But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.

Mark 4:1-20

But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. Mark 4:20

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 4:1-20, moving to vv13-20 which is the text for the third (of three) division per the commentary. Excerpts from the commentary's third division:  

• "[Jesus] starts with a mild chiding. His words note the essential and foundational nature of this parable. If they do not understand this one, they will struggle to understand the others."
• "The sower in this story is Jesus, or anyone who shares the gospel, and the seed is the Word of God. The path represents hard-hearted or tough-minded individuals. The Word comes to them, and “immediately,” as soon as they hear it, Satan snatches it away. They are resistant and thus unresponsive. They suffer from what might be called “gospel deafness.” Like skeptics, they dismiss the Word without giving it careful consideration."
• "The next soil is welcoming but not substantive enough to maintain the growth of the seed. The people represented by this soil hear the Word and receive it with joy. They endure for a while and even show signs of maturity, just as the plant sprouts quickly, grows well at first, and looks promising. However, these people are shallow and have no roots. Soon tribulation and persecution—seen in the “sun” of Jesus’ parable—come because of the presence of the Word. When (not if!) oppression comes, these people “immediately” fall away (4:6,17)."  
• For the next group, "they eventually get distracted by worry, wealth, and craving for other things. Theirs is a partial commitment, which is, in reality, no commitment at all. This present life is more important to them than the life to come, and stuff is more important than the Savior."  
• "The final soil is noticeably different from the first three. It represents those who hear the Word, accept it, and bear fruit. Tribulation and persecution do not deter them. Worries, wealth, personal desires, and sinful cravings do not distract them. Their hearing is active, not passive. They aggressively pursue the Word, allow it to take root, and then rejoice in its abundant growth."  
• To emphasize the promise is v20, we are referred to John 15:5 where Jesus shares how we will bear fruit of we abide and remain in Him as He is the True Vine.  The stark truth from the commentary is that if we are not producing fruit we are not connected to God's Word.   

We should develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6) so we can claim the promise that we will be satisfied.  Of course at the same time we should time to time, perhaps with the help of a spouse, family, member or brother/sister in Christ, assess whether we are truly bearing fruit.  If not, this is a wake up call because we must avoid not being connected to the True Vine - Christ. We don't want to be tossed about during a storm of persecution, hardship, or suffering.  We seek a firm foundation - to build our house of faith on the Rock of Christ.   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God that provides Your Word and the Holy Spirit to enable us to read the Bible supernaturally - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation, Your Word, nor how You help me understand Your Word.  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 other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.

Mark 4:1-20

And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. Mark 4:8

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 4:1-20, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

Here Jesus teaches us the Parable of the Sower - also found in Matthew 13 and Luke 8.  

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: God seeks a relationship with us, so He gives us His Word and provides teachers for us to know God and to build a relationship with us.  V1 describes how God prioritizes teaches and emphasizes that when He is with the lost, yes He seeks to heal physically and draw people to Him, but most importantly He is seeking believers and followers who know, follow and are obedient to Him.  God is also compassionate and patient in His teaching helping us understand, recognizing that it often takes time to comprehend what He is teaching - our journey with God is one of steps over a lifetime as a believer.  
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: People can be wooed by signs and wonders but this must be followed by faith and belief in God such that we ask God into our hearts to cultivate and fan the flame of faith such that we grow closer to Him through daily study of His Word, corporate worship, prayer, service, and other spiritual disciplines.  Satan and sin can distract us (v15), weak faith fails us during periods of persecution/hardship (vv16-17), and desires/cares of this world "choke the word" (v19).  We are told to build our faith on solid rock to withstand storms (Matthew 7:24-27, Luke 6:47-49) and to not become friends of the world (James 4:4).
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey)?: As previously stated we should build our house on rock by cultivating strong spiritual disciplines and avoiding friendship with the world (or allowing sinful desires and influences from overcoming us or choking the word).  If we cultivate these spiritual disciplines we are promised to bear fruit (vv8, 20).  See also John 15:1-10. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves me and who gives me Your Word, the Holy Spirit, the church, and so much more so that I can know You, love You, grow closer to You, and to further the sanctification process bringing about greater obedience.  Thank You!  I am not deserving of my salvation, nor any of the other unbelievable blessings You pour out for me. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  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. 

