James Commentary -- Chapter 2

 Here is James 2

 

James 2:1-4

 

     We are now going into chapter two, and this chapter has a lot in it that is relevant for our day and age. We start out the chapter with an admonition for James that Christians should not be ones who show any type of favoritism. But, before we start studying what that means for us today, I am struck by how James refers to Jesus. He calls Him our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

     Jesus is ours. That is something that we have to really let sink in. He belongs to us and we belong to Him. We are united together by His grace. He is glorious. He lives in glory right now seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. One day, He will come and all of His glory will be revealed to all as every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

     Now, let us get into the heart of the section. James gives his readers a stern warning against showing any type of favoritism. He does not want people to favor any other believer or visitor to the congregation based on their wealth or their status.

     If a person is rich or poor, they should be treated the same way. If a person is dressed well or poorly, they should be treated in the same respectful and honorable way. There should be no discrimination, and there should be no favoritism shown.

     This passage reminds me of something that I have seen in some church meetings. Those that are big donors or so-called VIPs are given reserved seats at the front of the church. This is in direct contradiction to what James Is teaching here. That sort of thing should never be practiced in any church.

     I believe that we can go further with James’ idea. There should be no type of racism, sexism, ageism, ethnicism or any other type of discrimination in the church or amongst God’s people. The church is for all. Jesus saves and came to save everyone. We are all one in Him.

     If anyone teaches that one race or ethnic group is better than another, that is a sign that that person’s teaching is not of God. All people from every tribe, nation, and group will be worshipping the Lamb around the throne.

James 2:5-7

     Now, getting back to James most contextual criticism.  James does not want anyone to discriminate a poor person in favor of a rich person. James says that God has especially chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the Kingdom. That is powerful. That means God has a preferential regard for the poor. He does not want anyone causing any type of hurt or oppression against them.

     James goes on to talk about the fact that the rich are often oppressors. In fact, most of the time, those who are very wealth became that way by not following the teachings of the Lord and by oppressing their workers and those in marginalized groups.

     We are not to dishonor a poor person, and we are not to show favoritism to a wealthy person. The worst examples of this that I have seen are pastors who will go visit wealthy members of their congregation in the hospital, but you never see them at the bedside of someone who doesn’t have two nickels to rub together.

James 2:8-11

     James is really driving home his point now. He goes back to what he heard the Lord Jesus say. When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment, He said that we are to the love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Then he added that we are to love our neighbor as ourself.

     In this section, James makes it clear that to show favoritism or to discriminate is a violation of the law that we should love our neighbor as ourself. It follows right along with what Jesus said when He told us that we are to do unto others as we would have done to us. In other words, we are to treat other people in the same way that we would like to be treated. If we don’t want people to discriminate and be prejudiced against us, we should not act that way to others.

     According to James, we are lawbreakers if we show favoritism, and if a person breaks the law in one area it is the same as if he has broken every law. One is just as bad as the other, because they are all violations of the standard of a holy God. Not committing one sin but committing another makes us guilty of all. That is why we need a Savior.

James 2:12-13

     We are to act as people who will be judged by the law of God. What does this mean? It doesn’t mean that we are under the law. It means that Jesus is the judge. The Bible says that everyone will stand before the judgment seat of Christ in order to give an account. Christians will be judged at this judgment, but not for salvation. It is a judgment of rewards. What we have done with our lives for the Lord.

     In light of the fact that we will give an account to our Savior, we need to live according to His commandments and teachings. We need to be doing what He has told us to do. In fact, Jesus spoke about this just as James is. He told us that we should live in such a way that we would not be ashamed at His coming.

     In verse 13, James talks about mercy and judgment. Mercy triumphs over judgment. And aren’t we thankful for that. God is merciful to us and has forgiven our sins. He has forgiven us and given us a new life in Jesus Christ. When we come to Jesus, He takes our sins, and we receive His righteousness which allows the judgment of the Lord for our sins to pass over us.

     Just as we have received the mercy of the Lord, we ought also to be merciful to others. We need to forgive others when they sin against us. Jesus spoke about this over and over again during His time on earth. We need to forgive seventy times seven, He told us. He also said that if we aren’t willing to forgive others, the Father will not forgive us.

James 2:14-19

     The section of James that we are going in to now is one of the most controversial passages in all of the New Testament. Some Christians use this text to prove that salvation is not by faith alone. Others try to explain it away or not deal with what it is really saying. Some, like Martin Luther, want to just throw the whole book out the window.

     Let’s look at what James is trying to get at in this passage. James begins by asking if a person can be saved by faith without deeds. He asks, “Can such faith save them?” James compares faith without deeds to someone seeing a hungry person who tells that person to be warm and filled and then just walks off and doesn’t do anything to help that person.  James says that faith like that, or faith without deeds is dead.

     James says that faith without deeds is dead. It is useless. Even the demons in hell believe, but they don’t have any deeds. James says that he will demonstrate his faith by his deeds.

     So, what are we to make of this? Is James trying to say that we are saved by a combination of faith and works? No, he is not. He is making a statement about the demonstration of true faith. He wants to let his readers know and understand what saving faith truly looks like. True and saving faith is not a mental assent to a list of facts about God. The devil and his angels know the truth about God and who Jesus is and what He did. But, they do not bow the knee to Him. They do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. They are in rebellion. Their acknowledgment of some facts they know to be true does not bring them out of their rebellion against the True and Living God.

     What James is saying is that there are many who have a profession of faith. They claim to be believers in the Lord, but their actions do not demonstrate that they have Jesus as the Lord of their lives. It is an empty profession of faith. They do not have a true possession of faith.

     Jesus spoke about this exact same thing. He said when the end of time comes and people are judged many will come to Him and say Lord, Lord.  Jesus will say to them depart from me for I never knew you. You were a worker of lawlessness. Likewise, Jesus said that when He judges the nations, some will ask when did we see you hungry, thirsty, naked, etc. He replies that when you did not do good unto the least of those among you, you did not do it unto Me. In other words, you said you were a follower of mine, but you never did anything that I asked you to do. Therefore, your actions revealed that you never really had faith and trust in Me.

     Jesus also talked about the good tree and the bad tree. A good tree bears good fruit while a bad tree can only produce bad fruit. Jesus said by their fruits you will know them. So, Jesus is saying the exact same thing as James. A person’s works reveal what is truly in their heart. Anyone can say they are a Christian. The proof, so to speak, is in the pudding.

     James is certainly not contradicting other parts of the Bible in this passage. We know from the writings of Paul that we are saved by grace through faith. It is the gift of God. Paul tells us that we are saved unto God works. We are not saved by good works, because, as the Bible says, all of our righteousness is as filthy rags in the eyes of God.

