And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.

Mark 2:1-12

And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. Mark 2:3-4

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 2:1-5, which is the text for the first (of three) division of vv1-12 per the commentary.  Excerpts from the introduction to this chapter of the commentary as well as for the first division vv1-5:

• "All of us at some point in our lives will be forced to consider two critical questions: Can I be forgiven of my sins? Who can forgive me of my sins? That we must face such questions should not surprise us. Sin is our greatest problem. It is our greatest enemy and separates us from God. It renders us spiritually dead, and if left unforgiven, results in eternal death in a place called hell."
• "Who can forgive me? God can—the God who is revealed in the person of Jesus. This Jesus is the Son of God (1:1), the Son of Man (2:10), and the Holy One of God (1:24) who has come to take away the sins of the world. He is the only One who can deliver me from the penalty of sin, providing for my justification. He is the only One who can deliver me from the power of sin, ensuring my sanctification. And He is the only One who can deliver me from the presence of sin, promising my future glorification."
• Although those interested in Jesus sought more miracles, Jesus came back to Capernaum to preach. 
• "Jesus saw [the] faith [of the paralytic and his friends], probably referring to all five men, but at the very least encompassing the four friends. In either case our Lord clearly was impressed, and He honored their faith by pouring out mercy on the paralyzed man."
• Jesus forgave the man even though this is not what he sought. "Seeing the man’s whole situation, Jesus lovingly looked past his surface need and met his deeper need; He looked past the man’s immediate need and met his real need! Based on who He is and what He would accomplish on the cross, Jesus extended to a paralyzed sinner God’s full and complete pardon of sin. He may have needed healing, but even more he—like all of us—needed to experience the forgiveness of sins made possible by Jesus."  

We pray for much in our faith journey.  For many of our prayers, we assume they are unanswered.  However, God hears all of our prayers. We must also understand that God has a plan and this plan is perfect - we cannot fathom the depth and breadth of God's thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8).  While we pray for many things and don't understand the depth and breadth of God's plan - we do know that salvation is core to His plan as Jesus came to seek and save the lost - Luke 19:10. We are all lost without Jesus -  eternally damned.  Yet Jesus saves and He met not only the greatest need of the paralytic but the greatest need for all of humanity across all of redemptive history. Come to Jesus and be saved!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that saves - meeting my greatest need.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time. 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 when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Mark 2:1-12

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:5

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 2:1-12, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Observations from the text using the Sword Method:

• What do we learn from the passage about God?:  Spreading the Good News is important - just as He did in chapter 1, we see Jesus teaching others (v2).  Jesus has compassion and He heals (vv4-5, 10-12).  He has power and authority (vv10-11) - Jesus reigns over all (see also Colossians 1:15-17).  Jesus also understands scripture - as He is the divine author (see John 1:1)!
• What do we learn from the passage about people: We must demonstrate faith trusting Jesus that He can heal others both spiritually and physically.  We must have compassion for others just as Jesus did - notice how the paralytic's friends were desperate to get Jesus to see and heal him (see vv3-4).  We must understand that we have sins of the heart or sins, God sees all of our sin (Leviticus 19:17) - notice how God understood the thoughts of the scribes (vv6-8).  We must love others as God loves us.  We must also recognize God for who He is - as God not only has power to forgive sins but over everything. 
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey?: Sins to avoid: questioning the authority of God or not fearing God. Promises to claim: Jesus forgives my sins and His mercies never cease and are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).  Examples to follow: According to our role at home and in the church, we must teach God's Word. We must also demonstrate compassion to serve others in need. Commands to obey: Love and forgive others as Jesus loved us.

Just as the paralytic's friends were desperate for healing for him, we must also be desperate for the spiritual healing as we are all broken, sinful and in need of a Savior.  Jesus is this Savior.  He will forgive and save, pour out mercies ceaselessly that are new every morning, and He will live in your heart changing you from the inside out to become progressively more like Him every day.  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (Matthew 5:6)." 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible grace and compassion. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your rich mercies and grace that are inexhaustible, and of course of my salvation.  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 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 a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

Mark 1:35-45

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.  Mark 1:40-42

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 1:35-45, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Excerpts from the third (of three) division of the commentary, which covers 1:40-45:

• "The person with the disease was mocked and shunned. The leper had to wear torn clothes, leave his hair unkempt, cover his face, and cry out “Unclean!” He was forced to live in isolation."
• "Leviticus 13–14 discusses the disease. It was usually regarded as an evidence of divine punishment. As such, the cure could only come from the Lord. Other illnesses could be healed, but leprosy had to be both healed and cleansed. Needless to say, no one in the Bible healed a leper by touch other than Jesus."
• Warren Wiersbe's Be Diligent shares: "When you read the ‘tests’ for leprosy in Leviticus 13, you can see how the disease is a picture of sin. Like sin, leprosy is deeper than the skin (v3); it spreads (vv5-8); it defiles and isolates (vv44-46); and it renders things fit only for the fire (vv47-59). Anyone who has never trusted the Savior is spiritually in worse shape than this man was physically."
• "[The leper] was desperate, and he believed only Jesus could heal him and make him clean. He came, knelt, and begged, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Wow! His faith is astounding! The issue is not whether Jesus could heal him, but would He? This man comes to Jesus with great courage, great humility, and great faith—the same way we, as sin-sick sinners, must come to Him. He came believing in the only One who could change his life and make him whole."
• "As the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53:4, [Jesus] takes on Himself the infirmities of this man, cleanses him, and makes him whole!"
• "Jesus sternly charged the cleansed leper to see the priest to be pronounced clean so that he could return to his community and not to tell anyone. Jesus "wants followers who seek Him! People are always tempted by the sensational. Jesus desires followers who long for truth and want to know Him. He does not want people to come to Him to get what they want."  God is not a vending machine!
• "Ironically, Jesus and the leper have traded places. The leper is now on the inside with family and friends. Jesus is on the outside in a lonely and desolate place. This picture of substitution is the heart of the gospel. It is why Jesus came. He will take on Himself our sin, our sorrow, and our shame. In return He gives us His forgiveness, His holiness, and His righteousness—praise the Lord! What an exchange!"   

