The church in Florida that is hosting a "burn the Quran day" on 9/11 may be Christian, but it is of my opinion that they are not following Christ. Christ taught His followers to love their enemies (Matthew 5:43-48) and to love our neighbor as we do our self (Matthew 22:37-40). Christ, from the cross, prayed for those who had violently nailed Him there and asked the Father to "forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:32-34).
It would be naive for me not to think that there will be some who read what I just stated and say that I am being judgmental, but I am not judging this church and it's leadership. I am simply inspecting their fruit as Christ encouraged His followers to do (Matthew 7:15-23, John 15:1-6). So, is this good fruit of a church or is this bad fruit?
Quran burning will not portray the love of Christ to the world and is not how citizens of the Kingdom of God are to respond. It is acts such as these that fuel the hate of America in other parts of the world which lead to extremist activity spreading death and destruction. Acts such as these also stereotype the Christian church and makes it harder for the numerous Christ following churches to make a difference in their community through displaying the true nature of God's Kingdom which includes love and peace.
I pray that this church and it's leaders repent, change their plans and react to those of the Islam faith in love and peace, praying for them and showing the world that citizens of God's Kingdom live recognizing that their allegiance is first to the Kingdom of God, and after that, to their nation.
And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them." But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. (Mark 1:40-45 ESV)
What Jesus does in this paragraph of Scripture is startling to the people watching, but Jesus was not focused on the watching people. He was not interested in attracting crowds and that was not why He did the miracles that He did. He was focused on an individual who had lost his health, his dignity, his ability to earn income, his social status, his family and his friends. Jesus responded with a touch and the words “I will; be clean”. The crowds gasped when Jesus touched the leper, but the leper was filled with healing warmth that flooded His being as he was healed of leprosy and was made clean. It was love that moved Jesus to act to make this man’s life better. Jesus did not just feel sorry for him. Jesus helped him. Jesus responded with compassion – a love that compels one to act.
The first touch this man felt for probably many years was the touch of Jesus. He would never be the same. Why did Jesus touch him? He did not have to do so. In all of the recorded exorcisms, Jesus spoke a word and freed the individuals. He never once laid a hand on a demoniac. He would speak a word and the winds and waves would obey Him, so why did He touch this leper? Maybe, he touched the leper to be our example; a pattern for us to follow.
Who are the social outcasts of our day? Is it the diseased? Is it those living in poverty? Is it the homeless? Is it the incarcerated? Is it the shut-in? Is it those living alternate lifestyles? Is it those of a different race? Is it those of a different faith?
Who are the social outcasts in your city? Who in your city is financially and socially isolated? Who is shut-in? What would happen in your city if each person makes it a point every day to do an act of compassion, reaching out to touch one that is in need? I believe more people would realize the Kingdom of God and want to be a part of it.
Beloved, we live in a day where there is an overabundance of armchair theologians and armchair politicians. We don’t need any more of those. What we need in our day are people who will follow Jesus and get their hands dirty in point of need ministry revealing that in the Kingdom that Jesus is ruling over there is love, grace, peace and freedom with race, gender, health and economic equality for all.
Touch people beloved. Touch people. Be Jesus’ hand extended.
Beloved, Jesus does not follow us, we are to follow Him. There are those who, like Peter, expect Jesus to do it their way and in their timing. If Jesus doesn’t, they become hurt and discouraged allowing unbelief to rob them of what God has in store for them.
To be a good leader in the Kingdom of God, one must first follow Christ. It is Jesus that is ruling over His Kingdom. We are to always remember that we are to follow Him and He will make us into what He wants us to be in His timing and in His way. We are just simply to follow Him. He will do the rest and we will enter into our full potential in the Kingdom of God.
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you." And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. (Mark 1:35-39 ESV)
Prayer is priority in this paragraph of Scripture, but there is a deeper meaning than what appears on the surface that I would like to articulate to you.
