Mark 1

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 3:

- Also, the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying: “He has Beelzebub, and he expels the demons by means of the ruler of the demons.” So after calling them to him, he spoke to them with illustrations: “How can Satan expel Satan? If a kingdom becomes divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand; and if a house becomes divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. Also, if Satan has risen up against himself and has become divided, he cannot stand but is coming to an end.

- We see Pharisees and scribes in front of Jesus!

- Many men against one!

- And they are supposed to know what they are talking about!

- They went to religious school!

- And when we hear their poor arguments, they have no shame!

- And Jesus takes time to teach them and show their lack of arguments!

- He shows a lot of patience to these stupid men!

- When we say things, we need a minimum of arguments!

- We need to think about what we say!

- If we don’t have arguments, it is better to say nothing!

- Making mistakes is not a problem!

- But we need to think a minimum!

- And not repeat what others say!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 3:

- In fact, no one who enters the house of a strong man is able to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Only then can he plunder his house. Truly I say to you that all things will be forgiven the sons of men, no matter what sins they commit and what blasphemies they speak. But whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit has no forgiveness forever but is guilty of everlasting sin.”He said this because they were saying: “He has an unclean spirit.”

- We have many examples in the Bible of people who were condemned by God!

- The Bible tells us about the Israelites and the Jews!

- They had God’s favor!

- They took advantage of God patience!

- And they lost everything!

- And it happened many times!

- So we should be careful when we act!

- We shouldn’t let others tell us what to do but be sure it is right or wrong!

- We have the Bible and we can check many things!

- We can ask God to help us to really understand his will and his word by praying sincerely to him!

- We can keep praying God to express to him our deep feelings, our troubles, our joys, all our thoughts!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 3:

- Now his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. As there was a crowd sitting around him, they said to him: “Look! Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.” But he replied to them: “Who are my mother and my brothers?” Then he looked at those sitting around him in a circle and said: “See, my mother and my brothers!Whoever does the will of God, this one is my brother and sister and mother.”

- Jesus makes it clear!

- He has a human family!

- But his mission was more important!

- He was on earth to accomplish God’s will!

- Thus he was concentrating on teaching people and help them become his disciples and get access to eternal life!

- And he trained the apostles and his disciples to do the same!

- There was nothing more important!

- We must not forget it!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 4:

- Again he began teaching beside the sea, and a very large crowd gathered near him. So he went aboard a boat and sat in it away from the shore, but the whole crowd was next to the sea, along the shore.

- Jesus knows how to adapt to the situation!

- He finds the best way so the very large crowd can listen to him!

- And it is always so!

- It reminds me that after the creation, God and Jesus have kept working!

- And they keep working to prepare what comes next!

- And apparently there is a lot to do when we see what men have done with the earth!

- When we read the first part of the Bible, we see how God organizes everything for the Israelites!

- We can imagine that when Jesus comes back to put an end to this Modern world, everything will be well organized to put everything on track!

- It will be refreshing compared to the poor organization of man!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 4

- And he began to teach them many things with illustrations, and while he was teaching, he said to them:“Listen. Look! The sower went out to sow. As he was sowing, some seeds fell alongside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on rocky ground where there was not much soil, and they immediately sprang up because the soil was not deep. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seeds fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them, and they yielded no fruit. But others fell on the fine soil, and growing up and increasing, they began to yield fruit, and they were bearing 30, 60, and 100 times more.”

- Do you understand Jesus!

- It is not possible to stay on your chair!

- Everybody must do his part!

- Everybody must speak and tell and teach about God’s word!

- Otherwise Jesus will say I don’t know you!

- Go away from me!

- And it is not necessary to be a super teacher!

- Just participate and do the best we can!

- Thus we will improve our abilities!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 4

- Then he added: “Let the one who has ears to listen, listen. Now when he was alone, those around him with the Twelve began questioning him about the illustrations. He said to them: “To you the sacred secret of the Kingdom of God has been given, but to those outside all things are in illustrations, so that, though looking, they may look and still not see, and though hearing, they may hear and still not get the sense of it; nor will they ever turn back and receive forgiveness.”

- Do we really want to listen to God’s word!

- Or do we only take what we want?

- It is either everything or nothing!

- Do we ask God for help again and again?

- Do we really want to understand?

- Do we really want to turn back and receive forgiveness?

- Or do we only want to have a quiet life and close our eyes and ears?

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 4

- Further, he said to them: “You do not know this illustration, so how will you understand all the other illustrations?

- That’s the question!

- Do we really want to know?

- Or do we prefer to stay with what we have or what we have been told?

- For many, when they don’t they feel more secure!

