One more note on Verse 8. We talked about repentance on Friday and I just looked up the note on Matthew 3:11(which refers to verse 8 in Mark 1). It said that John's baptism "presupposed repentance" and that he would not baptize the Pharisees and Sadducees because they failed to give any indication of repentance. It also pointed out that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was promised in Joel 2:28-29.
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
This is said to mark the beginning of Jesus' public ministry at age 30. The NIV Study Bible says that there were several reasons for his baptism: "to fulfill all righteousness" in other words, the baptism indicated that he was consecrated to God and approved by Him and re-emphazied by the descent of the Holy Spirit on Him and the words of God the Father. It was a clear testimony to all the witnesses there that day that Jesus Christ was God's Son.
I always try to put myself in the time I am reading, especially when it is a fictional novel. I like to imagine I was there. Its a lot of the reason why I like to read. I like to escape into another time and place and not think about the current stresses and issues of the day. What would it have been like to stand on that shore of the Jordan river on that day. When we went to the Jordan River in Israel, it was not anything extraordinary. There were beavers and muskrats swimming all over that place. When you walked in, there were fish nibbling all at your feet, and it was a very narrow river, almost Alabama "creek-like." Now I am sure there are other places maybe more magnificent than that area of the Jordan, but it was very simple. Just like many things in Christ's ministry, the extraordinary didn't lie in the details surrounding Christ, the extraordinary came from Christ alone. He was born in a humble poor manger with cattle and sheep, he died on a thieve's cross, he was baptized in a common river by a man, and a strange one at that. The God of the universe humbled himself and came to us humbly to give us His most incredible magnificent gift. Imagine with me. When you observe the most incredible sunsets, the most spectacular starry night with a full moon, the most beautiful field of flowers at the base of a vast snow covered mountain peak, when you gaze into the eyes of your newborn child, can you imagine that the Artist of all that beauty, stooped down to your level and offered you His gift? So, on that shore that day, observing John the Baptist, baptizing Jesus, I am standing there and suddenly the heavens are torn open and a beautiful white dove descends from heaven and a voice came from that heaven saying "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." I think I would have no problem believing that this man standing in front of me was Jesus Christ, the most important person that has ever lived, because God Himself called down from heaven and said "this is My Son."
How it applies to me today? God continually gives me gifts of His great love every day, the gift of life, healthy children, a loving husband, a wonderful family, beautiful sunsets, etc. I spend most of my days enjoying these gifts and somehow my focus continues to waver off of Him to my own selfishness, pride and arrogance to think I know how to handle my situations better than He does. I have often teased, "well if God wants me to do that, He is going to have to send me a letter from heaven, and I am going to need to see it drop." Well, on that day, He sent so much more than a letter from Heaven, His audible voice said it, This is My Son in whom I am well pleased." I can trust that Jesus is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Mark 1:1-8
Okay I already have to back up and tell you that John was a disciple of Christ. Matter of fact, he was the "disciple who Jesus loved. " These are things that make me wonder if I should do this, at the same time, I am learning right along with anyone who reads this and maybe you didn't know these things either.
Okay here we go. Mark 1:1-8(NIV)
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
First of all, Gospel comes from the word "godspel," which means good news or good story which as we all know is the good news that God provided salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Mark begins though by cutting to the chase, skipping the birth and growing up years of Christ to talking about John the Baptist. Then, to make sure people know John the Baptist was legit, he refers back to the prophet Isaiah in Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3 who foretold that there would be a messenger to come and prepare God's people for the coming of the Messiah.
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”— (Malachi 3:1)
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”(Is. 40:3)
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
A baptism of repentance, which involves a deliberate turning from sin to righteousness. According to the NIV study bible, the emphasis John placed on repentance recalls the preaching of the prophets. God always grants forgiveness when there is true repentance.
5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
When he says the "whole" Judean countryside, he was indicating that John had a huge following. They had not had a prophet for centuries, so they were looking for a messenger of God. A personal note, I was able to visit the Jordan River and Buddy baptized people from our church for the first time as a ordained minister. It was a special moment.
6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
I did a little research on this. When we visited the holy land, they showed us a tree that was called a locust tree and told us that the plant is actually what John ate, not the insect. However, when I looked it up in my study bible, they referred me to Leviticus 11:21-22 where the law indicates that it is okay to eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper. So the next time you see any chocolate covered grasshoppers or locusts, go ahead, God said it was okay to eat them. So glad we are no longer under the law, aren't you? I think there is a good chance that John was actually eating locusts, the bugs! I also wondered why we are given a description of the camel's hair and the leather belt, it was another reference to the fact he was a prophet because Elijah and other prophets wore these same things.
