One of my favorite things to do is to help others learn how to read the Bible better. Not that I have it all figured out but I like to try and help. One of the most helpful things in Bible study is the use of a concordance. Yep! Why would I say that? Because the Bible is a book made up of many books that are in unity. It is a singular story written by One divine Author along with many human authors over the span of thousands of years. To follow the storyline, one must connect the dots throughout the Scriptures. One of the major ways we do that is through words. Words link the stories and it would do us well to find out which ones help us understand the larger context.

With that said, I’d like to apply that to our devotion in Mark 10, today. Without quoting the entire passage, let me isolate two verses from the Parable of the Sower to make a connection to Bartaemaus. “The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them” (Mk. 4:14-15). If you are like me, you probably concluded that seed sown along the path doesn’t have any hope. It is impossible for seed to sprout and grow in conditions like that. It is “beside the road” where the soil is packed and hard from the traffic. The soil is so hard, the seed just lays on top and the birds come along and take it away.

But why would Jesus teach us to sow seed in these places if there was no hope? Well, as I see it, every soil is impossible apart from the Lord. Salvation is a miracle performed each and every time by Jesus himself. So, we can indiscrimentily sow the gospel on every soil and trust the Lord to do what only he can do.

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

(Mk. 4:26-29)

You also might conclude from Mark 10 that if the Rich Young Ruler cannot be saved, then who can? We should understand there is a greater difficulty that comes with the rich but we must also understand that every person or every soil is impossible but not with God! “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mk. 10:27).

It is no accident that Mark places the foretelling of Jesus’s sufferings after the story of the Rich Young Ruler and before the story of blind Bartimaeus. The cross and resurrection of Jesus changes everything! The work of Christ gives hope for sowing and it gives hope for the hard, packed soil beside the road to sprout seed!

Here’s where the word(s) connection helps us see all of this. Let me quote the passage and then try to make the connection. Keep an eye on the underlined parts.

And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

(Mk. 10:46-52)

Bartimaeus is soil “beside the road.” The naysayers are attempting to take away the seed that most certainly had been sown. Why would Bartimaeus perk up when he heard Jesus of Nazareth was coming? He had heard! Will the birds or Satan take away the seed? Probably so if it were not for Jesus. Notice this miracle is more than a physical healing. Indeed, we can say his spiritual blindness was healed as well. Take note of what happened: “he recovered his sight and FOLLOWED him ON THE WAY!”

That seed that fell beside the road ended up on the right path! Jesus is THE way (or road or path), the truth and the life. Bartimaeus is now a follower of Christ because of the mercy and grace of Jesus! Isn’t that amazing!

I hope this will encourage you to sow word even when it appears impossible. But also, I hope you are moved to praise that God would love you like this! Praise be to his glorious grace! Soli Deo Gloria!

I am a little behind in my reading and writing. Out of chapters 7-9, if I could pick one section to write about it would be 8:34-38. I say this because I think many people will call this section extra-level Christianity or an unnecessary step if you aren’t that serious. They says this is for the pastors and missionaries. Those same people might also say that it’s perfectly okay to have Jesus as Savior but totally optional to have Jesus as Lord of their life.

If I could plead with you to think otherwise…please see this section as at the heart of the gospel. Your soul is at stake in how you understand this passage. Because Savior and Lord cannot be separated. Why do I say this? Because there is another common thought about texts like this. Some will say this is a second experience at which time they decide to make Jesus Lord. This is not a second experience! It is the only experience. With that said, let’s take a look at this passage.

Jesus calls anyone to follow him. This is a rebuttal of everything Peter wanted in his idea of a messiah. Power. Comfort. Gain. Self-preservation. Honor. Jesus the Christ explains what it means to set one’s mind on the things of God.

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone [desires to follow behind me], let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Mark 8:34-38

All of the disciples are in danger of wanting what Peter tried to persuade Jesus to do. Thus, he calls them to himself. Jesus unpacks Peter’s rebuke with the opposite of what EVERYONE IN THE WORLD really wants and is coming. But gain comes through death.

