Follow or Don’t Follow, Jesus Will Prevail! | Mark 3:7-12 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark)

I remember sitting at a conference many years ago and attended a a meeting where new pastors were ordained in the network of ministries that were meeting together. And they were interviewing these new pastors, and one of them said something along the lines of the question was about how do we reach this generation? And the topic of worship came up. And this person said, we can't be scaring our visitors when they come. And we talk about things and sing about things like the blood of Jesus.

And, that person went on to argue why that was the case. And I thought to myself, one, we don't gather to entertain the world. And two, I'm not ashamed of the blood. I'm not ashamed of the blood. I'm not ashamed of that crimson flow that is the source of our healing, our salvation, our sanctification, our stabilization.

We sing about the blood because that is where the power of God lies, and it still has power today. And I hope if you have not been cleansed by that blood, the blood of Jesus Christ, that you would come to him and ask for him to do just that. His wounds are open, and he's still willing to extend that healing. And I hope that you would receive it if you don't know Jesus Christ this afternoon. Meet me in the gospel according to Mark in chapter three.

Mark chapter three. Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him. For he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him.

And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, you are the son of God. And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. The text before us today is essentially a summary of the growing influence of the ministry of Jesus Christ, and it may seem like a repetition of the themes that we have covered in-depth already up to this point in the gospel of Mark. But this section of scripture has more to offer us than just a revision. If you pay attention, you will see that this overview helps us zoom out from the on ground interactions that Jesus had with many that we have already looked into, and gives us an aerial view of how the impact of Jesus is now reaching new ground, touching new regions, and drawing more people.

But what makes what we just read here even more special is when you and I consider the backdrop at which this text is set on. Remember how we ended last week. And if you don't, look at verse six. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against them how to destroy him. You see, Jesus healed the man with a withered hand in the sanctuary of the synagogue.

And the Pharisees, upon that, realized and come to a place where they were convinced of what they were going to do with Jesus. It wasn't to inquire more of him. It wasn't to say we will believe in him. It wasn't even close to we will follow him. Instead, we just heard that they will now try to destroy him.

And with this diabolical mission, you have to understand that they would not keep it to themselves. But instead, they would go to others and recruit them to join them on this campaign to try to maliciously attack the son of God. So when you see that and you have that in mind and you come and you read something like verse seven to verse 12 that seems to be like an overview that has no strong theme to work with, we actually do have something to work with. Think about it. The Pharisees and the Herodians are now planning to put a stop to this new movement from this rabbi from Nazareth.

They're trying to stop it, but the crowds are flocking to him. And we see here that these religious leaders are not planning to go public with their rejection and their accusation against Jesus. And yet you have the demons that could not help but submit to him. And now we are beginning to see the hardening of the Jewish people's heart against Jesus. And we are also getting early hints that the Gentiles are opening their arms to him.

You see, if you were reading this text by yourself and you didn't know what to take out of it, may I suggest this simple thought. When you put all the pieces together, it's very clear. Nothing and no one can stop the Lord Jesus Christ from advancing his purposes on the earth. Nothing and no one ever. And that's a glorious truth for you and I to bask in here in '22, especially in America.

Never mind America in this this world. Because we are witnessing every institution shaking and losing confidence, and losing the people's confidence. And all the while, you and I are part of this entity, the church that is immovable and unstoppable. You and I have something that cannot be taken from us. And ever since the early days of Jesus' ministry, there have been those evil men who have attempted to try to put our faith to extinction.

And they do that through physical intimidation, and they also use philosophical weaponry. But every single generation testifies that when men, even nations and governments have tried to bury the gospel, God finds a way to bury them. Because no mind on this planet and no force from hell can thwart or extinguish any true body of Jesus Christ who preaches the true gospel ever. And you and I, praise God, are numbered among that holy embassy. That holy embassy of people who have received a seal from above that protects us and preserves us and empowers us when everything comes against us.

Just in case you have forgotten, ever since truth has been made known, ever since Jesus laid the foundation of his gospel on this earth, There has been a hellish mission to try to rid the earth of our faith. And I wanna read to you just a few quotes of thinkers from the past for you to get an idea that there are not just people in this world who have a different opinion about who God is and what it means to be saved and what it means to live this life. There are those who have the ambition to see Jesus Christ, his name, his gospel, his work destroyed. Destroyed because their ambition has been motivated by satanic influence, And it bleeds into poetry. It bleeds into music.

