Participants:
Series Code: THI
Program Code: THI000033S
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00:22 Father in heaven,
00:23 We thank 00:24 you so much 00:25 that you know 00:26 our deepest needs 00:28 and you minister to them 00:29 through your word. 00:30 Please be present 00:31 with us through your Spirit 00:33 as we embark on another journey 00:35 through the Gospel of Mark. 00:36 May our attention, may 00:37 my mind be focused on 00:39 you and our minds collectively 00:41 so that we would hear 00:42 just what we need to hear. 00:44 We thank you for it. 00:46 In Jesus name, Amen. 00:52 Perhaps 00:53 you heard the story 00:54 just about a week ago. 00:56 A young man 00:57 who wecall Shawn 00:59 was stranded, 01:00 literally stranded 01:01 in the middle 01:02 of the English Channel. 01:04 The story is that 01:05 Shawn was trying 01:06 to make his way across 01:07 that body of water 01:08 when his kayak capsized. 01:12 When the story opened, 01:14 at least in the news reports, 01:16 he was clinging to a buoy. 01:19 I don't know 01:20 if many of 01:21 you do much in the waters. 01:24 I'm not a captain, 01:26 so I was unaware of the fact 01:29 that all of the buoys 01:31 apparently are named 01:32 in the English Channel. 01:33 At least this one was 01:35 Colbart Nord. 01:37 And some of you, 01:38 if you have roots in the U.K. 01:40 or in France, 01:40 maybe you're nodding 01:41 your heads. Oh, Colbart Nord. 01:43 Well, that's the buoy 01:44 that he was hanging on to. 01:45 Iteveral miles off 01:47 the coast of France, off 01:48 the west coast of France, 01:49 toward England. 01:52 Shawn when he was discovered, 01:54 was in nothing 01:56 but his swimming trunks 01:58 in the frigid waters 02:00 of the English Channel. 02:02 How he was found 02:03 is also fascinating. 02:05 The captain of a Danish 02:07 fishing ship 02:08 was having a bad day, 02:10 at least as far as the fishing. 02:12 And so he decided to go 02:13 to waters 02:14 that might be more promising. 02:16 I don't know 02:16 whether he actually 02:17 found any more fish, 02:19 but as he was heading 02:20 to those waters, 02:21 he wanted to make sure 02:22 he didn't 02:22 get too close to that buoy. 02:24 And as he was 02:25 looking at the buoy 02:26 with his binoculars, 02:27 he saw Shawn waving his arms, 02:30 desperately 02:31 trying to get his attention. 02:34 Well, as the story played out, 02:35 after some 48 hours 02:37 in those frigid waters, 02:39 Shawn was not in good shape. 02:42 The boat 02:44 was not able to pull 02:45 right up to the buoy, 02:46 I guess for obvious reasons, 02:48 to those of you 02:48 that are sailors. 02:49 And he threw in, 02:50 the captain did, a 02:53 you get it, a lifesaver. 02:56 Shawn had enough energy 02:58 to grab on to that 03:00 and to be pulled to the boat 03:01 where he was 03:02 then brought on board. 03:04 And this is where it gets 03:05 even more remarkable. 03:06 When I read the 03:07 medical description 03:08 of his body temperature, 03:10 78.8 degrees. 03:14 If you're doing 03:14 the math, that's 03:15 about 20 degrees 03:16 colder than it should be. 03:19 He was walking a fine line 03:21 between life and death 03:22 at that point. 03:23 He was confused. 03:24 He was exhausted. 03:26 He was dehydrated. 03:27 He was badly bruised, 03:29 apparently from 03:29 hitting up against the buoy 03:31 or something else 03:32 in the rough seas. 03:33 He couldn't even speak. 03:35 But he was saved 03:36 from the point of death 03:38 to salvation. 03:40 Well, you might say 03:42 it's a great story 03:43 in a church, right? 03:45 Because this is really a lot 03:46 like the story 03:47 of heaven's rescue. 