James 2:20-26

     James will now give us two examples from the Old Testament to show us the point that he is trying to get across. First of all, we have the example of Abraham and his offering up of Isaac. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham could have said OK Lord, and then he could have gone out and sacrificed a goat. Instead, he was going to sacrifice Isaac and God stopped Him. The Bible says that Abraham believed that even if he sacrificed Isaac that God could raise him from the dead, but it was dead faith until Abraham had an action behind it. His action proved his faith.

     In the same way, we have the example of Rahab. When the spies went to Jericho, Rahab hid them so they would not be captured. Joshua and Caleb told her that if she placed the scarlet cord out her window, she and those with her would be spared when the city fell. Rahab did what she was told, and she and those with her made it out alive. She could have believed all day, but her action demonstrated that she truly believed.

     If you have accepted Jesus as the Savior and Lord of your life, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within. He works within us to produce the fruit of the Spirit. We also as a child of God have the desire to do what it is that Jesus has taught us and commanded us to do. When we follow the Lord in obedience, we are showing the world that Jesus is truly in our hearts. That is what James is trying to say.

Verses For The Week And Prayer

     We need to be praying for peace in the entire Middle East region. Please be in prayer. 

I Peter 5:7 -- "Casting all your anxieties upon Him, because He cares for you."

I Peter 3:11 -- "Let him turn away from evil and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it."

The Weekend Sermon -- Mark 2:1-12

      Thank you for once again taking some time to read the message for the week. I hope that everyone has had a great week so far. I am doing about the same. 

      Over the course of the last few weeks, we have been studying what the Lord has to teach us from the Gospel of Mark. We finished up chapter one last week, and we are going to begin in chapter two starting with our message this week. 

     In our passage for today, we have to recall what happened at the end of chapter one. Jesus healed a man that was filled with leprosy. He told the man not to tell anyone, but the man went ahead and told everyone. People were coming from everywhere to see Jesus and to be healed. 

     With this in mind, we come to the events that are recorded in chapter two. Jesus is in a house preaching and teaching. The crowd is huge. The house is entirely filled, and there are people standing all around trying to get a glimpse of Jesus and hear what He has to say. 

     At this event, there were four men who had brought their friend who was paralyzed to be healed by Jesus. The crowds were so great that they couldn't get in. So they improvised. They went up on the roof, took away some of the roofing, and lowered their friend right down to where Jesus was at. 

     When Jesus saw the man, He told him that his sins where forgiven. This infuriated the religious leaders. Jesus knew what they were thinking, and He informed them that the Son of Man had power to forgive sins. Jesus then healed the man completely, and that was a sign to the religious leaders of Jesus' power. 

     Now, what can we all these years separated from these events learn from this miracle encounter? The first thing that strikes me about this event is that this man had some really good friends. They just didn't say they were friends, they showed it. They showed it in a big way. They were determined to get their friend the help that he needed. 

     It is important to have friends like this as we try to make it through this world. It is important to be this kind of friend. A true friend is one that will stick with you in the good times and the bad times. They will help you in any way that they are able when you are going through a hard time. That is the type of friend that we should all try to be. 

    The second thing I notice in this encounter is the way that Jesus demonstrated His divinity as God the Son and the Messiah. Jesus forgave the man of his sin. That is something only God could do. By taking this on, Jesus was clearly saying that He was divine. Jesus also demonstrated His divine power through the miracle of healing a man who was unable to even get around. 

     The third thing I want to emphasize in this passage is the prominent place that Jesus gave to forgiving the man of his sins. Jesus didn't heal the may first. He forgave the man first. The reason for that is that that was the more important thing. Eternity matters more than the temporal. Having a right relationship with God is what means the most in life. Jesus made sure that the man's soul was right, and then He made his body right. 

     The most important thing that you can do in your life is to make sure that your sins have been forgiven by the Lord Jesus and that you have turned to Him and made Him the Savior and Lord of your life. Nothing else in life is more important than this. I hope that you will come to salvation through the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus today. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am having a great deal of trouble with my health. Please keep praying. Thank you. 

     Please keep praying for peace. Ukraine needs peace and we need peace in Gaza and Israel. Pray that there will be a diplomatic solution with Iran. Also, pray for peace in Mexico. Keep praying for peace in Sudan and Syria as well as Haiti. 

     Pray for those who are dealing with the big snow in the US east. Pray that people will get their power on and get any help and aid that they might need. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Guinea-Bissau and Azerbaijan. Pray that many will come to know the Lord Jesus. 

     Next week, I will post the verses on Tuesday and the next chapter in the James commentary on Wednesday. I will post the message on Friday. May God bless you all. 

James: A Commentary -- Preface, Introduction, Chapter 1

     I have completed my commentary on James. I will be posting this in sections on Wednesdays over the coming weeks. Here is the first section.

James

A Commentary

By – Willard Stringham

Preface

 

     For many years, I have had the desire to write a commentary on the book of James. This epistle is one of the books of the New Testament that I have read again and again and again. Each time that I read it, I am struck by the fact that it is as relevant to the issues of our day as it was when it was penned all those years ago.

     I have both Bible college and seminary credentials, but my intention with this commentary is not to pen an academic work. The goal of this book is to provide the lay reader with an accessible commentary on the book of James and its meaning for our lives today. It will be a more devotional type commentary.

     It is my hope and prayer that as you read this work that you will gain a greater insight into the message of James and how it applies to our walk with the Lord Jesus today. May God bless you as you endeavor to learn more about Him through His word.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

 

 

     The first thing that we need to address as we begin our study of the book of James is what type of literature it is. James is called an epistle. It is a letter that was written by the author to address a group of believers. Much of the New Testament is made up of epistles with the Apostle Paul being the one who penned most of them.

     As we approach the book of James, we need to ask ourselves which James is the author of this text. There are three different James’ in the Bible. The first one we think of is James the son of Zebedee who was the brother of John. Almost all Bible scholars agree that he did not write this epistle. James was the first martyr among the apostles. He was killed in about 44 AD. The thinking is that there would not have been enough time for the church to spread out sufficiently enough for James to pen a letter to all of the churches that are mentioned in the first part of the book. If James the son of Zebedee did write this book, it would have been the first book of the New Testament canon to be written.

     While the vast majority of scholars hold to the fact that this James did not write the book, I hold out that it is possible. James was one of the inner three disciples. As we will see, much of James sounds like Jesus. It was written by someone who really knew what Jesus was talking about while He was here on this earth. While not probable that James John’s brother wrote the book, I don’t think it is as impossible as many Bible scholars suppose.

