Archives for October 2023

OVERVIEW:

Jesus sends out “the 70” (10:1-24); Jesus teaches about who our neighbor is (10:25-37); Jesus teaches us the importance of worship (10:38-42); Jesus models the importance of prayer (11:1); Jesus provides a pattern for prayer (11:2-4); Jesus teaches about persistence in prayer (11:5-8); Jesus offers promises concerning prayer (11:9-13); Jesus teaches about the devil (11:14-28); Jesus’ illustrations concerning the crowds… Jonah (11:29-30, 32); Solomon (11:31); Light (11:33-36); Jesus teaches about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (11:37-54); Jesus warns about hypocrisy (12:1-12); Jesus warns about covetousness (12:13-21); Jesus warns about worrying (12:22-34); Jesus warns about carelessness (12:35-53); Jesus warns about lack of discernment and lack of diligence in spiritual matters (12:54-59).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we continue to make our way through the Gospel of Luke, note the fact that there is a phrase that appears more times in this book than any other book in the New Testament. That phrase is “the kingdom of God”.

As we came through Matthew’s Gospel, we talked quite a bit about the distinction between the two phrases, the “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God”. It is interesting that the phrase the “kingdom of heaven” is found 33 times in 32 verses in Matthew, and the phrase the “kingdom of God” is found 33 times in 32 verses in Luke! Do you remember the difference between these two kingdoms?

The “kingdom of heaven” is the kingdom promised to the Jews all through the Old Testament, and is sometimes referred to as the “kingdom of Israel.” (Acts 1:6; Hosea 1:4) It is a literal, physical, earthly, governmental, messianic, Davidic kingdom over which Jesus rules as King from His throne in Jerusalem.

The “kingdom of God”, on the other hand, is a spiritual kingdom that cannot be seen or touched; where Jesus rules as King on the throne of men’s hearts by way of a spiritual birth (Luke 17:20-21; Romans 14:17; 1^st Corinthians 4:20; 15:50; John 3:3). Keep in mind, as you’re reading this Gospel, that the reason Luke emphasizes the “kingdom of God” is because God’s goal through him in this Gospel is to present the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of man who came “to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

It is interesting to note that the Jews of Jesus’ day were totally preoccupied with the “kingdom of heaven”, and therefore, were totally oblivious to their need to be born into the “kingdom of God”. It made them blind, selfish, and self-serving. Just as interesting is the fact that the Christians of our day are totally preoccupied with the “kingdom of God”, and therefore, are totally oblivious to the “kingdom of heaven”. It, likewise, makes us blind, selfish and self-serving. (Revelation 3:14-22; 2^nd Timothy 3:1-2) It causes us to claim the promise of eternal life, while we go about our lives seeking to build our own literal, physical kingdom on the earth! God’s intention, however, is, now that we have been born into His spiritual kingdom, that we “seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God,” and that we “set [our] affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2) God wants the literal, physical kingdom in which our Lord Jesus Christ will finally receive the “glory due unto his name” (1^st Chronicles 16:29; Psalm 29:2; 96:8), to so be in our hearts, that it even causes us to continuously pray for it to come! (Matthew 6:10)

As you can see, keeping these two kingdoms straight not only has key DOCTRINAL implications, but key PRACTICAL implications as well. Perhaps it’s because of this emphasis in Luke’s Gospel that he is the only Gospel writer that includes the sending out of the 70 found in today’s reading (10:1-24). Why 70, and not 7, 17, or 67? Just as “the 12” apostles are associated with the 12 sons of Jacob, it appears that “the 70” must also have some significant association. Though it is more difficult an association to determine, than with “the 12”, it seems apparent that “the 70” are associated with the 70 nations found in Genesis 10. Because Luke focuses on the universality of the “kingdom of God” to all peoples and all nations, it is very fitting that his Gospel would include “the 70” being sent to spread the message to all nations.

Other little “tid-bits” to glean along the way in today’s reading:

10:1-42 – Notice in this chapter the three places that are described, and the three things we are to do in each:

10:23-24 – I hope this is the way you feel about the things the Lord has graciously allowed you to see in His word and for allowing you to be a part of in His kingdom.

11:1 – It is interesting that the disciples heard Jesus preach the greatest sermons that have ever been preached, but they never said, “Lord, teach us to preach.” They saw Him perform the most incredible miracles that have ever been performed, but they never said, “Lord, teach us to do miracles.” But they heard Him pray, and couldn’t help but say, “Lord, teach us to pray.” What a connection with the Father Jesus must have had when He prayed! What an intimacy with His Father they must have witnessed. Oh, may we learn what it really is to pray!

11:24-26 – The application of these verses to us is to constantly realize that it is not enough that we simply be set apart FROM the world, but that we be set apart UNTO God! (John 17:11-17) It is not enough that we simply put OFF the OLD man, but that we put ON the NEW man! (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:8-14) It is not enough that we simply no longer SERVE SIN, but that we SERVE RIGHTEOUSNESS! (Romans 6:17-18)

OVERVIEW:

Jesus’ response to the faith of the centurion (7:1-10); Jesus’ response to the sorrow of the widow (7:11-17); Jesus’ response to the doubt of John the Baptist (7:18-35); Jesus’ response to the love of a woman with a sordid past (7:36-50); Jesus teaches His disciples about receiving God’s word (8:1-21); Jesus tests His disciples concerning applying God’s word (8:22-56); Jesus sends out His 12 disciples (9:1-11); Jesus feeds the 5000 (9:12-17); Jesus teaches His disciples about His person, His sacrifice, and His kingdom (9:18-36); Jesus endures His disciples’ lack of power, love, and surrender (9:37-62).

