Tag: The Gospel in a Nutshell

Acknowledging Our Holy Discontent! Acknowledging, Allowing Ourselves to be Overcome by our Savior. Mark 1:12-13

Mark 1:12-13Amplified Bible

12 Immediately the [Holy] Spirit forced Him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted [to do evil] by Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered continually to Him.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

“I can resist everything but temptation!” says the Irish Poet Oscar Wilde.

“I generally avoid temptation unless I cannot resist it any longer.” Mae West

“I can resist anything but temptation!” says the bumper sticker.

“Temptation is the devil looking through our keyholes. Yielding is opening the door, inviting him in to stay and live with us for awhile.” Billy Sunday

As Christians, we know that temptation toward sinful, illegal or destructive things needs to be resisted, and yet we often find ourselves losing the battle.

That is not only frustrating, it can get downright depressing, it can even make us start to raise inner doubts, question whether God still loves, cares about us.

The promised land was just across the Jordan River, but the land on the near side of the ­river looked good for grazing.

So the tribes of Reuben and Gad petitioned Moses to let them settle in that area.

In doing so, they faced the temptation of settling in a place determined by their possessions rather than by the Lord’s promise.

When Moses challenged them, choose their “stuff or choose God” the tribes relented, agreed to go with the others across the Jordan to conquer the land.

Settling down and being content an being fulfilled merely with the things of this earth around us is so tempting.

The more we have, the easier it is to focus solely on this life.

Rather than keeping our eyes on the promises of God, we tend to see the things around us and be satisfied with them.

Christian faith is supposedly marked by our measures and our degrees of holy discontent with earthly treasures.

That choice, that decision and those affirmation are easy when things are easy.

That array of things, perhaps not no easy to live with when things are difficult.

But as Chris­tians, we need to long for Christ and his kingdom even when things are good, because we know Jesus is the greatest example, the greatest mentor.

Mark 1:9-13Common English Bible

Jesus is baptized and tempted

9 About that time, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10 While he was coming up out of the water, Jesus saw heaven splitting open and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him. 11 And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.”

12 At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

We all face temptation.

No one is immune from temptation.

The bad news about temptation is that it usually doesn’t happen when we’re ready for it.

It usually happens in those moments when we’re tired, or sad or disappointed about something.

And while we all face temptation, when we give into it, we often feel really bad.

We wish we were better about fighting it or saying no to the things tempting us.

Immediately after being baptized by John, immediately after hearing all of the wonderful all thumbs up accolades and affirmations from His Father in Heaven, we read that Jesus is immediately driven into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit.

What prior planning and preparation did he have?

Complete Faith and Trust in His Father God and the Holy Scriptures!

What preparation did he ask for as a precondition to entering the wilderness?

Complete Faith and Trust in His Father God and the Holy Scriptures!

What time did His Father God give him to “pray and study himself into shape?”

Complete Faith and Trust in His Father God, His perfect understanding and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures as taught to Him! Psalm 119:1-16

What resistance did Jesus offer up to His Father in Heaven before His entering?

None but implicit and innate trust in the truth found in God’s Holy Scriptures!

Hebrews 4:11-16Amplified Bible

11 Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience [as those who died in the wilderness]. 12 For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged [a]sword, penetrating as far as the division of the [b] soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.

14 Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. 15  For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].

Jesus is so much more than a role model

The fact that Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are teaches us at least three things.

One thing is Jesus’ perfect reliance on the Power of God through Scriptures.

One thing it teaches us is that just as Jesus overcame every temptation, so we need to follow his example, make every effort not to fall to temptation either.

But there is so much more here to acknowledge, and it makes all the difference.

If Jesus were merely a great role model that we should follow, there would be no hope for us.

Following Jesus would then just be another of the world’s many religions — humanly devised systems of coping with bad behavior and plagued consciences.

The other thing these temptation passages teach us is Jesus overcame every temptation in our place, as one of us, both representing us and substituting for us before God.

Notice where Hebrews 4 places the emphasis:

First, Jesus is presented as an incomparable High Priest (v. 14).

The job of a high priest is to mediate on behalf of the people toward God.

He offers the sacrifices and acts as the go-between to get everything straightened out between sinning people and God.

In religion, this concept keeps people mindful of the need to behave better and establishes a hierarchy of humans that can exercise control over the masses.

The Gospel is not, can never become, another religion

But the gospel is not another religion.

The gospel tells us that the real and true High Priest is God himself, the Second Person of the triune God — the one who became Jesus Christ. He died and rose from the dead in glory, and now is in heaven as a glorified man and the Son of God at once, making actual peace between sinning humans and God.

Jesus did not sin; he took all the sin of humanity onto his own shoulders.

But all the sin in the world was no match for the Son of God. In him, sin, all sin, found its demise. In Christ, God destroyed the work of the devil and defeated sin — our sin — once and for all. This is not religion; it is the gospel of our Savior.

That is why Hebrews 4 emphasizes the truth that Jesus sympathizes with us in our weaknesses, and the truth because of Jesus doing what he did regarding sin, we can come forth with a holy discontent for the world and a holy boldness to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We find the same emphasis in Hebrews 2:17-18.

He became like us humans in every respect for the express purpose of being a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God.

He can help those who are being tested because he was tested like they are.

How does he help them?

By his sacrifice of atonement (restoration to fellowship with God) and by being merciful (He forgives you) and faithful (He will do it every time).

Hebrews 3:12-19Amplified Bible

The Peril of Unbelief

12 Take care, brothers and sisters, that there not be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving [a]heart [which refuses to trust and rely on the Lord, a heart] that turns away from the living God. 13 But continually encourage one another every day, as long as it is called “Today” [and there is an opportunity], so that none of you will be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [its cleverness, delusive glamour, and sophistication]. 14 For we [believers] have become partakers of Christ [sharing in all that the Messiah has for us], if only we hold firm our newborn confidence [which originally led us to Him] until the end, 15 while it is said,

“Today [while there is still opportunity] if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your heart, as when they provoked Me [in the rebellion in the desert at Meribah].”

16 For who were they who heard and yet provoked Him [with rebellious acts]? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies were scattered in the desert? 18 And to whom did He swear [an oath] that they would not enter His rest, but to those who disobeyed [those who would not listen to His word]? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter [into His rest—the promised land] because of unbelief and an unwillingness to trust in God.

If we will only 100% fully and completely Trust him

Influenced by all this temptation, how do you get in on all this grace and mercy?

With such an astoundingly horrible track record of disobedience to rely upon,

I believe what makes resisting temptation difficult for many people is they don’t want to expend any of the necessary effort to discourage it completely.

Hebrews 3 says, “Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God” (v. 12, NRSV)

It goes on to say, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (v. 13).

How does sin deceive us?

One way is by telling us, in effect: “Ha! God won’t forgive you this time. You’ve crossed the line, pal, and the jig’s up. His mercy only goes so far, you know, and frankly, it’s reserved for those who clean up their act and stay in shape — not for the likes of you, you old filthy worn out completely useless ugly bag of sin.”

Look how verse 14 puts it: “For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end” (NRSV).

In other words, trust him.

Trust him to do what he says he does for you — forgives you. Trust him to be what he says he is for you — faithful.

Trust him to know what he’s doing.

Trust him to love you the way he says he loves you.

Trust him to be the Creator, the Redeemer of his Creation that he claims to be.

How can you lose out on such a great salvation?

The same way you would lose out on a million dollars if you got a letter from the bank telling you someone had put it in your account, but you did not believe the bank and never went to take it out — by not believing, by not trusting in God.

By not trusting the giver of the gift. By not trusting God to love you and forgive you and transform you and make you his own child like he tells you he has already done (Ephesians 2:4-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 22; 2:13; 1 John 3:2).

Good news

The gospel really is good news!

Trouble is, for many of us, it seems too good to be true.

We want to have at least a short list of “do’s and don’ts” to separate the wheat from the chaff.

But God gave us no list.

God’s purpose in creation was to let us prove ourselves.

The plan was explained to us within the Psalms (139) before we were born.

We were weaved enough there to qualify for the opportunity to choose against temptation here to prepare for eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God.

