An Inaccurate Vision of Christ — Don Wilkerson

The Four Incidents in Mark 6 and an Inaccurate Vision of Christ

6 Luke chapter 6 we're gonna stay right in that chapter this morning. There are four different incidents four different events In this sixth chapter and we'll endeavor to tie them together. I think I'll begin by just reading verses 51 and 52 and he got into the boat with them.

Mark chapter 6. Excuse me. What did I say? Okay, I was just seeing if you were alert I have to pray that I have the right message. Mark chapter 6. Okay verses 51 and 52 and he got into the boat with them and the wind stopped and they were greatly astonished.

For they had not gained any insight from the incident of the Lowe's. But their heart was hardened. I Want to speak to you this morning on? the topic and inaccurate vision of Christ and inaccurate vision.

Let's bow in a word of prayer and yes rather on if you would ask the Lord to bless the word this morning. The public opinion polls in Jesus Day Were as about as busy as presidential polls today and those opinions were as varied back then as they are now.

In fact in verse 50 15 it says. But others were saying he is Elijah and Others are saying he is a prophet like one of the prophets of old. Others described Jesus as a winebibber. He was accused of being a friend of sinners with disdain.

He was even said to have to be a madman or to have a devil and Jesus himself solicited opinions about himself. He asked his disciples who do men say that I am Now a close examination of the opinions and attitudes towards Christ Reveal both a correct and yet at the same time an incorrect Opinion or interpretation or a vision of who he is.

Now I want in fact of the disciples Did not comprehend his full manifestation and his purpose and so I want to examine some mistaken views of the nature and image of truth regarding Christ because I Believe that there is a very striking Parallel to the current day vision and teaching of who Christ is both for the church as well as for the sinner.

For example in Mark 6 we'll find that Jesus is described here as a carpenter as A prophet. In fact, we'll see how Herod thought that he was John the Baptist resurrected. He Fulfills the role of a teacher.

He's thought to be a king. We'll see how on one occasion they wanted to make him a king and Then it closes the chapter ends by the disciples thinking that he was a ghost. Now these portrayals of Christ were both right and wrong at the same time in each view of him There is an element of truth and yet in each case if only that one particular truth is recognized.

Then we have not discovered the real Christ or the full Christ or have not discovered him in his fullness. It's a tragic mistake to attempt to express a truth regarding Christ with only one particular manifestation of his nature and this is exactly what is happening in the body of Christ today.

A Veiled Christ is a weak Christ. A Half truth or a veiled truth is a half truth. Perhaps part of the problem is that we have I guess we don't have enough today general practitioners in the body of Christ.

We have specialists. One teachers only faith. Another teachers only signs and wonders. Another teaches prophecy. Another teaches discipleship. Now all of that is important but what happens is that we end up preaching and teaching parts of truth and parts of Christ and the result is an inaccurate vision and Interpretation and teaching on the person and the work of Christ both for the church and for the world.

Now Ephesians 4 says that he has given various ministries to the church. He does give evangelist and an evangelist has his message. He gives teachers. He gives prophets. He gives teachers and Yet all of them their purpose is not to veil Christ, but to bring us into the fullness of Christ.

All ministries and all roads ought to lead to him and In fact Ephesians says that he's given these ministers for this purpose so that we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God and Unto a full-grown man Unto the measure of a statue of the fullness of Christ.

Now, I don't know about you, but when it comes to Christ, I need 20 -20 vision not a one-dimensional narrow or erroneous view of him because an inaccurate vision of Christ leads to an inaccurate or incorrect walk with God.

A shallow revelation of Christ makes for a shallow disciple and Brother Dave was referring to this. This is where I got concerned. He was going to preach my message. A minister who veils Christ robs the sheep whether it be preaching only a message of holiness and not of mercy or whether it be preaching of grace and not of holiness in either case it can be a veiling of Christ and a man who is afraid of the fullness of Christ may be trying to escape the cost of Serving such a Christ.

The Carpenter, the Son of Mary, and the Fullness of Christ

Now look with me into mark chapter 4 at Four interpretations of Christ that were inaccurate or they were both correct and incorrect at the same time. Mark chapter 6 right? We're gonna stay right in in mark chapter 6.

