Snapshot12 Mark 5:1-20 The importance of a person
Questions for Community Groups
1. Do you know any outcasts you can reach out to?
2 Have you ever felt like an outcast? Why?
3 Are you generous with your resources on behalf of other people?
4. Have you ever experienced someone going out of their way for you?
5. Why do you feel compelled to help others?
Vrs 1-2 This is a sad account of man who is possessed by demons
Vrs 3-5 The life of this man was miserable and he was dangerous to others and himself. What a sad existence (this is why I chose not watch evil movies)
The function of demonic possession is to destroy and distort people who were made in the image of God.
Vrs 6-8 Here we have the demons talking to Jesus through the this man and the idea that Jesus “was saying, come out of the man”. Again in Mark we see that demons know who Jesus is, calling Him “Jesus Son of the Most High God”
Vrs 9-10 Jesus asks the demons name and the reply is Legion, which means 6,000, so there is literally an army of demons possessing this man.
Vrs 11-13 The demons had a particular affection for this area and wanted to stay. The presence of the herd of pigs (swine) illustrates the pagan area because swine were unclean. They ask for permission to go into the pigs.
Why does Jesus allow this? William Lane in his commentary on Mark offers to two possible suggestions.
1. The time of total binding of the demons in hell has not yet come.
2. Jesus allows this to illustrate that demons just want to destroy life.
Vrs 14-17 The response of the herdsman. They were upset with their financial loss and want Jesus to leave. What a callous response, here the town demoniac is healed and they care about the herd because of finances.
Vrs 18-20 This man just wanted to be with Jesus, but interestingly enough Jesus had a different plan for him. He wanted him to go and tell others about how Jesus helped him.
Why did Jesus not silence him? This man was a Gentile so Jesus probably did not silence his preaching because Jesus was not welcome to preach in Gentile areas
There are many things that we can take away from this account but what I want to focus in on is the importance of individual people to Jesus and He teaches us that he values people by helping this miserable man. He also helps other miserable people like us.
Jesus will help…
• When you are an outcast. GOSPEL (we are all outcasts)
Do you feel like an outcast? Do you feel like it is hard to have close relationships or that people do not understand you or like you? Do you feel unwelcome?
Maybe you feel like an outcast because of your situation. Rough family, no money, relational status.
JOHN ORTBERG, says “Jesus ... associated with the outcasts; he spoke with them, touched them, ate with them, loved them”.
So if you are feeling like an outcast know that Jesus is there for you, He listens and cares 1 Peter 5:7
• When no one else will.
Do you feel like no one is there for you? You need to talk and no one will listen? The people around just don’t seem to be there when you need them? Do you feel like you can’t share the depths of your heart with anyone because they don’t seem to care?
Maybe like in the account of these people who lost their pigs the people around you feel that their possessions or money is more important then you or your relationship, or your value and worth as human.
This is when we normally come to the conclusion that we need to help ourselves… then we realize we are unable to.
• When you can’t help yourself.
God helps those who help themselves. Benjamin Franklin That is not a biblical concept. As if God is saying…”he gave it shot it is time for me to intervene”
No actually it is very different. God puts us in situations that we can’t possibly do it alone and we realize we need to lean on Him and others.
So when the Lord helps us we have to come to the conclusion He has helped us…
• So you can help others.
-When we see an outcast, how can we help? Are you trying to be an example of Jesus to the outcast? (The demon possessed man was an outcast)
Norman Rice said “Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light”
It is a risk but it is what we are called to do.
-When we see someone in need, do we go out of our way for them?
'Tis not enough to help the feeble up, but to support them after.
William Shakespeare
Do we use our resources for them? Are our resources more important then the people around us?
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. ~Winston Churchill
You may say…I don’t have much to give or help.
It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little - do what you can. ~Sydney Smith
Jesus helped you and validated your importance and He can use you to help and validate the importance of those around you.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Snapshot Series: "Jesus Calms My Storm"
Snapshot11 Mark 4:35-41
Community Group Questions
1. When you are in a storm situation what is a common way you "freak out"?
2. Have you found it to be beneficial?
3. Are you currently going through a storm? Share that with your group.
4. We learned that Jesus is in control, we have to exercise faith and have a healthy fear of the Lord. Which of these do you struggle with when it comes to the storm you are in?
