Sermon Archive - Minnetrista Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
Minnestrista Baptist Church
December 29, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
https://www.youtube.com/live/6bNbUF-aSOI?si=qM4PmLdZ3rWtMOyo
Ruth 2November 17, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
https://www.youtube.com/live/Ypn8Sdkvwjk?si=A-d1f08zyosiTEKL
Mark 11:24-33June 2, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
Jesus is in His final days of His life on this earth. It is the time of the Feast of the Passover. It is the appointed fullness of time when He must be sacrificed as the Lamb of the God (Gal. 4:4). Jesus spends the days in Jerusalem, primarily at the Temple. He has cleansed the Temple, performed miracles there, and taught with authority. In the evenings, He travels the two miles to Bethany, staying with His friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. The Jews are actively plotting to kill Jesus, but not during the Passover because of the huge crowds that recognize Jesus as the prophet from Nazareth. They are also plotting to kill Lazarus as many are believing in Jesus because of the recent miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 12:10-11).
Mark 11:1-11May 19, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
Jesus is now entering the final week of His life. The cross looms directly ahead, yet He approaches it with joy, knowing He is going to fulfill His Father’s will (Heb. 12:1-2). He has repeatedly told the apostles what awaits Him, but they are dull of hearing and lack faith, thinking instead of their place in the Kingdom (Mark 10:35-45). The Jewish religious leaders are plotting to kill Him, but not at the Passover, for this will cause an uproar among the people (Matt. 26:5).
Mark 10:32-52May 12, 2924 Pastor Stan Wujek
Jesus is rapidly approaching the time when the purpose of His coming will be fulfilled (Phil. 2:5-8). He and His apostles are traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Passover. He has told them before and He tells them again what is about to take place. He is very specific. The Lamb of God will be sacrificed (John 1:29). Yet He will conquer death in the end as His resurrection will confirm.
The apostles have no comprehension of these future events. They are spiritually blind. This is evidenced by the request of James and John. They want to sit in prominent places in His Kingdom. They know not what they ask, Jesus responds. Christ’s Kingdom does not function like earthly kingdoms (I John 5:19).
Mark 10:17-31 May 5, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
Jesus has set His face towards Jerusalem, where He will fulfill the Father’s will and the prophecies about the Messiah as the suffering servant (Psalm 2; Isaiah 53, & others). He has answered the Pharisees about divorce and His disciples about the place of children in God’s kingdom. Now, He will answer a very iportant question posed to Him by one commonly called the “rich young ruler”. Parallel accounts are found in Matthew 19:16030 and Luke 18:18-34.
Mark 10:1-16April 28, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
Jesus now leaves Capernaum (Mark 9:33) in Galilee and travels south to Judea along the Jordan River. He is on His way to Jerusalem to fulfill the Father’s plan of salvation (Mark 9:30-32, 10:45; Heb. 12:1-2). Jesus attracts great crowds. Parallel passages are in Matthew 19:1-15 and Luke 18:15-17).
Mark 9:33-50April 21, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
Jesus has come sown from the Mount of Transfiguration and cast out the demon which His disciples were unable to accomplish. Jesus and His followers now come to Capernaum on the north slope of the Sea of Galilee. Parallel passages on the disciples’ disputes and becoming as a little child are found in Mathew 18:1-14 and Luke 9:46-50.
Mark 9:14-32April 14, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
The account of Jesus and His apostles coming down from the mountain and encountering a great multitude is also recorded in Mathew 17:14-21 and Luke 9:37-45. Mark’s account is the most detailed and lengthy.
The appearance of Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration is important to remember. Elijah prefigures John the Baptist while Moses is a figure of Christ (Deut. 18:15-17). Moses delivered the children of Israel from slavery of Egypt while Jesus delivers all who follow Him from the slavery of sin (Romans chapters 5-7). Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive the Law (Exodus 20-21). But the people waiting at the base of the mountain believed Moses had forsaken them so they constructed the golden calf (Exodus 32).. Shdn Moses received the tablets of stone the second time, he was on the mount forty days and nights without food and water and his face shone when he came down from the mount (Exodus 34). In like manner, Jesus will be confronted by unbelief among His disciples and the mmultitude when He comes off the mountain.
No video available due to technical difficulties.
Mark 9:1-13April 7, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
The transfiguration of Jesus on a high Mount is also recorded in Mathew 17:1-13 and Luke 9:28-36. The events proceeding are Peter’s confession of faith followed by Jesus’ prediction of His death and resurrection and the cost of discipleship. Jesus tells His disciples that some standing here will not taste death until the Kingdom of God is present with power (Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32). The Kingdom of God is Christ on display in His glory! It is about to occur.
