Priority One (Mark 1:14-2:12)

David Balzer MPC, 9^th January 2000.

Jesus sticks to his priority of preaching repentance and forgiveness despite the competing cries for healing and cleansing.

1. Jesus’ priority...:

-competing cries

2. The people’s response:

3. Jesus’ strategy:

- to control the publicity 34, 44-45

- to keep preaching 38

- to give what’s needed most (2:1-12)

It’s tough, isn’t it, sticking to your priorities when you’re surrounded by competing cries. Like when you’ve got kids. I’ve got four, but sometimes there are so many things to do, I don’t know where to start. Daniel wants food, Lachlan wants to play cricket, Alex wants help on the computer, and Elyse wants a clean nappy! And then there’s Caron. She wants me to do all the things I’ve been putting off all year. And I’m supposed to be on holidays! They’re all good things to be doing, but I can’t do them all at once. It becomes A MATTER OF PRIORITIES. Which is the most IMPORTANT to do? Even when you’ve got your priorities clear, it’s hard when you’re surrounded by competing cries.

Which is how it must have been for Jesus. People pulling him in a thousand different directions. And as you look at the passage we’ve just read, you can see that. Jesus: surrounded by competing cries. So many people. So many needs. And yet for Jesus the top priority is very clear.

You can see it in his FIRST RECORDED WORDS. Chapter 1 verse 14. We saw it last week. A statement that spells out EXACTLY what he’s going to be on about. EXACTLY the way he’s going to do business. Pick it up half-way through verse 14.

So, his PRIMARY OBJECTIVE, his TOP PRIORITY, is PREACHING... PREACHING for REPENTANCE and BELIEF. He wants people to change from the heart. To recognise that they’ve made a mistake, and correct it. To repent is to allow Jesus to control the things you do. To let him rule your life.

But can you see? Straight away, there’s a competing cry. A huge need. A man possessed by an evil spirit. He’s crying out. Have a look at what he says V24

And Jesus says, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" And v26 the evil spirit shakes the man, and comes out of him with a shriek. And the evil spirit does what it’s told. A competing cry. Jesus wasn’t there to drive out spirits, but he deals with it.

Trouble is , if YOU were there , which bit would you remember? Which would stick in your mind? The sermon. Or the drama?

Let’s keep going. V29 Jesus leaves the synagogue with Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law is in bed with a fever. They tell Jesus about it. A CRY FOR HELP. So Jesus touches her and she’s healed.

V40-45 Here’s a cry. A man with leprosy comes and begs on his knees. If you’re willing you can make me clean. And of course he’s willing. Jesus is filled with compassion. I am willing. Be clean. And he is.

It’s amazing stuff, isn’t it! All these competing cries, and finally here’s someone who can actually DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Heal the sick, drive out demons, clean lepers.

Which have GOT to be the things to major on, SURELY - the important things - the priorities? Crowd pleasers like this are FAR MORE IMPORTANT than preaching. If you’re trying to draw a crowd, THIS STUFF’S GREAT. And it helps people. FAR MORE IMPORTANT than preaching about repentance and forgiveness of sin.

At least, that’s what the CROWDS THINK. Which is why so many people are crowding around.. Jesus: THE ULTIMATE CROWD PLEASER! Have a look at how the crowds keep growing.

(Move quickly listing briefly)

V28 News about him is spreading like wildfire. Right around Galilee. V32 Sunset. People are bringing all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathers at the door.

V45 , pick it up half-way through. Things are getting so hectic Jesus can’t even go into a town. See what it says?

Chapter 2 v 2 Jesus the ultimate crowd pleaser. He nearly creates a riot.

It’s like in the movie "Notting Hill". Julia Roberts is a famous movie star; she’s staying the night at a normal house in a normal street in Notting Hill. And the paparazzi turn up outside the door. And when she answers the doorbell in the morning, there’s an absolute circus outside. Thousands of camera flashes going off. There’s shouting and movement and pushing. EVERYONE wants a piece of her. And it’s getting like that for Jesus.

4. Jesus’ response:

So what’s Jesus’ do? What’s his response? How does he deal with a situation like that? It’s tough sticking to your priorities when you’re surrounded by competing cries. But that’s exactly what he does. Turns his back on the crowds. And gets on with the business of preaching. The forgiveness of sins.

