(Following the Footsteps of Christ) the Unique Teacher — Willie Mullan

My times are in my hand, my God I wish them there, my life, my friends, my soul I leave entirely to thy care. 6 -6 -1 please. Mark's Gospel chapter 11 this evening. Mark's Gospel and we're up to the 11th chapter.

We've been following the footsteps of Christ. For the last 23 weeks now we're up to 23rd week this evening. And next week we're going to head south. When the Lord sends his space as a flint to go to Jerusalem.

Then we'll watch him going on into Gethsemane and up to Gabbatha and Golgotha. And we'll watch the cross and get the details and the burial and the resurrection and the ascension. And we're going to follow the footsteps until he sits down on that throne above.

Christ as the Unique Teacher

But this evening I want to just start to take a halt with the Saviour. And we want to watch the uniqueness of Christ the Teacher. The other week we were looking at him as preacher. You remember the officer said, never man speak like this man.

And of course I was a great preacher. He could hold the audience. He could move the audience. Sometimes some of them dwindled. And it is perfectly true that never man speak like this man. I'm taking him up as a teacher this evening.

And I want to deal with some of the objects he used. The teachers have objects and the object lesson, the idea, you know. It's been used by all teachers from the world began. Now I couldn't take all the objects that Jesus used during his ministry.

I can only take some. And I can't take all the parables because we'd have a session. And maybe one day we will have this when we take the parables or the miracles on their own. So I'm just taking some to show you the uniqueness of the teacher this evening.

The Fig Tree as Christ's Object Lesson

And this is the first one. With it Mark's Gospel chapter 11. And with it verse 12. And on the morrow, when labourer come from Bethany, he was hungry. You see I really believe that the Master had been out on the Mount all night.

I think if I was at this time with the other Gospels we can prove this quite conclusively but it doesn't matter. And I believe he's coming back in the morning. The other men have been to home, you know.

You remember one of the Gospels says they went to their own home. He went to the Mount of Olives. And I think he's coming back in the morning and he's hungry. And the word hungry is put in there. It's one of the little comments of the Spirit.

Just to let us know that the Master was perfectly human. Because we've had a lot of this going through the Gospels. We remembered when he came up the heights of Canaria to the well. That being really with the journey.

And as he sat down on the well, really with the journey. We were reminded again of his perfect humanity. Because it was the same when he was asleep in the Hindu part of the book. It was perfectly the same when he walked, real peace, with real feeling, real sympathy, real sorrow, up the grave of life.

Because all these are accompanied very soon by demonstrations of his deity. You see being really sitting on the well. Yet you know he knew this woman through and through. Go call thy husband. She hung her head and said I have no husband.

He'd never been in Canaria before. He'd never seen her before. He said thou hast answered the righteous. For thou hast had five husbands. And he whom thou knowest is not thy husband. Because he was God you know.

Well as man. And when he was awake from the sleep in the boat he just stood up and looked at the storm and said rise on. He looked at the waves and said pace. And there was a great calm. Because he was not only man you know and could sleep.

He was God. And could talk to the storm. He stood at the grave of Lazarus and he wept. And he was really sorry for these broken hearted sisters. And then he said all the world is cold. And then he said Lazarus come forth.

Because he was God. Make no mistake for God is. You'll always find these two railway lines running together. He was perfect man. But he was perfect God. And did he just put him here just to tell us. That he was really human.

He was hungry. Verse thirteen. And clean a fig tree afar off. And mark the afar off. Because that will tell you immediately if you've got any study. That it was a big fig tree. Stored afar off. Fig trees in that part of the country go to about eighteen or twenty feet high.

When they're fully developed. And I think this was a big one on the mountain side. And clean the fig tree afar off. Having leaves. He could see it was clothed with leaves. He came. If happily and that's a great word.

He might find anything there on. And when he came to it he found nothing but leaves. For the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it. And just mark it. He's talking to the tree now.

No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever. And his disciples heard it. Verse twenty. And in the morning as they passed by. That was the next day. They saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. From the roots right to the top.

And Peter calling to remembering said unto him. Master. Behold the fig tree which thou purchased. Is withered away. And Jesus answering said unto them. Have faith in God. Now this fig tree that he took them to.

