Tag: Jesus-The Ultimate Action Hero

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Sermon Audio: Ganging Up On Jesus
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 11:25-12:17
Duration: 19:17
Size: 9.33 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Ganging Up On Jesus
Mark 11:25-12:17

The only reason we can ask God for anything isn’t based on our merit but on His mercy and forgiveness.

This begins an extended section where Jesus confronts those directly who hold power in Israel.

They had asked Jesus for His credentials, so He asks them what they felt about John the Baptist’s credentials, hinting that both He and John got their authority from the same place.

Israel was supposed to show the world what a relationship with Yahweh was like, bring in the Scriptures, and provide a line for the Messiah.

Here Jesus clarifies that it was not Israel as a whole that was at fault, but the religious leaders.

What matters is if they believe He is who He says He is and trust Him.

He challenges them to give God the fidelity and faith and obedience that are indeed valuable in God’s kingdom.

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Sermon Audio: Trotting In To Save The Day
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 11:1-24
Duration: 24:24
Size: 12.5 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Trotting In To Save The Day
Mark 11:1-24

This date is one of the most important in human history and following a vital prophetic clock, was the one and only day that the Jewish Messiah could be proclaimed.

What we are about to see is actually a carefully scripted event laid out in Biblical prophecy, starting with a colt.

For Jesus to ride was significant and the people recognized that He was fulfilling that prophecy in Zechariah 9, so they waved tree branches and leafy branches from the field and some placed them in front of Jesus like in 2 Kings.

Jesus came to do battle, of course, but it was actually against the Jewish religious system which had become so polluted that it actually kept people from understanding God’s Messiah.

In Jesus day the court of the Gentiles had become filled with people selling sacrifices and changing money into Temple shekels.

They couldn’t do anything at that time, though, because He was still popular with the people.

There appears to be a universal application as well that in service to Jesus we have unlimited power if we ask for it.

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Sermon Audio: And Jesus Stood Still
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 10:46-52
Duration: 22:43
Size: 11.4 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
And Jesus Stood Still
Mark 10:46-52

They are scary people, because they are toothless and dirty and they have not bathed or changed clothes in months; but, they seem harmless because they are severely withdrawn.

A similar thing happened a couple of thousand years ago outside Jericho.

He begs because he is poor and his poverty is due to his blindness; therefore, there is no sin in his begging.

The people saw someone going to be their king. Bartimaeus found the Savior for Whom he had been looking.

And Jesus stood still. He did not simply pause. He did not slow down and glance at the beggar. Jesus stopped, Jesus stood still.

There are two miracles in this story. First, a blind beggar has his sight restored. But its the second miracle I would like to leave you with today.

Yet among all the personal anxiety and commotion of the crowd, He heard a single voice cry out. And He stood still.

For Jesus to pass by one soul would be to contradict His entire mission.

Jesus stood still.

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Sermon Audio: Anxious To Matter
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 10:32-45
Duration: 28:07
Size: 13.3 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Anxious To Matter
Mark 10:32-45

We want a life that means something. We want a life that makes a difference. The question is, “How?” How do we live a life that matters?

For you see, if we want to live a life that matters, then like Jesus we must be willing to die. We must be willing to…
SACRIFICE OUR OWN LIVES.

If we want to live a life that matters, 1st we must sacrifice. Then 2nd, we must…
SUFFER FOR CHRIST’S SAKE.

Jesus tells them, You will indeed suffer, because that’s the price of greatness. That’s the cost of living a life that matters.

It is absolutely necessary if we want to live lives that matter. 1st we must sacrifice. 2nd we must suffer; and 3rd if we want to live lives that matter, we must…
SUBMIT TO GOD’S WILL.

Would I be willing to serve God faithfully and raise up my children to serve him, even if I never achieved any recognition?

Whatever role God has assigned to you, in His strength, carry out that role to the best of your ability. For if we want to live a life that matters.

1st we must sacrifice; 2nd we must suffer; 3rd we must submit; and finally, we must…
SERVE ONE ANOTHER.

Jesus Himself showed us what true greatness is all about. It’s not about people waiting on me. It’s about me waiting on people.

Do you want to live a life that makes a positive difference in other people’s lives? Then with God’s help strive to be a servant and not a celebrity.

When your life is all said and done, what will your contribution be?

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Sermon Audio: Who’s In Charge?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 9:38-50
Duration: 23:52
Size: 13.2 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Salty Christians
Mark 9:38-50

Here, John complains that someone outside the “in” group was doing kingdom work.

The truth is that if someone out of mercy helps another be freed from a demon through the power of Jesus, they are not going to turn around and tell people not to believe or trust in Jesus.

You’ve done your best to serve the Lord, your family, or this community, and nobody seems to appreciate it.

Even as a simple act of kindness has with it great rewards, so too are there great punishments for those who prey on the young ones in the Lord.

Take drastic measures, if need be, to keep yourself from being scandalized in your own relationship with Christ.