It’s seems strange, doesn’t it. Have a look at v34. At THIS point, Jesus is actually trying to keep things under wraps. To control the publicity. To stop people heading off on tangents. Pick it up half way through. He’s healed many who’d had all sorts of diseases, he’d driven out lots of demons. But look what it says. v34

Same thing a bit further on. This time to the leper. He’s just been healed. Have a look at v43

Strange isn’t it! But the crowd Jesus REALLY wants, is the crowd who’ll listen to his message and repent.

Look back at v35. "A crowd" is the issue for the disciples. Jesus has gone off on his own. Simon and the guys go looking for him. When they find him, they say the words you can see in v 37. "EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR YOU!" {38} But Jesus says , "Let’s go SOMEWHERE ELSE--to the NEARBY VILLAGES--so I can PREACH THERE ALSO... because THAT’S WHY I’VE COME."

It’s TOUGH sticking to your priorities when you’re surrounded by competing cries. It’s tough, but that’s what he’s going to do. He’s here to PREACH. To call on people to REPENT. And be forgiven for their sins.

The people want one thing, Jesus wants another. The disciples value one sort of attention. Jesus values a different sort. You can see the contrast most clearly at the start of Ch 2. Jesus is back in Capernaum. It’s a few days later. He figures things might have settled down. But the crowds are bigger than ever. And they’re still hungry for HEALING. And Jesus STILL wants to PREACH. Look at Ch 2 v2

But have a look at what happens. There’s one group who are DESPERATE for HEALING, they do something amazing. They don’t just push and shove, they RIP THE ROOF OFF; then they lower their paralysed mate down, on his bed. The ultimate cry for help.

What does THIS man need most from Jesus? Obvious, isn’t it! I mean he can’t walk! ... Jesus looks down at the man. The man looks up at Jesus, his friends look at Jesus... Everyone leans forward in their chairs. Healing or Preaching. What’s he need most? New legs or forgiveness of sins?

There’s a hush.. and Jesus says, it’s there in v5.... "Son, your sins are forgiven!"

Imagine the crowd! What’s forgiveness got to do with it? It’s HEALING he needs! ANY FOOL can see THAT - he can’t even WALK!

But somehow for Jesus - the big thing’s eternity- and where you stand with God. Which is a whole lot more significant that fixing the guys legs for THIS LIFE.

So what’s this have to say to us? The first thing to recognise is that Jesus’ priorities haven’t changed. What was important THEN is still important now. THE GOSPEL IS STILL THE PRIORITY.

It’s hard to believe, isn’t it. Especially if you’re struggling with some sort of chronic illness. That you need to repent. And have your sins forgiven more than you need physical healing. You need to repent and have your sins forgiven more than you need a long life, or a new job. You need to repent and have your sins forgiven more than you need that holiday, or that spouse, or that new house. If you haven’t repented, and allowed Jesus to be boss, then NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!

So how does this work itself out in the things we do? What about prayer? What sort of things do you pray about? What sort of things are you determined and committed and regular about praying for? Reflects your priorities, doesn’t it? I know that EVERY NIGHT since before our kids were born, my parents have prayed for them. They pray that they’ll grow up continuing to love and serve the Lord Jesus. Which is a much higher priority than health or wealth, or any of the other things we fill our prayers with.

We say WITH OUR HEADS that the gospel is our number 1 priority. Does your weekly schedule reflect it?

Or how you use your money? We say WITH OUR HEADS that the gospel is our number 1 priority. But is it backed up with your wallet?

And what about for a church? There are a lot of good things a church could be doing, but unless we’re telling people the gospel - the good news about repentance and forgiveness and a relationship with Jesus, then we aren’t doing our job.

We could find jobs for the unemployed. Some churches are doing that. Great government funding! We could run injection rooms for heroin addicts. All sorts of things we COULD do. But if we’re not calling on people to repent and turn to Jesus, it doesn’t matter HOW MANY good things we do, we’re not really helping where it counts.

As a denomination we’ve got this wrong for years. Years ago we set schools and hospitals. Good intentions. Schools that were meant to teach kids the gospel. They ended up being places where only rich kids could go. But worse than that, a lot of them have forgotten the gospel.

The Scottish Hospital in Sydney is sitting on millions of dollars of land. These days its sitting empty and useles. Rotting away while we decide what to do with it. What a waste! We need to be careful that as a church, we’re not headed down the same track. Because if we forget our priority, if we forget the gospel, then eventually that’s where we’ll end up. Vacant, Useless and rotting away!

We need to be a church who’s number one priority is the same as Jesus. We need to be a church who preaches the gospel before all else. Lives change when people repent. Lives change as people allow Jesus to rule their lives. The gospel is the most important thing! No matter what competing cries there are.