It bleeds into philosophy, and it bleeds even into our laws. When I read these things to you, realize that these men hate Jesus Christ. And realize that these writings and these men are influencing schools and politicians and even, God help us, pastors in our time. Have you heard of Friedrich Nietzsche? The German poet and philosopher who was a prominent voice during the eighteen hundreds who was known for coining the phrase, God is dead.

God is dead. God remains dead, and we have killed him. And what did he mean by that? He meant that the enlightenment era, the the the explosion of reason replaced this silly childish idea of faith. So he says, God is dead.

It's over. And And what's amazing about Nietzsche is that he was a staunch evolutionist, and he greatly inspired someone that you may know, Hitler. Hitler was so stimulated by Nietzsche, and it fueled his wrath and fury against those who were created in the image of God. Can I read to you a quote from him? Quote, I call Christianity the one great curse, the one great intrinsic depravity, and the one great instinct of revenge for which no means are venomous enough or secret and small enough, I call it the one immortal blemish on the human race, end quote.

You wanna know how Nietzsche died? He died at the age of 44. He collapsed because of a psychotic breakdown. This man was sent to a mental institution in Switzerland and a year later would die with his mental condition in total ruin. How about Voltaire?

Voltaire, the French philosopher during the alignment era in the seventeen hundreds. You can feel the absolute hate this man had if you just read just a couple of his quotes. Here's one. Quote, Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd, and bloody religion that has ever infected the world. And Voltaire prophesied, or at least tried to.

He predicted what was going to happen just a few short years after his own death. And this is what he said, quote, one hundred years from my day, there will be no Bible. Not one on the earth, except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity seeker. In other words, the only place you're gonna find a Bible is in a museum, a hundred years from my day. You know what's so funny?

God's providence has a touch of humor in it from time to time. Voltaire's house, not many years after his death, was purchased by Christians, and they turned his house into a printing press for the gospels. And this was so offensive to atheists even to this day. They tried to deem that as a myth and as something that Christians have constructed. If you really do the research, it actually happened.

His house was purchased, and it was storing gospel tracts and bibles. Antonio Gramsci, the Italian politician who founded the Italian Communist Party in the early nineteen hundreds, quote, said, socialism is precisely the religion that must overwhelm Christianity. In the new order, social socialism will triumph by first capturing the culture via infiltration of schools, universities, churches, and the media by transforming the consciousness of society. I must admit that Gramsci's plan of action is being implemented today. Even today, we're seeing it happen here in our nation.

There is an infiltration in our schools, in our universities, and there is an attempt even to pollute the church of Jesus Christ. But here's what I wanna say. This man clearly hasn't learned what God has done throughout history. God's word promises, and history has already proven that the living word cannot be stopped. It cannot be stopped.

What a bold statement. Socialism socialism I can't even say it. That's much I don't like it. Will triumph. Will triumph.

But here's what we have to understand and what we're going to see in this text. Though Pharisees or philosophers or politicians have tried to obliterate the gospel, God's providence always prevails. And his truth will live on effectually for the glory of his name. Paul told Timothy during a time when he was arrested in second Timothy chapter two verse eight and nine. You don't have to turn there.

He says, remember Jesus Christ. Risen from the dead, the offspring of David as preached in my gospel for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal, but the word of God is not bound. And what what is he trying to say? I am God's spokesman, and I am chained as I am writing these things to you, but God's voice cannot be apprehended. The world can try to silence preachers, but God's word can never be muted.

It will always captivate hearts. It will find a way. Churches might be shut down and burned by tyrannical government, but understand that the gospel will find a way to gain new territory, and rescue new souls. And for anyone to ever think that they can try to bury, burn, bring this word to ashes is just as foolish as to believe that you can tie God's hands behind his back and tell him to stay put. The word of God is not bound.

