Evergreen Community Church: Recent Episodes
TE Ryan Cavanaugh is the new Director and Evangelist of Prison Discipleship Ministry -PDM-
While Noah is a model of faith -Hebrews 11-7-, salvation is always a matter of God's faithfulness.
Obviously the Fall had some kind of effect on humanity. But how far have we fallen-- Well, God's estimation offends many. He says that -all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God- -Romans 3-23-, -there is none who does good, not even one- -Romans 3-12- Psalm 53-3-, and -no one seeks after God- -Romans 3-11- Psalm 14-2-. And God's assessment has not changed throughout history because Human nature has not changed since the Fall and the Flood. Before the Flood, God saw that -every intention of the thoughts of his heart -i.e. humanity's- was only evil continually- -Genesis 6-5-. After the Flood, the diagnosis did not change- -the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth- -8-21-. The state of decay here described has been accurately identified in the doctrine of Total Depravity. This is a teaching that should humble everyone, leaving no room for anyone to boast about how great they are -Rom 3-27a-. If we are going to have any hope in this world, we must come to the conclusion John Flavel arrived at- -How deep is the pollution of sin, that nothing but the blood of Christ can cleanse it--
The very first prophecy was given by God himself in the immediate aftermath of the Fall- -I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring- he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel- -Genesis 3-15-. God's grace preserved the human race and human history would be marked by a clear division- the spiritual offspring of Satan and the offspring of the woman who bears the faith she would have. The hostility between these two lines is equally obvious- Cain murdered Abel, and Cain's family line reflected Satan's priorities -Genesis 4-1-24-. Jesus, the descendant of Seth, would come from A Long Line of Godly Men. He is the appointed offspring of the woman who crushed Satan's head on the cross and delivered us from God's judgment on our sins. But until he comes, God's people are to wait.
How are we to view life in a Fallen world-- The extremes of asceticism or the motto -Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die- obviously are not the Christian way. It is okay to enjoy the world God made- But what are our lives to look like knowing -here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come- -Hebrews 13-14--- To answer questions like these we have to see the world for what it is. Come join us Sunday Morning as we listen to God's Word from Genesis 4-16-26 - What the World Offers
Come join us Sunday Morning as we listen to God's Word from Genesis 4-1-15 - A Tale of Two Sons
Are you anxious about what you see going on in the world-- There is a lot to be anxious about when we consider how little we are actually in control of our own lives. And yet, Christ commands his people to be anxious for nothing -Matt 6-25-34-. The Stoic's answer to anxiety is to focus on what you can control, but Jesus's instruction is to look to and trust in the one who is actually in control- -Look at the birds of the air- they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them- -v.26-, -if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you- -v.30-. Our reasons for anxiety grow the longer we look at ourselves, our circumstances, and the powers of this world. But when we take a long look at who God is, especially as he revealed himself in Jesus Christ, all our reasons fade away. God is the reason Why Evil Doesn't Stand a Chance - Genesis 3-14-15.
Just as the Serpent said -Gen 3-5-, Adam and Eve have had their eyes opened -Gen 3-7- by disobeying God and eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But what do they see now that they are blind -2 Cor 4-4- John 9-39-40--- What do they know now that they suppress the truth in unrighteousness -Rom 1-18--- God's interrogation gets the answer Straight From the Horse's Mouth - Genesis 3-8-13.
We are going to pick up where we left off last Christmas at John 1-6-13 - the summary of the response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The incarnation of the Second Person of the Godhead was an amazing miracle of saving grace -vv.1-5-, and one would expect that the response of a world trapped in darkness would be to rejoice at seeing such the light of their salvation burst onto the scene of history. And yet that is the opposite of what happened -vv.10-11-. When the Light was given to everyone, most people did not receive him- -For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment- the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ... Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life- whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him- -John 3-16-19, 36-.
Is it really true that -dog is man's best friend--- It is certainly true dogs are fun, entertaining, loyal, and kind. In a such selfish world, a dog will never stab you in the back. However, while you might try to have a conversation with them they can not talk back to you -at most, in a very limited way-- Dogs are not our equals and simply do not have the capacity to be a true companion. In Genesis 2-18-25, God for the first time sees something that is not good- the fact that Adam is alone in a world full of life. In response, God created for Adam A Wife For Life. By going back to Genesis, we discover how God created humanity male and female for the institution of marriage, which is the lifelong bond between one man and one woman -Genesis 1-27- 2-24-. It is an arrangement for established by God for the benefit of humanity.
Is there a more important question to ask Jesus than this- -Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life--- How would you answer this question-- Jesus gives a shocking answer- -He said to him, 'What is written in the Law-- How do you read it--' And he -the lawyer- answered, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.' And he -Jesus- said to him, 'You have answered correctly- do this, and you will live.'- -Luke 10-25-28-. Are you surprised by his answer-- Jesus's answer is nothing new- this is what we can do to earn eternal life. This was the principle that was given to Adam in the Garden, eventually summarized in the Ten Commandments, and it has been the rule for humanity ever since- love God, love others, and enjoy the world full of work, rest, and pleasure as created by a good and loving God. It sure sounds like earning eternal life is pretty easy, that is, until we realize that perfection is the only passing grade for a Good and Holy God who can stand no hint of evil in His presence. After the Fall, Adam made us all incapable of life by that route. Thanks be to God that God made another way -wherein he freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ- requiring of them faith in him, that they may be saved- -WCF 7.3-.
