The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.

Mark 2:18-22

The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. Mark 2:20

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 2:18-20, which is the text for the first (of two) divisions per the commentary.  Excerpts from the introduction for this chapter of commentary and the first division:

• The commentary introduction first emphasizes 2 Corinthians 5:17 where Paul shares how believers are a new creation. This regeneration works both at a personal level and at the corporate level for the as Jesus came to fulfill prophecy in Judaism and "superseded it." 
• "Our Lord makes clear that there is a discontinuity between Judaism and Christianity. The new wine of Christianity cannot be contained by the old wineskins of Judaism. With the coming of Jesus, it is a new day. With the coming of Jesus, everything changes!"
• "The Day of Atonement is the only annual fast mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 27:9), and it was the only fast mandated for all of Israel in the Old Testament. There were other fasts for various reasons—expressing humility and repentance or preparing to inquire of God—but none were biblically mandated. After the exile, though, four other annual fasts were observed (Zechariah 8:19).
• "Despite the prophets’ warnings that fasting without a repentant heart and right conduct was in vain (Isaiah 58:3-6; Zechariah 7:5-6), many believed that vigorous fasting was a foolproof method of earning God’s favor or action. The Pharisees’ own intentions resembled this misconception since they sought to earn God’s rescue from Roman oppression through national purity and obedience."
•  "The only time the Gospel writers show Jesus fasting is during His temptation. This 40-day fast at the inauguration of His public ministry is reminiscent of that of both Moses (Exodus 34:28) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:8). Jesus was not opposed to fasting. He actually assumed His followers would fast (Matthew 6:16).
• In response to questioning why He was not fasting, Jesus responds that "His presence with them is a time of joy and celebration, not a time of sorrow and sadness. We would do well to heed Jesus’ words. A relationship with Jesus is not a solemn, boring affair. It is a celebration, a spiritual banquet of joy and blessing! Of course we should be holy, but we must not be somber. We should be moral but not legalistic and righteous but not stern. Why? Because there is joy in Jesus! Christian, do not mourn when it is time to celebrate."
• "There is a time for fasting and all that goes with it “when the groom is taken away.” [V20] is the first allusion to Jesus’ death in Mark’s Gospel. Joy is exchanged for sorrow, and celebration turns to mourning. This is an abrupt and surprising image. In a normal wedding the guests eventually leave. Jesus interjects the alien thought of the groom being forcibly removed from the wedding celebration."
• "The reference to the bridegroom being taken from the disciples, and their subsequent fasting, was surely an exhortation to perseverance for Mark’s congregation in Rome, itself the victim of Nero’s depraved persecution. Mark is telling the church at Rome, “There will be days when Jesus will seem far from you, just as the Father was far from Jesus in His passion” (see 14:36; 15:34; Edwards, Mark, 91)."
• "The bridegroom, our Lord Jesus, would be snatched away to suffer alone on a cross to atone for our sins, to die the death we should have died, to pay the price for sin we should have paid. He died in my place. He bore my wrath. He took on my judgment. God killed His Son so He would not have to kill me. There is an appropriate time to fast and mourn. It is when I consider the infinite price paid for my sin by my Savior."     

Once again, as I have shared repeatedly on this blog - humility is one of the most important responses and applications to the gospel.  As the commentary shares, all believers should reflect on what Jesus did for us on the cross and how He took the punishment we deserved for our sin (Romans 6:23).  It is then this humility that should drive us daily into the arms of our Savior in praise and worship - to know, love and please Him more and more every day.  What an awesome God we have!

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves us and who is full of incredible grace and mercy that You poured out for us on the cross and You continue to pour out this grace and mercy daily.  I a not deserving of course as my sin 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.

[Death] is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.

Ecclesiastes 9:1-6

   [Death] is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. Ecclesiastes 9:2

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book. My focus this morning is an unassisted review of Ecclesiastes 9:1-6, which the commentary outlines as the first division for chapter 9. This division describes how death is something that awaits us all and it makes me also think about James 4:14-15 that our lives are simply a mist and it is only through the grace of God that we have breath for any given day.  We must be humble, fear, love and worship God - this is why we exist.  God's grace is so amazing not only because are our lives are simply a mist in His hands, but also because all of us are sinful and the wages of sin of death (Romans 6:23).  Believers should not have pretense that because we have faith, we perhaps are more deserving of salvation - hogwash!  My sin is no better or worse than anyone else's sin!  We don't get what we do deserve (death), but we (believers) do get what we don't deserve (mercy and amazing grace).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who pours out for me daily rich mercies of forgiveness, and gives me life to the full!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not by a long shot deserving.  My sin never stops - 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.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God[.]

1 Peter 3

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God[.] 1 Peter 3:18

Today, I pause my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today - courtesy of John Piper - provides "a summary of the gospel to help [us] understand it and enjoy it and share it!"  Piper outlines the gospel as follows, with included scripture references:

1. God created us for his glory - see also Isaiah 43:6-7.
2. Therefore, every human should live for God's glory; we must love God, trust Him, be thankful to Him, obey Him, and treasure Him above all things - see also 1 Corinthians 10:31, Matthew 22:37, Romans 4:20, Psalm 50:23, Matthew 5:16, Philippians 3:8, and Matthew 10:37.
3. Nevertheless we have all sinned; [n]one of us has loved or trusted or thanked or obeyed or treasured God as we ought. - see also Romans 3:23, Romans 1:21-23.
4. Therefore we all deserve eternal punishment - see also Romans 6:23, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Matthew 25:46.
5. Yet, in his great mercy, God sent his only Son Jesus Christ into the world to provide for sinners the way of eternal life - see also John 3:16, Galatians 3:13, 1 Peter 3:18.
6. Therefore eternal life is a free gift to all who will trust in Christ as Lord and Savior and supreme Treasure of their lives - see also Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9, Ephesians 2:8-9, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:8.