He gave us himself.

In Christ, I thoroughly believe we have everything we need for salvation.

John 16:29-33Amplified Bible

29 His disciples said, “Ah, now You are speaking plainly to us and not in figures of speech! 30 Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; because of this we believe [without any doubt] that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now [at last] believe? 32 Take careful notice: an hour is coming, and has arrived, when you will all be scattered, each to his own home, leaving Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

We are not worth caring about or saving because we convince him we are; we’re worth caring about and saving because he decided we are and he did it by Christ.

In the name of God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Father God, my only believable and faithful Way Maker, My Chain-Breaker, My Promise Keeper, My Light of my life in the Darkness of sin, I know that You want me to resist temptation. I know You have not allowed any temptation to befall me which is beyond my strength to resist. In You, I have the freedom to choose not to sin, and You have given me Your Spirit to stand firm against temptation. When I am tempted to sin, help me instead to focus on Your goodness to me that is demonstrated by the cross. Fill me with Your Spirit and make me hate sin as much as You do. You have bought my life with the precious blood of Your Son and in His name, I pray. Amen.

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A Lesson in Beginning Transition: 4 Tips to Understanding, Communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mark 1:1-8

Mark 1:1-8 Common English Bible

Beginning of good news

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, God’s Son, 2 happened just as it was written about in the prophecy of Isaiah:

Look, I am sending my messenger before you.
He will prepare your way,
3 a voice shouting in the wilderness:
        “Prepare the way for the Lord;
        make his paths straight.”[a]

John’s preaching

4 John the Baptist was in the wilderness calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins. 5 Everyone in Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to the Jordan River and were being baptized by John as they confessed their sins. 6  John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He announced, “One stronger than I am is coming after me. I’m not even worthy to bend over and loosen the strap of his sandals. 8  I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

The 66 books of the Bible include diverse and various kinds of literature, but the Four Gospels may be the most unique literary genre included in God’s Word. 

So how should we seek to handle these four amazing and awesome books?

Please, keep reading to discover a few tips for understanding the Gospels.

The book of Mark begins like this: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

The Greek noun translated “gospel” is euangelion.

The word refers to an announcement of good news or “glad tidings.”

It was in common use in the Roman world when Mark connected it to his account of Jesus.

However, Mark claimed it and redefined it, declaring the ultimate good news to be Jesus Christ and His message of salvation.

(Note: Most scholars believe Mark was the first Gospel written.)

Sometime around the end of the 1st century, the church formally began to use the word “gospel” to identify the written accounts of Jesus’ life.

The Gospels became a new and unique literary genre. 

The Gospels share some similarities with biographies since they focus on the multi-faceted life of one person.

However, the Gospels don’t cover all of Jesus’ life, but instead focus primarily on His ministry, death, and resurrection.

They also feature the teachings of Jesus.

As a literary genre, the Gospels uniquely blend history and theology.

They combine a narrative of Jesus’ life with large blocks of His teachings.

And each is presented from a different eye-witness account. 

4 Tips for Gospel Interpretation

The following tips will equip us for more properly understanding the Gospels!

1. Read Horizontally

Since many of the actions and teachings of Jesus appear in more than one Gospel, we can expand our understanding by reading the different accounts.

Scholars refer to this as “reading horizontally” or reading across the Gospels.

For instance, the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 is recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 4:13-12, Mark 6:32-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-15.)

Keep in mind, that each Gospel writer brings their own distinctiveness to the account. Each chose to highlight different aspects of an event of teaching for a specific purpose. Differences between the Gospels don’t equal contradictions.

For a good resource to help you read horizontally, look for a synopsis or parallel of the four Gospels.  

2. Think Vertically

Each passage must be kept in the larger context of that individual Gospel.

Ancient Jewish writers were more concerned about overall structure and theme than they were strict chronological order.

The Gospel writer strategically placed each event and teaching in a particular order within the book for a reason. Pull back from your primary passage and look for and examine themes and similarities in the larger surrounding context.

3. Keep the Purpose and Audience in Mind

The apostle John ended his Gospel like this: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).

None of the Gospel writers recorded the whole story.

Each selected the specific events and teachings to include, arranged them in a particular order, and presented them in such a way to fulfill a writing goal and connect to his audience and their needs.

For instance, John’s purpose was theological. (See John 20:30-31). That’s why John’s Gospel contains more of Jesus’ teachings than any other Gospel.

Matthew’s Gospel is very “Jewish” and Luke’s is more oriented to the Gentile reader. This kind of background helps us better appreciate the author’s intent. 

4. Recognize the Genres within the Genre

As mentioned above, the Gospels uniquely combine historical narrative and Jesus’ teaching. Even Jesus’ teaching includes a variety of styles and literary devices like parables, metaphors, hyperbole, and more. To properly understand a passage, we need to correctly identify and deal with interpreting each style. 

Example: Consider one possible approach to communicating the Gospel.

THE GOSPELS: MARK 1:1-8 – A LESSON IN TRANSITION

How would you describe the message of John the Baptist? 

Mark said that John preached “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,” but that his message was, “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

To set the context, Mark cites the words of Isaiah, combining them with a well-known prophecy from Malachi 3:1, about the messenger whom God would send to “prepare the way for the Lord.”

Mark 1:1-8 Christian Standard Bible

The Messiah’s Herald

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

See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.[c][d]
3 A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight![e]

4 John came baptizing[f] in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

7 He proclaimed, “One who is more powerful than I am is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. 8 I baptize you with [g] water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

A Logical Series of Questions which might come to your mind and may be asked:

What is the connection between preparing the way for the Lord and repentance for the forgiveness of sins? And what does that have to do with Mark’s statement of John’s message: one more powerful than he would come, one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit?

Let’s begin with the message from God’s Prophet Malachi.

Time to Repent

The prophecy the Evangelist Mark quoted from Malachi warned about a coming day of great judgment against unfaithful Israel and Judah.

In Malachi 2:17, the prophet declared, “You have wearied the Lord with your words … By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”

The next verse, Malachi 3:1, is the one Mark used in describing the role of John the Baptist. It is the answer to the rhetorical question just posed by Israel.

Here is what the God of justice is going to do:

“’I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will certainly come,” says the LORD Almighty.”

But, says verses 2-5, the Lord’s coming will entail a harsh, powerful cleansing and purifying of his people. He will come, He will set things right and He will deliver the weak and disadvantaged and the lost from their cruel oppressors.

The Lord Himself declares His intent, sets the stage for future generations:

One day soon, His Judgement will come and who will dare stand against it:

“But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.”

What can this mean, considering God’s unchanging faithfulness, but a call to repentance — a call to turn back to God?

Our God will never turn away from his covenant faithfulness despite Israel’s unfaithfulness, and for this reason Israel will not be destroyed (v. 6).

Therefore God will, in his grace and love, save all who will turn to him (v. 7).

It may have appeared for a time that there was nothing to gain by serving God and that only evildoers prosper (vs. 14-15), but that was never really the case (v. 16). God never leaves nor forsakes those who put their trust in him (vs. 16-18).

Therefore, God says, before this great and dreadful day of judgment comes, he would send them “the prophet Elijah”, who would bring together as one the hearts of the fathers, the children, that is, the hearts of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob unite with the hearts of the generation upon which this judgment falls.

Transitions

In this righteous way (Psalm 69:9, Romans 3:21-22, Matthew 3:15), through the sudden coming of the Lord, His Zealousness for His House, to his temple in cleansing judgment and forgiving grace, preceded by the voice of preparation crying deep into the wilderness, God would bring together the old with the new.

The Genesis creation would find its redemption in its transition into the new creation in Jesus Christ.

The old covenant would find its fulfillment in its transition into the new covenant in Jesus Christ (see Jeremiah 31:31; 2 Corinthians 3:14).

The prophets of Israel would find their climax in John the Baptist (see Matthew 11:11 and Luke 16:16) and their fulfillment in the transition to the One whose sandals John knew he was “not worthy to stoop down and untie” (Mark 1:7).

And utterly wretched sinners like you and me would find love, forgiveness and redemption in the welcoming arms of the Father as he transitions us into his new creation in Jesus Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Romans 8:38-39).

