Jesus' Words Transform

Jesus’ Words Transform
‭‭Mark‬ ‭7‬:‭31‬-‭37‬ 

Words are powerful. We all have experienced this. Jesus’ words are the most powerful words. Jesus is the word whose words hold the power to create, heal, and restore. With one word, He can change a life. 

• Mark, in His Gospel, has been unveiling the identity of Jesus by demonstrating the power of His words. Today we will see this theme continue and how specifically...
• Main Idea: Jesus’ Words Transform.  When Jesus speaks, lives are changed. 
  
  Mark‬ ‭7‬:‭31‬-‭37‬ - “Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha (Eff-fatha),” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

• Background/Geography - Map (v.31) | Mark begins by giving us some geographical information. 
  • Jesus casts out demons (legion) from a possessed man in Gerasenes, what does he cast the demons into? Pigs! Not Jews - 5:20 - “So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.”
• Tyre and Sidon along coast. Decapolis, east of sea of Galilee, ten cities, gentile cities but had Jewish populations. 
• (v.32) Brought to Jesus a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. Most likely a Gentile man, Jesus heart for THE WORLD

I. Jesus’ Words are Personal

• For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses - Hebrews 4:1
• And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. Mark 7:32-23
• He speaks to the man privately.
• He touches the man!
• Sigh - passionate plea. Groan. He suffers with us.
• The miracle of God speaking to us! He wants a relationship with us! He wants to speak to you…
• Jesus wants to speak to you today personally. That is why we spend half our time together opening up the Word of God, because we really believe that God speaks! He wants to convict of sin, guide us into truth…He wants to change you, to conform you into His likeness TODAY, and trust me, when you PERSONALLY encounter the words of Jesus YOU WILL BE TRANSFORMED. Because Jesus’ Words Transform. 

II. Jesus’ Words are Powerful

• Mark, inspired by God as he writes, has been demonstrating the power of Jesus’ words…:
• Here His word is simple, Ephphatha - translated in English means “be opened!” - They have immediate effect. The man can hear, and he can speak plainly! 
  • 1:17 - “Follow me” (drop nets)
  • 1:41 - (moved with pity for a leper) “Be clean”
  • 2:5 - (friends lower a paralytic down in front of him) “Son, your sins are forgiven” 
  • 2:11 - (that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”  Rise, pick up your bed and go home!
  • 2:14 - Follow Me (tax collector follows)
  • 3:5 - (a man with a withered hand in the synagogue) Stretch out your hand 
  • 4:39 - (disciples caught in a storm, with waves filling up the boat) Peace! Be still
  • 5:41 - (dead girl) talitha cumi - arise little girl
  • Jesus’ Words Transform. 
• The powerful words of Jesus leave us with no question of His identity.
  • Hebrews 1:3 - He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. 
  • Jesus is the Word that became flesh. The word that was with God. The word that was God. The Word that is God. The Word that said, “LET THERE BE LIGHT” 
  • Exodus 4:10-12 - But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak – 
  • Mark has been answering the question WHO IS THIS MAN? And the power of Jesus’ words demonstrate that He is LORD. He is the Creator. He is the I Am WHO I AM. YAHWEH.  
  • “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord…”  2 Cor. 3:18
  • And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Mark 7:34-35

• What can His powerful words do you in your life? They can give you hope in despair. They can bring comfort in loss. They can bring light into the darkness. They can speak freedom to slaves of sin. They offer forgiveness to the guilty. They humble the proud. THEY OPEN DEAF EARS AND LOOSEN THE MUTE TONGUE. Jesus’ words are powerful. They have the power to transform, 

III. Jesus’ Words Result in Praise 

•  And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Mark 7:36-37
• The only proper response to encountering the words of Jesus are praise. Worship. Why? Because His Words transform us, they give us hope, they mean I am not an accident on on a rock flying through space but the Creator of my life wants to know me and speak to me. 
• “Mute” only other place this word is used in LXX
  • In section, “the ransomed shall return” Isaiah 35:4-6 - Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
  • Written over 700 years before Christ, before the Babylonian captivity! Jesus
  • Mark is making a case that Jesus is THE MESSIAH 
    • “In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭29‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬
  • Jesus is the fulfillment of these prophecies. He is the Holy One of Israel. And when people encounter Him and His Words they sing for joy, 
• Jesus then tells him to be quiet - they don’t listen. The more he charged them…The right response to the words of Jesus - TELL SOMEONE! PRAISE GOD. 
  • Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Conclusion
 

• This account reflects our story
  • We didn’t have ears to hear - Now we can’t stop listening
  • We didn’t have a voice to speak - we didn’t have a story to tell -  Now we can’t stop sharing. 
• Church, have you encountered Jesus? 
  • Has the power of His Word transformed your life?
• Three outcomes: 
  • Do you know His Words? He has spoken! He is not silent and wants to speak to u today.
  • Do you love His Words? Psalm 19:10 - More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
  • Do you share His Words? 
    • This deaf and mute man was able to experience this miracle, the transformative power of Jesus’ words because someone brought him…
    • Mark 5 - And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
    • This death and mute man’s life was transformed because another man told his story of what Jesus had done for Him.  
    • Romans 10:14-15 - How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 
  • No words more powerful than “it is finished” (John 19:30). 
  • John 6:68 - Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,