He was just taking them because he was going to use it as an object lesson. Let me say just quickly that this is one. Of the mightiest miracles the master. Ever performed in his ministry. Don't make any mistakes about that.

Because I hear about the mighty heroes that are all around me. And I never hear about one of them talking to a tree. Not one. You can't fool a tree. And there can be no tricks with a tree. This is a tree.

You can play tricks with men if you get them to play with you. But there's no tricks in it. He never even touched this tree. He didn't touch it. Just looked at it. Stood back. And cursed it. And it fell.

And I don't see any one of them having a go at this. I don't see one. I think it's one of the mightiest miracles. And of course all the modernists. And all the critics of the Bible. And the critics of Christ.

And all the old half-dumb, half-dreamers that are around. They can't put a stop against this miracle. But they have a lot of things to say about the master. You see this is the type of thing they say.

Answering Criticism of the Fig Tree Miracle

The modernists say to me. Well if Jesus saw this fig tree afar off. And he went to it. If happily he might find anything thereon. Then surely his knowledge is limited. He didn't know whether there were figs on it or not.

For the modernists say. That his knowledge was limited. And then the old critics of the Bible say this to me. One old fellow said to me once. He said. Did you notice the phrase here. The time of figs was not yet.

It was not the season for figs. He said surely it's unreasonable. To look for figs when it's not the season for figs. And they say the attitude of the Lord was totally unreasonable. But the old fellow that was arguing with me you see.

I had to point out to him. That the phrase that he was using for his argument. Was something that was put there by the Holy Ghost. And on other occasions he would be arguing against the inspiration of the scriptures.

And I said to him. Don't forget that the argument you're having. Is just a phrase that was put there by the Holy Ghost. And I hope you'll admit it. He said to me it's absolutely unreasonable. He actually said to me.

If you should go looking for apples on an apple tree at Christmas. Sure the thing's unreasonable. It's not the time for figs. So you can see that the moderns have a lot to say. And the critics have a lot to say.

But the blasphemers come out into the open. And one of them said once. For faith to curse this hatred. For to dare to curse it. Why it's unrighteous. It's unrighteous judgment against an innocent thing.

For you can see the charges that are left against the master. They say his knowledge is limited. They say the attitude of his mind is unreasonable. They say it's unrighteous judgment that's being poured out on this innocent thing.

But when these fellows come out into the arena. You know to have a bit of a go. Usually they open their mouths. And reveal their total ignorance. Processing themselves to be wise. They become fools. And don't you ever be fooled by them.

Because maybe you don't know the answers to these things. Now that's okay. Alright. You're not just supposed to know everything. But don't let them upset you. Always remember there are folks around who know the answers.

Because there are answers to these things. You see in my early days. Just after I was saved. I got a job in Dixon's nursery. And they don't only grow roses down there. They grow every conceivable kind of tree under the sun.

And for ten years. I was the foreman over that department. And there were times. When I knew 700 trees. By just simply looking at the bark. Even in the winter time. And you know I didn't know in those days.

That I was treading around with a big pair of rubber boots on. Up to the knees and muck. And glory. I didn't know that I was learning things. But I was you know. It was the start of school that the Lord sent me to.

And I happen to know almost everything there is to know about trees. Now don't you come round looking for me to go up to see you replaced. For I have left the tree business long ago. I was having my lunch with a lady in a big mansion near the beach.

And she took me out to her lovely Sunday afternoon. She'd be gone. She was telling me all the time. She was upside down in the most of them. But I never let on she was. I just listened away to her crapping away you know.

She didn't know a thing about what she was talking about. Somebody did her giving her the wrong label. Because she was just putting on a show for me. So you have to be very careful when you're treading around with old pictures.

You never know what they might know you know. But I happen to know all about fig trees you see. Everything about them. Now there are two or three botanists from Queens in the meeting back there sitting smiling down.

And they're learning all about trees. And it's a great subject and bless them for it. Now they know and I know that there's something about a fig tree that's absolutely different entirely to every other tree.

And it's this. You see a fig tree bears its figs before it bears its leaves. If you didn't know that you know it now. The little figs come out on the branch first. Just the bare figs. And then they grow a little bit bigger.

