¤¤¤ 00:00:00.33\00:00:04.30 ¤¤¤ 00:00:12.31\00:00:14.28 >>Eric Flickinger: Welcome to "Sabbath School," 00:00:14.31\00:00:15.61 brought to you by It Is Written. 00:00:15.64\00:00:17.71 We're glad that you could join us again. 00:00:17.75\00:00:19.18 We're continuing our journey through the book of Mark, 00:00:19.21\00:00:21.92 and today we're looking at lesson number five, 00:00:21.95\00:00:24.22 and that is "Miracles Around the Lake," 00:00:24.25\00:00:26.55 looking at some of Jesus' miracles 00:00:26.59\00:00:27.99 and the impact that they had on not just the people 00:00:28.02\00:00:30.39 who the miracles were performed for or on 00:00:30.43\00:00:33.26 but also many people since that time. 00:00:33.29\00:00:35.56 We're glad that you could join us. 00:00:35.60\00:00:36.90 Let's begin with prayer. 00:00:36.93\00:00:38.53 Father, we thank You for bringing us together 00:00:38.57\00:00:40.54 as we continue our study of the book of Mark. 00:00:40.57\00:00:43.61 Help us to understand more about Christ, 00:00:43.64\00:00:46.01 more about the plan of salvation, 00:00:46.04\00:00:48.08 and more about how we fit 00:00:48.11\00:00:49.41 into that grand scheme of things. 00:00:49.44\00:00:51.58 And we thank You in Jesus' name, amen. 00:00:51.61\00:00:55.58 We're also glad to have with us 00:00:55.62\00:00:56.92 once again this week Tom Shepherd. 00:00:56.95\00:00:58.92 He is the senior research professor of New Testament 00:00:58.95\00:01:01.46 at the theological seminary, Andrews University. 00:01:01.49\00:01:04.96 Tom, we're grateful to have you back again. 00:01:04.99\00:01:07.03 >>Thomas Shepherd: It's good to be with you. 00:01:07.03\00:01:08.33 >>Eric: So this week we're looking 00:01:08.36\00:01:09.66 at "Miracles Around the Lake." 00:01:09.70\00:01:11.93 We talk about the Sea of Galilee in Mark, chapter 4. 00:01:11.97\00:01:15.17 What were some of the experiences 00:01:15.20\00:01:16.94 that Jesus and His disciples had there 00:01:16.97\00:01:20.28 around that sea, around that lake? 00:01:20.31\00:01:22.28 >>Tom: Okay, so the title of the lesson, 00:01:22.31\00:01:24.78 the "Miracles Around the Lake," 00:01:24.81\00:01:26.31 is related to where the miracles happen 00:01:26.35\00:01:29.92 that are described in these-- this end of chapter 4, 00:01:29.95\00:01:33.52 beginning and all through chapter 5. 00:01:33.56\00:01:35.59 It all surrounds the Sea of Galilee. 00:01:35.62\00:01:38.66 Now, we call it the Sea of Galilee, 00:01:38.69\00:01:40.63 but that's a little bit of a grandiose name 00:01:40.66\00:01:44.17 for a lake that's like-- it's like 8 miles across, 00:01:44.20\00:01:46.90 maybe 13 miles long, it's not real big, 00:01:46.94\00:01:49.14 but it's the largest freshwater lake in Palestine, 00:01:49.17\00:01:52.24 so--even to this day. 00:01:52.27\00:01:54.08 So, the events beginning and at the end of chapter 4 00:01:54.11\00:01:59.81 are all linked up with that lake. 00:01:59.85\00:02:01.48 Of course, He's been in Capernaum. 00:02:01.52\00:02:02.82 Capernaum's right on the northern edge of the lake, 00:02:02.85\00:02:05.42 so we've really been in that area. 00:02:05.45\00:02:07.59 And most of Jesus' ministry in--most of His ministry 00:02:07.62\00:02:11.93 was actually spent up in Galilee, 00:02:11.96\00:02:13.63 not down in Judea or Jerusalem. 00:02:13.66\00:02:16.33 So, we were just studying in chapter 4 00:02:16.36\00:02:19.80 about the parables that Jesus taught. 00:02:19.83\00:02:23.51 And at the end of that day-- again, we have this whole, 00:02:23.54\00:02:27.71 you know, one-day kind of experience, 00:02:27.74\00:02:30.11 so, we have--it's like the parables are told in one day, 00:02:30.15\00:02:33.78 and then that evening He goes across the lake, 00:02:33.82\00:02:36.48 and the next day He's in the Gadarenes, 00:02:36.52\00:02:38.05 and then He goes back again across the lake. 00:02:38.09\00:02:40.82 So, you're only in, like, a 24-, 48-hour period covering, 00:02:40.86\00:02:44.93 like, two chapters of this book. 00:02:44.96\00:02:47.30 So, again, it's kind of these vignettes of Jesus' ministry. 00:02:47.30\00:02:51.00 You get a picture and a close-up 00:02:51.03\00:02:52.97 of some kind of scene that goes on. 00:02:53.00\00:02:56.04 So, the first experience starts in chapter 4, verse 35, 00:02:56.07\00:03:00.98 and maybe we should read verses 35 to 41. 00:03:01.01\00:03:04.18 >>Eric: "On the same day, when evening had come, 00:03:04.21\00:03:06.05 "He said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side.' 00:03:06.08\00:03:09.02 "Now when they had left the multitude, 00:03:09.05\00:03:11.09 "they took Him along in the boat as He was. 00:03:11.12\00:03:13.49 "And other little boats were also with Him. 00:03:13.52\00:03:16.32 "And a great windstorm arose, 00:03:16.36\00:03:17.96 "and the waves beat into the boat, 00:03:17.99\00:03:19.69 "so that it was already filling. 