HIGHLIGHTS AND INSIGHTS:

As has been mentioned several times since beginning the Gospels, because they are the record of actual events, for the most part, they are easily understood. Though each event is power-packed and full of practical application, the nature of the 365 Days of Pursuit does not lend itself to commenting in every place the passage is actually screaming for it. Make as much practical application as you possibly can as you make your way through today’s reading, but let’s do something a little different today. Let’s focus our attention on one particular passage—the account of “The Pharisee and the Prostitute” in Luke 7:36-50. It provides some incredible lessons in contrast between religious leaders and common, sinful people.

Lesson #1 – The Pharisee was willing to interrupt his SCHEDULE to have JESUS in his PRESENCE. The Prostitute was willing for the PRESENCE of JESUS to interrupt her LIFE! (7:36)

Personal Examination: Do I want Jesus in MY presence? Or, do I want JESUS’ presence in me? Do I want to have HIM? Or, do I want Him to have ME?

Lesson #2 – The Pharisee wanted Jesus in HIS presence, but was seeking to SAVE face. The Prostitute wanted the presence of Jesus in HER, and was seeking HIS face. (7:36-38, 44-46)

Personal Examination: What am I seeking to HOLD on to, while I’m telling Jesus I want His PRESENCE in me? Do I want as much of the presence of Jesus in me as I can HAVE or, do I want as much of the presence of Jesus in me as I can HAVE and not lose my IDENTITY?

Lesson #3 – Jesus heard what the Pharisee was saying in HIS heart. Jesus also heard what the Prostitute was saying in HER heart. (7:39, 44-47)

Personal Examination: What does Jesus HEAR when He listens to MY heart? Would Jesus HEAR my worship if it weren’t expressed with WORDS?

Lesson #4 – The Prostitute was 10 times the sinner the Pharisee was, however, our sinfulness is not determined by the amount of sin-debt we incur, but by the amount we have to pay on the debt. (7:40-42) Note: We all had absolutely NOTHING to pay on our debt!

Personal Examination: Do I really understand my SINFULNESS before God? Do I fully comprehend the significance of the fact that regardless of the amount of my sin, I had “nothing to pay” on the debt?

Lesson #5 – The Pharisee’s blindness to his own sinfulness DIMINISHED his capacity to love Jesus. The Prostitute’s overwhelming awareness of her own sinfulness ENLARGED her capacity to love Jesus. (7:40-43, 47) Note: How you view your own sinfulness affects your ability to love Jesus!

Personal Examination: Do I fully comprehend the significance of my own sin when I view the price Jesus paid for sin through His death on the cross?

Lesson #6 – The Pharisee was so BLIND to his own sin, it OPENED his eyes to the Prostitute’s sinfulness. The Prostitute’s eyes were so OPEN to her own sinfulness, she was BLINDED to everyone else’s. (7:36-39) Note: How you view your own sinfulness affects your ability to see!

Personal Examination: Has pride BLINDED my eyes to my OWN sin, and OPENED my eyes to the sin of OTHERS?

Lesson #7 – The Pharisee’s “worship” in the presence of Christ was based on his OWN WORTHINESS. The Prostitute’s worship in presence of Christ was based on CHRIST’S WORTHINESS. (7:40-50)

Note Jesus’ explanation of the Pharisee’s “worship”:

1. You didn’t THINK enough of Me to even provide water to wash my feet.
2. You weren’t EXCITED enough about receiving Me into your presence to even provide an affectionate greeting.
3. You weren’t CONSIDERATE enough of Me to go out of your way to provide for My head to be anointed with oil.

Note the demonstration of the Prostitute’s worship:

1. She broke open the box of her most prized treasure to release the fragrance of true worship.
2. She expressed a broken and contrite heart through her tears used to wash Jesus’ feet.
3. She dismantled HER glory (her hair—1^st Corinthians 11:15) to give HIM glory.
4. She overflowed in her affection and exaltation of Christ by ceaselessly kissing His feet.

Personal Examination: What is the “box” of my most prized treasure that Jesus is waiting for me to break open to release the fragrance of my true worship? Has my heart become calloused and cold, unable to be broken into tears to wash Jesus’ feet? Have I become so consumed with my ego and self-glory that I’m unwilling to dismantle it for His glory? Is my affection and exaltation of Christ apparent by my humility toward Him? (i.e. kissing His feet) Will I be a box-breaking, oil-pouring, tear-washing, glory-sacrificing, foot-kissing, face-seeking worshipper of the Lord Jesus Christ today?

OVERVIEW:

The testimony of Satan concerning Christ as the Son of God (4:1-13); the testimony of the Scriptures (4:14-32); the testimony of demons (4:33-44); Jesus is the difference between failure and success (5:1-11); Jesus is the difference between guilt and forgiveness (5:17-26); Jesus is the difference between the old and the new (5:27-39); a new kind of sabbath (6:11); a new kind of nation (6:12-19); a new kind of blessedness (6:20-49).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

If you were to be asked who it was that God used to provide the most content in the New Testament, that would be a no-brainer, right? The OBVIOUS answer is Paul. But though Paul is the obvious answer, the only problem is, he just doesn’t happen to be the RIGHT one! That’s right! Though Paul was used of God to write more BOOKS of the New Testament than any other writer, it is actually Luke who is the one God used to provide the most actual content. (Note: This is based on the amount of words and verses written by Luke in Luke and Acts, compared with the words and verses in the 13 books known to be authored by Paul. A great case could be made that Paul may have authored the book of Hebrews during his 40 days and 40 nights in Arabia, but it would be impossible to be dogmatic about it since the Holy Spirit did not inspire its human author to include his name.)

