4/29/13

From Gary... UN-BEARable





(Click on the link to view)

One of the first things I do each day is check out what is on facebook.  An old friend of mine (Walter Vogt) had posted this and so, out of curiosity, I thought I would view it.  Watch this video!!!  Even though the interaction is between human beings and some bears, I still thought of this passage from the book of Luke...

Luke, Chapter 10
 25  Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 

  26  He said to him, 
“What is written in the law? How do you read it?” 

  27  He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

  28
  He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.” 

  29  But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” 

  30
  Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.   31  By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.   32  In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.   33  But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion,   34  came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.   35  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’   36  Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” 

  37  He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” 

Then Jesus said to him, 
“Go and do likewise.” 

Christians have been getting a bum rap in the media.  But, truth is that they do a lot of good in the world.  My sister-in-law, Dorothy has been in the hospital and now in a rehab facility run by those who try to follow Christ.  I am sure that practically everyone out there know of situations where Christians try to good for others.  This isn't by accident, it is a teaching of Jesus.  What I especially like about the video is its selflessness: there is no way that bear can repay what was done for her cubs!!!   I really have no way of knowing if those "GOOD SAMARITANS" are Christians or not, but I like to think so.  Taking those cubs out of that dumpster trap was an UN-BEARable act of kindness!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... The needy soul


The needy soul

"As the deer pants for the streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." Psalm 42:1.
There he is standing in the middle of the stream chest heaving and heart thumping like a runaway train. His wide and wild-eyed look scours every foot of ground around him but there’s no sign of them. Maybe he finally shook them off but his legs are throbbing and weary from miles covered at breakneck speed, his ribs are aching from the pressure of lungs expanded to their limit in sucking in great gulps of air, his throat is on fire and his mouth though foam-flecked is absolutely parched. He can wait no longer, danger or not he must find the nearest stream and drink or die.
The long chase, the fierce pack, the cunning way they pursued, always keeping him running full tilt with a single leader dog while the rest waited until he tired and then they’d take over. This time he outwitted or outran them but the strain and the effort has been close to overwhelmingHe pants for water. No sipping, no little desire but a desperate and unquenchable thirst. He finds the stream and sinks his muzzle in the ice-cold water and swallows it down in big life-giving gulps.
That’s the picture the psalmist paints for us in Psalm 42:1. "As the deer pants for the flowing stream so my soul longs after you."
There he is, pursued by enemies, hemmed in by circumstances beyond his control, his strength almost gone, the effort to stay on his feet has worn him down and driven him to the edge of the abyss. He must find God. "My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me continually, ‘Where is your God?’" [42.2]
As the deer at the limit of his endurance instinctively knows he must find water so this little human knows he must find God for it’s only in God he has reason to hope! He tests every offer of help with the question: "Will it help me to find God?"
"Here, here is good advice and counsel."
Will it help me to find God?
"Here, here is an offer of friendship."
Will it help me see the face of God?
"Here, here is a place you can run to."
Will I find God there?
"Here, here is a book you should read, a movie you should see, a seminar you should attend, a habit you should develop."
Will they bring me to God?

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com

From Mark Copeland... Weakness In The Seat Of Power


                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                Weakness In The Seat Of Power (6:14-29)

INTRODUCTION

1. The ministry of Jesus was bound to attract attention...
   a. By virtue of His miracles, even those done by His apostles - Mk 6:12-13
   b. Eventually King Herod heard about Him - Mk 6:14

2. In our text, Mark shares with us information about King Herod...
   a. The king's initial reaction to what he heard - Mk 6:14-16
   b. The events that led up to the king's execution of John the Baptist
      - Mk 6:17-29

[In doing so, Mark shows us a sad picture of "Weakness In The Seat Of
Power".  It is a picture borne out by secular history as well.  Let's
first consider...]

I. HEROD AS A KING

   A. HIS POSITION AS TETRARCH...
      1. He is generally known as Herod Antipas
         a. His father:  Herod the Great, an Idumean; ruling when Jesus
            was born - Mt 2:1,3,19
         b. His mother:  Malthace, a Samaritan; the fourth of Herod's
            ten wives
         c. Educated in Rome (together with Archelaus and Philip
      2. Not to be confused with:
         a. Herod Agrippa I (nephew), who killed James - Ac 12:1-2
         b. Herod Agrippa II (grand-nephew), before whom Paul appeared
            - Ac 26:1
      3. When Herod the Great died (4 B.C.), his kingdom was divided
         into four parts - Lk 3:1
         a. Archelaus (full brother) - Judea, Idumea, Samaria (later
            ruled by Pontius Pilate)
         b. Antipas - Galilee, Perea
         c. Philip II (half brother) - Iturea, Trachonitus
         d. Lysanias - Abilene (Syria)
      -- Antipas' position as tetrarch was ratified by Caesar Augustus
         of Rome

