The Calvary Chapel Baltimore Sermon Podcast: Recent Episodes
Pastor Josh Plantholt and Pastor Rick Plantholt
The weekly sermon from Calvary Chapel Baltimore, in podcast form! Featuring teaching from Calvary Baltimore Pastor Josh Plantholt and Pastor Rick Plantholt.
Yes, Jesus is love. Jesus is so filled with love, he can't stand for evil. He will fight against evil; he's called the Lion of Judah. Yes, he's patient, lowly and kind, but he's not to be trifled with!
Jesus hates the religious hypocrisy of the scribes, and he lets them have it.
"I don't want to come to church, it's filled with hypocrites!" And it's true, there are hypocrites everywhere. There are also godly people! Not perfect-- we'll all say and do stupid things. A hypocrite proclaims Jesus, but lives consistently against him.
If you call yourself a Christian, you'd better live the life faithfully.
V38... The long robes are prayer robes... They want to be seen in public as the pious ones. They're seen as men of eminence. You were expected to stop and greet them, honor them.
They're abusing their status, and getting rich on the money of the poor and vulnerable.
They make long prayers... showy. It's a facade.
They will receive the greater condemnation.
The big picture...
The widow story is used to show how it's good to give. The scribe story shows it's bad to take from them. The widow is a living example of the abuse from the scribes.
Next up, we'll see in Mark 13:1-2... Great buildings? Jesus says it'll all fall.
Often sweet, desperate people fall prey to people like the scribes (or nowadays, televangelists, etc).
On judgment day, tremble not for the tax collector, but for the wicked minister!
Every Christian is a kingdom and priest unto our God. Spiritually, you enter into a priestly role. A very high position before God. You are his representative!
Are you representing him well, or are you a hypocrite? If you're a hypocrite he will remove your lampstand.
God is so good to us, despite our failings. He's patient. But he will not be mocked! Today's text is an invitation to repent of your hypocrisy and wicked ways.
We all fail. But our God forgives! His mercies are new every day. He cleanses it all. There is no sin that has mastery over you. Seek the Lord now, while he may be found!
That's the big picture.
V42... The widow is poor; no one is taking care of her. Compared to the rich giving, when she throws her two coins into the receptacle, they hardly make a sound.
Yet Jesus speaks about how much more she has given! Because of its heavenly value. She put in all she had; the gift was at great cost to her. That's the measure of the value of a gift in God's eyes.
In the Old Testament, 10% was required. In the New Testament, we're not commanded to give 10%, but we are called to be generous. God blesses the generous giver. How much you give is between you and God.
Giving is an act of worship. We should worship with joy and gladness, not begrudgingly under compulsion! For God loves a cheerful giver.
The widow was all in for the Lord, so she's given as a model for us.
Mark 8:34... Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me!
The widow gives not for her glory, but for the glory of God! She lives to serve and give. The scribes were on the path to death, and she was on the path to life!
A little girl builds sand castles, and a middle aged man builds a business. Both are building a castle. The girl wisely knows hers will eventually die, and when she's done, she goes away and does something else with her life.
The man has no concept of his castle ever being washed away. He's concerned with preserving his castle. His whole life is tied up in it. But the little girl's hopes and dreams are not with her castle. She is the wise builder!
We're all building castles. Some good castles, helping other people, helping the environment... But there are sinful castles... Built on stealing money, built on mistreating people, built on things like abortion.
Our castle is built upon Jesus dying for our sins so we can have eternal life.
Paul's trip to Damascus... When he's knocked off his horse, the other men near him saw the light and heard the voice but didn't understand it. Paul saw the person inside the light! He must have thought, how can I be persecuting God?
His castle was being built on religion.
Paul goes to Arabia and relearns everything he knew about God, after his whole castle is washed away. In every Bible story he read, he saw Jesus! He realized you can't have God without Jesus.
Paul forgets the old castle and builds a new one on Jesus. He goes out and preaches Jesus to the crowds, their castles come down, and they build new ones on Jesus!
Acts 16... The Holy Spirit stopped Paul with Timothy and Silas from going to Asia and other places. God lets them go to Troas and on to Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, let Timothy go to Ephesus and Paul go to Athens... no big church planned there. In Corinth, he's persecuted. He stays because God told him, and God protected him. He goes to Galatia, then to Ephesus, and people go from there to Collossi, Laodicea to spread the Gospel.
In Troas, God opened the door for him to preach, but he left and preached at churches of other cities.
Everyone builds a castle. Paul dies in prison. While he's there and finds out he'll be executed, he wants to see Timothy, the one he's closest to in the faith.
2 Timothy 4:6-7...
He says he's ready to be offered. A sacrifice unto God. He never lashes out against the government. He's looking past all that. He stays in prison, and is ready to die if it's his time. And his time is at hand.
V7... He's fought the good fight!
2 Corinthians 11:23-28...
He was persecuted everywhere. He definitely fought the good fight. He hated when people turned believers away from faithful teaching.
Paul's castle was all finished. All built, nothing more he could add. He'd finished his course, and he'd kept the faith!
The greatest thing that can be said of our lives is that we kept the faith! We keep the faith because of who God is.
What castle are we building?
Is it built upon Jesus crucified and risen to Heaven? All that matters is not success, not people's opinion of you, but whether you kept the faith!
The events of Mark 11 and 12 run parallel to Psalm 2 ("Why do the nations rage..."). The religious rulers in Jerusalem have been plotting against the Lord's Anointed, but God sits in heaven and laughs, establishing His King on Zion.
When the New Testament quotes an Old Testament verse, the surrounding verses are often in view as well (e.g., Jesus crying out "My God, my God" from the cross points to the entirety of Psalm 22).
By quoting Psalm 110:1, Jesus also brings Psalm 110:4 into view, which states, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
Genesis 14... Melchizedek was both the King of Salem (an ancient name for Jerusalem) and a priest of God Most High. He uniquely brought bread and wine to Abraham.
Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of this type. He is the Son of David (King of Jerusalem) and the Great High Priest. Just like Melchizedek, Jesus is about to institute the Lord's Supper using bread and wine in Jerusalem. He is establishing both a Kingdom and a priesthood.
Jesus took His place at the right hand of the Father during His ascension.
While Psalm 24 ("Lift up your heads, O gates") historically deals with the Ark of the Covenant entering Jerusalem, it is also beautifully viewed as an ascension text. It paints a picture of the resurrected Jesus arriving at the gates of heaven, being welcomed in as the victorious "King of Glory."
In ancient times, victorious kings would physically put their feet on the necks of defeated enemies (as seen in Joshua 10).
Psalm 110 says God will make Christ's enemies His footstool. Those who proudly oppose Jesus will ultimately be conquered and placed under His feet.
In the age of Google and social media, it's easy to pretend to be an expert on a topic with only cursory knowledge. It is freeing and healthy to simply admit when you don't know something.
The scribes considered themselves the ultimate experts on biblical prophecy, yet they completely missed the Messiah standing right in front of them.
When Jesus stumped them with simple logic, they could have humbled themselves and asked Him to teach them. Instead, their wounded pride turned to violence. When people can't win with facts and logic, they often resort to yelling or violence because it is easier than humility.
True maturity means approaching the Word of God like a blank piece of paper. We must be willing to let the Bible challenge and change our long-held traditions.
Psalm 110:1... Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. Echoed in Mark 12:36!
The best tried to stump Jesus, to trip him up so they could put him to death, and failed. So he turned the tables and started to ask them questions.
V35... Jesus starts with the tradition of the scribes. He begins building his point using their own teaching!
V36... Echo of Psalm 110:1. Jesus is asserting the divine inspiration of Scriptures, that the Holy Spirit wrote David's Psalms. God is perfect, and his Word is infallible! Ultimately, God wrote the entire Bible.
Don't be ashamed of God's Word, and let it stand on its own merits!
V36... The beginning reads like, "Yahweh said to Adon..." Could be a human lord or divine.
V37... David calls his coming son Lord... Ponder that, scribes! The answer is in the incarnation, the birth of Christ. Jesus comes from the blood line of David. In Revelation he, resurrected, refers to himself as a son of David! He took the form of a servant, and subjected himself to death on a cross.
How did the scribes respond? They couldn't, as shown in Matthew. They were stumped.
The crowd didn't realize they were in the presence of the Savior! We're all in danger of failing to recognize and revere our King! Even in church.
Live stream is a good resource when you're absolutely stuck home. But it doesn't replace the local church body! YouTube teaching and worshipping is not church!
We need God's presence, and Jesus is assembled with the lampstand, the Church, on the Lord's day! Don't waste the opportunity to be there in person with God and his people!
To close, here's what Jesus said:
- You'll sit at my right hand...
Jesus is right now at the right hand of the Father.
Acts 2:29ff...
Peter shows that David foresaw Jesus dying and rising again!
V32... Many witnesses to his resurrection
V33... He's enthroned in power at the right hand of God!
Revelation 5:1ff... None is worthy, except the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
We will not be defeated because Jesus is King! Every created being in Heaven falls on its face worshipping him.
Jesus pours out his spirit on his people, so we may see, hear, and glorify him!
The Church is not losing. Jesus is on the throne, and his enemies are becoming his footstool! He's not worried.
Then Peter says, essentially, "and you killed him!"
They realized they'd made the biggest mistake ever, killing the son of God to the sound of applause.
Peter told them to repent of their sin and be baptized, and even they will be saved!
Come as you are, but you can't stay as you are. He will change you, grow you toward his own image.
Daniel 7:13ff... On the clouds of heaven, Jesus ascends into Heaven. His Kingdom shall not be destroyed!
Jesus at his trial knows what's going to happen, and the high priest tears his garments, asserting Jesus is blaspheming!
The high priests will one day face judgment in Heaven, and the judge will be the one they spat on. The scariest situation imaginable.
- Revelation 14:19-20...
There's nothing more foolish or disastrous than being an enemy of God!
To reject his friendship is to be at enmity with God. You'll be like a corpse under his feet.
All you must do is repent and be baptized, and all your sins, big and small, will be forgiven!
If you die rejecting his forgiveness, you too will be rejected, and will not spend eternity in Heaven.
He is a good God who wants to give good gifts to his children! He gives us salvation, a way home to the Father! He'll one day say of you, "this one's mine!" And despite all our failings, our imperfections, he'll actually say to us, "Well done, my good and faithful servant!"
The scribe asks Jesus about the weight of the weighty laws.
Love God with all your heart...
Colossians 3:16... Believers should be constantly drawing from the scriptures! It's not just good for you, but for those God has put in your life. Your wife and kids need a godly husband and father! When you aren't that, you're actually hurting them.
Proverbs 13:20... Whoever walks with the wise will be wise. Surround yourself with the wise.
Preaching at its best contains error. But in Scripture itself, there is no error!
Love your neighbor as yourself...
Yes, you need to love yourself in a sense (don't beat yourself down). But popular psychology emphasizes this beyond God's intent.
You hear, "Before you can love your neighbor, you have to learn to love yourself." There's a healthy amount of self-love, but our culture is obsessed with the love of self, to the point that it takes precedence over the love of others. Self-love is blinding! We're already good at prioritizing ourselves (witness a toddler!) Everyone naturally does what's right in their own eyes.
According to God's Word, the chief marker of the end of time is that people will be lovers of self! Too much self-love gave us sin in the beginning, and will cause our downfall in the end.
Jesus says: Love people like you wish to be loved!
He says anxiousness, anxiety, is part of humanity, "today has enough worry of its own."
Through faith in Jesus, you belong to the Father! You find your worth not in what others think, but in what God says about you!
When you find your worth in Him, only then you can be a blessing to those around you!
What makes you valuable? Go to the cross! That's how valuable you are.
Two thoughts...
- Being near the kingdom is not the same as being inside it...
Jesus's message has always been a message of the Kingdom. Repent, and believe in Jesus, then you're in the Kingdom.
The scribe here is near the Kingdom. Many are far from it. Many seem indifferent to the things of God, no desire to read the Bible, to pray. So we pray for their hard hearts!
Agreeing with him places us near the Kingdom... but loving him places us in the Kingdom! We must give him our heart, not just our mind.
So the big question: Am I in the Kingdom, or am I only near the Kingdom?
You prove you love the Lord when you follow him faithfully! We must endure till the end. We must follow him privately, not just publicly. We must let go of the things of this world completely!
- Joyous love...
All the Old Testament commands two things: love God, and love people.
God pours his love into our hearts, so we can take that love to the people he gives us! Our work is to love God and love people.
In this, there's a fullness of joy! Walking in his love is obeying his commandments, and this brings us to joy!
Warning: life can be very hard. People fail you. Systems of the world fail you. Satan wants you miserable! He wants your to believe the dark things in you are what define you. But God's mercies are new each day! Your past does not define you!
Everything is forgiven! You are not defined by your shame!
You are not owned by the things that have hurt you. In him, we live and move and have our being! It's Christ who lives in me! He makes known to us the path of life! In his presence is fullness of joy!
Jesus shows us how to live a life worth living!
There's no joy in selfishness, in self-focused living. To walk with Christ is fullness of joy! It's awesome to love the people around you!
1 John 3:14... We know we're saved because we live the brothers. If you don't love, you're dead!
Choose Jesus! Choose life, love, and joy!
A footnote...
Objections:
If I love people, does that mean they'll love me back? No. And that hurts. But if you refuse to let others in, you're living a dark, cold life, hurting yourself worse than if you got stabbed in the back by one of the people God brought into your life.
Love and pray for your enemies! Love your neighbor as yourself!
v28...
The scribe asks a common rabbinic question about which of the 613 laws is the heaviest.
About 20 years earlier, the famous Rabbi Hillel summarized the Torah negatively ("what you would not want done to you, do not do to your neighbor"). Jesus answers positively with love, anchoring it first in the nature of who God is.
- Quoting the Scriptures...
Jesus connects Deuteronomy (The Shema) and Leviticus. If Jesus needed to quote Scripture, we certainly do. We are never closer to truth than when speaking God's Word.
Satan also quotes Scripture (as in Genesis 3 and the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4), but he twists it for his own agenda. False doctrine is demonic because it perverts God's Word.
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Jesus's answer masterfully summarizes the Ten Commandments. The first four commands are entirely about loving God, and the last six are about loving your fellow man!
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Loving Your Neighbor Practically vs. Eternally...
Though physical help (mowing lawns, being generous with time) is good, the absolute best way to love your neighbor is to introduce them to Jesus.
The Great Commission... true love involves making disciples, leading them to baptism, and teaching them to observe God's commands.
v32...
To obey is better than sacrifice... The scribe correctly connects Jesus's words to Old Testament truths (like 1 Samuel 15:22 and Hosea 6:6), recognizing that loving God is weightier than burnt offerings. The setting matters; this realization happens at the Temple during Passover week. With potentially hundreds of thousands of lambs being sacrificed around them, the scribe declares that relationship with God is weightier than the massive religious system he specializes in. It also directly follows Jesus flipping the money changers' tables the day before.
Being near the Kingdom vs. in the Kingdom... v34
3 final thoughts...
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The scribe approached Jesus alone, stepping out of the "echo chamber" of his peers, which allowed him a genuine path to discover the truth.
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False Assurance: Jesus tells him he is "not far" from the Kingdom rather than immediately declaring him saved. This serves as a warning against modern altar calls that quickly give false assurance of salvation to people who only intellectually agree but have unregenerate hearts. This scribe's assent was only intellectual, and Jesus made a distinction!
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The early Church and the didache...
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The way of life vs. the way of death: the Didache (maybe the oldest non-canonical church document) opens by echoing Jesus's teaching: the "Way of Life" is to love God and love your neighbor!
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Loving your enemies: the text commands believers to pray and fast for their persecutors. If we love even those who hate us, we will have no personal enemies. When people hate us, it should be not because of our own sin, abuses, or bad character, but for righteousness's sake. Be a person full of love!
Love is an action, not just emotion: True biblical love involves doing, caring, and going out of your way. If you claim to love someone but treat them poorly, you do not actually love them.
1 Corinthians 13 (Love as Verbs): In the original Greek, Paul’s famous list ("Love is patient, love is kind...") does not use adjectives; it uses verbs. Love does patience, love does kindness.
No bookkeeping... True love is not resentful and keeps no ledger of past wrongs. This directly mirrors the cross, where Jesus wipes our ledger completely clean.
Love is not devoid of emotion. Jesus was moved to compassion and wept; love involves both inward affection and outward action.
The scribe's question: weightiness of the Law... A scribe (lawyer) approaches Jesus after hearing Him answer the Sadducees well.
The scribes constantly debated the "weightiness" of the 613 Old Testament commands. Idolatry and murder were "heavy" laws carrying the death penalty, while failing to tithe herbs from a garden was a "light" law, etc.
The scribe genuinely wants to know which law Jesus considers the heaviest or most important.
The greatest commandment, loving God...
Mark 12:29-30: Jesus starts by quoting the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4). Before diving into theology, Jesus establishes who God is (Yahweh, the Eternal One, the King). You cannot debate the King's commands.
We are called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The specific categories matter less than the overall point: love God with absolutely everything you have and hold nothing back.
The 2nd Commandment, loving your neighbor...
The order matters (Mark 12:31)... Jesus quotes Leviticus 19:18. You must first learn to love God rightly before you can truly love your neighbor rightly.
If you prioritize loving people without loving God first, you fall into a liberal theological trap (building wells for physical needs but ignoring their eternal soul). True love cares for a person's immediate needs and their eternal salvation!
Near the Kingdom vs. In the Kingdom...
The scribe spent his life categorizing rules, but Jesus collapses the entire law into a relationship (love). The scribe recognizes this is true and agrees.
Mark 12:32-34... Jesus tells him he is "not far from the kingdom." Agreeing intellectually with Jesus puts you near the kingdom, but surrendering to and loving Jesus puts you in the kingdom.
Many people today are near the kingdom (they wear crosses, attend on Easter, agree with the morals) but have never actually entered in through genuine surrender!
Love is God's being: Christianity is utterly unique because it has a trinitarian God. A unitarian god cannot be inherently loving, because before creation, there was no one to love.
From eternity past, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have perfectly loved and deferred honor to one another. Salvation is an invitation to be brought into this eternal loop of love.
Receiving and pouring out God's love...
Deuteronomy 7:7-8: God doesn't love us because of anything special we did; He loves us because He is love. Because His love is unearned, it cannot be lost.
Through the Holy Spirit, God is constantly pouring an ocean of love into our hearts every single day.
Our response is to splash that love back onto God and out onto others. We are never asked to give what God does not supply. Like the widow of Zarephath's oil or the feeding of the 5,000, God miraculously replenishes the love we give away.
Satan wants us to believe selfishness brings satisfaction. In reality, because we are made in the image of a giving God, we will never be more joyful or satisfied than when we are generously pouring out love to others, and giving God the glory!
Other of Service:
Greeting and Prayer
Pastor Josh Plantholt
Worship songs
✧ Agnus Dei
✧ Shout to the Lord All the Earth
Scripture reading
Revelation 21: 1-7
read by Patrice Brink (Laura’s sister)
Poem reading
“Death, Be Not Proud”
read by Rick Howard (Laura’s husband)
Eulogy #1
Maureen van Leuven
Eulogy #2
Frank Pimentel (Laura’s brother)
Eulogy #3
Bob Brink (Laura’s brother-in-law)
Sermon
Pastor Josh Plantholt
Worship song
✧ Amazing Grace
Dismissal to lunch
1 John 2:12-14
Our country was discovered by Europeans in the name of Christ. Many of our founding documents speak of God as our guide. The idea was to found it under Christian principles.
We're rich in resources, surrounded by allies north and south. We've experienced multiple great awakenings, won two world wars and could have taken over the world, but we didn't, because it wasn't the right thing to do.
We are so blessed! We have freedom of speech, religion, self-defense, to elect our own leaders. Thank God for what he's given us! Today we have climate control, advanced medicine and technology...
So... Is the foundation for the next 250 years as strong as the foundation for the last 250?
We've become successful... and in doing so, we've unfortunately become rather self-sufficient. There's less need to rely on God.
We're shifting away from the God who has provided our prosperity!
There is no morality without religion, without God. Satan's influence is seeping into the highest levels of government.
We must embrace the One who caused our prosperity, and reject the one who seeks to destroy us! We must return to the Lord.
V12...
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Children: new converts
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Young men: laborers
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Fathers: mature Christians
The children, v12...
They're the newcomers. We never actually mature beyond this, just build upon it!
Their sins are forgiven! They understand and acknowledge the bad news of their own sinfulness before welcoming the good news.
Their sins are forgiven, and why? For his name's sake. Any righteousness in us is a gift given by God, not of your own doing. It's only because he chose to love you! There is no boasting in our own righteousness.
They know the Father.
You can only know him once you've come to the Son! Jesus tells us to pray not to him or to the Holy Spirit, but to God the Father!
The fathers... v13-14
They're marked by one defining thing: they know him who was from the beginning! The self is not involved... it's all in who they know.
The teachings of great men of God tend to become more simple over time. It shows perspective. The church consistently needs to hear the character and attributes of God, simple, foundational truths!
The church needs great, faithful men who preach the Word of God. This is what America needs!
Mature faith is built over a lifetime. It's about daily faithfulness in the Word. Compounded over a lifetime! But the time hasn't passed for you; it's never too late to start. There's still time! They're are treasures waiting for you.
Young men... v13-14
These are those who are laboring for the Lord...
They have strength.
The Word abides in them. Every chapter points to Jesus! This is where the Fathers are made. This means to live God's Word! You know no biblical principle until you've lived it.
They have overcome the evil one. The overcoming is not in progress, but is finished!
We need to stop living as if Satan has won. The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Church! Christ has secured the victory.
America already belongs to the Lord; every knee will bow and every tongue will confess! Our job is to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
The Church is not called to be accepting our tolerant of Satan. We must resist the devil. We need to call out evil.
In closing...
Is the foundation for the next 250 years as strong as it was originally? No. But with God's grace and strength, it can be. Seek his face, repent, and follow him.
We must reject the tolerance we're being forced to adopt. We just call good good, and evil evil!
So...
Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the teachings of Christ, we can continue what they started. All is not lost. He is able! Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on us and on this country! The next generation will need you to be one of the fathers. Are you strong? Are you worth building a house upon?
Decide whom you'll serve! Where's your hope? What is your rock?
Joshua 24:15, "... As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"
The scene opens at the Sea of Tiberias; the disciples fished all night and caught absolutely nothing.
Jesus asks, "Children, do you have any fish?" to demonstrate that our best efforts are totally fruitless without him.
We are called to be "fishers of men," pulling people from the violent, dark kingdom of the world (symbolized by the sea) into the kingdom of light.
We are the branches and He is the vine; the end of our own strength and plans is the exact beginning of God's strength and plans.
At Jesus' command, they catch 153 fish... the number represents an overflowing, complete haul, yet the net does not break.
Peter is actively being "pruned" during this interaction... God must wound our pride to produce more spiritual fruit. We're like grapes, but the ultimate purpose of grapes is to be crushed into wine; every Christian must eventually feel the "blade" of the Word and affliction, to grow.
The actual power resides in the hand that wields the weapon (God), not the weapon itself (us).
Jesus cooks breakfast on the shore; the character of God is a festive welcome! Creation was the original house of hospitality, concluding with an invitation to a grand feast in Genesis.
The Church is called to act as God's hospital in an inhospitable, messy world. We gather to get "heavenized" through Christ so we can go back out into our daily lives and be bread and wine to the world.
Peter puts on his heavy outer garment before diving into the water, demonstrating his reinstatement as an apostolic priest and shepherd. When they're face-to-face, Jesus doesn't scold Peter for his past lies or failures; He simply and repeatedly asks, "Do you love me?"
This restoration happens around a charcoal fire, directly mirroring (and redeeming!) the previous charcoal fire where Peter denied Jesus three times.
Jesus equates loving him with feeding his sheep (teaching and sharing the Word with others)!
God created the universe out of divine passion and a deep yearning to pour His love onto us, not because He was lonely or lacked anything. Earth is currently estranged from Heaven, but the incarnation at Jesus's birth brought the angelic choir to earth to begin restoring that harmony.
God cascades his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit to empower us to love him; we lack the natural capacity to love him on our own!
We must assess our own hearts, and love Jesus for exactly who He is, not for who we want Him to be, or how we prefer him to act.
A sermon not about how much we love the Trinity... but how the triune God loves us!
- The Father...
"For God so loved the world that he gave" - this is God the Father.
Our Father is a loving father! Love is an action, according to God; God's love GAVE us his only son.
Love isn't feeling, but doing! God is a giver.
The Lord's prayer... We ask God for a lot! Because we have a good father who loves to give to our children.
Luke 11:9... ask and it will be given.
Our Father is quick to love, to give, to forgive us. His love is action! Abundant, sustaining. He provides, he gives!
For he so loved "the world"... He loves all of sinful mankind! He gave his son to the unlovable world!
- The Son...
He gave "his only Son"...
John 3:16 shows us HOW God loves us.
His son would be crucified and lifted up. He loves me so much that he sent me his son (so that we may kill him instead of dying ourselves!)
Christianity is all about the cultivation of our private relationship with God. We must make sure we're spending time with God, or we will spiritually shrivel and die!
We should be like a tree planted by the water! (Psalm 1)
Go to God, who freely gives! He even sent his Son.
- The Holy Spirit...
"Whoever believes in him"... You're going to heaven ONLY because you believe in him.
"Believes" is present tense. It must be ongoing, not just a decision you made in the past! An ongoing belief. If you're a Christian, go to church, read his Word, repent of your sins continually.
Once saved, always saved, yes! But... if you walk away from the Lord, it may be that you're an example of bad soil rather than good. You may not have really been converted. If your belief isn't ongoing, in the present tense, it's not genuine. How do you continue to live your life? You'll know a tree by its fruit.
Yet it's not about your works; it's about the state of your heart.
True belief results in faithful endurance to the end. Be all in!
The Father so loved the world, that the Son came, and the Spirit awakened us.
- Why must we believe?
God is good, and we are not. He is perfect, and we are imperfect. The wages of our sin is death! We deserve to die when we meet the Judge. God cannot ignore evil, because he is good! Unless we receive the gift of the Son, then the holy, just wrath of God is on us!
We need help, and in Jesus, we have it! He absorbed God's wrath, so every sin we'll ever commit is paid for!
This is the Gospel message!
Revival...
God pours out his spirit on the people, and they're induced to follow Jesus, to live righteously in holiness, following him!
But we must not yet to treat the symptoms of the world before we diagnose the disease. Symptoms would be greed, lust, poverty... The real disease of our culture is that the West has forgotten her King!
We need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit! A revival of people submitting to and following Jesus Christ!
Receiving the gift of Christ gives us eternal life..
- Humanity's hope... Eternal life!
John 17:3... To believe is to enter eternal life! Eternal life starts now, not only in the afterlife. You have access to God Almighty now!
And it lasts forever. To receive him is to have everlasting life! Through Jesus Christ, we don't have to be afraid of death.
Ps118:17... I shall not die, but live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.
We enter Heaven, and our first words will be "Thank you!!!" We start singing about the cross!
To receive the Lord is also to be under the love of the Son. A decision for Christ is to live eternally in his love!
A little context before John 3:16... John 3 starts with Jesus and Nicodemus.
v1-8...
Jesus explains being "born again." Water birth = physical birth. Spirit birth = born of the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual birth is driven completely by the Holy Spirit. Just like we didn't cause our physical birth, we did nothing to cause our spiritual birth.
v9-20...
In the book of John, the crucifixion is frequently framed as an hour of victory or glorification (Jesus being "lifted up" or "raised").
God's purpose in sending Jesus wasn't to condemn the world, but to save it. However, rejecting Jesus inherently means rejecting the Father, bringing condemnation.
Humans naturally love darkness over light. Love and works are connected; you become what you love. Genuine faith produces fruit (walking in the light). To come to Jesus is to walk in the light!
Back to v16, piece by piece...
"For God so loved the world" translates best to "In this way, God loved the world."
General love (love of the whole world) vs. covenantal love (love of the Church)... God loved the whole world enough to send His Son as an open invitation, even knowing many will reject Him. An example... loving spaghetti vs. loving your neighbors vs. loving your wife/kids. They are all "love," but very different kinds and depths.
God's covenantal love for His people (the Church) is different; it's unbreakable and carries into eternity.
Danger of liberal theology: They accept God's general love for the world but wrongly deny God's wrath, judgment, and hell for those who reject the gift.
"...that He gave his only Son": Sending Jesus is the supreme act of love. Jesus is a greater gift than solving world hunger, wars, or curing cancer. He's the greatest gift to humanity!
"...his only Son": Jesus is the unique Son of the Father. He was not created ("begotten" is often misread as created). He is God, the Word, from the beginning, and took on human flesh.
An Old Testament parallel... Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22). Isaac was the "son of the promise." The big difference: God stopped Abraham and provided a substitute ram, but there was no substitute for Jesus. God did not spare his own Son (Romans 8:32)
The order of salvation... a the theological debate: which comes first, Regeneration or Faith?
Regeneration (awakening by the Spirit) must logically precede Faith. Because humans are spiritually dead by nature, God must first turn on the lights and soften the heart before a person even has the ability to believe!
This is why prayer is necessary for evangelism... you can preach until you are blue in the face, but God has to prepare their heart first.
So! We aren't loved because we believe. We are ALREADY loved by God, and our belief is a direct response to that love.
Responding to God requires two simultaneous actions: belief and repentance. Rejecting the darkness, and turning toward the light!
Mark 12:18-27 - Confrontation passages, Day 3
This is the third day of Jesus's confrontation passages in Mark. First the Sanhedrin challenged him, then the Pharisees, and now it's the Sadducees' turn! The religious leadership is challenging his teaching and authority. They denied the resurrection, didn't believe in an afterlife. They were so conservative they only trusted the first five books of Moses (the Torah). So Jesus responded to them using only those books :-)
The question of "whose wife is she in the afterlife"... we explore the apocryphal book of Tobit a story of Sarah who is described as having multiple husbands who were killed before she could consummate the marriages. Despite her grief, she decided it would be selfish to kill herself. The Sadducees may be referencing this story.
The Sadducees assumed that if Heaven existed, it would just be a continuation of earthly family dynamics, human drama, etc.
John 11:25, an "I Am" statement from Jesus... "I am the resurrection and the life"... to accept him is to accept the resurrection!
By dying on the cross, Jesus destroyed the one who held the power of death (Hebrews 2:14). Satan has no claim over a believer.
At conversion, the "old man" dies. The believer is made alive in Christ, and our legal debt of sin is nailed to the cross (Colossians 2). We have no need to fear death, as we've already died! Our life is eternal, and our victory is secured. This is our hope, our song! The great and mighty acts of our Lord.
Jesus says that when the dead rise, they neither marry nor are given in marriage; they are "like angels in heaven." The family of God is those whoever does the will of God, who are brought together by Jesus Christ.
The last bit, v26-27...
Jesus then brilliantly uses a text from the only books the Sadducees accept (Exodus/Moses at the burning bush). God said, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." He is the God of the living, not the dead.
Jesus tells them, "You are quite wrong." The Sadducees read the Bible with a predetermined assumption (no afterlife), which threw their entire worldview off. Warning: Like a rocket ship off by one degree, bringing our own assumptions or failing to take the "whole counsel of God" (all 66 books) can lead us to disastrous belief systems.
The Sadducees' question treated the hypothetical woman like property: "Whose wife/property will she be?" Jesus's answer dignifies her. In Heaven, we are not property to be owned, or objects for abuse. We are like the angels, children of the living God, dwelling in perfect harmony together, in God's presence!
In his presence is fullness of joy, no more tears, no more sorrow!
How do we know when our interpretation of the Scripture is correct? Jesus points back to Scripture to answer. Don't let one verse stand on its own authority, but read it in the whole context of the Bible! That's the basis of sound doctrine.
v18... Sadducees believed there's no resurrection, no afterlife. They exalted the pentateuch over all else, and it's not resurrection-focused. To their thinking, man is largely in charge of his own destiny.
Jesus will respond to their question from the pentateuch!
Sadducees look at marriage as a permanent institution, even in the afterlife.
v24... They're off track because they know neither the scriptures nor the power of God!
Sometimes the most learned people are the most backwards and wrong. The Sadducees' education focused on cherry-picking verses in a limited context.
Jeremiah 22:29... God's word is like fire, like a hammer! Hebrews 4:12: it's sharper than a two-edged sword. If the Bible is true, we can trust it completely! All Scripture is breathed out by God.
How do we ensure we're not being led astray in our reading of Scripture? We use Scripture to interpret Scripture!
2 Timothy 3:16... It's all breathed by God, profitable for teaching. It will tell you who God is! Profitable for reproof. For correction, restoration!
We need God to constantly lead us in the way. We must be complete, and equipped for every good work.
Let the Word beat you up! It'll equip you for every good work. Store his Word in your heart, prepare yourself for reasonable service, so you're ready to serve instantly, in season and out of season.
Your family needs you to be in the Word! Your wife needs a godly husband, your kids need a godly father. Be ready for every good work.
The Sadducees were also ignorant of the power of God over death. Believing in the resurrection is an elementary requirement of Christianity. Our country has been raised without God for generations, and the culture no longer believes in life after death. There's no accountability for sin.
Christ died and rose again, so when we die, we will rise again!
v25... Resurrection is not optional; we WILL rise after death, either to eternal life or eternal judgment.
Marriage is indeed for a lifetime, but not for eternity!
v26-27... He is the God of the living!
Is God's love limited by the grave? No! He's faithful until death, and beyond. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord! His steadfast love endures forever!
1 Corinthians 13... Love is patient, kind... He's describing the love of Jesus for his people.
If you know you're a sinner in need of a savior... His love for you cannot be broken!
You're never closer to your deceased loved ones than when you're worshipping God! There is no death in his presence. Death is just a beginning for the believer!
Romans 8:31... If God is for us, who can be against us? It's God who justifies!
Who can separate us from God's love? Nobody. Nothing.
We are more than conquerors through him! Because he loves us, we live! His love is forever fixed on you! There's no condemnation for you. And because of his love for us, we will love him all the days of our lives!
Habakkuk 1...
Hab 1:1-4 - Begins with a question: "How long shall I cry for help?" Habakkuk is wrestling with God in prayer. He's confused about God's justice and timing.
Judah is sinning, but Babylon is worse. Why is God using Babylon to judge Judah?
Word for "violence" here is the same Hebrew word used in Gen 6:11 (Noah's flood) - things are so bad they need a total reset.
The Law (Torah) is "paralyzed" - not defeated, but grown numb/cold in the Promised Land.
Today, western countries are abandoning the Lord. When the Word of God is abandoned, justice becomes perverted.
Hab 1:5 - God responds: "Look among the nations... doing a work... you would not believe."
New Testament: Paul quotes this in Acts 13:40 as a warning against hard-heartedness and rejecting Jesus (the cross/resurrection).
Hab 1:6 - God is raising up the Chaldeans (Babylonians). They are fierce, fast, and worship their own might.
Hab 1:12 - "My God, my holy one." Habakkuk claims a personal relationship. (Good prayer model: claiming God as our Father, like Jesus taught).
Habakkuk describes Babylon dragging nations away in nets and fishhooks.
A New Testament reversal: In the Old Testament, the enemy "fishes" men into slavery and death. In Matt 4, Jesus calls us to be "fishers of men," netting people alive into the Kingdom of God!
Habakkuk 2...
Hab 2:1 - Habakkuk goes to his watch post. He's waiting on God. Waiting on God isn't being lazy! It is faithful, vigilant responsibility.
Hab 2:2 - God says, "Write the vision... it awaits its appointed time." - This reminds us of the Rapture. It's written and will happen right on God's perfect, sovereign schedule.
Hab 2:4 - "The righteous shall live by faith" (massive verse, quoted 3 times in the new testament).
Babylon appears multiple times in scripture:
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Tower of Babel (Gen 11) - "Let us make a name for ourselves" = Pride.
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Babylonian Empire (Habakkuk's time).
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1 Peter (referencing Rome).
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Revelation 17 & 18 (Future Babylon).
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The "Spirit of Babylon" = pride that defies God.
Do we have this spirit in our own lives or culture today?
Woe 1: Plundering. "He who lives by the sword dies by the sword." Warning against a culture of endless war. Christians should be peacemakers.
Woe 2: Evil gain. "The stone will cry out from the wall."
Woe 3: Building a city on blood. Without Christ, there is only chaos. We share the gospel not just to get people to heaven, but to bring order and life to them right now!
Woe 4: Making neighbors drunk to exploit them.
Woe 5: Idolatry. Making wooden/metal images. Idols are ridiculous, and powerless!
Habakkuk 3...
We turn from a complaint into something more like a Psalm...
Hab 3:2 - "Revive your work... in wrath remember mercy."
How is our prayer life? Is it urgent? Bold? We need to repent of puny, lukewarm prayers!
Luke 11 shows God wants to answer us.
Revival starts with us. We need to be the spark in our own homes and neighborhoods.
God's Power (v8-15): Creation bends to His will. He will pierce the enemy with their own arrows.
Verses 17-19: Habakkuk realizes God isn't stopping the invasion, but he is at peace.
"Though the fig tree should not blossom... yet I will rejoice in the Lord."
Earthly things (health, money, nation) can be taken away. Salvation in Christ cannot be plundered.
God makes his feet like the deer's on the "high places."
The book starts with Habakkuk in the dirt, crying and desperate. It ends with him dancing on the high places. His circumstances didn't change, but his heart did because he learned to trust the living, sovereign God.
Verse 5... Pride and arrogance are the mark of those outside the faith. Sin is never satisfied; it will progress infinitely if you let it, until it destroys you.
So submit to Jesus. You belong to him, and your soul is satisfied in him! The world is restless, chasing their sin.
V6-8... One day the nations will collect... You reap what you sow.
V9-11... Babylon thinks it's safe. But it's built on the blood of others.
V12-14... Babylon may be beautiful, but it was built on injustice.
We proclaim not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord!
Satan wants you to believe you're in a losing battle. That's a lie. The light overcomes the darkness! There are so many Christians in heaven they can't be counted!
Gates are defensive, not offensive. The church lays siege to Satan's kingdom! All false gods... Zeus, Caesar, Ra... are all gone. But Jesus remains!
Habakkuk says the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God. We need to be ready to give a defense for the Gospel, in season and out! So read his Word and submit to it, every day!
V15-18... ill-gotten power will be put to shame.
V19-20... Babylon has put its trust in a false god, but the Lord is high and lifted up in his holy temple!
When our God moves and speaks, the whole earth stands in silence.
Chapter 3...
V1-2... Habakkuk remembers the great works of the Lord, and pleads with him to revive it!
God can change the whole world with a small group of people! Equip us, strengthen us, God! Revive your great works!
God can pour out his spirit whenever he wants, and he's looking for humble servants who depend on him completely. He's faithful to a thousand generations!
V3-7... He's reflecting on the Exodus.
V8-12... How God uses creation to enact his justice.
V13... This recalls how God put enmity between the woman and the serpent (whose head was crushed)... Jesus on the cross was the bruised heel.
V14-15... The Father is already talking about sending his Son!
V16-19... He quietly waits for God's wrath to come upon the unrighteous enemy! God is his strength.
- Habakkuk is the praying prophet...
God's not going to answer his prayer the way Habakkuk wants; he has his own purposes. Yet true faith says "I trust the promises of God!"
- Singing in the rain...
In 1 John, we see that perfect love casts out fear... here Habakkuk is trembling in fear! But through it all, he knew God was good, no matter what would come his way. God is more powerful, more able, more glorious, than anything else!
What to do when your earthly comforts are taken from you? Remember that God makes you tread in high places.
...Psalm 123:1... We lift up our eyes... Our strength comes from the Lord!
Colossians 3... Seek the things that are above! Your life is hidden in Christ! Our strength comes from the Lord.
In Heaven, all things will be made new! This is our hope, our peace!
Stop ruminating on what scares you, and look up!
Habakkuk 1:1... Written around 600 BC.
Habakkuk was the praying prophet. The whole book is one long prayer.
We know God is perfect, but sometimes we feel he's too slow, or forgets about us.
The Chaldeans (Babylonians) are so awful they're bringing Habakkuk to his knees. He wants God to get rid of them or change their hearts.
Those who know God is good still call out desperately for God to do his work!
V5-11... Habakkuk prayed for revival, and God responded that he'd never understand what God is doing if he showed him. If we only knew what he was planning for us!
V12... Habakkuk doesn't like the response. When is God going to show up? And he compares Israel's righteousness with the Chaldeans'.
Habakkuk 2:1...
We won't have to strive to reach up to God, to impress him. We have Jesus! If you pray genuinely to God, he hears you! You can wait on his goodness.
Jonah... When asked "who is your God", Jonah revealed he's the God of everything, not just the sea. It's all God's! Nothing is beyond his ability. So pray big prayers!
V2-3... God says to write down the message he gives Habakkuk. It will come to pass in time. So he must learn to wait on the Lord.
V4... The deadliest sin is pride. It will sneak in unexpectedly, subtly. Satan wanted worship, some of God's glory. That one unchecked sin led to all the death and sin in human history. Pride rejects humility and submission, and keeps people out of heaven.
The bad news: you are a sinner.
The good news: John 3:16!
Pride is deceptive... We can even take pride in how little pride we have! The Pharisees... everything pristine and perfect on the outside, but prideful on the inside.
We must be humble! We must DAILY submit to the Father. It's hard to pray because it's spiritual. We need the holy Spirit to convict us daily.
Pride opposes submission to God, but the righteous shall live by faith! There should be no prejudice, it's never justifiable. We must come to the cross and see what WE did to Christ. We are NOT "pretty great." At the cross, pride melts away.
Faith... Hebrews 11:1... The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Real righteousness is faith. God here wants to see us the assurance and conviction in God's Word, and his justice and mercy.
Hebrews 10:32 quotes Habakkuk. The early church received the holy Spirit, and all hell broke loose... Persecution of all kinds, suffering.
During suffering, Christ is doing something in you that's greater than your comfort.
Trust that God is good even if you don't see it. The righteous shall live by faith!
When you're waiting for God to do something, trust him, even if it takes a long time, because he's true to his word.
The righteous shall live by faith. Who's really righteous? Those who are in Jesus. The just are those who have faith in God! Righteousness can only come through faith.
Romans 3... All have sinned, and are justified only by grace, as a gift!
Propitiation... the wrath of the Father has been eternally satisfied in the work of Christ!
The full measure of God will come down again, in even greater measure than before. Jesus is the hope: though we will die, we will live!
Waiting on the Lord is not passive, but an active endurance, an anticipation of the coming works of the Lord! Being faithful until the works of the Lord come.
God is able to deliver, provide, revive, help you endure a trial!
Isaiah 40:31... Wait for the Lord, and God will be with you!
Three other Gospel accounts of today's text:
Matthew 22:15-22... The Pharisees are leading the pack, and only sent their disciples (a cowardly move). Jesus was aware of their malice in asking him the gotcha question!
Luke 20:19-26... Luke says they "sent spies who pretended to be sincere" to get Jesus to say something actionable by Pilate.
Mark 12:13-17... the Pharisees and Herodians say four things about Jesus to flatter him:
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We know you are true
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You don't care about anyone's opinion... no peer pressure!
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You aren't swayed by appearances... he doesn't look upon the faces of men. No partiality in judgment. He called like he saw it!
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You truly teach the way of God (they obscure it!)
Then they try to trap him regarding paying taxes to Caesar... if yes, he loses the support of the people, and if no, they'll label him an enemy of the state.
"Tax" here is a Latin-derived word, indicating Mark was written with a Roman gentile audience in mind (they spoke Greek and Latin).
Just like the Roman coin (bearing the likeness of Caesar) should be returned to Caesar, we are marked and sealed for protection with the likeness of Christ, and will be returned to him!
v17... give back to Caesar what's his, and give back to God what's his! They marveled, were astonished. Luke says they stayed silent... this is an indication of defeat.
How did the Pharisees and Herodians receive this message? Luke 23... they lied, saying he forbade them to give to Caesar. They say Jesus is a man of truth, but they lie through their teeth.
That's today's text.
Civil disobedience vs. civic duty...
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1 Timothy 2:1-2... Pray for your civic leaders, even when they're persecuting the Church! We must pray for them no matter what.
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Augustine would draw from this text that we're God's money; as the coins must be returned to Caesar, we must be returned to God. But we've wandered from him; we have his stamp on us, but we're faded, scratched by this world. That said, we still bear his image and receive his protection!
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How will we be known? Though they were trying to flatter him, Jesus is known as truly having the qualities the Pharisees and Herodians ascribed to him. How do our enemies view us? May they see the same things in us!
a. He's true, and truly teaches the Word of God... how should the world see us? We should be a people of the truth and conviction!
b. He doesn't care about opinions, and isn't swayed by appearances... the Church is NOT downstream from culture! We don't have to appeal to the world in order to draw the lost. The modern Church has gone wrong here; we are to be UPSTREAM from the culture, leading and not following. We are above all those influences; we shouldn't be changed by the culture. Our affections are to be pointed to God!
We can't change our whole country overnight, but through the Holy Spirit, we can change ourselves. We belong to the one who made us and saved us!
- Peter Paul Rubens painted a picture of this account. The Pharisees and Sanhedrin are bent over, looking at the coin, looking at each other, looking away... but there's one man looking directly at the eyes of Jesus. Jesus is pointing to Heaven. This is the heart of today's text!
Jesus points to something bigger than the coin, bigger than Caesar, bigger than the government. Give Caesar what belongs to him, but to God, give yourself! He draws our eyes to the Father.
