Mark 2022

Now we're going to we're going to turn to we're going to turn to the Word of God. And so if you'd like to turn to Mark chapter 9, and we're going to read verses 2 to 29. After 6 days, Jesus took Peter, James and John with him, and led them up a high mountain where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them, His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.

And there appeared before them elijah and Moses who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, Rabbi, it's good for us to be here. Let us put up 3 shelters, 1 for you, 1 for Moses and 1 for Elijah. He did not know what to say. They were so frightened.

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud. This is my son whom my love listened to him. Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders, not to tell anyone what they had seen until the son of man had risen from the dead. They kept the matters to themselves, discussing what rising from the dead meant.

And they asked him, why did the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first? Jesus replied to be sure. Elijah does come first and restores all things. Why then is it written that the son of man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you Elijah has come.

And they have done to him everything they wished just as it is written about him. When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. What are you arguing with them about, he asked? A man in the crowd answered, teacher, I brought you I brought you my son who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.

Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, Nashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not. You unbelieving generation, Jesus replied, how long shall I stay with you? How long should I put up with you?

Bring the boy to me. So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy's father, how long has he been like this?

From childhood he answered, it has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, Take pity on us and help us. If you can, said Jesus. Everything is possible for 1 who believes. Immediately, the boy's father exclaimed, I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene. He rebuked the impure spirit. You deaf and mute spirit, he said, I command you come out of him, and never enter him again. The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse.

That many said he's dead. But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet and he stood up. After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, why couldn't we drive it out? He replied, this kind. Can only come out by prayer.

And let me say, good morning from me. My name is Rory. They don't know me. I'm with the members of staff here and it's it's a joy to be continuing on in our series of Mark. Let's let's pray as we begin.

Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much that we can come, week in and week out and that we can look at your words. We thank you for the glorious truths that we have already seen in this great gospel. And we pray father that as we consider now this these 2 amazing events that you will help us to understand. We pray father that we will see the Lord Jesus Christ for who he really is.

We pray father that we will understand what his mission was and is, and we pray father that as a result, we will commit our lives more to you than we have done before, and we pray this in Jesus' name. Man. Well, I don't know if you saw in the news. I think it was either this week or last week. But the results of the census for I can't remember what Is it 20 22 census?

I don't know. I shouldn't know. My illustration. But anyway, there was a census. Everyone knows there's a census and the results came out and the results of the census said that less than half of England and Wales would now describe themselves as Christian.

Less than half. Before in the last census, it was around 60 percent, it's now dropped down to around 43 percent. It seems that in this nation, less and less people have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I mean, it wouldn't wouldn't be hard for us to see that anyway, just because you say you're doesn't mean you're 1. And I think that will be true for many people.

But there seems to be a lack of faith in Christ. And maybe that's maybe that's true for you as well. Maybe maybe actually even for you, you've you've thought if only I had a faith. Or or if only I had more faith. If only I had a little bit more faith, then maybe I would be able to do such and such.

I'd be able to stop doing that. I'd be able to do more of this. And so how is it that we are to remedy this? I mean, most of the nation probably don't want to, but we should. And I think the the real reason that there is a lack of faith is there is a lack of understanding of who Jesus is and what his mission is.

Who Jesus is and what his mission is. If you were here last Sunday, you would have been you would have heard Tom take us through Mark chapter Ray. And it is clear that most people I'm gonna clue who Jesus is. I mean you just need to look down at verse 28. Some are saying John the Baptist, others say Elijah, still others 1 of the prophets.

And not only most people, but in a similar fashion, the disciples don't really get them either. I mean, they get something about him. Peter says, listen, you are the Messiah in verse 29, but they can't fully understand. They don't grasp what the messiah's about, and that's so clear when you come to verse 31 to 33 when Jesus is saying I'm gonna suffer, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna rise again, and Peter's like, I'm having none of this. Jesus, stop it, get behind me, Satan.

See, they can't fully understand him. See, the problem with the the disciples is that, yes, they They understand that this person is the Messiah, but they have no concept that the Messiah, the king, the 1 that was to deliver Israel could suffer. And that passing continues into our passage today. You'll notice in verse 2, it says after 6 days, after 6 days. It's tying this next event with what we've just seen there in terms of misunderstanding.

And what we get in this passage is 3 instances of Jesus revealing who he is, revealing his identity. And then you get misunderstanding. They don't get it. And then you get correction 3 times. Let's have a look at this.