First of all, notice that Simon (Peter) is beginning to take a leadership role as a follower of Christ. Notice also that Peter has the right heart. Peter sees all of these people in need of healing and in bondage to evil and he desires to see them healed and set free. Peter is beginning to get a glimpse of what the Kingdom of God is all about – love, grace, peace and freedom with race, gender, health and economic equality for all. He still does not fully understand, but he is getting a glimpse of it and he desires that people experience the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ. So Peter and others with him go looking for Jesus. They know that Jesus is the answer, but He has disappeared! What were they to do with all of these people that still needed healing and deliverance?
When Peter finds Jesus praying, He couldn’t believe it. The actual Greek here has tones of a sense of hostile pursuing. It was like Peter was saying “What are you doing here? Everyone is looking for you! Don’t you know that there is still work to be done? People are in need!”
Notice how Jesus responds to Peter. Jesus said "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out." Jesus is showing through His words and actions that He was not following Peter. He was not doing it Peter’s way and He was not on Peter’s time schedule. Peter was called to follow Jesus. Jesus says here that His main focus is to preach the same sermon in every town - “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15).”
Peter would eventually learn to follow. It would not be an easy lesson, as it’s not an easy one for most of us, but he would learn to follow Christ. And when he does, he will reach his full potential in the Kingdom while using his words and actions to reveal the Kingdom to others.
Follow Jesus friends. Follow Jesus. Don't expect Him to follow you. If you do expect Him to follow you, you will be highly disappointed.
Beloved, we are to advance the Kingdom in our day. It has already been established in Jesus. He is now ruling over His Kingdom and has called us to follow Him and make His Kingdom known to the world through, not only words, but more importantly actions. In the Kingdom there is love, grace, peace and freedom with race, gender, health and economic equality for all. The need is the call. As we minister at the point of need, we are not only ministering as Jesus did, but we are also ministering as unto Jesus. Advance the Kingdom Beloved. Advance the Kingdom.
Beloved, ministry is to take place at the point of need. Ministry is not restricted to within the walls of a church building or the confines of a service. The need is the call. When we see a need, and we have the ability to meet that need, we are to minister as unto Jesus.
Jesus said "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' (Matthew 25:31-40 ESV)”
That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. (Mark 1:32-34 ESV)
Notice in this paragraph of Scripture the advancement of the Kingdom being established through Jesus. The Kingdom is always advanced through point of need ministry and we will see that throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry as we study the Gospels. It started that Sabbath day in the synagogue with the deliverance of the man possessed by a demon (Mark 1:26) and spread to inside a house with the healing of a woman (Mark 1:31) and now Jesus takes it to the streets of the city of Capernaum as people are brought to Him there.
That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. (Mark 1:32-34 ESV)
The Jewish Sabbath is a weekly day of rest observed from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday. A lot has taken place on this Sabbath day that Mark tells us about in chapter 1 of his gospel. Earlier in the day, Jesus teaches in the Synagogue and casts a demon out of a man who was in attendance there (Mark 1:21-28). After the service, He heals Simon’s mother-in-law in the house of Simon and Andrew who were brothers (Mark 1:29-31). And now, Mark is detailed in telling us that after the Sabbath was over, as marked by sundown, people brought to Jesus those “who were sick or oppressed by demons.”
Notice that the people who were brought to Him where either “sick or oppressed by demons.” Some in our day have associated illness, especially mental illness, as demonic possession, but this account of Jesus’ life and ministry in Scripture is careful to separate the two. It would be wrong for anyone in our day to attribute a person’s illness, whether it is physical or mental, to demon possession.
I have been in the ministry for over 19 years. I have ministered both within the walls of the church building and outside the walls of church building and beyond the confines of a church service. I have ministered to those in hospitals and prisons. I have ministered to young gang bangers in correctional facilities and the homeless on the streets. I have ministered in America and in third world countries. I have ministered to literally thousands of ill people both mentally and physically, but I can count on one hand those who were possessed by demons that were made obvious through physical manifestations including voice, facial distortions and actions. I was never afraid and the Holy Spirit within me always triumphed over these evil encounters. I tell this to implore you to not associate illness with demon possession. Many precious people have been wounded and hurt because there are those who have taken their illness and proclaimed them to be demon possessed when they were not at all demon possessed. It should not be and it hinders the work of those who are utilizing their life to advance God’s Kingdom with the help of the Holy Spirit who gives them the needed and necessary spiritual discernment.
