Week 6 - Reading Schedule

Week 6 - Reading Schedule

Mon, Nov 10: Luke 12-13, Psalm 52-53, Proverbs 26

Tue, Nov 11: Luke 14-16, Psalm 54-55, Proverbs 27

Wed, Nov 12: Luke 17-19, Psalm 56-57, Proverbs 28

Thu, Nov 13: Luke 20-22, Psalm 58-59, Proverbs 29

Fri, Nov 14: Luke 23-24, Psalm 60-61, Proverbs 30

Luke 10-11

Luke 10:25-37 - The Parable of the Good Samaritan
(see the teaching: "Love One Another", for a more complete study of this passage. Available in Church Resource Center)
This story of the "Good Samaritan" is Jesus' picture illustration of what it means to "love your neighbor as yourself." Important for us to understand that this is not our way to life but it is our way to live. Let me explain. Faith in Jesus Christ and His life, death and resurrection is our only way to life (John 14:6). Loving your neighbor as yourself is the way Jesus instructs all of us to live. Loving your neighbor does not earn salvation. But it is a huge part of the fruit that proves we are saved. Jesus ends the story with, "Go and do likewise." This is a pretty tall order. How can we live like this?

Luke 8-9

Luke 9:51-56, stood out as I read these two chapters. Jesus is walking to Jerusalem and His route is going to take Him through a Samaritan village. Jesus sends disciples ahead of Him to make accommodations and provisions for their journey. The Samaritans refuse to let Jesus and His disciples pass through their village. Remember, Samaritans and Jews are arch-enemies. When James and John (the sons of thunder) saw this injustice, they were enraged. They cannot believe these people would treat Jesus like this. Their solution: call down fire from heaven and kill them all (Luke 9:54). Jesus turns and strongly rebukes the disciples for their attitude, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." How does this story apply to us? As believers, the world usually disagrees with us - in life, in family, in politics, in morals, in the treatment of people, etc. How are we to handle these disagreements? Let's be honest, sometimes we wish God would just come and wipe "the sinners" off the face of the earth (or let us do it). But Jesus rebukes this attitude. This is not the heart of Jesus, but rather the view of the spirit of darkness and destruction. But some will say, "God is going to judge the sinners anyway and wipe them out. And my anger is righteous and just." Be very careful here. The disciples in this story felt they were righteous and just in their anger, as well. They even gave Scriptural precedence to justify their wrong attitude - Elijah did it. Do not twist the Scripture to fit your attitude. Rather, change your attitude to fit the Scripture. The most dangerous believer alive is one who feels justified by their sin, anger, bitterness, gossip or unforgiveness. Jesus teaches us not to hope for destruction, but rather hope for their salvation. Hoping for destruction and judgment will cause us to fail in our mission of sharing The Gospel. We will still disagree with the world, but watch your anger and attitude. Repentance is needed!

Luke 5-7

Notice the fishermen's response to the call of Jesus in Luke 5:11 - "they forsook all and followed Him. Is anything less expected of us?

One of my favorite stories in the Gospels is found in Luke 5:17-32. Jesus heals a paralytic man from the inside-out. He first forgives his sin and then Jesus heals his legs. The dispute brought up by the Pharisees is this, "Who can forgive sins but God?" Jesus' response is amazing. He responds in two ways: with a statement and then with an illustration. The statement: "Which is easier (or better), to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins - I say to you, arise, take up your bed and go to your house." The illustration: Immediately after this, Jesus goes and chooses Matthew, the tax collector to be one of His disciples. Jesus is now illustrating His power to forgive sins. Tax collectors were often considered the most sinful people of their day. Jesus is saying, "So that you may know I have the power to forgive sins, I'm going to forgive the biggest sinner in town - Matthew, you are forgiven! Follow Me!"
For a more complete explanation of this story, get the teaching - "Matthew, the Tax Collector - A Picture of Forgiveness" in the Church Resource Center.

• Meditate on the teachings in Luke 6 - The Beatitudes, The Woes, Love Your Enemies, Do Not Judge, A Tree is Known By It's Fruit, Build on the Rock. These teachings capture the essence of a disciple of Jesus Christ. These are character traits He desires to develop in all of us. Can you see some growth in your life in these area?
• Notice how many of Jesus' miracles are to the 'outsiders'. The outsiders or the poor had been neglected by the religious insiders, but Jesus takes the Gospel to them, heals them, forgives them and eats with them. Most of these people had been neglected by the merciless religious system of legalism and the poor were often considered cursed, judged or unclean - not to be touched or associated with. Jesus is declaring to everyone, "God loves the poor!" Questions: Are we satisfied to stay with the religious "insiders" or do we go and proclaim the Gospel to the "outsiders"? Are we more like the legalistic Pharisees or more like Jesus in this kind of compassionate ministry? How can we be more like Jesus?

Luke 3-4

• Luke 3:1-2: Notice the historical information that Luke gives. He sets the Jesus Story in a specific time and place. This info helps prove these events as actual history and not just mystical or spiritual ideas.


• John the Baptizer: Called, anointed, bold and obedient. John confronted the people in his day with repentance, godliness and the preparation for the coming Messiah. He is given the privilege of pointing out Jesus as the Messiah. He baptizes Jesus in the Jordan. He completes his assignment. He later dies in faith. Up to this point in history, John is the greatest man that has ever lived (according to Jesus).


• Luke's genealogy traces Jesus all the way back to Adam. These are names of real people many of whom can be read about in the Old Testament. Luke is establishing Jesus' rightful claim as the Messiah. The historical aspect of all this comes into play again. Interesting to see how God uses people to establish His Kingdom. Father could have had Jesus descend out of the clouds or rise up out of the sea but He didn't. He worked His plan and used people to establish it. He still does the same thing today and we have a part to play.
• Just think, if Jesus' family tree was traced forward all the way to today, you and I would be in it. You could say that the Lamb's Book of Life is basically God's family tree.
  