Firstly, look. Look. Jesus' glory. Up the mountain. Jesus' glory up the mountain verse 2 to 8.

Now, if you look down at these verses, you'll see And if you know anything about the bible, you'll know that all of these verses are shouting. I won't shout. I might do later. They're shouting out who Jesus is. They're saying that Jesus is God and so He comes, he takes these 3 disciples, his inner circle of sat disciples, Peter, James and John.

And where does he take them? He takes them up a mountain. And now I can all see. That is significant. Right?

Because it's always up mountains that God reveals himself to his people throughout the bible that is what happens. From Moses to Elijah that we will see, To what Jesus has been doing all this time, if you go back to chapter 3 when he takes his disciples up a mountain to appoint them as his 12 disciples, It's always up a mountain that God is saying, this is who I am. And then it goes on so he's transfigured in verse 2 at the end there. Now, that doesn't mean he's he's changed his nature. He doesn't go from being a man to a dog.

He doesn't go from a man to a woman. He goes from he goes from revealing from being himself to revealing actually more of his true character. Yeah? More of his true nature. I just look at his clothes in verse 3.

His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. This is white. It's it's literally that the translation is a launderer could not bleach him this white. That's white. You you know where I tell you what, a horrible thing.

Hopefully, no one's got veneers in this room. Sorry if you have. Sorry. Have you seen these people, these celebrities? Now they they open their mouth, and he's like, blinded by your teeth.

It's this well, anyway, if that's you, go for it. Nothing to do with me. That's your choice. But Jesus, that's what it's dazzling, it's blindingly white, and that's significant because who is the 1 who is white in the bible? Well, if you go to the old testament, it is God that wraps himself in light in the psalms.

In Daniel, he is white as snow. According to Jewish tradition, they said that when God created the world, he he dressed himself in white. When he was on Sinai, he was whiter than all. When he forgives his people, he is in wine. This is God.

This is God, but they're more because Elijah and Moses turn up, verse 4. I Now, How we knew it was Elijah and Moses? I don't know what happened. I I find this an amazing story. Jesus said, hi, Elijah, Moses.

Hello? How did they know? Did most anyway, did most have a body? What was going on? But there they are, Elijah and Most, they've turned up Why these 2?

Why not someone else? Why not David? Why not Abraham? Why not Isaiah? Why not Isaiah?

Why these 2 people? Because they're showing that Jesus is God. See, they both pointed to 1 who was coming. They both pointed to a Messiah when they were here. In deuteronomy, Moses is promised a profit that'll be like him, but better.

The super profits. And what are we to do with that prophet? Listen to him. Elijah in the book of Malachi is said that he will come back to restore and to lead people back into repentance for when the Messiah comes in. They're both there to point to Christ, as God.

Both of them have mountain experiences Elijah on the mount of Horb. And Moses, on the mount of San, I wonder the law is given to him and the instructions for the tabernacle. All this is amazing stuff by the way. And even on on on Saturday, what happens to Moses is he says, can I see your glory? And he hides him in a rock and he gets to see the back of God's glory and his face shines.

Together, Moses and Elijah, they represent the Old Testament. Moses, the law of God. Elijah, the prophets. They're saying together by their presence there as they talk to Jesus. This is God.

It's not 3 people coming in basking in God's glory. It's not there getting the sun lounges, I'll get the sun tan on. Yeah. That's back in God's glory. That's not what's going on here.

It's Jesus is glory. It's Jesus is glory. He is the God man. He is the 1, the divine 1. And what he is doing by being transfigured and showing how glorious is and how he how he's always had this glory of God.

He's saying, what is to come later on? This is why I've come to suffer and die because I'm gonna give you something greater. I'm gonna give you a resurrection future where you too will be glorious with me? It's an announcement that says, What is to come? But the disciples don't get it.

I mean, look at verse 5 to 6 with me. Peter said to Jesus, rabbi, it's good for us to be here. Let us put up 3 shelters, 1 for you, 1 for Moses, and 1 for Elijah. He did not know what to say. They were so frightened.

He's just bumbling full. He's like, When you're in an awkward situation, usually it's when there's silence. People hate silence. That's fantastic. And they they just have to blur something out.

Shelters? Actually, the word for shelters means tabernacle. And so Peter is saying, oh, we need a tabernacle here because God's God's presence is with us. God's gonna come down. Must be coming down.