Everything in this world can be given away freely; we shouldn't be too attached to anything... but our life should be given to God!
Philippians 1:20... to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Galatians 2:20... "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God what is God's!
Mark 11: Triumphal entry, Jesus inspects the temple, turns over money tables.
Mark 12:1-12: The Sanhedrin question him and he tells a parable against them.
Today's text, Mark 12:13-17... here and for the rest of this chapter, the Sanhedrin are trying to trap him in his words so they can put him to death.
v13... "trap" is used here in the sense of capturing an animal.
The Pharisees are all about purity laws, and a Jewish-only Israel. The Herodians are aligned with the Roman-leaning Herod, illegitimate (and non-Jewish) leader of Israel. Complete opposites, extreme left and right of Israel... except they both want to see Jesus dead! The entire government is conspiring against Jesus.
v14... they flatter him first, then try to trap him with their question.
Jeremiah 9:8... his tongue is a deadly arrow, speaking peace to his neighbor but in his heart planning a deadly ambush.
Two kinds of enemies: those who tell you to their face they don't like you, and those who shrewdly pretend to have your back, but secretly plot against you. Fake friends with honey in their mouths and daggers in their hands.
v15... "...knowing their hypocrisy..." - Matthew says malice, Luke says craftiness; this same word describes the serpent in Genesis. A denarius was a day's wage; the denarius coin indicated Tiberius Caesar's deity, and so was blasphemous. They're trying to get him to upset one side or the other.
v16... the Pharisees and Herodians are able to produce a denarius which was considered by them to be unsuitable for use in the temple, yet here they are! He could have trapped them on that alone... but he answers...
v17... Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give God what belongs to God. They marvelled at his answer! You'll bever be more clever than God :-)
...as the denarius was made in Caesar's image, we were made in the image of God. Give Caesar the things of the world... but give to God our souls, our worship, everything!
Render means to give back... if Rome wants it, give it back to them. But give back our souls, our worship, everything we are, to God! It all comes from him. The air in our lungs, our strengths, our unique qualities... it's all a gift we are to give back to him.
That's today's text. Two thoughts...
- Caesar's coin...
How should a Christian operate in this world under its governing authorities? Respect for the opposition is eroded. 1 Timothy 2: we are to pray for our political leadership, even if we don't like them! 1 Peter 2:13... be subject to every human institution. Honor everyone, fear God, honor even the emperor! (He was killing Christians!) Live godly lives, don't cover up evil! But we are to pray for those in leadership. It's part of our Christian witness and apologetic!
Romans 13... Be subject to the governing authorities as they have been instituted by God! Even if they're bad (that's a judgment on a nation)... so don't resist the government. Pay taxes, revenue, respect an honor to whom they're owed. We are to be the best citizens of our country!
Pliny the Younger was not a Christian, and was a governor. He began killing the Christians of his town, but a revival started. He wrote a letter to Caesar, describing the exemplary behavior and morality of the Christians despite his persecution. We can't worship Caesar, but we can be his best citizens! Virtuous, honest, upstanding. Justin Martyr makes a similar case.
We can't worship Caesar, but we can be his most upright citizens, praying for even the worst leaders, that God be glorified in our witness! It was our light that helped convert Rome.
The more Christ-like we become, the more radical we'll seem to the world; our witness will draw people to Christ.
Our default position is to be the best citizens, to the glory of God!
Only then should we consider:
Civil disobedience...
Acts 5:27... the apostles are instructed not to teach in Jesus' name. They decide they must obey God over men when men are demanding they oppose God! In Daniel and in Revelation, we see there are times it is our duty to disobey the government. Taking on the mark of the beast, burning incense to Caesar.
When the laws of the government oppose the laws of Christ, we must resist. We must not violate Scripture.
Our country is very blessed! Individual freedoms are one of our strong points. We should also support programs that take care of those who are vulnerable. But government tends to get bigger and bigger, and over-reach into our personal freedoms... legislating every little thing, indoctrinating our kids.
Government here is starting to take over the lives of its citizens, controlling money, food, water, education, healthcare. If the government ever says we can't worship God, we will be in a pickle. Satan's plan is to use an overreaching government to control the Church. Christians should be apprehensive to let the government take these things over.
We should vote in ways that support God's Kingdom on earth, not man's.
- God's coin...
As the denarius bears Caesar's likeness and name, so does the believer bear the likeness and name of Christ! And we're sealed with the Holy Spirit. Money we give to Caesar, but our very selves we give to God.
So...
a. Don't be too attached to Caesar's coin! Don't let riches become a god. It can all be taken from you. Live only for Christ and his Father!
b. We belong to God and not Caesar! The government doesn't own its people. God does! You've been bought with a price by the Lord Jesus Christ! We're adopted sons and daughters, royalty of another Kingdom! Because God owns you, Caesar can't!
c. So our allegiance belongs only to King Jesus! Yes, respect your earthly rulers, but we're all under the authority of Jesus Christ! Only he is worthy to open the scroll! Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!
When Jesus is asked to pick a political position, he chooses himself. Give yourself to the triune God who made you! Joshua 5:13-15... Jesus is not for your side or the enemies' side; he is the commander of the Army of the Lord! He's on his own side!
You may identify more with the Democrat or Republican party in our country, but who is your King? Jesus is everyone's only true King... and we must render to God what is God's!
God purchased humanity with the last drop of His blood, demonstrating the infinite value he places on rebellious dust like us. Jesus experienced complete forsakenness on the cross, crying "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" showing God himself forsaken of God.
The eternal Word who spoke light into darkness fell silent in the tomb, only to thunder forth in resurrection!
Humanity wants "$3 worth of God"... just enough for comfort, but not enough for transformation. The human heart is desperately wicked and blind to its own madness; people don't recognize their need for salvation. Salvation is entirely by grace through faith, not by works, so no one can boast!
Believers are God's "workmanship" or poetry; we are masterpieces being crafted through difficult circumstances.
The spear wound in Jesus' side is called "the gate to heaven," pouring forth the birthing fluid from which the church was born.
The rolled-away stone answers humanity's greatest question: "What about death?"
As Christians, we're called to live boldly and speak freely about our faith, not in fear, but in confidence that God is for us!
Parables are to give an image of what Jesus is talking about. However, he normally uses them not to make his message easier to understand, but to communicate judgment. Unbelievers remain in darkness; those hearing and not understanding are about to be judged.
The Sanhedrin understood what Jesus meant here; he wanted them to understand judgment was coming!
This parable is the conclusion of Mark 11, and the introduction to chapter 12 (the disputations).
v1... fences around vineyards are to keep animals away, a pit holds the winepress, and a tower is to keep a lookout for threats. The owner has set up his tenants to succeed!
v2... the vineyard should be producing good fruit at some point, so the owner sent to check on progress. Vineyards are a picture of the Garden.
v3... Servant after servant is beaten, some killed.
v6... The final servant, the son, is killed.
Isaiah 5... similarly shows a beloved son and a vineyard. Also found in the Song of Solomon! Where the woman is waiting for her beloved to return. In a sense, here in Mark we have the Beloved returning to the garden. But Israel ahs rejected their beloved.
At the garden tomb, Mary Magdalene is looking for the Lord... she finds her beloved! She leaps and clings to him. In Revelation 10, Jesus says he will return among the lampstands, Menorahs, an image of trees, a garden or vineyard. But Jesus will be rejected and killed.
v7... the tenants want to kill the heir so they can have his inheritance. Similar to Joseph's brothers scheming against Joseph. Genesis 37:20... they wanted to kill him. The Sanhedrin are acting like these evil brothers! And they're delusional if they think the owner would hand the vineyard over to them after killing his son.
The temple didn't just exist for Israel, but the Sanhedrin want it all for themselves.
v8... they killed him. Stewardship is not ownership. On Sunday when we gather, it's as if we're assembling God's vineyard each week. But we're only stewards! Every day is a gift. We're just tenants of the vineyard, not owners! Any power we have is gifted to us by the real authority.
How are we stewarding the parts of our life God has given us dominion over?
What will the owner to do these evil tenants? The Sanhedrin answer (in Matthew) that the owner will kill the evil tenants! After he quotes Psalm 118, they realize the parable was told against them!
2 Sam 12... Nathan gives David a parable after David had killed Uriah, and like the Sanhedrin in Mark, David agrees the deeds of the parable's antagonist are worthy of death... then Nathan reveals it's about David. The same here happens between Jesus and the Sanhedrin! But unlike David, the Sanhedrin didn't repent.
Aramaic was the common language of the day. The word "ben" meant son, and "eben" meant "stone"... so the ben thrown out of the vineyard is the eben that becomes the cornerstone. Jesus is the rock that the church is built on!
v11... this is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous; Mark quotes more of Psalm 118 than the others here. Jesus declaresa himself the Lord!
v12... The Sanhedrin figured it out, and left. If you oppose the Christ, you will be crushed. But for the rest of this chapter, they will argue with him... though they fear the people. If only they truly feared God more!
Mark 12:1-12
Irenaeus wrote a book against heresies... He used today's parable to refute bad doctrine, that God's nature changed between the Old and New Testaments. The same Father that sent the prophets in the OT sent the Son in the NT. God doesn't change! Jesus was the plan from the very beginning.
v1... The vineyard owner gave his tenants everything they'd need to be successful.
The vineyard in Isaiah 5:1-7 was a picture of Israel... its grapes were no good to eat. Israel should be joyful, a place of blessing, but it was not. The church today should be as well!
Who owns the vineyard here? God, and he's in heaven. The Sanhedrin are the tenants.
v2-5... God sends messenger after messenger but the tenants reject again and again.
v6-8... He sends his beloved Son, and they not only reject him but kill him!
The Sanhedrin didn't own the temple; they're only stewards of what belongs to God. But they'd created an identity around the false story that the own the temple. They were foolish and delusional!
They hated John, and they hate Jesus even more, for threatening their delusion. They're even willing to kill God himself for it.
The only way to break delusion is to introduce truth. God snaps us out of the delusion that we're "good enough!" We are not. Though others may be fooled, God is not. Sometimes God's truth is uncomfortable!
"Follow your heart" is a lie! Our heart is deceptive above all things. Follow him. Live by the truth! Measure yourself by the standard of the Word!
We are to reject the lie, and get our standard from the Word of God. Stop pretending there's not sin where there is. Submit to the true authority of God, not the false authority of the world!
v9... What will the vineyard owner do to the evil tenants? Mt21:40... Matthew says it was the Sanhedrin who answered, LOL! When Jesus writes Psalms (the stone that the builder rejected becomes the cornerstone)... The Sanhedrin knew he was talking about them.
The gentiles had been grafted into the tree of the family of God, when the Jewish people rejected Jesus. So Jerusalem will fall.
v10... Psalm 118 is quoted... This is the Psalm that was sung as Jesus entered Jerusalem. He reveals that he's the cornerstone! The victory will only be secured when the evil tenants kill him, the beloved Son.
Colossians 2:13-14... He's forgiven all our trespasses. All! And a trespass is a willful, planned sin. And it's all forgiven! Cancels the record of it, regarding your eternal destiny. Christ's blood cancelled our debt! All we have to do is believe. And we grow to value the Lord above everything else!
...Colossians 2:15... He put the authorities to shame, killing them, and Jesus becomes the cornerstone!
The enemies of Christ think they're winning by defeating us, but they're sealing their fate.
We build our life in one foundation: Christ and his word!
Mark 12:12... The Sanhedrin picked up that Jesus was talking about them. They will be judged. If your want to reject him, be prepared to pay the cost for eternity.
Today's text marks the beginning of six conflict stories showing genuine faith vs. false faith. It parallels the triumphal entry: welcoming him as King vs opposing his authority. The spiritual leadership of Israel has missed what the people see clearly.
v28... they challenge Jesus' authority. His authority struck people, amazed the crowds. He's not quoting the rabbis; he's speaking as God, with God's authority, as the arbiter of truth. He performed miracles and forgave sins! He himself is authority.
v29... the old religious guard didn't like John, so they didn't want to give weight to his words. Instead of genuinely inquiring of Jesus, they attempt to trip him up, showing they don't care about truth, just about finding an excuse to kill him.
George Washington held above all else the character of an honest man. To stand with the Lord Jesus is to stand with the truth, and against corruption and lies... and to be hated by the darkness. We are to be a people of the truth and hold our ground! We are to eschew tactics like what the Sanhedrin do here.
The Sanhedrin are the elite theological, intellectual, legal experts. They challenge Jesus on the basis that he has not earned the same credentials they have. People who are losing arguments will often make this appeal. If an idea is true, it will stand on its own merit, credentials or not!
So be anchored in the truth, the Word of God. Paul was happy that the Bereans checked what he said against Scripture!
The clergy here feel they have the authority over Jesus because of their institutional office. They're not questioning what he's said, but his right to say it because they, the governing board, haven't approved him to speak at the temple!
v30-32... Jerusalem has become the new Egypt; their hearts are hardened as Pharaoh's heart was hardened during the plagues. The Sanhedrin have become like Pharaoh! They walk in darkness and can't even tell where the light came from. Like Eli the high priest, they have become like blind guides.
Jesus rode to Jerusalem in peace... but because they've rejected him, they will be brought low and exposed.
We must be open to the teachings of the Lord, walk in the light as he is in the light, completely submit to his Word, and resist resisting him! If it opposes Christ, it has to go.
Mark 11:27-33, 1 Peter 3:13-17
v27... He walks into the temple for the third time, and the high priests, the Sanhedrin, interrogated him.
v28-30... He answers with a question, brilliantly designed to give them no answer options they were willing to give.
Jesus doesn't talk about his theology or his miracles. He talks about baptism. At his baptism, he was revealed to be the Son of God.
Jesus's authority also simply comes from himself. He is God! As God, he even gave Pontius Pilate his authority.
v32... They were afraid of the people! They were being like politicians. They desired their approval. But it's only the fear of the Lord that's the beginning of wisdom! Not fear of people.
If you want to live, you first have to die to yourself, pick up your cross.
v33... They won't answer, so he refuses to answer them.
The Sanhedrin didn't care about truth, only about indicting Jesus. They're just looking for something they can use against him.
It was believed that the time of the prophets was over. But they considered John to be a great prophet, which gave the people hope. This made the Sanhedrin nervous. They were spiritually blind!
Don't miss what God is showing you! God can be doing things around us, and we may miss it if we're not attuned to the Spirit of God. So read the Word, pray, seek counsel from fellow believers!
The great divide in our country is for political or social; it's spiritual. Christ has been removed from society. This world so badly needs Christ! The Holy Spirit will guide us into the truth.
That's todays text!
Today's text covers two topics:
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The authority of Christ is attacked
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Unbelief
Apologetics: defending the faith or sharing the faith with unbelievers.
1 Peter 3:13-17...
When you to the work of Christ, don't fear man!
v15: always be prepared to give a reason for your faith with gentleness and respect!
It may be God's will for you to walk through persecution. It's better to suffer for doing good and standing with Christ than to give in to popular opinion.
Share your faith faithfully! Don't be a hypocrite. We are to live the words of Christ in addition to sharing them.
The world may hate us, but better to die in Christ!
Every Christian should want to see everybody they meet in heaven!
It's not only about heaven and hell. People are miserable following their own hearts. We want the best for them now!
v15 again...
In your heart, honor Christ as holy! He is Lord of all. He is the only path!
Always be prepared to give a reason for the hope, with gentleness and respect. Hope looks forward!
We can face persecution because we have hope, that one day we'll be received into the Kingdom of heaven!
The hopeful are to be prepared to make a defense and give an answer for the reason for our hope. We don't need the perfect answer for every question. Just say why you love the Lord Jesus!
We're not personally responsible to save anyone. Only the Lord can save the dead. Yet we are to be ready to be part of that process! You may be the vessel today God uses to usher someone into eternity. What an honor!
So share!
And do it with gentleness and respect.
Jesus was gentle with the Sanhedrin! As God, he had options, but he chose gentleness and respect. Also, a gentle answer turns away wrath!
Be a faithful witness until the end.
Witnessing to non-believers is also about what we do, not just what we say. Don't be a hypocrite! Be a good representative of Christ to them! Be kind, be joyful. Who's going to want what we have if we show a bad example of Christ?
Have a peace that surpasses all understanding. Worship him through the pain! People will see the Gospel in your life. Our hope cannot be stomped out!
Christianity isn't true because it works; it works because it's true!
B-Side - Mark 11:20-25
Recap (up to verse 23):
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Jesus inspects the temple, and just walks away.
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Later he curses the fig tree for appearing to bear fruit but bearing no fruit.
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Then back to the temple, he puts an end to the sacrificial system, calling the temple a hideout for robbers. It had become a symbol for their political revolution, rather than a dwelling place of God.
On his way back to the temple, we see the fig tree, shriveled; now Jesus tells the twelve how to be fruitful and faithful.
Today's text is about Christian living, being a people of faith!
Before Jesus, Herod wanted to build a fortress south of Jerusalem, but it wasn't on high ground, bad for defense. So they tore down the top of a nearby mountain and brought the pieces to where Herod would build the temple, now known as the Herodium. Herod literally moved a mountain... Jesus says if the Church believes enough, we too can move mountains!
Also, in context, Mark is writing his Gospel to the Church in Rome. They knew about the Herodium. The fig tree was a picture of the temple, which had to be destroyed. The temple itself was built on the Temple Mount, which may be the mountain that can be thrown into the sea (referring to the Gentiles). If the Church has enough faith, the Lord will help them move the mountain.
Leviticus 14... if there's mold in the house:
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Priest sees the mold and walks away
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Priest comes back later and if it's grown, he throws out affected items.
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On the third visit, if mold persists, the whole house is unclean and must come down! They'd throw its rubble into the Dead Sea.
This is what Jesus did with the temple.
Faith...
Jesus loves his people! He calls us to faith, and shows us what faith can accomplish. Rabbinic Judaism is not the path to joy. Live a life not of law, but of faith! John 15:5-11... he is the vine, we are the branches; apart from Christ, we can do nothing.
Faithful, fruit-bearing Christians trust and abide in Jesus! This, the road of faith, is the path to joy! Not a joy we seek after and find, but the joy of Christ that has been given to us, and now lives in us!
As we're being conformed into his nature, his joy spills into our joy, and our joy becomes full. Not mere happiness (which may or may not be present), but lasting joy.
When the temple comes down, the Spirit of God will now dwell in his new temple, the people!
Though we may be sorrowful at times, it's tinted with at least a drop of the joy of the Lord.
v24...
The prayers of the righteous are not magic. God is not forced to answer our prayers, no matter what. They will be answered and come to pass when they're aligned with God's will. Faith and prayer are related. You can only pray in faith! We must know that God is able!
A warning: beware teachers who take a verse or two in isolation, and make a doctrine out of it. This passage is often abused in this way. It's false when taken out of its intended context! "If you have enough faith, you'll get to the next level of Christianity," etc. It's simply false.
v25...
Whenever you stand praying, forgive! "Stand praying" means to pray expecting God to answer. Standing, your body's posture is one of expectancy! We should trust and believe!
That's our text. Two things...
- Repentance...
If someone keeps wounding me, unrepentant, do I need to keep letting them back in? We're called to forgive! But maybe not necessarily if they're not sorry or repentant:
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Peter in Acts 2 says to repent and be baptized in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. There was no salvation until people admitted and turned from their sins.
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Acts 3: repent and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.
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1 John 1... if we confess, he will forgive.
...All of this is evidence that to be forgiven by God, you must repent. It makes sense that also to be forgiven by a person, one must repent! So we may not be required to forgive someone who is not repentant for what they've done to us. We are called to forgive those who are repentant and seek our forgiveness, and kill the bitterness within us!
If someone is not repentant, we still need to give our hurt over to God, and to forgive them in his sight; that forgiveness is a work of the Holy Spirit. But we don't need to keep letting them back into our lives to continue to hurt us if they are not repentant.
We must do our best to make peace with those who sin against us.
- Record keeping...
Keep no record of wrongs! Work hard to keep peace and unity in the church! Do our best to keep peace with our family in Christ. We should have love for one another. Love is not resentful! It doesn't keep a record of wrongdoings. Be quick to forgive! Christ was quick to forgive us! We don't deserve the forgiveness we've received, but this is the way of Christ. So we are a people who forgive!
Mark 11:22-25
Temple should have been a temple of prayer and of faith, but it was a temple of robbers. So Jesus had to tear it down.
Today's message is about faith, prayer and forgiveness...
v22...
Jesus isn't asking us to have faith-- he's commanding it. Trust in God, even regarding things unseen! Trust Jesus, trust his words, trust his promises. As a Christian, you must be a person of faith! Habakkuk 2:4: the righteous shall live by faith. Hebrews 11:6: without faith, it's impossible to please him! To doubt him is to question whether he's a liar.
Faith is trusting God even when things look bad. This requires endurance! Where he goes, we go. We trust his promises because we trust his character.
Do you believe in your heart that Jesus's death and resurrection have saved you? Lack of assurance is often borne out of guilt and shame. The Holy Spirit convicts our heart, and shows us the holiness of God. We think, "compared to that, there's no way he's letting me in!"
Conviction is indeed of God, but it's wrong to doubt the power of the cross, the power of God unto salvation! Do your sins have more power than God's redemptive grace? You are never beyond the power of his grace! To consider yourself unredeemable is to make an idol out of your sinfulness. Christ reigns supreme over all of it!
We're going to sing for all eternity because we won't be able to believe we made it in! Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord; no one in Heaven thinks they earned it!
Trust and believe in the power of the cross unto salvation.
v23... Have faith, and trust in God in really big things! This power is available to those who trust him.
v24... the Church should be a people of prayer! This verse can be used as a guilt trip, and it's true you can never pray enough. You should pray in private, with the church, even sometimes in public. We should be in communion with our Father frequently! And not just when we're desperate. We should be the kind of people whom people come to for prayer!
Pray and believe it will be answered. But Jesus prayed for the Father to spare him the crucifixion if he was willing, and he did not. Faith and prayers are inseparable; don't pray without faith that God can answer. Pray ready to receive! Nothing is impossible for God.
But when you pray, remember what Jesus said: "Thy will be done!" The prayer of faith moves on God's will. If we got everything WE wanted, we'd be monsters! 1 John 5:14: ask anything according to his will, and he hears us. My prayer won't force God to bend to my will...
...so why pray?
a. He tells us to. It's a sign of submission to God; we understand we're not in control!
b. Prayer is communion with God. We can meet with God Almighty personally! What a gift!
c. God has designed prayers to conform us to his will. If you're bitter towards someone, pray for him, and the bitterness begins to leave. It renews our nature, and our will begins to align with his! He gives us peace, and guards our hearts and minds.
d. James 4:2: we have not because we ask not! Some things he waits to give us until we ask.
Why does he want us to pray? If he gave us everything without asking, we'd become selfish monsters, and rob him of the glory he deserves! He uses prayer to get you home!
v25... The church must be a people of forgiveness! Forgiveness here means a lifting and carrying away, a pardon, a sending away, like releasing a bird. We should not hold wrong against someone. 1 Corinthians 13... love is not resentful! "Resentful" here is a bookkeeping term, relating to holding onto an account of someone's wrongdoings. We are to keep no mental ledgers of offenses against us! We must not hold it over the person.
Why should we forgive, though? It's from the very character of God! It's evidence of God's thumbprint in your life. Christians are people who forgive. The forgiven of God must also forgive others, even when it's hard to do so.
Matthew 18: the parable of the unforgiving servant... the servant was forgiven by his master for a huge debt; then the servant refused to forgive someone who owed a much smaller debt to him. His master then revoked his forgiveness! God promises if we forgive a person, we'll be forgiven.
When we refuse to forgive, it's direct evidence that we've never felt the weight of our own need for forgiveness! It may even mean the Gospel is in our head, but not yet our heart.
Matthew 6, the Lord's Prayer... if you forgive others, God will also forgive you! If you don't, he won't.
If we're going to represent God, we must be a people of faith, a people of prayer, a people who forgive! Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of the sin of the world. His is a mission of forgiveness!
We can only begin to represent him once we learn to forgive as we have been forgiven.
Jesus is calling attention to forgiveness! It reflects God's nature. We must carry a cross as he did, and forgive those who are rotten to us. So that others may see our good works and glorify God! He's designed forgiveness as a means of spreading the Gospel, and a picture of his own forgiveness freely given to us.
B-Side: Mark 11:12-25 (covering through verse 22 today)
Matthew, Mark and Luke all draw on Malachi. Malachi 3:1-2... Malachi predicts what Jesus does, refining and purifying the temple. In Mark 11:11, he inspected the temple and left; then, as Malachi prophesied, he returned to cleanse and refine it!
v12-13: Jesus was hungry. The fig tree story is intended as a parable, but some literal details: fig trees in the offseason would still sprout little buds that were edible. This tree had not even that! It once had fruit, but not now, similar to the state of the temple. Jerusalem and its temple were once a place of great fruit, but no longer.
v14: the vineyard most likely speaks of the temple, not all of Jerusalem, because Jesus condemns it to never again bear fruit. If a third temple is built in Jerusalem, it will not be a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit of God as it once was, as the Holy Spirit now lives in the new temple, God's people!
v15: Jesus isn't mad at people for buying animals; he's angry at those taking advantage of those who didn't have the means to own their own livestock. Jesus is refining the temple, and bringing about the end of the sacrificial system.
It's not a sin to be angry; it's a sin if what you do with your anger is sinful.
v16: How could Jesus stop the entire flow of traffic in the temple? It was massive. But he was the most influential rabbi in that moment, had just raised someone from the dead. He had the voice to halt the crowds.
v17: He calls the temple a den of robbers...
Jeremiah 7:1-3... the Jewish people were focused on Jesus overthrowing Rome. Jeremiah 7 says God will let them dwell in the temple. Why can't they now? If they had truly accepted Jesus, Jerusalem still would be theirs! Also, Jeremiah and Jesus have some things in common: not accepted by Israel's spiritual leadership, both know of the faithlessness of the people and that God's ready to tear it all down.
Jeremiah 7:4... don't trust the deception of people saying this is the temple of the Lord. They've replaced the God of the temple with the temple itself! It's only special if God dwells there.
Back in Mark 11, the people must have been impressed with the temple, with all the activity, all the traffic! But Jesus stops it all. The building is irrelevant if God's not there.
People still replace God with things today... the church... the liturgy... man-made systems... only genuine faith in God can save us!
Jeremiah 7:11... compares the temple to a den of robbers-- just like Jesus does (and says he's seen it himself even back in Jeremiah!) Jesus is calling himself God, likely angering the religious leaders!
Jeremiah 7:12-15... the temple will come down, and the people will be cast out of God's sight.
God would rather have the temple destroyed than to have himself misrepresented!
In the structure of Leviticus 14... the first time the priest comes, he inspects the mold and leaves. The second time, he has everything it touched ripped out and thrown away. The third time, if the mold has returned, the house has to come down. This is Jesus' second time visiting the temple, and he's in the ripping out stage!
Jesus objects to the fact that the people misunderstand the central theme of the atonement. And the priests themselves (who are supposed to make peace with God, atoning for sins) are not at peace with God, living in sin! And they are misrepresenting God himself!
v18: though the priests of the temple feared when they heard Jesus, the disciples marveled!
v19: the temple was supposed to be where to meet God, but Jesus leaves it. In the New Jerusalem, Jesus is the light, and he never leaves!
v20: withered fig tree. As the tree has withered to its foundation, so will the temple, for its fruitlessness!
The central event of this section of Mark is Jesus ending the temple system, halting the sacrifice. His solution is the Atonement he offers on the cross!
Mark 11:12-25
Jesus used the fig tree as a parable. The temple must be cleansed!
V12-13... The fig tree (like the temple) looks from a distance like it's full of good fruit... Up close, it's fruitless. All leaves, no fruit.
We must be careful to follow God the way he wants to be followed!
To love Christ is to follow him, submit to him and his teachings; faith reveals itself through selfless service! We are saved, and therefore we bear this fruit.
You can only please the Father if you accept the Son!
V14-15... The money used in the temple was converted from Roman currency at a very high exchange rate; it was extortion. The pigeons were sacrifices given by the poorest people, who were being taken advantage of by those selling them in the temple.
V16... Jesus stopped the flow of the sacrificial system in the temple.
V17... Jesus was teaching them. His people should pray! It's for all the nations! It's a den of robbers. Jeremiah 7... He's declaring that the people have turned away from God, and line the fig tree, the temple must come down. It's good when dark deeds are brought to light.
V18... Jesus exposes corruption in the religious leadership. He told the truth! And the darkness hates the light. So they seek to destroy him.
The spiritual leadership of Israel were fault-finders. Someone cheating on their spouse begins to justify their cheating by finding fault with their spouse. The fault-finding seeks to justify the sin.
Jesus is seen as not being on their team...
V19-21... why doesn't Jesus want a third temple built? Because sacrifice is no longer needed! The sacrificial blood of animals was surpassed by a greater sacrifice: Christ himself!
1Cor 3:16... You are God's temple! From the moment you're saved, you are a temple unto the Lord! You are to be a place of teaching! Read your Bible! You must gather to the Lord daily!
V22-25... Jesus turns to the new temple, his people, and tells them how to operate properly! Be a people of faith, prayer, forgiveness.
In closing...
- If you're a believer, that means you know you're a sinner who desperately needs a savior, and you come to him as he describes himself. You build your life upon Jesus, not just your Sunday.
As a believer, you are a temple unto the Lord, a priest of the Lord!
The nations are to come to you as a light. You are to be a bright spot. You are to shine, showing the world you're something different! Don't be a worthless priest like the sons of Eli!
We must make sure we're not a temple that's profaning our God. Don't undermine your God, represent him well and glorify him!
- Atonement...
The pentateuch was building to the atonement... And Jesus was building to a greater sacrificial system: the son of man on the cross. Jesus replaced the sacrificial system with something greater! You no longer have to sacrifice every year. Jesus's sacrifice was once, and for all time! Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Wisdom is justified by her children... wisdom is independent of you, but asks everything of you.
1 Corinthians 1... the wisdom of God is foolishness to those who don't follow Christ. Wisdom demands patience, trust, hope and faith. God's wisdom holds everything together. And he separates us from the rest; we are his!
Our soul belongs to God, not to ourselves. After the grave, we start to live! At the resurrection, we are released from this life and are knit together with the very nature of God.
Psalm 78:19... he sets a table for us in the presence of our enemies. Should we be overcome by the spirit of the world, or by the Spirit of God? If he's glorified in the midst of our trouble, imagine how he does when all is well!
We are the recipients of God's wisdom in the middle of the action. When the going gets tough for us, can he handle it? Of course.
Ezekiel 16:8: the time of love has come... that's not our love for him, but his love for us! It's unconditional, regardless of our flaws. Peter was imperfect, and failed. Samson failed. David failed. They received mercy! God didn't strike them down.
Matthew 7:12... treat others as you'd want them to treat you. Have mercy! It's freely given to us, and we should give it freely as well.
Until our time comes, God will let us live.
God sees the mature Christian when he's still a boy, and gives him the wisdom he needs to get there.
There's a call on our lives to walk with Jesus. We fail him, but he has mercy and tells us to continue on! Our humility is holiness in action. Part of Christ's nature becomes part of ours. We'll never be perfect; in his perfection, he extends mercy to us.
He doesn't look for perfect people, but obedient people. God knows all the worst things we've endured and all the worst things we've done... and he doesn't mind. He extends mercy; the time of love has come!
We are not the sum total of our mistakes; we are the dearly beloved of Christ! Proverbs 3:3... write steadfast love and faithfulness on the tablet of your heart. Talk to God, acknowledge him in all your ways an he'll direct your steps!
He never forgets about us, and isn't looking to condemn us; he's close to us always, and wants to forgive! Don't focus on your sins; let your days be filled with the blessing of being forgiven! All your failures are no longer important!
God dwells with the contrite and humble in spirit. When you feel crushed, he's at work in you. Bind mercy and truth around your neck!
God's not looking for your ideal image of a believer. He's looking for you! He knows you, and he calls you by name. We can't hide, so we may as well enjoy his presence! Come to the mercy seat and meet the lover of your soul!
The cross and the resurrection are inextricably linked. Only those who put their faith in Jesus will have everlasting life!
Job 19:19-27...
Job was a good man. Satan tested his faithfulness, causing him to lose everything.
His friend Bildad was offended by Job's faith in God, accusing him of hidden sin (which must be there, to his thinking, because of the bad things happening to Job).
His friends should have had his back, but they didn't. Jesus faced this same betrayal, yet never stopped loving us. He even asked the Father to forgive them as he hung on the cross!
The story of Job points to the only truly blameless man, Jesus.
Job was treated as a scoundrel. He believes God is trying him, but really, Satan is the one doing him harm. God is allowing it, knowing it will produce good fruit in Job!
Job realizes no one is going to come to his defense. In v25, he states he knows his redeemer lives, and will stand upon the earth, upon the dust, upon death! He's anticipating his death, but knows God will make him whole again!
That's our text.
Chapter 19 ends with the question... How long can this continue? Which is answered: he knows his redeemer lives!
- My redeemer lives...
Our current political climate is nothing new: Satan was a liar and author of confusion from the beginning. The truth has always been buried in lies.
So what do we actually know? "My redeemer lives!!!" That's what we ground ourselves in. The Lord is faithful and true!
1 Corinthians 2... "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." Paul proclaimed what we do know!
What does your soul need, what does the world need? The message of the cross! That Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead! We have a redeemer!
Mark 10:45... He can't to serve and give his life as a ransom for many!
We are dirty, imperfect, and we need his redemption! So we follow him to the end, and follow him in death!
Job is surrounded by lies, confusion, betrayal... and he anchors his hope in what he does know: that he has a living redeemer! Don't anchor your heart in things you don't know, but I'm what you do: today you are a sinner Jesus loved, died, and rose again for!
- He will stand upon the earth/dust/death/grave...
Job talks about the resurrection as vindication. Jesus's resurrection proved he was telling the truth, the ultimate vindication.
In the day of judgment, every Christian will be vindicated before God and Satan!
- v26-27: "And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another."
When we're in heaven, we'll be given new bodies! We will be raised from the dead, because we belong to him and will be reunited to him! He is the resurrection and the life! It's not possible for you to stay dead! You'll close your eyes, and open them in the presence of our redeemer!
1 Timothy 2:5... One God, and one mediator, Jesus!
So...
What do you know? He is risen indeed! Our redeemer lives! Life gets hard and complicated. So we ground our hope in the truth of the Gospel!
On the day you die, know that your redeemer lives! Whoever believes in him, though he may die, will live!
We need to live in the light of the cross. Come under the power of the cross. Follow the cross! We follow the crucified, risen Lord.
Hebrews 2:9-16
God's judgment is a fearful thing. We don't want him to judge us... But he is just, and his judgment is perfect. We deserve to die, but he sent his son to die instead, so we don't have to!
Jesus is the only person ever fully human and fully God. He loved and followed the Father perfectly for every second of his life! He was the best of humanity, yet he went willingly.
Do we want to represent ourselves on judgement day? Or do we take the perfect substitute in our place?
In the cross of Christ is the power of salvation.
Verse 9...
The cross of Christ was a grace to humanity. An unmerited gift! It's so easy to be saved... Just look at the Lord Jesus as your antidote to sin, and you are healed! So he deserves all glory and honor forever. We worship him forever, now and in eternity! We won't deserve to be there; it's all his grace.
V10...
Jesus is the founder of our faith; it's only through him that we're allowed into heaven! He so loved us that he snatched us out of the fire. In heaven it'll be hard to see he chose us!
V11-12... From Psalm 22:22... Those who are persecuted are being more deeply connected to Jesus, getting a small taste of what he endured. You're identifying with his suffering, and are blessed for choosing to follow in his path. He calls us brothers! He sings our praise in heaven!
Luke 15:10, Jesus describes heaven... There's joy in heaven when someone joins the family of God! And God himself leads the worship! Not only is he not ashamed of you, he sings about you, identifies you as his family!
If you believe in Jesus Christ: it is finished! His mercies are new every day. As you walk with him and fail miserably, his mercy is fixed upon you. His cross is mightier than any sin! Abide in him.
V13-16...
When Jesus died on the cross, he destroyed the one who had power over death, the devil! When we die, the devil will bring up every evil deed, and he's right. But he no longer has any power over you; Christ has saved us, redeemed us, and Satan has no authority over your life! The spirit of God lives in you, and Satan can't touch you unless God allows it! Jesus has destroyed the power the devil had over you!
1 Corinthians 54... O death, where is your victory, where is your sting?
Christ has won a great victory! We celebrate our king-- he is our only hope!
Remember: God sings about us, and we sing to him for all eternity!
Mark 11:1-11
2 most important Christian holidays... Christmas and Easter? Hmm... the Christmas story is only recorded in two of the Gospels, while Good Friday and Easter are both recorded in all four.
Palm Sunday is important in preparing us for Good Friday.
v1-2...
On the day of the Lord, Jesus will descend from Heaven and the Mount of Olives will split in two! Jesus gives the Olivet Discourse there, he ascends into Heaven there; it's a very important place in Scripture, with God's glory attached to it in every case.
The donkey colt... Jesus is riding into Jerusalem humbly as a king on a donkey, not a warrior on a horse. Genesis 49:8ff... riding on a colt... a man of Judah will always rule, and nations will bring him tribute. Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a colt; no one else may ride a king's animal but the king.
v3-6...
According to John 2, Jesus had already been to Jerusalem earlier, and cleansed the temple. It could be that he's cleared the temple twice. So Jesus may have known the man whose donkey was taken... or it was just miraculous that the donkey owner just let them take it.
v7-8... Why cloaks and palm branches? Because they believe Jesus was the new Maccabee, who's come to defeat the Romans. Also in 2 Kings 9ff, one way King Jehu was received was that people laid out their cloaks and palm branches for him.
v9-10...
Scripture was written in chiasms... the point of emphasis was the middle of a passage, not the top or bottom. The praise is shouted chiastically! "Hooray for salvation!" is a good translation of Hosanna. The middle, however, is a quote from Psalm 118:25, "Save us, we pray, o Lord! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
The people are pointing to the hope of Psalm 118! Ps118:28... you are my God; your steadfast love endures forever. The Pharisees don't like that they're unwittingly declaring him to be God!
v11...
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Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in Bethany; he was very familiar with Bethany; it was something of a home base for him, and supported him. Here he finds rest.
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It was already late... could mean it was late in the day, could mean he wanted to get back to Bethany before it was too dark. Or it may be a nod to the prophetic time of the temple. "It was already late" may mean the temple was at the end of an era.
Let's read the things that happened the next day, Holy Monday...
v12-14... he curses the fig tree because it wasn't fig season.
v15-19... he overturns the tables in the temple. His Father's house was a house of prayer, not a place of the abuse of money!
That's how we should think about Holy Monday... drive out the bad things, and give ourselves to prayer and to teaching. Preparing for Good Friday and Easter, walking in holiness, prayer, and studying God's Word!
Palm Sunday has been celebrated for at least 1500 years.
Mark's account of holy week is different from the other gospels. Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, goes in the temple, looks around and leaves.
This parallels Leviticus 14, regarding what to do with mold in your house... mold was a picture of sin. They'd send for a priest; if he found mold, he'd leave and come back a few days later... If mold was still there, he'd remove it very thoroughly! The temple of the Lord was meant to be a house of prayer... But it had become full of sin, moldy.
He flips over the corrupt money tables, removes the mold.
The fig tree... It produces no fruit, he curses it, it withers and dies. This is what's happening with the temple.
Mark 11:1-11
Mount of Olives... The Qidron valley (known biblically as the Valley of Jehoshaphat or the Valley of Kings) is hundreds of feet below. When Jesus accents the Mount, it's quite a hike... And a LOT of people, tens of thousands, likely welcomed his arrival, cheering him on.
V1-6... Why does he ride on a donkey? Matthew quotes from Zechariah 9:9... the coming king would ride in on a donkey, a peaceful kingly transport animal, not a warlike animal like a horse.
V7... Hosanna means literally "Save, I pray!" It's more accurately translated, "Salvation is here!"
V11... All 4 gospels are building to passion narratives. At this point, even the stones were ready to sing! There's been a huge buildup to the moment, and Jesus just looks around the temple, and leaves. So anticlimactic!
That's our text.
- The Maccabees were looking for a savior to liberate them from the Romans. They were sick of Roman oppression! They kept making people kings, false messiahs. They wanted to take the fight to the Romans, and for Jesus to overthrow the Romans. But he'd die by crucifixion, punishment reserved for the worst of the worst.
They were furious with him for turning over their tables, rather than Roman tables!
Everyone missed the point: he came not to kill the Romans, but to convert them!
Proximity is not knowledge. You don't receive God's Spirit by coming to church, reading your Bible, or listening to Christian music.
The crowds here probably love that Jesus is there. Enthusiasm is never to be mistaken for faith! The parable of the sower... Satan is happy as long as the seed lands badly.
Think of the triumphal entry as a modern day event... Modern churches would claim they had 40,000 new converts and pat themselves on the back. Then when they all left, they'd say they all backslid.
In the Bible, it's discipleship that's important, not revival. We must endure, and abide in him! We all need mercy every day, as we fail every day. Reach out to people who seem to backsliding. Get them to return, her the Word to them!
- The lion and the lamb...
The lamb rode in on a donkey... When he comes again, he'll return as a lion holding a sword, on a white horse! A war horse. His feet will touch the Mount of Olives, splitting it in half! He'll crush the armies of Satan and the Antichrist.
Palm Sunday is a reminder of God's first coming, but also a reminder of God's second coming!
- Hosanna...
When we take communion, we remember the work Jesus did for us. We're called to remember this every week. On special holy days like Palm Sunday, we remember our lowly position and that Jesus came to bring us peace with the Father!
We're so blessed to know so much about Jesus! Abraham, Moses, David could only wonder what God would eventually do. But we know what he's done! He loved us so much he sent his son to redeem us!
All men in the Old Testament eventually failed. We could not save ourselves! The entire story of humanity was building to this moment. Palm Sunday is a yearly reminder to shout, "Salvation is here!"
He came on a donkey, and will return on a horse!
Today's passage is also in Matthew and Luke.
Matthew 20:20-29: Matthew says the question about James and John sitting at Jesus' right hand comes from their mom. It may be they had their mom ask in case Jesus got offended by the request. Even if the mom is asking the question, it's coming from James and John!
Also, Matthew says at the end that they come out of Jericho, while Mark says they were in Jericho to begin with. This is not a contradiction; at the time there was an old Jericho and a new Jericho a few miles from each other.
Matthew 20:30... Matthew records two blind men, and Mark only records one. Normally there are no names given in these stories; Bartimaeus must have been someone of note to be named. This may explain Mark naming only one person. He was likely someone later well known to the early church.
Luke 18:35-42: Luke has them approaching Jericho like Mark does. He mentions Bartimaeus was also a beggar.
Luke 18:43: He followed Jesus while glorifying the Lord
Now to our main passage, in Mark! Mark 10:32-52...
As Jesus and the apostles draw closer to his crucifixion, he is the one leading the way. Even when what we're about to do is difficult, we can choose not to complain or drag our feet, and actually lead the way!
He gives his third "passion prediction" (prediction of his coming suffering), and the apostles are blind to it. They don't understand.
v35... James and John want more power, more authority. When we're doing all that he asks, it's tempting for us to expect God to bend to our will. He's not required to do that! We have no power over him. We pray boldly in his word! But never forget the ending: "Thy will be done!"
v36... Jesus asks what they want; they want self-glory. When Jesus asks you what you want, a good response is, "Enable me and help me to glorify you!" Not "Can I have more glory for myself!"
v37... In Mark 9, regarding greatness, positions of honor at the table... James and John want this sort of special position of honor.
v38... They're thinking of sitting at a table for a victory feast, as conquering rulers... but they fail to realize Jesus is heading to Jerusalem to die! Before the glory comes the suffering. They don't realize they're asking to be hung on a cross next to him!
v39... He predicts the suffering and wrath coming on James and John as well. Drinking from Jesus's cup and being baptized with his baptism refer to suffering and persecution. James and John will suffer and be persecuted, but will not suffer the actual wrath of God, as the Father put that on Jesus alone, and he suffered it on our behalf!
v40... only the Father decides who sits where at the table with Jesus.
v41-42... Jesus calls the twelve to himself to instruct them. To teach about godly leadership, he gives them an example of ungodly leadership.
v43... To be the greatest, be the best servant! Love and serve the Lord and the people around you.
v44... To be first, be the slave of all! All we are and all we have belongs to him! I am not my own, but his willing slave. Because of our allegiance to Christ, we learn to become like him in service to others, to humble ourselves like a child.
v45... James and John are looking to be treated like kings... but to be like the King of Kings, you must humble yourself and serve. Give people your time!
v46... Bartimaeus is the final healing miracle in Mark, and is the only person healed in the synoptic Gospels who's been identified by name. He was likely known to the early church or the apostles.
v47-48... The apostles are trying to silence Bartimaeus, as if he's an annoyance. But he calls out louder!
v49-50... Jesus says to bring him over! He senses there's more going on here than just panhandling.
v51... he asks Bartimaeus what he wants Jesus to do for him-- the same question he asks James and John earlier... getting back his sight would be an answer to prayer, but would also disrupt his life, his source of begging income. So the disciples look for power, self-glory, but Bartimaeus just wants eyes so he can glorify God!
v52... The disciples were blind men who needed Jesus to heal them too! They need to come to Jesus not jockeying for power, but for their eyes to be opened, so they can follow him the right way! Once Bartimaeus was saved, he followed the Lord.
