Studies in the Prophets Who Still Speak to Today’s World
For many, prophet means fortune-teller. For the prophets of the Bible, this was only a part of their task. In fact, perhaps a better title would be truth-tellers.
Truth about the past, truth about the present and truth about what is yet to come. Truth anchored in the coming new kingdom that is to be ushered in by Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Truth is all about the absolutes of a universe governed by The Creator and the way He leads us to live our lives. We discover His truths by observing His creation, learning from His Scriptures and living out His moral principles in our daily lives.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
This series began Sunday, April 24, 2022. Our objective is to challenge each other to read the books of the prophets and to hear their message to us, today in the light of the cross (2 Peter 3:1-2, ESV).
God’s plans will not be detoured, changed or canceled by man. Knowing of the open hearts of the Ninevites in Assyria, God commissioned Jonah to preach about the need to repent and turn to God before it is too late.
Obadiah was among the earliest of the writing prophets and his book is the smallest of the Old Testament. The descendants of Esau were known as the Edomites and their history with the descendants of his brother, Jacob, were never good. For example, see Numbers 20:14-21.
Years later, Obadiah has one message for Edom: “You thought you were so great, perched high among the rocks, king of the mountain, thinking to yourself, ‘Nobody can get to me! Nobody can touch me!’ Think again. Even if, like an eagle, you hang out on a high cliff-face, even if you build your nest in the stars, I’ll bring you down to earth.” God’s sure Word.” (Obadiah 2-4, MSG).
For those who think they are invincible, rejoicing at the calamity of others, God promises Edom and the nations at large, ““The day is near when I, the Lord, will judge all godless nations!” (Obadiah 15, MSG).
Justice is coming, Jesus promised (Luke 18:7-8). These words of warning are good for all who take comfort in their ‘secure’ place in the world. Our security is not in this world’s kingdoms. Our security is in God and His purposes!
The book of Isaiah stretches over the longest period of time in the prophets. The first half of Isaiah (chapters 1-39) address both Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom) punctuated in the middle by the Exile. The Exile was the time when Jerusalem was destroyed and Judah’s captives were taken to Babylon for 70 years before their return.
The second half of Isaiah (chapters 40-66) picks up the story of Judah after the Exile and points to the time of Jesus to the end of time. Our focus will be on the moral and ethical teaching Isaiah gave to Israel and Judah in order to make application of his teachings to us, today. Our primary focus will be on a grand summary of God’s message in Isaiah 58-59 using the Message translation.
Speaking for God to a world that had lost its way, the prophets have striven to convict people of their need to return to the light of God’s love before it is too late. The prophets would convict people of their sin and call them to repentance.
At the same time they would shine a light of hope upon a new age through God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Frequently, Jesus and His apostles would refer to the writings of Moses, the Law and the prophets to explain the advent of the Kingdom of God. A common theme to which God has always called His people to is to be a light to the people around them (Isaiah 42:6). Today, we call His command, The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).
Join our Shepherd, Dean Wolf, as he guides us into a Bible study of the people who were transformed because they knew Jesus. Lord willing, our study will begin on Sunday, April 3 and continue through Easter Sunday, April 17.
So far, Dean has focused upon how Jesus transformed the great men of faith: the apostles Peter and Paul. This Easter Sunday, Dean will conclude this series to bring home for us God’s plan to transform all who gaze upon His Son with humble, obedient faith.
As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”
Wherever Jesus went, people had to make decisions about Him. Refusing to believe in His divine nature, most people presumed him to be an everyday human. So, as a regular person, they concluded that He was a liar, making stuff up to deceive His followers. Others thought He was a lunatic who saw Himself as a legend in His own mind. However, for those who believed in Jesus as fully divine and fully Human they could not remain the same; they became transformed.
The Apostle Paul was one of those who was not only transformed himself by an encounter with Jesus; but, he taught others that they, too, could be transformed. This principle is true today, as well. Whomever comes to know Jesus cannot remain the same as they were; they begin the process of transformation into His image.
Jesus transforms people into His image when they couple their faith in Him with obedience. This is a process of growth and maturation as can be seen by men like Peter and Paul who changed over time as they walked with Christ with the aid of the Holy Spirit. Their transformation was a process that began with Jesus’ promise of eternal life.
Dean Wolf will be leading us through this study over the next few weeks, concluding on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022. This lesson focuses upon Peter. The next lesson will look at the life of the apostle Paul.
In the first verse of 1 Peter chapter 1, Peter begins with the greeting: “To those who are elect exiles….” For Christians who may lose their home, their family or their very lives for the sake of Christ it is best to live according to the reality that ‘this world is not my home, I’m just passing through.”
In the end, when Jesus returns to bring everyone before God’s judgement there will be a great many things that will no longer matter to us. Our cars and houses, our jobs and paychecks, our schedules and our plans…none of these things will matter anymore.
None!
In the end, what will really matter? Perhaps Peter’s final words in his final letter can instruct us.
Are you growing “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”? How horrifying it would be to hear Him say, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:22-23).
Know Jesus! There is nothing in this world that is more important than this.
In Peter’s first letter his focus is on strengthening the faith of those followers of Christ who have already begun to suffer persecution from their governments and neighbors. They must stand strong in their faith in the face of losing their possessions, their health and freedoms and, even, their very lives.
When Peter writes his second letter his focus is upon those within the fellowship of Christians who are taking advantage of the love and trust that they share for each other. Lord willing, our lesson will begin by summarizing the internal threats to the early church in 2 Peter chapter 2 in order to sharpen our focus upon chapters 1 and, next Sunday, chapter 3. It is in these chapters (1 and 3) that Peter’s encouraging words about the certainty of our faith are expressed with majestic confidence and assurance.