Verse 34 gives us what is demanded for a disciple of Christ. To follow behind Jesus means to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow. These are three commands defining what it means to believe in Jesus…to walk with Jesus…and to have a saving relationship with him. Peter wanted a present (but temporary) messiah/king who would free Israel from Rome and reestablish Israel’s kingdom with power, peace and comfort under the mighty hand of King Jesus. Jesus didn’t come to free them from Rome, he came to free them from their sin. All peoples and nations could then come into his new eternal Kingdom through his death and resurrection by repentance and faith.

Four reasons for the commands to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus.

Because saving your life now…in this life will lead to losing it in the end. Satan would have you die protecting your pleasures and comforts. He would have you be enamored with self-preservation and fear of what the future holds. Better to deny yourself of these brief pleasures and comforts for pleasures and comforts forever with Jesus. Better to lose your life now for the sake of Jesus and the gospel and save it in the end.

Second reason. Here’s another question for you. What if Jesus took over the world but never dealt with the sin problem? What if he gained the whole world as supreme leader with all earthly power and all earthly wealth and all honor and fame yet died without dealing with your sin? It says you will forfeit your soul. It matters that Jesus deals with the most important issue, which is our sin.

Third reason. Another question in light of the last question. What if you gained the whole world and all its wealth what could that man give in return for his soul? Only the blood of the cross of Christ can purchase a soul. The answer is nothing. That’s why we need the Messiah who is the Suffering Servant who was rejected and killed but raised that we might have hope.

Now the fourth. Denying self. Taking up your cross. And following Jesus is taking on the identity of Jesus and the shame that comes along with it in this world. And not just the person of Jesus but also his words…all of them. To be ashamed of Jesus and the gospel will result in Jesus being ashamed of you at the judgment when he come in the glory of his Father. Be shamed for Christ now and you will be with him forever in glory.

A confession that this Jesus is our Savior and Lord, bids us to come and follow the Suffering Servant. It bids us to come in behind the Suffering One BY denying ourselves and taking up his cross and continually following him. It bids us to lose our lives now for the sake of Jesus and the gospel’s and we will save it.

Repentance is the breaking of allegiances with everything in your life. You deny it all. Break fellowship with it all. It is dying to self by dying to your dreams and aspirations and living your life behind the Good Shepherd leading you to green pastures of eternal life. You forfeit your life to join Jesus in the glory of his Kingdom forever!

That’s not loss but gain! Is this the Jesus you are confessing and following? Are you following behind him? Did you sing with full knowledge and joy that line in A Mighty Fortress, “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also, the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still”?

Again, I am so blessed to have people in my life that display what it looks like to follow hard after Jesus in such practical and humble ways. I’m glad to have my brother in Christ and friend, Shep Schaefer, share what sojourning with the Good Shephard looks like. Thank you, brother for this guest post. I hope you are encouraged as much as I was.

This is what a good day looks like.

To put it simply, on a good day, I walk with my Lord. Poorly. Feebly. Wanderingly. I’m a slow, easily distracted sheep. I fall behind. I catch up. I fall behind. But I hear my Shepherd, and I tumble after him.

To put it simply, on a good day, I talk with Jesus like a friend (John 15:15). I say, from my knees, “Good morning, Jesus. Let’s spend the day together, please.”

On a good day, I thank Him for little things. I don’t want a million dollars. I want a nail that goes in straight on the first try, and when that happens, I thank Him. Did he guide my hand? I don’t know. But he made me, fearfully and wonderfully, and He made the iron in the nail, and I’m thankful.

On a good day, I hear a voice that tells me, don’t complain that someone left dirty dishes in the sink. Rejoice that you have dishes to wash. Rejoice that you get to serve others, in a tiny, imperfect image of the way Jesus came to serve you and everyone else.

On a good day, I hear a voice before I speak, and kind words come out of my mouth, instead of grumpy, irritated words.

On a good day, sweating in the heat over some work, I feel a breeze, and I think of the Holy Spirit, the Helper. Not that I think He sent the breeze to cool me down, though maybe that’s the case. He does love me, after all, and I believe that God is in this world. I don’t believe in a Great Geometer who set things in motion and then left it all alone. So maybe He sends a breeze to make me think of Him. Maybe not. But either way, on a good day, I do think of Him. I remember that the Creator of the very universe loves me, and not in some abstract way. He knows me, and—despite that—He loves me, and I’m thankful.