The “beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ” (Mark 1:1), rooted in creation itself and expressing itself unceasingly throughout history in God’s faithfulness to his covenant promises, finds its grand consummation in the One who is “here walking among us” and “will baptize you with Holy Spirit” (v. 8).

In Christ Jesus, God has brought together all things in heaven and earth and reconciled them to himself in his new creation (see Colossians 1:19-20 and Ephesians 1:9-10).

That is why the Apostle Paul instructed the church at Galatia,

“Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation” (Galatians 6:15).

New Creation

Let’s be brutally honest for a necessary change of pace.

It might be encouraging or even inspiring to hear that we are a new creation, but the truth is, we don’t often feel very much like a new creation.

We usually feel more like a continuously struggling creation, a tired, worried, depressed, bipolar, barely-hanging-on-by-our-toe and fingernails creation.

I encourage you today – PLEASE do not let that get you down.

That is how things are right now, but it will not always be so.

The day will come when the new creation God has already made you to be in Christ will be fully unveiled (Colossians 3:1-4). And when that happens, there will be no more crying, no more pain and no more death (Revelation 21:4).

Even now, our hope lies in this: God has proven in Christ his love for us and his faithfulness to us (consider the much deeper implications of Romans 5:6-8).

He has made our cause his own.

He has taken responsibility for us, sins and all.

He has taken us under his wing, and he will never let us go.

That is why we trust him.

God, who proved himself faithful to faithless Israel, is exactly the same God who is faithful to faithless you and me.

He is the same from the beginning, which means he has and always will be for you, working to help and to heal, and not to condemn (consider John 3:17).

If you have turned your back on God, please do not think nor believe for very long that He has turned his back on you. Quite the contrary. He’s got the porch light on and dinner on the table, waiting for you to come home. (Luke 15:20-24)

Individual Reflections: Begin Pondering “Transition”

  1. How was John the Baptist related to the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ (v. 1)?
  2. How did John fulfill the prophecies about preparing the way for the Lord (vs. 2-4)?
  3. What does Mark say is the connection between forgiveness and judgment?
  4. What about Mark’s opening words – “the beginning of facts regarding the Good News of Jesus Christ , the Son of God” has you thinking about past experiences?
  5. What about the physical appearance of John the Baptist which repels you from Him that draws you unto him, to his message of repentance and return to God?
  6. What does John’s message about a greater one to come mean for you?
  7. Where do you believe God is leading you through these first 8 verses of Mark?

    In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

    Let us Pray,

    God who is my Father, My God of encouragement, there are so many philosophies and conflicting views out there. Give me an understanding of your truth, so I can discern, know what is right. May the Holy Spirit of God guide me into all truth. May I also be taught by Spirit-filled ministers and teachers of your word. I pray that I will, day by day, be purer in heart, soul and mind, so that I don’t hinder or block your truth through my sin and stubbornness. Jesus is my Cornerstone! I know your truth is my foundation for spiritual maturity and for wisdom in all facets, parts of my life. As I walk in your truth, help me better live out your daily purpose for my life. Amen.

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    The Only Place to Begin when we do not know where to Begin. Mark 1:4-8

    Mark 1:4-8Amplified Bible

    4 [a]John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins [that is, requiring a change of one’s old way of thinking, turning away from sin and seeking God and His righteousness]. 5 And all the country of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem were continually going out to him; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a [wide] leather [b]band around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was preaching, saying, “After me comes He who is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, and I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the straps of His sandals [even as His slave]. 8 As for me, I baptized you [who came to me] with water [only]; but He will baptize you [who truly repent] [c]with the Holy Spirit.”

    The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

    Where did the Gospel actually begin?

    Where did God’s Good News originate?

    Narrators Matthew and Luke began their accounts of Jesus’ life with the stories surrounding his Genealogy an his birth.

    Narrator John began his narrative before the creation of the world where the Son of God was not only present, but he also did the creating.

    Mark, with his focus on Good News, chose to begin in a different place.

    If folks are going to be open to the Good News of God, then someone is going to have to be a servant and prepare the way for Jesus to come and for his word to be heard. In many respects, the Good News always begins in this way.

    The real question is whether we are willing to be used as servants like John the Baptist — who is introduced in verse four — and immediately, if not sooner, to begin to prepare the way for Savior Jesus’ Good News to be heard by our friends.

    The next question for the reader of Mark’s narrative then becomes …. where do you immediately begin, when you do not know where to immediately begin?

    A very valid question to ask when an immediate response to change is required.

    At work, your supervisor suddenly hands you an outline for major project with major financial implications for your company which has never been attempted before – and the supervisors instructions are: I need this ASAP, as in 7 days!

    With that kind of pressure and responsibility on your shoulders, ever sat and stared at a blank piece of paper or computer screen, wondering where to begin?

    Any sort of task or project always has a beginning, and sometimes starting can prove a challenge especially when there is no previous effort to be inspired by. 

    You can further complicate this situation by being the first person to do it.

    That is what Mark faced.

    His written story of Jesus will be the first ever!

    Perhaps his narrative will serve as a model, inspiration for any future writers.

    Mark 1:1-3Amplified Bible

    The Preaching of John the Baptist

    1 The beginning of the [facts regarding the] good news of [a]Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

    2 As it is written and forever remains in the [writings of the] prophet Isaiah 40:1-4 and Malachi 3:1-3:

    “Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,
    Who will prepare Your way—
    3 
    A voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
    [b]Make His paths straight!’”

    So far, Mark has hit us with a big (seemingly logical) opening sentence,

    “The Beginning of the [facts regarding the] Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

    Then used an Old Testament quote from the writings of God’s Prophet, Isaiah. 

    The Old Testament quote, while making sense to Bible scholars, may or may not be the one to immediately grab your or your supervisors undivided attention.

    I noodled over Mark’s choice of those first verses because I believe there is no superfluous material anywhere in the Biblical Canon.

    All the words are there because God’s intention is that every word speak to his children – every word of every verse, however obscure it (they )may be – is the source of an important life lesson for someone, somewhere and at some point.

    2 Timothy 3:16-17Amplified Bible

    16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the [a]man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

    In the process I reached a “Holy Spirit inspired” conclusion.

    The divinely inspired conclusion: Mark wants to make sure we understand that Jesus coming to planet earth is huge AND has always been a part of God’s plan.

    Later Narrators, such as Matthew and Luke, will accomplish this drawing on Jesus’ birth and lineage. Mark made the same point with much fewer words.

    Now Mark, in his typical “get to the point” style starts with Jesus’ ministry—and Jesus’ ministry begins with his baptism by a fella named John the Baptist.

    As I read and continually re-read verses 4-8, and know John the Baptist’s story, I’m again getting that one feeling that it is easy for me to rush past these verses.

    Let’s not

    – because God put it there for His own very specific reasons. (Isaiah 55:10-13)

    John the Baptist’s current modus operandi is that of an Old Testament prophet.

    He wants to make sure the people of his day understand what is happening.

    We would also be well advised to give our immediate, if not sooner, attention to first engage God in prayer, then come to the divinely inspired understanding;

    Amid a world where things are wrong: 

    1. God is definitely coming (immediately, if not sooner) to put things right.
    2. People, even (or especially) religious people, need to therefore get themselves fully turned around to the ONLY “right way around”. They need to repent.

    John the Baptist notes differences between himself and Jesus.

    First, that he is not worthy to untie the strap of Jesus’ sandal.

    Second, that his baptism is with water while Jesus’ will be with the Holy Spirit.

    He is immediately saying, “Don’t look at me (a mere man), look at Jesus!”

    Look at Jesus Christ – “THE SON OF GOD!”

    I began this reflection with,

    “Wondering where to begin when you do not know where to begin?”

    I noted Mark immediately began with the FACTS and TRUTH of Jesus’ ministry. 

    Yet, you might say that he started his Gospel about Jesus, with us in mind. 

    With you and with me!

    Truth is: and a whole lot of other people the future writers of Hebrews noted:

    Hebrews 12:1-2Amplified Bible

    Jesus, the Example

    12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of [a]witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, 2 [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, [b]disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].

