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Yeshua is the Most Important Man Who Ever Lived. The Most Important Man brought the world the Most Important Message, a message that must be believed for human beings, who are alienated from God and headed to Hell, to be reconciled to their Creator and live forever. And being reconciled to our Creator is our greatest need. Everything Messiah did, everything He said, every interaction with others that has been recorded for us in the divinely inspired book of Mark, is extremely important. We want to understand as much as we can about the Most Important Man and His Most Important Message. We want to line up our lives and thoughts with the Most Important Man and His Most Important Message. We want to tell as many people as we can, starting with the Jewish people first, about the Most Important Man and His Most Important Message.
One might think that the young Rabbi from Nazareth, who is the Son of God and the Savior of the World, who was teaching us so many great things, and was being used by God to heal so many of our diseases and was removing people from the possession of the demons; a holy man who was so popular among so many of the ordinary Jewish people – one might would think that He would be especially loved, admired and celebrated by the people of His hometown, Nazareth. Mark informs us that didn’t happen.
Yeshua left there and went to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given Him? What are these remarkable miracles He is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him. Yeshua said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
There is a saying: familiarity breeds contempt. Generally, the better we know someone, the more flaws we see and the less respect we have for him. Even though He was flawless, the familiarity that the people of Nazareth had with Yeshua and His family caused them to have contempt for Yeshua.
There’s a lesson for us here: there are many people who, like the people of Nazareth, have some familiarity with Yeshua – by being raised in a Christian or Messianic Jewish home; by growing up in a nominally Christian nation – and yet their familiarity with Yeshua has not nurtured faith in Him. It has created contempt for Him. Make sure that is not you.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who went to synagogue – regularly, frequently. Yeshua is Someone who wants us to go to synagogue regularly, frequently, committedly;
to be active, involved, committed members of His Synagogue – the Community of His followers assembled from the nations – and I don’t mean by watching someone on TV or listening to someone on radio and you think you have fulfilled your duty to God. I mean going to the Community of the followers of Messiah, and being part the life and worship and outreach of the Community.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who had brothers and sisters. Which means that Mary and Joseph had a normal husband-wife relationship after Yeshua was born. The perpetual virginity of Mary is something the Bible does not teach.
Who is Yeshua? Someone whose miraculous ability to heal people and remove people from the demonic influence of the dark kingdom is hindered by lack of faith. He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. Yeshua is Someone who wants us to have faith – to know Him and trust Him and be loyal to Him.
Yeshua is Someone who was amazed at the lack of faith of those of His hometown, who should have had more faith than the rest of Israel. And I’m sure He is amazed by our lack of faith. There is so much evidence for God’s reality. There is so much evidence that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Risen Lord and Savior. There is so much evidence for the reliability of the Bible. Make sure that Yeshua is not amazed by your lack of faith on the Day of Judgment.
Yeshua is Someone who will, one day, heal all those who have faith in Him. He will heal them completely and He will heal them forever.
Mark informs us that after He left Nazareth, the young Rabbi continued His ministry of proclaiming the Good News, calling people to believe in Him, and to repent – to turn to God and His ways. He continued His ministry of teaching and healing and freeing people from the possession of the demonic kingdom. He had spent time equipping His specially chosen representatives to do the same. Now it was time to send them out to give them experience and to expand His ministry through them. Then Yeshua went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to Him, He began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. These were His instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”
Who is Yeshua? Someone who raises up people, trains them and sends them out to continue His ministry and to expand it.
Yeshua is someone who gave instructions to His disciples who were engaged in ministry. These instructions are still relevant for those in ministry today:
Go in twos. Ministry can be discouraging. Make sure you have a close friend in ministry who can encourage you – preferably someone older and wiser than you.
Travel light, depending on God to provide for you needs through people along the way. Take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt.
When you are in a town, don’t go from one house to another, seeking better accommodations. Stay in one home. Limit your material desires.
Warn people who reject your ministry that there will be very serious consequences for their rejection. Warn them about the deadliness of sin, and the reality of the day of judgement. If any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.
The Twelve did what their Rabbi instructed them to do, and God blessed them with miraculous results. They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who raises up leaders to continue His ministry and to expand His ministry. Someone who empowers those who continue His ministry so they can successfully fulfill their mission.