He called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

Mark 3:22-30

He called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house. Mark 3:23-27

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 3:23-27, which is the text for the second (of three) division of 3:22-30 per the commentary. Excerpts from the commentary for the second division:

•  "Jesus gives a parable. Satan is the “strong man,” and Jesus is the One breaking into his house, his realm, to bind and plunder. Satan is indeed a strong man in this world. His house is a house of horrors, filled with sin, sickness, death, demon possession, and all that is evil and wicked. His possessions are human beings, enslaved by all these evils. Demons are his agents who delight in carrying out his diabolical agenda. No one but Jesus can invade his realm and carry away his possessions. No one but Jesus is more powerful than this strongman."
• "Jesus’ point is that He has come, and He can and will bind Satan. This is what Jesus is doing and will do climactically at the cross."   

Believers can take great comfort that Jesus sets free - not just in this life but for eternity.  All are slave to something and all of humanity is slave to sin and condemned for eternity.  Yet Jesus came to set free those who believe in Him - for eternity.  These eternal benefits can be enjoyed now knowing that this life is not the end.  Additionally, we have Jesus in our hearts through the Holy Spirit and with His Word and this gives what we need to remain steadfast in our faith.  See also Matthew 7:24-27.  Build Your house on The Rock!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are the Rock that can never be shaken and I can place my faith in You because You lead me into green pastures and provide and of course save!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save and how You have already defeated sin and death - 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.  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 said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

Mark 3:1-6

[H]e said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. Mark 3:3-5

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 3:3-5, which is the text for the second (of three) division per the commentary.  Excerpts from the commentary for the first division:

• "There will be no retreat in His message and no backing down in His actions. With the courage of His convictions, He will press forward, obedient to the will of God regardless of the consequences. Note the example He provides for us."
• "The ravages of the curse are reversed as a foretaste of life in the kingdom when “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4)."
• "Jesus actually fulfills the intent and heart of the Mosaic law. He will make this clear when He answers a scribe who asked, 'Which command is the most important of all?' (Mark 12:29-31)."
• "In this act of mercy, Jesus loves His Father by expressing God’s character and compassion toward this man, who is undoubtedly one of God’s precious creatures. Likewise, He loves this man through His kind, healing touch. The Pharisees knew nothing of this love and thus were far from fulfilling the law of Moses."
• "Sometimes in life and ministry we must confront and provoke others. It is neither easy nor fun. However, sometimes it is necessary, especially when the right thing is not being said or done. Here Jesus raises the right question given the situation of the man and the foolish regulations of the Pharisees[.]"
• "It is both shocking and sad to think that the Pharisees could not correctly respond. Their silence condemns them, and it reveals a tragic flaw in their theology concerning the nature of our God—a God of grace and mercy, love and compassion."
• "Pride is dangerously deceitful, and it, unlike any other sin, provoked our Lord to righteous anger. It was right for Him to feel that way with the Pharisees, and it is right for Him to feel that way today, for pride still deceives us all."    

As the commentary shares, standing firm in Truth while doing good or being obedient in any of God's commands, sometimes requires great courage.  In this particular case, God seeks for us to demonstrate compassion and do good.  On other occasions, God wants us to share His position on matters such as marriage, abortion, etc.  For some this requires incredible courage in the face of physical danger - the ministry that comes to mind is Voice of the Martyrs that focuses on supporting those in parts of the world means imprisonment, harsh punishments, or even death for those that share the gospel or otherwise practice their faith publicly.  See also Matthew 7:24-27 where Jesus encourages us to have faith with a strong foundation, one that does not shake or fall.  We must remain in Him for Him to remain in us - see John 15:4-11.    

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 - even when I don't have compassion on others.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation, nor the grace and mercies that You pour out for me daily.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus.  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 LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Exodus 14:14

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

I continue my study of The Character of Jesus.  For this morning, I focus on chapter 15: The Firmness of Jesus where I highlighted in my Kindle version the following excerpts:

