Bible Study: Gospel of Mark

Discipleship in unexpected places (notes from Pastor Phil Steiger of Living Hope Church in CO)

Mark 2:13-17 – The call of Matthew the tax collector

•         Low and despised class of person – the grace of Jesus is shocking

•         “follow me”—what does it involve/mean? And how did those called respond? Mark 1:20; 8:34; 10:21; 10:52; Matt 8:21-22; John 12:26; 21:18-19

•         Discipleship does not happen by coincidence or caprice – it requires action/change on my part: Philippians 3:12-17; Col 3:12-15

•         Matthew holds a feast: see also Luke 5:29

•         Traditional dietary laws forbade eating with this type – but Jesus took His disciples with him

•         The Pharisees have a different perspective – “tax collectors and sinners”: through this lens we see lots of people who don’t belong

•         Jesus’ perspective = many potential sons and daughters of God

•         Matthew follows and proclaims, not to gain Jesus’ favor, but in response to His grace: Eph 1:7-9, 2:4-8; Deut 9:4-6

We noted in particular, at the end of the exchange between the religious leaders and Jesus, how Jesus again pierces to the heart of the matter: the religious leaders were viewing those at the feast in a degrading, dehumanizing way. Jesus turns their prejudice upside-side down, as if to say, "Oh? So you think these persons are "sick" and "broken," do you? Well then, they need a doctor so they can be made well! (Not, to be condemned, despised, and left in the state they are in.)"

We noted that in other exchanges, Jesus also bursts the rosy "bubble" of the religious leaders, showing them that they themselves were, in fact, broken, sick, blind, etc....from God's perspective, none of us can look at another in a dehumanizing and superior way and be justified in doing so, in the end.

Bible Study: Gospel of Mark

Discipleship in unexpected places (notes from Pastor Phil Steiger of Living Hope Church in CO)

Read Mark 1:40-45  

The untouched and untouchable comes and speaks with Jesus: “If you will…”: Lev 13:45-46

•         What does Jesus do with the untouchable?

•         Jesus commands silence, the leper speaks; Mark 7:35-36

•         The result: Jesus has traded places with the leper: Is 53:4-6; Romans 3:23-26; Gal 1:4-5; Heb 9:13-14

      (In a very salient, powerful way, Jesus shows in this instance, by touching this "unclean" leper, that He became unclean in order to make us clean and bring us healing. His restoration is always holistic, touching us in every part of our being--this physical healing also brought social restoration, for ex.)

We then read and discussed Mark 2:1-12

We shared what aspects of this wonderful, beautiful and heartening story struck us most: the love, determination, and tangible support of this man's friends; the reality of all those jostling people in the house and the roof being slowly torn open to create a way to Jesus for the paralyzed man...

We noted how Jesus surprised everyone by going to what He saw (and sees) as the core human need: forgiveness, reconciliation with God. 

So much effort and fuss to get this man into a place where he could receive physical healing--but Jesus speaks to his need for spiritual healing, first and foremost. Wow...do we understand that as our deepest, truest need?

We also noted the recognition by the religious leaders that Jesus was speaking as (if he were) God, as only God can forgive sin. Jesus was not coming as Prophet, only; He was coming as the incarnation of God--a forgiving God, a God who interacts with the creation and wants to bring wholeness.

Bible Study: Gospel of Mark

The Kingdom of God and Prayer  

(notes from Pastor Phil Steiger of Living Hope Church in CO)

Read Mark 1:35-39

•         Mark 1:21-34 is a kind of “day in the life” of Jesus, full of visible and incredible miracles

•         What did Jesus do after? (1:35)

•         Jesus was in the habit of disappearing to pray: Luke 5:12-16; 9:18-20; 22:39-46

•         What might it communicate to Peter that he had to hunt him down, and then found him praying?

