1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:04,040 Well, please open your Bible at Mark’s gospel and chapter 4. 2 00:00:05,800 –> 00:00:09,880 You’re looking from Mark chapter 4 verse 35, right through to 3 00:00:09,880 –> 00:00:13,760 the end of chapter 5, quite a long section today and let me 4 00:00:13,760 –> 00:00:18,840 just try and remind us where we come to in Mark’s gospel at this 5 00:00:18,840 –> 00:00:19,600 point. 6 00:00:20,120 –> 00:00:23,080 You remember that Jesus came proclaiming that the kingdom of 7 00:00:23,080 –> 00:00:24,500 God is near. 8 00:00:24,940 –> 00:00:29,879 That’s chapter 1 and verse 15, the blessing of life under the 9 00:00:29,879 –> 00:00:30,580 rule of God. 10 00:00:30,620 –> 00:00:32,700 That’s how we’re describing the kingdom of God. 11 00:00:32,959 –> 00:00:37,180 It’s come very near and so it was in many wonderful evidences 12 00:00:37,480 –> 00:00:40,959 of the in breaking blessing of God’s rule through the ministry 13 00:00:40,959 –> 00:00:41,619 of Jesus. 14 00:00:41,900 –> 00:00:45,380 But then we saw something terrible happen really. 15 00:00:46,279 –> 00:00:50,660 And yet within God’s sovereign purpose, the ministry of Jesus 16 00:00:50,660 –> 00:00:51,700 is rejected. 17 00:00:52,520 –> 00:00:55,599 The Pharisees and the Herodians plot to kill Jesus. 18 00:00:55,619 –> 00:00:57,860 The official delegation of scholars come down from 19 00:00:57,880 –> 00:01:00,380 Jerusalem and they say he’s in league with the devil. 20 00:01:01,520 –> 00:01:04,580 And so at the beginning of Mark chapter four we came last week 21 00:01:04,580 –> 00:01:08,239 to the question What hope is there for the kingdom in a world 22 00:01:08,239 –> 00:01:09,940 that rejects the king? 23 00:01:10,680 –> 00:01:14,300 And we saw that Jesus answers that question in four parables 24 00:01:14,300 –> 00:01:16,959 or stories recorded in Mark chapter four. 25 00:01:17,160 –> 00:01:20,059 We look just at the first of these last week and we learned 26 00:01:20,400 –> 00:01:24,860 that Jesus will establish his kingdom through the living seed 27 00:01:24,900 –> 00:01:27,019 of his word which will raise a great harvest. 28 00:01:27,300 –> 00:01:28,320 That was last week. 29 00:01:29,440 –> 00:01:34,459 Now these four parables about how the kingdom comes are 30 00:01:34,459 –> 00:01:38,860 followed by four miracles that describe for us what the kingdom 31 00:01:38,860 –> 00:01:39,879 will be like. 32 00:01:40,260 –> 00:01:42,919 And these four miracles, just so you have them in your mind, 33 00:01:42,919 –> 00:01:45,519 are first that Jesus calms the storm. 34 00:01:45,820 –> 00:01:48,639 That is chapter four versus 35 to 41. 35 00:01:49,279 –> 00:01:53,839 Second that Jesus casts out demons from a very disturbed 36 00:01:53,879 –> 00:01:56,980 man, that’s chapter five verses one to 20. 37 00:01:57,580 –> 00:02:00,860 Third, that Jesus heals a woman of a sickness that she has 38 00:02:00,860 –> 00:02:05,480 suffered for 12 years, that’s verses 25 to 34 that were read. 39 00:02:06,059 –> 00:02:09,759 Fourthly Jesus raises a young girl from the dead, and that 40 00:02:09,759 –> 00:02:14,380 story is very significantly split into two parts with a delay 41 00:02:14,380 –> 00:02:16,919 in the middle, we’ll see the significance of that later. 42 00:02:17,279 –> 00:02:22,600 Verses 21 to 24 and then verses 35 to 43. 43 00:02:22,660 –> 00:02:25,919 Now these four miracles that we’re going to cover today 44 00:02:26,160 –> 00:02:31,080 really give us a sample of the kingdom, that is a taste of what 45 00:02:31,080 –> 00:02:35,619 the blessing of life will be like under the rule and reign 46 00:02:35,619 –> 00:02:37,119 of Jesus Christ. 47 00:02:38,500 –> 00:02:42,600 And I want us to think together about what it will be like when 48 00:02:42,600 –> 00:02:46,080 Christ comes in His power and glory, when the kingdom comes, 49 00:02:46,080 –> 00:02:49,139 we pray, may your kingdom come, Oh Lord. 50 00:02:49,179 –> 00:02:50,360 We prayed that this morning. 51 00:02:51,220 –> 00:02:54,740 What will it be like when Jesus Christ returns in power and 52 00:02:54,740 –> 00:02:56,720 glory, and brings in His kingdom. 53 00:02:56,800 –> 00:02:57,800 Four things. 54 00:02:57,919 –> 00:03:01,080 Number one, no storms. 55 00:03:01,820 –> 00:03:04,940 The whole created order transformed. 56 00:03:05,419 –> 00:03:11,860 A world with no tsunamis, no hurricane Katrinas, no prospect 57 00:03:11,860 –> 00:03:14,360 or fear of an earthquake, a tornado. 58 00:03:15,619 –> 00:03:19,440 In the book of Revelation, John was given a glimpse of what 59 00:03:19,440 –> 00:03:22,399 it will be like under the rule of Christ. 60 00:03:22,660 –> 00:03:26,919 And he saw that the sea was like glass. 61 00:03:27,559 –> 00:03:29,139 Now you see the significance of that. 62 00:03:29,339 –> 00:03:32,240 No more storms. 63 00:03:33,320 –> 00:03:35,520 Turbulence gone. 64 00:03:36,460 –> 00:03:37,759 Fear gone. 65 00:03:39,020 –> 00:03:43,500 And Jesus gives just a sample of that in this wonderful miracle 66 00:03:43,500 –> 00:03:47,119 of calming the storm, verse 37 of chapter four, there’s this 67 00:03:47,339 –> 00:03:50,500 furious squall that comes up suddenly on the lake, Jesus 68 00:03:50,500 –> 00:03:54,179 rebukes the wind, the waves settle, and there was, verse 39, 69 00:03:54,399 –> 00:03:56,639 complete calm. 70 00:03:57,440 –> 00:03:58,360 No storms. 71 00:03:59,800 –> 00:04:01,240 Secondly no demons. 72 00:04:02,059 –> 00:04:06,960 Imagine a world where Satan is cast out, a world without evil, 73 00:04:07,320 –> 00:04:10,720 a world without hatred, a world without violence. 74 00:04:11,660 –> 00:04:16,440 Imagine a world where there is no guilt, no temptation, 75 00:04:16,459 –> 00:04:17,619 no failure, no regret. 76 00:04:18,540 –> 00:04:23,059 Imagine a walk with God in which there is no need for repentance. 77 00:04:24,079 –> 00:04:28,119 Imagine being completely free to pursue everything God calls you 78 00:04:28,119 –> 00:04:31,959 to pursue, without hindrance, without struggle, and without 79 00:04:31,959 –> 00:04:32,839 restraint. 80 00:04:34,299 –> 00:04:36,200 No storms, no demons. 81 00:04:36,220 –> 00:04:37,920 Third, no sickness. 82 00:04:38,079 –> 00:04:43,640 Imagine a world without cancer, a world without strokes, a 83 00:04:43,660 –> 00:04:46,880 world where no one is blind or deaf or lame. 84 00:04:48,299 –> 00:04:50,119 A world without mental disorders. 85 00:04:50,160 –> 00:04:52,760 Imagine a world with no depression. 86 00:04:55,519 –> 00:04:59,519 No sickness at all, simply health and strength to enjoy our 87 00:04:59,519 –> 00:05:04,299 Creator God and to enter into all the glory that he has 88 00:05:04,299 –> 00:05:05,600 prepared for his people. 