We've got Elijah, and we've got Moses. God must be coming down. Let's get some tents up. Some shelters. Let's get some tabernacles up, but he's missed a point because the tabernacle was where God came and dwelt with his people the tabernacle was right there in front of him.

He doesn't need an actual physical tent. He has the physical reality The tabernacle proper, the lord Jesus himself, is the lord Jesus that is called Emmanuel. What does the manual mean? God with us. That's what we've been singing about this month.

It's great. We've got Christmas carols. Everyone happy? Oh, you all lit up then. More than you did about church lunch.

Fair enough. It's just the tabernacles in front of them. It's interesting. Peter's missed the transfiguration and it's staring them in front of the face. Jesus is the tabernacle.

And not only has he missed that he's a tabernacle. He's been offensive to Jesus, because he's considered Jesus to be equal with Moses and Elijah. There's no 1 on par with Jesus. No world leader is on par. No Moses, no no David, no Elijah, no Elijah, no Isaiah.

No political leader in this world, no philosopher. No 1 is on par with Jesus. Peter, you've got it wrong. These men aren't worthy to tithe. His sandals.

And so he needs to be corrected. And what happens in verse 7, then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud. This is my son, whom I love. Listen to him. You need teaching again, Peter.

A cloud comes. What does a cloud mean in the old testament? It means it God is here. When the when the tabernacle's built, what is the what is the sign that God is with them? There's a cloud that comes there.

It comes down and says, this is God. This is the divine 1, and then you have the voice. You might have remembered the voice from his baptism. This is my son. Whom I love, but he adds a bit, listen to him.

See, he doesn't exalt Moses and the lie, Elijah, as he goes, This is my son, this is Moses, this is Elijah. He doesn't They don't matter as much. They pale away. They vanish, don't they? Because as soon as that voice in that cloud comes up, who was left?

The Lord Jesus Christ. It is Jesus that is left. He is the 1 who remains. The 1 who is far greater is still there. He doesn't go back.

With Moses and Elijah, he stays and we're to listen to him. We're not to listen to anybody else. We're not to listen to the people on on YouTube. You don't have to listen to you can't listen to him. You don't have to listen to Jordan Peters, though he doesn't come anywhere near Jesus Christ.

We'd have to listen to any of these people over Christ. He's the 1 to listen to. And so he remains because he must continue his journey onto the cross. And so we must look at him. Have we got a big enough picture of Christ?

I'm trying to show you who he is. I'm failing probably, but he is magnificent. He is God. The son of God that would come and dwell with us. Have you seen him?

And if you have, we continue to see how great he is. Let us not have too small a picture of who God is. Let us have a bigger picture of God. And as we have a big bigger picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, the 1 who dwells with his people that would condescend from the glorious place on high and come to be with us, we now need to listen to him. Listen to what he has said.

Listen to what he goes on to say. So we must look at Jesus' glory. So secondly, listen. Listen. If you fall asleep, listen.

Jesus' mission to suffer on his descent. Jesus' mission to suffer on his descent verse 9 to 13. So you'll see, he begins to climb down It's a it's a picture you've got the glorious brightness of the transfiguration, and now he's coming down and down and down into darkness. He's not a war like hero. That's not the type of Messiah he is.

That's not the type of king he is. He's not coming in to smash the Romans up. Now, he is on a route to shame to guilt, to forsakenness. And as he goes down, he turns to his disciples in verse 9, And you'll see, he gives them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the son of man had risen from the dead. Don't tell anyone.

Why why not? Well, it's similar to what we saw in verse 30. Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about the fact they was Christ Later on in chapter 9, he quickly heals the boy when he sees a large crowd running over to him. He doesn't want people to get him wrong. You might ask the question, why does he stop people to like, telling things about him.

Why does he stop and tell the spirits, don't don't tell anyone who I am. The reason he doesn't want them to know is because people will get the wrong idea about Messiah just like the disciples. They don't get Messiah and so they don't get that he has to suffer And if they go, oh, well, he's the king. Let's make him king by force. He can't go and suffer.

Do you see? He has to go and suffer. He cannot be hindered in his mission. And so it's keep quiet. You know those conversations you have in private, in secret.

Don't tell anyone. You probably hated that when you were growing up as well. When you overheard your parents say something. Don't tell anyone. Oh, I'm gonna tell anyone.