03:48 Now granted, 03:49 God wasn't on a fishing trip 03:51 looking for more fertile 03:52 fishing grounds, 03:53 but maybe you could say, well, 03:54 maybe you might even want 03:55 to continue the metaphor 03:57 to that as well. 03:58 But you get the point. 03:59 It wasn't just a 04:01 business endeavor. 04:03 Jesus came to this planet 04:06 risking everything 04:09 to rescue us. 04:10 It is really the focus 04:12 of the gospel of Mark. 04:13 If you've been following along 04:14 in this series, 04:15 we've actually been seeing 04:16 how the Gospel of Mark opens up 04:18 as heaven's 04:19 rescue plan for this planet. 04:22 From the very 04:22 beginning of Jesus words 04:24 in Mark 1:15, Jesus says this. 04:28 The time is fulfilled 04:29 and the Kingdom of God 04:30 is at hand. 04:31 It's here. 04:32 Believe in the Gospel. 04:35 And so what's going on? 04:36 Jesus is announcing 04:37 His kingdom. 04:38 His reign is beginning 04:40 on planet Earth. 04:41 And as things 04:42 play out in Mark's 04:43 rapid paced gospel, 04:45 we find Jesus showing 04:47 what His kingdom looks like. 04:48 We've seen how Jesus heals 04:50 the demon 04:51 possessed, 04:52 how Jesus casts out 04:53 febrile illnesses. 04:55 In the case of Peter's 04:56 wife's mother. 04:58 We saw how Jesus 04:59 healed leprosy. 05:01 We saw that 05:01 paralysis was no match 05:03 for Jesus. 05:04 And in fact, 05:05 when we read that 05:06 summary statement in Mark 1:34, 05:09 it says, 05:10 Jesus healed many who were sick 05:11 with various diseases 05:13 and cast out many demons. 05:15 And He did not allow 05:17 the demons to speak 05:18 because they knew Him. 05:20 Jesus, miracle after 05:22 miracle as Mark's gospel opens. 05:26 Jesus was showing 05:27 the arrival of His kingdom. 05:29 His kingdom is here. 05:30 He's rescuing people. 05:32 More dramatic 05:33 than the rescue of 05:34 Shawn on that buoy. 05:36 Some of you might say, well, 05:37 that was pretty dramatic, 05:38 but think about it. 05:39 Paralyzed for how many years? 05:41 And now you're healed. 05:42 Think about it. Leprosy. 05:44 Cast out from your friends. 05:45 Now you're healed. 05:47 Jesus 05:48 working with 05:49 unparalleled power. 05:51 Now, 05:52 if you didn't know 05:53 the narrative, 05:54 if you'd never read the Bible, 05:55 if you'd never read 05:56 the Gospel of Mark. 05:57 You might think 05:58 if you knew anything 05:59 about the biblical worldview, 06:02 even not having read it, 06:04 remember, that's the context. 06:06 You would say, well, 06:07 maybe Jesus is going to set up 06:09 the Messianic kingdom 06:10 right now. Right? 06:12 Is that what's going to happen? 06:13 Is Jesus is going to say, 06:14 hey, the kingdom's here. 06:15 Everyone's going to be healed. 06:18 But as we read on into Mark 2, 06:21 we find that 06:23 there is another power at work. 06:25 It is not just 06:26 the kingdom of God that's here, 06:28 but there is another power. 06:31 Jesus뛳markable healing words 06:34 are not going 06:35 to have unfettered reign 06:38 because you know 06:39 how it plays out 06:40 on planet Earth. 06:41 We are in the middle of 06:42 a great controversy, 06:44 and when God is working 06:45 powerfully, 06:46 what typically 06:47 also is happening? 06:50 That's right. 06:50 Satan is ramping up his efforts 06:53 to undermine God's work. 06:55 Let's remind ourselves 06:56 of what we saw 06:57 already in chapter 06:58 two in our previous study. 06:59 In Mark 2 07:00 Jesus said to that paralytic 07:02 lowered through the roof 07:03 right by his four friends, 07:05 he said, 07:06 Your sins are forgiven. 07:07 He's laying there 07:09 rejoicing in his sins, finally 07:12 being off his conscience. 07:14 Jesus has forgiven him. 07:17 What do the enemies 07:18 of Jesus do? 07:21 Their reasoning listen 07:23 in their hearts. 