Where Does Mark Chapter 9 Begin?
Notes
Transcript
Don’t forget about having Roger Christian share testimony about volunteering at the polls.
Prayer Requests
Prayer Requests
Gary Locklear, a family friend of Woody and Elayne, is in Duke Hospital suffering from COVID-19. He just recently lost a brother to COVID-19. Pray for God’s healing grace to restore him to good health.
Turn to and read Mark 9:1-8. Pray.
Allow me to begin with a question:
Where does Mark chapter 8 end and Mark chapter 9 begin?
That is, in a way, a trick question. The answer to that question is that, originally, there was no Mark chapter 8 and Mark chapter 9. When Mark was inspired, by the Holy Spirit, to write this book, there were no chapter and verse markings.
The chapter divisions commonly used today were developed and put into place in around A.D. 1227.
The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into verses in A.D. 1448. The New Testament was divided into verses in A.D. 1555.
Why? Because it is much easier to find John 3:16 than it is to find “For God so loved the world...”
With that being said, the “chapter and verse” can cause some confusion if we are not careful. Today’s text is a case in point. If you begin reading at Mark 9:1, as we did this morning, it may cause you to scratch your head.
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
Just reading that verse may cause you to think, “That’s kind of an ‘off the wall’ statement for Christ to say.” However, if you look at in the context of the end of Mark chapter 8, it will begin to make just a a little more sense. Turn to and read Mark 8:34-9:1. To begin to understand Mark 9:1 you really need to keep it with Christ’s conversation which began in Mark 8:34.
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Jesus is coming again!
Jesus is coming again!
That verse says, “…when He [Jesus] cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Exploring the Gospel of Mark: An Expository Commentary 2. The Cross (8:31–38)
For a while, right now, Satan is the prince of this world, but his time is running out. He can bully and browbeat believers; he can mock them and martyr them. But Jesus is coming again, in glory and power and backed by the armies of heaven.
Jesus is here speaking of His return to establish His millennial reign that is spoken of in Revelation chapter 19:
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Right now, though, in 2020...
Exploring the Gospel of Mark: An Expository Commentary 2. The Cross (8:31–38)
Satan has his men in our schools and colleges; sitting in the seat of the scornful; and intimidating, threatening, and seeking to bully the believer. He has his men in the business world and the world of education, men who wield power, men who curse and blaspheme and take the name of the Lord Jesus in vain, men who link that precious name to the foulest words that can be dredged from the dark sewers of the unregenerate mind. Such men try to cow the believer into silence. Satan has his men in government where they can pass laws against Christianity and threaten Christians with imprisonment, torture, and painful deaths. But Satan’s time is running out.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
However, another event will take place before Christ’s glorious return described for us in Revelation chapter 19. Jesus is coming to rapture believers out of this world!
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
While we could all use some comfort these days, we need to understand that that word comfort is the Greek word parakaleo which means to urge; implore; exhort.
We need to urge our Christian brothers and sisters to keep on keeping on!
We need to implore our Christian brothers and sisters to “hold the fort” for He is coming!
We need to exhort fellow believers in Christ to not give up and to not go back!
God may be allowing Satan to “have his day” right now but soon - and I hope very soon - Jesus Christ is going to come and set everything right again!
See the mighty host advancing,
Satan leading on;
Mighty men around us falling,
Courage almost gone.
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,”
Jesus signals still,
Wave the answer back to Heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”
So now we come to Mark chapter 9 and verse 1:
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
We need to, once again, keep in mind that the disciples and the crowds are still expecting Christ to physically - at that time - restore the kingdom of David and throw off the chains of Roman oppression. So, as Christ spoke these words there must have been some “mental wrestling”going on in the minds of the disciples:
Some of us will live to see Christ restore the kingdom but there are some of us who are not going to make it.
Since we expect Christ to restore the kingdom soon, that means that some of us don’t have much longer to live!
I wonder which “some” I’m a part of?!?!
Before I go on, I’d like you to consider this:
What does death “taste” like?
What does death “taste” like?
One person gave this testimony:
Death tastes terrible. I know. Once, someone close to me died in her sleep. Upon discovering that she was dead and not simply sleeping, I called 911 and they instructed me to do mouth-to-mouth. I told them that she was dead, and had been for hours as her limbs were cold, and that one side of her face, the side she slept on, was black, red and blue from blood and compression, and physically distorted. I did as instructed, and can tell you that it was by far and wide the most repulsive and disgusting taste I have ever experienced. It was awful. Words cannot convey how bad it tasted.
Now, first let me simply say that, unless the rapture takes place first, each of here this morning will “taste” death; we will experience death.
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
So, what does death “taste” like? I don’t know the answer to that question but I do know this...
Jesus Christ has already tasted death for us!
Jesus Christ has already tasted death for us!
If you will, remember what Christ, in Mark chapter 8, began to "teach” His disciples:
And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
If you’ll recall, Peter had a difficult time with that teaching. The following verses say that Peter rebuked Christ.
However, in Hebrews we are told...
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Jesus Christ tasted death so that we might experience eternal life!
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus said, in John chapter 10:
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
I and my Father are one.
Christ tasted death so that we would not have to!
Christ tasted death so that we would not have to!
Have you experienced new life in Christ?
Saturday afternoon I had the opportunity to speak with a father who is interested in enrolling his two teenage children in the Academy, who were also there with him as we met. In our conversation, I looked at the two teenagers and asked them this question: “If you were to stand before God and He were to ask you, ‘Why should I let you into Heaven?’ how would you respond?” Before they could answer, I shared my testimony with them.
Here in Mark chapter 9, Christ is already beginning to see the shadow of the cross in the distance. Thankfully, though, you do not need to wait until Mark chapter 15 to experience new life in Christ. You can receive Him today.
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.