Anyway, don't tell anyone. But not forever, only for a time because it's until he rises from the dead. Because when he rises from the dead, then they're gonna understand, then they'll get Oh, that's what the son of God had to come and do. Oh, it was through the cross that he would have to say, Oh, Now I understand who he is and I can go and I can proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah and that Jesus has come to save people. But that time is not this time.

For they cannot clearly comprehend that he is a suffering Christ. And that is shown, if you look down at verse 10. I want the disciples great for teaching goes like how dense we are. They kept the matter to themselves discussing what rising from the dead meant. Which which Peter, what do you think rising when the dead means?

Oh, James. I'm not so sure. Figratively? Figratively? Or literally, Figurative.

It must be figuratively, right? Figuratively. Not literally. Come on. No.

You can't die. No. Figratively? But not literally. Surely not.

And so They're like, no, because we Jesus can't die. And so look, they they try and correct him again. That's what's going on in verse 11. Says, and they asked him, why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first? They're referencing that Malachi passage in chapter 4 where it says that Elijah's gonna come He's gonna restore everything.

He's gonna lead everyone into repentance, and then the Messiah will come, and he will be victorious. And they're saying, well, well, when Elijah comes, then he will come and be triumphant. So you can't die. They're correcting him again. It's amazing they have the audacity to correct the son of they've just seen the son of God, and they're going, oh, actually Jesus, I think you got that wrong.

You, the 1 who is God. No. I think you've got it wrong. It's like you if you've got kids or you have worked with young people, and you're the expert. You know more than them, and they're like, no, I think you got that wrong.

No, I haven't. You little insolent child. Fortunately, Jesus is a lot more patients than obviously I do. And so he has to correct them again, verse 12 to 13, Jesus replied, to be sure. Elijah does come first and restores all things.

Why then is it written that the son of man must suffer much and be rejected, but I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished just as it is written about him. I have to suffer he's saying that. I have to suffer. Yes, John, the Baptist, who is Elijah, he has come. And his job was to prepare people.

That's what John the Baptist did. You remember? He led loads and loads of people out to Jordan, and he was baptized in them there. Preaching a gospel of repentance, pointing forward to the Lord Jesus. He said he's gonna come.

He's gonna come and Jesus comes. But what else happened to John the Baptist? Well, like Elijah, he too was rejected. And John the Baptist suffered and he died. That's why it says they did, they have done everything they wished to him.

They've beheaded the Prophet of God. And just as John the Baptist that the Elijah has suffered and died, that points to the Lord Jesus, suffering, and dying. See, the disciples, they're half blind, still, aren't they? Jesus is just a tree walking around. If you don't know what I'm talking about there, you might want to look at the past the past chapter.

He's the Messiah, but he can't suffer. The half blinds still. But where the disciples are half blind, Jesus is clear in his focus, isn't he? He knows where he's going. He can see the cross in his sight.

He can see the path to that cross, and he will march resolutely to that cross, never erring to the side, to the left, to the right, he will go straight to that cross, and the disciples, it must have pained him by trying to stop him go there. Because he needs to go there for him going there. We'll bring the glory that we see in the transfiguration, and him going there will allow his disciples to go from being half sided to fully sided. So that they understand that we have a crucified savior. And so that they understand that to be his follower, his disciple We must bear our crosses and follow him.

And so we must listen to him, and we must listen to his mission. So we see, look, we've seen listen, but thirdly believe and pray. Jesus's authority over evil in the valley. Jesus's authority over evil in the valley. You'll see the story picks up in verse 14 to 18.

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and round to greet him. What are you arguing with them about? He asked? A man in the crowd answered teacher I bought you, my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground.

He foams at the mouth nashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I ask your disciples to drive out the spirit. But they could not. So here we have it. Jesus comes down into this valley and before him is a commotion.

Before him, he sees a world gripped by evil. And it seems like his disciples, because they've done stuff like this before, have gone in all guns blazing. Yes, Lads. We can do this. We've done this plenty of times before.

Remo and Jesus sent us off, and we we got rid of a load of evil spirit. Let's go Lads. We're gonna get rid of the spirit, o. And they're like left tenants without their general who flown into battle without his instruction, Without even a word to him, they'd gone in to try and fight the battle, and they found themselves in an absolute mess. They're floundering.

They're in an argument with the teachers of the law. And then Jesus enters the scene. And you'll see that the people were overwhelmed with wonder in verse 15 and run to me. And why were they overwhelmed with wonder? Well, probably because his disciples had failed.