07:25 Why does this man 07:27 speak blasphemies like this? 07:29 Who can forgive sins 07:31 but God alone? 07:32 And then 07:33 Jesus really causes them 07:34 to be taken aback 07:36 because they're not speaking 07:37 these words out loud. 07:38 Do you catch the text? 07:40 It says their reasoning where? 07:42 In their hearts, 07:44 and Jesus knows their hearts. 07:47 You see 07:47 Satan creating controversy, 07:51 but Jesus seeking to heal. 07:54 You see His ministry 07:56 of preaching, 07:57 teaching and healing 07:58 is stirring up 08:00 the forces of the enemy. 08:02 And so Jesus 08:04 and His word, the most powerful 08:06 healing agencies that we have. 08:07 We're talking 08:08 about healing insights 08:09 from the gospel of Mark. 08:11 Satan doesn't 08:12 want those healing insights 08:13 to have effect in your life. 08:15 And so he is going to use 08:16 a variety of techniques. 08:18 One of them 08:18 we're seeing in Mark's 08:19 gospel is controversy. 08:21 How many people today 08:23 are not going to church's 08:26 because of, quote, controversy? 08:29 I mean, you run into people. 08:31 I run into them, right? 08:32 They say, oh, well, 08:33 this happened. 08:33 I don't 08:34 you know, that church 08:35 I was raised in, you know, 08:36 you know, 08:37 there's all of these problems 08:37 there. 08:38 You know, they're 08:38 and they're not 08:39 doing this right 08:39 or they're not doing that 08:40 right. 08:41 There's all kinds of things 08:43 that are keeping people 08:44 from God's word 08:45 and from God's people. 08:46 What we're going to see 08:47 as we look now at Mark 08:48 2 and onward, 08:49 we're going to see 08:50 that there are five vignettes, 08:52 five short stories 08:54 where Jesus, 08:55 in the midst of His 08:56 healing ministry, 08:57 becomes the center of conflict. 09:00 In Mark 2 09:02 as it begins 09:03 in that story of the paralytic, 09:04 Jesus is forgiving 09:06 and ultimately healing 09:07 that palsied man. 09:08 But I don't want you 09:09 to miss something, 09:10 because as we're speaking about 09:11 conflict and controversy, 09:13 don't make a mistake. 09:15 And I'll be honest with you, 09:16 I sometimes make this mistake, 09:17 so I'm not speaking to you 09:19 like I've got this 09:20 all figured out. 09:21 But you see, oftentimes 09:23 we think of conflict 09:25 and controversy 09:26 and trials as being negative. 09:30 But really, 09:31 if you look at Mark 09:32 2, you'll see that conflict 09:35 instead of contracting 09:37 or shrinking Jesus듌nistry, 09:39 it actually becomes 09:41 something that expands 09:43 His ministry. 09:44 Just look with me at this. 09:46 First of all, 09:47 before we look 09:48 at some of the narrative, 09:49 I want to point something out 09:51 to you. 09:52 Conflict has the ability 09:54 to help truth shine 09:55 more brightly. 09:56 Some of you have been studying 09:57 through the 09:58 the classic Christian 09:59 devotional, The Upward Look. 10:01 I've been studying 10:02 through it, too, with you. 10:04 And coming up in one of the 10:07 readings on page 324, 10:09 you will find these words. 10:12 All trials. 10:14 How many trials? 10:15 All trials that are received 10:18 as educators will produce joy. 10:23 Now, there's a 10:25 conditional clause here, right? 10:27 It's implied. All trials. 10:29 If you receive them 10:31 as educators, 10:32 you pick that up in the in 10:33 the passage there? 10:35 So if you 10:36 are going through a trial 10:37 and you realize 10:38 that you can learn from it, 10:40 it will produce joy. 10:41 Now, some of you are starting 10:42 to scratch your heads. 10:43 You say, 10:44 I don't know about this. 10:45 Let me give you 10:46 a little bit more context 10:47 from the upward look. Page 324. 