Posted by Pastor Pat on February 20, 2009
Read Mark 1:2-8
John the Baptist is the fulfillment of Malachi 3:1. He came as the forerunner to the arrival of King Jesus. He came to prepare the way by calling people to repentance and confession for the forgiveness of sin. John is a unique person. Although the role of prophet would continue after John, he is the last of his kind. After him a new order would begin. The simplicity of John’s life is compelling. He was one of only three life-time Nazarites (cf. Samson, Samuel). One of the arresting features of a life-long Nazarite was their vow never to cut their hair (Numbers 6). John was thirty years old when he appeared baptizing individuals in the Jordan. The imagery of a man with thirty years worth of hair wearing the garment of skin set him apart from the general populace. Anyone existing at that time in that geographical location fully understood what he represented.
John’s entire life consisted in his complete devotion to God by preparing the way of one who was coming. This marked him and his ministry. Nothing John did detracted from this singular pursuit. The text before us highlights three aspects of John’s ministry (Mark 1:2-8): the source of his authority, the nature his ministry, and the quality of his humility.
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Posted by Pastor Pat on February 14, 2009
Read Mark 1:1
Mark’s Gospel account is a continuation of a story-line that began before the foundations of the world were poured. It is the fulfillment of promises made by God to Himself that would benefit all people in general and His people in particular. It is the story of Jesus Christ. Mark directly identifies the person and work of Jesus Christ as gospel. The word “gospel” gets lost to us modern readers. The word itself is from the Old English god-spell “good tidings or good news” as a translation of the Greek word euaggelion as used in the New Testament. It is not a word that is found in the Old Testament, but was clearly present in idea. What Mark and the entire New Testament endeavors to do is help us see that Jesus Christ is the gospel. He is the good news.
Although there is consent as to the statement, “Jesus Christ is the gospel,” there is always a present danger of putting our hope and confidence in something other than Jesus Christ. Perhaps it is education, or better employment, or a different spouse, or better behaved children. Even in the manner of how we present the “gospel” can become errant. We have made the gospel an A-B-C proposition, as if the gospel were a 3-step program. What we have learned in the past and what we will hear again in this text is simple: “Jesus Christ is the gospel.” But why is Jesus Christ good news?
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Posted by Pastor Pat on February 2, 2009
As we continue to work through the book of Galatians we have encountered the dichotomy between grace and law. To be in and under grace is to be free in Christ. To be in and under law is to be in bondage and slavery. We have used the term legalist to describe those who are in and under law, yet what do we mean by “legalism?” Warren Wiersbe gives us this clear definition of legalism.
We must keep in mind that legalism does not mean the setting of spiritual standards; it means worshiping these standards and thinking that we are spiritual because we obey them. It also means judging other believers on the basis of these standards. The old nature loves legalism, because it gives the old nature a chance to ‘look good.’ (Wiersbe, Galatians, 108-109).
Thus, legalism is not what you do it is why you do it that makes you a legalist. John Piper correctly notes that “legalism is present whenever a person is trying to be ethical in his own strength.” He equally argues that legalism is present whenever we try to make other people ethical through conformity to rules. In so doing we are lacking confidence in the sovereign power of God to complete that which He alone began and He alone can finish. (Piper, Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, 153-155).
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Posted by Pastor Pat on
The word “clothed” in the text before us is used of putting on a garment such as John the Baptist being “clothed with camel’s hair” (Mark 1:6) or the father clothing the prodigal son with his “best robe” (Luke 15:22) or of Herod being “arrayed in royal apparel” (Acts 12:21). Throughout the Gospels and Acts it is used almost exclusively in this way of putting on a physical garment.
Paul, however, uses it to describe the Christian life. In fact apart from Revelation 1:13; 15:6 and 19:14 Paul is the only writer to use the word once we leave the Gospels and Acts. I have listed each of the occurrences by its grammatical description. Once you look at the grammatical description certain elements become evident.
Aorist Middle Imperative
Romans 13:14 “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”
Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”
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