00:03:19.73\00:03:21.30 "But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. 00:03:21.33\00:03:23.53 "And they awoke Him and said to Him, 00:03:23.57\00:03:25.37 "'Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?' 00:03:25.40\00:03:28.10 "Then He arose and rebuked the wind, 00:03:28.14\00:03:30.21 "and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' 00:03:30.24\00:03:33.17 "And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 00:03:33.21\00:03:36.11 "But He said to them, 'Why are you so fearful? 00:03:36.14\00:03:38.95 "How is it that you have no faith?' 00:03:38.98\00:03:41.08 "And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, 00:03:41.12\00:03:43.65 "'Who can this be, 00:03:43.69\00:03:44.99 "that even the wind and the sea obey him!'" 00:03:45.02\00:03:47.89 >>Tom: Yeah, well, it was a pretty scary experience 00:03:47.92\00:03:49.86 on the lake. 00:03:49.89\00:03:51.36 It says that they take Him just as He was. 00:03:51.39\00:03:55.63 Earlier, He may have been sitting in the boat 00:03:55.66\00:03:58.90 and teaching the people from the boat, 00:03:58.93\00:04:01.57 but He was probably tired, [chuckles] 00:04:01.60\00:04:04.54 and, obviously, He could sleep through a storm 00:04:04.57\00:04:07.91 and a storm that was filling the boat and, you know, 00:04:07.94\00:04:11.28 tossing it back and forth, so He had to be pretty tired. 00:04:11.31\00:04:15.32 We have this experience showing us that Jesus was human. 00:04:15.35\00:04:20.06 He was the Son of God, but He was also human 00:04:20.09\00:04:22.59 and needed sleep just like we do. They wake Him up, 00:04:22.62\00:04:25.76 and there's an interesting question that they say to Him: 00:04:25.79\00:04:27.96 "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" 00:04:28.00\00:04:32.93 I wonder how many people have asked God that 00:04:32.97\00:04:35.24 or said that in prayer: 00:04:35.27\00:04:36.57 "Lord, don't You care that we're perishing, 00:04:36.60\00:04:38.74 that we're going through trouble?" 00:04:38.77\00:04:40.74 Trouble is not an expression that God has left us. 00:04:40.78\00:04:45.15 Trouble comes to us at different times in our life, 00:04:45.18\00:04:48.12 and it's not a demonstration that God has left us. 00:04:48.15\00:04:52.52 Jesus was with them. He was right there in the boat. 00:04:52.55\00:04:55.59 And they woke Him up, He stands up, 00:04:55.62\00:04:58.43 which you don't usually do in a boat, 00:04:58.46\00:05:01.06 but He stands up, and He tells 00:05:01.10\00:05:03.67 the wind and the sea to be quiet: 00:05:03.70\00:05:09.54 "Peace, be still." 00:05:09.57\00:05:11.91 The wind ceases, and there's a great calm. 00:05:11.94\00:05:15.11 Now, I've never experienced something like that, 00:05:15.14\00:05:18.68 but these men are completely shocked by what has happened. 00:05:18.71\00:05:24.22 They're gonna say, "Who then is this, 00:05:24.25\00:05:25.95 that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" 00:05:25.99\00:05:27.96 This is really reminiscent of some descriptions 00:05:27.99\00:05:30.86 of God in the Old Testament. God walks in the storm, 00:05:30.89\00:05:33.96 the clouds and the thunder and lightning 00:05:34.00\00:05:36.13 are His tools and everything. 00:05:36.16\00:05:38.00 He brings the rain. 00:05:38.03\00:05:39.13 There's pictures of Him in some psalms 00:05:39.17\00:05:40.84 that are like a storm cloud, 00:05:40.87\00:05:42.44 God marching in the storm clouds. 00:05:42.47\00:05:43.77 So, this is what we call a theophany, 00:05:43.81\00:05:47.74 the appearance of God, where He shows up, 00:05:47.78\00:05:50.45 and typically, when God shows up, there's human fear, 00:05:50.48\00:05:53.65 and that's exactly what they say. 00:05:53.68\00:05:55.52 Great fear, you know, falls on them. 00:05:55.55\00:05:58.79 And typically, a theophany is a--focused on some message, 00:05:58.82\00:06:06.83 some revelation that God is--wants to bring you. 00:06:06.86\00:06:09.00 You remember the story of Jesus and the--His birth, 00:06:09.03\00:06:15.04 and the angels appear, the shepherds are afraid, 00:06:15.07\00:06:18.11 the angel says, "Don't be afraid," 00:06:18.14\00:06:20.01 and then the angel tells them about the birth of Jesus. 00:06:20.04\00:06:22.58 So here, the revelation is kind of tied up in what Jesus does. 00:06:22.61\00:06:28.52 That's the theophany, you know, He calms the storm. 00:06:28.55\00:06:31.35 But the revelation is, really, 00:06:31.39\00:06:33.56 implied in the question that they ask. 00:06:33.59\00:06:36.56 "Who is--who then is this, 00:06:36.59\00:06:38.16 that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" 00:06:38.19\00:06:39.76 Well, obviously, He's the Son of God, 00:06:39.79\00:06:42.13 who can calm the storm. 00:06:42.16\00:06:44.90 So it is an unforgettable kind of an experience 00:06:44.93\00:06:48.77 of this theophany on the storm. 