Open Up

Exodus 4:1-17; Mark 7:31-37 / Psalm 145:1-21

I. Imagine Silence

A. As Jesus returned from an alien culture, the Saviour encountered an alien condition. “And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.” (Mark 7:31-32)

B. The man was utterly isolated by silence and so are all people who are apart from the household of God and the message of grace. “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” (Ephesians 2:12)

C. A generation ago Simon and Garfunkel captured the willful deafness of the age in Sounds of Silence, revealing the vacuous deafness of unbelieving culture. “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezekiel 12:2)

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

II. The Word of God Breaks the Silence

A. Jesus came to speak the message of heaven to a deaf and dying world; God the Father orders people to hear Him. “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” (Matthew 17:5)

B. Jesus is the message of God; apart from the Saviour there is no communication with eternity. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4) “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:10-11)

C. It is the passion of God’s people to end the silence of human misery and Jesus speaks across the silence to do just that. “And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.” (Isaiah 29:18) “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” (Matthew 11:5)

D. Jesus seized the opportunity and spoke to the man in language he could not avoid. “And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.” (Mark 7:33-34)

E. The Lord lifted the matter to heaven and that is the starting place for all gospel efforts; believers have Jesus as the pattern for dealing with problems which appear to be impossible to solve. “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21)

III. God Opens What Is Closed

A. The same God made the speakers and the hearers of the gospel; the Lord can remove any barrier to gospel conversation. “And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” (Exodus 4:10-12)

B. God said it and it was done. “And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.” (Mark 7:35)

C. Accomplishing the impossible is hard to contain; grace astonishes. “And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.” (Mark 7:36-37)

A Woman of Faith

Isaiah 49:1-12; Mark 7:31-37 / Exodus 8:1-9

I. A Stranger Wanted Help

A. Jesus went on a short vacation; times of rest may be more important than we sometimes admit. “And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.” (Mark 7:24)

B. Enemies from both sides of the culture were combining to stop Jesus; grace scares evil into unnatural alliances. “Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.” (Acts 4:25-30) see Psalm 2

C. A woman came to Jesus for help with her little daughter who had an unclean spirit. “For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:” (Mark 7:25)

D. The woman was a Greek by culture and ethnically Syrophenician; she was a desperate mother, not a Jew seeking the Messiah. “The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.” (Mark 7:26) Syrophenicia was a territory near Damascus and was distinguished by this name from the people of similar culture found in North Africa. She was a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, an alien to the covenant of promise.

E. Grace does not observe natural human categories and restrictions of race, class, nation, or clan. “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3:11)

II. There Was No Normal Reason To Expect Help

A. There is no reason to expect the good things of God when one refuses to become part of the community of grace; mercy begins at home. “But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.” (Mark 7:27)

B. Jesus was not someone casual observers might expected to be open to outsiders. “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” (Matthew 7:6) “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:” (Matthew 10:5)

C. Still, grace is worth a wild try. “And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.” (Mark 7:28) “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:22)

III. Grace Transcends Any Obstacle

A. Jesus granted the appeal. “And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.” (Mark 7:29) “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;” (Ephesians 2:12-14)

B. The woman received what she sought. “And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.” (Mark 7:30)

C. Follow the Syrophenician example; remember what Jesus said about prayer. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:7-11)

Forgive Me

Psalm 51

I. The Psalmist Needed Help

A. David knew he was a guilty sinner and he wanted God to deal with him according to God’s mercy rather than anything he himself had to offer. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” (Psalm 51:1)

B. David believed that God could cleanse him even from sin; people who do not have such confidence in God despair. “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” (Psalm 51:2)

C. David freely admitted his guilt and took it seriously. “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.” (Psalm 51:3)

D. Ultimately, sin is always against God primarily; sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” (Psalm 51:4)

E. Sin is inherent in human nature in all generations. “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5) “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” (Ephesians 2:1)

II. Renewal Follows Confession

A. God can supply that total transformation which cleans a person from the inside. “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:6-7)

B. The punishment and the scrubbing are worth the pain when the result is a genuinely clear conscience. “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.” (Psalm 51:8) “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6)