So if God opens our eyes, we respond by glorifying him and following him!
Though we are to bring our gifts, our possessions, our resources all under his authority, we can still enjoy the things of this world that he's given us! Enjoy your family, friends, a good meal, a beautiful sunset. If we do these things to his glory, it's worship!
The difference is we worship the Lord of the gift more than the gift itself. We worship and follow the Creator rather than worshipping and following the creation. Enjoy a nice meal, but don't live for food! Yes, work hard, but don't live to work! Follow where our Master leads, through his Word, in prayer, following the Spirit. Like this blind man, we are healed, and we follow our Lord and Master!
The rich young ruler had it backwards: we don't do good works to earn salvation. The blind man is healed and rests in the work Jesus did to give him salvation!
Those of us in heaven will know we didn't get there on our own merit. We will be the people most grateful for what Jesus accomplished!
Mark 10:32-52
v32-36...
Jerusalem was built on a mountain, so one must ascend to it. Jesus describes how he will willingly be delivered over to his fate, and he'll do it all to save us through his resurrection! When you hear "the passion of Christ" it means the suffering of Jesus. There have been three passion predictions now.
James and John ask Jesus to do whatever they ask... We should pray boldly to him, but remember, it is "Thy will be done," not mine!
v37... The disciples are still seeking worldly greatness.
v38-40... He calmly explains they cannot sit beside him in heaven because that place is not prepared for them. They know not what they ask for. They think the cup Jesus will drink is a celebratory cup of some sort... It's heavier than that: it'll require Jesus's very life.
Because of the cross on which he'll die, we praise him for he is worthy!
James and John will both be protected and killed.
v41... The other ten disciples get angry at James and John, likely because they were trying to the others to the punch... Trying to become the first.
v42... Disciples are seeking greatness, still. He never discourages them from this, but redirects them to a better kind of greatness! Humble service.
Greatness is not based on power dynamics! This is not how God's people should act. It is worldly, satanic. We must not abuse our gifts for evil, selfish purposes. This is the opposite of what Jesus expects from his people!
v44... Whoever would be first must be a slave of all! No man would write this; it is of God. Not just a servant, but a slave! "Doulos" is a Greek word meaning one who is a willing slave, who commits himself to his master voluntarily. A slave is not master of himself, of his resources, of his time. All these things must come under the authority of the master! And Jesus wants us to be a slave of all.
He wants us to never be above service to any person he brings our way!
Millard Fillmore... left his family on Christmas Eve to help the firefighters put out a fire in the library of Congress. Servant of all, despite his position.
v45... Two reasons why he came:
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To serve. John 5:19... He can do only what the Father does. He dedicated every waking moment to the will of the Father.
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To ransom. To give his life as a ransom for many. A kinsman redeemer. He gave his life for our debts.
When people reduce the message of Jesus to mere morality tales, it misses the point. Christianity without the cross is not Christianity! That is why he came.
v46-52... Blind Bartimaeus in Jericho. Bartimaeus knows he's the one with authority over his blindness.
They rebuked him, but Jesus stopped, stood still and said to call him over. Jesus told him to get up, he threw off his cloak, his most precious possession! He called him rabbi, but in the sense of Savior. Jesus told him he's healed, and to go on his way! And then he chose to follow along with Jesus.
Jesus didn't give this man any great ultimatum like he did the rich young ruler... Because this man didn't have any idols. To be great on the Kingdom of God, you don't need to be an impressive person! You just need to come to Jesus, in utter dependence.
One thought...
Bartimaeus left everything to follow Jesus. Luke records that when he followed him, he glorified God, and people saw and glorified God themselves! He wanted his vision not for selfish reasons, but so he could glorify God.
Matthew 5:16... Glorify him so people see your good works and give glory to him!
People are instinctively selfish. We all want glory, to be captains of our own ship. This is the basis of social media. All image! We crave praise and exultation from the world. Satan's original temptation: eat this fruit, and you'll be like God. We want praise and exultation!
But we were made to exalt and glorify God! Joy not found in earthly pursuits, only in glorifying God! We follow the path of Christ, and there is fullness of joy! We must be servants. The lower we can stoop, the better! Luke 14:11... Humble yourself; this is the path to greatness! The path of Christ.
We love and serve not to be saved... but because we are saved! We were made for his glory.
He says it's better to give than to receive; humble yourself to serve the people he puts in front of you. These are the greatest saints. Meet the needs because you belong to him!
B-Side: Mark 10:23-31
Recapping v17-22... The rich young ruler was wrapped up in his possessions. In 2 Timothy 3... people will be lovers of self and of money. The love of money is the root of evil; money itself is not the problem, but our relationship to it is. It can become an idol. This is what Jesus was dealing with in this man. He tells the man he needs to make himself (Jesus) his treasure, and he walks away.
v23-24... Jesus says twice it's difficult to enter the Kingdom of God! Not because we have a lot of works to perform, but because we have to die to ourselves. You can do nothing to inherit the Kingdom; it is given freely to those who will lose themselves in favor of God himself. We must know our spiritual bankruptness!
v25... to enter the Kingdom, you have to renounce this world. In Galatians, we had sects forming, dividing people by class, etc. In God's Kingdom, the president and the plumber are on equal footing. It's easy to feel you're special if you're wealthy and successful, to have pride in one's own identity. To receive the Kingdom is to identify in Christ; that is our entire identity!
Our finances must come under the authority of God! This is especially difficult if you've worked so hard to become wealthy and successful. Though you did the work, he gave the increase, and it comes under his authority like all other aspects of our lives must.
v26-27... No man can do this, but all things are possible with God! John 15:4... apart from me you can do nothing! Romans 8:8: those in the flesh cannot please God. Apart from God's Spirit, we cannot receive God's Word into our hearts.
Only God can change hearts, so we must rely on him in our evangelism! We should share Christ with the unsaved whenever we can, but it's God who softens hearts and makes it possible for people to receive him.
So before our evangelistic efforts, we should give ourselves to pre-evangelism: prayer! Pray for them before we ever speak to them. If they get converted, it'll only be because of the grace and mercy of God!
v28... a disciple holds nothing back from his Lord; we must go where he sends us, and he'll provide.
The rich young ruler doesn't understand yet that even if he keeps his possessions, his land, for himself, it'll all be taken anyway (in this case, by the Romans years later).
Mark 8... Be like a child, a servant. Be willing to die in order to live...
Rich young ruler... Jesus teaches other-worldly teaching, counter to the world.
Today's text: Mark 10:23-31...
Jesus offers the man eternal life. He can have it if he believes, believes in Jesus. Believes what he says. We too can have eternal life if we believe what Jesus said about himself and follow him!
V24... How difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! Especially for those who have prospered. This is opposite what prosperity preachers preach. Jesus was mainly homeless! Timothy had chronic stomach issues.
V25... Easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. This was written and transcribed in Rome, not referring to the Jerusalem eye of the needle gate. Jesus is saying it's impossible!
V26... The disciples were exceedingly astonished. As if punched in the face! Sure, it's hard being poor, but wealth brings with it temptations that can make it very difficult to enter the kingdom. In our country, we're wealthy by the average standard of the world.
V27... So who can be saved? With man, nobody! But with God, anything is possible! Salvation is not earned, but offered freely by God! All we can do is receive it in faith!
V28... Peter, Peter, Peter... He tries to show Jesus how he and the other disciples have given up things to follow him. Jesus says listen up... If you leave what's dear to you and follow me, you'll receive a hundredfold. Many of the first will be last, and the last will be first!
Three thoughts..
- Wealth... Use your finances for the kingdom of God. Support the church. In the Old Testament, there was the tithe, 10%. This law is no longer in effect.
But believers are still called to financially support the church! 2 Corinthians 9:7... Give what God has placed on your heart to give! If Jesus is to be your Lord, he must be Lord of all, including your (his) money.
The church must also be responsible with the funds entrusted to it.
We must take care of the needs of the church and its people.
Money can be a test of faithfulness. A test of allegiance to the Lord! Everything must belong to him.
- Heavenly Father... To belong to the Lord is to gain a heavenly Father. We lose a lot of earthly relationships in this life, but belonging to Christ, we'll never lose our heavenly Father! We are adopted as his children. Jesus came to reconcile you to the Father.
Jesus calls us to pray not to Jesus, but to the Father! We will never lose him; he loves us so much he sent his son to die for us! He provides for us. And he wants us to have a relationship with him.
- Eternal treasure...
Earthly rewards and eternal rewards come to the believer...
Earthly rewards: life can get hard. Trials are real. Jeremiah had it rough. He gave his life to advance the Gospel, but all his fruit looks rotten.
So what is the hundredfold blessing? Your life will be free of hardships? No. You'll be hated and persecuted, and people will turn on you. So what are the blessings? The beatitudes... 9 blessings. Rest for your soul. John 14... Peace-- no trouble, no fear. You may not feel it right now, but through faith, it's available to you! And his gifts are never taken away. Remember who you are in Christ: you belong to God the Father.
3b... Blessings in the age to come, eternal life. Heavenly blessings. Set our minds on things above... We will follow Jesus right into the next world! We will die as he died, but we will rise as he rose, and in heaven we'll be blessed with joy and peace beyond imagination!
We'll have a perfect mind, a perfect body! A perfect feast! In the millennial kingdom, we'll be on thrones ruling nations. Worship alongside angels, archangels... Well look into the eyes of God the Father! Our eternity is the New Jerusalem... Where Christ is our light source! Eternally loved, wanted, never depressed or anxious. This is what the rich young ruler REJECTED. Accept it! It's bigger than money. Will you make the Lord Jesus bigger than everything?
Choose to day whom you'll serve! If it's Christ, be all in!
Mark 10:17-22
The rich, young ruler. This story is in Matthew, Mark and Luke! They were aware of what each other wrote; the Holy Spirit prompted them all to write their accounts.
Mark was not written chronologically, but thematically. So far, Jesus has said that to be his disciple you must be of low importance, a servant, like a child. Also you must not be a stumbling block; don't misrepresent him! You are to love your spouse, not bringing sin into marriage. You must also have an infant-like dependence on him! We don't deserve the Kingdom, contributing nothing of our own.
In today's text, we go from the lowest of the low (infants) receiving the Kingdom, to the highest of the high (the rich, young ruler) ultimately rejecting it.
v17... the man is asking what he must do to earn heaven. According to Jesus himself, there's nothing we can do; we bring nothing to the table.
v18... It's indeed possible to be "a good man" as we see in Acts 11:24 (Barnabas), so Jesus isn't making the point that a man can't be "good" by a certain definition. But God alone is infallible. This man has said he's lived a good life, but he's still a sinner like the rest of us.
We live in a world that's filled with difficulties and tragedy, and it can be easy to be bitter when people fail you. Jesus alone is truly, fully good! He's the light of the world.
Psalm 1 and 2... these Psalms broadly summarize all the other Psalms; you can find most of the content of the 148 Psalms in Psalms 1 and 2. Psalm 1 instructs us on how to live righteously... and we know there's only one perfectly righteous person: Jesus. Coming to him is the only way to avoid perishing! Your works will not help you.
v19... Jesus goes immediately to Scripture, to the Word of God-- not to church history or what church leaders say!
v20... This man says he's kept the Commandments since his youth; elsewhere we see Paul calling himself blameless under the Law. This is likely not bragging, but an honest account of a life earnestly lived in pursuit of the things of God.
v21... This man is not a believer, but this passage specifically says Jesus loves him! Our Lord loves people; he cares for us, desires good for us, even if we reject him! We must not accept sin, but we must still love the sinner.
...This is the only man in the Bible who is called to sell everything and become poor to follow Jesus. It's not intended to be normative; it's specific to this man's relationship to his money and possessions.
v22... the man realized he cared too much for his possessions to follow Jesus, and therefore in sadness, rejected him.
One quick thought to close...
It may be tempting to think that this man's decision is based on greed or a love of money, but we can understand why he'd believe that his riches may be a direct result of his righteous living. Psalm 112 says a generation of the upright will be blessed; wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness will endure forever. He thinks, of course God is blessing me, as I've been righteous! He must have been confused when Jesus told him he had to get rid of it all. So it's a little more nuanced than simply, "This man chose money over God".
That said, Jesus is God! And if he wants this man to sell all his possessions, that's the right thing to do. And he rejected the Lord Jesus, the blessing of all blessings, in favor of his earthly treasure. There is a real deceitfulness in riches... more on that next week!
Not all wealth is bad. There's something specific about this man's wealth that Jesus is dealing with.
V17... This man realizes Jesus is special, but he's not sure how. He's essentially asking Jesus, "How can I know I'm saved?" He struggles with assurance.
Mt19:16... Someone asks Jesus, "what good deeds must I do to have eternal life?" Similar to this guy. He thinks he has to do good works to enter heaven.
This is how humans think, but not God! He knows we are too fallen to save ourselves. This is how Christianity is utterly unique: we are only saved by the deeds of another!
V18... "And Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.'" Nobody is good!
...To be saved, we have to know who we are. We have to abandon the illusion of our goodness!
God will never turn on us; he's always for our good. Humans fail, and are selfish. God and God alone is infallible, inherently good!
Galatians 2:16... You're not justified by works of the Law.
Romans 5:18... By one man's obedience many will be made righteous!
We are by nature sinners. The wages of sin is death.
So how can I know that I'm saved? If your plan is to stand on judgement day on your own merits, arguing how well you improved, your good deeds... You will be damned. There is only one good: God. Only in him will you be saved. Jesus lived the perfect life, and if we put our faith in him, we are brought into perfect unity with him! When he's our way, truth, life, shepherd, our leader... That's how we are saved!
We want to be great people, do good things, be free from sin, be holy as the Lord God is holy. Only if we have the Spirit of God can we do this. And only through the blood of Jesus Christ! We must abide with and identify with Jesus Christ!
Eternal life does not begin with our righteousness! We are saved not by the intensity of our faith, but by the object of our faith!
John 6:28: the only works required of us: believing in the Lord Jesus Christ! Who is worthy? Only Jesus!
Having faith in Jesus means you're only allowed into heaven because he said I am!
V20... So why does Jesus address this man's wealth specifically? It seems this man was trained in the ways of holiness and was serious about the things of God. He seems to be a godly young man.
V21... He says the young man lacks one thing... Sell everything and follow Jesus. If you want to belong to Jesus, you have to be all in!
Biblical conversion isn't an emotion, it's an action. You have to believe in him, and believing in him means following him!
This doesn't mean you can't have nice things. If God has given you these things, enjoy them! But as a Christian, you need to truly follow him, and be all in! But if you helping to the Lord, so does the house... So does everything you have! Your possessions, your soul, your life!
For this man, it was not good for him to keep these possessions, and Jesus knew he needed to give it up! He loved God, but he was serving two masters, God and money. His wealth had his heart, his affections!
There are things in our flesh that we have unhealthy relationships with. Our hearts are idol factories! We can idolize anything... Our health, our wealth, our titles. All these things can be good, but we can turn anything into an idol!
Riches can create a false sense of security. Love of money (not money itself) is the root of all evil.
We must not have dual allegiance; there are no dual citizens of heaven!
Mark 8:34... Deny yourself and follow me... Lose your life for my sake and you will live!
But this man wants to keep his other god, money.
V22... The man went away sorrowful, because he knew he didn't want to give up his riches.
Give everything away, and in return, you'll get Jesus, an eternal treasure!
You can choose to be lord over your own life, but where is true joy really found? In earthly treasures? The respect of your peers? No.
Money can get you a lot, but it all fades.
God made you, he loves you. If the Holy Spirit is drawing you away from something, don't be like this rich young ruler! Don't hold onto your idols! It's a rock you're dragging behind you.
He knows the path to joy! In eternal life and now as well! You'll always have misery in this life, regardless of what you follow.
What will you follow: earthly treasures, or heavenly treasures?
Our country isn't a permanent thing; it's temporary. We hope to be an influence on our nation, on our relatives, on our church family. But if any of those things are keeping us from our walk with God, we must pluck them out!
The U.S. Constitution is beautiful, but it's not God's word; it doesn't bring salvation! He has a specific plan for us that may call us to go in a different direction than a given political or governmental entity.
We don't have to agree with every decision of Israel, but Israel is still to be prayed for, as their salvation is part of God's future plan for them.
In our country, going to church and truly living as a Christian is no longer the standard, but God hasn't changed. This is a good reason to speak an evangelistic message. We should be preaching the message that Jesus was born, lived the perfect life, died for our sins, and rose again!
We deserve the death that's appointed to us; what we don't deserve is the eternal life he offers us! He took my place. Romans 8... He predestined, called, justified, and glorified us! All because our eyes were opened... by him.
The rest of the message... Jesus went all around and preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, the kingdom of priests he wants to send to all the earth. That's us!
Matthew 6... The Lord's prayer. Your kingdom come... Seek first God's kingdom.
God is in me, and in God, there is no darkness! So when I sin, I must not continue to sin! Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness!
Hebrews 11... Abraham stepped out in faith.
The Kingdom is only a kingdom because our King is there! They're is only one way to God: his son Jesus Christ.
Death is liberation from the early kingdom to the heavenly one! We are in a temporary dwelling.
Hebrews 11:10... Abraham was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God!
But we do have responsibility for the place where we're living... Jeremiah 29... Build houses, plant crops, have families, seek the public welfare. Live God's standard in the world! And they'll see the satisfaction we find in God.
Seek the welfare of your country. We must be involved in the political process and the government of our country. We must vote for the good of the nation, not for our own good. We must pray for our leaders, regardless of their affiliation or their actions, because God placed them there!
Daniel 12:4, "But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."
...People will be blown around left and right until knowledge of godly things increases.
All eyes are on Americans right now, and we must point those eyes not to our country or its government or military, but to the Lord Jesus Christ!
Today's passage begins of the second disputation of Malachi.
God says the sins of a believer are bad because they grieve the Father's heart, not just because they're breaking some abstract rule. Though they are. James 1:22... It's a relationship AND a religion.
Don't assume that God doesn't care how we live, act, treat people, and worship him!
A son honors his father... Jesus taught people to pray, "Our Father"...
The best chance your son has of growing up well is through having a strong father. We should love and nurture, but we are to be men, different from women!
Deuteronomy 6:7 - the shema... Teach biblical principles diligently to your children! One way to fill the world with believers is for strong believers to have lots of children.
To be a good example to your kids, be a good husband and a good father. Your children are your mission field! They need to see you die to your flesh. And they need to honor you, and have a degree of reverence for you. This is how they learn to respect their heavenly Father!
We must learn to honor and respect our heavenly Father. He is holy!
Numbers 6:27... God wanted his priests to bring him glory, but they despised his name in front of the people... not very priestly!
V7... When they profane his altar, they profane him.
Moses as Israel's leader was meant to make himself holy unto God for the sake of his people. It's an honor to be asked by God to do anything! But it's not to be taken lightly. To represent God, you must be separated unto him! Live above reproach, lest God be poorly represented!
Press onward toward the upward call of God! There's a calling on your life. Be a living epistle... People are reading your life. Represent our God well!
The altar, the table... Table means altar here.
V8... The priests were offering polluted food... Here we see it was that they were not offering their best animal sacrifices, with no blemish or defect! They were offering their worst, not their best.
And they knew better! So God was calling them to change their ways.
We can tend to do the same. We put God last.
God isn't making up a new standard here; he's calling them back to his original requirement!
If we've left the old paths established by Christ, we need to return! We need to submit to and honor him! We must obey and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
Bribing the Almighty... they believed God would owe them if they gave him something. They expected God to honor his end of the bargain... This is not worship!
We are no longer under the law... We don't serve him to manipulate him or earn his favor... We do what we do out of a worshipful, grateful and thankful heart! So we don't give him our minimum-- we give him our best!
Ephesians 6... Do things as a service unto the Lord! He knows your motives.
Focus on the cross, learn who he is through his word, and learn to love him. As you grow, continue to give him your best, because he is worthy!
All glory and honor and power unto him!
Mark 10:13-16
Luke 18:15 records the same passage, but the wording specifies that the children were infants.
The book of Mark was said to be the eyewitness account of Peter, with Mark as his scribe. The Gospels show how the apostles were often obstacles to Jesus' ministry... Peter was brutally honest about the apostles' (and his own) spiritual ineptitude. This is comforting to us, as we stumble through our walk with Christ.
v13... Here, the apostles were just trying to guard Jesus' time. Does Jesus throw them out of his presence for their mistake? No! He rebukes them, and still loves them.
Why did these people want Jesus to touch their babies? In the Old Testament, we see evidence that the blessing of a patriarch, a man of God, was honored by God. The people recognize him as a man of God, and want his blessing! Does this kind of blessing carry into the new covenant? Yes! In James 5, we see that the prayer of a righteous elder has great power.
Acts 8:14... the apostles laid their hands on people, giving their blessing, and the people, already saved, received the Holy Spirit. Also Hebrews 6 shows the laying on of hands. At Calvary, we baptize and lay hands on them to pray for them.
v14... Jesus is communicating that we need to be as dependent on God as babies are on their parents.
v15... at Calvary, we don't believe in infant baptism because Scripture shows it to be an act for those who have already made a profession of faith. But in this passage we may ask, if children are brought to Jesus here, then why should they be denied baptism? Also, in Acts, we hear of whole households being baptized.
...we would argue that, looking at context, Jesus is using babies here as an illustration for the adults, and his blessing of these babies doesn't equate to baptism or conversion. It's a picture of salvation, rather than a prescription of infant baptism.
v16... he blessed them and laid his hands on them.
In v14, "don't hinder the babies"... reminds us of Mark 9:42: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." It's very clear that, as disciples, we don't want to be a stumbling block or temptation for "these little ones" to sin. Ironically, the disciples failed at this, illustrating what not to do!
When dealing with little ones or new Christians, we don't want to be contentious or quick to shoot people down; we should be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. We don't want to hinder the work of God! If we disagree with someone, we should do it gently and respectfully.
A recap so far...
Discipleship: learning what it's like to follow the Lord Jesus. It's about service, being someone of low status. Loving all people, even the difficult ones.
He loves us because of his very nature: he is love! He served us when we had nothing to offer him, provided for us when we didn't know to give him glory.
Who has humbled himself more than the Lord? He's the highest being in the universe, washing the feet of blue collar workers.
Be like this! Be a good example of God's nature. In marriage, we should be a living picture of the Gospel.
Today, we move from marriage to children....
V13... People were bringing their little kids to Jesus, but the disciples were rebuking them. A strong rebuke, like the way Jesus rebuked demons, unusually rough. They once again seem to believe they are the gatekeepers, protecting Jesus from them.
V14... Jesus was indignant! His guys were treating these parents wrongly, and he got mad. Righteous anger. "Let them come to me!" Kids are the future, next in line, here long after us. We must invest in them! Get your kids to church, where Jesus is in our midst! The Lord wants them, and so does Satan.
Kids learn where their parents are week after week. When life is good, when life is bad, when life is busy... we go to church! This is the well your parents draw from... When we're gone, this is the well you can draw from!
2 Timothy 3:14-16... continue in what you've learned, that started in your childhood!
V15... Receive him like a child! Not some perceived virtuous character of a child, but the status of a child: lowly, humble, complaining constantly, LOL. Requiring constant care and guidance. The poor in spirit!
A true believer knows he is a dirty rotten sinner in need of forgiveness. We know we're only going to heaven because of him! You were dragged to the Lord, so lose the pride.
In the sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!" The spiritually bankrupt will inherit the kingdom of heaven!
The Lord's prayer... Your will be done! A prayer of infant dependance.
V16: he took the children in his arms and blessed them! This is a picture of people entering the kingdom of God!
When we meet him in heaven, he will embrace us, too!
One more thing...
V14, let them come to me... V15, whoever doesn't receive him like this will not enter the kingdom. You're not just receiving a savior, but a Lord. A King with authority over you!
We're to come to him empty, humble, like babies.
John 3:1... the story of Nicodemus. Unless you're born again, you can't see the kingdom of God. How to be born again? You must be born not only once in a natural sense, but again in a spiritual sense. Coming to Jesus gives you a rebirth.
Have you been born again? Or are you still clinging to your pride, your perceived self-worth?
Have you ever broken a commandment? Then you're unworthy, in yourself, of the Kingdom of God. We NEED to be born again, to be cleansed! Ask him to enter your life, to change you.
We must opt out of ungodly influences, like certain media.
He will bear much fruit in our lives!
Repent of your sins and become empty; open yourself to the Lord, and give yourself over to his will for you. Receive his Holy Spirit, and be made new!
Ask God how he wants you to live. And pray that he keep you on the straight path!
Hello, welcome to this special B-Side…. Our text this morning is Mark chapter 10 v1-12….. This is a special B-Side today, (we will look at Sunday’s text, but will spend the majority of our time on the theme of divorce)
10:1 And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them. 2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?”
Ironically, Jesus has just come from the amount of transfiguration, where He was having a conversation with Elijah and Moses himself, Jesus responds to their question with a question, except He makes it a little bit more personal, as He respond with you…. He says, what did Moses command you…. And naturally, they're going to go to Deuteronomy 24, and it seems from Jesus's response, they hold to the more liberal view… that you can divorce your wife for any reason you so choose….
4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” I believe it's telling that they spoke about divorce, but not the grounds for divorce, which was their question in the first place…. So they don't really seek an answer for their question, they are here to test Jesus….
5 And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” 10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. Again, this was a large conversation happening in this day, and the disciples want more clarity here… They want to understand precisely what Jesus means…. Now this event is also recorded in Matthew 19, and in Matthew 19 we are given a little bit more detail… 8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” So Jesus put sexual sin, as a legitimate reason for divorce…. Now, in Mark 10:10 we read 10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. , and in Matthew 19:10, we are given more detail and are told what they said, 10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”… here is the weight of what Jesus was teaching, that the disciples heard it, and thought, it would be better not to marry….. (clear) Marriage was meant to last until death, and it has been this way since God created, invented marriage…. And the only legitimate reasons you may divorce your spouse, that Jesus highlights here, is in the case of sexual sins…. Now the disciples, like the environment we live in, the disciples are thinking, what if I marry a girl and she turns out to be a nut, or angry, or argumentative, or difficult, or she withholds sex, what if we grow apart…. And Jesus’ stance here, (statement) is you stay together, apart from the sin of sexual immorality, you make it work….. And so Jesus is talking about married believers, as if divorce isn't even in your vocabulary… and obviously, there is so much wisdom here…. Because if you're in your marriage with a foot out the door, you're going to be the worst version of yourself, and in all likelihood, it's just not gonna work….. a Christian needs to be all in, and part of the reason, is to withstand temptations….if you're married, and a girl takes a pass at you, if a guy hits on you, you don't even begin to entertain the thought of cheating or divorce… It's not an option… it's not something that’s done…. And the disciples who live in a culture where you divorce somebody once you're done with them, Jesus’ teaching on this, really freaked the disciples out… They concluded that it would be better not to marry in order to not be stuck , but Jesus goes on to say in Matthew essentially, some people do live lives of celibacy, though it may not be for everybody (and of course, Jesus himself was single - in Matthew 19 he talks about Eunuchs… Jesus wasn’t a Eunuch of corse, but lived as one for the Father)….
11 And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
OK… let's talk about divorce and remarriage here, and let's organize our thoughts into 3 sections…..
1 - Sexual sins in Marriage…
2 - Abandonment and Unequally Yoked issues in Marriage…
3 - Remarriage….
4 - Miscellaneous….
1 - Sexual sins in marriage
I want to give a quick content warning… Some of the themes of this section are going to be of a more mature, an adult nature, so if you have little ears here, I would pause and listen later….
Matthew 5:31–32 says 31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery…. Also, Matthew 19:9 says 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”
1A - What is sexual immorality? Jesus says, that sexual immorality is a permissible, an allowable reason to divorce somebody… really interesting, Jesus does not use the word for adultery… He actually uses the word pornia, which is a term that means sexual sins, it's a broader word… obviously God's wisdom is boundless, and the teachings of Jesus is timeless….. and so obviously, adultery is one of the sins of Pornia, obviously, that's the big one, but pornia involves more than just Adultery……. again I'm gonna speak explicitly here, so content warning, when it comes to sexual sins in marriage, obviously sex with somebody who's not your spouse constitutes pornia, but what if someone didn't have sexual intercourse, but maybe oral sex, or maybe they were fooling around with someone…. You can see it, that the sort of person that would be willing to do that, would also be the sort of person to believe they have found a loophole… that they have sinned, sure, but that they haven’t done a divorcable act because though they've engaged in some sexual sin, they might be able to justify to themselves, well, we didn't go all the way…… but Jesus does not use the word adultery, He uses the broader term for sexual sin, pornia, because there are things that are in that realm, that clearly are a violation of the marriage covenant….. now…. Lets go to the fringes here…. does kissing somebody else constitute, breaking marriage vows, well maybe, that would be a type of sexual sin, but not all forms of Pornia are created equal… could you divorce somebody if they got drunk and made out with a coworker? Possibly, maybe… obviously, that is a horrible and deplorable thing, but I also wouldn't put that in the same category as sexual intercourse with somebody else (so did they break your marriage vows, the marriage covenant, maybe, and there's a discussion to be had there….)… and this leads us to pornography…. Let's say you're a a wife who catches her husband in pornography use… obviously this is a shameful, evil, from the pit of hell, deplorable thing, and certainly it is a form of pornia, pornia is literally where we get the word pornography…. Now as terrible as pornography is, is it as bad as outright adultery?… I would say no…. Is it an action that could justify divorce?… and I believe, in some cases, yes, and maybe….. now let me say plainly, to catch your spouse in pornography, is incredibly painful, is unbelievably evil, and if you caught your husband doing this one time, or he came to you and said he was having an issue, I think it would be wrong to immediately jump to needing a divorce…. I'm not convinced that constitutes breaking marriage covenant…. However… what about persistent porn pornography use… some women have husbands that are addicted to pornography, and this goes on for years and years and years, He apologizes, but He never truly repentants, he keeps doing it, and at some point, I believe you could justify say, he is going out of his way, searching for other women, and sexually pleasing himself with them…. And I believe a woman could justifiably divorce her husband for this (I would highly recommend talking to your pastor first, but at some point, I would argue, that pornography usage can really take on a life of its own, and can really distort somebody into abandoning their spouse)…. Now… I'm recording this in 2026, for those of you listening to this year's down the road, and AI is starting to get pretty powerful… and I'm reminded of the great industrial revolution that brought humanity so many new technologies… and many people believed, that the industrial revolution, the age of science, was going to bring about a utopia upon the world… but what really ended up happening?… yeah, we invented wonderful things, wonderful technologies for farming and housing, but we also used these advancements to kill one another…. The industrial revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, led to the bloodiest century in human history, the 20th century… With World War I in World War II…. Planes that were meant to be used for transport, that were meant to bring men into the sky, were strapped with bombs and machine guns to kill their fellow man…. And in many ways, that's how I think of AI…. I believe it will be used for a lot of good and wonderful things…. And obviously AI will be at the forefront of all future warfare… but as I think about AI, I think it will be quite a tool for the evil one, especially as it relates to pornia, sexual sin….. if the Lord doesn't return soon, I really believe people are going to start getting into sexual relationships with AI companions, robotics, virtual reality world’s, and all kinds of crazy things… and just like pornography, except worse, at some point, a married man or a married woman doing these things, searching out sexual relief from people other than their spouse, it's going to take the form of covenant breaking pornia…… So I believe Jesus used a very specific word here, that is future proof here…..
1B - does a Christian have to divorce if pornia, or adultery takes place? No… Though, you are totally free to, if your marriage does end in divorce, because the other person is guilty of adultery, you do not need to feel guilt for separating, you need to carry no guilt for that… they are the ones that divorced you, by their actions, you're just signing the paperwork…. And I wanna be clear here, the term divorce means the breaking of the covenant and sending away…. When someone engages in adultery, they have begun the divorce… they have broken the covenant, and all you're doing is formalizing the paperwork and sending them away…..
1C - what if you have been cheated on? If that is you, and you have been cheated on, maybe this is fresh, maybe it's been a decade, or somewhere in between, let me first say, I am so sorry… you are experiencing a death, a depth of betrayal that is truly terrible, and I just want to say, as much as this hurts, the Spirit of God will help you, and it will get better…. But betrayal is a terrible terrible thing….. in the book Dante's Inferno, there are different layers of hell, each one getting worse, reserved for worse and worse crimes, and the very bottom of hell, the worst part of hell, was reserved for the betrayer…. Betrayal is a truly unbelievable evil…. Because in order to betray someone, you first had their trust…. So if you have been betrayed, that level of pain that you are feeling, is the feeling of broken trust… someone has abused your trust, and betrayed you…. and what a terrible thing…. Now, I'm going to get into this a little further into the study, but let me just say here, you may have been a wonderful spouse, maybe you were a nightmare to live with, in either direction, nothing justifies adultery… you maybe lost your temper daily, you may be a constant complainer, maybe you are overweight, maybe you're too thin… that's irrelevant… nothing gives anyone the excuse, or the right, to break their marriage vows in such a deplorable way….. That weight of sexual sin, rests entirely upon them…. Now… I do want to give a little footnote here… if you decide to take them back, you are probably going to be wounded for a long time, and you do not need to feel bad for that… you have been put into a position, that you should never have been in… you have been put in a position, that you did not choose…. And so it is totally understandable If you are suspicious of them for a long time, they've earned that suspicion, but if you are going to try to make this work… Of course you are allowed a time of morning, but if you decide that you are going to try to make this work, this is not something that you should hold over them for decades, this is not something that negate your duties as a husband or a wife…. If you decide to move forward, if you are going to move forward, then move forward, and if you're not going to move forward, then don't move forward… remember Ephesians chapter 5… if you are going to stay in the marriage, if you are a husband, and your wife has cheated on you, again you are allowed a time of morning, but at some point, you need to love her as Christ love the church… if you're going to stay in the marriage, then you need to live like you're married…. Or maybe you are a wife, and your husband has cheated on you… again, you are allowed a time of sadness, of anger, of rage and depression and whatever… but if you're going to stay in the marriage, if that's what you choose, then at some point, you have to come under his authority, and respect Him, as the church does the Christ…. (Wow, clear) And under these conditions, you understand why Jesus says He permits divorce, in the case of sexual immorality… because though God could totally heal the marriage, it is a very difficult thing to get back to this level of love and respect, once the vowels have been broken and trampled on…. This is very hard…. And something I see happened from time to time, is couples try to make it work, and that can be a very godly, a noble thing, but then they never enter back into the sort of marriage that God has called them to… and that's a problem…. So if you're going to try to make it work, you actually have to go for it….. And I would say, if you have been cheated on, and you're not sure if you should stay or go, I would go and talk to your pastor, your church, other believers in your life for wisdom…. And if the person that cheated on you objects to this, they don't want you seeking council, run….. They are trying to control the damage, they don't want their reputation ruined, or people to know, and so clearly, they are not truly repentant… run…. they are trying to control you, the narrative, are attempting to minimize what they've done, and it's going to be near impossible to rebuild a broken marriage with an unrepentant adulterer…. And if they do not want you seeking help, they don't want your family to know, they don't want the Church to know, they don't want your friends to know, what they are really doing, is continuing to abuse you… because they just hurt you, they did one of them worst thing you can do to another human, and then they expect you to suffer alone… they're actually continuing to abuse you by denying you help….
1D - what if you are not the victim, but the victimizer?… what if you were the one that cheated?…. Here is what I will tell you… If what you have done is still not known to your spouse, you must confess…. confess it first to God, and then to your spouse… and until you do, you are living a lie…… before God, you have violated your marriage vows, and there is no restoration, until your spouse knows, so there can be real restoration (your marriage is a lie, you have broken the covenant, and they deserve to know)…. Now let me say, you might have the best or the worst spouse, you maybe feel like you were pushed into the arms of another man or another woman, stop it… this is never going to get better until you own it… you blew apart your marriage… and even if your spouse is difficult, a nag, a drunk, a nightmare to live with, that gives you no right to cheat on them…. So the first thing you have to do, is repent of your sin, you need to cut all contact with this person you were having the affair with, you need to get yourself right with the Lord, you need to come under and confess your sins to the leadership of your church, and to your spouse…. Now…. once you have come clean… if your spouse chooses to divorces you, and they have every right to do that… If they are proceeding with the divorce, I want you to understand that under the Old Testament system, throughout much of human history, people were publicly executed for what you just did….. And anyway you slice it, you have royally screwed up, and the best thing you can do now, is admit you were wrong, don’t make excuses, and if they want to leave you, (clear) do not be a pain in the butt over who owns what, and how much money everyone should get… what I would say is, you should be very generous in in order that they, the person you cheated on can go on with their lives without you (and not have to get into a long settlement. Period., a long divorce dispute with lawyers…. At the very least, send them away with more and without argument)…. Again, you have royally screwed up, and they are incredibly wounded, and in order for them to heal, they need to move on… and the very least you should do, is not drag that out…. Now…. Let's say, you are guilty of an affair, and you come clean, and your spouse graciously wants to make it work… first of all, you should be beyond thankful…. And if you are married to a godly person, they'll probably forgive you pretty quickly… but forgiveness and trust are 2 different things…. And though they may forgive you quickly, it's likely going to take a very long time to earn their trust…. And you need to make them feel no guilt for that….. Your job now is to humbly earn their trust back, by living righteously, by living like a godly
2 - Abandonment and Unequally Yoked issues in Marriage
Exodus 21:10 says 10 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. 11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money…. This is talking about abandonment…. Paul tapped into this in first Corinthians chapter 7…. 1 Corinthians 7:1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. Before we read any further, I do want to lay out the obvious truth, that if you are going to marry somebody, it is incredibly foolish and ungodly to withhold sex from the other person (never be withholding)…. Now I want give a little clarity here… I am talking about normal, healthy sexual practices…. I want to give a quick little content, warning here… so if you are near little ears, please pause this and listen to it later………….. As Paul talks about having sex with your spouse, and not withholding sex from your spouse, he's talking about normal sexual behavior… we live in such a perverse, overly sexualized time, that so many people that have been exposed to pornography for years before they got married, and there can be really sick sexual expectations…… so if you are married, and your spouse wants to do really disgusting things, things that make you uncomfortable, that's not what Paul is talking about…. A person that wants to do these kinds of things, needs to repent of their sin, they need Christ to cleanse their minds, and I would argue, that they need to completely unplug from the Internet, and TV, movies, smart phones, and rewire their brain to be unbelievably attracted to their spouse and no one else, or these weird expectations, in order to be stimulated…. But speaking about normal, healthy sexual practices, between a husband and a wife, you shouldn't withhold from one another…. I know some people withhold, in order to gain power, or get what they want, when really all they are doing, is creating bitterness, resentment, and temptation to sin for their spouse….
Lets keep reading… 6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. 8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. Obviously, in light of the OT, it's good to marry, And have large families, but there is a truth, that if you don't have a spouse, a family, you could be free to go wherever you please for the Lord, you are not bound by anything… but if you cannot live a celibate life, than it's good to get married, rather than to be burdened with sexual sins, and desires… 10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. 12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. This is one of those completely misunderstood. Passages of scripture… let's say two atheists get married, and then the wife gets saved… this passage is not saying, the husband is now saved, as well as the kids… no… this passage is saying, that God recognizes the marriage…. He recognizes the marriage, and the kids as being born into a married household…. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? So, back to our example… let's say two atheist get married, the wife comes to the Lord, and the atheist husband can't stand his wife now… he thinks she's a fool, I can't believe she doesn't want to smoke pot anymore, or get drunk, or whatever, and so he ends up, leaving her…. What is Paul describing?…. Exodus 21, abandonment….. that if your spouse abandons you, they divorce you and completely walk away from you, you are now not trapped forever to that person… you can go in peace, which would mean you are divorced, and I believe this means, though others would disagree with me, this would mean you could get remarried….
So as we begin our second point, is that, the kind of divorce that is permissible, is not just because of sexual sins, but also in the event that you have been completely abandoned by your spouse, or if you are un equally yoked, and they no longer want to be with you and initiate divorce…. Under those situations, the divorce seems to be legitimate, and that means you may be free to leave them, and I would argue, able to remarry, because before God, you are not in a covenantal marriage with anybody, those things have been totally severed….
And let me give a clear, believable, example of abandonment here… lets say a husband or wife completely runs out on you, and they start living and sleeping with someone else, maybe they get a second house somewhere, maybe they move to another bedroom and have been there for years, and it's clear they are content with this arrangement, and are never going to live as a married couple… under those conditions, that is a clear case of abandonment, and if you wanted, you could pursue divorce (though you don’t have to)…
Ok… lets get into the weeds here…
2A - obviously, a Christian can divorce if their partner if they run out on them, starts living somewhere else, abandon them… However, can a Christian divorce if they have been mentally abandoned?…. Can a husband or a wife abandon a marriage (slow) mentally… Can a spouse abandon a marriage mentally, but physically still be in the same room (the Bible doesn't say)… however, I once was working with a man whose wife was a horrible woman… she would scream at him on a regular basis, their adult children would invite the father over, but not the mother… and this husband and wife were in such a state of disunity, that in order for there to be any semblance of peace, he ended up living in the basement of his own house, while she took the rest of the home… now… she did not physically leave the house, but she definitely abandoned the marriage… so personally, I believe there is a way that a husband or a wife can be abandoned, even though the spouse is in the same house…. (Clear) but let me just say, we have to be extremely careful here, because this is a very slippery slope to go down…… this can become a sinful scapegoat… I hear people talk about mental abandonment all the time, like let's say, your husband comes home from work, and he is a disengaged father, an unengaged husband, and he just lives his life on his cell phone, or plays video games all the time….. obviously, everybody is allowed times where they are just not their best version of themselves, and we don't want to claim that they have abandoned the family when they are just in a rut…. But at some point, someone can be so checked out, they stop providing, they stop paying attention, they stop caring for anybody other than themselves, and then maybe you can begin that conversation (but I would have this conversation with your pastor, well before you take anything into your own hands)…..
2B - What happens if a woman is married to a man who is physically beating her up?…. The light that 1 Corinthians 7 would shed on this, is this this person a believer at all? (Probably not)… but if he is not a believer, and he is beating his wife, I would say he has abandoned his husbandly duty, in a way, he has abandoned her physically, and he has trampled on his marriage vows, and I would say divorce is permissible (I certainly would say she needs to get out of there for separation she does not need to stay there and get abused, that's crazy, and bad council…. But after a time of separation, if she wants to keep it working, she certainly can try if she wants) …. And I do want to say a little footnote here, physical abuse is not exclusively a problem for women…. I know plenty of men who have been physically abused by women too…. And again this is a slippery slope, but if someone is physically hurting you, there is a very legitimate argument, that they have broken, abandoned their marital vowels, because they treat you like an enemy… They have rejected the very nature of the relationship itself…. And in all likelihood, you are unequal yoked, and they have abandoned the marriage, though they may physically be present…. And just as a second brief footnote, what about mental abuse… mental abuse is a hard term, because some people are too sensitive, and some people are really just that harsh and oppressive in how they speak to their spouse…. (if you feel like you're being mentally abused, I would talk to your pastor about that for counseling, and under extreme conditions, separation and or divorce)
3 - Remarriage….
Deuteronomy 24:1–4. 24:1 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, 2 and if she goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3 and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, 4 then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the LORD. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.
3A - If someone divorced their first spouse, and then later wanted to remarry them, is that OK?…. in Deuteronomy 24, God permitted remarriage, however, once someone has been handed a certificate of divorce, biblically, it is an abomination before the Lord, for that person to go back to them….. So, when a couple divorces, if it gets to the point where there is officially a divorce, this is beyond a temporary separation, than that divorce is final, and that couple is never to be back together again…. It is permanent…..
3B - Should Christians remarry at all?…. Let’s get something straight…. The reason there is an emphasis in the teachings of Jesus, about illegitimate and legitimate reason reasons for divorce, and then a conversation about the sins of remarriage, is because, in that culture, people were divorcing each other for illegitimate reason reasons, and then getting remarried… and this led to adultery, because you never really separated from your first spouse, because the reason you separated was illegitimate before God…. Now, some people believe, that Christians should never remarry, but in Deuteronomy 24, remarriage was totally OK….. so as we take this biblical teaching as a whole here, I believe we need to think about what divorce is….. a legitimate divorce, a divorce that meets biblical guidelines, is a total separation…. Let's say a wife has an affair… and the husband decides to divorce her… once He has handed her a certificate of divorce, he is no longer bound to her, there is no more connection….. She has broken the marriage covenant, she has ripped up the marriage vows, and the husband is walking away….. She has already begun the divorce, he is just signing the paperwork…… the word divorce means to send away, it means someone has done something covenant breaking, and are sent away….. so when they do something, like having an affair, engage in some sexual sins, they have begun the act of divorce… They have broken the covenant, and a permissible response is to send them away… and so they have broke the covenant, you are not bound to them in anyway, and I believe, free to remarry….
3C - What happens if someone got married and divorced as an unbeliever? And let's say, it was your fault… let's say, you blew apart your marriage, or even, you guys split up because you drifted apart (and that would be an illegitimate reason for divorce)… in that situation, let's say years later you came to the Lord, would it be a sin for you to remarry?…. according to 1 Corinthians 7:15, I do not believe you would be in sin to get remarried… I don't believe a husband or a wife have a scarlet letter, that follow them around, in the event of their mistakes or sins pre-conversion… and remember, What is conversion?…. It's being born again….. You are a new creation, and so I do not believe you carry that into your new life….. and I just wanna say out loud, sexual sin is absolutely terrible… but it is not unforgivable… God's grace is very wide and very deep…..