• "The majority of mortals are not strong enough to be themselves: they become echoes of their neighbors and walk in paths marked out by others. There is a spirit of the age which leaves its impress on every mind. Even the mightiest men cannot free themselves entirely from it."
• "But when we come to Jesus of Nazareth we are in the presence of a man whom nobody swerved or dominated, who is so free from the bias of his race and so clean of the spirit of his age that he seems to belong to all races and all ages. He is not the Son of David but the Son of Man, just genuinely, supremely human. He is not a citizen of the first century only, but the contemporary of each succeeding generation. Immersed in an ocean of mighty forces which beat upon him furiously through every hour of his career, he resisted them all successfully by the indomitable energy of a victorious will, living a life unique in its beauty and achieving a work unmarred by the limitations either of time or place. That he was not insensible to the dominant forces of his time, he himself has told us in the story of the temptation." See Matthew 4:1-11.
• "Who is a man that he should set himself against the expressed wish of a nation? Is it not through the people that God makes his wishes known, and what is it but egotism or insanity which would lead an individual to set his judgment against the judgment of the people ? This is the argument whose sharp edge many a leader has felt, and Jesus of Nazareth felt it too. Wherever he went he heard the people clamoring for a king, a king who should rise to supremacy over the wrecked empire of Caesar.  The nation was ripe for revolution. A word from him would, like a spark, have kindled a mighty conflagration. Expectations had been built up by men anointed by Jehovah, and these expectations were glowing hot, and how could Jesus hope to win the attention of his people or control the current of their life unless he fell in with their ideals and attempted to carry out the program on which their hearts were set? It was a great temptation, so terrific that he told his apostles all about it.  He assured them that in this temptation he had been wrestling with the very prince of infernal powers, but that notwithstanding repeated assaults he had come out of the conflict victorious. In choosing the road which led to supremacy by way of Gethsemane and Golgotha, he renounced the ideals of his countrymen and disappointed their dearest expectations, but so firm was he that the hosts of hell speaking through God's chosen people could not move him from his place. The nation hurled itself with frantic force against him, but he did not budge. He was the Rock of Ages. When we study his life with attentive eyes we see it was one long resistance to the forces of his age."
• "There were many reasons why Jesus should have conformed to the ideas and customs of the church, but he firmly resisted all the voices which urged him toward conformity, standing out alone in defiance of what the best men were doing and saying, notwithstanding his nonconformity seemed to the majority impiety and to many blasphemy. For a godly man to be classed among blasphemers is one of the bitterest experiences which the heart can know. But Jesus paid the price and continued firm."
• "Jesus could not be manipulated. He refused to be used. One party after another tried to work him into its scheme, but he was incorrigibly intractable and went on his way independent, unshackled, free. All the seductions offered by the men who sat on thrones could not swerve him from his course, and although his steadfastness made him enemies and finally nailed him to the cross, he was everywhere and always a man who could not be moved." 
• "Jesus could not be manipulated even by his friends. He had many friends in Nazareth, but he never gave up his principles to please them. They had their prejudices and superstitions, but he never surrendered to them."
• "The most tender and gracious and obliging of men is compelled to resist not only the prayers of his countrymen but the wishes of his family and friends. He stands like a rock in the midst of a troubled sea, and all its billows dash themselves against his feet in vain. There was something inflexible in his will, something granitic in his soul. When he found a man whom he thought worthy to be the first member of his church he called him "rock.  Are we to infer from this that it is the rock-like quality which is indispensable in the building of an institution which shall endure? It is certain that Jesus loved stability in others, and what he loved in others he had super-abundantly in himself. Firm himself, he loved men who could not be moved."
• "Salvation could not be offered to any one who did not endure to the end. It is in this tenacity of will that we find an indispensable element of Christian character. Men are to resist exterior forces and form their life from within. They are not to be swayed by current opinion, but by the spirit of the Eternal in their heart. They are not to listen to the voices of time, but to live and work for eternity. We like this steadfastness in human character, and we also crave it in God. Men have always loved to think of Him as the unchanging and the unchangeable, the one "with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning." And what we desire in God we find in Jesus of Nazareth."
• "From age to age he is about his Father's business, and in the midst of all nations and kindreds and tongues he goes about doing good." 

While the commentary provides ample evidence of Jesus’ firmness in scripture, the Holy Spirit guides me to additional examples in scripture of how we as believers must also be firm.  An unwavering faith – resisting temptations to either lack trust in God to provide and protect, or to act outside of God’s commands in the face of worldly temptations and persecution –  demonstrates firmness consistent with Jesus’ own character and what He commands and expects from us.  Two examples where firmness was not displayed - even among biblical heroes - was when Peter denied knowing Jesus upon Jesus' arrest (see Mark 14:66-72), and Abraham lying that Sarah was his sister (see Genesis 20:1-2).  Believers know that temptations will arise and that the only way to battle these temptations is with the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20).  Exodus 14:14 tells us to be "still" or "silent" and to trust in God vs falling prey to temptations where we seek to take things into our own hands (acting outside God's counsel). Philippians 1:27 and Romans 12:2 urge us to stand firm in our faith and not to conform to the patterns of this world - instead we are to be transformed by the renewal of our mind so that we know God's will for us. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and is always there with Your Word, the Holy Spirit, brothers and sisters in Christ and more to help us to be firm and from falling prey to the patterns of this world.  Thank You Jesus for the full armor of God.  I am not deserving of how richly You save and bless!  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  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. 

He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.

