And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go.

Mark 11:1-11

And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. Mark 11:6

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 11:1-11.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of five) division (vv4-7):

• The title of the first division per the commentary is "Worship the One Who Submits to the Word of God."   
• The response in v6 leaves one to wonder whether those who saw the disciples untie and take the colt knew the prophecy and recognized Jesus at work fulfilling this prophecy... 
• The commentary first refers us to Zechariah 9:9-17; Matthew 21:4-5; John 12:14-15 where we read about the prophecy of Jesus coming on a colt and about the other gospel accounts of Jesus' riding into Jerusalem as a fulfillment of this prophecy. 
• "[Jesus riding into Jerusalem in this way] is highly symbolic in light of Old Testament prophecy, expectations, and allusions! The phrase “The Lord needs it” (Mark 11:3) uses the same phrase as in 2:25 to justify David’s eating “the sacred bread” when he and his men were hungry. David’s greater Son is here! His riding in on a donkey also is a declaration of His kingship and a fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, as Matthew 21:4-5 and John 12:14-15 make clear."  
• "Our Lord lived His life from beginning to end in total submission to the Word of God. His life, death, and resurrection were the unfolding of the drama of redemption." 

This text, including the Zechariah prophecy, underscores the importance of reading and studying all scripture both Old and New Testament.  See also 2 Timothy 3:16.  All scripture points to Jesus - from the very beginning - see Genesis 1:2 where the Spirit of God hovers over the face of the waters - this is Jesus!  See also this post at DesiringGod.com. For a very long time, I did not read and study all books of the Bible, such as Leviticus, yet once I did and other books, I began to appreciate the full arc of the Bible, and how the redemptive story of Jesus is represented in all 66 books of the Bible. "Worship the One who submits to the Word of God" - Jesus Christ.  Indeed!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  You are the Alpha and Omega and You hold all things together.  Thank You Jesus for my salvation.  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.

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.

When Herod the king heard [about the birth of the king of the Jews], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him[.]

Matthew 2

When Herod the king heard [about the birth of the king of the Jews], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him[.] Matthew 2:3

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper seeks for believers to prepare our hearts for Christmas.  Today's Solid Joys daily devotion marks day 9 of Advent, and today Piper examines the reaction of Herod, and all of Jerusalem, to the birth of Jesus, and Piper  contrasts these reactions to that of the chief priests and scribes, and he makes a broader point about the "two kinds of people who do not want to worship Jesus." First, we see in v3 how both Herod and all of Jerusalem are "troubled." Then in v4-6 we see the reaction of the chief priests and scribes and the only known aspect of their reaction is that they see Jesus' birth as the fulfillment of prophecy (referencing Micah 5:2 and other prophecies:

[Herod] inquired of [the chief priests and scribes] where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Matthew 2:4b-6

What's amazing, as pointed out by John Piper, is "[t]he sheer silence and inactivity of the leaders is overwhelming in view of the magnitude of what was happening." They actually acknowledged that Jesus was fulfillment of prophecy, yet they had no desire to seek out Jesus.  Piper indicates the chief priests and and scribes represent the first group of people who do not want to worship Jesus: "They are not passionate about finding the Son of God and worshiping him."  These people are indifferent to Jesus.  They don't see a need for Him.

Piper then moves on to the second group of people who do not want to worship Jesus.  These are those "deeply threatened by" Jesus.  This includes Herod - who is "troubled."  Piper shares how Herod is so troubled that "he schemes and lies and then commits mass murder just to get rid of Jesus" (see v16).

Of course, Piper, nor does Jesus, want anyone to be either indifferent or hostile to Christ.  We are encouraged to believe, and follow Jesus, regardless of the cost.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and compassion.  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 to me today and every day.

They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?”

Mark 14:12-25

They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” Mark 14:19

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is per the commentary, the second division of the text from Mark 14:12-25 - vv17-21.  