00:06:48.80\00:06:54.81 >>Eric: So they have this experience, 00:06:54.84\00:06:57.11 but then the boat gets to the other side, 00:06:57.15\00:07:01.18 and they get over to the Gadarenes, 00:07:01.22\00:07:04.39 and if they hadn't had an exciting enough experience, 00:07:04.42\00:07:08.39 everything gets ratcheted up several notches 00:07:08.42\00:07:11.09 when you get over to the Gadarenes. What happens there? 00:07:11.13\00:07:13.43 >>Tom: Yeah, so they arrive on the shore, 00:07:13.46\00:07:15.36 and you can imagine the disciples like, 00:07:15.40\00:07:16.80 "Oh, back on terra firma again," you know, 00:07:16.83\00:07:19.27 they're feeling a little more safe, 00:07:19.30\00:07:21.80 but then a man runs out of the tombs 00:07:21.84\00:07:25.37 and he has an unclean spirit. 00:07:25.41\00:07:27.81 Now, the description of this man is very, is very sad. 00:07:27.84\00:07:33.82 It describes him in very vivid terms. 00:07:33.85\00:07:38.09 "He [lives] among the tombs.... 00:07:38.12\00:07:41.09 "No one could bind him,... not even with a chain,... 00:07:41.12\00:07:45.29 "[he'd] often been bound with shackles... 00:07:45.33\00:07:47.66 he wrenched the chains apart,... broke the shackles in pieces." 00:07:47.73\00:07:51.07 Verse 4: "No one had the strength to subdue him." 00:07:51.10\00:07:55.17 It's just a tragic, you know, picture 00:07:55.20\00:07:58.04 that, sadly, is repeated even today. 00:07:58.07\00:08:02.94 There are people that are in chains with demonic forces, 00:08:02.98\00:08:08.38 people who are in chains 00:08:08.42\00:08:10.05 with the addictions that have overcome them, 00:08:10.09\00:08:15.32 drug addictions, pornography, abuse. 00:08:15.36\00:08:19.29 No one had the strength to subdue them. 00:08:19.33\00:08:22.40 And then this man met Jesus. 00:08:22.43\00:08:24.57 Yeah, that's really the change in his life. 00:08:24.60\00:08:27.37 Now, this whole area is--it just reeks 00:08:27.40\00:08:34.88 of the biblical concept of uncleanness. 00:08:34.91\00:08:39.28 Now, here in the United States, when we think of unclean, 00:08:39.31\00:08:45.55 we think that if you drop food on the floor, 00:08:45.59\00:08:47.86 the floor is dirty, so you shouldn't eat it, 00:08:47.89\00:08:50.76 unless you believe in the five-second rule 00:08:50.79\00:08:52.73 or something like that. 00:08:52.76\00:08:55.46 Then people would throw that away. 00:08:55.50\00:08:57.80 In this setting, it's not hygiene 00:08:57.83\00:09:01.20 that they're talking about. It's ritual uncleanness. 00:09:01.24\00:09:05.24 Throughout Palestine, ruins have been found 00:09:05.27\00:09:08.14 of what they call "mikveh," which were ritual baths, 00:09:08.18\00:09:13.11 where people would walk down one side 00:09:13.15\00:09:14.72 and then walk back up the other side, 00:09:14.75\00:09:16.08 and they would ritually cleanse themselves. 00:09:16.12\00:09:18.69 And so, it was really important to people in Jesus' day. 00:09:18.72\00:09:22.62 But there were certain things 00:09:22.66\00:09:23.96 that were unclean, ritually unclean. 00:09:23.99\00:09:28.66 So one of them was tombs, the dead. 00:09:28.70\00:09:31.30 If you touched a dead person, that was-- 00:09:31.33\00:09:32.97 that dead person was unclean. So, tombs would be unclean. 00:09:33.00\00:09:37.11 Also, the man is cutting himself, so he's bleeding. 00:09:37.14\00:09:40.68 Blood would be ritually unclean. 00:09:40.71\00:09:44.01 He lives in a--he's of course, he's possessed 00:09:44.05\00:09:49.68 by unclean spirits, 00:09:49.72\00:09:51.59 and wherever these evil spirits are referred to 00:09:51.62\00:09:54.82 in the book of Mark, they're referred to as unclean. 00:09:54.86\00:09:58.56 And then, the land is a Gentile land, 00:09:58.59\00:10:02.80 which is considered unclean because of idolatry, 00:10:02.83\00:10:05.77 and idolatry is unclean. 00:10:05.80\00:10:07.64 And then, there's a herd of 2,000 pigs to top it off, 00:10:07.67\00:10:10.41 and the pigs are unclean. 00:10:10.44\00:10:11.74 So it's unclean, unclean, unclean! Everything is unclean. 00:10:11.77\00:10:15.18 So you'd think anybody, any good Jew 00:10:15.21\00:10:17.25 stepping in there would be, you know, become unclean. 00:10:17.28\00:10:20.68 Well, as we've seen before, not Jesus, you know, not Jesus. 00:10:20.72\00:10:24.72 So, the man runs up to Him 00:10:24.75\00:10:27.69 and, like the demon we saw in chapter 1, 00:10:27.72\00:10:30.26 he says in verse 7--well, why don't you read verse 7? 00:10:30.29\00:10:33.60 >>Eric: "And he cried out with a loud voice and said, 00:10:33.63\00:10:35.40 "'What have I to do with You, Jesus, 00:10:35.43\00:10:37.40 "'Son of the Most High God? 00:10:37.43\00:10:38.97 I implore You by God that You do not torment me.'" 00:10:39.00\00:10:42.47 >>Tom: Yeah, so Jesus had said, 00:10:42.50\00:10:45.44 "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit." 00:10:45.47\00:10:48.41 And then Jesus says in verse 9, "Jesus asked him, 00:10:48.44\00:10:51.88 'What is your name?'" 00:10:51.91\00:10:53.82 And the man says, "My name is Legion, 00:10:53.85\00:10:56.38 for we are many." 00:10:56.42\00:10:57.72 So he's filled with many unclean spirits. 