5. Think about a storm that you went through, how was your perspective changed?
1995 Hurricane Felix sat and turned in the Atlantic and never just on the Jersey shore that storm claimed five lives to drowning’s and the storm never hit here. My bright idea to paddle out, tell the story.
It changed my perspective on what to surf, when to surf and how to judge the conditions and my limitations.
Many times in life a close call, scary situation or a storm puts much into perspective.
I believe in the account of Mark 4:35-41 the disciples had much put into perspective.
Vrs 35-37 Because of the great details Mark recorded an eyewitness report, probably from Peter.
Having details reminds us of times in which we were caught in a storms in life. We remember smells, things that we heard, strange silence as if we are in a movie.
When I say storms I don’t mean a weather event, I am talking about difficult situations that come our way.
There are quick terrible storms that take some time to clean up after, these are tragedies that take us by surprise and we had no idea they were coming. They happen and we deal with carnage
There are storms of long durations of time. These are things that we deal with for a long period of time. Marital problems, health issues, a health issue of a loved one, a disobedient child, being bullied
There are storms that we put ourselves in because of our terrible decisions. Sinful decisions in life can cause severe storms that we need to deal with.
There are so many different types of storms in this life and I can’t possibly begin to tell you the specifics of what to do in each situation. Lets look at how the disciples handled this…
Vrs 38 How they respond in the storm…
• They freak out
Common “freak out” practices
-Cry uncontrollably
-Rage (this is equivalent to a child throwing a temper tantrum)
-Blame (gives the person someone to vent toward) “Jesus don’t you care?”
-Depression or Comatose (never the same again, nothing phases them anymore)
-Self medicate-drugs alcohol (escape)
-Run-Storms of problems that have solutions but we run because they are difficult, such as marital.
• They call out to Jesus
We all need to come to point in which we realize we are in trouble, we are in a storm called sin. In that storm of sin we need to call out. We are all in peril because of sin…GOSPEL
How does Jesus respond?
He gives us perspective changers by what He does and what He says…
Vrs 39 Jesus calms the storm. Regardless of the storm of life we need to understand that Jesus has control of it.
• Jesus is in control
Vrs 40 “Have you still no faith?” Jesus challenges what they have been putting their faith in. When we act in freak out mode, we are acting like a person with no faith. We are acting like a non-Christian, we are acting like a person with no hope.
• Exercise Faith
God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing. Martin Luther.
This is why it is extremely important that we teach and disciple people, so when the storms come we don’t act like people with no hope. Our hope is in Jesus (may list all the promises that we can claim because our hope is in Jesus) Pro 13:12 “Hope deferred makes a heart sick” If we don’t exercise faith we get sick.
• Have Healthy Fear. Vrs 41 They are afraid when He does something about it. The fear that the disciples had of the storm was much different.
As Matthew Henry states on this point “…now they feared the power and grace of the Redeemer in the calm; and it had pleasure and satisfaction in it”
We should be afraid not to trust that Jesus will take care of us. If you are in a storm, realize that He will see you through it, don’t be afraid of the storm because that will keep you from have a healthy fear of the One who is strong enough to bring you through it.
After the storm is over…isn’t the air so much sweeter? Don’t we appreciate the sun so much more? Isn’t there more of a sense of community among the people? Don’t we learn so much more about Jesus, who He is and what He has done for us?
Community Group Questions
1. When you are in a storm situation what is a common way you "freak out"?
2. Have you found it to be beneficial?
3. Are you currently going through a storm? Share that with your group.
4. We learned that Jesus is in control, we have to exercise faith and have a healthy fear of the Lord. Which of these do you struggle with when it comes to the storm you are in?
5. Think about a storm that you went through, how was your perspective changed?
1995 Hurricane Felix sat and turned in the Atlantic and never just on the Jersey shore that storm claimed five lives to drowning’s and the storm never hit here. My bright idea to paddle out, tell the story.