In yesterday’s comments we spent most of our time providing information to help us keep our bearings as we move through the Gospel of Luke. But who is this “Luke” anyway? Colossians 4:14 refers to him as “the beloved physician”. It should be noted, that God’s choice of words concerning him is very specific. It is NOT, “Luke, the beloved DOCTOR”, but “Luke, the beloved PHYSICIAN”. Why make such a “to-do” about such a seemingly insignificant observation? Well, above everything else, because “every word of God is pure” (Proverbs 30:5) God chooses His words very carefully. There are no indiscriminate or random words in the entire Bible. He specifically calls Luke a “physician” because He wants to make a distinction between his occupation, and the occupation of the “doctors” of his day.

When God refers to “doctors” in the Bible, (Luke 2:46; 5:17; Acts 5:34), they were actually theologians who were so engulfed in head knowledge about God, that they actually missed God when He was right in front of them! It is amazing how many people know all kinds of things about God and the Bible, but in the midst of all of their knowledge, never really get to know HIM! Perhaps the reason for such a strange divergence is that the Bible is not an end in itself – it is a means to an end. The end, however, is not to get to know the BIBLE, but to get to know GOD! Why do we read the Owner’s Manual in the glove box of our cars? To get to know the manual, or to get to know the car? Obviously, the car! In that same way, God provided us with His “Owner’s Manual” (the Bible), for the purpose of getting to know HIM!

It is also interesting to note that there are only two physicians who are actually mentioned in the entire Bible. Luke is obviously one of them, and our Lord Jesus Christ is the other. Though they both possessed the ability to heal physically (Jesus through miracles, and Luke through medicine), both were more concerned about the spiritual healing needed in men’s souls, than the healing needed in men’s bodies! Jesus is, in fact, both the Physician and the Cure Himself! Luke, the beloved physician, pointed men to the Great Physician and His glorious cure.

As we have provided for both Matthew and Mark’s Gospel, the following is a basic summary of the Gospel of Luke:

1. Information About the Author:

• His name: Luke

• His name means “Light-giving”

• He was a Physician. (Colossians 4:14)

• He wrote this Gospel to Theophilus. (Luke 1:3)

• He also wrote the book of Acts. (Acts 1:1)

• He joins the 2^nd missionary team in Troas. (Acts 16:1-10)

• He stays behind in Philippi. (Acts 17:1)

• He rejoins the missionary team on their 3^rd journey. (Acts 20:1-6)

• He journeys with Paul to Rome. (Acts 27:12)

• He is also referred to in scripture as Lucas. (Philemon 1:23-24)

• Facts About This Gospel:

• Approximate date of writing: 60 A.D.

• Written from Philippi

• Dates of the recorded events: 6 B.C. – 33 A.D.

• Theme: Christ as the ideal man

• Christ is seen in this Gospel as the Son of man

• Key verse: Luke 19:10

• Key word: Man (131 times)

• Chapters: 24; Verses: 1,151; Words: 27,090

• Features of This Gospel:

• Luke is the only Gospel that records the parable of the Good Samaritan.

• Luke is the only Gospel that records the cleansing of the 10 Lepers.

• This Gospel contains 9 fulfilled prophecies.

• A Simple Outline of This Gospel: The Four Periods…

• Period #1 – A time of Preparation. (Chapters 1-3)

• Period #2 – A time of Identification. (Chapters 4-8)

• Period #3 – A time of Instruction. (Chapters 9-18)

• Period #4 – A time of Culmination. (Chapters 19-24)

OVERVIEW:

The introduction of Theophilus (1:1-4); the conception of John the Baptist in Elisabeth, wife of Zacharias (1:5-25); the conception of Jesus in Mary (1:26-38); Mary and Elisabeth’s meeting (1:39-56); the birth of John the Baptist (1:57-66); the prophecy of Zacharias (1:67-80); Christ, the baby (2:1-20); Christ, the child (2:21-38); Christ, the youth (2:39-52); the testimony of John the Baptist concerning Christ (3:1-20); the testimony of God the Father and the Spirit concerning Christ (3:21-38).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Today we move into the third of the four Gospels, the Gospel of Luke. Whereas Matthew was written to JEWS to present Christ as KING, and Mark was written to GENTILES (specifically Romans) to present Christ as a SERVANT, Luke was written to GREEKS to present Christ as a MAN.

To really understand God’s mindset through Luke in this Gospel, it is important to understand something about Greeks. In 1^st Corinthians 1:22 we read that just as the Jews require a sign, the Greeks seek after wisdom. That is why historically, the Greeks are synonymous with “philosophy”. The word “philosophy” actually means the “love of wisdom” (philos = love; sophia = wisdom). The Greeks loved wisdom and were consumed with the desire to discover the real meaning of life and one’s morality. This entire Gospel is written from the vantage point of revealing to the Greeks the fact that Jesus Christ, God in human flesh, is the true meaning of life, and the ultimate standard of morality.

Interestingly, the name Luke means “light-giver”—much akin to the Hebrew name Lucifer, meaning “light-bearer”. The Gospel of Luke “shines” as a “light to lighten the Gentiles”. (2:32) Because every generation has been mightily influenced by the philosophical mindset of the Greeks, this Gospel “gives” tremendous “light” to every generation.

Note to whom this Gospel was actually written. Luke writes in 1:3, “It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to thee in order, most excellent THEOPHILUS.” Obviously, it was written to a man by the name of Theophilus (a Greek word meaning, “lover of God”).