In troubled times, being certain of the promises of God through His word, Peter’s words offer confirmation of our belief in Christ and hope for the future beyond the grave as he points to a new heaven and a new earth “where righteousness dwells.”
The Apostle Peter encourages the elders of the churches in Asia minor as ‘a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ.” He tells them to shepherd the flock of God willingly and eagerly, being examples to their people. These leaders, who have been shaped by the suffering example of Christ, guide their younger members to humbly listen to them.
The quality of humility is the universal attitude that is to characterize God’s people; humility towards God and towards one another.
After warning his audience that “The end of all things is at hand,” Peter talks to a persecuted church about rejoicing when sharing in Christ’s sufferings.
When happiness is a person’s goal in life this phrase makes no sense. Living for the present moment we want to do things that make us happy. So, rejoicing in times of suffering sounds insane!
The radical difference is found in Christ and in Christ alone. In Christ, suffering has meaning and purpose! So, Peter says, be prepared to make a defense of why you are joyful in the midst of suffering. Our suffering, like Christ’s suffering, is God’s megaphone to the world!
Peter begins his letter by affirming those known as “the elect exiles of the dispersion…according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood.” Christians are living examples of the unfolding of God’s plan, foreseen by the prophets and guaranteed by the very blood of Jesus Christ.
With chapter 2 Peter turns to those Christ followers to ‘grow up into salvation’ as living stones of God’s spiritual house; priests who are called to be holy. As such, they are called to live consistently with their calling in regard to 1) human institutions and the emperor, 2) slaves their masters, 3) wives and their husbands, and 4) brothers and sisters in Christ as they address each other and their persecutors.
Why? “Because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer.”
Peter’s teachings were likely the primary source for Mark’s gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Written to a persecuted church, therefore, Mark’s account lends itself to examine the apostle Peter’s writings towards the end of his life, known today in our Bibles as first and second Peter. After concluding our study of the gospel of Mark with the abrupt ending of Mark 16:8 we are left with the question, “Do you believe?” If, indeed, Mark was writing to a persecuted church then this urgent plea insists upon an answer because it will be severely tested very soon under Emperor Nero’s reign.
It was during this time that Peter was likely executed as Jesus had been, by crucifixion. So, Peter’s letters take on special significance for encouraging us all to stand strong in our living hope in Christ.
This is especially true after considering Dean’s summary of Peter’s role while he was with Christ and, as Peter approached the end of his own life, as he appealed to those early Christians to prepare for persecution for their faith.
Preparing for our study in First and Second Peter, we are reminded of the importance of living out our Christian lives every day. This is especially true when our faith is challenged, even to the point of being persecuted.
Dean summarizes Peter’s role while he was with Christ. As Peter approached the end of his own life, as he appealed to those early Christians to prepare for persecution for their faith. His encouragements and example speak to us today as we strive to stand strong in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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In keeping with our primary objective “to lift up Jesus Christ” we will walk through The Gospel of Mark beginning Sunday, September 12, 2021.
The opening sentence of Mark’s account is a bold announcement. It proclaims to be “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1, ESV).
The word “gospel” is literally translated as “good news.” The name “Jesus” was a common Jewish name in the first century.
However, the name “Christ” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew title, “Messiah” or “Anointed One.” He is, Mark declares, “the Son of God.” Indeed, a voice from heaven will announce this in Mark 1:11.
Any questions?
With this, the first words of Jesus appear only a few sentences later. He says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15, ESV). Therein lies the challenge to the reader: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, The Son of God? The pages that follow will challenge us to personally answer this question, right up to the final paragraph.
Consider the following introduction to the book of Mark by The Bible Project. Lord willing, below, we will post our sermon series as each week’s lesson unfolds.
As we read through the gospel of Mark we perceive the crescendo of the gathering storm around Jesus and His disciples.
Throughout Mark’s account we see a Jesus who moves into the lives of people with authority, assurance and compassion for those who are hungry for truth, who are sick and broken and who are possessed by demons. Whether it is in the storm on the Sea of Galilee or standing in front of the poisonous stares of the religious rulers, Jesus commands authority, love, respect and so much more. “Let the Scriptures be fulfilled,” Jesus says to the mob that followed Judas to the Mount of Olives (14:49).
With our reading today, Jesus humbly, obediently, drinks the cup of suffering that he has been predicting all along. When we finally reach chapters 15 and 16, the story of Jesus reaches its climax with a cross and an empty tomb and a simple question: do you believe? And so, every time we gather to break the bread and drink the cup we cry out from our hearts, “We Believe! Thank You, Jesus!” This will be the focus of our lesson today.
Jesus had repeatedly predicted the passion events that would begin to unfold on the eve of the Passover meal. He was prepared for Peter’s denial, for Judas’s betrayal, for the desertion of all of His disciples, for His suffering at the hands of their own religious rulers, knowing that Peter would spend the night weeping over His denial of Jesus, Himself.
Knowing His fate, Jesus broke bread with Peter, Judas and His disciples with love and compassion, He spoke to His betrayer with pity, He spoke honestly to Peter, he addressed his disciples with hope and promise, He spoke to His Father with meek submission. Reaching out to His sleeping friends He gave them warning while understanding their exhaustion. Confronted by the religious rulers He spoke clearly with kingly authority, meaning and purpose. The chapter closes with Peter, a shattered man confronted by his own failure.
Each person Jesus encountered had their own cup of suffering, challenge and opportunity…and they all failed. In the end there was only One who would obediently, faithfully, drink His cup completely and stand victorious! Praise God! Thank You Jesus!