And then the leaves begin to appear and the leaves begin to cover the figs. And you can be perfectly sure that if a fig tree of this dimension has leaves on it it must have fruit on it. But then you see the plain simple fact that the Holy Ghost is trying to teach us is this.

That the time of things was not yet. So that what you are being taken to as an object lesson this evening is a freak fig tree. Absolutely a freak. It was bearing leaves at the wrong season. It wasn't bearing fruit at all before it bore leaves.

It's an absolutely freak fig tree. And the Master knew all about it. He knew the seasons. Don't tell me he didn't know the seasons. And he saw this thing apart off on the top of the hill there with all the leaves.

He can see it. Now the word happily is a great word. And they tried to jump on this word. There are Greek scholars in the meeting and the word is aga. Aga. I think the Greeks pronounce it. Now I want you to get the hold of that because you'll find it a whole lot of times in the New Testament.

Once or twice it's translated by the word happily. Once it's translated by the phrase what manner of man is this. You know I have a feeling that the Master looked and thought and knew. What manner of fig tree is this.

Might have well been put in there. It was something out of the ordinary. It's a Greek one. It's bearing leaves when it shouldn't be bearing them. And it has no fruit when it has the true leaf and it ought to be the other way round.

But the Master knew. Oh my dear friend there was nothing limited about his knowledge. In fact you know I've got a great bit of joy out of these old fools talking when they don't even know a thing about the fig tree.

And when I start to tell them they look as if somebody hit them on the head with a hammer. And that's what you should do anyway. But you're not allowed to do that there. Yeah they do talk out of the turn of times.

And if you were just an innocent believer you know they'd put you against the wall and they'd thought to have you in and you wouldn't know the answers. But don't you be afraid of them. You know what the old critic standing on a box at the street corner did once?

He was cutting the Bible for teachers. And he was turning it asunder and saying terrible things about Jesus. And Dr. Ironside had read a big Negro man for the Lord the night before. And he could see this big man standing in the crowd.

Watching this man. Looking at him. Never taking his eyes off him. And Dr. Ironside wondered now how's he getting on tonight? This fellas pulling the Bible to teachers. And he got up beside him, crushed him until he was just behind him rather.

And he said what do you think of that my friend? And he never turned round to see who it was. He said Trumbull can't answer him. But something inside Trumbull says he's a liar. That was a good boy. The man couldn't answer.

But he knew it was all wrong. There are times when you can't answer. But let me tell you there are other folks who can. Don't you let them push you around you know. They're so clever with their criticism and their blasphemies.

They need to be because the old devil is leading them. These angels of light that come around. Now you can see now that the Lord knew all about it. That this was a freak fig tree. You know this freak fig tree stands for everything that is unnatural.

The Fig Tree and Religious Pretension

Now this was perfectly unnatural. A fig tree shouldn't bear leaves before it bears fruit. And it should never bear leaves no fruit. When it's not the season. So it was perfectly unnatural. You know there's a whole lot of folks who push off.

To know God but in works. They deny him. You know they come to him with the lips. Now but their hearts are far from them. It's all a show you know. It's all an outward show. This old freak fig tree. It was only an outward show.

There was nothing but leaves there. It's unnatural. And it speaks for everything that's deception. And everything that's pretension. You know Sue Russell likes came to the door all some years ago. Went to the door and in two seconds I know who they are.

Big lady one of them was a lady. She said to me we would like to talk to you. I said about the bodily resurrection of Jesus. She said that's what you would like to talk about. That's right. I didn't stand for you and if you're coming I'll choose a subject.

She said you would go to John too wouldn't you. And you would point out that Jesus said destroy this body and in three days I will raise it again. I said that's right dear. I'll just check me with the woody and we'll see how we go.

Now I can see in a glance that she not only knew the truth. She knew the truth. She didn't want to discuss that truth. She just turned away. She said we have no time for you. I never stand for you you know.

You see here's a woman in the event of evil. She knows. But she wants to go on with this damnable heresy. She wants to go on with it. She's like a fig tree. It's all upward swing. There's nothing in it at all.