89 00:05:05,839 –> 00:05:11,899 And imagine a world with no death, no more fear, 90 00:05:13,660 –> 00:05:21,399 no decline in the body, no aging process, no fear of the 91 00:05:21,399 –> 00:05:22,040 future. 92 00:05:22,420 –> 00:05:26,200 Above all, no gut wrenching goodbyes. 93 00:05:27,480 –> 00:05:30,640 Imagine such a world. 94 00:05:31,640 –> 00:05:38,420 Put these together you see, and you have a picture of life 95 00:05:38,480 –> 00:05:40,679 under the blessing of Christ’s rule. 96 00:05:40,679 –> 00:05:44,160 This is how it will be for all Christ’s people when the 97 00:05:44,160 –> 00:05:45,380 kingdom comes. 98 00:05:45,920 –> 00:05:50,940 This is what is ahead of you as your eternal future in Jesus 99 00:05:50,940 –> 00:05:51,480 Christ. 100 00:05:51,739 –> 00:05:57,079 No wonder the Lord Jesus says, pray, your Kingdom come, hasten 101 00:05:57,079 –> 00:06:01,420 the day Lord when there will be no storms and no demons and no 102 00:06:01,420 –> 00:06:06,799 sickness and no death, Lord Jesus come quickly. 103 00:06:07,799 –> 00:06:07,959 Amen. 104 00:06:08,000 –> 00:06:11,279 And to that, every Christian person says, amen. 105 00:06:12,619 –> 00:06:18,019 Now we might also be saying at this point, yes, but that is 106 00:06:18,019 –> 00:06:21,119 such a long way from the reality of our lives now. 107 00:06:22,779 –> 00:06:24,440 And of course it is. 108 00:06:25,980 –> 00:06:31,559 We are living in a world that is scarred by storms and demons 109 00:06:32,279 –> 00:06:35,260 and sickness and death. 110 00:06:36,980 –> 00:06:41,920 But what else would you expect to experience in a fallen world 111 00:06:41,920 –> 00:06:43,399 that rejects the King? 112 00:06:45,260 –> 00:06:48,579 We await the day when his kingdom comes, when Jesus Christ 113 00:06:48,579 –> 00:06:53,420 returns in power and glory, but when he comes, we want to be 114 00:06:53,420 –> 00:06:56,660 part of his kingdom, which is why we submit ourselves to the 115 00:06:56,660 –> 00:06:58,059 King in our lives here and now. 116 00:06:58,220 –> 00:07:03,799 Here and now, and here is the good news for every disciple of 117 00:07:03,799 –> 00:07:07,000 Jesus in this world of storms and demons and sickness and 118 00:07:07,000 –> 00:07:07,380 death. 119 00:07:08,940 –> 00:07:13,820 Until he comes and makes everything new, you and I share 120 00:07:13,820 –> 00:07:18,519 this wonderful promise that Jesus Christ is with us in 121 00:07:18,519 –> 00:07:20,640 everything we experience in this world. 122 00:07:20,679 –> 00:07:24,019 To use the picture from this wonderful story that Mark tells 123 00:07:24,019 –> 00:07:25,980 Christ is in your boat. 124 00:07:26,579 –> 00:07:31,899 When you face the storm, Christ is with you when you face 125 00:07:31,899 –> 00:07:32,959 great evil. 126 00:07:34,579 –> 00:07:38,500 Christ will be with you when you prepare for surgery 127 00:07:39,959 –> 00:07:42,459 as you live with a debilitating condition. 128 00:07:42,459 –> 00:07:47,179 He is with you in that, and he will be with you when you face 129 00:07:47,179 –> 00:07:52,260 death or when you go through the awful experience of the loss of 130 00:07:52,260 –> 00:07:54,899 a loved one, and you wonder how you can carry on. 131 00:07:56,380 –> 00:08:00,980 If you belong to Jesus Christ, you will enjoy the full 132 00:08:01,299 –> 00:08:05,859 blessing of life under Christ’s rule for ever when he comes in 133 00:08:05,859 –> 00:08:09,220 power and glory, and that will be a life of no storms, no 134 00:08:09,220 –> 00:08:10,899 demons, no sickness, and no death. 135 00:08:11,040 –> 00:08:16,500 Until then, this precious gift is yours, that Jesus Christ is 136 00:08:16,500 –> 00:08:20,380 with you in every storm that you face in the face of every evil, 137 00:08:20,579 –> 00:08:23,940 in every sickness, and even when you walk through the valley of 138 00:08:23,940 –> 00:08:28,119 the shadow of death, even there he will be with you, and he will 139 00:08:28,220 –> 00:08:29,459 comfort you. 140 00:08:29,500 –> 00:08:33,419 That is his unshakable promise. 141 00:08:34,159 –> 00:08:38,539 And so here is the blessing of placing your life under the rule 142 00:08:38,539 –> 00:08:39,820 of Jesus Christ. 143 00:08:40,359 –> 00:08:43,940 It is just the beginning of all that will be yours as you submit 144 00:08:43,940 –> 00:08:45,099 yourself to the king. 145 00:08:45,580 –> 00:08:50,059 So when his kingdom comes, he will bring you into all the 146 00:08:50,099 –> 00:08:55,340 blessing of his glorious kingdom forever. 147 00:08:56,479 –> 00:09:00,780 Now, that’s really an overview of these four stories and what 148 00:09:00,780 –> 00:09:01,440 they teach us. 149 00:09:01,440 –> 00:09:03,859 Remember, the pattern of what we’re seeing in Mark, the 150 00:09:03,859 –> 00:09:05,900 question is, how will the kingdom come? 151 00:09:06,140 –> 00:09:09,400 In a world that rejects the king, and we’ve seen four 152 00:09:09,419 –> 00:09:13,460 parables that all tell us how the kingdom comes, and now four 153 00:09:13,460 –> 00:09:18,599 miracles that tell us what the kingdom looks like, what it will 154 00:09:18,640 –> 00:09:21,440 look look like when Jesus comes in power in glory. 155 00:09:21,440 –> 00:09:22,760 That’s the overview. 156 00:09:23,880 –> 00:09:27,359 Now, I want us at this point to kind of swoop down and to look 157 00:09:27,359 –> 00:09:31,960 more closely at one theme that runs throughout all four of 158 00:09:31,960 –> 00:09:33,460 these stories. 159 00:09:33,940 –> 00:09:37,419 And because it’s in all four, it’s obviously of great 160 00:09:37,419 –> 00:09:38,799 importance. 161 00:09:39,260 –> 00:09:41,719 And that is the theme of fear. 162 00:09:42,260 –> 00:09:45,700 And I want us to notice today that there is a fear that Jesus 163 00:09:45,760 –> 00:09:49,700 brings and we’ll see that in the first two stories 164 00:09:50,820 –> 00:09:54,219 And then a fear that Jesus relieves. 165 00:09:54,559 –> 00:09:57,080 And we’ll see that in the last of the two. 166 00:09:58,039 –> 00:10:01,640 First then a fear that Jesus brings. 167 00:10:02,159 –> 00:10:05,039 I want us to look here at Mark chapter four in verses 40 and 168 00:10:05,039 –> 00:10:10,599 41 A furious storm has blown up on the lake. 169 00:10:10,640 –> 00:10:12,340 Jesus has rebuked the wind. 170 00:10:12,340 –> 00:10:15,119 The waves have settled and the lake is completely calm. 171 00:10:16,659 –> 00:10:21,179 And after this miracle in verse 40 Jesus said to the disciples, 172 00:10:22,200 –> 00:10:24,320 Why are you so afraid? 173 00:10:25,780 –> 00:10:28,239 Do you still have no faith? 