For this purpose I have come

Please turn now to the opening of the Gospel according to Mark. Mark and the first chapter. And with the Lord's help, we will focus this morning on the words found in verses 36 through 38. Here we see that the Lord Jesus gives us a personal statement about his calling as the Messiah. He says, For this purpose I have come forth." That is, as opposed to the healing of many and the casting out of demons, his primary purpose in his ministry was to come forth to preach the Gospel.

And for context, I would like to read from the 14th verse to the end of the first chapter of Mark. So once again, please hear now the words of the living and true God. Chapter one, verses 14 to 45. Now, after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel, the kingdom of God, and saying, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.

And as he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, his brother, casting Annette into the sea. for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. They immediately left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther from there, he saw James, the son of Zebedee and John, his brother, who also were in the boat, mending their nets. And immediately he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants. and went after him. Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

Now there was a man in the synagogue with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, Let us alone. What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be quiet and come out of him.

And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. And immediately his fame spread throughout all the region round Galilee.

Now, as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they enter the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told him about her at once. So he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. And immediately the fever left her and she served them.

At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were demon possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. And he did not allow the demons to speak because they knew him. Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, he went out and departed to a solitary place. And there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him. When they found him, they said to him, everyone is looking for you.

But he said to them, let us go into the next towns that I might preach there also. Because for this purpose, I have come forth And he was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee and casting out demons. Now a leper came to him, imploring him, kneeling down to him and saying to him, if you are willing, you can make me clean. Then Jesus moved with compassion, stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, I am willing, be cleansed. And as soon as he had spoken immediately, the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. And he strictly warned him and sent him away at once and said to him, see that you say nothing to anyone, but go your way, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded as a testimony to them. However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the matter so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places, and they came to him from every direction.

Again, may the Lord be pleased to add his blessing to the reading and hearing of his holy word. Let us pray together. Oh, blessed eternal one, Heavenly Father, Almighty God, We praise you for the great gift that you give to us in this revelation, how you were pleased to tell us about all these things that Jesus had said and the things that he did. For Lord, how would we know about these things? How will we know about our Lord and Savior, except that you have revealed them to us? And we praise you, Lord, that not only is there this revelation, but also we see that Jesus in these pages of the gospel offers Himself to us, even that we may be drawn to Him and that we may believe in Him and put our trust in Him. And so, Lord, we pray that the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts would be acceptable in Your side, O Lord, our strength and Redeemer. For we do pray all these things in Jesus' name, amen.

At our seminary, we were instructed not to speak about ourselves as preachers from the pulpit. But when the text is about preaching, it is difficult to tiptoe around the fact that right now you're listening to me preaching about the subject of preaching. But isn't that rather self-indulgent for the preacher to talk about preaching?

Well, I can understand why It might come across that way. Yet I tell you that preaching does fall within the proper scope of the preacher's message, for it is in the word of God, as we see here this morning in our text, and also in the Westminster larger catechism, which is part of our subordinate standards. We read in question number 155, and let me just add, I had no idea that this was gonna be your catechetical reading this morning.

The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the word, an effectual means of enlightening, convincing, and humbling sinners, of driving them out of themselves and drawing them unto Christ, and conforming them to his image, and subduing them to his will, of strengthening them against temptations and corruptions, of building them up in grace and establishing their hearts in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation. My friends, do you see here the emphasis that is placed upon the preaching of the word of God? Yes, it speaks of the reading of the word, which is the lifeblood of the Christian. And yet it goes on to say, but especially the preaching of the word.

Now, does that sound strange to you? My brothers and sisters, I want you to take some time to think about this. Have you, have I minimized the place of preaching in our own Christian experience? as well as its position as the primary God-ordained means of gospel presentation. As J.C. Ryle comments on our text, he says that, preaching is God's grand ordinance for converting and saving souls. My brothers and sisters, is that how we think about preaching? And we find that the Apostle Paul says something quite similar in 1 Corinthians 1.

He says, For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Matthew pulls annotations at this place. He concludes, how it comes to pass that some are possessed of so slight an opinion of preaching as to think of it as needless, which our Savior in St. Paul counted to be their principal work. He goes on to say, where in the meantime they pretend to derive from Christ, I cannot tell.