3D - Is there a difference between a man and a woman getting divorced and remarried?… lets think of Matthew 5, 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 And if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your members be destroyed than your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your limbs be destroyed than your whole body go into hell. 31 “And it was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for a matter of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. So people read that last line, about marrying a divorced woman, and place divorced women, in their own unique category, not free to remarry…. But it's important to understand, Jesus in the sermon on the mount, especially in the text we just read, he is addressing the leadership of Israel… The men…. That why v28 says everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart….. and then a few verses later and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery…. Jesus is talking to men…. He is raising leaders for His kingdom… so, to say that only women are affected by divorce, based upon this section, and then using that same line of logic, this is to also say that women are also unaffected by lust, that’s not the case, nor is that what Jesus is saying… so here in Matthew, Jesus is telling men to not fall into sexual sin, He’s telling men to not leave their wives for ridiculous reasons… And He says if they marry a divorced woman, presumably, for the same illegitimate reasons, as seems to be echoed in Matthew 19, they would be committing adultery with her, and she with Him (as they aren’t properly divorced in God’s eyes)… I am of the persuasion, that Jesus is not saying woman are tainted from divorce, but rather that divorce, remarriage for illegitimate reasons is sin, and remarrying from your illegitimate divorce, or remarrying someone else from an illegitimate divorce, is sin…
4 - Miscellaneous….
In the section, I want to talk about some things that didn't fit cleanly into our other three sections…
4A - If there has been an affair or an extreme case of abandonment, does a Christian have to divorce?… no… I would even say, there is beauty in trying to make this work…. It reveals the grace of God, it reveals your long suffering and patience, it reveals your love for somebody, regardless of how terribly they have treated you….. so no, you do not have to divorce, and if you stay, that can be a powerful testimony…..
4B - Even though God allows divorce, should a Christian remain with a spouse who has cheated on them?…. And again, this depends on the severity, it depends on the repentance, but no, I do not believe you are wrong for separating… in Jeremiah chapter 3, God Himself, said He handed Israel a certificate of divorce…. In that context, He forgave them of their first affair… it seems He forgave them of their second affair….. but yet, they remained unrepentant, and kept persisting in their sinfulness…. And there are many marriages that end up looking like that….. someone gets caught in some sexual sin, and they apologize with tears on their face, And their spouse forgives them…. And then a few years later, they do it again….. and again… and again…. Not that it's a true statement, but there's a reason the saying exists once a cheater, always a cheater…. There is something about infidelity and sexual sins, that mars the conscience… and once someone has gone down that road, so often, though not always, but so often, they go down that road again….
4C - Jesus says, 8 He said to them, “Moses, with reference to your hardness of heart, permitted you to divorce your wives, the question is, when Jesus talks about hardness of heart, whose heart is He talking about?…. He's not talking about the person divorcing the cheater, He's talking about the cheater….. and this leads to something that I believe is really important for us to wrap our heads around….. sometimes divorce happens…. And when divorce does happen, it is a horrible, horrible thing…. But when you look at the way the Bible describes divorce, and legitimate reasons for divorce, you realize that legitimate divorce is rarely between two offenders…. Sometimes, you'll hear someone say, well, there are two sides to every story, implying, both people are guilty, and share the blame of the divorce, but biblically, that is not true …. Listen… When you read the book of Malachi, and certainly in Matthew 19, the reality is, a marriage is made up of two people, and nobody is perfect… but being married to a spouse who is working too much, being a nag, being overbearing, being contentious, bad at money management, that's an awful thing to be married to, but those are not legitimate reasons for divorce…. Let me give you an example… let's say there is a wife…. And she she's a bad cook, and bad with finances, generally, just not a nice person…. Now let's say the husband gets fed up, and runs out on her., he gets caught up in an affair… biblically… Are they both at fault?….. no…. Because only one of them did something that broke the covenant….. Both people did deplorable things, but one of them did something that ended the marriage….. The covenant between a man and woman, where the two are made one flesh and God has joined together, that is not easily separated… you don't leave your wife because she's difficult… you don't leave your husband because he has a short temper… those things are horrible to live with, that might make them a bad spouse, there are plenty of bad spouses out there, but that does not give you the right, ever, to break the covenant… no one is driven into the arms of another man or woman, justifiably…. Marriage vows are stronger than our feelings, stronger than our preferences, stronger than our desires…. And when is engage in sexual sin, biblically, the one engaged in sexual immorality, is the one at fault….. And I believe this is so important for us to understand, because it keeps someone in a bad marriage, from even entertaining the idea of leaving, or feeling justified to run out on their spouse…. It's never OK…. And this is something so important to understand, because often, the kind of person who is going to engage in an affair, or some grotesque sexual sin, is also the kind of person who is going to blame their victim (now this doesn't always happen… But it happens a lot)… often the cheater blames their spouse, the victimizer blames their victim, and claim you didn't put out enough, or claim that you weren't attentive enough, or attractive enough, or whatever…. And even if there is some truth, in any of that, it is irrelevant… one of you broke the covenant… now I want to add a little footnote here… because I once knew a couple, they both claimed to be Christian, and the wife, so badly wanted a divorce, because, it seems, she wanted to be single and date other people without feeling like she was in sin, there was some chat room stuff going on with her and other men, and so she treated her husband so terribly… I mean, red in the face screamed every time she saw him, and had him living in the basement of their house…… now that kind of person, they may hear what I just said, and think, well if he runs out and has an affair, or if he divorces me, than I will be free to remarry, and he will be under sin…. But lets think about this… I would strongly argue, that this woman, is in all likelihood not a believer, that they are un equally yoke, because a believer, I'd imagine, would never treat their spouse that way, but I would strongly argue, that she had already initiated the divorce, by abandoning her husband…. She has completely trampled on her marriage vowels, she abuses’ her husband, she won't come under his leadership, and really, she has sent him away… so the kind of people that are married to absolute nightmares, at some point, whether it's a crazy manipulative woman, or an animalistic-gaslighting-violent man, you enter into the abandonment conversation…. You enter into the uniquely yoked abandonment conversation….
4D - Are men only allowed to initiate divorce? No… Paul in 1 Corinthians 7 says 12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. So the women have just as many rights as the men in the area of divorce….
4E -Are there illegitimate reasons for divorce? Yes… obviously, I have made this point many times, but just to say briefly, the fact that you have grown apart, love someone less, are not as attracted as you used to be, are annoyed by them, as much as it may stink to feel that way, Christian marriage is bigger than our emotions (Ephesians 5 - it serves a larger mission than our feelings)… there's a reason we say for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part…. So anything outside of sexual immorality, and cases of abandonment…. You need to do your absolute best to ride it out…. Husband's, you are to love your wives…. Wives you are to respect your husband….. and the more both of you grow in Christ, the more both of you reject selfishness, and learn to serve one another, the better your marriage will become… and that's a scary thing… It's a heavy thought to think I'm going to respect my husband's leadership, I'm going to serve him, and he may not reciprocate…. I know…. This is why, outside of coming to Jesus, who you marry is the most important decision in your life… so I understand that this is scary. … however, the more you retreat, the more Walls you build, the worst your marriage is going to get… and the more vulnerable, humble, the more you serve, the better the chance your marriage will heal and get better, and without a doubt, the happier you will be… Jesus says it is better to give than receive…. Have you ever met a happy selfish person?… because selfishness, Walls do not lead to happiness…. Service is the path to Joy… It is the person who gives they are the ones who receive more from the Lord…..
OK… We have reached to the end of this discussion… hopefully if you had any questions, I was able to answer them, or begin to bring clarity to them…And let me say this as we go…. If you are considering divorce… Please please please talk to your pastor, or the elders of your church… if there is a clear case of sexual sins or abandonment, they are going to comfort you and hopefully be a support while you are grieving… but also… Because we are in such a divorce-heavy culture, you're going to want to make sure, that if you go down that road, that you are going down that road with the Lord… that you are not an outright rebellion and sin by initiating an illegitimate divorce…. Marriage and divorce are some of the most weighty and consequential decisions a person can make… and so go to your Pastors, go to your spiritual leaders, and ask them to help you in this season to make wise decisions… to go to counseling if they recommend it, to do a temporary separation if necessary, and last resort, to divorce, if that seems to be the only recourse…..
And I want to say personally, to the church that I Shepherd, if you have any questions, or concerns, or just need to talk with somebody, or pray with somebody, I am here for you, please do not hesitate to reach out……as your pastor, it is my duty to teach you, and to tend to you…
Here's the link to the companion piece to today's sermon, which will also be Monday's B-side: https://calvarychapelbaltimore.subspla.sh/njrj98p
Notes for today's sermon follow...
Mark 10:1-12
Divorce is a difficult, weighty subject.
Jesus was teaching in Judea. People were divorcing a lot! Divorce was permissible if the covenant was broken.
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Exodus 21:10-11... It's allowed in extreme cases of complete abandonment.
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Deuteronomy 24... If the husband finds indecency (sexual sin) in his wife, he can divorce her.
Jesus says sexual sin breaks the marriage covenant and can be grounds for divorce.
The context of Jesus's teaching here...
The liberal rabbis had interpreted indecency loosely; you could divorce your spouse for any reason. Like "no fault divorce" today.
Mark 10:1... Jesus is making his way to Jerusalem to die. Here he's made it to Judea. Same place Satan tested him in the wilderness.
V2... The Pharisees tested him... They wanted to trap him in a debate. In Mark 6:17, John the Baptist was seized and beheaded because of divorce... They're trying to trap Jesus in the same way!
V3-5... He turns them to Moses' commands... and explains it's only because of their hardness of heart that divorce is being permitted.
V6-9... Jesus turns it around and talks about how marriage was meant to last a lifetime! It can only be terminated by betrayal, unfaithfulness to the marriage vows.
Sexual sins have an immense weight to them.
Sexual sin doesn't mean you are required to divorce your spouse, but it is permissible. If there can be reconciliation, you should pursue it! God can restore. Forgiveness is possible, though restoration of trust can be long and difficult.
V10... We're back inside a house after talking with the crowd and the Pharisees (as often in the gospels), and Jesus answers the apostles' questions. If you've illegitimately divorced then remarried, you've committed adultery against your first spouse. Additional questions about this will be answered in the pre-recorded B-Side.
Is there any sin too big for the cleansing power of the blood of Christ? No! If you are repentant, God forgives. There will still be consequences... But forgiveness is yours.
--- That's today's text ---
In Mark so far... If you want to be great, be a servant, make yourself like "the least of these"... Don't stumble other believers... And now, be a faithful disciple by being a faithful spouse!
- Jesus is asked about divorce, but he switches his emphasis to the meaning of marriage. He wants us to be a shining example to the world! Ephesians 5:22... the line of submission: marriage is to be a picture of the relationship between God and mankind!
...If you're a believer, that's what your marriage should be about: a living billboard of the gospel. Wives, model the respect we should have for God; husbands, model the love God has for his people! Jesus came to save his bride. Model his eternal faithfulness!
- How should our marriages be? In chapter 9, Jesus calls out the disciples for fighting about who's the greatest. We're to keep this in mind in marriage, too. Give your service to your spouse in love, because you're doing it unto the Lord! That's greatness. Give your life, lovingly unto the Lord, for your spouse.
Ephesians 5 describes what our marriages need to be healthy.
Husbands, work at loving your wives... they need it! Wives, work at respecting your husbands... they need it!
Your first mission field is your home, your family. And your spouse is a higher property than your children! This creates a firm foundation for the kids.
Love your spouse in your finances, in your work. Don't withhold anything from them... they are your first mission field! They are first in line for your affection, your attention!
- To follow Christ, we must love and respect our spouse. We must be a good example to all, of the love of Christ for his church. It glorifies him, and makes the marriage better for all involved!
God designed men and women differently, to play different roles and have different functions.
- Pharisees want to talk about divorce... Jesus wants to talk about marriage!
As we close...
If you're married, you're so blessed; you have your own person! It's a privilege to grow old together. A great place to start in your mission field is with your spouse. Are you showing people the Gospel with your marriage?
Yes, share the gospel with whoever will listen, but start by ministering to your spouse! Christians are to be living epistles, read by men... Similarly, marriage is designed to be a living Gospel!
Are you loving your wife, submitting to your husband, to the glory of God? He is faithful to bear fruit.
Mark 9:38-50...
The King James version of the Bible includes a couple of extra verses in this passage (44 and 46) which have since been discovered to have been added later, missing from original manuscripts. These have not made the cut in newer translations.
John is upset that the man casting out demons is not with them... Jesus says not to stop him. He looks at the man's fruit and sees that if he isn't already, he'll soon be a convert. 1 Cor 12:3
Jesus openly calls himself the Christ here. Serve his people and you will be rewarded.
v42-48 is heavy... anyone who misrepresents Christ, causes a little one to stumble, is to come under the wrath of God. We are to be a servant of all, not manipulate or abuse, or tempt them to sin.
v42, the millstone verse... 1 Clement 46... there was a schism. Why rebel against our own body of Christ? We are members of one another! Clement was a friend of Paul, and a bishop of Rome. Better to drown yourself than to rip apart God's church!
v43-48... cut off your sinful member... in other words, deal with your sin seriously! Don't literally cut off your foot.
Gehenna was a place of human sacrifice, then it became a trash dump. Its fires smelled awful, a combination of burning trash and feces... the fires of hell are likened to it. We must love people enough to be uncomfortable telling them of the dangers of hell!
Whatever causes you to sin, remove it from your life. Ask yourself: am I, in my sin, leading my loved ones into the same sin? Our personal sin spills over into others!
You can hold onto your sin, that's an option. But in the end, you will be thrown into hell.
v49-50... our passage ends with salt.
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Salt is good; we should remain salty! We should live as a living sacrifice unto God. This will keep us at peace with one another. How do we know if we're salty? Our love for one another. We will serve one another!
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How can salt lose its saltiness? The salt of the Dead Sea could lose it sodium over time, and become less salty to taste.
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Jesus talks about removing an arm, a leg, an eye. In Leviticus 8, Aaron and sons were consecrated as priests with blood from a salted sacrifice, and touched the blood of the sacrifice to the head, hand and foot. Jesus says it would be better to lose your eyes (form the head), your hand, and your foot, than to go to hell. He's calling for total devotion! Live a life of salted fire. He's calling his disciples into a perpetual priesthood, like the Levites... we are a Kingdom of priests!
Mark 9:38-50
John sees a man who "didn't follow us" casting out demons in Jesus's name, and tries to stop him... this is pride! Jesus rebukes him; even if that man isn't yet truly a Christian, he soon will be. If he's not against us, he's for us!
Mt 12:30... Whoever's not with me is against me! ...seems like the other side of what we hear in Mark. Those who are not of Jesus are not OK.
John and the disciples believed the man wasn't a Christian not because he didn't follow Jesus, but because he didn't follow their group! This intolerance still happens today in churches. We idolize our denomination, our theology, our church practices.
Not every difference needs to be a division! 1 Corinthians 13... Love does not insist on its own way!
Galatians 5, a work of the flesh is division.
The Father draws, the Son saves, the Spirit seals!
Jesus gives us an example of service: to be great, be a servant. Just do anything that needs to be done! Someone needs a cup of water, bring them a cup of water. Meet the need, no matter how big or small, and God will reward it!
The one who died defeated death. He provided a way for us, sinners, to live eternally despite our filthy rags. I'm a sinner, but Jesus came in his faithfulness and love, and if I accept him to be my atonement, I'll live with him eternally!
Once saved, you start to become conformed to his image. It's a process! The more subtle sins may not become apparent right away. We all deal with our own imperfections till the day we die.
But we don't lose God's care every time we sin... His mercies are new every day!
When sin presents itself, we must make WAR on our flesh. Cut it off, rip it out. Take swift, violent, decisive action, and remove the OPPORTUNITY for sin. Don't just pray about it, but remove yourself from it!
We need to be but only hearers of the Word, but doers! We must take action.
We must not trust in our future selves to be able to do this, but give ourselves totally to God! It's the only way; we're not strong enough.
If we're forgiven, how can our sins lead to hell? Because belief in Christ is not merely an emotional exercise. It's an action! For God so loved the world that he took action!
If God says to live a certain way and you, in your actions, consistently say no thanks... you're denying Christ. The sins that lead to death are the ones we refuse to cut off. And at some point, God gives a person over to their debased mind, and allows us to follow our flesh to eternal death and judgment.
So make sure you are being a servant, and refusing sin!
Salt in yourself... How will everyone be salted with fire? Sacrifices had to be salted before meeting the fire. It's a meal for God! The old testament covenant was called the covenant is salt.
Salted offerings were made to be burned.
Followers of Jesus were made to be salted with fire. We are to be salt to the world... As Christianity leaves a nation, it falls apart.
If you want to be great in the eyes of God, be salted with fire: Romans 12:1... Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. This is worship! We are to love as sacrifices to God, giving ourselves freely to whatever he has for us.
We may have to endure the fire of persecution, take up our cross.
It's the best thing to belong to Jesus Christ, but it's not without trials. People will try to abuse you, as you appear weak to them. Also the goodness of Christ in you may expose the darkness in others, and that doesn't go over well.
It's hard enough fighting our own nature, much less the event!
Why subject ourselves to a life of salt and fire? Because Jesus is worth it! Satan, the alternative, is a harsh master.
Jesus's yoke is easy and his burden is light.
A Christian doesn't live a sacrificed life because they're trying to earn a spot in heaven... We follow him because greatness is loving people who mistreat you. Being generous, humble, forgiving. Being a peacemaker.
Don't come to him for forgiveness if you haven't forgiven others in your life.
Persecution for righteousness' sake is a compliment. That is to be filled with the Spirit of God! 1 Peter, don't be surprised with trials, but remove that you share in Christ's suggestions... The spirit of God rests on you!
James 1:2... Count it all joy when you experience trials. When you make it through, you'll receive the crown of life!
This B-Side is a conversation between Pastor Josh and Pastor Rick, recorded before the Sunday sermon on 1/25...
The Sunday sermon will be about the changes of clothing of Jesus in John 18 and 19, during the crucifixion.
Parallels are drawn between the high priests of the Old Testament and the new high priest, Jesus. The pure white clothes of the transfiguration are discussed. The purple robes they put on him at the crucifixion signify high priest, king and prophet; he's the only one to fill all three roles.
Clothing means authority in the Old Testament.
We "put on" or "wear" Christ, and he "wears" us.
Noah's sons supported his authority, even in the moment when he's naked in his tent; Ham wants to usurp Noah's authority, and the two sons put his robe on their shoulders and walk backwards, tacitly showing support of Noah's authority.
Parallels are shown between Jesus and Joseph with his coat of many colors.
Isaiah 6... the edge of God's garment fills the temple with glory.
The woman who grabbed the hem of Jesus' garment is discussed.
Malachi 3... there's healing in the wings (edges of the clothing) of the Son of righteousness.
John the Baptist is clothed in camel skin, as Elijah; they shared the authority of prophet, which can only be gifted, not taken.
The idea of Absalom's similarity to Satan is discussed.
Genesis 3... Adam and Eve clothe themselves with the garden, but God clothes them like the beasts, as they're following the beast. At the end of the Bible, Jesus clothes his people in white linens!
Ruth and Boaz are discussed.
In the Old Testament, those in high positions showed respect for their office by dressing as prescribed for that office. Pastor Josh takes his office of Pastor seriously, and intends for his wardrobe choices to show respect for-- and reflect the seriousness of his commitment to-- the office God has given him.
Pastor Rick is excited to teach on Sunday's livestream! Check it out on our website, our app, or YouTube. The date is 1/25/2026.
John 19:23-24
God clothes himself in glory. He becomes man, so man can become like God. All creation is a divine work. He makes us into an entirely new creation, so we can be welcome in his house.
The Holy Spirit changes our nature before we can respond to God. We're naturally at enmity with him.
God covered the earth with soil, plants, flowers... replicating God's glory. Man is made of the soil, also destined to be covered in glory. God produces this in our lives. Beauty has the power to arrest our attention, demand a response, inspires wonder. We share that beauty with others.
The Spirit is the glorifier, the matchmaker of God's bride.
Adam and Eve caused the whole earth to be filled with violence. In the period of the judges, everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Today, we follow our own personal gods, political, social. Abortion has wiped out 1/5 of our country since it became legalized. Abortion says, "you must die so I can live"... Jesus said I must die so you can live!
Our society renames evil to make it more palatable.
Grace is restored to the garden by Jesus, the second Adam! He is spiritual food for us, who hunger for him!
He went to the cross for us, we were drawn from a cursed ground, we're preserved through his wooden cross, Noah and his family were preserved through a wooden vessel.
Great attention is given to clothing, to priestly robes. One day we will be clothed in light like Jesus is now.
Luke 2... Mary asks Gabriel how she's going to bear Jesus... The Holy Spirit is portrayed like a flying creature coming over her.
Ruth... A widow, no way to provide for herself. She goes to Boaz's field, he liked her and left her a trail to find him... She followed... He covered her in his blanket, a sign of marital unity.
Matthew 27... Jesus died, the sun went dark, the veil of the temple was torn top to bottom. Tombs opened. So everything from heaven to earth to below the earth was affected. He shook the whole universe!
Creation was being dismantled to recreate it.
Jesus's tomb became a womb.
The veil is removed so we can see God face to face.
God's glory is described as a bridal chamber. Deep intimacy with the Father so we can come boldly to the throne of grace.
We wear God for glory, God wears us for glory.
He's undeterred by man's waywardness.
We're born again from his wounded side. The Pharisees didn't seek redemption because they followed their own righteousness.
His clothing is stripped three times...
In Matthew 9:20, woman with flow of blood was healed by touching his garment. Many other examples of touching God's garment healing, providing.
Aaron the high priest would set aside his garments to make the sacrifice. Jesus's garments were taken away; he's the new high priest.
The Israelites' clothing was referred to as wings... We are a winged people who will fly up to Yahweh.
The first product of humanity was clothing, to hide their shame.
Don't take the Lord's name in vain: a warning against hypocrisy. Don't carry his name emptily.
Those who don't carry Jesus are doomed to their own sins. We must take his name wherever we go.
The Old Testament is the swaddling clothes of Jesus. He judged the temple of Jerusalem, but raised us up as a temple of stones. Through the church, God builds the new humanity.
The hem of his robe fills the temple.
Nobody, even Isaiah, has any business being in the presence of God.
When Jesus is stripped of his garments, the old priesthood is destroyed, and the new priesthood begins.
Revelation 19: the saints are clothes in linen, not animal skins.
As Jesus died, "It is finished": Jesus's work is complete. The great purposes of God have been accomplished. A new humanity begins.
2Sam9:3.. Saul is killed, David becomes King. David asks if anyone of Saul needs the kindness of God, he finds Mephibosheth. He was lame, but invited to sit at the King's table. He sees all are afflicted as he is.
Jesus will hold us up as trophies of his grace... we will be glorified at the altar with him for all time, and we can eat at his table for the rest of eternity!
If people won't take God's commands from Malachi 1 to heart, they'll come under a curse. The priests are already grotesquely unclean in their hearts, so God will mirror that by spreading dung on their faces.
A priest should be a messenger of God! But these priests are corrupting the priesthood, showing partiality in their instruction. They were poor representatives of God to the people.
- Matthew 18:6... Don't cause God's little ones to stumble! Represent Christ well.
The nucleus of the book of Malachi is in verses 10-16...
Do we not all have the same God? Then don't live contentiously!
The priests mistreated their wives. They were looking for reasons to divorce their spouses, and instead turning to women who worshipped Baal.
God will have none of this. He tells the priests: guard yourself in your spirit, and don't be faithless! But the priests chose sexual deviancy over a faithful life. (Previously in Numbers 25, when Phinehas had seen Baal worship creeping in, he put an end to it rather definitively!)
These priests weeped and groaned before God, but they were willfully living in sin and they knew it, and God said he no longer accepted their offerings! Their "repentance" was not genuine.
Similarly, in Matthew 7:23... "Did we not do mighty works in your name?" And God says, "I never knew you."
1 Sam 15:22... To obey is better than sacrifice.
God wants faithful people! Are you following the Lord, obeying the teachings of Christ? The obedience is proof of the belief.
--- That's today's text ---
Looking back at verses 6-7...
Phinehas may be the example of a faithful priest alluded to here. But whoever it is, he's the model of faithful service.
What does God want (and so richly deserve)?
He's worthy of our lives...
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Truth: speak the truth! Our words matter, both their literal meaning and their tone. Our voice, how we use our mouths, matters deeply to God.
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A good example: John Wesley, the Holiness Club... members asked themselves 22 questions, starting with, "Am I a hypocrite" and "Am I honest, or do I exaggerate?" Also, don't feed ourselves on exaggeration from other sources (biased news programs, social media, etc). We're to be a people of clear, precise truth, without deception or manipulation!
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Peace: a marker of the faithful. Living in wholeness, in peace with the world around you as much as possible. Work hard at not being contentious!
Hosea 6:6... I desire steadfast love, not sacrifice.
- Uprightness / consistency: Levelness, straightness, being consistent. Serving God consistently. Also don't be wavering in your devotion! Be level, consistent, disciplined! Be an example, a living epistle, of Christian maturity. Be consistent in devotion, prayer, church attendance.
So these three points: live in the truth, as peacemakers, with consistency!
We should be "all in" for the Lord, and uncompromising!
B-Side...
Mark 9:30-37 - This account is also found in Matthew 17 and Luke 9.
v30... Jesus and the disciples have been mostly in the area of Galilee, and are now leaving it to head for Jerusalem; Jesus doesn't want attention because his ministry in Galilee is finished and he wants to focus on the disciples.
v31... the original language may indicate that the process of the Son being delivered into the hands of men has already begun; he's in the process of being delivered into the hands of men, but it's the Father who is doing the delivering. Jesus is obeying the Father and heading to the cross, being delivered from person to person until his crucifixion.
- an aside, regarding anti-semitism: disagreeing with current Israeli politics is not necessarily anti-semitic; hating the Jewish people because they're Jewish is. Yes, the Jews handed Jesus over to the Romans, but then the Romans handed him over to the soldiers, and the soldiers handed him over to the world... the world crucified Jesus! All humanity is guilty of crucifying Jesus.
v32... they didn't understand what Jesus meant by his prediction of his death and resurrection; in Matthew 17:23, they were greatly distressed. In Luke 9:45, his meaning was concealed from them. It's a mystery and they're afraid!
v33... With Jesus, a house is a place of teaching...
v34-35... the lesson: serving "the least of these" is the path to greatness. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be great, but he corrects their idea of greatness!
In the caves of Qumran, a document was found called "the rule of the community"... a document for the Essene community, with great importance given to rank and seating arrangements. Jesus' teaching that the greatest is he who serves the least flies in the face of this sort of thinking! Modern Judaism tends to posit that Jesus got his radical ideas from the Essenes... this would certainly seem not to be the case! Jesus followed neither the Pharisees nor the Essenes. God doesn't take sides in this way; he is his own side.
v36-37... the child is not used as a shining example of humility, but as an example of low status. Humility is receiving those of low status! To embrace the unimportant because Jesus told us to is evidence that we have received him, that his spirit lives in us!
Final thought...
Comparing the first passion prediction in chapter 8 to this one in chapter 9... in chapter 8, the disciples want greatness and glory, but without the cross. In chapter 9, they want it without humility. As fallen humans, our nature is to want greatness without suffering, without humble service. But that's not God's path of greatness!
A good example is given in the book of 1 Clement-- not Scripture, but worth studying... visitors to the church of Rome saw something special: they admire the people's godliness, sobriety, virtue, hospitality, knowledge and humility. The church believed in raising young men to maturity without adolescence, to be serious-minded. They taught women to be good wives and godly women, managing things well, duty-bound, on mission. They were examples of being more willing to give than to receive. The early Roman church put a great deal of emphasis on the humility of Christ, being given to humble service, without respect to social status! Truly a "city on a hill."
v30-32... In today's passage, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to die. He came to save mankind-- but will be killed by mankind. The Father is delivering the Son into the hands of men. Then in three days, he will rise! And the apostles didn't understand.
He did rise again, and that is the basis of our faith.
v33-37... It's never a good thing to think of yourself in terms of greatness. The apostles knew they were wrong to be discussing who among them was the greatest. Jesus challenges them: to be first, you must be last of all, the servant of all. Jesus doesn't shoot down their desire for greatness, but for the kind of greatness they desired, and for the motive behind their desire for greatness.
That's our text...
This passage isn't about how great children are. In the first century, children were seen as the least significant people. They were "the least". If you want to be great, you need to learn to love and willingly serve the insignificant!
Serve people who can't serve you back!
Pursue greatness by serving, with humility! No one ever served more humbly than Jesus. There is no path to greatness without humility! A Christian builds people up, serves people, loves people.
Love is serving your spouse till death do you part.
Humility is inward... not thinking too highly of yourself. Understanding the depths of your sin nature.
When we receive the holy Spirit, we receive the power to walk humbly!
Humility is also outward! Helping people with things that are "not your problem"... humbly serving someone's need that presents itself in the moment.
Matthew 11... I am gentle and lowly (meek and humble). Meekness is power restrained!
Luke 24... There was something about Jesus's disposition that made people feel warm and accepted in his presence.
We should desire greatness... and greatness is humble service!
It's sinful to want to be great apart from Christ. A beautiful house and a good income are not the goal. We are brought into the Kingdom not because we're great, but to pursue the greatness of humble service! We must follow the way of Christ.
Greatness is rewarded. We'll be thrilled just to make it into heaven... But there, God himself will serve us at the table!
We can only walk in this godly greatness once we've received the Spirit of God. It doesn't save us; it's made possible by our salvation!
James 4:7 humble yourself before the Lord and he will exalt you
1 Peter 5:6... Humble yourself so he will exalt you at the the right time!
Jesus and the disciples come down from the mountain, and are immediately confronted with trouble... that's how it goes! This is where many fail.
Why is the crowd amazed ("thrown into a terror") when they see Jesus? Possibly his appearance was changed like Moses' transfiguration, after being in the presence of the Father. They (a faithless generation) may have been afraid of him in the same way the demon is afraid of him later.
"If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us" - the parents were in pain with their child... two things:
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Having sick (or wayward) kids is extremely painful; God knows, and he cares. The prayers of godly parents are heard!
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Transfiguration account... v6-10. Jesus is the son, identified with sin on the cross. He died in front of an unbelieving crowd. This could be parallelling the story of the boy.
v23-25... Jesus shows up and by the word of his mouth, demons flee! When the power of Jesus enters our lives, evil is brought out of our lives and Satan is not allowed to touch us.
At some point after salvation, the Holy Spirit convicts you of the depths of your sinful nature. The old comes down and the new comes up.
v24... "help my unbelief":
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The father is asking for an increase in faith (and this is before Pentecost, before the Holy Spirit is given). Hebrews 12:1 - Jesus is the founder and perfecter of our faith.
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Jesus is one day coming back, but we don't always live every day as if that's true. So we pray, "Help our unbelief, increase our belief! Drive out our fears, help us to be totally committed!" The Spirit reveals who we really are... Romans 8:7... we hate God by nature. It's natural for us to sin. If we could lose our salvation, we would! Parable of the sower: many who seem to be regenerate are going to eventually fall away. So we need deep roots, so we don't leave the Lord, leave his word! We must abide in him! Give us more faith, Lord!
Whenever Jesus is away from the apostles, they fall apart. This is true of all of us! When were not in daily prayer and reading and submission to God, were hopeless.
"Apart from me, you can do nothing!" - John 15:5
They have no power to resist the devil, to resist the darkness.
Who in the gospel was the furthest from receiving him? The well-pit--together, the successful, the wealthy. Not the destitute.
The disciples were unable to push back the darkness until he returned to them.
We're not missionaries of niceness, ministers of happiness. We're to herald the King! Not just making people feel good or providing for their material needs. But, what does it profit a man to gain the world but lose his soul?
We're here to bring Christ to the nations. Against that, the gates of hell cannot prevail!
When demons saw Jesus, they were terrified. There's also something in us that Satan hates, and it sends demons into an irrational rage.
Satan doesn't wait for your child to grow up to attack them. He's after our kids, he's after their kids. It's never too early to teach your child right from wrong! Good from evil! Speak to their minds, their wills. Don't just support them in whatever they want. God gave them YOU as parents, so you would parent them! Don't let someone else do it.
Satan is using every fiery dart he has to destroy your children! We, the parents and the church, must bring them the light.
"I believe! Help my unbelief!" The prayer for God to strengthen our belief. When dealing with doubt, don't hide from him; bring it to him!
Jesus rebuked the boy's demon, and the boy initially looked worse than he did before the rebuke; he looked dead. And then Jesus took him by the hand, and he arose!
Through faith in the Lord Jesus we will be raised to new life, forever! When we die, we're immediately in his presence!
When Jesus casts the demon out, it's never allowed to enter the person ever again.
The disciples asked Jesus why they couldn't cast out the demon themselves. The answer was that it requires prayer. He doesn't rebuke them, just answers gently. They hadn't yet received (permanently) the power of the Holy Spirit. So he answers that they need to come to him! They need to pray.
Apart from the Lord, we can do nothing!
What pushes back the darkness? We must go to the light! Go to Jesus!
That's today's text. Two thoughts...
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To describe what something is, it's helpful to describe what it isn't...
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The boy's attacks looked like seizures. Seizures are not demon possession. Your seizures (or any illness) aren't the result of a lack of faith on your part. Christians, as we have the Holy Spirit in us, cannot be demonically possessed!
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For every believer: you belong to God! So, you do NOT belong to Satan! You are not filled with demons.
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There are many places in Scripture where Satan enters a person. But never a person who believes.
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Too many Christians give Satan too much credit, for power he doesn't have.
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Anxiety, depression... Satan can influence and assault the church from the outside, but he has no power on the inside of a believer's heart and mind!
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1 John 5:18
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Satan didn't make you sin. You sinned because you enjoy sin enough to do it.
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James 1:13... We are only tempted when we are lured away by our own desires.
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Spiritual maturity takes time. When we do what we don't want to have done, it's the sin in us, not Satan.
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When God calls you to be his own, you are 100% his! Satan can only act with the permission of our loving God!
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Even if your faith is as tiny as a mustard seed, demons can never come into you! You are the bride of Christ, and he will not allow it. The Holy Spirit in you terrifies demons!
What is today's text telling us? In Jesus alone is there power to defeat the seen and the unseen! Satan is afraid of God. It's not us, but only Christ in us who can conquer darkness. And we can ask God for more of the gift of the Holy Spirit!
I am the bread of life... John 6:22-53
- The people were all about the bread Jesus provided, not about the life he offers.
Jesus calls himself the bread of life, pulling from many places in Scripture referring to bread...
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Ex29:2... Bread was a sacrifice offered to God. He's the bread offering of thanksgiving to God!
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The showbread... the bread of the presence of God, in the tabernacle. Jesus is the true showbread.
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Manna... rained down on the Israelites. Jesus is the true manna, supernatural provision for the world! We need a Savior... our needs are more spiritual than physical.
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The Word of God... Isaiah 2: taking in the Word of God is similar to eating bread. Proverbs 9... Words of godly wisdom are like bread.
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The eucharist... He is the living bread. He gives his life for the world! He is the bread that has come down. We gather to receive him, to sit at the table with him.
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Future bread... We are blessed here and now, walking with him, filled with the Spirit. But he looks beyond today! If we're in him, he will raise us up on the last day, we will have a meal with him, and live with him forever!
The crowd wants earthly comfort, but Jesus wants to give them himself! Unfortunately, they grumble and walk away. In our flesh, we want God to do our will. We want him to serve us the way we want to be served. But God is not obligated to follow our ways! He cannot be manipulated. We must come to him in true faith and remain in him, not for the riches he offers, but for who he is. The best thing he gives us is himself!
John 6:53... Unless you partake in him, you have no life in you. If you do, you will have eternal life!
When God gives Hannah a son, she sings to him! Same with Mary and Jesus.
3 thoughts about today's reading...
- Hannah's heart exalted the Lord... she's blessed, but she directs her praise to who God is!
He's holy, the most high, and the rock...
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Holy: he's utterly separate! He alone is the self-existent one.
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Most high, yet he came to die
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The rock: when love is really bad, where do we run? There's no rock, no shelter like our God! Build your life upon this rock!
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His birth brought about a great series of reversals... He changes everything! Anxiety is part of life, but this will all disappear. He brings an incorruptible kingdom!
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God will judge the ends of the earth! Every Christmas we celebrate the birth of Christ, the arrival of the King of kings! So we sing! Of his government there will be no end!
Jesus is the light of the world! That's why we decorate with lights at Christmas.
We celebrate in the darkest time of year, because the light then begins to grow. Jesus brought light to the darkness!
All of our traditions are because Jesus has come, and for us, everything has changed. He changed the world as we know it! When we accept that he came and died for us, it changes everything.
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Jesus is the light of the world - John 8:12 - Jesus is the IAM... He's calls himself Yahweh, THE light of the world. In him there is no darkness! No malice, greed, no vice. He's our guiding light!
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The light took on human flesh - John 1:1-5 - Angels sang glory to God in the highest! The shepherds were wrapped in the light of the triune God. Jesus will defeat the darkness! God appears as light thought the Old and New testaments. Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God! Light is the first thing God created for the earth. God brought us light when we were living in darkness.
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The light sent his light! John 12:35 - We were all born in sin, and are good at sinning. We're blind apart from the illumination of God's Spirit pointing us to Christ! He reveals who we really are. We must repent of our darkness to come to the light.
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We are to walk in the light. 1 John 1:5-9 - Truth is walking in the light, living and doing the things of light! We are grieved by the darkness in us. A Christian lives at peace with other believers. Being contentious is walking in darkness. Do you love your fellow believers? You must "do" the love if you're walking in the light. If you are a Christian, you have received the light of Christ and are aware of your own darkness.
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We will rest in his light forever! Revelation 21-22:5 - The Bible has 66 books, working together in harmony and unison. In Genesis, the earth started in darkness, and God created light. In Revelation, all the lights God created in Genesis start to disappear. He created the firmament, the boundary between heaven and earth, and begins to destroy it in Revelation.
The New Earth doesn't need the sun; it's illuminated by the glory of God! As believers, we will dwell eternally in that light!
Our forever isn't in heaven, but in God's eternal city! There is one light source, and the walls are largely transparent... His light will shine through everywhere! We'll always feel the light of the Lord on our skin. His light will refract and reflect all around. The ground is made of pure gold, translucent, reflecting colorful light back up into the city!
Coming from his throne is the River of Life. The most beautiful body of water, and we'll walk beside it, eating from fruit trees.
We will dwell here forever and ever!
Jesus is the light of the world... He's describing his glory! Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he's Lord!
Two thoughts...
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Whatever you do in life, make sure you belong to Christ. Only if you follow the Light of the World in this life will you bask in this light in the next life! Come to him, admit your darkness, and accept his light! And he will accept you on the day you enter eternity.
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The whole world is in darkness, and it needs the light. And so we invite others into the light... ask them to please follow the light!
See the attached PDF to navigate through today's passage, by clicking the button labeled "Jude Chiasm".
The book of Jude has 25 verses, all arranged as a chiasm: a literary structure wherein the main theme is located in the center of the passage, and the verses surrounding it point to, and flesh out, the central theme.
In Jude, we have 5 sections to the chiasm, structured like this:
A-B-C-D - E - D-C-B-A, with "E" as the central statement.
In Jude, our "A" consists of v1-2 (the intro to the book), and v24-25 (the "outro"-- the famous doxology glorifying God and testifying to the salvation Jesus provides!) We are kept for Jesus (v1) and are kept by God (v24).
Our "B" is v3-4 and v20-23... 3-4 describes contending for the faith among the wicked, and 20-23 shows what we are called to be, and that we are to have mercy on and contend to save the wicked.
Our "C" is v5-7 and v14-20... in 5-7 we have examples of past judgment. In 14-20 we have future judgment!
Our "D" is v8-10 and v12-14... again, past judgment and future judgment. In verse 8, creation has fallen into disorder; Satan wants Michael the Archangel to act like him, but he refuses and simply says "the Lord rebuke you!" God's creation is falling away from what God designed it to be.
And our central theme, our "E" is verse 11... woe to them! They should be kept from stumbling, should be following Jesus into his presence, but instead they "walked in the way of Cain," trading the blessing of belonging to God for the sake of greed and power. They will be swallowed up by the earth as those who perished in Korah's rebellion against Moses.
The central theme of Jude is the judgment that's coming for those who have walked away from the path God has lovingly chosen for his people!
Malachi has a legal tone. It was written to a corrupted priesthood. These are the disputes between God and the people.
There are six (possibly seven) sections or disputations.
Malachi might be the prophet Ezra, but his identity is not truly known. He was a prophet, writing around 450 BC.
v2-5... First disputation... This is not about the wrath or judgment of God, but the love of God! "I have loved you..." He loves his people. Specifically, he loves them with a familial love. (But the people love others).
Throughout Malachi, God speaks to people's questions and issues out loud. The Israelites thought, "how have you loved us?" And here God answers by showing he's Israel's protector. He has defeated their enemies.
v6-14... Second disputation...
The first one was about love, but this one's about God being dishonored by the priests through improper sacrifices. They lowered the standard, perhaps to increase sacrificial offerings; their focus was on the benefit they get from the sacrifice, not the glory God is due. They did this for their own gain, like a modern church lowering the standard of the gospel, watering down the message.
Sacrifice numbers may have been up, but the quality of the sacrifice was not to God's standard. The priests and the people were in sin when offering the worst of their livestock.
We should always give God our best! Bring him the best we have, for he is the great King! The authority above all authorities, the Almighty, the Lord of Hosts, of Heaven's armies!
And with his Word comes the authority of who he is! He is the great King, hated among the nations. If you reject him, you've made yourself an enemy of the most powerful being in the universe.
So Malachi 2 begins with a curse. That'll be for the next teaching.
Two things...
- The snorting servant...
Serving in the temple was too wearying for some servants. Some of the priests seemed to serve begrudgingly, wearied that they had to process another sacrifice. They became weary of serving God! And so they misrepresented his name.
This can happen to everyone who serves in church, from the pastor down to the least visible of volunteers.
Serving God is an honor and a privilege! We must serve him out of a joyful and worshipful heart! If we can't do that, we need a break.
- There are hints in chapter 1 of the coming of Christ...
When he says "from the rising sun to its setting," he's talking about his name being made great among all the nations... The spread of the Gospel through Jesus's ministry! Philippians 2:8. The name made great among all nations is Jesus!
But in verse 6, they're disgracing, despising the name of God. So the name of the Son will be made great among the nations, not only among the Jews, but the gentiles as well!
When Jesus comes, his name will be made great among the nations. There will be a pure offering, an offering of faith in the one who will have died for the sin of the world!
So we worship the Father in spirit and in truth through faith in Christ!
They traveled 6 days before the transfiguration... may be a nod to Exodus 24:15... Moses spent 6 days in the glory cloud. Also, Adam was made on the 6th day, and now the new Adam will defeat the serpent the first Adam failed to defeat. Luke says 8 days, not 6. He delineates the time differently.
The mountain... which one? Maybe Mt. Tabor. Maybe Mt. Hermon at Caesarea Phillippi... if so, it may be the site where the "watchers" described in the non-canonical book of 1 Enoch and mentioned in Genesis 6 spread their false teaching. That said, Scripture doesn't mention the name of the mountain, so we can consider it non-essential, doctrinally.
Moses and Elijah were both forerunners, so their appearance here seems to be preparing the way for Jesus as Messiah.
Peter is terrified, doesn't know what to say and starts filling the space with crazy talk, recommending they build tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah to stay there on the mountain. He misses that Jesus is not just on par with Moses and Elijah, but is actually God himself.
The cloud in verse 7 is the glory cloud, the Spirit of God from the temple in the Old Testament. So we now have the full trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all present on the mountain. They are all involved in the ministry of Jesus!
The glory, the splendor of God that we see here is apparently the the glory of God the Father, as God the Son is depicted bathed in the light (and God the Spirit is a cloud overshadowing them). When we pass from this world to the next, we too will be bathed in the light and glory of the Father!
Our God is very quick to give honor. By contrast, when we're walking in the flesh, we're very slow to give honor to anything but ourselves. This can cause trouble in all sorts of contexts, including marriage. God gives us honor, a good reputation, calls us to serve in the church, lets us work for his Kingdom. He's lavish with the glory he bestows on us! And we should be just as generous with others as he's been with us. We should be quick to build up other people, to serve other people; we lose nothing when we do!
Despite his supreme worthiness of glory and honor, and despite what we deserve in our sin nature, God is generous in giving glory and honor to us. We will one day be glorified as he is glorified! He laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down ours for others as well. He gives to us so that we give to others! In this way, we become glorified, more like him.
The big picture of the transfiguration:
Peter announces Jesus is the Christ... the people don't really know what that means. Then Jesus describes what it means in Mark's gospel. Upon hearing he'll die to accomplish his mission, Peter rebukes him, assuming Jesus is simply doubting his mission, and Jesus rebukes him right back. Messiah will suffer, and we will suffer to follow him. Only the path of the cross ends in the glorification shown in the transfiguration, and eternal life in Heaven with God the Father!
The Transfiguration:
As Jesus and three of the apostles are praying, he begins to glow, as bright as the sun. Mark calls attention to his clothes glowing white-- see Daniel 7:9: the clothing of the Ancient of Days (God the Father) is white as snow; Jesus is one with the Father, and shares his glory.
