Monday, October 20 - by Pamela

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Hebrews 5, Ecclesiastes 7, Jeremiah 35-36 

Today's scripture focus is: Mark 9:42-50

Temptations to Sin

⁴² “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,^[a] it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell,^[b]to the unquenchable fire.^[c] 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. ⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,⁴⁸ ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ ⁴⁹ For everyone will be salted with fire.^[d] 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

We are sinful. We are separated from God by our sin. This passage speaks to the severity of sin. John MacArthur says:

This is a very unique portion of Scripture. It is full of graphic terminology, dramatic acts, severe warnings and rather violent threats. It really is a passage about radical discipleship and the language bears testimony to that. It calls for radical behaviors. And it shows us just how radical it is to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

Our Lord here, in these verses, is calling for radical discipleship. I think this is a message that is highly necessary for the day in which we live when under the name of Christianity and even evangelical Christianity, there is so much superficiality. The language here is severe, extreme, fanatical and radical language. And that fits the radical nature of our Lord’s invitation to true discipleship.

What does it mean to a radical disciple? John MacArthur says:

When we think of something radical, we think of something revolutionary, or something severe, or as I mentioned, something fanatical. But really the word is both. It is a word that refers to something that is fundamental and fanatical, that is intrinsic and intensive, that is essential and extreme. Therefore, it is a great word to use as an adjective for a discipleship because discipleship is something fundamental fanatical, something intrinsic and intensive, something essential and something extreme. The basics of being a disciple are really radical.

Now such a call to radical discipleship, as we have just read in this passage, is not new to the ministry of our Lord. It is consistent with the ministry of our Lord. Our Lord has had an evangelistic ministry. He has been calling people, inviting people into the Kingdom of heaven, into the realm of salvation, to come, repent of their sins, believe in Him, receive forgiveness and eternal life and become His disciples, His true follower. But His calls have been very radical. He has told people they need to repent of their sins. They need to turn from their sins. He has told them they have to deny themselves. They have to be willing to forsake all family ties, all earthly relationships, hate your father, your mother, your sister, your brother and hate even your own life. He has told them that it may be the forfeiture of their money, the forfeiture of their earthly future, certainly the control of their life. They are to be willing to die, maybe even be crucified and then to follow Him in total submission. This is radical discipleship and this is radical salvation. 

Radical discipleship. Radical salvation. They go hand in hand. Our separation from God as a result of sin is not something that is easily wiped away. God's plan to save us from the punishment of sin was totally radical in every sense. God chose to send His son....as a baby...to live in an imperfect world...as a perfect son of God and then be crucified for my sin and your sin and everyone's sin so that we can live in Heaven....it actually is radical and unbelievable. This warrants a radical following. We need to make sure that we are leading others to Christ by our words and actions and not leading others to sin and against what God has ordained.  John MacArthur suggests:

How is it that we can lead others into sin? I can give you four simple, general answers to that question. Number one, by direct temptation. You all understand that. You tempt somebody to sin, you invite someone to sin, you invite them to sin morally against the laws of God, against the commandments of our Lord by direct solicitation. You invite people to lie, to gossip, to cheat. You invite people to love the world, you draw them in to ungodly enterprise as activities, entertainment, whatever. You understand that.

But there’s a second way, and that’s by indirect temptation. You provoke them to jealousy by flaunting what you have. You…you provoke them to anger by indifference or unkindness, like your children, you know, Ephesians 6:4, “Provoke not your children to wrath,” by inattention, lack of affection, lack of forgiveness, lack of kindness, overbearing expectations. You can do it directly or indirectly.

Thirdly, another way that you can cause people to stumble is by setting a sinful example, simply by doing things that people see that are sinful which path they perhaps will follow. Romans 14, it can be flaunting your liberty which will then lead someone else to do the same but because that conscience has not yet been liberated to understand the full freedoms in Christ, Paul says, it’s destructive because this is training a person to violate conscience and that has a very bad outcome. You have to be careful of the example that you set. Just when you don’t think people are watching, the truth is, they are.

So either by direct temptation, indirect temptation, by setting a sinful example, or maybe, fourthly, by just failing to stimulate righteousness. Failing to encourage godliness, what does the church do when it comes together? Stimulating one another to love and good works, Hebrews 10:24 and 25, “and much the more to see the day approaching.”

