Category Archives: Jesus’ Life Lesson

REVELATION: SOURCE OF BATTLE PLANS

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BATTLE PLAN

“IF you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle” – from the fifth century BC Chinese battle treatise “The Art of War”. This truth seems self-evident, but that doesn’t mean that we always practice it. No one should go to war without a clear knowledge of the enemy’s strategies and capabilities. On the battlefield, knowing the enemy helps your side to prepare to defeat the enemy forces. But we must also know ourselves- our strengths, weaknesses, and our limitations. Spiritual battle has only one difference. We need to have a clear knowledge of our enemy, his capabilities, and his usual methods of attack- but we also need to seek the help of God. The Old Testament is full of examples where God intervenes and gives the people a marvelous victory. But there are other examples where not calling on God for His help led to disasters.

We discover our battle plan by looking to Jesus, asking for God’s help, and seeking the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Gospel of Matthew reveals how Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. Matthew showed how Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. For these reasons, it is likely that Matthew was written primarily for a Jewish (or mostly Jesus) audience. It’s vital to remember that Jesus was an Israelite (Matt. 1:1-17), so the expectations and hopes of Israel were very real for Jesus. He did not come to replace Israel, but to fulfill what God had always said He would do through Israel.

Read Matthew 4:1-4

Matthew never identified himself as the author of this Gospel. It was the early church tradition that linked the apostle Matthew to the Gospel book bearing his name. However, it is clear that Matthew had access to Mark’s account of the life and ministry of Jesus, because there is some overlap between them. But Matthew’s Gospel is different from the Gospel of Mark in that it contains an introduction and five major teaching blocks of material. All of this material set the stage for the climactic events recorded at the end of the book: the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 26-28).

One of the things that stands out in Jesus’ ministry is the consistency in which He was led by the Spirit of God. In Matthew 1-2, angels appeared to Mary and Joseph, but in Matthew 3-4, the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus (Matt, 3:16) and led Him (4:1). Jesus was empowered by the Spirit of God for the work that God called Him to do. The first verse of Matthew 4 reminds us that Jesus was not a mere man doing good things. He was not a guru or sage. He was empowered by the Spirt of God to do the specific work of God. Spiritual power and authority was critical to Jesus’ ministry. The Spirit’s anointing, leading, and power characterized Jesus’ ministry. The same Spirit helps us understand who Jesus is, what He did, and what He’s doing. So, Jesus had great help with His “battle plan” and the same help is available to us also.

Verse 1 says that “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil”. Why did Jesus go there? What is it about the wilderness? Perhaps it is in the wilderness, away from comfort and ease, where desires are best refined and faithfulness to God is proved. Today, the earthly “wilderness” is where most are tempted. So, it was with Jesus, and so it is with those who follow Him. Jesus’ model prayer says, “And do not bring us into temptation” (Matt. 6:13). The Holy Spirit does not drive us to temptation, but He can. Temptation may come in the wilderness, but it is not the Spirit who brings us into temptation. The Spirit leads us, like He did our Savior, into wilderness. It is in the wilderness that we face trials, experience God’s refining fire, and gain intimacy with our Lord. So, the Spirit did not lead Jesus into temptation, nor does He lead us into temptation. But rather He leads us to the wilderness, where much of God’s transformative, refining work takes place.

The echoes from the stories of the Old Testament in Matthew 4 are too significant to ignore. In the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, God’s people traverse the wilderness on their way to the promised land. It is in the wilderness that God’s people fail in their obedience to the Lord and falter in their faith. In fact, the wilderness is the place of death. The Hebrew title if the Book of Numbers is actually called “bamidbar”, which is translated “in the wilderness” (and we thought it was due to all of the numbers). It is in this book that we read of an entire generation dying because of their unbelief and sin. We see that Moses died because he failed to consecrate the name of the Lord (Num. 20). Miriam and Aaron died in the wilderness too. The difference is that Jesus was faithful to God in the wilderness and resisted temptation (Matt. 4:1-10).

There are other things here that connect Jesus to the story of Israel, such as: 12 tribes of Israel, with a king at their head, and 12 disciples of Jesus, who is the King at their head; Moses waited 40 days on the mountain in the wilderness to receive God’s law, and Jesus waited 40 days in the wilderness; Moses received God’s instruction at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19-24), and Jesus gave God’s instruction in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). Other connections appear throughout Matthew’s Gospel as well. The point of all of these connections is simply to say that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament and the Old Testament points to Him.

Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights to prepare Himself for the temptations He would face and the ministry He would soon begin. He was determined to complete the work the Father had given Him. Prayer and fasting are powerful spiritual disciplines that remind us that while we are flesh and blood, we are more than mere flesh and blood. Fasting and prayer open us up to God in a unique way, growing our intimacy with Him and helping us hear His voice. Fasting and prayer reminds us that nourishment and health for our lives requires more than food; it requires us to feast on the Lord and all that He is for us. Fasting and prayer strengthen us and prepare us for spiritual battle.