     Another James who is a candidate for authorship is James the Less also known as James the son of Alpheus. He is not mentioned in the Bible outside of the list of disciples and apostles when the twelve are listed. There isn’t much support for him being the author.

     The James who almost everyone believes wrote this book is James the Just who was Jesus’ brother and the leader of the church in Jerusalem. He was a very prominent leader in the early church, and he was highly respected for his piety and his knowledge. James was the leader of the first church council in Jerusalem that is recorded for us in Acts 15. He would have had the authority and respect to write to churches and to have his words listened to and acted upon.

    Now, just as an overview before we get into the heart of the text, what is James all about. This book is about living a life based on Godly wisdom. It is about practicing what one preaches. James wants those who are followers of Jesus to live like they are what they proclaim. He wants people to be doers of the Word and those who practice pure religion.

     In this book, James tells us how we are to behave in this world. He will tell us that faith without works is dead and that those who follow Jesus need to get control of what they say as the tongue is a deadly poison that can destroy people and a person’s testimony.

     As we will see, one of the things that really attracts me to the book of James is that James speaks out strongly against favoritism and prejudice. He stands up for the poor and for those who labor for a living. He stands for the oppressed against the oppressor. As you read and study this epistle, you will find that it is much like the Sermon on the Mount. There and in this book, there is a strong emphasis on making sure that you don’t have an empty profession of faith but that you have a true possession of faith that manifests itself in living a holy life of good works.

     It is now time for us to dig into what the Lord Jesus has to teach us through the Epistle of James.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James

 Chapter 1:1

 

     The book of James begins by the author telling us that he is the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what all of us who name Jesus as our Savior are supposed to be. We are to be servants of the Lord. That means that He is our master. He gives us His commandments and teachings, and as His servants, we are to follow what He has set out for us. That is what it means to be a Christian. It means following the Lord Jesus in all things. He is the center of our lives. It is not enough to say that Jesus is Savior. He must also be Lord.

    In this first verse, James also addresses his readers. He is writing to the twelve tribes that are scattered throughout the world. What he is saying is that this letter is being written to those of the Jewish faith who have come to recognize that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

     From the day of Pentecost and beyond, many Jewish people came to faith in the Lord Jesus. Since they were gathered for the feast of Pentecost, many went back to their home regions and told others of the good news about who Jesus is and what He had accomplished through His death and resurrection. Many were added to the church day by day.

 

 James 1:2-4 

     These verses are not the easiest verses for us to understand. It seems very difficult to have an attitude of pure joy when trials come to us in our lives. However, James is encouraging us to have the proper attitude so that we learn the proper spiritual lessons that the Lord is trying to teach us when we are going through difficult times in our lives. 

     Let me state, all of the trials and difficulties that we face in our lives are not in some way placed on us by God. God uses the things that we are going through to help us trust in Him and serve Him in a greater way. The Lord wants us to call upon Him to help us when we are facing the difficulties and the struggles that we all go through. 

     Many of the trials that we face in life can be quite challenging. Sometimes, there are so intense that they may cause us to doubt that the Lord cares about us or that He has our best intentions at heart. We need to banish these kinds of thoughts from our minds. 

     When we face challenges and tests to our faith, we endure so that we grow in our faith and trust in the Lord. This process allows us to become more mature in the faith. 

     Let us think about in this way. When you face a temptation, a trial or a difficult situation, you can either succumb to it or overcome it. When we overcome and persevere, we grow, and we are then able to better handle other temptations, trials and difficult times that may come into our lives. 

 James 1:5-8

     In these verses, James is speaking directly about asking God for wisdom. It is in the direct context of asking for wisdom to understand how to make it through any of the hard times and temptations that we might be facing. It is asking for wisdom to overcome. 

     We can take it a step further from this, I think. All of us ask things from the Lord. We are even taught to do this by Jesus in the Lord's Prayer. We ask the Lord for many things each day not only for others but for our own needs as well. 

     When we ask the Lord for wisdom, or whatever else it might be, we need to ask in faith and not waver. James warns against being double minded and unstable in all of our ways being tossed about like the waves of the sea. 

     In faith, believing in the power of the Lord with all of our hearts, we let our requests be made known to the Lord. We have to believe that He has the power. We have to walk by faith and not by sight. Sometimes, things may look bleak, but we must never lose faith in God. 

     The reason that we do not lose faith is that God gives generously to all who ask. The Lord wants to help us. He is not out to get us. He wants what is best for us because He is our kind and loving Heavenly Father who knows how to give good gifts to His children. 

James 1:9-11

     This is an interesting section. It is a contrast between the rich and poor who say that they have faith. As we go through the book of James, you will see that he doesn’t have a lot that is nice to say about those who are rich and powerful. He doesn’t approve of anyone thinking that they are better than someone else.

     In this passage, the first thing that James does is to tell the poor to take pride in their high position. What could this mean? Weren’t they at the bottom of society? Only according to the way the world thinks. Not to the way that God thinks.

     The person who is poor in the goods of this world, is wealthy beyond compare if he is a believer in the Lord Jesus. Why? Because that person is a child of God. Their Father is the King of the Universe. And they are a child of the King. You can’t get any better than that.

     James will go on to say that the rich should rejoice in their humiliation, because they are passing away like a wild flower. They are here today and gone tomorrow.

     What does all this mean? Here is a great instance when we must let Scripture interpret Scripture. We go back to what Jesus said. Jesus said that the rich man who tore down his barns and built bigger barns was a fool. He only thought about himself, and he didn’t use his wealth to help others. Jesus asked what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?

     Also, Jesus gave the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. The rich man had it all. He even dressed in purple which in that day meant you were uber wealthy. At his gate was poor man named Lazarus. He had sores all over and the dogs came and licked him. He was as low as a man on this earth can get. Yet Jesus surprised everyone and said that the rich man went to hell and Lazarus went to Abraham’s Bosom which is Heaven. Why? The poor man Lazarus was right with God, and the rich man showed by his lack of caring for others that the love of God did not dwell in him.

     Wealth is not a sign of God’s favor and poverty is not a sign of His displeasure. What is important in life is that we know God and that we live out our faith by doing unto the least of those among us.

James 1:12

     In this verse, James is telling us more about standing up under the trials of life. However, I believe that James is speaking here a little more broadly about the trial of living for Jesus throughout our lives on earth instead of just talking about living through a difficult time or through a specific time of temptation.

     If we endure and make it through this life without losing our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus, the Lord will reward us with a crown of life.  It is an acknowledgment from the Lord that we have done what we were supposed to do. The Lord gives this crown, James says, to those who love the Lord.

     Love for the Lord is demonstrated through a life of obedience. Jesus Himself said that if you love Me, you will keep My commandments. He also said that we are His friends when we do whatever it is that He says.

