From Mark Copeland... The Cup And The Baptism

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                   The Cup And The Baptism (10:35-40)

INTRODUCTION

1. On the way to Jerusalem shortly before His arrest, Jesus received an
   unusual request...
   a. From James and John, together with their mother - Mk 10:35; Mt 20:20
   b. For Jesus to do whatever they ask! - Mk 10:35
   c. In particular, the honor of sitting by Him in His glory (kingdom)
      - Mk 10:36-37; Mt 20:21

2. Jesus' response was two-fold...
   a. First, about drinking His cup and being baptized with His baptism
      - Mk 10:38-39
   b. Second, their request was not His to grant, but His Father's - 

      Mk 10:40; Mt 20:23

[In this study we shall focus on the cup and the baptism to which Jesus
referred, which is generally understood to be the cup or baptism...]

I. OF SUFFERING

   A. EXPLAINED...
      1. To drink a cup
         a. Metaphorically, to get one's fill
         b. Either of good (Ps 23:5) or of ill (Ps 75:7-8)
         c. Jesus' cup was one of suffering - cf. Mk 14:36; Jn 18:11
      2. To be baptized
         a. Figuratively, to be overwhelmed
         b. In this case, with calamity - cf. Ps 69:2,15
         c. Jesus' baptism was one of  suffering - cf. Lk 12:50
      3. Compare the NLT:  "...Are you able to drink from the bitter cup
         of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized
         with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?"
      -- The cup and the baptism refers to suffering Jesus and His
         disciples would experience

   B. EXPERIENCED...
      1. By the apostles
         a. Foretold by Jesus - Mk 10:39; Jn 15:20-21
         b. Experienced by James (martyrdom) - Ac 12:2
         c. Experienced by John (exile) - Re 1:9
         d. Experienced by the apostles in general - 1Co 4:9-13
         e. Experienced by the apostle Paul in particular - 2Co 11:23-28
      2. By disciples today
         a. Many believers in Christ continue to suffer much
            1) In Muslim and Hindu nations
            2) In communist nations like China and North Korea
         b. In the USA and other western countries there are forms of
            suffering
            1) Christians and their faith are often ridiculed
            2) Many are rejected by co-workers, neighbors, friends, even
               family
      -- We ourselves may one day have to receive the cup and the
         baptism of suffering

[Having considered how cup and baptism are used in our text to refer to
suffering, perhaps it would be appropriate to consider how they are also
used in a different context.  There is the cup and baptism...]

II. OF BLESSING

   A. THE CUP OF BLESSING...
      1. There is a cup which we bless - 1Co 10:16
      2. The fruit of the vine in the Lord's Supper - 1Co 11:23-29
      3. Which represents Jesus' blood of the new covenant - 1Co 11:25;
         Mt 26:27-28
      4. Which we drink in memory of Him, proclaiming His death - 1Co 11:25-26
      5. Thus participating in the blood of Christ - 1Co 10:16
      -- The cup we bless, is a blessing for those who partake!

   B. THE BAPTISM OF BLESSING...
      1. There is a baptism commanded for all by Christ - Mt 28:19; Mk 16:15-16
      2. For the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit - Ac 2:38-39
      3. Where penitent believers are commanded to be immersed in water
         - Ac 8:35-38; 10:47-48
      4. Where sins are washed away as we appeal to the Lord - Ac 22:16;
         1Pe 3:21
      5. Where we are buried into Christ's death, raised to newness of
         life - Ro 6:3-7
      6. Where we put on Christ, becoming children of God through faith
         - Ga 3:26-27
      7. Where we undergo the working of God and the Holy Spirit - 

         Col 2:12-13; Tit 3:4-7
      -- This baptism is a blessing for all who submit in faith and
         repentance!

CONCLUSION

1. Jesus foretold that James and John would...
   a. Drink the cup of suffering
   b. Be baptized with the baptism of suffering

2. But suffering did not happen before they...
   a. Experienced the baptism of blessing in being saved
   b. Partook weekly of the cup of blessing in remaining saved

To prepare ourselves for whatever cup or baptism of suffering we might
experience for Christ...

   * Let us be sure that we have submitted to the baptism of blessing
     in faith and repentance!

   * Let us be sure that we drink the cup of blessing weekly as
     faithfully as we can!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... Too close to home for comfort

Have you ever tried to understand something so hard that your effort actually prevented you from seeing the answer? Well, this picture is an example of just such a thing!  Its funny because you just know that it is genuine, due to the fact that this child is just too young to be acting.  The older I get, the more I like humor and have grown to appreciate  how Jesus approached things.  Just consider this passage from the book of Matthew for instance...