In the first chapter of Mark the Kingdom of God was manifested in the deliverance of a man (Mark 1:26) and the healing of a woman (Mark 1:31). Jesus not only talked about the Kingdom that was being established in Him, but he also demonstrated this Kingdom through His actions. It was not Jesus’ intention to prove He was the divine Son and the Bearer of the Holy Spirit by His acts of authority and power. He cast out demons because they had no right to be in any part of human life which they sought to destroy. He brought healing out of love for the sufferer. When Jesus saw people suffering, He moved with compassion - a love that compels one to act to relieve the suffering.
In the Kingdom of God there is love, grace, peace and freedom with race, gender, health and economic equality for all. The Kingdom is established in Jesus. He is ruling over it and it is advancing.
Beloved, Jesus’ kingdom is more powerful than sickness and disease. He still works immediate miracles and He also has provided us with processes of healing provided through medical science, medicine and medical professionals.
Let’s never put Jesus in a box and pray expecting Him to bring healing a certain way. Instead, let’s exercise our faith by taking advantage of all healing processes that He makes available to us. Let’s also make available His healing to ALL people revealing to them, His kingdom in action. Let’s help others as He has helped us. In Jesus’ kingdom, there is health equality for all!
And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. (Mark 1:29-31 ESV)
Notice what Simon, Andrew, James and John does. When they leave the synagogue with Jesus, their faith in Jesus and His kingdom that He was revealing was enlarged. They go to Simon and Andrew’s house which must have just been a short distance from the synagogue as revealed through the words “and immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.” When they get there, Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a fever. Upon the news of her illness these Christ followers had a heart to provide this lady the care she needed for her health and they tell Jesus about her fever. Their faith had grown and they now knew to take their needs to Jesus.
Beloved, we all have needs and we must take those needs to Jesus knowing that He cares for us and desires for us to place all of our cares and anxieties on Him. Jesus desires to help us and as He does, His kingdom is revealed and faith always grows.
In Mark 1:23-28 Jesus is in the synagogue with Simon, Andrew, James and John who where fishermen that He had just called to follow Him. These four who left everything to follow Jesus witnessed the power of Jesus’ Kingdom that He was revealing through His words and actions. In these five verses, Satan’s kingdom is interrupted by Jesus’ Kingdom and the victory over evil is a glimpse of many victories to come in leading up to the ultimate victories at the cross and the empty tomb. Can you imagine what these four new followers were thinking after witnessing this first victory over evil? Perhaps a sense of confirmation was consuming them over the decision that they made to forsake all and follow Jesus. Undoubtedly their faith was growing as they were hanging out with Jesus and experiencing His Kingdom firsthand.
Jesus helps us so that we can help others. As we follow Him, our faith grows in His ability to meet not only our needs, but also the needs of others. As our faith grows, we are quick to reveal His kingdom to others through our actions. We pray and have faith, but we also put our faith into action.
Beloved, evil has been defeated through Jesus Christ. Each of us has been called to deny self, take up our cross and follow Jesus. As we do, the felt needs of others will be met through our actions. God blesses us so that we can bless others. Every time we meet a felt need, we are revealing what God’s Kingdom is all about – grace, love and peace with race, gender, health and economic equality for all.
In Mark 1:16-20 we are told that Jesus and the freshly called fishermen were in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. Scripture tells us that the people are astonished at His teaching. His message was about the Kingdom that was being established in Him and was different than the teaching they were accustomed to and delivered by religionists who demanded obedience to manmade rules, regulations and traditions. As Jesus teaches, there is a collision of good and evil which is manifested in a sudden interruption.