Jesus' healing of the leper is of course key to this third and last division (vv40-45) of the text - Mark 1:35 to 1:45. The commentary refers to this division as The Kingdom Advances Through Healing.  The first and second divisions...Through Prayer, and Through Preaching.  We must all recognize that we are all spiritually dead and broken until Jesus saves us - we all need a Savior and the One Who Heals and Binds Our Wounds and Sins.  He does this by taking our sin upon Himself and the punishment we deserve.

Also, in my commentary-assisted study of this division, I once again revisit the "Messianic Secret" which I first explored a few days ago here.  God reveals Himself in the Word through the Holy Spirit.  Yet until glorification, we don't fully comprehend God's Word or even God Himself.  We rely on sanctification to bring about a progressively greater understanding of God.  This post from John Piper on DesiringGod.com explores this topic further as Piper describes the mystery of God, sharing: "[s]o I'm not sure I know why God would hold his insights, and give them at certain points, and then crash us with wonderful insights for a season and then withhold them for others. God knows what he is doing, and we need to profit from it by acknowledging that we are finite and fallible and sinful."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible grace and compassion for me - saving me while I was still hostile and an enemy to You.  You also continue to pour out rich mercies that never cease and I experience every morning.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  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, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Mark 1:35-45

And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. Mark 1:38-39

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 1:35-45, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Excerpts from the second (of three) division of the commentary, which covers 1:38-39:

• "The crowds at Peter’s house came for the miracles. Now, apparently, they want more. The call to repent and believe the gospel (1:15) was not on their spiritual radar. Like so many today, they wanted a Jesus of their liking, a Jesus who would perform miracles and fit into their agenda."
• "Neither the crowds nor the disciples understood why He had come into the world. But He knew! Jesus came to preach, to herald, to proclaim the gospel of salvation, a message that is both by Him and about Him. Indeed, He is the gospel! But sadly, the crowds missed Him. God had only one Son, and He made Him a preacher. No pastor is worthy of the office who does not preach the Word. No church will prosper spiritually without the preaching of the Word."
• "Jesus went throughout all Galilee, preaching the gospel and casting out demons. He did this out of a life of prayer. Prayer and preaching is a one-two punch that cannot be defeated. This is how the kingdom marches on anywhere and anytime."  

For those who are gifted as teachers, it is call that they should follow, but with great humility and responsibility.  Those who teach must constantly be learning and allowing God to work through their gift of teaching.  For believers, we need corporate worship to hear this teaching, and we should be striving to learn and grow through our own study of the Word and through Bible studies where we participate with other believers to sharpen one another - Proverbs 27:17.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that loves and saves - thank You for providing so many great teachers who help me see You in You Word and understand and love You more.  I am not deserving of such blessings...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 rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

 Mark 1:35-45

 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Mark 1:35

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 1:35-45, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Excerpts from the commentary chapter's introduction and first (of three) division of the commentary, which covers 1:35-37:

• "Jesus has just had an extraordinary day of teaching the Scriptures, casting out demons, and healing the sick—all on the Sabbath. He has served the hurting late into the evening, well past sundown (1:32). And even though the day is drawing to a close, there is more to be done to enable the kingdom to advance against the powers of darkness and evil. In this text Jesus exhibits the strategy by which God continues to advance His purposes."
• The title for the first division - The Kingdom Advances Through Prayer - is the first of three reasons (divisions) outlined by the commentary to help us better understand how Jesus' advances his purposes.
• "There are three prayers of Jesus in Mark: The first is found here at the beginning, when His ministry is being defined. The second comes in the middle of the Gospel, when the people wanted to “take Him by force to make Him King” (John 6:15). The final prayer is near the conclusion, in Gethsemane, asking the Father to “take this cup away” (Mark 14:32-42). These are critical moments."
• "The setting in each instance is darkness and solitude, recalling the wilderness and the cosmic conflict between our Lord and Satan. Here, Jesus finds strength in the solitude of prayer and intimate fellowship with His Father. What a valuable lesson that too many of us ignore!"
• "Peter and those with him sent out a search party. Apparently the crowds had returned for more miracles. Peter’s words are almost a rebuke: “Everyone’s looking for You!” In other words, “What are You doing here? This is not where You should be! You need to be with the crowds! We are building a following. Things are beginning to happen. You do not have time to be alone and pray!” Oh, how we are so much like Peter, not understanding the ways of God and how His kingdom will come! Yes, there will be healings and exorcisms. But there must also be prayer."   

Life gets busy.  Today, we can claim that life is busier than its ever been, yet this is not true.  Life has always been hard and busy - and today we have modern conveniences that for many remove obstacles/excuses to spiritual life - such as a Bible on our smartphones.  Slowing down to spend time with God in study of His Word and in prayer is essential.  See also this article from DesiringGod.com on slowing down.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an awesome God that loves me and is patient with me - working in me to mold me into Your image. You and the Holy Spirit are also constantly interceding on my behalf to the Father.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save and love me.  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.

Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

 Mark 1:35-45

Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. Mark 1:45b

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 1:35-45, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  My observations from the text using the Sword Bible study method:

• What do we learn about God: Prayer is a priority as v35 shares that the very first thing Jesus does once He rises "very early in the morning, while it was still dark," is prayer.  Jesus also prayed by Himself.  While corporate and group prayer with our brothers and sisters in Christ is encouraged, Jesus seeks for us to avoid praying like the hypocrites who seek to be seen by others as "religious" - see Matthew 6:5-7.  Teaching God's Word is a priority - see v38 where Jesus shares that "this is why I came out."  He taught throughout Galilee (v39).  Compassion, and love and service for others was also a priority as Jesus continued to both physically and spiritually heal those who came to Him - see vv39-42 (see also Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45).  Jesus demonstrated both compassion and understanding of the Old Testament laws that specified only the priests could "pronounce" a leper clean and able to rejoin his community after periods of isolation (see Leviticus 13). Isolation is not good for man and we are designed for community and one another - vv43-44.  
• What do we need to obey: Jesus seeks for us to pray - as prayer is how we communicate with God and demonstrate our utter dependence on Him.  We claim the promise that prayer is powerful - James 5:16-18. As already mentioned we must follow Jesus' example of prayer. We also must teach the Good News according to our roles - this includes parents and heads of households.  
• What do we learn about people: People need Jesus as He promises healing, both physically and spiritually.  We must acknowledge that while our physical healing may not occur now, believers know in Heaven all will be healed - see Revelation 21:4.  The need for Jesus is desperate as v45 mentions that even in "desolate places...people were coming to [Jesus] from every quarter."    

Mark 1:45 stands out this morning as I reflect and attempt to more fully understand where Jesus was in these desolate places and the people He encountered.  This article from DesiringGod.com shares an insight how Jesus swaps roles as the leper rejoins his community while Jesus enters desolation.  Jesus loves us so much that He takes on our sin and shame - to the point of death on the cross. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of compassion for me - taking on my sin and shame and giving me life to the full now and for eternity.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  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.  

That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

 Mark 1:29-34

That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. Mark 1:32-34

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 1:32-34, which is the text for the second division for 1:29-34 per the commentary.  Excerpts from the commentary:

• "A distinction is made between those “who were sick and those who were demon-possessed” (v32) and those “who were sick with various diseases” (v34). All disease and sickness is the result of sin, but not all disease and sickness is the result of demonic oppression or activity. Satan and his demons may inflict physical illness, but not all physical afflictions are demonic in origin. The ancients were not as naïve and ignorant as they are sometimes accused of being."  
• "The last phrase of verse 34 is instructive. Men may be confused as to the identity of Jesus, but never so with the demons: “They knew Him” and they feared Him. What a contrast with foolish, fallen, and unbelieving humans!"
• Jesus' instruction to the demons not to speak is referred to in the commentary as the "Messianic Secret", as Jesus sought to "conceal His Messiahship during His ministry."  The commentary offers seven observations on this question: (1) "Jesus wanted to avoid the impression of being a mere miracle worker or a magician. Those who conjure up tricks seek attention for themselves. Jesus is different. He came to defeat the power and effects of sin in the whole world" (2) "Jesus wanted to avoid unhelpful publicity to have more moments of private teaching with His disciples." (3) "Jesus wanted to avoid the people’s misconceptions about the Messiah. His Messiahship was characterized by service and suffering, not sensational displays of miraculous activity that would excite political-Messiah fever." (4) "Jesus wanted to express His humility as the Suffering Servant of the Lord." (5)  "Jesus wanted to inform us that only through the medium of faith, ultimately in a crucified and humiliated Savior, is His messiahship personally apprehended (1 Corinthians 1–2)." (6) "Jesus wanted to avoid recognition from an undesirable source such as the demons and the hypocritical religious leaders." (7) "He wanted His identity concealed to point to the hostility of the religious and political leaders of the day. There was a stark contrast between Jesus’ humble love and the Pharisees’ look-at-me religiosity."
• "[W]e can confidently affirm that the Messianic Secret arose from Jesus Himself. He self-consciously identified with the Suffering Servant of the Lord in Isaiah’s prophecy, and He knew the need to guard His messianic identity from premature and false understandings."    

Indeed, believers are urged to vigorously study scripture to - as fully as possible on this side of Heaven - understand who Jesus is.  While the Old Testament pointed to, sometimes very explicitly, Jesus, when He arrived, many Jews who understood the law did not think He was the Promised One. In contrast to those whom Jesus instructed not to talk about His identity, Jesus makes no such command for believers.  Believers of today are to not only talk about Jesus and to proclaim the Good News, they are do so boldly with Peter as an example in Acts 4:20 where he shares while under arrest: "we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - You loved me and saved me while I was still an enemy and hostile to You.  You continue to pour our mercy and grace on a daily basis.  I am SO undeserving.  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 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. 

[H]e healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons.

 Mark 1:29-34

 [H]e healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. Mark 1:32

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 1:29-34, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Excerpts from the introduction and first division for this text per the commentary - vv29-34:

• "With a sense of mission and urgency, Jesus is here and there, ministering to this one and then another. He truly is the Servant of the Lord, healing the physically sick and setting free spiritual prisoners held captive by the prince of darkness and his demonic hoards!" 
• The healings described in the text prompts a question in the commentary: "Is there healing in the atonement? Isaiah 53:5 says, “We are healed by His wounds.” Matthew 8:17, in the parallel account of these events, even adds a quote from Isaiah 53:4: “Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.” The answer, then, is a resounding “Yes!” There is healing in the atonement! For some it is immediate but temporary, since all still die."
• "But for all who trust Jesus as Savior and Lord, it is eternal and permanent. This is plain in Revelation 21:4-5[.]       

The introduction to the commentary explores how personal relationships often form based on the premise of "what can you do for me?" Yet on this question, the commentary refers us to Mark 10:45 where the text shares that Jesus seeks not to be served but to serve.  Also, Jesus provides us with commands that position Him and others above ourselves: 

• Love God, and love others - the two most important commandments (Matthew 22:34:40). 
• Love one another as He loves us (John 13:34).
• Love your enemies and those who persecute you (Matthew 5:38-48).
• Bear with one another in love - forgiving as Jesus forgives (Colossians 3:13 and Ephesians 4:2)   

To follow Jesus is NOT about getting something from Him, it's a natural response to how good He is to us as He loved us and died for us while we were still enemies of Him and slaves to our sin.  He continues to pour out His love and grace for us on a daily basis.  See also this post from DesiringGod.com - humility is key as must allow Jesus to be seen through us - we must decrease and He must increase.   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves and who sent Your Son to serve and die on the cross so that I can have life to the full now and for eternity.  Thank You!  I am not deserving of such blessings!  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.

