[0:00] We shall now read again at verse 5 in the chapter which we already read in Mark, chapter 6 of the Gospel according to Mark.
[0:10] And again reading at verse 5. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them.
[0:23] And he marveled because of their unbelief and he went round about the villages teaching. Especially these words in verse 6.
[0:37] And he marveled because of their unbelief. We have to remember that these words are written about the eternal son of God.
[0:50] Who is the same in substance, equal in power and glory with God the Father. During the days of his humiliation as a man in this world amongst men.
[1:06] We must take special notice of every word written about him.
[1:18] But I think it is correct to say that there is a special attraction, special notice to be taken when it is said of such an one as he is and was.
[1:39] That he marveled about anything. I think whatever it is that made him to marvel ought to be a matter of special interest to us.
[1:56] Now when we look back again at the words you will recall that they tell us that he marveled because of their unbelief.
[2:15] It was unbelief on the part of men and of women and no doubt of children as well that made the Lord Jesus Christ to marvel.
[2:32] To be amazed or astonished. Their unbelief. And for a while as we are enabled we shall try and meditate together on unbelief.
[2:57] And our meeting tonight here would be a means of special blessing. For every one of ourselves.
[3:09] If it led us to marvel. At our own unbelief. If it even led us to examine.
[3:25] What is meant by unbelief. And to examine ourselves in order to discover to ourselves our own personal unbelief.
[3:36] Our meeting together would not be in vain. No doubt. It would be cause of rejoicing for us in eternity.
[3:51] Let alone in time. And perhaps more so in eternity than in time. If we were led truly to examine. What is unbelief.
[4:04] And what is our own unbelief. Now. I decided. I decided not to have the Bible class tonight. And.
[4:14] And. It's upon idols. But we. Because of unbelief. Will not come. People are given over.
[4:33] To the judgments of God. Because. Paul. As Paul tells the Thessalonians. They received not the love of the truth. That they might be saved.
[4:47] Men. Rejected Christ. Because they loved. Darkness. Rather than light. And then there is the influence of Satan.
[5:00] I already quoted the words. Paul to the Corinthian. He speaks of people in whom the God of this world. Has blinded the minds of them that believe not.
[5:10] Why? In order that the light. Of the knowledge of the glory. Of the gospel. In the face of Jesus Christ.
[5:21] Who is the image of God. Might not shine on them. And then there is pride. Pride. Accompanying them. And pride.
[5:32] As it were. Strongly. In our nature. Holding us in the grip. Of unbelief. Those who come to Christ. They.
[5:43] Must humble themselves. They must have their mouths. As it were. Spiritually. In the dust. Nobody can. Come.
[5:54] Into the fellowship of Christ. Holding up his head. As it were. Conscious. Of his own. Greatness. And goodness. And merit. And righteousness. He must come humbly.
[6:06] With a penitent spirit. Of contrition. And of humble. Confession. At the feet. Of one. Whom he has grieved. By sinning against him. And to whom he comes.
[6:18] As a beggar. Pleading for his mercy. And his grace. We are by nature. Proud. With our unbelief.
[6:30] There is a generation. Oh. How lofty are their eyes. And their eyelids. Are lifted up. Therein. What thought is. The psalmist says.
[6:40] That their house. Shall continue forever. And their dwelling places. To all generations. They call their lands. After their own names. And unbelief.
[6:52] Is terrible. Thirdly. In its effect. I shall just mention. Some. Of the immediate effect. Of unbelief.
[7:07] Unbelief. Keeps. Our souls. Under condemnation. Under condemnation.
[7:18] By whom. Under the condemnation. Of God. He that believeth not. God says. Is condemned.
[7:29] Already. And the wrath of God. Abideth on him. If he believe not. Christ says. That I am he.
[7:41] He shall die. In your sins. That is. That is. A terrible sin. In itself. The sin. That is.
[7:51] Responsible. In a very. Unique way. It is. The sin. That keeps.
