June 7, 2020 Sermon Notes and Slides
6.7.2020
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Sermon Notes
He Has Done All Things Well
Mark 7:31-8:26
Tony Chute, Interim Pastor
Overview: Mark highlights three miracles performed by Jesus that give instant benefit to the recipients while providing long-term lessons for the disciples. The first miracle involves a man who was unable to hear and had trouble speaking; the second miracle includes feeding four thousand people with minimal resources; and the third miracle gives sight to a man who was blind. Jesus uses a variety of methods to perform these miracles, but in each case, the result is perfect restoration. The disciples were expected to draw lessons from these miracles regarding their inability to see, hear, and understand. Although their challenges were not physical in nature, they were destructive in their own way and thus required deliberate focus on the teachings of Jesus. Taken together, we find that even in a fallen world filled with hurt, Jesus has done all things well.
01. When we look with our eyes, we will see a broken world before us that can only be restored by Jesus; yet we, too, have a role in bringing about healing.
02. When we listen with our ears, we will hear how the world experiences life apart from the work of Jesus; yet we should not grow deaf to the cries for help.
03. When we speak up with our mouths, we should challenge the world with the teachings of Jesus; yet we must avoid being used for lesser purposes.
04. When we work towards a better world, we may use a variety of methods just like Jesus; yet we must also be patient with others on the same path.
Questions for Discussion and Discovery
1. What was the condition of the man in Mark 7:32? What significant role did the unnamed people play in assisting him? In what ways can we assist others regarding their physical well-being? In what ways can we bring others to the Lord for their spiritual well-being?
2. What do you notice about the different methods of healing in Mark 7:33 and 8:23? Could Jesus have healed each person with a word? Why do you suppose Jesus used these methods instead of using a word?
3. Compare the miraculous feeding narratives in Mark 6:30-44 and 7:1-10. What similarities and differences can you find? Do you find it strange that the disciples are still clueless about Jesus’s power in Mark 8:4? How does Jesus address their failure to learn from His ministry in 8:18-21?
4. Why does Mark provide the details about Jesus sighing in 7:34 and 8:12? What do these references tell us about the humanity of Jesus? How do they inform us about matters that weighed on the heart of Jesus? Do you feel the weight of sin also? Do you sigh for those who do not know the Lord?
5. The deficiencies in the disciples’ hearing, seeing, and understanding were not physical but were still in need of improvement and repair. In what ways can we improve our “hearing” and “seeing” and “understanding” as we navigate through a fallen world? How can you use this text to tell others about Jesus, who does all things well?
For Further Reading: John Stott, Issues Facing Christians Today (Zondervan; 4th edition, 2011).