PROCLAIMING WITH PASSION
Text: Mark 5:1-20
Introduction
Why this sermon? Why this time? This sermon is unique. Often we are taught in preaching classes to save the "so what" until the end. I begin today with the end in sight. I want to share the "so what" up front. I believe we must develop a passion for souls--the souls in our families, the souls in our lives and marketplaces, the souls in our community, the souls in our state, the souls in our nation, the souls in our world. We need to increase our passion in the church. We need to determine what we are passionate about, what God wants us to be passionate about, then we need to develop that passion. We must discover feeling, we must find freshness for the journey this fall. We must learn to pray about our passion.
This sermon is put together backwards. This is a topic, a need, and then the search for the text. This is imposing on the text a previous desire. I hope I have done it consistently and well. I believe this text says something to us about what God wishes for us.
In one sense, this is a multiple choice sermon. There are only so many things which can be biblically placed on the agenda of the church. The church exists as a community with a limited number of legitimate activities--maybe 3 or 4 at the most. We may describe ourselves as a worshiping community, and indeed that is a major part of what we do when we assemble together. We may describe ourselves as a fellowship, a koinonia, designed to find encouragement and support, and that would have solid Biblical precedent in the descriptions of God's people in the NT. We may note the educational aspect of the church--we have a teaching task. This teaching task may reach internally to enhance the spiritual journey, but it ultimately extends to the outside as we share the good news of the gospel. This may be called education, evangelism, outreach, or missions, in one sense it is only one task.
So the church exists to look upward in worship, to look around in fellowship and spiritual nurturing, and to look outward with the gospel message. It is my belief that virtually everything we do as church ultimately fits into one of these 3 areas--embracing worship, enhancing spiritual life and shared fellowship, or sharing the gospel and its implications for life.
You may work in benevolence, but benevolence is either an expression of our caring fellowship or it is demonstration of the heart of Jesus to reach out with good news, or it is not biblical. You may do a host of things in the church--from ushering to counting money, from praying with other sisters to hosting church activities. The bottom line is found in the same 3 or 4 things--nurturing, evangelism, worship, sharing. These major identifying activities require various kinds of supporting roles--building maintenance, buses, shepherding, involvement....the list at times seems endless. Consider at this time in the history of this church, you may be asked to consider an increased role in youth ministry, but youth ministry is ultimately about encouraging the spiritual walk, sharing good news, making worship meaningful, and a real koinonia shared by our youth. The same is true of singles, 20-30s, 40-50s, 55+ers... If we are not encouraging one another in the spiritual journey, sharpening our relationship with God in worship either corporate or private, sharing fellowship, or sharing good news, we may need to ask whether we are involved in a legitimate activity for the church that wants to be like the church of the NT.
While it may be difficult to say that one of these is more important than another, for all are essential to being a NT church, I want to focus in this lesson on the need to proclaim Jesus with passion. I believe this center will help us in the other areas. I think an evangelizing church enhances its worship, its fellowship, and its internal teaching and encouragement.
OUR TEXT
Mark 5, a Great Commission. Begin in vv. 18-20. This sermon is backwards in another way, because it starts at the end of the text, Mk. 5:19-20.
Vs. 20--he proclaimed with passion, Why?
Vs. 19--he was simply telling his story, he has received mercy and grace.
Vs. 18--he was formerly demon possessed
Remember the story beginning in v. 1.
I. Vs. 15--He experienced genuine good news.
TO PROCLAIM WITH PASSION, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WE ARE SHARING GOOD NEWS. WE MUST RELIVE CONTINUALLY OUR EXPERIENCE OF THAT GOOD NEWS. BELIEVE PASSIONATELY.
He was SHARING GOOD NEWS--THE WORD GOSPEL MEANS GOOD NEWS. Therefore, he speaks passionately.
We will not proclaim Jesus with passion until we learn that Jesus is good news in our lives. Can you imagine being freed from captivity--captivity to evil forces, to untamed desires, to expectations of others.... Our text makes clear that Jesus makes a difference in lives.
IB. Vs. 15-17--He was sharing the benefits in his own personal life, the benefits of knowing Jesus.
TO PROCLAIM WITH PASSION, WE MUST FOCUS ON THE BENEFITS. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS IN YOUR LIFE OF KNOWING CHRIST?
As we think about this point--SHARING BENEFITS suggests THERE IS A GREAT BENEFIT IN KNOWING CHRIST. This is our spiritual nurture and journey. Therefore, we follow passionately. What benefits?
First, freedom from sin. Second, inner peace and serenity. Third, God gives us power to change. Four, Christ gives a new set of values. The spiritual life becomes reality because of the influence of Jesus in our lives.
IC. Vs. 17--some will be put off by the cost of following Jesus.
TO PROCLAIM WITH PASSION, WE MUST BE CONVINCED BEYOND DOUBT THAT THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE COSTS.
Don't downplay the costs. Don't be obscure about the cost of following Jesus. The benefits of knowing Christ, of following Christ, as so great that we don't need to downplay the cost. People won't pay the price if they don't first see the wonderful reality of Jesus Christ.
II. Vs. 18--he begged. This is a serious word. This is emotion, he begged.
TO PROCLAIM WITH PASSION, WE MUST PRAY WITH PASSION. When people pray passionately, they preach and proclaim passionately. Therefore, pray passionately.
Talk to God first about men, then talk to men about God.
III. Vs. 18ff--he spoke to those he knew of the difference in his life. He went to family and friends.
TO PROCLAIM WITH PASSION, WE MUST LEARN TO SPEAK PASSIONATELY THE LANGUAGE OF THOSE WITH WHOM WE SHARE JESUS.
We must learn to speak their language, we must learn first the language of God. Illus: applicant for presidency of Baxter, no educational administration experience, only has bachelor's degree, doesn't know Spanish. We must understand cultural communication. Who can you go to? You can go to some I cannot go to. I can go to those you cannot. Develop a vibrant and viable voice in our world. We must speak so other can hear clearly the message.
Go to those whose language we speak--family, friends, tell your story. We are prone to forget how much he has done for us. If you will go to those whose language you speak, I promise that we will assemble with focus on the language of God. Illus: Elie Wiesel, why do you tell the story? So others will not forget? No, so I will not forget.
When we are not telling our story, we forget what God has done. That is why recent Christians are better at telling their story than those who have been Christians longer. Look what I found. This is it. This is my excitement.
IV. Vs. 18-20--he was passionate about his faith. He was wanting to share.
TO PROCLAIM WITH PASSION, WE MUST BE PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR FAITH.
An essential part of proclaiming passionately are regularly opportunities for SHARING FAITH-- NOT ONLY DO WE SHARE FAITH IN EVANGELISM, WE SHARE FAITH IN WORSHIP. SHARING THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY means FELLOWSHIP IS ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS. Be passionate about your faith.
Passion is only thing that includes both "love" and "joy" in its definition.
Conclusion
This is a simple story. A man was touched by Jesus, never to be the same. Some were threatened by Jesus presence, but this man wanted to be with Jesus forever. He wanted to go with him. But Jesus said, go proclaim with passion what God has done. We must reach out with passion to tell the lost about Jesus.
BELIEVE PASSIONATELY THE GOOD NEWS, BENEFITS, COSTS
PRAY WITH PASSION
SPEAK WITH PASSION
LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH WITH PASSION
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Last updated March 20, 2005.