7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
How it applies to me today? In relation to repentance and forgiveness, I believe we live in a society who confuses tolerance with forgiveness. Christians are said to be judgmental and unforgiving of those who are not living the way we think they should. This is not true of most of us and I hate it when we are lumped into the same category as some extremist who says or does something Jesus would have never done. Jesus preached forgiveness and showed us by example to forgive because He forgave us. But our society wants us to tolerate sin, to accept it and not tell them that the Bible teaches that it is sin. Christ teaches us to hate sin, but to love all, even our enemies, and I am sure, because we are human, we are guilty of getting that line confused sometimes, but to ask us to say that people are "born this way" or "its not a life" or "God is a loving God and this is okay" is inaccurate. Repentance is required for God to forgive the sin, including our own sin.
However, the beautiful statement is that God always grants forgiveness when there is repentance. So we must stand strong on requiring repentance, but we must also love and go to extremes to help those who are trapped in a way of life that satan has deceived them into believing is okay.
The truth is, in relation to verses 7-8, if John the Baptist was unworthy to stoop down and untie Jesus' shoelaces, so much more am I unworthy of the gift He granted to me. I did come to a place of repentance for my sin and made Him Lord of my life, I have been baptized with water, and baptized with the Holy Spirit, who makes me aware when I need to come back to repentance for things I have done wrong. That includes the soul sins that no one really wants to talk about of pride, selfishness, unforgiveness, etc. We have no right to hold unforgiveness over anyone's head, that is God's job as our righteous judge. We are supposed to be like John the Baptist, preparing the way of the Lord into people's hearts so that He can transform them.
Okay here we go. Mark 1:1-8(NIV)
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
First of all, Gospel comes from the word "godspel," which means good news or good story which as we all know is the good news that God provided salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Mark begins though by cutting to the chase, skipping the birth and growing up years of Christ to talking about John the Baptist. Then, to make sure people know John the Baptist was legit, he refers back to the prophet Isaiah in Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3 who foretold that there would be a messenger to come and prepare God's people for the coming of the Messiah.
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”— (Malachi 3:1)
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”(Is. 40:3)
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
A baptism of repentance, which involves a deliberate turning from sin to righteousness. According to the NIV study bible, the emphasis John placed on repentance recalls the preaching of the prophets. God always grants forgiveness when there is true repentance.
5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
When he says the "whole" Judean countryside, he was indicating that John had a huge following. They had not had a prophet for centuries, so they were looking for a messenger of God. A personal note, I was able to visit the Jordan River and Buddy baptized people from our church for the first time as a ordained minister. It was a special moment.
6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
I did a little research on this. When we visited the holy land, they showed us a tree that was called a locust tree and told us that the plant is actually what John ate, not the insect. However, when I looked it up in my study bible, they referred me to Leviticus 11:21-22 where the law indicates that it is okay to eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper. So the next time you see any chocolate covered grasshoppers or locusts, go ahead, God said it was okay to eat them. So glad we are no longer under the law, aren't you? I think there is a good chance that John was actually eating locusts, the bugs! I also wondered why we are given a description of the camel's hair and the leather belt, it was another reference to the fact he was a prophet because Elijah and other prophets wore these same things.
7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
How it applies to me today? In relation to repentance and forgiveness, I believe we live in a society who confuses tolerance with forgiveness. Christians are said to be judgmental and unforgiving of those who are not living the way we think they should. This is not true of most of us and I hate it when we are lumped into the same category as some extremist who says or does something Jesus would have never done. Jesus preached forgiveness and showed us by example to forgive because He forgave us. But our society wants us to tolerate sin, to accept it and not tell them that the Bible teaches that it is sin. Christ teaches us to hate sin, but to love all, even our enemies, and I am sure, because we are human, we are guilty of getting that line confused sometimes, but to ask us to say that people are "born this way" or "its not a life" or "God is a loving God and this is okay" is inaccurate. Repentance is required for God to forgive the sin, including our own sin.
However, the beautiful statement is that God always grants forgiveness when there is repentance. So we must stand strong on requiring repentance, but we must also love and go to extremes to help those who are trapped in a way of life that satan has deceived them into believing is okay.