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation….”
At least three times Jesus predicted His impending death, burial and resurrection to His disciples (Mark 8:31; 9:30-31; 10:33-34). Each time they failed to understand and respond appropriately: Peter rebukes Jesus, the disciples are afraid to ask Him about it and James and John ask if they can sit on His right and left hand.
Finally, Mark brings us to two days before the Jewish celebration of Passover. After telling us of the religious rulers who were seeking to kill Jesus, Mark finally introduces us to a woman who had listened to what Jesus said, believed Him and took appropriate action. As Jesus is reclining for a meal with friends, a woman approaches Him with a bottle of expensive perfume known as nard. Imported from India, nard was a favorite oily, expensive perfume that was sealed in containers opened only for special occasions.
As she breaks open the vessel and pours the perfume onto His head, Jesus tells everyone, “She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial” (Mark 14:8).
I wonder, if, every once in a while—perhaps when the crown of thorns was placed upon His head or the whip was raked across His back or as He struggled for breath on the cross—He would smell the aroma left behind by the woman who did what she could for Him…and smile. Smile, yes, for her; but, also for His covenant people who would hear His words, believe in Him, and gather to remember His sacrifice for them.
Dean Wolf brings today’s lesson about Mark 13. This is perhaps one of the most challenging chapters in Mark’s gospel account.
In this chapter Jesus refers to the total destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple that would occur in 70 A.D. (Mark 13:1-2). Jesus also refers His second coming at the end of the age (Mark 13:26-27, 31-37).
There are parts of the chapter, however, that are difficult to distinguish between one or the other. Over almost 2,000 years of analysis of this chapter there are a number of interpretations that have been offered. So many people have been drawn into the ongoing debate, some actually predicting Jesus’ second coming in spite of His warning that “…no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows” (Mark 13:32).
This obsession holds the potential of casting a shadow over the saving message of Jesus, Himself!
With all of this, then, what is to be our focus when it comes to Jesus’ return?
The attacks of the religious rulers are growing as, at the same time, the crowds are now gladly listening to Jesus’ teachings, marveling (Mark 12:17, 37). Paying taxes, the resurrection, the greatest commandments, paying lip-service to the law, and sacrificial giving are the major themes of our focus today.
To a persecuted church where Christians would lose their property, their financial and physical security and even their very lives, Jesus speaks to truths that go beyond the things that we worry most about. We all understand when Jesus says, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.”
The question is, what things must we render to God that are God’s?
Even the crowds had recognized Jesus as the Messiah when he first entered Jerusalem at the beginning of the week of His passion (Mark 11:1-11). The crowds were “astonished at His teaching” after He had cleansed the temple.
For believers, these things were exactly what the Old Testament Scriptures had foretold, anchored in Jesus’ authority as the Son of God. Nonetheless, the next day, when Jesus arrived at the temple with His disciples, the religious rulers were waiting for Him. They were ready to challenge His authority to do such things. Jesus could have engaged them in conversation, reciting the scriptures once again to validate His righteous right to clean His house; but, these men were too blinded by their own prejudices and fear of the crowds.
And so, Jesus throws their own question back at them, forcing them to examine their own lack of faith and sinister schemes. The shadow of Jesus’ cross shortens to only a matter of a few more days as He condemns their plans with a parable (Mark 12:1-12).
As we each anticipate another Easter celebration, may we all spend this time examining our own hearts, stripping away our own prejudices and fears, to rejoice in the authority of Christ over our own lives.
The incident with the fig tree comes on the heels of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As He enters the city Jesus immediately curses the barren fig tree before He arrives at the temple. There, in the court of the Gentiles, Mark tells us that Jesus drove out the money changers and, specifically, the people who were selling pigeons.
At that point the religious rulers begin to plotting “a way to destroy” Jesus because they were afraid of Him. As Jesus and His disciples are leaving the temple, Peter observed that the fig tree had withered. Mark makes it clear that the tree had, indeed, “withered away to its roots.”
The religious rulers believed that they were the authorities on the Law of Moses which was mostly true. But, somewhere along the way their own self-interest had blinded them to their own corruption.
What warning can we take from their own self-deception today?
Our Shepherd, Dean Wolf, addressed the rich young ruler who fell on his knees before Jesus to ask “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” To a persecuted church this was an important question since many would lose everything…including their very lives…for the sake of the gospel. To them, in answer to Peter’s statement, Jesus proclaims: “I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30).
As Jesus gives more graphic details to His coming Passion and Resurrection the disciples continue to struggle to understand, arguing among each other about power positions in the kingdom. At the close of the chapter Mark tells us of a blind man asks Jesus to be able to see.
Where our treasure lies must be evaluated in the light of the cross and the sacrifices to which Christ calls us.
After Jesus tells His disciples of His upcoming Passion and Resurrection Mark tells us that they were afraid to ask Him what He meant. When they finally arrive at a house in Capernaum, He pauses to ask his disciples what it is that they are talking about and they do not answer Him. It is Mark, who then tells us that they were discussing among themselves who would be the greatest.
So, Jesus tells them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35) as he calls a little boy before them and wraps His arms around him. “Whoever receives one such child in my name, Jesus says, “receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me” (Mark 9:37). Do you want to know God? You begin the journey by receiving little children in Jesus’ name. Lord willing, our Sunday morning lesson will focus upon how this is possible.
With Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, Mark sharpens his gospel account to focus upon Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Immediately, Jesus announces His coming passion and resurrection three times (Mark 8:31; 9:9-10, 30-32). Each time we find His disciples still wondering what Jesus is talking about.