•         The Kingdom of God as both “inward” and “outward”

•         The Kingdom of God is “outward”: it really has consequences in this world

•         But the visible can become an idol: Exodus 20:4-6; 32:1-6; Habakkuk 2:18-19; Psalm 115:2-8; Col 3:5

•         So what is the role of the “inward”?: 2 Cor 4:16-5:5; Romans 8:5-8

•         “…I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

•         The proclamation was primary – Peter’s first guess at why Jesus came is wrong: 1 Cor 4:1-2; 1 Peter 2:9

“…discipleship consists not in attempting to control God’s work but in following God’s Son.” (James Edwards)

Sunday evening service

Sanctification—Walking in holiness in a sinful world

Leviticus 20:1-8, 22-26

What does it “look like” or mean (esp., vis-à-vis the culture around us) for God’s people to walk through this life as set apart?

How does God explain to His people (now us) the reasons for being sanctified/living holy lives? (note God’s parenting style: firm and clear boundaries, along with explanations for them)

[We must sanctify ourselves because God is our God, and He is holy; He has set us apart; following the behaviors or religions of those around us will get us “spewn out” or “vomited out” of our land…finally, God has sanctified us so we can belong to Him and have communion with Him]

Ezekiel 36:17-28

What do we see in this passage about walking in a worldly rather than godly way?

How does the kind of life we lead reflect back on and affect God?

What is God’s heart toward us? What will He do for us in terms of our sanctification and ability to walk in holiness?

[when we walk in sin, we defile His name/soil His reputation; God will sanctify His people for the sake of His reputation—He wants to be known for His true glory and holiness; He will change our hearts]

Some New Testament expansion of these concepts:

*Col. 1:9-14

Eph. 4:1-3

I Thess. 2:11-12

Rev. 3:4

*James 4:3-5 (cf. Matt. 6:24)

*I Peter 4:1-4

I Peter 3:15-16

2 Cor. 6:14-18

*Acts 4:13

[We should be following the example of Jesus in how we live. Our full allegiance should belong to Him, not to following how the world does things, or trying to achieve success and popularity with the world system. People should be able to look at our lives and know that we are disciples of Jesus.]

And, ending where we began the series ;-)

Remember—

John 17:13-21—Jesus prayed that we all (believers) would be sanctified

I Peter 1:2—it’s part of the Spirit’s work in this world/in us to sanctify us (see also Rom. 15:16)

I Thess. 5:23-24—God sanctifies our whole being to present us before Jesus at the end of time

Pondering: How has my idea of what this means and what sanctification “looks like” changed or expanded after this study?

Sunday Evening Service

Sanctification

How are we to understand it? And what does it “look like” to have God sanctify us?

First instance of its teaching is Exodus 13 (see previous post); second time it features prominently is in Exodus 19

Exodus 19:9-11, 16-20

            What is happening here? Why do the people need to sanctify themselves?

(see also Exodus 24:12-18; 33:17-23 and 34:1)

Exodus 34:27-30, 34-35

What is happening between God and His people? What happens between Moses and God, and Moses and the people?

[God is making a covenant with the whole people of Israel; Moses is allowed to speak intimately with God and apprehend His glory—note the miraculous nature of the encounter, with Moses surviving without food or water, clearly in some kind of altered state as he communes with God. Sadly, the people find Moses’ shining face “too much,” too scary and overwhelming, and he must veil his face when speaking to them.]

The New Testament framing and expansion on these things: II Cor. 3-4

II Cor. 3:5-11

What is Paul saying about the ministry that God entrusts to us as Christians?—what comparison is Paul making here?

            What is Paul saying about our sufficiency and competence for this ministry?

II Cor. 3:12  pause: What is our hope that makes us bold?

II Cor. 3:12-18  Woah!  How is Paul tying together the story of Moses’ shining face with (what should be)

   our experience of God’s glory?

II Cor. 4:1  pause: What is the therefore? Why do we not lose heart?  (note 4:2 as a response to God’s mercy toward us)

II Cor. 4:3-6

WOW, again! What iconic, dramatic miracle does Paul reference as our example of what God does in our minds?

