Without Honor
Series: The Gospel Can't Be Contained
July 04, 2021
Frank Foreman
One of the things that we cannot control is how people respond or feel about the things we say. We can be people of the highest integrity, with no hint of deception or indiscretion, but we cannot make someone believe us. The very essence of belief is based in the mindset of the one hearing. It can frustrate us if someone doesn't believe what we are saying is true or valid, but that is the harsh reality of sharing the Gospel or the truth of God's Word with others. ---------- It can be helpful to remember that, first and foremost, it is always more important to focus on what God KNOWS about us rather than to focus on what people THINK about us. But it is also vital to remember that the Son of God--the very source of truth--was not believed by the people from His hometown. In fact, Mark points out in chapter 6 that they took offense at Him. ---------- Perhaps it was a feeling that He was casting a "holier-than-thou" attitude and they felt like they needed to take Him down a peg. Perhaps it was those people that remembered Him as a kid and couldn't get beyond His claims to be the Messiah now. Whatever the case was, the loss was theirs. They chose to reject Him and had to live with the consequences of that choice.
Episode Notes
BIG IDEA: Unbelief comes with devastating consequences both in this life and in eternity.
Acts 7:51-53, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
John 2:23-24, Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He was doing. But Jesus on His part did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
John 8:24, I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am He you will die in your sins.
(Journal) Mark 6:1-6
1. Unbelief hides the obvious.
(Journal) 6:2
2nd Corinthians 4:4, In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- In order to maintain their disbelief, they looked for any explanation other than the obvious one.
2. Unbelief exaggerates the irrelevant.
(Journal) 6:3a
1st Peter 2:6-8, For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a Stone, a Cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The Stone that the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone,” and “A Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offense.”
- The people of Nazareth turned irrelevant issues into stumbling blocks to defend their unbelief.
3. Unbelief attacks the Messenger.
(Journal) 6:3b-4
Mark 15:13, And they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
- When unbelievers cannot refute Jesus’ message, they will not hesitate to attack Him and anyone who speaks for Him.
(Journal) 6:5-6
John 3:18, Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
NEXT STEP: Believe in the name of Jesus… Trust Him, commit to Him as Lord and Savior, pray for a changed heart, and obey His Word.
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