But the central theme of this of this section of scripture has sub points to it. There are things that are told here that deserve our careful consideration, and these thoughts are somewhat connected to that dominating idea that you just heard. Because as much as you and I should believe that God's word, the gospel, has been and will continue to forge ahead, there are some times, even in our own day, where it doesn't seem so obvious. The building of God's kingdom has known its challenges, has known obstacles and disappointments. And if we're going to be honest, we have to confess that moving forward, there will be periods of darkness that will make us doubt if we're not careful of whether or not what we have and what we believe is effective.

And my point of this message is as you hear what we have to say from this text, you will be encouraged. You will not lose hope. You will trust and understand that this this word, God's mission, his purpose on the earth will prevail. And that Jesus himself, even as he was faithfully fulfilling the ministry and the eternal purposes of God in his time, New some restrictions and new some resistances that we can take comfort in. Because we know that we are not alone.

And we have an example for us in Jesus to know how to move forward. And the way I want you to understand this together is to see that there are three parties, three parties in this text that we are going to experience in our lifetime. And these things, if we're not careful, can cause us to be grieved or to doubt or to question what we stand for, what we hold to, and the power behind it. The first group I wanna mention are the Herodians. You heard it in verse six.

The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against them, how to destroy him. Now we know who the Pharisees are. We've heard enough about them, but who are who are the Herodians? We don't have much to work with. The data in scripture is not vast, but we have clues and enough clues to gather together to get a general idea of what this party was all about.

And when you put the pieces together, though they're only mentioned in Mark and Matthew, you will understand that the Herodians were secular Jews. These men were secular Jews who sympathized with Herod and were therefore supporters, strong supporters of Rome. They were irreligious. They were politically minded. They were influential.

But they were not concerned about the prophesied Messiah in the scriptures like the Pharisees were. No. In fact, if there was any Messiah figure in their life, in their reason, in their belief system, it was actually Herod and his dynasty. They looked to Rome as their hope for stability, prosperity, and peace. And so they were defenders of Herod, they were promoters of Herod, and they were even known as the Herodians.

They could not be more opposite than the Pharisees than to the Pharisees. Completely different ideas. And yet, we read here that they find common ground. They find common ground. And and on what basis?

The basis of seeing Jesus as a threat to their separate agendas. To the Pharisees, they have learned very quickly that Jesus is capable of exposing and dismantling their oppressive legalistic system. And the and the Herodians understood that this man has enough power to sway the population and to persuade them to pledge their allegiance to him instead of the standing government. And so they come into partnership together and they say, we gotta stop this man. Let's just forget our differences, and let's just work on this common goal.

He's a threat to both of us. And if you if you read the famous scene where Jesus was put in a dilemma with that question about paying taxes to Caesar, it was actually the Herodians and the Pharisees who combined forces to try to corner Jesus. And they failed as we know. But what's amazing is that Jesus did not just see the Herodians. We're not just told in the scriptures that they were in opposition only in his day and of his time.

Oh, no. Jesus saw the Herodians as a threat to his disciples. And not just his disciples then, but his disciples today, you and I. Turn with me to Mark chapter eight verse 15. Mark eight fifteen, Jesus cautions them saying, watch out.

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. Leaven, a little bit of yeast and bread that makes it rise. It's a influential force. And we know what the leaven of the Pharisees is. We don't have to guess because in Luke twelve one, Jesus tells us that the leaven of the Pharisees is hypocrisy.

And it's more it's more than just a symbol of the subtle effect of false teaching. We know that leaven also speaks of the shaping effect of a of a practice, a particular practice that Christians can adopt, even though it contradicts what we stand for in our testimony. And so it's not just a wrong teaching, it's a wrong way of thinking that leads to a wrong way of behaving. And Jesus says, don't just beware of hypocrisy, don't just beware of a legalistic mindset, beware of the leaven of Herod. Now what can that be?

And I believe it includes what you and I just heard. It would not be a stretch to say that the leaven of Herod touches on the possibility of believers who, like the Herodians, have their interests and their convictions inspired by politics more than the word of God, more than the things of God. That's a very real problem today, is it not? Churchgoers who are consumed with the political sphere more than the great commission. Christians who have their security and their hope in the temporal policies promised by candidate that clouds their thinking from setting their minds on things above.