March 24, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
A powerful reading of the Gospel accounts from the triumphal entry through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
https://fb.watch/saRtAtUqy0/
Mark 8:27-38March 17, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
https://www.facebook.com/MinnetristaBaptistChurch/videos/902275971581451
Mark 8:1-12March 3, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
All four Gospel writers record the feeding of the five thousand. Only Matthew 15:29-38 and Mark record the feeding of the four thousand besides women and children. The Pharisees seeking a sign and Jesus’ response have parallels in Matthew 12:38-40, 16:1-4 and Luke 11:29-32.
https://www.facebook.com/MinnetristaBaptistChurch/videos/915311610133110
John 13:1-17February 25, 2024 Pastor Stan Wujek
The public ministry of Jesus has concluded. Chapters 13-17 of John record Christ’s private words to His apostles. It is the longest discourse by Jesus in the Gospels and concludes with His high Priestly prayer. John does not record the institution of the Lord’s Supper, which is found in the synoptic Gospel accounts (Matt. 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:14-23). During the supper, Luke tells us that the apostles, as they often did, were arguing about who was the greatest in the Kingdom (Luke 22:24; Matt. 20:20-28; Mark 9:33-37). that context makes the washing of the apostles’ feet so poignant and exemplifies Jesus’ love that is without end and to the uttermost (Deut. 7:6: John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 8:38-39; I Cor. 13:4-8; Eph. 2:4).
https://www.facebook.com/MinnetristaBaptistChurch/videos/1564803094355563
God has a complex power to bring the dead back to life and He asks us to simply believe that His power is far greater than any other power.
Monie and Dolly* are sisters and the daughters of Ed and Olga Adam who were members of Minnetrista Baptist Church for many years. Dolly and Monie spent their childhood and youth years in the church.
Monie and husband Jerry Fluth lived in Cameroon for much of their married life. In 2009/2010, Jerry became the interim pastor at MBC. “It was one of the big joys of their retirement!”
*Please note the opening of the recording is Dolly but it was cut off - sorry! The recording is unedited.
Thank you Dolly and Monie for visiting and sharing your rich stories of how God has used you and it all started at our little Baptist Church! Come back soon!
An encouraging message from guest speaker, Coach Eric Shourds from Joshua 24:29 about teaching younger generations about God's Word.
Interim Pastor Will Hope continues in the series A Privileged People with a message called “The Majesty of God”. Scripture reference Isaiah 40:1-18
Interim Pastor continues in the series "A Privileged People" following a message from Donna Hale on Godly Women this Mother's Day!
Every church - every biblical New Testament church - involves beginning a journey - of traveling together through a country not our own. Every true follower of Christ has citizenship in heaven and for a season we have an adopted country here below.
Introduction: The hardest thing you and I will ever do is to develop a consistent prayer life. The hardest ministry to develop in a church is the ministry of prayer and intercession that has broad participation. Overview: Luke tells the story of Jesus from three perspectives: 1. Preparation for Proclamation, 2. Power in Proclamation, and 3. Perseverance in Proclamation. This passage of Scripture brings all three of these perspectives at one time.
Trusting God and obeying God are sure ways of a joyful, peaceful and a fulfilling life in Christ.
May we always trust and obey! Through the ups and downs, when feeling happy or feeling down. When we are full and when we are hungry. When we are relaxed and when we don’t understand. May we always trust and obey.
Throughout the Bible it speaks about God not wanting our gifts and sacrifices, He wants us to love and obey Him.
We have been chosen as Christ’s representatives on earth. In light of this truth, Paul challenges us to live our lives worthy of the calling we have received – the awesome privilege of being called Christ’s very own. That call includes being: Humble Phillipians 2:3-4 Gentle Titus 3:2 Patient Proverbs 14:29 Understanding Proverbs 3:5; 18:12 Peaceful 2 Cor. 13:11 (challenge) Col.3:12-17
As you can see, I have spent my adult life championing Christianity my family and the Church. God loves the church! The Bible says the Church is the Bride of Christ! God wants His people to find a Bible-believing church where we can worship, serve and fellowship.
To say the world is a divided place is a huge understatement! Unfortunately, that division drifts right into churches as well. That’s always been the case. The Apostle Paul had to squelch disunity in Corinth, Ephesus, Rome, Thessalonica, Colossae and here in Philippi. The enemy of Christ wants to bring discord, disunity, dysfunction, friction, and divisions of all kinds. When he does, fewer and fewer people are impressed with the truth of the Gospel, because Jesus said the world would recognize us as Christ-followers by “our love!” (John 13:35). So, what can we do about it? (see Philippians 2:1-5)
Moses is dead! God has appointed Joshua as the new leader. The wilderness wanderings are over. It’s time to settle into the promised land. They miraculously cross the Jordan River, set up a memorial and before them is the great city of Jericho. The Lord’s promise to Joshua was, “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go…for I the Lord your God will be with you” (Joshua 1:6-9).
The prophet Elijah orchestrated one of the greatest miracles in the Bible (1 Kings 18:16-46). He stopped rain from falling for 3 years and called down fire from heaven to consume the altar of God and went on to kill 450 prophets of Baal. He was on cloud nine, until he wasn’t. Where we pick up the story we see Elijah running for his life. Thankfully God went with him and asked him this profound question, “What are you doing here?” Occasionally, I think the Lord wants to ask us the same question!
