The sermon for July 1st 2018 is now available on the New life web-site.
In this sermon, which is based on Mark 5:21-43, i talk about the Glory of Jesus.
Mark
Reflection on Mark 4:26-34
Scripture
Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand.
Observation
Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a farmer who sows seed. Without any intervention the seed grows and matures until harvest time.
The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that grows and becomes a bush.
Jesus used many stories to describe the kingdom, but He always explained them to the disciples.
Application
The kingdom of God is like a farmer and it is like a tiny seed. How can it be both?
Jesus knew that we relate better to stories than to theological doctrines. We need the doctrines for knowledge but the stories speak to our heart.
The kingdom of God is organic and relational. It is also unstoppable.
These are the messages in these brief stories. We can see in our mind the farmer planting, the shoots emerging and the harvest taking place, all without human strategy or plant growth conferences.
God’s kingdom has been growing for 2000 years. Of the increase of His government there shall be no end.
My testimony of experiencing God’s grace in Christ is one of the stories that God can use to bring people to faith. It is not enough by itself because people need to relate to Christ, not just to me. But it is a powerful expression for people who have never related to Jesus.
The kingdom of God is like a young man who refused to believe in God. One night he had a dream…
Every story is different because every person is different. The story of grace remains the same and expresses itself through our individual stories.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for the power of stories especially the story of the kingdom. Help me to share this story with others. Amen.
Reflection on Mark 8:31-38
Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+8.31-38
Scripture
“If any of you wants to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me.”
Observation
Jesus begins to tell His disciples that He will soon be rejected and crucified, but on the third day He will rise to life.
Peter rebukes Jesus for this, but Jesus says to him “Get behind me satan!”
Jesus then tells the crowd that if anyone wants to be a disciple they must die to themselves and take up their cross to follow Him. To win the world and lose your soul is tragic loss.
Application
Jesus rejects all anti-gospel, self-fulfilment messages. It is not “Your Best Life Now” but “Die to yourself.”
The message is both scary and strangely appealing.
Many christians fail to grow because they never settle in their heart that they have to die to themselves. The christian life is not just about asking Jesus into your heart even though it starts there. Being crucified is hard work, undignified, painful and deadly. It is everything that our fleshly nature revolts against.
How are we to die to ourselves?
1. Decide daily TGIF- Today God Is First. I am no longer my own; I was bought at a price by Christ. I am literally His slave.
2. Sacrifice all ambition. The career ladder and professional advancement may not be what the Lord has for you. The nice house may not be in His plans either.
3. Humility. Our culture both hates and admires humility in others. We like leaders who have “the common touch” but are not too common themselves. I must always look at my life through Christ’s eyes not through the distorted lens of self-image.
4. Be a servant, totally dedicated to serving others and the Lord. Going out of my comfort zone to help others is good for my soul.
Prayer
Lord, you call me to take up my cross to follow you. I confess I find this call scary. I want to follow you in all things. Please help me to put to death all selfish ambition and to live entirely for you. Amen.
Reflection on Mark 1:9-15
Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1.9-15
Scripture
Straight away God’s Spirit made Jesus go into the wilderness.
Observation
Jesus is baptised by John. The Holy Spirit comes down on Him in the form of a dove, and the Father announces, “You are my dear Son, and I am pleased with you.”
Straight away the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness to be tested by satan for 40 days.
After this, Jesus commences preaching all through Galilee.
Application
Mark’s account of three separate incidents marking the beginning of Jesus’ ministry is very light in detail. He uses words like “straight away” and “immediately” to convey the sense that things are happening quickly. The coming of Jesus into the world is a catalyst that speeds everything up.
In the middle of this, Jesus goes into the desert or wilderness, driven by the Holy Spirit, in order to be tested by satan.
Being in the wilderness is no fun at all. It seems like the Lord is doing really exciting things; it’s all happening with conversions and miracles; and then nothing.
The test of the wilderness experience is this- will I stay faithful to God even when He seems distant, and there is nothing good happening?
The other gospels tell us the natures of the temptations by satan. They all come down to the enticement of making things happen by self-will rather than walking in obedience to the Father.
My worth as a follower of Jesus is not in my achievements for Him. He loves me even when I fail to perform well on Sunday morning, or when I don’t pray enough. He even continues to love me when I abandon His plans for my life.
Coming through the wilderness experience means hanging onto Jesus as if He is the most important thing in my life.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for the tough times. Even though I hate them I know that you use them to take me deeper with you. Amen.
Reflection on Mark 1:29-39
Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1.29-39
Scripture
Jesus healed all kinds of terrible diseases and forced out many demons.
Observation
Jesus and His disciples leave the synagogue to go back to Simon and Andrew’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law is sick with a fever. Jesus heals her and immediately she gets out of bed to serve them a meal.
That evening all who are sick or have demons are brought to Jesus. He heals all kinds of terrible diseases and casts out many demons.
Early in the morning Jesus goes away to pray. Simon and his friends go to find Him because the crowds are looking for Jesus. Jesus then begins travelling all through Galilee preaching the message of the Kingdom.
Application
Jesus has not changed. He is still the same yesterday, today and for ever. Therefore He is still healing people of all kinds of diseases and setting them free of evil spirits.