Also, clothing in Scripture can indicate an office or authority; Jesus has been given the authority of the Father.
Jesus is our great High Priest. The transfiguration happened on the 6th day of the week... the 6th day of creation was when God made Adam; Jesus is the greater Adam. The cloud in verse 7 harkens back to the cloud of glory in Genesis; Jesus is the greater Moses. Elijah met with the Father atop a mountain; Jesus is the greater Elijah.
Jesus is being described as the great high priest. One day a year, the high priest would forgo the splendor of his ceremonial vestments, and just wear plain white linen: the day of atonement. The Father has clothed Jesus in plain white garments and equipped him to be the atonement, the sacrifice for all sins!
v4... two thoughts:
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Elijah was with Moses; Moses appears to be the dominant person of the pair. Moses represents the Law, and Elijah represents the prophets. The Law and the prophets were building to the Messiah.
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In Revelation 11, we read of two witnesses sent to prophesy in the last days. Because of the Transfiguration account, some believe the witnesses are Moses and Elijah. This also may be supported in the book of Jude, where Satan and Michael the Archangel argue over the body of Moses; why would Moses' body matter to Satan, unless God has a plan for the body of Moses?
v5-6:
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Peter calls Jesus Rabbi... but he's more than a mere teacher; he's the Christ, God's son.
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In Luke, it seems Peter just wants this transfiguration experience to never end, and that's why he wants to build tents for everyone. He wants to stay on the mountaintop and avoid the cross. But that's not the path!
v7: God says this is my son, listen to him! We will one day look God in the face, but not until we too are transfigured, and have crossed into glory. So while we're on earth, we follow the Son! He is the only way.
v8: Moses and Elijah leave. On this mountaintop, the Father, the Spirit, Moses and Elijah had one purpose: to point us to the Son. Our central mission!
v9-10: Tell no one until he's risen; he again talks about his death. They kept it to themselves, but questioned what it may mean.
v11: why must Elijah come? They think Elijah will come and set things right, then the Messiah will be a mighty ruler; this is the leaven of the Pharisees, from Mark 8:15. Because of this background, the apostles simply don't understand Jesus.
v12-13: Elijah does come first to restore all things. He already has (John the Baptist), and they did to him whatever they wanted (they killed him). If they killed the Messiah's forerunner, it makes sense they'd also kill the Messiah.
Two thoughts...
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In the Apostles' Creed, the only reference to Jesus' earthly work is that he suffered.
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The creeds of church history are important because their purpose is to state the core truths that every Christian must believe, and to distinguish good doctrine.
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Here in Mark, Jesus does lays out one of the core principles: that the Son of God must die, and that to demand otherwise is Satanic. In fact, in early creeds, the chief description of his ministry on earth is to die! To take the wrath of the Father and die-- for our sin. We were in trouble until he came!
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In following him, we suffer as he suffered. We turn the other cheek, we show grace to those who have not earned it, and who will never appreciate it. We don't do it so they'll see; we do it because our Father sees.
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The transfiguration...
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This isn't just God showing us who Jesus is, but who we are... Jesus is indeed the light of the world. But we're also shown the destiny of humanity when brought into his glory! The transfiguration is our hope: when we die and meet the Lord, we will no longer be limited by our broken bodies and minds.
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As we follow Jesus, we will one day be led into the presence of the Father, and be glorified as Jesus is glorified in the transfiguration.
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Because of this hope, we can approach the throne of God with boldness!
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As we follow Christ, we are bring transformed like Christ, and eventually we will die as Jesus died... but if we died following him, carrying his cross, living for him, we too will stand glorified, in the presence of the Father. Glowing with the light of Christ, in communion with the Lord God for all eternity!
It's been Jesus the Messiah from the beginning, interacting with man... Abraham is responding to both the Father and the Son. He's called out as a gentile, and never becomes a Jew. Israel was originally a gentile country.
He sees us and calls us out for his holy purposes from the beginning of time!
Joshua 24:1... Abraham wasn't merely a gentile, but an idolator. Yet God was able to use him!
There's a separation between believers and unbelievers. Abraham was called out of his old lifestyle.
Repentance... a U-turn, away from sin and toward God. The greatest definition is from Abram's calling. Job had 3 friends who gave him bad advice. Our best source for good advice is our heavenly Father!
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We first repent of (turn away from) our nation... Our real home is not our country, but Heaven.
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We repent of (turn away from) our family, our relatives... Our real family is the family of God. We need to keep trudging forward knowing God has our back.
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And we turn away from our father's house... We need the advice not of our earthly father, but of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Luke 9:57... Jesus has nowhere to lay his head. God doesn't guarantee you'll have shelter in this life. He calls us to just go! Without understanding the path he has for us yet. We may think we know, but we don't know the mind of God.
Luke 9:59... He calls us to go, not to hesitate or wrap things up before going. It's a tough calling.
"You can't pull a string in the Old Testament without moving a page in the New Testament."
Hebrews 11:8-10: Abraham lived as an alien, looking for a city whose architect is God!
Jesus paid the debt we owe!
The first audience for Mark would have been gentile Christians, likely under Nero. Nero was at fault for the great fire of Rome, and to deflect from his guilt, he blamed, even demonized Christians. He had them killed in the most brutal ways. So as Jesus is talking about the crucified believer inheriting the Kingdom of God, it's an encouragement to these persecuted Christians! It's not shameful to be a believer, as Nero would have people believe; it's the path of Christ that leads to eternal life. If Christians are like "walking trees" (Mark 8:24), then as Jesus's tree was about to take the form of a cross, so will ours.
v35... Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but if you're willing to lose your life, you'll be saved. Sin can be fun; this is why temptation is effective. As Christians, we deny ourselves the fun of sin. 1 Corinthians 6:19: the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit; it's been given to another, to the Lord. Our entire identity belongs in the service of our God.
v36... what does it profit a man to gain the world if he loses his soul? When Satan tempted Jesus, his offer was nothing compared to his kingdom!
v37... no amount of money can buy your way into Heaven. You can't give God anything to save your soul... you can only be received by the Father if you believe in (accept and follow) the Son.
v38... Ashamed of Jesus? He'll be ashamed of you. Mark 7:6... people honor him with their lips, but not their hearts.
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He could be referring to just his current generation...
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He is most likely talking about his final return and ascension, standing at the right hand of the Father as Lord and Judge. So if you distance yourself from the Lord, on Judgment Day, God will distance himself from you.
9v1... Some standing here will not die until they see the Kingdom of God after it's come with power... What could this mean?
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Maybe this is talking about the return of the Lord, though that would contradict Jesus applying it to "some standing here".
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Maybe he's talking about his transfiguration... that's mentioned nearby.
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It's more likely talking about Pentecost. He's asking people to do something they're incapable of doing on their own... but when the Holy Spirit comes, they'll be given the power to do it, and to advance the Kingdom of God!
One closing thought...
J. C. Ryle - Does our Christianity require any sacrifice? If not, be afraid. A religion that costs nothing is worth nothing. We must carry a cross, and if we're not, if the devil is not attacking us, we should worry whether we're truly following Christ! (J. C. Ryle's commentary on Mark 8 can be found here: https://www.gracegems.org/Ryle/mark08.htm)
If you're a believer, you're the most blessed of all creation! You've gained more than the whole world can offer. So we're conformed to the image of the Son, and we're to live according to his way. We must love our enemies, follow the way of the cross, and lay down our lives for him!
In Mark 1, Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, offering him all the kingdoms of the world without the suffering of the cross. Here in chapter 8, Peter is wanting the same thing. So Jesus calls him Satan, as he's setting his mind on the things of man.
When it comes to Jesus's love and compassion, we should follow his example. But should we also follow him in calling it as he sees it? Calling the Pharisees whitewashed tombs, calling Peter Satan... Yes, we should. We follow Jesus in his uncompromising commitment to righteousness, holiness! "Be ye holy as I am holy!" (1 Peter 1:16)
We need to be kind and loving, but also be bold in our hunger for righteousness, because our enemy is bold in his pursuit!
When we oppose the kingdom of darkness, the darkness hates us. Satan despises the exclusivity Jesus demands. Following Christ means rejecting the world; this is basic Christianity.
v34... To follow him, we must deny ourselves and take up his cross. It's not a requirement for salvation, but a sign that salvation has occurred.
God is very forgiving, but also perfectly holy. If someone has walked away from God, we shouldn't give them false comfort that they'll be fine. 1 John 2:19... They left us because they weren't of us. We need to plead with people who have walked away from following Christ, from gathering with the church!
v35... Want to save yourself? Lose yourself. Be all in!
v36-37... Our soul has more worth than the whole world! Taking up his cross is hard, but your soul is worth much more than what you'll be giving up.
v38... Ashamed of Jesus? Rejecting his teachings, his word, is rejecting Jesus himself. If we do this, he'll then be ashamed of us.
9v1... He may be talking about the coming of Pentecost.
A few thoughts...
- Christ over all!
The world hates Jesus and those who act like him. The darkness hates the light. We have to choose, live for our own popularity, or for the glory of God? Proverbs 29:25... Trust in the Lord. Do we blend into the darkness, or for to this world, be born again, and stand in the light?
- Paradox...
For Jesus to win, he has to die. Same for us! To be the greatest, you must be the least... To be first, you must be last... The path to happiness is to focus on... Happiness? Nope! Give your life to others, and you'll start receiving.
Christianity is unique; it's so different from everything else. We don't win the war by fighting it, but by surrendering our will to God's. Bless those who persecute you. Pray for your enemies! It's opposite everything in the world. It's a wisdom that's come from outside of us.
Can we do this? It's impossible, except with God. We'll never adhere to his teachings perfectly. But 9:1 says the Holy Spirit can help us do it! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!
We cannot live as faithful Christians in the energy of our own flesh. We need the power of God! To draw us to him, and to keep us in him!
Luke 11:13... The heavenly Father will give the holy Spirit to those who ask! Fall on your face and ask him to equip you, a sinner!
Here, Jesus explains what is meant when Mark calls him the Christ in Mark 1:1: he's going to suffer, die, and rise again.
Regarding the deutero-canonical books included in Catholic Bibles, 1 and 2 Maccabees for example were in the septuagint, used as a source for Bible translation. The works are mostly historical. Jesus contradicts the assertion made in those books that the Messiah will be a great military leader; for this reason, it's appropriate to exclude them from canon.
v31... who will reject Jesus? The Sanhedrin (elders, chief priests and scribes), made up of Pharisees and Sadducees. The most experienced men in Israel. Jesus was rejected by the best of his own people!
v32... Peter began to rebuke Jesus! He thinks Jesus is in error. Liberal theology falls into this trap, even rebuking actual scripture. Like Peter, these rebukers will one day be rebuked by Jesus himself.
v33... "Get behind me, Satan..." Peter is concerned with worldly kingdoms, not the Kingdom of God. Jesus is on his way to the cross regardless of Peter's misconceptions, and Peter can either come with him or get out of the way.
If you're going to follow Jesus, you have to do it with this level of resolve, and press on! For example, some make a habit of not coming to church regularly, and this is bad, as the author of Hebrews says. Do I follow my spouse who wants to stay home from church, or do I follow God? A believer must be resolved, and hold the line! Anything that gets in the way of following Jesus has to go.
Satan's opposition to the ministry of Jesus...
No one in the Gospel received a harsher rebuke than Peter, when Jesus called him Satan.
Matthew 4 tells us of Jesus's temptation by Satan in the wilderness... he was promising to give Jesus dominion of all the kingdoms of the world, without the cross. A path without suffering! Satan offers all of us a similar deal, an easy way out, which we too must reject.
Psalm 123... if we follow the Good Shepherd, he will protect us! It can be hard, but he promises to be with us.
We must be resolved to follow the Lord at all costs!
In the book of Mark so far, Everyone has misunderstood who Jesus is. In chapters 1-8, faith is scarce. The main source for people's beliefs were intertestamental writings, nonbiblical sources such as the Psalms Of Solomon... which speak of the Messiah as a great military leader.
They missed that he'd be the suffering servant spoken of in Isaiah!
Verse 31...
Jesus speaks here of his impending suffering, a foreign idea to the twelve. The Messiah is the Son of Man from Daniel, with eternal dominion over his kingdom. In his suffering he'll be glorified! In Revelation, the only one worthy to take the scroll is Jesus; he's the son of God who earned his title suffering and dying on the cross!
To be saved, our sins must be atoned for, and Jesus was the perfect atonement.
We'll stand before him one day. Well give an account for everything we've ever said and done. In front of everyone. Satan will be there accusing. All will be laid bare. We're in trouble! If not for him, we'd be crushed! We need the spirit of God, we need Jesus's atonement!
Even the most righteous of society rejected him, and actually demanded his death. Jesus isn't the Messiah they expected or wanted, so he must go.
Even today, there are Christians who would reject Jesus if they met him in person making statements he's made in the Word. We need to be careful not to tell God how he should be... we must accept him as he is!
God's word is perfect, and we must accept all of it.
The good news is that Jesus died, and on the third day, he rose again! He overcame death. What he came to do was more glorious than defeating the Romans.
Do we trust God, trust his plan?
Verse 32...
Peter rebukes him, LOL! He didn't understand Jesus's true purpose...
Verse 33...
Jesus rebuked him back, saying he's got his mind on the things of man, not the things of God!
"Satan" is an old testament term for someone who is an adversary. In the New Testament, it refers to the devil.
Two thoughts...
- Satanic teaching:
The central truth of the Bible: Jesus came to die, and to rise and defeat death. Anything counter to this is satanic.
Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if he viewed down and worshipped him, without Jesus having to suffer. But he knew he'd come to die and rise again to atone for our sins.
Jesus will ask the same of us. If we're going to belong to him, we also have to reject Satan's path, and accept what may come.
- The heart of Christ:
Jesus has been opposed at every turn.
Hebrews 12:1... We are to lay aside any sin weighing us down, drop it and keep running! Look to Jesus the founder-- and perfecter-- of our faith.
Jesus dealt with so much resistance and difficulty, and accepted it, because he knew the joy that awaited on the other side.
There are so many people in heaven they can't be counted... singing and praising God, overflowing with joy! Jesus completed his mission for this. If we just walk his path (obey his commands), and finish our race well, this is what awaits us! Jesus will be there at our death, and will defend us as our atoning advocate, allowing us entry into heaven with him for eternity!
So we accept whatever path he lays before us on earth!
1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Samuel are written to be read together. It's interesting that the story of kings in Israel begins with a barren woman. Israel needs the promised seed from Genesis 3 to come and crush the head of the serpent!
Eli represents a "blind priesthood"; lacking spiritual discernment, he does the opposite of what the people need.
1Sam 2... Hannah after her sacrifice pours out her heart before God in a prayer-like song.
In Hannah's prayer, her heart exults the Lord (Mary will later pray the same thing); the focus then shifts from her heart and her mouth in the first two verses, to a focus on God and his attributes. This is what corporate worship is meant to be.
This prayer begins and ends with horns... at the beginning, she says her horn is exalted in the Lord; she's been made strong and victorious in him. At the end, she says God will exalt the horn of his anointed; she's speaking prophetically of David's future anointing. Her son Samuel will eventually bring forth a King over Israel. Her "sister-wife" Peninnah mocked her so badly that Hannah's rejoicing condemned her!
Hannah moves directly into praising God for these attributes:
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Holiness, which is his most distinguishing attribute. There is none like him! All other gods are akin to demons.
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His steadfastness and protection; there is no rock like him!
Jeremiah 9:23... let no man boast in his blessings, but boast in the Lord! Hannah is boasting in the Lord alone.
It changes us when we understand God is holy and that he sees everything!
Verses 4 and 5 are great reversals...
The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
...this is a picture of Hannah herself. She understands that her child coming into the world is the mark of a new beginning, of a series of reversals. Philistines will be defeated, Eli and his sons will be replaced by better men, the giants will be driven out by David. A reversal of the curse on the land!
We too should be praying for a great reversal in our world! We should want to see institutions of evil defeated, and ideologies of evil crumble to the ground.
In verse 5, speaking of "the full" hiring themselves out for bread and the hungry ceasing to hunger... this is often used to prop up a communist or socialist perspective, redistributing wealth from the rich to the poor. Even a brief reading of this verse in context shows it's actually talking about reversing corruption (of the sons of Eli), not stealing from the rich to give to the poor. She's asking for the corrupt to be brought low, and the low to be elevated to abundance.
The barren has borne seven children (and we know she bore at least six)... God really opened her womb!
Verse 6... God is not only our judge, but determines our every breath. He alone brings to life, and he alone determines the hour of our death!
The Pharisees were looking for a sign... so Jesus didn't want to heal the blind man publicly.
He at first says the people look like trees...
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He wasn't always blind
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It was as if he was briefly seeing people as "trees" in another dimension. If anyone would follow Jesus, he must carry a tree (cross).
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1 Enoch was popular, quoted in Scripture. chapter 3 verse 1... talks about people as trees. In chapter 5 as well.
He didn't even want the man to walk back into the town! No sign for the Pharisees.
Geography...
The first man to see Jesus as the Christ is from Caeserea Phillippi... an evil, pagan Gentile city. Gentiles were as the Ninevites in the story of Jonah.
Getting as far away from Jerusalem as possible, from the leaven of the Pharisees... that's where Peter's eyes are opened!
Parts of 1 Enoch can be trusted (as they are quoted in Scripture), but not all.
Caeserea Phillippi was built into the foot of Mount Hermon.
Two interpretations of the "Sons of God" from the Old Testament:
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Sons of God were the godly line, daughters of God were ungodly (Cain), and that's why God flooded the earth.
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Sons of God are actually angelic beings, creating giants, all sorts of evil, and that's why the flood.
1 Enoch 6:1... Angelic beings that fell were watchers of the earth, and they came down to Mt. Hermon to sleep with human women. They procreated with them, creating giants, then nephilim. Created much godlessness. Taught people secret knowledge.
According to 1 Enoch, Mt. Hermon was the beginning of the world's evil. Yet in Mark 8, Mt Hermon is where God reveals himself to humanity, reversing the curse through Jesus Christ!
v27... some say Jesus was "one of the prophets"... not a small thing, a term of honor. They see he's special, but don't see yet that he's the Christ. Peter says he is the Christ, and Jesus confirms.
The Pharisees studied the God of the Old testament, but completely missed him when he was standing right in front of them! We need the Holy Spirit to see Jesus is the Christ. Hard-heartedness can only be overcome by God himself. Only if the Spirit of God is present can hearts be changed!
Peter's confession begins the passion narrative, the road to the cross.
v22-24... The people asked him to heal their friend, he touched his hand and spit on him and he was partially healed. Then he laid his hands on the man's eyes and he was healed completely.
Why the delay? A miracle in two stages. He didn't have to do it this way. He chose to... He's acting something out for our benefit. He's showing us how the apostles themselves were still blind even after hearing the Gospel.
He's giving us a picture of opening the eyes of the spiritually blind.
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Lead the blind to Jesus - be a friend of the blind and bring them to him! He says he's in our midst when we gather... So bring them to church!
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Jesus leads him by the hand.
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Jesus opens his eyes. Unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom. Salvation belongs to the Lord only; we cannot save, so we bring them to him who can!
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Jesus asks the man what he sees. It's true that new believers can't see clearly yet... We don't see the depravity of our sins right away; that awareness is a process.
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Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again. The number one thing a believer can do is get in front of Jesus... and then stay there! He'll continue to bring clarity to our eyes. We must only abide in him, and continue to abide!
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His sight is fully restored.
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He sees everything clearly!
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Jesus tells the man not to even enter the village. To follow Jesus is to walk a new way!
We were blind, God touched our eyes, now we see. Let's admit our need for his work in our lives. We'd all be monsters without him!
Why does the man see trees? Maybe this is what Jesus wanted him to see, in a spiritual dimension...
2 Kings 6:15ff... Elisha's city is under siege. He sees a vision of an army of fire surrounding it.
... There are spiritual things happening around us that we can't see.
We look not to the seen, but the unseen, invisible.
Ps1:3, etc... Righteous man is like a tree... Healthy tree bears good fruit...
The blind man may have gained access to a spiritual dimension, and people resembled trees, as if he was seeing a spiritual place.
Rev 2:1-3: church is a lamp stand, shaped like a tree.
v27... Peter confesses. There's revelation in two stages: 1. He's one of the prophets. 2. He's the Christ!
Matthew 16... Peter said he's the Christ, the Son of the living God! This was revealed to Peter only by God, not by Peter himself.
Peter's spiritual eyes are not yet perfectly clear... as if he still sees people as walking trees.
A few thoughts...
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Jesus is the Christ! Greek word for the Hebrew "Messiah", anointed one.
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The revelation of Jesus as Messiah happened through Peter, a person from Caesarea Phillippi. A very pagan, perverse place. God can illuminate anybody, anywhere!
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Revelation... God has opened my eyes! Our faith is a gift from God; our righteousness is not our own! We did nothing to earn it. We should be the most thankful people!
Revelation is a process. We have it easy nowadays, everything's instantly available to us. Christians are content to stay stagnant. We must reject this kind of shallow life, and long for more! We must have a desire to grow.
John 16:12... Jesus has many things to say, but the people can't bear them yet. Don't let that be you! Be available to the deeper things of God.
Psalm19:18... Open my eyes so I may behold the wondrous things!
Teach me your word that I may understand it!
John 15:1-5... Abide, remain, in him! Stay attached to Jesus and continue to receive life!
Why doesn't Jesus give the Pharisees a sign? He knew they'd still view him as a deceiver, as he didn't follow the man-made traditions they consider on par with Scripture. In Mark 3:22, they already claimed he performs his miracles demonically. They've tried to create a no-win situation for him.
No sign will be given... three thoughts:
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Jesus is giving a master class in how to handle difficult people: don't play their game. Just say no!
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Oath... Jesus is emphatically saying "no", essentially making an oath that no signs will be given to this generation...
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...though he makes an exception in Matthew 16 for the sign of Jonah... (Matthew 16:1-4), meaning he himself will be in "the belly of the great fish" for 3 days when he descends into the heart of the earth. As Nineveh repented, the Pharisees will see the gentiles repent and be saved at the return of Jesus (the greater Jonah)!
Jesus himself is the missing loaf of bread, the Bread of Life.
The leaven spoken of in the gospels varies: In Mark, Jesus says to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod. In Matthew, it's the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Luke says the leaven of the Pharisees, and equates it to hypocrisy. The Pharisees are the common thread in each of these gospels! Those who oppose Jesus.
The Pharisees and Sadducees can't stand each other; the Pharisees also can't stand Herod. Yet, they've all united around their common enemy: Jesus.
Numbers... Feeding of the 5,000 + feeding of the 4,000 = 9,000. An incomplete number... maybe there will be a third feeding of 3,000 at some point, to arrive at a more significant number like 12,000? Yes, in Acts 2:41, Pentecost! Where 3,000 were added to the Church! They devoted themselves to fellowship, teaching, and the breaking of bread.
"Do you not yet understand?" This question launches the next section of Mark... join us next week!
In today's passage, Mark moves from a gentile-centric account to one focused on the Pharisees. Their demands for a sign from heaven come not from faith, but from a lack of it; they're trying to test Jesus (like Satan did), and he's having no part of it.
We see the same story in Matthew 16:2... Here, we find that the Pharisees can read lots of things, but are not able to read the signs of the times; they're blind where it really counts.
Jesus gets frustrated with his own disciples when they worry about physical bread, while the Bread of Life himself is sitting right there with them!
We don't want to reduce Christianity to a set of rules and ethics. Our faith is about salvation through Jesus Christ.
In 2 Timothy 4:3... People won't endure sound teaching, but seek out their favorite (ahem, YouTube) preachers to suit their views!
Beware: a focus on politics, regardless of viewpoint, can leaven us away from Chris's kingdom, in favor of an agenda.
Bread and leaven...
Leaven is a starter. It ferments and grows, like sin. It bubbles and expands, eventually infiltrating the whole loaf.
In the Old Testament, we see during the first passover when Israel left Egypt, there was no time, and they were told to eat bread before it rose. They were to take no Egyptian leaven, and start with new leaven in the wilderness with God. What had been was now discarded, and God was doing a new work!
What's meant by the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod? Spiritual blindness, hardheartedness. In Luke, we see it's also hypocrisy. Essentially, leaven is a teaching that ultimately rejects Christ!
A few thoughts...
Don't let the temple obscure who God is. Don't forget the feeding of the 4,000, of the 5,000! God instituted feasts in the old testament so the Jews would remember God's faithfulness, his might, his provision! It's why we take communion today, to remember what he's done for us. Even in tough times, we remember: God is good!
Look and beware. How should we interact with bad teaching? We are to reject heresy. But we don't need to hide or plug our ears where we hear it. We should earnestly learn other ideas, and see how they fall short of the truth of God. Sometimes atheists, Muslims say true things. We should be respectful, hungry to learn, but also be wary, wise and discerning. Christianity alone can stand on its own, as it is the only faith whose source is God himself!
Leaven expands... so we need to be aware of bad leaven, false teachers who suit our passions.
Beware news and politics 24/7. It's just trying to make you angry, spreading bad leaven. There are lots of bad ideas masquerading as Christianity.
The leaven of God is the Word of God. In 2 Timothy 3:14-17, we see it is able to make you wise, is profitable for teaching, correction, reproof, and training in righteousness! Want to be a great husband? Go to the Word of God! Let it expand in you, to make you into something beautiful! Make it your way of life! It's the only solid foundation.
1 Sam 1:15-28
Hannah is barren; she represents Israel. Eli represents the high priests of Israel, with a bad eye, spiritually blind. He's a wicked father who has put his wicked sons in charge of the temple.
Hannah is godly, but a woman of great anxiety... anxiety is a given in this world; everyone experiences it and it's not necessarily a sign of weak faith!
When Eli tells her, "may God grant your prayer," she believes in the weight behind his words not because of who he is but because she respects his office. She was no longer sad, went home with her husband and had sex, and God remembered her: he acted on her behalf, and she conceived and bore a son, Samuel. She named him this because she asked the Lord for him.
Israel kept asking for a new "son" made in their own image, one of which turned out to be Saul.
Hannah's prayer... children are a blessing from God, and Lord willing, they'll one day bless God's people. Samuel was a gift from God to his country! We must keep these things in mind when considering issues such as abortion. Every child brought into the world has a place, a purpose, and God has a plan for them.
Hannah chooses not to bring the baby Samuel to the temple at Shiloh for the yearly sacrifice. Is she in sin? No, as Samuel is still a nursing baby, of no use to Eli. She'll bring him as soon as he's weaned. God gave a child to Hannah, and she's giving him back to God; so should we! We raise them to walk in the way, and be a blessing to the church.
When Samuel was weaned, she brought her best sacrifice, and took him to the temple as she'd promised.
Samuel was a gift to Israel, but also to his mother. And with his nazirite vow, he's going to serve God his whole life.
Hannah's promise... it's wrong to try to manipulate God in prayer, but it's fine to tell him what you'll do if his answer to your prayer is a yes. Hannah promised, and she delivered.
The story of Israel's monarch doesn't begin with Saul, but with a barren woman longing for a better future. Similar to Mary in the New Testament, or Zechariah and Elizabeth. God delights in starting big things through humble people! When we think, "Who am I to do anything great for the Lord," we're in good company.
Psalm 8:3-9 - who is man that God is mindful of him? Yet he puts even the humblest among us in an honored place in his creation!
Fire is more than a physical element in Scripture. It's the very essence of God's presence, his consuming love, and the transformative power that shapes us into his image. From the burning bush that wasn't consumed to the flames that danced on Pentecost, we see that God invites us to dwell in his glory without being destroyed.
God designed the entire universe to teach us about himself. Even his name, Yahweh, is pronounced with every breath we take—an exhale and an inhale that connects us continuously to him. The tabernacle, the temple, the altar—all were ablaze with God's presence, showing us that worship isn't just an activity but an experience of dwelling in his consuming yet life-giving fire.
Peter's denial by the wrong fire is a warning for us: in a world full of competing fires such as worldly approval, political ideologies and cultural pressures, we must warm ourselves by God's fire alone.
We must become fire-breathers in the best sense, carrying God's purifying presence into a dark world that desperately needs his light and warmth.
Jesus loves all people; he feeds Jew and Gentile. He provides for those who put their faith in him; he's the Good Shepherd who provides for his flock.
So much of Jesus' work rendered him "unclean" by the Pharisees' standards; he completely rejected the oral tradition of the Pharisees.
Jesus' journey was not direct through the region. It appears he went out of his way to reach the Gentiles in this passage.
His healing of the deaf man, involving the man's tongue and ears, may be foreshadowing Pentecost. This story may be the center of a chiasm, book-ended by the "bread" stories: the Syrophoenician woman, and the feeding of the 4,000.
In the feeding of the 5,000 there are five loaves; in the feeding of the 4,000, there are seven... 12 loaves total. After the 5,000 were fed, there were 12 baskets of leftovers (12 tribes of Israel). After the 4,000 were fed, there were 7 baskets of leftovers (7 equates to completion, "it is good"). Between the two miracles, 9,000 people were fed. Nine is a number of incompletion, possibly indicating the expansion of the church is not yet complete.
The feeding of 5,000 (mostly Jews) aligns with the Israelites leaving Egypt in ranks of five, and the feeding of 4,000 aligns with the Gospel spreading to the four corners of the earth.
In Mark 8:6, we see he makes his people lie down in green pastures. So all the numbers point to the fact that if the Lord is our shepherd, we will come under his compassion, his blessings! He will provide for us.
The 12 loaves echo the showbread in the tabernacle, where the lamp of God would shine forever; here Jesus' face, his compassion and love, shine on his people. And not just the Jews now, but the whole world! What makes us pure is not our ethnicity, but the object of our faith. If Jesus Christ is our Lord and our Savior, then we are under the shepherding care of our God!
Mark 7:31-8:10
Jesus healed a deaf man, and we know from elsewhere that the Pharisees are upset with his breach of cleanliness. He told people not to tell about the healing, but they did anyway, so the crowds became even more of a problem.
Then Jesus feeds the 4000, primarily gentiles, around the Decapolis. He'd fed the 5000 (mostly Jews) before, and now it's the gentiles' turn.
Jesus has compassion for the crowd. He looks upon our suffering, our needs, and has a gut-wrenching, visceral compassion for us! If you're a Christian, there's a calling on your life to grow into the image of Christ. So we should be growing in godly compassion for others!
How many loaves does it take to feed the 4,000? Just seven. Add to the five loaves from when he fed the 5000, and you have 12 loaves... Like the showbread in the tabernacle.
Final thoughts...
Bread:
At the last supper, Jesus reveals that he is the bread, broken because of his compassion, for our sustenance! In him we consist, we survive. The bread of life is the only way we make it home. He's the only way, truth and life!
Eyes to see:
Our lives can sometimes get crazy, we're under fire, and we'd love nothing more than a big miracle... But not all his miracles are big and dramatic. The same God who parts the sea also simply clothes the lilies of the field. God is constantly at work in our lives!
If you belong to Jesus: yes, he does big things, but he also does small things, the still, small voice. He will never leave you or forsake you.
In today's passage, the huge crowd ate and were satisfied... God provides, and he satisfies! He sees your needs and has a deep gut reaction. Gather near to him!
In this passage, we're being introduced to the fact, by and large, that the gentiles will be the ones who accept Jesus as Lord.
Jesus withdrew from Tyre and Sidon because he felt he has to leave. In parallel with Elijah, he meets a Syrophoenician woman, then tests the woman (with the parable about bread), and he heals her child.
Tyre and Sidon were supposed to be part of the tribe of Asher, but were a stronghold the Israelites never conquered. Jesus walked in, converted gentiles, and cast out demons; he did more for these cities in his 3 1/2 years of ministry than the Israelites did in hundreds of years.
2 thoughts...
- A bad look:
The Bible was written without chapter separations. Reading Mark straight through, it's account after account of people not understanding Jesus' teachings... then this gentile woman just gets it! Mark admits the apostles just don't get it, then writes that this gentile woman does.
- Intercessory prayer:
This woman isn't coming to Jesus for herself, but for her daughter. This, in part, is meant to encourage us to pray for others! It's a call for faithfulness to petition the Lord boldly and persistently on behalf of our loved ones. The unsaved may not yet have eyes to see, but they have us to rely on. God hears us, and we are to persist in prayer!
Nothing outside a man can come in and defile him. Jesus explains this to the apostles from inside a house; the Pharisees want him dead, but it's not yet his time, so he often meets indoors, in secret.
The disciples ask Jesus to explain the parable because they need God to open their eyes. 1Cor1:21-25... the wisdom of men is foolishness to God. Only the Spirit of God can regenerate the unregenerate-- nothing man can do!
Matthew 15:10-20... The Pharisees were offended by Jesus' teaching on cleanliness, and his response was, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides."
According to Jesus, what matters is not physical cleanliness, not social status or ethnicity, but the heart: does it belong to him? If it does, we are all one in Christ! If our heart does not belong to God, then from it will come every evil under the sun.
One thought: Mark 7 gives us 23 verses about clean vs unclean, ending with a warning about our hearts. We are really good at sin, and it's nobody's fault but our own. We have to guard our hearts! We must take every thought captive to his Word, taking in more of him and less of me!
When the traditions of men become law, they can divide and devastate the people of God. The Hebrew oral traditions strayed from the main point of the Law, and ended up dishonoring what God actually requires. This is why we adhere to Scripture alone as the final authority!
It's not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out (evil thoughts, sexual immorality, etc.)
Jesus says all foods are to be considered pure for man to eat, but the root of every sin lives inside each of us. Evil in our lives comes from our own hearts... evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.
No one else is responsible for your bad behavior. The central issue is sin, the wickedness of man! When your flesh rises up, it's all you. It's not the person who triggered your reaction, but your own sin. We must be on guard against these sins.
We have to acknowledge our own total depravity! Within our hearts is every evil imaginable. Destruction can come to all of us without the spirit of God. When Jesus ascended into heaven, his Spirit descended onto the church, and teaches us what sin is. The true marker of revival is holiness; we need less of us and more of him!
Two thoughts...
- The Law...
The Law was necessary because of the sin nature of man. We cannot save ourselves! Galatians 3:24... The Law was a babysitter for a young people. As children, we needed lots of rules! God's people were just kids, but now we live as a people of faith.
Matthew 5 says the laws of the Old Testament have been fulfilled in Christ. In Hebrews 9:12, Jesus entered once and for all into the holy place! He fulfilled the Law that through faith, we may be freed from it.
- Jesus declared what is clean... What cleanses us?
We are clean because of the Word he's spoken to us, and we abide in him! All we want is to hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
A Christian is someone who reads God's word and lives it. We accept Christ as he is, not as we want him to be!
Inside each of us is an evil sinner. But if we come to Jesus for cleansing, he will cleanse us. We can't earn this; only he can replace our heart. We can live a sanctified life, free to sin no more! Only in Christ do we begin to change.
Biblical Christians need to reject the modern idea that we are doomed to be weak and ineffectual. There's a call on our lives, a call to be different. We must be all in, and watch what God does!
1 and 2 Samuel (two parts of one work) and 1 and 2 Kings (also two parts of one work) are sequential, and should be read together.
There's been a great apostasy in Israel as we start 1 Samuel. Samuel was born to become a lifeline for Israel, a precursor looking ahead to Jesus.
Polygamy is described here, not endorsed. Hannah is the favored one, despite her initial inability to conceive.
Elkanah took his family to worship regularly.
This church was run by and filled with corrupt people, sinners. Even so, this is no excuse to stay out of church. Hannah decides to continue going.
Elkanah favors Hannah with extra portions of the sacrifice, despite Peninnah providing him with four children. Peninnah is jealous and starts provoking Hannah. Elkanah was foolish to create this problem by giving preference to one wife over the other. This wore on her over time, and she would weep and refuse to eat.
Hannah vowed that if God gave her a son, she would give him to the Lord.
The history of Israel turns on this one barren woman giving birth to Samuel. She represents the weary people of Israel waiting for the promised conquering king. This is the first time God is referred to as the Lord of Hosts, the God of Heaven's armies, a clue to how he will operate in 1 and 2 Samuel.
Hannah's vow... she says if she receives a son, she will give him to the Lord and not cut his hair. He will be a permanent Nazirite, dedicated to the Lord's service his whole life, similar to Samson and John the Baptist. As Samuel is the forerunner to David, John the Baptist is the forerunner to Jesus.
v12-18... Eli gives her trouble for acting drunk, but she explains she's simply deeply anxious and troubled. He finally sees the truth and asks God's blessing on her petition. Eli was an example of the many spiritually blind leaders at the time; the priesthood was in shambles.
Eli and Hannah... Hannah represents the people of Israel, barren and desperate for God to provide... Eli represents God's institutions, created to help people through these hard times, but wicked and broken. Israel is without spiritual discernment in the priesthood, just as they would later be when Jesus arrives.
Nepotism... Eli is poised and ready to rebuke poor Hannah for what he incorrectly assumes is sin, but in the same place, he's willing to overlook the actual sins of his own sons.
Preaching to our families... Eli is willing to be a "fierce defender of the faith" until it comes to his own family. It's so much easier to share the Gospel with people who don't know you. Eli may realize he doesn't have a spiritual leg to stand on when it comes to rebuking his sons because they know he's just as bad as they are.
"Your true religion is what you do when no one is around."
When you follow God's leading, sometimes you later look back and it looks completely different from what you thought he was calling you to. But if we're following his will, he is with us!
Jesus touches the unclean to heal them, and the Pharisees challenge him for his uncleanliness. Jesus prioritized the unclean and reached out to them, and the Pharisees prioritized their oral traditions.
In the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5), Jesus spends a lot of time prying off the heavy yoke imposed by the Pharisees, and getting people back to God's Word. His yoke is easy and his burden is light!
Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites, tearing down the Word of God to establish a monument to their traditions. Some churches today will cancel Sunday service when Christmas falls on a Sunday, giving priority to a tradition of man (celebration of Christmas) over the weekly assembly commanded in the Bible. We need to hold ourselves as closely as we can to Scripture, to avoid deviating from what God has said.
Mark 12:38... don't be like the scribes, who are outwardly pious but inwardly dastardly. They would convince people to dedicate elderly relatives' property to God (making the property "corban," irrevocably dedicated to God), leaving the elderly relatives with nowhere to live.
This is a rare New Testament passage that addresses honoring parents. Also 1Timothy 5:7-9. Someone refusing to take care of their aging parents (and elderly in the church) is worse than an unbeliever. To provide for the elderly is to receive a blessing from the Lord!
Regarding ceremonial washing... Hebrews gives the elementary principles of the Christian faith. The only washing we need is baptism. Our sins are washed once and for all by the blood of Jesus!
Let's not be nitpickers and fault finders! Some good marriage advice: don't major in the minors. Satan likes to take those little irksome things and amplify them.
We are to genuinely love one another, not just give them our words but give them our hearts.
Don't follow the commandments of men over the holy scriptures! When man's teaching disagrees with the Word of God, we go with the ultimate authority: God.
Traditions can become so ingrained that they take on the appearance and weight of Scripture itself. We must not let that happen! The moment a tradition of man becomes "law" in this way, it becomes divisive. Pharisees think doing this makes them holier than everyone else... Jesus calls them hypocrites! He says in Romans 14 that this is the behavior of the spiritually weak, not the mature!
If you're willing to stone your brother over something God says is a minor issue, you are missing the heart of God! And you are weak in faith. We must have a spirit of generosity toward each other, not a spirit of criticism.
Two final thoughts:
- Majoring in the minors...
Keep the plain things the main things; don't deviate from the core issues of Scripture. Stay grounded in the Word and you won't fall prey to these silly divisions!
Satan wants us wrapped up in traditions, because he loves division. We must stay tethered to the gospel, or we'll find ourselves warring over minor issues.
- The danger of telling the truth...
Jesus did a very dangerous thing by telling the truth to the people in power. He told "the best of the best" they were nothing but blind guides! And they began plotting his murder.
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We must tell the truth, and if we tell the truth, it may cost us our lives.
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Satan hates Christ, and he hates people who act like Christ... people who tell the truth. The first to be thrown into the lake of fire at the judgment will be the cowards!
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We must choose between boldly speaking the truth, and protecting our own interests.
Let's not argue about politics or denominational differences. Go to the scriptures and follow Christ! The darkness hates the light. We don't need people to speak well of us. The only opinion that matters is that of Jesus Christ himself!
We need to trust and prioritize the authority of Christ above our own feelings, and learn to depend entirely upon his will. In walking on water, Jesus is demonstrating he is God; he also identifies himself as the "I Am" of the scriptures.
Mark seems to have been a scribe for Peter; Peter taught (mainly to a Roman audience) and Mark recorded it. The Romans likely would have understood the references to Jesus' divinity, as walking on water was understood by Romans to be a sign of the divine.
An interesting possibility: In 1 Kings 19:19, where Elijah passes by Elisha and just leaves his mantle for him... Elijah may be drawing from Exodus, letting his glory pass before Elisha, like God did for Moses on Sinai. Perhaps having God's glory pass before you is a way to receive the mantle, to have the call of God passed on to you. This could be what's happening here as Jesus passes by the apostles on the water before turning and joining them.
When the apostles were afraid, Jesus comforted them immediately.
A thought:
v49... the apostles were exhausted and terrified when they think they see a ghost. But in their worst moment, they were on the verge of being their best! That's when God shows up. Just like the cross, darkest before dawn.... in the Exodus, things were at their worst, then God sent the plagues to free his people. The same with Elijah and the widow of Zerapheth. Gideon and the winepress. Paul and the Phillippian jailer who was about to take his own life... then God showed up.
God so often moves just when things seem darkest! He lets us experience the trials because he loves us and wants us to grow in faith; then he swoops down and saves the day.
It's important we ground ourselves in the Word of God so when God has us go through valleys, we will deepen in our faith!
After feeding the 5,0000, Jesus sends the apostles away and deals with the crowd himself. He didn't want the apostles to get swept up in what the crowd wanted from him (a political / military savior). He is our King, not a puppet of the people's agendas!
As Jesus walks on water to rescue the apostles, we see that the only reason we make it through the rough seas is because Christ comes for his people!
Jesus is God...
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He walked on the sea.
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He meant to walk past them, as God the Father did in Exodus 33:18; he shows Moses only the back of himself because no man could see his face and live. Here Jesus reveals that he's the same God.
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He identifies himself using the same language as in the Old Testament, when he says, "I am," the God of Moses. He is being itself! The God of the Exodus, God of the waters.
He says you can take courage, and be not afraid, when the Creator "I am" is with you!
As he entered the boat, and the winds ceased, we see that in the presence of God, there is peace! Yet the apostles still didn't understand, not about the loaves and fishes, not about walking on the water; their hearts were hardened...
This shows us that knowing about Jesus (or spending time in church) doesn't necessarily lead to faith. Our hearts must first be softened by God, then we must respond, choosing to follow him.
Theology matters! We must engage our whole minds, our whole selves with the Word of God. If we miss that, we miss when he shows up in our lives, robbing ourselves of joy, and robbing him of his due glory.
God provides! He's with us until the end of the age... we're waiting for him to save us from this world, but we also know he's with us now. We have the Spirit of God, accessible to us always! We have the power to not sin. In the worst of situations, he is faithful to protect and provide for us. He makes a way when there is no other way. As he was in the Old and New Testaments, he still is now; he changes not!
Our God will not leave us or forsake us, because he loves us, and love never ends. He is the great I Am, he sees us, and he comes to his bride in our need!
The focal point of Psalm 3 is David's confidence and trust in the Lord. He's on the run, likely from Absalom in this case. He's accused of not being a believer; his enemies are trying to discredit him. This forces them to discredit the prophet Nathan and the very office of prophet, discredit David's Psalms and the miracles God worked through him. To tear apart David, they have to tear apart all the things that support him!
In this story, one sin led to having to tear down the very fabric of society.
In our lives, it's the same: an adulterous spouse has already committed the sin of lust, the sin of plotting to act on the lust, the sin of lying about it. Then they have to demonize the other spouse and tear them down. This is similar to what Absalom was doing to David.
But God is our shield, our glory, and the lifter of our heads!
He is our shield: on this earth, we are absolutely invincible until it is our appointed time!
He is our glory: he shares some of his glory with us in the presence of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us.
He's the lifter of our heads: Romans 10:11...anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame!
When we cry aloud, the Lord answers us. He sustains us while we sleep. He's still on the throne even during our trials. We should not be afraid even when the storm is raging around us!
David asks God to strike his enemies on the cheek to break their teeth, to remove their power to devour God's sheep. He's also likening them to the lying serpent in Genesis 3, asking God to crush their heads.
Psalm 3 ends with a call to reflect on salvation. All of those who follow the living God are beyond blessed, because his blessings are upon his people!
No matter how much evil is pursuing us, we have great cause for rejoicing. To be in Christ is to belong to the Lord. What awaits us in Heaven renders the earth our hell by comparison, and even in this evil world, the Lord is with us!
The assassination of Charlie Kirk is indicative of growing hostility towards Christians today. This conflict is not primarily political but spiritual, a battle between good and evil.
We must respond to hatred and violence with Christ-like love, patience, and steadfastness, while also warning of God's judgment on those who rejoice in evil. The only solution to this growing darkness is to shine brighter, through studying and living out God's Word.
God's timing is perfect, and we must always be ready to share our faith. When we're willing to step out in faith, he can use us, ordinary people, to accomplish the extraordinary! Philip's obedience to the Holy Spirit led to a divine appointment.