Luke 4 - The Temptation
See these parallels between Israel, Adam and Jesus:

Israel in the desert, hungry, tempted, failed, diobeyed, unfaithful, sinful.
Adam in a garden, hungry, tempted, failed, disobeyed, unfaithful to the Father, sinful
Jesus in the desert, hungry, tempted, overcame, obeyed, faithful to the Father, sinless.
Adam listened to the adversary, Israel listened to the world and the flesh. Jesus listened to the Word of God. In fact, He spoke the Word to defeat the adversary.

Jesus is being presented as the Son of Man who remains faithful and overcomes the adversary. Where all the rest of humanity and Israel had failed God, Jesus lives a sinless life and pleases the Father. This is what qualifies Him to be Messiah and to be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. For more clarity on these parallels, read Deuteronomy 8 and Genesis 3.

Luke 1-2

• John the Baptizer's birth is announced to his father, Zechariah, a priest. Zechariah's wife, Elizabeth, is barren and now the couple is older and past child-bearing age. It is Zechariah's turn to burn the incense on the altar of incense in the Holy Place. The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah in the Holy Place within the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. The angel proclaims to Zechariah, "...for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John." When do you think Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed this prayer for a child? Could this have been a desire they had prayed many years ago? If this is the case, what does this teach us about our prayers and God's answers?
• Zechariah is muted by Gabriel. He will not be able to speak until the baby is born. Zechariah's question to Gabriel in verse 18 is real similar to Mary's question in verse 34. Why was Zechariah muted and Mary was not?
• In Luke 1:46-55, Mary sings a beautiful prayer song to the Lord. This song is a collection of Scriptures from the Old Testament. Everything she says can be traced back to The Text. This young lady knew her Bible by heart. No wonder the Lord judged her to be faithful. Note: It's interesting to see how Mary expresses her heart to God by quoting Scripture back to Him. In the most exciting time of her life, she chose to express herself with the Word of God. Her words would not be adequate. Only God's Own Words could praise Him like this. What can we learn about praise, worship and prayer from Mary's use of The Text?
• John the Baptizer is born and Zechariah's speech returns, just like Gabriel promised. Zechariah immediately prophesies over the child in verses 67-79. This prophecy is a collection of Scriptures from the Old Testament. Zechariah does not prophesy out of his feelings or his thoughts. These words come straight out of The Text. What can we learn about prophesying from this passage?
• Luke 2 - Messiah is born. The Genesis 3:15 promise along with countless others is being fulfilled. This event shows how God changed the world by sending His Son, Jesus. Notice how humble all of this is. A young virgin, a young couple, a long journey, a cave, a baby, a manger and shepherds. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah is born in a sheep stable (cave) and laid in a feeding trough. Very little pomp and circumstance, only a few angels to some young shepherds. God loves humility - this is how His Son was born, this is how He lived, this is how He died and this is how He instructs us to live - humble.
• Notice how God honors the shepherds, Simeon and Anna in the birth of Christ. These were all humble servants of the Lord. God loves humility.
• Simeon prophesies over the Christ Child. His prophesy is a collection of Scriptures from the Old Testament. Again, what does this teach us about the marriage of Scripture and prophesying?

Who is Luke?

Who is Luke?
Luke is the only Gentile writer in Holy Scripture. He is also the writer of the Book of Acts. In fact, The Gospel of Luke & Acts are a two volume set. Luke was a friend and fellow minister with the Apostle Paul. He was a Doctor and probably was Paul's personal physician (Colossians 4:14, Philemon 24, 2 Timothy 4:11). He writes this Gospel & the Book of Acts to Theophilus, probably a Roman official of some kind. Theophilus means "friend of God". He seems to have been a believer to whom Luke tries to give more understanding concerning the good news of Jesus. His purpose for writing this account of Jesus' life is clearly stated in Luke 1:1-4. Some recent scholarship about this Gospel and Acts suggest that Luke writes these 2 letters as defense documents for Paul's trial in Rome before Caesar. Not sure if this is the case or not, but it's an interesting thought. Whatever the case, the Holy Spirit chose to use these writings to let the world know about Jesus and the spread of the Gospel in the first century.

Week 5 - Reading Schedule

Week 5 - Reading Schedule
Mon, Nov 3: Luke 1-2, Psalm 42-43, Proverbs 21
Tue, Nov4: Luke 3-5, Psalm 44-45, Proverbs 22
Wed, Nov 5: Luke 6-7, Psalm 46-47, proverbs 23
Thu, Nov 6: Luke 8-9, Psalm 48-49, Proverbs 24
Fri, Nov 7: Luke 10-11, Psalm 50-51, Proverbs 25

Two Proverbs to Consider

These two proverbs came up in conversation with a brother, today. Thought I would share them with you.

Proverbs 18:1-2

A man who isolates himself seeks his own desires; He rages against all wise judgment.
A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart. (NKJV)

This passage shows us the importance of our connections with the Body of Christ. It is foolish for us to isolate ourselves from the wise counsel of others. In this isolation, our selfishness and sinfulness are exposed and destruction awaits around the corner. How many times have you and I heard people say or said ourselves, "I can't talk to anyone about this" or "nobody will understand me, even if I do talk to someone"? Isolation is one of the evil schemes of our adversary. Fight isolation like the plague. You need the Body of Christ. Don't listen to your flesh or your adversary. Don't rage against the wise counsel of others, even if it is not what you want to hear. How much destruction would you have avoided in your life if you would have asked for or listened to the wise counsel of another believer?

Proverbs 19:3
A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord. (NIV)

Not all trouble is the direct result of folly, but much of it is. When trouble hits, people often view God as the problem instead of the solution. This verse can help you in ministering to some of the people who have grown cold and bitter towards God. But, please use it with love and compassion. Helping people see the error of their own choices can often help in getting them to turn to God. Do you know someone in this situation? Perhaps, you are here yourself. Remember, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6-10).