It is in the middle of these contrasts between Jesus and His disciples that we see Moses and Elijah talking to Jesus and hear the voice of God announcing “This is my beloved Son” and commanding them to “listen to him” (Mark 9:7).
As Jesus, Peter, James and John approach the other disciples they find them arguing with the religious rulers about a demon that had refused to leave a little boy. As we look at the statements made by the disciples and the father of the child we realize that they still do not understand what went wrong. So, Jesus rebukes them for their faithlessness, challenges the father to believe and casts out the demon from his son. “Why could we not cast it out?” the disciples ask Jesus. His simple response to them reveals a truth that we all must grasp as followers of Christ. The power to do great things in God’s kingdom does not rest in us or the words we use. The power to do great things in God’s kingdom comes through resting in our God through prayer.
At the heart of our lesson today is Peter’s confession: “You are the Christ!” In spite of the truth of this statement, based upon everything that Jesus had said and done, he did not yet fully grasp God’s plan. And so, with Peter’s confession, Jesus begins to teach the disciples about His coming passion. Even after Jesus’ crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection they would still struggle with their pre-conceived ideas about the Warrior Messiah (Acts 1:6-8).
Not until Jesus would send the Holy Spirit to them on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), would they more finally comprehend what Jesus had accomplished and what Jesus would demand of His followers.
In today’s reading Jesus “sighed deeply in His spirit” over the Pharisees and scolds the disciples for their lack of understanding. Strategically, before Peter’s confession, Mark tells of the incident where Jesus heals the blindness of a man with two touches. After the first touch the man reports seeing people but that they look “like trees, walking.” After the second touch, he sees clearly.
So it is with His disciples. They see but they do not yet understand; yet, there will come a time when they will see clearly and understand fully.
In this chapter, Jesus confronts the Pharisees by pointing out their hypocrisy. How can a person uphold the law on the one hand and, on the other hand, manufacture loopholes to get around it? The answer is clear: their heart is corrupted.
In contrast, he is approached by a non-Jew who had a demon-possessed daughter. She knows that Jesus’ mission is to the Jews, which He makes clear to her, yet, falling at Jesus’ feet, she persists, pleading with Him to heal her little one. “…even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs,” she implores.
“Dogs” was the name many Jews attached to Gentiles and she assumes the role of one who does not deserve His favor. What a dramatic contrast to the hubris of the Jewish leaders! It should come as no surprise, then, that Jesus would go back into the Decapolis (a Greek/Roman area) where he had encountered Legion (Mark 5:1-20) to heal a deaf and mute man. The people there, who had asked Jesus to leave before, now flock to Him, “zealously.”
The coming storms are gathering as Jesus sends out the twelve, two-by-two, to preach repentance to the people of Israel. John the Baptist is beheaded and the disciples return to Jesus, hungry and exhausted. Jesus invites them to get in the boat and to go to a desolate place where they can rest for a while.
But, the crowds rush around the northern side of the Sea of Galilee and meet Jesus and His disciples on the other side. This is the occasion of the feeding of the 5,000 that is the singular event (besides the crucifixion) that is reported in all four of our Gospels (Matthew 14:13-33; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-21).
The crowds are convinced that Jesus is the warrior Messiah who will finally throw off the yoke of the Romans and rule the world. Immediately, Jesus sends the disciples back to the boat and sends them to the other side while He dismisses the crowd and goes up the mountain to pray, alone. From that lookout point, he sees the disciples caught in another windstorm so He walks past them, on the water. Crying out in terror, Jesus identifies Himself to them, gets into the boat and the storm stops.
Mark tells us that that they are astounded by Jesus’ power, once again, but that their hearts are hardened because they still do not understand. Nonetheless, when they arrive at the other side of the Sea, Jesus continues to heal the sick.
Jesus, as Messiah, refuses to conform to the image we make for Him according to our desires. We must conform our lives to His!
Jesus and His disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee to the eastern side. This area was known as the Decapolis (“10 Cities) that was dominated by pagan Gentiles. So far, they had not yet been impacted by Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom. As they were crossing the Sea, a sudden windstorm threatened to sink their boat while Jesus slept at the stern. Panicked, the disciples woke Jesus and asked Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” After calming the storm Jesus asked His disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
In today’s lesson (Mark 4:35-6:6) we begin by asking how the disciples might have acted if they had the faith that Jesus questioned them about. How might they have behaved if they had acted in faith instead of fear? Lord willing, we will look at several people who encountered Jesus beginning with His disciples to a demon possessed man and the people from the Decapolis; to a ruler at a local synagogue and his family; to a woman hemorrhaging blood; and, finally, to the people of His own hometown who did not believe.
Our study will focus upon Mark 3:14-4:34 where Mark shifts his focus to the disciples as Jesus sends them out to preach about the kingdom and to grant them the authority to cast out demons. As usual, large crowds are following Jesus and the parable about the seed of the gospel and the different soils describe his audience, including a group of listeners that have gathered around Jesus and his 12 disciples.
The disciples are present when Jesus’ family wonders if Jesus has “lost His mind”, when the scribes accuse Jesus of being demon possessed, when Jesus redefines His family, and when He teaches them about the kingdom using parables. Jesus only takes the time to explain the parables to His disciples.
Key verses in this section ask a simple question: Are you listening? (Mark 4:24-25). For those who are listening and applying Jesus’ teachings to their lives, more insights and understandings are promised. For the casual listeners, however, they risk losing it all. Remember Jesus’ words at the beginning of His ministry: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
After Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James and John to follow Him, Mark tells us about the authority of Christ to speak for God, to command the demons, to heal the sick and to forgive sin. At the beginning of this section in Mark 2:13-3:12, Jesus Calls Matthew and he follows Jesus, too.