    YES! And with very single generation of believers who have gone before us and every single generation of believers who will come after us – (Hebrews 12:1-2).

    Narrator Mark wants to make sure that we more than merely understand the immediacy of his message of connecting and relating to what is happening in our world, and God’s plan for it all—but that this message penetrates and changes us. 

    We will in the coming days of Jesus’ ministry see some people as onlookers.

    Mark suggests they will be immediately impressed by Jesus, but they will also immediately recoil at his new teachings, stay an arm-lengths distance away. 

    The question for us:

    Will we be mere onlookers, standing aside, pondering curious points of the text, googling different versions, and even allowing ourselves to be distracted by curious characters, such as John the Baptist – as critically important as he is?

    (It is so easy to do when we engage the whole length and breadth of Scripture.)

    Or will we let God’s Word penetrate our hearts?

    “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”

    The Choice is always are to make ….

    The immediate question is – when we aren’t sure if it is the right place to begin;

    Search first for the TRUTH of God – is it YOURS or is it a divinely inspired one?

    In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

    Let us Pray,

    Creator God in this your exact time and in this your exact season
    dangling, suspended between all of our hopes and your fulfillment,
    let we never come any moment, to forget what you have done.
    May we be immediately overwhelmed by your great mercy,
    which flows in tsunami after tsunami from your Truth alone.
    May we be decisively honest about the darkness of sin within us,
    and immediately perceptive of the light of Salvation around us.
    May we begin, to prepare to make straight the path for the Lord,
    that together we may immediately see God’s glory revealed.

    Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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    Mark 1:1-3 Recognizing the Place to Begin: Our Acknowledgment of our own Need to Turn our lives around.

    Mark 1:1-3Amplified Bible

    The Preaching of John the Baptist

    1 The beginning of the [facts regarding the] good news of [a]Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

    2 As it is written and forever remains in the [writings of the] prophet Isaiah:

    “Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,
    Who will prepare Your way—
    3 
    A voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
    [b]Make His paths straight!’”

    The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

    “Are we there yet?”

    Parents will often hear these words repeated several times from their children as their family travels on a long trip—or even a short one to the grocery store.

    On school field trips, bus drivers will hear these words chanted by the teachers trying to keep the children interested and busy and engaged in the days events.

    Sometimes, even us more mature adults will mimic these children as we go on planned shopping excursions with a group from one of our community centers.

    Adults generally just want to have fun they have that awareness that they will eventually get to their destination by the time promised by the bus company.

    Young, younger children, however, have an underdeveloped sense of time and distance that prevents them from understanding how long a journey will take.

    Both God’s young, younger, youngest, maturing and mature adult children often have an underdeveloped sense of the obvious and not so obvious gap that definitely exists between their lives and God’s kingdom vision too.

    Whatever stage of human development we are at, we would like to think and we would love to believe that we are each decent people who just need a few minor adjustments – a tweak here and a little tweak there, to become ‘right with God.’

    We might just find ourselves rationalizing, “If I lose a little weight, try a little harder to be nice to my neighbors, and “if I budget better, give a little money to this and those charitable causes, then I’ll finally, really have my life together.”

    In reality, there is much more that keeps us from recognizing God’s ideals.

    Clean House is a home makeover and interior design television show, originally broadcast from 2003 until 2011 which aired 10 seasons of programs on the Style Network.

    Clean House is a reality television show about three trained specialists who go into homes that are a mess.

    In each episode, there is clutter everywhere.

    In some homes there is so much junk that visitors must remain standing because the furniture is covered, indeed, buried, under all kinds of stuff.

    The Clean House specialists face the challenge of convincing the residents to get rid of their junk.

    And the strange thing often is—even though it makes their lives miserable, they yet remain reluctant and adamant don’t want to get rid of the clutter!

    You and I can be the same way in our relationship with God and our neighbors.

    We say we desperately want to clean things up, and we can see what’s got to go.

    But so often we cling to things that make life miserable for us and for others.

    The distance between speaking our “promises,” actually bringing them to the stage where we’re visibly pursuing and ideally engaging in them is significant.

    Since sin entered the equation way back when on the Garden of Eden, resulted in our being unceremoniously thrown out, cast away from all of God’s ideals,

    God created such an immeasurable, undefinable gap between His ideals and His beloved children yet still desired relationship- to keep His beloved children from straying too far and irretrievably away God, directly into a lifelong journey down Satan’s path, created within us an innate sense of emptiness and longing.

    One day, God knew, His beloved children would want to return to His Ideals – on a 24 hour a day, seven day a week, every single last moment – permanent basis.

    But God also knew His beloved children would need His help if they desire life under the most ideal circumstances anyone could ever dream, hope to imagine.

    So, with an indescribable charity, God sent His Son into the world to save them.

    John 3:16-17Amplified Bible

    16 “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] [a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.

    Except there was one inescapable truth God knew needed to be addressed first:

    John 1:9-10Amplified Bible

    9 There it was—the true Light [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone. 10 He (Christ) was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.

    The gap between God, His charity and His ideals, His beloved children and their charity and ideals, was so great as to be fully, completely and utterly unrecognizable.

    The distance between God’s ideals and humanity’s ideals was so great that Jesus could not merely come into the world without an advance preparation.

    The arrival of such a one to “prepare the way of the Lord” was prophesized:

    Malachi 3:1-3Amplified Bible

    The Purifier

    3 “Behold, I am going to send My [a]messenger, and he will prepare and clear the way before Me. And the Lord [the Messiah], whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; the [b]Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderer’s soap [which removes impurities and uncleanness]. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi [the priests], and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord [grain] offerings in righteousness.

    As promised from Malachi 3:1-3, God sent someone to get us ready for him.

    John the Baptizer, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, came to help people recognize that the sin condition of this world needed a major turnaround.

    He called God’s people to repent, to experience a new way of life (not just a few minor adjustments) that would be signified in baptism.

    John the Baptizer was sent ahead of Jesus, helped people to realize the problem with their idea of life before they could be prepared to see the solution in Christ.

    In the opening verses of Mark, we meet John the Baptist.

    John the Baptizer was God’s appointed messenger, a specialist whose task was to get people to “clean house,” to get prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ.

    John’s message was simple: “Repent!”

    To repent means to recognize the moment for change, turn back to God and confess our sins, clear the junk out of our lives, do what God’s Word teaches.

    There are at least Five Basic Points From Mark (Mark 1:1-3) for us to learn from.

    Wait a minute. How can anyone get 5 points from 3 verses? 

    This is the beauty of Mark’s simplicity.

    It is jammed packed.

    Because it is so succinct, we miss much of Mark’s message of “preparation.”

    Before I sketch out the 5 points, let’s first consider the narrative text.

    It is largely an Old Testament quote – Malachi 3:1-3.

    Mark does not use many of these, so when he does, we should really prepare ourselves to stand up, wake up, an gear ourselves up to give maximum notice. 

    “As it is written” is a phrase that prepares us for the quotation.

    It is not immediately about Jesus, but about John the Baptist.

    The point?

    Something new and exciting and life and earth and heaven shockingly different has moved from the distant horizons of time to the forefront of human activity:

    This gospel is new, truth is coming, and it has been part of God’s plan all along.

    For four hundred years it has been prophesized through Malachi’s prophesies.

    We never know God’s timing.

    Sometimes it seems as if he moves quickly.

    Other times, God requires us to be patient.  

    God requires our most immediate attention because God’s Truth has finally arrived and the facts and God’s messenger – John – are all presented here.

    Now onto those 5 (five) critical to learn points. 