That's mark not Luke now. First I want you to note the opinions expressed of Christ by those who thought that they knew him let's read verses 1 to 3 and he went out from there and he came into his hometown and his disciples followed him and when the Sabbath had come he began to teach in the synagogue and The many listeners were astonished saying where did this man get these things and what is this wisdom?

Given to him and such miracles as those performed by his hands. Is not this the carpenter the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joas and Judas and Simon are not his Sisters here with us and they were offended him offended at him now this was a description of his neighbors and They were acquainted with him within a very narrow circle of his human life 30 years of those he had spent in In Nazareth probably 18 of those years as a carpenter now Nazareth was a little village just off the main highways leading into Jerusalem and It's likely that Jesus may have been the only carpenter in Nazareth or for the entire surrounding area.

Therefore when they made the comment and said is this not the carpenter? The inference is that we all know him. He's the only carpenter around we've all seen him and we know him. But now as he's come back and he teaches in the synagogue, they look at him.

They think they know him. The reports have already circulated about him so they come on the Sabbath and they hear him preach and perhaps I can I can just See some of them amazed because they remember that here was the lad here was the young man who had fashioned a piece of furniture for them and now he's speaking as he is and They do acknowledge in verse 2.

It says where did this man get these things? What is this wisdom? They acknowledged that he had wisdom in his teaching. They acknowledged that he had great power because the reports of the miracles had preceded him and I can just see Some of them looking at each other and hitting each other and said and saying when's half this man this carpenter these things.

And they want to know what is the power that lies behind the deeds that he has performed. But again note in verse 3 how they think that they know him. They said is this not the carpenter? The son of Mary the brother of James and Joas and Judas and Simon are not his sisters here with us and So when they said it is not this the carpenter it was a form of criticism and Yet in their criticism they declared a truth that we can be glad that they declared Jesus was made flesh and dwelt among us as a carpenter.

This is the testimony of his neighbors of his manhood of his humanity. Jesus was God man. And the neighbors of Jesus were eyewitnesses to the fact that God became flesh. They had rubbed shoulders with him and This is a tremendous testimony when they said is this not the carpenter and so they were right and Yet at the same time they were tragically wrong and this Nazareth crowd drew a conclusion about him.

That was tragically erroneous. Because they knew him you see they knew him in his relationship to Mary. They knew him as a lad grown into a man some of them knew him as a carpenter, but and Here's the inaccurate vision they were unwilling to accept him also as teacher and as prophet and As king and as Lord and as Messiah and as their own very own personal Savior.

They missed the greater revelation. They saw his humanity. They did not see his divinity. They saw him as a woodworker. They did not see him as the Creator. They saw his humanness. They did not see his holiness.

Now this is exactly the point At which many people stumble over Christ today. It's getting very warm in here or maybe it's me. This is exactly the point at which many people by the way, if I do that again, it means say a man.

Tragically, there are many who do not see him. They do not follow him. They do not teach him in his divine fullness. Instead Jesus has been and is being proclaimed as Quote unquote one of us they make him less than he really is and In fact, there are those that are offended by some aspects of his nature and his teaching.

Jesus if you please has been brought down to the image and the likeness of the 20th century man. This is why he's been made and is made into a rock star or an entertainer or A director for the Disneyland for the devout where the assistant says you come there and you can reach your nirvana.

You reach your utopia there. He's been made into a motivational leader into many other things and In trying to present a Christ as one of us we've placed middle-class cultural trappings on to the gospel.

Instead of preaching a carpenter who became a Messiah some are preaching a Messiah who has become a carpenter. He's one of us and this inaccurate vision of Christ has spawned a cheap imitation of a gospel and A portrayal of Christ who becomes whatever you want him to come.

Become to you to meet whatever need you have or whatever lust you have. You see our vision of Christ depends upon our character. Character determines revelation. A man's morality dictates his theology and a quote-unquote Christian society's cultural and materialistic covetousness dictates its vision of Christ.

We make him a servant a carpenter who is who fashions earthly furnishings for us. Rather than our Savior before whom we empty ourselves in loving obedience. Whenever a man Attempts to make Jesus one of us it is a sure sign that he has lost a sense of the divine holiness.