Mark 15-16

This is Mark's account of the most important events in human history. Jesus is purchasing our salvation. Just soak it in! Notice how Jesus willingly lays down His life. He refuses to defend Himself or confront the lies and mockery of His trial. He knows this is God's will. And just as He prayed in Gethsemane, "Your will be done", He humbles himself to the will of Father - at the expense of His own life.

• Who do you think Barabbas represents in the crucifixion story?
• You may want to go and read Psalm 22. This is the Text Jesus was quoting as He died. This is how He died the Text.
• Also, go and read Isaiah 53. This Text covers the meaning of the sacrifice of Jesus. Notice, the resurrection of Messiah is prophesied in this passage as well.

Mark 16
Jesus Messiah: He is risen! He commissions! He ascends! He sits at the right hand of God!
The disciples: They believe! They watch! They go! They preach the good news, everywhere!

Mark 14

• Jesus is anointed in Bethany with very expensive perfume. Jesus said that this was done in preparation for His burial. The woman at Bethany gives a beautiful example of true worship. It is unashamed, sacrificial, expressive, humble - a pouring out of what you have for Jesus' sake and pleasure. Jesus promises that this woman and her act of worship will be remembered all over the world. Why does Jesus want us to remember her and what she did?
• In verse 10-11, we are told about the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. It says the chief priests "promised to give him money". In Mark, the event of the woman anointing Jesus with expensive perfume and the betrayal of Judas are placed one after the other. Could the Holy Spirit be showing us something about two opposite ways to respond to Jesus.? Compare these two events with one another.

Mark 13

• In Mark 13, Jesus teaches about the end of the age. He is responding to 2 questions that are asked in a private conversation with Peter, James, John and Andrew while they are on the Mount of Olives. Here are the two questions: "Tell us, when will these things be?" and "what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?" The disciples are asking about the Temple. But in the usual Jesus fashion, He gives them and us an answer that contains more than we could ever ask or think. The context: In verse 1-2, Jesus has just told them about the literal destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Verses 5-13 seem to be answering this question about the destruction of the Temple. If this is the case, these events have already been fulfilled. History tells us that the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. when Titus invaded Jerusalem. Question #2 seems to be answered in verses 14-37. Here Jesus deals with events concerning the end of the age or the end of time as we know it - "when will all these things be fulfilled?" In the last part of this chapter, Jesus is obviously speaking of things which are to come. Verse 26 helps to clarify this with "they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory." This event is yet to happen. But, as believers, we look forward to this with great hope and expectation. For believers this will be the ultimate. For unbelievers, this will be the worst day ever. For further insights, you may want to read Matthew 24-25 and Luke 21. Please note: There is a lot of controversy and many interpretations over what is said here. I humbly submit my thoughts to you to help bring hope and some clarity. Remember, Jesus did not give us these words to stir up controversy or confusion or to give us a nice neat chart on the end times. He gave us these words to fill us with hope and faith. Dig into these for hope and faith, instead of just information and time frames. Let's end this part in the same way Jesus did: "And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

Mark 11-12

• Jesus makes His "Triumphal Entry" into Jerusalem. The crowds seem to respond very favorably to Jesus. They are crying out cheers of hope, freedom and deliverance. What do these crowds expect from Jesus? In just a few days the cheers of hope will turn to sneers of hate. The roar of the crowd will change from "Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!" to "crucify Him!". Why the change? When Christ comes to us, will we accept Him for Who He really is? Or will try to make Him who we want Him to be?

• Mark 12:1-12 - Jesus tells the 'parable of the wicked vine dressers' in the Temple to the chief priests, the scribes and the elders (Mark 11:27). After He tells this story, these men are infuriated and want to kill Jesus. Why are they so enraged? Who is Jesus referring to in this story?

Mark 9-10

• In Mark 9, a man brings his demon possessed son to the disciples. Verse 18 says that the disciples could not cast out the spirit. In verse 25, Jesus commands the evil spirit to come out of the boy and it does. Why did the evil spirit obey Jesus and not the disciples? Is this text suggesting that some deliverance situations may be more difficult for us than others (remember, the disciples had cast out demons before)? What instruction does Jesus give us in Mark 9:29?
• Mark 10:17-22 - The rich young ruler encounters Jesus. Compare this man's response to Jesus with Matthew's response to Jesus in Matthew 9:9-13.

A couple of days off

My Dad and his wife are visiting for a couple of days. I'll get back to the blog hopefully by Wednesday or Thursday.
Today, Tuesday, Oct 28, is Lilli's 10th birthday.
Stay on track!
Pastor Ron

Week 4 - Reading Schedule

Mon, Oct 27: Mark 9-10, Psalm 33-34, Proverbs 16

Tue, Oct 28: Mark 11-12, Psalm 35-36, Proverbs 17

Wed, Oct 29: Mark 13, Psalm 37, Proverbs 18

Thu, Oct 30: Mark 14, Psalm 38-39, Proverbs 19

Fri, Oct 31: Mark 15-16, Psalm 40-41, Proverbs 20

Mark 7-8

Mark 7:1-23 - Notice how the Pharisees are obsessed with the "outward". They confront Jesus about not washing His hands before he ate. The phrase "the tradition of the elders" is key to understanding what is going on here. The religious leaders of this time had created several teachings about "ritual cleansing". According to them, in order to be pleasing to God, you had to go thru these ritual cleansings. According to them, to violate one of these was a sin. Here, Jesus purposefully disobeys one of the "traditions" to prove a point. His point is direct and confrontational. Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 and judges these men and their teachings. In these leaders, the "traditions of the elders" seemed to carry more weight than the Scriptures. It's kind of like exalting modern day "church rules, practices, constitutions or by-laws" above God's Word. We fall into this trap of "legalistic religion" when we exalt the outward over the inward. God works from the inside-out. He changes our hearts and nature and the results are a change in the outward behavior. When you start on the outside and try to work your way in, you totally misrepresent the "way" God works. This misreprestation of God by the religious leaders is why Jesus is so harsh. Today, whenever Churches or believers emphasize dress codes and outward appearance, we fall into this deception. The deception starts by drifting from or adding to what the Scriptures teach.