• Using the Sword Bible Study Method focusing just on the text for today - vv17-21: (1) God in the text: Just as Jesus did in vv12-16, Jesus matter of factly states what is going to happen as (a) He and the disciples prepare for the Passover celebration, (b) Jesus prepares for betrayal by Judas, His arrest and crucifixion.  Jesus also warns Judas that his fate in eternal damnation will not be a pleasant one and by implication, Jesus warns us to remain in Him, Him in us (see John 15:1-11), so that we don't fall away and fall prey to the world and to Satan's influences.  (2) people in the text: the disciples are seen reclining and at ease with Jesus; as Jesus predicts His betrayal - the disciples turn sorrowful - reflecting sorrow that someone they love and follow will face harm (although they don't know what harm He will face); the disciples also seek to understand their own sin - they want to know if what betrayal they have done to Jesus.  (3) Sins to avoid, promises to claim, examples to follow, and commands to obey: We should not betray Jesus but instead be obedient to Him - He entrusts us with time and talents to use for His glory.  We should follow God's will for our lives just as Jesus followed the will of His Father.  We should also understand the reality of falling away - eternal condemnation.  

Excerpts from the commentary's second (of three) division (vv17-21): 

• The title of the second division per the commentary is "Jesus Was Not Caught by Surprise by His Betrayal." 
• See Psalm 41:9 where scripture shares a prophecy of how Jesus was betrayed - He knew. 
• V21 is "one of the most profound and theologically significant statements in the whole Bible. He says, 'For the Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!'"  
• We are encouraged to see how God forgives and how Judas could have had forgiveness.  The disciples asked the right question of themselves to understand if they betrayed Jesus - to understand their own sin: "Each one of us is a Judas because every sin against Jesus is a personal act of betrayal. Yet this is where the grace of the gospel shines so bright: even those who betray this great King and glorious Savior can experience immediate and complete forgiveness through simple repentance and confession of sin (1 John 1:9). Godly repentance will grieve over the terrible thing it has done, but then it flees to Jesus who took that sin on Himself at the cross. In grace God forgives, and He provides the strength to move forward in the “family of the forgiven.” What a great family that is! If only Judas had repented of his sin."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and who is full of incredible grace - forgiving sin not just once but when asked - day after day!  Amazing grace indeed!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your grace and 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. 

Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

Mark 14:12-25

Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. Mark 14:25

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 14:12-25, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: Jesus was a teacher - His disciples sought direction and guidance from Him - see v12. He provided guidance and direction - see v13.  Jesus knew what was soon going to happen to Him after the Last Support: His arrest and His crucifixion.  He knew and orchestrated the plan - see vv14-16.  Even the betrayal of Jesus by Judas was orchestrated and known in advance by Jesus - vv18-20.  Jesus predicts the condemnation of Judas - v21.  He provides both a prophecy of His death and a means by which to remember and "celebrate" His death and sacrifice - vv22-24. Jesus knows He is about to die but be resurrected - v25.
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: His disciples and those who follow Jesus seek direction, guidance, and wisdom from Him.  Followers of Jesus are obedient - see v16.  His followers love Him and are saddened by any prospect of His betrayal - see v17.  
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We should not betray Jesus - this is a result of one whose commitment to Him is weak or non existent. We should be confident that all of Jesus' prophecies/promises come true (2 Corinthians 1:20) about his death resurrection - they occurred just as He said it was going to be in vv22-25. We should follow the example set by the disciples to seek His guidance and direction (via prayer) and also to be obedient. We should remember Jesus' and what He did for us via communion.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and who saves!  You willingly went to the cross - knowing and orchestrating even Your arrest - and died for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your ultimate sacrifice - 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.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