C. David asked to have all of his sins cleared away from him; only a confident believer would risk bringing such sin to God’s attention. “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.” (Psalm 51:9)

III. With Renewal Comes Rededication

A. God can give a sinner a new heart and a new spirit. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

B. God does not treat people as disposable consumer products. “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:11) “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26)

C. When God restores, the redeemed break out in testimonies of grace. “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” (Psalm 51:12-13) “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” (1 Peter 3:15)

D. The power of the transformed life demonstrates itself in the attitudes of changed hearts. “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:16-17)

IV. With Rededication Comes New Direction

A. When sinners get beyond themselves, they become interested in the advancement of the entire redeemed community. “Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.” (Psalm 51:18) “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.” (Psalm 122:6-9)

B. When a believer starts moving in the right direction, the speed of new life and new productivity begins to increase as well. “Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.” (Psalm 51:19) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)

Homemade Gods

I. God Objects to Imaginary Gods

A. God isn’t seeker-sensitive; in fact, God has a genuinely focused attitude toward ultimate reality. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:4-6)

B. Multiculturalism does not come from heaven; tolerance rots when it becomes approval. “That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:” (Joshua 23:7)

C. Ideas have consequences; bad theology is a deadly infectious disease. “When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.” (Joshua 23:16)

D. History illustrates theology; Europe, having tolerated bad theology, is now dying culturally. “And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.” (Judges 2:19) The faithlessness and immorality of Europe invited Islam to return.

II. God Demands Undivided Attention

A. The study of God’s Word will lead to long and prosperous life. “And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47)

B. Jesus promises to be present with those teaching and observing His instruction; here is the heart of the Christian faith and experience. “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20)

C. When the church in Acts concentrated on basic things, it prospered. “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42)

D. Jesus laid down the pattern of devotion for the church. “I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:” (1 Timothy 6:13-14)

III. Heaven Rewards the Faithful

A. Let the pagans worry; God takes care of those who entrust the results to Him. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6)

B. Display the confidence which concludes prayer with thanksgiving for the results. “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” (Ephesians 5:20) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

C. Attention to Scripture is the obvious mark of good government in all of its forms—even civil government. “And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:” (Deuteronomy 17:18-19)

D. The focus of pastors and elders must be on the full Bible life; remember the Puritan questions: What does it say? What does it mean? What do I do about it? “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

E. The difference between believers and unbelievers appears in their attitude toward what God says; unbelievers measure the Bible and believers measure themselves by the Bible. “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:21-22)

Received

Exodus 20:1-17; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 / Psalm 34:1-22

I. Communion Is the Lord’s Supper

A. The communion service takes participants back to the night of the betrayal and focuses participants on Jesus; communion is His supper. “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:” (1 Corinthians 11:23)

1. Paul always preached in the context of Biblical grace. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;” (1 Corinthians 15:3)

2. Christ promised to be present and to bless His people when they obey, but there is no promise to bless human inventions. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

B. Jesus explained what He was doing. “And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24)

C. Then Jesus explained the implications of what was taking place. “After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25)

D. The substitutionary atonement, not mysticism, is always the context for communion. “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

II. Practice Appropriate Table Etiquette

A. Ignorance, superficiality, and disrespect for fundamental truth can be deadly; passing tests is more important than merely taking them. “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 11:27)

B. Are you coming to the Lord’s Supper because the Lord is the only hope you have of getting into heaven or are you making a careless, self-centered, and tragic mistake? “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” (1 Corinthians 11:28)

C. People who do not know where they are or what they are doing make serious mistakes and the consequences can be deadly. “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” (1 Corinthians 11:29)

D. The implications of spiritual etiquette are everywhere. “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” (1 Corinthians 11:30) “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

III. Feast

A. The world-weary will find what they most desire at this table. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

B. Put your money away; only guests are welcome at the Lord’s banquet. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” (Isaiah 55:1-2)

C. Those who persecute and abuse believers will not find permanent places at this table; people who do not want to sit with believers will have to watch the banquet from the hungry distance. “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” (Psalm 23:5-6)

D. No one at this table will ever be hungry again. “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:16-17)

E. Come to the table; it is time to banquet. “A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.” (Psalm 122:1-2)