174 00:10:29,760 –> 00:10:32,219 And the disciples said to him, You’re absolutely right. 175 00:10:32,219 –> 00:10:33,099 We shouldn’t have panicked. 176 00:10:33,099 –> 00:10:35,460 And we won’t do that again in the future, we promise. 177 00:10:36,299 –> 00:10:38,119 Is that what your Bible says? 178 00:10:38,500 –> 00:10:39,719 No, no, it is not. 179 00:10:39,719 –> 00:10:41,140 What does the Bible say? 180 00:10:41,140 –> 00:10:42,020 So let’s look at it here. 181 00:10:42,020 –> 00:10:42,940 Verse 41. 182 00:10:43,500 –> 00:10:45,659 Jesus says, Do you still have no faith? 183 00:10:46,179 –> 00:10:49,140 They were terrified, terrified, 184 00:10:50,380 –> 00:10:53,700 and asked each other who is this? 185 00:10:54,599 –> 00:10:58,179 Even the wind and the waves obey him. 186 00:10:59,780 –> 00:11:01,260 This is astonishing. 187 00:11:01,260 –> 00:11:03,919 They were absolutely scared stiff 188 00:11:04,799 –> 00:11:08,739 when the storm blew up, but when it calmed down. 189 00:11:08,859 –> 00:11:11,900 Marcus telling us they were even more terrified, 190 00:11:12,539 –> 00:11:14,940 scared when the storm was blowing up 191 00:11:14,940 –> 00:11:18,000 to the point they thought that they were going to die, 192 00:11:18,000 –> 00:11:19,700 but more terrified still. 193 00:11:19,700 –> 00:11:21,000 The word is really intense. 194 00:11:21,000 –> 00:11:23,239 They’re terrified when they realize 195 00:11:23,239 –> 00:11:26,979 that they are in the presence of an awesome power 196 00:11:26,979 –> 00:11:28,359 in Jesus Christ, 197 00:11:28,359 –> 00:11:31,559 that at this point they do not yet quite understand. 198 00:11:33,659 –> 00:11:35,900 When they get a glimpse of the glory of Jesus, 199 00:11:35,900 –> 00:11:37,000 they’re more terrified 200 00:11:37,000 –> 00:11:39,580 than even when they thought they were going to die. 201 00:11:40,580 –> 00:11:42,619 Now, that should make us stop and think. 202 00:11:43,859 –> 00:11:47,219 There is a fear that Jesus brings, 203 00:11:48,380 –> 00:11:51,640 and you have to understand the fear that Jesus brings 204 00:11:51,640 –> 00:11:55,140 before you can experience the fear that Jesus relieves. 205 00:11:57,700 –> 00:12:02,700 Fear is the natural response of a human being 206 00:12:03,640 –> 00:12:06,320 in the presence of Almighty God. 207 00:12:06,840 –> 00:12:10,400 I was thinking through the week 208 00:12:10,400 –> 00:12:12,479 as I prepared for today, 209 00:12:12,479 –> 00:12:13,559 you know what some of the times 210 00:12:13,559 –> 00:12:14,679 when I’ve really been scared, 211 00:12:14,679 –> 00:12:15,619 and I can think of a number. 212 00:12:15,619 –> 00:12:18,200 Let me just give you a couple that came to mind. 213 00:12:18,200 –> 00:12:20,119 I remember walking among a field of cows 214 00:12:20,119 –> 00:12:21,260 some years ago in England 215 00:12:21,260 –> 00:12:23,559 and then realizing there was a huge bull there. 216 00:12:24,460 –> 00:12:27,419 And I began to walk away and then realized 217 00:12:27,419 –> 00:12:28,260 he was following me. 218 00:12:28,260 –> 00:12:30,400 He realized it was 50 yards to the fence 219 00:12:30,400 –> 00:12:33,200 and I thought, I think I can make it. 220 00:12:33,200 –> 00:12:34,580 And this was a foolish thing to do, 221 00:12:34,739 –> 00:12:35,580 so I ran. 222 00:12:35,580 –> 00:12:38,359 And of course, you know what the bull did. 223 00:12:38,359 –> 00:12:41,200 And I can still remember my heart beating 224 00:12:41,200 –> 00:12:43,299 and I did survive, 225 00:12:44,719 –> 00:12:47,159 but I tell you it was a close shave. 226 00:12:47,159 –> 00:12:48,880 I remember going to a conference 227 00:12:48,880 –> 00:12:50,299 on the south coast of England 228 00:12:50,299 –> 00:12:53,299 and you get these crazy ideas when you go 229 00:12:53,299 –> 00:12:54,400 and you’re in a different routine. 230 00:12:54,400 –> 00:12:55,239 I thought, you know, 231 00:12:55,239 –> 00:12:56,140 I’m really gonna do something different. 232 00:12:56,140 –> 00:12:57,659 Swim in the sea early morning, 233 00:12:57,659 –> 00:12:58,859 got up at the crack of dawn, 234 00:12:58,859 –> 00:13:00,299 went out, swam in the sea, 235 00:13:00,299 –> 00:13:04,020 when away out from shore there wasn’t a soul to be seen. 236 00:13:04,020 –> 00:13:06,140 The wonderful experience until I turned 237 00:13:06,140 –> 00:13:07,460 to began to swim back towards the shore 238 00:13:07,460 –> 00:13:10,200 and after 15 minutes realized I was no closer 239 00:13:10,200 –> 00:13:11,940 than when I had begun to swim back. 240 00:13:11,940 –> 00:13:14,460 I’d been caught in a tidal current 241 00:13:14,460 –> 00:13:17,219 and I can still remember the sense of panic 242 00:13:17,219 –> 00:13:20,179 and there isn’t a soul here 243 00:13:20,179 –> 00:13:21,619 and I’m getting tired 244 00:13:21,619 –> 00:13:22,979 and I know nearer the shore, 245 00:13:23,940 –> 00:13:24,780 fear, 246 00:13:25,820 –> 00:13:27,099 well I did survive, 247 00:13:27,099 –> 00:13:29,419 you understand. 248 00:13:29,419 –> 00:13:30,260 But listen, 249 00:13:30,919 –> 00:13:33,979 if I would be afraid of a charging bull 250 00:13:33,979 –> 00:13:36,359 or an ocean tide, 251 00:13:38,340 –> 00:13:39,239 what should I feel 252 00:13:39,239 –> 00:13:41,299 in the presence of the God who made them. 253 00:13:43,059 –> 00:13:44,159 But what scares you? 254 00:13:45,619 –> 00:13:46,520 Spiders, 255 00:13:47,760 –> 00:13:48,760 thundered lightning, 256 00:13:49,580 –> 00:13:50,799 ten foot snakes, 257 00:13:52,460 –> 00:13:53,539 being caught in an earthquake, 258 00:13:53,539 –> 00:13:54,900 a volcano, a tsunami, 259 00:13:54,900 –> 00:13:57,500 a storm of meteors piling on the earth! 260 00:13:58,239 –> 00:14:00,940 Well, what would you expect to feel 261 00:14:00,940 –> 00:14:03,200 in the presence of the God who made them? 262 00:14:05,099 –> 00:14:06,260 I know there’ll be some guys 263 00:14:06,260 –> 00:14:07,460 who are sitting here thinking, 264 00:14:07,460 –> 00:14:08,520 I’m not scared of anything, 265 00:14:08,520 –> 00:14:09,739 actually, I wouldn’t have been scared 266 00:14:09,739 –> 00:14:10,580 of the bull pastor, 267 00:14:10,580 –> 00:14:11,619 I think that’s a little bit pathetic. 268 00:14:11,619 –> 00:14:12,440 I’m the kind of guy 269 00:14:12,440 –> 00:14:13,539 that likes to go on the bull run 270 00:14:13,539 –> 00:14:14,380 that they have, you know, 271 00:14:14,380 –> 00:14:16,580 and run in front of these things charging 272 00:14:16,580 –> 00:14:17,419 just for kicks. 