     It is my hope, and I hope it is yours as well, to hear the words of Jesus saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

 

James 1:13-15

     In this section, James wants us to know where temptations in this life come from. They do not come from God. God does not tempt any person to do what is wrong. He does not tempt people in order to get them to sin. What James is saying is that God is not out to get you. He is not looking to bring something bad down upon you. He doesn’t want you to fail in following Him, and He is not setting you up to fall away from His service.

     We can’t blame God when we slip and fall and commit the various sins that we commit. James is quite clear. A person sins when he is drawn away by his own lusts and enticements. We are the ones who are responsible for our actions. Our own greed and selfish desires when they are dwelled on, planned on, and schemed on are what leads to sin and separation from God.

     What is the end result of falling into sin again and again and again? Death is what James says. This can be physical and spiritual death. Some sins and temptations can lead to death in the physical sense. Doing certain things and living in certain ways set people up for bad things to happen to them.

     Falling into sin also leads to spiritual death. I am not saying that every time you sin you lose your salvation. What I am saying is that if a person continues to lead a sinful lifestyle that is totally contrary to God and the things of God, that person is making a conscious choice to have a life that is not about God. That ultimately leads people to deny God and decide that they don’t want to be a Christian anymore.

     With this is mind, it is best for us to guard our hearts. When we are tempted, we need to pray and seek the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit. We need to get in the Word. When we do sin, we need to confess it, and move on in once again doing those things that God wants us to do.

 

James 1:16-18

 

     This passage tells us what God is really like and what His intentions are for us. As James said, God is not tempting people and trying to get people to fail. He has not set about to bring bad things and troubles into people’s lives. Instead, James tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father.

     The Lord wants and does give good gifts and good things to us. He blesses us with all spiritual blessings. He has given us all things that pertain to life and Godliness. He has sent us the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us and bless us with spiritual gifts.

     We see this presented by Jesus as well. He told us that God gives good gives to His children. And He does not shift around and change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. He will always be there to help us and to be our peace in the midst of the struggles and problems of this life.

     James goes on to wrap up this section saying God chose to give us birth. This means that God wanted to redeem us. He wanted us to come home to the Father’s house. We are the first fruits spiritually of all. We are the ones who have trusted in Jesus, and we are no longer bound by death, hell and the grave. We have new life. We are born again, and we will live with the Lord in a glorified body like unto the glorified body of the Lord Jesus in the New Heaven and the New Earth.

James 1:19-20

 

     We get some really good advice in this section. It doesn’t matter if you are Christian or not, this is something that if followed would help to make the world a better place. We should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

     Listening is a hard thing for many people to do. We all sometimes struggle with being able to stop and let someone else tells us what is on their heart. We always want to get our own two cents worth in. If we are always talking, we can’t find out what someone else is thinking, and that can cause us to not understand where someone else is coming from. If you listen more and speak less, you will learn a whole lot more.

     We should be slow to speak. What this means is that we should give a measured answer and not just blurt out the first thing that comes into our minds. We should analyze what we are going to say, so as not to inflame a situation or say something harsh or rash that we are sure to regret later. We especially don’t want to say something in anger. Why?

     Anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. When you are angry, it causes one to speak words that hurt and not words that heal. It causes someone to at many times turn away from Jesus because they see those who say they follow Jesus being angry and saying mean and destructive things all the time.  If are becoming angry and saying angry things all the time, there is no way that we can be doing the things that God has called us to do.

James 1:21

     In addition to making sure that we aren’t an angry type of person, James tells us to rid ourselves of the moral filth and evil that is so prevalent in this world. We can see that this world does not value the same things that God values. Whatever God has revealed that He wants people to do, the world and its value system says to do the exact opposite.

     For this reason, Christians need to live holy lives modeled upon the example of the Lord Jesus. If we keep our eyes fixed on Him and follow all that He has told us to do, we will not go astray.

     One of the virtuous we see in the life of Jesus is humility. Like Jesus, we need to have a humble heart realizing that everything we have comes as a result of the grace of God. Salvation, and every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above.

 

James 1:22-25

 

     This is one of the most well-known passages in the book of James. It begins by telling us not to practice self-deception. We are not to be the kind of people who study and hear the Word of the Lord only. We are also to be the ones who follow the instructions of God’s Word. We are to follow the teachings and the commandments of the Word. We are to see the way that the Lord Jesus lived and acted while He was among us, and we are to do likewise.

     James gives us an example of a person who hears the Word but does not act on what he hears. It is just like what happens when a person looks at himself in the mirror in the morning. He sees the truth of his appearance, but just after he walks away from the mirror, he cannot remember in detail the image that he just saw.

     Now, I think what James Is getting at is that a person who just hears the Word and does not act upon never makes it a part of his deep reality. It never really gets down deep in his soul and becomes a part of him. It does not shape him and make him what he needs to be in the Lord.

     A person who really deeply and fully looks into the Bible and studies it, especially the teachings and the commandments of the Lord, that person will be blessed in all that they do. The reason for this is that they will be living life in God’s way. They will be living in this world following the example of the Lord Jesus. And when we do that, we cannot go wrong.

     The admonition of this passage is clear in another way. James is saying, and he will repeat the theme, don’t just say you believe, show it. Don’t just quote verses and show your Biblical intellect. Do it. Live it out, or it doesn’t make any difference.

 

James 1:26-27

 

     This is a particular favorite set of verses for me. It tells about what true religion really consists of. There are many people who are religious. They go to church. They say all the right things. They will tell anyone that they meet what a good Christian they are. But are they practicing true religion according to James?

     True religion for James means visiting the orphans and widows. What does this mean? It means just what Jesus said. It means doing good unto the least among us as if doing it unto Him. There are a lot of vulnerable, hurting and oppressed people in this world. A Christian is someone who stands for justice for the oppressed. A Christian practicing true religion helps the poor and helps those who cannot or will not help themselves. Jesus said when you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me.

     James adds an additional component to true religion. We are to keep ourselves from being polluted by this world. In other words, we are to live lives of holiness. We are to come out and be separate from the values and the false idea system of this world. We are to go God’s way and not the way of the world, the flesh and the devil.

     When we do what the Lord has commanded us to do to help others. When we love our neighbor as ourselves. When we treat others as we wish to be treated, and when we live our lives without sin, we are practicing true religion. And that is pleasing to God.

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 37:4 -- "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

Isaiah 12:3 -- "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 1:40-45"

      I am glad to once again have the opportunity to post the sermon. Thank you for taking the time to read the message. 

