“What Manner of Man is This?
Mark 4:41b clause
In the second Gospel as recorded by John Mark during the period between 57and 63 A.D., Mark carefully and skillfully constructs the picture of Jesus as the suffering servant. Amidst the 16 chapters, the 678 verses, the 15,171 words, and of the 121 questions asked in this 41st book of the Bible, we want to pause and examine the question and the man of whom the question is asked, in the 4 chapter and 41 verse b clause, “What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?” My, God what a question asked interrogatively but carries a distinct air of exclamation, declaration, admiration, and exaltation. It carries the spirit of awe, amazement, and wonder, for the text said,”…they feared exceedingly.” They were more afraid of the power of the Man that ceased the storms destructive power than the storm itself! Therefore causing them to marvel, “What manner of man is this?”
If we take brief pause, and pull back the curtain of history and examine great men we will find many that shaped the affairs and conditions of the world. Alexander the Great modernized the world 300 years before the time of Jesus. Alexander marched his Army over vast expanses of territory capturing foreign lands and inoculating them with Greek culture, thus giving birth to advance schools of thought, and the learning of philosophy. Caesar, the name or official title of anyone that became a Roman emperor, notably Julius, and Augustus, who lived at the time of Christ’s birth, Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, who killed Peter and Paul, And the bible closes with Domitian, who sentenced John to exile on the Isle of Patmos. History would have us see these great men.
In more modern times, a panoramic view of history’s great men reveal leaders in all aspect of life. Great men like, Winston Church Hill, a great statesman, which led Britain during World War II. FDR, JFK, Gandhi, Albert Einstein, for his work on the splitting of the atom Dr. Michael Debakey and Cooley, renown heart surgeons, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr., preacher and civil rights leader. All great men! Colin Powell, Michael Jordan, Bill Gates, Tiger Woods…men that have plotted the course of history from various backgrounds and nationalities. We sing their praises, speak about their accomplishments, hold in esteem the truths and the teachings they have shared, and embrace the schools they graduated from, make shrines of the places where their footsteps have trod. We celebrate their impact of society and can still feel their effects on the lives we live. But let me share the biography of a Man that has done more to shape the course of human history than any other before or after Him. It is the purpose and the aim of the message to introduce Him to you if you do not know Him, to encourage you to follow Him if you have met Him, and if you have accepted Him to cling to Him and serve Him with your all!
The name of past proud statesmen of Greece and Rome have come and gone: But the name of this man abounds more and more. Though time has spread more than 2,000 years between the scene of his crucifixion and the people of his generation; yet He still lives! Herod could not kill Him. Satan could not seduce Him. Death could not destroy Him. And the grave could not hold Him. He is the high pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed by God, acknowledged by devils, adored by saints as the only living and True God! Everyone has to say, what manner of man is this?
This manner of man born in contrary to the laws of nature, born in poverty, reared in obscurity. This manner of man, not a globetrotter by any means, for only once did He cross the boundary of the country in which He lived, and that was when He was taken to Egypt during his childhood. This manner of man possessed neither wealth nor influence. This manner of man’s family was inconspicuous and uninfluential. He had neither training nor education, but thousands crowded out seashores, valleys, and mountainsides to hear him teach and preach. This manner of man in infancy started as a King.
In childhood, He puzzled doctors without ever taking an anatomy and physiology class. This manner of man, never went to residency at a big university, walked into an operating room suite, never studied optometry or used a Bunsen burner in chemistry but gave sight to blind men and one in particular by mixing up a little clay with some spit and making a salve to anoint blinded eyes. He was a master chemist because He took ordinary water and turned it into wine. This manner of man never studied biology but came to give life that we may have it more abundantly and Momma called Him the “Bread of Life”. This manner of man never studied cardiology, but He diagnosed the illness of a man named Nicodemus heart, and told him you, can fix that irregular sinful beat in your heart, by starting over and being born again! This manner of man never studied speech pathology, but He unloosed tongues that calve to the roofs of mouths that had never uttered a word! This manner of man never studied psychiatry, but He exorcised demons from a man with a sick mind, and Momma called Him a “Mind Regulator”. This manner of man never studied hematology, but He healed a lady spoiled with an issue of blood, for when she touched the doctor’s lab coat as He was making rounds to another house call to command the daughter of Jairus to rise, she was made whole. This manner of man never studied orthopadeics, but one day He caused a man’s bones to strengthen after 38 long years of lying down and said to him, “Rise take up thy bed and walk.” He never studied respiratory therapy, but I heard this man was there when God blew into man’s nostril the breath of life and man became a living soul! What manner of man is this?