John 10:22-42

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 10:22:42, where we see the Jewish leadership confront Jesus as He was in the temple in Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah).  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: In His defense, Jesus share that (1) His works (miracles such as healing of the blind man), are done on behalf of the Father who sent Him, and these works bear witness about who Jesus is, (2) the Jewish leadership, despite their supposed knowledge of the law do not see Jesus is fulfilling all prophecy that pointed to Him - they are not among Jesus' sheep (He is the Good Shepherd - see vv1-19) because they don't know His voice otherwise they would recognize Jesus as the Good Shepherd/Christ and follow Him (vv26-27).  Jesus gives His followers eternal life and this blessing cannot be taken from them (v28).  The Father gave Jesus His sheep and The Father is greater than all (all creation, all heavenly bodies, etc.), so none of Jesus' sheep can be taken out of the Father's hand (v29).  Because all authority has been given from the Father to Jesus, Jesus should be seen as one with the Father (v30).  In v31, as the Jewish leadership prepared to stone Jesus, Jesus shares that He is innocent based on how He is performing good works from the Father.  Jesus also shares that He is doing only what the Old Testament shared (see Psalm 82:6 as referenced in v34) and playing the same role as those who taught the Word of God in OT law.  In His closing argument with this confrontation, Jesus challenges the Jewish leadership to at least believe that His works are real and that the Father is in Jesus and He is in the Father (another way of saying that Father and Son are united). Because it was not the appointed time, Jesus escapes arrest and goes to where John the Baptist had first been baptizing and many came to Him and believed because they now see that John the Baptist's prophecy about Jesus was true - vv39-42). 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Just as the Jewish leadership gathered around Jesus to confront Him - seeking to arrest and kill Him - believers can expect to be persecuted (ranging from rejection/scorn to physical imprisonment-death) in some form (vv22-24).  The Jewish leadership (with some exceptions - see vv19-21) does not believe Jesus is the Christ (Promised Messiah).  There will always be many who reject Jesus as Lord and Savior - that there is a God and Jesus is God. The Jewish leadership reject Jesus as God outright (v33) based on Jesus' statement in v30 that He and the Father are one.       
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid rejecting Jesus because You don't know Jesus.  Claim the promise that Jesus is who He says is - Lord and Savior.  Follow the example of those who are drawn to Jesus and believe - who know His voice and see Jesus as the Good Shepherd.  Do what the Good Shepherd commands because He loves and cares for us and leads us to provision and eternal rest.     

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves, cares and saves those who follow You - You are the Good Shepherd.  I am not deserving of how You love, care, and save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me and help me turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please 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.

Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars! Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, for the glorious trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan, for the thick forest has been felled! The sound of the wail of the shepherds, for their glory is ruined! The sound of the roar of the lions, for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

Zechariah 11:1-3

Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars! Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, for the glorious trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan, for the thick forest has been felled! The sound of the wail of the shepherds, for their glory is ruined! The sound of the roar of the lions, for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined! Zechariah 11:1-3

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zechariah 11:1-3, which the commentary outlines as the second of four divisions for the text 10:1-11:17 (10:1-12, 11:1-3, 11:4-14, 11:15-17).  The commentary shares how this text offers prophecy of what will occur to Jerusalem when Jesus arrives, as He is rejected by the Jewish elders and leaders.  The commentary shares: "There is strong reason to think that this is prophecy of what happened in AD 70, as the Roman army, under the leadership of General Titus, came into Jerusalem and completely leveled that city. Titus’s armies even tore down the temple, until one stone was not left standing on top of the other."  The problem described by the commentary is that when Jesus arrives and His ministry unfolds, He is rejected for who He is - the cornerstone or promised Messiah.  The Jewish elders and leaders sought an earthly leader and we all know that all earthly leaders are fallen and sinful - only Jesus is the perfect spotless lamb who can shepherd and save us.  We should not place faith in earthly leaders to do what only Jesus can do.  The text describes wailing over the destruction of Jerusalem and today there is much wailing over what exists in our broken sinful world - yet this will always be the case until Jesus returns for His second coming and as described in Revelation 21 when there will be a new Heaven and new earth.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, Father God, only You save and You are saving a place for me and all believers where we will be united with all our loved ones and brothers and sisters in Christ who believe - what a glorious place this will be!  Thank You Jesus for my salvation.  Of course 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 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.    

I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.

Mark 14:53-72

I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. Mark 14:62

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 14:53-72, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Observations of the text based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: Following His arrest, Jesus is led to the high priest - v53.  Jesus then faces his accusers as the chief priests, etc sought evidence and testimony against Jesus - although this was challenging - v55.  The only defense Jesus puts up is to respond in v62 sharing prophecy how He will rise after death to sit at the right hand of God and then ultimately coming again on the clouds. 
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: We see some of Jesus accusers seek to bear false witness of Jesus and to blaspheme Him - vv56-58; Jesus's response to questioning v62 is seen by His accusers as blasphemy and sufficient evidence to convict Jesus to death.  Some of Jesus' accusers spat on Jesus, mocked Him, and struck Him v65.  Peter is called out as being one of Jesus' followers - three times - but Peter denies it each time - fulfilling prophecy by Jesus v30.  Peter breaks down and weeps v72. 
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We should avoid denying and betraying Jesus (all sin is betrayal), falling away and scattering in the face of persecution, temptation, and fear by putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6) and standing firm in our faith.  We should claim Jesus' promise that He will return v62 "coming on the clouds of heaven."  See also Daniel 7:13; Matthew 26:64; Revelation 1:7.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You for willingly taking on my sin, and the death I deserved - so that I could be saved.  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 message for me today and every day.