00:10:57.75\00:11:00.29 So not just one, it's numerous unclean spirits 00:11:00.32\00:11:03.59 that have filled this guy, and he's just in great trouble. 00:11:03.63\00:11:07.60 Now, it's really interesting. 00:11:07.66\00:11:09.60 He comes, up and he kneels down before Jesus. 00:11:09.63\00:11:13.00 He fell down; verse 6, it says, "He fell down before Him." 00:11:13.03\00:11:16.10 It's the word for "worship." 00:11:16.14\00:11:18.74 So here's a guy with mixed messages. 00:11:18.77\00:11:21.54 He wants help from Jesus, but when he opens his mouth, 00:11:21.58\00:11:25.21 the demons speak and they say, "What have You to do with us? 00:11:25.25\00:11:29.92 What do You do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" 00:11:29.95\00:11:32.52 And then, almost comically, 00:11:32.55\00:11:35.39 "I adjure You by the living God, do not torment me." 00:11:35.42\00:11:39.16 Now, this seems like very religious demons 00:11:39.19\00:11:41.86 that they're--"Swear to God that You won't torment me." 00:11:41.90\00:11:45.23 Well, you know, are you really gonna ask God 00:11:45.27\00:11:48.60 to keep Jesus from throwing out unclean spirits? 00:11:48.64\00:11:51.94 It's almost comic, you know, the way this is described. 00:11:51.97\00:11:56.08 So the demons beg Him-- 00:11:56.11\00:12:01.62 and this is one of several people who are begging Him-- 00:12:01.65\00:12:04.49 the demons beg Him to not send them out of the country. 00:12:04.52\00:12:08.82 And there's all these pigs, and they say, 00:12:08.86\00:12:10.59 "Send us into the pigs, send us into the pigs." 00:12:10.63\00:12:13.29 So He gives them permission, and they go in the pigs. 00:12:13.33\00:12:15.86 And the pigs, 2,000 pigs, go crazy. 00:12:15.90\00:12:19.70 They rush down the steep bank, 00:12:19.73\00:12:21.74 and they're all drowned in the sea, 00:12:21.77\00:12:24.01 and the pig herders run away 00:12:24.04\00:12:27.84 and tell everybody in the town what's taken place. 00:12:27.88\00:12:31.48 So, it's really an amazing picture of what's, 00:12:31.51\00:12:36.12 you know, what goes on at this point. 00:12:36.15\00:12:38.82 We're not quite done with this story, 00:12:38.85\00:12:40.16 but I think we're gonna probably have to continue 00:12:40.19\00:12:42.29 into the second half of our time. 00:12:42.32\00:12:44.56 >>Eric: That's right, and we're gonna continue 00:12:44.59\00:12:46.06 picking this apart, and there's a lot of good stuff here. 00:12:46.09\00:12:48.26 Thomas, somebody wants to get more out of this. 00:12:48.30\00:12:52.00 There's a companion book. 00:12:52.03\00:12:53.34 Share with us a little bit more about that companion book. 00:12:53.37\00:12:55.70 >>Tom: This is the companion book right here. 00:12:55.74\00:12:57.34 It's called "The Book of Mark," 00:12:57.37\00:12:58.84 just like the "Sabbath School" quarterly. 00:12:58.87\00:13:01.28 There are 13 chapters, just like there are 13 lessons. 00:13:01.31\00:13:04.18 Every chapter has the same name as the lesson, 00:13:04.21\00:13:06.25 so it's not hard to find, and you get extra details. 00:13:06.28\00:13:09.65 So, this one, we've been talking about the man and his situation, 00:13:09.68\00:13:14.29 and some of the things I just shared now 00:13:14.32\00:13:16.02 are found in here. You know, it goes beyond the lesson, 00:13:16.06\00:13:20.20 and we also have more information 00:13:20.23\00:13:22.46 about the rest of the chapter, of chapter 5. 00:13:22.50\00:13:25.00 >>Eric: So if you want to pick that one up, 00:13:25.03\00:13:26.33 you can do it very easily by going to itiswritten.shop. 00:13:26.37\00:13:29.80 Again, itiswritten.shop, and you'll find 00:13:29.84\00:13:32.31 the companion book to our quarter's study 00:13:32.34\00:13:35.24 on the book of Mark. 00:13:35.28\00:13:36.51 We're gonna come back in just a moment and continue looking 00:13:36.54\00:13:38.78 at Jesus' ministry around the sea. 00:13:38.81\00:13:41.42 We'll be back in just a moment. 00:13:41.45\00:13:42.82 ¤¤¤ 00:13:42.85\00:13:45.62 >>John Bradshaw: He came into the world 00:13:49.39\00:13:50.69 via a miracle birth, but he met with a tragic death. 00:13:50.73\00:13:58.67 In between times, He lit up the world 00:13:58.70\00:14:02.60 as he prepared the way for Jesus' ministry. 