This manner of man never wrote a book, but all the libraries in the world could not hold all the books that have been written about Him. This manner of man never wrote a song, but He is the theme for more songs than all the composers combined. This manner of man never had a family, owned a home, or possessed any clothes other than a white seamless borrowed robe. This manner of many never fired a weapon, never commanded an Army, never sailed with the power and might of the Navy, yet no leader has ever had more volunteers under His orders that have made more rebels about face, stack arms, and surrender without a shot being fired. This manner of man controls the wheels of commerce for every seven days, the economic systems of the world stop, and multitudes of His followers find their way to places of worship to pay homage and respect to Him! What manner of man is this? What kind of man is this?
This is the question the disciples asked in verse 41 of the 4th Chapter of Mark, “What manner of man is this that rules the course of nature, turns choppy waters into pavement, and sings the turbulent seas a lullaby entitled, “Peace Be Still, and caused not only the sea, but the wind also present went to sleep too and there was a great calm. What manner of man is this? What manner of man, that can direct us to get into a boat, and go to the other side, knowing the storm of Life has furious winds, that beat against us in our boats, yet He gets in the boat and rides through the storm with us, to show us He is not the creator of the storms of this life, but He is the Master of the storms! He is the captain of this old ship of Zion, and He has landed many of thousands! Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? Why do you lay around throwing pity parties? Letting the pressures and the weight of the world get you down! Depression fills your nights! Anger rattles your cage! Distress makes you suicidal! Worried about mattes beyond your control! Listen baby, I can sing trouble a lullaby! I can make death sleep and add more time to your life! I can speak to calamity and tell them to chill out! I can speak to the Sun and make it shine a little longer until your battle is over! Hey, I am the Lord over nature and over all creation, and your life! What manner of man is this, that even the wind and seas obey Him?
So lastly as we turn this corner, we see the winds and the seas obey Him. These inanimate objects obey Him, but why is it so difficult for us to obey Him, when we are made in His likeness and image? When he has delivered us from so many situations? When He tells the wind to stop and the sea to shut up, they stop, but we keep on running our mouths! He did not deliver the sea. He did not heal the wind, but did not He do something for you? He is capable and able to handle it today. Peter in 1Peter 5:7 reminds us to “Cast all our cares upon Him for He careth for you.” But we don’t take heed. This is why so many of us have ulcers and are going to doctors for ailments. He says in John 16:33, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.” But yet, we are worried about the war going on. The same God that rules in peace time is the same God that rules in a time of war. Paul reminds us in 1Corinthians 16:13, “Watch ye, and stand fast in the faith! Obey, Him, Obey Him! For 1Samuel 15:22 says,” Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…”
So as I hurry to close, I am reminded of a story told of a censor taker from Rome, who went to Galilee around 28 A.D. As he entered the region he came upon a man sitting on a donkey.
The man had long hair and a flowing beard.
He wore an old cloak, sandals, and beads.
Pardon me the census taker said, but I am taking a census of Galilee, and would you mind answering a few questions?
Not at all said the man on the donkey
I believe in rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s
Well, then what is your job?
I have no job said the man. Consider the lilies of the field, they toil not and neither do they spin?
Where is your family?
I have no family. I left my mother and father and my brothers and sisters.
Unhuh! Said the censor taker to himself: No Job, no fixed abode.
Now do you belong to any clubs? Are you a mason, or you an Alpha, Sigma, Kappa, Iota, or Omega?
The man said, “No man can serve two masters at one time!
Do you go to school said the census taker?
The man answered and said, “No I don’t go to school, “For which of us taking thought can add one cubit to his stature.
Do you have money or any visible means of support?
The man shook his head; “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and dust doth corrupt, he said.”
Are you registered for military service?
Not exactly you see, for I do not do evil for evil, but I overcome evil with good.
What is your address?
“The foxes have holes, the birds of the air have nest: but I have no where to lay my head.
Who are your friends?
I go among the publicans and sinners.
The census taker wrote down on his sheet what manner of man is this…hippy character, school dropout, no permanent address, no job, a draft dodger, pacifist, conscientious objector, associates with the lowest folks in town…
What manner of man is this?
But sir, before I go, can I ask you one more thing for the record to be straight, what is manner of man are you and what is your name?
The bearded man smiled sadly, looked around and said, ”Some call me the Son of Man. Some call me the Rose of Sharon. Some call me not just Alpha or Omega, but Alpha and Omega! Some just call me Savior, some call me Lord, but some call me Jesus! What manner of man is my Jesus? Do you know Him today? Don’t fool me now! If you don’t know my Jesus, then you ought to know Him today! What manner of man would leave His home in glory, knew no sin, sacrifice His life, and hang on a cross. What manner of man is this? He died for you. He died for me! What manner of man is this that died on the cross, went in the grave, and got up on Sunday morning with all power in His hands?