Yes it's like Pharisee to religion. It's all on the outside isn't it. You know it's very much you know. All this unnatural pretension and deception. It can never satisfy anybody. I'll never sustain myself.

My episteme to the fig tree. There's nothing there to satisfy you if you're hungry. There's nothing there to sustain your strength. It's all outward swing. It's like Romanism. I would say loudly this evening.

That the greatest religious show on God's earth is the Roman church. Oh yes you should see them when they're really at it. If you were in Rome one day. In St. Peter's prayer when all the cardinals are walking.

In Charlotte with all the vestments. And if you could see this mighty cathedral that they have. And Jesus show us it's bust. There's nothing that you can put on on the front that you like. And much as I assure you.

But I say. This is the greatest show on earth. That I've seen in my life. And they're going into eternity. There's nothing in it. They're down in these. That's all it is. I talked to a young fellow not so very long ago.

Beautiful young lad. And he said to me. Mr. Mohan tell me about communism. I said. Are you thinking about communism? He said. I am you know. I'm very interested. I said. You know son. If you read about it.

Everything that's on paper is really wonderful. Because they're going to take this imagination. They're going to put it over the world. And they're going to give every man and woman and boy and girl. And they're going to make them equal with everyone else.

On paper they are. But it doesn't work out you know. Doesn't work out. I was talking to an old fellow last week. Who had 40 ,000 pounds in the bank. In Estonia. When the Russians walk in. And from that moment he hasn't got a penny in this world.

Why have you lost 40 ,000 in one night. And a big Russian soldier puts you out of the bank door. And says you have no money anymore. They have done that the world over. At all the places that they ran over.

And they left everything. Do you think that they just break it up. And give it out to the poor folks in Russia. Do you? It goes to the machine of the party. That's where it goes. I'll tell you they keep the machine running.

Take all the money they can get for the machine. And the folks in Russia are starving. And would come to the west if they could come tonight. Ah don't bluff yourself with communism. There's nothing in it.

It's a great show isn't it. Of fig leaves. And modernism. Oh I'd be amused at the modernists. I was taken out for lunch once. And I knew right away where I was going. I was going to an old professor's house.

Who was a real modernist. And he was going to take me. Down the lane. Down through the valley. Away down to the beginning. Where our fathers came from monkeys. He was really going to let me see this thing working.

You see he thought I came from Ireland you know. Where the pigs were in the barrow. And all the rest of it. Maybe he shouldn't laugh because. I used to sleep in a house. Where the old fella kept the. I was going to say the cow but.

The cow. Where he kept the cow. In a little room just off the house you know. When the sun was beginning to pig. He'd drop her in. Put straw down. Chap her in there. My wee boys used to go and sit round the fire.

Waiting for the little piglets to appear. A dozen or maybe more of them. And there she was as happy as love. You know we had a young fella. Who came along one night. He's only twelve. He'd never seen a pig.

And they'd never seen piglets before. And somebody took him into the room. And he rang out and he said. John. They've hovered down him. They've eaten all the buttons of her wrist. So you know now. That's the country that you come from.

Some of these old modernists. Just think that we're there like that you know. Well it was good to have the experiences. And you know this old fella said to me. I listened carefully you know. He went down through this long.

Labyrinth of academic. Scholarly discussion. Just to prove that we came from monkeys. And I said. I'll tell you this professor. The more I see you monkeying along with truth. And the more I hear you talking about monkeys.

The more I'm persuaded. Not about involution that we came from monkeys. But if there is such a word as involution. I think we're going back to monkeys. And you're there at the head of the line. That's where you are.

And these old fellas talk this crap. You know. You'll find monkeys in those zoos. More sense. Modernists. Modernism. Has nothing to offer you. Father said these. There's nothing in Romanism. And there's nothing in Communism.

And there's nothing in Modernism. No. It's just this great fig tree. It's unnatural. It's a freak thing. And the Lord took it up to teach us a great lesson. You know. I think the lesson didn't come till the next day.

Faith in God Amid Unnaturalness and Crisis

Because. In the morning it says. As they passed by. They saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remember him. Said unto him. Master. Behold the fig tree. Which thou chastest. Is withered away.

