From Gary... UN-BEARable

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 overwhelming. He 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

 

From Gary.... UN-Bearable

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 Gary... There is a rainbow behind you and a YES in your future

Life is full of problems; and they can be overwhelming at times.  Sometimes the world feels like its just closing in on you and there is no place to go to get away from all your troubles.  I imagine that is how this surfer must feel, but if he could only look behind him he would see something more that would give him strength; reassurance that everything will work out.  Take a minute and read this small bit of Scripture from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians and look for a rainbow...

2 Corinthians, Chapter 1

19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not “Yes and no,” but in him is “Yes.”  20 For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen”, to the glory of God through us. 

  21  Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God;  22 who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts. 

The "rainbow" in life is Jesus; HE is God's YES, when the things of this world say NO!!!  He is behind you, proving that God means what he says about loving you.  Talk is cheap, dying on a cross- now that is difficult.  But, the blessing has begun with our being sealed by the Holy Spirit who is a down-payment of the blessings yet to come.  We just have to continue riding whatever waves may come into our life by faith.  And BEFORE you ask-- No, God does not supply surfboards!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... The cross or the Christ on it?

The cross or the Christ on it?

There’s so much sin and pain and loss in the world that in his book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Rabbi Harold Kushner insisted there was only one question really worth talking about and that was why bad things happened to good people. I don’t think that’s correct but I certainly understand why he’d say such a thing. The issue of "undeserved suffering" is what atheists, agnostics and sceptics have been hammering on since they came into being. Of course, long before these arrived, believers were going on about the same issue (glance at the psalmists and prophets).

How can there be a good God with so much bad in the world? Hmmm. How can there be no God with Jesus Christ in the world? Yes, but what if there is a God and he is spiteful and cruel—like Zeus or one of these other mythical beings? You mean a God that created someone better than himself—Jesus Christ? Wouldn’t that be a turn up for the books—the creature is better than the Creator? I’m not offering Jesus Christ as a purely rational argument that God is and that he is good, but forty years ago Antony Flew said that the religious question wouldn’t be worth bothering with if it were not for "that one life lived" [Jesus]. We’ve always believed the same thing—haven’t we? Jesus Christ is not the conclusion of a syllogism; he isn’t a rational argument or a tradition. He is an historical reality, an experience and, simply by virtue of his being, he is the most profound reason possible for believing that this life is worth living.

His very presence in the world bathed our human existence with meaning and hope. From "the land of the Trinity" he journeyed and became one of us. Not merely like us but one of us. Taking his place in the stream of human life with all its pain and all its sin, he enabled and continues to enable us to believe that the whole Story of the world is not its sin and despair and its pain. His sinless, cheerful and assured life of hope says that our trust, though coupled with our many questions, is well grounded—"Believe in God, believe also in me." (Taking the verbs in John 14:1 to be imperatives—continue to believe.) But if people wish to profess that their unbelieving and unyielding despair rises out of their brilliance and rationality they need to explain Jesus Christ. Someone came into our world 2,000 years ago and since then we can’t look at a tree (or anything else, including suffering) without thinking of him (Chesterton).

The poets and all that have a heart understand the point I’m making. Charlie Chaplin wrote a beautiful song extolling human love. He called it, Love This is my Song. One of the lines in it says, "The world cannot be wrong if in this world there’s you." Chaplin knew what the pain of the world was but he also had an abiding sense that along with wrong and loss there was love and that gave meaning to a world we would have scrapped if it had been loveless.

So looking at the cross reminds us of the world’s great wrong but looking at the One on the cross reminds us of something else.

©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... Principles Of Evangelism

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                   Principles Of Evangelism (6:7-13)

INTRODUCTION

1. In Mk 6:7-13, we have Mark's account of "The Limited Commission"...
   a. A charge given to the apostles during the earthly ministry of
      Jesus - cf. Mt 10:1-5
   b. So-called because He limited their work to the house of Israel
      - Mt 10:5-6
   c. In which the Lord gave them instructions for fulfilling their
      mission

2. From the instructions of Jesus, we can glean some "Principles Of
   Evangelism"...
   a. Principles that helped them later carry out "The Great Commission"
      - cf. Mk 16:15
   b. Principles that can help us be more successful in evangelism today

[From our text, I want to point out at least four principles that Jesus
applied in sending out His apostles.  They are principles that I believe
can prove successful today.  The first one is...]

I. THE PRINCIPLE OF SYNERGY

   A. THE APOSTLES WERE TO GO TWO-BY-TWO...
      1. Mark's account is the only one to mention this - Mk 6:7
      2. A practice continued on other occasions...
         a. When Jesus sent out the seventy - Lk 10:1
         b. When the Spirit sent out Paul and Barnabas - Ac 13:2
         c. When Paul and Barnabas went their separate ways - Ac 15:36-40
      3. This illustrates the principle of synergy
         a. Synergy:  "The working together of two things (muscles or
            drugs for example) to produce an effect greater than the sum
            of their individual effects"
         b. Two or more working together can do more than by working
            separately
         1) They encourage one another, and help each other - cf. Ecc
            4:9-10
         2) A plurality of witnesses lend credibility to their story
            - cf. Jn 8:17
      -- Indeed, two are better than one

   B. MAKING APPLICATION TODAY...
      1. The practice of two or more preachers working together should
         be encouraged
         a. Especially in foreign fields or difficult areas
         b. Through the principle of synergy they can be effective in
            one area more quickly, and then move on to the next
         c. This is better than preachers working alone, struggling for
            years by themselves
      2. In one's own personal evangelism...
         a. Seek out a companion in the congregation with similar
            interests
         b. Go together in visiting, teaching home studies, etc.
      -- Whenever possible, find a co-worker!