     We are once again this week looking at what we can learn from Mark's Gospel. In our passage for today, we have an account of Jesus healing a leper. This miracle is also recorded for us in Matthew and in Luke. 

     As we saw in the previous weeks, Jesus had begun His ministry, and part of that was healing the many people who were being brought to Him with a whole host of problems. Jesus moved with compassion for the people healed the afflicted and cast out demons. He went to Peter's home and healed his mother-in-law. 

     In our passage today, a man who was filled with leprosy comes to Jesus and kneels before Him. He says to Jesus, "If you will, you can make me clean." Jesus was moved with pity for the man's condition and reached out and touched the man, and Jesus cleansed and healed the man immediately and completely. 

     After the man was healed, Jesus instructed the man to not tell anyone. He was only to go and show the priests and make the appropriate offering per the Law of Moses. Instead, the man went out and told everyone. The word spread about Jesus healing the leper, and Jesus couldn't even go into the towns because the crowds seeking healing were so great. Jesus went to lonely places, and the crowds came to Him there. As always, Jesus healed the sick who were brought out to Him. 

     So, what can we learn from this account? First of all, this account isn't as straightforward as you might think. There is a little controversy surrounding this passage. In most of the Greek manuscripts, it reads that Jesus was moved with compassion or pity. However, in one of the oldest manuscripts, it reads that Jesus was indignant or angry when the man asked for healing. Which is right? What can we make of this?

     The vast majority of manuscripts read that Jesus was moved with compassion or pity, and I think that is right. When Jesus saw this man in so much pain and hurt, He felt deeply moved. He wanted the man to be well. I also think that Jesus was moved with compassion at the thought that this poor man would even have to question that He would want to help Him. The leper had no doubt been through a great deal of hurt and rejection in his life. 

     Jesus is compassionate. He cares about us, and He cares about our needs. He loves us, and He wants the best for us. He went to the cross because He loved us and wanted us to be with Him forever. He does not want anyone to suffer. Now, we do live in a world of suffering, but because of what Jesus has done suffering will one day cease entirely when the New Heavens and the New Earth are created.

     Now, what would be different if we did interpret the passage that Jesus became angry or indignant? If this is truly the correct interpretation, I don't think it means He was angry at the man. I think Jesus was angry that the man had to ask if you are willing. The religious and social system when Jesus was on earth would have completely rejected this man. Lepers were viewed as people who had committed some great sin and were being punished by God. They were rejected by the religious people and society. 

     Jesus would have been angry that people excluded this man and made him feel as if he was rejected by God. Jesus never rejected anyone. That is one of the reasons that the religious leaders didn't like Him. Jesus wanted everyone to come to Him so that they might have the abundant life that He offered to all who believe in Him. 

     Now, there is something else that I want to point out in this encounter. Jesus touched the leper and made him clean. This was something that was not to be done in that world. Touching the leper made Jesus ritually impure. No one touched a leper. Yet, Jesus in His love and compassion touched the man and made Him whole. His touch was an expression of His love and caring for the man. 

     I think something deeply theological is going on with this story. The man who is filled with leprosy is like us when we are filled with sin. Jesus took our sins and bore our sins in His body. Because of this we are freed from sin, and we have received the imputed righteousness of Christ making us clean. This is deeply symbolic healing with great meaning for us. It shows what Jesus did for us and how He has made us whole. 

     Jesus then instructed the man not to tell others. Why? I think He wanted people to come to Him to learn and to know not just to get something out of Him. When word got out, people came from everywhere to be healed. Jesus could give them what they wanted. 

     I think there is still a lot of this today. We view Jesus as the cosmic dispenser of good things. Don't want to go to hell. Get Jesus. Jesus wants us to come to Him to have a relationship with Him. He wants us to follow His path, and only a part of that is going to be with Him in Heaven. We come to Him to know Him and receive His life and His new way. 

     Finally, we read once again that Jesus went into the lonely places. He needed to get away and pray and meditate. He had to recharge. We do to. Even there, the people came. Jesus who is all good and all compassionate helped everyone who came. He loves us so much. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying for my health. I am better, but I am still having a lot of health issues. Thank you. 

     Let us pray for those facing hardship as a result of natural disasters. I know that there have been bad storms in Madagascar, and there have been bad fires in the Midwest in the US. Pray that people will get the aid and the help that they need. 

     We all need to keep praying for peace in the world. Pray for a diplomatic solution in Iran. Pray for peace. We don't need any more wars. Also, keep praying for Ukraine. Pray for peace in Sudan, Israel, Gaza, Yemen, Syria and Myanmar. Pray for peace in any area where you know there is conflict. 

     Pray that Christians all over the world will love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ and not be moved to despise their brothers and sisters based on politics or nationality or other so-called divisions. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let's pray for those in the nations of Algeria and Thailand. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     I have an announcement. I have been working on a laymen's commentary on the book of James, and it is now finished. Starting next Wednesday, I will post one chapter a week until the whole book has been posted. I will post the verses on Tuesday. We will continue in Mark with the sermon. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Matthew 5:4 -- "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."

Revelation 21:4 -- "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 1:21-39"

       Thanks for taking the time to read the message this week. I hope and pray that everyone is doing well this week. 

     For the last few weeks, we have been in a continuing series of messages on the Gospel of Mark. We are going chapter by chapter and verse by verse through this Gospel for as long as it takes. 

     In our message last week, we saw that Jesus was just at the start of His public ministry. He came out of the wilderness temptation, and then He chose some of His first disciples. He told them that they would become fishers of people, and they left everything behind and immediately followed Him. 

     In our passage for today, we find that Jesus is beginning His teaching and healing ministry in the city of Capernaum. On the Sabbath, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach the people. The people were amazed at the teaching that Jesus was giving because He taught under His own authority and not like the teachers of the law. This meant that Jesus made statements about what was the truth without going back and quoting from others in order to authenticate what He was saying. He taught under His own authority because He was God come in the flesh. All authority was His in Heaven and on earth. 

     In addition to teaching, another important part of Jesus' ministry was healing those who were sick and those who were oppressed by the devil. People from all over would come who were sick so that Jesus could lay His hands on them and heal them. Jesus was filled with compassion for the needs of the people. He cared about their spiritual needs and their physical needs. 

     One thing to note in this passage is that the evil spirits recognized Jesus right away. They had no power when Jesus confronted them. When He told them to depart, they had no choice.

     In our passage today, we also see that Jesus performed a miracle for Peter's family. Peter's mother-in-law was sick, and Jesus brought her back to health. She showed her gratitude by serving and helping the Lord and His disciples. 