And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
(Mark 1:23-28 ESV)
Jesus not only taught about the Kingdom of God, but demonstrates the kingdom of God through His actions that will be described throughout the Gospel of Mark. Mark’s writing style is to get the reader to understand the meaning of events instead of giving details of the events he writes about. As we read and study Mark, we should always be looking for the meaning of the events that take place and this event is no exception.
Jesus introduced to the world the kingdom of God, not only through His words, but through His actions. With Jesus coming into our world, Satan’s kingdom was disturbed. Satan’s kingdom realized who Jesus was and what authority He had as the Son of God even though the people did not. In these five verses of Mark we see the two kingdoms collide, but it’s just the beginning. Jesus will not only be victorious over demons, but also sickness, disease, hunger and death. He will show through his actions that the Kingdom of God breaks through the powers of evil that seeks to destroy people. His authority as the Son of God ensures His victory. He walks the earth conquering the powers of evil and He dies on an old rugged cross. On the third day He was resurrected and defeated death which is evil’s greatest weapon and people’s greatest enemy.
At the cross, Satan was defeated, the power of sin was broken and God’s Kingdom became available to ALL people through Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Jesus accomplished His mission on earth and because of His obedience to Father, He was re-glorified and placed back at the right hand of Father (John 17:1-5). Jesus is now ruling supreme over His Kingdom. As we fix our eyes on Jesus and follow Him and continue His point of need ministry, those around us will realize the wonderful kingdom that He places in each follower. Why? - Because their felt needs will be met through Christ followers continuing His point of need ministry.
I received the following email that I feel led to share:
Just wanted to let you know that I am enjoying the study of Mark. It is so convenient how you have set it up that the student can view the discussed scriptures right as you are teaching them. How you did that is beyond me! Also another plus to the study is that you can progress at the rate you want. Some of the studies have been so good that I have listened to them several times and each time I gain benefit!
Each study in Mark is only 9-13 minutes long. If you are not yet following along in Mark with us, please join us . Please take a moment to invite your friends to join us also. Each study can be listened to individually or in a group setting. You can even facilitate a LGF gathering right where you are at!
Beloved, we don't have to wait for God's kingdom to come in some future event as we are already a part of His kingdom and He has imparted it into our lives through the Holy Spirit. We are to spend our lives revealing to the world His kingdom in us.
The apostle Paul taught that the supreme gift is love. Christ said that the world will know that we are His followers by our love for one another. As we love God and ALL people ministering at the point of need, His kingdom is revealed to the world and many will desire to be a part of it. That is so much more than mere church attendance.
Church attendance is not bad unless we replace serving Christ and revealing His kingdom with serving the institution. It then becomes an idol and the fruit is communities not realizing that the kingdom of God is at hand and Christ is already ruling supreme. There can be a church on every corner in the city with the city not realizing the kingdom of God. They see the church buildings in their community, but don't see the kingdom of God in action. I believe that we can change that in our day and have been called to do so as Christ followers. Be free in Christ! Know that you are loved,
gaj
In Mark 1:15, we hear Jesus say "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." After making His message simple and clear, He began to call those who would follow Him and continue His point of need ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. They immediately started to follow Christ, learn from Him and serve Him (Mark 1:16-20)
And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. (Mark 1:21-22 ESV)
Capernaum was a village on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is possible that the fishermen whom Jesus had just called to follow Him (Mark 1:16-20) lived and worked near or in this village. We do know that there was a synagogue there and, on this occasion, Jesus and the called fishermen went to it on the Sabbath (“they went”, 1:21).
The Temple was in Jerusalem, but the Jewish law required that wherever there were at least 10 Jewish families there must be a synagogue. In the synagogue there would be no music, no singing and no sacrifice. The synagogue service would consist only of prayer, the reading of God’s Word and the exposition of it. The synagogue was a teaching institution. At the service on the Sabbath of each week, the ruler of the synagogue would call on any competent person to read the Scripture and give exposition on it so that the people in attendance could learn.