All through Scripture we witness God’s people praying hard and dreaming big. This is, at least for now, our theme for 2022. If you were to dream big dreams for MBC, what would they be? • ___________________________________ • ___________________________________ • ___________________________________
- Live life viewed from the other end. (v13-16)
- Live knowing that God is your only hope. (v17-21)
- Cultivate love for each other. (v22-25)
From simple men with simple lives (the shepherds) to high ranking “king anointing” officials from the east (Magi), billions of people have fallen before our “Savior, Christ, the Lord, and worshipped! In it’s very broadest definition, worship is to “Glorify God, and fully to enjoy Him forever. We do that in a more local setting (the church) by actively glorifying God with our voices and hearts. Let’s get a glimmer of the worship given to Jesus by the “wise men.”
1) Preaching the word of God is central to a healthy church. (Nehemiah 8:1-8) So pray for: _A Bible-preaching, Gospel-emphasizing pastor_____
2) Religious behavior is not the same as faith and obedience (Luke 11:37-46 & Matthew 23:5-7, 23-24) So pray for: Authentic worship of the Father, submission to the Spirit and obedience to Jesus' leading
3) God desires peace and unity in His church (Matthew 7:3-5 & Ephesians 4:2) So pray for: Forgiveness and humility as we address conflict in our congregation
I imagine by now you have heard the news. If you are sad/mad, I’m sorry. If you are happy for me, I’m honored. In the long story of MBC, I felt I completed my chapter and now it’s time to allow another to add to the book. As your Pastor for the next 2 months I will be preaching this theme, “Pray Hard and Dream Big.” In our text this morning we will see the importance of the two!
Audio Block
Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3.
Learn more Sometimes we go a little overboard for Christmas! That being said, December 26thand following can be a bit of a letdown. Not for Simeon and Anna. Their journey began after the Christmas birth. What can we learn from them to help us through a new year?
The Christmas Carol we just heard begins, “What child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?” And of course, that is the real question. Who is this baby born so anonymously in Bethlehem to a lowly, unknown couple...who’s birth established the world’s calendars…who’s known by more people in the world than any human…who determines the destiny of every human who has ever or will ever be born?
“Jesus came to this world knowing what it would cost Him. His body bore the marks of evil that we deserve. Inside His sinless soul, He bore the weight of sin, so that we could be forgiven. His manly frame bore the hurt and the pain of injustice, that we might be understood. He became a Man so that God would become touchable and approachable and reachable. The mystery of the ages that will be fully answered one day in heaven is incomprehensible to our finite mind. But it can be answered in one word—love. The love of God reached its consummation in the Person of Jesus Christ, who became a man. As God, He is able to forgive our sins and save us. As a Man, He died to make it possible” Dr. David Jeremiah.
Jesus said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8).
It’s rather simple (at least on paper). The Holy Spirit convicts us, woes us to Christ, regenerates us, indwells us, empowers us, guarantees our adoption and salvation, gifts us to serve His church and finally, ushers us to glory one day. How do we know that as our Savior, Christ, who began this good work in us will continue to do it until we are called home? As one president quipped, “It’s all about the economy,” well, for the Christian “it’s all about the FRUIT.”
The last two messages on the Holy Spirit will deal with Spiritual Gifts and Spiritual Fruit.
Every Christian (including you!) has a Spiritual gift. The gift you possess is to be used for the betterment of the church. When we use our gifts the church grows healthy. When we don’t the church becomes sickly and the adage, 20% of the people do 80% of the works becomes inevitable.
Christianity is not a spectator sport!
In the Bible the Greek word translated “Forgiveness” literally means “to let go” such as when a person does not demand payment for a debt.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean that the hurt doesn’t exist, or that it doesn’t matter, nor does it make everything all right. Rather it allows you to “let go” of the hurt and let God deal with the one you may be feeling unforgiveness toward.
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Matthew 11:28-29 Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.
Listen as Kathleen R, Adam C., and Karen P. share their personal testimony about how they came to accept Jesus as their Savior! If you have questions about Jesus, please contact Pastor John at the church or stop in on an upcoming Sunday morning!
As we begin to conclude our series on the Holy Spirit, we will continue to answer some questions. One of the more solemn (scary?) themes in the Bible concern the sins against the Holy Spirit. What is the nature of these sins and how can we guard ourselves against committing them?
This weeks service was interactive and included a 7 minute video . (see below) Also attached is what we were able to record of Pastor John’s message! We apologize as we had some technical difficulties! If you wish to receive a copy of all of the questions and answers, please e-mail us at Minnetristabaptistchurch@gmail.com and we’d be happy to share!
“How Can I Live a Spirit-filled Life?”
Galatians 5:16-26
We are filled with the Spirit when we invite Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. We are controlled by the Spirit when we daily/hourly yield ourselves to the Spirit’s control!!