Mark 6

• Mark 6 opens with Jesus in the town of Nazareth. This is the place where he grew up and evidently His family still lived there. In verse 4, Jesus comments about the lack of respect that He has received in His hometown. Nazareth could have and should have been a village where a great Messianic revival took place. After all, Jesus spent more time in Nazareth than any other place on earth, an estimated 28 years of His life. But as the saying goes, "familiarity often breeds contempt". I see this same problem in the Church today. We often do not respect the presence of Christ in our local gatherings. Many consistently fail to see Jesus working among us and we have a mentality like the old saying "the grass is greener on the other side of the fence." Jesus is always moving powerfully somewhere else, but not at our Church. There often is a lack of respect in our fellowships for the leaders and the gifts of the Spirit that the Lord gives to a local Church. Some in the Church have developed a superstar-type mentality toward some leaders and they flock to go hear, see or be touched by them. Others have developed a super-outpouring mentality that a certain move of the Spirit will happen in a particular place and be distributed throughout the world. But, First Corinthians 12 teaches us about the power of the Spirit that God has already distributed within the Body of Christ, where every joint can be connected, nurtured, healed, strengthened and all the different dynamics and manisfestations of Christ can be expressed. Men often try to consolidate power for their own purposes, but God has clearly distributed His power to the saints to accomplish His purposes. This brings me back to respecting Jesus in our midst. First Corinthians 12 and James 5 talk about the anointing and power of the Spirit being resident within the local Body and the local leadership that Christ has put in place. Scripture teaches that Christ works within the people we know, trust and are connected to. Obviously, we are not limited to our local fellowship, but this seems to be the normal way in which Christ desires to work in His people and their communities. What would happen if we began to believe that the same Jesus Who is in the Gospels, lives in every true believer, including you? What if we believed that everytime we gathered together in the name of Jesus, He is there in glory and power? Is our unbelief about Jesus in our midst, hindering a great revival that He desires to bring to our communities and local fellowships? Is Jesus marveling at our unbelief just like He did Nazareth's?
• In Mark 6:7, Jesus sends the disciples out to minister the Gospel in word and in power. Why do you think He sends them out "two by two"?

Mark 5

• Mark 5:1-20 Jesus takes His disciples to Gentile country. This was a huge step “out of their comfort zone”. Many of the rabbis of that day taught the people to never step foot on Gentile soil. They had forgotten the promise of God that said they would be a “light to the Gentiles.” But Jesus had not forgotten this promise. And He was going to show His disciples that God loved the Gentiles and wanted to rescue them out of their sin. This story is an illustration of how Messiah can save people who are in the deepest kind of darkness. The torment and bondage this man lives in is horrendous. Jesus reaches into this darkness and rescues this man from a hell that would cause many of us to retreat the other way. This story is not just an illustration but it is an equipping for ministry. Think of how the disciples would later be commanded to “go” into the Gentile world and proclaim the Gospel. They would soon be confronted with this scenario over and over. I’m sure as they continued their ministry, their minds would often race back to the times they had with Jesus and the things they saw Him do. Yes, Jesus was freeing and individual and training a band of disciples all at the same time. This deliverance was not only meant to astonish them, it also was meant to equip & empower them for what was ahead. May this story do the same for us.
  


• Mark 5:34 Jesus speaks to the woman who was sick with a constant bleeding from a female problem. This sickness would have caused her to be ceremonially unclean and unable to go among a crowd of people. She knows that she must get to Jesus. She presses through the crowd and reaches out and grabs His robe. Immediately, she was healed and she knew it and Jesus knew it. This is what He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction." In the Gospels we see Messiah touching and healing many in various ways. But in this story, a woman reaches out and touches Him. What does this teach us about faith?

Mark 3-4

Mark 3:1-6 Jesus heals a man's crippled hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath. The Pharisees are enraged because Jesus does this on the Sabbath. They cannot even rejoice over this man's healing. How is the mutiny against God shown in this passage? How is the human condition because of the mutiny shown? How is the rescue & restoration revealed?

Mark 6:13-19, gives a list of the 12 Apostles. God used these men to lay the foundation of the New Testament Church. All of these remained faithful to the end, except for Judas Iscariot. We should highly respect these men. Without their work and sacrifice for Jesus, we would not know Christ. Remember, these were just ordinary people who Jesus called, forgave, transformed and empowered. May we be as faithful to our generation as they were to theirs. Commit these names to memory.

Mark 3:31-35 Jesus' mother, Mary, and his brothers are mentioned. It is evident that Joseph & Mary had a normal marital relationship after the birth of Jesus. She did not remain a virgin for the rest of here life. This by no means diminishes her role in the plan of God. She should be highly respected and honored for her obedience and sacrifice. Interesting to see how Jesus' birth family does not understand Who He is or what He came to do at this point in His ministry.

In Mark 4, Messiah gives the parable of the seed & the sower. Jesus gives us a clear explanation of this story. Which kind of soil are you?

In Mark 4:10-12 & 33-34, it tells us the reason Jesus taught in parables. According to these passages, why did He teach with these clever stories?

Jesus commands the winds and waves, "Peace, be still". And the storm stopped. WOW!

Mark 1-2

This Gospel gets right to the point. Notice the use of the word "immediately" throughout this Gospel ("immediatley" is used in the NKJV, similar synonyms are used in other translations). This word seems to personify Peter's personality. Let's dive head first into the ministry of the Lord Jesus starting with the forerunner, John the Baptizer.

