FBMB
October 2, 2011
Sunday Morning
“Getting Up”
Mark 10:1
Intro.: What gets you up in the mornings? Your electronic alarm clock or your internal alarm clock? Is it your spouse, your pet, a pain, or indigestion? Excitement about something in that day?
Mornings can be quite interesting around the Swift house from time to time. You can almost predict what kind of morning each of us are going to have depending on what is happening the next day.
For instance, if it’s just a regular school day, Diana and I know to expect some resistance form the kids about getting them out of bed. But if it’s a field day or some other special event they get up on the first call and sometimes before. Most are aware that there is a direct correlation between the getting up in the morning and what is going to take place on that day.
Almost a month ago I was reading in the Gospel of Mark when I came to chapter 10 and read these words about our Lord, “Getting up, He went from there to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds gathered around Him again, and, according to His custom, He once more began to teach them.” Mark 10:1 PRAYER
This morning as we gather in this worship center and around God’s precious Word, I want to share with you a message entitled, “Getting Up.” I want to look at three different statements that describe our Lord and how we can use them in our own lives.
I. Getting Up – the Will, Plan, Calling
A. Look with me in the first chapter that describes Jesus’ going –
1. “Jesus came from Nazareth” 1:9.
2. “In the wilderness” 1:12
3. “Jesus came into Galilee” 1:14
4. “As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee 1:16
5. “Going on a little further” 1:19
6. “They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue.” 1:21
7. “And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.” 1:29
8. “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” 1:35
9. “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” 1:38
10. “And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee” 1:39
B. You can almost trace the days and hours in Jesus’ life from this chapter.
1. As you do, you get a good picture that for Jesus He didn’t waste any time.
2. He didn’t delay getting up in the morning and going through his day.
3. He was always on the move fulfilling his purpose.
4. He never allowed any grass to grow under His feet.
5. Jesus had only three years on this earth to formally complete the work of His Father.
6. That’s 36 months, 1095 days, 26,280 hours.
C. Jesus obviously had a calling, He had a purpose, He had a plan.
1. The key – it found in Jesus’ own summary of His life.
2. “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4
3. “Having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4
4. Getting up and doing the will of our Father is not a dictation of the calendar it is a submission of the will.
5. Believers are not mandated by a calendar to do God’s will we are make it a lifestyle of submission.
D. In Jesus’ prayer passage from John He knew that His time was about to come, He knew the hour was almost before Him.
1. Throughout Jesus’ entire ministry He had pointed toward the “hour” when His Father would be glorified.
2. There was always the consciousness that He operated according to a divine calendar not human calendar.
3. Even though the cross had not yet occurred, His obedient submission to the will of His Father throughout His lifetime was about to be expressed in its fullest.
4. I submit to you this morning that Jesus “got up” because He had surrendered His life to doing His Father’s will.
5. Did He want to quit or give up? Sure He did.
6. “All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” Mark 14:36
E. Three Reasons I Don’t Get Up -- (Parenthetically)
1. I don’t know where to go – taking a trip with no definite destination? Absence of a direction.
2. I don’t know how to get there – by car, boat, or airplane. Two-lane highway or the interstate.
3. * I don’t want to go – sometimes my get up and go got up and went without me.
F. Let me translate those reasons into a positive for our lives --
1. When we follow the plans God has for us we will always know where to go and how to go.
2. It’s really not that difficult – Life of faith.
3. When we know where to go and how to go we will always want to go.
4. There have been times when I didn’t want to go to church, or visitation, or teach my Sunday School class.
5. Illus.: Man not wanting to go to church. Asked his wife for one good reason she said, “because you’re the pastor.”
6. When God calls us to GET UP – He will always show us where to go and how to go.
7. When we trust in that truth by faith we will want to go.
II. Crowds Gathered Around Him Again
A. Without any doubt Jesus loved people.
1. He loved going where the people were.
2. He loved letting the people come to Him.
3. Their skin color made no difference, religious or nationality made no difference.
4. If they were well or sick, rich or poor made no difference.
5. Jesus went to people of all ages.
6. REASON: Jesus knew that He had something to offer them that they needed.
B. Another part of our GETTING UP is knowing that as believers we have something that people need.
1. That’s what brought the crowds to Jesus.
2. He had everything they needed.
3. He had physical healing, He had emotional healing, but most of all He had spiritual healing.
4. I think the word “again” is significant too.
5. In other words, this wasn’t the first time crowds gathered around Him and it would not be the last.
C. I am not suggesting that you and I need to gather crowds around ourselves. And I’m not advocating FBMB do physically healing.