273 00:14:17,419 –> 00:14:18,260 Well, 274 00:14:19,359 –> 00:14:20,619 being in the presence of God, 275 00:14:20,619 –> 00:14:21,940 you would experience fear. 276 00:14:22,940 –> 00:14:24,859 These disciples were tough guys. 277 00:14:24,859 –> 00:14:25,919 They were fishermen, 278 00:14:26,479 –> 00:14:28,940 and when they saw the power 279 00:14:28,940 –> 00:14:32,159 of Jesus Christ in their boat that near, 280 00:14:33,000 –> 00:14:35,640 they were, Mark says, 281 00:14:36,559 –> 00:14:38,419 terrified. 282 00:14:38,419 –> 00:14:39,260 They were. 283 00:14:41,739 –> 00:14:42,580 Now, honestly, 284 00:14:42,580 –> 00:14:45,900 that’s what you find in the Bible 285 00:14:45,900 –> 00:14:50,000 whenever a person is in the immediate presence of God. 286 00:14:51,000 –> 00:14:54,000 The beginning of the Bible, 287 00:14:54,000 –> 00:14:56,080 what do you find Adam doing in the garden? 288 00:14:56,080 –> 00:14:58,020 He’s hiding from God, 289 00:14:58,020 –> 00:14:59,880 scared stiff to come out in the open. 290 00:15:01,679 –> 00:15:02,760 The end of the Bible, 291 00:15:02,760 –> 00:15:04,960 John the Apostle, 292 00:15:04,960 –> 00:15:07,719 who had leaned, the Gospel says, 293 00:15:07,719 –> 00:15:10,359 back on Jesus at the last supper, 294 00:15:10,359 –> 00:15:12,159 so couldn’t have been much closer to Jesus 295 00:15:12,159 –> 00:15:13,799 in his earthly life. 296 00:15:13,799 –> 00:15:15,400 Nobody could have been closer to Jesus 297 00:15:15,400 –> 00:15:16,260 than John was, 298 00:15:16,260 –> 00:15:18,820 and yet when John sees Jesus’ glory, 299 00:15:18,820 –> 00:15:20,200 the glory of the risen Christ, 300 00:15:20,200 –> 00:15:21,020 what does he do? 301 00:15:21,020 –> 00:15:23,440 He falls on his face. 302 00:15:23,479 –> 00:15:26,260 John says I fell on my face as if I was dead. 303 00:15:28,280 –> 00:15:30,219 And he’s one who knows and loves Jesus. 304 00:15:31,599 –> 00:15:32,960 That’s the beginning and the end of the Bible. 305 00:15:32,960 –> 00:15:33,900 What about the middle? 306 00:15:33,900 –> 00:15:35,859 Isaiah the prophet, 307 00:15:35,859 –> 00:15:38,460 and he sees the glory of the Lord 308 00:15:38,460 –> 00:15:41,320 and his immediate reaction is to say, 309 00:15:41,320 –> 00:15:42,719 I’m ruined. 310 00:15:43,700 –> 00:15:45,820 Woe to me. 311 00:15:45,820 –> 00:15:48,280 I can’t live 312 00:15:48,280 –> 00:15:52,059 in the sheer intensity of this holiness, 313 00:15:52,080 –> 00:15:53,520 this glory, 314 00:15:53,520 –> 00:15:56,479 this awesomeness of who God is. 315 00:15:58,580 –> 00:16:01,479 Fear is the natural response of a human being 316 00:16:01,479 –> 00:16:03,320 in the presence of almighty God. 317 00:16:06,299 –> 00:16:09,419 To fear the Lord is a simple description. 318 00:16:09,419 –> 00:16:11,119 What does it mean to fear the Lord? 319 00:16:11,119 –> 00:16:14,380 To fear the Lord is simply to know who he is 320 00:16:14,380 –> 00:16:17,719 and to realize what it would be to stand in his presence. 321 00:16:19,140 –> 00:16:21,200 Have you ever really thought 322 00:16:22,059 –> 00:16:24,520 about how absolutely terrifying it would be 323 00:16:24,520 –> 00:16:29,520 to stand in the presence of almighty God? 324 00:16:32,059 –> 00:16:33,400 Now let me tell you straight away 325 00:16:33,400 –> 00:16:37,599 that this is a good kind of fear. 326 00:16:37,599 –> 00:16:39,799 It’s the fear that Jesus brings 327 00:16:40,739 –> 00:16:42,440 and it’s a fear that every living person 328 00:16:42,440 –> 00:16:45,080 desperately needs to discover 329 00:16:45,080 –> 00:16:49,500 because the Bible says that the fear of the Lord 330 00:16:49,619 –> 00:16:51,619 is the beginning of what? 331 00:16:51,619 –> 00:16:53,119 Wisdom. 332 00:16:53,119 –> 00:16:57,380 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 333 00:16:58,419 –> 00:17:00,359 So, this is a good kind of fear. 334 00:17:00,359 –> 00:17:01,960 People who do not fear the Lord 335 00:17:01,960 –> 00:17:04,000 simply don’t know who He is. 336 00:17:05,319 –> 00:17:07,280 And we’re going to see that the fear of the Lord 337 00:17:07,280 –> 00:17:09,880 is not a fear that will cripple you in your life. 338 00:17:09,880 –> 00:17:12,119 It is rather a fear that will enable you 339 00:17:12,119 –> 00:17:14,959 to overcome every other kind of fear. 340 00:17:16,660 –> 00:17:18,560 The fear of the Lord is the beginning 341 00:17:19,560 –> 00:17:21,239 of wisdom. 342 00:17:21,239 –> 00:17:24,219 And the presence of Jesus brings the disciples 343 00:17:24,219 –> 00:17:27,540 into the fear of the Lord. 344 00:17:29,359 –> 00:17:31,920 It’s part of what it means to come to God, you see. 345 00:17:33,359 –> 00:17:35,280 Because if you don’t know this in your life, 346 00:17:35,280 –> 00:17:38,160 it simply means you’re way in the distance from Him 347 00:17:38,160 –> 00:17:41,380 and out of touch with the reality of eternal things. 348 00:17:41,380 –> 00:17:46,380 So, thank God for the fear that Jesus brings. 349 00:17:47,219 –> 00:17:51,359 You see the same thing in the second story. 350 00:17:51,359 –> 00:17:53,339 Let me just overview it very quickly. 351 00:17:53,339 –> 00:17:55,040 And you can read it later. 352 00:17:55,040 –> 00:17:57,680 Mark chapter five, verses one to 20. 353 00:17:57,680 –> 00:17:59,319 The second miracle, which is where 354 00:17:59,319 –> 00:18:02,140 Jesus casts out many demons. 355 00:18:02,140 –> 00:18:07,140 And you get a sample of the problem that this man was 356 00:18:08,099 –> 00:18:11,579 and that he experienced from verses four and five, 357 00:18:11,579 –> 00:18:14,000 where we read that this man who was possessed 358 00:18:14,000 –> 00:18:16,239 by many demons had often been chained, 359 00:18:16,239 –> 00:18:17,500 hand and foot, 360 00:18:18,640 –> 00:18:20,619 but no one was strong enough to subdue him 361 00:18:20,619 –> 00:18:22,459 and so night and day, you find him out 362 00:18:22,459 –> 00:18:25,219 there in the tombs and in the hills 363 00:18:25,219 –> 00:18:28,420 and this man, who must’ve gone around naked, 364 00:18:28,420 –> 00:18:31,839 cut himself with stones and he would cry out and shriek. 365 00:18:31,839 –> 00:18:33,219 Can you imagine living in the town 366 00:18:33,219 –> 00:18:35,380 with this guy out there at night 367 00:18:35,380 –> 00:18:37,300 and hearing the sound of his voice 368 00:18:37,300 –> 00:18:39,479 like the sound of a wolf? 369 00:18:41,400 –> 00:18:44,520 And no one could chain him, scary. 370 00:18:46,540 –> 00:18:48,439 You would not want to see this guy 371 00:18:48,439 –> 00:18:50,060 in your street at night. 372 00:18:50,060 –> 00:18:51,719 You call the police. 373 00:18:52,640 –> 00:18:53,859 Oh, you got him in your street. 374 00:18:53,859 –> 00:18:55,020 Sorry, there’s nothing we can do. 375 00:18:55,020 –> 00:18:56,319 We’ve arrested him many times. 