    1. Capturing the word gospel allows Mark to make a point. The Good News is a historical event. The Good News of Jesus Christ is no longer an abstract idea. It is definitely not fiction, not anyone’s made-up story. It undeniably happened.
    2. It happened by being born in flesh and blood. Jesus, the Christ. The Good News inextricably connects the perfect ideals of God to flawed ideals of humanity—to us. Briefly, life isn’t always the worst possible news – Jesus Christ is Good News.
    3. Its brevity is free of any window dressing. In its raw- in your face, matter-of-fact opening statement, Mark immediately communicates the Good News is basic and uncomplicated and from beginning to end, from start to finish – from Alpha to Omega – the absolute God spoken maximum truth.
    4. While basic, this Good News is not an out-of-the-blue sort of thing. No, the Good News is inexorably connected to God’s Plan from the start of all ages.
    5. Mark’s hard-hitting introduction is not meant to teach or inform. We are left wondering what he means by presenting this unadorned, eternal, basic plan of God, which took place on earth- connecting God to humankind, to us. The true answer: The Good News is meant to prepare us for God’s call and challenge us. 

    The Gospel calls to us to turn and follow.

    The Gospel challenges us to prepare for something enormous and miraculous.

    The Gospel challenges us to prepare ourselves and our neighbors to live for God.

    Mark led by the Spirit of God is brilliant.

    His use of the word’s gospel, Christ, and Son of God delivers points #1 – #3.

    Point #4 is delivered by the use of the Old Testament quote. 

    Taken together, with its brevity, it is a call and a challenge.

    The question is: Are we now prepared to actually prepare ourselves for God, to be prepared by God for service to our Neighbors – preparing them for His life?

    God patiently awaits our response ….

    And presents to us the Gospel of Mark for us to actually begin our preparation to prepare to give to Him our well prepared response to His covenanted summons.

    In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

    God of surprises you call us
    from the narrowness of our traditions
    to new ways of being church,
    from the captivities of our culture
    to creative witness for justice,
    from the smallness of our horizons
    to the bigness of your vision.
    Clear the way in us, your people,

    that we might call others to freedom and renewed faith.

    Jesus, wounded healer, you call us
    from preoccupation with our own histories
    and hurts to daily tasks of peacemaking,
    from privilege to pilgrimage,
    from insularity to inclusive community.
    Clear the way in us, your people,

    that we might call others to wholeness and integrity.

    Holy, transforming Spirit, you call us
    from fear to faithfulness,
    from clutter to clarity,
    from a desire to control to deeper trust,
    from the refusal to love to a readiness to risk.
    Clear the way in us, your people,

    that we might prepare all our neighbors to know and live the simplicity, the beauty and indescribable and undeniable power and danger of the gospel.

    Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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    The Gospel of our GOD in a Nutshell. Servanthood in God’s Neighborhood.

    “It is under the greatest adversity that there exists among us the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.” ― Dalai Lama XIV

    I recently searched the Internet for the most selfless people in history. As I looked through online discussions, I discovered a lot of people consider Saint Mother Teresa, Saint John Paul II, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Mahatma Ghandi, Oskar Schindler as excellent examples of selflessness. Each of them received little reward in spite of making tremendous contributions.

    Christ’s kingdom calls us to a life of modelling selflessness. Jesus told his disciples that anyone who would follow him would have to be willing to set aside their own ideas of satisfaction in order to follow the way of the cross.

    Do we take the time to search our own souls to appreciate what that means?

    What is the true meaning of selflessness?

    Devoted to others’ welfare or interests and not one’s own; unselfish; altruistic. Showing or prompted by unselfishness or altruism; self-sacrificing. a selfless act. Concern more with the needs and wishes of others than with one’s own.

    “The event of falling in love is of such a nature that we are right to reject as intolerable the idea that it should be transitory. In one high bound it has overleaped the massive of our selfhood; it has made appetite itself altruistic, tossed personal happiness aside as a triviality and planted the interests of another in the centre of our being. Spontaneously and without effort we have fulfilled the law (towards one person) by loving our neighbour as ourselves. It is an image, a foretaste, of what we must become to all if Love Himself rules in us without a rival. It is even (well used) a preparation for that.”
    ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

    Luke 1:26-38Amplified Bible

    Jesus’ Birth Foretold

    26 Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin [a]betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, the angel said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly perplexed at what he said and kept carefully considering what kind of greeting this was. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and eminent and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin and have no intimacy with any man?” 35 Then the angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a cloud]; for that reason the holy (pure, sinless) Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 And listen, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “[b]Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.

    The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

    “Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.” ― St. Francis of Assisi

    Selflessness brings out the best in others.

    It builds relationships.

    What does it mean to be selfless?

    It means you think a little less of yourself and a little more of others.

    The opposite of selflessness is selfishness.

    It’s the number one cause of conflict and arguments.

    The Bible says, 

    “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it” (James 4:1-2 NIV).

    Self-centeredness destroys relationships.

    The problem is, being selfish is human nature.

    We naturally think about our interests, our hurts, how we look, and how we feel.

    Even culture tells us:

    “Do what you think is best for you.” But the Bible says, “Look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own” (Philippians 2:4 GNT).

    What happens when you and I

    “only look out for one another’s interests, not just exclusively for your own”?

    Not only will it transform the moment – but it will also transform you and me!

    Not only will it transform our relationships—it will transform people.

    Not only will it transform people – but it will transform neighborhoods.

    Not only will it transform neighborhoods – but it will transform communities.

    Not only will it transform communities – but it’ll transform cities and beyond.

    It causes the other person to change because you are not the same person anymore, allowing them to relate to you and me in a radically different way.

    I’ve seen it many times: When you treat cranky, unlikable people with kindness, instead of treating them the way they deserve, they transform into nice people.

    The greatest lesson in life is learning to how and why we ought to be unselfish—but it won’t happen overnight. It’s going to take the rest of your life.

    The good news is, God doesn’t leave you all alone to learn how to be selfless. Romans 8:26 says, “The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness” (NLT).

    To live life selflessly in the service of others is noble.

    Never stop making the effort to be more selfless.

    God’s Spirit is with you and me to help us break free of the destructive cycle of selfishness! And it’s then will you see transformation in all your relationships.

    God’s neighborhood calls us to a life of selflessness.

    Rabbi Jesus frequently told his disciples that anyone who would follow him into His Father’s neighborhood to serve their neighbors would have to be willing to set aside their own ideas of satisfaction in order to follow the way of the cross.

    Mary demonstrated this kind of unconditional self-sacrifice when she was told she had found “true favor with God” and would be the mother of the Messiah.

    She seemed to immediately understand that this path would bring her trouble and heartache, but when the angel reassured her that God was using her to be part of his divine plan, she submitted, saying that she was the Lord’s servant.

    To be saved by Christ includes an unmistakable call to serve beyond oneself.

    Christ’s model of unconditional selflessness in becoming human, suffering the indescribable indignity of unconditionally loving, living in a sinful world, and joyously submitting to death on a cross for our sake, for his enemy’s sake, was not intended to give us a life of personal leisure without concern for others.

    Our lives exclusively in Christ has an unsearchable meaning that goes echelons beyond our exclusive personal benefit as we seek to be part of his greater plan.

    • Think about God’s Neighborhood. Think about a relationship in your life. In what ways do you act with selfish and selfless motives in that relationship?
    • What neighborly selfless act can you do today that is uncharacteristic of you?
    • Has someone ever acted selflessly toward you when you didn’t deserve it? How did it impact you? How did it impact them and too the neighborhood of God?
    • What would you do in life if you lived to model, like Christ, a truly selfless life?

    In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

    Let us Pray,

    God, my Rock and my Salvation, my Guide and my Guardian, guide me this day according to Your will, help me become a genuine servant of my neighbors. A servant entering your neighborhood, whose life is a worthy example to others.

    Give me courage, Father, to claim the spiritual riches that You have promised, and show me Your plan for my life, today and forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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    The Gospel of our GOD in a Nutshell: Servants of Freedom. Exodus 3:10-15

    There’s the story, I am sure you have heard it before, of the college professor who always began his first day of class at the University dramatically telling his students he could unequivocally prove that God absolutely did not exist.

    Looking up toward the ceiling he would shout, “God if you are real, then I want YOU to knock me off this platform. Come on, God, I will give you 15 minutes!”

    Over the next several minutes he kept taunting God, saying things like “Here I am God, I’m still waiting and still standing” and smugly smiling at the class.

    Then – all of a sudden – a burly 240-pound halfback for the football team came rushing forward from the back of the classroom and collided with the professor, knocking him full head over heels over his desk and into the chalkboard behind.