   B. HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS TETRARCH...
      1. Governed Galilee and Perea for 42 years (4 B.C. - 39 A.D.)
      2. Built the cities of Sepphoris, Tiberias, and oversaw other
         projects
      3. Imprisoned and executed John the Baptist - Mk 6:14-29
      4. Sought to kill Jesus, who described Herod as "that fox" - Lk 13:31-32
      5. Later mocked Jesus prior to His death, which led to friendship
         with Pilate - Lk 23:7-12
      -- Antipas had the potential and position to be a great man

[But those in positions of power often have personal failings.  Such was
certainly true of Herod Antipas...]

II. HEROD AS A MAN

   A. HE WAS SUPERSTITIOUS...
      1. He initially thought Jesus was John the Baptist - Mk 6:14
      2. Believing John to be raised from the dead - Mk 6:14,16
      -- Such was his attempt to explain the miracles he had heard

   B. HE WAS IMMORAL...
      1. First married to Phasaelis, daughter of King Aretas IV of
         Nabatea
      2. Divorced her to marry Herodias - Mk 6:17
         a. Who was his half-niece, married to his half-brother Philip
         b. They had fallen in love while in Rome together
         c. They agreed to divorce their spouses and marry one another
      3. This was an unlawful marriage (even though Antipas was not a
         Jew) - Mk 6:18
         a. Because it was simple adultery - Lev 20:10; cf. Ro 7:2-3
         b. Also because of the prohibition against marrying a brother's
            wife - Lev 20:21
      4. For which both Herodias and Herod wanted to kill John -
         Mk 6:19; cf. Mt 14:5
      -- His willingness to divorce and remarry revealed his inner
         character

   C. HE WAS EASILY MANIPULATED...
      1. He feared the multitude, who viewed John as a prophet - cf. Mt 14:5
      2. He feared John, liked to listen to him, but did not repent - Mk 6:20
      3. He was enticed by his stepdaughter (Salome, possibly 12-14
         years old) - Mk 6:21-23
      4. He was tricked by Herodias into executing John - Mk 6:24-25
      5. He was afraid of losing face in front of his guests - Mk 6:21,26
      6. Herodias' machinations would later lead to his exile
         a. She became jealous of her brother's (Agrippa I) success
         b. An attempt to turn Emperor Caligula against Agrippa
            backfired
         c. Caligula exiled Antipas to Gaul (possibly Lyon, France)
         d. Where Herodias chose to join Antipas
      -- He was concerned with self-image and self-indulgence

CONCLUSION

1. What a sad picture of "Weakness In The Seat Of Power"...
   a. A man in the position of power
   b. A man whose personal failings left him weak and easily manipulated

2. How might we learn from Herod's mistakes today...?
   a. We may be in positions of power
      1) As politicians, businessmen, professional occupations, etc.
      2) As husbands, parents, etc.
   b. Will we be weak or strong?
      1) Like Herod Antipas, easily tempted, easily manipulated?
      2) Or like John the Baptist, strong in one's moral convictions?

John may have lost his head (literally), but he won his soul.  Herod
lost both his head (figuratively) and his soul.  In the end, who would
you rather be?  Remember what Jesus said about John...

   "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not
   risen one greater than John the Baptist..." - Mt 11:11


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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From Gary.... UN-Bearable




(Click on the link to view)

One of the first things I do each day is check out what is on facebook.  An old friend of mine (Walter Vogt) had posted this and so, out of curiosity, I thought I would view it.  Watch this video!!!  Even though the interaction is between human beings and some bears, I still thought of this passage from the book of Luke...

Luke, Chapter 10
 25  Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 

  26  He said to him, 
“What is written in the law? How do you read it?” 

  27  He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

  28
  He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.” 

  29  But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” 

  30
  Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.   31  By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.   32  In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.   33  But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion,   34  came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.   35  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’   36  Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” 

  37  He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” 

Then Jesus said to him, 
“Go and do likewise.” 

Christians have been getting a bum rap in the media.  But, truth is that they do a lot of good in the world.  My sister-in-law, Dorothy has been in the hospital and now in a rehab facility run by those who try to follow Christ.  I am sure that practically everyone out there know of situations where Christians try to good for others.  This isn't by accident, it is a teaching of Jesus.  What I especially like about the video is its selflessness: there is no way that bear can repay what was done for her cubs!!!   I really have no way of knowing if those "GOOD SAMARITANS" are Christians or not, but I like to think so.  Taking those cubs out of that dumpster trap was an UN-BEARable act of kindness!!!