5/1/13

From Gary... Bring on the skunks


The world has changed since I was very young; it has lost its much of its gentleness and become a harsher place to live in.   But I still think of those days and like to remember the television shows of the fifties and the gentle movies that Walt Disney produced.  Remember the Disney movie "Bambi"?  A newborn deer named Bambi was curious about flowers and so investigated a nearby patch of them.  Much to his surprise, he found a little skunk (named Flower) and the two became fast friends.   Bambi was an innocent; someone who didn't know skunks were "bad" and should be avoided.  Impossible in real life?  Not at all, for the top half of the graphic shows that it IS POSSIBLE.  Now, take a moment and apply this to PEOPLE.  Jesus did... and so should we.  Read the following passage from the book of Luke to see what I mean...

Luke, Chapter 4

 16  He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.  17 The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, 

  18  “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, 
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. 
He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, 
to proclaim release to the captives, 
recovering of sight to the blind, 
to deliver those who are crushed, 
  19  and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 



  20  He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 



  22  All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” 



  23  He said to them, “Doubtless you will tell me this parable, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’”   24 He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.  25  But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land.   26  Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.   27  There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.” 



  28  They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things.  29 They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff.  30 But he, passing through their midst, went his way. 


The Jews thought Jesus was amazing- just as long as he didn't tread on their prejudices and preconceived ideas about people.  Jesus taught that God had went to the Gentiles and blessed them and the Jews of his hometown hated him enough to try to kill him for it!!!  Great story you say; but we don't do such things- we are just not like that!!!!  Really?  What if a drunk came into our worship assembly or a known child molester or perhaps even a lesbian couple (holding hands throughout the service) - What then.  God died for all of them, not just for those of us who are "good people".  Now, I am NOT saying that we should condone sin, but I am saying that even the most despicable person in our midst deserves a chance to hear the GOOD NEWS of God that leads to eternal life!!!  Truth is... you never really know how PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU- PERHAPS THEY MIGHT THINK YOU ARE A SKUNK???  Aren't you glad God doesn't think that way???  The following verse just popped into my mind...

Romans, Chapter 5
6 For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die.  8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

I don't know about you, but I am going to pray that God sends a few skunks MY WAY-- and I hope they have open minds!!!!


ps. All this reminded me of the Hymn..


The Gospel is For All (Of One the Lord Has Made)


by Unlisted


Rated 0/5 (0 Votes)


Of one the Lord has made the race
Thro' one has come the fall
Where sin has gone must go His grace
The gospel is for all

The blessed gosple is for all
The gospel is for all
Where sin has gone must go His grace
The gospel is for all

Say not the heathen are at home
Beyond we have no call
For why should we be blest alone?
The gospel is for all

Received ye freely, freely give
From ev'ry land they call
Unless they hear they cannot live
The gospel is for all

Words public domain 

From Mark Copeland... Feeding The Five Thousand


                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                  Feeding The Five Thousand (6:32-44)

INTRODUCTION

1. One of the better known miracles of Jesus is "Feeding The Five
   Thousand"...
   a. With just five loaves and two fish
   b. With twelve baskets of fragments left over!

2. It is the only specific miracle performed by Jesus recorded in all
   four gospels...
   a. Mt 14:13-21; Mk 6:30-44; Lk 9:10-17; Jn 6:1-13
   b. We will let Mark's account be the starting point for our study

[Many lessons can be gleaned from this miracle.  What I found striking
is first...]

I. WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT JESUS

   A. COMPASSION...
      1. He wanted His disciples to rest, but compassion moved Him to
         serve - Mk 6:34
      2. Compassion that moved Him to send the apostles out earlier - 
         Mt 9:36; 10:1
      3. That later moved Him to feed the four thousand - Mt 15:32-38
      4. That qualifies Him to be a perfect High Priest - cf. He 4:14-16; 5:1-2
      -- This miracle reveals the wonderful compassion of our Lord!

   B. POWER...
      1. The power to feed 5000 men with five loaves and two fish - Mk 6:38-44
      2. 5000 men, besides women and children (possibly 10,000?) - Mt 14:21
      3. With twelve baskets of fragments left over - Mk 6:43
      4. The sort of power that provides more than one needs - cf. Ep 3:20
      -- This miracle reveals the overwhelming power of our Lord!

   C. ORDERLINESS...
      1. Jesus arranged the multitude in groups and ranks - Mk 6:39-40
      2. Such orderliness is typical, evidenced by His creation - cf.
         Col 1:16; Ps 19:1; Ro 1:19-20
      3. He desires it in the organization and worship of His churches
         - 1Co 14:33,40
      -- This miracle reveals the careful orderliness of our Lord!

[Jesus' compassion, power and orderliness can be gleaned from Mark's
account of this miracle.  From John's account in his gospel, we can also
learn...]

II. WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT MAN

   A. MISUNDERSTANDING...
      1. Their initial reaction was correct
         a. That Jesus was the Prophet who was to come into the world
            - Jn 6:14
         b. As foretold by Moses and confirmed by Peter -  cf. 
            Deut 18:15-18; Ac 3:18-26
      2. But their desire to make Him king reveals their
         misunderstanding
         a. They wanted to make Him a literal king - Jn 6:15
         b. His kingdom was not to be a literal kingdom - cf. Jn 18:36;
            Lk 17:20-21
      3. Today, we should not presume to know what is God's will
         a. His ways and thoughts are often much different than our own
            - cf. Isa 55:8-9
         b. Thus we should be quick to hear, rather than presume - cf.
            Ecc 5:1-2
      -- The response to this miracle reveals man's ability to
         misunderstand God's will!

   B. MATERIALISM...
      1. They sought Jesus for the wrong reasons
         a. They wanted the physical food He provided - Jn 6:26
         b. They should have sought food that endures to everlasting
            life - Jn 6:27
      2. He wanted to give them true bread
         a. That gives life to the world - Jn 6:32-33
         b. The bread of life, given to those who believe - Jn 6:34-35
      2. Today, people often choose churches for the wrong reasons
         a. Entertainment, youth programs, etc.
         b. When they should be looking for spiritual things - cf. Ro 14:17
      -- The response to this miracle reveals man's tendency to desire
         material things

   C. DULLNESS...
      1. They complained about Him
         a. Because of His claim to be bread from heaven - Jn 6:41
         b. Because they saw Him only as the son of Joseph and Mary - Jn 6:42
      2. They struggled over His sayings
         a. Taking Him literally - Jn 6:52
         b. Even many of His disciples left Him - Jn 6:60,66
      3. Today, many demonstrate a similar dullness
         a. Unwilling to stay with Jesus (unlike the apostles) - Jn 6:67-69
         b. Unwilling to make use of their time to learn and apply - cf.
            He 5:11-14
      -- The response to this miracle reveals man's propensity to
         spiritual dullness

CONCLUSION

1. The miracle we have studied offers insight into the person of Jesus
   Christ...
   a. His compassion for the souls and bodies of mankind
   b. His power to provide for every need of man
   c. His orderliness in the work He sets out to perform

2. The reaction to this miracle reveals insight into the propensity of
   man...
   a. To misunderstand the will of God
   b. To seek after material things of the world
   c. To be dull of heart, which leads to the first two

3. What will be our response to this wonderful miracle...?
   a. Let our spiritual dullness to take it lightly, or ignore it
      altogether?
   b. Let it increase our faith in Him who provides our every need?

Jesus' intention was to draw men to Him as the Bread of Life which
nourishes our souls.  May we not be so blinded by the materialism that
we fail to labor for that which leads to everlasting life (Jn 6:27)...



Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

eXTReMe Tracker