The Kingdom of Jesus

Mark 9:1-13 (English Standard Version)

1And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” 2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” 8And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 11And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 12And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

If we are the Lord’s disciples, then we are part of a great Kingdom!

1. The Kingdom is ruled by Jesus.
2. The Kingdom includes all who believe.
3. The Kingdom is the fulfillment of scripture.

Click below for sermon audio:
Mark 9:1-13

Deny Yourself, Take Up Your Cross, Never Be Ashamed

Mark 8:34-38 (English Standard Version)
34And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

If you are a follower of Jesus, then you must do things his way.

1. If you are following Jesus, you must deny yourself.
2. If you are following Jesus, you must take up your cross.
3. If you are following Jesus, you must not be ashamed of Him.

Click below for sermon audio:
Mark 8:34-38

Jesus said, “If You Would Follow After Me . . . Deny Yourself”

This is Part 1 of a 2 Part Sermon. Lord willing, the entire message will be up next week.

Mark 8:34-38 (English Standard Version)

34And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

If you want to follow Jesus, you must deny yourself.

1. You must love Jesus more than your life.
2. You must love heaven more than this world.
3. You must reply on Jesus rather than yourself.

Click the link below to listen:
Mark 8:34-38 Part 1

The Person, Purpose, and Patience of Jesus

Mark 8:27-33 (English Standard Version):

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

What does Jesus want us to learn here?

1. Jesus wants us to recognize that He is the Christ.
2. Jesus wants us to understand His purposes.
3. Jesus wants us to find grace in His patience.

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Mark 8:27-33

A Warning From Jesus

Mark 8:14-21:

14Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20″And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

Because we live in a world full of temptation, we must listen to Jesus’ warning.

1. We must beware of self-righteousness.
2. We must beware of worldliness.
3. We must trust Jesus for help.

Please click the link below for sermon audio:
Mark 8:14-21

I’m With Him

Mark 8:1-13:

1 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” 4And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” 5And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. 11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

Because Jesus is Lord, we must be with Him!

1. We must be with Him because He is moved with compassion for us.
2. We must be with Him because He has absolute provision for us.
3. We must be with Him because it is so foolish to reject him.

Click below for sermon audio:
Mark 8:1-13

The Presence and Promise of Jesus

Mark 7:24-30:

24And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

Because we are disciples of Jesus, we are always learning from Him.

What do we learn here?

1. We must understand the power of the Lord’s presence.
2. We must understand the fullness of the Lord’s promise.
3. We must understand the nature of Christian prayer.

Click the link below for sermon audio:
Mark 7:24-30

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