Educated by Facts (Part A)

He's telling them that the Messiah is to be killed.

They didn't see it.

They didn't see that in the teachings of Scripture because they had so fallen under the popular views of rabbinical teachings that level that are out apostles had envisioned the Messiah that would be victorious, conquering the enemy, setting up his kingdom and they were going to be part of that kingdom.

That's why they were arguing on the road which one was going to have the highest rank.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the gospel of Mark chapter 9 for a brand-new study called educated by fax. Gospel according to Mark chapter 9, we will versus 3037 beginning at verse 30 then he departed from there and passed through Galilee.

And he did not want anyone to know it. What he taught his disciples and said to them, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men and they will kill him after he is killed he will rise 1/3 day. They did not understand this saying were afraid to ask him. Then he came to Capernaum when he was in the house he asked them what was it you were discussing among yourselves on the road, but they kept silent on the road they had disputed amongst themselves who would be the greatest and he sat down all the 12 and said to them if anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant. Then he took a little child, and set them in the midst of when he had taken him in his arms, he said to them, whoever receives one of these little children in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives, not me, but him who sent me educated by fact that is the title of this consideration and starts off with the prophetic word.

That's when he begins to teach them in the prophetic word of God is of course fact there's nothing we can do to alter it. We either join ourselves to God's word or we side against it.

John chapter 10 Jesus said Scripture cannot be broken. It's a fact whatever prophecies God has laid forward they going to happen.

The Lord is educating his disciples as they're leaving the mountain area where the transfiguration took place and then of course there was that child that was hounded by a demon at the base of the mountain. Corsi dispatch that demon and now they're on their way to Capernaum and he is teaching the reality of Scripture, however, seems to be too much for them. The fact of God's prophecy is something that they're not ready for on this subject.

Not at all, and in this section is teaching the prophetic outline because he's fulfilling is telling them that the Messiah is to be killed.

They didn't see it that way, they didn't see that in the teachings of the Scripture. Because they had so fallen under the popular views of rabbinical teachings that left that part out apostles had envisioned the Messiah that would be victorious, conquering the enemy, setting up his kingdom and they were going to be part of that kingdom.

That's why they were arguing on the road.

Which one is going to have the highest rank. When the kingdom is finally set up.

Not until Lord is risen, be able to receive and be educated by the fact of Scripture. He was trying to impart to them. On this day as he's heading towards Capernaum, towards Jerusalem. That is his goal and we have today. The Holy Spirit to help us with unpleasant facts that come from Scripture. There are things that that they didn't like that he said they had to face them and they are things that we read in the Bible that we may not care for either but we must keep an open mind and an open heart surrender to the facts, educated by them and not close minded to them and that's what were looking at today. Now looking at verse 30 then they departed from there and pass through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know it well that departure is the beginning of the end of his public ministry. Now he's focusing on the cross.

Yes, you will still minister in public.

He will still heal. That's not where the emphasis is now the emphasis is getting to Jerusalem and preparing the disciples as much as he can, for what's coming and they're not going to be prepared. Not until he is risen from the grave, then it will all come back not have one time necessarily, but it will.

By the time they begin ministering and teaching the church says here in verse 30 and he did not want anyone to know wanted to be unnoticed because he wanted to concentrate his efforts on his apostles and the interference that the people would bring to his teachings or something. He was not going to have happen if he could avoid it. As I mentioned his public ministry was now winding down, and now it was going to be about the suffering of Christ, so he wants to spend time with them and instruct them and prepare them for what lay ahead, and his determination to reach the cross is central to his teachings to that we can look at this. We look back at this and we get it because we understand the cross we haven't have you know, resurrection Sunday. We understand the much better now than they did at the time these events were taking place because we read this we say how could they miss this. He tells them right out what is happening. How dense are they there as tense as the popular teaching would make them.

It is very difficult to break out of a mindset unless you are committed to opening up and they were not. They did know how these were not scholars. These men were used to throwing that's in the water hauling and fish. They were not used to thinking through philosophies. It takes a while for the brain to to learn how to chewed through Scripture and how it applies to life. I think of pastors who teach the word. They spend a lot of time getting their head around what's going on how to make it effective to the congregation and not just a bunch of you know bakery goods handed out. That really don't have anything to do with anything.

How does the pastor look at the words that this is God's word to man.

There's an application and every bit of it if I could receive it if I could find it and again that takes years in the early years you you repeat the men who have figured out within the latter years. Now you're repeating yourself what has gone through your head in your preparation time before the Lord. So pastors today. How are they preparing the flock you receive the Lord preparing his apostles. How do we take this lesson and prepare the flock and prepare them for what what do you need to be prepared for you can put your finger on some things but not all. I can either we need God to do that God has to point out this is where you you and your guns. This is where you turn your attention. This is where the piece of wood that needs to be playing were sanded and prepared for whatever use that he has for it and so we do seek to strengthen the saved first before reaching the lost. Let's get the screw the saved right Russ, what are we reaching the lost with what we preaching to them. If we ourselves don't know what we believe. I can read in the blind lead the blind have a big problem. Someone's going to get hurt strong sheet to get strong shape. That's the idea. It is a fundamental of creation to know God's word.