But, Mark wants us to understand that not all ministries, even faithful and God-empowered and successful ones which bless many, will end in a way that expresses appreciation for a life lived serving God. The ministry of John shows us that. King Herod heard about this, for Yeshua’ name had become well known. Yeshua was immensely popular among many of the ordinary Jewish people. And His influence extended beyond the average Israeli. Even King Herod heard about the young Rabbi and His miracles, and now the amplification of His miracles through the miracles of Yeshua’s twelve disciples. So, the miracles of Yeshua and His disciples were making a tremendous impression on the entire nation, including the highest levels of the political leadership. Everyone was trying to understand why, after centuries of no miracles happening in Israel, God was enabling the young Rabbi from Nazareth to do the miraculous. Who was He? Why was He able to do these wonders?
Remember that some of the religious leaders, who opposed Yeshua, believed He was able to do miracles because He was possessed by Baal-Zevuv, Satan, – the Lord of the Flies. But there were other, more favorable opinions. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in Him.” John was acknowledged by many to be a prophet. And John knew Yeshua and endorsed Yeshua. People knew that John had been killed and were thinking that somehow the spiritual empowerment of John’s ministry had been transferred to Yeshua. Others said, “He is Elijah.” Elijah was one of the few miracle-working prophets in Israel’s long history. And Elijah never died. And the Lord promised to send him back to continue his ministry. So, people were thinking that somehow Yeshua was Elijah. And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” These people believed that Yeshua was a true prophet, and able to do miracles like one of the miracle-working prophets from previous centuries like Moses, Elijah or Elisha.
Of the various opinions circulating, the king believed the one that involved John the Baptist. But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” I don’t’ think that Herod believed that John had literally been resurrected and that Yeshua was the resurrected John. The idea was that John’s anointing, his spiritual empowerment had been transferred to Yeshua.
And how and why had John, the greatest prophet who ever lived, been killed? Mark tells us the horrible story of the great man’s tragic death: For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
How and why did a great prophet who faithfully served the Lord die? Because of an unbiblical divorce followed by remarriage; a confrontation of that sin by a courageous prophet, followed by his arrest; a grudge that was nursed by the illegitimate wife of the king; a foolish promise made by the king; family intrigue; the desire to not lose face superceding the life of a man – all of this contributed to the tragic and shameful death of one of the very greatest servants of God who ever lived.
Who is Yeshua? A prophet greater than John, who, like John, will be arrested and executed. A prophet whose ministry, even though completely God-empowered and successful and which blessed multitudes, did not end in a way that expressed appreciation for a life lived faithfully serving God.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who wants us to know that our lives, even though faithful and God-empowered and successful and which may bless many, may not end in honor, but in shame. And that’s OK.
The apostles (the Lord’s Representatives) gathered around Yeshua and reported to Him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” There are times when those who are serving the Lord are busy. Ministry can deplete us. Life in a fallen world can overwhelm us.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who is aware of this and will say to us: Come with Me to a quiet place and get some rest. There is rest and peace and renewal that comes from getting alone with Yeshua. When you are feeling depleted, drained, overwhelmed, try to find some solitude – and seek Yeshua by means of prayer and thinking about Him and the Word of God. Read a good spiritual book. Listen to some good music.
So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. However, their plan to get some much needed rest didn’t materialize. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Yeshua landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things.
Who is Yeshua? A good shepherd who put the needs of the flock before His own needs or the needs of His undershepherds. He is a great servant leader who puts the needs of the people before His own needs, and before the needs of the leaders of His Community. He is Someone who will ask greater sacrifices of His leaders than He asks of the ones they lead.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who has compassion for people who seek Him. Someone who expresses His compassion by meeting their greatest needs – like their need for learning the truth.
And He is Someone who shows compassion for those who seek Him in practical ways. By this time it was late in the day, so His disciples came to Him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But He answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to Him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” He asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five – and two fish.” Then Yeshua directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to Heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Yeshua is Someone who shows compassion for those who seek Him by providing for their needs.
Yeshua is Someone whom God used to feed five thousand men with five loaves of bread and two fish.
Yeshua is Someone who is able to feed five thousand, five million or five billion. Yeshua is Someone who can feed the whole world – if only we would seek Him.
Yeshua is Someone whom God can use so that there is more that is left over than there is to begin with.
Yeshua is Someone who prayed with His eyes open, looking to Heaven, looking to God the Father to answer His prayers.
Yeshua is Someone who wants us to pray – not only for God to meet our needs, but to talk to Him and to His Father all the time – to have a running conversation with God throughout the day.
Yeshua is Someone who gave thanks to God before He ate. And He wants us to express our appreciation to God before we eat.