00:14:02.64\00:14:06.21 John the Baptist's life may not have been glamorous, 00:14:06.24\00:14:09.68 but it was a life of faithfulness, 00:14:09.71\00:14:12.51 and he stands forever 00:14:12.55\00:14:14.55 as an example of faithfulness to God. 00:14:14.58\00:14:18.35 Don't miss the latest episode of It Is Written's new series, 00:14:18.39\00:14:22.36 "Great Characters of the Bible," as we look at the life 00:14:22.39\00:14:26.26 of the man born to herald the Messiah 00:14:26.29\00:14:30.63 and as we learn how faith in God can change the world. 00:14:30.67\00:14:35.60 "Great Characters of the Bible: John the Baptist," 00:14:35.64\00:14:39.64 brought to you by It Is Written TV. 00:14:39.67\00:14:43.35 >>John: More and more people are watching It Is Written TV. 00:14:47.55\00:14:50.99 They're watching their favorite It Is Written programs, 00:14:51.02\00:14:54.72 listening to inspiring sermon series, and much more. 00:14:54.76\00:14:59.13 They're watching them here, here, and even here. 00:14:59.16\00:15:03.03 See for yourself why people are turning to It Is Written TV 00:15:03.06\00:15:06.43 to watch their favorite Christian programs 00:15:06.47\00:15:08.54 live and on demand. 00:15:08.57\00:15:10.74 Watch It Is Written TV for free any time on Roku, 00:15:10.77\00:15:14.21 Apple TV, and at itiswritten.tv. 00:15:14.24\00:15:16.98 ¤¤¤ 00:15:17.81\00:15:22.12 >>Eric: Welcome back to "Sabbath School," 00:15:22.15\00:15:23.52 brought to you by It Is Written. 00:15:23.55\00:15:25.35 We're looking at some of the miracles 00:15:25.39\00:15:26.69 around the sea-- or around the lake 00:15:26.72\00:15:29.12 that Jesus performed, and we're talking 00:15:29.16\00:15:31.03 about this casting of the, of legion of demons 00:15:31.06\00:15:34.56 out of the man and into the pigs. 00:15:34.56\00:15:38.37 You'd think that that would be a positive thing, 00:15:38.40\00:15:42.40 but the people of that region 00:15:42.44\00:15:43.74 were not thrilled with what happened. 00:15:43.77\00:15:47.74 Why not? 00:15:47.78\00:15:49.08 >>Tom: Well, of course, 2,000 pigs-- 00:15:49.11\00:15:51.08 let's say each pig, you know, was worth $100. 00:15:51.11\00:15:54.52 Now, that's a low estimate, possibly. 00:15:54.55\00:15:57.29 You know, today, of course, pigs are bigger, and, you know, 00:15:57.32\00:15:59.95 they'd be worth a lot more than that. 00:16:00.06\00:16:01.39 But let's just go a low. 00:16:01.42\00:16:03.89 Even at $100, 2,000 pigs is $200,000. 00:16:03.93\00:16:08.26 This was a financial disaster for the people of that area. 00:16:08.30\00:16:13.07 And I've asked how much is a man worth. 00:16:13.10\00:16:16.77 Is a man worth 2,000 pigs? 00:16:16.81\00:16:18.81 And we would say yes, 00:16:18.84\00:16:20.21 but evidently the people didn't think so. 00:16:20.24\00:16:22.88 And they come and they beg Jesus to leave. 00:16:22.91\00:16:26.88 They come out, they're amazed, 00:16:26.92\00:16:29.38 they find the man is "clothed and in his right mind," 00:16:29.42\00:16:32.79 he had been naked, and the disciples 00:16:32.82\00:16:35.49 probably had some Dorcas clothes with them 00:16:35.52\00:16:37.83 or something or other. "Here's a little something," or something. 00:16:37.86\00:16:40.43 And the man's in his right mind 00:16:40.46\00:16:42.00 and is sitting at the feet of Jesus, 00:16:42.03\00:16:43.77 and they're just-- they're shocked. 00:16:43.80\00:16:46.33 This is, again, another theophany 00:16:46.37\00:16:47.84 where God has appeared in this healing of this man, 00:16:47.87\00:16:53.31 sending out the demons. 00:16:53.34\00:16:55.11 And so, they beg Him to leave. 00:16:55.14\00:16:59.35 Now, the demons had begged Jesus 00:16:59.38\00:17:02.38 not to send them out of the country. 00:17:02.42\00:17:04.99 The man--now, the people of the country now beg Jesus 00:17:05.02\00:17:09.39 to leave their country. So, they're kind of 00:17:09.42\00:17:12.06 paralleling the demons, you know. 00:17:12.09\00:17:15.73 And as Jesus gets into the boat, he says-- 00:17:15.76\00:17:20.10 he comes and begs Jesus. 00:17:20.14\00:17:22.00 So, this is three times that somebody has begged Jesus. 00:17:22.04\00:17:26.17 And they beg--he begs Jesus to be able to go with Him. 00:17:26.21\00:17:31.95 Now, when the pig, when--I'm sorry, 00:17:31.98\00:17:34.28 when the demons asked, begged Jesus 00:17:34.32\00:17:36.62 not to send them out of the country, 00:17:36.65\00:17:37.95 He said, "Okay, go to the pigs, sure." 00:17:37.99\00:17:40.72 When the people beg Jesus to leave, 00:17:40.76\00:17:44.29 He gets into the boat. 00:17:44.33\00:17:45.63 Jesus doesn't stay where He's not wanted. 00:17:45.66\00:17:49.56 But when the man says, "Please let me go with You," 00:17:49.60\00:17:52.07 he begs Jesus, Jesus says no. 00:17:52.10\00:17:55.50 Instead--read verse 19. 00:17:55.54\00:17:58.21 >>Eric: "However, Jesus did not permit him, 00:17:58.24\00:18:00.24 "but said to him, 'Go home to your friends, 00:18:00.28\00:18:02.81 "'and tell them what great things 00:18:02.84\00:18:04.45 "'the Lord has done for you, 00:18:04.48\00:18:06.21 and how He has had compassion on you.'" 00:18:06.25\00:18:09.12 >>Tom: Yeah, so I sometimes describe this story as a-- 00:18:09.15\00:18:14.52 like a basketball game, where there's two points 00:18:14.56\00:18:19.56 for different sides as they make a basket. 