10:49 Trials are Christ's workmen 10:53 to perfect 10:54 the Christian graces. 10:56 These tests are not to sink 10:59 the believers faith. 11:00 But to do what? 11:02 But to raise it 11:03 to the occasion. 11:05 Think about Shawn again 11:07 in the North Sea 11:08 and the English Channel there. 11:10 And what's going on. 11:11 He's holding on to a buoy. 11:13 It's keeping him elevated. 11:15 He's holding on to something 11:18 that was keeping him afloat. 11:20 Yes, he was in the 11:21 midst of trial. 11:23 Keep listening here 11:24 to this passage. 11:26 It's to raise our faith 11:28 to the occasion 11:29 that until all it may be made 11:31 to appear 11:32 more precious 11:33 than gold, that perisheth, 11:34 though it be tried with fire. 11:36 God is wanting 11:37 to purify your faith, 11:39 and He does it often 11:41 through trial. 11:42 Every trial permitted 11:44 is designed to exalt the truth 11:48 to a higher appreciation. 11:49 That praise to God alone 11:51 shall be upon the lips 11:53 of the true 11:53 disciples of Christ. 11:55 Now, think about 11:56 how we often handle things, 11:57 how I often default, right? 12:00 Something comes in your life 12:01 that's a trial. 12:02 And what do you do? 12:04 How many of you 12:04 your default, 12:05 your knee jerk 12:06 response might be to complain. 12:09 Oh no. 12:09 Why is this happening again? 12:10 God, how did you let 12:11 this happen again? No, 12:14 all trials 12:15 that are received 12:16 as what 12:16 educators are 12:18 productive of joy. 12:20 Think about this. 12:22 You say this is biblical. 12:24 You don't have to go 12:25 very far in the letter 12:27 that James wrote 12:28 to realize 12:29 that this is the same theme 12:31 that he begins his letter with. 12:33 My brethren count it all joy. 12:36 Now, let me just pause 12:37 right there. 12:39 Why does he say 12:39 count it al joy? 12:42 Why does he say reckon it joy? 12:45 Why does he say 12:45 attribute joy 12:47 to this situation? 12:49 I would suggest 12:49 because we often don't, Right? 12:52 He's talking about 12:53 when you fall, 12:54 continue in the text. 12:55 When you 12:56 fall into various trials. 12:59 Count it what? 12:59 Count it all joy. 13:01 It's the same thing. 13:02 Count it all joy. Why? 13:04 Knowing that 13:04 the testing of your faith 13:06 produces patience 13:08 or perseverance or endurance. 13:11 God is trying to build 13:12 your faith and mine. 13:13 He's trying to give us a gift. 13:15 And so he allows adversity. 13:18 He wants to be 13:20 the one that we glorify 13:21 in our lives. 13:22 He wants us to recognize 13:24 our need. 13:25 Now, think about this 13:25 for a minute. 13:26 Every conflict 13:27 I told you, it's 13:28 going to magnify 13:29 Jesus ministry. 13:30 Because in each of these 13:31 five conflicts that come 13:33 beginning in Mark 2:1, and 13:36 proceed through the 13:36 beginning of chapter 13:37 three, in every conflict, 13:39 something shines 13:40 out more brightly 13:41 about Jesus ministry. 13:42 So here's what we see 13:44 in chapter 13:45 two in that first story 13:46 that we already looked at 13:47 in our previous study. 13:48 After they accused Jesus 13:50 of not 13:51 having the ability to forgive, 13:52 they say He's blaspheming. 13:54 Jesus says these words 13:56 “that 13:56 you may know 13:58 that the son of man 14:00 has power on earth 14:02 to forgive sins”. 14:04 Now, it was implicit right? 14:06 When He spoke those words 14:08 to the paralytic laying 14:09 there lowered through the roof. 14:11 But now He's making explicit 14:12 that the Son of man 14:14 has power on earth 14:15 to forgive sins. 14:16 So what does He do? 14:18 What does He do? 14:19 That's right. 