And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

Mark 6:7-13

And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. Mark 6:11-13

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 6:7-13, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: God both calls and sends (v7), implying that God gives us something to do and a place where we are to go.  The sending is a mission function in that we are called to serve a specific community often first by traveling to this community. God also equips in that He gives us power (v7) and we should trust that He provides as we serve (vv8-9). We are reminded that it is God alone that softens hearts and saves - we share the gospel, and He saves (v11).    
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: There are those who have not and will not receive the gospel and repent - we should continue to share, but move on from those who do not repent (v11).    
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We are to listen for God's call and to go where He wants us to go.  God gives us power as He works through us and in the same way, He provides.  As we serve, we can trust in Him to work in and through us and to provide.    

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God that loves and saves.  You saved me, of course while still sinning and an enemy and hostile to You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Mark 4:21-34

And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Mark 4:24-25

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 4:21-34, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary - which offers three divisions for this text, including the first division (4:21-25). Excerpts from the commentary's introduction and first (of three) divisions of the text: 

• Main idea for vv21-34: "The kingdom of God is guaranteed to grow by the power of God until it encompasses people from every nation." 
• "Mark 4:1-34 consists of four parables. Verses 21-34 comprise the final three of these. The theme of all of them is how God’s kingdom emerges and grows with the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, who came to give His life as a ransom for many (10:45). Mark brings these parables together to reinforce the main parable of the soils (4:1-20). These stories drive home the need for the response of faith to God’s revealed Word." 
• Jesus is of course the lamp and the parables share how we are to respond to Jesus, the Light of the World.  See also John 12:46, 1:4, 1:9, and 8:12.
• God sent His Son Jesus Christ to bring Light to all corners of the world and redemptive history is the story of how his servants fulfilled the Great Commission.  
• "The light may be, for the most part, hidden at the moment. However, eventually the whole world will see the glory of this light. That which is hidden will be manifest. The resurrection of the crucified King assures this revelation. The second coming of the glorified King will establish it." 
• Hearing of the Word is key: "If your hearing is good, rich, and receptive to the Word, you will receive it back and even more."  
• In contrast, "[r]efuse Jesus and the Word, and you lose the little you may once have had. This is a critical spiritual principle. Our spiritual health, our spiritual eternity, is at stake. How we respond to Jesus day by day is of the utmost seriousness. Do not take for granted the relationship you have today. It could all be lost tomorrow." 

A review of the commentary draws me to James 1:22-25 where believers are urged to be "doers of the Word."  If we are not, perhaps we should examine how closely we are reading God's Word...John 15:1-10 also speaks of bearing fruit based on abiding in Him.  Our response to the Light should be to become doers of the Word and to bear fruit.  We are to "use the Word."    

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me Your Word to know, love, obey and use the Word for Your glory.  Thank You Jesus!  I know I exist to bring You glory.  I am not deserving of how You saved me and give me Your Word to equip me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Often I fail to use the Light.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

...God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

 Psalm 23 and Genesis 22:9-14

...God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Genesis 22:1

I continue my pause of my study of Jude to use Tony Evan's The Power of God's Names sermon outline series - maintaining focusing on Message Four: Jehovah Rohi and Jehovah Jireh.  Today, I continue to focus on those sermon notes that stand out to me - specifically looking at Sermon Point #1: To Understand Your Shepherd, Jehovah Rohi, You Must Realize That You Are Like A Sheep.  In describing sheep, the sermon notes share that "sheep...are dumb, defenseless, dirty, and dependent."  This last attribute is key - before we truly accept Jesus, we must all get to a place where we say we need Him...desperately.  As a litmus test, when God calls us, we must be prepared to answer Him right away.  As two examples, Abraham did not hesitate when God called him in Genesis 22:1 and 11.  There are of course many other Biblical examples where God called someone and they responded "here I am, ready to submit and serve You God," including Isaiah 6:8, where Isaiah cries out in response to God: “Here I am! Send me.”  We should respond because we want to submit and obey, again, because we should recognize that we are completely dependent on God, desperate for Him, and that because God is Our Shepherd, He cares for us and only wants good things for us (although how we define "good" is according to God's definition not our own).  On the other hand, there are many scriptural examples where God called someone and they failed to willingly submit to God.  Ananias and Sapphira come to mind - see this message from John Piper here. Other examples include Jonah and Judas (the apostle).  Take John Piper's recommendation and be more like Barnabas and not Ananias!  See also John 15:5 as another example where Jesus shares how "apart from me you can do nothing."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are my great Shepherd and my great Provider!  Thank You Jesus for being this for me because I desperately need it - I know that apart from You I can do nothing.  I am undeserving for how You do this for me as my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.