On a good day, I have a hymn in my head. On a good day, the odds-and-ends happenings of life make me think of scripture. On a good day, I see a sparrow, and I think about Jesus saying that one shall not fall to the ground without the Father, and I am of more value than many sparrows (Matt 10:29-31).

On a good day, I’m a soldier for Christ. I obey orders. I do what I’m told, not out of fear, but because I want to do what I’m told, because I find deep joy in doing things His way. I want to follow Jesus, my captain. I want to be like Joshua and ask, “What saith the Lord unto his servant?” (Joshua 5:13-15)

On a good day, I am a child, humble, obedient, teachable.

On a good day, I follow my shepherd. I hear His voice, and I know it. He calls me by my name, and I hear him, and I follow.

That’s what a good day looks like.

On the other days, I’m the one in charge. I’m a grown-up, not a child. I’m the commander, the shepherd of my own life. Or at least I act like I am. I worry about the dishes and the bills, and I worry about this world as if I belong here, as if this is my home. I’m a little lily of the field, imagining that my toiling and my spinning clothe me (Matthew 6:25-35). On those days, I don’t talk to Jesus except just before meals and at bed time. Jesus is with me, as always, but I am far, far away.

Lord, Jesus, my Savior, my shepherd, my commander, let all my days be good days. Fill them with dirty dishes and bills and bent nails as you see fit, but fill my heart and my mind and all my soul with a hunger for you.

 As I promised a few days ago, I have a guest post for you on some of the connection to Isaiah 40 as well as some others. This guest is very special to me. This was written by my daughter, Lydia. It encouraged me greatly when I first heard it during a conversation. I promptly asked if she would write a guest post for me. Well, here it is. I hope you are encouraged as well.

       I recently read an article entitled, “God Made You a Writer.” It brought up some really interesting points about how all Christians are writers because God is a writer. And that is true—God wrote the ultimate story of the Bible in the most intentional and purposeful way. From Genesis to Revelation, He weaves His plan and His promises in and throughout every detail, every word, and every person. The past few weeks, I’ve been really amazed by the connection between the Old Testament promises and the New Testament fulfillment of those promises that we see in Jesus.

            Since Mark 1 begins with Isaiah 40, I went there first. I noticed that a large part of the chapter was devoted to describing the greatness and holiness of God. Yet, in the same chapter, the same God who cannot allow sin to go unpunished promises this-

“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned.” (verses 1-2)

Isaiah also speaks of God as a shepherd who gathers and gently carries His flock-

“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (verse 11)

But because He is a holy God, He cannot allow our sin to be excused and still love us and dwell with us—and we were made to dwell with Him.

And yet, over and over and over He promises hope. From the beginning, He had a plan in place to save His people. Isaiah 40 asks repeatedly,

“Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?” (verse 21)

It’s as if He is saying to His people, “Have you not seen the works I have done? How I have rescued you, provided for you, and cared for you as my children? Have you not heard my promises for generations to save you? Have you not seen my faithfulness displayed?”

I want to take you back to Genesis 22 for a moment. Abraham and his son Isaac are going up the mountain to offer a sacrifice to the Lord, and Isaac asks his father, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham answers, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” Later on, when Abraham is about to sacrifice his son, he is stopped by the angel of the Lord—his son is pardoned. But it cannot end there.

“And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide.” (verses 7-8, 13-14)

Isaiah 40 ends with the promise that the Lord saves those who wait for Him, and I think waiting means having faith here. Waiting for His promises to be fulfilled, believing that He will do what he said He would do. Those who believed waited for a long time. Generation after generation of waiting.

I am reminded of what the Lord says to Habakkuk: “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your day that you would not believe if told.” (1:5)

And yet, in His grace, He did tell us. The Old Testament is a story where everything leads to Jesus. Piece by piece, person by person, prophecy by prophecy, the Lord spoke through the darkness a plan that would save His people forever.

Mark 1 continues- “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins… After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit…

In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (verses 4, 7-11)

This is how our iniquity can be pardoned. This is how we can dwell with God—He came to us. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which means, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Behold, the ram caught in a thicket.

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

Here is the long-awaited promise fulfilled, here is the eternal salvation, the permanent sacrifice, the Way that the Lord provided to give us life and freedom, if we repent and believe in Him.