00:18:19.59\00:18:22.00 So, the first time is, Jesus, of course, 00:18:22.03\00:18:24.93 comes into, you might say, Satan's territory. 00:18:24.97\00:18:27.94 It's the unclean land, the unclean man, 00:18:27.97\00:18:30.47 the unclean pigs, you know, the idolatry--everything's unclean. 00:18:30.51\00:18:34.54 He's gone into Satan's territory, 00:18:34.58\00:18:37.01 and He cast out the demons. 00:18:37.05\00:18:40.75 All right, two points for Jesus. 00:18:40.78\00:18:43.15 But the demons request that they go into the pigs, 00:18:43.18\00:18:46.69 and He says, "Okay." 00:18:46.72\00:18:48.02 They go into the pigs, and all the pigs drown, 00:18:48.06\00:18:50.16 which is a financial disaster. 00:18:50.19\00:18:51.76 Two points for Satan, all right. 00:18:51.79\00:18:53.60 Then the people come and they beg Jesus, 00:18:53.63\00:18:56.26 say, you know, "Please leave the land." He complies. 00:18:56.30\00:18:59.67 It seems like Satan is winning this basketball game. 00:18:59.70\00:19:02.80 But then Jesus makes a three-pointer 00:19:02.84\00:19:06.04 when He says to this man, "Go home to your friends,... 00:19:06.07\00:19:09.28 "tell them how much the Lord has done for you, 00:19:09.31\00:19:11.58 and how He has had mercy on you." 00:19:11.61\00:19:14.18 >>Eric: So that's pretty powerful. 00:19:14.22\00:19:15.52 Now, Jesus healed this man. 00:19:15.55\00:19:20.32 What made this healed man such a good missionary? 00:19:20.36\00:19:23.79 >>Tom: You would think that this is not the guy 00:19:23.83\00:19:26.03 you would choose to be a missionary. 00:19:26.06\00:19:28.86 Really, the disciples probably didn't see anything 00:19:28.90\00:19:33.87 in this territory that would be profitable 00:19:33.90\00:19:37.14 for the gospel mission, but Jesus did. 00:19:37.17\00:19:40.64 This man knelt down and screamed at Jesus, 00:19:40.68\00:19:44.98 but Jesus could hear the whisper of his heart 00:19:45.01\00:19:48.05 above the scream of the demons. 00:19:48.08\00:19:50.25 And I have experienced that God 00:19:50.29\00:19:53.49 still listens to the whispers of His people, 00:19:53.52\00:19:56.96 and sometimes we don't know what to say, 00:19:56.99\00:20:01.03 but we cry out to God-- I've done that before-- 00:20:01.06\00:20:03.53 cry out to God and say, "Lord, please do something," 00:20:03.57\00:20:06.47 and He responds. 00:20:06.50\00:20:08.74 And so, this guy 00:20:08.77\00:20:11.01 you would think would be the most unlikely missionary, 00:20:11.04\00:20:14.14 but Jesus saw that that wasn't the case. 00:20:14.18\00:20:18.05 This guy had been, like, totally possessed by Satan, 00:20:18.08\00:20:22.82 and now he was set free. 00:20:22.85\00:20:25.15 I mean, he had an amazing story to tell. 00:20:25.19\00:20:28.46 And it says here at the end, "He went away 00:20:28.49\00:20:31.43 "and began to proclaim in the Decapolis 00:20:31.46\00:20:33.13 "how much Jesus had done for him; 00:20:33.16\00:20:35.10 and everyone marveled." 00:20:35.13\00:20:37.47 I mean, the guy was the person that everybody was afraid of. 00:20:37.50\00:20:41.40 He was the people that they said, 00:20:41.44\00:20:43.10 "Stay away from where he is 00:20:43.14\00:20:44.64 because he'll tear you to pieces," 00:20:44.67\00:20:46.94 and now he's completely changed. "What happened to you?" 00:20:46.98\00:20:50.28 He had a story to tell, see? 00:20:50.31\00:20:52.31 So, each of us, each of us, my friends, 00:20:52.35\00:20:56.18 has a story to tell. 00:20:56.22\00:20:57.82 We have some kind of experience that we've gone through. 00:20:57.85\00:21:00.72 All of our stories, all of our experience is unique to us. 00:21:00.76\00:21:04.49 I have my story, you have your story, 00:21:04.53\00:21:06.29 tell it, tell it. It's what the world needs to hear. 00:21:06.33\00:21:10.33 >>Eric: And that story made a huge difference 00:21:10.37\00:21:12.00 in the lives of the people 00:21:12.03\00:21:13.34 who lived in and around Decapolis-- 00:21:13.37\00:21:15.10 >>Tom: Yeah, yep. >>Eric: ...a huge difference. 00:21:15.14\00:21:17.04 Now, chapter 5 doesn't end there. 00:21:17.07\00:21:18.67 We will read the story of Jairus, 00:21:18.71\00:21:21.11 the woman with--and the woman with the hemorrhage. 00:21:21.14\00:21:23.28 Bring us through these stories. 00:21:23.31\00:21:25.11 >>Tom: Yeah, this is one of my favorite stories, really. 00:21:25.15\00:21:28.08 It's the second of the sandwich stories that appear in Mark. 00:21:28.12\00:21:32.05 Remember, this is where one story begins 00:21:32.09\00:21:33.69 and then it's interrupted by another story, 00:21:33.72\00:21:36.52 and then the first story is concluded. 