Miracle Apologetics
The Gospel of Mark • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
When Looking at the idea of miracles I wanted to look at how God has done miracles along with apologetics
The reverend John G Patton a missionary to the New Hebrides tells a story of how God miraculously protected him and his wife from being murdered by the hostile natives. John and his wife had been threatened that they were going to be killed and surrounded their home to do so, that night through terror he and his wife prayed to be delivered. The next day they saw the attackers had gone away and they were spared!
A year later the chief of the tribe had been converted to Christ and John asked him “why didn’t you and your men kill me that night?”
The chief responded “ who were all those men you had wife you?”
John said “There were no men just my wife and I”
The chief told him that they saw hundreds of men in shinning garments with swords drawn in their hands, encircled around the missionary station.
John said, that must have been God’s angels! The chief agreed!
It was this miraculous action of God sending his angels to protect John and his wife. This miracle preceded the salvation of the tribe!
God can save through many means, but in the Bible often miracles reinforce the saving knowledge of God. Miracles point to Jesus!
Text
Text
31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Some background:
Some background:
This appears to be the last of the first set of miracles in Mark 6:31-7:37
Chapter 8 begins the next section of miracles.
This book being written for a gentile audience has this repeated so that they can see who Christ is. It’s a teaching time for them based off of some of tha actions of Christ and then a confession of who Jesus is. The confession in Mark 7:37
37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
and Mark 8:29
29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”
Why do these miracles need to be here?
Why do these miracles need to be here?
Because Miracles point to the divinity of Christ and to the authenticity of these events.
As a reader of any event when some evidence is given to back it up it helps you believe the statement. The early church had to approved message of the apostles to explain the actions of Jesus. Their testimonies are written down for us here and for the first readers so that they may have an account of what has been said so that they may believe.
Your faith is not blind, but supported on solid ground of personal testimony. This was important in the first century and is important in the 21st.
Decalpolis background
Decalpolis background
In this particular story The man possed with Legion had been told by Jesus to stay here and in the months between that event and this one He had went around the region of the ten cities telling everyone about how he was delivered. This was the crowd that asked Jesus to leave and now crowds are coming to see the returned Jesus.
This region was settled by Jews and gentiles, so you had a good mix of different people and so Jesus comes to this region again to share the truth.
This btw is a great way to think of your witness you may be asked to stop but look at how our sovereign God acts. So don’t fear when you share. Are you able to trust and share and see regions in this case 10 cities changed?
Tampa bay is growing people are coming here can you imagine the testimony we can have if we start to share?
Looking at this miracle:
Looking at this miracle:
Background on the man
What it was
Based on the text it seems that this man was not born deaf. Why I think this is the case is because he was able to speak and generally when your able to speak some. So many commentators think that this condition was after his birth born. We’re not sure if this man was a Jew or Gentile, but even still given Christ’s actions both are able and must receive him. My speculation was that this was possibly a gentile as this was only recorded in the Gospel of Mark, even if it wasn’t Mark is the man who recorded Peter’s testimony which is the book of Mark. So this account must have been so striking to him that Mark had to record it! So even if it was a gentile this was a Jew’s perspective on the event.
Peter who had experienced this miracle later in his life must have looked back on this event in the same way
6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
This healing of deafness and blindness must have made him see these events in his life.
How sin relates to this disabled man - falleness and disability are tied to the fall, as a result, you and I are like this.
So the question on my mind is how does this have to do with the gospel. Well all short comings and issues of development are a result of the fall. The suffering and hurts we deal with are a result of original sin. So when we see this man his suffering is because of the sin that pullutes are world. I’m not saying he sinned and caused this disease, I’m saying his condition and all conditions we deal with are a result of sin.
So what is the application here:
Application: Be a Friend like the deaf man’s friends
Application: Be a Friend like the deaf man’s friends
Are you a friend of sinners? Do you bring them to Jesus like these men did their friend?
19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
When you bring someone to Christ you are like the nurse assisting in the birthing process. A faithful friend is the best you can have because they genuinely care about your soul!
A Christian friend should be the most faithful
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Christian you’re not going to be perfect, but you are called to love!