• John's relationship to Messiah is described as the one who would "prepare Your way before You." John is shown to be the fulfillment of prophecy sent as the messenger, the preparer and the voice (Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1). Go over to Isaiah 40 and read the entire message given. John the Baptizer, without a doubt, preached this entire message several times in his life. All of Isaiah 40, clearly points to Jesus and His ministry. Then go over and read Malachi 3 & 4. John would have preached this message as well. No doubt John preached other things and quoted much of what the Prophets & Moses said. These two are highlighted because they are quoted in Mark 1:2-3.
• Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by John. From this point on, focus shifts from John to Jesus. John begins to decrease and Jesus begins to increase. Shortly after this, John is imprisoned and then murdered.
• Immediately after the baptism, Jesus is lead or sent by the Sprit into the wilderness (desert). Jesus must be tested and He must defeat the enemy. Whenever God does something significant in our lives, it must be tested and proven.
• (Mark 1:14) Jesus begins His ministry North of the Sea of Galilee.
• (Mark 1:16-17) Simon Peter and Andrew are called by Jesus, "Follow Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men." Luke 5:1-11 gives us the details of what happened in this encounter.
• (Mark 1:21-28) Jesus casts a demon out of a man in the synagogue! Do demons really go to Church?
• Notice how Jesus is fulfilling His mission: "preach the Gospel to the poor." The poor would have been considered outsiders to the mainstream religious people. The phrase "the poor" is speaking of people whose lives are filled with chaos of some kind. Many of the religious people would have been merciless to "the poor" believing they had been cursed and rejected by God. Some of the Saduccees taught a health/wealth view of God. Another words, if God liked you, you would be healthy and wealthy. If God didn't like you, you would be financially poor and/or sick in some way. Sound familiar? Not much has changed in 2,000 years. This teaching, unfortunately, is still with us. Jesus disproves all of this erroneous thought by extending mercy, compassion, love and healing to "the poor". Many of Jesus' miracles are proclaiming the message, "God loves the poor and you should, too." In fact, when you get down to it, we all are "the poor" when we compare ourselves to God and His Messiah. Viewing yourself like this is one of the first steps into the Kingdom of God (Matt 5:3). You may want to do a study on the phrase "the poor". God takes our treatment of "the poor" very, very seriously.

Background on Mark (a.k.a. John Mark)

History seems to agree that Mark was the writer for Peter in this Gospel. As Peter dictacted these stories and teachings, Mark wrote them down for the Chuch to read. All this was done under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Mark was a spiritual son of the Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:13). He is the John Mark that we read about in the Book of Acts. He first appears in Acts 12:25, "And Barnabas and Saul (Paul) returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark." He was a family member of Barnabas and he traveled with Paul & Barnabas for awhile. Something happened on the first missionary journey and Mark left the missionary team to go back to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). Paul was pretty upset over Mark's departure. Possibly, looking at this young man as weak and not ready to face the trials and troubles of ministry. Later, as Paul & Barnabas' prepared for a second missionary journey, Barnabas was determined to take Mark with them (Acts 15:37). But Paul must have considered Mark a liability and Paul refused. This argument between Paul & Barnabas was so severe, they broke up their missionary team and went separate ways. Barnabas & Mark went to Cyprus to minister and Paul & Silas went to encourage the believers in Syria, Cilicia, Asia Minor and Macedonia. Interesting to see how chosen, anointed men of God cannot always agree. But God uses all things, even negative things, for His glory. Now the Lord has two mission teams covering more ground. Nothing is said about Barnabas in the remainder of the Story. It is believed he continued to minister and proclaim Christ. Paul & Mark later are reconciled and Paul gives his commendation and approval of Mark to the believers in Colosse (Colossians 4:10). Somehow, Mark connects with Peter and he is discipled. In 1 Peter 5:13, Peter greets the believers and states "and so does Mark, my son." Perhaps Peter could relate to Mark with a great deal of compassion, mercy and restoration. After all, Peter knew the pain of failure and quitting. But, Peter also knew the joy and path of restoration. This story of Mark is yet another testimony of how God rescues and restores. Where there was failure and division, God redeemed Mark for His purposes.

Week 3 - Reading Schedule

Week 3 - Reading Schedule

Mon, Oct 20: Mark 1-2, Psalm 23-24, Proverbs 11

Tue, Oct 21: Mark 3-4, Psalm 25-26, Proverbs 12

Wed, Oct 22: Mark 5, Psalm 27-28, Proverbs 13

Thu, Oct 23: Mark 6, Psalm 29-30, Proverbs 14

Fri, Oct 24: Mark 7-8, Psalm 31-32, Proverbs 15

Matthew 26-28

Soak in the work of the Rescuer. I was nearly breathless as I read the work of redemption that our Lord accomplished in these chapters. Here is Matthew's listing of the events:

• His anointing at Bethany, His betrayal by Judas, His time with the Disciples, His giving of the Lord's Supper, His prediction of Peter's denial, His praying in Gethsemane, His arrest, His trial, Peter's unfaithfulness, Judas hanging himself, Jesus stands before Pilate, Barabbas is released, Jesus is condemned to be crucified, He is severly beaten, soldiers mock Him, Simon the Cyrene carries the cross, Jesus is crucified at Golgotha, Jesus dies, the veil of The Temple is torn in two from the top to the bottom, the earth quakes and splits, Jesus is buried in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb, guard is posted at tomb, Mary Magdalene and another Mary come to the tomb on the first day of the week, the earth quakes, many dead are resurrected and walk in Jerusalem, an angel rolls back the stone, guards fall down like dead men, angel speaks to the women - "He is not here, for He is risen as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.", women rush to tell the disciples, Jesus meets with the women saying, "Rejoice! Do not be afraid. Go tell My brethren to go to Galilee and there they will see Me.", soldiers are bribed, Jesus charges his disciples with Kingdom building.

Matthew 23-25

Nearly all of the words in these 3 chapters are written in red. These are the very words of God.

• Chapter 23 is filled with several scathing rebukes that Jesus gives to the Pharisees and scribes - the religious leaders of the day. We would do well to heed these rebukes for ourselves. Notice how Jesus "ain't scared" of anybody. He is free to encourage or rebuke whomever He needs to.