376 00:18:56,319 –> 00:18:57,479 He just breaks the handcuffs. 377 00:18:57,479 –> 00:18:58,979 He’s too strong for us. 378 00:18:58,979 –> 00:19:02,540 We put him in jail, he just breaks out. 379 00:19:02,540 –> 00:19:04,140 Sorry, nothing we can do. 380 00:19:04,140 –> 00:19:05,640 Hope he goes away. 381 00:19:08,280 –> 00:19:10,500 This guy is terrorizing a town 382 00:19:10,500 –> 00:19:13,680 and he’s outside there among the tombs, 383 00:19:13,680 –> 00:19:14,839 it’s horrible. 384 00:19:17,199 –> 00:19:19,540 And when Jesus arrives, he identifies 385 00:19:19,540 –> 00:19:22,420 the evil powers that have possessed this man 386 00:19:22,420 –> 00:19:24,239 and he casts them out. 387 00:19:26,099 –> 00:19:29,540 And Mark records the wonderful transformation 388 00:19:29,540 –> 00:19:31,400 that happens in the life of this man. 389 00:19:31,400 –> 00:19:33,500 Verse 15, the man who had been possessed 390 00:19:33,500 –> 00:19:35,680 by the legion of demons was sitting there 391 00:19:35,680 –> 00:19:37,099 and he is dressed 392 00:19:38,660 –> 00:19:40,839 and he’s in his right mind 393 00:19:43,099 –> 00:19:45,199 and all the people of the town come out 394 00:19:45,359 –> 00:19:48,160 and say, Jesus thank you, you have delivered us 395 00:19:48,160 –> 00:19:50,839 from our greatest fear and so now please come 396 00:19:50,839 –> 00:19:52,359 and stay in our town and deliver us 397 00:19:52,359 –> 00:19:54,880 from many other evils also, right? 398 00:19:54,880 –> 00:19:56,560 No, that is not what the Bible says, 399 00:19:56,560 –> 00:19:58,680 what is the response of the people? 400 00:19:58,680 –> 00:20:02,359 Verse 15, they see this marvelous transformation 401 00:20:02,359 –> 00:20:05,339 and the man’s now dressed and in his right mind 402 00:20:05,339 –> 00:20:06,839 and verse 15 what? 403 00:20:06,839 –> 00:20:09,359 They were afraid 404 00:20:10,160 –> 00:20:15,160 and verse 17 they began to plead with Jesus 405 00:20:15,319 –> 00:20:17,599 to leave their region. 406 00:20:19,680 –> 00:20:24,680 They’re more afraid of the authority of Jesus 407 00:20:24,800 –> 00:20:27,520 and what that will mean in their lives 408 00:20:27,520 –> 00:20:31,619 and in their town than they were afraid 409 00:20:31,619 –> 00:20:34,520 of the disturbance that this man had brought 410 00:20:34,520 –> 00:20:37,579 to their community for many years. 411 00:20:38,540 –> 00:20:43,540 So, Jesus leaves and the Gerasenes remains a dark place 412 00:20:46,859 –> 00:20:48,819 because light has come 413 00:20:48,819 –> 00:20:53,380 and they have chosen darkness rather than light. 414 00:20:55,180 –> 00:20:58,060 And there goes the story of our world. 415 00:20:59,719 –> 00:21:01,500 Now, put these two stories together 416 00:21:01,500 –> 00:21:02,599 and you find, actually, there’s 417 00:21:02,599 –> 00:21:04,800 the same response that comes to Jesus 418 00:21:04,800 –> 00:21:06,520 but with this great difference. 419 00:21:08,140 –> 00:21:10,420 The people of the Gerasenes 420 00:21:10,420 –> 00:21:13,339 find that the presence of Jesus brings great fear 421 00:21:14,180 –> 00:21:18,020 but they respond to that by asking him to leave. 422 00:21:19,180 –> 00:21:22,380 And because they ask him to leave, 423 00:21:22,380 –> 00:21:24,420 they experience the fear that he brings 424 00:21:24,420 –> 00:21:27,420 but they never broke through to the fear that he relieves. 425 00:21:29,000 –> 00:21:30,579 The disciples, on the other hand, 426 00:21:30,579 –> 00:21:33,699 experience the fear that the Lord Jesus brought 427 00:21:33,699 –> 00:21:35,060 but they stayed with him. 428 00:21:36,040 –> 00:21:39,560 And so they pressed forward to experience 429 00:21:39,560 –> 00:21:42,500 the relief of fear that comes to all 430 00:21:42,500 –> 00:21:47,099 those who know Jesus Christ through the gospel. 431 00:21:48,939 –> 00:21:50,979 Now all of us therefore face the choice 432 00:21:50,979 –> 00:21:52,939 that if we come close to the things of 433 00:21:52,939 –> 00:21:55,579 the Lord Jesus Christ and experience what the disciples 434 00:21:55,579 –> 00:21:57,560 and the folks at the Gerasenes experience, 435 00:21:57,560 –> 00:21:59,540 we’ve got to go one way or the other. 436 00:21:59,540 –> 00:22:01,239 And I would rather be with the disciples 437 00:22:01,239 –> 00:22:02,459 than with the folks in the Gerasenes. 438 00:22:02,459 –> 00:22:04,380 I’m sure you would, too. 439 00:22:05,040 –> 00:22:07,900 So let’s stay with Jesus. 440 00:22:09,180 –> 00:22:11,180 And having seen the fear that He brings, 441 00:22:11,180 –> 00:22:14,079 let’s follow Him and press through 442 00:22:14,079 –> 00:22:16,020 to these next two stories that are going 443 00:22:16,020 –> 00:22:20,199 to tell us about the fear that He relieves. 444 00:22:20,199 –> 00:22:21,900 And we’re going to see two things. 445 00:22:21,900 –> 00:22:25,939 First, that Jesus relieves fear by giving peace. 446 00:22:25,939 –> 00:22:30,939 And second, that Jesus relieves fear by bringing hope. 447 00:22:30,979 –> 00:22:33,459 So the fear that Jesus relieves, 448 00:22:33,459 –> 00:22:35,699 He relieves fear by giving peace, 449 00:22:35,699 –> 00:22:37,660 and here we’re going to take up the story now 450 00:22:37,660 –> 00:22:40,780 in verse 21 of Mark chapter five. 451 00:22:42,380 –> 00:22:43,859 And Mark tells us that there was again 452 00:22:43,859 –> 00:22:48,859 a large crowd around Jesus while he was by the lake. 453 00:22:49,839 –> 00:22:52,420 And as Jesus is ministering to the crowd, 454 00:22:52,420 –> 00:22:56,619 there is a ruler from the synagogue, verse 23, 455 00:22:56,619 –> 00:22:59,900 who comes to Jesus and he pleads with him earnestly. 456 00:23:01,060 –> 00:23:02,739 And can you imagine this man’s plight? 457 00:23:02,739 –> 00:23:06,739 He says, Jesus, my little daughter is dying. 458 00:23:08,660 –> 00:23:12,780 Please come, and put your hand on her 459 00:23:12,780 –> 00:23:16,239 and heal her so that she will be healed and live. 460 00:23:17,119 –> 00:23:18,780 If you just glance to verse 42, 461 00:23:18,780 –> 00:23:22,780 you’ll see that this girl was 12 years old. 462 00:23:22,780 –> 00:23:26,699 12, so she was a middle school student, 463 00:23:27,540 –> 00:23:32,160 and she’s very sick, and she’s near to death. 464 00:23:33,599 –> 00:23:36,599 And her father is distraught with anxiety. 465 00:23:37,640 –> 00:23:39,239 And he comes to Jesus. 466 00:23:40,380 –> 00:23:42,280 And Mark tells us that Jesus went 467 00:23:42,280 –> 00:23:45,780 with Jerus, and the large crowd followed. 