Christians who are greater evangelists for their preferred party than the gospel of Jesus Christ that is the true solution for all the chaos that we are seeing around us. If I am a believer who is more excited to discuss or defend politics, laws, then the hope, than the promise, than the grace found in Jesus, then I may very well have a little bit of this leaven living inside of me. That is not to say that Christians should not speak about politics or get involved in politics. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about where your hope lies.

I'm talking about what your joy is determined by. I'm talking about what you think the solution to the depravity of mankind is. That's what I'm talking about. The Herodians had no interest, no care, no no hope, no idea about what the Messiah could do. They saw it in Herod.

They saw it in a man, in the strength of the flesh, in the wisdom of this world. And that is a dangerous leaven to entertain. But that is not even the central idea of the leaven of Herod. Because you and I, if we wanna understand what Jesus was concerned about, all we have to do is study who Herod was in this in the gospel, and and look at what he was all about to get a closer look, and get come to a closer conclusion of what this leaven was all about. And I believe one of the most striking observations about the man Herod is found in the very same gospel that we are warned about, his leaven.

It's in Mark chapter six, and turn there with me in verse 19. We will go there very quickly. Well, not very quickly, but we're coming to this chapter soon, and this chapter really discusses the death of John the Baptist. And here's what we read in verse 19 of Mark chapter six. And Herodias had a grudge against him, being John the Baptist, and wanted to put him to death, but she could not For Herod feared John, meaning he revered him, he respected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe.

When he, Herod, heard him, John, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. If you read these two verses in isolation without honoring the context, you would you might make the conclusion that Herod's a great guy. I mean, look, he he respected John. He even protected John to to a certain extent, and even enjoyed listening to what John had to say, but it's not until you read the following text to understand just how twisted this man was. Because immediately after this, we read of Herod's celebration for his birthday with his distinguished guests and noblemen.

And there's nothing wrong with birthdays, but at this birthday, there's something extremely concerning. Because at some point in the night, you had Herod's stepdaughter come into the room, and we are told that she danced before him and his fellow men. And the word there for dance is not speaking about some cultural display or exhibition. We're talking about something erotic, inappropriate, provocative. And here she is putting on a show for her stepdad, and for these other men.

And Herod was so consumed with his lust, and so drunk with his pride, that his response to being aroused in this way was to say, whatever you want I will give it to you. And this young girl looks over her shoulder and sees her mother. And so she runs to her and says, what should I ask him for? And Herodias, a Jezebel like woman, wicked, saw this as an opportunity to satisfy her grudge and said, ask for John's head. So that young lady ran back to her stepfather and asked for John to be beheaded, and he did it.

What makes this especially disturbing is that Herod was able to do this after we were told that he would frequently come to John the Baptist's meetings and listen to his sermons. That is the Herod, and that is the leaven that Jesus is warning about. It's a type of worldliness that is extremely dangerous because it encourages people not just to tolerate the truth, but even entertain and enjoy it. And yet at the same time, even if the preacher is preaching against the very sin that you're indulging in, just like Herod. The reason why John was decapitated was because he would frequently tell Herod, you can't have your brother's wife.

So this is very confrontational preaching. This is very in your face. And yet, Herod heard it, and he heard it gladly. And yet, he can leave the meeting, go home, and indulge in the very same sin that was preached against just a few hours before. It's a very deceiving type of leaven.

It's a numbing type of leaven. And I have to tell you there are some people who are infected with this leaven and think that they are followers of Jesus Christ. Because they revere ministers, and they even they even go about and share how their messages are filled with sound doctrine and uncompromising delivery. But all the while, they are infected with this leaven. And I have to tell you, there are many people who think they are Christian when really they're Herodian.

They're Herodians. Now don't don't lift your hand. Don't make any reaction, but isn't it interesting that the leaven of Herod is not talked about much in churches today? I wonder why. I wonder why.

According to Jesus' words, if you and I can comfortably be in the world on Saturday night and then come into the house of God the next day, and then leave that same place only to plan to expose my heart, my eyes, my hands to that which grieves the spirit of God, then I may very well be a Herodian and not a Christian. By God's grace, as this ministry moves forward and proclaim the truth and living the truth, I have to tell you in advance that you and I might come into contact with some Herodians. They might even be sitting in our midst. And that can be discouraging, especially if it causes us to doubt whether or not we and what we do and what we proclaim and what we teach is really effective because, preacher, nobody's getting convicted like they should be. And I've had people over the years, thank God some, who even approached me with loving concern, knowing Herodians in their own life that might have come here and there and says, I just don't get it.