Note also the purpose for which Luke says he wrote this Gospel in 1:4, “That thou (Theophilus) mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.” Theophilus is obviously a believer. Back in 1:1, Luke talks about “those things which are most surely believed among us.” Because Luke “had perfect understanding of all things from the very first,” (1:3) he says he wanted to write to Theophilus to lay any questions or doubts in his mind to rest (“that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.” – 1:4) That’s why we will find, as we read this Gospel, that it is given to facts, and is a much more detailed account of the life of our Lord. (See 1:5; 2:1-4; 3:1-2 in today’s reading for some great examples of Luke’s emphasis on facts!) This is, no doubt, why Luke is the longest of all four Gospels. (Though it doesn’t have as many chapters as Matthew, it has about 2,000 more words!)

Note, also, in that same train of thought, that the Gospel of Luke is actually the first volume in a two-volume set. Note how the book of Acts begins: “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and teach.” (Acts 1:1) The Gospel of Luke is Volume One, and the book of Acts is Volume Two.

But, as has already been mentioned, not only is Luke’s Gospel written to the GREEKS, it is written to present Him as a MAN. That’s why the phrase “Son of man” is found 26 times in this book. It focuses our attention on Jesus’ humanity, and all through this book, Luke’s account will highlight the human element of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will see Him weeping over those who rejected Him (19:41); touching the untouchable (5:13); being touched by the unthinkable (a prostitute) (7:39); and seeking the lost (5:31-32; 9:56; 19:10). In fact, seven different times in this book Jesus invites lost people to follow Him.

Because this Gospel is written to present Christ as a MAN, it is also reflected in Luke’s record of His genealogy. Remember, Matthew is a Jewish Gospel, so His genealogy begins by identifying Christ with David, but runs His family line beginning with Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel. Luke, however, traces Christ’s genealogy through His “human” mother, and takes it back to Adam, the first “man.” (Luke 3:38) Though Luke presents Christ as 100% man, don’t fail to realize that at the same time, He is 100% God. This, of course, is a major hang-up for Jehovah’s False Witnesses. They like to throw out verses like Luke 2:40 in today’s reading as proof that Jesus wasn’t and couldn’t have been God. All they do, however, is prove that they don’t believe the Bible, and that they don’t have the Spirit of God in them so they can even understand the Bible! (1^st Corinthians 2:14) Paul, in 1^st Timothy 3:16, calls Christ’s deity, the “mystery of godliness.” The verse defines the “mystery of godliness” as the fact that “GOD was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

OVERVIEW:

The Servant’s suffering (chapter 14:1-15:20); the Servant’s death (chapter 15:21-41); the Servant’s burial (chapter 15:42-47); the Servant’s resurrection (chapter 16:1-18); the Servant’s ascension (chapter 16:19-20).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Chapters 14 through 16 in today’s reading break down into two neatly formed sections:

• The last six PLACES in the Servant’s WALK.
• The last four EVENTS in the Servant’s WORK.

First of all, let’s make our way through…

The last six PLACES in the Servant’s WALK.

Place #1 – In the town of Bethany. (14:1-11) It was here that Jesus was WORSHIPPED. This account lets us know that Jesus appreciates worship that is “out of the box”! (14:3) Jesus has already revealed the events of the His suffering and death, and nobody seemed to care. (10:32-34) Nobody appeared to have been compassionate enough to even question what He meant! The only question in the disciples’ minds was where they would be sitting in the kingdom. (10:35-41) But, then there was Mary. Rather than wait to use her precious ointment to anoint the body of her Savior after His death (14:8), Mary is passionate to lavish her love, adoration, and worship on Him while He was in her midst. Do recognize that when our worship is “outside of the box” and out of the “mainstream”, it will cause the “mainstream” to have the same response toward us that they had toward Mary: “They murmured against her”. (14:5)

Place #2 – In the upper room. (14:12-26) It was here that Jesus was BETRAYED. What an incredible contrast! Coming off the heels of this glorious act of worship in 14:1-11, Mark records the most hideous act of treason! One of our Lord’s very own disciples would betray Him. What must have been going through our Lord’s mind and heart as He spent these final hours with His disciples, knowing full well that as He handed the bread that represented His body to Judas, the hands that reached out to receive it were the very hands that, in only minutes, would reach out to receive the money for offering the body of Christ to be crucified.

Place #3 – In the garden of Gethsemane. (14:27-52) It was here that Jesus was FORSAKEN. Peter is a classic example of the old adage, “Talk is cheap.” Again, knowing full well what Peter would do in the next few hours, Jesus invites him, James, and John to go further than the rest of the disciples (14:33), allowing them to enter, not only another level of information, but another level of intimacy with their Lord. How sad, that at the very time that our Lord, in His humanness, most needed the love and support of His friends (14:34), He was forsaken. First, the “intimate three” (Peter, James, and John) slept through His deepest sorrow (14:37), then verse 50 adds, “And they all forsook him, and fled.” Note that the real battle Jesus faced, however, was won before He ever got to the cross! It was the battle fought in Gethsemane between “My will” and “Thy will.” It is, likewise, in the “Gethsemanes” of our life, that battles are won or lost.

Place #4 – In the high priest’s palace. (14:53-72) It was here that Jesus was DENIED. Not only was Jesus plotted against by the chief priests and the council; lied about by the very ones He had come to redeem; but vehemently denied by the very one who vehemently vowed that he would die himself before denying Him! A quick overview of Peter’s track record through Mark’s Gospel reveals that Peter:

• ARGUED when he should have SUBMITTED. (8:32-33)
• TALKED when he should have LISTENED. (9:5-7)
• SLEPT when he should have PRAYED. (14:37-38)
• FOUGHT when he should have SURRENDERED. (14:47)
• DENIED when he should have WITNESSED. (14:66-71)

We read those things and are tempted to criticize Peter until we realize that he sounds a whole lot like us! Note also, that Peter was remorseful and repentant (14:72) and forgiven (John 21).