From the introduction to Jesus’ time in the wilderness, Matthew moves us to Jesus’ experience with the tempter. This title connects Satan’s work with the temptation that is mentioned in verse 1- “to be tempted by the devil”. This title “tempter” reminds us that Satan’s work is to lead us away from God, His will, and His ways. And often Satan’s means of temptation is a lying voice. Consider that the voice of God had already declared over Jesus: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased” (3:17). Satan tempted Jesus to think differently- he wanted to split Jesus away from God’s declaration by speaking another word. It is as if Satan was saying “If you really are God’s beloved Son, then do a magic trick and turnstones to bread; fill the rumbling of your empty belly”. Recognizing the mode of Satan’s temptation- his voice- is important to be able to stand firm against him. Satan tempted Jesus three times, with different “hooks”. He tempted Him regarding physical appetites, a desire to test God and experience freedom from pain, and a compromise in devotion.

The first temptation involved hunger and “bread” -turn bread to stones. Jesus response was clear and unambiguous: He would not yield to Satan’s temptation with a statement: “Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”. Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. Our Savior proclaimed that His appetite did not determine His life. He could and would be sustained by the Lord. Tricks like turning stones to bread would not provide the nourishment that Jesus really needed at the time. Jesus needed God’s strength to sustain Him all the way to the cross. As Jesus would later say, “My food is to do the will of the One who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34). Jesus’ food was the will, the work, and the ways of God. He would trust in God and not Himself.

Read Matthew 4:5-7

The devil’s second strategy was to get Jesus to test God. The goal was to get Jesus to avoid pain and suffering (the cross). Satan took Jesus to the pinnacle, the highest point, of the temple in Jerusalem. Sacrifices were made at the temple. God met humanity there through the shedding of blood. But the devil wanted Jesus to avoid shedding His blood at the temple. The devil brought Jesus to this place and encouraged Him to throw Himself down, only to be rescued by angels. The devil actually quoted Psalm 91:11-12 in verse 6 but in a twisted way. He implied that since Jesus was the Son of God, then God would preserve Him and keep Him from pain. Satan wanted to test Jesus’ commitment to God’s purpose. The road to the cross was the path of pain that Jesus was called to walk. The journey to His death on a cross was His purpose in coming to earth. Jesus knew this as well and was determined to fulfill His mission.

Once again, Jesus replied with Scripture: “Do not test the Lord your God”, quoting Deuteronomy 6:16. Although Jesus would later ask that the cup of pain and wrath be taken from Him (Matt. 26:39), He would not be tempted away from the path of pain. His purpose was the cross. The devil attempted to draw Jesus from His mission on earth, His purpose in His incarnation. But Jesus would not be dissuaded; He would fulfill His mission to give His life as a ransom for many (20:28). Jesus embraced the ways of God- from death to life, from humiliation to glorification- and so must we as we follow the Lord. We can always trust God regardless of what may tempt us to think otherwise.

Read Matthew 4:8-10

Satan’s final temptation was to split Jesus away from His pure devotion to the Lord. In short, Satan tempted Jesus to compromise. Satan showed Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world” and Satan promised to give Jesus all of these things if Jesus would worship him. Satan tempted Jesus by offering glory without humiliation. It was a serious offer but it was an empty one. Satan was tempting Jesus with a compromise of worship. Satan was trying to do anything to win and take Jesus’ place – and to gain revenge on God.   The Gospel of Matthew is crystal clear that Jesus’ glorification comes through His suffering on the cross. Jesus taught His disciples that to do the will of God, He “must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day” (16:21). Jesus’ resurrection would bring victory and glory. But to achieve the glory that God had in store for Him, Jesus would first suffer humiliation and pain.

Jesus’ response indicated that He would not be swayed, there would be no compromise. This is the lesson for all of us. His purpose would only be met by obeying the Lord, worshiping Him only, and fulfilling the will of the One who sent Him. For a third time, Jesus responded from the Book of Deuteronomy: “worship the Lord you God, and serve only Him” (Deut. 6:13). Jesus chose to devote Himself to God’s ways and God’s plan. Jesus chose the cross rather than Satan’s short-lived, false glory. More than that, after His resurrection, God would give all power and authority to Jesus anyway. Notice that the “Great Commission” of Matthew 28 begins with the key phrase: “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18). Jesus said these words after His resurrection, and it was after Jesus’ suffering and resurrection that God the Father gave to Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. He has the authority and got all the kingdoms of the world without Satan. Because Jesus is King over all, He commissioned those who follow Him to go into all the world and spread the news of the great and gracious King who reigns forever.

We should find it extraordinarily comforting to know that Jesus faced temptation just as we do. “For since He Himself has suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted” (Heb. 2:18).  But more than that, the Bible declares that we are not alone in our temptations. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin: (4:15). What a strength and a comfort we have in our tested and victorious Savior. As a reminder, the same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is the same Holy Spirit who we can call upon every day. And now Jesus is at the right hand of God to provide the only path to the Father.