How is it that you can preach so clearly and and and so strongly and so precisely? And it doesn't even seem to move their hearts an inch. There seems to be no conviction. They could just walk right on out and do the very thing that you said not to do. And that grieves the art of God.

And I have to be honest, at times, that would discourage me. What is it that I need to do? What is it that I'm missing? But then I come to the word and I look at the example found in my Lord and more specifically the servant of the Lord in John the Baptist. You know what John the Baptist did when he knew that there was someone in attendance who can hear him gladly and then go to the strip club the next week and go to the club the next week and come back and hear him again and go get drunk that same week and go sleep around with their girlfriend or their boyfriend that same week, you know what John did?

He kept preaching. He kept preaching. He kept faithfully serving the Lord. He kept declaring the word of God. And there are other people who would be touched, other people who would be saved, other people who would repent.

And he was immovable, and he was steadfast, and he was committed because his joy was knowing that he was doing the bridegroom's will as the friend of the bridegroom. If there's gonna be a Herod, let there be a Herod. That's between them and God. But this word is powerful, and this word can save, and this word can convict. And so we see here that the Herodians who opposed Jesus of his time pose somewhat of a threat even today.

A threat to the encouragement of the people of God, a threat to the testimony of the people of God because you have some who, like Herod, in one instance can be in a holy atmosphere, and the very next be in a place that indulges the flesh. Don't lose hope. Don't question your calling. Continue to serve and believe that God can and will have a remnant in his name. The Herodians, the leaven of Herod, be careful of it.

Be careful of it. If you wanna know you have it, nothing's touching you right now. And not just that, but you are planning to sin this very afternoon. Just giving you a heads up. But then we come back to this scripture and we notice that there is another another obstacle in disguise, another way of discouragement as the kingdom of God is moving.

Jesus withdrew, verse seven, with his disciples to the sea and a great crowd followed from Galilee and Judea. And we read the other regions in which they're coming from. And as mentioned from the beginning of this message, these verses highlight the widened scope of Jesus' influence. And the mention of these regions want to tell us how the news of Jesus' ministry is now even going beyond Gentile borders and Gentile occupied cities. And despite the antagonism of the Pharisees and the Herodians, what you see here is that there are fresh waves of people who are making their way toward Jesus.

Some walking many, many wilds, energized by the hope that they will see what their ears only have heard, and maybe get a touch from him. Maybe receive something from him. And so you have these crowds coming, and surrounding, and not just surrounding, but so desperate that they are crushing Jesus, or at least they tried to, to such a degree that he had to move into the water standing on a boat so that nobody would overwhelm him. Isn't it an exciting sight? Isn't it something that is riveting?

A swarming sea of people who are demonstrating a desperation for the truth. And there is no denying that Jesus took advantage of this moment to preach the truth. Right? Because as we just heard, he got on the boat and he separated himself. That seemed to be a strategy of Jesus when he wanted to declare the gospel.

Because when you go to Mark four one, you'll see that he does the same thing. He steps into a boat, he pushes himself out, and he's there preaching the truth. This is glorious. This is great. This is inspiring.

But when you and I really take the time to investigate what is happening and examining this moment, verse 10 suggests that what these people were chiefly concerned about was receiving healing for their bodies. Look at verse 10. For he had healed many so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. The gospels are honest enough to tell us that in many instances when crowds came to Jesus, there was a mixture of motive in the masses. And I believe that this is for instruction.

Many of these people who came initially interested about Jesus or excited about Jesus and what he was doing quickly disappeared. Some sooner than others, never to be seen again, never coming to true discipleship. Once they heard what it meant to actually follow Jesus, they they distanced themselves from Jesus, they got what they wanted, and they're happy. You and I have to understand that one of the apostles of Jesus who witnessed this during those three years on many occasions and who wrote about it in his own gospel account sought to minister to a church post resurrection, post Jesus' ascension to try to clarify why it was that even in their own churches, they were seeing people do the same. You know the scripture, but if you don't, come with me to first John two and verse 19.