It changed my perspective on what to surf, when to surf and how to judge the conditions and my limitations.
Many times in life a close call, scary situation or a storm puts much into perspective.
I believe in the account of Mark 4:35-41 the disciples had much put into perspective.
Vrs 35-37 Because of the great details Mark recorded an eyewitness report, probably from Peter.
Having details reminds us of times in which we were caught in a storms in life. We remember smells, things that we heard, strange silence as if we are in a movie.
When I say storms I don’t mean a weather event, I am talking about difficult situations that come our way.
There are quick terrible storms that take some time to clean up after, these are tragedies that take us by surprise and we had no idea they were coming. They happen and we deal with carnage
There are storms of long durations of time. These are things that we deal with for a long period of time. Marital problems, health issues, a health issue of a loved one, a disobedient child, being bullied
There are storms that we put ourselves in because of our terrible decisions. Sinful decisions in life can cause severe storms that we need to deal with.
There are so many different types of storms in this life and I can’t possibly begin to tell you the specifics of what to do in each situation. Lets look at how the disciples handled this…
Vrs 38 How they respond in the storm…
• They freak out
Common “freak out” practices
-Cry uncontrollably
-Rage (this is equivalent to a child throwing a temper tantrum)
-Blame (gives the person someone to vent toward) “Jesus don’t you care?”
-Depression or Comatose (never the same again, nothing phases them anymore)
-Self medicate-drugs alcohol (escape)
-Run-Storms of problems that have solutions but we run because they are difficult, such as marital.
• They call out to Jesus
We all need to come to point in which we realize we are in trouble, we are in a storm called sin. In that storm of sin we need to call out. We are all in peril because of sin…GOSPEL
How does Jesus respond?
He gives us perspective changers by what He does and what He says…
Vrs 39 Jesus calms the storm. Regardless of the storm of life we need to understand that Jesus has control of it.
• Jesus is in control
Vrs 40 “Have you still no faith?” Jesus challenges what they have been putting their faith in. When we act in freak out mode, we are acting like a person with no faith. We are acting like a non-Christian, we are acting like a person with no hope.
• Exercise Faith
God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing. Martin Luther.
This is why it is extremely important that we teach and disciple people, so when the storms come we don’t act like people with no hope. Our hope is in Jesus (may list all the promises that we can claim because our hope is in Jesus) Pro 13:12 “Hope deferred makes a heart sick” If we don’t exercise faith we get sick.
• Have Healthy Fear. Vrs 41 They are afraid when He does something about it. The fear that the disciples had of the storm was much different.
As Matthew Henry states on this point “…now they feared the power and grace of the Redeemer in the calm; and it had pleasure and satisfaction in it”
We should be afraid not to trust that Jesus will take care of us. If you are in a storm, realize that He will see you through it, don’t be afraid of the storm because that will keep you from have a healthy fear of the One who is strong enough to bring you through it.
After the storm is over…isn’t the air so much sweeter? Don’t we appreciate the sun so much more? Isn’t there more of a sense of community among the people? Don’t we learn so much more about Jesus, who He is and what He has done for us?
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Snapshot Series: "Is It Hidden?"
Snapshot10 Mark 4:21-34 “Is It Hidden?”
Community Group Questions
1. Have you ever had the opportunity to share the Gospel with a friend? What happened?
2. How does it make you feel to know that God is the one who makes the Gospel take root in a person’s life?
3. Who has helped you grow as a disciple of Jesus?
4. Have you had the opportunity to help another person grow as a disciple of Jesus?
5. Who in your life seemed to be the biggest “miracle”?
• We make the message known. Verses 21-25
Vrs 21 the question (observing everyday life)
Vrs 22 The Gospel brings things to light.
Some people will change when they see the light. Others change only when they feel the heat.
I want to help you feel the heat.
There is a problem with the world and us SIN (describe the crucifixion and how ugly sin is), The light is shed on the problem and we need to respond to the light. GOSPEL
Vrs 23-24a Listen up
Vrs 24b-25 We have a responsibility to make the Gospel known and God rewards those actions
The more you use your gifts the more the Lord will give you gifts to use…why? Because He knows His investment is being well used, you are a faithful steward. Remember the parable of the talents Matt 25:25-30 buried it.
