Study of Mark Working Definitions

Posted on Jan 20, 2023 in Sermon Notes | 0

Working Definitions:

Faith – Trusting and acting on what God has done and promised. It is acting like God is telling the truth.

God – the eternal creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the Supreme being: Absolute Being.
Kingdom – Where God’s rule and reign is obeyed in a certain place. Thus, we experience the blessings of God’s Kingdom when God’s people honor God’s rule and authority on any place on earth. End time study teaches that the Kingdom will be permanently established at Jesus second coming.
 
God’s Word – the Bible, Scriptures, – God’s revealed will in written form for mankind concerning the truth about himself, salvation and living. God’s Word (Bible) is not so much a book of rules as it is a book of principles based on God’s nature.
 
Jesus – Jesus is everything God is but in the flesh. He is the rescuer of our spirit soul and body.
 
Sin – living independently of God’s standard (moral law)
 
Holiness – refers to the absolute moral purity of God and the absolute moral distance between God and his human creatures.
 
Disciple – (apprentice) someone who is not just saved but spends time with Jesus to live the life he did and rearranges their life to keep doing this.
 
Saved – being rescued from the consequences of sin that separates us from God. Salvation is only the beginning in a new life that is followed by becoming more like Jesus in Spirit, Soul and Body (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
 
Repentance -“Repentance means turning from as much as you know of your sin to give as much as you know of yourself to as much as you know of your God, and as our knowledge grows at these three points so our practice of repentance has to be enlarged.”
 
Evil – is usually thought of as that which is morally wrong, sinful, or wicked; however, the word evil can also refer to anything that causes harm, with or without the moral dimension. For example, “natural evil” is any disaster, tragedy, or calamity. Evil behavior includes sin committed against other people and God. Essentially, evil is a lack of goodness. Moral evil is not a physical thing; it is a lack or privation of a good thing. As Christian philosopher J. P. Moreland has noted, “Evil is a lack of goodness. It is goodness spoiled. You can have good without evil, but you cannot have evil without good.” “Human freedom was used in such a way as to diminish goodness in the world, and that diminution, that lack of goodness, that is what we call evil.” Greg Koukl
 
Growth (Sanctification) – the process where God changes me to be set apart to become more and more like Jesus Christ. God does the changing but uses the “avenues” of His Word, Prayer, Worship, Giving, and Serving. “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:12-13
 
Obedience – the act of submitting to the commands (laws) of God, the highest authority, creator, and Father of mankind. If you have faith in God and believe Christianity is the truth, obedience is the practice of living by faith, obeying the teachings of the Bible. Truth believed always lives. We only obey what we really believe.
 
Temptation – is a solicitation to do evil and disobey God. Sinning is when we give in to that temptation and live independently of Gods standard.
 
Prayer – Communicating with God our hearts desire and needs. Prayer also involves praise for God and confession of sin. “Earthy permission for Heavenly interference.” Tony Evans
 
Worldview – a lens on how we perceive (see) the world to be and function.
 
Biblical Worldview -A biblical worldview is based on the infallible Word of God. When you believe the Bible is entirely true, then you allow it to be the foundation of everything you say and do.
 
Truth – God’s opinion on any subject. (or) that which conforms to reality. Truth is found in God’s Word. Jesus said, “Sanctify them in the truth, your Word is truth.” John 17:17

Jesus Has Authority to Forgive

Posted on Jan 20, 2023 in Sermon Notes | 0

Jesus: The Servant King

Message Title: Jesus Has Authority to Forgive
Message Text: Mark 1:40-2:12
Message Truth: The will of God is something you would choose if you had all the facts. Therefore, you must go to Jesus.

Five Encouragements
1. Don’t let anything stop you from coming to Jesus. (Mark 2:1-12)

• “When Jesus saw their faith.” (V.5)

• From the book, “The Day America Told the Truth” 87% of Americans gave this definition of sin.
“Acting in a way that is inconsistent with my own values or hurting another person.” (The Day America Told the Truth, James Patterson) That means 4 out of 5 people you meet believe this lie.