• Matthew 24 & 25 gives Jesus' teachings on the end times. Some pretty interesting stuff here. We can definitely see many of these things happening in our world, today. Jesus lets us in on this to keep us from being afraid when these things start happening. For centuries, teachers and scholars have wrestled with the order and timing of the unfolding of these things. The truth is nobody knows the "when or the how" of this. While all of us are very curios to know, I am deeply concerned about ministers who teach with charts, graphs and pictures giving time tables, scenarios, opinions and their interpretations. I usually stay away from teachers who seem to have all the answers for the end times. These things are not given to us so that we can have a sequential run-down of the events that will take place. These things are told to us so that we can anchor our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice how Jesus follows up these "end-time events" with these teachings in Matthew 24:36- Matthew 25: be ready, the faithful & evil servant, the parable of the ten virgins, the parable of the talents and the teaching on the judgment. I think it would be much more beneficial to us if we would concern ourselves with these teachings about the end-times and our role in all of this. We will trust God to do His part and God expects us to do our part. We will continue to wrestle with the details and the intrigue of the end-times. But let us major on the work we are called to do until Jesus comes to get His Bride. Secure, hopeful, waiting, looking, expecting, following, working!

Matthew 20-22

Just a few words here:

• The greatest is the one who serves other people! God's leaders are servants, not lords. This is how the love of God is expressed in our leaders and in every believer's life. Jesus gave us this example - "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Someone once said, "ask not what your Church family can do for you, but instead ask what can I do for my Church family." Interesting to note that most people choose a Church family and leave a Church family based on how they are "being served." This is the direct opposite of what Jesus teaches in Matthew 20:28.


• Chapter 21, Jesus enters Jerusalem to face His death on the cross. This entry shows how He is "laying His life down", willingly. No man is taking it, He is giving His life as a ransom for many.


• What a day that must have been when Jesus entered the Temple and confronted all the buyers and sellers and money changers! He turned over their tables and drove them out! Jesus was displeased and enraged over how these business men were ripping the people off. They were over-charging and taking advantage of the authority they had been given. They had turned a holy thing - worship - into a business - Temple, Inc. On our trip, Ray Vander Laan said something that really stuck with me - "When God gave His Word to the Hebrews, He gave it as a Story. The Greeks turned it into a philosophy, the Romans turned it into an organization, the Europeans turned it into a culture and the Americans turned it into a business."

Matthew 17-19

This week we finished our first reading of The Gospel of Matthew. Notice how the words are fresh and new. No matter how much you've read it in the past, Holy Spirit has a way of breathing new life into the Text. Kind of like breathing for our bodies. You never get tired of oxygen and quite often a "breath of fresh" is quite invigorating. Here are a few comments on the last part of Matthew's Gospel:



Matthew 17-19:

• Chapter 17 starts with the "Transfiguration of Jesus." Right before the eyes of Peter, James & John, Jesus is glorified by His Father. He begins to flash like lightning, sparkle with radiance and shine like they have never seen. I believe it was like the "shekinah" glory that filled the Tabernacle and Temple in the Old Testament. The glory of God that descended back then is now resting upon Jesus. Moses & Elijah come and speak with Jesus to confirm and encourage Him - Moses representing The Law and Elijah representing The Prophets. Remember, Jesus said He came to fulfill 'The Law and The Prophets'. But the msot compelling witness came when The Father spoke from heaven - "This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" This was The Father's instruction to Peter, James and John. And it is still His instruction to us. This is why it is so important for us to read The Gospels. We need to "hear Him" and "follow Him" with all our heart, mind and strength. Verse 8 has always been an encouragement - "when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only."


• Matthew 17:24-27 - Jesus pays His and Peter's Temple taxes in a very creative way. The Temple tax was for the maintenance of the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus did not seem to agree with this tax but He paid it anyway. A good example for us to follow.


• Matthew 18:15-35: Be sure and read this whole passage and keep these truths in their correct context. A couple of these verses have been frequently used out-of-context and have been misunderstood. The whole passage is about how to deal with a sinning brother or sister in the Church. It is God's heart for us to work towards forgiveness and restoration in all of our relationships. Unfortunately, many believers disregard Jesus' instructions here on how to handle our difficulties with one another - offenses, bitterness, church splits, angry believers, pain, strife, gossip and destruction have been the result of our disobedience to Jesus' instruction in this passage. How much more healthy would the Church be if each one of us followed these instructions? How much more healthy would your relatioships be if you followed this? I believe that if we were to take step one - "if your brother (or sister) sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone" - the vast majority of the conflicts between people would be solved. But, instead of following this, we retreat into isolation, leave churches, break fellowship and harbor hurts and bitterness in our hearts. Our adversary has a field day with all this and we believers become a part of the mutiny instead of a part of the rescue and restoration.


• Matthew 18:18 deals with "binding & loosing". What is this all about? Remember, the context is church discipline and the restoration of a fellow believer. Here, Jesus is giving Church leaders (the last step is to "bring it before the Church) the authority to handle these difficult situations and to "bind" the one at fault to his sin or to "loose" him from sin. This "binding & loosing" is the authority to make the right decision over this persons life. If they are unrepentant, fellowship is to be broken with them. Sounds pretty harsh, but this is Jesus' way of keeping the peace in the family of God. I've only had to follow this out to it's fullest on one occassion. It was a very trying and difficult struggle that lasted several weeks. Whenever leaders have to do this, we must remember that we are gathered together in Jesus' name over the restoration of this brother (vs 20). Gathering together in Jesus' name speaks of the understanding that we do our best to do what Jesus would in this situation. This teaching is a checkpoint for those who are sinning against other believers. And it is a reminder of the responsibility we have in Christ towards one another. We must respect and guard our relationships by following these instructions. The Church would be a much healthier group of people if we all did this.