Don’t worry about the faults of others. Take care of your own faults by humbly admitting your need of Christ and getting help from Him.

That is, speak words of peace and encouragement. Help those young believers find joy in their service for Christ, because they’re going to have enough trouble as it is in this life.

We never know what other people are dealing with, and the last thing they need is somebody putting them down.

You see, we truly help people not with harsh words of criticism. No. We help them with words of grace and peace, seasoned with salt.

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Sermon Audio: Who’s In Charge?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 9:14-37
Duration: 27:17
Size: 14.5 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Who’s In Charge?
Mark 9:14-37

Chapter 9 of Mark’s gospel is really an object lesson in upsetting the default human tendency towards power and the real way God’s universe runs.

I love this account because we, as Jesus’ disciples, face ministry “failures” at times. We think we hear from God, we step out in faith, and then fall flat on our faces.

Here Jesus shows His exasperation. But notice what frustrates Him: unbelief.

It’s like Jesus is saying “I can do anything. The question is: do you believe I can?”

So perhaps the disciples had begun to attempt to drive out demons in their own strength when their initial attempts failed.

But instead of really pressing in to find out from God what’s going on, we just grimace and bear it, or we hide away, or throw a pity party, or solve it in our own strength.

True greatness is measured by how much you serve, not by how much you rule.

When the disciples couldn’t drive out the demon, Jesus spoke of the problem of unbelief, which is really lack of submission and trust in Jesus.

“…But if you can do anything,…”

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

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Sermon Audio: Why Follow Jesus?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 8:34-9:13
Duration: 22:04
Size: 11.6 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Why Follow Jesus?
Mark 8:34-9:13

Accomplishing God’s tasks with man’s methods never works – so Jesus rebuked Peter.

He wasn’t saying that everyone must die on a cross, but that each of us must set aside our ways and take on a commitment to follow the Lord no matter what.

What you think of Him matters. What you think of His words matters. If you reject them, you reject Him and when He comes back as king he will reject you.

It means a change from within, and not just in appearance but a complete transformation of the entire being.

Imagine what you would have felt if you woke up from a deep sleep to three glorious men standing there?

Suddenly all the glory was gone, and it was just Jesus, now in human form, standing there. What a mind-blowing experience.

But all that didn’t mean the death of Jesus was no longer necessary. So Jesus calls them to think about that aspect of the Messiah.

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Sermon Audio: Incomplete Vision
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 8:22-8:33
Duration: 19:39
Size: 10.7 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Incomplete Vision
Mark 8:22-8:33

It’s a great bridge from the spiritually blind disciples to the physically blind man.

Though Jesus had compassion on the physical needs of people, He never lost sight of His ultimate mission – to heal souls through the cross. To Seek and Save the lost.

Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah – but when we look at him later, after the resurrection, he doesn’t seem to get it.

We are always interested in what gets us what we want now – but Jesus knew the real mission was much bigger than that.

Anything that keeps Jesus from the suffering cross would keep mankind forever in bondage.

So let Him touch the eyes of your heart and give you clear sight into the gift He offers – all you have to lose is your life – and all there is to gain is life eternal!

“Who do you say that I am?”

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Sermon Audio: What Is Faith?
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 7:24-8:21
Duration: 21:06
Size: 11.8 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
What Is Faith?
Mark 7:24-8:21

Jesus and His men went, presumably, to a Jewish home in order to get some time to rest away from crowds. But alas, such was not the case.

Jesus came first to the Jews but always intended for the gospel to go out from there to the entire world.

The deaf-mute could not ask Jesus for healing so his friends brought him and begged the Lord to touch him.

Often deaf people can speak, but because they don’t hear the sound their speech is not clear.

It’s possible that this miracle took place very near where Jesus freed the man with the demons, on the southeastern shore of the lake.

Mark calls their demand for a “sign” a test – such as where Satan tempted Jesus to perform at his will – so too the Pharisees want to control Jesus.

His point is that introducing self-righteousness or political expediency is dangerous when it comes to relating to God.

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Sermon Audio: Battling the Broken Mind
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 6:53-7:23
Duration: 21:07
Size: 11.7 MB

Jesus: The Ultimate Action Hero
Battling the Broken Mind
Mark 6:53-7:23

Such was the case for the Pharisees. In their zeal to serve God they ended up serving themselves because they lacked an objective source of truth.

It is the act of reaching out in trust and reliance on Jesus that heals not some piece of cloth or ritual.

Over the years after the Babylonian captivity, the religious leaders had added hundreds of oral traditions that they considered as binding as the Law.

They are not attacking Jesus personally, but by accusing His disciples it is like they are saying “If you were really a holy man and a rabbi, wouldn’t you have taught your disciples to obey the traditions?”

The problem the Pharisees had was they had replaced God’s Word with their own words as the authority over their lives and conduct.

It was not the diet that goes in, but the character that already lives in a person and comes out that matters.

The moment we place our own mind on the same or greater plain as God’s over what is good–we begin to layer over the top of God’s character like varnish on a piece of wood.