But also that the king has just stepped onto the scene. And they reckon that that that maybe still some of that transfiguration glory is still on him. It reminds me, I don't I don't often talk about lord of the Rings. I'm sorry for those who hate it. But there's a great scene in it.

In the 2 towers. And there's a group of men trying to fight the enemy, desperately trying to fight in the darkness. They've ridden out to try and fight the enemies and they can't do it alone, and then they look up. And there is 1 on a white horse, shining. Up a hill, and he charges down, and he defeats the enemy.

That it seems to be what's going on here. Jesus is stepping in, the hero of the day. But look at his response in verse 19. You unbelieving generation, Jesus replied. How long shall I stay with you?

How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me. Can you hear Jesus' exact exasperation here? It must be so frustrating for the Lord Jesus. He's just revealed.

He's just revealed his glory as the son of guards, and he comes down, and there is a load of people that do not accept him. How long? It's like a it's like a a teacher. Or a parent, how many times do I have to tell you? You know that sort of impatience, but it's fair enough here.

He's exasperated. How long? How many times? How much? Would he I wonder if he looked at our nation.

What would he say? How long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? If he looked at Kingston, would he see an unbelieving generation and be exasperated? If he came to our church, what would he see?

Let's pray that we're not a a church where Jesus would come and be exasperated with us. It's interesting in verse 20, the boy is brought, and the spirit knows more than the rest of the people around him. Did you notice that? In verse 20, And we sent it throughout. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into convulsion.

He fell to the ground and rolled around firming at the mouth It's obvious here that the spirit knows he's in trouble. He knows that before him is the son of God. He knows more than the rest of them. He knows more than crowd, the teachers of the Lord, the disciples. This evil spirit knows more.

About who Jesus is. But he does not have a saving knowledge of Jesus. And look at verse 21 to 22. Jesus asked the boy's father how long has he been like this? From childhood he answered, it has often thrown him into the fire or water to kill him.

This is a deep evil that grips the world This is an evil that robs people of their speech and and of their hearing, that they cannot hear God's word, that they cannot speak the praises of God. This is the evil that we see all around us. And so this man in his desperation says in verse 22. Look down with me, but if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us. If you can.

If you can. That demonstrates the unbelieving generation that Jesus is seeing. If you can. And look how Jesus responds in verse 23. If you can.

If you can. Of course, I can. Of course. This is like this is like me going to someone in the top of their field. And asking them if they could do a little tiny task.

He's like me going to Elon Musk. He's relevant at the moment, isn't he? If you can, can you spare me 5 pound? What? Yes.

Here you go. I know you wouldn't flick it like that would you. If you can, it's like going to Einstein when he was alive and saying, can you solve if you can, can you solve 2 plus 2? Yes. If you can get rid of our pity on us.

Yes. I'm the son of God. If? Course I can. Everything is possible for 1 who believes.

And this is where the problem lies. There is a misunderstanding of what faith actually is. See, people people have ideas about faith. When you say, what is faith? They have have broadly 1 of 2 things.

Faith is either just religions. Right? Islam faith, Christianity faith, Christianity faith, and Catholicism faith, seekism faith, or Faith is something that I am personally, if personal, subjective, religious choice. So I have my my idea about it. I I I do crystals.

Yeah. That's my that's my faith. Oh, I do horoscopes. I know my star sign. Aquarius.

Or No. I'm a spiritual person. I don't do church, but I'm a spiritual person. But those are not in the bible. That's not in the bible.

It's not it's not about quantity. It's not about strength of faith. It's not about displays of power. It's not about my idea and your idea. It's not just belief about information.

It's about personal faith that Jesus is Savior, that Jesus is the 1 that Jesus is the son of God. It's that the way that faith is in the bible is about the object that you put your faith in. It's the object of trustworthiness. Is is that thing or person worth my trust. And I can see if it is.

And he is worthy of your trust. And then you have to trust him. See, the demons know who Jesus was. They had better theology than most of us probably. Yet, they do not trust him for salvation.

They do not rely on him. And so the man cries out in verse 24. Immediately, the boy's father explained, I do believe help me overcome my unbelief. What a prayer. That's a prayer.

That's a prayer that we should be Saying. That's the prayer the disciples should have said before they tried in the first place. That's the prayer that they've been rebuked for not doing that. They haven't prayed, but this man has started to pray and it's not about the quantity, is it? He's got a very tiny bit of faith.