Matthew, Chapter 7

 1  “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.   2  For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.   3  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?   4  Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?   5  You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye. 

John, Chapter 7

 21  Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel because of it.   22  Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy.   23  If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me, because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath?  24  Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” 

Luke, Chapter 7

 40  Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” 

He said, “Teacher, say on.” 

  41  “A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.   42  When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?” 

  43  Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.”

He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 

Luke, Chapter 12

 54  He said to the multitudes also, “When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it happens.   55  When a south wind blows, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it happens.   56  You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?   57  Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 

Jesus takes a serious subject (judging your brother) and makes it ridiculous.  Imagine a person with a beam stuck in his eye, trying to remove a speck from someone else's?  Many, many people misapply Matthew  7:1 to mean that we should never judge anything (or anybody) at all.  They are very wrong.  Consider the other passages besides Matthew above and you will see that there is nothing wrong in making a judgment- you just need to do it with spiritual insight.  Problems arise because of sinful attitudes and actions on the part of the person making the determination.  However, sin should be confronted in the church and discipline applied when necessary...

1 Corinthians, Chapter 5

6  Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump?  7 Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.  8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old yeast, neither with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  9 I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners;  10 yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters; for then you would have to leave the world. 11 But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person.  12 For what have I to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within?  13 But those who are outside, God judges. “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.” 

The Corinthians made the right decision about the erring brother and later on Paul praises them for it (2 Corinthians 2:1-11).  I admit that they had a bit of an advantage because they had an actual apostle guiding them, but spirituality exists today and we too can judge whether or not to discipline our erring brother. For those outside the church, God judges (verse 13).  Our focus should be on presenting truth and not on being judgmental about that truth.  Remember Matthew 7 and think: attitude, attitude, attitude!!!  And, by the way, I just hate it when a fly gets on my nose and I can't get it; it hurts when I have to cross my eyes!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Love's the Answer

Love's the Answer

In I Corinthians chapters 12-14 Paul is concerned about the peace of the congregation. The gifts which were given to the body and experienced via the various parts, instead of uniting the body had become occasions of tension. Something was missing and it wasn't the existence of various gifts (see 1:5-7).

The purpose of the gifts was to build up the congregation so that it might be indeed the united body of Christ, that it might know God and rejoice together in his purposes through the body (12:25).

Instead the people pouted, swaggered, dominated or sulked in the background (12:15-16, 21). They had some insights, some knowledge, some flashes of wisdom, they had prophets who spoke some truths and they had people who could speak foreign languages.

Paul insists if they had all these at a maximum they would still only have a partial, limited knowledge of God. What brings a person into the full knowledge of God is love. (And if that is what they all say they want--love's the best way, the more excellent way to pursue it.)

At best, the various gifts result only in a vision seen by reflection in a mirror (13:12). Gifts plus childishness equals near-sightedness. But when the perfect (mature, completed) state arrives (when love is the driving force of the life) then we see, not in a mirror, but face to face. (The word picture suggests someone looking in a mirror and seeing someone behind them. Their mirrors weren't as good as ours. The person turns from the mirror and the poor image he sees in it and now looks face to face at the one he saw in the mirror.)

Depending on the gifts is depending on a poor mirror. The gifts can only bring partial discernment. Love results in a perfect seeing, a knowing "even as" we're known (compare 8:3).

The "even as" isn't speaking of degree of knowing but the way of knowing. It's clear we'll never know God to the degree he knows us. Not now or ever. In Matthew 5:48 Christ calls us to be perfect "as" your heavenly Father is perfect. He isn't taking about degree. That's beyond us--permanently. But the Father's way is the model.

So "when that which is perfect is come" probably speaks of the state of having been matured (see the use of the word in 14:20). But the state of having been matured is the state beyond partial knowledge which comes through gifts. It is the state that comes through love. When a person loves God (8:3) he is known by God. Paul repeats this here and calls it "knowing in full" as opposed to "knowing in part".

©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... Jesus Predicts His Passion And Resurrection

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

         Jesus Predicts His Passion And Resurrection (10:32-34)

INTRODUCTION

1. On three separate occasions, Jesus predicted His passion and
   resurrection...
   a. In the region of Caesarea Philippi, He emphasized the necessity
      - Mk 8:31
   b. While traveling through Galilee, He stressed the certainty - Mk 9:31
   c. Now on the road to Jerusalem, He describes it in greater detail
      - Mk 10:32-34

2. If you have ever faced an impending ordeal...
   a. You know the anticipation itself adds to the trial
   b. The anxiety and stress of knowing what it is to come

[As we remember what Jesus did to save us, do not overlook the burden of
knowing in advance what He would suffer, and what helped Him to endure.
So let's look a closer look, beginning with...]