1. But I do encourage us to gather crowds around JESUS.
2. If you teach a BFG, Sunday School class you should gather people every week around the Word of God.
3. If you sing in the choir you should gather people every week so that the name of Jesus will be lifted up in worship.
4. If you own a business every week you should gather people around Jesus because your work ethics reflect Him.
5. Whatever your professional calling is you should gather people every week so they can see the great and mighty things the Lord is doing in your life.
D. Our focus is not to be concerned about gathering people around ourselves or around our church or around our likenesses.
1. People’s attraction ought not be to a man, building, program.
2. People leave, programs end, and buildings fall apart.
3. But those who build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ will stand forever.
4. Some events and programs can help with gathering people -
5. Our main concern is gathering crowds (large and small) around Jesus and only Jesus.
6. As crowds gather in and out of the church we should be putting our efforts in propagating the Good News.
7. We have something the people need.
III. He Once More Began to Teach Them
A. Further evidence that Jesus had a reason/purpose to get up.
1. But it helps us see better what Jesus had devoted His life to doing.
2. The phrase “once more” is significant here too.
3. His calling as a teacher actually began at a young age.
4. When his parents left Him in Jerusalem for three days – “they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.” Luke 2:46.
5. WATCH: “And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.” Luke 2:47
6. “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s House?” Luke 2:49
B. Some interesting words from Mark’s gospel --
1. “They were amazed at His teaching” 1:22
2. “They were all amazed” 1:27; 2:12; 10:32; 12:17
3. “They were utterly astonished” 7:37; 11:18
4. “The disciples were amazed at His words” 10:24
5. “They were even more astonished” 10:26
6. “The great crowd enjoyed listening to Him” 12:37
C. When you surrender your all to get up and do what God has called you to do God will be glorified and people will be amazed.
1. God teaches me every day that my spiritual gifts are not for myself.
2. They are not for my edification.
3. Its a gift – and it was meant to be given away.
4. Listen: When I use my spiritual gifts for God’s glory amazing, astonishing, supernatural God things are going to happen.
5. But if I don’t get up the only thing that will happen is decay, rigor mortis and even death.
D. Sometimes we may be discouraged doing our ministry.
1. Sometimes it may seem as if we are not doing any good.
2. Each week when we teach that Sunday School lesson to children, youth or adults and we wonder, are any of them getting this?
3. That’s not the time to stop – that’s the time to remember your calling, your purpose.
4. That’s when we need to remember the ministry of Jesus.
5. That once more He began to teach them, and once more He began to teach them, and once more.
E. If you are weary and feel as if you can’t do it one more time - -
1. Can I say “don’t stop.”?
2. Don’t stop for the sake of Jesus.
3. Don’t stop for that one at your work that you have been praying for and sharing a Bible study with.
4. Don’t stop for that one lost soul that may come to your class next week.
5. Don’t stop serving on those committees, teaching a class, driving the bus, assisting in the office, going on mission trips, helping prepare meals, visiting the sick, sharing the Gospel.
6. Don’t stop getting up and fulfilling your call to serve God.
Conclusion: What gets you up in the mornings? Your internal alarm clock, your spouse, your pet, a pain, indigestion? When the alarm clock sounds – is it automatic pilot for the rest of the day?
Tomorrow morning when God wakes you up – get up for the purpose of being around people and as you do tell them what a Great God you serve who is doing great things in your life and who wants to do Great things in their lives.