Seeing all of these connections made me realize again how deep the Father’s love is for His children. I feel amazed and unworthy and thankful for His grace. His faithfulness to keep His promises and His intentionality in His Word encourages me to press on to know, love, and trust Him more, and live my life in an intentional way that reflects His grace and glory. Sometimes believing that He is good and faithful is hard, or the world feels overwhelming, and that’s when I run back to His Word, and I see again how every detail has a purpose, how He kept every promise, and how every one of my sins is covered by His grace because, and only because, of Jesus.  

All glory be to Christ.

I needed reminding of this truth before moving on to ch. 7, today. What I want to encourage you to do and know about this passage of Jesus walking on the water is this: don’t leave without Jesus. That’s right. I don’t think the disciples should have left without Jesus, but they had more things to learn, as do we all. They need Jesus and so do we. As it were during his ministry, Jesus could only be with his disciples if he were physical near them. Of course, that changes after the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. He can then send the Spirit to be with them!

Your first response might be, “Are you saying they should have disobeyed Jesus?” Well, let me answer that with a similar text and let’s see what happened when God sends him/them on without Him.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ “I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. “Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.”

(Exod. 33:1-3)

Notice that the LORD told Moses to go on without Him and He would send and angel ahead of them into the Land to drive out all their enemies. The LORD does not intend to go with them because they are hard-hearted people and He might have to destroy them on the way. Was Moses okay with this? Did he obey the LORD? Well, Moses goes to the tent of meeting.

Then Moses said to the LORD, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ “Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. “For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?”

(Exod. 33:12-16)

Moses will not leave without the LORD. You can easily see why! To save some time, I’m going to assume you get what I mean and apply this to the disciples’ situation. In the passage, their hearts are hardened from the incident with the loaves in the wilderness when Jesus fed 5,000. T’hey had not learned anything from that glorious event. They were (and we are) very much like Israel while they were in the wilderness.

I think of Moses often. He seemed to be very bold with the LORD. It seemed that because of God’s favor/grace he would come boldly to the throne of grace! I think the disciples should have plead with Jesus not to send them away without him. They had The Tent of Meeting right there before them.

Jesus saw them struggling out in the middle of the sea. The wind was against them mightily. I wonder who summoned the wind? And though Jesus went to them, he intended to pass by them. Why? I think he wanted to see if they would call on him and in his grace had sent the wind and came near enough to them to be seen! Wow! That’s amazing love!

Let me plead with myself and with you…do not leave without Jesus! Pray! Go to The Tent of Meeting, the Holy Spirit dwells within you! Do not begin the day or anything without Jesus! Life is a test…everyday is a test. Prayerlessness might be a sign of hard-heartedness. Believe! See! Come boldly to the throne of grace! Don’t leave without Jesus!

I have long been acquainted with this man’s plight. None of us ever think we are so bad as this but when I read this story I feel like it describes me better than any other. Of course, this is a looking back on my life rather than having noticed this about myself. You probably have apprehensions whether to continue reading after hearing this and I wouldn’t blame you. I didn’t like what I saw in my past either.

I can’t describe how my life relates exactly to this poor man but I feel a deep sense of compassion for him. I would have wanted to help him through it all but I know, like myself, he needed Jesus to step into his life and perform a miracle. The sheer power of Jesus and the gospel in this story are put on display and gloriously amazing.

I was fortunate to have met a man by the name of Richard Owen Roberts. I had read one of his books on revival and was able to attend a revival that he was preaching. After the service, some of us had the opportunity to have coffee together at one of the local restaurants. I had planned only to listen. I was too nervous to say anything. But after some time of various conversations, he asked me what my story was.

I began to relate to him how I had went through repeating the prayer and being baptized about three times but by God’s grace had come to realize that I had never really repented and followed Jesus. I somehow had in my mind that the prayer (or incantation) would fix me and keep me from perishing forever. I really never wanted to follow Jesus. The best I can remember, I wanted to be saved and do whatever I wanted.

After relating my story to him, he was thrilled to hear how the Lord had saved me. And then he said something like this: “A thousand demons were overpowered when Jesus saved you.” I think he means to say that the enemy had me pretty wrapped up in myself and very confused (blinded, actually) about my identity and salvation. The god of this world did not win. God turned the Light on and darkness scattered.