You see the neighbors of Jesus. They were quite willing to accept Jesus if he remained a well-behaved Son of Mary. Union dues-paying carpenter. If he remained one of them they could accept him. But soon as he says that this day is a scripture fulfilled in your ears a parallel to that Incident gives us that he said that he was the fullness of the God had revealed bodily as soon as he began to Reveal himself.

As soon as the testimony came forth then they were angry. And some of you you know what that's like if you work on a job. You're in school or whatever. As long as you're like everybody else, it's okay.

But as soon as the testimony of Christ begins to come through and all of its fullness then people are offended by it. It's the same in the church as long as you present a Christ that's popular. It's alright.

But as soon as you lift up the real Jesus, there is an offense there. They took offense at him listen to what the original Greek means In that little phrase and they were offended at him and they saw in him that of which they disapproved and Which kept them from acknowledging him you see they couldn't fit him into their little petty pretty and puny religious concepts.

Jesus was much more than they were prepared to admit because of the personal consequences and Commitment that would have been required if they saw him in all of his fullness. You're familiar first Peter.

If you want to turn to it you can or just listen as I quoted first Peter 2 6 and 8 says behold I lay in Zion a choice stone a Precious cornerstone and he who believes in him shall not be disappointed.

This precious value then is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve the stone which the builders rejected This became the very cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. For they stumble because they are disobedient to the word and to this doom.

They were also appointed. You know, there is a preaching today in evangelism geared to try to repackage the stone and Make Jesus a rock of acceptance and see this is prompted by the fact listen Jesus always will be always is and will be offensive to the carnal and sinful nature.

He's always going to be a rock of stumbling and this rejection of Christ inevitably leads to the rejection of the Evangelist and the pastor and the singer. And listen if you've got TV ratings to worry about or albums to sell or Auditoriums to pack or altars to fill you're gonna preach or be tempted to preach a less offensive message.

No a pastor in New York Brother Dave knows pastor how much I appreciate this man about two years ago. His church is packed. He has number of services on Sunday. And he was about to go into a large building expansion and then he read said the temperance of my mouth and God spoke to him and He delayed the building of his church because of this reason.

He said my problem is that I know when I move into this new project We're going to have such a tremendous financial commitment that if God lays a strong message on my heart. I I'm afraid that I'll be tempted not to preach it.

Lest it be offensive to them unless it hinder the income Into our church and I I admire the man he's waited two years so that God could give him the kind of church that will go with him and stick with him and Believe in the message of righteousness and holiness that he preaches but it's interesting look in verse 5 the result of being offended at Jesus and He could do no miracle there except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and he healed them.

You know, it's ironic today that those who want to get more people to accept Christ by veiling him or using carnal methods Are in fact limiting his power. The very thing they seek to accomplish by accommodating in the gospel to the flesh is an act of unbelief.

He could do no miracles there. You see many don't believe that the simple clear message of repentance that leads to life works. And it's not just the world. Who are rejecters of the cornerstone. The church in some cases is rejecting it.

The pulpit in some cases is offended by Christ who is a stone of stumbling to the world. And so they try to help out the Holy Spirit. It makes me wonder how I ever got saved, you know, I I had a I Didn't have a great self-image and no one told me if I came to Christ.

I you know, I'd have a better one, but you see the world is hungry for the authentic Jesus. There's an interesting little line in an editorial in fortune magazine which as a Magazine for business executives and this is what it said in Days like these what we of a world need to hear is a word from the Lord.

We look to the church for that word and all we hear is the echo of our own voice. My friend think of the healings. Think of the miracles. Think of the power of God that would be manifested today if we were not stumbled by him.

It says he who believes in him shall not be disappointed. Hallelujah, you know. There's a lot. I got a magazine this week and it was all about making the gospel relevant and I'm so tired of that word relevant.

We're now into the irrelevancy of relevancy and you know what? I find that you know. The Holy Spirit is able that's his job to make the gospel relevant and if I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me.

I Know a fella young fella got saved. And he went to the airport to witness and he start he ran into a businessman and start talking to him about the Lord. And the man, you know wouldn't hear it rejected him.