00:21:36.56\00:21:38.79 So, Jairus' story, the story of his daughter, 00:21:38.83\00:21:41.96 is the outside story, 00:21:42.00\00:21:43.40 and the woman with the hemorrhage, 00:21:43.43\00:21:45.40 her story is the inside story. 00:21:45.43\00:21:47.57 So we start with Jairus' story. He was a synagogue ruler, 00:21:47.60\00:21:50.47 not usually the friends of Jesus, 00:21:50.51\00:21:52.71 and he comes up, and he falls at Jesus' feet, 00:21:52.74\00:21:58.91 "He [implores] Him...saying, 00:21:58.95\00:22:01.52 "'My little daughter is at the point of death. 00:22:01.55\00:22:04.22 "'Come...lay Your hands on her 00:22:04.25\00:22:06.15 so that she may be made well and live.'" 00:22:06.19\00:22:08.89 Every parent can relate to this. 00:22:08.92\00:22:12.29 When your child is dying, your place is where they are. 00:22:12.33\00:22:17.03 The only reason you would have for leaving was if that 00:22:17.07\00:22:20.60 you had some hope that someone could help them. 00:22:20.64\00:22:24.17 And that's what Jairus does. So he implores Jesus. 00:22:24.21\00:22:27.08 I wouldn't be surprised if His disciples 00:22:27.11\00:22:28.94 were kind of watching to see 00:22:28.98\00:22:30.28 if Jesus would go with one of His enemies. 00:22:30.31\00:22:33.21 Without a word He goes. 00:22:33.25\00:22:35.22 And so, even that silent movement with Jairus 00:22:35.25\00:22:38.75 is a lesson book that you should pray for your enemies; 00:22:38.79\00:22:43.16 you should help your enemies. 00:22:43.19\00:22:44.43 If they're thirsty, give them a drink. 00:22:44.46\00:22:45.96 If they're hungry, give them a meal. 00:22:45.99\00:22:47.40 And guess what? They'll stop being your enemies. 00:22:47.40\00:22:50.10 So, that's where the story breaks away 00:22:50.13\00:22:52.80 to the story of this woman, 00:22:52.83\00:22:54.87 and it's a tragic story, you know. 00:22:54.90\00:22:58.34 In Greek, it's a little more, a little more powerful 00:22:58.37\00:23:01.34 than it is in English because it's one long sentence, 00:23:01.38\00:23:05.38 and it starts in verse 25: 00:23:05.41\00:23:08.15 "There was a woman who had had a discharge of blood 00:23:08.18\00:23:11.12 for twelve years," you know, 00:23:11.15\00:23:12.72 "...had suffered much under many physicians, 00:23:12.75\00:23:14.82 "and had spent all that she had, 00:23:14.86\00:23:16.42 "and was no better but rather grew worse. 00:23:16.46\00:23:18.93 "She had heard the reports about Jesus 00:23:18.96\00:23:21.13 "and came up behind Him in the crowd 00:23:21.16\00:23:23.80 and touched His garment." 00:23:23.83\00:23:26.03 Now, in Greek we have-- all of those words 00:23:26.07\00:23:28.94 are what we call participles. 00:23:28.97\00:23:30.77 After this and after this and after this, 00:23:30.81\00:23:32.74 you have da-da-da-da. 00:23:32.77\00:23:33.98 The one indicative verb is "she touched His garment." 00:23:34.01\00:23:38.65 It's just a small act, you know, 00:23:38.68\00:23:41.32 and yet it's like all of her hope-- 00:23:41.35\00:23:45.62 she had been so disappointed so long, 12 years. 00:23:45.65\00:23:49.49 All of her hope goes into one touch. 00:23:49.52\00:23:53.36 And, actually, her story now, after that, 00:23:53.40\00:23:56.50 all revolves around this touch, what she did, 00:23:56.53\00:23:59.47 'cause immediately she's made well. 00:23:59.50\00:24:01.47 She says, "If I [just] touch...His [garment], 00:24:01.50\00:24:04.51 I will be made well." 00:24:04.54\00:24:06.31 And then, of course, the flow of blood dries up, 00:24:06.34\00:24:09.24 she feels in her body 00:24:09.28\00:24:11.35 that she's well from her problem, right? 00:24:11.38\00:24:14.48 What happens then is that Jesus turns around 00:24:14.52\00:24:17.49 and says, "Who touched my [clothes?]" 00:24:17.52\00:24:19.79 Now, in a crowd it's the-- 00:24:19.82\00:24:23.12 I can imagine the disciples saying, 00:24:23.16\00:24:24.56 "Uh, Master, that's the wrong question to ask. 00:24:24.59\00:24:26.96 Everybody's touching Your clothes." 00:24:27.00\00:24:29.03 But He keeps looking, and, you know, 00:24:29.06\00:24:31.43 she's discovered, and she comes and tells the whole story. 00:24:31.47\00:24:37.81 It says in verse 33, "And told Him the whole truth." 00:24:37.84\00:24:41.01 Well, it's been 12 years, so--I don't know 00:24:41.04\00:24:42.68 if you ever met a person like this. 00:24:42.71\00:24:43.81 You say, "How are you?" And they say, 00:24:43.85\00:24:45.15 "I'm glad you asked. It started 20 years ago." 00:24:45.18\00:24:48.48 And you're like, "No, that's not what--" [laughs] 00:24:48.52\00:24:53.29 So, He wants to tell her, 00:24:53.32\00:24:54.66 "Daughter, your faith has made you well. 00:24:54.69\00:24:56.19 Go in peace and be healed of your disease." 00:24:56.22\00:24:58.66 But right then we come back into Jairus' story, 00:24:58.69\00:25:00.86 and somebody comes to him and says, "Your daughter"-- 00:25:00.90\00:25:03.47 it's the same word, "your daughter"-- 00:25:03.50\00:25:04.80 "Your daughter has died. 00:25:04.83\00:25:06.40 Why trouble the Master anymore?" 