In chapter 2 Mark introduces us to the Pharisees who question his authority to forgive sin, to eat with sinners, and to exempt Himself from their religious practices. These practices included eating with sinners, fasting, gleaning grain on the Sabbath, and healing on the Sabbath. Jesus grieves over the hardness of heart of the religious rulers and they, in turn, begin forming alliances to destroy Jesus.
The point of Jesus’ wineskins illustration is that the kingdom of God will not be limited by the religious rulers’ rituals and practices. In contrast to the religious rulers, the kingdom of God is about meeting the needs of people who bear the very image of God. It is these people who flock to Jesus from everywhere, from south of Jerusalem to the north of Galilee. He has become so popular that He has the disciples prepare a boat in the water to relieve Him from the crush of the crowds (Mark 3:9-10).
Today’s Scripture concludes our study on Jesus’ authority. This section begins with the calling of Peter, Andrew, James and John in Mark 1:16-20 and concludes with the calling of Matthew in Mark 2:13-14. In last week’s study Mark tells us that Jesus has the Authority of Privilege because He, Himself, accurately speaks the words of God. Jesus did not seek the approval of the religious rulers (the ‘authorities’ of the day) before He spoke. Mark also shows us Jesus’ Authority of Power over the spiritual realm (casting out and silencing the demons) and the physical realm (healing the sick and diseased).
In today’s lesson the religious rulers correctly state that only God can forgive sin (Mark 2:7). And so, Jesus tells them, ”But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home” (Mark 2:10-11). Mark tells us that Jesus said this based upon the faith of the ones who brought the paralytic to Him to be healed (verse 5).
It is worth noting that the paralytic would have been powerless to see Jesus without his friends and that he allowed them to bring him before Jesus’ Authority to both be healed and to find forgiveness. We conclude that Jesus extends His authority to the hearts of those who will believe in Him and His Authority to speak for God with Power.
Jesus announces His message and selects his disciples (Mark 1:14-20). Then, in the following verses (Mark 1:21-45), Jesus begins teaching, healing and casting out demons “with authority” the crowd says.
His authority comes from God revealing His privilege. He spoke God’s word and did not need to check with the authorities of the day.
His authority comes from God revealing His power over the spiritual and physical worlds. He cast out demons from the possessed and healed the sick.
Although the crowds would gather He did not linger to enjoy their accolades. Rather, He continued His mission to teach about His Father’s kingdom to all.
The first chapter of Mark’s gospel account of Jesus is so important to understanding the rest of the book. His bold, opening statement is “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Indeed, all of the Biblical story has been pointing to this time, this man, Jesus, Messiah, the Son of God.
With this, we find Jesus immediately going by the Sea of Galilee to call his first disciples telling them to “Follow Me” which they did, of course, “immediately.” In the first chapter of Mark, we the readers are immediately challenged: Do you believe?
The opening sentence of Mark’s account is a bold announcement. It proclaims to be “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1, ESV).
The word “gospel” is literally translated as “good news.” The name “Jesus” was a common Jewish name in the first century.
However, the name “Christ” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew title, “Messiah” or “Anointed One.” He is, Mark declares, “the Son of God.” Indeed, a voice from heaven will announce this in Mark 1:11.
With this, the first words of Jesus appear only a few sentences later. He says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15, ESV). Therein lies the challenge to the reader: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, The Son of God?
The pages that follow will challenge us to personally answer this question, right up to the final paragraph of the book.
Last Sunday (August 29, 2021) we closed our study of the book of Philippians. Next Sunday our hope is to begin a study of the life of Jesus in the gospel of Mark.
This Sunday, September 5, 2021, we will bring together two specific requests that we received under the title of Discipleship.
On the one hand one of our members requested that we have a lesson about obeying the Gospel. Paul defines the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Jesus tells us that following Him requires counting the cost in Luke 14:25-35. Paul tells us what happens when we obey the Gospel in Romans 6:3-14.
Jesus Came, He Died and was Buried, He Rose From the Dead and He’s Coming Back!
The second request was to focus upon what it means to become living sacrifices as Paul details in Romans 12. Here he calls us to become ‘living sacrifices’ who live lives that are being transformed.
Bringing these two suggestions together means talking about what obeying the gospel truly means as we both count the cost to follow Jesus and lives for the Lord with every day.
On Sunday, June 27, we began a new sermon series on Paul’s prison letter to the Philippians. Paul is imprisoned in Rome. There, he writes to the members of the church in Philippi about things like joy, humility, sacrifice, unity and the daily walk of the Christ-follower whose citizenship is in heaven. “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Paul says. “I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:4-5, NIV).
A guiding principle through our study in Philippians finds its core foundation in Christ based upon the following assertion:
This morning we are talking about Contentment based upon Philippians 4:10-23. Hard wired into every human being is DIS-contentment. In the garden, Adam and Eve enjoyed evening walks with God along with every pleasure He provided. In fact, they joined with all of creation , pointing back to God as the source of life and wonder, bounty and pleasure.
Blessed with the ability to choose to be content, however, Adam and Eve become discontented, wanting to “be like God’ (Genesis 3:5). So, they ate the forbidden fruit. Now the joy we were intended to find in God, declaring His glory with all of creation, gets diverted to lesser idols. These idols promise contentment, but, in the end, always leave us wanting more.