• Biblical Definition: Sin living independently of God’s standard, will and design. “Sin is lawlessness” 1 John 3:4 But, lawlessness against who? God.

• This is why the teachers of law were so angry with Jesus. Only God can forgive sin.

• It’s easy just to say something, but Jesus did miracles to confirm his message not to just convince people. Miracles are “power-points” They point to God. Sometimes, money and others can change our circumstances. But only Holy God can forgive sin.

2. Fix your faith on Jesus Christ alone. (Mark 1:40-45)

“If you will, you can make me clean (v.40)

• Pastors Point: The “you” in this verse is singular. He ignores the group and focuses on Jesus. Christianity stands and falls on Jesus Christ, not his followers. Followers fall sometimes. Many people go to their pastor, small group, therapist, internet but Jesus said you will not come to me to have life.

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:39-40

3. Come to Christ with the faith you have, and he will deal with your unbelief and struggles.

4. Draw encouragement from the compassion of Jesus. “Moved with pity, (compassion) he stretched out his hand and touched hum.” (v.41)

5. Get to the point – Go to Jesus with your greatest needs. Some come to church for years but never get to the point.

Takeaway: The will of God is something you would choose if you had all the facts. Therefore, you must go to Jesus.


Jesus Speaks with Power

Posted on Jan 13, 2023 in Sermon Notes | 00

Jesus: The Servant King

Message Title: Jesus Speaks with Power

Message Text: Mark 1:14-39

Message Truth: When Jesus Speaks Things Happen

 
  1. When Jesus Speaks Ordinary People Follow Him (vv.14-20)
  • What is the Kingdom? (God’s Rule in God’s Place under God’s People) Blessings come where God is ruling (Kingdom Come)
  • What does it mean to Repent and Believe

To confess that I AM a sinner and in need of rescuing and turning from that sin to Jesus Christ.

  • What is the Gospel?

The Gospel is about Jesus taking my place and changing me to be more like him. This is what is called salvation and then sanctification.

“Follow Me” (v.17)

Jesus was saying…” Follow me and I will make something of your life…not make something of your life and then follow me.”

Pastors Point: You cannot have a better life planned for yourself than God does.

  • The word Christian used 3 x in the Bible
  • The word Disciple or the word form of to follow is used 253 x
  1. When Jesus Speaks Troubled People are Set Free (vv.21-28)

Notice This:

  • The man was in the (Synagogue) “church” possessed by an evil Spirit. Just coming to the church has not helped him. We could say “There was a man in the church that was gripped by a dark power that he could not overcome even though he sang the songs and heard the sermon.
  • Jesus commanded the spirit to come out. Jesus had authority. When Jesus calls someone directly they respond, when Jesus rebukes a dark spirit they respond. What Jesus commands or decrees gets done.

Think About It: This is what we would expect if Jesus were God. Jesus is everything God is but in the flesh.

  1. Jesus Speaks with Power Because Jesus Prays with Power (vv.29-39)
  • There is only one message in the Bible: Repent and Believe. People were saved in the OT as they were in the NT. Turn from your sin and place your faith in God for your salvation.

Prayer

35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (v.35)

  • Prayer occurs when you depend on God
  • Prayerlessness occurs when you depend on yourself

Four Things That Block True Prayer

  1. Pride / Sin – overestimates the power of self.
  2. Unbelief – underestimates the power of God.
  3. Ignorance– overestimates estimates the difficulty of prayer.
  4. Time – underestimates the value of being with God.

36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” (v.36-38)

  • Teaching was Jesus’ priority even though Jesus met many needs with his personal touch. Why was teaching the truth so important? Because it is only the truth that sets us free from sin.

Takeaway: When Jesus speaks things happen. Therefore, trust and obey Jesus.


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