    More shocked than hurt, the professor sputtered as the young man helped him back to his feet, brushed the chalk off of him, “Why on earth did you do that?”

    The football player smiled as he walked away… and replied,

    “Well, Professor, I guess God was busy; So, He sent me with your answer!”

    Exodus 3:10-15Amplified Bible

    The Mission of Moses

    10 Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and then bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 And God said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve and worship God at this mountain.”

    13 Then Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers (ancestors) has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “[a]I Am Who I Am”; and He said, “You shall say this to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’” 15 Then God also said to Moses, “This is what you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Israel), has sent me to you.’ This is My [b]Name forever, and this is My memorial [name] to all generations.

    The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

    In our text this morning, we find God saying to Moses:

    “I will SEND YOU to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:10

    God was SENDING Moses to confront Pharaoh and free Israel from their slavery.

    But as I was studying and preparing today’s Fourth of July devotional today, a staggering question and thought just rushed unto the forefront of my mind:

    Why did GOD send Moses or anyone else for that matter?

    Why not just do it Himself?

    Did God really need the help?

    Was He busy or something?

    No… God was not busy.

    But there was something about sending Moses on this task that speaks to us about God’s plans for our lives.

    First, we need to realize God doesn’t need us.

    It’s true.

    He owns the sheep, the cattle, every other animal on a thousand, thousand hills.

    He has an army of angels at His beck and call.

    And as Amos 4:13 put it

    “He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth—the LORD God Almighty is his name.”

    If God HAS all that, and can DO all that,

    what’s He need with me… or you… or Moses???

    Psalm 8:4 asks, “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”

    But, the fact of the matter is:

    God IS mindful of us.

    He DOES care for us.

    And when it comes to doing His will, God graciously allows us to take part.

    One of the most intriguing promises (for me) that Jesus ever made was this one:

    “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even GREATER THINGS THAN THESE, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

    Jesus promised that WE would do GREATER THINGS than He did on earth?

    Really?

    But Jesus quite literally fed thousands with just 5 loaves and 2 fish.

    He healed the sick.

    He raised the dead.

    Have you ever done any of those things?

    Me neither.

    In fact, I have NEVER done anything even remotely like that.

    And yet Jesus clearly says to me: “I’ll do greater things than those?!!!”

    How’s that possible?

    Well, consider these two stories out of the book of Acts.

    The first story is found in Acts 8:26 where we’re told:

    “AN ANGEL of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road— the desert road— that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’”

    As we read the rest of the story, we find that Philip does as he’s told and goes down to that road and sees a man riding in a chariot.

    He begins running alongside the chariot and hears a high official from Ethiopia reading from the 53rd chapter of the book of Isaiah (famous chapter predicting many things about who Jesus would be), and he asks the man if he understands what he’s reading.

    The Ethiopian replies ““How can unless someone explains it to me?” Acts 8:31

    So, Philip climbs up into the chariot and begins talking about Jesus, and the conversation turns to how the Ethiopian Servant can become a Christian.

    As they’re riding along, the Ethiopian says:

    “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” (Acts 8:36) and they went over to the water and Philip baptized this “Queens Servant” man into Christ.

    Now, a couple of questions:

    1. WHO sent Philip to meet the Ethiopian Eunuch? (An angel)

    2. WHY didn’t the angel go themself?

    Hold that 2nd question in your mind for a second as we go the next story.

    In Acts 9 we read about the conversion of Saul (who we know of as Paul).

    Now, at the time, Paul was an enemy of the church.

    He hated Christianity and did everything in his power to undermine and hurt those who belonged to Christ.

    So committed to this task that, when he heard there was a body of Christians meeting up in Damascus, he led several men up there to take those Christians prisoners back to Jerusalem in chains for trial and their suitable punishment.

    But on the way to Damascus, Jesus confronts him, blinds him and knocks him to the ground.

    And he “heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’

    ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked.

    ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’” (Acts 9:4-6)

    Then after three days, Jesus goes to man named Ananias and commands him to go and teach Saul/Paul what he needs to know about being a servant of Christ.

    And amongst the things Ananias told Paul was this:

    “… what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16)

    Now: a couple of questions

    1. WHERE was Paul when his sins were washed away? (Damascus)

    2. WHY didn’t Jesus’ wash Paul’s sins away when He met him on the road to Damascus?

    (PAUSE)

    Why?

    Because this is what Jesus meant when He promised that “greater things you will do than I have done.”

    Philip (in baptizing the Ethiopian) and Ananias (in baptizing Paul) were given the honor of serving Christ and freeing others of the chains of their sins.

    They were given the privilege of being the agents of God’s salvation to those around them.

    On each occasion, Jesus or an angel COULD have led these men to salvation.

    But in both cases, it was a mortal Christian who was given that honor to serve.

    It’s not that the angel and Jesus COULD NOT have directly saved those men.

    The fact is – they WOULD NOT do that.

    That privilege was reserved for men and women who belonged to Christ.

    You see, God doesn’t NEED us.

    But He WANTS us… to be His partners in SERVANT ministry.

    Just like Moses who led his people out of the darkness of slavery into the light God’s light, it’s a high honor we’ve been given. And a great privilege to serve.

    But there are times when people aren’t sure they can do that.

    Just like Moses… they don’t feel up to the job.

    They might even think they’ll mess it up and make God mad or something.

    But as you notice from our story, the only thing Moses did that made God angry.

    You know when that was?

    It was when Moses tried to turn God down.

    He tries telling God he can’t talk very well.

    God says, “I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” Exodus 4:12

    Then Moses simply says: “Send someone else”

    “Then the LORD’s ANGER BURNED against Moses…” Exodus 4:14

    I tell you – if you’re going make God mad, you don’t want to do it by turning Him down.

    It just doesn’t seem like a good career move.

    Besides think of all the adventure and excitement and honor Moses would have missed if he’d just walked away from God’s Servant commission.

    To this day, Moses is highly revered in both Judaism and Christianity, and Moses’ name is mentioned nearly as many times in Scripture as Jesus.

    But God didn’t just send Moses to the people unequipped to do this task.

    He gave Moses three tools to help him get the job done.

    And what we’re going to do today is look at them in the reverse order in which they occur in Scripture.

    The 1st tool God gave Moses (and the last in the story) has to do with the issue of Moses’ fear he did not think he could speak well enough to get the job done.

    “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” Exodus 4:10

    I know a lot of Christians who say that.

    They don’t believe they know enough or can present the Gospel of GOD well enough to speak to others. AND you may be one of those people here today.

    Now, I guess it should be enough for us to accept God’s statement to Moses:

    “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” Exodus 4:11-12

    But sometimes that just not enough for some folks.

    I believe there are a whole lot of people who struggle mightily with that fear.

    And that fear just shows me that many are NOT all that different than Moses.

    Moses was one of the greatest men that ever walked, but even he was afraid to share with the people exactly what message God wanted him to communicate.

    But God did give something to Moses to help him overcome his fear.

    You know what God gave him?

    That’s right – God gave him a helper.

    “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.” Exodus 4:14-15

    God gave Moses a helper.

    He sent Moses’ brother (Aaron) to speak for him.

    Do you have a “brother” who might help you share your faith?

    Yeah? Who might those “brothers be”?

    That’s right – you have a whole bunch of Christian brothers and sisters right in your churches and communities and neighborhoods.

    And I bet that if you had someone, you’d like to talk to about Christ they’d be more than happy to step up and go with you.

    You have got servant helpers

    – Elders and Deacons and Laity, Sunday School teachers, all kinds of Godly women and men who would be your “Aaron” and help you share your faith.

    They’re your backup team.

    As Servants of Christ, they can help you share your faith for the “first time” or they might be able to step up and help you try a different angle on friends or relatives who you HAVE witnessed to, but who won’t listen to you anymore.

    Have you ever been to a car lot to buy a car?

    Did you ever notice that you first meet with a floor salesman?

    Then if you show interest, they’ll pass you along to another “higher up” in the company… and maybe even a 3rd person to talk to about your potential sale.

    Do you know why they do that?