When the Gerasene Demoniac encounters the Son of God and is freed from the powers of evil, the image of him…sitting…clothed…in his right mind causes me to weep. I’m so thankful he is free! I am so thankful that I am free! I’d like to meet this man someday. I think we will have many things in common.

My tears only increase as I read, for when he wants to go…be…with Jesus my heart begs for Jesus to allow him to accompany them. Yet, Jesus has something for him to do. This man has a story to tell. Christ sends him to the Decapolis to tell them how God had mercy on him. Though the people of that area asked Jesus to leave, they did not ask this man to leave. But Jesus remained there by leaving himself in this new believer.

The next time Jesus embarks on their shores things were very different.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

(Mk. 6:53-56)

I can’t help but think this had much to do with the witness he left in this changed man! He was a new creation! He was different, to say the least. I bet, however, that some who recognized this man as the one from the tombs were still afraid of him and would not listen to his story of the gospel. We must remember, they/we do not believe the gospel because we SEE a miracle but rather when the miracle happens to us!

Have your chain fallen off? Is your heart free? Are you following Jesus? You can be free today! SEE Jesus…repent and believe and follow! Let this be the new song of your soul!

The land was created for man to inhabit but not the seas! The seas are dangerous and deadly. They are unpredictable and uncontrollable. If you venture on its waters, you knowingly subject yourself to its forces. The sea has been used for traveling but its most often use, now, is for the catch. Many have braved its surface and did not live to tell of its power.

Mark 4 ends on a storm-tossed sea. It violent winds bring fear to Jesus’s disciples. But the storm isn’t for nothing. It’s intended to reveal Jesus’s identity. Some like to spend their time trying to discover the weather pattern that caused these tumultuous waves but if you do you might miss the point.

Let’s cut right to the chase. The disciples are in dreadful fear of their lives while Jesus is asleep. They awake him and question whether he cares that they are about to perish. I can tell you, Jesus is far more concerned about your faith than your comfort. But with no effort whatsoever Jesus speaks to the waves and demands they “hush, be still.” The sea obeys his voice and becomes “perfectly calm.”

With Mark’s purpose in mind—The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. – Mark 1:1—what has Mark proved with this story? First, let’s hear the response of the disciples—And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” – Mark 4:41. You should be asking the same question.

You might conclude from this scene alone that only God, the Creator, can speak to his creation and it obeys. And you would be correct. That means you must conclude that Jesus is God. But maybe you need more evidence and I think you should have all the evidence possible to make your decision.

Let’s see if we can find another place to confirm our conclusions. Certainly it’s worth your time to read this entire psalm but take note of this section:

23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters;
24 they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!

Psalm 107:23-31

The LORD raised the stormy wind that these men might come to their wits’ end so that they would then call on the LORD and be delivered for the purpose of giving the LORD thanks for His steadfast love.

First, notice the LORD is sovereign over the wind and sea. He makes it toss about and He alone calms it. If Jesus does the same thing then that means he is the LORD. But you might be thinking this whole scene doesn’t appear to be steadfast love. But that’s in fact what it is.

The most loving thing God can do is to reveal Himself to you so that you can be delivered by Him. The storm resulted in their salvation. I can’t help but think that is love. And the best gift we can have is God’s love. He loves us by revealing Himself and not withholding that which is most valuable to us.

The calming of the sea in Mark 4 reveals that Jesus is in fact the Son of God. In him our fears will be calmed and our souls will be saved. The storm was a gift for us to see who Jesus is! Let us run to him to be delivered from the penalty of our sin for he really does care for us. And when he does let us give him thanks and live for his glory!

Go and explain these stories to someone, today, so that they might be delivered and give him praise!

I’m so thankful for the gifts God’s has given me through the years to have such encouraging people around me. It is a joy to see the gifts God has given to others and to be able to share that with you all, today. This is a guest post from the student minister at FBC Fulton, Ky–Alex Robinson.

When I read it this morning, I was convicted and left with hopefulness beyond measure in the grace of the Lord. I guess spending so much time recently in the letters to the Corinthians and by the work of the Holy Spirit caused me to think of these verses after reading this post.

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

(2 Cor. 5:14-15)

I hope you will benefit as much as I did from this. Enjoy!