Yeshua is Someone who can feed the multitudes directly, but frequently chooses to do so indirectly, through the leaders of His Community. Yeshua provides the bread and fish and gives them to His leaders for them to give to the rest of the people. Which is another reason why we must be members of a Community that belongs to Messiah, with God-ordained leaders who are close to Yeshua and receiving nourishment from Him and are sharing that nourishment with the people in that community.
This long, busy, intense period wasn’t over. Immediately Yeshua made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and He was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn He went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw Him walking on the lake, they thought He was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
The supernatural is real. Ghosts, the spirits of the dead, can be real. The spirit of Samuel was summoned by the witch of Endor and the spirit of Samuel appeared to her and to Saul. Who is Yeshua? Someone, who when we encounter the supernatural and are afraid, can say to us: Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who went up on a mountainside, by Himself, to pray. Someone who sought times of solitude to commune with His Father. Yeshua is Someone who wants us to pray all the time, to have a running conversation with God throughout the day, and who also wants us to carve out times of solitude to have more focused times of prayer.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who is greater than nature. Someone who can walk on water. Someone who, when He gets in the boat with us, the wind dies down.
There will be times in your life when the sun is shining and the wind is with you and you are sailing along nicely toward the shore. But there will also be times when you are sailing at night and the wind is against you and the going is difficult.
Yeshua is Someone who can come down from the mountain, walk on water in the darkest night and get into the boat with you when the wind of life is blowing against you so that the wind dies down and you are able to make it to the shore. Having Yeshua in the boat with you can make all the difference between victory and defeat, success and failure.
The ministry of this long, busy, intense couple of days still wasn’t over. And tired though Yeshua and the disciples must have been, they were asked to do even more to help even more people. When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Yeshua. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. And wherever He went – into villages, towns or countryside – they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged Him to let them touch even the edge of His cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who is willing to put the needs of humanity before His own needs. Someone who, if we touch even the edge of His cloak – by faith – by knowing who He is and what He is able to do and being loyal to Him, is able to heal us. And human beings, all of whom are spiritually sick, can become spiritually healthy – if we only touch Him by faith.
Who is Yeshua?
Yeshua is the Most Important Man Who Ever Lived. The Most Important Man brought the world the Most Important Message, a message that must be believed for human beings, who are alienated from God, to be reconciled to their Creator and live forever.
Yeshua is Someone who went to synagogue – regularly, frequently and wants us to be active, involved, committed members of His Synagogue, His Community.
Yeshua is Someone whose miraculous ability to heal people and remove people from the demonic influence of the dark kingdom is hindered by lack of faith, so He wants us to have faith – to know Him and trust Him and be loyal to Him.
Yeshua is Someone who will, one day, heal completely and forever those who have faith in Him.
Yeshua is Someone who raises up leaders to continue His ministry and to expand His ministry. He is Someone who equips and empowers those who continue His ministry so they can successfully fulfill their mission.
Yeshua is Someone who gives instructions to His disciples who were engaged in ministry, instructions which are still relevant for those in ministry today.
Yeshua is Someone who wants us to know that our lives, even though God-empowered and successful and which may bless many, may not end in honor, but in shame – but that’s OK.
Yeshua is Someone who, when we are feeling overwhelmed, drained, depleted, will say to us: Come with Me to a quiet place and get some rest.
Yeshua is Someone who put the needs of the flock before His own needs or the needs of His undershepherds.
Yeshua is Someone who has compassion for people who seek Him and shows compassion by meeting their spiritual and physical needs.
Yeshua is Someone can feed five thousand men with five loaves of bread and two fish.
Yeshua is Someone who is able to feed the whole world so that there is more that is left over than there is to begin with.
Yeshua is Someone who gave thanks to God before He ate. And He wants us to express our appreciation to God before we eat.
Yeshua is Someone who can feed the multitudes directly, but frequently chooses to do so indirectly, through the leaders of His Community.
Yeshua is Someone who, when we encounter the supernatural and are afraid, can say to us: Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.
Yeshua is Someone who sought times of solitude to commune with His Father. Yeshua is Someone who wants us to have a running conversation with God throughout the day, and also wants us to carve out times of solitude to have more focused times of prayer.
Yeshua is Someone who can come down from the mountain, walk on water in the darkest night and get into the boat with you when the wind of life is blowing against you so that the wind dies down and you are able to make it to the shore.
Yeshua is Someone who, if we touch even the edge of His cloak – by faith – by knowing who He is and what He is able to do, is able to heal us.
May God enable Yeshua be all these things to us and may we respond faithfully to all that He is and become all that we should be. Amayn? Amayn!