You see, my friends, not only is it appropriate for the preacher to speak about preachy, but he is even duty bound to do so for as a teaching from the Holy Scripture. Indeed, in the text before us this morning, the importance of preaching is emphasized by the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

As a matter of fact, and I don't want you to miss this, the Lord Jesus tells us here that the reason he came into this world was to preach. We read in the 38th verse of our text that Jesus said, let us go into the next towns that I might preach there also. Because for this purpose, I have come forth. This purpose. That is for the purpose of preaching, I have come forth.

And we see the same point in the scripture of the Old Testament that we read earlier this morning from the book of Isaiah. We read there again in Isaiah chapter 61 in the first verse, the spirit of the Lord God is upon me. because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. Now, we know that this text is fulfilled in the calling of the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, because he himself identified himself with this passage when we read and he and he read from it and taught from it in the synagogue in Nazareth. When we read of this account, In the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, we read, All those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust him out of the city.

And they led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down over this cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, he went his way. Verses 28-30. They didn't like it, that Jesus was in effect claiming to be the Messiah.

For it was widely understood that this place in the book of Isaiah was a messianic text. But there is no doubt that Jesus said it. And so like every man, woman and child ever born into this world, we reached the crossroads of faith. Are you going to believe in Jesus and who he says he is or not? And as we're called to believe in who Christ is and more and more to place our trust in him, this morning I would like to divide our message into two parts along the lines of our text.

First Point

And so first, With verses 36 and 7 we read, And Simon and those who were with him searched for him. When they found him, they said to him, Everyone is looking for you. And secondly, in verse 38, we read, But he said to them, that is, the Lord Jesus said, Let us go into the next towns that I might preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth. So again, the first, the two heads are first, from verses 36 and 37, how the disciples looked everywhere for Jesus and finally found him. And then secondly, how Jesus said, let's go into the other towns as well, for I came to preach. And so our first head, and that is again from verses 36 and 37, where we read that Simon and those, Simon's another name for Peter, and those who are with him search for him And when they found him, they said to him, everyone is looking for you.

Now in our translation, the rendering of the word searched, it's actually a bit weak. The Greek is stronger and more indicative actually of a hunt. According to Bollinger, the word means to pursue closely as an enemy. And the word in the Greek, katadioko, with the prefix kata, gives it greater emphasis than the word would be without the prefix. And W.E. Vine describes that this intensive form of the word gives the idea of a hard, persistent search. That's the sense of the word.

And in James Morrison's commentary, he's one of the commentaries that Spurgeon recommends for the book of Mark, We read, when they awoke in the morning and found Jesus gone, they seemed to have got alarmed. Lest he should have left them, be taking himself to some other sphere of labor, so too the inhabitants of the little city in general seemed to have felt. Morrison goes on to say, hence the haste and eagerness of Simon and his companions, Andrew, James, and John, as indicated by this strong verb that is employed by the gospel writer.

They pursued after him as if he were fleeing like an enemy from them. My brothers and sisters, has it ever been your experience that you felt close to the Lord, but then later it seemed as if he left you? And then like Peter and the others, you hunted after him, but you could not find him.

Maybe you felt close to him in a time of private prayer when you truly poured out yourself before him and told him about all the things weighing you down in your life. And afterwards, you had a sense of peace and comfort from the Lord. Or perhaps you went to a church conference and you found that the speaker's message really resonated with you. as if the speaker had interviewed you that very same morning and knew exactly what was going on in your life. Or maybe you heard a sermon or a burning question which you've had for several years was finally and simply answered by the word of God. But then, but then, next time you hear the same preacher It seemed as if he had nothing to say to you.

Or the next time you prayed, you felt like there was something blocking your prayers from reaching up into the heavenly throne room. My brothers and sisters, we find this same experience recorded for us in the book, The Song of Solomon. In chapter five, verse six, as it speaks about Christ's relationship with the church, his bride, she laments.

I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke. I saw him, but I could not find him. I called him, but he gave no answer. This is something that you and I might experience in our walk with the Lord. And we read that this was the same trouble that Peter and the others felt as they searched for, you might say, hunted down the Lord Jesus. And once they found him, you can almost hear the frustration in their voice when they say, everyone is looking for you. Everyone is looking for you.

Now, this may remind you of a time earlier in the life of the Lord when he was only 12 years old. He and his family had gone up to Jerusalem for the annual feast of the Passover. And when it was time to return home in Nazareth, his parents supposed that Jesus was with their company. But instead, Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. We read that he ended up in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening and asking them questions. And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. Luke chapter two, verses 46 and 47.