Place #5 – In Pilate’s hall. (15:1-20) It was here that Jesus was CONDEMNED. In order to be condemned to death, the Jewish council recognized that they had to find some way to convince Pilate that Jesus had been guilty of a capital offense. (John 18:31-32) There was only one possibility, and that was to twist Jesus’ claim to be King as a statement against Rome’s authority, making Him appear as a political revolutionary. Pilate recognizes, however, that the accusations of the chief priests were all bogus and born out of envy. (15:10) Pilate, hoping to avoid having to make a controversial decision concerning Jesus, offers to release one prisoner, either Barabbas or Jesus, thinking that the people certainly would never choose to release someone guilty of murder! The chief priests, however, had “worked” the people ahead of time (15:11), and they cry out for the release of Barabbas, and for Jesus to be crucified (15:12-14). Verse 15 is tremendously revealing: “And so Pilate, willing to content the people…” Mark it down, being a people-pleaser will invariable lead to unbelievable and unthinkable compromise!

Place # 6 – On Golgotha. (15:21-41) It was here that Jesus was CRUCIFIED. Mark provides us a time sequence of the crucifixion:

The last section of Mark’s Gospel presents…

The last four EVENTS in the Servant’s WORK.

• Event #1 – The Servant’s DEATH. (15:21-41)
• Event #2 – The Servant’s BURIAL. (15:42-47)
• Event #3 – The Servant’s RESURRECTION. (16:1-18)
• Event #4 – The Servant’s ASCENSION. (16:19-20)

OVERVIEW:

The Servant’s paradoxes (chapter 10); the Servant in Jerusalem (chapters 11-12); the Servant unveils the last days (chapter 13).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we pick up in chapter 10 today, Jesus continues His teaching ministry. The Gospel of Mark centers around what Jesus DID, but not to the exclusion of what He TAUGHT. In this chapter, Jesus reveals that His wisdom is different than the world’s, and different from our own natural inclinations. As Jesus teaches in this chapter, His teaching centers around five key paradoxes:

Paradox #1 – Two shall be one. (10:1-12) Jesus reveals that God’s intention in marriage has always been ONE man and woman, for ONE lifetime, because they have become ONE flesh. Jesus reveals that God has not changed His position about the sanctity of marriage. God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16), divorce was only ever a concession because of the hardness of men’s hearts (Mark 10:5), and the ensuing remarriage that typically follows a divorce leads to adultery (Mark 10:11-12). Choose wisely.

Paradox #2 – Adults must become as children. (10:13-16) We are constantly striving to get children to act like adults. Jesus said that entrance into the kingdom of God necessitates adults becoming as children. Obviously, Jesus is referring to adults becoming child-LIKE, not child-ISH.

Paradox #3 – The first shall be last; and the last first. (10:17-31) This passage reveals at least four things that keep people from genuine salvation:

Though not known by name, this “rich young ruler” has become infamous in the fact that he is the only man in Scripture who ever came to Jesus, and went away worse than he came. Sadly, many through the centuries have been just as close to the King and entering His kingdom, yet followed this young man down the same “sorrowful” and “grievous” path of life (and death!)

Paradox #4 – The greatest of all is the servant of all. (10:32-45) It certainly isn’t true in the world’s economy, but it most certainly is in God’s! The greatest example of this truth, as the passage reveals, is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (10:45) Philippians 2:5-11 provides an incredible explanation of this paradox. Though our Lord Jesus Christ has always eternally existed in perfect equality with the Father in the Godhead, He humbled Himself and took on the form of a servant. He not only humbled Himself by becoming a man, but by dying as a man. But His humility wasn’t just that He died, but the fact that He died the most humiliating death of all, “even the death of the cross.” It was that very servanthood that caused the Father to exalt Him as the absolute greatest of all, and that has caused us to exalt Him to the place of Lordship in our lives!

Paradox #5 – It is the blind who see, and the seeing who are blind. (10:46-52) The scribes and Pharisees thought that they could see perfectly in the spiritual realm, when in reality, they were completely blind. This physically blind man, however, had perfect vision in the spiritual realm. Don’t forget to factor into this paradox the fact that Jesus said that one of the chief characteristics of Christians in our day is that we think we see perfectly in the spiritual realm, when in reality we are completely blind. (Revelation 3:17-18)

As we move into chapter 11, recognize that we are already moving into the last eight days of Jesus’ life. Again, because this Gospel is written to Gentiles, rather than spending time focusing on citizenship in the kingdom of heaven, like Matthew did in addressing the Jews, Mark makes a beeline toward that glorious truth that allows Gentiles to become citizens of the kingdom of God: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. From a “big picture” standpoint, chapters 11 through 13 record events that present Christ, the “servant of all,” in three of His primary offices:

Note that in chapter 13, Jesus prophesies concerning the final week of years (7 years) from Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27) that we call the Tribulation Period. In this passage He unveils:

Note also the “four watches of the night” in 13:35:

In terms of church history, the approximate dates that coincide with these “four watches of the night” are as follows:

We are living in the very final minutes (and maybe even seconds!) of the final watch of the night. Take special note of Jesus’ final words in chapter 13: “And what I say unto you I say unto all, WATCH!”

OVERVIEW:

The Servant teaches (chapter 7:1-8:26); the Servant reveals that suffering leads to glory (chapter 8:27-9:13); the Servant reveals that power comes from faith (chapter 9:14-29); the Servant reveals that service leads to honor (chapter 9:30-50).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

For the past several days we’ve been laying down the pieces that will give us the “big picture” of Mark’s Gospel. Today, let’s begin by pulling all the pieces together into a concise, easy-to-open package.

