HOFC Sermon Archive: Gospel of Mark Part 46: Mindful of the Things of God

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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 the 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

18. Jesus Appoints the Apostles

19. The Family of Jesus

20. The Unforgivable Sin

21. The True Family of Jesus

22. Parable of the Four Soils

23. How Well Do You Listen

24. Parable of the Growing Seed

25. Parable of the Mustard Seed

26. Benefits of Private Teaching

27. Jesus Calms the Storm

28. Who is Afraid of Jesus?

29. The Touch of Jesus

30. When Familiarity Breeds Contempt

31. Principles of Evangelism

32. Weakness in the Seat of Power

33. The Need for Rest

34. Feeding 5000

35. Jesus Walks on Water

36. Healings at Gennesaret

37. The Danger of Traditions

38. The Source of True Defilement

39. Gentile Blessed for Her Faith

40. He Has Done All Things Well

41. Jesus Feeds 4000

42. Jesus Sighs

43. Beware of Leaven

44. The Blind Man at Bethsaida

45. Who Do You Say That Jesus Is?

46. Mindful of the Things of God

Today is Sunday. December 14^th, 2025

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Mark 8:31-33
^“And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²And He was stating the matter openly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. ³³But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

INTRODUCTION

Last week we looked at Jesus asking the disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” To which they answered, John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets returned from the grave.

Then Jesus asked the disciples, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter, speaking for the group, stated, “You are the Christ, Son of the living God.”

As Jesus traveled near Caesarea Philippi He made the first of three predictions concerning what awaited Him in Jerusalem.

With the proclamation made on the disciples behalf by Peter, Jesus now gives the disciples three predictions, prophecies, of what was awaiting Jesus.

Mark 8:31 “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”

Mark 10:33-34 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles. ³⁴And they will mock Him and spit on Him, and flog Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.”

Jesus tells them that He will be betrayed to the chief priests, they will condemn Him to death and handed over to the Gentiles where He will be mocked, spit upon, flogged and killed, and in three days, rise again.

Peter, who we know from scripture is a bit of a hot-head, and quick tempered, and I think it’s safe to say he had an anger issue, responds to Jesus openly telling this prophecy to the disciples in the following verse, Mark 8:32 where he takes Jesus aside and rebuked Him!

Can you imagine scolding and correcting Jesus?

In Matthew 16:22 we read of Peter saying, “…Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.”

In Mark 8:33, Jesus responds to Peter;

Mark 8:33 “…turning around and seeing His disciples, He [Jesus] rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God [God’s interests], but man’s.”

Jesus rebuked Peter because he did not want these things to happen to Jesus. He didn’t want Jesus to suffer, or die. But that was Peter’s desire, Peter’s will, not God’s, and without realizing it, something that seems right to a man (Jesus not suffering or dying), was in reality, against the will of God.

We must be very careful when judging things in our walk. God’s will is not always what “seems” the right path in man’s eye.

Now Jesus is not identifying Peter as the actual devil. He is simply proclaiming the role Peter has momentarily taken as “one who opposes God’s redemptive purpose”.

In the Old Testament we see cases where “Satan” is used as the name of the devil, and we also see the term ha-satan, which was translated into Satan in bibles as well, but does not refer to “the devil”, rather it indicates someone in the role of accuser or adversary to God’s will.

There are only a few bibles that actually distinguish the difference between the Hebrew śāṭān and ha-śāṭān. Most simply translate them both as Satan. But they are very different.

· To understand the difference, it would be like saying Baron, as a name, or the baron, and a position or description of a persons duty.

The bibles that do differentiate between the two are;

· The Jewish Publication Society Tanakh (which is an acronym derived from the three traditional divisions of the Hebrew Bible: Torah, Nevi’im “prophets,” and Ketuvim “writings.”) (JPS, 1995)

· The older 1917 JPS Tanakh

· Robert Alter’s Hebrew Bible

But nearly all English translations render both as Satan, but some do go as far as to distinguish between the two using capitalization for the proper name.

So Jesus is not saying Peter is “the satan,” just acting as someone in the role of accuser or adversary to God’s will, which is Jesus dying on the cross as substitutionary sacrifice for the Salvation of man.

In Matthew 16:23 WE READ Jesus says, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me…”

The Greek term translated “stumbling block” is σκάνδαλον (skandalon). Literally, it referred to a trap or a trigger, such as a stick in a path that could make someone fall. Metaphorically, in Scripture it signifies anything that causes another to sin, falter, or be led astray.

Jesus is saying that Peter’s words to Him about not suffering and dying on the cross were attempting to cause Him to “stumble” or be led away from the Will of God. Peter unwittingly became a stumbling block to Jesus. Peter’s outburst of concern for Jesus was only natural. But Jesus’ rebuke reveals an important lesson in “being mindful of the things of God.”