That's how we make ourselves stronger in Christ, but not in isolation, not saying no church is good enough for me to go to homework lot. Do it know God's word and carry it out to help us face the facts.

We do that we get with each other as as much as we may disturb each other from time to time does a lot of work to get done by being in the body that otherwise cannot get done. That's why Satan tries to shut churches down was saying this another time we live in. More than ever, that the moment a little bit. So, to equip the flock for what to be stronger Christians, yes, but to preach the gospel with authority not with you. I think it means what this is what it means. This is salvation. This is who Jesus Christ is or many times, that is not Jesus Christ know when you pick that up that's not scriptural and associate that with Christ is wrong: out on these things. Paul wrote rights of the Ephesians from jail suffering for Christ is becoming more real for us to suffering for Christ. The age we live in. While all it was just a matter of life solely no. Very rarely do we find Paul not under some sort of pressure, he says, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, the edification of the body of Christ. This is the care of these men put into the church. The assembly I'm talking about.

Also included as many come along and try to amputate themselves from the body with a smirk, no less.

So the pastor is to look to apply the Bible's teachings to current events. Whether it is wartime or peacetime, or persecution, time, which is again ramping up in this country. How much of it will we face. How far will it be allowed to go will find out with Satan will find this out that we are ready is not one-sided is not like they get to do all this harm to us and we get nothing to do back in return we do we get the preach we get to stand up in our faith. We get to show that excellent witness as Christ did before Pilate, Paul did before Caesar or you can sit around and wring your fingers and what little wonder what the loonies are going to do next. I don't care what the loonies are going to do next. I get what I'm going to do next.

Am I going to be able to stand in the face of persecution should come my way more concerned with that what they're going to do so forever reminding believers to be believers be Christlike to bring the message of salvation that nobody else has nobody else can deliver this. That's us. We are the deliverers of the message.

We are the angels of the day, not the ones with the wings in the white garments over minor white garments are not as bright as theirs. Well, the world is not like this. They don't approve of it were not asking for their pool trying to be abrasive. The message itself will do that if if that's how they want to teach what our faith is to teach the world for bids at some point in the end when the persecutions come to the church is because the world forbids the church being the church are angry towards us for not celebrating sin but daring to oppose them. This was a story of Cain and Abel all the way back.

They assembled before God.

Cain was angry with Abel because Abel was righteous, and Cain was not. This is been played out through history world is angry at us for having the audacity to call their madness crazy things they do business is so ridiculous you have to say they have subjected themselves to hell because nobody is born. That's still a bit. I mean, was seeing this with the gender reclassification all the cooking names they come up with it in and do you know that Herrick it looks and how they look down at everybody else for not agreeing that you little boy should be a girl or your girl should be a boy.

It is crazy and we call it madness because that's what it is were hated for all we can really help you with.

If you insist on hating me. Guess what I'll be hated, but not without giving you a dose of the truth is, that's what you lack.

So to keep believers focused on the mission. He himself has has given some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor teachers, the work of ministry, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ. The edification means you know, at the reliving of the days where everybody's use a word we don't use much everybody wants to go down to the gymnasium to be in shape. All right, nothing wrong with that. Well, we want to be in shape when it comes to God's word.

We want to be robust in the things we preach and not caught up in arguments over pointless points of doctrine, not the serious point. Supposedly, we need to have have right Matthew chapter 10 verse 22 Jesus said and you will be hated for my namesake, but he who endures to the end shall be saved.

I'm not ready to disagree with Christ on that because I've enjoyed most of my Christian life not being hated to my face for my Christianity doesn't mean that at some point will not call will come. Acts chapter 21 then Paul answered this. This to me set this up a little bit. This is the apostle Paul.

He too is going to Jerusalem long after the resurrection of Christ and the ascension and he is been told prophetically that imprisonment and persecution await him and so he tells the Ephesian elders.

He tells the people of the various little towns.

He stopped off at on the way to Jerusalem that I'm going to Jerusalem. I know I have the prophecies, I don't disagree with them. I just don't care. So then Paul answered because they fall they fell on his neck, decrying the Whitby what we want to lose you. We love you. He says what you mean by weeping and breaking my heart. While I am ready not only to be bound, but also to diet Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus is men are always teaching us by just what they do and where watching that were attracted were drawn to this one of the marks of being a Christian that were drawn to what the Bible says that's what Christ is trying to get his disciples to understand. I'm trying to tell you he says to them that this is prophetic that the Messiah will be killed. In Isaiah 53. For example, and well, now on the way to the clock across and he wanted to avoid the now miracle hungry crowds because they were a distraction from what was now most important, he was not a dead man walking. He was a man that is that a risen man walking you could say I mean the video is surely he was going to die just as surely he was going to rise again a risen man walking.