I. THE SETTING

   A. ON THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM...
      1. Making their way from beyond the Jordan via Jericho - Mk 10:1,46
      2. This was Jesus' last trip to Jerusalem

   B. THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WALKED...
      1. Jesus taking the lead - Mk 10:32
      2. The disciples following behind - Mk 10:32 (NLT)
      3. The people further behind - Mk 10:32 (NLT)

   C. THE ATTITUDES AS THEY WALKED...
      1. Jesus with steadfast determination - cf. Lk 9:51
      2. The disciples filled with awe, perhaps by Jesus' determination
         - Mk 10:32 (NLT)
      3. The people overwhelmed with fear, perhaps knowing the danger
         Jesus and His followers faced in Jerusalem - Mk 10:32 (NLT);
         cf. Jn 9:22; 11:8,57

[At some point, Jesus takes the twelve apostles aside and begins to tell
them what will happen to Him...]

II. THE PREDICTION

   A. HE WILL BE BETRAYED...
      1. Betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes - Mk 10:33
      2. Referring to the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court of the Jews
      3. Fulfilled - Mk 14:41-46

   B. HE WILL BE CONDEMNED...
      1. Condemned to death and delivered to the Gentiles - Mk 10:33
      2. Referring to the Romans, who alone had the authority to put to
         death - cf. Jn 18:31
      3. Fulfilled - Mk 14:55-64

   C. HE WILL BE MOCKED...
      1. Treated with contempt, ridiculed - Mk 10:34
      2. To imitate with mockery and derision
      3. Fulfilled - Mk 15:16-20,29-32

   D. HE WILL BE SCOURGED...
      1. To be whipped, punished severely - Mk 10:34
      2. "Under the Roman method of 'scourging,' the person was stripped
         and tied in a bending posture to a pillar, or stretched on a
         frame. The "scourge" was made of leather thongs, weighted with
         sharp pieces of bone or lead, which tore the flesh of both the
         back and the breast." - Vine
      3. Fulfilled - Mk 15:15

   E. HE WILL BE SPIT ON...
      1. With saliva or phlegm
      2. Done with anger or contempt - Mk 10:34
      3. Fulfilled - Mk 14:65; 15:19

   F. HE WILL BE KILLED...
      1. Death would follow His mockery and torture - Mk 10:34
      2. Jesus knew the manner of death:  crucifixion! - cf. Mt 20:19
      3. Fulfilled - Mk 15:24,37

   G. HE WILL RISE THE THIRD DAY...
      1. Resurrected from the dead - Mk 10:34
      2. Foretold very early in His ministry - cf. Jn 2:19-22
      3. Fulfilled - Mk 16:1-7

CONCLUSION

1. When Jesus predicted His passion and resurrection...
   a. The first time, Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him - Mk 8:31-33
   b. The second time, the disciples did not understand and refused to
      ask Him - Mk 9:31-32
   c. The third time, there is no dispute (though they may have still
      been confused)
2. What strikes me about these three predictions...
   a. Is that it reveals that Jesus knew what would happen to Him!
   b. The stress and anxiety from anticipation only added to His
      suffering for us!

3. How was Jesus able to press on, knowing what was to come...?
   a. The writer to the Hebrews reveals the answer - cf. He 12:2
   b. He encourages us to "consider Him...lest you become weary and
      discouraged" - He 12:3

Yes, let's consider how He died, but also He faced knowing what awaited
Him.  As Erdman wrote...

"Let us pause to gaze on that face and form, the Son of God, going with
unfaltering step toward the Cross! Does it not awaken us to new heroism,
as we follow; does it not awaken new love as we see how voluntary was
His death for us; yet do we not wonder at the meaning and the mystery of
that death?"

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... Freedom

This morning as I took Buddy out for his walk, I looked up at the sky and thought- How nice it is to be free from that oppressive humidity we have been experiencing lately (it was 97 on the Lanai yesterday afternoon).  Then I remembered that this was Memorial day weekend.  Although, to many it is just a cook-out time, as citizens of the United States Of America, we need to remember those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom.  So, let us REMEMBER, AND NEVER, EVER FORGET!!!  For those of us who follow the Christ of God, we also remember our greatest warrior, who laid down his life for our spiritual freedom.  This memorial we celebrate each Sunday, but honestly, it is worth thinking about every day of the week, because there is not a single day that we do not reap the benefits of HIS SACRIFICE.  With that in mind, please read the following passage and be thankful...