Illustrations about the youth ministry and sharing the light.
Not only did sharing the Gospel benefit their friends it also benefitted them because now they had an entire crew of Christian friends.
I don’t share these things to say look at us look at our church look at the youth ministry. I share them to remind you and myself that this is a work of the Lord, which the next passage teaches us.
• Jesus makes the message take root. V 26-28
What did the guy do? Planted seed and went to sleep.
Vrs 27 It is a mystery how this happens, but it does. This is why we continue to proclaim the message… because we see the fruit of it.
This farmer would not continue to do what he was doing if it never worked. This does not mean what he was doing was not hard work, but in the end he sees fruit.
The same could be said of our efforts. We all have seen friends and family members or people in the community come to Jesus, we are not sure exactly how but we know it works.
Michael Pupin Inventor
Look at those cows and remember that the greatest scientists in the world have never discovered how to make grass into milk.
Vrs 28 The kingdom of God grows steadily even among and adverse environment.
• We are called to disciple.
Vrs 29 Discipleship, for us as Christians part of a church we can understand this point to be what we do with those who do come to know Jesus.
We disciple them!! We harvest the gifts that the Lord blessed them with and help them to understand how to use them, we help them grow by offering opportunities for growth.
DL Moody said it this way…”It is better to train ten people than to do the work of ten people. But it is harder.”
So now we are at the point in which we realize we share the GOSPEL Jesus impacts the hearts of people and makes that seed take root and now we have another job to harvest (disciple). But we have to understand that all this occurring is a miracle.
People we know becoming Christians, growing and learning and changing and being agents of change.
I have to say that the more you see this and are a part of this the more this becomes the norm in your life.
• We see the miracle
Vrs 30-34 and guess what it gets bigger then you can ever imagine or plan. Our problem is we plan and forget about being the light and planting the seed and allowing the Lord to do the work. We fall into the trap of thinking this entire thing depends on us…but it doesn’t
So we see in this parable a summation of what the message will do…it will grow bigger then you can ever imagine and it will be a miracle.
The amazing thing is if we are obedient and don’t hide it we can be a part of it.
Community Group Questions
1. Have you ever had the opportunity to share the Gospel with a friend? What happened?
2. How does it make you feel to know that God is the one who makes the Gospel take root in a person’s life?
3. Who has helped you grow as a disciple of Jesus?
4. Have you had the opportunity to help another person grow as a disciple of Jesus?
5. Who in your life seemed to be the biggest “miracle”?
• We make the message known. Verses 21-25
Vrs 21 the question (observing everyday life)
Vrs 22 The Gospel brings things to light.
Some people will change when they see the light. Others change only when they feel the heat.
I want to help you feel the heat.
There is a problem with the world and us SIN (describe the crucifixion and how ugly sin is), The light is shed on the problem and we need to respond to the light. GOSPEL
Vrs 23-24a Listen up
Vrs 24b-25 We have a responsibility to make the Gospel known and God rewards those actions
The more you use your gifts the more the Lord will give you gifts to use…why? Because He knows His investment is being well used, you are a faithful steward. Remember the parable of the talents Matt 25:25-30 buried it.
Illustrations about the youth ministry and sharing the light.
Not only did sharing the Gospel benefit their friends it also benefitted them because now they had an entire crew of Christian friends.
I don’t share these things to say look at us look at our church look at the youth ministry. I share them to remind you and myself that this is a work of the Lord, which the next passage teaches us.
• Jesus makes the message take root. V 26-28
What did the guy do? Planted seed and went to sleep.
Vrs 27 It is a mystery how this happens, but it does. This is why we continue to proclaim the message… because we see the fruit of it.
This farmer would not continue to do what he was doing if it never worked. This does not mean what he was doing was not hard work, but in the end he sees fruit.
The same could be said of our efforts. We all have seen friends and family members or people in the community come to Jesus, we are not sure exactly how but we know it works.