[8:02] Your soul. Under God. Condemnation. The sin. That exposes. You. To everlasting. Damnation.
[8:17] It keeps. You from. All. Of the blessings. Of the gospel. Oh. What a rich. Table. Is spread.
[8:27] Before sinners. In the gospel. Lackened. By. The savior. Himself. In some of his parables. To a marriage.
[8:39] Feast. That a king. Made. For his son. But unbelief. Keeps. A soul. From. Feasting. At that table.
[8:52] It keeps. Them. From. The. Bread. The. Substance. Food. Upon. That. Table. It keeps.
[9:03] Them. From. The. Delicacies. On. That. Table. It makes. Them. To reject. The. Wine. And. The. Milk. Of. Which. The prophet. Isaiah. Tells.
[9:13] Us. With. Which. He. Attracts. People. Who. By. Faith. Respond. To. The. Gospel. Offer. But. Unbelief. Prevents.
[9:24] Souls. From. Sharing. In. The. Delicacies. On. The. Table. Of. The. Gospel. They. Reject. The. Water. Of. Life. For. He. That.
[9:34] Believers. Not. The. Son. Shall. Not. Have. Life. Shall. Not. See. Life. The. The. The. Rat. Of. God. Abideth. On. It. Prevents.
[9:45] The. Sick. From. Coming. To. Their. Physician. They. Are. Like. A. Dying. Man. Who. Refuses. Medical. Health. When.
[9:56] It. Is. Offered. And. Offered. Freely. To. Him. Of. Dying. Sinners. By. Continuing.
[10:06] In. Unbelief. Reject. The. Only. Hope. Of. Healing. That. There. Is. It. Prevents. Them. From. Fleeing. To. The. Place.
[10:17] The. Only. Place. Of. Refuge. How. Foolish. A. Sea. Captain. Would. Appear. In. The. Eyes. Of. Any. Man. Who.
[10:28] In. The. Middle. Of. A. Storm. Of. Sea. Refused. To. Turn. To. A. Haven. Where. He. Knew. Sailing. With. Them. When.
[10:42] I. Continue. In. Unbelief. I. Am. Like. Someone. Who. Refuses. A. Refuge. Having. Been. Told. Repeatedly. That.
[10:53] I. Am. In. Peril. In. The. Midst. Of. A. Storm. That. Can. Rage. Around. Me.
[11:03] At. Any. Moment. It. Spurns. The. Only. Means. Of. Salvation. Behold.
[11:16] Ye. Despisers. One. Of. The. Best. Ever. Preacher. Of. The. Gospel. Declared. To. His. Hearers. Behold. Ye. Despisers. That.
[11:27] Is. Ye. Unbelievers. And. Wonder. And. Perish. In. Another. Place. In. The. Book. Of. Acts. It. Is. Said.
[11:37] That. When. They. Opposed. Themselves. And. Blasphemed. He. Shook. His. Raiment. And. Said. Unto. Them. Your. Blood. Be. Upon. Your.
[11:47] Own. Heads. I. Am. Clean. From. Hence. For. I. Will. Go. Unto. The. Gentile. They. Have. Rejected. With. Their. Unbelief.
[11:58] The. Only. Hope. For. And. We. Who. Are. Continually. Under. The. Gospel. Are. Especially. Exposed. To. A.
[12:08] Terrible. Damnation. If. We. Persist. In. Unbelief. I. Am. Going. To. Quote. To. You. A. Few. Words. From. Bishop. J.C.
[12:19] Ryle. Well. Known. English. Churchman. And. Preacher. Of. Last. Century. Whose. Works. Every. One. Of. You. Should. Get. Hold.
[12:29] Of. And. Read. If. You. Can. Get. Them. We. Can. Never. He. Says. About. Unbelief. Be. Too. Much. On. Our. Guard.