Matthew, Chapter 26

  17  Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 

  18  He said, “Go into the city to a certain person, and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’” 

  19  The disciples did as Jesus commanded them, and they prepared the Passover.  20 Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.  21 As they were eating, he said, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.” 

  22  They were exceedingly sorrowful, and each began to ask him, “It isn’t me, is it, Lord?” 

  23  He answered, “He who dipped his hand with me in the dish, the same will betray me.   24  The Son of Man goes, even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.” 

  25  Judas, who betrayed him, answered, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?” 

He said to him, “You said it.” 

  26  As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”   27 He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it,   28  for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.   29  But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” 

Now, the veteran's I have known during my life would only number in the thousands or perhaps possibly tens-of-thousands, but every one of them was NOT PERFECT!!!  In comparison, Jesus was and still is absolute perfection.  This weekend, let us give a double meaning to Memorial Day and remember that one special warrior who died that we might be free from sin and all its eternal consequences!!!!

PS.  The picture at the top is from one of the most wonderfully landscaped homes in our Southfork community.  To me, what really makes it great is the way our nation's flag is displayed- with GREAT RESPECT!!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Indwelt Temples

Indwelt Temples

Paul says to Corinthian Christians that each of their bodies is a “temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you.” (1Corinthians 6:19) Should we conclude that the physical body of each Corinthian was a temple—literally rather than metaphorically? I’m pretty sure that the vast majority would say “temple” is a metaphor. The truth Paul speaks—whatever else it is—is clearly a spiritual truth but that has nothing to do with “literal versus spiritual”. Literal stands over against metaphorical and not over against spiritual.

Earlier he has said that each Corinthian was a part of/member of “Christ himself” (6:15). Most of us would go in either of two directions. We would say “member of” is metaphorical because Jesus himself is not made up of a vast number of people—he is himself and no-one else. Or we would take “Christ” (as most students do) to mean the “corporate” Christ and not the historical person, Jesus Christ. We would say it was the “corporate” Christ because Christ in this passage is said to consist of many people and this would lead us on to the phrase “the body of Christ.” Here Paul doesn’t say “the body of Christ” because he wants to drive home not only their oneness with Christ but the horror of amalgamating Jesus Christ with temple prostitutes. (He has dealt with “run-of-the-mill” fornication in the previous chapter and here deals with prostitutes who serve the temple of the hill.)

In one way or another, the spiritual union of the Corinthians with Christ is expressed in a metaphor. The spiritual union is real and actual but it isn’t described in literal terms; it’s described in metaphor. If we make “Christ” stand for a corporate reality rather than the historical Jesus we employ metaphor. If we make Christ the literal and historical Jesus Christ then “members of” becomes a metaphor.

When we come to the Holy Spirit who indwells a Corinthian temple or temples we rightly take temple to be metaphorical. We don’t want the one temple to be made up of many little temples. I think it’s a mistake to break the phrase into two independent notions. To say, “You are temples in which the Holy Spirit lives or dwells” and then to say “temple” is figurative and “dwell” is literal is surely a mistake. At least, it needs justification rather than simple assertion. To hold that “in you” or “dwell in you” must mean that the Spirit takes up bodily residence in each Corinthian is to reach into a section filled with metaphor and insist on one literal understanding, even in a single phrase.

Body, parts (members), bought, “one spirit” (6:17), temple all figuratively tell a non-spatial spiritual truth but “dwell” is literal and tells a spatial truth? We need more than an assertion that that is true.

"Christ himself, that not literal."

"Body, that's figurative."

"Members, that's figurative."

"Temple, that's figurative."

"Bought, that's figurative."

"One spirit, that's not literal."

"Dwell in, that's literal."

Hmmm.

I believe that these are metaphors and speak of actual spiritual truths in non-literal speech. The phrase “temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you” is not telling us where the Spirit can be located but how the Corinthians relate to the Holy Spirit (and to the Christ) and the Spirit to them.