1. Information About the Author.

• His name: Mark

• His name means: “A Defense”

• His mother’s name is Mary. (Acts 12:12)

• He is also called John. (Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37)

• He is also referred to in scripture as Marcus. (Colossians 4:10, Philemon 1:24; 1^st Peter 5:13)

• His uncle is Barnabus. (Colossians 4:10)

• He was a minister or servant on Paul’s first missionary journey. (Acts 15:48)

• He quit the team (45 A.D.) (Acts 13:13)

• He was rejected by Paul as a participant on the second missionary journey. (Acts 15:48)

• He became profitable for the ministry again (66 A.D.) (2^nd Timothy 4:11)

• He was a convert of the Apostle Peter. (1^st Peter 5:13)

• Facts About the Gospel

• Approximate date of writing: 57-63 A.D.

• Written from: Jerusalem

• Dates of the recorded events: 26 A.D. – 33 A.D.

• Theme: Christ as the Willing Servant

• Christ is seen as: The Servant of the Lord

• Key Verse: Mark 10:45

• Key Words: Straightway (19 times); Immediately (17 times)

• Chapters: 16, Verses: 678, Words: 15,844

• Features of This Gospel

• This Gospel refers to Christ as Lord only two times in contrast to the other three gospels which refer to Christ as Lord a total of 73 times.

• This Gospel lets us know not only WHAT Christ did in His earthly ministry, but HOW He did it.

• This Gospel contains 11 fulfilled prophecies.

• A Simple Outline of This Gospel

• The Servant’s WORK (Chapters 1-10)

• The Servant’s SACRIFICE (Chapters 11-16)

Allow me to offer a few “pithy” comments as we move through today’s reading:

• 7:1 – As soon as you see the scribes and Pharisees approaching, you can bank on it–it ain’t gonna be good!
• 7:7 –This little definition will let you know that the scribes and Pharisees live on in many Bible-believing churches. The tell-tale sign is that they “teach for doctrines the commandments of men.” They pride themselves in their “holy standards”, and see themselves as those who champion God’s word, while Jesus says they actually “make the word of God of none effect through [their] tradition.” (7:13)
• 7:15 – It’s not the stuff we put in our mouths that God is concerned about, it’s the things that come out of our mouths!
• 7:20-23 – As in every sin situation, “The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart!”
• 7:34 – This is an unbelievably powerful glimpse into God’s heart. Check this out… before Jesus heals this guy, “He sighed.” What’s that “sigh” about? Jesus recognizes that it wasn’t supposed to be this way! Sickness, disease, handicaps, etc., are all part of the curse of sin that we invited upon ourselves.
• 8:12 – This is a different “sigh” here. This is the “how-proud-can-these-Pharisees-get” sigh!
• 8:14 – The disciples get themselves a little worked up because there’s only one loaf of bread in the boat between them all, and fail to realize that the very “Bread of life” is in the boat! (We can’t be too harsh on them, however, we do it just about every day.)
• 8:29-33 – It is amazing that people can be used of God in one breath (Matthew 16:17), and used of Satan in the next! Don’t forget that. (Remember, it’s just as true about me and you as it is for the person you just thought of!)
• 9:5-7 – With a bad case of diarrhea of the mouth, Peter is spouting off, talking for the sake of talking! (9:6) You’ve just gotta love how the Father interrupts him: “This is my beloved Son: hear him.” If I may paraphrase, “Yeah, yeah, Peter, thank you for your wonderful ideas, but it’s not time to talk right now, it’s time to listen!” I wonder how many times, on a daily basis, God would like to speak a similar rebuke to us!
• 9:29 – Maybe this prescription is what it will take for God to answer that unanswered prayer request that you believe to be His will!
• 9:31-32 – We call this “selective hearing.” (Ladies, you know that we men have a bad case of it!) We hear what we want to hear, and don’t hear what we don’t want to hear.
• 9:33-35 – Remember, as Laodiceans (Revelation 3:14–22; 2^nd Timothy 3:1–2), we are characterized biblically by the love of SELF! Sometimes rather than “denying ourSELVES” (8:34), we have simply traded arenas where self vaunts itself. Before coming to Christ, we vaunted ourselves in the WORLD. Many times, after coming to Christ, we vaunt ourselves in the CHURCH! Oh, God, help us! (see 3^rd John 9)
• 9:43-48 – The Jehovah’s False Witnesses would have us believe that hell is actually nothing but the grave. Dig up any grave anywhere on this entire planet, however, and you’ll not find it burning with unquenchable fire!
• 9:50 – Is there anyone with whom you need to seek peace today?

OVERVIEW:

The Servant conquers a storm (chapter 4); the Servant conquers demons (chapter 5); the Servant sends out His disciples (chapter 6).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Because the narrative nature of the Gospels makes them relatively easy to understand, our comments yesterday focused on the “big picture” of Mark’s Gospel, and how it fits into God’s plan to present the Lord Jesus Christ “to the Jew first (the Gospel of Matthew) and also to the Gentile (the Gospel of Mark)”. (Romans 2:10) Today we will center our attention on the unique authorship of this book.

As in Matthew, there is no specific verse that states that Mark is actually the author of this Gospel. God did promise, however, to preserve His words, and that certainly would include the title of the books! Very simply, we know that Mark is the author because God said that this book is “The Gospel According To St. Mark”! Because of the testimony of Papias, one of the very early “Church Fathers”, it is commonly believed that Mark received the “eyewitness” information from the Apostle Peter, who according to 1^st Peter 5:13, had won Mark to Christ and discipled him.