468 00:23:46,619 –> 00:23:48,640 And in the crowd that followed, 469 00:23:48,640 –> 00:23:50,380 as they made this journey to the home 470 00:23:50,380 –> 00:23:52,459 of this man, this troubled home, 471 00:23:52,459 –> 00:23:56,479 there was a woman, and she had been sick 472 00:23:56,560 –> 00:23:59,640 for a long time, 12 years, in fact. 473 00:24:00,520 –> 00:24:02,619 She reckoned, Mark tells us, 474 00:24:02,619 –> 00:24:04,119 that if she could just get close 475 00:24:04,119 –> 00:24:07,380 enough to touch Jesus’ clothing, 476 00:24:07,380 –> 00:24:11,400 she believed that in this way, she could be healed. 477 00:24:12,319 –> 00:24:14,800 And so she pressed through the crowd, 478 00:24:14,800 –> 00:24:18,880 and verse 29, when she touched Jesus’ cloak, 479 00:24:18,880 –> 00:24:20,699 she was healed immediately. 480 00:24:21,880 –> 00:24:24,719 And so verse 30, Jesus realized 481 00:24:24,719 –> 00:24:27,459 that some power had gone out from him. 482 00:24:27,459 –> 00:24:29,479 He realized that something had happened, 483 00:24:29,479 –> 00:24:32,599 a transformation had taken place in somebody’s life. 484 00:24:32,599 –> 00:24:35,040 And he asks this question, verse 30, 485 00:24:35,040 –> 00:24:37,780 who touched my clothes? 486 00:24:39,239 –> 00:24:40,920 Now, imagine the picture. 487 00:24:40,920 –> 00:24:43,739 There’s a crowd of people all swarming around Jesus, 488 00:24:43,739 –> 00:24:46,520 kind of on the move, you know? 489 00:24:46,520 –> 00:24:49,900 This great crowd pressing around him. 490 00:24:49,900 –> 00:24:53,319 And Jesus says who touched my clothes? 491 00:24:53,339 –> 00:24:54,380 And the disciples, of course, 492 00:24:54,380 –> 00:24:56,020 can’t make any sense of the question. 493 00:24:56,020 –> 00:24:58,040 You know, everyone’s pressing around you. 494 00:24:58,040 –> 00:25:00,119 You’re in the middle of a large crowd, 495 00:25:00,119 –> 00:25:04,959 how can you ask the question who touched my clothes? 496 00:25:04,959 –> 00:25:07,680 But verse 32, Jesus kept looking around 497 00:25:08,680 –> 00:25:09,920 to see who had done it. 498 00:25:09,920 –> 00:25:11,199 He wouldn’t give up on this. 499 00:25:11,199 –> 00:25:12,140 Now, who is it? 500 00:25:12,140 –> 00:25:13,819 He’s looking for one person. 501 00:25:15,699 –> 00:25:17,479 And, of course, there’s only one person 502 00:25:17,479 –> 00:25:20,699 in all of the crowd who knows who he’s looking for. 503 00:25:21,579 –> 00:25:23,099 And that is the woman herself, 504 00:25:23,099 –> 00:25:25,739 who knows that she has experienced 505 00:25:25,739 –> 00:25:28,479 an instantaneous and miraculous healing. 506 00:25:28,479 –> 00:25:33,479 He’s looking for me to step forward and identify myself. 507 00:25:35,420 –> 00:25:37,300 And I want you to notice what she was feeling 508 00:25:37,300 –> 00:25:39,339 right there in verse 33. 509 00:25:40,900 –> 00:25:43,479 She came and she fell at his feet, 510 00:25:44,819 –> 00:25:47,660 trembling with what? 511 00:25:47,660 –> 00:25:48,579 Fear. 512 00:25:48,579 –> 00:25:49,459 Of course, 513 00:25:50,459 –> 00:25:53,300 you and I would have been exactly the same. 514 00:25:54,660 –> 00:25:57,459 She’s trembling in fear because 515 00:25:57,459 –> 00:26:01,180 in some mysterious way that she does not fully understand, 516 00:26:01,180 –> 00:26:02,699 Jesus knows her. 517 00:26:03,859 –> 00:26:06,359 Jesus knows what has happened to her. 518 00:26:07,439 –> 00:26:12,439 And Jesus is calling her out of her hiding in the crowd, 519 00:26:12,800 –> 00:26:15,459 out of her anonymity, 520 00:26:15,459 –> 00:26:18,780 and she comes to identify herself, 521 00:26:18,780 –> 00:26:21,459 and she is trembling with fear. 522 00:26:25,099 –> 00:26:27,060 Jesus Christ knows you. 523 00:26:30,020 –> 00:26:32,660 He knows your thoughts. 524 00:26:34,459 –> 00:26:39,459 He knows the plans and intentions of your heart. 525 00:26:41,719 –> 00:26:43,180 And when you realize 526 00:26:43,199 –> 00:26:45,560 that Jesus knows everything about you 527 00:26:45,560 –> 00:26:47,619 including your secrets, 528 00:26:49,520 –> 00:26:52,119 if you think about that, 529 00:26:52,119 –> 00:26:55,599 you will find yourself trembling with fear also 530 00:26:55,599 –> 00:26:57,739 just as this woman was. 531 00:27:00,079 –> 00:27:01,239 The woman steps forward 532 00:27:01,239 –> 00:27:03,040 and Jesus says to her verse 34, 533 00:27:03,040 –> 00:27:07,540 daughter, your faith has healed you, 534 00:27:08,719 –> 00:27:12,780 go in peace, and be freed from your suffering. 535 00:27:14,160 –> 00:27:16,099 You see this wonderful gift here. 536 00:27:16,099 –> 00:27:21,099 Jesus relieves her fear by giving his peace. 537 00:27:25,020 –> 00:27:26,979 He recognized her faith 538 00:27:28,060 –> 00:27:31,800 and he imparts peace to her. 539 00:27:33,359 –> 00:27:34,760 Now do you see the pattern here? 540 00:27:34,760 –> 00:27:36,959 There is a fear that Jesus brings 541 00:27:36,959 –> 00:27:39,859 and there is a fear that Jesus relieves. 542 00:27:39,859 –> 00:27:42,099 We need both, not one or the other, 543 00:27:42,140 –> 00:27:44,079 but both together. 544 00:27:44,079 –> 00:27:47,099 We need the fear that will cause us to come to him. 545 00:27:48,359 –> 00:27:51,040 But we also need the relief from fear 546 00:27:51,040 –> 00:27:53,479 that we can only find in him 547 00:27:53,479 –> 00:27:57,939 and Jesus relieves fear by giving peace. 548 00:27:59,079 –> 00:28:01,719 Now actually this is a truth 549 00:28:01,719 –> 00:28:05,719 that most of us have robably sung many, many times, 550 00:28:05,719 –> 00:28:07,599 though we may well not have thought about it. 551 00:28:07,599 –> 00:28:09,479 But it’s beautifully expressed 552 00:28:09,579 –> 00:28:13,079 in two lines from the hymn Amazing Grace. 553 00:28:13,079 –> 00:28:14,160 Do you remember these lines 554 00:28:14,160 –> 00:28:17,180 from, perhaps, the most famous hymn of all? 555 00:28:17,180 –> 00:28:21,939 “‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear 556 00:28:23,699 –> 00:28:27,979 “‘and grace my fears relieved.” 557 00:28:27,979 –> 00:28:30,579 So God’s grace does two things. 558 00:28:30,579 –> 00:28:34,500 First God’s grace teaches my heart to fear. 559 00:28:34,500 –> 00:28:37,300 It brings me from being in a position 560 00:28:37,420 –> 00:28:40,719 where I’m heedless and careless about the things of God 561 00:28:40,719 –> 00:28:43,719 to a place where I see my predicament, 562 00:28:43,719 –> 00:28:45,719 I see what it means to stand 563 00:28:45,719 –> 00:28:47,520 before the holy and eternal God. 564 00:28:47,520 –> 00:28:49,739 It’s grace that brings my heart to fear 565 00:28:49,739 –> 00:28:53,400 and it’s grace my fear relieves. 566 00:28:53,400 –> 00:28:56,380 It’s grace that brings me to Jesus 567 00:28:56,380 –> 00:28:58,099 because I’ve learned to fear the Lord, 568 00:28:58,099 –> 00:28:59,599 which is the beginning of wisdom. 