The story of the Ethiopian eunuch shows us how God orchestrates encounters, bringing together those seeking truth with those prepared to share it.
If someone has betrayed you or deeply wronged you, there cannot be no real restoration until there's true repentance.
verse 5: we must offer right sacrifices... Romans 12:1: we are as living sacrifices; we die to self and live for Christ.
verses 6-7: David has more joy than that of the wicked when their grain and wine are plentiful. Deuteronomy 28... having an abundance of grain and wine was a symbol of blessing, of God's provision. David's joy is beyond this, not in the blessings, but in the Lord himself!
verse 8: David will lie down and sleep in peace, and dwell in safety. Mark 4:37-40... In calming the storm, Jesus had absolute confidence in this verse!
Peace, shalom... physical protection or safety, but also emotional peace and wholeness. It's a gift from God, a fruit of the Spirit. If you want peace, ask for a greater measure of the Holy Spirit! The godly can also pursue peace.
There are few things better in this life than having a clean conscience. If you're living in sin, you're not getting away with it; for one thing, it robs you of your peace. A clean conscience brings peace!
If you've accepted Jesus as the atonement for your sins, God's grace is with you, and his face shines upon you! We will glow in heaven because we'll be covered with the light of God's face. Those who have trusted in Jesus as their only hope will worship him face to face, in his presence! His face will shine on us for eternity.
The New Jerusalem will be built like a temple but without walls, no barriers between us and him. Only if you're washed in the blood of the Lamb will you be brought into the New Jerusalem, into the presence of God, and only because of everything Jesus did for us!
We have more joy than those who live apart from God, even when their grain and wine abound. The idea that joy can be found outside God is the biggest lie; chasing it is fruitless. Only in Christ do we find real peace and joy... Because he created us to only be happy in him!
In him there is perpetual peace and safety, from God and God alone! He is all powerful, awesome, worthy of glory and praise, strong and mighty to save!
"Peace" in today's passage comes from "Shalom," meaning wholeness. This wholeness only comes from a knowledge of God. We must study and live his Word!
Philippians 4:6-7... Be anxious about nothing, and the peace of God will guard your heart in Christ.
Psalm 85:8... When God's people speak his name, he brings peace to the room.
David's joy and peace come when he remembers and pursues who God is! The more you understand God, the more joy and peace you have.
In Psalm 4, David is on the run, fleeing from his rebellious son Absalom. It's nighttime, and his mind is flooded with worries. He cries out to God for help. He's in a tight space (similar to Ps23, in the valley of the shadow of death), and God enlarges it for him, leads him through.
The trap is to think our situation will never get better... we should do as David, and think of all the tight places God has gotten us out of!
Absalom's council was filled with gaslighting fault-finders. In the New Testament, the pharisees similarly continually tried to provoke Jesus, trip him up, prove him wrong. In verse 2, David wonders, how long do I have to put up with this?
In verse 3 comes the remedy: God has set him apart, and hears when he calls! We can trust in God; as God's people, we may be down now, but he'll get us back up.
Verse 4 - be angry and don't sin. Proverbs 16:32, he who is slow to anger is better than he who is mighty!
Paul quotes verse 4 in Ephesians 4:26... as Christians today, we should work through our anger in a way that leads not into sin, giving no opportunity to the devil. Our anger should lead to redemption, to refinement.
One thought... Lying in bed alone at night, your thoughts are clear and unfiltered. David asks God for his accusers to stop and ponder, and come to the truth. Sometimes we too need to stop talking, get alone with our thoughts and with God, and truly ponder things.
We should be training in spiritual disciplines the way athletes train for their sport. Self-control, hospitality, uprightness. To pursue living righteously, we need the Holy Spirit.
Be angry and don't sin. Anger is inevitable, but you can control how you respond. Wait before lashing out. As we're conformed to the son, our anger will lead less and less to sin.
Jesus himself felt anger, indignation. We should be angry at what dishonors God! We must have zeal, passion for the things of God, and against the things of Satan. God is pleased with this kind of anger.
We must be gentle with those who oppose us, but we must also hate the things that evil and sin bring! Jesus hated evil, and it made him angry. If we're maturing in the faith, we should reject what he rejects!
Zeal for Christ can quickly become zeal for works and legalism, leading to a lack of joy, and ultimately disconnection from God.
Joy must be part of the Christian life! John 15, "...that your joy may be full." Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy." In Galatians 5:22, joy is a fruit of the spirit.
The ones objecting to Jesus' joyful feasting were the Pharisees. But when the apostles were exhausted, even though people desperately needed to hear the message of the Gospel, Jesus didn't push them harder; he commanded a vacation! His way is not to deny basic necessities or simple pleasures. He allowed time to rest and enjoy quiet time with family and friends.
Caring for others...
Who is my neighbor? Parable of the Good Samaritan... love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus says that means everyone! Mark 6:35-37, "You give them something to eat." He's teaching us that we should care for each other, and leadership is to tend to the needs of the flock.
God provides...
As they distribute the food, the disciples are the hands and feet of Jesus' compassion. Yet they're still confused: how will Jesus provide for this massive group? God brings us to places where we're not sure how he's going to provide... then he provides. If we give it to him, he can do more with our tiny offering than we can do with 200 days' wages.
Give God your fish and loaves, and watch what he can accomplish with them!
Like the child who offered five loaves of bread and two fish to feed a starving crowd of 5000, we can offer our meager gifts to God and trust in his provision, because he provides abundantly for his people! As we work for his Kingdom, we must keep a balance between zealous service and restful celebration.
There's significance to the numbers recorded in the feeding of the 5000, revealing the idea that the Kingdom of God is for all people, Jews and gentiles alike.
Communion and baptism are ways we joyfully celebrate the faith we share in our new lives in Jesus!
This B-Side returns to the death of John the Baptist, taught in Sunday service on July 6th (linked here: subspla.sh/xxq2qhc )...
We're sent out into the world to be known, so God's mighty works can be known. Not so everyone can see how great we are, but to point them to the goodness of God!
Herod arrested John because his wife hated him, but also for power and political benefit.
Herod and Herodias are similar to the Old Testament couple, Ahab and Jezebel. The wife is cunning and controls her pitiful husband, who can only try to appease her, causing her to grow in monstrosity. Herod lets his wife lead to bring peace, but it brings anything but peace!
Herod was worried that though he'd killed John the Baptist, there were now 13 new ones in his place (Jesus and the twelve)! This is the story of the Church: the more we're persecuted, the more we multiply. When we turn the other cheek, it's a powerful witness that captivates people, and God honors it by multiplying the church.
John the Baptist's story ends with his disciples burying him... not the outcome they expected when they started. A foreshadowing of Jesus' crucifixion by a corrupt government. Yet the Church multiplied through it all!
This passage contains a warning about lust, as it was the cause of Herod's actions. He knew John the Baptist was special and preaching truth, yet he threw it all away for a moment of lust. Is a moment of pleasure worth losing your family, your life's work? It mars our witness and burns our lives to the ground. We must be on guard against it!
The good shepherd referred to back in Psalm 23 is Jesus... he is our Shepherd and King! We were designed to need a shepherd, to worship something, so we all follow some religion, be it politics, self-reliance, atheism. But the only worthy object of our worship is Jesus!
The Good Shepherd lays down his own life for his sheep. He's always kind, faithful, compassionate. He appoints "under-shepherds," the first being the apostles, and now the leaders of the church, replacing the priests of Israel.
Woe to the shepherds who scatter the sheep. Herod was an evil, self-serving shepherd.
Jesus is like a greater Moses, leading his people to freedom. When crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites were arranged in battle formation. The flock of the Shepherd King is an army!
Jesus is also a greater Joshua... He's leading an army. People coming to him often want him to lead the army the way they want... but Jesus came to convert the nations, not defeat them! We must go into all nations, making disciples and baptizing, to bring the nations to Christ, until the end of the age.
If we belong to God, we also belong to his army. We stand with him, and against the forces of darkness! Not killing our enemies, but even dying for them, for their benefit! We're not waging war against flesh, but against the powers of darkness. Waging war by being faithful to our spouse, training up our children, being a good witness, testifying to the goodness of Christ!
We need to be utterly and totally united with our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is war. We must have unity!
When Jesus confronts his arresters in the Garden of Gethsemane, we see his power and his sacrificial love.
He is the 'I Am,' able to knock an entire army to the ground with just a glimpse of His divine glory. He's the Good Shepherd, stepping forward to protect his flock, willingly offering himself in place of his disciples. Like the olive in an olive press, he was 'pressed' for our sake, allowing the oil of the Holy Spirit to flow out for us.
How often do we truly recognize the magnitude of Jesus's sacrifice? Are we living in a way that honors his incredible act of love? The image of Jesus in Gethsemane should deepen our appreciation for his sacrifice, and strengthen our resolve to live as his devoted followers!
Hebrews was a sermon, probably by Paul, but its authorship is uncertain; could be Barnabas, Apollos or others. It's likely a transcription of a sermon written to a Messianic church.
Here the writer simplifies the gospel, as if for children. Know your audience! Adults need meat, but babies need milk; the simple, basic things bear repeating for them. They haven't yet grown into the knowledge of the deeper things of God.
The tree of knowledge of good and evil was not an evil tree, but simply a tree that Adam and Eve were not ready for; they were not yet spiritually mature enough for it. Hebrews 5:14, "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
God wants his people to mature to the point that we can distinguish good from evil ourselves, to apply the Word to everyday matters.
A difference between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of man: the closer we look into worldly people or institutions we admire, the more disappointed we tend to get, as the reality doesn't live up to the image. But the closer we get to God and grow in Scripture and godly things, the more we realize how rich and how good it is! "The (truly) good life" is drawing close to God, finding a good church, and spending time with brothers and sisters in him!
Repentance: 2 Corinthians 7: 9-11 talks about what the fruit of repentance should be.
Hebrews 6:2... "Washings" in the Old Testament always pointed forward to the cleansing of Christ, through baptism, the ultimate cleansing from the ultimate defiling of sin.
According to Puritan writings echoing Augustine, "laying on of hands" referred to assessing spiritual growth of a Christian, praying for their growth and strengthening in grace by the Holy Spirit, a confirmation in front of God that they are "one of us," in Christ, and asking God to bless their continued growth.
Hebrews 6:3... "we will do this if God permits." The writer defers to God's sovereignty, asking God for any spiritual growth in this congregation to be brought about through his will.
Christians are to be always learning, growing, and desiring to grow. Come as you are! But don't stay as you are. We must grow daily in our faith, and in our skill in the scriptures.
Christian maturity teaches us the balance in moral issues. We should be moving toward purity, toward Christ, but we must avoid the temptation of legalism, creating rules where God doesn't. A mature Christian recognizes the nuance in moral issues.
Six elementary doctrines of Christ:
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Repentance, moving away from dead works
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Faith, moving towards God
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Baptism
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Laying on of hands, assembling at church, asking for help
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Resurrection of the dead: eternal life for believers
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Eternal judgment for those who reject him
Standing still and not growing is not an option, as we continue to be conformed to the image of Christ. We are a living epistle to those who desperately need Jesus!
Our God is the God who speaks to us, the God who sings to us, and the God who marries us. He's artistic and communicative by nature: he speaks creation into existence, and his communication continues with humanity. His creation is an artistic expression of his character and wisdom.
Though mankind fell in Eden, he continues to pursue us, and redeems us with Christ's sacrifice on the cross!
The Trinity shows harmonious unity, like the notes of a musical chord. Unity among believers is a powerful witness to the nature of God.
God's love for mankind is expressed through his pursuit of us as his bride, and he refines us through trials, like a purifying fire.
Sin begets sin: one sin leads to another and they compound.
John the Baptist spoke truth to Herod and Herodias, which impressed Herod, but angered Herodias; some people are attracted to the Holy Spirit, but some are repelled. When Herod, weakened by fleshly desire for Herodias' daughter, offered her anything she wanted, Herodias used the opportunity to have John the Baptist killed. And so Herod's sins had built upon each other and multiplied, eventually bringing him to order the death of an innocent man.
Satan tempted Jesus when he was at his physically weakest; this is when temptation of all kinds has the strongest pull. Among the deadliest of all of Satan's arrows is sexual sin. As we consider that sin can travel in family circles as children imitate their parents, we must flee from sexual immorality!
If Herod had repented, as deep into sin as he was, God would have forgiven him. Though Satan will accuse endlessly, we should never get caught in the trap of thinking our sin is too big for God to forgive! If we've been washed clean by the blood of the lamb, all our sins, past, present and future, are already forgiven, so we give our guilt to God. We can rest in full assurance of our faith and take shelter in the Lord Jesus Christ!
If we sin again after being forgiven, repent. Accept his forgiveness and live it: be free, be made useful, and glorify God! We are not outside his grace, so we should be the most joyful people in existence!
The term "apostle" is a special designation for someone to whom Jesus gave authority to teach on his behalf, even to write Scripture itself. Today we have bishops, presbyters, pastors, deacons and other offices, but the apostolic age ended with the twelve apostles.
When the apostles stayed in a home, regardless of its comfort level, they were to stay there to be a blessing to that family. If the people of a town didn't receive the Word, they were to treat those people as pagans and leave, even if they were Jews; they don't belong to God.
The twelve anointed the sick with oil, a new practice in the New Testament. In light of the Old Testament practice of anointing with oil into an office, it may be that the apostles were able to anoint people into the Kingdom, into service for the Lord.
3 main thoughts...
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Jesus asked the apostles to do things that are beyond their comfort zone; he does this with us too! Life is bigger than mere comfort and familiarity. We must go through refining and deepening of our faith through the trials life brings!
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Is it wise therefore to underpay a pastor in order to produce this maturity? No. Jesus later says in Luke 22:36 to let those who have money and possessions take it with them. Use those things to God's glory and the benefit of the Kingdom.
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Meek authority... the apostles were given authority by God. Godly authority is to be wielded with a meekness. 1 Peter 3:15, "... in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." We should witness with meekness, with power restrained.
Final thoughts...
A. God has called each of us to go into the world and share the message of Jesus.
B. When sharing that message, we must love people enough to tell them the whole truth, to call them to repentance.
C. When the message isn't received well, we must respond with gentleness and respect, with meekness.
God called the apostles, and he equipped them; he will equip you for your calling as well. He brings us through the valleys to teach us not to fear. He sent his son to save the world, and that requires not acceptance of the world's sin, but repentance from it. So we must tell the truth in love, remaining faithful to God's message!
The people of Nazareth grew up with Jesus, so he was familiar to them; they didn't see him as any big deal. In our lives, we may know people who grew up knowing about Jesus and are very familiar with him, but who've never fully handed their lives over to him.
Being near Jesus and knowing some things about him is not the same as believing in him. It's not enough; we must trust and believe! We must submerge our entire selves in the blood of Christ, for he is worthy!
When Jesus returned to his hometown, he was not valued as he should have been. He made no great outpouring of mighty works there, as the Holy Spirit hadn't opened the hearts of the people.
As believers with discernment, we are to honor and glorify, value and acknowledge our God. Praise him and make him known! You were bought with a price: the blood of our Savior. So shine on his behalf, live faithfully with integrity. Our chief duty is to glorify him!
At the end of today's message, Pastor Josh addresses a question that may come to the forefront in the near future, and is good to keep in mind regardless: how are we to live in times of war?
Jesus is the source of light and life; he chases away the darkness of sin. He is the physical embodiment of God's Word, present from creation, bringing light and life to believers. We're called to live confidently as children of the light of Christ!
Joseph's brothers were jealous of their father's favoritism toward him, and left him to die, causing him to be sold into Egyptian slavery. After correctly interpreting Pharaoh's dream, he rose to second in command of Egypt. Years later, Joseph invited his estranged brothers for dinner and concocted a scenario that ultimately proved to him that his brothers had changed their ways: one brother, Judah, was willing to sacrifice his life for his brother Benjamin. Joseph then revealed his identity to his brothers, and they repented for what they did to him! They wept together, hugged and kissed, and talked for a long time after.
John 15:13... "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
This story shows the importance of repentance! In Acts 2, after the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples in the upper room, Peter gives a sermon... 3,000 are saved and ask, "what must we do?" Peter answers: "Repent and be baptized!" The first thing when confronted with the truth of the Gospel is to repent! Turn away from wicked ways, and towards God. Forgiveness can be given freely, but actual restoration can only happen with repentance.
Effective prayer begins with a life of walking the path of Christ. The prayer itself must be real, from your heart, not just giving lip service, or repeating canned prayers without meaning.
With the Holy Spirit's leading, and because of the work of the Son, we pray with confidence directly to God the Father, in fear and awe of his holiness and authority, asking for what our hearts desire, but in deference to his perfect will!
There are many "hills of the Lord," both in the Old and New Testaments. Even in the very beginning, the Garden of Eden was atop a hill. Jacob met God at Mt. Bethel, Moses met him at Mt. Sinai; even Joshua was only allowed in its lower parts. David had Mt. Zion, a foreshadowing of the New Jerusalem, where God's people will live with him for all eternity. In Matthew, Jesus spoke from the Mount of Beatitudes.
We intuitively know God is "above" us, and when he meets with one of us, it's usually on a mountaintop.
Heaven is like a mountaintop, high above, but the veil of the temple has been torn, the city is filled with the light of the Lamb, and access to God is free for all who follow him! There we will be more blessed than even the Old Testament priests, living forever atop the hill of the Lord, with full access to our creator for all eternity!
Jesus is the conquering King of Glory, mighty in battle, who has defeated sin, death, and Satan! As the ark was returned to Mount Zion in victory, Christ ascended into heaven in victory! He's the conquering warrior we need in spiritual warfare, and our key to heaven. If you don't yet believe, seek him now, while you still can!
Who can approach the living God? One with clean hands, who neither plans nor does evil, whose soul isn't lifted up to the pursuit of false things or idols, and who is transparent, without deceit. David is describing the character of the godly!
The reverential awe of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Once we've come to Jesus, we are called to follow his ways, to live in holiness. In our humanity we do so imperfectly, and are certainly not worthy on our own to ascend the mountain. But as we come to him and seek his face, we can ascend the hill based on his righteousness!
As we're not worthy of climbing the mountain ourselves, we should be the most grateful people in the world for the gift of righteousness and purity that allows us to come near to him.
We achieve this purity only through the Spirit of God, by seeking his face as we read his Word, pray, and preoccupy ourselves with him! As we seek his face, he begins to transform us.
We are called to be righteous and holy, and we can only do it because of his grace!
The four miracles in Mark 4-5 all have this in common: God brings hope to hopeless situations. Jesus reveals himself as God, as creator. He is our refuge in times of trouble. In all the miracles, death was threatening, and Jesus brings life. He is the atoner!
Structurally, the center of today's passage is the woman being healed, and power going out from Jesus. Jesus gives out, and we receive.
Many thronged about Jesus, but few touched him. The woman must have believed him to be more than just a healer; she somehow knows that even in her impure state, she will not defile him, but rather he will purify her! We too must come to him as more than healer, as the Lord of glory.
The first of these four miracles asked the question, "Who is Jesus?" Through these passages we can see he had authority over creation (disciples on the boat in the storm), has power over the demonic (demoniac), power over disease and uncleanliness (woman with the issue of blood), and authority over death itself (Jairus's daughter). He is the Lord God! Only God has resurrection power.
The woman with the issue of blood is a picture of us-- she was once sick and without hope. We all needed the touch of Jesus! He is our only hope, our only path to purity, to overcoming sin and death.
Jesus is one with the Father, so the Old Testament laws of uncleanliness do not apply to him. The woman with the issue of blood simply put her faith in him to heal her, and Jesus not only healed her, but made her pure! Our Lord is the ultimate purifier; the unclean doesn't render him unclean, but is rather purified by his sheer holiness.
As followers of Christ, we too were once in a terrible state and had to be purified. Just as the woman demonstrated her faith publicly, we're called to share with the world that Jesus is the solution to our impurity!
The stories of Jairus's daughter and the woman with the issue of blood are told together, and intertwined. The girl was 12 years old, and the woman's issue of blood had lasted 12 years. The girl experienced death, and due to Levitical laws, the woman was associated with death for 12 years. Both the woman and Jairus were desperate for healing, and Jesus's touch healed them both!
Jairus may have been an acquaintance of Peter's, or was simply well-known due to his status as a leader in the synagogue. The woman with the issue of blood, however, would have been an outcast. Jesus cares for them both!
Jesus tells Jairus, "Do not fear, only believe!" The little girl was blessed to have a father who believed in Jesus.
When Jesus said the little girl was not dead but only sleeping, the mourners turned to laughing, scoffing. After he brings her back to life, he tells everyone not to share that he has this power over death, because that news would hasten his crucifixion, and his time has not yet come.
When Jesus resurrects Jairus's daughter, he shows he is Lord even over death. He says she wasn't dead, "only sleeping"... Does that mean when we die, we go into soul sleep until the resurrection of the dead? The Bible says no in multiple places. Jesus says "sleeping" as a way of describing our eternity; it's more accurate than saying "dead". Because after death, we wake up! Fall asleep in the world, wake up in heaven. O death, where is your sting?
After the girl wakes up, Jesus instructs them to give her some food, paralleling our banquet meal in heaven! He gives us eternal life so he may share a meal with us. This is his plan for us!
Although Jesus could instantly heal people without even being in the room, he often takes us on a journey to be healed, so the power of God can be displayed. We love him more after the journey! Jairus wanted a simple healing, but he got a glorious resurrection!
Life is hard, but God is good! There are dark times, but the journey God puts us on is the path of righteousness. He's teaching us, strengthening us, maturing us. Danger in this world is real, but Jesus says, "Do not fear, only believe!"
God's love for his lost bride (humanity) is profound. We can trace it through history: creation, the fall, Abraham and Isaac, the tabernacle and priestly garments, the Song of Solomon, and our redemption through Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection.
God is committed to rescuing and restoring his people despite their unfaithfulness. His ultimate plan is to glorify us as he is glorified, bringing his bride back to himself!
Following Jesus is challenging. The world may hate us, just as it hated him, but this persecution is essential for our spiritual growth. We're called to be the salt of the earth, preserving a decaying world even when it hurts. Our response to trials and persecution can be a powerful witness to others.
Are we living for our own false glory or the true glory of God, who chose to humble Himself for our sake? Glory through humility is at the core of our faith, and calls us to a deeper relationship with God.
Jesus' resurrection is centrally important to the Christian faith. The four Gospels offer distinct, non-chronological accounts of the resurrection, each highlighting particular theological themes. Mark ends with fear and confusion. Luke focuses on women's perspectives and eyewitness accounts. John emphasizes the garden setting, drawing parallels to the Garden of Eden and Jesus as the new Adam. Matthew presents the resurrection as a new beginning and a reversal, mirroring the themes in the book of Esther.
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul addresses those in Corinth who deny the resurrection of the dead. He reminds them of the core gospel message: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and was raised on the third day.
He highlights the numerous eyewitnesses to the resurrected Christ (over 500, mostly men, with even more including women and children). These eyewitnesses, many still alive, provided verifiable evidence. Paul argues logically that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised, our preaching and faith are in vain, we are misrepresenting God, our sins are not forgiven, and those who have died in Christ have perished. If our only hope is in this life, it all amounts to nothing, and we are to be pitied!
The resurrection is essential for our hope, assurance, and zeal. It validates Christ's sacrifice on the cross, proving it was accepted. Without the resurrection, faith is futile, sins remain, and there is no hope for the future.
Paul, despite his past persecution of the church, feels the weight of his sins, recognizes God's grace in his life and works diligently in his ministry. He emphasizes the importance for leaders to understand the weight of their sin and to honor God's calling with hard work.
The resurrection is the very foundation upon which Christian faith and hope stand. It is a historical reality, offering forgiveness, new life, and the promise of future resurrection!
On this Easter Sunday, we delve into Jesus' resurrection, as recorded in John 20. This pivotal event is not just a historical fact, but the cornerstone of our faith. The empty tomb proclaims that Jesus is who He says He is - the Son of God, victorious over death!
The resurrection is what sets Christianity apart from all other religions. It's not about our works, but the work Christ has done for us. The atonement for our sins - God's work to reconcile us to Himself - is utterly unique to Christianity. We don't have to earn our salvation or wonder if we're good enough. Instead, we can rejoice now, knowing that Jesus paid it all. This truth should fill us with joy and laughter, transforming how we live and worship.
As we contemplate the empty tomb, let's remember that our story doesn't end at death, either. Just as Christ rose, we too will rise and follow Him into eternity!
Structurally, the focus of today's passage is verse 13: "So he gave them permission." Jesus has such authority that the demons need to ask him before they act!
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Jesus has the authority. Same as the story of Jesus calming the storm.
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The opposition to Jesus in the beginning was the demons... At the end, it was the gentiles.
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At the end of Mark 4 (Jesus calms the storm), the disciples question who Jesus is... here in Mark 5, they declare it!
Looking at these two stories, we see an Exodus pattern... Crossing the sea (in the storm in ch4), then the enemy drowns in the water (pigs in ch5).
Regarding the location of this story, Luke and Mark say this happened in one place, Matthew says another. Luke and Mark are naming the larger gentile city nearby because people would know it.
This story also appears here:
Matthew 8:28-34
Luke 8:26-39
Mark omits this part, but Matthew says, "have you come here to torture us BEFORE THE TIME?" (Before the return of the Lord)... The demons are horrified that Jesus may decide to unleash his power on them early!
This recognition of Jesus's power is appropriate for Palm Sunday... similar to the triumphal entry (a false coronation, as they later backtracked), which prefigures Jesus' return, when people will truly realize he's the King. The triumphal entry is a picture of the return of the Lord! These demons shudder at his early appearance.
The demons were a legion... A Roman legion operated with 4,000-5,000 men. May have been any number of demons, but the point is they were in a militaristic form.
In sending the demons to the pigs, Jesus shows that human life is his greatest treasure, over and above the animals. We are God's crowning achievement!
Satan can't even enter a pig without God's permission... So he can't tempt us or hurt us without... God's permission! Anything hard in life is something that God is allowing! He has a purpose for our suffering.
The crowds end up begging him to leave just as the demons did. They were afraid of him! Maybe just awestruck. Maybe afraid of change. As if they're afraid he'll do another exorcism... perhaps begging him to let them keep their demons.
In the end, the former demoniac wants to go with Jesus but he tells him to stay and tell his friends. He becomes a missionary to his city... the first missionary sent out by Jesus!
Three thoughts...
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Jewish people were under the occupation of Rome, but their greatest opposition was not the Roman legion; it was the legion of demons. The real enemy is spiritual! Ephesians 6 tells us we wrestle against spiritual forces, not physical ones. But in the end, Christ will be victorious!
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As Jesus and his disciples make spiritual headway in Rome, they're not as popular as they'd like. The gentiles beg Jesus to leave! Even Christ was rejected for doing good things.
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People in their final years of life... Often they're ready to go home and be with Jesus. They've run their race and are ready. Yet they're still here, in bad health for months, years... Jesus has another plan for them. We don't know his purpose. The former demoniac begged Jesus to let him come with him, but Jesus had a reason for him to remain in his area. If we're still here, God has a reason for us to be here! This man gladly did what God asked of him, and people marveled!
The end of Mark 4 ended with a question... who is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Jesus and the disciples were already tired from the storm at sea, and they're immediately faced with a demon-possessed man! He was strong, violent, had a legion of demons, lived among the dead, and couldn't be contained.
These demons know who Jesus is, even if the disciples don't yet. They beg him for mercy, not to be sent to the abyss, but to be sent into the herd of pigs. Jesus allowed it and they ran into the water and drowned. He allowed thousands of animals to die for the sake of one person! In this example, the life of a human is at least 2000 times as important than the life of an animal!
The pigs are akin to pharaoh's army that drowned in the Exodus. The real enemy is not the individual soldiers, but the spiritual forces behind them.
The people who see and hear about the healing of the demoniac are afraid of Jesus and ask him to leave...
In John 1:11, "He came to his own and his own did not receive him." They wanted him to heal them, but didn't want to come under his authority! We are by nature resistant to his lordship.
Jesus brings change, and it's jarring... but freeing! We must accept him as he is, as our Lord!
At the end of this passage, the man wants to join Jesus in his ministry, but Jesus says no... but to stay, and tell all his friends. The man becomes a missionary to the decapolis!
Who is Jesus? He's the Son of God, with authority over the physical world in Mark 4, and authority over the spiritual world in Mark 5. He is God, our King, our Lord! The demons are terrified of him. Philippians 2:9... At his name every knee shall bow and proclaim that he is Lord!
The man was "stoning himself," condemning himself, being accused by others, driven to despair, tortured by the demons. The mark of the demonic is no grace, only condemnation. But at Jesus's command, this man is made new! Even he was not too far gone for the grace and mercy of God, and neither are we! This is how people see that God is God! Go and tell people what God has done!
Short version (for mp3):
Who is Jesus? He's the Son of God, with authority over the physical world in Mark 4, and over the spiritual world in Mark 5. He is God! At his command, man is made new! Even the demoniac was not too far gone for the grace and mercy of God. Neither are we!
Structurally, Mark 4:35-41 is a chiasm, with the central point being the disciples waking Jesus and his rebuking the wind and sea. This emphasizes the faithlessness of the disciples compared to the faith of Jesus.
This passage begins as Jesus gets away from the crowds to rest with his disciples; he escapes the crowd to rest with us as well.
The storm is reminiscent of the one Jonah encountered in the Old Testament. The disciples are acting like faithless people; they're depicted as imperfect human beings. And even though they wake him up to berate him, he's kind to them.
Jesus will often respond to someone with a question... here, "Do you have no faith?" is going to rattle the apostles, cutting to the essence of the moment and revealing their cowardice. In Revelation 21, cowards are thrown into the lake of fire. By the end of the passage, the disciples are more afraid of Jesus than they were of the storm! Being in the presence of the supernatural is terrifying. Jeremiah 5:21-24 shows God certainly intends for his people to fear him more than they fear the sea!
Psalm 107:23-29 describes a similar scenario, with the Lord calming the storm after his people cry out in distress.
The mysteries of the Kingdom are being revealed to the disciples little by little, but they're still a little blinded by their humanity. Even Jesus' inner circle doesn't get it yet.
After this passage at the end of Mark 4, Jesus leaves Israel for a gentile city...
As he calms the storm, Jesus is the God of Genesis 1, whose voice brings order! Creation listens to his voice. In the beginning, the earth was without form, chaotic. God speaks and brings order to it all! As Jesus calms the storm, he shows that he is one with the Father.
When life becomes chaotic, we need the Word of the Lord! Order will come about only through his mercy.
If our finances are chaotic, we must work hard. Stretch the dollar. Don't forget to bless the church. God can calm this storm as well.
The Word brings peace to the chaos. Trust the Lord, believe his Word, and see what he does!
Anxiety is part of life for all of us. We must fear not, for God allowed the storm to rock the boat! And then he calmed it. Don't worry into hopelessness, have faith and let him calm the storm! Bring your worries to him.
God is worthy of our trust. He can do anything, and he's for his people! He is faithful. We need not fear, for he is with us!
Faith depends not on our clarity of understanding of our situation... but on the goodness of God!
This week, Mark Traeger teaches on the investments we're called to make in Jesus. God first calls us to invest our lives in him! In our Christian walk, if we want a better prayer life, we must invest time in prayer; if we want to know God's Word better, we must invest our time and effort into it. All the world offers is temporary, but an investment in God is eternal!
In the parable of the lamp, the lamp is illuminating Gospel truth throughout the world. The Word should be proclaimed, and the light of Christ should shine, openly. The Kingdom will expand, shining God's light to the whole earth. As you share the light of his Word, more will be given to you! As you reject it, more will be taken from you, until you're in outer darkness. He's generous with us so we can be generous with others for the advancement of the Kingdom!
Church growth comes not from man-made programs, but by letting God do the work. We sow the seed, we rest and he does the work.
The harvest, as applied to the apostles and to our mission, can be seen as bringing new converts into the church. Once someone's heart has turned to Christ, we are to usher them into communion with the church body.
The tiny mustard seed growing into a huge tree is naturally impossible, as mustard seeds don't become trees; this shows that the growth of the Kingdom, and the Kingdom itself, is miraculous! As Jesus tells the parable, the Kingdom's beginnings are very humble, a tiny, struggling movement rejected by most people, but it's going to blossom and grow into a massive movement that covers the whole earth!
Jesus' parables were told to give insight to believers, but confound non-believers.
The Kingdom is indeed eternal, but it's also here now. Jesus is Lord of the Kingdom, and Lord of all. Demons shudder over his authority! Satan doesn't want us to know about the Kingdom.
Being in the Kingdom means we're under the King! He is our Lord! He brought the Kingdom down to us.
In the parable of the lamp, we see he didn't give us a light to hide it, as he didn't give us seeds to hoard them but to sow. You've been given the light; be generous with what you've been given-- share it as generously as God has shared it with you!
In the parable of the seed growing, the Kingdom grows first in Jesus, then the apostles, then the 120 in the upper room, then the world. We sow, then we go to bed, and sow again tomorrow. Conversion is not up to us; the pressure is off! We ourselves can't change human hearts. Real change is only accomplished by the Holy Spirit! The sower simply sows, and leaves the rest up to God.
"The harvest" may be referring to the return of the Lord. We want to live ready for this harvest! What if today is your last day?
In the parable of the mustard seed, the seed is the Kingdom of God, first sown by Jesus, then the apostles, and eventually around the world. It becomes larger than all the plants in the garden very quickly. The Kingdom of God will eventually cover the entire world! It's not for one kind of person, but for all kinds, all races, all personality types!
What Jesus started in Nazareth has covered the entire world. The church is like Noah's ark; it's the only way to escape God's wrath.
Every good and perfect gift comes from God-- he is good! We can make our homes in the Kingdom of Christ!!!
Thorns (worldly concerns) grow up with the wheat; we must make sure not to let these concerns choke out our faith.
Verses 10-12 are the chiastic focal point, showing that parables are like riddles, meant to teach God's people but confound unbelievers, conveying judgment on the hard-hearted.
Jesus gives an allegorical interpretation of the parable of the sower, and understanding it allows the believer to unlock the meaning of his other parables. He's instructing the apostles and the church what to expect when they sow the Word.
Two of the soils react immediately. The seed along the path is immediately eaten by the birds. The seed in the rocky soil is received with joy, but immediately falls away upon persecution.
The other two soils take longer...
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In the thorny soil, thorns (worldly concerns) are very deceptive and slow to grow, growing along with faith. We must not let them choke us out.
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In the good soil, growth happens, but it's a slow process. Sanctification is a process! Christian maturity doesn't come all at once.
Like the good soil, we must hear the Word and accept it in faith, clinging to it, and eventually the fruit will come!
People who are like good soil...
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They hear and continue to hear! They meditate on it, abide in it! They hear the word and keep hearing it.
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They accept the word, welcoming the whole counsel of God, and keeping it. They don't want the word on their own terms... they adhere to its hard truths, trusting its veracity even if it doesn't agree with our human understanding.
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They bear fruit! Good works do not equate to salvation. But good works arise as the fruit of our salvation! Accepting his word brings such growth into our lives.
God alone determines the quality of the soil. We can't change the soil of those listening, we can only spread the seed, but we can pray to the Lord of the soil to change the soil! So we pray, and sow as if he has changed it. God does the landscaping. We simply share his word. He can handle the big problems!
Jesus is the chief sower. We read the word to learn about God, and our roots will be as deep as our understanding of him. In Mark 3:7, the crowd following Jesus was a microcosm of the whole earth; Jesus teaches them as the chief sower, sowing to the whole world... even those who are not good soil. And Jesus keeps sowing! He stays faithful, even when his basic needs aren't being met.
The will of God is to sow the Word! Even in his humanity, he didn't abandon that call. He never quit on us because of his great love for us! He made us good soil, then sowed seed to us, because he's good, and he's loves us!
Psalm 148 - praise the Lord!
Mark mostly tells us what Jesus did, more than what he said, but in Chapter 4 (as well as Chapter 13) he emphasizes what Jesus taught. Here Jesus is teaching from the water, protecting him from the encroaching mob.
He commands his followers to listen!
In the parable of the sower, he describes the various kinds of people who have encountered his ministry.
Jesus says he's given his followers the ability to understand the parables, so it's easy to worry if you don't understand them right away. Those who are not his followers will give up or not care; if you care enough to pursue understanding, you have nothing to worry about. Come to him and ask him to reveal it to you!
Isaiah 6 shows us the inability to understand Jesus, caused by hardness of heart, is associated with the destruction of Jerusalem. The city will eventually fall because of the hardness of their hearts.
Jesus implies that understanding this parable is the key to understanding all of them; spreading the gospel is our kingdom work! We must hear it, accept it, and bear fruit by sharing it. This is the mission of the Kingdom!
In today's passage, Jesus teaches in parables, like riddles. Parables were a language of judgment on the hard-hearted; even the apostles didn't always understand them immediately.
Jesus is the chief sower, but we also sow the Word of God, the truth of Jesus' story, God's Kingdom.
1 - Seed along the well-traveled path... people have heard it before. Birds steal it, in one ear and out the other; truths will not take root. This is not the sower's fault; his job is simply to throw the seeds!
2 - Seed in rocky ground... receives the word, but later falls away. Professes faith, but is not justified. We are saved as we endure; conversion isn't achieved by an initial emotional experience. This person begins to grow, but with no depth of soil, they fall away when persecuted about the Word.
3 - Seed among thorns... any passion they have is choked out by things outside God that take priority: family, work, sinful desires... anything more important than God, thorny weeds.
Receiving the Word requires the Holy Spirit! For people who fall away, Satan is strangling their faith. We must plead with them!
Why did Jesus' family think he was crazy here? They never saw him perform miracles, so they struggled to believe.
Mark places the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as the center of the story. Jesus has power over the demonic, and the scribes attack Jesus, attributing his power to evil. They're trying to undercut the claims that he's Messiah. He responds with a parable, as an indictment against them! Parables are given in such a way that believers will understand (even if not immediately), but nonbelievers like these scribes will miss the point.
"A house divided against itself will not stand" is referring not only to Satan and the demons, but also to the temple, which is about to fall. Jerusalem will eventually turn against the righteous of Jerusalem (Christians)... and the house will fall.
"Binding the strong man before you can plunder his house" refers to more than binding Satan. If Jerusalem's leaders continue as they have, the house of God will soon be plundered.
Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit is guilty of an eternal sin. The scribes are standing before pure light, and they attribute his work to pure evil. Isaiah 5:20: woe to those who call evil good and good evil.
We're all baptized into one family, under Christ.
Jesus adds "sisters" to "mother and brothers"... saying his close circle of family is open not only to men and his mother, but to women as well.
Scribes accuse Jesus of being possessed by demons simply because he commands them. But he's binding Satan before plundering his house.
Everything you've ever done can be forgiven. Christians today have the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, the only unpardonable sin, is the repeated and final rejection of Jesus. Biblically, if you're given over to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, you don't care. If you care whether you've committed this unpardonable sin, you haven't committed it. Your grieving over your sin is evidence that your heart is not permanently hardened!
Whoever does the will of God is the family of Jesus. To believe what the Holy Spirit says about Jesus is to be his family!
Your biggest sin is forgivable if you repent. Share this with people joyfully; they need to hear of his glory and grace!
Pastor Rick explores the concepts of joy, peace, and fruitfulness in the Christian life, rooted in Jesus' teachings from John 14 and 15. It's essential that we as Christians abide in Christ, understand God's sovereignty, and experience the transformative power of God's love. True peace and joy come from trusting in God's plan, even amidst life's challenges, and this joy is a testament to the world of God's work in our lives!
So many people from all walks of life are coming to Jesus, including Gentiles, that he retreats to the water to escape the dangerous crowd. The Pharisees don't know who Jesus is, but the demons do.
Jesus calls the twelve apostles ("sent ones" or "messengers"), a select group of leaders chosen by Jesus, who met with him personally, and had authority over the local churches of the early church. They could write scripture! The early church hierarchy: Father - Son - Spirit - Apostles - Pastors - Church. Although in the broad sense we are all messengers sent by God, apostles by the Biblical definition no longer exist. The church handed down the teachings of the ORIGINAL apostles.
Jesus chooses 12 people with diverse backgrounds, yet they lived together for years. They found something greater than themselves that united them: the Lord Jesus Christ. He is what unites us in our present-day church as well! Our unity in Christ must overcome any division we have in the world. As we prioritize him, minor issues cannot divide us!
The apostles didn't choose Jesus; he chose them! Not for their skill, righteousness, wisdom or faith. We love him because he first loved us, because he is good!
Jesus is calling us so we can be with him, have authority to preach, and cast out demons (resist Satan).
The Christian life, to sum up: Draw near to the Lord, stay in him, be sent out, and oppose what comes against him!
Jesus doesn't excuse sin, but emphasizes there are weightier issues in the law. Lying is bad, but murder is worse, and choosing to lie to protect someone from being killed is the better choice.
The Pharisees missed the spirit of the law on favor of the letter of the law.
Exodus 4:5ff... one of God's signs of his presence to the people is his healing of Moses' hand. The people believed, but Pharaoh didn't... here in Mark, the man with the withered hand believed, but the Pharisees didn't; they were acting like Pharaoh, angering Jesus. They then plotted to kill him.
Jesus asks the Pharisees if they've never read what David did, removing the holy bread from the temple to feed hungry soldiers, found in the passage in 1 Samuel 21 and 22. Jesus references not the priest in charge during the story (Ahimelech), but his son (Abiathar). In doing this, he may be saying the Pharisees are like Saul or Doeg when they persecute David; indeed they intend to use a foreigner like Pharaoh (Herod and the Herodians) to kill Jesus.
Spurgeon: "Don't tell me what you know, tell me what you've done about what you know." We must not just learn of Jesus, but follow him! The Pharisees know a lot, but don't live it. It's easy for pastors to fall into this trap, always reading the word to prepare a sermon, but never for themselves; pastors need their own devotional time! Augustine: "Your true religion is what you do when no one is looking." We must be diligent in our walk with the Lord, and really live it!
Throughout history, there's an intimate connection between big government and Satan's and the antichrist's agenda. The mark of the beast (no buying or selling without governmental approval), Babylon, the beast's armies at Armageddon.
Satan also uses false religion for his agenda; worship the beast or die, the false prophet leads people into worship, the Old Testament worship of Baal, and here, the religious Pharisees rooting against the healing of this man for their agenda.
James 1:26-27: True Christianity is to invest in the least of society. Jesus in this passage shows his compassion for the crippled man, unlike the Pharisees who see him as a pawn to further their false religious agenda. Even today, we must be vigilant to keep these influences from creeping into our own churches!
The Pharisees were turning the law into a heavy yoke; they fell into the trap of letting tradition replace God's Word. Jesus expressed the spirit of the law. He heals a man on the Sabbath, and they plot to kill him.
On judgment day, don't weep for the prostitute, weep for the self-righteous, weep for the unfaithful pastor.
Jesus was willing to heal the man with the withered hand, but asked him to stretch out his hand, an act of choice, of faith. If you don't know how God's going to provide, take a step of faith!
The Pharisees were originally reacting to the influence of Greek thought on their young people; they were protecting their kids. They started with great intentions, but it went too far. How to avoid this downward spiral ourselves? Consistently come before the Lord! Stay in his word daily, and pray! The Word corrects us when we are wrong. Jesus is the authority! We decide DAILY who is on the throne, and it must be the Lord.
When Jesus said "It is finished," that is authoritative. You ARE forgiven. He died for 100% of your sins! Although Satan will accuse you on the day of your judgement, if your name is in the book of life, you are in Heaven, end of story. Jesus has the final say, the final authority!
The Sabbath was made for man, not vice-versa. It is made for us to rest. Jesus said come to him and he will give us rest. Our Sabbath rest is when we come to him, so our Sabbath is all the time, not just on Sundays! The peace he gives us is deep and otherworldly. There's a restoration and soul rest... sabbath is but a glimpse of what's God has for us in eternity!
Jesus eats with such deplorable people; shocking at the time. Like Moses in Exodus 10, he wants to save as many people as he can, and eating with them fostered intimacy and implied forgiveness of their sins.
That said, we are still called to live holy lives; Jesus accepts us as we are but teaches us to not stay as we are! Ephesians 2:4-10 - We're saved by grace alone through faith alone; salvation is purely a gift, not attainable by works. But we are a new creation in Christ Jesus FOR good works! When he enters into our lives, we change and grow.
Why do the Pharisees and John the Baptist and his followers fast, and Jesus and his followers don't?
3 thoughts...
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Jesus is always bucking against tradition that's strayed from its roots, and bringing it back around to his word, scripture.
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One day, he says, he won't be with them; that's the time to fast. When he's present, it's time to feast together!
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Fasting in the Bible was a sign of humility and dependence on God. In the early church, they fasted to prepare for church service, when making big decisions, when mourning over their sins... it was necessary in the life of the early church, and should be for us as well!
The scribes and Pharisees were self-righteous. They didn't see themselves as needing a savior. But the sinners sitting at the table with Jesus knew they needed help. And he wants sinners! We've all fallen short of the glory of God, and don't deserve to eat a meal with Jesus. But if God grants us entry into heaven, we'll feel the warmth of Jesus' glory for all eternity. Not because we're good, but because we recognized our condition and took a seat at his table, and our sins were forgiven!