- Thus they don’t have obligations!

- But today it is getting more and more dangerous!

- Because when Jesus comes, he will ask us if we really strive to know!

- And when we try to hide behind religious leaders who are not better than political leaders, it will mean big troubles!

- And there won’t any more possibilities!

- God takes time, he is patient because he wants people to make up their minds and repent!

- But when the time arrives, it will be too late!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 4

- “The sower sows the word. These, then, are the ones alongside the road where the word is sown; but as soon as they have heard it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

- Do we still eat milk or solid food!

- God needs hard workers!

- The earth must be a paradise again!

- It implies a lot of work to turn what is today a trash can into a jewel it used to be!

- But we must look like God and Jesus!

- They don’t need people who are selfish!

- They need people who are active and ready to help!

- They need real human beings with brains and hearts!

- They don’t need artificial ones which look like machines!

- They need people who are spiritually alive, not dead!

 

[JLG]

Mark 4

- Likewise, these are the ones sown on rocky ground; as soon as they have heard the word, they accept it with joy. Yet they have no root in themselves, but they continue for a time; then as soon as tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, they are stumbled.

- They accept it with joy!

- But they have no root!

- And they are stumbled!

- It is like a thermometer of our faith!

- What is the degree of our faith?

- Is it getting half-hearted? Is it getting cold? Is it getting hot?

- There are only two ways!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 4

- There are still others that are sown among the thorns. These are the ones who have heard the word, but the anxieties of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches and the desires for everything else make inroads and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

- The scale is unbalanced!

- On the one hand, people hear the word!

- On the other hand, you get anxieties and deceptive power of riches and the desires for everything!

- Ah man, man!

- He will never change!

- too predictable and for the worst!

- If only it were for the best!

- There is the word dreamer, I would say “nightmarer” if it was possible!

- Or man is a nightmare for himself!

- Why does he always make the bad choices!

- Of course, you get the bad influences of others!

- You may want to do one thing but the group is there to have you take another decision!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 4

- Finally, the ones that were sown on the fine soil are those who listen to the word and favorably receive it and bear fruit—30, 60, and 100 times more.”

- People have different abilities and different motivations and different levels of spirituality!

- But it can always be improved!

- It means reading and studying the Bible and speaking about God’s word!

- Listening and favorably receiving it and bearing fruit!

- The more active we are the best we get!

- The most basic logic!

- No action no improvement!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 4

- He also said to them: “A lamp is not brought out to be put under a basket or under a bed, is it? Is it not brought out to be put on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden that will not be exposed; nothing is carefully concealed that will not come out in the open. Whoever has ears to listen, let him listen.” He further said to them: “Pay attention to what you are hearing. With the measure that you are measuring out, you will have it measured out to you, yes, you will have more added to you. For whoever has will have more given to him, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

- We must work in the light!

- We mustn’t have anything to hide!

- We must look for a simple life without lies!

- We must do our part!

- Jesus must know who we are!

- He must know us as good workers!

- Faithful servants who are active!

- He must learn how to trust us!

- And it depends on our actions!

- No action no trust!

 

[JLG]

Jesus explained why, here.

“As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.””

(Mark 4:10–12 NAS95)

- My answer :

- Ok !

- Let’s compare the apostles and Paul !

- They had the privilege to live with him 24 hours a day !

- They were from different origins !

-Jesus used a progressive teaching to help them understand !

- But they didn’t understand his message till his death !

- Paul was a Pharisee !

- He had a good knowledge of the Bible !

- He thought he was doing what was right !

- And he was doing it with all his heart !

- But he was wrong !

- So Jesus put him on the right track !

- Then he went straight ahead never going to the left or to the right !

- The 12 had a small territory !

- Paul had the world as territory !

- The Jews thought they were special but they couldn’t understand !

- And they could see his miracles !

- Now think about the army officer, how he could understand but he was not a Jew ! (Matthew 8:5-13)

- Now think about the Phoenician woman, how she could understand but she was not a Jew ! (Matthew 15 : 21-28)

- Now think about the samaritan woman and the inhabitants of her city, how they could understand but they were not Jews ! (John 4)

 

[JLG]

2 Timothy 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Yes and the point I was trying to make is that we are ALL GUILTY, none of us are innocent. In the parable of the Pharisee and a tax collector, it was the tax collector who admitted his guilt and humbled himself before God. He was the one that was justified. We can only judge ourselves. God does not give us the ability to judge others.

In Heaven everything is out in the open. They have nothing to hide or conceal. People do not talk about you behind your back there.

- My answer:

- Of course, we are all guilty!

- But we can’t keep quiet!

- As Christians, we have the responsibility to speak!