-pondering: that we are actively blinded spiritually (by Satan and his demons) apart from God

-pondering: that it takes the Creator God speaking light into us to see the glory of God in Jesus Christ

II Cor. 4:7-11

-what is meant to be the “final word” in our lives—what should people see when they look at our lives?

II Cor. 4:13-14

-what is this “same spirit of faith” with the psalmist that Paul quotes?—see Psalm 116

Nuggets to “take home”: 

v       We are insufficient for the task God calls us to, and blind—God gives us the competence we need, and calls forth light in our darkness of mind so we can see Him

v       We are meant to be beholding and reflecting God’s glory—glory exceeding anything we read about in the Old Testament! and we are to be becoming more and more like Jesus

v       God’s glory and the life of Jesus are meant to have the “final say” in our lives—when people look at us, no matter what we are going through, they should be seeing the treasure of God’s presence in our lives

v       We can know and believe (“have faith”) that God cares about our state of being when we are afflicted in life—as Psalm 116 says, God will deliver us from death, tears, and stumbling—we just need to ask

v       We therefore have HOPE in this life, and for our existence after the final work of Redemption!

Sunday Evening Service

What is Sanctification and to Sanctify?

also translated as set apart, consecrate, devote or hand over (wholly) to the Lord

Strong’s Hebrew 6942: a primitive root; to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally):--appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify(-ied one, self), X wholly.

Strong’s Greek 37: from 40; to make holy, i.e. (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate:--hallow, be holy, sanctify.

38:from 37; properly, purification, i.e. (the state) purity; concretely (by Hebraism) a purifier:--holiness, sanctification.

40: sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):--(most) holy (one, thing), saint.

How is it relevant to us? ;-)

John 17:13-21—Jesus actually prayed that we all (believers) would be sanctified

I Peter 1:2—it’s part of the Spirit’s work in this world/in us to sanctify us (see also Rom. 15:16)

I Thess. 5:23-24—God sanctifies our whole being to present us before Jesus at the end of time

The first teachings on “sanctify” in Scripture:

(note Genesis 2:3 marks the first time God “sanctifies” something: the Sabbath/day of rest)

Exodus 13:1-15; Deut. 15:19-20, Number 8:13-19 (home study: Ex. 4:22-23; Ex. 12)

 

First, what is God asking them to sanctify or devote to Him (Ex. 13)? (their firstborn--of human, animals)

Why does He ask them to do this?

            -because the lives of the firstborn were spared during the last plague in 

            Egypt—in that sense, perhaps “owed”

            -reminder that they did not belong to themselves or control their destiny

            -the process of sanctifying the firstborn would serve as a reminder of the 

             Passover and how God spared them and rescued them (were to teach this to their children)

(Num. 8)

            -we see God set up the Levite clan as the "substitute" for the firstborn that are owed

            -God provides a way for both redemption of the firstborn, and means for a sanctified group of   

              individuals to be able to live lives of worship before Him (since an unconsecrated people would  

              die/be unable to fulfill the call to worship)

Seeing this through the eyes of the New Covenant in the Blood of Jesus Christ:

Note Jesus as the Firstborn: (see also Ex. 4:22-23), Luke 2:22-24, Romans 8:29, Col. 1:15, 18

        -God gives His firstborn in place of ours/us!  

  

Note Jesus as the Passover and sacrificial Lamb of God: (Isaiah 53:7), John 1:29, I Peter 1:18-19, Rev. 5:5-6, 11-13, Rev. 12:10-11

Death “passes us over” because of Jesus’ blood shed in our place: Heb. 9:22-28, Matt. 26:27-28,  Rom. 3:23-25  (home study: I Cor. 5:7, Heb. 9:14, 28, I John 2:2, 4:10, Rev. 1:5)