I have to admit that winter is my least favorite season for a very simple reason- it's too cold- Its one redeeming feature is that it marks the beginning of the holiday season. There are so many things which make the holidays fun- its a time to enjoy family, a time to be thankful, and a time to be active in celebration. And even if you do not like the holidays, you probably don't mind the time off work- But there is one holiday that our world, and even many Christians, have forgotten to take delight in. It's the one day which God created in the beginning to be enjoyed by all humanity. It is the only day which God blessed to be a truly holy-day- the seventh day -Genesis 2-1-3-- Christians no longer celebrate on the seventh day, but the principle remains. Now the first day of the week, the Resurrection Day, has become our day for celebrating our Creator and Savior-
Struggling with identity issues is a persistent problem in all humanity, not just for teenagers. Unfortunately, the attempt to understand ourselves, our place in this world, and what it ultimately means to be human typically involves a lot of self-exploration without any standard to assess the truthfulness of what we find. We set out on a mission of self-discovery but without consulting our Creator, and we end up empty at the end of our search ultimately because -You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you- -Augustine, Confessions 1.1-. We must never think of ourselves apart from the original purpose given to us at our creation- to be the image of God- to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
What is our place in this world-- When looking at the world around us as our only source of information, the most logical place to see ourselves is in the Animal Kingdom. The taxonomic classification of Homo sapien assumes that we have a shared family history with other primates and a single common ancestor with all life on earth. But what happens when we follow that logic to its end-- When human beings are thought of as simply -highly evolved animals- the result is that people start to behave like animals. But God has revealed to us the reality is that, while we have much in common with God's other creatures, we are categorically not animals.
While the world around us dresses up and has some fun for Halloween, Christians should not forget to remember that October 31 also commemorates Reformation Day, the day which led to the light of the gospel shining clearly throughout the world after so much darkness had obscured the message. On the Roman Catholic church calendar, October 31 is a 'holy-day' known as 'All Hallow's Eve' -now shortened to 'Halloween'-. In 1517, Martin Luther chose this holiday as an occasion to challenge both the claims and authority of the Roman Catholic church. In his speech at the Diet of Worms in 1521 defending his actions, he showed that a basic Christian truth governed his actions- ---Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason -for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often aired and contradicted themselves-, I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me, amen.---The same day which led to a recovery of the glorious truths of Christianity coincided with a recovery of the historic Christian conviction about God's Word- God's Word alone is the source for determining what we believe as Christians. This Sunday we are going examine the firm foundation of Christianity, and why it is the Word of God alone-
The Fourth Day of creation as recorded in Genesis 1-14-19 was written to a people prone to worship the sun, moon, and stars so that they can see that these things are not gods but are simply one part of God's good creation. The proclivity of human beings of every age is to exchange the truth about God for a lie, and worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator -see Rom. 1-18-25-. As Moses writes Against the gods, he reveals who the only true God is and how he actually constructed the material universe in which we live. It is important to note the way in which the Bible undermines other worldviews- it provides us with a revelation of the reality of the world in which we live, its true historical origins, and at some points in history even the order of events. The Bible records are a historically reliable account of what occurred in time-space reality, and the history presented to us is not figurative. --Some point to 1- the creation of light -Gen 1-3- before the creation of the luminaries which produce light -v.14-19- and 2- the existence of plant life -v.11-13- before the sun -v.14-19- as clues for us to take this entire creation week as figurative. Basically, how can light exist before the sun-- For the answer, I would like to point you back to the first sermon in the Genesis series to see a reference to another source of light besides the sun. Speaking of God's character, 1 John 1-5 says -God is light- in him there is no darkness at all-, but this light materially appears throughout Israel's history.... What an amazing God we worship-
It seems that the subject of every sermon through Genesis 1 will be counter-cultural- this week the subject is Evolution and its lack of compatibility with the teaching of Scripture as revealed in Genesis 1-11-13.--Many Evangelical Christians today believe that God used the mechanism of evolution to create life on earth, a view called Theistic Evolution. But this view neither understands the nature of evolution nor the Bible's teaching concerning the origin of life. The National Association of Biology Teachers stated, -The diversity of life on earth is the outcome of evolution- an unpredictable and natural process of temporal descent with genetic modification that is affected by natural selection, chance, historical contingencies and changing environments.- I am grateful that the PCA so clearly stated in response, -This is not consistent with the teaching of Scripture, ruling out 'any supernatural activity of God in the origin and development of life and of humans, and hence makes a naturalistic metaphysic the basis of science.'---What do we do when Christians encounter competing truth claims-- E.J.Young -1907-1968-, Professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, made an astute observation- -Whenever science and the Bible are in conflict, it is always the Bible that, and one manner or another, must give way. We are not told that science must adjust its answers in light of Scripture. Always it is the other way around. Yes, this is really surprising, for the answers which scientists have provided have frequently changed with the passing of time. General revelation is to be interpreted by special revelation, nature by scripture, 'science' by the Bible.-
The Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 9 says, -Q. 9. What is the work of creation-- A. The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.- Last week, the focus was on the who and how of creation- -God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power-. This Sunday, as we moved into Genesis 1-4-10, we are diving into the creative activity of the first three days of the creation week. While there is a definite -Framework- to the history of the creation week, it is important that we do not use the literary structure to deny the chronological history of the events which took place. The Bible always roots the truth it teaches in actual, time-space history.----Considering Psalm 136- immediately after expressing and developing the fact of God as creator, the psalmist sweeps onto a second reason for praising God - the way God acted in history when the Jewish nation was captive in Egypt. - The mentality of the whole scripture, not just of this one song, is that creation is as historically real as the history of the Jews and her own present moment of time. Both the Old and the New Testaments deliberately root themselves back into the early chapters of Genesis, insisting that they are a record of historical events. - The early chapters of Genesis are to be viewed completely as history - just as much so, let us say, as records concerning Abraham, David, Solomon, or Jesus Christ.- - Francis Schaeffer
Having just finished Mark, we are beginning a new series with the beginning- the book of Genesis. We will be going through Genesis 1-11, the primeval history- the historical, chronological, and sequential account starting from the day of the created universe to the Tower of Babel. Just as the historical account of Jesus in the book of Mark focused on the theological interpretation of His person and work so that we may believe in Christ and receive salvation from -and -in-- Him, so too the book of Genesis is not simply a retelling of the events of history. Instead, our Creator tells us everything we need to know about Himself, ourselves, and the very purpose of our lives- to glorify and enjoy Him forever. God begins the Bible by answering the question 'Who is Our God--- in Genesis 1-1-3.