Michael Pupin Inventor
Look at those cows and remember that the greatest scientists in the world have never discovered how to make grass into milk.
Vrs 28 The kingdom of God grows steadily even among and adverse environment.
• We are called to disciple.
Vrs 29 Discipleship, for us as Christians part of a church we can understand this point to be what we do with those who do come to know Jesus.
We disciple them!! We harvest the gifts that the Lord blessed them with and help them to understand how to use them, we help them grow by offering opportunities for growth.
DL Moody said it this way…”It is better to train ten people than to do the work of ten people. But it is harder.”
So now we are at the point in which we realize we share the GOSPEL Jesus impacts the hearts of people and makes that seed take root and now we have another job to harvest (disciple). But we have to understand that all this occurring is a miracle.
People we know becoming Christians, growing and learning and changing and being agents of change.
I have to say that the more you see this and are a part of this the more this becomes the norm in your life.
• We see the miracle
Vrs 30-34 and guess what it gets bigger then you can ever imagine or plan. Our problem is we plan and forget about being the light and planting the seed and allowing the Lord to do the work. We fall into the trap of thinking this entire thing depends on us…but it doesn’t
So we see in this parable a summation of what the message will do…it will grow bigger then you can ever imagine and it will be a miracle.
The amazing thing is if we are obedient and don’t hide it we can be a part of it.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
"Snapshot Series": Do You Understand?
Community Group Questions
1. Who do you know that has responded to the Gospel like…the path, the rocky soil, the thorns and the good soil?
2. Think of the last time you were struggling with a sin. When you were exposed to biblical teaching, how did you respond?
Was your heat hard?
Did you seek to understand the teaching and develop roots?
Were you distracted from the sin by the business of life?
Did you apply the teaching and gain victory over the sin?
Snapshot9 Mark 4:1-20 Do You Understand?
Vrs 1-2 Intro
Reasons for parables Nelson Study Notes:
1. Interesting and grabs the listener’s attention.
2. Easy to remember
3. They reveal truth to those who are spiritually ready
4. They conceal truth from those who oppose Christ’s message. (in the climate Jesus was preaching in He was weighing the words He spoke because of the accusations against Him)
Vrs 3-9 Parable
Vrs 10-13 Understanding. Do you understand that spiritual truths can be seen in the physical world
Vrs 12 This statement is not that Jesus is hiding or making it difficult for people to understand but it stating that those who reject the plain message of salvation He offers will not “get” the teachings because He is speaking in parables.
Vrs 14-20 So what should we understand from this parable? Lucky us Jesus explains it. Explanation
When you go out and sow the Word (preaching the Gospel) (The seed is always the same = the Word is always the same) The means in which we get the word out may be different. Remember that is not wrong unless it is by sinful means
Vrs 14-15 The path: These people are hard hearted, stiff necked people (not the blinded as far as ignorant of God’s truth) When you are telling others about the Lord some of them just don’t want to hear it. Anything that may bring up some points of interest are snatched away by Satan.
Vrs 16-17 The rocky soil: Sometimes when you tell others, they love it they are like… yeah I am down with that but unfortunately they don’t develop a root because of the limestone. When troubles come or people are telling them “that is dumb” they fall away because they have no roots.
Vrs 18-19 The thorns: Sometimes when you tell others they hear it and say “that may work” but their conflicting worldview of worldly cares, money and desires choke out what they heard.
There a two commonalities with these three. 1. The seed. 2. No fruit
Vrs 20 Good Soil Accepts and bear fruit.
It’s a heart condition
By observing people and life experience we see these are on target as far as responses to Jesus go, but what about our personal response.
Rather then looking at this from an evangelistic standpoint lets look at if from a discipleship standpoint.
We hear a Biblical teaching or maybe we are confronted with a biblical teaching.
1. Is your heart hard toward it?
2. Are your roots not deep so you find it difficult to understand and it does not matter?
3. Is there too much going on in life that you can’t pay attention?
4. Are you applying it to your life so there is a result.
1. Who do you know that has responded to the Gospel like…the path, the rocky soil, the thorns and the good soil?
2. Think of the last time you were struggling with a sin. When you were exposed to biblical teaching, how did you respond?