And so the fella said to him mister you're going to hell. Well, I want to tell you. You know some of the teachers today that teach on Evangelism would have a field day with that and and I must say that that's not Generally the recommended way and approach to people in evangelism.

But do you know something? That man got convicted. That little phrase to that businessman from some simple young man. It says mister. You're going to hell brought conviction to his heart and the man got saved.

Herod’s Guilty Conscience and the Prophetic Voice

You see that's the Holy Spirit's job to make the gospel relevant. Hallelujah. Now let's move on to another opinion that expressed by a conscience stricken Herod. Verses 14. Or verse 14 15 and 16 and King Herod heard of it for his name had become well known and The people were saying John the Baptist has risen from the dead and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.

And here's where others were saying other things. But others were saying he's Elijah and others were saying he's a prophet like one of the prophets of old. But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying John whom I beheaded has risen.

Now that's very astonishing. And when you think of what Herod is really saying is oh my goodness I thought I got rid of that doomsday judgment preacher. I thought I got rid of that pest. Now, why would Herod say this?

About Jesus he never met Jesus. He never saw him until Jesus final hour and then he never heard his voice. Jesus refused to speak to him. But Herod hears the stories of Jesus power and it resurrects something terrible inside him and Herod's question reveals the heart of an immoral and guilty man Responsible for the beheading of the Prophet of God.

You see an evil man cannot escape or behead the message of the Prophet of God. Herod beheads John, but he can't bury him and the words of John echoes through the chambers of his conscience. He goes to he wakes in the morning to the to the consciousness of John's voice.

He goes to bed at night and he hears John. He has dreams or he has nightmares and he sees that finger of the Prophet reminding him if of his adultery and Though John is physically long departed from his presence the message lingers on he cannot cleanse the blood on his hands and When Herod said John the Baptist is risen from the dead.

There was an element of truth in it. Oh. Not in the supposition or that John literally had risen from the dead. But what made Herod quake? Was the consciousness that there was still a voice crying out against sin and Calling him to repentance and you see there is the spirit of Herod in the land today it's within those who reject the Christ who calls us to lay the axe to the root of sin and unrighteousness.

You see Herod rejected Jesus because he thought he was John the Baptist. He rejected John's message and now he rejects Jesus message and How similar today? Prophetic voices are rising up calling us to himself and calling us to a full vision of Jesus Christ and The message is dismissed.

We're told that the prophetic message is not for today and We only need to look at Herod as a tragic example of one who tries to cut the head off of the prophetic message. Try as he may. Herod cannot escape either John or Jesus.

You know, it's interesting a guilty conscience needs only it needs no it accuser or tormentor but itself. No one would have dared called him to repentance. Or called him he had his own Herod gate. But he himself exposes himself and he says John whom I have beheaded.

He feared John while he lived and he fears him ten times worse when he's dead. And you know what's remarkable about John look at verse 20. He used to hear him gladly and Herod was afraid of John knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe and When he heard him he was very perplexed.

But he used to enjoy listening to prophetic. He lived a day He'd turn on Jimmy swagger listen to him say man, that's good preaching. But in the end Herod is merely the wreck of a man. He heard it, but he never acted upon it.

And as a result, he is a wreck of a man wholly given over to sensuality. John is dead and buried but the voice is still sounding in his mind and in his heart. He cannot inherit cannot escape the law he cannot except escape that prophetic voice that calls men and causes men to tremble and so he was perfectly right in thinking that Jesus was a prophet one who confronts evil and denounces iniquity and and calls it like it is and men today can no more escape the prophetic voice of either a dead John the Baptist or Jeremiah or Isaiah or the living Christ.

Who says remove iniquity from your midst and you will know the fullness of Jesus Christ. You see like Herod we can have an inaccurate vision of Christ if we want a message only that makes us glad. As long as John thundered against somebody else Herod heard him gladly and This is what brother day was saying where he started to preach my message people today loved to hear preaching.

Against the corporate sins of the society. We love to hear about preaching against abortion and we should and preaching against secular humanism and we should. This message is gladly received. But let somebody call the church to repentance and a message is cut off like the head of John the Baptist.