[B]ut [Peter] said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

Mark 14:26-52

[B]ut [Peter] said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. Mark 14:31

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is per the commentary, the first division of the text from Mark 14:26-52 - vv26-31.  

• Using the Sword Bible Study Method focusing just on the text for today - vv26-31: (1) God in the text: God joins the disciples in worship - singing a Him (v26); God knows the disciples will fall prey to fear and upon Jesus' arrest will deny their association with Him for their own protection; Jesus shares a prophecy of not just His death, but also His resurrection - see also Luke 24:1-9 where the disciples see the fulfillment of this prophecy; (2) people in the text: the disciples worship with Jesus (v26); Peter and the disciples "emphatically" deny (v31) that they will betray Jesus - this is arrogance because it effectively means that they are without sin because all sin is a betrayal to Jesus;   (3) Sins to avoid, promises to claim, examples to follow, and commands to obey: we should see how Jesus is faithful and all of His promises (including prophecies) will come true and we can take comfort in how He promises us eternal life in Heaven with Him.  We should avoid arrogance and not claim to be without sin (1 John 1:8).  

Excerpts from the commentary's introduction and the first (of three) division: 

• The title of this chapter of the commentary covering this text is "The King Who Suffers Alone," and the main idea for the entirety of the text (vv26-52) is "Jesus is the righteous King who endured betrayal and shame for the sake of sinners."
• "[Jesus] also will suffer at the betrayal of His friends who fail Him in His hour of need (14:37,40-41), sell Him out (vv44-45), abandon Him (v50), and deny Him (vv66-72)." 
• "The suffering of this great King is multifaceted: personal, physical, mental, and most of all, spiritual. Jesus saw His loving Father’s hand in it all. He trusted Him in His most trying hour, an hour our finite human minds can never fully comprehend." 
• The title of the first division (vv26-31) per the commentary is "The King Would Be Abandoned and Left Alone."
• See Zechariah 13:7 for how Jesus refers to the OT for how scriptures will be fulfilled in how the disciples will scatter.  
• In contrast to the disciples arrogance and claims to not betray Him, Jesus shares how He will never leave or forsake us and we are encouraged to claim this promise from Hebrews 13:5. 

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me, and who will never leave or forsake me - You will be with me until the end of the age.  Thank You Jesus!  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 message for me today and every day.

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him[.]

 Matthew 2

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him[.] Matthew 2:3

This morning, I continued with my listening/reading of a Christmas/Advent devotional from John Piper. Today's entry focuses on two different kinds of opposition to Jesus.  Piper describes this opposition and he starts with Matthew 2:4 where the chief priests and scribes of the people refer to the prophecy of Jesus found in Micah 5:2. While we don't see an explicit opposition to Jesus from the chief priests and scribes, Piper writes that opposition can be implied (and I cannot find a basis to argue with him), because unlike the Magi - foreigners - who made their way to Bethlehem to visit Jesus, the chief priests and scribes who should expect to see the fulfillment of prophecy with the birth of Jesus, do not seem to be interested to visit Jesus. In fact, scripture does say that Herod was not only troubled by the birth of Jesus, but all of Jerusalem with him - implying that the chief priests and scribes were also troubled.  Believers may not find themselves in the category of opposition characterized by Herod, but may find themselves indifferent as described by Piper - characterizing the response by the chief priests and scribes. My hope and prayer for myself is that I seek Jesus - and that I point others to Jesus.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is full of grace and patience with me - You chose me as one of Your elect while I was still an enemy and hostile to You....thank You Jesus!  Thank You for continuing to pursue me even as I was indifferent and not seeking nearness to You.  I am not deserving of Your grace.  I am harsh with others and I worry.  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. Please provide wisdom and energy for Lisa and myself.  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 servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