There is a long history of careful preservation of the original, inspired text upon which our English Bibles are based. Amazingly, after 2,000 years of existence -1,440 years of which required hand-written copying-, there are only two segments of the entire New Testament this long that are disputed- -The Longer Ending of Mark- -Mark 16-9-20- and -The Woman Caught in Adultery- -John 7-53-8-11-. Before we lose our confidence that the Bible is God's Word, people need to understand that 'That is it'- Every other dispute is over spelling differences, a minor word or phrase, and they are easy to resolve. But the subject of the sermon will not be the science of text-criticism- instead, it will be Mark 16-9-20's display of Jesus as The Conqueror of Unbelief. The reason is that central to a pastor's calling in life is to -preach the word- -2 Tim. 4-2-, that is, the Word of God as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. And I believe Mark 16-9-20 is part of that Word.
Once Jesus Christ died on the cross, no one expected the resurrection, despite the fact that He had predicted it on at least three separate occasions -Mark 8-31- 9-31- 10-34-. Why-- Because ancient people knew just as well as we do that resurrections are impossible. Skepticism concerning the resurrection is nothing new. Mark 15-40-16-8 addresses all our doubts, both ancient and modern, with the shocking reality of the resurrection. Christianity is a religion rooted in history, in reality, dealing with facts, the most extraordinary fact of them all being the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without that Christianity collapses- -If Christ has not been raised,- says Paul -your faith is futile- -1 Corinthians 15-17-.
In the midst of suffering, Christians often find themselves asking -Where is God in all of this--- In Mark 15-33-39, we see exactly where He is- at the cross- The cross is happening according to God's providence -see Psalm 22-, just like every other moment in history. But what God is accomplishing at the cross is unique. It is the climax of human history. It is the accomplishment of our salvation. -If God is for us, who can be against us-- He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things-- - For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord- -Romans 8-31-32, 38-39-.
In Mark 15-21-32, Jesus is crucified at 9-00 a.m. Crucifixion is a form of execution that was designed for a prolonged, agonizing, shameful death. Mark's focus on the shame, and not the pain, of the cross helps us to see the purposes of God which lie behind the horror- -God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us- -Romans 5-8-.-
In Mark 15-1-20, Jesus is led to another trial, but this time it will be conducted by the Roman Governor, Pilate. This is his civil trial, while the first was a religious one. Once again, his innocence will not protect him from the horrendous abuse he will endure. Why on earth would God allow the only truly innocent man who ever walked the earth, his own Son, to be so mistreated, slandered, mocked, and abused-- The reason is only to be found in the plan and intention of God- -He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.- -1 Peter 2-24-.
In Mark 14-53-72, Peter is watching from a distance the trial of the Lord Jesus Christ, unaware of the trial which would soon come upon him. Both would be interrogated. Both would find themselves tempted to escape from danger. But only one of them is innocent. He would later reflect on this moment and say -He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return- when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls- -1 Peter 2-22-25-. The Truth was on trial and it prevailed in even the most unlikely of ways.
In Mark 14-43-52, Jesus's betrayer arrives right on cue. Jesus had been watching and praying, preparing for the hour fast approaching. His Father gave Him the strength by the Holy Spirit to obey the Father's will, to face the darkness head-on, and to give His life as an atonement for the sins of His People. Now, the moment has arrived but His disciples are not ready. They had been found sleeping at Jesus's most desperate hour -v.37-41-. Despite their profession of strength and faithfulness to Jesus, their sinful flesh is too weak to be faithful to Jesus on its own strength -v.38-. Did they take seriously Jesus's radical call to discipleship-- -If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.- Have you--
In Mark 14-27-42, we witness Jesus enter his final temptation in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is only a few hours away from the full reality of divine judgement. The factors that would bring about the arrest, trial, and execution of Jesus are all in place. Yet there remains this last struggle in the Garden, and the sheer terror of what lies before him now seems to overwhelm him. He is entering the unique horror of making atonement for sinners- -He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed- -1 Peter 2-24-.
Jesus did and said some things that, if He were not the God-man, would make him look like a self-absorbed lunatic. He claimed to be able to forgive people of their sins when only God can forgive sin because it is His Law that sinners break -Mark 2-5-12-. He claimed that God's revelation in the past all spoke about Himself and what He would accomplish -Luke 24-25-27- despite being written before He was born. Now in Mark 14-22-26, not content with remembering and observing the Passover and with His own suffering and death at the forefront of His mind, He establishes a covenant meal that commemorates His own death. But we continue to commemorate Jesus's death in the institution of the Lord's Supper every Sunday -Lord's Day- because everything He said about Himself was true. -Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed- -1 Corinthians 5-7-. From now on it will be His sacrifice that is remembered as accomplishing our salvation. What will happen to us if the doorposts of our lives are not covered with the blood of the new Passover lamb, Jesus Christ--
As Jesus prepares and begins His Passover celebration with His 12 apostles -Mark 14-12-21-, we might find ourselves asking a simple question- How -in control- is Jesus, really-- Something that might cause us to call Jesus's command over His own life into question is the betrayal of Judas. If he knew that he would betray him in the end, why did Jesus choose Judas as a disciple, and even worse as one of His twelve closest disciples-- Why would anyone choose a friend whom they knew would one day betray them--- But John 6-64 says, -Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.- In answering this question, we will see with greater clarity the Sovereignty of God.
