Tag: Mark

Aristarchus, Mark and Company

“Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.” Colossians 4:10-11 (NKJV)

It is almost a certainty that many had heard of the desertion of Mark from a Missions endeavor with Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:13), in what was probably not a favorable condition.  Then some time later brought contention between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:36-41).

Paul would not hear of taking Mark, and Barnabas insisted.  Thus the two parted their ways, and chose different ministry brothers.  If we look at that this way –  the ministry doubled – we might have less trouble with the contention.

The above verses though show us that Paul had a forgiving heart, a loving heart and attitude which should be evident  in every follower, and believer in Christ Jesus.

Something we as Christians too often forget is to give honor to those who work with us, beside us, and for the honor and glory of Christ.  Let us face it; without our brethren we are without strength.  Praise, and thank God, His Son Jesus, and do not neglect or forget the one’s who walk and work alongside you (your “Fellow workers”).  And always, always forbear, and forgive.

Sermon Points 041711

JESUS SPEAKS FROM THE CROSS…

…Committed and Forsaken

John 19:25-27;  Matthew 27:45-49;  Mark 15:33-38

THE SEVEN SAYINGS…
1.  “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.”  (Luke 23:33-34).
2.  “Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
(3.  “Woman, behold thy son… Behold thy mother” (John 19:26-27).
(4.  “My God, My God; why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46;  Mark15:34).
5.  “I thirst” (John 19:28).
6.  “It is finished” (John 19:30).
7.  “Into Thy hands I commend My spirit” (Luke 23:46).

Jesus is committed to do the Father’s will and to be obedient in the matters of Mary.  As her eldest Son He had the responsibility, before His death, of assuring her care.  We also find that He is committed to the task at hand, knowing that He is about to under go the darkest hours of any man’s life – darker than any one has ever experienced.

I.  THE PEOPLE BY THE CROSS (19:25).

II.  AS HE IS DYING ON THE CROSS JESUS IS COMMITTED TO FULFILLING EARTHLY RESPONSIBILITIES (19:26-27).

III.  THE DARKNESS AND FORSAKENNESS OF JESUS (Matthew 27:45-49; Mark 15:33-38).

Application –
i.  Though our hearts may be set on the will of God, doing His will and Heaven; we too are to be committed to perform and do our family obligations.

ii.  We need to have a better understanding of the cross and its darkness; particularly with the darkness which Jesus experienced.

Evening Message –

JESUS SPEAKS FROM THE CROSS…

…Of Thirst and The Finish

John 19:28-30

THE SEVEN SAYINGS…
1.  “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.”  (Luke 23:33-34).
2.  “Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
3.  “Woman, behold thy son… Behold thy mother” (John 19:26-27).
4.  “My God, My God; why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46;  Mark15:34).
(5.  “I thirst” (John 19:28).
(6.  “It is finished” (John 19:30).
7.  “Into Thy hands I commend My spirit” (Luke 23:46).

I.  THE THIRST OF OUR SAVIOR’S EXPERIENCE (John 19:28).
A.  The drought of His experience.
B.  The humanity of His thirsty experience.
C.  The cry of a victor – not a victim.
D.  The only One who can satisfy human thirst for God.

II.  THE WORK WHICH OUR SAVIOR FINISHED (John 19:30).
A.  He had finished all the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning His birth, His life and His death – and hours later resurrection.
B.  The sufferings of His life were over – no more trials with false charges, no more cat-o-ninetails tearing His flesh; and now to be forever with the Father in His glory.
C.  His work of redemption was finished.
D.  There is no more work to be done, by man or by God for salvation – The cross of Christ is sufficient to save all who will believe; and efficient to save all who believe.

Application –
i.  The thirst of Jesus came after the darkness and rejection of the Father; and the battle for the salvation of all who believe for salvation was near completion;
ii.  The cry of the finish was also one of victory;
iii.  There is victory in the cross; not defeat.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Sermon Points 032011

The Time is Fulfilled

Mark 1:14-15

1.  John the Baptist is imprisoned;
2.  Jesus begins His ministry in Galilee;
3.  Jesus’s ministry preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and the message is…

 

I.  IT IS THE RIGHT TIME (Gal. 4:4-5);

II.  THE KINGDOM IS NEAR;

III.  A TURN AROUND IS NECESSARY (Rom. 13:11-13);

IV.  BELIEVE THE MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST.

 

Application –

i.  The message of the Baptist and of Jesus was similar.
ii.  The kingdom of the gospel is not far away but very near, at hand.
iii.  Today is the day to repent, believe and be part of that kingdom.

