Image is Everything!
Gospel of Mark 1:32-39
Sermon #2 of “Ten Cultural Myths that Drive America”
This is our second sermon in our sermon series, “Ten Cultural Myths that Drive America” from the first six chapters of Mark. Last week we looked at “Might Makes Right” from Mark 1:1-13. We discovered the counter-cultural ethic that Jesus utilized as he ministered and saved the human race.
In coming weeks we will look at other slogans that have become embedded into the American psyche, other idioms that define us and motivate us as a people. We will look at:
• Shop ‘til You Drop - Mark 2:13-17
• Rules are Made to be Broken - Mark 2:18 – 3:6
• Live and Let Live - Mark 3:1-6
• You are Only Young Once - Mark 1:14-20; 3:13-19
• If You Want Something Done Right, Do It Yourself - Mark 3:13-19; 31-35
• If it Feels Good, Do It - Mark 5:1-20
• God Helps Those Who Help Themselves - Mark 5:25-34
• Stand Up For Your Rights - Mark 5:17, 6:1-6
But this week we will stay in chapter one of Mark.
Mk 1:32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.
Mk 1:33 The whole town gathered at the door,
Mk 1:34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
Mk 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Mk 1:36 Simon and his companions went to look for him,
Mk 1:37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
Mk 1:38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
Mk 1:39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
It used to be just a marketing slogan. Ad agencies used it to motivate themselves and describe their industry’s objectives. And it worked. It worked so well that it became ingrained into all of us.
Andre Agassi brought it on the scene in 1991 with his Cannon commercial. The flashy young, big haired, brightly dressed rebel tennis player was more prevalent than the camera and the commercial ended with those now immortal words … “Image is Everything.”
The concept wasn’t new but it resonated with our culture like never before.
Image is everything.
It used to be that elective cosmetic surgery was deemed as vain and only for the Hollywood elites, but not anymore. People from all walks of life are getting nips and tucks. I know a 15 year old girl whose parents let her get a breast augmentation.
A Greenwich, Conn.-based market research firm (NFO World Group) conducted a nationally survey and discovered that a full 87%of adults say that if they could change some part of their body for cosmetic reasons.
One in three adults would make some adjustments from the neck up. Almost one-quarter (22 percent) are unhappy with their teeth, 15 percent with their hair and 5 percent with their nose.
Fewer than 1 in 7 Americans (18 percent of men and 10 percent of women) are happy enough with their bodies that they wouldn’t change a thing.
Image is everything.
Think of the pressure society places on your girls to look like magazine models and the eating disorders it has induced.
Image is everything.
Dare we even begin to open the “Pandora’s Box” that is modern politics? Talk about a malady where style overrides substance!
Image is everything.
Watch the pop styles as they change with the wind at a breathtaking pace, always pressuring the young to buy new stuff and keep up with the trends.
Image is everything.
Even the Church is accosted by this aphorism. For example, just this week I received this Ad targeted directly to churches:
“Image is Everything: Don’t shortcut the evaluation process when choosing a new video projector.”
Now more than ever, audiences are quick to judge the technical quality of projected images. In fact, our media-rich lifestyles create high visual expectations among nearly all members of our society. Poorly presented imagery during a worship service will be viewed as an intolerable distraction that greatly diminishes the credibility and impact of the message.
To assure high-quality imagery in a worship environment, the most important factor is the selection of the right projector. Blah. Blah. Blah.
Image is everything.
AND THESE DAYS EVERYTHING IS IMAGE!
But someone forgot to tell Jesus.
You see, Jesus failed his marketing campaign. John the Baptist had the people of Israel in frenzy -- all Jesus had to do was ride the wave. Seriously, his “messiahship” was all but handed to him … but noooooo! Jesus blew it. Rather than cater to the masses and accomplish his mission by working with them (“you give the people what they want and they’ll give you what you want”). Jesus:
1. Withdrew
2. Spoke hard sayings
3. Challenged the very powers that could have set him up for life
For whatever reason … Jesus decided that creating an image and then nurturing it to motivate (think manipulate) the masses was a poor ethic. Jesus went counter-cultural here and chose to focus on the inner self – the real self – the authentic self rather than image.