After discussing the future, Mark 14-1-11 brings us back to the present realities of Jesus's impending death and resurrection. It was now only two days before the Passover festival and the religious leaders had still not found a good opportunity to destroy Jesus in a manner that wouldn't cause a riot. -Fortunately- for them, Judas already decided to betray Jesus after seeing a woman's act of devotion which disgusted him earlier that same week -Mark 14-3-9- John 12-1-8-. Her devotion to some might seem delusional, wasteful, and maybe even immoral. How would you feel witnessing this woman pouring out a perfume worth one year's salary on someone's head -Mark 14-3-5--- How you answer this question will reveal your level of understanding of who Jesus is and why He came.
Sermon by Guest Preacher Tim Galage, regional director for southern Africa for Mission to the World.
The world does not realize that we are living in the Last Days, or the End Times. God has already poured out his Spirit upon the Church -Acts 2-17- and has personally spoken to us by his one and only Son -Heb 1-2- cf. 1 Pet 1-20-. The end times are a period of much tribulation as his people patiently wait until the coming of our precious God and Savior Jesus Christ -Acts 14-22- who will come to judge the world and save his people. The days we live in are like the days of Noah- the days are evil and our neighbors are going about their daily lives without any thought of a coming judgment -Matt. 24-37-39-. So the end of the world is coming- now what-- How Then Shall We Live-- Fortunately, Jesus ends his end times sermon with his own application, and Jesus's answer looks quite different from the typical Doom's Day prepper.--Now he -The True and Living God- commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed- and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead- -Acts 17-30-31-.
The great and awesome Day of the Lord is explained in detail in the prophets and by Jesus himself. It is the day in which God will shake the universe, bring judgement upon every evil thought, word, and deed, and save his people. Jesus's sermon in Mark 13-24-31 gives Jesus's own interpretation of Old Testament prophecies from Isaiah 13-10, 34-4, Joel 2, Deuteronomy 30-4, Zechariah 2-6, and Daniel 7-13 -wow-- to show how they will all be fulfilled in His first and second coming. In His Second Coming, Jesus will personally bring about Judgement Day, a day to fear only if we find ourselves outside of Christ, and this is exactly why God tells us that there is a Judgement Day coming--- -Yet even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart. - for He is gracious and slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love- and He relents from sending disaster- and it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved- -Joel 2-12, 13, and 32- see Acts 4-12-.
The difficulty of interpreting Mark 13 is not to be found in the big picture, but in interpreting the details. The disciples asked specific questions about a historical event. Jesus said the Temple would be destroyed, and the disciples asked -When will these things happen-- What are the signs that indicate when these things--- -cf. Mark 13-4- and mixed into that question was an assumption that the Temple's destruction was directly connected to -the sign of your coming and of the end of the age--- -Matthew 24-3-. Jesus's prediction concerning the Temple came true in 70 AD when the Roman Emperor Vespasian sent Titus to decimate the rebellion and the city of Jerusalem. But did this event fulfill all of Jesus's words-- Answering this question will shape our expectations for the future, and should affect practically how we live for Christ in the present.
Mark 13 contains the single longest teaching of Jesus in Mark's Gospel. What might surprise you is the subject that requires so much space- eschatology -teaching about the end times-- People tend to either become obsessed with speculative theories, date setting, and the heretical teachings which usually accompany such a disproportionate focus on the end of the world, or they identify as -pan-millennials- --it will all 'pan' out in the end-- who have no real convictions about a subject the Bible dedicates much space to. Jesus's teaching on the subject will both warn his people of being deceived and properly set our expectations of the future- stay on mission and on message in the midst of suffering. For -the Gospel must first be preached to all the nations- -Mark 13-10-.
What is the New Testament's favorite Bible verse-- If this is determined by how often the New Testament authors quote a text, then it is definitely Psalm 110- I say this because the New Testament authors quote this psalm more than any other single text in the Old Testament. Just look at how many times the book of Hebrews quotes it- Hebrews 1-13- 2-8- 5-6- 7-17, 21- 10-13--- The importance of this text stems from what it says about the person and the work of the Messiah to come, revealing an inconvenient truth about Jesus's mission- He is going to judge the world. God has appointed a day wherein he will judge the world by Jesus Christ -John 5-26-29-. On Judgement Day, Jesus will judge all persons that have lived on earth to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds -see WCF 33.1-. The question is, are you ready for that day--
In Mark 12-35-44, Jesus goes on the offensive against the religious leadership by asking some questions of his own, unmasking their hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is a perpetual problem in the life of the church- a stain on the reputation of the Bride of Christ, a corrosive problem affecting both its membership and its leadership. Sometimes hypocrites vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God -see WCF 18.1-, but Jesus reveals the harsh reality that most are charlatans who are not self-deluded but are deceiving others. Jesus is able to unmask the hypocrites in a way that will be instructive for His people.
In Mark 12-28-34, Jesus is asked, -What is the greatest commandment -in the Bible---- And Jesus gives the only right answer to this question by summarizing all the Law requires- whole-hearted love for God and those who reflect His image -Deuteronomy 6-4-5- Leviticus 19-18-. But having the right answers and beliefs can only get you so far- near the Kingdom of God, but not in it -Mark 12-34-.