569 00:28:59,599 –> 00:29:01,959 But that’s only the beginning. 570 00:29:01,959 –> 00:29:04,699 I then discover in Jesus Christ 571 00:29:04,699 –> 00:29:08,000 the peace that He died to impart 572 00:29:08,000 –> 00:29:09,760 to all who will come to Him. 573 00:29:09,760 –> 00:29:14,380 He died on the cross so that your guilt, 574 00:29:14,380 –> 00:29:19,380 your shame should not rest on you for all eternity, 575 00:29:19,459 –> 00:29:21,760 but that you might find forgiveness with God 576 00:29:21,760 –> 00:29:26,760 and peace through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. 577 00:29:27,880 –> 00:29:31,880 And John Newton, who had lead a godless life 578 00:29:31,880 –> 00:29:36,880 says with thankfulness, it’s grace, 579 00:29:37,339 –> 00:29:38,640 you see, that wakened me up. 580 00:29:38,640 –> 00:29:41,420 It’s grace that taught my heart to fear. 581 00:29:43,339 –> 00:29:47,599 And then it’s grace, my fear relieved. 582 00:29:50,439 –> 00:29:53,459 Oh, may Jesus Christ bring some of us 583 00:29:53,459 –> 00:29:55,640 who have been careless and thoughtless 584 00:29:55,640 –> 00:29:58,260 about eternal things, never felt the weight 585 00:29:58,260 –> 00:30:00,680 of what it would be to stand before God. 586 00:30:00,699 –> 00:30:03,579 May He bring you to the place where you 587 00:30:03,579 –> 00:30:06,199 come to Him with trembling and fear 588 00:30:06,199 –> 00:30:10,459 and find, like this lady, through faith in His blood 589 00:30:10,459 –> 00:30:15,459 that He relieves fear by giving peace, peace. 590 00:30:18,540 –> 00:30:21,920 Then there’s a second thing that is equally wonderful. 591 00:30:22,859 –> 00:30:27,339 He relieves fear by giving peace. 592 00:30:27,420 –> 00:30:31,199 He relieves fear, secondly, by bringing hope. 593 00:30:32,199 –> 00:30:35,540 Now here, we come to the last of these four stories. 594 00:30:35,540 –> 00:30:38,979 Remember that Jesus was going on His way 595 00:30:38,979 –> 00:30:42,560 to the home of Jerus, whose middle-school daughter 596 00:30:42,560 –> 00:30:45,680 is very sick and close to death. 597 00:30:47,140 –> 00:30:49,140 And now, there has been this delay 598 00:30:49,140 –> 00:30:50,920 because Jesus stopped on the journey 599 00:30:50,920 –> 00:30:53,780 and He has ministered to this woman. 600 00:30:53,780 –> 00:30:56,780 And during the delay, we find that 601 00:30:57,140 –> 00:30:58,660 something very tragic has happened 602 00:30:58,660 –> 00:31:00,420 back in the home of Jerus. 603 00:31:01,459 –> 00:31:02,939 Verse 35, 604 00:31:02,939 –> 00:31:05,219 while Jesus is still speaking to this woman 605 00:31:05,219 –> 00:31:07,739 and imparting His peace to her, 606 00:31:07,739 –> 00:31:11,400 some men come from Jerus’ house with this tragic news 607 00:31:11,400 –> 00:31:13,319 and they say to Jerus, 608 00:31:13,319 –> 00:31:15,619 your daughter is dead. 609 00:31:17,040 –> 00:31:19,819 Could you imagine more awful words? 610 00:31:21,300 –> 00:31:22,959 And there are folks in this congregation 611 00:31:22,959 –> 00:31:23,959 who have heard them. 612 00:31:24,520 –> 00:31:27,680 Why bother the teacher anymore they say? 613 00:31:29,359 –> 00:31:30,540 And you see their point. 614 00:31:30,540 –> 00:31:32,800 As long as the girl was there, 615 00:31:32,800 –> 00:31:34,640 breathing, alive 616 00:31:34,640 –> 00:31:36,119 there was some hope. 617 00:31:37,880 –> 00:31:39,319 But now she is dead 618 00:31:40,239 –> 00:31:42,140 and all hope is gone. 619 00:31:44,099 –> 00:31:46,400 Now, I want you to notice the first thing 620 00:31:46,400 –> 00:31:48,819 that Jesus says to Jerus in verse 621 00:31:49,880 –> 00:31:50,739 36. 622 00:31:51,180 –> 00:31:52,239 36. 623 00:31:53,420 –> 00:31:55,839 He doesn’t say Jerus don’t grieve. 624 00:31:57,140 –> 00:31:58,099 What does he say? 625 00:31:59,219 –> 00:32:01,859 He says Jerus don’t be afraid. 626 00:32:03,099 –> 00:32:03,920 Why? 627 00:32:03,920 –> 00:32:08,579 Because there is a fear that comes 628 00:32:08,579 –> 00:32:10,140 from losing hope. 629 00:32:12,560 –> 00:32:14,400 As long as you have hope, 630 00:32:15,760 –> 00:32:18,859 you can find some way of facing the future. 631 00:32:19,760 –> 00:32:21,160 Whatever you face. 632 00:32:22,880 –> 00:32:27,540 But if hope dies, fear moves in. 633 00:32:30,060 –> 00:32:34,900 Now fear is the most natural human emotion in this world, 634 00:32:35,839 –> 00:32:37,660 and when Jesus says don’t be afraid, 635 00:32:37,660 –> 00:32:40,239 he’s not saying don’t experience fear, 636 00:32:40,239 –> 00:32:42,020 of course we experience fear. 637 00:32:42,020 –> 00:32:45,079 What he’s saying is don’t give in to fear, 638 00:32:45,079 –> 00:32:46,859 don’t give way to fear. 639 00:32:47,739 –> 00:32:51,420 And the reason that you are not to give way to fear 640 00:32:51,420 –> 00:32:54,439 even in the most painful bereavement 641 00:32:55,459 –> 00:32:58,680 is that Jesus Christ brings hope. 642 00:33:00,119 –> 00:33:01,459 Now that is what we see here. 643 00:33:01,459 –> 00:33:03,479 Now I want us to follow the story. 644 00:33:03,479 –> 00:33:05,540 Jesus goes to the house 645 00:33:06,400 –> 00:33:10,839 where this great tragedy and this awful pain has occurred. 646 00:33:11,540 –> 00:33:15,900 And he takes this little girl’s hand 647 00:33:15,900 –> 00:33:19,599 and he raises her from the dead. 648 00:33:21,380 –> 00:33:24,260 It is the most amazing miracle recorded yet 649 00:33:25,119 –> 00:33:28,780 to this point in the gospel of Mark. 650 00:33:29,719 –> 00:33:31,040 And then beautifully, 651 00:33:32,000 –> 00:33:35,959 he gives this little girl back to her parents. 652 00:33:38,319 –> 00:33:39,359 The joy of it, 653 00:33:40,280 –> 00:33:41,520 it’s indescribable. 654 00:33:43,060 –> 00:33:46,420 Now, I want to speak now, 655 00:33:46,420 –> 00:33:51,140 especially to those who grieve the loss of a loved one, 656 00:33:52,719 –> 00:33:54,900 particularly to those who have grieved 657 00:33:54,900 –> 00:33:57,140 in the course of your life 658 00:33:57,140 –> 00:34:01,380 the loss of a child, a student, 659 00:34:01,380 –> 00:34:06,380 middle school, high school, college, 660 00:34:06,780 –> 00:34:10,800 perhaps a brother or a sister. 661 00:34:13,379 –> 00:34:17,060 This is what Jesus Christ wants you to know. 662 00:34:19,719 –> 00:34:21,459 There will be death. 663 00:34:23,699 –> 00:34:25,919 There will be a delay. 664 00:34:27,580 –> 00:34:30,280 There will be the resurrection. 665 00:34:32,820 –> 00:34:34,419 So do not lose hope. 666 00:34:35,060 –> 00:34:37,860 Do not give way to fear 667 00:34:40,020 –> 00:34:43,820 because your experience of loss 668 00:34:43,820 –> 00:34:46,639 as a Christian believer is not final. 