So when his parents discovered that he was missing, they had to retrace their journey and spent three days looking for him. And when they finally found him, his mother said, son, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I were seeking you anxiously.

My friends, can you hear the same kind of frustration in Peter's words? Everyone is looking for you. It is as if he had said, Master, don't you realize what's going on? You have become famous overnight. Of course, Jesus, could have answered in a similar way to the words he spoke to his mother in the temple several years earlier. Why is it you were seeking me? Did you not know that I must be about my father's business? And in this instance, indeed, we read earlier in our passage in Mark that Jesus had gone out before daylight to a remote place in order to pray privately to his heavenly father. For you see, this too was his father's business. What is more, Peter's words, everyone is looking for you, may remind you of another place in the Gospels. In John chapter 12, verse 19, we read, behold, the world has gone after him.

Yet Peter's frustration was due to his interest and safety and honor of his master, as J.A. Alexander puts it. But this other expression in John was about the frustration of the Pharisees who were envious enemies of Christ. They were upset. Why were they upset, do you think? Everyone, the whole world has gone after this Jesus of Nazareth. Why were they upset? They were upset because they were losing all of their popularity to this man, Jesus.

But let us turn now to our second head, our second head where we consider the words found in the 38th verse. And this part of our text is actually the focus of our message this morning. We see here a remarkable statement by the Lord Jesus Christ. His words answer an age old question. If Jesus was indeed a historical man and the son of God sent from heaven, why did he come here? Why did he tabernacle among us for a time, as John says in the opening of his gospel?

Now we know that Jesus came as the second Adam, the second Adam to succeed, where the first Adam had failed. As we read in Romans 5, verse 19, for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man's obedience. Many will be made righteous. And we also read in the 10th chapter, verse 45 of the same gospel of Mark, that the Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many. These are also purpose statements for the Lord Jesus Christ is the Messiah. But in our text, we find yet another purpose for why he came. And he states it expressly. And he says, let us go into the next towns that I might preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.

Again, Matthew Pohl quotes, to quote from him again, he said that Jesus did not say that he came forth to work miracles, but to preach. His working of miracles was but a secondary work, subservient to his work and preaching and done to confirm his doctrine and to advantage them as to their faith in him as the Messiah. And the word here to preach, in the Greek it's kērusō, means to be a herald, to discharge an herald's office. It means to proclaim, to publish announcements.

But what does Christ proclaim or preach? What is the text of the Lord's Sermon, so to speak? We are told clearly in the parallel account in Luke 4, verse 43, Jesus says, I must preach the kingdom of God. I must preach the kingdom of God. But you see, the kingdom of God was not to be built in one place like the city of Capernaum or any other single city. So Jesus tells his disciples that he must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, not just in this place.

And then he invites them to come with him as he fulfills his calling. For he says, let us go into the next towns. Indeed, as we read really throughout the various gospel accounts, we see that Jesus is always on the go. He frequently travels from one place to another, even going back and forth across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus preaches in Galilee, but also in Judea and even in Samaria. As J.C. Ryle writes in his commentary at this place, for three long years, he went to and fro proclaiming the gospel. Sometimes we see him in a house, sometimes on the mountainside. sometimes in a Jewish synagogue, sometimes in a boat on the sea, but the great work he took up was always one and the same.

He came always preaching and teaching. As a matter of fact, as Ryle continues, he says, until the time when he died as a sacrifice for our sins, his daily and almost hourly work was to preach. And when we read that Jesus said that it is for preaching, that he came forth, we might ask ourselves, what is he talking about?

Where did he come from? Is he talking about the house that he slept in the night before or the city of Capernaum where he lived? Because you know, he moved from Nazareth to Capernaum and Capernaum was really the center of his ministry. Well, in John 16, verse 28, Jesus says, I came forth from where? From whom?

From the Father and have come into the world. Indeed, again, in the parallel account, in Luke 4, Jesus says, for this purpose, that is the purpose of preaching, I have been sent. I have been sent. So who sent him? In the gospel of John, we see Jesus repeatedly speaking about his being sent from his father, so much so that it becomes a theme. For example, Jesus prays, as we read in John chapter 17, and this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. And in John 7 verse 29, we read that Jesus says, but I know him for I am from him and he sent me. So when Jesus says here in our text, for this purpose, I've come forth, he does not mean from Peter's house or Capernaum, but he came from his heavenly father.