[Perhaps much of the slow growth in evangelism today is a failure to
appreciate the principle of synergy which was applied by the Lord and
the early church.  Another principle to consider is...]

II. THE PRINCIPLE OF SUPPORT

   A. THE APOSTLES WERE ALLOWED SUPPORT...
      1. They were to depend on others - Mk 6:8-10
      2. Supported by those who willing to provide for them - cf. Lk 10:7-8
      3. This illustrates the principle of supporting workers
         a. Defended by Paul in 1Co 9:4-14
         b. Applied to elders who rule well - 1Ti 5:17-18
         c. Encouraged by John many years later - 3Jn 5-8
      -- This is how the gospel spread throughout the first century
         world

   B. MAKING APPLICATION TODAY...
      1. Preachers may rightly receive support for their labors
         a. It allows them to concentrate their efforts in matters of
            the gospel
         b. This support should come from Christians, and not as a means
            to accumulate wealth
      2. Churches have an important role in such support
         a. Churches can provide support of preachers - 2Co 11:8-9
         b. Much foreign evangelism goes undone today, not because
            preachers are unwilling to go, but because churches have not
            been willing to send and support - cf. Ro 10:15
      3. In one's own efforts...
         a. There is nothing limiting an individual from helping to
            support preachers
         b. While one might help support a local congregation's effort
            to send and support, one can also help through direct
            support
      -- If we are unable to teach, at least we can support those who
         do!

[Turning now to the actual proclamation of the good news, we read of
the...]

III. THE PRINCIPLE OF SELECTION

   A. THE APOSTLES WERE TO BE SELECTIVE...
      1. Preaching to those willing to listen - Mk 6:10
      2. But they were to "shake off the dust under your feet" when
         leaving a city that would not receive them or hear their words
         - Mk 6:11
      3. This illustrates the principle of selection
         a. We're told not to "cast your pearls before swine" - cf. Mt 7:6
         b. People judge themselves unworthy of the gospel by their lack
            of interest
            1) Paul was willing to preach again if people were
               interested- Ac 13:42-44
            2) But when people rejected the gospel, he turned elsewhere
               - Ac 13:45-46
      -- People judge themselves unworthy of eternal life by their
         disinterest

   B. MAKING APPLICATION TODAY...
      1. We are to preach the gospel to every creature - Mk 16:15
         a. But once people display lack of interest, we are not
            obligated to keep trying
         b. Rather than "cast our pearls" before those who don't
            appreciate it, we should move on
      2. Admittedly, there is room for judgment...
         a. As to how long we try to reach someone before going on
         b. Some may not show much interest at first, but do later on
      -- At some point, we need to turn to souls who show more interest!

The next principle is most essential...]

IV. THE PRINCIPLE OF SUBJECT

   A. THE APOSTLES WERE GIVEN A SUBJECT...
      1. In "The Limited Commission", the subject was "repent" - Mk 6:12
      2. It also included the kingdom of heaven - cf. Mt 10:7
      3. In "The Great Commission", it was expanded to include the
         gospel of Christ - Mk 16:15
         a. So Philip the evangelist preached when he went to Samaria
            - Ac 8:12
         b. So Paul preached in synagogues and from house to house - 

            Ac 19:8; 20:18-21,25; 28:23,30-31
      4. This illustrates what our subject should be
         a. It should always be the Word of God, the Gospel - Ro 1:16
         b. As Paul instructed Timothy:  "Preach the word!" - 2Ti 4:1-5
      -- The apostles faithfully proclaimed their subject

   B. MAKING APPLICATION TODAY...
      1. Preachers need to avoid things...
         a. Which entertain, rather than provide sound doctrine
         b. Based more upon the ideas of men, rather than the Word of
            God
         c. Text based, expository preaching can help keep preachers in
            the Word
      2. Churches should consider what message they are presenting to
         the lost...
         a. Is it the gospel of health and wealth, or the gospel of
            Christ?
         b. Are we call for people to become just church members, or
            disciples of Jesus?
      3. In one's own evangelism...
         a. Do not get sidetracked on various issues
         b. While many subjects may have their place, they may be
            "second principles" rather than "first principles"
      -- The lost need to know the gospel of Christ and His kingdom,
         first and foremost!

CONCLUSION

1. The apostles fulfilled their limited commission with great
   confirmation - Mk 6:12-13

2. "The Principles Of Evangelism" gleaned from our Lord's include...
   a. The principle of synergy
   b. The principle of support
   c. The principle of selection
   d. The principle of subject

3. These principles were later employed by the early church...
   a. Which may help explain the rapid spread of the gospel in the first
      century
   b. Which can still be useful to the Lord's church today

Could it be that failure to implement any of these may be reasons why
the church is not growing like it did then...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011