14:20 Then He heals the man. 14:21 He says, 14:21 Why do you reason 14:22 about these things 14:23 in your hearts? 14:24 Which is easier to say 14:26 to the paralytic. 14:28 Your sins are forgiven 14:29 you or to say, Arise, 14:30 take up your bed and walk. 14:32 So what does Jesus do? 14:33 He tells him, 14:34 take up your bed and walk. 14:36 That's what He does. 14:38 And what does the man do? 14:41 He gets up and he walks. 14:43 The paralytic is healed. 14:45 What is the point here? 14:47 It is possible. 14:48 It is theoretically possible 14:50 that had no one complained 14:52 because the man didn't say, 14:53 remember the paralytic, 14:54 didn't say, Hey, Jesus, 14:55 you missed the point. 14:56 I'm here. I'm paralyzed. 14:58 No, he's happy 15:00 that Jesus had met 15:01 his deepest need. 15:02 If no one had objected, it's 15:03 possible, 15:04 theoretically possible, 15:05 that he could have left 15:07 without physical healing, 15:09 rejoicing in the Lord 15:10 who had healed his spirit. 15:13 But because of their objection, 15:15 because of the challenge. 15:16 Jesus power is 15:17 magnified, right? 15:20 It's magnified. 15:21 Let's continue 15:22 now to conflict number two. 15:24 It says, Jesus went out again 15:26 beside the Sea of Galilee 15:28 and all the crowd 15:29 was coming to Him 15:30 and He was teaching. 15:32 And as He passed 15:33 by, He saw Levi, 15:36 the son of Alpheus, 15:37 sitting at the tax booth, 15:40 and He said to him, Follow me. 15:43 And he rose and followed Him. 15:46 Now, those of you 15:47 that are Bible students 15:48 realize that Levi is also known 15:50 as Matthew. 15:51 He was to become one of the 12. 15:53 This call is similar 15:55 to a call 15:55 that we saw in Mark one. 15:57 Remember how Jesus called 15:58 four fishermen, 16:01 James and John, 16:02 Peter and Andrew. 16:03 But now the call goes out 16:04 to someone who well, fishermen, 16:07 you know, 16:07 they werenn 16:08 high society, but 16:09 I mean, fishermen were okay 16:11 in the 16:13 minds of the 16:14 Jewish people of that day. 16:16 But when you start talking 16:18 tax collectors, 16:19 you're 16:20 just going into 16:21 a whole different direction. 16:23 And that's not the 16:24 end of the story, 16:25 because after 16:26 Jesus calls Matthew, 16:29 it seems that 16:29 Matthew is so touched 16:31 by Jesus graciousness 16:33 that he calls a huge party. 16:36 Now, this is not 16:37 just little snacks 16:38 hors d板vres. 16:39 Listen to the account 16:40 Mark 2:15. 16:41 It says, 16:42 as He reclined at 16:43 table in his house. 16:45 What historians tell us is 16:47 when you talk about a feast 16:48 where you're 16:49 reclining at table, 16:49 this is a formal dinner. 16:51 Now, I know for you today 16:53 that would not 16:53 indicate a formal dinner, 16:55 but back then, 16:55 that's the formal dinner. 16:56 You're reclining at table. 16:58 You're on these couches 16:59 where you're eating. 17:00 People are serving you. 17:01 And He is not only eating with 17:04 the tax collector, 17:05 Levi Matthew, 17:07 but many tax collectors. 17:09 And get the operative word 17:12 here, sinners 17:14 were reclining with Jesus 17:16 and His disciples, 17:17 for there were many 17:18 who followed Him. 17:20 This this is 17:24 over the top. 17:25 For those 17:26 holy people 17:27 who are watching Jesus, 17:29 the scribes and Pharisees, 17:31 their response 17:32 when he sees Jesus 17:33 eating with sinners 17:34 and tax collectors, 17:37 they don't come right to Jesus. 17:40 They come to His disciples 17:42 and they say. 17:43 Why is your 17:46 why is is He 17:48 eating with tax collectors 17:49 and sinners? 17:51 What is the implication? 17:52 What is the concern 17:53 they're raising? 