Don't Leave Jesus At Church Series

DON’T LEAVE JESUS AT CHURCH

Mark 1:29-38

We live in an area of the country where church attendance is part of our culture. Unfortunately, many people are “church goers” rather than genuine Christians. They attend a specific church (usually sporadically) but they do not possess a relationship with Jesus Christ. One day, they will stand before Jesus and say “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matthew 7:22) Tragically, they will hear the most horrific words that will ever be uttered, Jesus will say unto them “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:23)

Our churches are also made up of people, who do belong to Jesus, but sadly they have known Him for lengthy periods of time yet they remain “babes in Christ”. Church is something they do rather than who they are. The Bible tells us that we are “the Church”; we are “the body” and “the Bride of Christ”.

A relationship with Jesus is something to be enjoyed on a daily basis. But many people only encounter the Savior on Sundays and possibly on Wednesday nights. This should not be! If this describes you, I would like to take this opportunity to show you the danger of leaving Jesus at Church. I pray that this will be the day that you realize what a blessing it is to commune with Jesus daily.

This reality is seen in our selected text. Jesus and some of His Disciples entered into a Synagogue and some amazing things happened. But as we continue to read, some even greater things happened when those Disciples took Jesus home with them. I would like to walk through this passage and preach on the subject “Don’t Leave Jesus At Church”.

I would like to begin by examining what happened in the public gathering at the Synagogue. In that assembly:

i. THERE WAS A GREAT MESSAGE

The speaker in the Synagogue was none other than the sinless Son of God. We are not told what the subject matter was but there are some safe assumptions that we can make. The heart of Jesus’ message in those days was “repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”. Whatever His specific message was, we know that it was powerful for “they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.” (v22)

- Not only was there A Great Message, we also see that:

ii. THERE WAS A GREAT MINISTRY

Jesus had compassion on a man who was possessed with an evil spirit. As a result He confronted that evil spirit and cast it out.

- There was A Great Message, A Great Ministry and in the synagogue that day:

iii. THERE WAS A GREAT MIRACLE

Jesus did something for this man that he could not do for himself. Furthermore, Jesus did something that no one else could do. The people who were in that assembly were astonished at what had happened in their presence. Notice:

v27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

What a great day this must have been! I would imagine after all of this no one was ready to leave. I have been in some church services where the power of God was so apparent and such amazing things happened that I just wanted to stay and experience more. Those are good times and I think they should happen far more than they do. But the good news for the child of God is that even when lights are turned off and the doors are locked, we can continue to commune with Jesus.

That is exactly what happened to Andrew, Peter, James & John. In the next few verses they teach us some important truths about what happens when we take Jesus home with us. They show us why we shouldn’t leave Jesus at church. Let’s look to verse 29 and see that when you take Jesus home with you:

I. YOU CAN ENJOY A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP

v29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

This passage describes some men who possessed a personal relationship with the Messiah. The Gospels tell us about:

A. THE INCEPTION OF THIS RELATIONSHIP

This relationship began when Jesus called these men to follow Him.

v16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. 19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. 20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.