That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

 Mark 1:29-34

That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. Mark 1:32-34

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 1:29-34, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Using ScriptureMARK (part of Blue Letter Bible), I highlighted: 

•  Vv29-30 describes how both Jesus and His new disciples acted with urgency, implying that Jesus' ministry was urgent - there are many who are lost, need the Good News of Jesus and healing, including both physical and spiritual healing.  To be clear, all of humanity needs spiritual healing and salvation because we all sin and are in need of a Savior. Jesus is this Savior.  V31 describes how Jesus took Simon's (Peter) mother-in-law by the hand and healed her.  
• Vv21-28 - covered by my previous three posts, shares how Jesus healed a man with an unclean spirit.  Vv29-34 builds on this healing, as not just Simon's mother is healed, but also as vv32-34 describes Jesus healed "many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons."
• As I posted yesterday, sin, evil, and brokenness (including disease and death) have existed since the Fall, and Jesus' death on the cross meant that people can have eternal life (John 3:16) once they confess (Romans 10:10) with their tongue that Jesus is their Savior.  Without salvation, there is no hope - because if you are not saved, you continue to be slave to sin and condemned for eternity.  Again, we all need salvation and Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) - lostness encompasses both physical and spiritual healing and both are described in Mark 1:29-34.
•  V34b, where it shares how Jesus did not "permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him," implies that Jesus did not want others to know His true identity (as the Messiah) just yet because His time to go to the cross had not yet arrived.  It seems that Jesus was OK for others to see that He had power and authority, yet it seems that He was not OK that many others (i.e beyond people such as John the Baptist) did not know the extent of His identity.  Timing is often a subject in scripture as Solomon, the wisest person who ever lived wrote that (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) "[f]or everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven[.]"  
• Timing is a topic in the New Testament as well as Matthew 24:36 shares that "concerning [the] day and hour [when Jesus returns] no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only[.]"  Believers are often frustrated waiting - for example, we pray often for loved ones to be healed or saved, and our frustration mounts when we don't see prayer answered.  Believers can take comfort that God has a plan and that plan is good - see Romans 8:28.  We must trust God.      

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that loves me, saved me, and who is constantly at work for me, providing mercies that never cease and that are new every morning, and whose plan is perfect and good.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save, how You provide mercies, and how Your plan is good and perfect.  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 immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

 Mark 1:23-28

And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. Mark 1:23-26

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 1:23-28, which is the text for the second division of the text Mark 1:21-28. Excerpts from the commentary - which poses the question "[w]hy should Jesus have absolute lordship in your life?":

• Yesterday's post provided the first reason from the first division Mark 1:21-22, and 27: because of His teachings.
• This second division provides the second reason: because of His power over demons.  
• As the commentary explores what we should understand about demons, it shares: "[t]hey have authority and can promote disunity, propagate false doctrine, inflict disease, cause mental difficulties, and hinder Christian growth....Demons can oppress but not possess believers."
• "The demon is chiefly concerned with Jesus’ intentions....[the demon] recognizes the threat that Jesus is to their authority and power.
• "Confessing Jesus as the “Holy One of God” is perhaps an attempt to gain some power over Jesus by claiming to know His name. It is more likely, however, a recognition of His deity, His sonship, and the great antithesis that exists between an unholy, unclean spirit and the Holy One of God."
• "The kingdom of God goes head-to-head with the forces of evil at the first public ministry of the Son of God. It is a “no contest” event with an immediate and devastating knockout! The “binding of the strong man” has begun (3:27). The demons are forced to acknowledge, grudgingly, what the Father declared in verse 11!"
• "[Jesus] commands [the demon], “Come out!” It only takes a few direct words from an absolute authority! No spell or incantation is necessary. He says the word and they obey."
• "The disturbance of men and demons by the Servant King of God has begun. Life will never be the same! Demons are expelled, and broken people are made whole. This is God’s kingdom. This is what the great King can do. This is why He should have absolute authority in your life, my life, and every life." 

Evil has existed since the beginning of time in the Garden of Eden where the serpent successfully tempted Adam and Eve (Genesis 3).  Yet we can take comfort that God is provident over evil, and while we may not understand the purpose of evil in a specific set of circumstances (Isaiah 55:8) at a point in time, we know that God ultimately defeats Satan and evil.  See also this post from John Piper on DesiringGod.com to help us better understand why evil exists. Believers also know that He provides the "full armor of God" of God to protect us against Satan's schemes - see also Ephesians 6:10-18a.   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that reigns over all the details of my life and in creation - You don't need me nor need me to do anything.  Yet You love me so much that You sent Your Son Jesus to save me and You pour out mercies ceaselessly every morning.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me.  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 they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. ...And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."