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REVELATION: JESUS TEACHES

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JESUS TEACHES

Eighty percent of adults in the U.S., consider the Bible a holy book (according to AmericanBible.org.) but few read it. So, it seems that whatever respect the Bible gets in America is superficial. A survey by Lifeway research indicates that only 11% of Christians read the Bible daily and 34% rarely read it. Therefore, so many miss out on the joy and abundant life that comes from applying its truth to their lives. They do not really know about Jesus’ teaching, let alone understand it, if they do not read the Bible. Jesus is the ultimate Teacher, who knew His subject perfectly, and cared deeply for people. Obeying Jesus’ teachings leads to fruitful living.

Read Mark 4:1-2a

Scriptures make it clear that God plays no favorites (Acts 10:34-35). By sending Jesus into the world, God the Father was affirming His love for every person. This is the starting point for really understanding the message behind Jesus’ parable of the soils, coming up. The Greek term translated parable literally means “placed alongside” (a comparison). For the people who heard these parables they would have resembled ancient Jewish wisdom literature. There are four things about parables of Jesus that will help us understand them: 1) A parable is a story with a plot; 2) A parable refers to a real-life scenario that would have been familiar to Jesus’ audience; 3) A parable if for the purpose of instruction, not entertainment; and 4) A parable normally teaches one truth. It is not an allegory with many truths hidden inside of it. Jesus used parables to teach. However, we must be careful not to go beyond what Jesus intended to teach. Parables were simple stories from everyday life that shed light on profound spiritual truths. The parable helped make abstract teachings concrete and meaningful- moving from the known to the unknown. Parables left men and women wondering and thinking that were beyond their understanding.

Jesus taught many things by parable, but in this chapter, he focused on the kingdom of God. There are some perplexing verses in Mark 4 that leave us puzzled about whether Jesus also used parables to conceal truth. Before we examine the parables themselves, we need further insight into “the kingdom of God” and into the purpose of parables. Jesus used parables to help all to understand the “kingdom of God”. The term means the reign of God. Matthew 6:10 sheds light on the meaning of this concept, where it says, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done”. The focus here is that God is doing the ruling. This fact is the great central truth of Jesus’ ministry. The terms “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven” appear over one hundred times in the Gospels. Jesus wanted to rule in a man’s heart, not on an earthly throne. To communicate these great truths, Jesus chose parable.

Read Mark 4:2b-7

Jesus invited His listeners to “consider the sower who went out to sow”. The image of a farmer sowing seeds would have been familiar to Jesus’ audience. Seeds were planted by hand. As the farmer walked across the field, he threw handfuls of seed onto the ground from a large bag, slung across his shoulders. The plants did not grow in neat rows as they do with today’s machine planting. No matter how skillful, no farmer could keep some of his seed from falling on the footpath, from being scattered among rocks and thorns, or from being carried off by the wind. So, the farmer would throw the seed liberally, and enough would fall on good ground to ensure the harvest.

In His interpretation of the parable for the twelve disciples (vv.10-20), Jesus identified the seed as “the word” (v.14). “The word” could represent the good news of God which Jesus had been proclaiming in Galilee: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news” (1:15). “The word” could also represent Jesus Himself. “The word sown would therefore be the people’s response to Jesus would they accept Him or not?” In explaining the nature of the four soils, Jesus began with the negatives- focusing on the soils in the farmer’s field that turned out to be unproductive. This lack of productivity was to be expected. No matter how much effort the farmer exerted to prepare the ground for the seed, some parts of the field were bound to be problem areas. And since broadcasting seed resembled a kind of “shotgun approach” to planting, some of what the farmer pitched was bound to land in soil that could not produce a crop.

    What kind of “rocks” make our hearts shallow so that God’s Word doesn’t take root?

    What “thorns” choke out the growth of God’s Word in our lives?

Read Mark 4:8-9

Unlike most parables, the parable of the sower has more than one main point: The double thrust comes from both the condition of the soil and the yield from the seed. The parable of the sower tells about the growth of the kingdom and the conditions for that growth. The uniformly good seed refers to the good news of the kingdom, while the soil of varying conditions refers to those who hear the good news. In Palestine the planters first scattered their seed; then they plowed the ground. From everyday life they knew the farmer could never know his proportion of yield until he knew the conditions of the soil. No wonder Jesus’ hearers could picture every detail of the story.

In the story there are four kinds of soil: 1) wayside soil that served as a path and was beaten down so that it was like cement, 2) a thin layer of surface soil that was bedded on limestone,3) soil that was polluted by thorns, and 4) soil that was pure, rich, and deep. Jesus told the parable in verses 3-9 without interpreting its spiritual meaning. Basically, the meaning was this: Get the soil of your life in shape so that you can receive the seed of the good news and then bear spiritual fruit as God reigns in your life. However, Jesus interpreted the spiritual meaning in verses 13-19 after His disciples asked Him for an explanation. The conditions of the four soils are matched by four types of conditions in the lives of those who hear the good news.

The hearing Jesus wants from us is not the kind we use when we listen to background music or when someone starts to recount a long story we’ve already heard. To truly “hear” Jesus’ words is to believe them, to use them immediately in decisions and attitudes, and to base life on them- our recreation and work, family plans and money matters, praying and singing. To hear Jesus’ words is to make Jesus our true Lord. Jesus is asking what are we going to do?