- As individuals, we are not important!

- We may die tomorrow!

- But God’s Word must be told and people must be warned!

- But when we comment the Bible, we are supposed to speak according to what God and Jesus say!

- Adam and Eve were condemned!

- The devil and the demons were condemned!

- The Israelites and the Jews as two people were condemned!

- I am not speaking about individuals!

- Because we have examples of faithful servants among them!

- The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were condemned!

- When the flood came, humanity was condemned!

- Religious leaders were condemned!

- When religious leaders are supposed to bring people closer to God!

- So if they bring them away, they are condemned!

- When translators don’t translate properly God’s Word, can we say you do a good job?

- When people are supposed to represent God and they don’t do it properly, can we say you do a good job?

- When Jesus comes back, he will judge people, don’t we have to warn them to prepare for that?

- Or can we say it doesn’t matter?

- What does 2 timothy 3 say?

- We all have to work hard!

- It’s not going to be peace and love!

- When it’s too late, it’s too late!

- It’s when there is still time that we have to do something!

- WE must act so God and Jesus will remember us when time is over!

- Think about the false prophets who told the Jews Jerusalem wouldn’t be destroyed!

- The city was destroyed twice!

- And look at Israel today, it has always been in war!

- of course, humanity is in war!

 

[JLG]

Which law did God give us that we are not able to keep? In what way are we not able to be righteous, holy and sanctified before God?

- Someone answers:

We'll John- for starters 613 Laws ,need I go through them all- surely you can read God's Written Word,read the "Law" and see how many you think man could keep?

We are Made Righteous,Holy & Sanctified only by the Previous Blood of the Perfect Lamb of God- there is no other Way except in Christ Jesus- the Way,the Truth ,& the Life

 

[JLG]

- My answer :

- For example, let’s have a look at Jesus’ answers when the devil tempted him :

- Matthew 4 :4 :

“It is written:
Γέγραπται (Gegraptai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.

‘Man
ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

shall not live
ζήσεται (zēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2198: To live, be alive. A primary verb; to live.

on
ἐπ’ (ep’)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

bread
ἄρτῳ (artō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 740: Bread, a loaf, food. From airo; bread or a loaf.

alone,
μόνῳ (monō)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3441: Only, solitary, desolate. Probably from meno; remaining, i.e. Sole or single; by implication, mere.

but
Ἀλλ’ (All’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

on
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

every
παντὶ (panti)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

word
ῥήματι (rhēmati)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4487: From rheo; an utterance, ; by implication, a matter or topic; with a negative naught whatever.

that comes
ἐκπορευομένῳ (ekporeuomenō)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1607: From ek and poreuomai; to depart, be discharged, proceed, project.

from
διὰ (dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

[the] mouth
στόματος (stomatos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4750: The mouth, speech, eloquence in speech, the point of a sword.

of God.’”
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

 

[JLG]

- Then let’s have a look at Matthew 4:7 :



“It is also written:
γέγραπται (gegraptai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.

‘Do not put
ἐκπειράσεις (ekpeiraseis)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1598: To put to the test, make trial of, tempt, try. From ek and peirazo; to test thoroughly.

[the] Lord
Κύριον (Kyrion)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

your
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

God {to the test}.’”
Θεόν (Theon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

 

[JLG]

- Then Matthew 4:10 :



“For
γάρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

it is written:
γέγραπται (gegraptai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.

‘Worship
προσκυνήσεις (proskynēseis)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4352: From pros and a probable derivative of kuon; to fawn or crouch to, i.e. prostrate oneself in homage.

[the] Lord
Κύριον (Kyrion)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

your
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

God
θεόν (theon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

serve
λατρεύσεις (latreuseis)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 3000: To serve, especially God, perhaps simply: I worship. From latris; to minister, i.e. Render religious homage.

Him
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

only.’”
μόνῳ (monō)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3441: Only, solitary, desolate. Probably from meno; remaining, i.e. Sole or single; by implication, mere.

 

[JLG]

- Think about Matthew 5 !

- Think about Matthew 6 !

- Think about Matthew 7 !

 

[JLG]

Looking for Jesus

Mark 4

- Jesus compares God’s Kingdom as when a man casts seeds on the ground!

- When he gets up in the morning the seeds sprout and grow tall and he doesn’t know how!

- And it bears fruit!

- Then it is harvest time!

- But if nobody does anything you can’t expect a good harvest!

- A good harvest needs good workers!

- The more people care the better!

-You can’t get anything if you don’t do anything!

- Jesus was a hard worker when he was on earth!

- And he showed us an excellent example to follow!

- We can close our eyes and shut out ears but the images will stay in our memories!