Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Mark Chapter 2 - Day 2

The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

2 When He entered Capernaum again after some days, it was reported that He was at home. 2 So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and He was speaking the message to them. 3 Then they came to Him bringing a paralytic, carried by four men. 4 Since they were not able to bring him to[a] Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above where He was. And when they had broken through, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

5 Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

6 But some of the scribes were sitting there, thinking to themselves:[b] 7 “Why does He speak like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgivesins but God alone?”

8 Right away Jesus understood in His spirit that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?[c] 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” He told the paralytic, 11 “I tell you: get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

12 Immediately he got up, picked up the mat, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded and gave glory to God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

The Call of Matthew

13 Then Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to Him, and He taught them. 14 Then, moving on, He saw Levithe son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” So he got up and followed Him.

Dining with Sinners

15 While He was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also guests[d] with Jesus and His disciples, because there were many who were following Him. 16 When the scribes of the Pharisees[e] saw that He was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat[f] with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 When Jesus heard this, He told them, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do need one. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

A Question about Fasting

18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees[g] were fasting. People came and asked Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

19 Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests[h] cannot fast while the groom is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the time[i] will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new patch pulls away from the old cloth, and a worse tear is made.22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins.[j] But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Lord of the Sabbath

23 On the Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and His disciples began to make their way picking some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David and those who were with him did when he was in need and hungry— 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the sacred bread—which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests—and also gave some to his companions?” 27 Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for[k] man and not man for[l] the Sabbath.28 Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jeremy's Commentary:

Todays text, helps us to settle in. At times you can almost hear the seagulls outside of his Capernium home, as it fills with people, coming to Jesus with their needs. Today we hear the ever famous Sunday School story about the faith of friends. There is definately a sermon there. Many probably. At one point the word says "Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic "Son, your sins are forgiven."" There is something to be said about this their. Their faith, his sins. Wow!! Praise God!

Working our way in and out of some theological discussions about forgiving sins, the authority of Christ, fasting, Sabbath rest, we see a passage (our verse of the day) about Jesus not coming for those that are well, but for the sick. Would I be wrong, to marry the 2 verses together. When evangelizing, and witnesses to the lost, and spending time with them in community, could my faith be enough to begin the process? Could me, trying to bring people to the Gospel the best way I know how be enough, for the King of Kings to grant a pardon, so that they may come to faith? I sure would like to try.

Last month I read a scripture in Matthew, and it is still sticking with me. Matthew 16:18 - And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it. I think its time we start kicking some gates down.

Question of the Day:

Have you been so bold with your faith in bringing someone to The Gospel that Jesus had to notice? How did that work out for you?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You are the Author and Finisher of our faith. Give us that faithful boldness to bring people to The Gospel which ever way we can. Teach us to go out of our way to share Your love! In Your name we pray, and Your will be done.

- Bible Text thanks to minsitry of BibleGateway.com and HCSB

- https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1&version=HCSB&interface=print

-Key verse in BOLD

- Published by Jeremy Tramell - Oct 15th, 2014

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Mark Chapter 1 - Day 1

The Messiah’s Herald

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:[a]

Look, I am sending My messenger ahead of You,
who will prepare Your way.[b]
3 A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make His paths straight![c]

4 John came baptizing[d] in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance[e] for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were flocking to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 6 John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He was preaching: “Someone more powerful than I will come after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals. 8 I have baptized you with[f] water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 As soon as He came up out of the water, He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending to Him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven:

You are My beloved Son;
I take delight in You![g]

The Temptation of Jesus

12 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness 40 days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels began to serve Him.

Ministry in Galilee

14 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the good news[h][i] of God:[j] 15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news!”

The First Disciples

16 As He was passing along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen.

17 “Follow Me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for[k] people!” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19 Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in their boat mending their nets. 20 Immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.

Driving Out an Unclean Spirit

21 Then they went into Capernaum, and right away He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach. 22 They were astonishedat His teaching because, unlike the scribes, He was teaching them as one having authority.

23 Just then a man with an unclean spirit was in their synagogue. He cried out,[l] 24 “What do You have to do with us,[m] Jesus—Nazarene? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

25 But Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet,[n] and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit convulsed him, shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.

27 Then they were all amazed, so they began to argue with one another, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority![o] He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 News about Him then spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.

Healings at Capernaum

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went into Simon and Andrew’s house with James and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her,[p] and she began to serve them.

32 When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all those who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.33 The whole town was assembled at the door, 34 and He healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons.But He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Preaching in Galilee

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place. And He was praying there.36 Simon and his companions went searching for Him. 37 They found Him and said, “Everyone’s looking for You!”

38 And He said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come.” 39 So He went into all of Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

A Man Cleansed

40 Then a man with a serious skin disease came to Him and, on his knees,[q] begged Him: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched him. “I am willing,” He told him. “Be made clean.” 42 Immediately the disease left him, and he was healed.[r] 43 Then He sternly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Yet he went out and began to proclaim it widely and to spread the news, with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But He was out in deserted places, and they would come to Him from everywhere.

Jeremy's Commentary

The Gospel of Mark, which as we learn today in our key verse is the Gospel of Jesus, starts off with a jolt. For me, its like the author (Mark) has so much to say, and his message is so urgent, he wants to put it all out there. (I get like this too. When I am sharing the gospel with someone, there is so much I want to share, and so much I have to say, I just want to get it out there. I want to tell the world!!!)

Lets slow it down for a second, and circle back to the main points...

Before Jesus, a man named John the Baptist came preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus observed the ritual of Baptism (though uneeded for Forgiveness of Sins) and His Father, was pleased.
Trials and Temptations - Immediately after His public confession of faith.
His first sermon was - "Repent and Believe the Good News"
He called disciples (Fishers of men)
He drove out unclean spirits (at house of worship)
He healed the sick (At friends house)
His ministry was on the move (this is why I have come)
He healed those with skin conditions (flesh)
His ministry grew so much, that people had to come to him in deserted places.

Question of the Day

Should every Christian model their ministry after that of Jesus's? Why or Why Not?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you have captured our heart, the same as you captured those before us. You cast out our unclean spirits, you heal our sickness just as you did before. Empower us to proclaim the Gospel just as you did, and to make disciples day in and day out Lord. Give us a heart to do your will.