 Mark 1:21-22, and 27

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. ...And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." Mark 1:21-22, and 27

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 1:21-22, and 27, which is the text for the first division of the text Mark 1:21-28. Excerpts from the commentary:

• The commentary urges all of us, believers or not, to see Jesus as absolute authority in our lives.
• "All of us have a source of authority in our lives that will determine how we think and live. For some it is reason—I live the way I live because I think. For others it is experience—I live the way I live because I feel. Still others rely on tradition—I live the way I live because we have always done it this way. Finally, someone might look to revelation for their authority—I live the way I live because God says so."
• For those who do see Jesus as their absolute authority, "we understand it to take the form of a proposition and a person—a written Word and a living Word. The written Word we call the Bible. The living Word we know as Jesus. One we love. The other we love and worship. The written Word points us to the living Word, and that One has the right to demand complete and absolute lordship in our lives. Why should Jesus have absolute lordship in your life? Mark 1:21-28 provides two of many reasons."
•  The first of these reasons - because of his teachings - is found in this first division vv21-22 and v27. 
•  "The people immediately saw a contrast between the teachings of Jesus and those of “the scribes.” The scribes, also called “teachers of the law,” were skilled in the exposition of the Torah, the law of Moses. This much-respected and celebrated group of scholars traced their origin back to Ezra (Ezra 7:6,11)."  The scribes were "greatly respected, "however, they stood in opposition to Jesus and His ministry. Jesus will not challenge the legitimacy of their office, but He will call out their legalism, hypocrisy, and pride."
• "Mark is careful to contrast the authority of Jesus with the scribes’ lack thereof (vv. 22,27). The scribes derived their authority from the “tradition of men” (see 7:8-13). By quoting the fathers of Judaism, they rested on the famous and respected teachers who had preceded them. Not so with Jesus. Like the prophets His authority came directly from God, His Father (1:11)."      

Jesus is the Son of God and He is the King of Kings.  He reigns over all of creation and over all matters - see Colossians 1:15-20.  He has complete providence over all the details of my life, and He knows everything about me, including my sin.  Despite knowing everything about me from before I was born, He came for me, dying on the cross to save me, loving me while I was an enemy and hostile to Him - as I was a slave to my sin.  He saved me from eternal damnation and gave me life to the full now and for eternity.  Amazing grace indeed!  I follow Jesus because He is the One True God and because His teachings - the Word of God, the Bible - is His Word for me to know Him and to know how to please Him. I seek to please Him because that is why we all exist - to bring Him glory.    

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves us and who is full of grace and compassion for us.  Thank You for my salvation and for Your Word that You provide for me to know You and to please You.  Thank You for the Holy Spirit that is with me and guides me.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of these blessings.  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.  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 they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

 Mark 1:21-28

And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” Mark 1:27

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 1:21-28, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Here's what we see in the text:

• At the start of His ministry, with his first four disciples - Simon, Andrew, James, and John - Jesus "immediately" went to the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath and "was teaching."  The word immediately implies urgency similar to how Simon, Andrew, James, and John felt called to immediately follow Jesus.  Believers should act with urgency based on Jesus' call to serve.   
• Those in the synagogue were "astonished" at Jesus' teaching.  He taught with "authority" unlike anything they had seen - of course Jesus is the Incarnate Son sent by God, so this is no surprise!
• Even the unclean spirit recognized Jesus as the "Holy One of God."
• Jesus' rebuke of the unclean spirit is one of His first miracles 
• Witnesses were all amazed and they began to wonder who Jesus is.  Jesus' "fame" spread throughout the regions surrounding Galilee.     

The question in my mind is whether we as believers, if we are truly being the hands and feet of Jesus, are acting in such way for people to see Jesus in us - mercy, service, love, etc.  People should be attracted to us in a similar way to those in Capernaum who were all amazed at Jesus - we are NOT Jesus but we should be LIKE Jesus and becoming more like Him every day as this is sanctification in action.  If not, this is an opportunity for us as believers to examine whether we are truly abiding in Him and for us to desperately call out to God for us to help us abide in Him.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are amazing and You are the One True God who saves, who transforms hearts and lives, and molds them into more of Your image. Thank You Father God for saving me and transforming my heart and life - I am not deserving 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.   

Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ...And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

 Mark 1:17-18 and 20

Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ...And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. Mark 1:17-18, 20

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 1:17-18 and 20, which is the text for the third of three divisions per the commentary.  Excerpts from the commentary:

• "There is only one right Master to follow in life and into eternity. His name is Jesus. Jesus called and they left everything to follow Him. The authority of the call and the immediacy of their responses raise the question as to who this Man is that demands such obedience. Actually, Mark has given us a pretty clear picture of who this Teacher is, even in the opening verses of the book."
• For this clear picture, we are referred to v1, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 15 where Jesus is described as "the Christ, Son of God, the Lord, the mighty One, the worthy One, the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit-anointed One, the beloved Son, the One who pleases God, and the One who brings the kingdom of God."
• Mark 1 provides additional details on Jesus as He is described as "the astonishing Teacher (1:22), the One with authority (1:22), the Holy One of God (1:24), who is able to cast out demons (1:26,32-34,39), heal the sick (1:31-34), and even cleanse lepers (1:42)" - all of this just in chapter one of Mark.  
• "Jesus calls us to believe the gospel. One way we do this is to preach the gospel continually, not only to others, but also to ourselves. The result will be that you will see yourself as a much bigger sinner than you thought, but you will also then see Jesus as a much greater Savior than you ever imagined. How do you preach the gospel to yourself?"  
• We do so by (a) "seeing and owning our sin: Examine yourself in the mirror of God’s Word. Pray that God would bring to light your negative emotions and attitudes as well as blatant rebellion against God’s holiness. As you do this, guard yourself against sin’s deceitfulness. You will likely feel the tendency to water down God’s standard, compare yourself to others, shift blame, or commit to trying harder. These are reflective of man-centered moralism; (b) seeing the sin beneath the sin; (c) expose the idols of your heart. Idols always disappoint. They are weak. They can’t deliver when you succeed; they can only raise the bar. They can’t forgive you when you fail; they can only lower the boom. They are harmful. They hurt you spiritually, emotionally, and physically. They hurt others by undermining your ability to love; (d) view repentance as a gift; (e) see Jesus as the only true Savior; and (f) embrace the gospel as your motivation for living: embrace it and know that the gospel changes you, the gospel empowers you to serve, and through the gospel you meet God."
• "The King has come, and He calls all of us to repent and believe the gospel, to walk away from the idols of our life, our former allegiances, and to come follow Him. Leave your nets, leave your occupation, leave your friends, leave even your family, and come follow Him. The demands are great, but then Jesus is a great King, and the blessings of knowing Him are far greater!"  