From the book of Acts we learn that Mark is the surname of the author and that his first name is actually, John. Acts 12:12, 25 and 15:37 state very clearly, “John, whose surname was Mark.” John Mark came from a Christian family. The first time that he is mentioned in the Bible being in connection with his mother, whose name was Mary, who had opened her home for prayer when Peter had been imprisoned by Herod. (Acts 12:1-2) His mother’s brother was Barnabus, which, of course, meant that John Mark was his nephew. (Colossians 4:10)

When Barnabus and Saul (soon to be Paul) returned from Jerusalem in Acts 12, John Mark accompanied them to Antioch. (Acts 12:25) Later, when Barnabus and Saul were sent out of the church of Antioch on their first missionary journey, John Mark was included as a part of their missionary team. (Acts 13:4-5) Not long into their journey, however, John Mark had had “enough”, and headed back home. (Acts 13:13)

The Scripture doesn’t say why he went home. Perhaps it was tougher than he thought it was going to be. Maybe the pace was too fast, the persecution too intense, the demonic activity too freaky. Maybe he was just plain old homesick! For whatever reason, he went home, and Paul quietly determined, never again!

Sometime later, when Paul and Barnabus were about to head out on their second missionary journey, Barnabus had determined that John Mark would accompany them again. (Acts 15:36-37) Paul looked at the WORK of God and said, “This WORK is too important to God for us to give him a second chance!” (Acts 15:38). Barnabus looked at the CHILD of God, and said, “This SERVANT is too important to God for us NOT to give him a second chance!” Who was right? Your answer will probably be determined by your personality and the gifts of the Spirit you possess. Regardless, the contention between Paul and Barnabus concerning John Mark was so sharp, they decided to part ways. (Acts 15:39-40)

But in time, something tremendously significant had taken place in this sensitive young man’s life. In Colossians 4:10-11, John Mark (Marcus) was with Paul, and Paul calls him a “fellow-worker”. He’s with him again in Philemon 24, where Paul calls him his “fellow-labourer”. At the end of Paul’s life, he specifically requests his presence, stating, “for he is profitable to me for the ministry”. (2^nd Timothy 4:11) It may have been Paul’s rejection that arrested John Mark’s attention to see how serious God’s work actually is that God used to change him into a faithful servant. Or, it may have been Barnabus’ ministry of consolation (see Acts 4:36) that carefully restored him, and gently groomed him into a place of usefulness and profitability in Christ’s service. Or, maybe it was solely the ministry of the Holy Spirit of God working through John Mark as he wrote this Gospel that bears his name, revealing to him what true servanthood really is, as he was confronted with it through the life and death of his Saviour. Or, it could have been a combination of all three things! In whatever way it happened, praise the Lord, John Mark became a faithful, useable, profitable servant of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Have you blown a major opportunity (or opportunities) to serve the Lord in your past? Have you been prone to discouragement, and defeat in your service for Christ? Are you in need of a second chance… a third… or even a fourth? Allow the restored, renewed, and revived ministry of John Mark, through this Gospel God used him to pen, to point you to the one true model of servanthood, our Lord Jesus Christ!

OVERVIEW:

The Servant presented (chapter 1); the Servant in action (chapter 2); the Servant assisted (chapter 3).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we made our way through the Gospel of Matthew we were clearly able to see that everything in that entire book was written to JEWS to present Jesus Christ as the KING. In perfect contrast, everything we will see in the entire Gospel of Mark is written to GENTILES to present Jesus Christ as a SERVANT.

Because the Gospel of Mark is written to GENTILES, it has several distinctive features:

1. It does not begin with a genealogy because Gentiles are not typically preoccupied with Jesus’ lineage. They have little interest because they have no blood connection with Abraham or David.
2. It does not have an abundance of quotes or references to the Old Testament as did Matthew, because Gentiles are typically unfamiliar with the Old Testament. Mark builds his case not on “signs” and “scripture” like Matthew, but on the most powerful piece of evidence in a Gentile court – eyewitnesses! (Mark 10:46; 14:3; 15:21; 16:1) It is also the only Gospel that gives an explanation of Jewish customs and teachings that a Gentile might not be familiar with. (Mark 12:18; 7:3-4; 14:12; 15:42)
3. It is the shortest of the four gospels, because God knows that Gentiles typically have a short attention span, and are more interested in action than words (i.e. “action movies” are popular not because of their plot, but because of their action. Romans found it entertaining to go to the coliseum to watch the gladiators–it’s action!) Therefore, Mark emphasizes Jesus’ actions more than His teachings. For example, whereas Matthew took three entire chapters to record the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Mark totally skips the sermon, which chronologically, would have taken place in chapter 1, and goes directly to the action that followed the sermon.
4. It moves quickly and directly to the main event of the book: the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, which of course, is the main purpose for a Gentile reader. Mark’s emphasis is on being a citizen of the “kingdom of God”, not being a citizen of the “kingdom of heaven”. Note that 40% of this gospel deals with the last eight days of Jesus’ life. That is what is significant to Gentiles.

Because the Gospel of Mark is also written to present Jesus Christ as a SERVANT, it likewise, possesses several distinctive features that reflect that emphasis:

1. No genealogy is listed in Mark, not only because of its Gentile audience, but because the record of the birth of a servant is unimportant and insignificant.
2. The key words in this gospel are “straightway” (19 times) and “immediately” (17 times). These are words used to describe the actions of a servant. A servant simply does WHAT he is told, WHEN he is told! The WORDS of a servant pale in comparison to his WORKS. It is interesting to note that it is only in the Gospel of Mark that the hands of Jesus are prominent. (Mark 1:31; 6:2; 8:23, 25: 9:27) Hands are symbolic of the work of a servant.
3. The key verse in the book, Mark 10:45, portrays Christ’s servanthood: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Note that this verse also provides a perfect outline of the Book:

• The Servant’s Work (chapters 1-10)
• The Servant’s Sacrifice (chapters 11-16)