The same beloved John who wrote the gospel of John, and in a very powerful chapter in John six, when Jesus talked about being the bread from heaven that offended the crowds, and they left him and stopped following him. That same John writes to this group of Christians in chapter two verse 19. And he says to them, first John two nineteen, they went out from us, but they were not of us. For a if they have been of us, they would have continued with us, but they went out that it might be complain that they are all not of us. Why is John saying this?

Because the people who he was writing to were obviously disturbed about how some in their fellowship deserted them. And this is not speaking about people who are part of one church and then leave to another fellowship. This is not speaking about those who have been serving in a certain ministry and they feel like the Lord is leading them to another congregation. That that's not what they're all caught up in. What John is addressing are those who have left the church altogether, and by extension, the faith.

They've abandoned walking and serving the Lord Jesus Christ. And the they here in verse 19, if you read verse 18, the they are actually identified as the antichrist, plural. Other in other words, those anti who are opposed to Christ. That's who that they are. And somehow, someway, they found themselves to be for a significant period of time in fellowship with the true followers of Jesus Christ.

And at one point, perhaps not being able to tolerate the truth or understand what obedience really is and seeing genuine believers around them, packed their bags and walked on out, and this caused confusion for the believers. And it's a confusion as some experience today. How is it that so and so was able to sit there and sing and do ministry even, and now they're just immersed in the world? How is it that they they got baptized and gave testimony, and now they are adhering to a false teaching? How is it that that I saw when they made that confession and now they just deny him altogether.

How can that be? And John's answer by the spirit is very clear, but very comforting if we understand it. It's because from the beginning, they were not truly of us. From the start, they were not really of us. They might have been in the company, but they were not really born from above.

And that might shake us a little bit because like these people, they they see so much activity, they see so much confession, they see so much involvement. And then after maybe even months or years, they can just they can just stop. And Jesus has an entire parable about how this can be the case. And what John is saying is important for us to understand that one of the most important test to know the genuineness of somebody's faith is the test of perseverance. Sometimes, the only way you will know if somebody is the real deal is when you just give it time.

Just give it time. And see what they do through suffering. See what they do through persecution. See what they do when the excitement and when the joy, at least in the emotional sense, wears off. Where will they go?

And then you will know. And the reason why I'm bringing this to our attention this afternoon is because even in the days of Jesus' ministry and even in the early days of a post Pentecost church, the body of Christ has known disappointments like this. And it can dishearten us. It can cause us again to question. But realize that the Bible predicts this for us in order for us to be prepared, in order for us to continue to press on and understand that as you and I press on and God allows people to come into our lives, some of those people might at one point stop, turn their back, and go the other direction.

And that is not for us to doubt the power of the gospel or question how the Holy Spirit can truly save someone. Right? I mean, how how is it that so many who we see confess and be emotional even in their confession, they just walk out. Many of us have seen that. And just they just go back to how?

Well, it's not because there is a deficiency in our truth. It's because it's the condition of the soil of their hearts. And you and I have to know that what John says here is so important. They were never truly saved from the start, even if they had a surface layer veneer of spirituality. So the crowd, the questionable crowd.

Yes, crowds came to Jesus and that is a sign of success, but even in that crowd, I mean, who really became true disciple out of this crowd? You will have people coming in wanting something from Jesus, wanting some relief, wanting some superficial hope for their troubles. And once they get it, they're gone. Don't let that discourage you. Lastly, we have their last group of people, and they're not really people.

They're demons. Verse 11. And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, you are the son of God. And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. We saw the display of Jesus' healing power and that only continues in a recurrent display of his dominion over demons.

Right? We've studied this already. We've seen all of this already. But if we're not careful, the familiarity of this could cause us to overlook a detail that Mark mentions, and it's an important detail. It's found in verse 12, and he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

I have to be honest, when I read this for the first time coming to the gospels, I questioned it for years. Why would Jesus silence free publicity? Why would he try to, push away the very thing that is declaring his glory and his majesty? Why would he try to mute that? Why would he try to do something about that?