The world is full of idols: money, sex, fame, social acceptance, etc. Yet nothing fulfills and gives joy like Jesus Christ.  Please come and know Jesus and if You seek Him with all of your heart you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).  Once you find Him, You will fall in love with Him and desire Him more and more and You will see that all of God's promises find their yes in Him (2 Corinthians 1:20).  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are the King of Kings and worthy of my worship, my love, and complete devotion to You above all else.  I also know I exist to bring You glory. Thank You for saving me, and for blessing me WELL beyond what I deserve - I am not deserving of any the blessings You pour out for me.  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.  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. 

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

 Mark 1:16-20

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. Mark 1:16-20

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 1:16-20, which is the text for the second of three divisions per the commentary.  Excerpts from the commentary:

• "This is a call to discipleship and a unique one at that. In the rabbinic schools of the day, the aspiring student sought out the respected rabbi. Further, the student’s allegiance was to the Law, not to the teacher. Jesus’ form of discipleship is fundamentally different! Jesus seeks them out, and their allegiance will be to Him."
• "Jesus looks for men and women who will commit to Him, who will learn from Him, who will deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him[.]"
• "There is no prerequisite to following Him. This is a grace call. He does not tell them to improve their moral character or their social acceptability. Jesus finds them where they are, and He simply calls, in effect, 'Come! Come as you are, but come, you must and come right now.'" 
• "The summons to be fishers of men is a call to the eschatological task of gathering men in view of the forthcoming judgment of God. It extends the demand for repentance in Jesus’ preaching [quoting Lane]."
• "Like Simon and Andrew, James and John did not hesitate: they left their father and the hired servants in the boat! This is striking and captures what it truly means to follow Jesus. To follow Jesus, we are called to forsake everyone and everything else. We must not rationalize or explain away Jesus’ call as mere hyperbole!"
• The commentary refers us to Matthew 10:34-37, Mark 3:33-35, and Luke 14:26 as text that emphasizes how Jesus is the most important relationship in believers' lives. 

The Ten Commandments outline commands that focus on love of God and love of others.  In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus shares that these are the two most important commandments (with love of God coming first) and that all other commandments hang on those two.  When we love God, we seek to please Him and avoid sinful temptations that draw us away from Him, including activities that absorb our time that we might otherwise use to draw close to Him in a study of His Word and in prayer. We must deny our earthly desires (see Matthew 16:24 and Luke 9:23), seek Him, and allow Him to work through us to renew our minds (Romans 12:2) such that our desires become more like His desires - sanctification.   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible grace and compassion - thank You for my salvation, and for the mercies You continue to pour out for me daily.  Thank You also for giving me Your Word, the Holy Spirit, and the church so that I can know and love You more.  I am not deserving of any these blessings.  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. 

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

 Mark 1:14-15

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. Mark 1:14-15

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 1:14-15, which is the text for the first of three divisions per the commentary.  Excerpts from the commentary:

• Believers are encouraged to "fish for people" by proclaiming the Good News
• There are four components of Jesus' message: "(1) [t]he time is fulfilled, (2) the kingdom of God is near, (3) repent, and (4) believe in the gospel."
• "With the appearance of the Messiah-King, the “kingdom of God” has drawn near. In the person of Jesus Christ, men are confronted head-on with the kingdom—the reign of God. What should be our response? Jesus gives His hearers two commands."
• The first command is to repent, which is "to change [one's] mind leading to a change in behavior."  Of course, we must turn towards God.
• The second command is to believe.  Repentance is complemented by belief - this is how we turn towards God. This turn towards God is not a one-time event but a "life altering change" as we become a new creation. "[a] King has arrived who rightly demands that we follow and radically obey Him. This is the unchanging and uncompromising message and vision of the eternal kingdom of God."  

As the commentary implies, this message of repent and believe requires something not just of a new believer, but all believers over the course of their entire life.  Despite being "born again" (aka regeneration), we continue to have sin until glorification when we meet Jesus face-to-face in Heaven.  On a daily basis, we must go to God to continue a work in us through sanctification.  Sanctification only works if we remain and abide in Him - see also John 15:1-8 and this post from John Piper on DesiringGod.com.    

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer:  Father God, You are an awesome God who saves, provides mercies that never cease and that are new every morning, and who is full of grace and patience to continue a work in me through sanctification. I am undeserving of my salvation and for all that You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues...sometimes in very frustrating ways.  Please forgive me 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.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

 Mark 1:14-20

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. Mark 1:14-15

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 1:14-20, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary.  Here the text shares/describes:

• that John the Baptist is arrested
• that Jesus went into Galilee, sharing the Gospel - "repent and believe"
• how Jesus calls the first disciples: brothers Simon (Peter) and Andrew, and brothers James and John  

Jesus' preparation for His ministry includes going to temple and learning God's word (see Luke 2:41-52), His baptism, His time in the wilderness (experiencing the temptations humanity faces), and of course His experience growing up with faithful families (Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah) who modeled faith for Him.  Jesus knew that His ministry was a fulfillment of prophecy so part of the Good News is to remind the Jews that He is the One promised in Old Testament scripture.  This point reinforces my post from a couple of days ago that we must understand how all of scripture points to Jesus.  Core to the Good News is humility and repentance - we all sin and need salvation or forgiveness of sins (not just an annual offering at the altar but a one time sacrifice of our life devoted to God and submitting to Him). Of course we should be struck by how both of the sets of brothers immediately (see both v18 and v20) left the safety of their fishing business and followed Him, not knowing what that truly meant.  If we read our Bible and are faithful, we will see the sanctification process unfold as Jesus makes us more like Him - the renewing of the mind per Romans 12:2.  As our thoughts become more like Jesus, we can see His will for our lives and His desires for our lives and dropping everything for Him becomes easier as we first and foremost seek to please Him vs ourselves. See also 1 John 5:3 where John shares how obedience to God is not burdensome.  Repent, believe, submit to Him, and watch God work in your heart and life!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that not only forgives sins, but You also save, provide the Holy Spirit, Your Word, and the church to equip us to become more like You because that is our desire.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not deserving...my sin continues every day - anger, etc.  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.         