In our study of the Holy Spirit we’ve learned that God is three persons (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit). Each of these three are fully God and yet there is one God. This is what is referred to as the Trinity of the Godhead.
We also learned the job description of the Holy Spirit (conviction, drawing, regeneration, adoption, indwelling, sanctification, interceding, comforting, preserving and ultimately, glorification).
For the remainder of our study we will answer some common questions concerning the Holy Spirit.
· What is the Baptism by the Holy Spirit?
· How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
· What are the sins against the Holy Spirit?
· What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
· What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
Very simply put, Baptism by the Holy Spirit is placing the believer into union with Christ as the head of the church and union with others forming the body of the church.
Creation is groaning (metaphorically) waiting for its “liberation from decay” brought about by Adam’s sin (Rom 8:18-22). We as believers are also groaning (metaphorically) waiting for the outcome of our adoption into God’s family – namely Glorification (Rom 8:22-25). “In the same way…” (Rom 8:26) the Holy Spirit also groans for us as he continually works on our behalf to bring us also to Glory. Creation, believers, and the Holy Spirit all groan for our coming heavenly reward! The way the Holy Spirit groans, for this message, is two-fold: 1. Under our burden of SUFFERING, the Holy Spirit is our COMFORTER 2. Under the burden of SIN, the Holy Spirit is our INTERCEEDER
In 1970 singer Stevie Wonder released a song entitled, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours.” We have been looking at the work of God the Holy Spirit these last few weeks and as we continue this morning, this song should be our anthem provided by the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.
The Vine and the Branches 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
The job of the Holy Spirit is to convict the sinner, draw that sinner to a “rebirth” (regeneration) and then indwell that born-again Christ Follower with God the Holy Spirit. Wow! That’s awesome, but that’s not all…..
In our study of the Holy Spirit we asked the first question, "Who is the Holy Spirit?" The Holy Spirit is God and is a part of the Trinity. The Trinity is explained as: -God is three persons -Each person is fully God -There is one God
Man has two great spiritual needs: 1. Forgiveness – God answered at Calvary (Col 1:19-22) 2. Goodness – God answered at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)
As a church, we will show ourselves to be unified when we:
1) Give preference to one another(Romans 12:10)
2) Don't make ourleaders' jobs difficult(Hebrews 13:17)
3) Mind our tongues(James 3:4-10)
The end of Mark’s Gospel is very sudden (v 8). Why? Because of this sudden ending there is an addition (see brackets). Why? What can we learn from these additional verses?
It’s hard to comprehend, but God’s will was to bring Jesus to the cross and kill Him as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins (Acts 4:27-28, Col 2:14 NLT). This morning our text introduces us to Pontius Pilate. His question in verse 12 is the ultimate question that every human must answer. Eternity hangs in the balance!
Peter was on top of the world! Called by Jesus, commissioned by Jesus, loved by Jesus, taught by Jesus, given miraculous power by Jesus, given the “keys to the Kingdom” by Jesus, leader of the 12 and privileged preacher. In a few short hours, Peter went from the top to the bottom. What happened? (see Luke 22:31-32).
Jesus was arrested and all His trials violated the Jewish laws of justice (Deut 16, 19). In Jesus’ case the verdict was guilty before the trials even began. Although, not all recorded in Mark, there were 3 Jewish trials and 3 Gentile trials. This all took place in a matter of a few hours lasting till 9am on Friday when Jesus was nailed to the cross.
What can we as Christ-followers learn from our text today?
The religious leaders wanted Jesus dead. Judas gave them that opportunity during Passover. However, these Jesus haters are step-by-step fulfilling the exact plan of God. Let’s look at the players as this drama unfolds.
All 4 Gospels describe Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the day of His crucifixion. Satan wants to keep Jesus from the cross so there is a great spiritual battle raging, not only for Jesus but with the disciples as well. Our text gives us 2 very clear facts from the scene in the Garden.
Please Note: We had technical difficulty with the recording that lasted 3 minutes during which time we played a video - “That’s My King” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE. We encourage you to listen thru Tony’s message and also follow the link to the video after.
Psalm 100 (NIV)
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness, come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.
Permalink
There are 89 chapters in the Gospels.
Of those 89, 29 are written about the Passion Week.
Of those 29, 13 are written about Good Friday.
Why?
Because the last week of the life of Jesus is the heart of the Gospel message!
We’ve seen the permanent shame of Judas and now we’ll see the temporary shame of Peter. Peter’s shame is temporary because Jesus’ grace is greater than our sin.
Permalink
Thursday night the Galilean Jews (which are Jesus and the 12) celebrate Passover. On Friday, the Judean Jews celebrate Passover. The Passover is a remembrance of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt (Ex 12). The things done on Passover are all symbolic of that event. For 1,500 years, the Jews have celebrated Passover this way. When Jesus shared Passover with His disciples He changed it to the Lords Supper (table, communion). The events of the last Passover night are recorded as follows:
All the Bible has led up to these 4 days (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun). God’s plan revealed in Genesis 3:15 is finally here. The last 3 chapters of Mark will keep our hearts focused on the greatest days in the history of the word.