 John 18:12-18

The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. John 18:17-18

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 18:12-18, where Jesus is arrested and brought before the high priests.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Jesus could have stopped His arrest but He did not - go back to v11 (post yesterday) where Jesus understands and knows all that is to happen to Him, and it must happen according to God's will.  Jesus is now bound and led to Annas - the father in law of Caiaphas who was led by God to prophecy that Jesus should die for the people - v14 (see also John 11:49-52). All that is happening is to fulfill prophecy and scripture. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Peter and another unnamed disciple follow the the soldiers and officers of the Jews who arrested Jesus - v15 - and this other disciple was known to the high priest so he is let inside the courtyard of the high priest.  Peter does not go in initially but the other disciple secures Peter's entrance.  The servant girl at the door questions Peter about his association with Jesus and he denies knowing Jesus - v17.  Additional details and accounts of Peter's denial are found in vv25-27 and in Matthew 26:69–75, Mark 14:66–72, Luke 22:55–62.  Note the contrast of Jesus being bound and in custody vs Peter who is comfortable (warming himself) in his denial of Jesus.   
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We must avoid discomfort in our faith by hiding it or denying it - Peter's comfort is clearly a case of loving self vs God - which we must avoid.  Claim the promise that Jesus fulfills prophecy and scripture and the Bible is the inerrant Word of God and perfect.  Follow the example of Jesus who willingly followed God's will despite the harm He knew He would face.  Deny oneself.  Share in Christ's sufferings.  Love God and love others.     

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that willingly surrendered Your life so that I could life to the full now and for eternity in Heaven. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a sacrifice.  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.

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

 Hebrews 2

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Hebrews 2:9

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is initial observations of Hebrews 2:1-9, which contains three divisions. Hebrews 2:1-9 builds on Hebrews 1 by starting with a focus on who Jesus is and then turning to what Jesus has done - His actions and the implications).  Hebrews 2 looks at Jesus as the author of our salvation and how we should not neglect our salvation (see also Philippians 2:12 for text that exhorts believers to work out their own salvation), as we have no other means but through submission to Jesus to escape eternal damnation (v3).  The message of angels (i.e. Gabriel in Luke 1) was reliable as were the many prophecies of the Messiah declared by Isaiah and others (see .  Believers of today (beyond what was seen during Jesus' days - v4) can also testify of God's work in their own lives.  In v5-9, we, once again (see also Hebrews 1), read how God reigns over all of the universe and its inhabitants and how although we may not see (until we see Him face to face) all of His dominion and providence, we can be assured that He is in control.  Believers are reminded as well that Jesus became like us, so that through His own suffering, death, and resurrection, He could empathize with all that we experience, take our sins to the cross, and give us victory over sin and death.

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are a great God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - unbelievably so!  You suffered and died for me, then rose from the grace and gave me victory over sin and death...thank You Jesus for my salvation!  I am not deserving...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 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 [Jerusalem] shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction.Jerusalem shall dwell in security.

Zechariah 14:10-21

And [Jerusalem] shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction.Jerusalem shall dwell in security. Zechariah 14:11

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zechariah 14:10-21, which the commentary outlines as the fourth of four divisions for the text 13:2-14:21 (13:2-9, 14:1-3, 14:4-9, 14:10-21).  Here, the commentary describes this division with the title God’s Gracious Assurances to Us.  It shares that the end times prophecy delivered by God through Zechariah provides three assurances that give us hope and comfort now:

• Vv11-15: King Jesus will establish His kingdom: "[i]n light of the fact that Zechariah and his contemporaries were working hard to restore the ruined city of Jerusalem, this prophecy must have been especially encouraging."
• Vv16-19: All nations will worship King Jesus: Survivors from other nations that attack Jerusalem during the Battle of Armageddon are described as non-combatants or those who did not participate in the attack.  They are spared God's wrath and "they will come to Jerusalem each year for the Festival of Booths, which was a celebration of the harvest. It was a time of giving thanks and praise to the Lord."  These verses also describe a drought in Egypt which depended on rain overflowing the Nile to irrigate its crops.  We are encouraged here to be thankful for God during all times (1 Thessalonians 5:18), even when we perceive that blessings "dry-up," as the commentary shares "[w]e can be grateful that Jesus is gracious enough to care for us even when we neglect to give Him thanks. Still, we miss out on certain blessings when we fail to give God thanks. We can live our lives day by day giving thanks to King Jesus and worshiping Him because of the ways He has blessed us." 
  
• Vv20-21 provides assurance that "the holiness of King Jesus will prevail:"  Revelation 21 describes a New Jerusalem where every aspect of the city will be holy - the commentary shares: "[t]hough Jerusalem has often been called the “Holy City” in Scripture and in history, with Jesus reigning, Jerusalem will truly be holy. Every part of the city—to the smallest part, such as bells on horses and pots in cupboards—will be holy to the Lord because Jesus is ruling. His coming promises our certain victory."