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REVELATION: COMFORT

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A CHANNEL OF COMFORT

Comfort: What is comfort to each of us? Let’s share the sources of comfort. No one wants to go through hardships, but sometimes life will rain on us. As we learned from Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, God never abandons His children and we know the power of His presence in the challenges we face. When we are tested by a hard lesson of life, God’s comforting grace is always there and He will walk with us. We can channel God’s comfort to others due to His grace. We can encourage others with love, grace, and the comfort of Christ, who they will see in us. We need to ask God to open the eyes of our heart to discover our need for comfort and how to comfort others.

Read 2 Corinthians 1:2-3

Many think that when God comforts us, that our troubles should go away. But if that were always so, people would turn to God only out of a desire to be relieved of pain and not out of love for Him. We must understand that being “comforted” can also mean receiving strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our troubles. The more we suffer, the more comfort God gives us. If we are feeling overwhelmed, allow God to comfort us. Remember that every trial we endure will help us comfort other people who are suffering similar troubles.

Paul introduced the associate who was with him when he wrote. Timothy was not an apostle, but he was a fellow believer and therefore a brother. He had been Paul’s messenger to Corinthians earlier (1 Corinthian 4:17). Then Paul introduces the readers and all the Christians in Achaia, the Roman province south of Macedonia. Paul reminded them that they were “saints”, meaning holy people, people set apart as God’s possession. The church is -first of all -God’s church.

In all his letters, Paul replaced the usual Greek word for “greeting” with a similar word meaning “grace”. It was a major theme for Paul and one of the great words of the New Testament. Referring to all that God does to save sinners, “grace” indicates unmerited favor. In spite of man’s sin, God gives His love. In spite of man’s unrighteousness, God makes him righteous. God gives this undeserved gift because of His love and His sovereign power. Man cannot bring it about by his effort. He can only receive it by faith.

“Peace” was a common Jewish greeting, In the New Testament it has a deeper meaning. Originally it meant freedom from conflict both internal and external. In this sense, it is the opposite of the feeling Paul expressed in 2 Corinthians 7:5: “Our bodies had no rest but we were afflicted at every turn- fighting without and fear within”. In the fuller sense, it describes all the blessings of salvation.

As Paul introduced his theme (the Ministry of Suffering), the very first paragraph shows the rich meaning and intense feeling that characterizes 2 Corinthians. The passage is a doxology that describes both comfort and suffering. The emphasis is on God. He is the “God…of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v.3). He is like Jesus, but He is more than Jesus. He is His “Father”. God is specifically known as the “the Father of mercies”, the Hebrew way of saying merciful Father, and as “the God of all comfort”, the one whose comfort meets every need.

Read 2 Corinthians 1:4-5

Paul and those who join him in Christian service, experienced many difficulties. But God provides strength in each case. This strength becomes a rich resource for ministering to others. Paul viewed his suffering not as misery but ministry. He came to this conviction through his own experience of suffering (12:7-10).

Much of the comfort Paul received came from knowing that his suffering was related to “Christ’s suffering”. The Jews expected the time of the Messiah to be protected by the suffering of His people. Jesus, however, suffered for His people. Those whom He called to follow Him also suffered in order to bless others. With this profound view of suffering Paul could encourage the Corinthians. He had great hope for them because he knew their sufferings would lead to their greater strength in the future. Of course, this does not mean that we should desire or seek to suffer- especially for some favor, but to realize that suffering for Christ is expected.

Suffering for Christ refers to those afflictions we experience as we serve Christ. At the same time, Christ suffers with His people, since they are united with Him. In Acts 9:4-5, Christ asked Paul why he was persecuting Him. This implies that Christ suffered with the early Christians when they were persecuted.

Read 2 Corinthians 1:6-7

Paul firmly believed that suffering is part of ministry. Paul had a radically different view of suffering. Suffering- especially trials and discomfort associated with the advancement of Christ’s kingdom- is God’s way of allowing Christians to become more like Jesus. This means to suffer for the gospel just as Jesus suffered for it (Philippians 1:29; 3:10). Peter agreed with Paul: Christians should rejoice when they suffer, for in their own suffering they will in some small way experience what it meant for Jesus to suffer for their sins (1 Peter 4:12-13),

In addition to drawing people closer to Christ, suffering can also help them grow in their faith. God uses suffering to improve His people and shape them into better Christians. In fact, suffering should be thought of as the necessary pain that accompanies spiritual growth. In Romans, Paul noted that suffering produces perseverance, which, in turn produces Christian character (Romans 5:3, James 1:3-4; 2 Peter 1:6; Revelation 2:2, 19). This passage highlights another benefit to suffering, it teaches the sufferer how to encourage others who are also suffering. This become a channel of comfort for others but also for ourselves, that is, when we bring comfort to others it should also comfort us.