But let me say to you as well as I was praying last night. I said Lord, I began to examine my own heart and I said Lord first of all. Have I ever been offended at you? If I ever been offended at the message that I hear if I ever been a Herod that would take as it were would take a sword.

You see there's a sort of the Lord and then there's a sort of the congregation. There's a sort of the pulpit. There's a sort of the pew and and there can be a sword from the pulpit and there could be one also from the pew.

Jesus as King: Beyond Material Provision

You know, you just you just cut it off say all that's not for me. You see what is our response? When the message touches an area of our own lifestyle as it did Herod. Let's move on to the third. Read with me look in chapter 6 again.

The third incident was an inaccurate vision of Christ as well. It says and when he went ashore He saw a great multitude and he felt compassion for them because they were sheep without a shepherd and he began to teach them many things and When it was already quite late his disciples came up to him and began saying the place is desolate and it is Already quite late send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside in a village and buy themselves something to eat.

Now what followed of course is that Jesus performed and in verse 42 it ends up and they all ate and were satisfied now. To also understand what happened. Well, then let me keep going. It says and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces and also the fish and there were about five thousand men there who ate the loaves and verse 45 and Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side of Bessidia.

While he himself was sending the multitude away now We have to go to John 6 15 to fill in also another part of the reason that he sent them away. It's a Jesus therefore perceived that they were about to come and take him by force and to make him King.

He withdrew again into the mountain himself alone and here in Mark 46 it says he departed in the mountain to pray. But that little part there is very very important to the story as to why he pushed the disciples.

He got them out of there right away. Because they had seen that miracle and they were so excited. They said here's a man we've been waiting for. You see five thousand plus are ready to turn Jesus into a king now.

Again, this is understandable in one sense. He performed a very kingly act in the true sense of the word kingly. It was said of Christ here in verse 34 that with he felt compassion because of his compassion.

They were sheep without a shepherd and it's just as accurate to say they were a nation without a king. You see the true qualification of kingship in the economy of God is that of a shepherd and Jesus acted in character when he fed them and.

Yet notice it says that he taught them look at verse 34 how all this began and he began to teach them many things. He taught them first and then he fed them and note that there was no movement to crown him while he was teaching them.

But the moment he fed them they wanted to crown him. They said this is the king that we have been looking for and Jesus perceiving what they were about to do quickly slips away in the mountain to pray and to calm down fleshly.

Enthusiasm so they desired to make him king on the basis of his ability to satisfy their material hunger. They reasoned he is a king. He is kingly he can feed and so they wanted to crown him. But what motivated that.

It was not a heart full of worship and devotion. But it was stomachs that were hungry. Now the people who desired to make him king were perfectly right in one sense he is a king and This miraculous feeding was a demonstration of the kind of king that he is.

He has a shepherd's character as a king he provides for the full necessities of those over whom he reigns. But here is the point. But only if they will obey his teaching. That's the important order. He taught them and then he fed them.

He is the one king who really provides for the material needs of his subjects. But this manifestation of Jesus can be so perverted and distorted and damaging to the vision of Christ. The desire to make him king as a wholesale food provider was based upon personal selfishness and the people who saw the kingdom in terms of the material the Economics the politic the political aspect of it, but Jesus reveals himself first as a teacher.

He fed their spirits. You know, I just love one time before I before I pass off the scene. I just love one time to be in a healing campaign. Right in the middle of great miracles going on when the healing evangelist will stop and say all right sit down.

Everybody sit down now open your Bibles to Jeremiah. Or open your Bibles to Romans and who begin to teach them and say all right miracles of the yes, this is God. This is a revelation of Jesus Christ in his miracle working power.

But then to stop and to feed them. You see we have no right to claim his function as supplier of material need except in the order of his own revelation. He is teacher and Lord and prophet and King. But he is not crowned king on the basis that he will care for my body.

But on the basis that I grasp the eternal truths of his purpose, which are primarily spiritual in nature first of all Jesus said take no thought for your life what you shall eat or what you shall drink.

Christ in the Storm: Recognizing Him in Contrary Circumstances

He said it's a it's a Gentiles that worry about that. It's the Gentiles. It's the heathen that worry about that He said but seek ye first the kingdom of God. That's the revelation now. Finally, I Want you to note number four and after bidding them farewell or remember let's pick it up in verse 45 immediately He made his disciples get into the boat.