That's who Christ is, at this point in his ministry. John goes into more detail in his gospel about the emotional side of Christ dealt with in his own heart, and how he wishes that this was Don the dispassion that he had to get this fight on reminiscent of David running towards Goliath.

Let's get this fight on, let's get this settled and that's what David did and that's what Jesus did in verse 31 now in Mark chapter 9 for he taught his disciples and said to them, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men and they will kill him, and after he is killed he will rise. The third day, I mean this is ECs facing this just as much of that as the Lord, he is, and though he's initially not succeeding as I mentioned, he will later they'll put it together after Pentecost.

It will all come into life. That's why we have the record, only they could've told what took place on this road that he was trying to teach them that they didn't get it that they were sorrowful but they were afraid, but they didn't want to ask him push the point that their mind report closed they'll tell us that later.

By publishing the gospel accounts. But as the events are unfolding there completely in the dark, and it is a great encouragement to us to understand that these men didn't get it. Christ Moving forward nonetheless with his plan. Then as I get the said they get it later.

That's encouraging to me. I may not understand certain things about Scripture which is life which has to do with life.

We don't study Scripture just because it's entertaining or we enjoy it we study it because it's God's word and it is life and it prepares us to face life. It educates us to face facts, to the glory of the father and to the benefit of those around us. So the future of God's program through the church for the next 2000 years will depend on these men and you're looking at is a plan to this plan to entrust the church with these guys God a perfect infallible loving, gracious God, that's who entrusted these men for the next 2000 years with the church because the church moves based off what these men wrote everyone, for they apostle we would not be paying attention to the Old Testament. That's just the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. The apostles first ministry of the New Testament encompasses incorporates the Old Testament, all of it God's word. The Old Testament is not understandable in Christ without the new. Otherwise, all the Jews would be saved within not be following Christ, but they need the New Testament revelation God is arranges non-Christians don't want to hear this. I think somehow it's you know lessons the old that doesn't lessen anything is the weakening of the Old Testament Scripture. It just it must go with the New Testament Scripture God has set himself when he walked the earth.

I'm not come to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them. And if you want to know what it means to fulfill the Old Testament prophet. You gotta know about Christ know about Christ is not enough to have the gospel get that the precepts to that's not enough said God, I'm going to reveal to my servant John things that must soon take place. And so it was far more important for him to prepare his men for what was coming then to heal anymore sick people, though he he still did. He continues here in verse 31 a pause here so I hope I sound like I believe what I'm saying because there are many that come to church and they just stay here mouth talking in a sissy ahead in the body, but they're not getting it. The not understanding the day will come when they will stand in front of God Almighty and have to give an account and there will be no excuses.

He already has the answers for them. So the best thing to do is pay attention to what God is saying in the word you that what is outgoing and angry or passionate. I'm angry at anything, it is sin. My sin but I'm very passionate about God's word, Satan, as is done with many of you spent a lot of time trying to get you to not be passionate about God's word to be frustrated with the Lord to be disappointed with what he allows and disallows the righteous keep moving forward because they know in whom they have believed, which is the whole story of Job, the story of Joseph story of Jeremiah story of Jesus Christ. Story of Paul the apostle, and countless Christians down through the ages. This is real stuff here and if you want to wait until you're dead to find out be too late to benefit from. You can learn now throw yourself into what God is saying at his pace.

Verse 31, 40 taught his disciples and said to them, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after he is killed he will rise. The third day did hit them. You know he's going to be killed and they didn't care for it. So when he says the Son of Man is betrayed in the hands of men is prophetic at this prophecy. The Son of Man is being portrayed into the hands of men solemn prophecy he speaks in the present tense, was Judas already in dialogue with the Pharisees, the enemy is mobilized against them for sure.

Did he know that, or perhaps just in the head of user Judas.

He was already planning. Maybe Judas was singed because he did not get to go up to the mountain with Peter James and John the was left in the Valley. Further frustrated by the fact that he could not cast out the demon. Whether that's true or not is really not important. The important thing is the Lord is saying the Son of Man is being betrayed and the whole stalk of death and dying to Judas would've meant no position in the Messiah's kingdom that would've been a great big disconnect for him for the other stupor. The others would not betrayed him.

They loved him. Jewish Judas betrayed was in love followed him like what was going on in the early phases.

You certainly attracted useful to the Lord.

Then he hardened his heart until finally Satan filled his heart, and they will kill him, and after he is killed he will rise. The third day is direct enough. The victory of the cross. The only hope for mankind is a song we don't hear it much. You probably have to watch the lilies of the field to get it.

I'm sure it's on the Internet is a men song led before Pilate then they crucified him close on Sunday.

Song says something anyway. This they didn't get when he was led before Pilate and Benny provide.

They fell out of step with this is the third time Mark records him bringing up the subject move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry.

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