Jesus adheres to the old testament, but not in the way the Pharisees had come to adhere to it. They'd turned it into legalism. He expanded beyond the synagogue, to tax collectors and prostitutes, and "new wine" bursts old wine skins. He came not to bring more rules or law, but to fulfill the law!
Christians are fasters... Fasting is putting your spiritual needs above your physical needs. A great tool we should use from time to time.
Christians are also to be feasters, when we are with the Lord! At church, we are with him, so we feast! The first message Moses tells Pharaoh is to free the slaves so they can eat with him. We are to celebrate being saved from slavery, sin and death!
We are to be fasters AND feasters. We are to feast when the bridegroom is with us, and get together to celebrate with each other! Frequent Thanksgiving meals!!!
Jesus eventually says he's going to be taken away, and a time to fast is coming. Though we too are called to be fasters, there will come a time when we'll never again leave his presence! In heaven will be the river of life, the tree of life, the healing of nations, no more curse, his servants will worship him, and God himself will be our light. In heaven we'll never need another reason to fast; we'll be with him!
The celebrations we have now are just a glimpse of what's to come!
Mark was at Peter's house, a large, nice home, for today's passage. He's among family when the paralytic is brought through the roof.
In 2 Kings 13:20-21, there's a very similar story of healing in the Old Testament, where a dead man is revived after his body touches the dead body of Elisha.
Even this early in Mark, the story of the paralytic establishes Jesus' authority over spiritual and physical death.
Jesus isn't upset over the damage to the house, and is pleased with the faith of the men and the paralytic. His priority is on the life of the paralytic, on the spiritual, not on the physical structure of the house.
When he forgives the man's sins, the scribes believe he's violating God's word, committing blasphemy, punishable by death. They miss that he IS God! The forgiveness and healing are related: the healing is proof to the unbelievers that Jesus' forgiveness is real and valid.
"The Son of Man" (Jesus' favorite term for himself) comes with authority. This reference is understood by the scribes, and is a bold claim. He is the second Adam, the perfect version of man, undefiled, with victory and authority over the garden from which Adam was banished!
The Pharisees liked some of what Jesus said, but in rejecting some of it, they denied his authority.
The paralytic and his friends had great faith. His friends carried him through the crowd for who knows how long, lifted him up to the roof, somehow got him through the roof to the inside... So much faith! And Jesus forgave him and healed him.
Often the right road is unpaved, the narrow, rocky path. Just because something is hard doesn't mean it's against God's will. If he's calling you, you must press on. Faith will remove any obstacle to Jesus! Being around Jesus isn't the same as being WITH Jesus. In this passage, the crowd was an obstacle.
Jesus shows that the paralytic's greatest need was not simply his physical healing, but the forgiveness of his sin. With physical healing only, he'd just be more comfortable on his way to hell.
The word is folly for the unsaved, but for Christians it's the power of God!
2 billion Muslims believe in Jesus, but just as a prophet. They believe the gospels are corrupted. They prefer Mark, claiming it's the least corrupt. However, in Mark 14:61: Are you the Christ? "I am."
Jesus says that his authority as king is eternal. That he's the one that the Pharisees are called to serve. He reminds us who he is! We must exhibit a degree of seriousness in our serving him.
Jesus's tells the healed man to "Arise, take up your bed, and go home!"... Not "follow me" this time. He's telling him to go home and share his message there. It's easier to share Jesus with strangers, not so easy to share with those who know us. Having your sins forgiven is easy... Walking the Christian walk, sharing your faith, doing the work of the gospel, is difficult. Church is where we gather together so we can be equipped to do the work of the gospel!
Our marching orders: pick up your beds and go home!
We must never lose hope in the work of the perfect leader, Jesus Christ. People are fallible, but church is about God. The body of Christ points to him. Despite human failings, we must assemble together!
Israel wanted a king. But God created Israel to have him as king! The Bible doesn't record the failures of the Hebrew people so we can judge them, but to show us his faithfulness and our need for him. In Revelation 2, the early church was repeating these old testament sins! We must be fiercely on guard against them. This could us!
People have fallen into the religion of politics. Don't put your hope in an earthly king. Our hope lies only in Jesus Christ, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords! One day with him is better than a thousand elsewhere. Believers can rejoice that despite all the horribleness in life, we belong to God, and he is faithful. He will never leave or forsake you, he is for you, now and for eternity! God is holy, holy, holy!
Almighty God dwells within us; we inherit the perfection of his works. As he produces fruit in us, we are his example to the world. Our hearts are above all desperately wicked. We need Jesus; we can't live the Christian life without him. He lives in us, and is for us! He's the second Adam, perfect, without sin.
We cultivate the garden by raising our families in God, by living according to his principles, by using his gifts to bear fruit!
When God created the earth, he was marrying it to heaven, and marrying man to God. All creation speaks of heaven's wedding to earth. He is the vine, we are the branches.
In these last days, God has spoken to us through his son. We learn his language by spending time in relationship with him.
Jesus is the voice of God made visible. All creation echoes this voice. The same voice that said "Let there be light" and created the universe, became silent for 3 days at the death of Christ. Creation was then remade at his resurrection! The grave is no longer silent; God's voice thunders out to all creation, and we follow it!
Psalm 4 closes with David asking God to protect us through the night, and Psalm 5 opens with David meeting the Lord in the morning, giving thanks and worshipping him. He recognizes that it's only because of the goodness of God that he will enter God's house.
There's evil inside each of us, and David asks God to keep him from it and make him righteous. The innermost self of evildoers is unfettered evil. David prays for God to judge evildoers, that they'd fall by their own foolishness. An evil man will reap what he sows, but as Christians who abide in Christ, we are under God's protection.
Anything in your life that's contrary to Jesus is making your life worse. You may think it's not noticeable, but others will see and feel its effects. There is no such thing as a free sin. Satan wants this culture to believe that truth is relative... your truth, my truth, etc. Not true, there is only Truth!
God blesses the righteous and covers us with his favor like a shield. He wraps us in a full suit of armor made up of his delight in us! He so loves his people!
Who makes it into heaven? Those who believe the gospel, whose faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose righteousness is imputed to them from Jesus. We must feed daily on the sacrifice of his blood.
In God's presence, we enjoy the abundance of his creation. We are reflections of the Trinity; we are a family. The tabernacle was a representation of a banquet, with the ark being the banquet couch, where God rests with his people. In Exodus 25, the showbread was called the bread of faces, laid before the face of God, with the wine, a glorified form of God's fruit. In Leviticus, we see ascension food, offered up to God. It is urgent we gather together regularly, dining together!
At the incarnation, God is extending his family into the people! And we are undeserving of it. He's the one who brings the fruit in our lives.
Wonder and worship are birthed from the same womb. Worship is filled with wonder!
Love can be costly, and it never gives up.
Jesus was the ultimate servant, washing the feet of the disciples, even Judas. He serves people who don't deserve it! He doesn't love us because we're perfect, he loves us because HE'S perfect!
Stop looking at yourself and your imperfection, and look to Calvary! Look at the perfection of God!
When you serve the least of people and give them honor, you become like God's incarnation on this planet. You are an arrow in the hands of God, a weapon for his glory.
Ascending into his presence requires transformation by fire.
Why did Jesus come into the world? To save people from their sins through his death and resurrection! At the virgin birth, deliverance is coming for God's people, and God's judgment is coming to those who reject him. We're born of sin; salvation must come from outside ourselves. That's why Jesus came!
When we stand before God on judgment day, all we need is him. If we choose God's kingdom over the kingdom of darkness, we are born again and will live in that kingdom forever.
If you think you're too far gone to enter God's kingdom, you are not. Believe in him and have everlasting life! We gather on Christmas to thank God for coming and dying for sinners like us.
Matthew shows us how Israel has degraded to an Egypt-like state. Herod started as a courageous, capable leader, trusted by Caesar, but in his corrupt pagan heart, he became consumed with self-preservation and political power above all else. The star announcing the arrival of a new king meant to him that this king had to be killed.
Though the world may be filled with leaders like Herod, God is still on the throne. He will outlast Satan himself. Though Satan is patient, laying snares, playing the long game, he will never be smarter than God. God outsmarts him at every turn, and outlasts him in the end!
The Jewish people are not the bad guys of the New Testament (or the modern world); people of all backgrounds have rejected Jesus as king, just as people of all backgrounds have accepted him. Jesus calls all faithful believers to himself!
Trust and follow Jesus!!! You will NOT survive without him. We are prone to wander.
There are people today like Herod, who are filled with the spirit of the antichrist. They will lie and flatter you because they live for themselves and want their own way. We are to be patient, forgiving, slow to wrath, but there is also a time to walk away, if you can't reason with someone or they won't listen to scripture.
A godly man is a leader, self-ruled, held captive to the word of God. He defies the Herods of the day, follows the model of Christ, is willing to die for his family. Committed to service, taking responsibility. When God chose the family to bring his only begotten Son into the world, he chose a capable woman, and a strong, godly father!
This coming Jesus in Matthew 2 will be a type of Moses, spared from tyranny, raised in secrecy, who would free his people, perform signs and wonders, and cripple the powers that be.
We were in bondage to sin, but he purchased redemption and salvation for us! Follow him! He is the shepherd and we are his sheep... He leads us out of darkness and into the Kingdom of God, forever!
We follow him and he leads us into his presence! We go where he goes.
Astrology was a sin in the old testament, but regardless, God knows this is how to reach the wise men from Arabia. God is using the star of Bethlehem to reach out to these gentiles even before Jesus is born!
The wandering star is the Holy Spirit, similar to the glory cloud in the wilderness in Exodus, resting on the tabernacle. At Jesus' birth, the glory cloud has left the temple, is leading to and now rests upon Jesus. Paralleling Exodus, Jesus is the way for God's people out of Egypt and into the promised land. In Exodus, all who followed the glory cloud will gather at the tabernacle; all who follow the Holy Spirit will gather to the Son!
In this passage there are two deceptions:
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Herod pretending to give respects to Jesus, but his true intent was to kill him
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The magi taking an alternate route home to avoid/deceive Herod
In the Old Testament when Pharaoh wanted to kill newborn babies, the Egyptian midwives deceived Pharaoh to protect the babies. In the New testament when Herod wanted to kill the baby Jesus, the magi deceived Herod to protect Jesus.
If we faithfully follow Jesus, we have to accept that the Herods of our lives will hate and oppose us.
Fear is a horrible god; people can lose their minds over it. Proverbs 29:25: don't let fear run your life! Psalm 56:3: When you're afraid, trust in God! We must resist the temptation to fear. If we can trust and believe he can get us through, fear will evaporate!
Calling Jesus King of the Jews was a political threat to Herod. Jesus is the King we serve, beyond any earthly authority.
Choose Jesus as your Lord and don't sit on the fence. Be all in! You must choose whom you will serve.
Matthew's genealogy of Jesus is filled with gentiles; as God starts to make a new people, the gentiles play a big role. The Kingdom of God is for everyone! The good news is that Jesus, the light of the world, came for all people, for sinners! He came for us. The only way to receive this good news is to accept the bad news, that we're sinners who need him.
No one is beyond saving, beyond grace!
Jesus becomes famous, then hides away from the public to talk with his Father.
His focus was on preaching in synagogues, not on miracles; miracles were to lend credence to his teaching, to give weight to his message.
Jesus prayed! If he needs to pray, so do we. We must set aside dedicated time alone with the Lord.
Lepers were to isolate themselves (Lev 13:42). When they wanted to be around others, they had to announce their uncleanness. This leper risks it all, breaking the law to approach Jesus. But Jesus is greater than the Law; he's the Spirit of the Law! He heals the leper.
Jesus told the man to stay silent about his healing, but he wanted to spread the word and disobeyed Jesus. So unfortunately, Jesus had to leave the region. The man didn't obey the Lord, and it caused problems for Jesus' ministry rather than helping it!
When we go against what God says to do, even if we think it's to help further the Kingdom, we're actually hurting. It's always best to trust and obey.
If you want to avoid terror at the second coming, you must accept the gentle first coming! This passage tells us where the church's focus should be: the Word of God. Faith is going to God, knowing he can do whatever he wills. True faith says, "Your will be done."
Mark is all about action, showing Jesus as always moving; he's communicating what Jesus did, to show us what WE are to do.
We had no interest in God before he called us. Like a leper, we were outside the camp. But we came to realize our condition and came to him. God reached out and took us as his own! His purity cleansed us! This is what we are called to do as the church. We must lay a foundation for those around us, and for the generations after us, making disciples of the nations.
The early church overtook the pagan holiday of Saturnalia, and replaced it with a celebration of Christ; the church can sanctify a sinful institution!
Are you unsaved? Jesus embraces lepers; come to him. Don't clean yourself up first. As he cleanses us, we become lighter and lighter, more free in him!
We must counter the devil's lies with God's truth, and fill our lives with worship. Peter spoke in love, but the devil spoke in fear.
We must come to Jesus with not only our words or our thoughts, but our hearts. We must be all in.
Mark is intent on showing Jesus as King. He shows many parallels between Jesus and David.
When Peter was called into ministry, he didn't abandon his wife; he took 3 years to study with the Lord, and then embarked on ministry with her by his side.
Pastor Josh shows some of his photos of Peter's house in Capernaum to give some context for the biblical accounts in today's passage.
The darkness hates the light! Jesus shows up and demons flee.
If I want God to heal me or fix my situation, is it for good reasons, or just so I can go on sinning? Is it for his glory or my own comfort? The woman Jesus heals immediately gets up and serves her family. We too should have an eager desire to serve God in our healing.
Jesus' name is above all names, all powers, all thrones. He's greater than the most spiritual of men. And we have the opportunity to share his name, so we must stand in truth, with confidence! We don't need any magic words, just the word of God, utterly set apart.
We walk with the Lord NOW; his blessings aren't only meant for heaven. We're no longer bound to sin; be utterly dependent on him. Give your sin to God and walk in his love!
It's good to give thanks to God, walking in him and abounding in thanksgiving! Even in tough times, we grieve with hope, and rejoice. Continue steadfastly in prayer and be vigilant in thanksgiving! Find reasons to be thankful.
God's word contains many examples associating thankfulness with sharing a meal. Every time we eat together dinner at the table is an opportunity to be thankful and worship God! He blesses us many times a day, in innumerable ways.
Praise him for the great things he's doing and the great things he's already done!
Worship him because he's Lord of both heaven and earth! He's holy, separate!!! His works are greater than ours. Jesus through his blood purchased everlasting life for us on the cross! Rejoice and be thankful!
How? God tells us his love language. Shout words of affirmation! He wants us to talk to him; don't be shy about our gratitude! Don't be ashamed.
Serve him with gladness and singing! Serving him is a privilege!!! Serve and praise him with gratitude.
We are to use our minds in worship. Engage our hearts AND our heads!
Enter his presence with gladness and Thanksgiving, and bless his name, because he is good and his love and faithfulness endure forever!!!
We thank God for all that he's provided, and in everything, give him his due glory!!!
Jesus and the Father are one, bringing the same message! Mark is informing the gentile Christians that they are NOT a sect or weird branch of old testament believers; Jesus preaches with the same authority as the Father.
Repentance is a gift. It means there's still time to come to the Lord and say you're sorry, and that time is now! In about 40 years, Jerusalem would be burned to the ground, so this message was URGENT.
Wherever a believer goes, as the Spirit goes with him, the Kingdom is increased!
When Jesus said, "Follow me," the four young men immediately left their lives and followed him. Young men need a purpose! James and John were apparently from a wealthy family, so they gave up a lot to follow the Lord. God calls all kinds of people from all economic strata, regardless of our qualifications! He calls us, THEN he qualifies us!
The beatitudes (being meek, peacemakers, pure in heart, hungering for righteousness, etc.) are the Kingdom attitudes, how we should be living! As subjects of the King, he is either our Lord or our enemy.
Jesus started a good work in us so we can be a blessing to each other. Our loved ones need us to act more and more like Christ! We are brought here to church for a purpose, to help each other, to strengthen each other for the race ahead.
Don't be afraid to trust the Lord; he is faithful. When he calls you, you are instantly filled with the Holy Spirit, and heir of the Kingdom! Yet we're not instantly perfect fishers of men. Over time, we become fishers of men, as we grow and become more like him. God refines us over the years, and it takes time. God is mercifully patient with us!!!
In our walk, we need new mercies every day. His grace is present as we are being sanctified! Though we're not sinless, we are blameless; when we do fall, we ask for God's forgiveness, accept it and move on. He is patient and kind to us!
John Mark traveled with Peter and Paul, and was the cousin of Barnabas. He was a man of good character, according to Peter, and a man of useful skills according to Paul.
The Gospel of Mark is not chronologically ordered, but split into 3 sections: Jesus in Galilee, Jesus on the way to Jerusalem, and Jesus in Jerusalem. Mark likes to write chiastically.
The audience of the Gospel of Mark is gentiles, people who have little frame of reference for Jewish customs, likely Romans in particular.
Mark records nothing of Jesus' origins, but begins his gospel at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. He shows how John the Baptist is simply preparing the way for Jesus.
The Assenes were Jewish, lived in the wilderness, and believed they were the ones through whom the Messiah would appear. Though they were mistaken, their understanding of the coming Messiah was closer to the real thing than the Pharisees' ideas. They disappeared abruptly as a people, possibly becoming part of the early Church.
John's version of Baptism (pre-Pentecost): immersion for the forgiveness of sins, for repentance.
Upon Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit IMMEDIATELY descends on him like a dove. The Spirit hovering over the waters harkens back to Genesis 1, the creation account; in a sense, a whole new world is about to be created at the start of Jesus' ministry. Parallels are seen with Noah's ark, as well.
Jesus' sonship didn't come from his baptism! He was always the Son of God. At his baptism, the Father makes his sonship known to the world.
Isaiah 42 - God is well pleased with the Son; gentiles will accept him, though many in Israel will not.
He was in the wilderness with Satan (the adversary) and wild animals, wandering like the Jews did)... but was ministered to by the Spirit and the angels. Jesus returned triumphant from the wilderness! As Christians, we are constantly tempted by Satan and by "wild animals," beastly people whose minds have been given over to depravity.
Jesus being brought through the baptismal waters and into the wilderness parallels the Exodus. He's tested, but where man has failed, he returns victorious. Through faith in him, his righteousness is imputed to us, and we too are victorious!
Mark was written in the mid-to-late 60s AD by Mark, aka John Mark, cousin of Barnabas. He became Peter's follower, interpreter and transcriber. His writing was very accurate, though not in chronological order.
He introduces John the Baptist, whose life parallels that of Elijah. John's words are full of sweetness and judgment, and his ministry points ahead to the coming Christ. When Jesus is baptized by him, it is the beginning of the tearing of the veil between heaven and earth!
Mark describes Jesus as a warrior on the move: fighting demons, overcoming evil, restoring the blind and lame, warring against the kingdom of darkness.
The best thing that can happen to you is God calling you to repentance! We are blessed to have the opportunity to repent!!! Answer the call to repentance WHILE YOU STILL CAN.
Jesus is the coming King from Psalm 2, the Son of God. He didn't just know the Father, he's the Son of the Father, and is one with the Father. The King has finally arrived; there is one way to Heaven, and it's through him!
Mark wants us to know right away that Jesus isn't just a political figure, he's the Son of God. We must repent and give our lives to following him. It's not enough to know OF Jesus... if that's all you have, in Heaven he'll tell you to depart from him, as he never knew you. You must follow him! Living for him and following him is eternal, incorruptible!
When Jesus appears to Peter, he was cleaning his nets, a long and laborious process... so it was a big deal when Jesus told him to trust him and let down the nets. The yield was supernaturally large, and Peter realizes his sinfulness in the presence of God.
The concept of "fishing for men" is also found in Jeremiah 16:16, Amos 4:2, Habakkuk 1:17, in a military context. So Jesus may be saying he's raising up an army, to rescue men from Satan's kingdom.
God takes Peter's existing talent as a fisherman and extends it for his purposes in the Kingdom! God does this throughout history, with George Whitefield as an example. He was an actor whom God redeemed, and turned into a powerful preacher in Europe and early America. Similarly, D.L. Moody's entrepreneurial skills were used mightily to further the Kingdom. As he did with Peter, God redeems our past experiences for use in his Kingdom!
Getting into the presence of God... how do we get into his presence and cling to him?
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In Revelation 1-3, we see that to encounter Jesus, know that he is with the Church! So to encounter him, be at church when the people gather! Join in fellowship, the eucharist, corporate prayer, the public reading of the Word... let it do its work in you! We need to gather where he is, and he says he's with his Church!
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The heavens declare his glory... spend time in nature! Gaze in awe at the stars! Behold his glorious works! Behold excellent and praiseworthy art and performance; we also encounter God through the work of his people!
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Read his Word and pray! Reading is taking in, listening; praying is speaking to him. Have a daily devotional life, reading God's Word and pouring your heart out to him in prayer.
Bottom line: be where God is, go where he goes, and stay where he stays!
Peter, like Isaiah, suddenly realizes he's in the presence of the almighty God, and sees the depth of his own sinfulness. Jesus "fished" Peter before calling him to fish men. In Romans 5:8 we see that God showed his love for us while we were still sinners! He stepped into our lives because he first loved us-- not because we came to him. We should be the most grateful people in the world!
As Peter discovered, the closer we get to God, the more sinful we realize we are. But we are transformed as we behold him-- and we behold him by reading his Word!
Satan uses all his power to stain us, to distract and deceive us, to fish us into his kingdom and away from God's. We must drop our nets and follow God, draw near to him and never let go! We must desperately cling to him daily, or Satan will win us over.
Pastor Josh finds parallels between Elijah and Jesus, between Elijah and the sacrificial system, and between Elisha and Elijah's roles and the roles of the Jewish and gentile Church. All the parallels in scripture point to Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice!
The spirit of Elijah is the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, all about being a bold witness, a messenger. John the Baptist was a type of Elijah. In 2 Kings as Elijah passes the mantle to Elisha, Elisha is reluctant to accept, a good sign that he takes the office of prophet seriously. Elijah and Moses weren't great prophets in and of themselves; they thrived on God's grace and providence.
Elijah was taken up to Heaven without dying, like Jesus was. Straight to the presence of the Father! This is how it will be for us if we are sealed with the Spirit of the Lord; when we die, we'll be in his presence or we'll be cast away. Or Jesus will return first, and snatch us up in the middle of whatever we're doing-- we must live our lives in such a way that we're ready to meet him at any moment!
The Spirit of Elijah is the spirit of truth, conviction. The power of God is not in the fire or the earthquake, but in the voice of God. If your faith is in Jesus, you have the exact same spirit!
God is kind to take care of us after he saves us. Temptations are hard, and we need his help. He gives to us generously.
There is one hero in all of scripture, and it's God. Not Moses, not Elijah. Ask the Father for the Holy Spirit, as he gives generously to all who ask. Since it's he who empowers us to serve, we can never boast in our own works!
Ahab would not be broken, and he was removed.
Ahazaiah wants to reach out to Baal, and he reaches out far away to Ekron, because Israel's messengers of Baal have been killed. He could have been healed like the widow of Zarephath's son if he only had the faith of the pagan widow.
Structurally, the chapter is a chiasm. The central portion is verses 7 and 8. It hinges upon the king (Ahaziah) wanting to meet with Baal, and he's instead met with Elijah, the "Baal of hair".
The soldiers' humility saved them from the fire of God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom! We need to fear God more than we fear men.
In Matthew 12:22, the Pharisees accused Jesus of being in league with Satan as he cast out demons. They likened worshipping Jesus to worshipping Baal. We must be careful not to make the mistake of the Pharisees, and read the Word not for legalistic or academic purposes, but to learn more about the character and nature of God! We must come to the Word honestly, as a blank piece of paper, and allow God to correct us.
The wicked king falls, never again to rise. Elijah, like Yahweh, rises again, never to fall! Ahaziah, when things got tough, went to false gods, just like his father Ahab. The best gift we can give our children is faith in the one true God!
Elijah is described as a "Baal of hair"... Ahaziah wants to hear from a Baal, so God sends Elijah!
The Lord needs to be our safety, our high tower!
God will NOT share us. He is jealous for us!
God is true to his word:
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He sent 153 people to change the king's mind, and it still had no effect. Ahaziah just wanted his way, but the Lord's word is final.
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At the gates of heaven, don't argue with God. His word is final! We don't get the final say! There is no way to the Father except through the Son.
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To believe in the Lord means you FOLLOW him, you keep his commandments! You adhere to his Word. It hems us in and protects us.
The substitute:
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If you don't trust the fire that will fall on the substitute, it will fall on you.
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Do we accept the lamb of God who was sacrificed for us, or do we choose the other option, the never-ending fire of hell?
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We all have free will to accept or reject Christ as our substitute. If we reject him, we have to face the fire ourselves.
If your plan is to argue with God when you face him, you're sunk. Accept his offer to meet your creator through the means he's provided!
God's presence is not just found in grandiose signs and wonders, but in his voice— his Word. Elisha is anointed not by Elijah, but by God himself. These two things are what's needed for reformation in our society: God's Word and his anointing!
Elijah was "the one who came before," like John the Baptist. God even told him to appoint a new prophet to take his place. Our own effort is only a small part of the bigger picture. Every generation is tempted to think they're THE generation... humanity has finally arrived! No. We are all forerunners to those who will come after us! Elijah's job is to anoint those who will be there when he's gone.
Our feelings are real, but not always true. Elijah isn't the only prophet left, despite how he's feeling. Just because we feel strongly about something doesn't mean we're right. One of the chief ministries of the Holy Spirit is to correct us! So stay in the Word constantly, and know that even when we're not feeling it, God is still at work.
Elijah gives Elisha his mantle, his office of prophet. Elisha is marked by holy poverty: called out of a life of abundance, and he burns it all to the ground, leaves it behind. He shows he will NOT go back to his old life. Elijah allowed Elisha to say goodbye to his family first because Elisha burned down the farm showing he'll never return. We too must be all in! Burn the boats, kill the oxen, drop the nets! Be all in!
God does indeed call us out of our old life, but he also calls us to use the things of our old life for the Kingdom. Use the gifts he's given you!
Jezebel is running the country, not Ahab. She's also running Ahab's life. This is a sign of judgment on Israel. In Exodus, we see many parallels between Elijah and Moses. Elijah's concern is that the people have forsaken the covenant, they are not coming to God. He's the only one actively opposing Jezebel.
God speaks in a whisper. He speaks to us intimately! The presence of God is in the preaching of the Word of God! If Israel is going to come to repentance, it'll be through the voice of God, his whisper, his presence.
Though Elijah covers his face with his cloak or mantle when approaching God, providing protection, he'll also talk through it, speaking through his office of prophet as he talks with God, similar to Moses haggling with God not to kill his people. Elijah meets with God on Mt. Sinai because he wants to express his grief to God about the people not following the covenant, hoping he'll do something grand to make things right. God shows Elijah the true power is in God's voice, and he commissions Elijah to go and speak his Word to the people.
Also, throughout Elijah's story, we see that whenever Elijah is at the end of his rope, God has provided for him. When we despair, God understands; he's kind to us. We have a good, good Father!
Unless God awakens someone, no amount of education will bring them to Christ! The problem isn't the eyes or mind, it's the heart.
Evangelism starts with PRAYER... Asking God to do what only he can do!
King Ahab would rather have peace with his wife than with God. Many men are in this position even now. This is a toxic marriage. Wives, if you have a good husband, he desperately wants peace. He doesn't want lingering tension or strife. You must resist the urge to lord over your husband, respect him and trust God. Husbands, don't sacrifice righteousness for "peace" at home! Be submitted to God, and love your wife as Christ has loved the Church. Both of you must be submitted to God's will, not your own.
Elijah runs for his life to Beersheba, fleeing the toxic Ahab and Jezebel. He asks God to end his life... then he sleeps, and when he wakes up, God gives him comfort food.
So much of what Elijah is doing is reminiscent of Moses in Exodus.
God shows up not in all the fury, but in a low whisper. We may want a huge move of God, but he doesn't always work that way. We want him to make his will apparent in an obvious way... we just have to listen to his whisper. Miracles will only get you so far; real faith grows by hearing the Word of God! That's God's voice.
Elijah is pretty knocked down here, after such a spiritual high in the previous passage. This makes sense: that's a time when Satan likes to attack, right after a big spiritual breakthrough.
Your faithfulness to God pronounces judgment on Satan! Satan has a plan for you... when you deny him and follow Christ, you frustrate his plans and he hates you. In spiritual warfare, the church is not the one always on the ropes... Satan is! God's Church has grown from just 120 believers in the upper room. Now, millions! Satan is losing his kingdom, and if Satan is shooting at you, it's only because you're worth shooting at.
In Psalm 23, God sets a table for us in the presence of our enemies! Gathering as a church is an assault on Satan.
Although Christ's road isn't always easy, it is the right road, the only path to the Kingdom!
The prophets of the false god Baal are entrenched in their wrong belief. The people of Israel are "limping" between worship of Baal and following the true God. But the events in this passage seem to be describing a coming restoration of Israel, as if God is opening the door for them to come back to him... unfortunately, we'll soon see this doesn't happen.
When it comes time to decide whose god is the real God, Elijah gives the prophets of Baal as many advantages as he can, so they can't complain of unfairness when Baal loses... and to show the people who the real, living God is! God demands undivided allegiance to himself alone.
Elijah mocks the prophets as they try to get "Baal" to answer them. Then they cut themselves bloody in a last ditch effort to bring forth Baal, trying to stir up enough fervency to get him to respond... But Baal doesn't exist!
Christians can fall into this trap of manufacturing fervency to get God to act, so make sure your fervency in asking him to move is on his terms! God cannot be manipulated. God is not waiting for you to pray louder!
In the Old Testament, God's reason for animal sacrifice was because the wages of sin is death. The burnt offering was a substitute. The fire from heaven that God sends ONLY strikes the sacrifice, not the people-- He is merciful!!! We deserve the fireball... But God only burns the sacrifice, the substitute: his only begotten son, Jesus.
Elijah then immediately orders the people to slaughter the 450 prophets of Baal. The same applies to us: when we are saved, we need to repent of our sin... put our sins to death, cast aside every worthless thing!
Elijah heads out to Jezreel AHEAD of Ahab... so, faster than his horses! Though this chapter started with Ahab looking for water for his horses, it ends with Elijah showing Israel's true strength is not in its military might (the strength of its horses and chariots) but in its allegiance to the one true God!
If you have peace with God, it means every ounce of your sin has been burned up by the sacrificial fire. We are filled with the Spirit of God! As his children, we've been given direct access to the one true God.
You need not fear Baal; Baal's followers should fear YOU!
NOTE: Due to streaming trouble, this B-Side was presented a week later than usual. It's meant to accompany the sermon from 9/1/2024, "Elijah Part 2". For the B-Side that goes with the 9/8/2024 sermon titled, "Elijah Part 3," Pastor Josh is hoping to stream that next Monday, 9/16. Thanks for bearing with us; technology is wonderful when it works! :-D
The widow of Zarephath is a woman of faith, a new convert. There are many parallels between Elijah and Moses; in fact, Elijah is like a new Moses.
In her difficult circumstances, the widow is impressed with how well Elijah has been provided for when he arrives, and she takes a leap of faith: she trusts in the God of Elijah. This is what we must do too!
We can deduce biblically that this widow receives Yahweh as her savior. Then her son dies. Elijah is grieved as he learns this. He prays fervently for the son and stretches himself out over him. By the end of this passage, God has restored the widow's son, and her faith increases through the trial!
Who is like Yahweh? No one!
Obadiah was a godly insider in Israel's government, Ahab's right-hand man, who quietly protected pastors from Ahab and Jezebel. God has people everywhere doing his work, protecting his people! Yes, we need outspoken leaders like Elijah, but God uses all kinds of people to do his work. Be faithful where he's placed you!
Ahab's concern for protecting his war horses over human life is similar to our country's wrong focus today. We have abandoned God in favor of what seems right in our own eyes. Apart from Christ, there is only chaos.
Our country doesn't need a better leader; it needs a turnaround in morality, a revival! It does no good to dehumanize our political opponents. Rather, we're being tested to forgive! We are to bless those who curse us; this exposes evil.
We are to spread the life-giving aroma of Christ with sincerity, and with the authority of God's commission. He's chosen us to be used as he created us, in the place and time in which he's planted us!
Ahab was even more evil than his evil father. Israel seemed to be prospering by worldly standards, but God was disgusted. Ahab chose Baal because he thought that would bring more wealth and power. True wealth and power only come when you put God first.
Though Ahab is constantly ignoring the Word of God, Elijah is consistently living his life based on the Word of God. Elijah's strength was drawn from his prayer life.
Elijah is a type of Moses, Ahab a type of Pharaoh.
God used unlikely agents of his provision to feed Elijah: the ravens and the gentile woman.
Baal can't even make it rain in his own country, but God moves in and works mighty miracles that Baal could never achieve.
In 1 Samuel 4 and 5, the ark is taken captive, a symbol that God's presence had left Israel. Here, Elijah is moving farther and farther from Israel; as God's Word moves away from a nation, God is judging it, departing from it. Even after months of drought, the people are not clinging to God's word.
Our country isn't immune to the modern equivalent of Baal worship. We must stop pretending that Satan isn't constantly seeking to devour us, our children, our grandchildren. A nation is under judgment when the Word departs from society.
God brings Elijah to a place of no food, with a brook that runs out of water, even though he was under God's grace. He was just a man like us. Tempted to question God's provision, like we are.
So God brings us to a difficult place not because he hates us, but because he loves us, and so we can rely on him. Then we can look back on our trials with gratitude!
We can build our lives upon the teachings of God's word. He is the good shepherd. He will never leave you, and he will see you through, restore you, bless you, and use you for eternal things! We are never without hope.
The wisdom and rulers of this age are doomed to pass away. Hidden wisdom in the Scriptures is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.
As we are heart, mind and soul, God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We rely on the strength given to us by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus' death and resurrection are a deposit, a guarantee of things to come: proof of our coming inheritance, the Kingdom of God! Along with the Son, we are heirs to the Father, guaranteed by the Spirit. We are designed to be in communion with God in Heaven!
The Great Commission in Matthew 28 is paralleled in the Old Testament books of Ezra and Joshua: in the Great Commission, Jesus is leading his people into battle. We must both speak and live out the commands of Jesus, constantly growing in him, as an example to others. We must be strong and courageous as we live out the Great Commission!
As Christians, our mission is to point people to Jesus! Not to grow a church, but to ask how God wants church run. He honors faithful people serving faithfully, teaching what he teaches. Jesus obeyed, and from the cross, he rose to Heaven. As we too are faithful, we will follow him. Our purpose is to share the words of life with dying people!
Pastor Josh examines the early church's views on baptism, and gleans some interesting insights from extrabiblical sources. The main thread: we should take baptism seriously, as God takes it seriously!
Don't forget to praise God when life is good, and learn to find joy amid the suffering.
What is a church? It literally means "assembly" - Christians together, not in isolation, with a biblical structure. We pray and heal and confess our sins to one another. He fills us with his spirit so we may be a light to the world, that shines back on him. We are to seek and save the lost, and bring those who wander back to the truth!
Having told us how NOT to speak, James now tells us how TO speak. We should faithfully pray, sing praise to our Father, and confess our sins to one another.
We're called not to perfection, but to be faithful, and to repent when we fail. Out of gratitude, we pull people from the fires of hell, so they can receive the same free gift of eternal life that we have received. We labor not for ourselves, but for our Father's kingdom. We wage war only by putting away carnal things and relying on God's power. So we give ourselves to prayer, and live for him!
Today, Pastor Josh examines the timeline, context and origins of our passage in James to get at the meaning of some of the more difficult parts.
Life is a vapor, so we're grateful for God's provisions while he gives them! Failure to do what God sets before us to do is sin. The sacrifices we think are pleasing to God are nothing compared to abiding in Jesus Christ! God will defend his people against the wicked.
The resurrection was a sign of vindication of the Church, and the destruction of Jerusalem was a sign of the vindication of Jesus and the Church, to the nonbeliever. Trust in Jesus, not the earthly treasure of the temple, which was burned to the ground!
"The righteous person", Jesus, is still working in Jerusalem to save the unbelievers!
Submit to Jesus, and not only will Satan flee, but God will draw near to you. Forgo self-promotion and let God exalt you in your humility. Rather than judging others as if we're God, even dehumanizing our enemies, we should pray for their salvation!
As Christians, we must be "all in"-- both feet in the Kingdom of God, not one foot in the world. God is jealous for us! He also commands us to be joyful. As we satisfy ourselves only in him, our joy increases. We must die to ourselves daily!
Hedonism, the focus on making yourself happy, is never the path to peace; it leads to disorder and every vile practice. When we give our lives to him, we don't lose our life, but gain it. The closer we get to Christ, the more our joy is made full.
In "Christian hedonism," God is most glorified when we're most satisfied in him! Pursuing worldly pleasures leads to dissatisfaction; in heaven, it just keeps getting better! We'll eternally grow in satisfaction.
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
The most misunderstood of the 7 sayings of Jesus on the cross. He lived perfectly, loving the Father with all his heart, soul and mind! Yet even he suffered the feeling of spiritual separation on the cross.
Because of this, he knows the pain we feel when we are in a spiritually dry season, separated from the Father.
Do you really believe that God's sovereignty is enough, that he's truly on the throne? Those who trust in the Lord can be assured of their Father's delight in them! Everything Jesus did on the cross was because of his great love for every last one of his people. How can we withhold anything from him?
Jesus suffered just like us; he understands and has compassion for us. Everything was taken from him on the cross, but his enemies knew the truth, labeling him King of the Jews. The two thieves parallel Jerusalem and Rome: only one accepted Jesus as King.
Paul talks about how to walk in a worthy, spirit-filled manner. We are all one Body, so rather than fight, we work hard at peace and unity with one another. We're all baptized in the same water, into the same family with the same Father!
Let all the things of this world go, and follow God! Unburden yourself and he will give you rest. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Meditate on his Word, be open to his Spirit. Be patient for his answer, and secure in his provision.
As we abide in Christ, we must control our speech... this is only possible through the Holy Spirit! Pastor Josh emphasizes the importance of guarding what we see and hear, speaking with holiness and love, and glorifying God through blessing others!
The diligence of a godly woman not only honors God, but elevates her husband! And the husband and children are to be just as diligent in serving her and each other, to the same end. A family thrives when selfishness is put to death!
A godly woman is the crown of her husband; as such, everything we do should make the Lord look good! She is not lazy, always working for the good of her family. She is a female David, a warrior woman after God's own heart! She and her husband never speak poorly of each other, invested in each other's honor-- just as the members of the trinity defer honor to one another.
The qualities described in Proverbs 31 also apply to the Church, as the bride of the King! Our husband, the Lord, takes great pride in his bride.
An excellent wife, like an excellent husband, is a valiant warrior: fighting and working for the family. In a healthy family, everyone is deferring honor to the others. In the body of Christ, we all work hard for the glory of our husband, the Lord God!
James points out the uselessness of Judaism apart from Christ, that even demons follow this level of theology, and tremble. As Christians, God will always be our father, but our faith can mature to such a degree that we can be friends with him! Pastor Josh also asks the question: should lying be avoided at all costs?
Pastor Josh explores links between James and Matthew, and shows we are to live as Christ has prescribed, and not as the Pharisees, who showed evil partiality. Be merciful, as mercy triumphs over judgment. Accepting the authority of Jesus brings freedom!
Also an important note that we must not interpret the Bible in a wooden way, but seek to understand it in proper context, as in the case of humor and hyperbole, and understand the intent behind the words.
As Christians, we must love everyone equally and avoid the sin of partiality. Don't reciprocate when persecuted; instead, let our good deeds glorify God. Embrace the moral framework he designed, which brings liberty! Mercy must triumph over judgment.
We are to restrain our human anger as Jesus did. We must receive the Word into our lives with similar meekness ("power restrained"). Our obedience, not emotions, proves faith! Be on guard against sin, and care for those God has placed in our lives.
James urges living the Word, not just hearing it. We become more Christ-like by helping those in need the way God has helped us. Our trials refine us - we press on, striving for the faith, and growing ever more into the image of Christ!
Today's culture values the glorification of self. God calls us to live for his glory! We are as precious stones to him, none more or less worthy of glory than the others, and it is only by his mercy and grace that we are invited to join him in his heavenly Kingdom.
Pastor Josh explores the context and authorship of James, and shares that when we're going through trials, God's love for us hasn't changed! Trials are meant to refine us, that our steadfastness would bring wisdom, making us more into the image of his Son.
When facing trials, consider it joy; they make you more like Christ! Ask God for wisdom to handle them, remain steadfast, and trust and expect him to bring you through. God refines us in his image, and calls us his own!
Pastor Josh digs deeper into the events around Jesus' burial and resurrection, showing the connection between his joyful resurrection and our weekly gathering on Sunday. We also see how God uses the lowly and humble to do his work, that no one may boast!
God says as believers, we are blessed, and he will take care of us! The grave could not keep Jesus because he was God. His rising validated his words, his actions, his life. Everything he said was absolute truth. On Sundays, we gather because he is risen!
Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, foreshadowing his return in Revelation on a horse. He weeps over the city's impending doom. Flipping temple tables, he's telling the evil shepherds his Word needs to go out to outcasts and sinners, not just the pious.
The crowd shouts his praises, but Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. In righteous anger, he cleanses the temple. Every place he visited that rejected his Word is doomed. But he came to save the world, not condemn it! In him, we have freedom from the Law. As the potter molds the clay, let him mold you!
Pastor Josh discusses the building of the Tower of Babel, the mixing of godly and ungodly cultures, and God's judgment of humanity's self-glorifying pursuits. He shows how this passage is arranged as a chiasm, with a focus on the judgment of God.
How do I know if I'm in the will of God? Trust him. Lean not on my understanding! His Spirit moves when I read the Word and take it with me, and he'll direct my path. If I'm obedient to his revealed will (Scripture), he'll guide me in his concealed will!
As Christians, we must trust the Bible is trustworthy and true! It says the end times will come quickly. Pastor Josh explores different interpretations of what's to come in the last days, with a common thread: we should always be prepared for his return!
*During this B-Side, there was a power outage and we lost the ending, so Pastor Josh re-recorded it and it's edited into place in this video.
The book of Revelation was written to reveal Jesus Christ to the church, to reveal God's heart. To be in fellowship with him is to follow him! Like the entire Bible, Revelation is a love story. Will we remain faithful to our husband while he is away?
Pastor Josh explores Biblical and historical texts in his discussion of the Second Temple Period of Jewish history (about 560 BC - 70 AD).
Mike explores the relationship of the Word to the Trinity, discusses Bible translation, and focuses on the 2nd Temple Period of Jewish history.
Pastor Josh explores the New Jerusalem, the water that flows through it, and the tree of life. Satan's followers must wear the mark of the beast. If we resist the beast, we will receive the mark of God and inherit his heavenly kingdom!
John describes Heaven, but the true beauty of this city will be the light of the Lamb and the face of the Father. We will eternally worship him and serve him in pure joy, forever dwelling in his house, every square inch of which he designed to bless us!
Pastor Josh discusses the new Heaven and the new earth, explaining differing interpretations of the New Jerusalem. If we take it as a description of Heaven, then the Church's foundation is the teaching of the apostles, so that is what we study. This New Jerusalem has no temple because it is the temple!
The New Jerusalem will be unimaginably large, and will contain an innumerable multitude, saved only by God's grace! If we put our faith in the Lamb, we too are written in the Lamb's book of life.
The book of Revelation is a tale of two women: the bride of Christ and the whore of Babylon. Do you want to give yourself to Jesus and be conquered by his love, or give yourself to lust, riches, power, self glory and be devoured by the beast? Choose today whom you will serve!
A big point of Exodus is the superiority of Yahweh over the gods of Egypt. And sometimes the things our God calls us to do are quite difficult... but his grace is sufficient in our weakness!
If we're to live in God's city, we should live our lives on earth longing for eternal life, and resist Satan. When we belong to the Father, we receive his inheritance: his house, his blessing, his shelter. This is in stark contrast with the reality for those who reject him.
Pastor Josh examines the structure and context of Revelation 20:7-15, giving us a deeper look behind this week's sermon. He covers the end times, the judgment, and the future of death and Hades.
On Judgment Day, there will be three books. Everything you've ever done will be read from two of them: the book of your sins, and the book of your good works. The third book? The Book of Life! If your name is in this book, Jesus will say, "This one belongs to me!" Then you will be forgiven of everything in the book of sin, and everything in the book of good deeds will yield a reward from God!
How can we be justified before God if he is just and righteous? Enter the unsearchable riches of Christ!
We don't know WHY God is asking us for something... but we don't need to know. All we're called to do is have faith and obey. Trust that his desires for your life are perfect! And watch as he blesses you.
If God's Spirit comes into your life, he will equip you and qualify you to do great things!
Love, in deed and in truth, is the greatest evidence of the Spirit of God. Paul is refreshed by Philemon's love for the Church; we are to refresh one another and be refreshed. To grow in love, we keep our eyes on the cross and remember the grace and mercy God has shown us!
Philemon encourages us to live out the Gospel! Knowing the will of God and walking in the will of God are two separate things. Doctrine isn't learned until it's lived!
As we're filled with the Holy Spirit and our hearts are knit with Christ's, let us mourn for those who are caught up in the lies of modern culture, and feel the same jealousy God had for us, to see them enter the Kingdom of God.
Satan tempts us to move away from the grace of God and back into the slavery of our own works. God's actual restrictions must be followed! But anything in addition to that is man's legalism.
