The Inescapable Story of Jesus
A sermon series by Ben Zornes for Christ Church Downtown
Moses' Promised Prophet (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #10a)
June 9, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 10
The truth makes soft hearts. Lies make hard hearts. We too often cushion and nuance the truth. Whereas Jesus confronts us with hard words of truth, which if we will receive them like children, will make hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.
As a Child (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #9b)
June 2, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 9:30–50
Perhaps you’ve boarded a plane with your kids in tow, and seen the pained expressions on the faces of the other passengers. You may as well have killed a puppy in front of them. The scowls and sighs belie a cultural mood that is far from Jesus’ Kingdom.
The Father Speaks (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #9a)
May 26, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 9
Matthew’s Gospel opens with a lineage from Abraham down to Jesus. Luke’s Gospel includes a family tree from Jesus back to Adam. Mark did not neglect to give a lineage. Rather, fitting his stylistic rapid pace gives us the most concise lineage possible for Jesus: He is the Son of God the Father. But the Heavenly Father promises His Beloved Son glory. But this glory will be bought with blood.
Straight Into Danger (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #8)
May 19, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 8
Mark presents Jesus as a mighty man, driving out evil spirits, challenging self-righteous and self-assured teachers, and performing powerful acts (healings, feedings, calming seas). Jesus has been slowly unveiling what His master plan is. He didn’t come only proclaim Yahweh’s kingdom as coming; but to also make a claim to be the lawful King of Israel with designs for expanding to borders to the ends of the earth. All His riddles and signs have been the curriculum, and now as their teacher He gives His disciples a test.
Christ’s Piercing Wit (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #7)
May 12, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 7
Have your words or past actions ever come back to haunt you? Perhaps you once said, in your youth, “When I’m a parent, I will never (fill in the blank).” And now that you’re a parent you find yourself regularly doing that thing. There are really only two responses to such a moment of revelation: laugh at yourself or burn with vindictive anger.
Man As He Ought to Be (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #6b)
April 7, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 6:33–56
Mark has just told us of a king serving the head of a righteous man on a feasting dish at a royal banquet. Now he contrasts that king with a King who brings His people into green pastures and beside still waters to give them an abundant feast. The contrast could not be more stark.
The Resurrection as Judgement (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #6A)
March 31, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 6
It doesn’t take long in a child’s life for them to begin to expound on matters of justice.“That’s not fair!” is learned early. And indeed the world is littered with seemingly senseless instances of unjust suffering, evil persecution of the righteous, and unfair weights and measures. The question must be asked, “What is God gonna do about it?!”
Dark Sayings & Deep Waters (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #4)
March 17, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 4
Jesus has just had a few fiery exchanges with the Pharisees and Scribes. The time for His sacrifice is coming, but the time is not yet fully ripe. So, He once more performs a strategic withdrawal, this time rhetorically. The accusers are hoping to use something He says to justify cutting Him down. Thus, He opts for the wisdom of dark sayings.
When Majesty Breaks Through (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #3)
March 10, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 3:1
Mark began his Gospel with a bang, and while the action is gripping at every turn, he somehow finds a way to increase the intensity with each story. In this passage, the fiery majesty of the Lord of Glory breaks through more than it has yet. Israel’s elders experience a small glimpse of the fierceness of His wrath, while others get a glimpse of the splendor of His covenant mercies.
The Scandal of Forgiveness & Feasting (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #2)
January 14, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 2:1
The glad tidings which Jesus proclaimed were met with severe opposition. In this chapter we see that the scandalous nature of His ministry consisted of two things: He forgave sins, and He feasted with sinners. This is just the first sign that Jesus Kingdom is going to be met with stiff resistance from Israel’s religious leaders. But Jesus doesn’t skirt the scandals. Instead, He is setting the stage for the greatest scandal of all, the death of Christ for sinners.
Make Way (The Inescapable Story of Jesus #1)
January 7, 2024 • Ben Zornes • Mark 1
The Gospel of Mark is a flurry of action. It grips us with the activity of this Jesus. Mark does not spend as much time on what Jesus taught, but rather forces us to look intently on all Jesus did. And all His doing was to confirm the opening thesis of Mark’s Gospel: Jesus is the Son of God, and has brought the Kingdom of God unto us.