Our text is the application of the truths found in Mark 13:1-27. Here is my take on the passage:
Before the ship (world),as the waters get more treacherous (birth pains), goes over the falls (tribulation leading to eternal damnation), be a part of the operation (evangelism) to rescue the perishing! No one knows, so keep watch!
Someday Jesus will return. His second coming is different than the rapture. The Rapture is when we as Christians are caught up with Him in the air. He will preserve us during the great tribulation and then we will return with Him at the second coming to defeat Satan and begin His millennial kingdom. This is the pre-millennial dispensational view. And of course, as was mentioned not the only view! In keeping with the PMD view we outlined Mark 13 this way:
As was mentioned last week, there are a plethora of Biblical theories about eschatology. The view we are expounding is called, “pre-millennial dispensationalism. It basically outlines Mark 13 like this: 1. Destruction of the Jewish City and Temple (13:1-2) 2. The Church Age – what we are living in now (13:3-12) 3. The Rapture of the church (13:13) 4. The 7 Year Tribulation (13:14-24) 5. The 2nd Coming of Jesus (13:25-27) 6. No one knows the exact time so keep watch (13:28-37)
In the very dumb movie, “The Three Amigo’s,” the outlaw used a word that has become popular to describe a large or excessive amount of something. The line… “Do you think I have a plethora of piñata’s?” The word PLETHORA surely applies to Mark 13, as there are a large or excessive amount of theories as to what the passage means!
Jesus is the central figure in human history and the resurrection is histories main event (after creation). The four Gospel writers all record the resurrection from their own perspective with Mark’s Gospel being the shortest. All of them, however, report the same events.
Last week’s message titled, “While God Watched” signifies inaction. But actually, while God watched, He was very active in working out all the details of the crucifixion of His Son. How?
Since Easter is in 2 weeks, I decided to look ahead in Mark to Friday of the Passion Week. Good Friday is the day Jesus died by crucifixion. In our text this morning Mark records only 3 times the word “crucifixion” with really no detail. But Mark records paragraphs concerning the blasphemy and mockery of Jesus by several groups. Why did God the Father allow God the Son such insult? We will answer that question at the end of the message.
Mark 12 is one long day! Jesus, after fielding many questions and teaching the people, finally sits down near the temple treasury. Here we witness the abuse mentioned in verses 38-41. In Matthew 23 we see the extended version of this event. The application practically centers around what’s inside comes outside!
Mark writes his Gospel to share with us the “good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). He then goes on to show the validity of that statement with reporting all the things Jesus said and did. Jesus concludes His conversations with the religious leaders with a final invitation, because, at least one of them is “not far from the Kingdom of God.”
When we aren’t where we are supposed to be, we are in danger of doing what we ought not to do. Though there are consequences for disobedience, grace and forgiveness await the broken hearted.
The religious leaders wanted Jesus dead! But for this to happen they had to turn the people against him. If they could get Jesus to usurp the authority of Moses with his own they could turn him into a heretic to the Jews and a trouble maker to Rome. So, they gather together to ask another question.
The Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection of the dead. That’s why they’re SAD YOU SEE! They also deny the existence of angels, and anything supernatural. That being the case, it’s ironic that they would ask this bizarre question concerning the afterlife. Jesus concludes the answer to their question with these words, “You are badly mistaken!” OUCH!
We are moving from days to hours before Jesus is crucified. It’s Wednesday of the Passion Week and Jesus continues to teach to a large group of supporters as well as His opposition. His opposition is looking for a way to trap Him with His words. What better way to trap Him than to ask a political question!
We are moving from days to hours before Jesus is crucified. It’s Wednesday of the Passion Week and Jesus continues to teach to a large group of supporters as well as His opposition. His opposition is looking for a way to trap Him with His words. What better way to trap Him than to ask a political question!
It’s Wednesday of the Passion Week and Jesus is still in the temple teaching to the people as well as those who wanted to kill Him. Jesus, the ultimate story teller captures His audience with the outrages behavior of the farmers (tenants). “As Jesus tells the parable He clearly and forcefully edicts His enemies,” who continue to look for ways to arrest Him and kill Him.
It’s Wednesday morning of the Passover week and Jesus is on His way back to the Temple where the day before He drove out the money changers. In out text today Jesus is confronted by the Sanhedrin and with His departure ever nearing He affirms the importance of prayer. It’s a BOGO message!
It’s Tuesday of the Passion week and Jesus is on His way back to the temple. The temple is the heart of Judaism and since the temple is corrupt so are the Jews. In our passage today Jesus illustrates the coming destruction of the temple (fig tree) and then shows in His actions (driving out) His displeasure with its ungodly activity.