And Jesus answering says. Answer them. Have faith. In God. You know. I think there's a tremendous lesson here. This is what the Lord. Brought them here for. You know. There are so many freak things in this world tonight.

You know. We believers need to have our faith. Absolutely in God. You see. We have terrorism in this land of ours. And there are terrorists. That are abroad every month I think. As far as I can see. These two Roman Catholics.

That were murdered last night. Were folks who were doing nobody any harm. As far as I can see. And we're getting this on the right hand. And on the left. Night after night. And we get people murdered night after night.

And terrorism. Seems to be spreading itself abroad. Like a green day tree. I have seen the wicked prosper. Said the psalmist. Like a green day tree. And I would say to all the believers. You know. The truth that you need to get the hold of is this.

Have faith in God. That's what you need to have. You need to have faith in God.

You know. The eyes of the Lord. Are over the righteous.

And his faith. The faith of the Lord. Is against them that do evil. You know. This book declares. That God shall make the wrath of man to praise him. You know. God shall rule tonight. And tomorrow. In every way.

You get the hold of it. Because it only needs one word from God. And this thing will wither. And that's where we need to have our thank you note. Just there. And immediately behind that he said this to them.

He said have faith in God. For verily I say unto you. That whosoever shall say unto this mountain. Be thou removed. Oh what a text for a Sunday morning. Be thou removed. And be thou cast into the sea.

And shall not doubt in his heart. But shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass. He shall have whatsoever he saith. It's a tremendous thing. You know. This is another lesson he's bringing in.

It's the same thing. He's trying to force it. It's an immovable mountain you know. And this mountain can stand for all our problems you know. You know friends every one of us comes face to face with problems.

Now I can tell you this. If you take your problem to the Lord in prayer. You've got to take it to the Lord in prayer. I'll tell you this you know. You can have it removed. This is where sometimes people who are not as spiritual as they should be.

Begin to argue with you. I can tell you it's faith in God that you need. You know on Sunday I wasn't too well. And I was doppering about on my feet. And I had fallen against the fence over there. I picked myself up and went home.

My big son comes in. He's 37. He's a man. He said listen dad. You've just gone about throwing up with it. I'm still the captain of this boat you know. You suck and make and watch yourself in case you get the catch.

He said dad you know you're not well. And you'll have to go to bed. I said son. When the Lord gives me a message for the people. And I'm quite sure he's given me the message. You can be pretty sure that I'll deliver.

And you're not to come in between this thing at all. If I go and deliver it. And I die in the deliverance. Then that's exactly how the Lord wants it to finish. And I just. I'm stupid. I won't listen to anything else.

You can remove the problems you know. You need to take it to the Lord. And you can take difficulties. And you can take afflictions. And I don't want to go into all that with you. I want to take a moment or two of these parables.

The Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Lost Son

Let's come to Luke's Gospel. Chapter 15. Luke's Gospel 15. Now let's get the setting of this right. Because I'm afraid that sometimes. The setting of this is never touched. Verse 1. Luke 15 verse 1. Then drew near unto him all republicans and sinners for to hear him.

Now we've been through this. And in this class we know who republicans are. They're the tax government. The Jews who were working for the Roman government. Collecting tax from their fellow Jews. These were republicans.

Now the word sinners is in a very special sense. We know that all have sinned and that everybody is a sinner. But the word here is in a special sense. This is referring to Jews. Who never entered the temple.

Who never brought an offering. Who never attended one of the feasts. Who would never at the Passover. These were Jews who never go to church to get the hold of that. Now these tax governors and these Jews.

They're drawing nigh to hear him. Why he attracted these men when even the Pharisees couldn't get a side look from them. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured saying. This man receives the sinners and eateth with them.

You know that's a tremendous thing. There are four different crowds there. Republicans and sinners and Pharisees and scribes. And the Pharisees were murmuring now. This man receives the sinners and eateth with them.

And I shall always remember that last little phrase. You know there's an old lady. She lives in Liverpool. Her name is Edith Chambers. Chambers. She's 95 I think just now. She's an old salvationist. She's always a salvation-army bonneter.