     Now, what can we learn for our lives from this passage so far. First of all, we see the divinity of Jesus firmly displayed. By having teaching authority, authority over disease and authority over the spirits, Jesus demonstrated in no uncertain terms that He was God. He forbade the evil spirits to identify Him because He wanted people to come to their own conclusion about who He was. And that is what everyone has to do. We all must decide who Jesus is and if we will acknowledge who He is and invite Him into our lives to be out Savior and Lord. 

     In this passage, we see that we have an example for our service for the Lord in this world. Jesus ministered to the whole person. He told them about His message of love and forgiveness, and we have been given the ministry of reconciliation by the Lord as well. We are to go into the world and preach the Gospel and tell people that they can be reconciled to God through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

    We also, like Jesus, have a ministry for the whole person. Jesus met the needs of the people. Those of us who claim Jesus as Lord also have the duty to minster to the sick and to help people that are hurting in this world. If all of those who claim to know Jesus would work together, we could provide medical care, food aid and other assistance to the least of those among us. That is our duty in imitation of the teaching and practice of Jesus. 

     Now, in the last part of our passage, we see that Jesus went out into solitary places to pray. He needed to recharge by spending time with His Father. That is our example. We cannot go out into this world and help people if we are not filled up with the power of the Lord, and this comes about by spending time each day in prayer. We need to pray and meditate and let the love of Jesus fill our hearts so that we can give the love of Jesus to others that we meet throughout the day. 

     In all things, Jesus is our example. Let us go into the world and tell others about the Lord, and let us help others to have a better life while await the coming again of Jesus. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am having a lot of health issues right now. Please keep praying. I am still able to go to work and post the messages, so I am thankful for that. 

     Please pray for peace. The world right now is a total mess. We need peace on the streets of the US. We need to keep praying of Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, Syria and Yemen. Pray for peace in Haiti. Wherever you know there is conflict, pray for peace. 

     Keep praying that those affected by the winter storms here in the US will get the aid and the help that they need. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of India and Senegal. Pray that many will come to know the Lord Jesus. 

     Next week, I will post the verses on Tuesday. We will continue in our study in Mark. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Isaiah 26:3 -- "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."

Psalm 104:34 -- "May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in the Lord."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 1:16-20"

      Once again we have come to the time for the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone has had a very good week. I am doing some better. 

     As you are probably aware by now, we are in a series of messages where we are going through the Gospel of Mark. This is going to be an extensive study, and I am not going to rush through things. I want us to really see and understand who Jesus was and what He did during His time upon this earth. 

     Our study today finds us looking at how Jesus called His first disciples. After Jesus, was tempted in the wilderness, we saw last week that He began to preach a message about repentance and the coming of the Kingdom of God into the world. Right away, many people were attracted to Jesus' message, and they began to follow Him. 

     Most of Jesus early ministry was centered around the Sea of Galilee. At this time, there were many small towns and villages around the Sea, and it was the center of a thriving fishing industry. 

    One day, as Jesus was walking on the shore, he saw Andrew and Peter fishing. He called to them and asked them to come and follow Him, and He would make them fishers of people." They immediately followed Jesus. Later, Jesus saw John and James fishing. When He called them, they left everything behind and followed Jesus. 

     It doesn't say so in this Gospel. but we know from other accounts that Jesus already knew these men. They were followers of John the Baptist, and Jesus met them when He was in the vicinity of John's ministry during the time that He was baptized. They had presumably gone back home after John was arrested. Now, they had received the call from Jesus to follow Him, and they quickly responded. 

     I want us to focus on three things from this account. First of all, Jesus called them to follow Him, and they did it immediately. When the Lord calls us to do something for Him, that too should be our response. We should not hesitate once we know the Lords will. We should be quick to get about the task that the Lord has called us to do. This demonstrates that we have a heart that is yielded to the call of the Holy Spirit.  This also applies to those who the Lord is calling to salvation. Today is the day of salvation. Do not put off until tomorrow your decision to follow Jesus. No one is guaranteed a tomorrow. 

     The text also shows us that these men whom Jesus called left the old behind and followed Him. They were willing to lay aside everything that was dear to them in order to follow Jesus. Jesus is to be first and foremost in our lives. We are to follow Him as Lord. We do what He tells us to do. We are not to put anything or anyone before our relationship with the Lord. He is always to be number one. We need to be willing to lay everything aside and follow Him. He calls us to be a new creation leaving behind the old as all things have become new. 

    When Jesus called His first disciples, He said that He was going to turn them from being fishers of fish into fishers of people. He was going to train them to become those who would bring people to faith in Him. He would train them and teach them for the next three years, so that when He was gone, they would be able to go to all the world with His message of love and forgiveness. 

    Today, we are called to be fishers of people. Jesus has given us the Great Commission telling us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. We are to be out telling people that Jesus has died and risen from the dead that they might be reconciled to God. It is our mission to be evangelists spreading the good news about Jesus everywhere. 

     One thing that I would like to add. Jesus chose fisherman, tax collectors and ordinary people to be His disciples. That shows us that whosoever will may come to Him. The Lord is not a respecter of persons. He will accept all who come to Him, and He is able and willing to use anyone whose heart is yielded to Him in service. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am doing better with my health, but I still need your prayers. Thank you. 

     Please pray for those in the US who are still without power due to the winter storms. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that they need. 

     Let us continue to pray for peace in the world. Pray for peace in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Sudan, Venezuela, Haiti, Myanmar and Congo. Pray for peace wherever you know there is a conflict. 

     We need to pray that the measles outbreak in South Carolina will come under control. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Western Sahara and Turkey. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, we will continue in Mark. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all.  

Verses For The Week

 Galatians 6:2 -- "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

John 15:12 -- "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

Empathy Is Not A Sin

      Lately, within conservative Christian circles, there has been a lot of talk about what they are calling the sin of empathy. The thinking goes that empathizing with someone who is doing something wrong is a way of condoning their actions. 

     What does the Bible say about empathy and whether or not it is a sin? First of all the Bible tells us in Romans 12:15 that we are to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. We are to feel their pain and their joy. We are to enter in to people's heartache and happiness because that is a way of understanding what a person is going through. It is putting ourselves in somebody else's shoes so to speak. Paul will tell us in the book of Galatians that we are to bear one another's burdens. 

     Now, what does Jesus have to say about all of this, and how is He our example? The very act of Incarnation is an act of empathy. God became man. He came to be with us and to feel and experience what we go through. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus was touched with the feelings of our infirmities. We are also told that He was tempted in all manners like we are. He understands what we are going through because He went through it Himself. 

     Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross. He became sin for us even though He knew no sin. That, to me, is the ultimate act of identifying with the other. 

     If someone is going through a hard time, they don't need to hear us condemn them. They need our presence. They need us to understand how they feel. And that understanding helps to inform how we respond. Let us remember in everything we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. And we are to do unto others as we would have done to us. 