Our true contentment only finds its complete satisfaction in our Creator through His Son, Jesus Christ. And it is only then that we truly glorify God with our lives, no matter what we face in life (Psalms 63:3).
In Philippians 4:2-9, Paul addresses two women in the congregation in Philippi who are missing the point of Paul’s example. It is all about knowing Christ. It is not about the distractions.
In Philippians 3:1-4:1, the apostle Paul presents himself as an example of what it means to truly ‘know Christ.’ Our shepherd, Dean Wolf, will be leading us in our study. Nothing in this world comes close to the precious value of knowing Christ, even to the point of suffering and death.
Paul now turns to two examples of Christ-following that are fresh on his mind and heart: Timothy and Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:19-30 (NIV). Working from Paul’s references to Timothy‘s life in Acts and his letters, we read between the lines to construct the person. In the end, the lives of these two examples reflect our own personal development in following Christ, knowing Him and living out His life in the world and among each other.
At the core of Philippians 1:27-2:18 (NIV) is Paul’s discussion about Christ’s example and his encouragement for us to adopt His mindset in verses 1-11. Bookending this central premise is Paul’s admonition to “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” in Philippians 1:27-30 as we deal with the world around us. On the other end, he stresses that we must “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” as we deal with each other in Philippians 2:12-18.
In Philippians 1:12-26, Paul talks about his own imprisonment, concluding that his desire is for God to be glorified in both his life and his death (Philippians 1:20). For Paul, living means that his life is all about Christ. Dying means finally falling into Jesus’ arms (Philippians 1:21). Convinced that he must remain for a little longer, Paul looks forward to watching their “joy in the faith” continue to grow (Philippians 1:25-26). Indeed, this joy of which he speaks is centered upon knowing Christ and seeing Him blossom in the lives of those whose faith is in Him.
The “Gospel” or “Good News” of Jesus Christ is the foundation of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Our Shepherd, Dean Wolf, shares his reflections on how Paul weaves this into every aspect of his life. Dean also shares a simple graphic that helps us communicate this to others based upon Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV).
Jesus Came, Died, Was Buried, Rose Again and is Coming Back!
Early in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, on the heel of his usual greeting, Paul prays for them (Philippians 1:1-11, NASB95). When someone says or writes, “I’m praying for you that….” we should pay special attention. For, included in that prayer will most likely be the purpose of the communication: “that your love may abound still more and more,” Paul says. This is “the fruit of righteousness” that he will mention at the end of the prayer. As we consider this fruit of righteousness, we are reminded that Paul identifies its source in God, conveyed through Christ on the basis of our faith in Him (Philippians 3:8-11). This righteousness is all about relationship.
There can be no doubt that Christ Jesus is at the center of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi. Occupying center stage is the hymn that, I suspect, many were familiar with at the time in Philippians 2:6-11 (CEV). Here is the gospel message in a nutshell. For a survey of the book of Philippians, I heartily recommend The Bible Project’s outline of the book.
Our study begins with a review of Acts 16 and Paul and Silas’s visit to Philippi. Our shepherd, Dean Wolf, highlights the significant passages of Paul’s letter to the Philippians from his prison cell in Rome. Paul had every right to be discouraged. Yet, he focuses upon the opportunity to find joy even in the midst of struggle and hardship.
And so, on this special day, we begin a brief series to remind us of the things that we know to be true. Absolutes that guide us. Absolutes that help us discern those things for which it is worth living each day. Absolutes for which we know to be worth dying. Eternal truths that reach beyond our suffering and the grave to our ultimate destiny before God.
This Memorial Day we begin our series by remembering those absolutes that are anchored in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Absolutes that shout to the the glory of God’s Name in His creation, our consciences, His word, His people, His Son, Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit.
John 14-16 (NIV) – In John 14:16-17, Jesus tells his frightened disciples that he is going to send then “another Advocate” which He identifies as the Holy Spirit. Of course, the first Advocate would be Jesus, Himself. In our final lesson on ‘Absolutes’, we address the five activities of the Holy Spirit–the second Advocate–as Jesus describes them. These activities are not limited to the disciples to whom Jesus is speaking because He tells them that it will be with them ‘forever’ or, literally, ‘into the ages.’ They are available to us as well as is made plain in the remainder of the New Testament. Those activities include:
Our primary texts today are John 1, 5 and 14-16 with a sharpening of focus upon John 5:31-40. When we speak of Jesus as an Absolute in our lives, we are saying that we put our full faith and trust in Him alone. The historical evidences confirm what we already know to be true from the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (see Lee Strobel’s book, The Case For Christ). In John 5, Jesus heals the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (see video below). This draws the attention of the religious rulers who question Jesus’ testimony about Himself. In his response to them, Jesus details 5 sources of evidence that validate His testimony about Himself as God’s Son, the Messiah: John the Baptist, Jesus’ miracles, Jesus’ teachings, Jesus’ Father and the Scriptures themselves.
Romans 11 and Genesis 12:1-3; Romans 4:13-16 (NLT) – God’s promise to Abraham persists over the centuries through the Jewish people. And it is through them that God brought the whole world a Savior in Christ Jesus. The new Israel now seals God’s promise to those who put their faith in Him so that Paul could say “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26-27). The remnant of the Jewish people who trust in God now unite with the followers of Christ to create a new people who have been fully included in God’s promise to Abraham (Galatians 3:26-29). Their presence through the ages is undeniable evidence that God’s purposes will not fail (Ephesians 1:12-14).
Hebrews 4:12-16 (NLT) – Seeing God in His creation is a simple question for mankind. Is there a God? The answer is either a ‘Yes’ or a ‘No’. When someone chooses not to choose, they still have made a choice.