In the synagogue there was no professional minister. Scribes were experts in the Jewish law and the title of the leader among them was “Rabbi.” Scribes used the Torah which is the first five books of the Old Testament and they would develop rules and regulations for every possible situation in life. They reduced the principles of the moral law given in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) to hundreds of manmade rules and regulations which was legalism. Their religion became a matter of obeying these rules and regulations that they taught in the synagogues.
Jesus had a message to deliver and the synagogue in each community provided a forum in which to spread that message. Mark did not find it necessary in these two verses of Scripture to repeat Jesus’ message that he communicated earlier. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15 ESV). Instead, he gives us the response of the people who heard the message and that response describes a contrast with the Scribes. Jesus was telling them about the kingdom of God that was being established through Him. He was not reinforcing the teachings of the Scribes which demanded obedience to their rules and regulations.
Following manmade rules and regulations is religion and religion binds, but Christ sets us free. Obtain your freedom in Christ today! Allow Him to set you free and establish His kingdom in you. Those who Jesus sets free are the church; the true Bride of Christ that He is coming for. He is not coming back for a building or an institution. He is coming back for His followers who have faithfully served Him.
It is God’s heart that every person serves Christ and walks in the freedom that He provides. Jesus’ teachings and actions revealed the heart of God. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day taught rules and regulations that were manmade. Jesus taught about being in harmony with God’s Kingdom that was being established in Him. He is now ruling supreme over that kingdom and leads His followers to reveal it to the world.
In what does one believe? Jesus said “repent and believe in the gospel.” One must believe that Father loves them so much that he placed in motion a plan of redemption from sin even before they were created. He wants to give us His very best to show His love for us, so He sent Jesus, His only begotten son, to be the sacrifice for our sin. We must believe in that good news. It is the good news of God. We must believe in the love of Father. We must believe that Jesus is the Savior, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
Jesus made it simple – repent and believe. Those who truly repent and believe will experience the kingdom of God now and be participants in growing His kingdom here on earth as we await the return of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.
Beloved, Jesus’ message has not changed. It’s the same today as it was when He walked this earth over 2,000 years ago. He brought the good news of God which is that God loves us and the kingdom of God is near. We can participate in it now. We don’t have to wait for a future age. All we have to do is repent and believe. Praise the Lord! To God be all the glory! Amen.
At this time of Jesus, the Jews believed in two ages. They believed in the present age of sinfulness ruled by Satan and they believed in an age to come when God would destroy Satan and evil once and for all. Jesus comes along and preaches something different than what they believe in. He says the “kingdom of God is at hand”. The people would not have to wait until a future age because Jesus brought the kingdom to earth. This kingdom will ultimately include the restoration of all creation, but we can be a part of God’s kingdom today. It is all about the kingly rule of Jesus. Jesus rules in the hearts and minds of those who follow Him. He not only is their savior, but Jesus is their Lord!
After Jesus’ startling announcement of the immediacy of the kingdom, He is quick to point out how one can be a part of that kingdom with two words – repent and believe. It’s not about walking and aisle and repeating a prayer asking Jesus to come into your heart. Jesus did not teach that. In fact, you will find it nowhere in Scripture. Beloved, we need to get back to what Jesus preached – repent and believe!
Jesus was the greatest person that has ever walked this earth. He came into our world and revealed to us the heart of God through His words and through His actions. His message continues to speak to us in our day. His message has not changed. If He were invited into church services this weekend, what would He preach? What message would He deliver?
To answer that question we must go back to the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry here on earth. Jesus had just been baptized in water by John the Baptist. At His baptism, the Spirit descended on Him and Father spoke words of pleasure from the heavens. He was immediately driven into the wilderness where He would spend 40 days in seclusion being prepared for the ministry in front of Him that would include a violent death on a cross. He overcame temptation in the wilderness and came out ready to touch people at their point of need while He headed to the cross as the lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
(Mark 1:14-15 ESV)
The location is Galilee, a province of Palestine. Palestine was divided into three provinces – Judea, Samaria and Galilee. Galilee was the northern most province and it’s here that we get to listen in to the message of Christ. He delivered the good news of God and it was fourfold: the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the gospel.