Mark 11-16 details the last week of Jesus life. The week begins with Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. History tells us it’s 30AD in the Jewish month of Nisan on the 10th day (probably Monday) and Jesus is crucified on the 14th. According to Exodus 12:3,6 the sacrificial lambs were selected on this day to be slain on the 14th (Passover eve). Jesus is selected on Nisan 10 by God and will be sacrificed for the world on Nisan 14 (Heb 10:11-14). God is always on time because He is omniscient.
My brother attends a church in CA called “Mariners.” When I visit his church words like, epic, extreme, revolutionary, innovative, professional, impactful, life-changing and awesome come to mind. I think their donut budget is bigger than our yearly budget. Whatever happened to the word “ordinary?” Of its many meanings, one is, “of a kind to be expected.” When we look at the very first church, notice how ordinary it was.
An estimated 189 million adult Americans (74% of the population) say they’re determined to learn something new, make a lifestyle change or set a personal goal in an effort to better themselves in 2021, a 15.17% increase from the previous year. The top six categories that keep us to this holiday tradition relate to money, health, career, self-improvement, family, and love. The problem is that only about 8% succeed. As we move into a year of unknowns the Apostle Paul says, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.” That being said, here are a few ideas that you might want to consider as we begin 2021.
In a few days we’ll put Mary and Joseph, the animals, the shepherds and the wise men back in their box and back on the shelf. That’s a sad day unless you don’t like clutter. But the real sad day is when you don’t understand the significance of Christmas. Why was Jesus born?
I tell my kids not to buy me anything for Christmas. Two reasons… 1 – I don’t need anything. 2 – Use the money to pay a bill! However, our text today and actually the entire Gospel message is about receiving!
The disciples sound like spoiled children who complain after Christmas that they didn’t get everything on their list. They continue to need Jesus to explain that if you want the world seek self-promotion. If you want God’s kingdom seek self-denial (servanthood).
Christmas; “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” as the song says. We know the songs, we know the characters, we know the place, and we know the purpose…I hope! The heart of Christmas is the understanding, not that Jesus came, but why He came. That reason was clearly stated by the angels to the shepherds, “Today, in the town of David, a savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Only God could have planned for us, on this first Sunday in Advent to be in Mark 10:32-34. It explains perfectly the reason for the season. It’s not so much about a baby in a manger, but a savior on a cross, raised from an empty tomb.
Immediately after blessing small children the Synoptic Gospels (Mt, Mk, Lk) record an encounter Jesus had with a rich, young ruler. The contrasts of these two meetings display the truth of grace and works and joy and sadness.
In the Synoptic Gospels (Matt, Mk, Lk) each writer includes today’s passage before the story of the Rich Young Man. It’s no accident! The little children find their way into God’s Kingdom with no merit of their own (GRACE). The Rich Young Man (which we will talk more about next week) tries to use his deeds to enter the Kingdom (WORKS). The children and their families went away rejoicing. The rich man went away sad. WHY?
In the Synoptic Gospels (Matt, Mk, Lk) each writer includes today’s passage before the story of the Rich Young Man. It’s no accident! The little children find their way into God’s Kingdom with no merit of their own (GRACE). The Rich Young Man (which we will talk more about next week) tries to use his deeds to enter the Kingdom (WORKS). The children and their families went away rejoicing. The rich man went away sad. WHY?
God’s Word is our final authority on what we believe and how we behave. Our passage today talks about belief and behavior; what do we believe about marriage and how to behave while married. Bottom line, God created marriage and God hates divorce (Gen 2:24, Mal 2:16).
The Pharisees wanted to again trap Jesus with His words so they ask Him this question concerning divorce, and Jesus gives them God’s answer.
God’s Word is our final authority on what we believe and how we behave. Our passage today talks about belief and behavior; what do we believe about marriage and how to behave while married. Bottom line, God created marriage and God hates divorce (Gen 2:24, Mal 2:16). The Pharisees wanted to again trap Jesus with His words so they ask Him this question concerning divorce, and Jesus gives them God’s answer.
In college I would let my laundry stack for quite some time. The laundry would go higher, higher, and get more smelly. Instead of dealing with the laundry, my friend and I bought a thing of Febreeze “Cranberry Cheer”. We would spray it all over the room instead of just doing our laundry. Sometimes in our life we don’t deal with sin and instead justify it and hide it and not call sin sin. Today I urge you to repent of any hidden sin in your life. I urge you to run the other way towards Christ.
In college I would let my laundry stack for quite some time. The laundry would go higher, higher, and get more smelly. Instead of dealing with the laundry, my friend and I bought a thing of Febreeze “Cranberry Cheer”. We would spray it all over the room instead of just doing our laundry. Sometimes in our life we don’t deal with sin and instead justify it and hide it and not call sin sin. Today I urge you to repent of any hidden sin in your life. I urge you to run the other way towards Christ.
Jesus is in His teaching mode. His main goal before He goes to the cross is to ready His disciples with the tools to take the Gospel to the world. In our text today we have the privilege of listening in on one of His lessons titled, “Learning to be Humble.” The problem is just when you think you got it, you lost it!