[12:39] Against. It. It. Is. The. Oldest. Sin. It. Began. In. Eden. When. Eve. Listened. To. The. Devil's. Promises. Instead. Of. To. God. It.
[12:51] Is. A. Most. The. Most. Ruiner. Of. All. Sins. In. Its. Consequences. It. Brought. Death. Into. The. World. It. Kept. Israel.
[13:02] Out. Of. Canaan. For. Forty. Years. It. Is. A. Sin. That. Specially. Fills. Hell. It.
[13:14] Is. A. Most. Foolish. And. Inconsistent. Sin. Of. All. Sins. It. Is. Most. Foolish. And. Inconsistent. It.
[13:24] Makes. A. Man. Refuse. The. Plainest. Evidence. It. Shuts. His. Eyes. Against. The. Plainest. Testimony. And. Yet. He.
[13:35] Believes. Lies. Worst. Of. All. It. Is. The. Commonest. Sin. In. The. World. Thousands. Are. Guilty. Of. It. Thousands. Millions. Are. Guilty. Of. At.
[13:45] This. Moment. There. Are. Millions. Under. The. Power. Of. Unbelief. And. Therefore. Under. Condemnation. Let. Us. Watch. Our. Own.
[13:56] Hearts. Carefully. In. The. Master. Of. Unbelief. The. Heart. And. I. Want. To. Emphasize.
[14:06] This. Statement. Of. Bishop. Riles. The. Heart. And. Not. The. Head. Is. The. Seat. Of. Its. Mysterious. Power. In.
[14:18] Our. Day. There. Is. A. Lot. Of. Emphasis. Put. Upon. The. Head. Upon. What. Proof. I. Can. Gather. In. Order. To.
[14:28] Reason. Out. Truth. In. Order. To. Decide. What. To. Believe. For. Myself. The. Heart. And. Not. The. Head.
[14:39] Is. The. Seat. Of. Its. Mysterious. Power. It. Is. Neither. The. Want. Of. Evidence. Nor. The. Difficulties. Of. Christian.
[14:50] Doctrine. That. Make. Men. Unbelievers. It. Is. The. Want. Of. The. Will. To. Believe. They.
[15:01] Love. Sin. They. Are. Wedded. To. The. World. In. This. State. Of. Mind. They. Never. Lack. Species. Reasons. To. Confirm. Their. Will.
[15:11] The. Humble. Child. Like. Heart. Is. The. Heart. That. Believes. The. Humble. Child. Like. Heart.
[15:22] Is. The. Heart. That. Believes. Christ. Marvelled. Because. Of.
[15:33] Their. Unbelief. And. What. Did. He. Do. He. Went. Round. About. The. Villagers. Teaching.
[15:47] Telling. People. Truth. What. They. Ought. To. Believe. He. Himself. Believed. The.
[16:01] Lord. Of. Glory. Who. Is. Truth. And. He. Marvelled. Because. Of. Their. Unbelief.
[16:13] For. What. He. Thought. Was. For. Their. Eternal. Salvation. May. He. Bless. These. Thoughts. To. Us. Let us.
[16:23] Pray. Enable. Us. Each. One. Oh. Lord. To. Believe. Though. Know. Est. How. Crone. We. Are. To. Seek. Excuses. And.
[16:34] To. Try. To. Justify. Our. Own. Unbelief. Now. Ultimately. We. Are. Ready. To. Accus. The. As. The. Cause. Of.
[16:44] Our. Unbelief. To. Thou. Deliver us. O. Lord. From. Our. Ignorance. And. Darkness. Of. Understanding. And. Do. Thou. Create. In.
[16:54] Us. The. Clean. Heart. And. Renewing. Us. The. Right. Spirit. So. That. We. Would. Receive. Thy. Word. With. Faith. And.
[17:09] Receive. The. So. That. We. Should. Rest. On. The. Trust. In. The. Alone. For. Our. Salvation. And. The. Glory. Shall. Be. Thine. Forever. Amen.