We choose “Yes” with passion and conviction.
Because we answer “Yes”, we also believe that He wants us to know Him. So, we search for those additional ways in which He would choose to show Himself.
Today, we begin with His Word, The Bible. No book in all of the world compares to this one collection of 66 books, composed over 1,500 years, on three continents (Africa, Asia, and Europe), in three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek), by 40 authors, most of whom never met. People have tried to ban it, destroy it and damage the Bible over the centuries, yet it still survives with superlative attestation. Indeed, more than 7,000 ancient manuscripts verify its accuracy!
The Bible is internally consistent, pointing to one central point in history: a cross. The Bible is externally verified by the creation, nature, and historically, by modern-day archaeology and science. And the Bible is experientially verified in those who devote their lives to understanding it’s words and living out it’s teachings. They focus upon obeying its commands and living by it’s principles as embodied by The Central Character: Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Son of God, Savior of the world.
The Qumran Caves of the Dead Sea Scrolls
At time when God-given inspiration of the Bible was under severe criticism in our Christian Theological Universities (begun in the 1800’s and continuing to our day), the Dead Sea Scrolls surfaced in 1947. Many theological books must be evaluated by this one historical point in time: are they pre- or post-Dead Sea Scroll discovery?
God’s perfect timing! He verifies and validates the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament forever as pre-Christian evidence, fully realized in the Son of God Himself, Jesus Christ.
In times like these it is important to anchor ourselves in that which we know to be true.
In the first century Roman world there were many forces at work. Many of these facilitated the spread of the gospel. At the same time there were elements of Roman government, religion and society that reacted against the exclusive teachings of the early Christians.
THE GOSPEL
Over the centuries governments have come and gone. Meanwhile the writings of those first-century authors have provided a touchstone for believers in the gospel (literally, good news) of Jesus Christ. This good news has been historically verified. It is internally consistent with the Old and New Testament Scriptures. The prophecies of the prophets have been fully realized in Jesus Christ and will continue to unfold until His return.
WE KNOW
These Scriptures point towards a common goal that centers around God becoming uniquely both human and divine. Christ dwelled among us, was crucified, arose from the dead, and ascended to heaven. He now guides the forces of history towards its final consummation with His return one day.
THE GOSPEL DEFINED
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
Since the time of Jesus Christ the words of the Bible have provided solid ground for His followers in times of crisis and upheaval. The answer to Pilate’s question to Jesus, “What is truth?” was, indeed, standing in front of him. Jesus answered him, “In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth” (John 18:37, NIV). Jesus would tell His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, NIV).
THE POINT
In the midst of tumultuous times the apostles would point believers to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit within them. These emerging qualities of character would weather the winds of change. Their heavenly citizenship would became increasingly obvious validations of the gospel message. Indeed, these qualities have always permeated the lives of Christ’s people with hope when the world around them seemed to be falling apart.
The message of the gospel still rings true today. So, our lessons on Virtues is intended to remind each other of the qualities and characteristics of the citizens of Christ’s eternal kingdom. We will be exploring the following key passages: 2 Peter 1:3-11, Galatians 5:13-26, and Colossians 3:1-17.
FACEBOOK LIVE
Click on the links below to follow our Facebook Live worship services as we focus upon Christian Virtues in Times of Uncertainty and Change.
ONESIMUS
Paul’s Letter to Philemon – “He [Tychicus] is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here” (Colossians 4:9). In our closing lesson on Virtues we review the concluding words of encouragement of Paul in Colossians 4:7-18. This provides a launching point for Paul’s accompanying letter to Philemon which beautifully encapsulates the virtues that Paul had listed in Colossians 3:12-17.
Colossians 4:2-6 – “Live wisely…and make the most of every opportunity” (vs. 5). Dean Wolf is our speaker today, addressing the importance of being ready to tell others what Jesus has done in our lives. Focusing upon prayer, he notes Paul’s description of the prayer of Epaphras for the church in Colossae: to make them “strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God” (vs. 12). Unfortunately, the Facebook Live session cuts short of Dean’s concluding prayer–the highlight of his sermon–in which he prays for the Shoreline church as Paul and his co-workers prayed for the church in Colossae.
Colossians 3:22-4:1 – “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (vs. 23). The expression, “All men are created equal” may not be a direct quote of Scripture; but, it does express a biblical truth of the kingdom of God (Galatians 3:26-28). Indeed, Jesus humbled Himself and became a slave (Philippians 2:6-8, NLT) in order to make us free (Ephesians 1:7, NLT); to serve, not to be served” (Matthew 20:26-28, NLT). Involuntary slavery, in whatever form it takes, is one of many forms of human oppression in our world of trafficking, persecution, abuse and more. For the Christian in who must endure suffering in all of its forms, the Bible encourages everyone: “keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-3).
Colossians 3:18-21 & Ephesians 5:21-33 (NLT) – When Paul says “Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus” (vs. 17, CEV) he briefly addresses what this means in families. Husbands, wives, parents and children that have been brought under Jesus’ Name begin to live their lives very differently than the world around them. In the first century, this was counter-cultural instruction that would set Christian families apart. This is true as well in 21st century America. To understand this passage better we will quickly survey the Bible’s teachings, including Paul’s parallel instructions to the church in Ephesus (Ephesians 5:21-33).
Colossians 3:12-17 (CEV) – “Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.” Today’s lesson begins with Jesus’ prayer for Himself, for His disciples and for us in John 17 (NIV). God glorified Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection where Jesus glorified God. This initiated a glorifying feedback loop which Jesus extended to His disciples and to those of us who would believe. So, when Paul speaks of “whatever you say or do” in the Name of Jesus he is pointing to this continuing cycle for “the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:5-6, 12, 14, NASB95).