Note: “Propitiation” (Greek #2435 in Strong’s)= “an atoning victim” (Strong’s lexicon)  “relating to an appeasing or expiating, having placating or expiating force, expiatory; a means of appeasing or expiating, a propitiation; used of the cover of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies, which was sprinkled with the blood of the expiatory victim on the annual day of atonement (this rite signifying that the life of the people, the loss of which they had merited by their sins, was offered to God in the blood as the life of the victim, and that God by this ceremony was appeased and their sins expiated); hence the lid of expiation, the propitiatory” from Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for '"propitiation"' in the KJV". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2011. 29 May 2011

The response we are called to under this new covenant: 

I Peter 2:9 (see Exodus 19:5-6 to link back to OT)   [develop the correct identity]

I Peter 1:14-23 (home study: all of I Peter 1) [purify/sanctify ourselves—through obedience, being born of the                                                                       Word; and love fervently]

I Cor. 6:19-20  [develop correct identity--know we are not our own]

Romans 6:16-23 [Paul's slave metaphor re: our slavery to sin vs. chosen submission to 

                           righteousness/sanctification becomes more vibrant in light of the Passover basis for God's 

                           first teaching on sanctification in Ex. 13]

*Romans 11:32-12:1     [in light of all of God's amazing action on our behalf, the natural response should be 

                                      to offer ourselves--our whole selves--to God daily]

Further home study: Eph. 4:1-6, Col. 1:9-12, I Thess. 2:11-12, Heb. 9 and 10 (esp. 10:19-25)

God has provided the Way for us all to be sanctified, through Jesus' redemptive death and resurrection. The natural response to realizing that we do no belong to ourselves, that our lives are "owed," and to seeing the great and loving action of God on our behalf should result in the spontaneous, daily offering of ourselves to God, to honor all He has done.

Bible Study: Gospel of Mark

Teaching and Divine Authority: Mark 1:21-28

We discussed the notes from Pastor Phil Steiger’s sermon notes on this passage (see http://hccbiblestudy.blogspot.com/2007/12/teaching-and-divine-authority-mark-121.html). 

He emphasizes how almost every time we read about Jesus performing miracles or even calling His disciples, these actions are clearly preceded by Jesus teaching the people from the Scripture. And in this first chapter of Mark, Mark sets up the divine authority of Jesus as first being evident from His authoritative teaching of the Word of God—then, His teaching is followed by healings and deliverance. To these actions of healing and deliverance, the people respond by marveling, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” (vs. 27) In the words of Pastor Steiger, “Jesus received exactly the reaction he intended. The people heard the teaching of the Kingdom of God and beheld a miracle and their response was shock at the power in the teaching. Instead of creating a group of people who see only the wild and follow only a miracle worker, Jesus properly prepared their hearts and minds by teaching them first.”

We read the story of Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:9-14), which highlights that miracles and spiritual power can come from something(s) other than God. We also read Paul’s warning in II Cor. 11:13-15 about how Satan will sometimes present himself as an “angel of light”—that evil spirits can and do deceive. Therefore, as I John 4:1-3 instructs, we must be wise about spiritual experiences, and test every spirit to see whether it is, indeed God’s Spirit. If any spirit/teaching/experience denies the divinity and humanity and salvivic work and Lordship of Jesus Christ, it is obviously not God’s Spirit. ;-)  Spiritual experiences are meant to intertwine with our study of Scripture and be part of knowing and understanding God (e.g., “taste and see that the Lord is good” Psalm 34:8). We are experiential beings, and experiential knowing is extremely powerful. The “standard” of Truth, however, is God’s Word, not an individual spiritual experience (i.e., experiences are subject to errors in interpretation, and to deception; see also Gal. 1:8). We must invest in proper teaching, studying, reading, and understanding of Scripture, even in order to properly interpret and understand spiritual experiences and the realm of the miraculous. (Admittedly, much error and deception occurs in the realm of teaching and understanding Scripture, as well, which is why we must be careful and thorough and rigorous, etc.)

As Pastor Steiger says in his closing: “Where does divine authority—the power of God—begin in my life? It begins with the Scriptures and the life transforming truths of the Kingdom of God. Then, when God reaches down and the miraculous happens, we know exactly where to give the glory.”  Amen