The Jesus You Seek
Griffith Baptist Church – 4/12/09
A.M. Service
Text: Mark 16:1-8
Key verse: Mark 16:6 - And he saith unto them, be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
Premise: Some seek a great teacher, others seek a want satisfier, still others seek a miracle worker, but what we should be seeking is a grave robber and a life giver – our risen Lord and Savior!
The Introduction
A Sunday School teacher asked her class on the Sunday before Easter if they knew what happened on Easter and why it was so important. One little girl spoke up saying: "Easter is when the whole family gets together, and you eat turkey and sing about the pilgrims and all that." "No, that’s not it," said the teacher.
"I know what Easter is," a second student responded. "Easter is when you get a tree and decorate it and give gifts to everybody and sing lots of songs." "Nope, that’s not it either," replied the teacher.
Finally a third student spoke up, "Easter is when Jesus was killed, and put in a tomb and left for three days."
"Ah, thank goodness somebody knows" the teacher thought to herself. But then the student went on: "Then everybody gathers at the tomb and waits to see if Jesus comes out, and if he sees his shadow he has to go back inside and we have six more weeks of winter." Contributor: Andrew Chan
The world has some interesting ideas about Jesus
If you do not understand and know the real Jesus from the Bible, you do not know the real Jesus!
Some also misunderstand or teach heresy concerning His death:
• Some say He didn’t die at all – but that is not historically factual
• Some say that He simply swooned – in other words, he didn’t really die on the cross but only passed out from blood loss and He was revived later. (ILLUS)
One lady wrote in to a question and answer forum. "Dear Sirs, Our preacher said on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think? Sincerely, Bewildered.
Dear Bewildered, Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for six hours; run a spear thru his side…put him in an airless tomb for 36 hours and see what happens. Sincerely, Charles. Contributed by: A. Todd Coget
(Look at and cover the text)
Body
1. Some Seek a Great Teacher
A. Nicodemus came to Jesus at night - John 3:2 - The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
B. No doubt, Jesus was a great teacher:
i. He taught His disciples by word and example
ii. He taught the people God’s truth that had not been skewed by the religious authority
iii. He taught by His life, humility, honor, love, mercy, and truth
iv. His teaching was with authority – Matthew 7:28-29 - 28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
C. For some people, that is the only thing they think about Jesus:
i. He had some great things to say, just like many other religious leaders in history
ii. It was some good philosophy and He had a good following.
iii. People are dismissive of His being the Messiah and only look at Him as a great teacher.
D. They forget what Jesus said about Himself:
i. John 10:10 – The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
ii. John 11:25 – Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
iii. John 14:6 – Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
iv. John 12:32 – And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
v. John 6:47 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
E. There is more to the Jesus you seek than just great teaching and philosophy.
2. Some Seek a Want Satisfier
A. After feeding the multitude, they followed Him - John 6:26 – Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
B. No doubt, Jesus supplied needs:
i. He fed the 5,000 when they were hungry
ii. He turned water into wine at a wedding
iii. He comforted and wept
iv. Jesus has always been aware of needs - Matthew 6:8 - Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
C. For some people, Jesus is their own personal, coin-operated candy machine:
i. Put in a little tithe, attend every once in a while, give to charity, and good works will get me something.
ii. In fact, how many people serve with that in mind?
iii. The attitude is “I serve to get something” (recognition, power, reward, etc.) rather than I serve because I love Him.”
iv. They want to be made comfortable and always want more and more - All he ever really wanted in life was more. He wanted more money, so he parlayed inherited wealth into a billion-dollar pile of assets. He wanted more fame, so he broke into the Hollywood scene and soon became a filmmaker and star. He wanted more sensual pleasures, so he paid handsome sums to indulge his every sexual urge. He wanted more thrills, so he designed, built, and piloted the fastest aircraft in the world. He wanted more power, so he secretly dealt political favors so skillfully that two U. S. presidents became his pawns.
All he ever wanted was more. He was absolutely convinced that more would bring him true satisfaction. Unfortunately, history shows otherwise. He concluded his life emaciated; colorless; sunken chest; fingernails in grotesque, inches-long corkscrews; rotting, black teeth; tumors; innumerable needle marks from his drug addiction.
Howard Hughes died believing the myth of more. He died a billionaire junkie, insane by all reasonable standards. Bill Hybels in Leadership, Vol. X, #3 (Summer, 1989), p. 38
v. They don’t like a Jesus that talks about sin and hell.
vi. People like a soft Jesus that will give them whatever they want
vii. Somewhat like becoming addicted to spiritual welfare
D. They forget why Jesus came into this world to begin with:
i. To save the lost - Luke 19:10 – For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
ii. To bear witness of God’s truth - John 18:37 - Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
iii. There is more to the Jesus you seek than just satisfying selfish desires.
3. Some Seek a Miracle Worker
A. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, He rode on a young donkey - John 12:17-19, 37 - 17The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. 18For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. 19The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him. 37But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
B. No doubt, Jesus healed and heals still:
i. He made the lame to walk again
ii. He made the blind to see again
iii. He made the deaf to hear again
iv. He made the leper whole again
v. He made the dead to live again
C. For some people, Jesus is only as good as his ability to heal them:
i. They expect freedom from aches and pains
ii. They call out in Jesus’ name to help them walk, free them from cancer, or make them see.
iii. When it doesn’t happen, they become disillusioned with Jesus and go another way
iv. Can God heal physically? YES, absolutely, and He does today, but it is not mandatory.
D. They forget the greatest miracles of Christ:
i. The resurrection – Mark 16:6 - And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
ii. Salvation – Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
iii. There is more to the Jesus you seek than just seeing the miraculous.
4. The Jesus You Seek
A. He is a Grave Robber
i. The grave could not hold Him.
ii. Jesus robbed the grave of its grip - Hosea 13:14 - 14I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
iii. For the Christian, death and the grave are temporary and can no way hold anyone except by the permission of God - 1 Corinthians 15:55 - O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
iv. The grave does not have ownership, it is only a bed for the body to rest before it is resurrected to an incorruptible (1st Cor. 15:51-54)
v. Jesus set the precedent and that is why He is called the firstborn of the dead – Colossians 1:18 - And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
B. He is a Life Giver
i. He proclaimed it Himself - John 6:47 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
ii. He is the only one - John 14:6 – Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
iii. It is the promise of God - 1 John 2:25 – And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
iv. It is guaranteed - Romans 10:9-10 - 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Conclusion:
Are you seeking Jesus? Maybe you have sought peace in other things and religions.
Nothing will satisfy except Jesus Christ.
Christian, are you proclaiming the risen Lord?
Do you share the powerful message of a living Savior?