I. GOD’S WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS

a. As stated in scripture

Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares Yahweh.”

Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

b. As illustrated by

i. God’s view of suffering in the scheme of redemption

1. As we read in Mark 8:31-33

And in Luke 24:26-27 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” ²⁷Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” - Prophecies of the Messiah would be fulfilled by the true Christ.

Also, in Luke 24:44-46 “Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,”

ii. God’s view of greatness is not our view of greatness

Mark 10:42-45 “And calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. ⁴³But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; ⁴⁴and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

iii. God’s view of beauty is not our view of beauty

1 Peter 3:3-4 “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on garments; ⁴but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible quality of a lowly and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.”

iv. God’s view of money is not our view

Luke 16:13-15 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

¹⁴Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. ¹⁵And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.”

Clearly the mind of God and the things of God come from a higher plane than that of a human mind. Peter failed to appreciate this, missing the will of God. We must ensure that we do not make the same mistake as Peter! We MUST remain ever “mindful of the things of God!”

II. BEING MINDFUL OF THE THINGS OF GOD, NOT OF OURSELVES

a. First of all, we CANNOT trust ourselves!

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick [incurable];” – You cannot cure your heart!

Proverbs 16:25 “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” – Peter thought he knew what was right

Proverbs 28:26 “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will escape.” – Are you tired of falling into the traps of sin? Follow godly instruction as opposed to your heart, or feelings.

Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in Yahweh with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.”

Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

b. Feelings are often the standard of right and wrong for many people

i. People will go by “their gut feeling” or whatever “feels right”

ii. They follow their vague “intuition” or emotions

iii. Or believe they are wise from experience, or have great intuition or discernment – if your wisdom, intuition or discernment has ever failed you in your life, then it has proven it cannot be trusted in all things! God’s wisdom never fails.

iv. The bible makes clear the danger of following your feelings!

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

Proverbs 28:26 “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will escape.”

c. Our conscience and our wisdom is no different!

i. We have all heard, “let your conscience be your guide.”

ii. Our conscience is not always reliable!

1. Paul served God with a good conscience throughout his entire life and as a Zealot. (Acts 23:1)

2. Even while persecuting Christians, and in turn, the Lord Himself! (Acts 26:9-11)

iii. Many believe their “wisdom” and experience has made them wise. Even claiming to have great discernment about people or situations.

1. They believe they can determine for themselves what is right and wrong.

a. Yet, many times these very same people will have fruits which show they lack true wisdom in the direction of their lives, which comes from God and His Word.

2. 1 Corinthians 1:18-29 tells us that God has actually chosen to save mankind in a manner that is designed to confound the wise, and it does!

iv. Scripture tells us that for us to know God’s Will, it is necessary for Him to reveal it to us! (1 Corinthians 2:9-12) just as Jesus in the previous verses opened the disciples eyes to the meaning of the scriptures.

1. Which He accomplishes today through His Spirit

2. Your eyes can be opened to the Holy Spirit-inspired apostles who have shared God’s Word with us through their writings.

III. WE MUST TRUST IN GOD

a. We must trust God in how we are saved

i. We cannot seek to be saved in good works

ii. We must trust in the words of Jesus…REPENT AND PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE GOSPEL

1. Mark 16:15-16

2. Acts 2:38

3. Acts 22:16

b. We must trust God in how we worship

i. Some worship in ways that please themselves

ii. Some in ways that please others

iii. But we must trust in the commands and will of the Lord in worship

Mark 7:6-9 “And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
⁷But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commands of men.’

⁸Leaving the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”

⁹And He was also saying to them, “You are good at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.”

Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

c. We must trust God in how we live

i. Some live for themselves

ii. Some want to make work or family #1

iii. But we must trust Jesus and the Word of God

1. Matthew 6:33

2. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

3. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

4. 2 Peter 1:3

In our lives, the biblical order is, God first, Spouse second, children third, then church, and work comes last, which is bad news for workaholics.

CONCLUSION

We can only be mindful of the things of God when we HUMBLY SUBMIT to what is revealed in the Word of God and refuse to let our feelings, conscience, or worldly wisdom be our guide.

Otherwise, we are mindful of the things of man, like Peter, who was filled with good intentions but become an instrument of Satan, as in Mark 8:33, and was in turn, an “offense” and “stumbling block” to Jesus, as we see in Matthew 16:23

ASK YOURSELF, HAVE YOU GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT AS TO WHETHER YOU ARE MINDFUL OF THE THINGS OF GOD?

Colossians 3:1-2 “…if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”

Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve [accept] what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

What is good, pleasing and perfect? The will of God!

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Thursday, December 18, 2025

Gospel of Mark Part 46: Mindful of the Things of God

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