Throughout the book Jesus repeats the same “cultural snafu” he does here … he avoids or withdraws from public acclaim. In fact, on more than one occasion he tells those he has just helped not to tell anyone about it. Mark suggests that the people did not understand the real Jesus. Mark suggests they were only following the “Jesus Image” they had created of him. Their image of Jesus was that of an entertainer and healer … Jesus knew that if that was the “Jesus” they followed that they would disappear as quickly as they arrived.
Even the disciples didn’t get it (they never do in Mark’s Gospel).
“went to look for him” means “pursue with hostile intent.”
The disciples wanted Jesus to take advantage of the growing popularity.
The disciples failed to understand Jesus’ mission – this is instance #1.
They didn’t understand that Jesus was more concerned about communion with and pleasing His Heavenly Father than he was pleasing the crowd.
Jesus’ primary concern was not that the crowds follow him. His primary concern was to be the person the Father has intended him to be. In doing so, the people would have a Messiah of substance to follow not one created to their liking.
If they were going to follow him, Jesus wanted them to follow the “real” Jesus; the one we discovered in 1:1 that they were yet to acknowledge.
Some people find their self-worth is performing in a way that brings people’s approval. Jesus challenges that pattern.
In fact, Jesus condemns that pattern and offers a better premise for living.
I would like to share a few observations that I take away from this passage.
If we are driven by image we will live in fear.
That’s why …
[1] JESUS SERVED FROM A POSTURE OF FAITH.
Image-driven people fear rejection, public failure, not receiving approval
Why would Jesus succumb to the shape-shifting will of such human applause?
Jesus knew God’s will and chose to find His approval there. (1:11)
Jesus’ motivation was not the ticker-tape parade.
Jesus did not to be “needed” by the crowds but to do the will of the father.
Jesus did not rely on image or approval … he relied on the will of God as discerned in communion and prayer.
If we are driven by image we will be vulnerable to the winds of change.
That’s why …
[2] JESUS SERVED FROM A POSTURE OF PURPOSE.
Jesus’ finger wasn’t in the air trying to see which way the winds were blowing so he’d know how to manipulate the crowds.
Rather, Jesus was telling the people that they were the ones that needed to make the mid-course corrections … they needed to turn and follow the way of the Kingdom.
For Jesus, life was about the reign of God and humankind submitting to Divine authority.
If we are driven by image we will sacrifice our influence.
That’s why …
[3] JESUS SERVED FROM A POSTURE OF AUTHORITY.
There is something commanding and attractive about a person who knows where they are going and how to get there. We call them “leaders.”
Jesus chose to influence the world rather than be influenced by the world.
Jesus was empowered to give people what they needed – not what they wanted.
If we are driven by image we will be captive to others.
That’s why …
4] JESUS SERVED FROM A POSTURE OF FREEDOM.
Mark establishes the autonomy of Jesus well in his book. We understand Jesus as one who will not be controlled by crowds or disciples. Rather – he moves as the Spirit beckons.
Jesus shows the freedom to be obedient because he will not be coerced by demanding people.
Jesus shows the freedom to be content because he gets His applause from The Father alone. The one who has already said, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (1:11)
Wrap-Up
My contention is that Jesus was not driven by an image that people created of him nor was he trying to create an image for people to follow. Rather, Jesus knew who he was (1:1) and chose to disclose that real person to others. Jesus knew there was no need to “play to the crowd” because he has what they needed and to do anything other than give them truth would be wrong.
>>Illustration Omitted by Author<<
If you allow image to make your decisions rather than the will of God you too will be chewed up and spit out by the world. You may not let your 15 year old daughter have breast augmentation, and you may not feel forced hide immoral practices, but you will be still be less than real and less that what God designed you for.
If you listen to the voices around you rather than the Scriptures you are destined to never find life’s true purpose.
Always remember
The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)
He who has ears to hear,
Let him hear.