17:54 They're basically saying 17:56 this can't be a holy man, 17:58 this can't be a good man. 17:59 Look at the people He's 18:01 keeping company with. 18:03 But I want you to 18:04 think about what's 18:05 going on here. 18:06 Jesus is fellowshipping 18:09 with the social 18:10 and the spiritual outcasts. 18:13 Jesus is doing something 18:14 remarkable. 18:15 This is one of the 18:16 healing insights 18:18 that come to us 18:18 from the Gospel of Mark. 18:20 Are you aware 18:21 that medical research documents 18:24 the negative impact 18:26 of discrimination? 18:27 Are you aware of this? 18:29 I mean, it's compelling. 18:30 Those of us 18:31 in health professions 18:32 realize something. 18:33 For many years, 18:34 I've worked with a 18:35 indigent population. 18:36 Some of you know, 18:36 I still 18:37 do a little bit of telemedicine 18:39 with the population 18:40 in Northern California. 18:41 It is a very poor population 18:44 that I work with. 18:45 Almost everyone that I, 18:46 I deal with 18:47 is on public assistance. 18:49 And what I've seen in working 18:51 with that population 18:53 is that people discriminate 18:55 against them. 18:56 They're nothing. 18:57 They're not any good. 18:58 They're not as valuable as 19:01 other people. 19:03 I don't care whether 19:04 it's your social status. 19:05 I don't care 19:06 whether it's your race. 19:07 I don't care. 19:08 It's where you were born. 19:08 I don't care. 19:09 It's how you talk. 19:10 I don't care. 19:11 Whatever. 19:12 You can go through a whole list 19:13 of descriptors, right? 19:14 But people are often 19:16 discriminated against. 19:17 And in medical circles, 19:20 the discussion 19:21 often is, well, 19:22 why do these people have 19:23 poorer health outcomes? 19:25 And sometimes people 19:26 want to point fingers 19:28 at the 19:28 one ones 19:29 being discriminated against. 19:32 But one of the things 19:33 the research shows 19:35 is that discrimination itself, 19:38 discrimination itself 19:41 undermines health. 19:43 Now, let's just pause 19:43 here for a minute, 19:44 because some of you, 19:45 if you're like me, 19:46 you're trying to track 19:48 along with this message, 19:49 you're saying, 19:49 oh, wait, wait, wait a minute. 19:51 Dr. 19:51 DeRose earlier 19:52 said, trials are blessings. 19:55 Now he's talking about this 19:57 trial of 19:57 being discriminated against, 19:59 and he's trying to tell us 20:00 it's bad. 20:01 I mean, shouldn't 20:02 this be a blessing? 20:04 Well, it's true 20:06 that if you count it joy, 20:09 God can take something 20:11 that your enemies mean 20:12 to hurt you with 20:14 or inadvertently 20:15 are hurting you through, 20:17 and He can turn it 20:17 into a blessing. 20:20 Remember the statement. 20:22 All trials that are received 20:24 as educators will produce joy. 20:28 But here's the reality. 20:29 Most people 20:30 don't accept trials 20:31 as educators. 20:33 Are you following 20:34 along with me? 20:35 Most people don't count it joy 20:38 when they're falling 20:38 into temptation. 20:40 So here's the reality. 20:41 If you look at large 20:42 medical studies, 20:43 you'll find 20:44 that people 20:44 who experience 20:45 the trial of discrimination 20:48 tend to have worse 20:49 health outcomes. 20:52 Now, just in case 20:54 being in a church, 20:56 someone is starting to go down 20:58 a path 20:58 that Paul was very concerned 21:00 about. 21:01 You know, 21:01 Paul speaks in detail in Romans 21:03 about how things that look bad 21:05 like sin itself 21:06 and our sinfulness 21:07 God can use for good. 21:10 But don't take from this 21:12 that one of God's 21:13 preferred methods for you 21:16 being a blessing 21:17 to other people 21:18 is to cause trials 21:19 in someone else's life. 21:20 Are you following 21:21 along with me? Okay? 21:22 So if you say, Oh, hey, Dr. 21:24 DeRose said, 21:25 you know, trials of 21:26 be a blessing, I'm going to Dr. 21:28 DeRose, I got a trial for you. 21:29 I got it all planned. 