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REVELATION: JESUS RULES

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JESUS RULES

There were two different tornadoes that struck Reading Road in Cincinnati, Ohio in the 1970’s? They were a few years apart, but they struck the same restaurant that we had eaten in a couple of times before. Also, we had what was called “hurricane” remnants in the Fall of 2008. It damaged my roof. In any of these or other such events we can only do so much to protect life and property. A time comes when we just need to get out of the way or leave the effected areas- like in the recent rash of hurricanes or the California fires. The forces of nature are powerful, but Jesus is more so- and He is present with His followers in everything they face. The Lord who is over all creation is working with us, and He invites us to trust Him. We can trust Jesus in the storm of life. Let’s think about what causes floods, tornadoes, or hurricanes and what is God’s role in each of them! Whatever we conclude, we need to ask God to teach us to trust Him when we go through literal and figurative storms in our lives.

Read Mark 4:35-37

The chapter includes two more parables about the Kingdom of God (vv.26-32) in addition to the parable of the soils. These two parables remind us that the kingdom was present and active in Jesus. Jesus demonstrated His authority extended over nature as well. It is easy to believe that following Jesus will solve all of our problems, but while we are on earth that is not the case. Certainly, God is in control, but we are reminded that Jesus said Satan is “the ruler in this world” (Matt. 20:25). In Revelation 19:11-21, we see Jesus taking over that role.

Now we enter a new part of Jesus’ ministry that shows God’s reign in action. Through four miracles, Jesus ruled over nature, demons, disease, and death- but not over unbelief. His display of power would serve as further preparation for the future ministry of the disciples. To perform their ministry, they also would need the power that comes from God, a power like that which Jesus had. In these verses, Jesus had taught from a boat until evening came. Then, at Jesus’ suggestion, the disciples joined Him in the boat to go across the sea from Capernaum to Gadara. The trip from the northwestern shore to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee was above six miles. Mark is the only Gospel that tells about other boats accompanying them (vv.35-36).

More often than not, the Sea of Galilee was calm and peaceful; yet it was notorious for its sudden storms. Jesus’ disciples had set sail calmly enough with Jesus asleep on a cushion (at the rear of the boat, where a guest would lie down). But a violent storm erupted, and waves began to fill the boat. The disciples were seasoned fishermen who would not panic over a few whitecaps. But the boat was almost swamped and was in danger of sinking; so, they were panic-stricken. Jesus must have been exhausted from the strain of teaching, for He was sleeping through the storm. Although His sleep was one of weariness (human condition), it was also one of faith. He had no fear! With mingled agitation and reproach, the disciples woke Jesus and questioned whether it mattered to Him that they were about to drown. (These same disciples would later sleep when Jesus needed them.)

The “lake”, in verse 35, was the Sea of Galilee (as indicated previously), a body of water 680 feet below sea level and surrounded by hills. Winds blowing across the land intensify close to the sea, often causing violent and unexpected storms. The disciples had spent their lives fishing on this same “lake”, but now they panicked. Problems occur in every area of life. The disciples needed rest, but they encountered a terrible storm. The Christian life may have more stormy weather than calm seas. As Christ’s followers, be prepared for the storms that will surely come. We should not surrender to the stress, but remain resilient and recover from setbacks. With faith in Christ, we can pray, trust, and move ahead. When a storm approaches, lean into the wind and trust God.

Read Mark 4:38-39

Storms, like described by Mark, serve as an apt metaphor for the storms we face in life. They can come up quickly with little or no warning. While weather forecasting services attempt to provide warnings and predictions of storms, we get little or no warning of life’s storms. They can come up quickly. They can toss us about, turning our lives upside down. Being a believer does not exempt us from facing life’s storms. In these verses we see that the disciples mistook Jesus’ lack of anxiety for unconcern. They assumed His ability to sleep through the violent storm meant He really didn’t care if they lived or died. Fear has a way of both driving us to Jesus and leading us to doubt His compassion.

Jesus quickly calmed the disciples’ alarm with a command to the elements. The creator of  the wind and sea commanded them, “Peace! Be still” (v.39). And the storm disappeared. For the first time in the book of Mark, Jesus revealed that He had power over the elements of nature. And, as some commenters point out, if we accept a healing miracle, why stagger at a nature miracle? The Creator is also lord over His creation. As the King James version states, “There arose a great storm of wind…and He arose” (vv. 37,39). Truly, for every crisis there is Christ.

Let’s think about how the following life circumstances may cause us to wonder if God cares:

  1. Spouse’s physical decline
  2. Fear of mental deterioration
  3. Stress due to finances
  4. Feeling lonely or forgotten
  5. Transitioning to assisted living

Are there others? Any thoughts on the best way to approach or handle each?

Read Mark 4:40-41

After Jesus calmed the storm, He questioned the disciples about their fear and lack of faith. “Afraid’ (V. 40) may also mean cowardly (as translated by The New English Bible). In Jesus; gentle rebuke of the disciples, He revealed that faith is the cure for fear (v.40). Then when fear seized the disciples again, Jesus did not chide them. The second fear was the awe that man should have- a reverent fear at the power of God in Jesus (v.41).  No command in the Bible appears more often than “Fear not!” Faith in Jesus ends cowardly fear. But the modern Christian needs a healthy and wholesome fear of Jesus, which causes the Christian to stand in awe and to wonder at the personhood of one who has such great power.