Once again, believers should take comfort in the gift of prophecy, and how it offers us assurances that God has already defeated sin and death, and we should continue to endure through all of what we may experience in the brokenness of this world because ultimately God is saving a place for us in Heaven.  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who gives me the gift of prophecy to assure me that You have already defeated sin and death and that You are saving a place for me in Heaven.  Thank You Father God 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.

Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

 John 21:15-19

Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” John 21:18-19

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 21:15-19, where we see Jesus restore Peter from the sin of his denial.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Jesus asks Peter three times whether he loves Him - in contrast to Peter's denial of Jesus three times before the rooster crows (see Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and John 18) as Peter responds yes three times - text recognized as Jesus restoring Peter. Jesus offers second (and third, etc.) chances as He forgives.  Jesus is also reinforcing His role of Good Shepherd (see John 10:1-18) and charging Peter with taking on this same role, to feed young (lamb) and old (sheep) believers. Jesus then shares - emphasizing His authority to make such statements prophecy of how Peter will die, encouraging Peter to follow Him.    
• What do we learn from the text about people?:  Jesus offers Peter a second opportunity to follow Him and most scholars recognize that Peter did indeed die on the cross - but he insisted that he hang on the cross by his feet as he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus (see this Bible dictionary post).  There is a cost to following Jesus.  He wants us to proclaim the Gospel, and Truth - to all corners of the world, and in many of these places this will be costly, even to the point of physical harm or death.  
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid not following Jesus in the mission He gives you.  Claim the promise that He is with is - always.  Follow Jesus (and Peter's) example to do the will of the Father.  Follow Jesus.  

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My Prayer: Father God You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  I am not deserving of how You save, forgive, restore. Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of how You 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.    

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." 

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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. 

This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

 John 18:25-32

 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. John 18:32

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 18:25-32, where we see the final details of Peter's denial of Jesus, and the initial details of Jesus brought before Pilate.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Other than v28, Jesus is not explicitly acting in the text - yet we must remember from John 1:1 that "[i]n the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  All scripture points to Him and He fulfills all prophecy.  He is also always at work.  See also Colossians 1:15-17 where Jesus is Creator of all things and He holds all things together - either allowing or orchestrating the details.  V32 is key as Jesus' death by crucifixion at the hands of local Roman rule fulfills prophecy - see Matthew 20:19, Luke 18:32-33 as well as this Bible dictionary entry which discusses how this manner of death was not likely one used by the Jews. God is faithful and no word from Him will ever fail (Luke 1:37 NIV).   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: In contrast to Jesus, Peter in this instance - and all of humanity - cannot be counted on 100% of the time (John 13:37-38) based on the claim that he would lay down his life for Jesus which of course Peter did not do upon Jesus' arrest and trial - his comfort was more important as he was "warming" himself.  The text also describes the Jewish leaders seeking to put Jesus to death - an innocent man who was threatening their status and power - they were not concerned about their heart condition - full of envy, rage, anger, etc. They were only concerned about their external behaviors - not to be defiled (v28) and to avoid "put[ting] anyone to death" (v31).         
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid focus on external behaviors.  Claim the promise that Jesus is faithful 100% of the time.  Follow Jesus' example to surrender to God's will for your life.  Focus on heart condition by allowing Jesus to change you from the inside out.

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  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 they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Mark 7:24-37

And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” Mark 7:37

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 7:24-37.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of two) division (vv31-37):