    Because they know if you’re genuinely interested, the chances of their making a sale go up dramatically depending on how many people they get you to talk to.

    In the same way, the more of your “back up ‘Servant’ team” at church you get talking to your family and friends and neighbors, the higher your chances of courageously communicating your faith in Christ to the people you care about.

    The 2nd tool God gave Moses was the opportunity to have some “skin in the game.”

    The LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So, Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was leprous, like snow. Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So, Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh. Exodus 4:6-7

    When I first read, pondered that, I wondered, what do these verses say to me.

    And then a phrase came into my mind: “Skin in the game.”

    In focusing on Moses’ hand God was getting Moses to put his skin in the game.

    Then I went on the internet to look up exactly what that phrase meant.

    According to one on-line dictionary, this was the definition:

    Skin in the game means “To have a personal stake or investment.”

    In other words, to have “skin in the game” means that you, I, are committed to the success of a project or cause, and we’ve shown that by investing something incredibly valuable and intimately personal in struggling, achieving its success.

    So, when it comes to Servanthood,

    how do you and I know if you and I have “Skin in the game?”

    Well, someone once boiled it down to 3 issues:

    How much TIME, TALENT and TREASURE do you have committed to Christ?

    How much TIME have you invested in God each week?

    Some folks would say… “well, I show up for church 1 or 2 hours a week.”

    And that’s nice… but that’s hardly what you’d call “investing”.

    That’s more like dabbling.

    No, to really have “skin in the game” when it comes to the amount of time you spend for God each week, you and I have got to do so much better than that.

    We’re talking about –

    how much time do we spend talking to others about our faith during the week?

    How much time do we spend reading our Bible on our own?

    How much time do we spend throughout the week praying, talking with God?

    How much time do we spend during the week serving in God’s neighborhood?

    Then there’s the topic of how much of your TALENT do you give to the church?

    What talent do you have that you can use for God?

    I recently passed by a church sign of a congregation, and I was a little jealous about something they put on their marquee… mostly because they thought of something completely original and so 100% immensely useful before I did!

    Their marquee sign read if your car could not afford to pay for inflation, they were offering to freely change the oil in your car to keep it ready for its work.

    That was a GREAT idea!

    I am just sorry that my former auto mechanics heart did not suggest it first.

    Somebody at that Church was using their talents for serving their neighbors.

    There’s the matter of putting genuine ‘kingdom value” on our ‘TREASURES’.

    Mark 10:17-22 Amplified Bible

    The Rich Young Ruler

    17 As He was leaving on His journey, a man ran up and knelt before Him and asked Him, “Good Teacher [You who are essentially good and morally perfect], what shall I do to inherit eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?” 18 Jesus said to him, “[a]Why do you call Me good? No one is [essentially] good [by nature] except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not testify falsely, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he replied to Him, “Teacher, I have [carefully] kept all these [commandments] since my [b]youth.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love (high regard, compassion) for him, and He said to him, “You lack one thing: go and sell all your property and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have [abundant] treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].” 22 But the man was saddened at Jesus’ words, and he left grieving, because he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God].

    How does this poignant Gospel text speak to your allegedly “Servants Heart?”

    If we don’t have any ‘genuine’ “skin in the game” as far as our “treasure” goes, are we or are we not ready to become ‘fully’ invested serving God’s kingdom?”

    What does it mean to fully commit ourselves to the success of God’s kingdom?

    Matthew 6:19-21Amplified Bible

    19 “Do not store up for yourselves [material] treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also.

    The last thing I want to point out… is the first thing God asked Moses:

    “Then, the LORD said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’

    ‘A staff,’ he replied.” Exodus 4:2

    What have you got in your hand Moses? God had asked.

    Well, what did Moses have in his hand?

    A staff.

    (Pause) That’s a dumb question.

    Of course he has a staff in his hand… he’s a shepherd.

    But this was more than just a staff.

    This staff symbolized everything Moses was and everything Moses owned.

    This staff represented the totality of Moses’ wealth.

    He may not have had much, but this staff represented all he had.

    At one time Moses had been a prince of Egypt, with power, prestige and palaces.

    Now, he was lowly shepherd living out in the middle of the desert in a tent that’s moved whenever they needed to find new pasture for the flocks.

    Even the sheep weren’t his – they belonged to his father-in-law.

    Moses had little that was really his own… except his staff.

    “So, (God asks) Moses what is your hand?”

    As long as the staff belonged to Moses, it was just a staff. But once Moses gave it to God, God used it shake an empire. With that staff of God,

    • Moses struck the Nile River and turned it to blood (Exodus 7:17)

    • He stretched it over the waters of Egypt and brought a plague of frogs upon the land (Exodus 8:5),

    • He struck the dust of the earth and up from the dust rose a plague of gnats (Exodus 8:16),

    • He stretched it toward heaven and down came fire, thunder, and hail (Exodus 9:23),

    • He waved it in the air and a horde of locust invaded the land (Exodus 10:13),

    • He stretched it out over the Red Sea and the waters parted for Israel to pass on dry ground (Exodus 14:16),

    • He struck a rock and water poured forth to quench the thirst of God’s people (Exodus 17:6)

    • And when he held it high in the air, the Israelites prevailed in battle over their enemies the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-16).

    Once that symbol (of who he was) was given to God, it was no longer a mere shepherd’s staff.

    Once it was given to God, it was as though God had placed in Moses’ hand the very power of the universe.

    Had any part of the nature of the wooden staff changed even in the slightest?

    No, it was still the same shepherd’s staff – but with a difference.

    Now, it was no longer a mere piece of wood shaped by the hands of man.

    Except now, as was shaped by human hands it belonged exclusively unto God.

    Except now it had been consecrated by God to serve ALL OF God’s Children!

    A Servant’s Attitude and Character

    How do we advance in our careers?

    How do we receive the recognition we think we deserve?

    For many, the logical strategy is through self-promotion and our bringing attention to ourselves. Seeking credit for successes and pointing the blame at others for failures are other strategies often employed for advancement.

    It’s being sure others know us by name and being aggressive to lobby for the best seat, the greatest rewards.

    The Bible describes these attitudes as claiming honor “in the presence of the king.”

    But the Bible gives us another, godlier model: to have the attitude of a servant in everything we do, to seek to serve God and others with a selfless attitude.

    We are not to be proud or focus on ourselves but to stay humble.

    We are always to work as unto the Lord, being max sure that GOD above all others is pleased with what we do and how we do it.

    We are urged to remember that “those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12 NLT).

    If we humble ourselves before God, He will exalt us (James 4:10).

    This year I will live the Gospel Life by:

    Committing to at least two new spiritual practices to deepen my faith. – Philippians 2:1-4, Philippians 2:12-18

    I will share radical hospitality by:
    • Making my heart a welcoming place for God.
    • Inviting a friend, colleague, classmate or family member to attend worship.
    • Warmly welcome all who attend.

    Welcome one another, therefore just a Christ has welcomed you,
    for the glory of God. – Romans 15:7

    I will be passionate in worship by:
    • Preparing my heart and mind for worship.
    • Attending worship regularly.
    • By finding a daily devotional that works for me.

    Let us not give up the habit of meeting together,
    but let us encourage one another. – Hebrews 10:25

    I will be intentional in my faith development by:
    • Praying regularly.
    • Being part of a group for discussions, study, or prayer.
    • Discovering my spiritual gifts and talents.

    They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and fellowship,
    to the breaking of bread and prayer. – Acts 2:42

    I will be risk-taking in mission and service by:
    • Listening more closely for God’s call on my life.
    • Making a positive difference in the lives of others.
    • Being willing to risk failure for Christ’s ministry.

    Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. – Matthew 25:40

    I will be extravagant in my generosity by:
    • Offering more of my heart, my hands and my feet and my soul for God
    • Supporting the church in our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ
    • Giving regularly, with tithing being the aim.

    You will be enriched in every good way for your great generosity.
    – Job 42:10-15, 2 Corinthians 9:11, Jude 20-25

    Remember others may see outward appearances, but God looks at your heart.

    Remember to seek first His kingdom.

    Sow seeds with the gifts and talents you have been given.