Some try to explain away the miracle over the elements of nature. Then there are those who try to use these elements of nature to say God was punishing that area or kinds of people. But God who created the world did not create it to be a closed system, sealed off from Him. He can- and does- intervene in His creation, but not as a punishment or a reward. In the calming of the wind and sea, God in Christ overruled the disorder of nature. There are passages in Psalms that reflect God’s power over nature (Psalm 46:1-3; 89:9; 108:28-29).

The disciples lived with Jesus, but they underestimated Him. They did not see that His power applied to their very own situation. Jesus has been with His people for over 20 centuries, and yet we, like the disciples, underestimate His power to handle crisis in our lives. The disciples did not yet know enough about Jesus. We cannot make the same excuse. Faith grows over time and the disciples had to learn this- as we do. Even in the midst of life’s storms, we can know that Jesus is in control. He rules!!!

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REVELATION: JESUS CALLS

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JESUS CALLS

When we think what Jesus calls us to do, both to follow Him and to witness to others, we are presented with the decision of how best to do each. Last time we talked about how Andrew as a great example for us to be an active witness. So now we focus on examples of those who us the method and opportunity to follow individuals and groups. We can learn about the lives, motives and character about people. Jesus invites us to follow Him in a far more intimate us way. Following Jesus will require us to change directions, but the journey we take with Him leads us to abundant and eternal life.

Read Mark 1:14-15

Mark’s Gospel is a fast-moving summary of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Mark introduces the ministry of John the Baptist (1:1-8), which leads directly into the baptism of Jesus (vv. 9-11) and then Mark tells a summary of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness (vv. 12-13). This sets the stage to move from John to Jesus and Jesus’ ministry of calling people to follow Him.

After John the Baptist’s arrest, Jesus began his Galilean ministry, preaching the good news that came from God. The world had waited and hungered for the words of verse 15: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel”. “Kingdom of God” means the kingly rule of God. At that time the rule of God was to be internal rather than external, over the hearts of people rather than over the military powers of the day. Somehow, the kingdom was both present (Luke 7:18-23; 10:23-24) and yet to come (Mark 14:25; Luke 11:2). The present and future aspects of the kingdom of God still puzzle us today. But for God to have his way with man is always good news, and Jesus announced that the time had drawn near.

The concept of “the time” also indicated that the coming of the Messiah was all about God’s plan. The coming of the Messiah was happening in accordance with God’s timing, and it occurred according to His will. As Paul later told the believers in Galatia, God acted “when the time came to completion” (Gal, 4:4). The kingdom had “come near” because the Messiah and King of the kingdom had come. In the prologue of his Gospel, John wrote that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). God has always been close to His people- even when they rebelled against Him- but now He had become one of them. In His sovereignty, God broke into human history to redeem His people through the incarnation of Jesus the Messiah and His sacrifice at the cross.

The news demanded a response of repentance and belief in the gospel (Mark 1:15). “Believe” is the word of response that answers the question of how to receive the good news. “Believe” means to take Jesus at His word, to have faith in the good news, to exercise trust in the gospel. Christian belief is always more than intellectual understanding. It is head and heart belief. The final element of Jesus’ core message demanded a response to the arrival of the kingdom of God. Jesus added an emphasis on faith. The only way to enter God’s kingdom is to repent of one’s sins and believe in the good news of the kingdom. Repentance requires a complete change of direction- an about-face that moves one toward God rather than away from Him. This marks the starting line for the great adventure Jesus calls us to begin. .

Read Mark 1:16-20

We often assume that Jesus’ disciples were great men of faith from the first time they met Jesus. But they had to grow in their faith just as all believers do (14:48-50, 66-72; John 14:1-9; 20:26-29). This is apparently not the only time Jesus called Peter (Simon), James, and John to follow Him (Luke 5:1-11 and John 1:35-42 for two other times). Although it took time for Jesus’ call and His message to get through, the disciples followed in the same way, we may question and falter, but we must never stop following Jesus.

Fishing was a major industry around the Sea of Galilee. Fishing with nets was the most common method. Jesus called the disciples to fish for people with the same energy they had used to fish for food. The gospel would be like a net, lifting people from the dark waters into the light of day and transforming their lives. How can God use us to fish for people’s souls? How can we train new concepts to find new seas and cast new nets where waters have never been fished before? The gospel makes missionaries of all God’s people. So, Jesus is calling us to “cast our nets”.

There was a lapse of time- but not a lapse of thought- between the incidents recorded in verse 15 and those recorded in verses 16-20. The context of repenting and believing was immediately succeeded by the context of leaving and following. Jesus commanded Simon Peter and Andrew to follow Him (v.17). The brothers had followed Jesus earlier (John 1:35-42), but this call was to continuous discipleship. A disciple is a learner. Later, these disciples would be called apostles and sent on a mission. But before they could become ambassadors for Christ, they needed to become students of Christ.

Since Peter and Andrew were fishing, it was natural for Jesus to express His call in this way: “Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men” (v. 17). It was like saying: “You will gather great numbers of people for the kingdom of God”. Jesus promised to enable His disciples to bring others under the kingly reign of God. Immediately, Andrew and Peter followed Jesus.