     Empathy is not a sin. It is feeling what someone else feels so that we can be present and be a help to those in need and to those in pain. 

Thoughts On Romans 13

      Right now with the protests that are going on in the US, there are religious leaders once again using Romans 13 as the basis to say that protesting non-violently against the government is wrong. They are saying that standing up against injustice to immigrants is wrong because of Romans 13 and Christians obeying the governing authorities. With this in mind I want to repost a section of a sermon I posted several years ago dealing with this. 

 Romans 13 is a misunderstood and misapplied teaching. This section of Scripture in verses 1 through 7 has been used by oppressive governments to try to keep people from standing up against governmental injustice. Recently in my country, this passage has been used to justify the excesses of our government.
     In Romans 13:1-7, Paul tells us that God has established governments. Paul says that those who rebel against the government are rebelling against God. We are told that all of the authorities that exist are established by God for the purpose of bringing order. The governing authorities are to provide safety, and they are to punish those who are doing wrong. Paul calls on people to obey the government. Christians are to pay their taxes and give honor to the governing authorities.
     First of all, let us look at what Paul is not saying in this passage. Paul is not saying that every leader has been put in power directly by God.  Some in my country say that God put the current president in office. President Trump, President Obama, President Bush, President Clinton, whatever president was elected by the free will of the voters. The Lord does have the power to immediately remove any world leader if He should so desire, but people elected the leaders. Paul is not saying that God directly put each leader in place by somehow abrogating people's free will.
    Paul is saying that government as an institution for order has been established by God. God has not chosen to let society be in anarchy.
    Paul is not saying that Christians are to obey their governmental authorities in every aspect. We have to interpret Scripture by Scripture, and there are many instances in the Bible where people resisted the evil commandments of rulers. Let's look at a few of these.
    In the book of Exodus, the Pharaoh of Egypt ordered all of the Hebrew babies to be killed. Moses' parents did not follow this order. They hid Moses and preserved him from death.
    When Jezebel ordered the death of the prophets of God, Obadiah took many of the prophets and hid them in a cave so that Jezebel could not find them and kill them.
     In the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar ordered that every one bow down to the idol that he had made. Shadrach,  Meshach and Abednego would not bow down. Even when threatened with the fiery furnace, they would not obey the edict of the king and bow down to a false god.
    Daniel went ahead with his daily habit of praying to God even though ordered not to pray by the Persian emperor. Daniel was thrown into the lions den, but he would not violate his conscience.
    In the New Testament, Peter and John were boldly preaching the message of Jesus. They were arrested and commanded to no longer preach in the name of Jesus. Peter told the authorities that it is better to obey God than human beings.
     We know that Paul was well aware of these instances, so we know that Paul is not advocating a wholesale obedience to the government even when the government is commanding that evil be done or that Christians stop practicing their faith.
     There are examples from outside of the Bible when Christians stood up for the Lord and stood up against injustice. During the time of the early church, some of the Roman emperors demanded that all people including Christians acknowledge that Caesar was Lord. Many Christians would acknowledge no Lord except Jesus Christ, and they suffered martyrdom.
     During the time of the Nazi atrocities, there were people who would not turn in those who the Nazis were trying to kill. There were people who hid their Jewish friends and neighbors and helped them to escape the clutches of the Nazis.
     In my country, there were Christians who stood up for justice during the Civil Rights movement. They believed that discriminatory laws were wrong. They practiced non-violent civil disobedience in order to bring about change and to bring justice.
     Right now in my country, there are some local communities that have passed laws making it illegal to give food to the homeless people that are out on the streets. Some Christian groups who work with the homeless have chosen to go ahead and provide food to those who are hungry. Some have been ticketed by the local police, but they have chosen to continue to feed the hungry and clothe the naked just as Jesus wants us to do.
     As Christians, we are to first and foremost obey the Word of the Lord. If the government orders us to do something that God has told us in His Word not to do, we must obey God rather than human beings.
     Now, what is Paul actually saying in this passage. Paul is telling us that as Christians, we are to obey the governing authorities. Just because we know that Jesus is the true King and we are looking for a city whose builder and maker is God, we still live in this world. We are to be upstanding and law-abiding citizens. We are to pay our taxes and follow the laws. We aren't to be above the law.
    There are some Christians who believe that they are not obligated to follow any law that is not expressly found in the Bible. These people refuse to pay their taxes and they will not follow laws such as the speed limit or local zoning regulations.
    Paul is directly addressing this type of attitude. We are to obey the law as Christians. We are not above the law. However, if the governing authorities act in an evil manner, we as believers must stand in opposition to that. If we are told that we are to violate a direct law of God, we cannot do that. This is what Paul is trying to get across in this passage.
    Unfortunately, this passage of Scripture has been abused by those who want to get Christians to go along with the injustices and wickedness that governments are trying to promote. If we look at this passage in the way that it should be rightly interpreted, we see that it in no way is calling on Christians to remain silent in the midst of injustice.

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 1:14-15"

      I am glad to be able to post the sermon this week. The snow and storm in my area turned out not to be as bad as expected. Instead of 12 to 18 inches of snow, we received about six inches. It has been very cold though. There are many people in the US south and southeast that had a lot of ice, and the power is still out. We all need to pray that these folks get the aid and the help that they need. 

     Starting a couple of weeks back, we started a new series where we are going through the Gospel of Mark. I am taking my time with this series so that we can really get into the life and message of the Lord Jesus. 

     Last week, we saw that Jesus was baptized by John. Jesus was affirmed by the voice of the Father, and the Spirit in the form of a dove descended upon Him. At that point, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness in order to prepare for His time of public ministry. 

     In our text today, we see that when John the Baptist was thrown into prison by Herod, Jesus went up to Galilee to begin His public ministry. The Bible says that Jesus proclaimed the good news of God and that He told the people that the Kingdom or reign of God was near. He called on the people to repent and believe the good news.

     Let's look at the meaning of these first words of the Lord Jesus. He proclaimed the good news of God. The fact that He the Messiah had come into this world was good news. The old ways and the old structures of power based on evil and unrighteousness were coming to an end. People having to be trapped in sinfulness and guilt were coming to an end. Jesus had come to tell people that God loved them and cared about them. 

    Jesus also told people the Kingdom of God had come near. Jesus during the time of His earthly ministry was going to be telling people about God's way of doing things in this world. The values of the Kingdom of God are vastly different from the values of this world system of domination. We don't see it in the Gospel of Mark, but Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount and Luke in the Sermon on the Plain record Jesus' teachings in detail about the values of the Kingdom of God. The overriding values of God's Kingdom are love, peace, goodness and justice. 