He knows there's unbelief. He knows he has doubts, but he knows that this is the man. If there's anyone here Jesus is the 1 that can sort me out with this problem. If there's anyone who can have have have any solution to my problem, It is Christ. And so he puts on the Lord Jesus.

Because it's not about him. See, as soon as you start talking about me or and if only I had a little bit more faith, And if only I could have done this a bit more and worked up a little bit more trust, then you've gone wrong. It's not about you. That's the problem. It's about the object.

It's where your faith lies that matters. It's not about your strength, it's not about your quantity, it's about Christ, it's that Jesus is Lord. And so when we trust in Jesus, he will show his authority. And what does he show his authority over here that demonic world? Look at verse 26 to 27.

This sorry, verse 25, you death a mute spirit, he said, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again. The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out, the boy looked so much like a cop that many said he's dead, but Jesus took him by the hand. And lifted him to his feet and he stood up. Jesus has authority over the demonic world. And he's gonna show that because he's gonna go lower than this valley.

This valley's dark. This valley's evil, but he's gonna go lower. The son of God is gonna march onto a cross where we're told he will defeat. The spiritual powers of this world, where he will defeat and crush the heads of Satan. So he can free us from this deaf and mute evil, so that we can hear the word of God so that we can see the son of God so that we can believe and pray to him.

So maybe you're here and you've never put your faith in this 1. Maybe you've saw, oh, well, it's not for me. Well, look. It is. Here is 1 who is the the God eternal, who has always existed, who came down to bring a message of salvation for those who will trust and obey.

So turn to him Unless in Christians, we have more reason, you think these disciples are daft, by the way. We're daft. We're daft. Because because the disciples didn't get haven't seen the resurrection yet. Where this side of the cross and this side of the resurrection where it's happened, We've got more reason to have faith in these guys.

So let's start doing this. Let's start looking. Let's start listening. Let's start believing and praying. So maybe you're here today and you have anxiety.

How do I deal with that? Well, let me look at the son of God. The 1 who can deal with my anxiety. Let me listen to him who says, do not worry. Let me believe and pray that that's the case.

Maybe you're here and you have battles with sin. And you think of only I could just do a little bit more. If only I had a little bit more faith, I could get rid of this sin. No. That's not the answer.

Look at the glorious son of God. Look at him who came and died on a cross for your filth. For your sin, he took it upon himself. Look and listen to his words. It is finished.

I don't have to do it anymore. And believe and pray that he will deliver you from this. Maybe you're here and you just love to see some of your friends and family become Christians you think if only I had a little bit more faith, if only I could work up something more, if only I had the right words. Now, look at 1 who is bigger than you, who has better a word than you listen to his words and pray and believe. Bible says, we don't have, because we don't ask.

Well, let us look to the lord Jesus Christ. He is glorious. Let us listen to his words of life. They are the very words of God himself. And let us believe upon him and pray.

Let's take a moment now, and then Tom will. Bring us back together. Then a cloud appeared and covered them and a voice came from the cloud. This is my son whom I love. Listen to him.

Father we, want to say sorry and confess our sin to you. We're sorry for when we do not listen to the Lord Jesus. For when other people, louder voices, have more influence in our lives than the voice of your own precious son. We pray that you would forgive us for when we trust our own judgments instead of the truth of your word for when we listen to our own hearts. Instead of listening to you.

And Lord, as we've heard this morning, that can only be because the Lord Jesus has become something less to us than he is here. Forgive us lord for when we have unbelieving hearts. How long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Please forgive us for when like the disciples we genuinely think that we can do your work without your help.

For when we prefer to argue, about saving faith than actually exercising saving faith in Jesus. For all these things, Lord, we are sorry and we confess and pray that you would forgive us. But we thank you that we have also heard that the Lord Jesus is a specialist in weak faith, that he loves to come to those who are faltering. Come to those who are sinning, come to those who are trusting other voices and to make strong their faith. We thank you, Lord Jesus, that you love to retune our ears to help us to listen to you.

And we thank you that now as we come to the Lord's table together as a church family that we can remember the darkest valley into which Jesus descended, the darkness of the cross, that he went there, the shining bright, pure, glorious 1. Went into the darkness and shame of the cross, to forgive us for our unbelief, and to forgive us for our sin. Thank you that we come as your people truly now forgiven, washed clean, and perfectly righteous before you. Thank you for this bread and juice, which remind us of that costly sacrifice and of the hope we now have in Jesus. We pray these things in his name.

Oh, man.