So in any of these ways, overlapping, intertwined ways, we can lead others to sin. And our Lord says, “You’d be better off to die a horrible death than to do that.” This is…this is the strongest threat that ever came out of the mouth of Jesus to His own people and it calls for radical love and love seeks someone’s best, love seeks to elevate, love seeks to purify, love seeks to bless. 

We are human. We all fall short and we all have sinned and most likely participated in one of the above ways of causing others to sin too. Thankfully, God gives his grace in abundance to those who repent. That is truly radical.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Mark 10:1-12

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Hebrews 6, Ecclesiastes 8, Jeremiah 37-38

Friday, October 17th Mark 9:30-41

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Hebrews 4; Ecclesiastes 6; Jeremiah 29-30.

Today's scripture focus is Mark 9:30-41

Mark 9:30-41English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection

30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Who Is the Greatest?

33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us

38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

Accompanying John MacArthur sermon:  The Virtue of Being Last
Accompanying David Legge sermon: True Greatness
Accompanying Robert Rayburn sermon: Hoping to Be Last

MacArthur notes that this whole passage ties together under the theme of humility.

Jesus starts by speaking again about His death and resurrection. The disciples just can't grasp it.  They can't grasp His death because they're expecting a conquering Messiah.  And they can't grasp His resurrection, even though they've seen Him raise other people from the dead, because they don't understand where the power to raise the dead will come from if Jesus Himself is dead.  And Jesus spares them a bit by not revealing everything to them - just like it is merciful for us not to be able to see the full future.  But even though they couldn't understand it now, Jesus' death would the great illustration of humility.

Then Jesus gives the disciples a lesson in humility.  MacArthur: Pride is devastating. It devastates others because it destroys unity. It devastates self because it forfeits honor. And it devastates God because it rejects Him when He comes to us in other believers whom we belittle.

Pride is also exclusive, but Jesus reminds His disciples that as long as someone else is a true believer, their methods don't have to be exactly the same as their own.  Diversity is good!  (Note: He is NOT talking about false teachers here!).

The fear of humility is that if you humble yourself you will lose, but the truth is, it is only when we humble ourselves that we are rewarded.

The greatest way to work on humility is to take our eyes off of ourselves, and focus them on Christ.  When we serve Him for His glory, and not our own, we display humility.


Monday's scripture focus: Mark 9:42-50

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Jeremiah 31-32
Sunday's passage: Jeremiah 33-34
Monday's passage: Jeremiah 35-36, Ecclesiastes 7, Hebrews 5

Thursday, October 16 ~ Miriam

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Hebrews 3; Ecclesiastes 5; Jeremiah 27-28

Today's scripture focus is Mark 9:14-29

All Things Possible
14 When they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. 15 Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him. 16 And He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” 17 And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; 18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” 19 And He *answered them and *said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” 20 They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.” 26 After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. 28 When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” 29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”

This passage has more to do with faith than with the casting out of the spirit.

So this poor father brought his son to the disciples, thinking they could help him.  They had cast out demons before.  So what was the problem here?  MacArthur has this to say:

They were waning in their trust. Had they trusted before? Yes, but not here. Had they believed before? Yes, but not here.

What was the difference? Always before Jesus was… where… there. Now when He’s gone, they’re struggling to believe. They better learn how to believe when He’s gone because He’s going away in a few months and He’ll be gone permanently. They need to learn how to believe.

This is an interesting part I hadn't noticed before:

...one of the parts that I love most about the story, verse 21, and you would probably skip over it if I didn’t help you to see deeper into it. “And He asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’” Why does He ask that question? Does He need the information? No. He knows everything. Does it matter according to His power, like, you know, if it’s more than five years, the statute of limitations has run out and He can’t do the miracle? What’s the point? 

I’ll tell you what the point is. There’s only one point. He wanted to hear the father’s pain. Why? He wanted the father to tell Him the story. Why? Because the father was not coming to a power, the father was coming to a person. And if there’s anything demonstrated in the miracle ministry of Jesus Christ, it is the compassion of God that He cares and Christ cares and He cares about your pain, He cares about your suffering and He cares about the struggle you have with your children. He cares about the things that break your heart and He wants to hear. This is not a power, this is a person… this is the ultimate person. This is the ultimate one who loves people. This isn’t for the crowd and this isn’t for information, this is for the man to unfold his heart to find a partner for his pain. Why? Because Jesus is a sympathetic and merciful High Priest, is He not? Who can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities. He wants the father to have an opportunity to rehearse what he has suffered.