Though Mark clearly presents Christ as a Servant, it is more than apparent that the Holy Spirit directed Mark to emphasize the deity of Christ. At least five times the “Servant of all” (Mark 10:43-44) is referred to as “Son of God”, “Son of the Most High God”, and “Christ, the Son of the blessed” (Mark 1:1; 3:11; 5:7; 14:61; 15:39). To confirm His deity, Mark records over 20 of Christ’s miracles, demonstrating His supreme power and authority over demons, disease, death, and nature. (1:21-28; 1:29-31; 1:32-34; 1:40-45; 2:3-12; 3:1-6; 4:35-41; 5:1-20; 5:25-34; 5:22-24, 35-43; 6:31-44; 6:45-50; 6:51-54; 7:24-30; 7:31-37; 8:1-9; 8:22-26; 9:2-10; 9:14-29; 10:46-52; 11:12-14, 20-26; 16:1-11; 16:19-20)

OVERVIEW:

The King’s trial (chapter 26:57-27:26); the King’s suffering and death (chapter 27:77-66); the King’s victory (chapter 28).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Based on Hebrews 9:16-17, we will actually enter the New Testament in our reading today: “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” Though that is foreign to our typical thinking about the Gospels, we have learned that applying this biblical principle is key to keeping our bearings in what we commonly refer to as the New Testament.

Today’s reading is rich and full and running over with many things worthy of commentary. Because most of those comments you could make yourself, perhaps the best investment of our time today would be in discussing the time factors involved in the last week of our Saviour’s life on the earth.

Traditionally, most have taught through the centuries, that Jesus died on what we call “Good Friday”. The tradition was handed down, however, through the Roman Catholic Church. That, in and of itself, does not necessarily make it wrong (because they also believe and teach concerning the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, His bodily resurrection, etc.) but anything handed down through that church should always raise about ten trillion red flags!

Note: May I go on record here by saying that I absolutely love Roman Catholics…but I absolutely hate their church! To date, a full one-sixth of the world’s population professes to be Roman Catholic. While this system refers to itself as “Christian” (the word Catholic actually means “universal Christianity”), they propagate what 2^nd Corinthians 11:4 calls, “another Jesus, another spirit and another gospel”! The Roman Catholic Church damns people’s souls to Hell, while its followers think they are following the Jesus of the Bible! This church is damnably deceptive, and that is the reason for such strong, and seemingly harsh sounding statements. (See how Jesus’ commends the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-2 for their “harsh” stance against such false teaching!) Our hearts truly should break for people trapped in that system, and we must constantly be looking for and praying for opportunities to be able to love them past the blinders (2^nd Corinthians 4:4) the enemy is using to hold them captive in his snare (2^nd Timothy 2:26).

Now, back to the discussion at hand. The key problem with the death of Christ taking place on “Good Friday” is that Jesus said in Matthew 12:40, “For as Jonas (Jonah) was THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (See also, Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 27:63; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34; Luke 9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24:46; John 2:19). Obviously, if Christ died on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. and was in the grave before 6:00 p.m., there is not enough time for Him to have been in the grave for three days and three nights. The way that most well-meaning people who love God certainly as much as I do, (and to be quite honest, are much more intelligent than me!) get around this, is saying that in the Jewish mind of Jesus’ day, any portion of a day was considered the whole. That may well be the case, and may well have been what Jesus had in mind; I’ve just always had a hard time with how specific Jesus seemed to be about the whole “three days and three nights” thing!

Instead of “Good Friday,” however, let’s consider a “Bad Wednesday” scenario, which fits the biblical timeline far better. (Don’t worry, I’m not the kook that “invented” this line of reasoning, and there are many others who agree with this timeline that has been suggested by Warren Wiersbe and others.) Keep in mind as we walk through these final days of Jesus’ life, that the Jewish day began at sundown the previous day (i.e. “the evening and the morning we’re the first day” – Genesis 1:5).

• Friday: Jesus came to Bethany six days before Passover (John 12:1).

• Saturday: Triumphal Entry (John 12:12-19 – “on the next day”).

• Sunday: Temple cleansed, fig tree cursed (Mark 11:12-18).

• Monday: Parables, questions, Olivet discourse (Matthew 21:23-25:46).

• Tuesday: Preparation for Passover (Matthew 26:2 – “after two days”).

• Wednesday: Upper room events; Gethsemane; arrest; trials; crucifixion (Matthew 26:20-27:58).

• Thursday: The Passover Sabbath, “an high day” (John 19:31); in tomb.

• Friday: Women brought spices when Passover Sabbath was past (Mark 16:1).

• Saturday: The regular weekly Sabbath.

• Sunday: Christ arose sometime after sunset that evening (remember, “evening and the morning”), and the empty tomb is discovered early Sunday morning.

Certainly, the most important thing is not what we believe about WHEN Christ died, but THAT we believe Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. It’s just that this question surfaces just about every Easter. Hopefully, this will help.

In light of the fact that the “Friday” timeline was passed down through Roman Catholic tradition, be careful, because the 7^th Day Adventists would like for you to believe that moving the day of worship from Saturday (the Sabbath, the 7^th day of the week) to Sunday (the 1^st day of the week) was also a tradition passed down through that false system, and that God never intended Christians to worship on Sunday, but on Saturday. That, too, is a false teaching! The “first day of the week” as the God-ordained day of worship for Christians, can be substantiated by the following biblical reasons:

1. Because we’re Christians and not Jews. (Exodus 31:13 – the Sabbath is a sign between God and Israel)
2. The Lord rose from the dead on “the first day of the week”. (Matthew 28:1)
3. The Holy Spirit came down on the first day of the week. (Acts 2)
4. The disciples met on the first day of the week. (Acts 20:7)
5. New Testament giving is to be brought on the first day of the week. (1^st Corinthians 16:1-2)