I'm Back

Sorry I haven't been able to comment for the last several days. Schedule has been very busy. Sometimes it just gets that way. When I'm not able to "blog", please continue to stay on track with your reading. Blessings!
Pastor Ron

Matthew 14-16

Today we approach the half-way point of Matthew's Gospel. This week's reading will be very climatic as Jesus begins to prepare to go to Jerusalem and suffer for the sins of the world.

• In Chapter 14, we are told about the death of John the Baptizer at the hands of Herod Antipas, one of the sons of Herod the Great. Note: John is already dead in verses 1 & 2, and verses 3-12 describe how and why he was murdered. Why was John put in prison in the first place? And why was he murdered? How does this illustrate "the adversary" and "the mutiny" against God?
• Matthew 14:13 - Why did Jesus go to a deserted place after He hears of John's murder? What does this tell us about Jesus and John's relationship? What does this tell us about Jesus experiencing life as a human?
• Jesus walks on the water. Say what?! If you've ever tried this in a swimming pool or lake or bathtub, you understand how difficult (impossible) this is. What does the Holy Spirit desire for us to understand about Messiah by telling us this?
• Jesus then gives Peter the go ahead to "come" and walk on the water as well. Remember, they are experiencing strong winds and the sea is turbulent. Why did Peter want to walk on the water? Why didn't the other 11 disciples get out of the boat?
• In Matthew 16:21-23, Jesus begins to tell the disciples about His suffering, death and resurrection. According to Peter's response, the disciples are not prepared. Jesus rebukes Peter sharply (and probably the rest of them as well) as he throws up resisting remarks to Jesus. Interesting to see that just a few verses earlier, Peter gives the ultimate statement professing Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the Living God". Is it possible for a disciple to see things clearly in one moment and then be influenced by the adversary in the next moment? How can we keep from falling back into "the mutiny"?

Week 2 - Reading Schedule

Mon, Oct 13: Matthew 14-16 Evening: Psalm 11-12, Proverbs 6

Tue, Oct 14: Matthew 17-19 Evening: Psam 13-14, Proverbs 7

Wed, Oct 15: Matthew 20-22 Evening: Psalm 15-17, Proverbs 8

Thu, Oct 16: Matthew 23-25 Evening: Psalm 18-20, Proverbs 9

Fri, Oct 17: Matthew 26-28 Evening: Psalm 21-22, Proverbs 10

Matthew 11-13

If you have a red-letter edition Bible, you will see that most of Chapters 11-13 are the words of Jesus.

• In Matthew 11:1-6, Jesus responds to John the Baptizer's question: Are You the Coming One or do we look for another? John was a great man but his trial in prison caused him to question Jesus. He needed reassurance from Jesus and Jesus gave it to him. In John's mind, Jesus was supposed to immediately bring judgment on all the sinners and purify Israel. Jesus' ministry may have not been accomplishing what he thought it would- getting rid of the corrupt priest and Rome. Or maybe it was not happening as fast as John would have liked. So he asked for reassurance. Ever feel like God is not doing what you thought He would do? or maybe the timing is just too slow for you?
• Jesus sends John a message that combines three Scriptures: Isaiah 29:18, Isaiah 35:4-6 & Isaiah 61:1. Interesting to note that Isaiah 61:1 ends with the phrase "and the opening of the prison to those who are bound." Jesus did not mention this last phrase in His reply to John. Almost to say, "I am the One to come, I am Messiah. But John, you are not going to get out of prison. Now that you know who I am, you can die in faith."
• Jesus speaks some pretty awesome things about John and about us in Matt 11:11.
• At the end of chapter 11, Jesus rebukes the 3 cities He did most of his mighty miracles in - Chorazin, Bethsaida & Capernaum. They saw the miracles but they refused to repent and follow Jesus. Miracles are wonderful but they are not the cure-all for everything in our world. Thank God for miracles, but if they do not lead us to have a repentant heart, these miracles will stand in judgment against us.
• Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus talks about the "unpardonable sin." I'll try to explain this on Sunday morning.
• Matthew 13 contains The Parable of the Seed & the Sower. Jesus said that we must understand this parable in order to understand all His other parables. So this is a key teaching from Jesus. Because of the importance, Jesus leaves no room for interpretation. He clearly explains what everything in this parable means.
• Matthew 13 contains 7 parables of Jesus.

Matthew 8-10

Chapters 8 & 9 give several miracles that were done by Jesus. The Rescue continues as Jesus spreads the shalom (peace) of the Kingdom everywhere He goes. We see Him reaching into terrible circumstances and rescuing people from sin, satan and sickness. Questions: Why would the Holy Spirit inspire Matthew to list these particular miracles? What do these miracles teach us about Messiah Jesus?



Chapter 10 gives the names of Jesus 12 disciples. Why did He pick 12 disciples? Think about the number 12. Where is it used in another part of Scripture? make the connection.

• We owe a great debt of gratitude to these men. Their dedication and sacrifice helped bring the "good news" of Jesus to us.


• In verse 5, Jesus sends the 12 to spread the shalom of the Kingdom to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel". Notice that Jesus gives them specific instruction and empowerment. What can we learn from this ministry instruction given to them?

Matthew 5-7

This 3 chapter section of Matthew is known as "The Sermon on the Mount". This is probably the greatest sermon that has ever been preached. It is a lesson in what it means to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's been called, "The Constitution of Messiah's Kingdom". Every believer should know this message inside & out. This is what Jesus requires from all of us. It's a tall order, but His grace is sufficient. Too much here to really comment on in great depth. Just soak it in. Here are some things that will help:

• The instruction given by Jesus is phenomenal. This is "the way" His Kingdom is to operate.
• Our failures become very evident when we read this. But this is who Jesus is shaping us to be.
• In verses 1-2, Jesus is being presented as the "new Moses" : up on a mountain, seated with the disciples, opening His mouth & teaching. The wording takes us back to when Moses gave the Law to Israel. Here Jesus is giving the Law of the Kingdom. Nearly all of this sermon can be traced back into the writings of Moses. Jesus is explaining and interpreting the very Word and Law of God for His followers. Ever wonder what parts of the Old Testament Law are for us? Well, here it is!
• The teaching begins with how to be "blessed", and it ends with the story of the wise & foolish builders in Matthew 7:24-27. Why would Jesus end all of this magnificent teaching with this story?