 

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

 Mark 1:12-13

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. Mark 1:12-13

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  This morning, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 1:12-13 - the second division of Mark 1:9-13 per my commentary. The commentary shares how this text describes Satan's temptation of Christ (see also Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13) was a "declaration of war."  Excerpts from the commentary:

•  "Jesus’ temptation was no accidental encounter, no chance meeting. It was a divine appointment scheduled by the Father and implemented by the Spirit."
• "Thankfully, Jesus yields to the Spirit and embraces this test. The Servant King has a job to do, and the Spirit immediately compels Him. Rather than shrinking back, as Israel was so prone to do, our King, our Commander in Chief, the true Israel goes out to fight in the trenches with us and for us. In so doing He turns back the enemy and provides hope and a pattern for us to do the same."
• "This was the deep wilderness. This was no vacation spot. The conditions were grueling, and Jesus was undoubtedly tired and weak. To grumble, complain, or give in would have been easy."
• Jesus' response in the wilderness contrasts with that of Israel who constantly grumbled and complained.  This wilderness is also similar to that of Moses' 40 days on Mt Sinai and Elijah's 40 days on Mt Horeb - see Exodus 34:28, 1 Kings 19:8. 
• Believers should be encouraged as Christ knows the battles we are fighting and we can take comfort in knowing that Satan does not win this battle nor the war which ends in Revelation.   

Just as the angels were ministering to Jesus in the wilderness, so too does Jesus aid us in our time of temptation and need - when we may feel tempted to grumble, complain (about God no less!), and lose faith.  See Ephesians 6:10-18 for how we are provided with the whole armor of God.  Know and love God by reading and studying scripture - all of it - and experience how the whole armor of God protects us against Satan's schemes.  

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that provides us with the whole armor of God to protect us from Satan's schemes.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save and how You protect.  My sin is still 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. 

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

 Mark 1:9-11

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Mark 1:9-11

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  This morning, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 1:9-11 - the first division of Mark 1:9-13 per my commentary. The commentary describes "seven truths" Jesus' baptism teaches us:

•  "Jesus’ baptism inaugurated His public ministry": His baptism in the wilderness fulfilled prophecy. "Why in the wilderness? God has often met with His people there. Recall the exodus, when God brought His children out of Egypt into the wilderness where He would give them His law, feed them, and lead them by cloud and fire. Again in Hosea 2:14-15 He promised His presence: “Therefore, I am going to persuade her, lead her to the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. . . . There she will respond as she did in the days of her youth, as in the day she came out of the land of Egypt."
• "Jesus’ baptism identified Him with sinful humanity.  In His baptism Jesus joins those who seek a baptism of repentance and who are confessing their sins. Jesus neither repents of sin nor confesses His sin because He had no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15). Still, He aligns Himself with those He came to save."
• "Jesus’ baptism associated Him with John’s ministry."
• "Jesus’ baptism demonstrated His approval by His Father. Immediately—an important word in Mark’s Gospel (here translated “as soon as”)—the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus through an opening in the sky. Jesus sees the heavens being “torn open.” The word occurs only one other time in Mark’s Gospel, when God the Father tears the temple curtain in two from top to bottom! At His baptism and at His crucifixion the Father intervenes supernaturally, eschatologically, declaring that Jesus is the Son of God. Isaiah 64:1 had predicted this: 'If only You would tear the heavens open and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence.'"
• "Jesus’ baptism revealed the Triune God. Adrian Rogers said, “The doctrine of the Trinity is not beyond logic and reason—just above it!” And as difficult as it can be to wrap our minds around the concept of a triune God, we clearly see all three persons of the Godhead at Jesus’ baptism."
• "Jesus’ baptism showed His total dependence on the Holy Spirit.  The presence of the Spirit on the Messiah was promised in Isaiah 42:1: “This is My Servant; I strengthen Him, this is My Chosen One; I delight in Him. I have put My Spirit on Him; He will bring justice to the nations.” The prophet elaborates on this promise in Isaiah 11:2: “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” Jesus is the fulfillment of these promises."
• "Jesus’ baptism declared the type of Messiah He would be.  Mark 1:11 is surely one of the most important verses in the Bible! It is echoed again at the transfiguration in Mark 9:7, along with the admonition for the disciples to “listen to Him.” It is a combination of three massively significant Old Testament texts. The phrase, “You are My Son” comes from Psalm 2:7, and in quoting this Davidic psalm, the Father announces, “You are the Messiah-King, the greater Son of David who will rule the nations.” In calling Christ “beloved,” we are reminded of the way Abraham saw Isaac, the son he was called to sacrifice (Genesis 22:2). It bears the weight of Christ being the “One and Only” Son of the Most High God. The third phrase, “I take delight in You,” comes from Isaiah 42:1, which is the first of Isaiah’s Suffering Servant songs. These passages climax in the great Isaiah 53 text where the Servant is crushed by God as He bears the sins of the world! This declaration of the Father’s love for His Son cannot be overstated and must not be overlooked. No prophet ever heard words like these! 