And back to the point of faith:

What we have here is an issue of faith. It’s not an issue of power for these men, it’s an issue of accessing that power that comes by faith. Jesus healed many people with no faith, faith wasn’t always an issue, He healed lots of people who didn’t believe. He healed the friends and relatives of people who didn’t believe, but here the lesson is about the power of faith because He’s going to be gone and the disciples are not going to have Him around. The power will still be available to them, that’s what He says in the Upper Room, “I’ll do all things according to My Father’s will that the Father may be glorified in the Son. I’ll do it if you ask in prayer believing.”

They needed to learn how to access the absent power and make it present by faith. So the principle is for them and for us. Christ isn’t here, now we live by faith. They would soon live by faith and not by sight.

The Lord is not expecting you to be some person of great faith, magnificent faith, all pervasive faith. Or you’d have a hard time getting going in your Christian life, wouldn’t you? All it takes is the faith of a grain of mustard seed. And you know who the model of that is? The father...the father. The miracle was done on the basis of the father’s faith. “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. I believe my faith is mixed with doubt. I want more faith. Run to the rescue of my weak faith. Help my unbelief. That was sufficient faith.

Our Lord shows these men that a new believer who hasn’t been with Jesus at all, who had a very beginning faith, if he exercised that faith, had enough faith to bring down the power of God. I mean, it’s a hard lesson to learn if you’re a disciple and you’ve been around Jesus for two and a half years or so, and He’s telling you, if you could just be like this stranger who has never walked with Me or talked with Me before. You need to exercise only the simplest faith, that’s the grace of God. But persistently, like Luke 11 and Luke 18, you remember the stories of prayerful persistence? You have not, James says, because… what… you ask not. If you have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, and you take that faith on the highway of prayer into the highway of God, you will see God do mighty things.

Happy Thursday!

Tomorrow's scripture focus:  Mark 9:30-41

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage:  Hebrews 4; Ecclesiastes 6; Jeremiah 29-30.

Wednesday, October 15th Mark 9:9-13

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Hebrews 2; Ecclesiastes 4; Jeremiah 25-26

Today's scripture focus is Mark 9:9-13

Mark 9:9-13English Standard Version (ESV)

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 12 And he said to them,“Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Accompanying Robert Rayburn sermon: The Christ is God
Accompanying John MacArthur sermon: When Does Elijah Come?

I can only imagine the disciples confusion at this point.  They had just witnessed the transfiguration - and though it was a mere glimpse of the glory of God (as no man could see the full glory of God and live), the experience would've been incomparable!  They had witnessed the Shekinah glory, the voice of God, and a glorified Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets, testifying to Christ as Messiah.

And then Jesus talks about His death....again.  It doesn't make sense.  How could Jesus, just displayed in unfathomable glory, possibly die?  He was showing them that there would be glory after the cross, but they just couldn't grasp it.  Not until the resurrection.  Which is exactly why Jesus instructs them not to talk about what they had seen until after His resurrection, until after they finally grasped the fullness of the revelation - that Jesus, the Son of God, would die as the punishment for our sins, and conquer death by rising again.  There is no gospel without the cross and resurrection.

Can you imagine how hard that would be?  Not to say anything about what they had witnessed?  I can remember many times when I felt like I was just bursting to tell someone about something exciting I had seen, and anything I've ever seen pales in comparison to what they witnessed.  But they obeyed.  Thankfully, they at least had each other to talk to about it!

But in the meantime, the disciples are confused.

As Rayburn says....
The Lord takes the opportunity afforded by the disciples’ question about Elijah to reiterate that the Messiah must suffer just as Elijah did, the reference being, of course, to John the Baptist who had already been beheaded by Herod Antipas. You cannot rise from the dead unless you have first died and that death lies ahead of the Messiah as it had before John the Baptist.

We live on the other side of the cross and resurrection - and we need to share that gospel message!


Tomorrow's scripture focus: Mark 9:14-29

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Jeremiah 27-28, Ecclesiastes 5, Hebrews 3

October 14 - Tuesday - Tiffany

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Hebrews 1; Ecclesiastes 3; Jeremiah 23-24

Today's scripture focus is Mark 9:1-8

Mark 9:1-8English Standard Version (ESV)

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

The Transfiguration
² And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, ³ and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵ And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ⁷ And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” ⁸ And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

This event happens right after Peter recognizes Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. Right after Jesus began to tell his disciples about his coming death and resurrection.