As Holy Week and Easter approaches next, believers should all be mindful of the Good News Jesus brings, write these words on our heart (Hebrews 8:10) so that we can be constantly present to this Truth.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the gospel, the Good News, and how it saves and gives me life to the full now in SO many ways that it is indescribable!  I am not deserving of my salvation and the blessings of being a child of God.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus for my sin today and every day - I know I fall short.  Help me 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.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Revelation 8:2-11:19

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Revelation 6:20-21

I resumed my D-Group's study of Revelation using Stephen Witmer's commentary and study guide.  While this week, the study looks at Revelation 8:2-11:19, for today my focus is the prayers of the saints (8:2-5), the role of the seven trumpets throughout these chapters, and how God is full of grace and how this is often not viewed as a opportunity to repent and be saved.  This latter focus is where my key takeaway is today.  

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Revelation 6:13-21

While a third of mankind is struck down, it is utterly stunning that the rest of mankind - two-thirds of mankind - did not repent and turn to God.  They certainly had an opportunity because the text is written in such a way that repentance is offered but not taken.  Unfortunately, this is the case with many non-believers, they experience tremendous grace in their lives, yet they fail to see the hand of God with this grace.  You see we don't get what we deserve (death - see Romans 6:23) but we do get what we don't deserve (grace - 1 Corinthians 15:10).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You grace is amazing indeed - and it is imprinted throughout my life....every day.  Thank You Jesus!  I am clearly not deserving of such grace...my sin is great and it is daily.  Worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You and 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 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.

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them"....Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

Leviticus 26-27

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them"....Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:10, 13-14

This evening, I completed my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - wrapping up the last chapter twenty-three (the final chapter) - Either-Or - covering Leviticus 26-27, looking specifically at the fourth and final theme for the chapter - God Invites Us to Return to Him.  Here, the commentary focuses on Leviticus 26:40-45 where, despite Israel's repeated sin and God's punishment where He sent most of Israel into exile into the hands of their enemies, God STILL demonstrates grace for Israel.  If Israel confesses its sin (v40), and if their "uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity," (v41) "[God] will remember [His] covenant with Jacob, and...will remember [His] covenant with Isaac and [His] covenant with Abraham" (v42).  God does not say that Israel will avoid punishment (v43), but He says that even in spite of this punishment grace awaits those who return to to Him (v44-45). 

Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God. But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the Lord. Leviticus 26:44-45

The commentary writes about God's grace based on the covenant He made with Israel and how Jesus perfectly expresses God's grace.  We are referred to Galatians 3:10, 13-14 where Paul writes about how everyone who sins (everyone does sin - see Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:8) deserves death and Jesus took on death on the cross redeeming us from the punishment we deserve - amazing grace indeed!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has amazing grace for me - thank You Jesus but I am completely undeserving of course!  I sin daily...conforming to the patterns of this world, worry, 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 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.

Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.”

2 Samuel 19:5-20:26

Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.” 2 Samuel 19:30

Day 103 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) focuses on David's return to Jerusalem from exile following the death of Absalom. Mephibosheth's love for David and his interaction with David highlights what John Piper calls the love of "dead dogs" for a king.

Mephibosheth was the last surviving member of Saul's family and Jonathan's son - he was lame following an accident where he was dropped (2 Samuel 4:4).  After Saul's death and David becomes king, David shows great compassion and mercy for Mephibosheth and takes him in as his own - Mephibosheth's reacts humbly, saying: "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me? (2 Samuel 9)".  After David's return, Mephibosheth is cleared of any wrong doing related to Ziba's deception to obtain all remaining property of Saul (2 Samuel 16), and David seeks to restore/return this property to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 19:29).  Even though this gesture is what Piper calls "distinctly unfair" (Mephibosheth should get the majority if not all of the property), Mephibosheth is more grateful for David's return vs the return of property.

Piper writes: 

"Brothers, our debt to God is infinite. We are worse than dead dogs in the situation in which find ourselves. We have done far worse than Mephibosheth".

"And there is another verse I have thought a lot about recently in Luke 17:10. When you have done all your duty say, 'We are unworthy servants.'"

"So, brothers, I conclude with this: There are many roots of uselessness in the ministry, many causes of doctrinal liberalism and spiritual weakness. And one of the great causes of both is a lack of deep brokenness, a sense that we deserve something, we deserve for life to go better for us. We deserve to get a good job, we deserve to have a better marriage, we deserve to not get cancer. This makes us spiritual weaklings. Often in the guise of savvy leaders, it leads to false doctrine and bad instincts for what is true and biblical. And worst of all, it destroys love for Jesus."

"We truly are all dead dogs. We are worse than Mephibosheth, and we have been loved. We have been set regally at the King’s table."

I am deeply convicted this morning by Piper's post and commentary on Mephibosheth from 2 Samuel 19.  I have for a long time now felt deserving of a better job - that my current job is beneath me.  How foolish and sinful!!  I should be grateful that I have a job right now as I am undeserving!  I am, like Mephibosheth a dead dog - no better!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who invites me to Your table - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving!  I am full of pride and arrogance.  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.