1 Corinthians 3

He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 1 Corinthians 3:8

I continue my study of 1 Corinthians.  I am assisted in my study by the Christ-Centered Exposition Series commentary for this book.  Today my focus is a review - aided by the commentary - of 1 Corinthians 3:5-17.  The introduction of the commentary* for today's text shares the following main point: "God uses his servants to build the church and will judge the quality of each person’s work, but he is responsible for the church’s growth." It continues to describe how the text seeks to ensure all believers are properly focused on loving and serving God in preparation for Judgement Day.

The commentary* then outlines how the text includes "three pictures to describe the church of God" and how the text uses each in three divisions:

1. The Church Is God’s Field (3:5-9): Paul seeks to address the politics and conflict within the church at Corinth by explaining that neither himself, Apollos or Cephas (see also 1 Corinthians 3:22) are to be exalted as they are merely servants of Christ doing what God called them to do. The workers are not rivals but teammates working towards the same goal - glory to God.  The commentary* also explains that "how we serve matters. What we do and why we do it matter."  It makes a point to ensure we don't miss v8b and how Paul reminds us that "each will receive his wages according to his labor." Using the farming analogy, Paul then moves to share how even though God's workers - whoever they may be - plant and water the field, it is God alone that gives the growth. We are referred to John 4:34-38 where God is the Lord of the harvest. The commentary* for this division concludes with an admonishment: "[e]xalting a person to divine status is idolatry and robs God of the glory that rightly belongs only to him. Thank him for the service of his servants, but praise him for the growth in his field that only he can give." 
2. The Church Is God’s Building (3:9-15): The commentary* highlights how the text moves from a farming analogy to an architectural one where "[t]he church of the Lord Jesus is his field in which he sends his servants and coworkers to plant, water, cultivate, and reap a harvest. It is also his “building” (v9) where he sends his “skilled master builder” (v10) and other laborers and workers to build with materials of excellence that will withstand the purifying fires of revelation on “the day” of judgment (v13)[.]" We are reminded that Christ is the foundation and the members of the church are to work together to build upon that foundation.  The commentary writes: "[w]e work with good motives, methods, and goals. How we work in and for the church matters. Why we work in and for the church matters."  We cannot forget that Christ is the foundation of the church. The commentary* digs deeper into how Paul encourages Corinth to build on Christ's foundation carefully, using quality materials and methods.   It warns us against efforts that produce little value, particularly in light of how our efforts - all of us - will be judged according to our labor and the quality of our work.  The commentary* provides several key points about this judgement, including (a) this is a judgement of service, not salvation, (b) this judgement involves the quality of our work, not its quantity, (c) this judgement will evaluate both actions and motives. 
   
3. The Church Is God’s Temple (3:16-17): Paul's final division for the text extends the use of a building as a metaphor by referring to the church as God's temple. The commentary* shares four observations made by Paul about the church: (a) we (the church) are His sanctuary, (b) we have His spirit, (c) we are special, and (d) we are sacred.  The commentary* writes about how we are His sanctuary: "[w]hat an amazing statement of their identity in Christ and their status before God."  It writes about how we have His Spirit: "[t]he sovereign God of the universe now dwells in a small, insignificant people called the church." Regarding how the church is special, the commentary* writes how Paul warns the church (v17) to treat God's temple with respect and to avoid the many things that reflect poorly on the church: "[a] focus on entertainment, false conversions, preaching a watered-down gospel, spending resources on fancy programs or impressive buildings, weak preaching, acceptance of gossip and materialism, lack of prayer, loss of missions and evangelistic passion, and much more will drain a local church of its life." The warning here to not destroy the church is a grave one - we are referred to Galatians 1:8-9. Paul's words in this division conclude as described by the commentary* by emphasizing how the church is holy and set apart and this includes both privileges and responsibilities...and God will hold the church accountable for how we do.
   

 The commentary* concludes for the text today by quoting Andy Davis' book The Glory Now Revealed: What We'll Discover About God in Heaven and how it lists ten kinds of good works we should pursue:

1. Anything done for the glory of God (even simple daily tasks; 1 Cor 10:31) 
2. Humble servant-hood (Matthew 20:26-28) 
3. Sacrificial giving (2 Samuel 24:24; Luke 21:3; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7) 
4. Suffering for the kingdom (Matthew 5:11-12) 
5. Advancing the gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:19) 
6. Giving to the poor (Luke 14:12-14) 
7. Secret acts of piety—fasting and prayer (Matthew 6:6,18) 
8. Anything done to help those advancing the gospel (Matthew 10:42) 
9. Anything done to help other Christians in any way (Hebrews 6:10) 
10. An honorable life of hard work (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace for me in SO many ways - thank You for the love and grace You pour out for me.  I am 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.

*Akin, Dr. Daniel L.; Merritt, James. Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.