James and John were mending nets (or possibly folding nets) to get them ready for use (v. 19). They left their nets, their ship, their hired hands, and their father- they left all- to follow Jesus. The words for “follow Him” in Greek text show a once-and-for-all determination to follow Jesus (v. 20). Their dedication was and is the only kind that is fit for the King of Kings.

The two sets of brothers answered Jesus’ challenge with changed hearts. Their change of heart brought them a new loyalty, a new security, and a new occupation. The timeless good news appeared when Jesus entered His public ministry, and now, as then, it demands a verdict from the listener. Answering YES to Jesus calls for a willingness to leave everything and to risk everything. For us today, that requires trust, belief, commitment, obedience, and faith- but it is not likely, for us, to risk everything.

Just as Jesus revealed Himself to His first followers, He reveals Himself to us today through creation and Scriptures. Much has changed since Jesus first started preaching and called the four fishermen beside the Sea of Galilee. But the Messiah is still in the business of calling disciples to Himself. He’s still offering all who will heed His call a spot on what will be the ride of a lifetime- an adventure like no other. Our lives are changed if we take seriously the call to follow Christ today. Our challenge is to determine how we will follow Christ and heed His call. So, Jesus is calling us to follow Him.

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GOD’S AGENDA (WILL)

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PURSUE GOD’S AGENDA

So we are all still here and the world did not end. Remember the Bible says that “no man” will know when the end of times will happen. I guess that the person saying the end would come on 5/21 was not named “no man”. Most confuse the “end of the world” with rapture. I heard that on the news at least twice. Rapture, by that name, is not in the Bible. But as you study the Bible, especially Revelations, it is clear that rapture could occur at any time, but that is not the “end of the world”.  Then the Bible clearly says it will be 7 years from rapture before Christ comes again and “ends” the world as we know it. This is God’s agenda.

Today we will spend some time pursuing God’s agenda by recognizing our accountability, holding uncompromisingly to the gospel, and living out our devotion to the church. We know that we need to commit ourselves to pursuing God’s agenda wherever it leads and whatever it costs. However, many times we all pursue our own agenda. We are going to look at three different scripture areas, all written by Paul. As a servant of God, we need to seek what God is telling us to do through the Bible and the Holy Spirit. Each day God presents us with needs and opportunities that challenge us to do what we know is right.

Read 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Recognize Your Accountability to God

In a recent previous lesson we talked above the immorality of Corinth, as a city. In fact, this past Sunday, the Pastor repeated all of the background and description of Corinth as we had talked in some detail before. Also I have mentioned at least twice that we all get spiritual gifts when we become Christians and it is always nice when the Pastor re-affirms specifics from our lesson (like he did over and over this past week’s sermon). That background helps us understand- again- what Paul is saying about the Corinthian church’s need for accountability. Paul starts by setting himself up as a “manager of God’s mysteries”. Managers can mean “stewards” (KJV) and describes someone who receives responsibility to care for the property of another. God’s mysteries are the hidden wonders in God’s plan that he was revealing to the Corinthians. Paul is emphasizing that they must be faithful and accountable to God. So when Paul talks about- that it is not important to be evaluated by them, or even any human court, he is not being arrogant but that we all need to be accountable only to God.   It is tempting to judge fellow Christians but only God knows a person’s heart, and He is the only one with the right to judge us and others. We are to confront those who are sinning (5:12-13) but we must not judge who is a better servant for Christ. What are we likely saying when we judge others?  (That we know best, we are better than they are and/or it is arrogance.)“Hidden in darkness” and “reveal intentions” refer to the inner motives, thoughts, and attitudes which only God can know. Since our Heavenly rewards will be based, not just on outward service, but on inward devotion, only God can give the praise each deserves. So Paul affirmed that at Christ’s coming “praise will come to each one from God”. God will judge our actions and motives related to our work. God does not want to bless our agendas; rather, He wants us to pursue His.

Read Galatians 1:6-10 Hold Uncompromisingly to the Gospel

Galatians was written around 48-52 AD to churches in Galatia, located in what is not central Turkey. The book of Galatians is the charter of Christian freedom. Paul proclaims the reality of our liberty in Christ- freedom from the law and the power of sin, and freedom to serve our living Lord. Galatians was written to refute the Judaizers (extremist Jewish faction who were Christians within the church of the Galatians) and to all believers back to pure gospel. Paul was teaching that faith in Christ means true freedom, but many in the church were turning their back to this truth. Paul was expressing amazement that many had turned so quickly from the Lord. They were probably doing so because of their Jewish heritage. It appears they were probably doing so because of their Jewish heritage. It appears they were attempting to combine the two religions but using the law instead of faith in Christ for salvation. This teaching and beliefs were threatening these new churches in Galatia as they were trying to change the gospel about the Messiah. Paul used the comment about even if an angel from Heaven preached a gospel other than the true good news a curse would come upon the angel to indicate how important it was to maintain the proper doctrine. What do you think Paul might be thinking about any angel who may try to present another doctrine?  (Paul also warned that Satan could disguise himself as an angel of light. Satan is always trying to fool everyone.)

