2005-02-20 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Mark 6:1-6

1. And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
4. But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

When Adam and Eve fell for the temptation of the serpent, their fellowship with God was broken. This set in motion the need for a redeemer, the plan that would lead to One among us who could silence forever the serpent's accusations. This fall from grace also set in motion immediate and terrible consequences. No longer could mankind walk with God in the garden. For women there would be difficulty of labor. For men there would be difficulty in earning a living. The very ground under our feel became cursed (Gen 3:16-19). Jesus was born in humble surroundings, under this very same curse. The Bible tells us nothing about Jesus' life from age 12 to age 30, except for this one clue in verse three, where we hear the question, dripping with unbelief, "Is not this the carpenter...?" He was the carpenter's son, and He was a carpenter, too. In sorrow, He ate of the ground for all those years, and just as it does for you and me, the ground brought forth thorns and thistles to Him. At the end, He was crowned with thorns, but for all those years, Jesus had to sweat to provide food. Jesus, the Son of God, was a carpenter.

I have to smile a little when I think of this word "carpenter", because it reminds me of pastor Ray, but probably not for the reasons you might think. This word, "carpenter," it's translated from the Greek "tekton," a word that describes a great deal more than what comes into our minds when we hear the word "carpenter" today. In the culture of that day, "tekton" was a label given to fine craftsmen, and our modern word "technician" is formed from the same root. When I think of a technician, I think of pastor Ray: a technician who worked among believers and unbelievers at the electric company; a technician who brought his Bible to work so he could read it during lunch. Maybe he will help me out here, but I would imagine there are many folks, who, when they found out, or if they ever did find out he was pastor of a church, they would wrinkle their noses, and ask (in words dripping with unbelief), "Is not this the technician?"

Now it's time for me to ask you, and ask myself, "How many people are wrinkling their noses at you, and at me?" How many people are astonished at our faith? How many people are impressed at your ability to have the right word at the right time, and yet deny the source of it. I dare say that if these things aren't happening in our lives, if there are no ripples around us, then we're no different, we're just as stagnant as the rest of the water.

Jesus said (John 7:38), He that believeth on me..., out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

There are times in all our lives when we feel unappreciated; times when we might sink down and feel like everything we do is thankless; times when we question our mission in life, but to the Lord Jesus, this is a badge of honor. He laid down His life for those who didn't appreciate Him.