• For the first division, the title is: "Jesus Is the Savior Who Does All Things Well."
• "Perhaps this particular miracle had special significance to Peter, the eyewitness source for much of Mark’s Gospel, because he saw it as a physical parallel to his own spiritual experience. I can identify with that!" 
• "As Jesus looked up to heaven, first He sighed. I believe this is an expression of our Lord’s love and compassion for this man and also His great grief over the fall of man and the terrible consequences of sin. It is the sigh of God over a broken creation." 
• "Mark’s conclusion has deep theological significance. “He has done everything well (good)” echoes creation and God’s work in Genesis 1–2. “He even makes deaf people hear, and people unable to speak, talk” recalls Isaiah, who wrote that when the Messiah comes, “the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy, for waters will gush in the wilderness, and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:5-6). 
• Quoting yet another commentary - from Sinclair Ferguson - the commentary shares: "Jesus takes the man aside. His attention is personal and compassionate. Entering the man’s world, our Lord uses sign language....'The man could not hear Jesus and he was also incapable of verbal communication. So Jesus “spoke” to him in the language he could understand—sign-language. The fingers placed in his ears and then removed meant, “I am going to remove the blockage in your hearing.” The spitting and the touching of the man’s tongue meant, “I am going to remove the blockage in your mouth.” The glance up to heaven meant, “It is God alone who is able to do this for you.” Jesus wanted the man to understand that it was not magic but God’s grace that healed him.' 
• Quoting yet another commentary - from James Edwards - the commentary shares: "[t]he allusion of Isaiah 35 is of supreme significance for Mark’s presentation of Jesus, not only because the restoration of speech signals the eschatological arrival of the Day of the Lord but also because the desert wastelands of Lebanon (Isaiah 35:2) will receive the joy of God. The regions of Tyre and Sidon are, of course, precisely the Lebanon of Isaiah 35. Jesus’ healing . . . in the Decapolis becomes the first fruit of the fulfillment of Isaiah 35:10, that Gentile Lebanon will join “the ransom of the Lord [and] enter Zion with singing”! Salvation thus comes to the Gentile world in Jesus, who is God’s eschatological redeemer from Zion."

Once again, we have scripture that describes how Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecy - on multiple levels. He meets us where we are and heals.  He DOES do all things well because He works in all of the details - not just healing and saving but doing so in a way that it becomes clear that He is God.

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that exists in all details and does all things well so that we can see You in all....You are so full of love and compassion that even while I was still an enemy and hostile to You, You saved me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and compassion.  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. 

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.

See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah 9

See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. v9

Once again, we have a prophecy of Jesus, and this prophecy of Jesus as King of Kings portrays Him as humble, as one who comes to serve, rather than be served. We are commanded to be transformed into God's image, and humility and service are at the core of who Jesus is (for us) so it is what we should be for others.  

We are to love God and love others as God loves us (John 13:34).  Our desires must come after those of Jesus and others - we are to deny oneself.


Jesus - please help me love You first, then love others as I deny myself.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who serves me each and every day - thank You Jesus.  You love me well beyond what I deserve.  I am not worthy of such love.  I am harsh with my words.  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 I love You.  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.

“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

Zechariah 4:1-7

“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” Zechariah 4:6-7

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT (complete: Zephaniah, Haggai; to complete: Zechariah, Malachi) - using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is an unassisted review of Zechariah 4:1-7, which the commentary outlines as the second of three divisions for the text 4:1-14 (4:1-7, 8-10, 11-14).  Here, Zechariah's visions from the Lord continue to unfold - this time with a vision of a Golden Lampstand as noted by the text's header.  Zechariah is talking with an angel who seeks to have Zechariah focus on a lampstand that is before him.  Per vv1-3, the lampstand is of all gold, has a bowl on top of it, seven lamps, each with seven lips, and two olive trees beside it - one on the left and one on the right. The use of lampstands (see also other scripture references here) suggests a holy place such as the tabernacle or temple, a place where we see the presence of God.  Similarly the use of olive trees suggests provision or abundance, of course provided by God alone as a result of His grace and blessing for His people in return for their obedience to Him. Vv6-7 are key as the angel shares with Zechariah what the significance and meaning of this vision.  The Lord will deliver a message to (and through) Zerubbabel (governor of Judah and through whom Jesus descends - see also Matthew 1) that the almighty God is coming through the Spirit (Messiah) and similar to John 1:23 (see also Isaiah 40:3-4), we are told to "make straight the way of the Lord" suggesting easy passage for the coming messiah - Zechariah's vision shares (4:7) how the wilderness will become a plain.  Accompanying the Spirit will be "the top stone" suggesting the cornerstone - the coming Messiah.  This Spirit will arrive "amid shouts of Grace, grace to it."  This shouting calls to mind similar shouting of hosanna by those greeting the arrival of Jesus on a donkey on Easter.  Believers know that such a vision is indeed a prophecy of the coming Messiah and Jesus fulfills this prophecy!  He is the promised One and Hope!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the hope that You are and for Your faithfulness to fulfill all the promises and prophecies You make.  You are indeed faithful and I can count on You.  Thank You!  I am not deserving of Your faithfulness.  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.