Skip to content A Journey Through Mark 6: The Power and Unbelief Jul 28 · 15 min ...more
A Journey Through Mark 6: The Power and Unbelief
July 28, 2025 · 15 min
Explore the events of Jesus' ministry and the impact of belief and unbelief on His mighty works.
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The Unbelief in Jesus' Hometown 0:09 Good morning. Welcome to stand on the word. Just finished the morning run now. It's time to stand on the word. Today, we are in the sixth chapter of Mark verse 56, and as many as touched him were0:21 made well. Now in this chapter, we have accounts of the following events related to Jesus' ministry. We have the unbelief that was in his hometown. We have the commissioning of the 12. We have the murder of0:33 John the Baptist. We have the feeding of the 5000, the walking on water, and the pursuit of healing. Now we've covered each of these events before, but as with each gospel0:44 account, we've talked about this, it comes from a little different perspective with different details that give us additional insight. And so it's it's important to read all of the gospels and and be able to pull0:56 together the these eyewitness accounts in many cases. Now we know that Mark is Peter's account that he related to Mark. Alright. Verse 1. Then he went out from there and came1:08 to his own country, and his disciples followed him. Now it had been about a year since Jesus' public ministry was announced in his hometown. Alright? You remember that? The people almost killed him. We1:20 read about that in Luke chapter 4. Well, he now returns. Right? About a year later. He no doubt loved these people, and he wanted them to understand the truth. So he went back to try to reach them again. Verse1:32 2. And when the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished saying, where did this man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to him that such1:43 mighty works are performed by his hands? Now we're gonna see a similar response to the ministry of the apostles after after Pentecost when they received the power of the Holy Spirit.1:56 In fact, we read that in, Acts chapter 4 verse 13. Now when they saw the boldness, this was the, the religious crowd, the Pharisees, Sadducees. When they saw the boldness2:07 of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. They realized they had been with Jesus. There's something about having the power of the Holy Spirit upon your2:19 life. But being astonished and marvel marveling at the things of God is not the same as acknowledging God and believing. Now the reception this time, a2:31 year later, was not much better than it was the first time. As we, see at the end of this chapter, the word of Jesus had spread, what he was doing, how he was healing people. And when he would go into a village, the2:43 people were lined up to be healed by him, but not in his hometown. I mean, he had to wait for the Sabbath to draw a crowd. Verse 3. Is this not the2:55 carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us? So they were offended by him.3:07 Verse 4, but Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house. Now he could do listen to this. This is verse 5. Now3:19 he could do no mighty work there except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. No. Other than laying hands on a few people and healing them, Jesus could not3:31 do what he had done elsewhere. Why? They would not ask because they would not believe. Our unbelief and our rejection of the word of God silences the words ofThe Commissioning of the Twelve and Herod's Guilt 3:43 healing and freedom that come from Jesus. At verse 6, and he marveled because of their unbelief that he went about the villages in a circuit teaching.3:55 Their unbelief was, was so pronounced that Jesus marveled at their unbelief. Now the other occasion when it's recorded that Jesus marveled was the faith shown by the centurion.4:07 So here we have the very opposite. He marveled at the faith of this Gentile, this centurion, but he marveled at the lack of faith, the unbelief that his own people had. Verse 7. And he called4:19 the 12 to himself and began to send them out 2 by 2 and gave them power. He gave them power over unclean spirits. Now Matthew contained this account of the 12 being sent out in twos. And there are4:31 there are times when you need to be alone, but there those times are relatively few. Jesus went away by himself to pray, but other than that, he was with others. This is community, doing life4:43 and ministry together, which is what the local church is to provide. So, you know, there are times, especially post COVID, a lot of folks still haven't reconnected with, with a local fellowship. And I encourage4:55 you. It's it's great to get teaching, and I'm so grateful for the the hundreds of people, thousands of people that are with us on this journey through the word, and this is supplemental to the to the community. We can't5:06 really can't have community online. You can have teaching, and it's important. And it is so important to know the word of God and go through the word of God. And I hope to see tens of thousands of people on our next5:16 journey through the word, but I also wanna see them in a local fellowship having community with others. Now just 1 more thing to point out here. Verse 12. So they went out and preached to the pea that the5:27 people should repent, and they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. Now this is important because their message was the same as John the Baptist. We read this in Matthew chapter5:38 3 3 verse 2. It was the same message as Jesus. We read this in Mark chapter 1 verse 15. Repent. Repent and believe. Now the message remained the same after the5:49 cross. Peter at Pentecost, Acts 2 38. Paul, Acts 17 30. It is the mess it's the message in Revelation to the compromising church. Revelation 2 16.6:02 Repent and believe. So here's a question for you. What should be the message of the church today? Repent and believe. Now verses 16 through 29 is Herod's6:13 murder of John the Baptist with a little more insight into, to Herod. Alright. Verse 20. For Herod feared John knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him,6:25 he did many things and heard him gladly. So Herod feared John. Why? John was a just, a holy man. In other words, the spirit of God was upon him.6:37 Interesting to compare Herodias, that was the, illegitimate wife of Herod. He was she was the 1 who literally wanted the head of John the Baptist. She was the wife and6:49 then you compare her with the wife of Pilate that we read about in Matthew chapter 27 verse 19 who said have nothing to do with that just man, referring to Jesus. Herod7:01 listened to his wife and he shouldn't have. Pilate didn't listen and he should have. Now 1 more comparison, after Herod promised to give Herodias Herodias' daughter,7:13 whatever she asked for when that request was for the head head of John the Baptist, we read in verse 26 this, and the king was exceedingly sorrow yet because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him,7:25 he did not want to refuse her. Like Judas, Herod was sorry but not repentant. He was sorry because of the oath. He did not wanna lose face in the7:37 presence of, these important people around him, but he did not repent for killing a man who he knew was innocent. Now when the 12 returned from their time of ministry, there was a debriefing with7:48 Jesus and a time of rest. Look at verse 30. Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. This was a debriefing. It was a goodMiracles and Misunderstandings 8:00 experience of him them sharing with Jesus what they had experienced. And and I think those times are important and we share what we saw God do. And when he said to them, come aside for yourselves,8:13 and, I lost my place here a minute. He said, come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while, for there were many coming and going. And8:25 they did not even have time to eat, so they departed to a deserted place in a boat by themselves. Now this is this is really important. After their intense time of ministry,8:37 Jesus teaches them to do what he often had done, go away for solitude and prayer. You know, we need to be recharged physically and and and spiritually when we're involved in ministry. And8:49 I I I've not been as diligent over the course of my time of ministry over the last 30 years to do this, but I'm increasingly do it. I I found it to be extremely helpful after9:00 times of intense ministry just to go away and and physically rest, but spiritually be recharged. It's okay to rest. Right? I'm I'm learning that. Okay. I know my9:12 wife's gonna hear that and say, really? It's okay? Then do it. I'm trying. In verses 33 through 44, we read the feeding of the 5000. Now I believe this is a, a significant event, a very9:24 significant event. Here's why. It is 1 of only about 5 events that appear in all 4 gospels. Right? The 4 writers cover,9:37 or at least make a reference to Jesus' baptism. They all cover Jesus' crucifixion, Jesus' resurrection, and the feeding of the 5000. It's the9:49 only other event that appears in all 4 gospels. So I think it's significant. Now we looked at this in Matthew and we looked at it in Luke, but I wanna actually save a more detailed study of this event when we10:01 get to John because I love John's account of the feeding of the 5000. Alright. So drop down. So that means you gotta stay on this journey till we get to the book of John, But it's right around the corner. Alright. Drop10:11 down to, verse 45. Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side to Bethsaida, while he sent the multitude away. And when he had sent him10:23 away, he departed to the mountain to pray. There he goes again. We've read this before. Jesus goes along goes away alone to pray. This is the son of God. But yet he realized he needed time to break10:35 fellowship with the father. So if the son of God, part of the trinity needed it, what does that mean for you and I? Alright. I want you to see something that is, not recorded in the us other gospel accounts about this10:46 event. Verse 47. Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he, that is Jesus, was alone on the land. Then he saw them, that is the disciples, straining at10:58 rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking on the sea and would have passed them by. Now, we have the account of Jesus walking on11:10 the water in Matthew and Luke, but we didn't read what it says here. Jesus saw them straining at rowing for the wind was against them. Jesus saw them and what they were up against. You know, his disciples11:22 were not out of his sight. Isn't that encouraging to know that that the Lord sees what we're up against? And look what he does next. He goes out to help them. Verse 49. And when they saw him walking on the11:34 sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and they cried out. Sometimes the help coming we're not expecting it. Verse 50. For they all saw him and were troubled, but immediately, he talked with him11:46 and said to them, be of good cheer. It is I. Do not be afraid. More accurately, what's being communicated here in the Greek is take courage. Take courage. Do not be afraid.11:58 You know, 1 thing that is missing in this account is Peter walking out on the water. Could, Peter and telling Mark left that, a little bit of information out? Possibly so. Verse 51.12:10 Then he went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased, and they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and they marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves because their heart was12:22 hardened. See, this the disciples still they still did not fully understand who Jesus was, the son of God, and his mission to save mankind from their sins. They were still12:34 they were still looking for him to be a temporal messiah that would reestablish their political authority and independence. So I have to ask the question, do we do weThe Pursuit of Healing and Faith 12:45 fully understand and appreciate who Jesus really is? Alright. The last part we read in Matthew chapter 14 verse 54, and when they had come out of the boat, immediately12:57 the people recognized him, ran through the whole surrounding region, and began to carry out on beds those who were sick to wherever13:09 they heard he was. Wherever he entered into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the market places and begged him that they might just touch the hem of his garment. And as many as touched him13:21 were made whole. You know, 1 final observation here. You know, the proud and the powerful sought to kill him, but the weak and the powerless sought a cure from13:33 him. Father, we thank you for your word and, and, Lord, we just ask once again for the Holy Spirit to lead us in grasping the truth13:45 of your word. And, Lord, this is not just an intellectual historical understanding of the life of Jesus that we want. Lord, we want the truth. Jesus said I am the13:56 truth. I am the way. I'm the life. No man comes to the father but by me. I pray the Holy Spirit would lead us into that understanding and its application to our lives in this world in which we we are living. Thank14:08 you for your word. And, Lord, may it sanctify us as your word states that it does. We pray and ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning, and until next time, keep standing14:20 on the word.14:23 Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you14:35 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 The Unbelief in Jesus' Hometown3:38 The Commissioning of the Twelve and Herod's Guilt7:55 Miracles and Misunderstandings12:36 The Pursuit of Healing and Faith94K followers
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