Wouldn't he invite that? Wouldn't that help his cause? Wouldn't that bring a greater confirmation to his identity? So he silences demons frequently whenever they begin to speak about who he is. And they're not rebuking him, they're not blaspheming him, they're saying what is true.

And the Lord would not have it. Silence, quiet. And I'm maybe from my advertising background thinking, Lord, this is promotion. It's free. It's good.

I mean, what can be more powerful than than invisible spirits that have been tormenting people to say, you are the son of God. I would receive it. I would receive it. But I'm not the Lord. And in his mind, he saw this actually as a potential threat to do just the opposite.

If you've ever wondered the same about this whole scene, then know that the Lord had no desire to receive any kind of publicity from evil spirits. Any attempt from an unclean source that would try to testify of his person was denied. Why? Because it would shed a level of suspicion on him. Jesus did not want the affirmation of demons to confuse the people.

Because it would encourage the possibility of people entertaining the false assumption of there being some kind of connection between Jesus and his kingdom and the kingdom of darkness. And if you wanna know how this is not a stretch of interpretation, all we're gonna do is fast forward a few verses. We're we're gonna be in this chapter in a few weeks, And look at verse 22 just to get an idea of of what this is possibly connected to. And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, he is possessed by Beelzebul, And by the prince of demons, he cast out the demons. Do you see?

I wonder if the Pharisees got that idea from hearing the demons, affirming who Jesus was. And then coming up with a conspiracy that this Jesus is in league with the kingdom of Satan. And the Lord would have none of it, and so he would silence them. And the enemies of Christ took advantage of it trying to convince people that Jesus's power is the same of demons. Look, they know each other.

They affirm him. They praise him. And the Lord is so wise. And I don't think the unclean spirits were shrieking this out with the strategy of that coming about. I just believe those who have twisted minds took advantage of it.

Yet at the same time, do you remember when Paul was in Philippi and there was this woman, this young little girl who was demon possessed, who was a fortune teller, and for days she was following him and Silas, and proclaiming that they were servants of the most high God? Do you remember that? And then after a few days, we're told Paul was annoyed. It's wonderful to know that you can walk in righteousness and be annoyed at times. Annoyed with evil.

Turns around and says, stop it. Cast the devil out of her. And again, I wonder why would this girl who has this this demon living inside of her proclaim proclaim that these men were servants of the most high God for the same reason I just proposed earlier. To cast suspicion on them and their ministry. To try to muddy their testimony by causing people to say, well, what's going on here?

And I think there's something here for our instruction as well. I wonder if that is a subtle strategy that Satan uses in our day. Saying, what are you talking about? You know, when I hear of a celebrity or a prominent figure give testimony to Jesus, I get nervous. I get nervous.

And the reason why I get nervous is because if they're not truly born again, then their affiliation with the truth can actually confuse people more than confirm the truth. And like these unclean spirits that Jesus silenced, it makes you wonder if it is better for those who have not truly been regenerated by the Holy Spirit to never mention Jesus at all. Just don't don't talk about him, don't claim that you follow him, because there are people out there, and that's the majority, who do not exercise reason or discernment, who can easily understand that this confession is in line with this compromise. And so you have those who claim to be Christians, and you have Christians believing it, and they can they can have a concert in Jesus' name, and then the next music video, they talk about how you can get high and you can sleep with multiple women. But he's a Christian.

He said he was a Christian. He has a bible verse on his Instagram. He posted this, he did that, he did this, and it does the very same thing that Jesus was concerned about. It creates confusion. And sometimes I look out into this world, and not just in the world, I look at Christian television or YouTube channels, and I think to myself, man, why is it the most popular ones are the ones who are giving a bad name to our gospel?

Why can't it be the faithful, anointed, sound, God fearing who take up the prominent place and the leadership role in the voice of the culture. And you might have thought what I've thought. Why doesn't God just silence them? Why doesn't he just do what he did with these demons? And there are many reasons for that.

Many reasons for that. But I wanna propose something to you that perhaps you have not considered of why it is that there are people who present a false Jesus or the true Jesus in doctrine, but in practice are proving that they don't really know him at all. And all these teachers who claim to believe the Bible but preach a a false teaching, all these why are they everywhere? Why doesn't the Lord just rid them of the earth or at least keep him quiet until he returns? You might have different things running through your head.

