HOFC Sermon Archive: Gospel of Mark Part 17: Three Responses to Jesus

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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Introduction

2. John the Baptist

3. The Baptism of Jesus

4. Temptation of Jesus

5. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus I

6. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus II

7. The First Disciples

8. A Teacher with Authority

9. At the Home of Simon and Andrew

10. Jesus Cleanses Leper

11. Jesus Heals the Paralytic

12. Jesus and the Tax Collector

13. Jesus Questioned About Fasting

14. Of Wine and Wineskins

15. Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath & Resurrection Sunday 2025

16. Hard Hearts and Hard Thoughts

17. Three Responses to Jesus

Today is Sunday. May 4^th, 2025

INTRODUCTION

Last week we see the Pharisees plotting with the Herodians to “destroy” Jesus because He healed a man on the Sabbath Day.

This, after Jesus asked, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?”

However, their hardened hearts created hardened minds, and they were blind to the truth because of this.

We see from the text that a few things are ongoing in the ministry of Jesus in Galilee. Great multitudes were following Him and His disciples. Many, drawn by news of healing and the casting out of demons. And the ongoing condemnation of the Pharisees and other religious people for many reasons, all coming from hardened hearts.

In today’s text, we see there are basically three distinct classes of individuals, made so by the way they respond to Jesus.

The disciples (Mark 3:7-9)

The great multitude (Mark 3:7-10)

The unclean spirits (Mark 3:11-12)

Today we will examine these three responses to Jesus further.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Mark 3:7-12

“7 And Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and from Judea, 8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. 9 And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; 10 for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits were seeing Him, they would fall down before Him and cry out, saying, “You are the Son of God!” 12 And He earnestly warned them not to reveal who He was.”

Today we will look at the three responses to Jesus.

I. THE COMMITTED

a. Such as the disciples

i. Men like Peter, Andrew, James, John, Levi (Matthew)

ii. Who answered when the Lord called them to follow

1. Mark 1:16-20

2. Mark 2:14

iii. Who offered themselves in service to whatever Jesus asked

1. When Jesus asked them to prepare a boat (Mark 3:9)

2. When Jesus sent them out to preach (Mark 3:13-14)

b. The committed today

i. Those who make up the “Body of Christ” in the Lord’s church

ii. Those who heed the call of Jesus to discipleship (Matthew 28:19-20)

iii. Those who give their energy and resources to spread Christ’s kingdom

1. Developing Christ-like character

a. 2 Peter 1:5-11

2. Developoig Christ-like service

a. 1 Peter 4:10-11

Just as there were committed followers of Jesus then, there are committed followers today. However, there were another group as well. The curious.

II. THE CURIOUS

a. Such as the multitude

i. Including those just looking to be healed, or wanting to see a miracle

ii. Though they followed Jesus from place to place, there were not disciples

1. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)

2. Or the Samaritan, Simon the Sorcerer, who believed and was baptized, but tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:9-24)

3. Demas, who worked with Paul, but then abandoned him because Demas “loved the world” (Colossians 4:14; Philemon 1:24; 2 Timothy 4:10)

4. The seven sons of Sceva who were Jewish exorcists, trying to cast out demons in the name of the Lord, but failed miserably. (Acts 19:13-16)

5. Hymenaeus and Philetus who taught heresies and by doing so “shipwrecked” their faith (2 Timothy 2:17-18)

iii. They followed Jesus from place to place but were not true disciples

iv. They were seeking some sort of personal satisfaction or selfish gain, and we see Jesus would drive them away.

1. As when they followed Him after He fed the 5000 in John 6:24-27

2. Or when He challenged them with the call to true discipleship in Luke 14:25-27

v. Though some would eventually take up the challenge and become true disciples, some never did.

b. The curious today

i. Church visitors or hoppers who go, sometimes often

ii. Like “tire-kickers” in a used car lot, they never truly commit

iii. Some attend out of compulsion

1. It’s what you do on Sunday

2. Families should go

3. I always went as a kid

iv. Some go to appease their conscience

1. But they never obey the gospel (Mark 16:15-16)

v. They just put off commitment like the Athenians and Felix

1. Acts 17:32 “Now when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.”

2. Acts 24:24-27 “But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and summoned Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and answered, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will call for you.” 26 At the same time, he was also hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to summon for him quite often and converse with him. 27 But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.”

vi. Hopefully, the one who is curious will eventually take the step to follow Jesus completely.

Finally, there are those whose response to Jesus is entirely negative. They are the condemned.

III. THE CONDEMNED

a. Such as the unclean spirits

i. Demons, though not followers of Jesus, they still had to obey His commands, because He is Lord of ALL

ii. Mark 3:11 tells us that they “knew” who He was.

iii. We also know from scripture that they knew torment awaited them.

1. Matthew 8:29

2. 2 Peter 2:4

3. Jude 1:6

iv. Yet, we never see any evidence of any remorse, or repentance of their evil ways

b. The condemned today

i. Include those who persist in sin (willfully live in sin) and refuse to repent

1. Hebrews 10:26-27 “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.”

ii. For whom there is no forgiveness for them while they remain in this state

1. Hebrews 10:26-31 “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy by the mouth of two or three witnesses.

29 How much worse punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as defiled the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “Yahweh will judge His people.” 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

iii. They think lightly of sin, even mocking those who try to do good

1. 1 Peter 4:3-5 “For the time already past is sufficient for you to have worked out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, maligning you, 5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”

iv. They will one day have to answer for this, and even confess to Jesus

1. Philippians 2: 9-11 “Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Yahweh, to the glory of God the Father.”

CONCLUSION

Which of the three categories would you place yourself within today? What is your response to Jesus?

Are you among the committed? A faithful disciples striving to get closer to Jesus. Or, are you among the curious? Interested, but have not yet made a decision.

Or are you counted among the condemned? Determined to resist God and refuse to follow Jesus?

Eventually, we all end up in the committed or condemned group. The time for curiosity over. We will either be saved, or lost, forever.

Today is time to make your choice!

As Paul wrote in II Corinthians 6:1-2

“And working together with Him, we also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain— 2 for He says,

“At the acceptable time I listened to you,

And on the day of salvation I helped you.”

Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”

Receive God’s grace by obeying the gospel of Christ, and join ranks with those who are committed to following Jesus and serving Him through time and eternity!

Titus 3:4-7

“But when the kindness and affection of God our Savior appeared, 5 He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

NEXT WEEK: “Part 18: Apostles Appointed”

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