Jesus is in His teaching mode. His main goal before He goes to the cross is to ready His disciples with the tools to take the Gospel to the world. In our text today we have the privilege of listening in on one of His lessons titled, “Learning to be Humble.” The problem is just when you think you got it, you lost it!
What do you need? What does your household need? What does your community need? What does your state need? What does your country need?
Peter confessed by faith that Jesus was “the Messiah” (Mk 8:29). Now, along with James and John, will visually see Jesus in all His glory!
When Vicki drops me off at the airport on my way to visit my family in CA, three things happen after I get out of the car; 1. I say goodbye 2. I carry my luggage 3. I get on the plane If you answered “C” on question 2 of last week’s exam, then get ready for your trip to heaven!
The disciples have spent two and a half years in school and now it’s time for the first exam. The exam only has two questions. God the Father already answered the questions and so did the demons (Mk 1:11, 5:7). The exam signifies the pinnacle in the Gospel of Mark. Everything before the exam leads to this point and everything after flows from it. The second question is the most important question any human being will ever answer. Ready for the exam?
I’ve always wondered about this miracle of Jesus. On the first reading it seems that Jesus’ cure was faulty. It seems like it didn’t work. But is there more to the story? The answer of course is yes. There are at least 4 good lessons here for the disciples as well as us.
God loves you so much He gave you 2 choices:
1. Remain dead in your transgressions and sins (Eph 2:1)
2. Choose to be made alive in Christ and be saved (Eph 2:4-5)
The same 2 options are given to the Pharisees and the Disciples. The Pharisees choose death, the Disciples choose life. Every human being has the same 2 choices. What choice will you make?
Jews stayed away from Gentiles. They would not eat with them. They would not touch them. When they left a Gentile area they would shake the dust off their garments and out of their sandals so they wouldn’t bring any polluted dirt back to their Holy Land. With this in mind, the disciples wondered if Jesus would feed the hungry Gentiles like He did the Jews. Jesus is teaching His disciples that the Great Commission is to include even those the disciples had been trained to despise.
Complaining is a really easy habit to fall into, and a really hard one to get out of. This more than anything for me is a daily battle, especially in the season of life we are currently in. We complain about having work. We complain about not having work. We complain about family. We complain about our friends. We complain about what is different now or should be different. We complain about what is the same or should be the same. Name a subject, humans can find something about it that they will grumble over. Grumbling seeps into every part of the day if we let it, it’ll corrupt every activity we do.
As Christ-followers we are to follow Christ! The Apostle Paul understood this when he wrote, “Follow my example as I follow Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). In our text today we see a characteristic of Jesus we should follow; the compassionate healing of the deaf and mute man. Do you lean more toward compassion or indifference? A simple way to discern this is with your answers to these 3 questions: 1. Did you cry when Bambi’s mom died? 2. Did you cry when Brian Piccolo died? 3. Do you cry during Hallmark shows?
Jesus enters the region of the Gentiles. He leaves behind the cries of the Pharisees to “crucify him” and enters the area to inaugurate the plan to bring salvation to the world (John 3:16). He chooses a clever Greek, Syrian Phoenicia born woman to teach his Jewish disciples this lesson.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:1, 10-12
The world is not messed up, you are! John Newton had it right, “Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.” The Pharisees were concerned about the outside (unclean hands Mk 7:5). Jesus is concerned about the inside (“washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit” Titus 3:5-7).
Tradition gets so imbedded that it can hinder our relationship with God. God has always been more concerned with our insides (heart) than our outsides (hands). Jesus faced this hypocritical spirit in his day and so do we. God is not pleased when our tradition and information outweighs our transformation.
Mark begins his Gospel account by stating, “The beginning of the Gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
Jesus is commissioned by the Trinity
Jesus is tempted by the Devil
Jesus drives our demons, heals all types of diseases, teaches with authority, and feeds the 5,000. Yet it’s not until Jesus walks on water that the disciples are completely on board
It’s after this miracle and some “hard teachings” recorded in the Gospel of John (not in Mark) that many followers leave (John 6:53-69). BUT NOT THE 12!
It’s after Jesus walked on water they are “caught, hook, line and sinker,” to be committed Christ –followers.
W.C. Fields made famous a line he used in one of his movies, “Get away from me kid, you bother me.” Jesus on the other hand said this about kids, “Let the little children come to me, for to such belongs the Kingdom of God” (Mark 10:13) and, “Whoever welcomes a child in my name welcomes me” (Matt 18:3). Possibly the greatest miracle performed by Jesus was made possible by a small boy and his small lunch (John 6:9). Our ministry to children is one of the most important things our church can do!! Why?
God has many names in the Old Testament • Elohim – God of Creation • Jehovah – God the Redeemer • Jehovah-rohi – God my Shepherd • Jehovah-jireh – God who Provides Anyone who grew up going to Sunday school has heard of the feeding of the 5,000. It’s one of 2 miracles recorded by all 4 Gospels (the resurrection is the other). In the story we see a compassionate Jesus who provides for the ordinary needs of the people (common grace). What can we learn from this famous miracle?