He sent them on a mission and We see that in the event that followed that they had a Miss they miscalculated who Jesus was very amazing very tragic miscalculation they they thought a divine appearance was a demonic appearance and Then the mr.

But let's read it verse 45 and immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him on the other side. While he himself was sending the multitude away and After bidding them farewell, he departed to the mountain to pray and when it was evening the boat was in the midst of the sea and he was alone on the land and Seeing them straining at the oars for the wind was against them at about the fourth watch of the night he came to them walking on the water and he intended to pass by them and When he and when they saw him walking on the water, they supposed that it was a ghost and cried out.

For they all saw him and were frightened but immediately he spoke with them and said to them take courage it is I do not be afraid and he got into the boat with them and the wind stopped and they were greatly astonished for they did had not gained any insight for the incident of the loaves, but rather their heart was hard.

Now Jesus sent them on a mission and although they had no idea what the mission was He told him the cross over on the other side and he would meet them. So they obeyed him. And as a result of that obedience what happens to them in verse 48 and that night they were straining at the oars against the wind.

Now I propose to you that this is a picture of the church always when you see the disciples in a boat. It's a picture of the Church of Jesus Christ. And so this is a picture of the church and it's a picture of where we all find ourselves at times fulfilling the will of God brings us up against adversaries that often threaten our very souls and sometimes our very lives and The disciples were so engrossed in their own personal survival.

They forgot who had sent them on this journey. They were on a mission for the Lord. Now again, what a contrasting scene. In the sea and in the boat from what they had just witnessed remember I said they had just come out of this great crusade this great miracle crusade where they would have made him king and if they had made him king think what that would have meant for them and It's a question that they had asked, you know and said when you come into your kingdom, where are we going to be?

And if Jesus had done that they would have been in his cabinet as it were. But Jesus sent them from the miraculous. He sent them away from the sensational into the incredible and from the glamour of the feeding of 5 ,000 To 12 men trying to survive for their lives in a little boat in the middle of typhoon type winds.

Again, notice wordy verse 45. It said he made the disciples get into the boat. And I'm sure that in the middle of the that they were reminded of that and said, you know It's the Lord's fault we're here in the first place.

He put us in this do-or-die situation but their lack of vision did not enable them to understand the purposes of God and Even to recognize Jesus when he did appear they almost missed him. You talk about missing the boat.

They almost missed the captain of their salvation. Jesus was and is the captain of the waves and If they had had enough faith to realize this instead of thinking that the winds were contrary they would have known That even winds that were contrary were in their favor.

Because when the Lord is in control of the direction of your lives, it doesn't matter which way the winds are blowing economic winds or Political winds or any other religious winds. It doesn't matter Common or gone that take you in the right direction.

Hallelujah what they almost missed Jesus because they did not Understand his manifestation in contrary situations. You see the positive gospel thinking today makes many people miss Christ in negative situations.

Jesus is not only in great feelings. He is also in and at lonely battles at the fourth watch of the night. Verse 48 in the King James Says what that they were in in my Bible. It says they were straining at their oars, and I believe the King James says they were toiling and rowing.

But the Greek rendering is this you know what it is to torture to torture to be harassed distressed and Remember that it was the Lord who put them in a tormenting torturous situation. Now when Christ did appear.

Note how inaccurate was their vision of who appeared verse 49 and they supposed that it had been a spirit you see they thought it was an apparition and The word here in the original was associated with magic and charms and thus with a system of Satan.

Now, can you imagine that? They were so engrossed in their problem. They were so unable to recognize the Lord when he appeared that they actually they couldn't visualize that he would permit them to be tormented and So they mistakenly think that it's a representative of Satan who appears instead of the Lord.

You see if we think that the Lord is never capable of sending his church or his people on a mission. That is troublesome and tormenting. Or to go through storms where the conditions are contrary. We may think we're a victim of Satan rather than an object of the love of Jesus Christ.

They were an object of his love. He came to them walking on the water and he intended to pass by now that rendering there. Could be misleading as if to say that Jesus didn't really want to be there. No, that's not what it means.