Paul was trying to impress on all of us that twisting the truth is more difficult to spot than an outright lie. There could be no other gospel and that were some in those Galatians who were the trouble makers. Those guilty of trying to “twist the truth” with false messages would be cursed. The actual word was a Greek term that has been carried over into English, “anathema”. It was used to translate a Hebrew word meaning devoted to God for destruction. It was, of course, totally rejected by God; like idols and valuable goods captured by Israelites in battle with their enemies which they had been commanded to destroy. Paul felt the Judaizers offenses were so serious that drastic action was warranted. In verse 10 Paul countered the charge by the Judaizers that Paul was leaving out the law by indicating it was God’s favor he sought. Paul was a servant of Christ and that he would not compromise even for the sake of popularity. Pursuing God’s agenda means holding uncompromisingly to and making known the gospel! The gospel does not have a human origin but comes from the Lord Himself (Galatians 1:11-12).

Read 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 Live Out Your Devotion to the Church

The church at Thessalonica (in Macedonia the northern part of Greece) was very young, having been established only 2 or 3 years before this letter was written. The Thessalonians Christians needed to mature in their faith. In addition, there was a growing misunderstanding concerning Christ’s second coming. Some thought Christ would return immediately. So they were confused when their loved ones died because they expected Christ to return before hand. Paul was trying to help them understand the events of Christ’s return and that they would not know the timing, which was discussed in the latter part of this book. Paul and his companions “were like children” in that they were honest, straightforward, and without guile in their presentation of the gospel and their lives. Paul may have had in mind Moses’ portrayal of himself as a nursing mother to Israel (Numbers 11:12). He had used the same tender picture with the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 12:14) and the Galatians (Galatians 4:19). Paul’s affection for the Thessalonians was like that felt by a mother willing to sacrifice her life for her child as was Christ who was willing to give up His own life for those who would be born again into the family of God (Matt. 20:28). Verses 7 and 8 both contain strong contrasts. Paul’s group could have been a burden; instead they were gentle nurturers. They could have shared only the gospel; instead they shared their very lives. Believers today also need to have love for other people. Love for others is one of the great motivators to share our faith. The word “dear” can mean “beloved” and is related to the word agape- unconditional love expressing itself in self-denying commitment.

Although Paul had the right to receive financial support from the people he taught, he supported himself as a tentmaker (Acts 18-13) so he wouldn’t be a burden to the new Thessalonians believers. Paul explained “laboring night and day” in 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9. Paul lived on what he made so that his motives could not be questioned, unlike the false teachers who always sought money. Are there some of those types around today? (Just turn on TV) (Billy Graham was a great example of how to do it right.) Then it says they “preached God’s gospel” which Paul said included these truths: 1) the authority and truthfulness of Scripture (v-13); 2) the deity of Christ (Roman 10:9); 3) the sinfulness of mankind (Romans 3:23); 4) Christ’s death and Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:4); and 5) salvation by God’s grace through man’s faith in God (Eph 2:8-9). Paul’s summary of the gospel is in 1 Corinthians 15:1-5. To ensure that Paul was believed and followed, he wanted the Thessalonians to see him as a man of integrity, devoted to the church. So he said “you are witnesses, and so is God”. Under Old Testament law it took two or more witnesses to verify truth (Numbers 35:30, Deut. 17:6 19:15, 2 Cor. 13:1). Here, Paul called on both the Thessalonians and God as witnesses to affirm his holy conduct in the ministry (2 Cor. 1:12). Paul and his companions had lived devoutly, righteously, and blamelessly, and had given sacrificially of themselves to provide spiritual leadership. Paul used three words to describe his fatherly relationship with the Thessalonians since they were his children in the faith: exhorted, comforted, and charged. They emphasized the personal touch of a loving father (1 Cor. 4:14-15). Paul is laying out the way we used to take new believers under our wing until they mature enough to stand firm in their faith. This help of new believers should continue until they are strong enough to influence others for the sake of the Good News.

Finally, Paul speaks of the sphere of eternal salvation (Colossians 1:13-14) when he says-“calls you into His own kingdom” and thus culminating in the splendor of Heaven. So verse 12 is encouraging all of us to walk worthy of God” because of God’s promise of eternal life. The Bible stresses again and again that God is guiding history and He wants us to pursue His agenda and will. Doing so brings Him glory and honor, which is the goal of all creation (Eph. 1:5-6, 14; Rev. 5:11-14). As He pursues His agenda, He invites people everywhere to pursue it with Him. Paul is saying that those who lead, need to communicate clearly and often God’s agenda. We can better pursue God’s agenda when we take three steps. First, we must recognize our accountability to God. We have a ministry as stewards of God’s work and He expects our faithfulness. Second, we must hold uncompromisingly to the gospel. There is only one gospel, and we must take a stand for the truth. Third, we must live out our devotion to the church. As we demonstrate loving concern for people and their spiritual growth, we will see God’s work advance. We can only find true and lasting fulfillment when we pursue God’s agenda (will).

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