21:31 Please, please. 21:32 Here's what Paul said. 21:33 What shall we say then? 21:35 Shall we continue in sin 21:37 that grace may abound? 21:39 Certainly not! 21:41 Okay? 21:42 God wants you to cultivate 21:44 christian graces. 21:45 One of them is not causing 21:47 trials to your 21:47 brothers and sisters. 21:50 So why do people 21:51 have poorer health? 21:52 Let's come back to that 21:52 when they're 21:53 discriminated against. 21:54 Here's an interesting study. 21:56 This was a fascinating study 21:57 to me, published 21:58 about a decade ago, 21:59 looking at young people, 22:01 looking at adolescents. 22:02 Now, you might say, well, 22:03 you know, adolescents, 22:04 they really 22:06 you know, 22:06 what kind of health problems 22:07 do they have? 22:07 I mean, they're resilient 22:08 and all. 22:09 So they're looking at, 22:10 you know, 22:11 a healthy group of people 22:12 and they wanted 22:13 to see what effect 22:15 discrimination had 22:16 against them. 22:17 They looked at actually it's 22:18 social class discrimination 22:20 in a group of poorer 22:22 young people. 22:24 What they found 22:24 was actually quite interesting 22:26 in this study of over 22:27 250 young people 22:29 about equally distributed 22:30 between guys and gals. 22:33 13%, these are the words 22:35 of the authors, 13% 22:37 of the effect of poverty 22:38 on allostatic load. 22:40 That is a technical measure 22:42 of the health 22:43 impairing effects of stress. 22:45 They said it is explained 22:47 by discrimination, 22:48 perceived discrimination. 22:49 If you feel you're 22:50 being discriminated against, 22:51 whether someone says, Oh, 22:52 I'm not discriminating 22:53 against you, but you are. 22:54 I mean, every time you, 22:55 you know, 22:57 give someone something, 22:57 you never give it to me. 23:00 Well, it was just coincidence. 23:01 If you perceive 23:02 you're being 23:03 discriminated against, 23:04 that's what they found 23:04 in this study. 23:05 It actually undermines 23:06 your health. 23:07 Here's their conclusion. 23:08 The findings suggest 23:10 that social class 23:11 discrimination is one 23:12 important mechanism 23:14 behind the influence of poverty 23:16 on physical health. 23:18 Now, why do I share 23:19 that with you? 23:20 I share it with you 23:21 because rightly understood 23:22 the Christian church 23:24 is a vehicle 23:25 for healing communities. 23:28 You see, 23:29 when we accept people 23:30 into our fellowship, 23:31 when we embrace people, 23:33 what happens? 23:35 It has a healing 23:36 effect on them. 23:37 Has a healing effect. 23:40 Ministry of Healing. 23:42 Jesus is directly 23:44 combating discrimination 23:45 in this vignette. 23:47 By His presence, 23:48 He's healing those 23:49 who are social outcasts, 23:51 those with social scars, 23:53 those with emotional wounds, 23:55 those feeling 23:55 spiritual burdens. 23:57 What is Jesus doing? 23:58 He's coming close to them. 23:59 He said, I value you. 24:01 I fellowship with you. 24:03 You're important to me. 24:05 But remember what葸he scribes 24:06 and Pharisees 24:07 do in this context. 24:08 Again, 24:09 they don't let Jesus ministry 24:11 play out. 24:12 They're going to intervene. 24:13 They're going to 24:14 cause conflict. 24:15 They're going to 24:15 cause controversy. 24:17 Why is Jesus doing this? 24:19 Why is He hanging out 24:20 with all these lowlifes? 24:21 Why is He hanging out 24:22 with those that we 24:24 discriminating against 24:25 its implied right 24:26 and their very language? 