Lovers of self. Proud. Arrogant. Ungrateful. Swollen with conceit. These are just a few of the descriptions that Paul gives to Timothy (2 Tim. 3) regarding how people will be in the last days. Ouch! C.H. Spurgeon once described pride as the “first-born son of hell” and said it is indeed like its parent.^[1] Have you ever been guilty of this vice? I dare say you’re a liar if you say no and at once you are guilty of the very thing you profess not to have. Our pride is the one thing we are quick to hide yet also the one thing that comes out of us so frequently in our selfish actions. It is the impulse within us to ignore the world around us and the God who created us and go our own way. I speak from experience. Oh, how often I’ve been caught in the pangs of pride and selfishness. This battle carries on each day of my life. So, I do not write as one who has mastered this grievous appetite for self-exaltation but as one who daily wages war against it.

We are self- loving creatures. This ancient foe has been crafted to pull in a great multitude of the faithful people of God and you and I better be on guard that we are not swayed by its falsehood. Many great men of God have been pulled away from the ministry by committing grievous sins, but I contend that many more have been swept away by this one. Even in our attempt at piety, we fall on the rocks of pride. We come from a long line of people who have given themselves over to pride. It starts with an angel who was not content with the glories of heaven- all because those glories were not his own. Our first parents loved themselves and believed the lie that they could “be like God” and so they sought their own glory rather than the glory of their creator. Sound familiar? Of course, it does- first because you have seen it in the word of God over and over. You’ve been warned by example and by exhortation. Yet a very close second, this sounds familiar because you have witnessed it in your own heart. We tend quickly to turn inward. Our world is of no help as it exclaims things like “listen to your heart”, “love yourself” and “take care of #1”. Our hearts are wicked and deceitful, and this is where this love of self originates.

Why do you exist? If you listen to your wicked heart, you might say, “I exist to make much of myself” although your heart is so deceitful, you’d never admit it with your words, but your actions well demonstrate it. You put yourself first many times each day. You think of yourself more than you think of God and others. You even carry out religious acts with prideful, selfish motives undergirding those acts. You love yourself. You’re proud. You’re arrogant. You’re ungrateful. You’re swollen with conceit. What is the consequence for this kind of living? Destruction. Proverbs 16:18 reminds us that “pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Is that not what happened to Adam and Eve in the garden? Now we refer to their prideful sinning as the Fall of man.

How can we be rescued of this great evil that seeks to destroy us? How can we turn from thinking we exist for ourselves and behold the true reason for our existence? The grace of God is the answer. This is our great need in our lowly condition. This grace and mercy of our God that comes to us in Christ Jesus is what we need. Our God bids us to cry out to Him. He calls us to feel ourselves lost, ruined and undone. To feel and sing “nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling.” To realize our helpless estate and be deceived by our pride no longer. That we are creatures made from the dirt and we deserve nothing good from God for our glory- robbing. We cannot bring rescue to our wicked souls. We must see ourselves bankrupt.

So, lovers of self, this is the call to be free. To live without the constant pressure to impress. To live not for a glory that is fading but one that will outlast all of man’s glory put together. To cast yourself wholly upon the merits of Jesus Christ and realize you have none of your own. This is the gift of God, but this gift is one he gives to humble men, women, boys and girls. He says over and over again that it is the humble that he gives His grace to, but it is the proud and arrogant whom he resists. May God graciously give us the gift of self- de- exaltation and usher us into the joy that comes from living lives that exalt the only one worthy of all praise, power, honor and glory. May he give us eyes that look to the savior who left the comforts and glories of heaven and condescended to meet us in flesh on this sin- torn earth. He made his estate with lowly sinners and died that they may be set free from lives wasted on their own fleeting glory. Now though, he is exalted in the heavens as the one who will be gloried in for all eternity.  By His grace, may he bring us from where we esteemed him not to where we humbly bow before his glorious throne. Whether we bow now or not, we will bow on that day when every knee should bow and tongue confess that He is Lord- to the Glory of God. With our words (tongue) and with our actions (knee) we will one day finally be humbled. Fellow sinner, I bid you to be humbled today under the mighty hand of God, whatever it takes, so that you will on that day rejoice and worship in your de exaltation and his eternal exaltation!

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^[1] C. H. Spurgeon, “Pride and Humility,” in The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, vol. 2 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1856), 346.