Colossians 3:12-17 (CEV) – “With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.” Someone has said that music is “the window to the soul.” When God commands His people to sing, He is encouraging us to thankfully explore how the good news of Jesus Christ resonates with our hearts and minds.
Colossians 3:12-17 (CEV) – “Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other.” Our Shepherd, Dean Wolf, discusses the centrality of Christ in our lives and how Paul calls us to share our stories about how Christ has changed us.
Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV) – “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” On Easter Sunday we celebrate the source of the power that works in us to produce these virtues which is the cross of Christ (Colossians 1-2).
Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV) – “…clothe yourselves with…humility, gentleness and patience.” These virtues are characteristics of kingdom people because these virtues begin with the Father and the Son; necessary traits for the unity of the Body of Christ, the Church (Ephesians 4:1-3).
Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV) – “…clothe yourselves with…kindness,” says the apostle Paul to the church in Colossae. This virtue is a characteristic of God the Father, illustrated in Jesus, His Son, and planted in the Christian as a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
Colossians 3:12-17 (NASB95) – “put on a heart of compassion” – God defines compassion, His Son illustrates His compassion and we reflect His compassion to the world. Compassion is an emotion that moves us to action.
Colossians 3:1-17 – “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Reaching back to Colossians 2:9-23 we set the context for Paul’s list of the Christ-follower’s virtues in Colossians 3:12-16. Rooted in the cross of Jesus Christ, these virtues will guide our studies until Easter Sunday (April 4, 2021).
Galatians 5:13-26 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” What walking by the Spirit does look like. There is no law against these characteristics; so, we are free to exercise them without restraints.
Galatians 5:13-26 – “The acts of the flesh are obvious….” Paul says that the Spirit and our fleshly desires are at war with each other. What walking by the Spirit does not look like.
2 Peter 1:3-11 – “Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature….” The divine power of Christ Himself makes us participants in His divine nature; present tense promises.
2 Peter 1:3-9 – “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him….” Knowing Christ (vss. 3, 8) is the beginning and end of our every effort to become effective and productive, the apex of which is agape love.
Ephesians 1:3-4, 5:25-27 – “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. ” The presence of the Lord in your life makes you holy, too. Wherever you go, whatever you do, with whomever you encounter, you are standing on holy ground.
Joshua 5:13-15 – “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” It was the presence of the Lord that made Holy the place where Joshua was standing.
In this final online service lesson we focus upon the letter of the apostle Paul to Titus who was on the island of Crete. The island had a long history going back at least 3,000 years before Christ. For the last 200 years a Jewish community had flourished on the island as well.
As an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea it served as a nautical crossroads between the middle east and Italy and Spain, from north Africa to Greece and Asia Minor. As a cultural center, the people knew how to take advantage of visiting foreigners passing through. Hence, their reputation as “liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons” as described by Epimenides, a Cretan philosopher from around 600 B.C. and quoted by Paul in the first chapter of his letter to Titus. “This saying is true,” Paul says (Titus 1:12-13).
DEVOTED TO DOING GOOD
Ethical behavior is so important to the early church in Crete that Paul starts the letter describing what behavior their leadership must exhibit in their community. The contrast between the native Cretans and the newly established Christian community could not have been more stark. By the end of the letter, however, Paul stresses that everyone is getting ready for the day of Christ’s return by being devoted to doing good (Titus 3:8).
This is to be our rallying cry today, as well.
Please Note: This will be our final online worship service during the Covid-19 pandemic. Starting this Sunday we will begin moving back towards the building with a “Welcome Home Celebration” on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, 2020 at 10:30 a.m.
We will have a meal outside on the grounds focusing upon dishes that our father’s loved. Lord willing, we will combine this love feast with our worship and communion service.
Living a godly life is filled with challenges and opportunities. On this side of eternity we struggle because no matter how earnestly we long for righteousness, there is always the human desire to live independently of God’s rule. It is a consequence of man’s free will because he can choose those things that he desires in contrast to the things God desires.
In this brief section of scripture, Peter lays out how we can do this successfully. Several important concepts detail the adventure of learning to live godly lives in a world that constantly competes for attention.
FAITH
Faith is the beginning of living the godly life. Peter makes it clear that “was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1). Contemplate the dynamics of that concept! The very faith that anchors your life in Christ was a gift from Him because of His nature of justice and fairness!
KNOWLEDGE
The importance of coming to a knowledge of Jesus Christ and God, His Father, cannot be minimized. It is the core to living a godly life. Five times in this brief section of scripture, Peter talks about an informed faith. How can one know how to be godly if he or she does not know the one who is calling them? When we know them then we desire to be like Them. This inherently makes us more godly than we were before and it is the starting point for going further. Knowing Christ is the touchstone of our lives (see Philippians 3:7-11).
POWER
By God’s divine power, Peter says, God Himself “has given us everything we need for living a godly life” (2 Peter1:3). Note the word “everything.” Of course, we struggle to realize the dynamic of this reality. However, as we have seen before, perhaps the most important calculus for estimating the significance of this reality is found in the midst of suffering and even death; two of the great, universal challenges of mankind.
EFFORT
Secure in your faith we come to know God through Jesus Christ who empowers us to be just like Him: i.e., godly. It is in the security of this complete connection, that we are now free to pursue Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.
The more disciplined we are in this pursuit the more godly we will become. The serendipity of this pursuit is that it begins to crowd out our desires for this world’s distractions. As Peter concludes:
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