Was your heat hard?
Did you seek to understand the teaching and develop roots?
Were you distracted from the sin by the business of life?
Did you apply the teaching and gain victory over the sin?
Snapshot9 Mark 4:1-20 Do You Understand?
Vrs 1-2 Intro
Reasons for parables Nelson Study Notes:
1. Interesting and grabs the listener’s attention.
2. Easy to remember
3. They reveal truth to those who are spiritually ready
4. They conceal truth from those who oppose Christ’s message. (in the climate Jesus was preaching in He was weighing the words He spoke because of the accusations against Him)
Vrs 3-9 Parable
Vrs 10-13 Understanding. Do you understand that spiritual truths can be seen in the physical world
Vrs 12 This statement is not that Jesus is hiding or making it difficult for people to understand but it stating that those who reject the plain message of salvation He offers will not “get” the teachings because He is speaking in parables.
Vrs 14-20 So what should we understand from this parable? Lucky us Jesus explains it. Explanation
When you go out and sow the Word (preaching the Gospel) (The seed is always the same = the Word is always the same) The means in which we get the word out may be different. Remember that is not wrong unless it is by sinful means
Vrs 14-15 The path: These people are hard hearted, stiff necked people (not the blinded as far as ignorant of God’s truth) When you are telling others about the Lord some of them just don’t want to hear it. Anything that may bring up some points of interest are snatched away by Satan.
Vrs 16-17 The rocky soil: Sometimes when you tell others, they love it they are like… yeah I am down with that but unfortunately they don’t develop a root because of the limestone. When troubles come or people are telling them “that is dumb” they fall away because they have no roots.
Vrs 18-19 The thorns: Sometimes when you tell others they hear it and say “that may work” but their conflicting worldview of worldly cares, money and desires choke out what they heard.
There a two commonalities with these three. 1. The seed. 2. No fruit
Vrs 20 Good Soil Accepts and bear fruit.
It’s a heart condition
By observing people and life experience we see these are on target as far as responses to Jesus go, but what about our personal response.
Rather then looking at this from an evangelistic standpoint lets look at if from a discipleship standpoint.
We hear a Biblical teaching or maybe we are confronted with a biblical teaching.
1. Is your heart hard toward it?
2. Are your roots not deep so you find it difficult to understand and it does not matter?
3. Is there too much going on in life that you can’t pay attention?
4. Are you applying it to your life so there is a result.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Snapshot Series: "Am I In God's Will?"
Snapshot8 3:31-35 “Am I In His Will?”
Remember in verse 21 Jesus’ family thought He was out of His mind. Then in verse 22 the scribes said He was possessed by Beelzebub.
Now in verses 31-32 His mother and brothers came to get Him and Jesus has an interesting statement when the crowd beckons Him.
Why do you think His mother and brothers wanted Him? They wanted to stop Him doing what He was doing.
Vrs 33 “Who are my Mother and brothers”? Obviously Jesus was not confused about who was looking for Him.
Vrs 34-35 Then He makes a statement that says my family does “the will of my Father”.
So then we are forced to ask these questions…What is the “will of God”? and am I in (or doing) God’s Will?
You may have asked this question or someone may have asked you this question.
Many times it comes down to questions like, what school should I pick, what career choice, what job to take, should I stay at my current job, who should I marry, how many kids should I have, who should I hang out with, what car should I buy, what house should I buy do I get the extended warranty, what should I eat for dinner….WHAT IS GOD’S WILL????
But then there are the questions like, am I at the right school, did I choose the right career am I at the right job, did I buy the right home or the right car?
What is God’s Will?
Am I in God’s Will?