Matthew 3-4

• In Matthew 3, we are introduced to John the Baptizer. He is given this name because he is known for leading people into a "baptism of repentance" which often involved the use of living or flowing water. His message is pointed and clear "repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." What does it mean to repent?


• John is the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3. This is quoted in Matthew 3:3.


• John is the prophetic voice of the hour. He stands against the religious leaders and rebukes them very sharply. He warns them to repent of their corruption and sin against God and God's people. He warns that Messiah is soon to come and His ministry will take care of the corruption that is in their hearts and in the religious system they have created.


• In verse 12, John says that Messiah will "thoroughly clean out His threshing floor...". He is making a reference to the Temple ministry and the priesthood that operated in the Holy City, Jerusalem. Remember, David purchased this ground that the Temple was built upon from Ornan and it was a threshing floor. (1 Chronicles 21:21-30)


• John also says that Messiah will "baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Messiah's ministry will be unlike anything Israel or the world has ever seen or experienced. Thank God, Jesus still baptizes us in the Holy Spirit today.


• Jesus proclaims this about John the Baptizer: Mt 11:11 "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Jesus says that John was the greatest man that has ever lived up to this point in history. What a statement about this man! And look at what Jesus says about us in the same sentence. How could we be greater than the greatest man that's ever lived?
• In Matthew 4, Jesus asserts His authority over satan, sin and temptation. How did Jesus defeat the tempter? What can we learn from Jesus' strategy against satan?
• This 40 day temptation is to be compared with Israel's 40 year temptation in the desert. They failed God, but He was perfectly obedient and faithful in every way. How do the stories of Israel and Jesus parallel here? What can we learn about God? What can we learn about our adversary?
• After defeating satan in the desert, Jesus moves from Nazareth to Capernaum. Remember what we said Sunday about Capernaum? Shortly thereafter, Jesus chooses 4 fisherman to be His disciples: Peter, Andrew, James & John.
• Jesus goes thoroughout the region of Galilee (in the small towns and villages around the Sea of Galilee) teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and healing all kinds of sickness and disease. The Rescue has begun and the Rescuer is at work!

Israel Trip Pics

Week One - Reading Schedule

Mon, Oct 6: Matthew 1-2 Evening: Psalm 1-2, Proverbs 1

Tue, Oct 7: Matthew 3-4 Evening: Psalm 3-4, Proverbs 2

Wed, Oct 8: Matthew 5-7 Evening: Psalm 5-6, Proverbs 3

Thu, Oct 9: Matthew 8-10 Evening: Psalm 7-8, Proverbs 4

Fri, Oct 10: Matthew 11-13 Evening: Psalm 9-10, Proverbs 5

Matthew 1-2

Helpful insights about Chapters 1 & 2:

• The genealogy of Jesus through Joseph's lineage. This genealogy goes back to Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, showing Jesus as the "promised seed" in Genesis 12. It also connects Jesus with David, the great King of Israel. This is to show how Jesus is the promised Messiah Who will sit on the throne of David.
• The birth of Jesus is explained - Joseph's struggle, his dream, his faith & obedience.
• Call His name Jesus = Savior
• The birth of Jesus is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14.
• Immanuel, God with us. God dwelling among His people was the hope they all carried. Israel experienced this joy during the time of the Tabernacle and the Temple. Now they would experience God in the form of Jesus Christ.
• Jesus is born in Bethlehem, the house of bread, a fulfillment of Micah 5:2. It's fitting for the "Bread of Life" to be born in the house of bread and laid in a feeding trough. What a picture!
• Chapter 2, Herod the Great enters the story.
• Wise men come from the east to worship Jesus. Jesus could have been as much as 2 years old when they visited. They are warned by God in a dream not to have any further communication with Herod.
• Joseph is warned in a dream to take Mary & Jesus and flee to Egypt. Jesus the Messiah will emerge from Egypt to save His people (Hosea 11:1). This is to show us the similarities between Jesus and Moses. Jesus being similar to Moses but far greater than Moses. It's interesting to see how these two lives are similar in The Story. Israel was told that Messiah would be 'a prophet like Moses'.
• Herod, in an attempt to kill Jesus, has all the male children two years and under in the area of Bethlehem killed (Jeremiah 31:15). Herod attempts to kill Jesus as a baby, Pharoah attempts to kill Moses as a baby.
• Herod the Great, dies. He is called great because of his building genius and architectural feats. He was probably the wealthiest man that has ever lived, making his money in the spice trade. During his reign, he employed many of the Jews with his vast building projects. This created a major moral dilemma in the region. The Jews hated him but he feed most of their families. It is said that he paid his workers very well. Herod the Great is one of the strangest and vilest personalities to have ever lived. History reports that he murdered his wife and then built a mausoleum for her and he visited the mausoleum freuently to mourn her death. He murdered two of his own sons in very torturous ways. He ruled with an iron fist when necessary. He was wealthy, powerful, eccentric, a visionary, one of the greatest builders ever, a tyrant, a ruthless killer and crafty politician. His three sons rule after his death. These three are never as powerful as their father, but they are just as immoral and vile.
• When Herod died, his kingdom was divided among his three sons: Archelaus, Philip and Antipas. These three rulers remain part of The Jesus Story.
• Joseph, Mary and Jesus leave Egypt and move to Nazareth.
• Jesus will be called a Nazarene - means branch, shoot or spout (Isaiah 11:1-16).

Question: Why would God choose to have Jesus born during the time of Herod the Great? Is God trying to show us a comparison between two Kings and two Kingdoms?