I personally believe Jesus allowed these three to be with him at this moment to strengthen their belief, their faith.

Matthew Henry's commentary states Jesus took these three to bear witness of the event, to be the record of it. But it wasn't supposed to be spread around (which will come up in tomorrow's passage). Jesus wanted a record of this, but not until after his death were they supposed to share it.

Now however, Jesus has died for our sins, he has risen from the dead, and now the world  NEEDS to know now, who Jesus is.


Tomorrow's scripture focus: Mark 9:9-13

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Hebrews 2; Ecclesiastes 4; Jeremiah 25-26

Monday, October 13th Mark 8:34-38

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Jeremiah 21-22, Ecclesiastes 2, Philemon

Today's scripture focus is Mark 8:34-38

Mark 8:34-38English Standard Version (ESV)

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 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.”

Accompanying John MacArthur sermon: Losing Your Life to Save it

MacArthur: This is not an invitation to health, or wealth, or fulfillment, or prosperity, or healing, or a boosted self-image, or trouble-free living. This is an invitation to self-denial, cross bearing and obedience. But this is the Lord’s invitation and this is the one that we must give if we would be faithful.

Peter had just declared Jesus to be the Messiah - but they were picturing a conquering King, not a suffering Servant.

It is human nature to want the blessing, to want the Kingdom.  But God requires the cross.  There can be no kingdom without a sacrifice for sin.

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

It means self-denial.  Giving up all our own pursuits, ambitions, dreams, goals and replacing them with His will for our lives.  Realizing that we are completely incapable of saving ourselves, and relying fully on God for our salvation.  Realizing the depths of our unworthiness contrasted to the magnificence of God's glory and holiness.

It means being willing to bear a cross.  To recognize that this gift of eternal life is truly worth giving up everything to the point of death.  Obviously, not every believer will endure suffering to this degree, but there will be suffering of some point along the way - rejection from people we care about, job loss due to a moral stance you have to take, or something else along the way.  We are going to be in a hostile world until Christ returns to set up His Kingdom.  Thankfully, when that time comes (and sometimes not even a minute before!), we receive grace for that moment.  And Christ does not ask us to do or bear anything more than what He bore Himself.  Indeed, His cross was far heavier than ours could possibly be as He, the only perfect man, bore the sins of the world on His shoulders and took the punishment that was rightfully ours.

It also means loyal obedience.  We obey with joy, love, and gratitude.  We are not just hearers of the Word, but doers also.  Our obedience does not save us, but it is proof that our faith is genuine.

Christians really do win by losing. Giving up your life to save your soul is a small price to pay for the eternal and infinite value we are gaining.



Happy Thanksgiving!!


Tomorrow's scripture focus: Mark 9:1-8

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Jeremiah 23-24, Ecclesiastes 3, Hebrews 1

Friday, October 10th Mark 8:27-33

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Jeremiah 15-16, Ecclesiastes 1, Titus 3

Today's scripture focus is Mark 8:27-33

Mark 8:27-33English Standard Version (ESV)

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Accompanying John MacArthur sermon: The Ultimate Good News/Bad News
Accompanying David Legge sermon: The Suffering and Then the Glory
Accompanying Robert Rayburn sermon: Jesus is the Christ

Rayburn begins his sermon on this passage with this:
In the context, right after the account of the Lord’s granting hearing to a deaf-mute man and sight to a blind man, it is likely that Mark intended his readers to draw a connection between the miracles and Peter’s confession, all the more after the Lord himself drew attention to the disciples’ deafness and blindness in 8:18. The point is that all true faith and all true confession of Jesus is a virtual miracle itself, the result of the supernatural work of God.
When Peter declared Jesus to be the Christ (Greek) or the Messiah (in the Aramaic he would've spoken in) he still didn't understand what that meant.  He still expected that Jesus would be a conquering Messiah who would deliver Jerusalem from the Gentiles and restore Israel to glory. And that is why Jesus didn't want them to say anything.  The last thing He needed was for the masses to develop a mob mentality about Jesus being a political and military leader.  His disciples didn't even have a clear understanding of who He was, and He didn't want them spreading the good news and until they understood it all.

