Gtcotr/ss031923
This morning I would like to beg your indulgence and asked you to afford me some amount of grace for the sake of truth as we open our Bibles to:
Mark 11:23 “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”
Whoever
says to this mountain …
·
Whosoever says: says = Greek – epo
·
Used
977 times in the New Testament
·
Refers
to speech, often direct and sometimes forceful.
o Matthew 4:3 The devil tempted
Jesus: If you are the Son of God, “command” (epo) these stones to be made into bread and they will
obey You.
o Luke 9:54 The disciples asked Jesus if they should “command” (epo) fire to come down out of heaven and consume the Samaritans who did not receive Him.
Mark 11:23 “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”
Whatever
he says
·
Those things he says: says = Greek – lego
·
affirms;
exhorts; directs; to describe “step by step”
·
“Be
removed and be cast into the sea” – do what I say, like I say.
·
more
of a systematic set discourse of action – a schematic if you will.
·
building
blocks, one piece at a time, interlocking, connected.
·
A
well-ordered, step by step arrangement.
· used 1184 times in the New Testament.
Allow me to clarify …
Mark 11:23 “For assuredly, I say (lego – give directions) to you, whoever says (epo – issues a command) to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says (lego - describes) will be done, he will have whatever he says (epo - demands).”
I am no Greek scholar, and I am fully aware in the more than 2000 times these words are translated in the New Testament, not every case follows these strict guidelines. However, no one can deny the scriptural truths Jesus taught concerning the authority a Believer has been given by God to cast out devils, heal diseases, and command the forces of darkness to flee.
Jesus said, “Behold I have given you authority over all of the enemy’s ability, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)
To find out how this truth fits into the overall plan of God, let’s read from our text for today found in the Gospel of John, chapter 1:
John 1 NKJV
1 In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
The Greek word translated “Word” in our Bibles, is “Logos”. This word was first used by a Greek philosopher around 600BC to refer to the divine reason and plan which coordinates the changing universe. The Apostle John makes full use of the word Logos to help us understand who Jesus is.
The Greek word Logos comes from the root word Lego … which means to point out with words. God has pointed out the Truth with the Word.
John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Colossians 1
16 For by Him all things were
created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were
created through Him and for Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
God built the world with legos, one step, one intricate piece at a time in a God ordered arrangement. This can even be seen in the seven days of creation, and certainly in the anatomy and biology of every living thing. Elements bound together forming a basis to contain the spirit of life.
Add, subtract, or replace one God ordered element with another, outside of the plan and schematic of God’s purpose and order, and you open the door and invite death. This can be done on the smallest or the largest of scales.
If this works in the smallest life form, imagine how important God’s perfect plan is for the universe to consist? Jesus, the Word, the logos, the legos of God, holds all things together. You don’t want to remove or rewrite even one of these elemental truths from the order of your life or family. John continues talking about the Logos:
John 1
4 In Him was life, and the
life was the light of men.
5 ¶ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John doesn’t mean the Light was not noticed, he means it wasn’t received and embraced. John 3:19 says that Light came, and people loved darkness more than Light and therefore they would not embrace the Light of life.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
The world knew the Light had been sent and was available, but they did not want to have an intimate relationship or give themselves over to Him.
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
Jesus shines like a Light, but many He came for refuse His Light and Love.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
14 And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth.
·
Grace
· Truth
Grace to love and forgive, and truth of redeem and deliver.
17 For the law was given
through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
1.
Jesus is the perfect Son of God.
a. The perfect Word in
every detail.
b. Used by God to create
and sustain everything in the universe
2.
You can’t improve on Jesus.
a. Personally editing the
Bible or adding legos is equal to fashioning an idol in your own image.
b. Thou shalt not add nor
take away even one lego.
c. Don’t become the high
priest of your own narrative.
3.
Jesus came to show us the Father.
4.
Jesus wants you to be a light in the darkness around you.
5. We must reach out with the interlocking legos of grace and truth.
Have you received eternal life through Jesus Christ?
You can do that today, right now, by repenting of your sins and asking Jesus to forgive you and save your soul by His loving grace. He will teach you the truth and give you the grace to live the life God intended. Don’t refuse Him another day. Come to Jesus just as you are and you will become a child of God. If you believe, you can receive. Pray with me right now…
Let’s command those mountains to be removed
and be cast behind our backs and into the seas of forgetfulness …