But if ever there was an old lady in this world who loved the Lord Jesus. It's old Edith. Just last week we had a letter from her. She had led three people to the Lord. And Sunday morning at Cox's Death Baptist Church she sat on the feet.

And you should see her eyes. My they're sparkling. I think she's Irish. I told her this. I said you're not English. You're Irish. Your eyes are smiling. Those are Irish eyes wherever you got them. And she's an old girl.

She says you know Mr. Maugham. You know the Bible outside in. It's my name in the Bible. What one may mean. She says Edith. I says of course Edith's in the Bible. She says I always wanted to see this.

I says I'll read you where it is. And it's right here. It says and the father sees and scribes murmured saying this man receiveth sinners and Edith with them. Which is all preached about this. So she's there alright.

But she's too wide awake to get out of her honour. But you can see the crowd that's there. These boys are murmuring because he's talking to poor sinners who never go to church. So we speak this parable unto them.

He's talking to these fathers, these and scribes. Speak this parable unto them. What man of you having a hundred sheep. If he lose one of them. Does not leave the nineteen men in the wilderness. I want you to get the hold of that.

Because you know we sing the hymn wrong. Or whoever wrote it, wrote it wrong. They say in that great hymn. Ninety and nine that faithfully lay in the shelter of the foals. I can tell you they were in the wilderness.

They were not in the foal yet. Don't you make any mistakes about it. You're going to find out out in the morning. Leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost. Until he find it.

And when he has found it he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he come before him he calls together his friends and neighbours saying. Unto them rejoice with me. For I have found my sheep which was lost.

And I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in heaven. Over one sinner that repented. More than over ninety and nine just persons. Which need no repentance. You see these ninety and nine were the Pharisees.

And they actually thought that they needed no repentance. And the one that was lost was the sinner. Or the text God. So he is beginning to show. Now it's the same with the lost coin. See the next one verse in.

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver. If she lose one piece. Does not light a candle and sweep the house. And speak diligently until she find it. And when she has found it she calls her friends and her neighbours together saying.

Rejoice with me. For I have found the peace which I had lost. Likewise I say unto you there is joy. In the presence of the angels of God. And don't let's ever mix that up. It's not joy in the angels of God you know.

Sometimes I hear you praying about the angels rejoicing. And I believe they do. But that's not what the Bible is saying. It's saying that there is joy in the presence of the angels. Who is in the presence of the angels tonight?

I'll tell you. My morals there. Now I'll tell you there was a day. When I lost she was found. And some old angel came down to the stage. And said. Mrs. Maugham. Will you say it. And there was rejoicing.

In the presence of the angels of God.

All around the house there was dancing. Yes.

Well I know all about it up there. When folks get saved down here you know. Yeah they're told about it. If you're praying. Keep on praying. And if your prayers are not answered before you go. They'll be answered after you go.

And some angel will come round and tell you. Yes. You see these great parables. There's the parable of the lost torn. There's the parable of the lost sheep. The parable of the lost son. Now this is a wonderful way the teacher took to teach things.

Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

Isn't it? And there's a great truth to it. And I think it's a mighty one. You know I was travelling along in Canada once. And the back of the car there was an old character. And he was one of these extraordinary ultra-Calvinists.

I make no mistakes about it that I'm a Calvinist of some kind. But you know there are so-called Calvinists in the world tonight. Who just don't have any place at all for human responsibility. And this was one of them in the back of the car.

And he said to me you know I heard you saying something the other evening. That would make me think that you thought there was some place for human responsibility. Yes I do I think. Oh no, no, no, no.

He said there is not. So I knew we were going to have a bit of a row. So I said to him now well we'll start here. And I got the Bible out and I said. He said. He will not come on to me that you might have lost.

Tell me what he meant. And he wouldn't make any comment. I said alright we'll go here. He said how often would I have gathered you together at the end of gather for good under the ring. And you would not.

He didn't say you could not. He said you would not. I said do you believe what Stephen said that you can raise much the Holy Ghost. Do you? Cause you can you know. You know there is a day coming when God will have to say to men.

Because I called. And you refused.

And you can refuse you know. He said you know if you go on talking to me like this you are going to have no sovereignty in this at all. Oh I said friend I believe in sovereignty. And so I do I can put the text on the other side now.