In Mark 12-18-27, it's the Sadducees' turn to try to stump Jesus, but this time with a theological conundrum. They know Jesus believes in the resurrection, and think His position is indefensible. They have -an old chestnut- which they know will make a mockery of Jesus and the doctrine He espouses. Jesus then easily shows them why they are completely wrong on this issue. To anyone who thinks that believing in the resurrection is absurd- you are not alone- in being completely wrong- A challenge to all the resurrection-deniers out there- have you ever considered that your position might be the one that is actually absurd--
In Mark 12-13-17, we will be looking at another uncontroversial topic in which every Christian is in perfect agreement- the Christian's relationship to the government -I am being sarcastic--. Jesus is asked a loaded question by the religious leadership of Jerusalem- should we pay our taxes or not-- And despite their insincerity, Jesus provides believers with a principle that will help us navigate this complicated relationship, showing that human governments have a legitimate but limited scope- -Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's- -Mark 12-17-.
In Mark 11-27-12-12, it is Tuesday morning, only three days now until Jesus's Crucifixion. Jesus started a conflict with the church's leadership by clearing out the Temple the previous day -11-15-19-, and now they are after Him to see what gave Him the right to cause such chaos -11-27-. Their authority was being ignored and rejected by Jesus. And when they confront Jesus, they actually do not learn anything new- after all, they had witnessed Jesus perform miracles by the power of God for the past 3 years -2-6-. As a blind beggar once said, -Why, this is an amazing thing- You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing- -John 9-30-33-. We will see how Jesus deals with fake pastors just like them.
What makes the Resurrection so special-- Yes, it is a supernatural act that only God can do but this is true of all miracles. The miraculous occasion of someone being brought back to life from death has happened in Scripture before. Elijah brought someone back from the dead -1 Kings 17-22-. Elisha brought someone back from the dead -2 Kings 4-34-. And even Jesus during his own ministry brought Lazarus back to life -along with many others-- So what makes Jesus's Resurrection Day so special-- It is because the Resurrection was not a mere resuscitation- Jesus did not just come back to life, but He died for the sins of His people and was raised for their justification -Romans 4-25-.
In Mark 11-12-25, we see that the first thing King Jesus does after His arrival to Jerusalem is to go into the Temple in fulfillment of the prophet's words- -the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple- -Mal 3-1-. But Jesus did not suddenly show up to affirm or even to reform their worship. Jesus came to pronounce judgment, shutting down the sacrificial system. It's Monday, four days before Jesus's death, and the question for the religious leaders was not whether to kill Jesus but how it should best be done given His popularity.
The journey to Jerusalem is finally over -Mark 8-31-10-52-. He arrived on a Sunday and he would be murdered only five days later. The King has come and with him the Kingdom of God. Jesus's message has been clear from the beginning- -Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, -The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand- repent and believe in the gospel- -1-14-15-. This year for Passover, Jesus chose to make his arrival evidence of his authority as the Messiah- hence, the people shouted for joy, seeing their Savior and King riding in to come and save them -Zech. 9-9-. All of this was in fulfillment of how God said he would arrive. But no one was prepared for what he was about to do. And we must not miss what they missed.
When reading through the Gospels there seems to be a disproportionate focus on the last week of Jesus' life -Matthew 21-28- Mark 11-16- Luke 19-24- John 12-21-. If Jesus were simply a good moral example, one would expect a larger focus on the life that he lived. Instead, the central concern of all the Gospel writers was the cross. As soon as Mark clearly identifies Jesus as the Messiah -Mark 8-29-, he shows us what Jesus came to do- to die in Jerusalem and rise again -Mark 8-31- 9-31- 10-32-34-. Jesus confidently headed towards Jerusalem where he knew he was going to be murdered because -the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.- -Mark 10-45-. Jesus is -the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God- -Heb 12-2-. As the Suffering Servant Isaiah spoke of, Jesus's was given a mission by the Father to die a substitutionary death to atone for the sins of His people -2 Cor 5-21-. We must never forget that the cross is to be central to our understanding of Jesus, for Paul can even summarize the gospel as -to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified- -1 Cor 2-2-.
Last week, the rich man walked away appalled by the request to -sell all that you have and give to the poor- and -follow me- -Mark 10-21- to inherit eternal life. Jesus made this demand of someone who did not know God, God's standard of righteousness, or his own personal need for a savior. This individual walked away sad -v.22-, but Jesus wanted to use him as a teaching point -vv.23-31- that earning salvation is a difficult thing- -For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few- -Matthew 7-14-. In fact, it is so difficult that it is impossible to be achieved. Does that surprise you as much as it did the disciples-- Does it lead you to ask the hopeless question -Then who can be saved--- -Mark 10-26--- Then seek the good news they received from Jesus.
There is no more important question we can ask ourselves than this one- -What must I do to inherit eternal life--- -Mark 10-17-. And there is no better place to go for an answer than to Jesus. Why-- Because Jesus is the Son of God, the source of all life, incarnate -John 1-4- see Psalm 36-9-, and Jesus is the King of the Kingdom of God -what the title -Christ- means- who governs who enters His kingdom to receive eternal life -receiving -eternal life- in Mark 10-17 is equated with -entering the Kingdom of God- in v.23-. God's answer to this question is striking- -For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord- -Romans 6-23-. We need to learn why we cannot do enough to earn eternal life, and why it has to be a gift we receive from Jesus.
Mark 10 begins with Jesus answering a question posed to him by the Pharisees about Divorce. By going back to Genesis, we discover how God created humanity male and female for the institution of marriage, which is the lifelong bond between one man and one woman -Genesis 1-27- 2-24-. It is an arrangement established by God for the benefit of humanity, but not everyone sees it that way. The Westminster Confession of Faith wisely understands that instead of seeing the goodness of marriage there is a tendency to try to escape the lifelong bond- -Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage- yet, nothing but adultery, or such willful desertion as can no way be remedied by the church, or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage- wherein, a public and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed- and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills, and discretion, in their own case- -chapter 24.6-. The Pharisees' attack will prove that they not only misunderstand the meaning of marriage and the place of divorce, but they misunderstand the Law itself.