Even though the prophets taught that Christ would be rejected and killed by His own people, the people didn't understand it that way.  They were hoping for the conquering Messiah.  Peter's refusal to accept this as the will of God made him an unwitting accomplice of Satan.

Truly, there is no greater question that we need to answer then the one Jesus asks "Who do you say I am?"  Our answer to that determines our eternal destiny and the way we live the rest of our lives now.

Rayburn: 
To confess Jesus as Messiah or as Lord means, must mean, that we owe our allegiance to him; we must surrender the rule of our lives to him; we must follow him; we must live for him; we must repudiate ourselves as the masters of our own destiny and bow before him. People did not want to do that in Jesus’ day and they don’t want to do that in ours. They really don’t want to do it. They want to go their own way, to be their own masters.

They are perfectly able to see how hard the way of following Jesus must be in this world. It was hard for him and it will be hard for those who follow him. It took him to the cross and it will require us to carry ours. It will require us to forsake ourselves and our desires in many difficult ways. It will require us to lose our lives in various ways in order to gain them in the world to come; but you can see this world, you can’t see the world to come. It is hard to give up what you can see for what you cannot.

That is why Paul would later say that no one can call Jesus “Lord” except by the Spirit of God. It takes as much divine power to open a human heart to the lordship of Jesus Christ as it does to open the eyes of a blind man or the ears of the deaf.

But once the eyes have been opened, the difficulties, the crosses, the self-denial all makes perfect sense precisely because Jesus is the Christ and the Lord. Then whatever we suffer for his sake we are suffering out of loyalty to the Lord and Master of the Universe, for the sake of the one who holds our eternal destiny in our hands, and for the love of someone who has loved us with an impossibly great love, so great that he gave himself to ignominy, suffering, and death to secure our salvation.

MacArthur explains that the bad news was that Jesus was going to be killed.  The good news was that He was going to be killed for us, He was going to be our substitute, He was going to take our punishment.  The bad news is the good news.  And the really good news is called the gospel that Jesus died and rose again for the salvation of all who believe in Him.


Monday's scripture focus: Mark 8:34-38

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Jeremiah 17-18
Sunday's passage: Jeremiah 19-20
Monday's passage: Jeremiah 21-22, Ecclesiastes 2, Philemon

Thursday, October 9th Mark 8:22-26

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Jeremiah 13-14, Proverbs 31, Titus 2

Today's scripture focus is Mark 8:22-26

Mark 8:22-26English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

Accompanying John MacArthur sermon: Jesus' Power Over Blindness
Accompanying David Legge sermon: Blindness by Degrees
Accompanying Robert Rayburn sermon: Slowly But Surely

This miracle, like all of Jesus' miracles, is evidence of His deity.  It is an anticipation of His coming Kingdom, when every sickness will be healed.  It is a confirmation of judgment, as Jesus does not allow this man to go back into Bethsaida - they had seen all the miracles and did not believe.  And it's the turning point, where Jesus begins to teach the disciples about His coming death and resurrection (though they seemed to have stopped listening at death, and didn't take heed to any teaching about His resurrection).

MacArthur makes another interesting point about this healing (Legge makes the same point as well).  This is the only healing that Jesus performs in two stages.  It's possible this was an illustration of spiritual sight.  The disciples saw some things clearly, but not everything.  Eventually, after the resurrection, they see clearly.   Our spiritual sight grows in stages.   This man's healing from no sight, to partial sight, to perfect sight, came at the direct touch of Jesus - just as He works on us through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the one who changes us.



Tomorrow's scripture focus: Mark 8:27-33

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Jeremiah 15-16, Ecclesiastes 1, Titus 3

Wednesday, October 8th Mark 8:11-21

Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Jeremiah 11-12; Proverbs 30; Titus 1

Today's scripture focus is Mark 8:11-21

Mark 8:11-21English Standard Version (ESV)

The Pharisees Demand a Sign

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heavento test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

Accompanying John MacArthur sermons: Spiritual Blindness Part 1 and Part 2
Accompanying David Legge sermon: Blindness by Degrees
Accompanying Robert Rayburn sermon: Slowly But Surely

Every single person is born spiritually blind due to our sin nature.  Our own sinfulness compounds that blindness.  The work of Satan compounds it even further.  This darkness can become sovereignly fixed if it goes past the point of no return, and that, in turn, leads to eternal darkness in the judgment of hell.

