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The Power of an Uncovered Christ
Mark 7:24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid .
Mark 4:22 For there is nothing hid , which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
Introduction:
· This chapter contains one message and two miracles. The message was to the Pharisees about outward signs of religion while inwardly there was defilement. The first miracle was the healing of the daughter of the Syrophenician woman, and the second was the opening of the ears of a deaf man. All of this brought forth a response, which is recorded, in verse 37. “And were beyond measure astonished, saying He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.” Our Lord has done all things well.
(1) His Creation Was Done Well.
(2) His Salvation Was Done Well.
(3) His Revelation Was Done Well.
Scripture:
· It is no wonder that the Scripture says of Him, “He could not be hid.” After His message to the Scribes and Pharisees He departed from them and went down to the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered a certain house to get away from the multitude, but the Word says, “He could not be hid.” From His coming into the world, His life could never be hid.
Lucifer the “Covering Cherub”
· There is a very interesting passage of scripture I want to refer to in the writings of the prophet Ezekiel. As the prophet Ezekiel was obeying the Lord by taking up a lamentation to the King of Tyrus, while he was in the process the Lord unlocks some phenomenal information to Ezekiel regarding the creation of a certain angel by the name of Lucifer or you may know him by his common name.. Satan.
Ezek 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth ; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
· Here we see some awesome things about Lucifer that I don’t have the time to preach upon the depth of this passage regarding the different jewels that are mentioned and the tabrets and pipes that God created him with… but I want you to see something in vs. 14… The Scripture says this about Satan.
14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth ; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
· Here we see that Lucifer was the anointed cherub that “Covereth”. He was on the holy mountain of God and walked upon the stones of fire.. These references are made to the heavenly temple that is located in heaven. Moses made a tabernacle on earth from plans given to him directly by God and that earthly tabernacle was a pattern of the heavenly tabernacle. The throne of God on earth was the mercy seat on top of the ark of the covenant… It had 2 cherubs on top of it whose wings would stretch over it and cover it…
· This was Lucifer’s job in heaven… Lucifer was the anointed covering cherub over the throne of God… What a privilege!… Of course we know that Satan fell from this position and he lost the anointing… But he is still doing what he was created to do and that is be… a covering cherub!
· Now he is longer ministering before the Lord covering the throne of God… but he’s still a covering cherub… He is working a cover up in these last days… He is the God of this world and he is trying to blind the eyes of men…
2 Cor 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
· Satan, that covering cherub has tried to get men to cover up sin…but the scripture says…
Prov 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
· Satan is trying to blind people from Jesus… He’s a covering Cherub and he doesn’t want you to see the power of an uncovered Christ… He does not want men to see Jesus for who he is…
· He has covered up the revelation to most of the Christian world that Jesus Christ is not a lesser God but is the One true God and Everlasting Father. Not one of three but altogether one…
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth , and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
· Satan does not want truth to be preached because…
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free.
· If Satan can cover up Christ men will be lost… He has tried down to through the ages to cover up Christ… But CHRIST CANNOT BE HID…
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
(1) At His Birth He Could Not Be Hid
· God put out a special star over Bethlehem the night He was born, and a group of angels announced the event to a group of lowly shepherds on the hills of Judah. A heavenly chorus began to sing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
(2) At His Presentation He Could Not Be Hid
· When the days were fulfilled, Mary brought Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord as the Law of Moses commanded. In the temple was an old man named Simeon. The Holy Ghost had revealed to him that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ. When Simeon saw Jesus, he took Him in his arms and blessed God, and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy work: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.”
(3) At His Baptism He Could Not Be Hid
· John had preached of the One that would come after him, whose shoe latches he wasn’t worthy to unloosen, and the day Jesus appeared, John lifted up his hand and said, “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” When John baptized Jesus, the heavens opened and Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon Jesus and a voice said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
(4) In His Earthly Ministry He Could Not Be Hid
· Oft times Jesus would grow weary and tired. He would steal away to rest, but He could not hide. Our text reveals this. “He could not be hid.”
(5) At His Crucifixion He Could Not Be Hid
· Though the world denied Him as Lord, all creation revealed that He was the Son of God. The sun refused to shine, the moon gave no light. The earth trembled and the rocks split asunder. He was lifted, openly, publicly between heaven and earth.
(6) At His Burial He Could Not Be Hid
· They placed His body in a borrowed tomb and placed a great stone at the door. The Roman soldiers determined to hide Him for good. They placed a Roman seal on the door; but when it was time for the Scriptures to be fulfilled, He came forth. Death, hell nor the grave could not hide Him.
Three Things:
· I want to give you three things about our Lord today in reference to this Scripture. “He could not be hid.”
I. Jer. 29:13 HE CANNOT BE HID FROM THOSE WHO SEEK HIM
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
A. When the soul gets weary and the heart gets heavy, and you begin to seek the Lord; He will not hide from you. You can find Him when you seek for Him. Ill. Jesus is always waiting for you to make the first move and when you open the door to your heart, He is ready to come in.
B. Every Christian faced an hour when they thought they couldn’t go any further, but at the cross they met Jesus. It was at the cross when we first saw the light. It was at the cross when the burdens of our heart rolled away. He didn’t hide on the day of salvation!
C. Every believer who seeks Him will find Him
Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
D. The
Old Wayto find Him – Tabernacle Protocol…
Heb 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest ,
Heb 9:23-28
23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
· Satan cannot cover up the better way we now have to get to God! In power of the Holy Ghost!
II. Acts 4:13 HE CANNOT BE HID IN THOSE WHO FIND HIM
Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
A. Salvation is like the measles, it breaks out all over a person. Ill: Salvation makes a person look different, talk different, do different and even smell different. (Ill. Salvation will change you – 2 Cor. 5:17!)
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
B. When a person is saved, the Holy Spirit takes up an abode in the life and the world takes note that they have been with Jesus. (Ill. You can’t hide Him when He is on the inside
1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
C. Who would want to hide Him anyway?
III. Rev. 1:7 HE CANNOT BE HID FROM THOSE WHO REJECT HIM
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
A. A sinner may go through this life unconcerned, never seek the Lord, never find Him and never care; but there will come a time when even the unbeliever shall see Him. He will then bow before Him and acknowledge Him to be Lord.
Ill. Paul said in Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
B. It will then be too late for the unbeliever. There will be no hiding in that day!
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
C. Ill. Satan will get his due – Rev. 20:10.
Conc: Thank God for a Savior who cannot be hidden. (Ill. The childhood game of Hide and Seek) Aren’t you glad you don’t have to play games with God? He isn’t hiding, He is waiting with open arms to receive you and all your baggage. If you need Him, you can find Him tonight – Pro. 8:17
Prov 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