©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... The Cost And Reward Of Discipleship

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

             The Cost And Reward Of Discipleship (10:28-31)

INTRODUCTION

1. Jesus had just completed His encounter with the rich young ruler...
   a. Who sadly left when he chose his possessions over following Christ
      - Mk 10:17-22
   b. When Jesus then warned His disciples about the difficulty of
      riches - Mk 10:23-27

2. At which Peter began to say, "See, we have left all and followed
   You..." - Mk 10:28
   a. Matthew adds in his gospel "Therefore what shall we have?" - Mt 19:27
   b. Matthew also mentions the promise of the apostles sitting on
      thrones of judgment in the regeneration - Mt 19:28

[For everyone else who follows Jesus as His disciples, there is the
promise of both cost and reward.  With Mark's account (Mk 10:28-31)
before us, let's first examine...]

I. THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

   A. EARTHLY RELATIONS...
      1. Jesus spoke of leaving family - Mk 10:29
      2. He mentioned wife; not found in some mss of Mark, but is in 

         Lk 18:29
      3. Not to suggest such is always necessary - cf. 1Co 9:5
      4. But sometimes even one's family turns against a disciple - 

         Mt 10:21,34-36
      5. Thus Jesus and His gospel must come before family - Mt 10:37;
         Lk 14:26
      -- Sometimes the greatest cost of discipleship is imposed by our
         own families

   B. EARTHLY POSSESSIONS...
      1. Jesus spoke of leaving house and lands - Mk 10:29
      2. Not to suggest that it is always necessary - cf. 

         1Co 16:19; Ro 16:5; Col 4:15; Phm 1:2
      3. But disciples often sold lands, opened their homes to others
         - Ac 4:36-37; Phm 1:22
      4. Paul certainly gave up much to serve Christ - Php 3:7-8
      5. Thus Jesus and His kingdom must come before possessions - 

         Lk 14:33; Mt 6:33
      -- We must be willing to forsake all that is necessary to be a
         disciple of Jesus

[The cost of discipleship can certainly be great.  For some, it is more
than others.  But for all who are willing to bear the cost of being His
disciple, Jesus promises...]

II. THE REWARD OF DISCIPLESHIP

   A. ETERNAL RELATIONS...
      1. Jesus spoke of hundredfold blessings "in this time" - Mk 10:30
      2. Of brothers, sisters, mother, children
         a. He likely refers to fellow disciples as family - cf. Mk 3:31-35
         b. Jesus does not mention "fathers"; could it be because God is
            our Father? - Mt 23:9
         c. The fulfillment of this can be seen in the church, the
            family of God - 1Ti 3:15; 5:1-2
         d. Our spiritual family (the church) is the only one that will
            survive death
      3. Of houses and lands
         a. Perhaps through fellow ties with other disciples - Ac 4:32
         b. Who opened their hearts and homes to one another (Mi casa es
            su casa)
         c. Like Aquila and Priscilla - Ac 18:1-3; 1Co 16:19; Ro 16:5
      -- Even now, through His church, there are great rewards for
         following Christ

   B. ETERNAL POSSESSIONS...
      1. Jesus spoke of eternal life "in the age to come" - Mk 10:30
      2. As Paul described, the gift of God to be received at "the end"
         - Ro 6:22-23; cf. Mt 25:46
      3. This eternal life includes the "people of God" - cf. Re 21:3
      4. This eternal life includes spiritual houses and lands
         a. The Father's house, in which there are many rooms - Jn 14:1-3
         a. A new heaven and a new earth - 2Pe 3:13; Re 21:1
         b. The holy city, New Jerusalem - Re 21:2,23-27
      -- What glorious rewards await those who follow Jesus to eternal
         life!

CONCLUSION

1. In Mark's account, Jesus also mentioned persecutions...
   a. Together with the rewards of following Jesus - Mk 10:30
   b. Leading some to view them as a reward rather than a cost of
      discipleship
   c. Those who suffer persecution are certainly blessed - Mt 5:10-12;
      Re 20:4-6

2. Jesus concludes:  "But many who are first will be last, and the last
   first"... - Mk 10:31
   a. Which is followed in Matthew's gospel with the parable of laborers
      in the vineyard - Mt 20:1-15
   b. And is repeated again after the parable - Mt 20:16
   c. Thus a cautionary warning not to serve the Lord with a mercenary
      spirit

Whatever the cost of discipleship, whether our service proves to be long
and hard or short and easy, the reward of discipleship more than makes
up for it.  As Paul (who suffered greatly for Christ) wrote:

   "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working
   for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we
   do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which
   are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the
   things which are not seen are eternal." - 2Co 4:17-18

May the words of Jesus in our text always remind us of the things that
are eternal, some to be enjoyed even in this age, others to be realized
in the age to come...

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011