But thanks be to God, spiritual blindness does not have to be permanent.  It can, by the grace of God, be temporary.

Those who are spiritually blind are comfortable in the darkness.  Legalistic blind people are devoted to their delusion of self-righteousness.

MacArthur makes an interesting point:
An ignorant heart can’t hardened itself against the truth. To harden oneself against the truth, one self has to be exposed to be exposed to the truth. Only a knowing heart can hardened itself. That’s why those closest to Jesus, namely the leaders of Israel and the people who followed them, and the disciples, stood in the greatest danger of heart hardening. And so does anybody who sits under the truth.
The disciples chose the light, but it wasn't an instant process.  Jesus continually drew them into the light.  In this passage He warns them that they will be susceptible to legalism (Pharisees), liberalism (Sadducees), and secularism (Herodians).  At first, they're so dense they think He's talking about actually bread, but eventually they catch on as Jesus leads them into greater light.

Rayburn had some encouraging words about the, at times, painfully slow process of sanctification:
How slowly, ponderously even, how ploddingly does the Spirit seem to make his changes in you and sanctify you to himself....

To be sure there are crises in our lives, compacted moments in which the Lord brings to pass a great deal of change. Conversion, the beginning of the Christian life is the greatest of these, but there are others, in which the Lord accomplishes in a moment or a day what would otherwise have taken much longer – when he grants a burst of insight, or when powerful conviction pulls down some sin in your heart or life, or when the Lord draws near and shows you his glory..... But these are the exceptions, not the rule. Some Christians think that they ought to be the rule and not the exception, but the united witness of the Christian ages reminds them that it is not to be.

When we think about the Bible’s teaching concerning time and the passing of time, we are accustomed to think of how rapidly time is passing and how carefully, therefore, we need to redeem the time that is given to us. And this is right, of course. Moses and many other biblical writers encourage us to pray to the Lord to teach us to “number our days and so apply our hearts to wisdom.”

But we are also taught to ponder how much time God takes to achieve his purposes – how even omnipotence works gradually. He kept Moses waiting 40 years in Midian before giving him his great calling. Many years passed between David’s anointing as king and his assuming the throne. Paul waited some 14 years between his conversion and his entrance upon his apostolic ministry. And times without number Holy Scripture reminds us that, as Rome was not built in a day, so faith and Christlikeness are not built in a Christian life in a day, a week, a year, or a decade...

Daniel Rowland, one of the greatest preachers of the Great Awakening and the greatest preacher of the Awakening in Wales, a contemporary of George Whitefield and the Wesleys, figured that he would have reached full maturity in the Christian life when he was able to do four things consistently:
Repent without despairing;
Believe without presuming;
Rejoice without levity;
And be angry without sinning.

That is, 1) truly to repent of your sins, to sorrow for them and turn away from them without discouragement, without forgetting the greatness of God love and forgiveness; 2) to believe, really believe all that God has promised and Christ has done for us and will do for us, without in any way relaxing my determination to serve the Lord, lest he say to me “depart from me, I never knew you”; 3) Deeply to rejoice and be glad in my salvation and the salvation of my loved ones and others, without losing sight for a moment of the terrible seriousness of life; and, 4) finally, to be properly angry at all that is evil and stands opposed to the kingdom of God, without that anger diminishing in the least the love I have in my heart for my neighbor and, especially, for my enemies.

Are you there yet? I’m not, by a long shot, I’m not. And I’ve been a Christian all my life. Who am I, who are you to say “tsk tsk” to the disciples for not having caught on quickly enough? Why, it often seems to me that I have hardly begun to grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. I read the lives of eminent saints and realize that there is so much more that ought to be true of me as a Christian, so much more in my heart and so much more in my relationship to others. And I know that the wisest of you and the godliest of you are the most conscious of the chasm that separates what you are from what you know by now you ought to be. Oh, yes, the wheels of salvation and of sanctification turn slowly indeed.
It is a slow process, but let us not be discouraged!  We are in the light and He will continue to draw us into ever greater light.  He who promised is faithful.

MacArthur's summary:
Everybody’s blind, either forever or only temporarily. The gospel offers light to the blind, light...the light of truth, the light of holiness and virtue through Christ. He alone is the light. Whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Mark 8:22-26

Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Jeremiah 13-14, Proverbs 31, Titus 2