-Tim A. Blankenship

031711 My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death

“And He taketh with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; and saith unto them, ‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.’  And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.  And He said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt.'”  Mark 14:33-36 (KJV)

Today’s Bible Reading –

Mark 14 – 16

031611 How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?

“And Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, ‘How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.’  David therefore himself calleth Him Lord; and whence is He then his son?’ And the common people heard Him gladly.”  Mark 12:35-37 (KJV)

Today’s Bible Reading –

Mark 11 – 13

031511 How is it that ye do not understand?

“Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.  And He charged them, saying, ‘Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.’  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘It is because we have no bread.’  And when Jesus knew it, He saith unto them, ‘Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?  Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?  When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up?’ They say unto him, Twelve.  ‘And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up?’ And they said, Seven.  And He said unto them, ‘How is it that ye do not understand?'”  Mark 8:14-21 (KJV)

Today’s Bible Reading –

Mark 8 – 10

031411 This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me

“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.   For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.  And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”  Mark 7:6-13

Today’s Bible Reading –

Mark 5 – 7

031311 …Rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

“And He healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew Him.  And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.  And Simon and they that were with Him followed after Him.  And when they had found Him, they said unto Him, All men seek for Thee.  And He said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.  And He preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.”  Mark 1:34-39 (KJV)

Today’s Bible Reading –

Mark 1 – 4

Verse Of The Day 072110

“And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?   But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?  And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”  Mark 14:60-62 (KJV)

Today’s Bible Reading –

Ecclesiastes 1 – 2

Verse Of The Day 072010

“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.   Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.   And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”  Mark 11:23-26 (KJV)

Today’s Bible Reading  –

Proverbs 28 – 31

Verse Of The Day 071910

“For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.  Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.”  Mark 9:49-50 (KJV)

Today’s Bible Reading –

Proverbs 25 – 27

Verse Of The Day 071810

“And He said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into a house, there abide till ye depart from that place.  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.”  Mark 6:10-11 (KJV)

Today’s Bible Reading –

Proverbs 22 – 24

Verse Of The Day 071710

“And He said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.  For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.”  Mark 4:24-25 (KJV)

Today’s Bible Reading –

Proverbs 19 – 21

Verse Of The Day 071610

“Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:  But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation…”  Mark 3:28-29

Today’s Bible Reading –

Proverbs 16 – 18

Wednesday Evening Bible Study 03/03/10

FROM DELIVERANCE TO GLORY

God And His People – Exodus 20:1-8

There is an assumption among scholars of Biblical and world history that Moses and Israel received the ten commandments from cultures and people around them.  If we belive the Bible to be the Word of God we can reach no other conclusion than that that assumption is not true.  We are told in this text that “God spoke all these words…” (v. 1).
The Ten Commandments are the commandments of our God.  He spoke them from the mountain, to Moses and to the people of Israel.  These commandments are given us for direction, protection, and as a “school master” to bring us to Christ (Galations 3:24).
These first four commandments are directly related to our relationship and fellowship with God.  The final six are related to our relationship and fellowship with our fellow man – our neighbor.

OUTLINE –
I.  THERE ARE NO OTHER GODS FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD (vv. 1-3).
II.  THERE IS NO IMAGE THAT CAN TAKE THE PLACE OF GOD (vv. 4-6).
III.  THE NAME OF GOD IS HOLY; USE IT REVERENTLY (v. 7).
IV.  GIVE ONE DAY A WEEK FOR DEVOTED WORSHIP AND MEDITATION ON GOD’S WORD (v. 8).

Study Questions –

1.  The __________ ____________ reminds us that He brought the people out of  ______________.  (vv. 1-2).

2.  God is the one who has given us the Ten Commandments.   True    False  (v. 1).

3.  Was God telling the people, “It’s okay to have other gods as long as you put me first” ?  Discuss (v. 3).

4.  The _____________  __________________ tells us to make no ______________ ________________. (v. 4-6).

5.  To make any image for _________________ is to make a __________________ of God, and that violates the commandments.

6.  The second commandment does not censure artistic endeavors.  True     False

7.  God’s name is ______________ and should be used in great reverence. (v. 7)

8.  God created the heavens and the earth in six days and… (v. 8 )
A.  …then left it all in the hands of mankind.    B.  …rested on the seventh day.
C.  …then He gave up.    D.  ..then He destroyed it all.

9.  Why do most Christians reserve Sunday (The first day of the week) as the day of rest and worship?
(Matthew 28:1-4;  Mark 16:1-8;  Luke 24:1-7;  John 20:1-10)

-Tim A. Blankenship

ANSWERS –

1.  LORD God,  Egypt;  2. True;  3. Discussion;  4. second commandment, graven image;  5. worship, representation;  6. True;  7. holy;  8. B;  9. Discussion