His heavenly father sent him for this purpose. His purpose was to preach. To quote again from J.C. Ryle, he writes, we ought to observe here what infinite honor the Lord Jesus puts on the office of the preacher. Not the preacher himself, but the office of the preacher. It is an office which the eternal son of God himself undertook. Oh, my friends, do you see?

What a contrast from this statement do we find in the church today. How sad it is that in our day, preaching is undervalued and held in such low esteem. Today, preaching is often seen as old-fashioned. It's no longer relevant. Besides, within the context of our modern culture, preaching is no longer effective. And what is more, it's almost always boring. Now, admittedly, the fault is often with the preacher. When the preaching of the scripture is not directed to the heart or conscience of the listener, it is often ineffective and boring. In John Stott's book, Between Two Worlds, he quotes from Archbishop Richard Whateley, who once spoke about a preacher He aimed at nothing and hit it.

Furthermore, in many instances, biblical preaching about sin and sinners in need of a savior has been replaced with pop psychology and positive thinking. But I ask you, if we are not sinners, but instead just those who have some imperfections that are like wrinkles that need to be ironed out, Then what need do we have of a savior? And among evangelicals, many see any use of the mind or the intellect by definition as being void of the Holy Spirit. And so they don't even see preaching as part of the worship of God.

The focus in these churches has shifted to worship bands who can lead the worshipers into a heightened state of emotion. And in this way, these strong feelings are interpreted as evidence of the presence of God. But is it really? On the other end of the spectrum, we see those whose use of liturgy pushes out the time that's needed for preaching. And so this sermon often turns into a 15-minute homily.

Or there are those who claim to be Reformed, but they're advocates of a highly liturgical kind of worship, and they promote oxymoronic expressions like medieval Protestantism, arguing that the worship of the church in the Dark Ages was preferable to what later came in the light of the Reformation. My friends, it should be no wonder to us then when many of these evangelicals are converted to Roman Catholicism. And like the elevation of the mass, there are some Protestants who make the sacrament of the Lord's Supper equal to or greater in importance than the preaching of God's word.

Again, as J.C. Ryle writes at this place, he says, Let us never be moved by those who cry down the preacher's office and tell us that the sacraments and other ordinances are of more importance than sermons. He goes on to say, let us give to every part of God's public worship its proper place and honor, but let us beware of placing any part of it above preaching. My brothers and sisters, let me be clear. You can have the word of God preached without the sacraments, but you cannot have the sacraments without the word preached. Scripture has the supremacy. And we must all remember.

It was through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ that the whole world was turned upside down. And Jesus tells us in our text that it is for preaching that he came forth from his heavenly father. Now, as we come to a close, I would like to speak to you briefly about how the Lord God may draw you to himself. In our text this morning, I wanted you to see how that the Lord Jesus himself expressly declares the primacy of preaching in his ministry. Now, from a pastoral point of view, we typically see two outcomes from the preaching of the kingdom of God.

First Point

First, to the unconverted. It is a marvel to them and they are amazed. that the Lord God would command them to obey Him, not in just outward ways, but sincerely from the heart. And secondly, to the converted, it is a marvel to them, and they are amazed. After so many years walking after Christ, in their hearts, they're still so fond of their sin. And sometimes, We feel inextricably drawn to Jesus as we hear about him and his words in the scripture. And we find that he's offering himself to us in the very pages of the gospels.

Now, some of you might say, but I've never had that experience before. My friends, you and I must always pray that the Lord would give us ears to hear when we sit down quietly to read our Bibles, but especially when we hear the word of God preached. Amen. Let us pray together.

Oh, blessed Lord God and heavenly Father, we give you thanks. We give you praise. for the calling of the Lord Jesus Christ, for he came to lay down his life as a ransom for many, but he also came to proclaim this message, to proclaim his gospel. Oh, we pray that by your Holy Spirit, we may take up that gospel and embrace it and draw it deep into our hearts, even as believers, for it is by the gospel that we are to continue to be sanctified in his holiness and grace day after day. So, Lord, we do pray for that help. We pray for that help from your Holy Spirit, because we also confess that sanctification is not something that we can do merely in our own strength, but that we are in desperate need of your grace each and every day. Lord, may grace ever so increase in our lives. May our love for the Lord Jesus Christ and the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost May our love for you, O Lord, increase day after day. Hear us, O Lord, for we do pray all these things. In Jesus' name, amen.