    Be confident GOD ALONE will provide all you need and bless you abundantly.

    In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

    Let us Pray,

    John Wesley’s Covenant Prayer

    I am no longer my own, but yours.
    Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will.
    Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
    Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you,
    Praised for you or criticized for you.
    Let me be full, let me be empty.
    Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
    I freely and fully surrender all things
    To your glory and service.
    And now, O wonderful and holy God,
    Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,
    You are mine, and I am yours.
    So be it.
    And the covenant which I have made on earth,
    Let it also be made in heaven.
    Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen

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    The Gospel in a Nutshell: And so, Jesus Asked, He is still Asking, “What Do You Want Me to Do for You?” Mark 10:49-51

    As we look into this story again today, let’s now focus on the one question Jesus asks Bartimaeus, the man who is blind: “What do you want me to do for you?”

    Since Bartimaeus has been customarily begging by the roadside, we would expect him to ask for handout—some bread or ­money, perhaps.

    But in response to Jesus’ sudden question, the marginalized man is bold enough to ask for much more than what he might have originally asked for. He asks to be able to see—and that means he is asking to have his life completely changed.

    If this, were you, in that exact moment Jesus spoke to you, asked you that one question you never expected to hear come from anyone’s mouth, how would you now respond to Jesus’ question “What do you want me to do for you?”

    You have just been given a blank check with Jesus’ signature with full authority to ask for whatever you want in that exact moment, what is your first answer?

    We all could use a little help, or a little healing, or some additional resources to get us through another hour or day, right? And surely, we would be thankful for whatever small amount of help the man Rabbi Jesus would give to balance life.

    But let’s not forget who is asking. Just as Bartimaeus could see that Jesus was the Son of David, the promised deliverer who could make all things right, we need to see that Jesus is the Lord and Savior who ­offers us full, new life forever.

    Jesus invites us, right here and right exactly NOW to be 10000% GENUINE and honest about our single greatest need: the mercy of God for sinners. So, we need to ask him for our miracle, and a new life, that we may serve with him forever.

    Mark 10:46-52Amplified Bible

    Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

    46 Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road [as was his custom]. 47 When Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and say, “Jesus, [a]Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!” 48 Many sternly rebuked him, telling him to keep still and be quiet; but he kept on shouting out all the more, “Son of David (Messiah), have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So, they called the blind man, telling him, “Take courage, get up! He is calling for you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni (my Master), let me regain my sight.” 52 Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith [and confident trust in My power] has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus on the road.

    The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

    This word has been on my heart for quite some time.

    Today, for whatever reason, for whatever purpose, to whatever end God has set aside by His own sovereign Authority, I felt specifically moved by the Lord God, who literally woke me up from a sound sleep, release it into your soul today.

    The specifics in this word won’t be for everybody, although the principles in this word are truly for everybody. But if the specifics of this word are for you, you’ll recognize yourself described below.

    The message the Lord gave me for those of you to whom Holy Spirit bears witness today is:

    You and I have a blank check with God.

    Inserting ourselves into the Gospel Conversation between Bartimaeus and Jesus. We are saved, and we are healed. We share with Bartimaeus, a holy and miraculous life transforming experience, which at first, neither could believe.

    We both know it has happened and it was Jesus alone who came, summoned us. Two Thousands of years apart, Jesus still lives and miraculously, blessedly, we are His witnesses, both ancient and contemporary. How much more real can it possibly get for us? Far more real for Bartimaeus because he stood face to face.

    I find myself wanting to know from Bartimaeus himself – Face to Face! Face to Face with Rabbi Jesus – 100% Physically, not spiritually as is the case with me.

    I find myself contemplating actually, genuinely, having that conversation in my living room – sharing my food and sharing my drink and sharing OUR Jesus!

    So, this is how I have contemplated having, sharing that conversation with him.

    “You AND I have sought God with all your heart for many years. We have loved Him; we still continue to do forever. Along the way, we have done everything possible to bring every aspect of our life into full maximum obedience to Jesus.

    We have been healed, and the Lord has refined you in His fire. We have been through hell and back three times. (I heard the Lord say that very specifically: “three times.”) This triple refining has removed the dross from your life and mine in greater ways than you or I could ever know or think to ever imagine.

    Listening! What measure and degree of absolute JOY fills my heart right now!

    Now the Lord says: “I am pleased with you.”

    Then eye to eye, The Lord looks at you. The Lord says to you, “I am pleased with you. I love the way you love Me. I love the way you faithfully serve Me. I TRUST YOU. I trust you to obey My Word, follow My instructions, to pull back if you get ahead, to keep pace with Me, and to venture out where and when I send you.”

    So now Jesus says to you, “I want you to know that you have a blank check with Me.”

    My Word is true, and I told you over and over in My Word that you have a blank check with Me when you are obedient. I have refined you as silver; yes, I have refined you as gold. I have searched you and found nothing amiss. You have been weighed in the balances and found NOT WANTING.

    Now, beloved, I want to know what burdens you.

    The aspirations in your heart are there because I placed them there; but I desire not to work alone, but to co-labor with you. I am moved by what moves you. I will be burdened for what burdens you, for you are My hands, feet on the earth.

    So, I want you to please tell Me: Bartimaeus, (insert your name) what do you want to do?

    What would you like to accomplish next for the building and strengthening and taking of My Kingdom? Where would you like to go? What would you like to do?

    Surely, (insert your name) “I know your heart already, but I desire for you to tell Me anyway. I want to converse with you; to talk with you; to plan and dream with you. We are friends, you and I; and I just love to see what matters to you.”

    You have a blank check with Me.

    I say it again: ‘You have a blank check with Me.’ If you get ahead of Me, I will tell you; I will make it plain. If you are in step with Me, and I with you, you will know that too. There are no secrets between you and Me; I am keeping nothing from you. You are My friend, and there is open communication between us. 

    Matthew 9:35-38Amplified Bible

    35 Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages [in Galilee], teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness [His words and His works reflecting His Messiahship].

    36 When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion and pity for them, because they were dispirited and distressed, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

    We have no idea what this man Bartimaeus did with his Miracle of Healing. We are only told that after he regained his sight, he followed Jesus “on the road.”

    How Bartimaeus engaged with the ancient Roman world we do not know. How he came to fulfill his ministry, mission part in the Great Commission, Acts 1:8, is not known nor can it really be stated with any certainty how he Shared Jesus.

    However, we can definitely say he played a significant role for John Mark in his writing of this Gospel Narrative which carries his name and Christ’s life to us.

    Thanks be to God that those two came together somewhere, somehow. John Mark and Bartimaeus were introduced to each other by someone. Brought together to share a common miraculous experience, Salvation in Jesus alone!

    Does this word resonate with you today?

    Does Holy Spirit bear witness in your spirit that this word is for you?

    So, now, I pray that God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have revealed themselves to you, and you are now ready to have that talk with them – to do that face to face, eye to eye, voice to voice thing, hear them say:

    So, (insert your name) let’s move. Let’s go forth together. Let’s co-labor on the earth.

    “What do you want to do? You have a blank check with Me. Ask, and you shall receive. There will be a process of discovery as I move with you; you will learn as you go; I will teach you what to say. We will labor, and we will work together.”

    In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

    Let us Pray,

    Psalm 146Amplified Bible

    The Lord an Abundant Helper.

    146 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
    Praise the Lord, O my soul!
    2 
    While I live I will praise the Lord;
    I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.
    3 
    Do not trust in princes,
    In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation (help).
    4 
    When his spirit leaves him, he returns to the earth;
    In that very day his thoughts and plans perish.
    5 
    How blessed and graciously favored is he whose help is the God of Jacob (Israel),
    Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
    6 
    Who made heaven and earth,
    The sea, and all that is in them,
    Who keeps truth and is faithful forever,
    7 
    Who executes justice for the oppressed,
    Who gives food to the hungry.
    The Lord sets free the prisoners.

    8 
    The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
    The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
    The Lord loves the [a]righteous [the upright in heart].
    9 
    The Lord protects the strangers;
    He supports the fatherless and the widow;
    But He makes crooked the way of the wicked.
    10 
    The Lord shall reign forever,
    Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
    Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

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