     Jesus showed us in His work and through His words what God values and that is what we are to value and strive for as those who are the followers of the Lord. We don't follow the way of the world that teaches might makes right, and that teaches the ways of greed and oppression. In another passage, Jesus said that He had come to preach to the poor. He came to preach release to the captive, and He came to bind the brokenhearted. He came to preach love for one's enemies and to care more about others than we care about ourselves. Jesus came and preached a message of radical forgiveness and mercy. He told us to love God and love our neighbor. And He taught us to care about the least of these. These are the values of the Kingdom of God. 

     Repentance was a key theme in the message of Jesus. He called on people to leave behind their old way of thinking and embrace the Kingdom of God. That is what repentance means. It means to change one's mind. Jesus called on people to change their minds about God and to change their minds about what God wants for them in this world. 

     In His preaching, Jesus called on people to believe in the good news. He called on the people to repent of their sins and accept His love and forgiveness. Since He had come into the world, everything was changed. He was the light that had come into the world, and the darkness did not and will never overcome the glorious light of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

     The Lord Jesus is calling on us to repent and believe the good news today. We need to repent of our ways of oppression and violence. We need to repent of exploitation of the poor, and we need to repent of destruction of all that God has made. There are also many who need to repent of their sins and come to Jesus for salvation. They need to leave sin behind and accept Jesus as the Lord of their lives. Now as then, Jesus is ready to receive all those who come to Him in repentance and faith. I hope that you will come to Him and follow Him and do what He laid out today. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying in regard to my health. I am doing better in some ways and not in others. Thank you. 

     Let us keep praying for those who are suffering as a result of natural disasters. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that they need. 

     Remember to keep praying for peace. I looked at a list of all the conflicts going on in the world right now, and it made me sick. Literally. Pray for peace in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Iran, Syria, Yemen, the Sahel region, Congo, Central African Republic, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Haiti, Colombia, Venezuela. I am sure I left something off the list. Pray for peace. 

     About the situation in Minnesota. What a tragedy. Please pray that these aggressive ICE tactics will come to an end. Pray for the well being of those in this country who haven't hurt anyone and are just trying to make it in this world. Also pray for the families and friends of those who have been so needlessly killed in Minneapolis. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Sierra Leone and Indonesia. Pray that many will hear and respond to the love of Jesus. 

     Next week, we will continue in Mark. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week And An Update

 Update: I survived the big snowstorm. Others are having difficulties and need our prayers. Thank you for your prayers on my behalf. 

Here are the verses:

Hebrews 4:16 -- "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Matthew 6:14 -- "If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." 

The Weekend Sermon -- Mark 1:9-13

     It is time for the Weekend Sermon. Thank you all for taking the time to read the message this week. I hope and pray that you are all doing very well.

  

      For the last couple of weeks, we have been engaged in a series on the Gospel of Mark. The plan is to go chapter by chapter and verse by verse through this entire book of the Bible. 

      Last week, we looked at what Mark had to say about the ministry of John the Baptist. He was the one prophesied to be the forerunner of the Messiah. The Messiah was Jesus. John said that Jesus was mightier than he was, and He would baptize with the Holy Spirit. 

     In today's message, we are going to look at what are the beginnings of the ministry of Jesus according to Mark's account. In verse 9, we see that Mark tells us that Jesus went from Nazareth down to where John was baptizing and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 

     Now, there are always those who ask why Jesus was baptized as He had no sin therefore He would not have needed a baptism of repentance as that was what John was performing. I believe that Jesus was baptized as it was His purpose to show us a perfect example of how we are to behave and what we are to do. Jesus was baptized in order to show us that we need to be baptized according to His later commandment that those who come to Him be baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

     Another reason that Jesus was baptized has to do with what we see in verses 10 and 11. When Jesus came up from the water, He saw the Heavens opened. At the same time, the Spirit in the form of a dove descended upon Him. The voice of the Father came from Heaven saying, "You are my Son whom I love, with You I am well pleased." 

     The baptism of Jesus was a visible proof with signs from the Father that Jesus was the Messiah. The Spirit came upon Jesus signifying that He was the Anointed One from God. Jesus was the Messiah prophesied of old. He had come to deliver His people. The power of the Holy Spirit was upon Him. Also, the Father signified that Jesus was the Son. This demonstrated that Jesus was divine as well as human. The Father said that the Son was pleasing unto Him. The Father verified the work of the Son. 

     Something else of great importance is shown to us in the baptism of Jesus. This is one of the great demonstrations of the veracity of the doctrine of the Trinity. At the baptism of Jesus we have the voice of the Father from Heaven. We have Jesus declared as the Son by the Father, and we see the Holy Spirit coming down in the form of a dove. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

     Now, after His baptism, the Spirit sent Jesus into the wilderness. While in the wilderness for 40 days and nights, Jesus prepared Himself for the mission that was ahead. Part of that preparation was the temptation by Satan. Mark doesn't go into detail about the temptations like some other Gospels do. However, we know that Jesus overcame and did not succumb to any temptation. 

     Jesus, by being tempted, demonstrated that He is the one who is without sin. He could truly be the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. Also, Jesus by being tempted was able to identify with us. He knew what it was truly like to be a human being. He knew and knows what we are going through that is why the Bible says that He is a great high priest who is touched by the feeling of our infirmities. 

     There is something else that I want to point out in this passage. Mark points out that Jesus was with the wild animals. I do not think that this is just a casual reference. When sin came into this world, all of the natural order was thrown into chaos. By saying that Jesus was with the wild animals, and they were obviously not harming Him, Mark was showing that Jesus is the one who brings redemption to the entire cosmic order. Jesus is the one who has come to set all things right and to return all things to the Edenic state. 

     After His time in the wilderness, Jesus was ready to enter His time of ministry. He set out to do what the Father had sent Him to do. Jesus came to redeem us. He invites you now to come to Him that you might have eternal life. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that the storms won't be bad. I am having a lot of health issues and I am concerned about all this cold and getting to work and just making it through in general to be quite honest. Thank you for your prayers. 

     Please keep praying for peace. This whole business with Greenland is ridiculous. Pray that there is no military invasion of Greenland. Also, pray for peace in Ukraine and Sudan. Israel and Gaza still need help and prayer. Syria needs our prayers. Keep praying about Venezuela. The world is a real mess right now. Pray that the leaders of this world will seek the ways of peace and the Lord's will. 

     Remember to keep praying that the flu and covid problems in the US will end. Also pray for an end to the measles outbreak in South Carolina. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Mauritius and Kuwait. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

    Next week, we will continue in Mark. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. Keep praying.