Genesis 1-27 tells us that God created humanity -in the image of God- and -male and female-. Every human being has been made in the image of God, and every human being is either a male or a female. But why-- What is the purpose of this sexual differentiation which defines who we are as human beings-- God's answer is found in Genesis 2-24 - humanity was designed to complement one another in the permanent bond of a relationship called marriage, which was arranged by God Himself. Marriage, then, is so much more than a 'piece of paper'. We were made, quite literally, to biologically fit together. Such is the clarity Scripture offers when we are confused.
Most people would like for us to not take Jesus too seriously. After all, they would say, who really knows what happens to us after we die-- The consequences of taking Jesus -too seriously- would mean that people need to abandon their idolatrous culture and family traditions, and reject the sin that brings them pleasure. Taking Jesus -too seriously- would mean acknowledging that there is a terrifying reality awaiting all those who do not turn from their sin to the Savior- eternal torment in Hell forever. But not to take Jesus seriously is to live in La La Land, pretending that God does not care about justice, is indifferent to evil, and Hell is not real. Ignoring reality does not help anybody. In fact, it hurts a lot of people. God knows what we will experience when we die, and He warns us that we will go either to Heaven or to Hell.
This sermon has nothing new in it. It is about something you know very well but something we must never forget. We live in a world in which raw paganism is taking over our country. How will we respond-- We must be a going people - we must purposely pray that God will place us in relationships and ministries where we can talk to men and women about the gospel. As we talk with them, we should focus on reasoning with them by contrasting the Bible's view of righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come. In talking with folks about the Gospel, we must not fear failure. Our job is not to convince people, but to tell the message of the Bible. Only the Holy Spirit can convince and convert.
We are starting to see a pattern developing- Jesus predicts that as the Son of Man he will be handed over and killed but will rise again -8-31- 9-31- 10-33-34-, the disciples do not understand what this means -8-32-33- 9-32- 10-38-, and then they receive a lesson in discipleship -8-34- 9-35- 10-42-45-. Jesus's first lesson is that every follower of Christ must live a life of self-denial -8-34-. Jesus's second lesson shows what a life of self-denial looks like- a willingness to become the servant of all -9-35-. This defines what true greatness looks like in God's eyes. This is the sort of greatness that we pursue in the Christian life. And no one will ever be greater than Jesus -Philippians 2-7--
Jesus was coming down from the high mountain on which He was transfigured and heard His Father's voice when He saw a commotion. He saw from a distance that a crowd had gathered around some of His disciples, and they were in an argument with some scribes. The scribes had found an opportunity to attack Jesus because his disciples, who had been given Jesus's authority to cast out demons -Mark 3-15-, were not strong enough to cast out this one demon out of a suffering child. They did not know what was going on -9-28-. Fortunately for them Jesus would resolve the issue for them, and He used this opportunity to teach them about the nature and necessity of true faith.
Isn't it amazing that, despite having four biographical portraits of Jesus, we have no real idea what he looked like-- While there is not a word in the Gospels about his appearance, we do know that there was a moment in Jesus's life in which His appearance was dramatically transformed- 'the Transfiguration'. To witness this event was to be -eyewitnesses to His majesty- -2 Peter 1-16-, to -have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth- -John 1-14-. Witnessing this amazing moment would have been the most amazing spiritual experience confirming what Jesus said about himself. Such confirmation of Jesus's identity will help us to listen to Jesus.
When we begin to reflect upon the incarnation, we start out realizing who became a man- the Son of God. The how of it all is mind-blowing, but John's Prologue -John 1-1-18- does not stop wondering at the fact of the incarnation alone. It is amazing that the King of the Universe left being worshipped and adored to be mocked and rejected, but why go through all the misery-- Isaiah describes the desperate condition of the people of God's Kingdom as being -thrust into deep darkness- -Is. 8-22-, and God promised to send to them -great light- -9-2-, a child who would be called -Mighty God- -9-6-. The reason for celebrating the incarnation is not simply to be amazed that God took on human frailty and weakness, but to celebrate why He did it- Jesus came to save sinners.
The Christmas season provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the incarnation, and that is exactly what we are going to do- All the gospels have different starting places- Mark begins with the start of his public ministry. Matthew begins with Abraham. Luke begins with the parents of John the Baptist. John begins his Gospel by taking us back to eternity, back to the very first words of the Hebrew Bible, and back to 'the beginning' of time, space, and history itself. John gives us insight into who Jesus was before He became a man- the eternal Son of God-
When Peter finally confessed that Jesus is the Christ, for the first time the light came on for him as a result of the Father's revelation -Matt 16-17-. But once the lights came on he did not like what he saw- the King of Kings would suffer many things, be rejected by the Jews, and be murdered. This was so shocking to Peter that he seems to have missed the supernatural prediction that -after three days -Jesus will- rise again- -Mark 8-31-. Peter's reaction is completely natural. He does not want his friend to suffer, so he tries to talk some sense into Jesus. At this moment, Jesus's response to this is not to explain why He must suffer but to show why everyone who would follow after him is called to suffer. The time will come when He will explain the uniqueness of His call to suffer, but Jesus first corrects the disdain and shows the value of such a call.