24:27 We don't value these people. 24:30 Now, I think we 24:31 need to pause here, 24:33 and this is kind of sobering 24:34 because we're all church folk, 24:35 because we're in the church 24:37 or you're watching 24:38 a film 24:39 of something 24:39 that took place in a church. 24:41 Who is creating the conflict? 24:44 It's not the tax collectors 24:46 and the sinners. 24:47 It's the holy ones. 24:50 And what's their problem? 24:52 They say, well, 24:53 they're obviously not upholding 24:54 the standards, the traditions. 24:56 Right? 24:57 Jesus is ministering a way 24:59 that's not 25:00 checking all their boxes. 25:01 And what are they doing? 25:02 Instead of allowing 25:03 Jesus to minister 25:04 they're trying to stir up 25:06 conflict. 25:07 Now, lest 25:08 you think I have a problem 25:10 with those of you 25:11 that have higher standards 25:13 by the way, 25:13 I think we should all have 25:14 higher standards. 25:15 I'm speaking of myself, too. 25:17 But if we were to look at 25:20 my one 25:20 of my favorite definitions 25:21 of sin, 25:22 Jesus expressed it 25:23 on the cross in Luke 23, 25:25 He said, Father, 25:27 forgive them, 25:28 for they do not know 25:30 what they're doing. 25:31 One definition of sin 25:32 is that which we do, 25:35 which is contrary 25:36 to our own best interests. 25:38 Okay? That's what Jesus saying. 25:39 He saying 25:40 no one in their 25:41 right mind would sin. 25:43 They don't know 25:43 what they're doing. 25:45 And don't miss this in Acts 6 25:48 after Jesus death, 25:50 His resurrection and ascension. 25:52 It says an Acts 6. 25:53 So the Word of God spread. 25:55 The number of disciples 25:56 in Jerusalem increased rapidly, 25:58 and a large number of priests 26:00 became obedient to the faith. 26:02 So here's the take home 26:03 message okay? 26:04 Jesus bringing 26:06 healing into these 26:07 controversial situations. 26:09 Here, what does Jesus do? 26:11 He reassures us 26:14 those who are well 26:15 have no need of a physician 26:17 but those who are sick. 26:19 I came not to 26:20 call the righteous but sinners. 26:22 Here's the good news. 26:23 If you recognize your need 26:24 today, 26:25 Jesus is saying 26:27 I'm here today for you. 26:30 He emphasizes this 26:32 because of conflict. 26:33 Take that to the bank. 26:34 You are precious to Him, 26:36 and He wants you 26:37 to enjoy 26:38 fellowship with your Creator. 26:43 Let us pray once more. 26:45 Father in Heaven, 26:45 We pray that your truth 26:47 would truly take 26:48 hold in our hearts. 26:49 That it would change 26:50 us, make us people 26:52 that make a difference 26:53 on planet Earth today. 26:55 We ask in Jesus name, Amen. 26:59 We're interested 27:00 in helping you 27:01 on your journey as well. 27:02 We thank you for each 27:03 one of you who partner 27:04 with us 27:05 in this viewer 27:06 and listener 27:06 supported ministry. 27:08 For those of you 27:09 that are 27:10 donors at this special 27:12 time of year, 27:12 we're putting this program 27:14 out in April of 2023 27:16 for a limited time. 27:17 We're offering you a free 27:19 set of presentations 27:21 on the Gospel of Mark 27:23 eight, 30 minute 27:24 presentations different 27:25 than the ones 27:26 you've been viewing, 27:27 goes through the entire 27:28 gospel of Mark. 27:29 This lists for $40, 27:31 it's yours 27:31 free for a one time gift of $25 27:34 or more, 27:35 or a recurring gift of $15 27:38 or more per month. 27:39 To donate or for more details, 27:41 go simply to our website. 27:43 www.TimlessHealingInsights.org 27:50 Again, 27:50 that's 27:51 www.TimlessHealingInsights.org. 27:56 Thank you for your partnership. |
Revised 2023-04-14