May God lift up those in our day who will choose the genuine over the entertaining. May we be those who will reveal to our city God’s kingdom through words and actions resulting in repentance, believing, baptizing and social change.
Many today have turned to entertainment which appeals to the flesh, but does nothing to reconcile us to God and man, nor does it grow God’s kingdom. What is needed today is a genuine move of God through Christ followers who are willing to reveal God’s kingdom through their words and actions resulting in people repenting, believing and being baptized. In Acts 8:9-13 we see a contrast in the impact that an entertainer and a Christ follower has on the public.
Notice the contrast between Simon the magician and Peter the Christ follower.
Simon the Magician:
Was a popular entertainer
Drew attention to himself
Amazed the people with his magic
Peter the Christ Follower:
Revealed the good news about the kingdom of God through his words and actions
Pointed people to Jesus instead of self
Baptized believers as a sign of conversion
The great conclusion of Acts 8:9-13 is that even an entertainer realizes that there is need for something more and that they desire the real over the entertaining.
The kingdom of God is good news to all who will listen, repent and believe that it is here through Jesus Christ. Entertainment will bring temporary satisfaction, but becoming a citizen of God’s kingdom provides eternal fulfillment.
Beloved, as we follow Jesus into the wilderness, the place of helplessness, we will learn that it is there that we grow dependent upon God. It is God that leads us there because He desires to do a work in us that will allow us to reach our full potential in His Kingdom. God does this work in His timing and not ours. Temptation will come to us and as we make the right choices instead of believing the lies of the devil, we will be given strength and endurance for our journey as God ministers to us right there in our wilderness.
Beloved, we are indwelt by the same Spirit that indwelt Christ. Christ walked this earth as the Son of Man, full of the Holy Spirit, heading to the cross as the Son of God to die for our sins so that we can have fullness of life in Him now and for all eternity. It is the Spirit that births us into the Kingdom of God. The church does not birth us into the Kingdom, nor does church membership. Walking an aisle and repeating a prayer does not birth us into the Kingdom. Being religious does not birth us into the Kingdom. The Spirit and the Spirit only births us into the Kingdom of God. And as we deny self, take up our cross and follow Jesus, the same Spirit that indwelt Christ indwells us.
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 being torn open 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." (Mark 1:9-11 ESV)
As John was baptizing all of the people who were repenting of their sins, Jesus appears on the scene. This is the most unlikely time for the Son of God to show up. Jesus had no need to repent of sins because He was sinless. But yet, He allowed John to baptize Him. His baptism was not for sins, but was to identify with people in their sin showing His willingness to submit to God’s judgment of their sin.
Jesus’ submission to the Father’s will, which meant certain death on a cross, was pleasing to the Father and demonstrated by the Father’s words and the Spirit’s descent upon Jesus. Notice that all three persons of the Trinity was present – the Father, the Son and the Spirit.
It is hard for us to comprehend what is taking place. Jesus came into our world to die for our sin. He was sinless and had no need to die for Himself. It was all about us. The Father loves us and wants to spend eternity with us so much that He sent Jesus. The Father wants us to experience life in Him and not death. And Jesus submitted to the will of the Father and He came. He left the glory of heaven and the splendor of the Father’s presence to come into our world to live and to die. He came as the son of man and He came as the son of God. He was 100% human and 100% God. As the son of man, he lived his life as an example for us to follow. As the son of God, He died for our sin taking God’s judgment for it upon Himself. And here at His baptism He, as a man, is indwelt by the Spirit just as all those who are born into God’s Kingdom would be.
Putting faith into action is the right thing to do. Putting faith into action costs us something. Putting faith into action will advance God’s kingdom.
As we follow Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to use us in continuing the point of need ministry of Jesus, we will put our faith in action advancing God’s kingdom beyond any ethnic, racial and gender boundaries and extend it to ALL people in our sphere of influence and beyond. It will cost us something, but Christ followers counted the cost when they denied their self, took up their cross and followed Jesus.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:1-2 ESV)
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