669 00:34:49,860 –> 00:34:51,739 The day of Christ’s coming 670 00:34:51,739 –> 00:34:55,040 in power and glory is ahead of you. 671 00:34:57,439 –> 00:35:00,820 And while we live in the grief of the delay 672 00:35:01,620 –> 00:35:05,179 we live in the anticipation of the resurrection, 673 00:35:07,659 –> 00:35:09,820 your kingdom come. 674 00:35:12,580 –> 00:35:16,560 And the reason that in the valley of delay 675 00:35:16,560 –> 00:35:19,340 a Christian parent, brother, or sister 676 00:35:19,340 –> 00:35:21,179 is not to give way to fear 677 00:35:21,179 –> 00:35:23,939 is because Jesus Christ has given us hope 678 00:35:23,939 –> 00:35:27,639 through his resurrection from the dead. 679 00:35:27,639 –> 00:35:30,719 The full blessing of life under the rule of Christ 680 00:35:30,719 –> 00:35:35,439 will come and those who belong to his kingdom 681 00:35:35,439 –> 00:35:39,939 will rejoice in that for all eternity. 682 00:35:41,719 –> 00:35:46,719 He release fear that would otherwise cripple your life 683 00:35:48,300 –> 00:35:53,300 by giving peace and he release fear 684 00:35:53,840 –> 00:35:58,239 that otherwise would cripple your life by bringing hope. 685 00:35:58,239 –> 00:35:59,600 That’s the gospel. 686 00:36:01,199 –> 00:36:05,020 So there’s a fear that Christ brings 687 00:36:06,300 –> 00:36:08,580 and there’s a fear that Christ releasee. 688 00:36:10,679 –> 00:36:13,520 In this last moment as we just prepare ourselves 689 00:36:13,520 –> 00:36:15,340 to come before the Lord in prayer, 690 00:36:17,120 –> 00:36:22,120 I hope you have both of these today. 691 00:36:24,379 –> 00:36:27,080 I hope you have a healthy kind of a fear of God. 692 00:36:27,679 –> 00:36:30,659 I hope that if you came here thinking, 693 00:36:30,659 –> 00:36:32,520 you know let’s just slip into church 694 00:36:32,520 –> 00:36:34,120 and then slip out again, 695 00:36:34,120 –> 00:36:36,439 and that basically the frame with which you look at life 696 00:36:36,439 –> 00:36:39,399 is pretty careless, heedless really about the things of God, 697 00:36:39,399 –> 00:36:42,320 he doesn’t carry weight in your life, 698 00:36:42,320 –> 00:36:45,159 I hope today that Jesus will bring you 699 00:36:45,159 –> 00:36:46,860 into a place where you think, 700 00:36:46,860 –> 00:36:49,500 my, what will it be for me to stand 701 00:36:49,500 –> 00:36:51,800 before the Eternal Creator? 702 00:36:54,320 –> 00:36:56,040 And that fear of the Lord will be the beginning 703 00:36:56,080 –> 00:36:59,239 of wisdom for you if you allow that 704 00:36:59,239 –> 00:37:01,479 to lead you to follow Christ. 705 00:37:02,800 –> 00:37:04,600 So that the fear that he brings leads you 706 00:37:04,600 –> 00:37:06,760 in to the fear that he relieves. 707 00:37:08,239 –> 00:37:12,000 Let that awareness of the awesome weight 708 00:37:12,000 –> 00:37:14,639 of standing before the Creator of the universe 709 00:37:14,639 –> 00:37:17,239 lead you to Jesus Christ. 710 00:37:18,919 –> 00:37:20,360 And put your trust in him 711 00:37:21,979 –> 00:37:23,540 and become his follower 712 00:37:24,300 –> 00:37:28,739 and ask him to make you a citizen of his Kingdom. 713 00:37:28,739 –> 00:37:33,020 That is, place your life under his rule now 714 00:37:34,020 –> 00:37:36,040 so that you may enter into all the joy 715 00:37:36,040 –> 00:37:39,439 of his Kingdom when he comes in power and glory 716 00:37:39,439 –> 00:37:44,199 and takes all of his people into the new heaven 717 00:37:44,199 –> 00:37:45,820 and the new earth where there are no storms 718 00:37:45,820 –> 00:37:47,659 and no demons and no sickness and no death. 719 00:37:47,659 –> 00:37:49,739 You want to be part of that. 720 00:37:49,739 –> 00:37:52,139 So ask him to make you part of that. 721 00:37:53,040 –> 00:37:57,959 At peace with God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. 722 00:37:57,959 –> 00:38:00,219 Then place everything that you are facing 723 00:38:00,219 –> 00:38:03,659 into his hands and under his rule. 724 00:38:05,379 –> 00:38:10,379 And you will find that Jesus Christ will relieve your fear 725 00:38:14,020 –> 00:38:18,620 by giving peace and by bringing hope. 726 00:38:20,060 –> 00:38:21,139 That’s the gospel. 727 00:38:22,959 –> 00:38:25,560 Let’s bow before God in prayer together. 728 00:38:29,060 –> 00:38:31,040 Lord Jesus, will you please cause 729 00:38:31,040 –> 00:38:33,020 those who have been thoughtless and careless 730 00:38:33,020 –> 00:38:35,320 about you and about eternal things 731 00:38:36,899 –> 00:38:38,139 to have the fear of the Lord, 732 00:38:38,139 –> 00:38:40,159 which is the beginning of wisdom today? 733 00:38:41,899 –> 00:38:44,459 And may that Godly fear bring us all 734 00:38:44,459 –> 00:38:46,419 to Jesus Christ right now. 735 00:38:46,739 –> 00:38:48,239 To those who are realizing perhaps 736 00:38:48,239 –> 00:38:50,959 in a fresh way today that God knows you. 737 00:38:50,959 –> 00:38:52,939 He knows your secrets, He knows your thoughts 738 00:38:52,939 –> 00:38:54,340 and He knows your plans. 739 00:38:56,020 –> 00:38:57,280 Will you come to Him? 740 00:38:58,879 –> 00:39:00,919 Ask Him to be your Savior, 741 00:39:03,300 –> 00:39:05,739 And hears His promise that he will relieve your fear 742 00:39:05,739 –> 00:39:08,840 by giving you peace with God through faith in His blood. 743 00:39:08,840 –> 00:39:11,139 Put your faith in Jesus Christ 744 00:39:11,139 –> 00:39:13,219 and find peace today, 745 00:39:13,320 –> 00:39:14,860 with faith in Jesus Christ, 746 00:39:14,860 –> 00:39:17,639 and find peace today 747 00:39:17,639 –> 00:39:19,100 as you believe His Word. 748 00:39:23,179 –> 00:39:25,560 And to some among us and perhaps there are many 749 00:39:25,560 –> 00:39:29,080 who know the kind of fear 750 00:39:29,080 –> 00:39:31,159 that comes when we lose hope. 751 00:39:33,540 –> 00:39:35,139 Will you come to Christ today? 752 00:39:38,120 –> 00:39:40,659 Will you ask Him freshly to be with you in the boat 753 00:39:40,659 –> 00:39:42,300 as you face your storm? 754 00:39:44,060 –> 00:39:46,879 Ask Him for strength to fight your fears 755 00:39:48,879 –> 00:39:50,199 and believe His promise. 756 00:39:50,199 –> 00:39:52,300 Ahead of you lies the full joy of life 757 00:39:52,300 –> 00:39:53,919 under the blessing of His rule, 758 00:39:55,439 –> 00:39:58,439 no storms, no demons, no sickness, no death. 759 00:40:00,379 –> 00:40:04,280 Find hope in Him as you believe His Word today. 760 00:40:07,260 –> 00:40:12,260 Lord Jesus, deliver Your people from fear today. 761 00:40:13,219 –> 00:40:19,739 For Your name’s sake, amen.