00:25:06.43\00:25:08.37 Boy! Jesus overhears it, 00:25:08.40\00:25:10.61 He says, "Don't be afraid, only believe." 00:25:10.64\00:25:12.77 He rushes to the house. 00:25:12.81\00:25:14.94 Oh my goodness, I can tell you this story is so striking. 00:25:14.98\00:25:19.38 When we were missionaries in Malawi, 00:25:19.41\00:25:21.45 I had an experience like this 00:25:21.48\00:25:22.82 of taking a dead child to their home 00:25:22.85\00:25:25.79 and the wailing that went on, just tragic. 00:25:25.82\00:25:29.02 But Jesus throws everybody out, 00:25:29.06\00:25:31.19 He takes the little girl's hand and says, 00:25:31.23\00:25:33.13 "Talitha cumi," 00:25:33.16\00:25:34.93 which Mark translates as, "Little girl. 00:25:34.96\00:25:36.83 I said to you, arise." 00:25:36.87\00:25:38.40 But actually, "talitha" is a word for a lamb, 00:25:38.43\00:25:43.91 like a little sheep, a lamb. 00:25:43.94\00:25:46.07 So, it's like, "Little lamb, wake up." 00:25:46.11\00:25:48.61 It's like, you know, a term of endearment. 00:25:48.64\00:25:50.15 So, it's really beautiful. 00:25:50.18\00:25:51.48 Again, the secrecy thing comes up. 00:25:51.51\00:25:52.85 He says, "Don't tell anybody." 00:25:52.88\00:25:54.35 You can imagine Jairus saying, 00:25:54.38\00:25:56.35 "Okay, we'll try our best." [laughs] 00:25:56.38\00:25:59.02 It's a great story. I love it. 00:25:59.05\00:26:00.69 >>Eric: It's tough to keep that sort of thing secret. 00:26:00.72\00:26:03.43 With these incredible things happening, 00:26:03.46\00:26:05.43 these incredible miracles, you'd think that everybody 00:26:05.46\00:26:07.83 would accept Jesus and just go right with Him, 00:26:07.86\00:26:09.90 but His people in His hometown, not so much. 00:26:09.93\00:26:14.24 What did they lack? 00:26:14.27\00:26:15.57 >>Tom: That chapter 6, beginning of chapter 6, 00:26:15.60\00:26:18.34 tells us the story of His hometown. 00:26:18.37\00:26:21.84 "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown 00:26:21.88\00:26:24.78 and among his relatives and in his own household." 00:26:24.81\00:26:27.25 We've already seen that in chapter 3. 00:26:27.28\00:26:29.62 Storm clouds are gathering, 00:26:29.65\00:26:31.45 but we see it here at home where He grew up with them. 00:26:31.49\00:26:36.16 And so there's--familiarity breeds contempt. 00:26:36.19\00:26:39.09 They thought, "Where did He get all this stuff? 00:26:39.13\00:26:42.73 "We know this guy. This is Jesus. 00:26:42.76\00:26:45.07 "This is just the carpenter's son. 00:26:45.10\00:26:46.63 "This is, you know, Mary's son, our--His brothers are all here. 00:26:46.67\00:26:50.54 What's so special about Him?" 00:26:50.57\00:26:52.07 So, they took offense at Him, 00:26:52.11\00:26:53.94 and He couldn't help very many people there 00:26:53.98\00:26:55.58 because they didn't believe--tragic. 00:26:55.61\00:26:58.65 >>Eric: We don't have much time left, 00:26:58.68\00:27:00.05 but I do want to touch on this. 00:27:00.08\00:27:01.75 There's another sandwich story here. Tell us about that. 00:27:01.78\00:27:04.75 >>Tom: Yeah, it's chapter 6; it's the mission of the 12 00:27:04.79\00:27:07.76 and the beheading of John. 00:27:07.79\00:27:08.96 It's an amazing story, and it's very dramatically told, 00:27:08.99\00:27:12.69 but basically what this story does, 00:27:12.73\00:27:14.86 it parallels the mission of the 12 where they go out 00:27:14.93\00:27:20.10 and share the gospel and heal peoples of diseases 00:27:20.14\00:27:22.60 with the silencing of John the Baptist by Herod. 00:27:22.64\00:27:25.77 John had rebuked Herod for marrying his brother's wife, 00:27:25.81\00:27:29.94 rightly so, but his brother's wife, Herodias, 00:27:29.98\00:27:34.78 really hated him, and she contrives a way-- 00:27:34.82\00:27:38.59 because Herod is wishy-washy-- 00:27:38.62\00:27:40.12 she contrives a way to get him beheaded. 00:27:40.16\00:27:42.09 So he dies and is actually reported 00:27:42.12\00:27:45.69 as risen from the dead to Herod when he hears about Jesus. 00:27:45.73\00:27:49.63 So, John foretells what's gonna happen to Jesus, 00:27:49.66\00:27:52.47 and we're gonna see more of that as we go on. 00:27:52.50\00:27:54.37 >>Eric: Fantastic, well, we've still got 00:27:54.40\00:27:56.17 a bit of the journey to tell. >>Tom: Oh yes. 00:27:56.20\00:27:57.74 >>Eric: It's an exciting journey, 00:27:57.77\00:27:59.27 and we invite you to join us. 00:27:59.31\00:28:01.24 We're going to continue our study of the book of Mark 00:28:01.28\00:28:03.31 here on "Sabbath School," brought to you by It Is Written. 00:28:03.35\00:28:07.68 ¤¤¤ 00:28:07.72\00:28:11.72 ¤¤¤ 00:28:25.97\00:28:27.44 [Captions provided by Aberdeen Captioning www.abercap.com] 00:28:27.47\00:28:42.48