Home Field Disadvantage

Notes: Home Field Disadvantage
Mark 6:1–6
Pastor Levi Lusko 
Thursday, December 11, 2014 — 7:00 p.m.

Dominic Bali will be here next Thursday.

Levi is here, telling us a story about running to his car in the snow and jumping in he holes of foot tracks that someone laid in front of him. He said that is like what Greg has done for him in ministry.

Faith is something that God has put the power of in our own hands. God will put it in you as far as you trust Him.

Expectation determines experience! 

Levi said this is one of the most frightening stories in the Bible. Mark 6: 1-6

He says when we read the Bible we need to make sure we understand it.

Mark 6:1 NKJV
[1] Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.

Jesus Christ had just left Capernum. 

There is a sign over the gates of Capernum today that say Jesus Home Town. We know that Jesus Christ is not actually from there.

Levi is giving us a back story of Mark 6 by going through Mark 5 quickly. Showing all the miracles Jesus Christ had done before he went home.

You will not see in God more than you believe. In chapter 5 the people believed and they saw amazing miracles.

Nazareth is Jesus Christ's home town and that is where he went in chapter 6.

After a season on the road these were home games.

Mark 6:1-6 NKJV
[1] Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. [2] And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! [3] Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" So they were offended at Him. [4] But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house." [5] Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. [6] And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

They say you can never go back. Once you leave you will always fill a bit of nostalgia when you go back. The past always seems a little better then the current.

It's always hard to go back.

Mark 6:6 NKJV
[6] And He marveled.....

That is hard to imagine that Jesus was astonished by something.

The only other time he marveled was...Matthew 8:10 NKJV
[10] When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

Jesus was referring to how great this mans faith was.

Levi says if you want to get someone's attention like marveling them, then do things that they love and hate.

He "marvels" over people's faith and their absence of faith.

Despite these stories are opposites they both have in common that Jesus gave them both what they wanted.

5 take away truths from this message.

1. God wants to bless you.

He had preached in Nazereth before.

Luke 4:28 NKJV
[28] So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

This was not good.

Luke 4:29 NKJV
[29] 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 the cliff.

The last time he was in Nazereth they wanted to kill Him, yet He went back anyway. Because he loved them and wanted to bless them, just like He wants to bless you.

Psalm 84:11 NKJV
[11] For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.

Ephesians 1:3-4 NKJV
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, [4] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

Gods blessing's through Christ Jesus are there for the taking and limitless through your own faith in Jesus.

2. God wants to make us a blessing to all people.

Levi says Jesus' favorite type of math is multiplication. Many think that God is into subtraction, taking from us. Jesus only asked for all of one persons money in the Bible. Yet in the Bible He gives much more then most have ever had.

God is not teaching us prosperity doctrine, He is teaching us generosity.

There is spiritual fruit in giving to Gods Kingdom.

Levi is talking about being a rich man or a poor man. He is saying that Gods blessings are not like pie, where as you have more than others have less. He gives more to those that give more.

Faith is the key to it all.

Faith hits the gas peddle and unbelief hits the brakes.

Because they didn't have faith... Mark 6:5 NKJV [5] Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.

Unbelief removes blessings from you.

Mark 6:6 NKJV
[6] And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

This text tells us what is amazing to Jesus is not the same as what impresses us.

Save a mans soul and he is set forever. 

That is why this was not impressive to Jesus.

3. Those with the greatest access are in the biggest danger.

The people of Nazereth were jealous of Him. Familiarity can breed contempt.

Nazareth had Jesus for thirty years yet He could do no miracles for them.

Levi is talking how lucky we are as a church to get to see so many come to faith.

4. The curse of knowledge must be consciously compensated for constantly.

Like working so hard in your business that you lose the custom experience.

The key is gratitude. You foster all things with a heart of gratitude.

You should never let the miracles of Jesus be just another day.

5. The life you are born to live is surrounded by an atmosphere of faith.

He is talking about how fans have been proven by a Harvard study to raise a teams chance of winning.

We need to make sure to cheer on our Savior Jesus by being His biggest fans!