When Peter finally confessed that Jesus is the Christ, for the first time the light came on for him as a result of the Father's revelation -Matt 16-17-. But once the lights came on he did not like what he saw- the King of Kings would suffer many things, be rejected by the Jews, and be murdered. This was so shocking to Peter that he seems to have missed the supernatural prediction that -after three days -Jesus will- rise again- -Mark 8-31-. Peter's reaction is completely natural. He does not want his friend to suffer, so he tries to talk some sense into Jesus. At this moment, Jesus's response to this is not to explain why He must suffer but to show why everyone who would follow after him is called to suffer. The time will come when He will explain the uniqueness of His call to suffer, but Jesus first corrects the disdain and shows the value of such a call.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone- We have every reason to be thankful for everything that we have has been given to us by God. We should always be a thankful people. Hence, our daily practice of praying before we eat come from the consistent practice of Jesus to bless -i.e praise- God for food before He gives it to others -Mark 6-41- 8-7- 14-22-. But special times of remembrance are so beneficial because we are so forgetful. Mark 8-1-21 displays this proneness to forgetfulness in such a shocking manner, revealing a spiritual blindness innate in human beings which the Holy Spirit alone can deal with.
Jesus, just after confronting the Pharisee's understanding of what makes a person clean or unclean, does exactly the thing that would have made the Pharisees want a bath -baptism - ritual washing- in the first place- associate with Gentiles. But this is when things get weird. First, Jesus seems to not want to heal a desperate woman's daughter -v.24-30-. Second, Jesus utilizes a very strange healing technique -v.31-37-. These two strange stories of grace give us more questions than answers at first glance, but upon closer examination we will be able to say -He has done all things well.-
Many people today consider themselves -spiritual but not religious-, maybe going so far as to say that they love Jesus but detest -organized religion.- The problem with such a view is that Jesus is the Head of a people organized according to His Word, the church -Eph. 1-22-23-- -The Church, with its ordinances, officers and courts, is the agency which Christ has ordained for the edification and government of His people, for the propagation of the faith, and for the evangelization of the world- -BCO 3-5- cf. 1 Tim. 3 and Matt. 28-16-20-. But the church is more than its officers, for it is the temple of God -1 Cor. 3-10-17-, the family of God -1 Tim. 5-1-2-, and the Body of Christ -1 Cor. 12-4-31- Rom 12-5-6-. For the church to function properly the whole Body needs to be functioning properly and growing to maturity. Every member plays an important role when the whole Body is equipped for ministry.
The church is the organization that belongs to and was organized by Jesus Christ Himself. All whom He purchased with His blood are His sheep -1 Peter 5-1-4-, but some of His sheep He appoints to care for the spiritual needs of the flock -elders- cf. Exodus 18-13-27-, and other sheep He appoints to handle the money for physical needs of the ministry -deacons- cf. Acts 6-1-6-. 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 record the qualifications for these two offices of Jesus's organization as a list of characteristics that are to define spiritual leadership, but Luke records for us a model for the ministry to which Paul calls those leaders. Paul is no hypocrite- that which he requires of others is that which he himself modeled.
While the fundamental mistake of the Pharisees was the abandonment of Sola Scriptura -Mark 7-1-13-, the result is that they have made the kingdom of God about what we eat, drink, and many other man-made external regulations -see Rom 14-17-. Their understanding of the Old Testament rites was divorced from their spiritual significance, leaving behind an empty husk of arbitrary rules which they pretended impressed God, as if He enjoys the performance of art. They were right to see the problem of uncleanness, but what makes us truly 'unclean' is not dirt but sin. -Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the Law of God- -WSC 14-. And sin is more than something we do- after the fall, it is who we are. We are not sinners because we have sinned, but we sin because we are sinners. Sinners are not created by a bad environment, but create bad environments- If we do not understand this, then we will assume that we can fix ourselves and the world through education, self-help programs, or succumb to the hopeless reality that we are merely the victims of an evil world.
Many people -knew- Jesus in the sense that they were able to recognize Him and point Him out of a crowd. What about Jesus was so recognizable-- In a world with no photography, it is surprising that we have been given zero descriptions of His appearance. So how did they know who Jesus is-- They saw His power and authority, for everyone who interacted with Jesus saw the miraculous. And yet, they did not grasp who Jesus truly is and thought He is merely some prophetic figure -Mark 8-27-28-. If they would have truly known who Jesus is, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory -Luke 23-34- 1 Cor 2-8-. But the disciples witnessed something that night out on the lake that the crowds did not the privilege to see- Jesus magnificently revealing His Glory. If the disciples paid attention to what they saw, they would truly come to know who Jesus is.
The privilege of reading the Gospels is the privilege that the disciples themselves had- the chance to follow Jesus, see what He is like, hear Him teach, and witness His unique power. Jesus is like a Good Shepherd who loves His sheep and is able to protect and provide for all of their needs. Some needs we recognize. When we feel the weight of those need we proceed to turn to almost anything besides the Triune God to ease our anxieties. But there are many other needs which we have that we tend to either overlook or completely ignore. The dangers that we face, the needs that we have, reach far beyond the physical needs that are our immediate concern. We must learn that only He can be relied upon for all of our needs because He is the glorious one who offers true safety for His sheep.
There is one class of people that has been responsible for more persecution of Christians than anyone else- governments. They wield the power of the sword given to them by God, but they do not always use that power lawfully. With the coming of the Kingdom of God -The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed- -Psalm 2-2-- It is helpful to remember that the evil which is perpetrated is not by 'government' in the abstract, but by the sinners who run them. Sinners of all kinds can not stand being called out for their sin, and sinners with power attempt to do something about it. Brothers and sisters, we are called to a dangerous calling, and what is required of us is the courage to stand in the strength of our God for -If God is for us, who can be against us--- -Romans 8-31-.