The truth is, in relation to verses 7-8, if John the Baptist was unworthy to stoop down and untie Jesus' shoelaces, so much more am I unworthy of the gift He granted to me. I did come to a place of repentance for my sin and made Him Lord of my life, I have been baptized with water, and baptized with the Holy Spirit, who makes me aware when I need to come back to repentance for things I have done wrong. That includes the soul sins that no one really wants to talk about of pride, selfishness, unforgiveness, etc. We have no right to hold unforgiveness over anyone's head, that is God's job as our righteous judge. We are supposed to be like John the Baptist, preparing the way of the Lord into people's hearts so that He can transform them.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
The Book of Mark
Things I didn't know: First of all, for some reason, in spite of my Bible education both in Christian School and at Liberty University, I always thought that the four gospels were written by disciples of Jesus, especially Matthew, Mark, and John. I did know that Luke was a physician and not one of the disciples. But only Matthew is thought to be an actual disciple of Jesus. "Mark was a close associate of Peter, from who he received the tradition of the things said and done by the Lord" (NIV Study Bible) Mark's account is thought to be the earliest written gospel. He is also considered to be the "John Mark" of the new testament. It is thought that he wrote these accounts in Rome, Italy to the Gentile church in Rome. He explains Jewish Customs, translates Aramaic words and has a special interest in persecution and martyrdom, "Subjects of special concern to Roman believers"(NIV Study Bible) The NIV Study Bible says that "Mark's gospel is a simple succinct, unadorned, yet vivid account of Jesus' ministry, emphasizing more what Jesus did than what he said."
Why all this is important in studying the gospel of Mark? I think we need to understand where the writers were coming from. I think it is very interesting to know that Mark was following Peter around and his message must have been so compelling. In a way, we are looking at the life of Christ in the same way Mark did. He didn't know Jesus first hand, he was learning about him from Peter who had lived life with Jesus.
What it says to me? We never know who is learning about Christ through us. It could be a close friend, it could be someone we don't know, but they knows us. It could be a waitress in a restaurant who knows I am a Christian, but I don't know anything about her. What is she learning about Christ through me?
I am trying to keep these posts very short both for my sake and for yours. We will sink into Mark's gospel tomorrow.
Why all this is important in studying the gospel of Mark? I think we need to understand where the writers were coming from. I think it is very interesting to know that Mark was following Peter around and his message must have been so compelling. In a way, we are looking at the life of Christ in the same way Mark did. He didn't know Jesus first hand, he was learning about him from Peter who had lived life with Jesus.
What it says to me? We never know who is learning about Christ through us. It could be a close friend, it could be someone we don't know, but they knows us. It could be a waitress in a restaurant who knows I am a Christian, but I don't know anything about her. What is she learning about Christ through me?
I am trying to keep these posts very short both for my sake and for yours. We will sink into Mark's gospel tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Takin a new approach.
I have decided this morning to take a new approach to writing. What am I most passionate about? God, and wanting others to know my love for Him and to know they can have the love of their life as well when you are in relationship with Him. I also think there are a lot of people in the church that have no idea what having a relationship with God the Father, God, the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit (the Comforter). Its more about the do's and don'ts of going to a church than it is about having relationship with Him. I have said for a long time now, You cannot be passionate about someone you don't know. I think we require people to get involved with so many things in church before we actually try to find out where they are in their spiritual relationship with God.
I have been writing a monthly devotional for 11 or 12 years now for a newsletter started for my husband's ministry. Its mostly been about what God was currently teaching me. Some have told me that I am a gifted writer and so if I have a talent for that, I don't want to bury a gift God has given me to reach others. I have a desire for people to know God and what better way for me to communicate that to others than through writing about Him. I am no Bible Scholar. I am a plain, everyday, Southern girl who has recently acquired a real hunger to study God's Word. After a tour in the Holy Land this past summer, I came home wanting to learn about details in the Bible because now I can picture the places where events in the Bible took place. I have read through most of the Bible ( I always get bogged down in Deuteronomy, don't judge me), but now I want to study it.
So this blog will become about an everyday daughter of the King on a journey through the Bible. I will probably use different versions of scripture, although my favorite Bible is my NIV Study Bible.
I would love it if you care to join me on this journey. Pastors, Pastor's wives, Bible teachers, I would love your insight and to keep me accountable for anything I say wrong.
God Bless,
Kerri
I have been writing a monthly devotional for 11 or 12 years now for a newsletter started for my husband's ministry. Its mostly been about what God was currently teaching me. Some have told me that I am a gifted writer and so if I have a talent for that, I don't want to bury a gift God has given me to reach others. I have a desire for people to know God and what better way for me to communicate that to others than through writing about Him. I am no Bible Scholar. I am a plain, everyday, Southern girl who has recently acquired a real hunger to study God's Word. After a tour in the Holy Land this past summer, I came home wanting to learn about details in the Bible because now I can picture the places where events in the Bible took place. I have read through most of the Bible ( I always get bogged down in Deuteronomy, don't judge me), but now I want to study it.
So this blog will become about an everyday daughter of the King on a journey through the Bible. I will probably use different versions of scripture, although my favorite Bible is my NIV Study Bible.
I would love it if you care to join me on this journey. Pastors, Pastor's wives, Bible teachers, I would love your insight and to keep me accountable for anything I say wrong.
God Bless,
Kerri
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