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Are you as a friend to those around you doing as Christ and laying down your life for those you genuinely love? Do they know you love them?
After the demoniac was healed and legion was driven out The Bible records this
19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Are you that friend telling and living a life that makes all the people marvel? Are you the friend that upon hearing about Christ are willing to bring the friend you truly love to our Lord? You will see the miracle of second birth, new life, being born again!
A Christian friend should be the one the most honest with to them.
You as a Christian must truly be a lover of your friends soul!
The Bible says we are to be salt and light. So your friendships are you? Or are you just another one of the guys? Do people see your light? Do you as salt improve the situation? Are you the light of Christ that makes everything better?
If you’re not a Christian I want you to know that your Christian friends truly love you. They love you because the God who made you loves you and they want to be like him. They know that you
A Christi
Why Deaf and mute Man?
Why Deaf and mute Man?
You and I before salvation are that
We don’t receive the word of the Lord when you’re an unbeliever
The Bible says that like this man who cannot hear
10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
You and I before Christ couldn’t hear the word, wouldn’t recieve the word, didn’t want to, saw no need.
What use is music to a deaf man? What use is a life vest to a corpse? We had none.
Before faith the scripture says
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
You are dead before faith
But
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
If you believe you are Rich, you have life, by Christ!
You have but to believe in Christ and repent your sins! And you will hear the beautiful voice of God, you will recieve your kings wisdom, you will be brought into the household of God as a son or daughter!
You will change!
Look at the evil kings of Israel look at Josiah 2 Kings 22:11-13
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”
This working of Jesus was active this man was able to hear again, to speak fully again! You upon faith will also!
It’s unusual
It’s unusual
This Idea of Miraculous apologetic we can see out Lord do first hand!
33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
Application : God works through various means, how you share the gospel works in various means
We know from the last few weeks that healing can come and miracles that Jesus can do come in various forms
The women with the chronic illness grabbed the hem of Jesus’ cloak. Some of you need to grab onto his cloak
The Centurion told Jesus you just say the word and it will happen, and it did! Some of you are this person
Some of you are a family sitting in the field while Jesus shows us and feeds you.
Some of you are the man brought to Jesus and healed.
But look at this Mark 7:33
33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.
In this crowd of people Jesus took this man aside. In every case Jesus provided for and cared for each person in particular.
In however God is working through you, you need to take it aside, let your ministry be one that you give specail attention to. embrace it and love it. That is miraculous appligetics. It’s not going to look the same for everybody. You may be a person who is bold or is quiet. Maybe you are sticking your finger in somebodies ear to get it open many means God is able to do!
At Bee Ridge you have options to serve and if God is moving you, please talk with me!
giving to the children, putting kids in a Christian school, going to manor care, talking about Jesus on the golf range
Preconfigures the cross
Preconfigures the cross
This whole event Prefigures the cross it also fuffils a prophecy given to Isaiah
4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
The word for mute here in Mark 7:32
32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.
In the Greek translation of the OT the word mute and in the OT speech impediment or Mute in some translations come from the same word. 300 years before the Greek Pharoah of Egypt commissioned the high priest of Jerusalem to send scholars from each tribe to translate the OT into Greek. That event coupled with the Greek and then Roman Conquest spread the knowledge of the true God all over the Mediterranean word. So when mark uses this word, which only happens once in both people take notice. Mark was saying to the readers of the OT that this is the same God.
This event of curing the mute shows what is to happen to Jesus
spit and looking toward the father, the sigh, the words in another Language
typology: how scripture shows us scriptutre
The New King James Version Chapter 15
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, e“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
So not only does Jesus cry out in a different language as recorded by Mark, he speaks to the father, and then you see his blood shed. The healing of the man is a type of cricfixion that would finf it’s fulfilment in the true crucifixion!
Profecy Fuffilled Use Isisah passage
When you share Christ use everything to point to this moment! All things point to thise momment
Leads to testimony and confession
Leads to testimony and confession
See how Mark ends this section on miracles, look at this confession
Missional delivery
COnfession of faith
Do you call Christ well?
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”