Jesus has always had his critics. From the very beginning, people asked themselves, -Who does this guy think he is to tell me what to do---- And his toughest critics were those who should have known him the best. But that is not to say that Jesus's identity as the Messiah is not a matter of opinion, something that is up for debate. His power was undeniable, and bore witness to only one logical answer- Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, Son of the Living God. One day every knee will bow and confess Jesus is Lord over all creation.
Here is an inconvenient truth for our secular world- spiritual beings and forces are part of the fabric of the created universe, although unseen by the naked eye. They are very real, whether we recognize it or not. And this is part of the reason why Jesus came- -The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil- -1 John 3-8-. It is good news that the Lord of all Nature is easily able to destroy the principalities and powers which dominate our world and accomplish his goal. But how do people respond to Jesus when they see Him liberating people from the power of the Devil-- Unfortunately, while it did produce fear, it did not produce the -fear of the Lord.-
Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ -Mark 8-29- is the hinge upon which the whole Gospel of Mark turns. Before this confession, Jesus's ministry is a revelation of His authority and power to save sinners as the King of Kings -God-Man-. After this confession, Jesus's ministry focuses on His Messianic mission in fulfillment of all God's promises- it is a mission to suffer to the point of death and then rise from the dead to save sinners -Mark 8-31-. If you see His mission in light of His identity, then you truly see who Jesus is. It is at this point that we are sad to say many people think they know Jesus when they simply don't -cf. Matt. 7-22-. This should not surprise us at all, especially since we have witnessed that Jesus's own students were blind to who Jesus is -Mark 8-17-21-. But their blindness would be a temporary reality for them because of Jesus's determination to save them. His Father showed the Disciples that Jesus is the Christ and Son of the Living God -Matt. 16-17-, and the Spirit would patiently bring them to understand Jesus would have to suffer -For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many- -Mark 10-45- cf. Acts 2-23-24-.
C. S. Lewis noted at the start of The Screwtape Letters that- -There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.- When it comes to demons people either attribute way too much to them so that they think that a demon lurks behind every stone and they live in constant fear, or they never give any thought to demons and act like they do not exist. Mark does not allow us to either ignore the reality of demons or to give us any reason to live in fear of them because Jesus's power is over the natural and supernatural realms of the created order. All are to fear His Holy name so that -at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord-.
In our study of parables, we have seen that Jesus made use of allegorical teaching methods- however, this does not justify allegorical readings of the historical accounts of Scripture. Mark's goal is not to present us with a story that can allegorically promise us that Jesus will -calm the storms of our lives-, but to show us who Jesus is- in particular, that Jesus is the GOD-man. And knowing who our Savior is -and what He is- has tremendous implications and will result in more helpful applications for our lives.
In Jesus' explanation of his parables, He gives to his disciples both -the secret of the kingdom of God- -Mark 4-11, 33-34- and his purpose in disclosing this divine revelation to them -vv.21-25-. The content that Jesus reveals to the disciples is aimed at comforting them with the reality that everything they are witnessing is going according to God's plan. God is the one who will personally ensure the success of his kingdom -vv.26-29-, and the humble beginnings of the kingdom he is establishing are part of the plan -vv.30-32-. Circumstances might cause us today to question Jesus's words -I am with you always, even to the end of the age- -Matt 28-20-, but that is when we need to be made aware of God's game-plan.
One reason why people do not follow Jesus Christ is due to their love of sin, i.e. due to their own sinful hearts. But the Bible tells us of another, more consequential reason. Human rejection is a part of God's plan. Ultimately, the reason why anything happens is that it is part of God's plan. Jesus is not surprised by rejection because He understands that it is God's purposes that ultimately prevail in the world. This is should be a source of hope to those who are loved by God and called according to His purposes, and it in no way is to detract from his loving-kindness towards all.
What we know about God from nature has huge implications for relationships, religion, even science. Let's consider the way the gospel makes this knowledge of God's presence and power something sweet to believers. --This is a re-recording of the sermon from Sunday morning.
From the several sins listed that plague the Gentile culture, we select two to see the power of the Gospel demonstrated--disobedience to parents and greed.
In Romans 1-18-25, we see the gospel as the cure for the diseased mind, worship and relationships. Unrepentant sin brings a great curse on all three and the gospel is the cure.
Paul lists off his motivations for living this dying-to-self gospel-powered life and we explore those and that life in this sermon.
The Gospel is designed for believers, to be preached to ourselves and understood daily.
Preaching the gospel to ourselves, not just to unbelievers, is a source of great power and assurance in the Christian life. This sermon, with helps from Milton Vincent, Jerry Bridges, C. John Miller, and Sinclair Ferguson, point us to this great power for living found in Romans 1-16-17.
The conversion of Paul and a refining of our understanding of the gospel -including justification and righteousness- is our focus as we continue to build our understanding of Paul's purpose for the book of Romans--to unite God's people in their common joy over the righteousness of God applied to them.
Romans gives believers and unbelievers the good news that the good news is for them. Every heart runs on a gospel--something great keeps us going. In Romans, the good news is great news--that Christ gives us his right standing before the Father and we give him our sin. This one truth unified a divided church and still does so today.
Acts 2 has perplexed those who wish to apply it to the modern church. But after understanding the Old Testament background of the events of Pentecost, then we are free to apply the principles to the local church, especially those going through great transitions and growth like ECC.
This is Pastor Robert Barnes' second sermon at Evergreen Community Church following his installation. It's about how the two elders installed that Sunday were called to protect the vulnerable in the church. Special attention was given to sexual abuse and corruption in the church. This is a sermon that should be preached in every church.
This is Pastor Robert Barnes' first sermon at Evergreen Community Church following his installation. It's about Jesus--otherwise it would not be worth listening to-