Jesus says, “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matt 11:11). Mark 1:14 records that John the Baptist is in prison. After some time (maybe a year or so) in soap opera fashion, King Herod has John the Baptist beheaded. In Matthew’s parallel story (Matt 14:12) we are told that the disciples of John report to Jesus what happened. Jesus withdraws to a solitary place maybe to contemplate His own death. Yet, the evil act of crucifixion has eternal significance. Let’s look at 5 questions from our text.
For almost a year and a half, Jesus was a one man ministry. Jesus taught, Jesus healed, Jesus cast out demons, Jesus calmed the sea and Jesus raised the dead. All the while, the disciples watched, listened, and learned. The clock is ticking faster toward the cross and Jesus decides it’s time to multiply His efforts by equipping and sending out the 12 with the message of the Kingdom of God. We are also called to a ministry of proclamation. What can we learn from Jesus’ instruction to the 12?
The Bible records that Jesus was amazed 2 times. One is recorded in Matthew 8 where Jesus is amazed at the faith of the Centurion. The other is here in Mark 6 where Jesus is amazed at the unbelief in His own hometown. Luke 4 records His first visit to Nazareth and they wanted to kill Him. Now during His second and last visit their belief amazes Him. The Disciples have seen people plead with Jesus to leave their town (5:17). They have seen people laugh at Jesus (5:40). Now they get a firsthand glimpse of what amazing unbelief looks like.
After the resurrection the Bible says that Jesus appeared to more than 500 of his followers at one time (1 Cor 15:6). In our passage today we will look at 3 people, a man, a woman and a child who may have been among those 500. They are an interesting trio who are brought together by Matthew, Mark and Luke. One was a ruler, one was an outcast and one was a child. Now they have a common bond as Christ-followers.
Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (4:35) and calmed a God ordained storm (4:39) to deliver a man enslaved by a “Legion” of demons and free him to be the first obedient “preacher” Jesus sent out. When I was in college we had a worship band in our church group. The guitar player whose name was Chris wrote a song entitled “Barabbas.” In the song Chris said that we are like Barabbas in that Jesus frees us from the prison of sin. In a way, we are also like the demon-possessed man in Mark 5:1-20.
After an extremely busy day of teaching, healing and huge crowds, Jesus instructs His disciples to take him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The “sea” is actually a fresh water lake 682 feet below sea level, 13 miles long and 8 miles wide. The lake is also, because of its location and depth, subject to very severe winds which make it a very treacherous place to be in a small boat. In this boat we see both the humanity of Jesus (sleeping) and the Deity of Jesus (power over creation). The question Jesus asks then and continues to ask today is, “Why are you so afraid?”
Jesus Christ, the Son of God (1:1) is establishing His eternal family (3:34-35). The distinguishing characteristic of His family members is “responsiveness to Divine Truth.” It finds a place in a believer’s heart where they hear it, believe it, love it, obey it and share it. The parables in Mark 4 show the progression of an obedient Christ-follower.
Mark does not spend a lot of time on the detailed teachings of Jesus except in chapter 4 and 13. I have a red letter Bible (red is for Jesus’ words) and there is not a lot of red in Mark compared to Matthew and Luke. This parable is known as the Parable of the Soils. Since the marching orders for all Christians centers around the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20) it is critical for us to understand the responses (the soils) to the Gospel message we will encounter.
As a reminder, Mark begins his Gospel with the statement that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. God in the flesh! Mark then spends time showing his readers this by Jesus’ teachings and power over demons (1:27-28) and His ability to heal disease (2:11-12). All this has caused the religious leaders to rebuke His authority and plot to kill Him (3:6). Even though thousands have begun to follow Him, His immediate family thinks He’s crazy (3:21) and the religious leaders attribute His power to Satan (3:22). Jesus is beginning to draw a line in the sand and establish His real family (3:25).
Romans 5:12, 18-19
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—18Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
I have divided my Easter Message today into 4 parts. They are:
- The Garden
- The Tree
- The Resurrection
- The Response
The truths of scripture should stir up a greater love for the Christ who “while we were still sinners, died for us!” We should long to run to the one who tends to and tills the soil of our souls…Happy Easter
God knows, God cares and God rules are promises for me during these perplexing times. I can go even further and believe that God has designed this time as a blessing not a curse. How can I believe this? I believe His blessings flow as we allow the Lord to mold us and make us after His will. The Bible gives us clear behaviors to emulate during our current Coronavirus crisis that bless us and bless those around us. They are found in 1 Thess 5:16-18.
Mark continues to show his readers that Jesus Christ, the Son of God has the power and authority that goes along with His title. Jesus knew in the next encounter that His words and actions would cause the Pharisees outrage beyond comparison and would eventually lead to His death. Jesus called Himself Lord of the Sabbath, again making Himself equal to God. This event drove the Pharisees to begin to plot how they might kill Him.