Let me give you one. It's in the old testament in Deuteronomy chapter 13. Verse one of Deuteronomy 13. Deuteronomy thirteen one, if a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, let us go after other gods which you have not known, and let us serve them, you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. Pause.

He's warning his people as they go into the land of Canaan, once you get established, I'm giving you a heads up, there's gonna be false prophets. They're gonna arise. They're gonna even perform signs and wonders. They're gonna tell you skewed things about me, my law. They might even introduce false gods altogether who are completely unrelated to the truth, and my truth, the only truth.

Beware. And instead of saying, don't worry, I will I will send hailstones from heaven and I will eliminate them or he he he says the following, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Do you wanna know why God allows these voices to remain, and even have powerful authority, and even powerful ability? Because he wants to test who really loves me. Will you believe that?

Will you follow them? Or will you investigate? Will you come to my word and say, this is the truth and I will follow you? Do you wanna know why the culmination of this will be the antichrist, capital a, coming to this world? He's going to test the world.

I've given my truth. I'm gonna cover the globe with the gospel, and then I'm gonna leave you with the choice and see who do you want. Do you want the truth? Do you want me? Or do you want the the one who can impress you and the one that you admire and look up to?

So when I hear these people speaking on behalf of Jesus Christ and I hear of some Christians who can easily swallow it up and who allow celebrities or politicians or prominent figures to be the standard of their faith and not the word, I realize that the Lord in some measure is testing our generation. Who will love me? Who will love my truth? Whether it's popular or unpopular, who will abide in the shadow of the Almighty? But let me end on an encouraging note.

Because in verse 13, even though there were Herodians, even though there are what? A questionable crowd with mixed motives, and even though there were demons, and even to this day, unclean vessels who try to represent Jesus Christ only creating at least in their minds, whether knowingly or unknowingly discrediting the gospel. Oh, he's gonna choose 12, and they're gonna change the world. And what I so appreciate is look at the language of verse 12 again, and he strictly ordered them not to make him known. These wicked, vile, despicable things called demons had no right to utter the name of Jesus Christ.

And this is what ran through my mind late last night as I was preparing and meditating for today. I served at one point and so did you the kingdom of darkness. I followed in the paths of the prince of the power of the air. I was one open to the spirit of the antichrist who stirred within me disobedience and rebellion and even hatred towards God. I blasphemed the name of Jesus.

I took his name in vain. And yet, in his great love, instead of silencing me and silencing you for all of eternity, he redeems us. Then he cleanses us. Then he fills us with the Holy Spirit. And you know what he says?

The exact opposite of what he says to these demons. Go and make me known. Go and declare my gospel. Go and be ambassador of Jesus Christ. Go and share my lighting.

Go and share my love, and you are now a trophy of my grace. And you are display case of my mercy. Go and speak forth his name. And it is through us in perfect, often stumbling, often doubting that God will use to advance his purposes in this twisted and corrupt age. And for me as I look at this I say, oh Lord, you did not die for angels.

You did not die for demons. You died for me. And this very thing causes angels in heaven to bend down from the balcony of heaven and look and say, how is it that he is willing to forgive and redeem? And beyond that, even use to fill and to send into the world? You and I have a privilege that angels do not You know what it is?

To proclaim the gospel. You and I have the honor of representing our King. And listen, let me end it here. There will be Pharisees, there will be Herodians, there will be people coming in and out. There will be those who might even misrepresent what we believe, and we wish that they would just stop, and there will be false teachers, but the truth will prevail.

The gospel will go forth. Jesus Christ will return. He will reign. He will rule, and he will have the final say. Praise God.

Lord, we thank you that you've given us a glimpse of hope in this gospel account, in this portrait of truth that though they try to destroy you, you drew men to you. Thank you for drawing us. Thank you for saving us. Thank you for redeeming us. Thank you for using us.

Lord, with all that we've heard, we will do what Hebrews says, That is to give thanks for we are a part of a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And so, Lord, receive this worship. Receive honor and and glory and praise from a sincere heart of gratitude filled with gladness. In Jesus' name, amen. Let's stand and worship.