Here are the commentaries and books that I have found helpful. It’s strange. None of them were my go to commentary. Each one has its own strengths and weaknesses. One week this one or that one was helpful. Anyway, I hope these help you as you dig deeper!

The Pillar commentary by Edwards is very good at emphasizing discipleship, by the way!

There is an open enrollment into the Kingdom of God through the gospel. I use that analogy of an open enrollment because we understand that to mean that I can get in no matter what preexisting diseases we might have. It also means no matter my age. That analogy applies to the Kingdom like this: I don’t have to get rid of my sin before enrolling in the Kingdom. I come to Jesus with all my preexisting sin and he heals me…forgives me…cleanses me through the glorious gospel.

When Billy Graham passed away, I heard a lot of things like, “If he didn’t get in, nobody will get in.” I can’t help but give thanks for the life of faithfulness we have seen in Billy Graham. But he didn’t get in because of how many sermons he had preached or because of how many people he had led to the Lord. The only reason Billy Graham or anybody gets in is because of Jesus and Jesus alone. His life gave evidence of his trust in Christ. It was only by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Jesus opens the door of the Kingdom to anyone…no matter how bad.

Jesus is not a “talking head” who sits around Capernaum basking in his popularity. His agent is not setting up book signings or interviews with the Jerusalem Journal. There is no news of this new fame leading him into corruption as is so often the case. The crowds do not persuade Jesus. He is not calling for those who have benefited from his ministry to send him money so that he can purchase a private jet…or building buildings for his new headquarters. Jesus is going about preaching the gospel.

“And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them” (Mk. 2:13). This was (and is) the means to advancing the Kingdom. Yet, the gospel demands a response. Not only did Jesus instruct his disciples by teaching, he also taught them by his actions. They needed to see him go after the outcasts and outsiders of the world. The untouchables were the very ones Jesus touched!

As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him (Mk. 2:14).

This brings up an important part of following Jesus and advancing the Kingdom. To do so, we must tell the gospel to people. Though it is best that our lives not distract or discredit the gospel in any way, most often our lives are a clear testimony to the world of our NEED of the gospel. Don’t ever think that your life communicates clearly the gospel. By all means, strive for holiness but by all means speak the gospel. Never default to this common church sign lingo:

Levi needed Jesus! But Levi would not have followed had not Jesus commanded him to follow! No one has ever believed the gospel apart from either hearing it from a witness or reading it in print.

And, it was the despised of the world Jesus called to follow. Levi (Matthew) was similar to how many feel about TSA agents or meter maids. This causes us to ask, “What is required to follow Jesus?” Does Jesus ask Levi to go get cleaned up first? The absence of requirements lends me to believe that no cleanup is required. Some people have hang-ups that keep them from coming to Jesus. They can’t seem to shake them and they think Jesus will not accept them just as they are. If it is true that you must tidy the house before letting Jesus in…how much cleaning is required? What if he opens the closet? He knows what’s in the closet. It seems clear that what is required is seeing your need for forgiveness. We see Jesus forgiving this sinner of sinners. Jesus meets all the requirements.

Levi’s experience is much like Zacchaeus’. Oddly enough, Jesus didn’t ask him to straighten up but BEFORE following.

And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”

Luke 19:2-8

Notice, Jesus is saying the same to this tax collector—follow me. He does not tell him to give to poor and restore what was defrauded. The result of Zacchaeus receiving Jesus happens after the receiving…not before.

When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

(Mk. 2:16-17)

This scene at Levi’s house reminds me of another scene that seems to explain what might have been going on here. See what you think.

And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

(Lk. 18:9-14)

James Edwards comments: “The fact that Jesus can be found in the company of people such as Levi reminds us of the difference between his mission and that of the scribes. They come to enlighten; he comes to redeem. Given that mission, it is as senseless for Jesus to shun tax collectors and sinners as for a doctor to shun the sick. The grace of God extends to and overcomes the worst forms of human depravity. Ironically, in one sense great sinners stand closer to God than those who think themselves righteous, for sinners are more aware of their need of the transforming grace of God.”

Come follow Jesus, dear sinner! You will not be disappointed! Jesus is, indeed, enough!

What is your mission in life? Are you calling people to follow Jesus? Are you making disciples? Do not despise the outcasts of the world. Do not think Jesus cannot save the worst of sinners.