation. Christ is the object of our testimonies
and Christ is the object of the ministry. Paul said the preaching
of the cross to them that are perishing is foolishness. And
foolishness it was to those Pharisees and Rodians. It was absolute
foolishness to them. But unto us which are being saved
it is the power of God. This is where the light shines.
This is where the power is. Paul said, I'm not ashamed of
the preaching of the gospel. It's the power of God unto salvation. Wasn't a lot of religious talk
and mystique that drew the people to Christ. It was his great name
and the great things that he did. And notice how great the draw
was. from everywhere, from everywhere. They didn't stay home and say,
well, maybe he'll come this way one of these days. No, no, that's
not what they said. And you know why they didn't
say it? Because God made his plague known to men. They inquired as to where he
was And they packed up and went where
they heard that he was. These were desperate people. These weren't people with a headache.
These weren't people laid on their light bill. These were
desperate people. He'd healed many insomuch that
they pressed upon him for to touch him, and as many as had
plagues. They were not people with small
problems. They had plagues. Plagues in
the Bible represents affliction due to divine retribution. Leprosy especially. But also like the plague of locusts
and frogs and so forth down in Egypt. It had to do with divine
retribution. And I'm told also that a plague
is an infectious and usually fatal epidemic, like the bubonic
plague. There's no cure. No cure. And sin, in a spiritual sense,
is a plague. It has no cure. It's infected
all mankind. By one man, sin entered into
the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all
men. We all bear that plague. We come forth from the womb,
David said, speaking lies. Man at his best states, altogether
vanity. We all bear that plague. You
hath he quickened, he says in Ephesians 2, who were dead. You were dead. Oh, I was alive. No, you were dead. Moses and Aaron cried to the
Lord when God cursed Miriam and gave her leprosy. Oh, don't let
her be as those who are dead while they live. That's what
sin is. It's a living death. A living
death. It's a disease that strips a
person of the essence of life. And they're still breathing and
still walking around and still above ground, but they're dead
while they live. And in our case, it's not so
much that the word is not going out as it is that nobody's aware
of the plague. You know, leprosy was a disease
that remained hidden on the inside for a while, and then it showed
up on the outside. That's sin. That's sin. Men and women basically believe
they're all right except for a few flaws. Their speech could
use a little soap and water from time to time, and they could
use a little reformation in their habits. They could be a little
nicer than what they are, a little more civil and a little more
understanding. But all in all, they're in pretty
good shape. They give to worthy causes. They're
pretty good parents. They're pretty good citizens.
They attend church sometimes and pray occasionally. But we don't hate God. Huh? You do if you don't bow to Him. You do if you don't love Him
with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. You do if you don't
keep his law perfectly. We found ourselves to be haters
of God. What a revelation that was to
this poor sinner when he realized what sin really was. Wasn't so
much what I did as it was what I am. I'm the sinner. God, have mercy on me, the sinner. Men don't believe they have spiritual
natures of evil. And certainly nothing worthy
to be called Antichrist. Oh, my soul. But if it's contrary
to Christ, my friend, it's Antichrist. That's what Antichrist means,
against Christ. Men are spiritually ignorant.
But they don't know it. Nobody's desperate. But when
God reveals the plague, a man gets desperate. And then he don't
want religion. Religion's not going to do him
any good. They had plagues. And those in the synagogues,
the rabbis and whoever was there, couldn't do him any good. But
this man could. How'd they know that? They heard
it. You know old Bartimaeus used
to sit outside Jericho? He can see. How come? That man gave him eyes. You know
that old Gentile, that leper came over here and bowed down
before him and said, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean?
He made him clean. Or maybe he can do something
about my plague. Let's go find him. Where's he
at? The last I heard, he was out
on the shores of Galilee. Let's go, let's go. And they came from everywhere.
Wouldn't it be something in our day, wouldn't it be something
if God would reveal his plague in men? Wouldn't that be something? Now there's a handful of us preaching
the gospel. We're telling what great things
the Lord has done. But nobody's interested because
they don't see the plague. But oh my soul, if God would
reveal that plague to them. If he would convince them by
his Spirit. See, that's the first work of
the Spirit, is to convince us of sin. He's gonna convince the
world of sin. Maybe he'll do that. But I guarantee
you one thing, if he does, they're going to find that man who's
preaching Christ and they're going to come listen because
he's the only one who can do them any good. I'll tell you,
I washed my hands of religion when God revealed to me what
sin was. I needed to hear something about
someone who could do something about my sin. Huh? Then I went and found him. I'd
drive 50 miles to hear him, but I drove 50 miles gladly and heard
him. And after I heard him, I said,
this is where I'm going. Y'all go where you want to. This
is where I'm going. This man has the gospel. This
man's sin of God. And he's dealing with the whole
book, not part of it. And this man's preaching Christ.
And he's preaching to Christ, who's doing great things. He's a great saint. And I tell
you, people from everywhere come to hear him, because God revealed
that plague in us. Maybe he'd be pleased to do that
today. Wouldn't that be something? Thank you.