year 2 day 72

Year 2 Day 72

Pray (ACts)

Read - Mark 3:7-12

Message - Alan Burke 

The chaotic, intense, emotional scene of the crowds crushing Jesus that we have here is bracketed with the Pharisees plotting to kill Jesus (6) and the evil spirit confessing who he was (11). The Pharisees rejected Jesus and ultimately the crowds had rejected him, for they had rejected Jesus in favour of who they wanted him to be. Then there is the evil spirits who are the only ones who recognise who Jesus is by falling before him in mock worship (11). Even though the peoples Messiah had arrived, God’s anointed king, the Son of God it is only the evil spirits who knew and confessed him to be the Son of God. 

Today I want you to consider something here from the response of the evil spirits. The evil spirits confessed who Jesus was, but a confession does not make a disciple. These evil spirits knew who Jesus was was, but it reminds us that a confession of faith, an affirmation of the truth does not mean that one is a disciple. Think about it, the evil sprits cried out “you are the Son of God”, and Satan himself knows Jesus as the Son of God, that through Jesus all that has been made has been made, Satan knows that Jesus rose from the dead, he knows that Jesus died on the cross, Satan knows all these things, the evil spirits know these things but none of them are disciples. 

A confession of faith, an affirmation of the truth mean does not mean that you are a disciple. You can know the truth, you can even believe it, you can confess the truth, say that you claim it, but unless you submit to the Lord Jesus, unless you repent and believe, you are not a disciples. For the gospel means that we believe and obey, Jesus taught us that the gospel also demands a respond. We thought about that briefly from the great commission a few weeks ago, as Jesus sent his disciples out to make disciples, teaching them to obey everything he commanded. 

Unless we get that, unless we confess and obey, unless we are willing to fall at his feet and lay everything before him, then we are refusing to submit to his rule in our life. People may have a confession, so did the evil spirts they confessed, people can affirm the truth of what the Scripture teaches, but unless they submit to his rule then they are not a disciple. Jesus should be Lord of our desires, Lord of our relationships, Lord over our priorities, Lord over all.

Pray (acTS)

Sing

WSC
Q78 What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?
The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour’ s good name. (1 Sam. 17:28, Lev. 19:16, Ps. 15:3)