Biblically there are many answers, but tonight I want to generally answer these two questions in view of what those surrounding Jesus at that time already knew to do from the Gospel of Mark. The people that Jesus is referring to may be saying to themselves “so far I have learned what God wants me to do”
God’s Will
1. Confess sins and believe 1:5
2. Realize “the Law” does not save Jesus does. 2:23-3:6 (Have you trusted in Jesus?)
3. Be obedient 1:6-11 (and baptism) (Are you doing what the Lord has commanded?)
4. Don’t give in to temptation 1:12-13 (Are you falling for the temptation that is before you?)
5. Proclaim the Gospel 1:14-15 (Are you concerned for the lost souls around you?)
6. Follow 1:16-20, 2:13-14, 3:7-12 & 3:13-21 (Are you following Jesus and what He says?)
7. Prayer and fasting 2:18-22 (Do you bring life’s decisions to Jeus in prayer?)
At some points we say… “My life is a mess, what is up?”
Then based upon this knowledge we see times in our lives in which we sit back and say “that was not what God wanted me to do” I bought that car because I wanted it and ignored the advice of others and didn’t pray about it” “When temptation came my way I gave in” “ I don’t really follow Jesus, I just like to hang out with these people”
But sometimes you have all these things in line and in the situation neither option is sin and you get confused. We just need to be sensitive to what God wants and He will let you know
Lets move now back to the passage vrs 31-35
So if we were to answer the question…what is God’s Will we see in this passage that it is… not going against God and now for you to answer Am I in God’s Will? Maybe the more appropriate question you should be asking is “Am I going against God?” If the answer to that is NO, they you are seeking to following His will.
Remember in verse 21 Jesus’ family thought He was out of His mind. Then in verse 22 the scribes said He was possessed by Beelzebub.
Now in verses 31-32 His mother and brothers came to get Him and Jesus has an interesting statement when the crowd beckons Him.
Why do you think His mother and brothers wanted Him? They wanted to stop Him doing what He was doing.
Vrs 33 “Who are my Mother and brothers”? Obviously Jesus was not confused about who was looking for Him.
Vrs 34-35 Then He makes a statement that says my family does “the will of my Father”.
So then we are forced to ask these questions…What is the “will of God”? and am I in (or doing) God’s Will?
You may have asked this question or someone may have asked you this question.
Many times it comes down to questions like, what school should I pick, what career choice, what job to take, should I stay at my current job, who should I marry, how many kids should I have, who should I hang out with, what car should I buy, what house should I buy do I get the extended warranty, what should I eat for dinner….WHAT IS GOD’S WILL????
But then there are the questions like, am I at the right school, did I choose the right career am I at the right job, did I buy the right home or the right car?
What is God’s Will?
Am I in God’s Will?
Biblically there are many answers, but tonight I want to generally answer these two questions in view of what those surrounding Jesus at that time already knew to do from the Gospel of Mark. The people that Jesus is referring to may be saying to themselves “so far I have learned what God wants me to do”
God’s Will
1. Confess sins and believe 1:5
2. Realize “the Law” does not save Jesus does. 2:23-3:6 (Have you trusted in Jesus?)
3. Be obedient 1:6-11 (and baptism) (Are you doing what the Lord has commanded?)
4. Don’t give in to temptation 1:12-13 (Are you falling for the temptation that is before you?)
5. Proclaim the Gospel 1:14-15 (Are you concerned for the lost souls around you?)
6. Follow 1:16-20, 2:13-14, 3:7-12 & 3:13-21 (Are you following Jesus and what He says?)
7. Prayer and fasting 2:18-22 (Do you bring life’s decisions to Jeus in prayer?)
At some points we say… “My life is a mess, what is up?”
Then based upon this knowledge we see times in our lives in which we sit back and say “that was not what God wanted me to do” I bought that car because I wanted it and ignored the advice of others and didn’t pray about it” “When temptation came my way I gave in” “ I don’t really follow Jesus, I just like to hang out with these people”
But sometimes you have all these things in line and in the situation neither option is sin and you get confused. We just need to be sensitive to what God wants and He will let you know
Lets move now back to the passage vrs 31-35
So if we were to answer the question…what is God’s Will we see in this passage that it is… not going against God and now for you to answer Am I in God’s Will? Maybe the more appropriate question you should be asking is “Am I going against God?” If the answer to that is NO, they you are seeking to following His will.
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