In the West we tend to put our trust in doctors and drugs rather than in Jesus. When we get sick our first response is to reach for the paracetamol and call the doctor. With relatively cheap health care this is cost free most of the time.
I am thankful for modern medicine because it relieves so much suffering. But for christians, our dependence on health care systems diminishes our trust in God and therefore can become an idol to us.
I rarely catch a cold or flu because as soon as symptoms arise I claim healing in Jesus’ name. Others sneeze and feel miserable but I am victorious. Yet I take tablets every day for high blood pressure and I am yet to get a victory over that.
I have seen miraculous healings over many years. I know that Jesus still heals every kind of terrible disease. Praise the Lord!
Prayer
Lord Jesus you are still in the business of healing diseases and casting out demons. Please help me to grow in faith to believe that you will heal my diseases. Amen.
Reflection on Mark 1:21-28
Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1.21-28
Scripture
Everyone was amazed at his teaching. He taught with authority and not like the teachers of the Law of Moses.
Observation
Jesus goes into the synagogue in Capernaum and teaches with great authority. A demonised man comes in and calls out, “Jesus of Nazareth, what do you want with us? You are God’s Holy One.”
Jesus commands the spirit to leave the man, which it does. Everyone is amazed at this authority. News of Jesus spreads throughout Galilee.
Application
Jesus taught and ministered with authority. His authority came from His relationship with the Father.
There are many bible teachers who know lots abut the Scriptures- the languages, the history, the authors, how different parts fit together. But these people can lack authority because they have not lived in the presence of the Lord.
Every pastor, indeed every christian, should have such a close relationship with the Father that their words and actions carry His authority, His grace, His power.
Jesus cast out demons and performed many miracles because of His relationship with the Father. We can do the same things that Jesus did, even “greater things” (John 14:12) because it is the Holy Spirit in us not us by ourselves.
The key is intimacy with God. We need the presence of God. This can only come through vibrant prayer and listening, together with regular reading of the Bible.
Prayer
Come and fill me with your Spirit, Lord. Teach me how to walk close to you so that I carry your authority and your grace. Amen.
Today’s Sermon
Today’s Sermon
Reflection on Mark 1:1-8
Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1.1-8
Scripture
John told the people, “Someone more powerful is going to come! And I’m not good enough even to stoop down and untie his sandals.”
Observation
The Good News starts with the appearance of John in the desert preparing the way of the Lord. His message is simple: “Turn back to God, be baptised and your sins will be forgiven.”
John also tells the people that someone is coming who will be more powerful. John baptises in water but coming one will baptise with the Holy Spirit.
Application
Despite his boldness in telling people of all classes, even King Herod, to repent of their sins, John the Baptist was a humble man. He recognised that his ministry was not about him, but about Jesus. On one occasion Jesus said, “I must decrease and Jesus must increase.”
Our culture does not do humility well. From an early age we are told that we can do anything, be anyone. We are told to push ourselves forward and be self-confident.
The way of God, though, is to be God-confident, trusting the Holy Spirit to promote us when necessary.
How many ministers could say, in all sincerity, with John “I’m not worthy to stoop down and untie his sandals”? How many of us even think in these terms?
To be a follower of Jesus means that we are obedient to His call and to His commandments. He is the one who is greater than all of us.
We are accustomed to thinking of ourselves as equal to everybody else. Our classless democratic society tries to pull down all distinctions except those it approves of.
Jesus is in another class altogether. He is the one and only Son of God. He truly is greater than us and worthy of all praise.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, please give me a revelation of your glory and help me to worship you as you truly are. Amen.
Reflection on Mark 13:24-37
Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+13.24-37
Scripture
“No one knows the day or the time. The angels in heaven don’t know, and the Son himself doesn’t know. Only the Father knows.”
Observation
Jesus tells His disciples about the end times. The powers of the sky will be shaken. Then the Son will return in glory with the angels.
Just as we know when trees sprout leaves and blossoms that summer is on its way, we need to be alert for the signs of Jesus’ return.
No one knows the day or the time- not even the angels of heaven or Jesus Himself. Like servants overseeing a household while their master is away, we need to be diligently serving the Lord.
Application
No one knows the day. I get frustrated when I see a new prediction, always false of course. No one knows when this will be except our Father.
Jesus tells us that it could be any time so we need to live in eager expectation of His coming.
In this season called Advent, we prepare ourselves and wait expectantly to celebrate Jesus’ first coming. Although we assign a date to this event, we don’t really know the date of Jesus’ birthday. How much more then should we approach the timing of His return in humility and accept that we aren’t meant to know?
We know that He will come back to judge the living and the dead. We know that He will reign over all of creation and that the great enemies of mankind- sin and death- will be finally vanquished.
So we must wait expectantly. We must go about the Lord’s business each day serving Him as faithfully as if He was right here with us in visible form. He is right here with us (Immanuel- God is with us), but we sometimes forget.
If we daily live in submission to the Holy Spirit, we will be ready for Christ’s return whenever He comes.
Prayer
Come Lord Jesus come! May I be found diligently and joyfully serving your purposes when you do return. Amen.
New Life Narrabri 