Building on the commentary's discussion regarding how the text reveals attributes of Jesus and how Jesus fulfilled prophecies of Jesus from the Old Testament, we should understand how Jesus is revealed not just in the Gospels, and not just in the New Testament, but in all of scripture - see 2 Timothy 3:16-17.  Jesus was there in the beginning (Genesis 1:2), He will defeat Satan for good during end times (Revelation), His Kingdom is eternal, and all of scripture points to Him.  John Piper's words here and here echo and complement what the commentary shares about Jesus in reference to how Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and how we are to see Jesus in all of scripture.  To truly know Jesus, we must read and study all of the Bible - to see Him as completely as we can on this side of Heaven.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer:  Father God, Jesus, You are an awesome God who has always existed and who came earth to experience all that we as humanity experience.  All of scripture points to You.  Thank You Jesus for Your Word and how You reveal Yourself to me and speak to me through Your Word.  I am not deserving.  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 Word for me today and every day.

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

 Mark 1:9-13

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. Mark 1:12-13

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  This morning, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 1:9-13 - the text covered by the next chapter of my commentary.  The text broadly describes Jesus's baptism by John (vv9-11) and the temptation of Jesus by Satan in the wilderness (vv12-13) - also described in Matthew 3-4, Luke 3-4, and to a certain extent (only the baptism) in John 1.  Although Mark's account of Jesus' temptation by Satan is the shortest, with fewer details, Mark 1:13 strikes me as it also appears in Matthew's account in Matthew 4:11.  In Mark, the timing of when "angels were ministering to [Jesus]" occurs earlier then in Matthew.  Regardless of timing, both Mark and Matthew felt it was important for readers to understand this detail that Jesus had a need - Jesus was suffering.  He was alone in the wilderness, with wild animals, and he was hungry and afraid.  God sent His Son to die on the cross as the sinless, spotless Lamb of God so that those who believe in Him can have salvation and the blessings of a transformed heart and life.  During His ministry on earth, Jesus experienced what we as believers experience, including fear, temptation, loss, pain, etc.  He not only lived a sinless life, He experienced the suffering (and then some!) we encounter in our lives.  Hebrews 4:15-16 is instructive here: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  Draw near to Jesus!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, Jesus, You are awesome God who sympathizes with all of my circumstances, and I always have You where I can cast my cares and anxieties.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation and how You allow me to cast my cares and anxieties on You. 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.       

[H]e preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

 Mark 1:1-8

[H]e preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Mark 1:7-8

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  This morning, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 1:4-8, the second division for Mark 1:1-8 - the commentary's title for this division is We Can Trust God to Send His Preachers.  Excerpts from the commentary:

• "John was greatly esteemed in the eyes of our Savior. John was the Elijah to come, the one who would announce the coming of the Messiah. He was truly at a turning point in redemptive history. While John prepared the way for the Messiah, he rightly understood his role in God’s plan of redemption: 'He must increase, but I must decrease' (John 3:30, emphasis added). His ministry was not about himself; it was rightly centered on Jesus Christ."
• We are referred to John 10:41-42 where it shares that the people who came to John said '[he] did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.'"
• "They came from everywhere to hear him, even Jerusalem! Rich and poor. Rural and urban. They responded to John’s preaching by repenting (turning from sin), confessing (acknowledging their sin), and being baptized (an outward sign of humility giving evidence of the inward change of their hearts). He called people to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Messiah."
• John is further described as an unexpected prophet, reminding us that unlike the world, God chooses those with a heart-inclined towards God and humble such that God can work through them..."Not only does he appear unusual by today’s standards; he was unusual by the standards of his own day. He had no credentials, had not studied in a formal school with Pharisees or rabbis, and wore funny clothes and ate weird food!" He was humble in all ways, including in appearance, in home (the wilderness), in diet, and in message (drawing attention not to himself but to the One greater than he.  John was ultimately imprisoned and beheaded but He faithfully fulfilled His call from God to prepare the way for Jesus and to offer salvation. 

Humility is one of the most important and prominent themes - to be humble - in the Bible. John is one of many throughout scripture that answer God's call to make much of God and to do His will and not their own.  Noah is one such example - God saved Noah and his family from the flood and they became the basis for all succeeding generations. Noah and all of the other humble servants in scripture were broken and sinful but no matter, God uses these ordinary people and works both in and through them to accomplish His will.  We have many such examples in our time.  Believers must submit to God and allow Him to work in and through us.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has equipped me to serve You - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You bless me and equip me in my roles as father, husband, worker, etc.  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. 

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

 Mark 1:1-8

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Mark 1:4

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  This morning, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 1:1-8.  The commentary for this text provides for an introduction, and two divisions: highlights and excerpts from the introduction and the first division (vv1-4):

1. Introduction: Mark's audience was Romans (vs Matthew wrote to Jews, Luke wrote to Greeks, and John to the world) and how "Jesus is the Suffering Servant who actively ministers on our behalf and gives His life as a ransom for many....Mark recorded, in rapid-fire succession, specific events from the life and ministry of Jesus to prove to a Roman audience that He is the Christ, the Son of God, who served, suffered, died, and rose again as the Suffering Servant of the Lord depicted by the prophet Isaiah." 
2. Vv1-4: Isaiah is certainly not the only Old Testament book the prophesied about the coming Messiah but certainly one of the most prominent if not the most prominent.  Although Mark identifies Jesus as the Son of God in v1, "the disciples never recognize Jesus as the Son of God in the Gospel of Mark."  Others in Mark do however recognize Jesus as the Son of God, including the high priest in Mark 14:61-62, and a Roman soldier in 15:39. "Mark 1:2-3 combines three texts, a common practice in that day, evoking the themes of the wilderness, a new exodus, and the forerunner Elijah....[these include]: Exodus 23:20, Malachi 3:1, and Isaiah 40:3.

For believers, there should be no doubts who Jesus is - He is the Savior we all need as we all sin and need a Savior.  We should be merciful to those who doubt who Jesus is as we seek to save others from the fire (Jude 22-23).  Proclaim the Good News persistently.  The commentary emphasizes how God kept His word and promises to send the Messiah and His forerunner.  God always keeps His promises, so we should see Him as faithful.  We may be waiting for a long time, but God never fails to keep His word - see also 2 Corinthians 1:20.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and saved me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love and 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.