The knowledge of God gives us freedom to live a good life in Christ. The spirit of God in us can overcome anything. We must press on with a righteous stubbornness!
God, through the Holy Spirit, gives us the power to effectively serve him, and lights us like human torches to go out and pass that light to the rest of the world!
Why did Jesus come into the world? He was born to die... so that many may live. If our faith is in him, when we die, we will rise as he did, into an eternity of peace with God!
An alternate title for the magnificat could be "Mary's Song of Thanksgiving". In middle-eastern culture, Mary would have shared in the honor given to Jesus, as his mother. Yet she displays humility and love toward her family, as she stays with Elizabeth to help her and Zechariah. Pastor Josh finishes with a reminder to study scripture, that it may pervade our being and bring fruit!
As he lived inside of his mother Mary before his birth, Christ now, through faith, lives inside of us. And like Mary, we should be blown away by this fact!
Antichrist is opposed to the Great Commission, and as such, he's against filling the world with people. In the millennial kingdom, God's people will be fruitful and multiply!
As hard as life can be, God is using it to prepare us for leadership in the life to come, to transform us into the image of Christ. Our current suffering is nothing compared to the glory that's coming!
Eschatology is the study of the end times. Pastor Josh explores the history of Biblical eschatology, and explains the merits and potential flaws of the major eschatological views, with a focus on the one he holds to.
Our problem isn't that we're not strong enough to break our own chains, it's that we're not weak enough to realize we need to let God break them! Until Satan is defeated permanently, God is with us to fight the battle. He is the source of our power.
This sermon follows the Gospel message through the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments. The highlight: Jesus is the one true way, truth and life!
When Jesus returns, he alone secures the win against Satan, but his gift to us is to share in the victory. He's a giver, always building up his people. As we grow in him, we become more like him: we become more giving, we build him up and give him glory!
Be ready, and know that Jesus is coming soon! We must prepare ourselves. When he returns, he wants to see us with our hands to the plow, doing his work! Get busy for the Lord, and stay in tune with the Spirit.
When the Lord returns, he's not going to "live and let live"; he's going to return as Truth. He won't remain neutral on moral issues, atheism, other religions, etc. Though we should live peaceably, we must stand on the authority of the Word of God, and not remain indifferent to the things that are destroying the world.
Jesus is called faithful, true, King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the "logos"-- he is the Word itself, present at creation and always in agreement with the Father! Through him alone do we achieve peace with the Father.
The book Pastor Josh references today: "The Good Shepherd" by Kenneth E. Bailey
When we've walked with the Lord long enough, we know the way home. We may not always go the right way, but he cares deeply for us and leads us back. We still need fresh manna daily! Our walk with Christ is one of continual movement with him, always growing the fruit of the spirit.
The attributes of God keep us from danger. In every aspect of our lives, every day, God is leading us down the path that leads to Heaven. He loves us so much, he works tirelessly to bring us into his presence!
Abundant joy, eternal rest, abundant forgiveness! The meal provided for us in Psalm 23 is taken in the presence of our enemies. And God decides who is at the table.
We are defined by our God. We are invited to his table because of his goodness and mercy, not ours! We aren't perfect, but we belong to the one who is. At his table, we are at peace with him!
Jesus is our shepherd, and he's bringing us to his house; we need to learn to trust him! He will take care of us and protect us. He's the light that penetrates the darkness. If we're with the light of the world, we're never dwelling in darkness!
We walk through the valley, but he'll never make us lie down there... He makes us lie down in green pastures! The trial is just for a season, and we must keep walking!
God not only provides for our physical needs, but for our spiritual needs, too. If you wander, call out to him! He restores us and strengthens our souls. He leads us back to his path. Let him direct you, and follow him.
Our shepherd is confident in leading us to Heaven. He leads us in the "wagon tracks" of righteousness, as he's walked many times before. He restores us because he loves us, and for his own namesake. We're never happier than when we're worshipping him!
Our Good Shepherd makes us to lie down in green pastures and leads us by still waters! If we're to know and follow his voice, we must be in his Word daily, and assemble together as his Body as he has prescribed. He leads us to sit at his table!
God sometimes calls us to rest. As our Good Shepherd, he leads us not by pushing us around or beating us with sticks, but by lovingly calling us with a tender voice. When we're called to rest, if our faith is in him, he will provide. We can rest in his provisions!
At the center of Psalm 23 is "no fear"! God is faithful to provide for our needs. Being content with what he has provided is a rare jewel. Are we dissatisfied with his providence? "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." We have a precious inheritance!
Our shepherd created the heavens and the earth; if we come under his authority, he will provide for our needs! We must ask ourselves: is the Lord really my shepherd? Am I separated unto him, am I obedient to him, and do I love like he loves?
Am I touching the Savior, or am I just doing my own thing? It's no use trying to do God's work with our own hands. We must touch him to be healed. We need him!
Whatever your struggle, the path to praise is to get in the presence of God. Call upon his name, and demons will flee. As in Jericho, when we worship, walls come down! Jesus is the good that pierces through all grief. He turns mourning into dancing!!!
We need to sabbath, to slow down, and let God give life to the body! We gather to be made whole by God's spirit. He doesn't need us to help him save or restore us; he is the living water, and his work is finished!
Wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere! What seems big to us is tiny to God; if we lack wisdom, we should ask him and he will give generously!
When we're in desperation, God is doing something with us. We may be greatly tried, but anything we could flee to would be lesser than him. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial!
Pastor Josh explores the reasons and meanings behind baptism, as well as the truths we can glean from Scripture about how it should be practiced. In addition, he takes an example from Paul's writing to show how God uses regular, imperfect people to accomplish his work!
Christians are to be baptized because Jesus has commanded us to. Though baptism isn't a requirement for salvation, we should examine our own motives if we are declining to obey this command. It's an indication of submission to God, something every Christian is called by God to do. Pastor Josh talks about the many benefits it conveys upon the believer, as well as the rest of the Church body!
Revelation is filled with worship, and it's prescribed not only for the future, but for now. He's pleased by loud, thunderous worship... so we sing with all our hearts! Pastor Josh explores the structure of the godhead regarding worship, and talks about why the marriage between God and the Church is celebrated with a meal.
We should rejoice in God, and give him all glory! He gives us a seat at his table, not because of our righteousness, but his. So we clothe ourselves in Biblical living, and live in the joy of the Lord! Living in communion with God is our top priority.
As Christians, we must focus on eternal things, not things that will eventually be burned up. When Babylon burned, the world was lost. Sin, especially sexual sin, corrupts the land, as shown throughout Scripture. We must fall on our faces and declare that we are slaves of Christ-- not slaves of the world!
Heaven is a place of giving honor: Father, Son and Holy Spirit give honor to one another, and God gives honor to his Church. He is so worthy of our worship, what else can we give our lives to? For the advancement of the Kingdom of God, we should be more like our Lord: don't tear down others, but build them up!
Churches are tempted to step the church of its beauty, modesty, and holiness, in favor of the trappings of Babylon. Are we called to fill the church, or to be faithful? All of God's plans for us flow from his nature: he is good! He'll never withhold any good thing from us.
The spirit of Babylon is to be consumed with self-glory, and deluded about one's future apart from God. However, Christ's people are called out of Babylon, and called to live as Christ!
If we adopt the ungodly philosophies of Babylon, we become a home for every unclean thing. God calls us to flee Babylon! He's provided a new home for us in Heaven, which no one can deserve without the work of his son, Jesus. He deepens our character, so he can use us to fish for men... so Heaven can be filled!
When required by authorities to do something that would be against God's command, we must go with God!
Enemies may plan our ruin, but they'll never beat out God's sovereignty. The wicked are not permitted to live in the house of God.
The body of Christ is associated with merrymaking! If you're a member of the body, you are blessed to be saved by grace, so have peace and joy! Get our eyes off our present condition, and on how much the Lord loves his people! Celebrate in his righteousness as if the victory has already happened.
Our security is rooted in the promises of God, and not in the things he created. Sometimes God brings us into the wilderness to mature us, to prepare us for bigger things. And when awaiting deliverance, it's good to wait in the presence of his people! We are meant to strengthen each other.
Real faith isn't produced by the spectacular or miraculous, but by the still, small voice of the one true God... and the main way to hear it is by reading his Word-- every day. God is the one who produces faith in us and sustains us in it.
Our society is filled with lovers of self, but we are to live for God's glory, not our own. He used his power to suffer for our sake. We are to share his glory with one another!
Revelation 17 is built upon Daniel 7. There are many valid, historical approaches to interpreting this part of scripture, and we need not doggedly defend any of them to the death; we simply don't know exactly what it means. "Babylon" may refer to Babylon itself, it could be Rome, or one of the more prosperous cities of our present day. It will be billed as a Utopia, but will be a godless city.
Daniel 7 shows that in the end times, Satan and the Antichrist will seek to devour Israel and force her into the wilderness. Here in Revelation 17, we see Babylon in the same situation. Did Israel become the whore of Babylon? Likely not, as the whore of Babylon is wealthy and living a lavish life, and Israel is living on the run, poor, but faithful. The whore of Babylon will be destroyed. The woman representing Israel will be brought back into Jerusalem and cared for by God almighty!
What is our treasure? The things the Lord gives us, or the God himself? If our treasure is anything but Jesus, we must course correct! Those who endure faithfully to the end will ultimately rest in comfort.
There are two kinds of people: the bride of Christ, and the bride of the beast. A bride of the beast is not a true bride, but a prostitute, subject to the whims and abuse of the beast. Being a bride of Christ is a real marriage: He loves us, we take his name. We're in a contract with him!
Babylon represents the kingdom of darkness, even though it doesn't glorify Satan overtly. The city adorns and glorifies itself to the highest degree, but is represented in scripture as a drunken, bloody prostitute.
We can dress up a sinful heart as much as we like, but it's our character that defines us. On the inside, we're still filthy. Sin is so attractive! But it still leads to death. We must never let down our guard, and always put on the full armor of God!
If you have a seat at the Lord's table, don't be a fool and throw away that treasure in favor of the trinkets of Satan. Choose the city of God over the city of Babylon!
In this parable, the "country that hates the master" is Israel hating Jesus, as he accepts and loves those that Israel rejected.
Those listening to the parable objected when the master took the single mina from the wicked servant and gave it to the one who already had received 10 cities. The master wasn't simply "making the rich richer"; he was entrusting his resources to one who would invest them wisely and diligently.
This parable was given as a warning to those who would (and did) reject Jesus, eventually crucifying him. Similarly, it's a warning to unbelievers now: if you continue to reject him, what little you have will also be taken from you. Believers in Christ will inherit the wealth he provides for eternity!
This parable of Jesus asks a question that's still relevant today: are we faithful to the Master in a country that hates him? Are we willing to be bold for him in enemy territory? Jesus' concern in this parable was how his disciples would conduct themselves in his absence.
Pastor Josh encourages us to remain faithful to God. Any good thing in us was entrusted to us by God himself, whether it be our best qualities, our health, our money… it all belongs to him. We must be faithful and use his gifts to glorify him!
Pastor Josh examines this week's text, including whether the "great city" mentioned is Babylon or Jerusalem.
The wrath of God is for those who suppress the truth of God, and this is happening more and more now. The more people give in to unrighteousness, the harder it becomes for them to see the truth of God... and God will eventually harden their hearts. As God's people, we need to pray for our country!
Two kinds of people...
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Those who are not taking Christ seriously… playing with sin, not battling against their flesh or contending for the faith. When stepping into eternity, they will be filled with anguish over every vice, every trivial thing they chose over the Lord.
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Those who are really going for it in Christ. Growing in the knowledge of him, becoming more aware of their shortcomings. They know they're saved by the blood of Christ and nothing else, and that without it, they're doomed.
Outside our trust in Jesus, only wrath awaits. But in him, we know we are saved, and sustained, and received in heaven, by grace!
Pastor Josh uses scripture to explain scripture as he delves into the meanings behind the imagery used in today's passage... the kings from the east, the frog-like unclean spirits and more are all illuminated.
If God and Satan can both produce wondrous signs, can we trust in signs alone? We must use the Word of God to divide false teaching from the truth, and false prophets from trusted teachers of God's Word!
We must live ready, prepared to meet the Lord at all times-- be dressed and ready for action, so his arrival is a cause of great joy, not great sorrow and shame. Get yourself right with the Lord now! And encourage one another toward his return.
Pastor Josh examines the structure and context of the events in today's passage, and possible meanings of the plagues brought by the bowls. One truth gleaned: if you're not willing to accept the grace offered by God in sacrificing his son for your salvation, you will be judged "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". His grace is deep and wide, sufficient to cover all our sins... and available to everyone!
In the last days, even unbelievers will know that God is God, yet they will curse him. Without the Holy Spirit, the human heart will never submit to God.
Will you glorify God even when everything seems to fall apart? It's a continual, daily decision that's impossible without the Holy Spirit. We must abide in Him, and we will endure in Him through eternity!
Jesus says we should never use an oath to manipulate or convince someone of your integrity; it's better to simply be honest, and let your "yes" mean "yes" and your "no" mean "no". Be clear, honest and gentle in your communication and your behavior. Be responsible. Be a peacemaker, be righteous. Be transparently upright! Plan for the future... but also trust and have faith in the Lord.
What's the most important thing in our spiritual walk, the top of our spiritual bucket list? Christlikeness! Our top priority is to be conformed to His image.
Love is at the heart of the Law, and violating it reveals our lovelessness, our love of self over all things. The only cure for this is to put our faith in the only one who kept the Law completely!
We must forfeit our facade of righteousness and come to the savior, or God's justice demands we will suffer His wrath. When we turn to Him and pray, we approach with confidence and faith that He will hear our prayer and He loves to answer. As a child of God, we have direct access to the Almighty!
"For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." How do we know we've found it? Because of the full counsel of God; he reveals himself in his Word. Let scripture define and defend itself! Avoid deceptive teachers, wolves in sheep's clothing... are they walking the walk?
We must build our house not on our own opinions, feelings or philosophies, but on foundation of Jesus and the rock of the Word!
Marriage is a picture of the relationship between God and the church, and He intends it as a lifelong ministry tool. So God hates Divorce. That said, He does allow it under certain circumstances.
In this teaching, Pastor Josh answers questions about divorce, and gives practical examples. He explores the range of opinions on when divorce is biblically appropriate, and when it's better to stay and put in the work, and discusses the question of remarriage after divorce.
God's path is narrow, but we must walk it, especially in our private lives. For all of us who put our trust in Jesus: we are the Body of Christ. We're not perfect, but we are grafted into the perfect tree. So our belonging in Heaven doesn't depend on what we've done, but what He has done. We must run with endurance, but rest in His grace!
All mankind must bow down and worship God. If we choose not to, in the end times He's coming to "judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity." Who will not fear and glorify God?
God deserves worship because of his works, his attributes, and his title. And as Christians, we must worship Him the way He desires to be worshipped!
As Christians, we have a duty to resist the mob mentality of the culture, and not participate in the "norm" when it's against God's way. To survive as a Christian in today's culture, we must be constantly in God's Word!
Jesus is concerned with outward sin, but He's equally concerned with the inward sins of our heart that motivate it. Adultery begins with lust in the heart. Do whatever it takes to get rid of it. We must hold every thought captive, and focus our thoughts on what is worthy of praise!
Sin destroys. But God has gifted us his Word, the truth! The same power that raised Christ from the grave lives in you. God can fix your sin! We don't have to wait until Heaven-- we can have peace with Him now!
We tend to try to hide our sin, even from God. But just as Jesus was fully aware of Thomas's skepticism, He is aware of our shortcomings as well. There is forgiveness for all who ask for it and believe, even for Peter after denying Him three times, and loving himself more than he loved Jesus.
The main qualification of serving and following Jesus is love, not intellect. With the love of Christ, a pastor is to feed God's people the Word, that they may grow and mature in Him. Though a lot of this work is spent alone, in Bible study and sermon preparation, it's also vital to spend time among the people, knowing them and being available to them. This example is meant for the rest of us, too!
To have peace with God, we must only believe. But faith outside of the Jesus of the Bible does not lead to life; our faith only saves if we believe what is written. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” And once you do believe, your amazing, new, eternal life begins, and continues forever!
Unchecked anger creates a murderous heart, like Cain's.
The root of sinful anger is hatred in our hearts, and the only cure for this hatred is the peace of God. In dying for us, Jesus is the perfect example of making peace. Whenever possible, we too must do whatever is needed to make peace with someone! We must be willing to humble ourselves for the sake of the Gospel. If peace is impossible, we must pray for them consistently, and God will heal our hearts of sinful anger.
Pastor Josh explores links between today's passage and other passages in Revelation and the Old Testament, showing really cool parallels between the garden tomb of Jesus and the Holy of Holies.
When He reappears to the apostles, Jesus connects His breath to the Holy Spirit: like the Father's act of creation in Genesis, on Pentecost the Church is being born as a new creation from the Son's own breath.
If you want peace with God, all you have to do is believe in the One who provides it!
Jesus doesn't say "future peace" or "possible peace"... It's peace now, AND forever! His finished work is that powerful. Even now, you have already been justified and accepted into Heaven!
The Pharisees were willing to justify thoughts of murdering of Lazarus and Jesus to further the cause they believed was righteous. Let us not fall into the trap of letting the end justify the means.
Jesus came to Jerusalem in peace, not as a warrior to enact vengeance against Rome.
The crowd waved palm leaves as He arrived... "Tamar" is Hebrew for palm tree; Tamar began the line of Judah. So the people are actually waving a symbol for the lineage of the king, Jesus' own lineage.
We must guard against picking and choosing what we like and don't like about Jesus, and about the Word. We must be either all in or all out... we need to accept Him on His terms!
On Palm Sunday, Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem was so well attended because many were welcoming a coming king... but in a political sense. They thought He'd be a military leader who'd fix their earthly problems.
This tendency still plagues us today. We have a choice: demand that God do for us what we think He should do, or let Him do it His way.
Is it better to have the king we want, or the King we need?
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We should remember that both Mary and Martha have been touched by God... Martha gets a bad rap for working instead of worshipping, but she worked without complaining or expecting Mary to help.
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Judas's thievery, disguised as philanthropy, is a picture of how communism works out in government and society.
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Society should help to alleviate poverty, but Biblically, Jesus never wants the Church to give funds to the government to accomplish these things. When the Church itself does the work, God gets the glory, and people get saved not just from poverty, but from hell.
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Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb, and soon after, was entombed Himself. Both were raised from the dead. The difference? Apart from Christ, Lazarus' body was rotting by day 4, but Jesus' body did not decay, and He rose from the dead on the third day. Like Lazarus, we will rot without Jesus, but through faith in Him, we too will resurrect, and be as a sweet-smelling aroma to God!
In today's passage, we see that the "least" parts of Jesus are more worthy than the best parts of ourselves!
In this part of Revelation, God uses symbols He established throughout Scripture to communicate the necessity of Jesus' atoning death on the cross for our sins.
If we reject all that Jesus offered to us, his body (bread) his blood (wine), his payment for our sin by taking the wrath of the Father upon Himself, then we'll have to pay for those things ourselves... our own body will be crushed, our own blood spilled, and we must face the wrath of God.
His death on the cross spares us this terrible fate!
We know that God is love... but He's much more than that. In fact, one attribute of God that is mentioned to the third degree is His holiness! He is separate, holy, our Lord and our King... much greater than a friend!
God is big, and that's a good thing... we need a big God.
The entire Old Testament points to Jesus! He is the living Word and the fulfillment of the Law. Thanks only to His righteousness, we are able to receive what even the Pharisees could not. Since He followed the Law perfectly, as we follow Him we are made worthy of Heaven. It's simple: all we must do is follow Him!
Pastor Josh begins by clarifying: there is no such thing as a modern-day apostle. Apostles were those chosen by Jesus during His earthly ministry to teach with His authority... the apostles' recorded words are literally scripture. The canon of scripture is now closed, and anyone alive today calling themselves an apostle is either misusing the term, deceived, or intentionally deceiving.
If we die in the Lord, the blessing described in verse 13 applies to us today. Those who follow the Antichrist will partake in a system that is intensely fallen, but those who follow the Lamb will be intensely blessed!
Our faithfulness and our endurance are truly defined in times when they're difficult to achieve, times of persecution. Choosing to do right and not to partake in evil or impure activities is difficult when our society is pushing in the opposite direction. To this end, God has sent His Holy Spirit, to teach us and lead us in the right way.
Therefore we should read scripture daily with one primary purpose: to know God better!
Now that Jesus has fulfilled the Law of the Old Testament, are we no longer bound by it? After all, we're in! Jesus has saved us for all eternity through His atoning death and resurrection.
Pastor Josh describes our relationship to the Law as Christians, and gives practical wisdom in walking the walk, running the race, fighting the good fight, living out the Christian life. We must walk by the Spirit, and He will provide the endurance. What awaits is eternal peace and rest in God's presence!
The more our country falls into sexual perversion, the more society will turn against the Church and force it to abandon Biblical truth. But there is no scenario in which Christ doesn't end up ruling this nation and this world: in the end, every square inch of the world will belong to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.
Our job is to urgently spread the Gospel, and gather as many of the lost as we can for the Kingdom!
We must choose whom we will serve: Satan, or the Lord. A true child of God endures; we must press on through all storms. Despite physical sickness, mental illness, worry over a prodigal child, or any difficulty life may bring, we must persevere!
If we seek God first, He will provide for our needs. As we persevere, God preserves.
Chasing sinful desires, we end up with nothing. Persevering in Christ, we have everything!
As Christians, we need to endure, to fight, to run the race as hard as we can until we draw our last breath. Yet, Jesus Christ is the one who gifts us this endurance, and who protects and sustains us!
Because of this, our faith is enriched. We don't need to be so fixated on our performance; it's not about what we bring to the table... it's about what He does through us.
Jesus is the author and perfecter, the hero of our faith!
Jesus spoke more of hell than of Heaven. He didn't die to keep us from something minor! He saved us from hell. If you're not right with the Lord, believe in Him and be saved! If you're right with the Lord, be aware of the reality of hell for others. Tell them about the Gospel!
We are blessed to be persecuted on Jesus's account, as our reward is great in Heaven.
Salt indicates a covenant relationship with God. It's also a preserving agent; through us, God prevents the world from spoiling!
We are to be light, but if your own house is not lit, it doesn't contribute to the light illuminating the city... our first mission field is our home!
We are one with Jesus, who is the temple of God made flesh... and so through Him we are one with the Father. We are to shine as He shines! We are the lights to be sent into the darkness.
We are the salt and the light of the world, a city on a hill, not to be hidden! Through reading and applying God's Word in our lives, the light of His character will shine through us, and good works will flow forth... and as we are His lamps, He will keep us filled with oil.
As His people, our salt and light are magnified when we are working together, pointing others not to ourselves, but to Him. When our light shines bright, all we need to do is cast the net, and He will catch the fish.
Salt is a preserving agent, keeping the church, the culture, the home, from turning rancid.
But the salty must remain salty! Responding to an altar call is only good if faith endures, a true conversion. Otherwise, we'll be trampled underfoot like the Israelites who didn't follow Jesus in 70 AD... the same sin they succumbed to is alive and well today.
In the Old Testament, God commanded salt be added to sacrifices, as if the sacrifice were a meal... a sign of a covenantal relationship with God. We are to live as salted sacrifices for the Lord! If our lives are required of us, we must be "salted" and ready to offer ourselves up to Him.
It is in God's Word that He shows us who He is, and through His Word, salvation comes.
Jesus' angel in this passage may be the Holy Spirit. Throughout the Bible, the Father gives to the Son, who gives to the Spirit, who gives to church leaders, who give to the church.
The Good News comes with a price: you must be willing to lose everything to advance the Gospel. The more our culture turns from God, the higher this cost will be. But we must resolve to enter through that narrow gate!
The Good News is a hard message to take: we are not good enough to save ourselves. We should fear, there will be judgment, we must worship someone outside ourselves.
But if we accept it and believe in Him, we will not perish, but have everlasting life... our bad news turns to eternal Good News. As we don't know when Jesus will return, spreading this news is of the utmost urgency!
Worshipful singing and warfare are connected Biblically; we should worship in song as we fight our daily battles! The 144,000 in this passage do this, and also remain blameless and chaste. If they fail, they must purify themselves before entering the war camp, as when entering the tabernacle. So to remain ready for battle, ready to serve the Lord, they instead choose to keep themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes... a great example for Christians in every age!
Psalm 130 is a Psalm of Ascents, rising from despair to redemption with God. We don't trust in our own works, but in Him because of the finished work of Jesus. He's quick to forgive, as we should be with others! He can pull us out of sin and raise us up. The least of our sins, if unforgiven, would condemn us for eternity... but if we come to Him for mercy, His redemption is plentiful!
To those God has saved, He gives the Holy Spirit, who gives us everything we need to serve and glorify God. Whatever gifts, skills and characteristics God has put in you, use them to make a joyful noise, and to serve and glorify Him! Do good and honest work, to the glory of God. If we do this, we'll be living in a way that fishes for men, for souls! This is an essential way that God draws people to Himself.
As Christians, we have many opportunities to be a peacemaker. Peacemaking is communal, as that is the nature of life in Christ. It requires sacrifice: controlling our reactions, and enduring persecution.
But for embodying this and the other eight Beatitudes, the reward in Heaven is great! We should rejoice and be glad in this persecution.
Those who fear the Lord, who turn to him, waiting expectantly, will receive Him. He is in the business of forgiving sinners... But it is the sinner's responsibility to come to God! Then nothing is strong enough to pry us from his hands. God's steadfast love is available for ALL of us. His redemption is plentiful because it was purchased by the blood of another, not our own works. We're saved only by believing and running to Him. So hope in His steadfast love!
Pastor Josh explores the implications and meanings behind the mark of the beast and the number of the beast. The Antichrist will have a lot in common with both Solomon and Nero. Though the coming of the final Antichrist may be far off, many today have begun forming an allegiance with the Antichrist spirit. We must choose: salvation (carrying the mark of Christ) or eternal torture (the mark of the beast). This determines where we spend eternity!
We must "test the spirits" in every area before diving in too deep. This includes political candidates, social movements, even the entertainment we choose. The Pharisees and Sadducees pushed ahead based on their gut feelings... they didn't test the spirits. Here's the test: is this activity or interest bringing glory to the Son?
If there's anything in your life that you shouldn't be doing, run away from it now-- it may seem harmless like a lamb, but it's really a murderous dragon in disguise. Satan glorifies himself, and delights in our downfall.
God's Kingdom is at war with the kingdom of darkness, but fights with the unconventional weapons of love, peace, Good News, righteousness and truth. We must endure suffering and remain faithful and consistent in our walk with God, because it produces victory in Christ. Our faith grows stronger under stress! God allows trials to mature us in our faith. If we really take in God's Word, it will transform us as we mature in Him. Biblical conversion is a lifetime of dedication to the Lord!
Today we visit the next few Beatitudes in Matthew 5...
Meekness is gentleness, but with strength!
Righteousness... We hunger and thirst for righteousness, and are satisfied in these ways: on earth as we fellowship together... in Heaven, where sin will be gone... and the hunger and thirst themselves will transform us through the struggle.
Mercy... The merciful will receive mercy! We must extend mercy if we expect it for ourselves... and we do extend it because of how much we already know it's been given to us.
Purity, honesty, innocence... The pure in heart shall see God. Transparency, no hidden motives!
Satan creates a crisis in our lives, and provides false pleasure as an escape. This false pleasure pacifies and numbs us, making us ineffective for God's Kingdom. But if we build our house on the rock of Christ, God sustains us, bringing true pleasure and peace. Abide in Christ, dwell in His house, and He brings us true joy!
Pastor Josh shares a wealth of helpful websites and books he recommends for Bible study and spiritual edification, and gives us a brief year-end review and personal update.
In the YouTube video (https://youtu.be/S9FREAsh2TI), check the description for links to the resources Pastor Josh shared here!
Isaiah 8 describes a spiritual darkness... then Isaiah 9 says a light is coming! The prophecy describes God's people abandoning God, and His mercy resting on outcasts: the Gentiles. When His Son comes, He is one with the Father, and Prince of Peace. Eventually His Kingdom will bring justice and righteousness until it takes over the world, through the passion God has for His children! His jealousy for us moves Him to expand His kingdom.
Jesus' birth changed everything! He is the great light of the world. Unlike the glory of God as shown on Moses' face, Jesus' light never diminishes. We are the extension of that light into the world. As the Prince of Peace, He brought peace between God and us... if we follow Him, we will be a people of peace. God sent us His son because He passionately loves us. A debt we could never repay, paid in full. He is the only master who will love us unconditionally with a perfect zeal!
God's purpose has always been to be together with His people... to unite Heaven and earth!
This is a favorite Psalm of many great preachers throughout history. God's mercy: though we sin, God withholds the worst of what we deserve. His mercy means no matter how far you may have fallen, you're never too far gone. It shows us how little we bring to the relationship compared to His contribution... all He requires us to bring is an acknowledgement of our need for Him!
God calls us to serve Him and take care of our families first-- they get priority over our jobs. He'll never give up on us. Our lives can only be effective for Him if we walk according to the Word... in full view of our families, our coworkers, and whoever God brings to us.
We should focus not on our trouble or victimhood, but on God's victory in our lives. The mourning shall be comforted, and the meek shall inherit the earth. The closer we get to God, the more wretched we know ourselves to be; internalizing this leads to meekness, which is precious to God. When we grow in Him, we also grow in capability; in our meekness, we become mighty men and women of God! This meekness is power restrained, in obedience to God... as people witness this, it brings glory to Him!
In protecting the one sheep while leaving the 99, Jesus provides more security for all 100! He'll also give up His rights to benefit His weaker brothers. We too should turn the other cheek when needed, for the benefit of the Kingdom. And if we are weak in one area, we should not impose our personal restrictions on our stronger brothers, but rather seek spiritual growth and maturity in that area. As Christians, we are continually called to mature in the faith, and to help each other grow.
From His birth, Jesus was willing to be made low for the good of others. Yet when He died, He took His place next to the Father because He was worthy! Like Christ, we gain spiritual strength when we respond with gentleness and lowliness of heart, taking care not to offend our weaker brothers and sisters in matters that may cause them to stumble. This is a sign of spiritual maturity.
Satan's cunning comes from thousands of years of experience pursuing God's people. To protect himself, he knows just how far to go before stopping and moving on to his next victim. When we are persecuted, should we desire to be martyrs? Jesus says no, we should flee persecution! We do not need to stick around and be slaughtered. Our focus should be on continuing to live and share the Word of God with our children and grandchildren! It is our job to pass the baton to the next generation.
Satan pursues us because he wants to destroy us.
But no matter how difficult Satan makes it for us, our God protects us and provides for us, especially in our most desperate moments. What Satan intends for evil, God will use for good.
Sit down with Him, and let Him instruct you!
The extrabiblical letter to Diognetus gives insight into what it meant to be an early Christian. Christians were so different from other groups; they didn't separate themselves culturally: they made deep connections to their communities, but were not attached to the trappings of the culture. Though they did good, they were punished and persecuted, yet they grew in number and slayed dragons. They actively lived in the will of God, in preparation to meet Him!
Satan's days are numbered... on earth, ours are as well. Our time is in God's hands, and we need to be ready for His return! How? In every moment, we are to be faithful and obedient to God.
In today's B-Side, Pastor Josh goes beyond the "milk" of the Word and gets into the "meat" of the Word, more deeply exploring the meaning that can be gleaned from the structure of Revelation 12.
The focal point is verses 7-12: the defeat of Satan...
As we witness to the people God has put in our lives, the dragon, Satan, will oppose us at every turn.
To slay dragons: hold to the truth of the Word, and be willing to lay down our lives!
Today, Pastor Josh examines several interpretations and timelines for the events in Revelation 12. We should not divide over these nonessential points! The takeaway is that Satan is our chief adversary, and lives to slander and accuse God's people. In this chapter, he is thrown out of Heaven for eternity!
In every age, there is darkness, led by that serpent of old, Satan. But there is thunderous joy in the light of Christ!
The woman in this chapter is a representation of God's people, likely the end times Messianic believers. There's a parallel to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her crown has 12 stars, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. Clothed in the sun, heavenly light. She stands over the moon; it's a symbol of darkness, as if she has dominion over darkness. There is one "people of God": not a specific cultural group, but simply those who accept Jesus as Lord. Salvation comes from faith in the Son alone!
Satan is the devourer, intent on the destruction of God's children. Jesus is the Child who came to defeat the devourer.
All people must choose either to run to Satan and be destroyed, or run to the Father, who gives us everlasting life in His presence!
The model for responding to God's calling is to leave everything you have and follow Him! As we do so, we're called to teach the Word, even if we're not called to preach as a pastor.
We are to be concerned with God's Kingdom on earth, with an eye to the future hope of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus came from Heaven, and shines down from on high to bring light to the world.
Jesus is a challenge and disruption to all earthly politics; He calls sin what it is, and calls sinners to repent.
Heaven's party matters more than any earthly political party. We are to respond immediately to Jesus's call, and become what He intends for us: fishers of men!
When God calls a person, two possible negative responses are pride and indifference. In pride, we are ignorant and self-centered. We fail to recognize our fallen nature, our insufficiency.
In indifference, we yawn at the idea of a relationship with God in favor of other interests. The indifferent must come to Him, ask and receive, be zealous and repent!
We have a command to self control, and must control our indifference, fight to develop zeal! Develop good habits.
Observing the structure of this passage, its focal point is the coming of the Kingdom of God!
Jesus begins His earthly ministry. Pastor Josh explains the meaning behind the structure of this text, focusing on chiasms, which allow us to understand more clearly the focus of a given passage.
Jesus is intentional regarding His ministry strategy, and we should be too! He begins in the hostile gentile territory of Galilee, focusing on the poor, the crippled, the outcasts. The brotherhood of Christ crosses boundaries! We must be a people of peace.
Jesus, the light of the world, came into the darkest place imaginable to bring light to the world. He's faithful when we're faithless.
He calls the supremely unqualified, because He loves us. It delights Him, and through this our lives bring glory to Him.
We are justified not because we're the cream of the crop, but because we deeply understand our unworthiness, and bow humbly before Him in worship.
We earned none of His favor, and yet it's eternal-- nothing can separate us from the love of God!
Pastor Josh examines Revelation 11, and finds many connections between it and Psalms 1 and 2. Both Psalms make references to the life and ministry of Jesus, focusing on the crucifixion. Revelation 11 mirrors the events and warnings predicted in Psalms 1 and 2.
Our sins put Jesus on the cross, but He is willing to make peace with us if we submit to Him and "kiss the Son". If we don't, we will perish. We're either a tree, or we're chaff.
All men are sinners, and Christ has come to save sinners!
God's Kingdom has great things in store for us after this life, but it is also living and active and moving today. While we're here, we're called to be warriors for Christ, boldly praying and standing for Him, rooted in His Word and not blown in the wind.
One day, the destroyers of the earth (unrepentant sinners) will themselves be destroyed, and God's people will inherit a new Heaven and a new Earth, without sin! So the Good News is truly good news to some, and bad news to others.
In this way, the true Gospel is hardly inoffensive; it is an outright offense to the unregenerate, as it must be.
A gospel that doesn't require the shed blood of Jesus to pay for our sin is a false gospel.
The book of Revelation's main reason for existence is not to provide details about the end times, but to unveil God's Son to his Church! As the Son submits to the Father, we are to follow in that submission.
The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Who are the two witnesses described in Revelation 11? Will Israel be restored in the last days?
The early Church was fueled by reading of the Word, prayer, and fellowship. The Holy Spirit still moves through supernatural works, though these works lead to false idol worship without the knowledge of God!
We must first know Him. And He must be the goal of our existence, at any cost!
We are at peace with God solely because of what He has done.
But as His children, we must be intentional about planting ourselves in His presence, through reading His Word and through prayer, every day. And we must spend time with His people!
Through these things He will fill us up and use us for His glory.
Pastor Josh explores the prophecy regarding the two witnesses in Revelation 11. Their time is 1,260 days-- about 3 1/2 years, half of a perfect 7, as if showing that God is cutting their time short. Here the enemy's plan is interrupted, bringing about revival, and giving way to God's plan of salvation for His people!
Matthew retells the story of Israel in Jesus. When mankind is faithless, He is faithful!
Adam failed the test in the garden of Eden; Jesus repeatedly passes it. He completely trusts His Father. When Satan attempts to flatter and deceive Him, His response is scripture! Later, He resists temptation on the cross, and after His death, even gentiles are moved to confess He was the Son of God.
Sonship is not recognized in great works of power, but in loving, faithful obedience to the Father!
Pastor Josh explores interpretations of Revelation 11, why end-times timelines can be unhelpful, and asks the question: by what means are the Jewish people saved in the last days?
God desires that all would be saved, and we're saved only because He's faithful. He, in His sovereign will, brings revival in His time.
In our country, churches have abandoned the sufficiency of God's Word in favor of a focus on social change. If we desire true revival, we must do the opposite, giving ourselves over to the Word, and to prayer!
As we mourn lost souls, we should faithfully pray for revival, that God would be glorified and the lost would be saved!
As Paul and Silas are released from prison, the Spirit of the Lord convicts their jailer, and what began like an attempted suicide ends in joy, as the jailer and his whole family are saved and baptized as new members of the family of God!
In Philippi, Jews were treated as outsiders, a pattern we continue to see in many contexts throughout history. But tribalism has no place in the Family of God.
After Paul and Silas are jailed for being "not one of us," God opens the prison door, the jailer seeks to be saved, and he and his family are saved... Paul and Silas are released the next morning. Much like the Passover in Exodus, God swept over the jail in Philippi, and passed judgment, freeing Paul and Silas, and saving the jailer and his family!
Jesus was always faithful when Israel was faithless. When God tested Him, He came out spotless. When God tests us, it's to initiate growth in us and cause us to rely on Him. When Satan tests us, it's in the hope that we'll fail and Satan will have the victory... this didn't work on Jesus! His faithfulness endured regardless of His circumstances. The perfect example for us: live the Word.
As the spirit of Elijah once rested upon Elisha in 2nd Kings, so now it rests upon John the Baptist in Matthew 3. John says there are two kinds of people: those who belong to God, and those who will be judged. John baptizes with water for repentance; Jesus is far greater: He baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire. With His baptism, we are one with God. As in Genesis, the Spirit of God brings new life! In Matthew 3, God's Son, His chosen servant, has arrived!
Once we've repented and turned our lives over to Christ, we are commanded as Christians to be baptized! In doing so, we partake in the life of Christ and His divinity. We declare to all humanity that it's our privilege to belong to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This passage in Revelation links back to the Old Testament. A strong case can be made that that in the end times, Israel, after a long period of rejecting the Messiah, will be restored. At that time there will still be hard-hearted doubters, but just the same, God gives us as believers a hardness/strength in our belief. We are to be faithful and preach God's Word giving no thought to rejection, leaving the outcome to Him!
The scroll in Revelation 10 is the Word of God, which is sweet to taste, but upsetting to our innards. We spend time in the Word to be conformed to it. Unlike entertainment media, once we've consumed it, we're better than we were before. If we lack wisdom, pray for it and God will give it. He loves us so much He's jealous of anything that would turn our attention away from Him. When we do fail, we repent and He will forgive!
This passage parallels several other parts of scripture that describe standing on a place as a sign of dominion over it. The mighty angel here may be the Holy Spirit, always pointing to another. God shows He has dominion over both Israel and the gentiles. Rather than delaying and focusing on the 7 thunders, God wants the contents of the scroll to be taught to those who haven't heard in the final days... this may mean a last-days revival for Jerusalem.
For Christians, this life may be filled with trouble. Though Satan may claim dominion over our lives and over this earth, only God truly has dominion! God's dominion means Satan's tyranny is limited; he's on a short leash. There will come a day when it must end. When this life is over, we'll live eternally in perfect communion with God!
As believers, don't let sorrow dominate our lives, but fight for joy! We are free to explore and enjoy life in Christ, not living in fear of sin. Our enjoyment is tempered by wisdom; when we cross the line into sin, it will be judged by God. Jesus lived this, enjoying everything the Father gave Him without sin, even with the knowledge that his life would end in crucifixion. He received from the Father and joyfully gave to those around Him. Our most effective witness: spread the gospel with joy!
As Herod's power grew, he became more and more narcissistic. It got so bad he ordered the killing of children, to eliminate the perceived threat of Jesus. Despite his best efforts, God outsmarted him at every turn. Joseph was a faithful father, obeying the Lord immediately (as should we!), keeping his family safe, and ensuring Jesus's survival. God prevailed over Herod's bad religion, and Jesus lived and died to save mankind.
All throughout scripture, we see that in the end, God wants us with Him, now and for eternity!
Solomon tells us we should enjoy the gifts of God while they last, and rely on Him to provide. Only He can save us, and we must in all things resist the temptation to wrestle control from Him. His gift of salvation is free, and our response is to thank Him and enjoy Him!
The birth of Jesus had political implications. The first gentiles to worship Him, the Magi, made a choice: to follow His authority over Herod's. As our society becomes more and more secular, the difference between following the rule of government and the rule of Christ becomes an ever widening chasm. And just as the Magi made a choice, so must we.
This week we examine the first two verses of Ecclesiastes 1. Solomon was a king, introduced to us in Scripture as a "shepherd," a pastor of God's people. He was wise, teaching the truth with great care, emphasizing that God is in control. And that human pursuits apart from God are but a vapor, a term also used in the name of Adam and Eve's son Abel, whose life was cut short. But God promised Eve that even so, the fruit she bears would one day defeat death. God brings redemption, not man!
Our lives are like a vapor, ephemeral, fleeting. Our human pursuits of wisdom and knowledge all lead to sorrow. By comparison, God's wisdom and sovereignty are eternal. His gifts, like a vapor, are are given freely to us but for a time. We must enjoy them while he provides them, and rest in his provision! If we're truly wise, we'll walk by faith, not striving to control our destiny, as that is vanity... but handing over that control to our eternal, loving God!
In Revelation 9, despite all the seals and woes, the ungodly are still unrepentant. Sorcery, sexual sin and idolizing the gods of the current culture. Christians should grieve and mourn this sin, and see it for what it is: fiery darts of Satan, intended to drag our loved ones into the pits of hell. We must not remain as silent believers, and instead be salt and light to them, giving them the good news of the Gospel!
Just as God has a plan for our lives, Satan has goals for us: to divide our focus from God in favor of worshiping self, or worshiping another god. To this end, Satan has many tactics up his sleeve, involving many kinds of sin... some obvious, some more subtle. As a God of mercy, the Lord desires all to be saved, and actively pursues us when we go astray, sometimes allowing trials to turn us back to Him, and sometimes using other Christians. We are his hands and feet!
Joseph the husband of Mary sometimes gets a bad rap. Contrary to popular opinion, he was a righteous man... he puts his reputation on the line to stand by Mary. Through the virgin birth, we see that salvation cannot come from within mankind. Jesus is the answer to our hopelessness! Accept him and we are saved. Deny him, and we're in a lot of trouble!
When God gives people over to their sin, it is a judgment upon them. Disobedience that once seemed harmless, over time, becomes a curse, and entire nations can suffer.
Since the unsaved, in their bondage, build the kingdom of darkness... then God's people, who have been freed from bondage, out of gratitude and joy for being freed, are to use our freed hands to build for the Kingdom of God. Before the foundation of the world was laid you were prepared for this hour, this day, this month, this year. You have been saved for a purpose, for such a time as this... to be freed and used by our heavenly Father to do good, godly, kingdom things!
When mercenary prophet-for-hire Balaam is paid by King Balak of Moab to curse Israel, he discovers God will not bend to his will. After multiple attempts on multiple mountaintops to manipulate God, it becomes clear to Balaam that he simply will not be controlled. God wants us to stop climbing mountains to get him to do what we want... and instead, submit to his perfect will, revere him above all else, and simply enjoy our Father!
In the Bible, every jot and tittle is masterfully placed by God. The birth of Christ is placed in Matthew as the 7th item in a list of sevens. His genealogy includes many imperfect people, gentiles... those he will die to save. This part of Matthew recounts Genesis, where even then, the stage is being set for Jesus to save mankind. He's the promised son from the Old Testament, the anointed one. The whole Old Testament has been building to the Christ, and here in Matthew 1, he has arrived!
Pastor Josh delves into the background behind the events of Revelation 9:1-12... scorpion-locusts, a watery abyss, the release of demons upon the world. There's a lot of evil coming in Revelation 9! It is our job as believers to read the Word of God, and to warn people of the coming wrath.
God is glorified in the order He created in the universe. Satan tries to glorify himself by drawing us away from God's order, twisting it into chaos to fit his own plan, which ends in death. Though Satan expects us to fall when he tempts us, we must resist and live in obedience to the King of Kings!
The woes described in Revelation 8 are curses, horrific to the 3rd degree. But the worst of the worst is still yet to come for the unbelievers in the end times. With this in mind, we should read scripture to know God's commands, and in doing so, take care to understand these warnings apply to us as much as they do to unbelievers... we must guard our hearts and repent where needed, holding fast to our faith in Christ!
The Pharisees taught the law but didn't follow it, loved the appearance of purity but didn't live it. Enjoyed their status, but lacked humility. They forced God's people to focus on the minutiae of the law, but lacked the justice, grace and love of God. They were headed for hell. Jesus laments over Jerusalem, and prophesies its destruction. Woe unto Jerusalem! To protect his people from a similar fate, he offers us eternal life in his Son Jesus. We must reject the way of the Pharisees, and humbly abide in Him!